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Airlines

Phoenix Airport’s Strong Recovery Faces Workforce Challenges

The Phoenix Airport has risen from the the pandemic like the mythical bird it's named after. But even though travelers are back, workers aren't and that means issues for travelers.

Edward Russell | 1 hour ago

Airline Weekly

From the Ashes of the Pandemic, Phoenix Sky Harbor Soars

Traffic at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport is already at 95% of its pre-Covid level, and the airport soon could join the ranks of airports like Atlanta, Dallas-Fort Worth, and Chicago O'Hare in handling more than 50 million annual passengers. We go in depth in this week's Feature Story.

8 hours ago

Airline Weekly

Podcast: The South American Airline Spider Web

In this week’s episode, Edward “Ned” Russell and Madhu Unnikrishnan take a look at what the new transnational company could look like and why Copa is doing well. And then they blame Alanis Morrissete for ruining the word “ironic.”

3 days ago

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Business Travel

Is WeWork Missing the Golden Opportunity for Remote Working?

The co-working giant posted a $504 million loss for the first quarter of this year, although the figures are heading in the right direction. But has it run out of steam after setting right so many wrongs in the past?

Matthew Parsons | 3 days ago

Business Travel

Radisson CEO Unveils Europe Strategy, Knocks Rivals With Cookie-Cutter Hotels

Federico Gonzalez argues lifestyle hotels aren’t just for the well-heeled, and rivals are “punishing” guests with poor design. But it may be a challenge to roll out so many properties and keep them feeling unique.

Matthew Parsons | 4 days ago

Business Travel

United Ups Revenue Projections on Full Return of Corporate Travel Business

Plenty of doubters predicted business travel wouldn’t fully return, but recent surges suggest the wider industry could break past its pre-pandemic $1.4 trillion value.

Matthew Parsons | 6 days ago

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Coronavirus

China Will Not Host International Sporting Events Amid Zero-Covid Policy

As China's once busy international sporting calendar looks threadbare, the country's latest decision to retreat from hosting such events will go against its aspiration to turn sport into a $747 billion industry by 2025.

Ian Ransom, Reuters | 3 days ago

Coronavirus

Travel Industry Is More Than 3/4 Recovered: New Skift Travel Health Index

The latest data and insights from our partners show that the travel industry is continuing to return to "traditional" levels of demand, and traveler behavior is looking increasingly like it did before the pandemic.

Wouter Geerts | 4 days ago

Coronavirus

Shanghai to Gradually Increase Domestic Flight Services

As Covid-battered Shanghai plans for a return to normal life, airlines, bus and rail transit will gradually resume operations. However, travelers would still need a negative Covid test not older than 48 hours to take public transport.

Kevin Yao, Brenda Goh, Yifan Wang and Muyu Xu., Reuters | 1 week ago

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Cruises

Royal Caribbean Isn’t Worried About Inflation Even With a $1.2 Billion Loss

Royal Caribbean — like its rivals in the cruise industry — has had a brutal last two years. But it can finally see a light at the end of tunnel in large part because it fully believes that consumers aren't deterred by rising prices.

Rashaad Jorden | 3 weeks ago

Cruises

Carnival CEO Arnold Donald Is Stepping Down

Donald has had to deal with the biggest crisis ever to hit the cruise industry, and leaves the company in still-uncharted waters with an uncertain path to recovery.

Matthew Parsons | 4 weeks ago

Cruises

U.S. CDC Drops Covid Cruise Warning

it will be interesting to see what kind of large-ship cruise industry returns. Will it be a continuation of 2019’s bigger-is-better approach, or did any of the major lines rethink what their product could be in the age of overtourism and climate change?

Reuters | 2 months ago

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Hotels

Big Hotel Brand Interest in All-Inclusive Resorts May Be Overheated

The conventional wisdom of big hotel brands is that buying all-inclusive resorts may be as relaxing as staying at one. But what if big hotel brands are in for a disappointing experience at the buffet bar?

Sean O'Neill | 11 hours ago

Hotels

Crown Resorts Shareholders Approve $6.3 Billion Sale to Blackstone

A step nearer for Blackstone, but a few gambling regulators dotted around Australia now get to have their say. It's not a done deal yet.

