Hannah Sampson

Tourism

6 Top Theme Park Industry Developments of 2018

Theme parks got more creative with loyalty and pricing, ramped up their building boom, and took steps to raise employee wages in 2018. One operator mounted a turnaround, while another struggled to meet expectations. Here are some highlights from a year of strategic twists and turns.
Cruises

Carnival's Lackluster Outlook Raises Concerns for 2019

Carnival Corp. had a rough day on Wall Street after its forecast for 2019 disappointed. Executives at the world's largest cruise company are hoping to far surpass the low expectations they laid out Thursday.
Tourism

South Africa's Visa Policy Is Still Hurting Tourism

South Africa's onerous visa regime for minor travelers continues to hobble its all-important tourism industry. Amendments published last month may look like good news, but read them closely and – industry insiders say – not nearly enough has changed.
Cruises

Cruise Trade Group Taps Political Insider as New CEO

The incoming Cruise Lines International Association CEO knows her way around Washington, D.C. and has a background in travel and tourism. That should be enough for a good start, but the cruise industry is complicated enough that she'll have plenty of work ahead.
Airlines

JetBlue CEO Defends Bag Fee Hike as Cost of Doing Business

JetBlue CEO Robin Hayes knows there is nostalgia for the days before airlines introduced so many fees. But he said he is more focused on the carrier's other priorities: legroom, entertainment, and Wi-Fi.
Tourism

Disney CEO Still Bullish on China Despite Shanghai Park Slump

Disney had to lower ticket prices to boost attendance at its two-year-old Shanghai park, but that's not the story at most properties around the world. The company saw its overall theme park revenue jump 9 percent in its fiscal fourth quarter.