Rashaad Jorden

The high percentage of parents with autistic children not taking family vacations reflects the travel industry's inability to largely address the needs of autistic travelers. Thus many travel companies have missed out on a lucrative travel market because of their inaction.

In Skift's top stories this week, the U.S. announces it's reopening to fully vaccinated overseas air travelers, Expedia Group consolidates its three three loyalty programs, and Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky envisions remote work enabling employees to live in less-expensive areas.

Those U.S. destinations that have stayed ready during the pandemic for the return of international visitors don't have to waste valuable time getting prepped. The White House's unexpected relaxation of rules, however, has tourism officials scrambling.

The message from these two outspoken speakers was clear: the travel industry must go beyond easy rhetoric on diversity to be inclusive, and community-minded. Copping out is not an option.

Tour operators are understandably expressing no desire to launch Covid-related tours while the pandemic is still ongoing. But as themes like death and tragedy already feature prominently in numerous trips, history suggests some tour operators will eventually include visits to Covid memorials in their offerings.

In Skift’s top stories this week, numerous travel CEOs express pessimism about a full recovery of corporate travel, a Bill Gates-owned firm becomes the majority stakeholder in Four Seasons Hotels, and Las Vegas emerges as the U.S.' most popular business travel destination.

For tourists, interest in 9/11 has never waned, but the pandemic has been hard on tours and exhibits. The enormous media coverage of the 20th anniversary of September 11 will hopefully draw new crowds for this special day.

In Skift's top stories this week, the European Union recommends further restrictions be placed on U.S. travelers, two major companies go public, U.S. travel brands turn to TikTok to attract younger travelers, and Radisson's CEO explains why the company split in two.

Travel companies and destinations need to do extensive research and pay attention to more than the biggest sports — football and men's basketball — to find the right athletes who will be worthy returns on the promotional investments.

Cutting tourism-related carbon emissions in half is very ambitious, but travel can't go small in combating climate change. However, the fight to cut emissions will face an enormous challenge when airline passenger numbers return to pre-Covid levels.