Harish Sridharan and Indranil Sarkar, Reuters | 3 days ago

Hotels

India Enjoys Hotel Development Boom as Room Rates Regain 2019 Levels

In India, deal activity is strong for Indian Hotels Company (IHCL), Pride Group, and India’s first publicly traded real-estate investment trust, Embassy Office Parks. The country is on track to become the third largest lodging market in the world within about a decade.

Sean O'Neill | 3 days ago

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Meetings

Announcements

Introducing Skift Meetings: Embracing the New Future of Business Events

Meetings & events is now the center of how companies and industries create culture, and we're embracing the future of business events — with our latest adventure: Skift Meetings.

Rafat Ali | 4 days ago

Skift Meetings

Buenos Aires Delivers a Fresh Pitch to Revive Its Once-Dominant Meetings Market

A weeklong event in Buenos Aires acted as the unofficial relaunch of the meetings sector after the pandemic slump. But recovering lost ground — just 20 percent of the business is back — while dealing with new hybrid models could take about two years, tourism officials admit.

5 days ago

Skift Meetings

Future of Lodging Demonstrates How Events Have Evolved Post-Pandemic

Skift threw out the standard conference template during its Future of Lodging Forum and this is what it looked like. Since remote work is the new way of life, the conference was just two half-days. Attendees appreciated the new format as it allowed them time to digest the information shared while indulging in a half-a-day to enjoy as they desired.

6 days ago

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Mergers and Acquisitions

PlusGrade to Buy Points.com for $385 Million in Cash in Blockbuster Loyalty Deal

PlusGrade and Points.com deal with some of the same partners, and they can now approach them with a collaborative pitch.

Dennis Schaal | 2 weeks ago

Mergers and Acquisitions

Sabre to Buy Nuvola in Bet on Hotel Upselling

Sabre gets deeper into hotel operations with this acquisition of a vendor of upselling and guest messaging tech.

Sean O'Neill | 2 weeks ago

Mergers and Acquisitions

Oyo Expands Vacation Homes Strategy With Europe Acquisition of Direct Booker

It seems like it's business as usual for Oyo as it goes ahead with its acquisitions and alliances, all's still quiet on the IPO front.

Peden Doma Bhutia | 2 weeks ago

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Online Travel

What a Google Breakup Would Mean for Travel

Superapps and connected trips would take a hit if Google were forced to self-immolate. However, competition would flourish if authorities curtail Google bias.

Dennis Schaal, Skift | 12 hours ago

Online Travel

Despegar Finds Acquisition Bargains in Latin America’s Hard-Hit Economies

At the beginning of the pandemic, it was clear there would be plenty of mergers and acquisition targets. Despegar found at least a couple in Viajanet and Stays.

Dennis Schaal | 4 days ago

Online Travel

Online Travel’s Letters to Shareholders Should Nix the Fluff, Stick to Facts

When asked a few years ago whether Booking.com was a disruptor, CEO Glenn Fogel said "no." Online travel companies should prove their innovation, not make excessive boasts.

Dennis Schaal | 5 days ago

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Overtourism

Daily Podcast: Europe’s Massive Travel Surge

Good morning from Skift. It's Wednesday, April 12, in New York City. Here's what you need to know about the business of travel today.

Rashaad Jorden | 1 month ago

Overtourism

Tourists Flocking to the U.S. West Give Hotel Bed Tax Revenues a Big Boost

Record lodging tax collections are rolling in for rural destinations in the West, which is good news. But only if those extra funds can also be used beyond marketing to mitigate the mounting negative impacts of overcrowding on the environment, on host communities and the tourism workforce.

Lebawit Lily Girma | 2 months ago

Overtourism

Daily Podcast: Canada Underwhelmed by Return of Foreign Tourists

Good morning from Skift. It's Monday, February 28, in New York City. Here's what you need to know about the business of travel today.

Rashaad Jorden | 3 months ago

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Rail

Airlines

U.S. Extends Airline, Train Mask Mandate Into May

Travelers on planes, trains, and public transport in the U.S. need to wear masks a little bit longer. The CDC is extending its mask mandate by 15 days as it continues to evaluate easing the rules even as Covid-19 cases rise again.

