Lebawit Lily Girma

Lily is Skift's global tourism reporter. Prior to that, she wrote travel stories focused on culture and sustainability for BBC, CNN, and Travel + Leisure, and others. Born in Ethiopia and raised in Côte d’Ivoire, she calls herself a serial expat and loves to debate the power of tourism to tip the scales of imbalance in the world. Lily splits her time between the Dominican Republic and the eastern U.S.

Latest Stories

Tourism

U.S. National Parks Boom Is Great But Overtourism Solutions Needed Urgently, Say Senators

National Parks are being "loved to death" and solutions are urgently needed to manage, disperse, and educate crowds while increasing access for all.

Lebawit Lily Girma, Skift | 3 years ago

Tourism

Skift Global Forum Preview: How Florida Tourism Is Winning the Race to Recovery

For Visit Florida, the pandemic was a golden opportunity to boost its domestic market share while competitors remained restricted. And it worked — Florida's visitor numbers are on track for a record breaking year.

Lebawit Lily Girma, Skift | 3 years ago

Tourism

Japan’s Tourism Reality From Olympics: Build It and Maybe They Will Come Later

The 2020 Tokyo Games will be a big financial hit for Japan's tourism sector, but vaccines now under way plus pent-up demand and infrastructure boosts could make it come out of this tough stretch a winner — sooner than one might think.

Lebawit Lily Girma, Skift | 3 years ago

Tourism

Canada’s Atlantic Provinces Once United Now Divided on Summer Tourism Reopening

With vaccinations in the picture, who needs a bubble? The competition is heating up for Canadians' travel dollars this summer. But only a U.S. border reopening would make a real difference after a devastating year.

Lebawit Lily Girma, Skift | 3 years ago

Tourism

The 3 Big Asks to Restart Global Travel From U.S. Travel Leaders

With new spikes in tourist hotspots such as Mallorca and where vaccines are lagging such as Indonesia, it’s a shaky argument to make that international travel restrictions don’t help contain Covid. Vaccine equity will continue to shape the return of international travel.

Lebawit Lily Girma, Skift | 3 years ago

Coronavirus

Saudi Arabia Plans Airline Expansion in Continued Tourism Push

It's a strategically timed move as the region's giants, Emirates and Qatar Airways, face a long road to recovery post-pandemic.

Alexander Cornwell, Reuters | 3 years ago

Tourism

Canada’s Indigenous Tourism Branding Serves as Model for the Americas

At a time when travel demand for inclusion is on the rise — not to mention a global reckoning on racial equity — the Canadian government’s neglect of its once-robust indigenous tourism sector is clearly short-sighted. Will a new campaign find Canadians heeding a different call instead this summer?

Lebawit Lily Girma, Skift | 3 years ago

Tourism

Tourists Will Find a Different Phuket as Thai Island Favorite Reopens

Opinions are split on the return of tourism to Phuket with travelers limited to government-accredited hotels and many small businesses shattered.

Jiraporn Kuhakan and Martin Petty, Reuters | 3 years ago

Tourism

Tourism Marketers Must Go Bold and Inclusive to Meet New Traveler Priorities

Travelers are increasingly intentional about aligning travel decisions with values. Tourism marketers will have to use all the channels to hit the right tone for the right consumer segment, says a new report.

Lebawit Lily Girma, Skift | 3 years ago

Coronavirus

Royal Caribbean Requires Travel Insurance for Unvaxxed Cruisers From Florida

Cruises continue to find ways to recoup their lucrative cruise revenue from Florida ports – where they can't ask for vaccination proof – and it's going to cost travelers more.

Nivedita Balu, Reuters | 3 years ago