Turning old unused phone booths into local information kiosks
Skift Take
Remains to be seen if they take off against denizens' own phones/portable devices, or if they end up being used as tourist information kiosks.
In New York city, a company called City24x7 is giving mostly-unused phone booths an upgrade: Gone is the phone; in its place is a 32-inch iPad-like touch screen that lets users see real-time news happening around them, local events, transportation information, reviews of nearby bars and restaurants, promotions from local merchants, warnings of local environmental hazards, and more. Users can also quickly leverage the phone booth, which doubles as a free Wi-Fi hotspot, to notify the authorities of an emergency.
City24x7 just finished a two-year pilot of the screens in NYC; it plans on rolling out 250 SmartScreens over the coming months.
Up Next
Hotels
How Data Quality Issues Impact Global Hospitality Operations
There are wide discrepancies in data quality for hotel transactions across global regions, with the largest occurring in Asia-Pacific. Because hotels and agencies need to harness data quality to thrive, they must take a more nuanced regional approach to monitoring potential issues.
Sponsored 
Airlines
How Allegiant’s Florida Resort Became a Drain on Its Profits
Allegiant wanted to go into the hotel business with a sprawling resort in southwest Florida. Now, just over a year later, it’s looking to offload the costly hotel.
Tourism
Disney's Gamble: More Cruise Ships, Parks, and Premium Prices
Disney is expanding its cruise fleet and investing billions in its theme parks internationally. Yet maintaining premium pricing across a much larger footprint won't be easy.
Online Travel
NYC Enforcement Boss on Short-Term Rental Law: 'It's Working' - Exclusive
The short-term rental market in New York City in 2025 is largely unrecognizable when measured against the short-term rental scene in 2023. Whether that's a good or a bad thing depends on your perspective.
Online Travel
Trivago Pushes AI-Powered Ads, Tries to Reduce Reliance on Google
Trivago's CEO said changes to Google ads are primarily what caused repeated revenue declines over the past couple of years.