David Shepardson, Reuters | 1 month ago

Airlines

Trains Offer New Promise in Europe’s Quest to Cut Aviation Emissions

European airlines and authorities are eager to tap rail links to replace short flights on the continent. But a recent air-rail connection in Paris showed the limits of the partnerships that take a lot more than will power to make work and, more importantly, woo travelers.

Edward Russell | 1 month ago

Rail

Eurostar and Thalys European High-Speed Rail Merger Approved

Rail travel in Western Europe is about to get a little bit easier. European authorities have signed off on the merger of high-speed rail operators Eurostar and Thalys that will create a single company connecting some of Europe's largest cities.

Edward Russell | 2 months ago

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Rental Cars

New Hertz CEO Will Be Ex-Goldman Sachs Finance Chief Stephen Scherr

Hertz's next CEO has his work cut out for him in remaking the company. The car rental firm's transformation plan sounds good on paper, but it will be up to Stephen Scherr to turn vision into reality.

Dennis Schaal | 4 months ago

Rental Cars

Turo’s Road to Carshare Profitability Seems Endless

If carsharing platform Turo can't make a profit in a red-hot rental car market like 2021, when will it?

Sean O'Neill | 4 months ago

Rental Cars

Avis Defies Skeptics With Stellar Quarter as Vaccinated Drivers Hit the Road

Avis has gotten an enormous boost from more people getting back on the road, and adding electric vehicles to its fleet could help give the company another huge source of revenue.

Medha Singh, Reuters | 7 months ago

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Short-Term Rentals

Podcast: New Lifestyles Are Changing Hotels and Vacation Rentals

Blueground’s Alex Chatzieleftheriou and Selina’s Sam Khazary speak with Skift’s Seth Borko at the Skift Future of Lodging Forum in New York City in May 2022. Listen to the full conversation in our latest Skift Podcast episode.

Jason Clampet | 1 day ago

Short-Term Rentals

Podcast: The Definitive History of Short-Term Rentals

For today's podcast episode, Skift's Dennis Schaal is joined by RVshare's Jon Gray, UndertheDoormat Group's Merilee Kar, and HomeAway's Carl Shepherd to discuss their experiences during the evolution of online short-term rentals.

Jason Clampet | 5 days ago

Short-Term Rentals

Daily Podcast: History of Short-Term Rentals

Good morning from Skift. It's Wednesday, May 18, in New York City. Here's what you need to know about the business of travel today.

Rashaad Jorden | 5 days ago

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Startups

Optibus Raises $100 Million for Public Transport Planning: Travel Startup Funding This Week

Public transportation planning software company Optibus spots an opportunity to help cities "build back better" as they redesign networks for buses, trains, bikes and more after the pandemic.

Matthew Parsons | 4 days ago

Startups

Japan Airlines Gave This Startup Travel Subscription Service a Lift

Japanese startup Kabuk Style has thousands of travelers booking hotels and guesthouses via subscription. A recent promotion with the airline JAL boosted the company's profile.

Sean O'Neill | 6 days ago

Startups

Hotailors Lands $24 Million to Build New Financial Products: Travel Startup Funding This Week

Hotaliors secures more cash to develop new products and carry out a rebrand, while insurance platform Faye wants to make claim processes even easier with fresh funding.

Matthew Parsons | 2 weeks ago

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Tour Operators

U.S. Tour Operators Face Heat for Not Taking Stand on Anti-LGBTQ Laws

Tour operators angry about states enacting anti-LGBT laws shouldn't reward those places. Those companies can absolutely find more welcoming destinations for their guests.

Rashaad Jorden | 5 days ago

Tour Operators

TUI Aims to Return to Profits Off High Prices and Strong Demand

Only the CEO of the world's largest tour operator could see the upside in rising oil and gas prices, as Fritz Joussen warns there won't be any cheap deals to be had this year.

