Online and Mobile Media Company and Startup News by Skift

CNN’s Jake Tapper Talks Trump, Marriott and Family Travel

Dennis Schaal, Skift

The D.C. swamp is a little less swampy because Jake Tapper is there. Sometimes the interests of great journalism and the travel industry's desire to break down cultural barriers find themselves in harmony.

2 months ago

Condé Nast Traveler Will Combine U.S. and UK Editorial Teams

Jason Clampet, Skift

There is a striking difference in editorial styles between the two titles, with the U.S. edition hyper-focused on luxury and fashion and the UK one focused on a broader swath of readers. We're interested in seeing what will emerge as the singular voice.

2 months ago

New Skift Research Report Looks at the Challenges for Online Travel Media in 2018

Haixia Wang, Skift Research

The majority of first travel searches have no mention of a brand or destination, putting publishers of digital destination information in a uniquely influential position. Yet publishers are challenged to differentiate themselves in an arena with an overwhelming number of options.

3 months ago

Video: Selling Travel on Facebook Remains a Work in Progress

Andrew Sheivachman, Skift

Travel hasn't invested in marketing and sales solutions like bots on Facebook in the same way that other global industries have. A spirit of experimentation is necessary, particularly since online advertising is usually a costly endeavor for travel companies.

4 months ago

Television Host Anthony Bourdain Is Dead at 61

Jason Clampet, Skift

Anthony Bourdain's impact on travel and food really can't be measured.

4 months ago

Travel Guides Should Be Answering These Questions

Tyler Cowen, Bloomberg

There are travel guides that go deeper than the best hotels and attractions to see, but the author makes a good larger point: Some of the things that have the biggest impact on a visitor's experience are out of the travel industry's control. Communicating about those qualities is important to manage traveler expectations.

5 months ago

Lonely Planet CEO to Depart as Company Pursues Sale

Jason Clampet and Andrew Sheivachman, Skift

Lonely Planet has weathered the death of the guidebook better than any of its peers, and its new leader will need to figure out a way to flourish rather than just survive as it builds on the pieces of its empire.

5 months ago

Travel + Leisure and the Problem of Pay to Play

Laura Powell, Skift

A recent change in policy at Travel + Leisure is setting the luxury travel agent world abuzz. But T + L's move to monetize its A-List also says something about the changing state of travel journalism.

7 months ago

TripAdvisor and Expedia Pull TV Ads in Boycott of Laura Ingraham’s Fox Show

Sean O'Neill, Skift

Kudos to TripAdvisor and Expedia for doing the right thing in helping encourage civil discourse. Whatever one thinks about the gun policy debate, picking on a teenager's personal musings about college applications unrelated to the topic at hand is out of bounds.

7 months ago

Why U.S. Travel Media Won’t Tell People to Visit Russia

Robert Reid, Skift

Travel is supposed to be the grand connector. Yet, whether consciously or not, the travel publishing world seems to be failing to seize a moment to champion what it always has championed — that travel helps reduce prejudice, bias, and bigotry.

8 months ago

Universal and Turkish Airlines Are Betting Big on Super Bowl Ads

Dan Peltier and Hannah Sampson, Skift

From what we've seen so far, travel brands with Super Bowl teasers are staying away from the culture wars and focusing on sending neutral messages with universal appeal. And while it's important to draw attention to certain issues, it's refreshing to watch light-hearted advertisements, too.

9 months ago

Priceline Group Revamps TV Strategy With Whopping Spending Hikes

Dennis Schaal, Skift

The Priceline Group's new emphasis on TV is unpleasant news for metasearch enterprises such as Trivago, Google, and TripAdvisor. The TV ads are an online travel agency version of a direct-booking campaign.

9 months ago