Dawit Habtemariam

I cover what destinations around the world are doing to attract tourists and the top trends in global tourism. Prior to joining Skift, I covered corporate travel at Business Travel News.

Latest Stories

Cruises

Carnival Reports Record Cruise Bookings for 2025

Carnival is riding a global wave of consumer interest in cruise experiences. The company doesn't see any signs of a slowdown.

Dawit Habtemariam | 4 weeks ago

Carnival Reports Record Cruise Bookings for 2025

Tourism

Visit Oslo’s Ironic New Ad Goes Viral Asking: ‘Is it Even a City?’

Oslo doesn't take the typical smiling local approach in its new tourism ad. It instead uses dry Nordic humor to promote Oslo's unique appeal.

Dawit Habtemariam | 4 weeks ago

Visit Oslo’s Ironic New Ad Goes Viral Asking: ‘Is it Even a City?’

Short-Term Rentals

July 4 Vacation Rentals Surge at Atlantic Beaches But Soften in Cities: Exclusive

Delaware and Maryland beaches along with other U.S. coastal hotspots are seeing spikes in bookings for short-term rentals and vacation homes during the upcoming holiday weekend, according to exclusive data from AirDNA.

Dawit Habtemariam | 4 weeks ago

July 4 Vacation Rentals Surge at Atlantic Beaches But Soften in Cities: Exclusive

Tourism

Portland Tourism Chief to Retire After 19-Year Tenure

Portland is going to need another tourism champion, one who will be an outspoken advocate.

Dawit Habtemariam | 4 weeks ago

Portland Tourism Chief to Retire After 19-Year Tenure

Tourism

U.S. to Speed Up Passport Processing With Online Renewals and More Agencies

With faster passport renewals, Americans will have an easier time traveling internationally.

Dawit Habtemariam | 1 month ago

U.S. to Speed Up Passport Processing With Online Renewals and More Agencies

Hotels

San Francisco Gets Tourism Bump from AI – But Recovery Will Be Slow

San Francisco is finally showing some gains. But the hole was deep.

Dawit Habtemariam | 1 month ago

San Francisco Gets Tourism Bump from AI – But Recovery Will Be Slow

Tourism

New Zealand Woos American Travelers Beyond Peak Season

Americans and Canadians have long held winter as not a good time to travel to New Zealand. The island's tourism bureau is confident it can bust this myth.

Dawit Habtemariam | 1 month ago

New Zealand Woos American Travelers Beyond Peak Season

Tourism

Clock Ticks on Filling New Top U.S. Tourism Job as Election Season Looms

The U.S. travel industry may be forced to wait until after the 2024 Presidential Election to see if the assistant secretary of travel and tourism position gets filled and funded again.

Dawit Habtemariam | 1 month ago

Clock Ticks on Filling New Top U.S. Tourism Job as Election Season Looms

Tourism

Savannah Tourism Trolley Tour Rolls Into U.S. Cities With Data-Driven Marketing

Savannah is taking the direct-to-consumer literally as part of its tourism campaign across 11 U.S. cities. It's not only selling the city as a place to visit but also a place to live.

Dawit Habtemariam | 1 month ago

Savannah Tourism Trolley Tour Rolls Into U.S. Cities With Data-Driven Marketing

Cruises

Cruise Lines to Disclose Hidden Fees When California’s Junk Fee Law Kicks In July 1

On July 1, consumers will find out if cruise operators are going to stick with the spirit of California's new junk fee regulation: full price transparency.

Dawit Habtemariam | 1 month ago

Cruise Lines to Disclose Hidden Fees When California’s Junk Fee Law Kicks In July 1