Zuzanna Szymanska, Reuters | 2 weeks ago

Tour Operators

Tour Operators Consider Adding Fuel Surcharges to the Price of Trips

Tour operators will try to avoid adding fuel surcharges to their trips for as long as possible. They're aware that making their trips more expensive could put a dent in their recovery because consumers will only tolerate higher prices to a certain extent.

Rashaad Jorden | 3 weeks ago

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Tourism

Doha Is Most Searched Destination on 2022 World Cup Interest

As football fans from around the world make a beeline to catch their favorite stars in action, Doha becomes the top trending destination. However, being the most geographically-compact World Cup host comes with its own set of challenges.

Peden Doma Bhutia | 7 hours ago

Tourism

Saudi Arabia’s $1 Trillion Tourism Investment and Other Top Stories This Week

In Skift's top stories this week, Saudi Arabia invests heavily in its tourism economy, 30 exclusive interviews cover the history of short-term rentals, and Sabre hands American Airlines a dollar after a decade-long case.

Skift | 2 days ago

Tourism

Sales of Suitcases, Cigarettes and Cosmetics Surge with Travel’s Return

Airport retailers will be in for a bumper summer this year. High streets and malls will look on in envy.

Dan Burns and Aishwarya Venugopal, Reuters | 2 days ago

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Travel Booking

U.S. Travel Firms Flex Marketing Muscle to Lure Travelers Seeking Sun and Sand

The charts in this article capture the conundrum facing Airbnb, Booking Holdings, and Expedia Group. The online travel agency groups need their revenue to soar faster than their marketing expenses as the pandemic recovery unfolds.

Nilanjana Basu, Reuters | 1 week ago

Short-Term Rentals

Airbnb Strives to Give Travelers More Confidence in What They Book

Airbnb has recognized that it needs to bolster the confidence of many travelers that short-term rentals and vacation homes are exactly as advertised. It's taken a big stride in that direction, said Catherine Powell, global head of hosting at the online travel agency.

Sean O'Neill | 2 weeks ago

Travel Booking

Travelers Plan to Spend Big on International Travel This Summer: New Report

Pent-up demand for international travel seems unstoppable as tourists refuse to slow down regardless of the travel industry's ongoing anxiety concerning rising prices.

Mary Ann Ha | 2 weeks ago

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Travel Technology

Google Parent Picks Phoenix for First Airport Trial for Waymo Driverless Cars

Waymo's test is a baby step — autonomous vehicles will serve the perimeter of the airport, avoiding the front door of terminals themselves. But it's the Alphabet unit's first foray into serving an airport. If it works, the days of driverless cars and profitable ridehailing services will edge closer.

Tim Mullaney | 13 hours ago

Travel Technology

An Artificial Intelligence Remedy to Ease Traffic Jam Madness This Summer

Travel reports are revealing that people are going to be spending more time on the road this year than during any other pandemic year. One company is introducing a new technology to make sure people are actually spending that time in transit, not at a traffic light.

Mary Ann Ha | 4 days ago

Startups

Japan Airlines Gave This Startup Travel Subscription Service a Lift

Japanese startup Kabuk Style has thousands of travelers booking hotels and guesthouses via subscription. A recent promotion with the airline JAL boosted the company's profile.

Sean O'Neill | 6 days ago

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Venture Capital

Startups

Why European Investing Giant Kinnevik Is Betting on Travel Startups

Even though Kinnevik is Europe's largest publicly listed startup investor, it has only recently begun to take stakes in travel startups. What it looks for in companies tells a broader story of how investors generally view the sector.

Sean O'Neill | 2 weeks ago

Startups

Sensible Weather Raises $12 Million to Hedge Against Rainy Vacations: Travel Startup Funding This Week

This week, a climate risk technology company has raised more cash to develop its Weather Guarantee product, while Relay plans to put more of its delivery robots into hotels.

Matthew Parsons | 3 weeks ago

Startups

Raus Raises $3 Million for Nature-Themed Escapes: Travel Startup Funding This Week

This week, Germany's Raus topped up its investment to attract more city dwellers and nature enthusiasts to its cabin getaways, while Mondee secured $20 million as it gears up to go public.

Matthew Parsons | 4 weeks ago

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