Skift Global Forum 2025: 10 Key Takeaways

At the Skift Global Forum in New York City in September 2025, leaders from across the travel space gathered to tackle the most pressing issues and exciting opportunities in the industry today.

From agentic AI — which was top of mind across the board — to the impact of geopolitical forces and the live entertainment tourism trend, attendees at this year’s forum joined together to assess the state of travel today and project their shared aspirations about its future.

In this Executive Focus Report, Skift partnered with Zurich Cover-More to curate key insights, surface actionable lessons, and capture camaraderie and joy from industry leaders all across the travel industry.

Topics Covered in this Report

• How are generative and agentic AI impacting traveler behaviors right now?
• What is the role of in-person community in an increasingly online world?
• How are major travel brands meeting travelers’ demands around AI?
• What do U.S. travel brands misunderstand about the Indian traveler?
• How do destinations like Las Vegas inspire and attract live entertainment tourism?
• How can travel companies be profitable and responsible at the same time?
• What can cruise lines do to prioritize sustainability in ports and at sea?
• What do travel industry legends have left to prove at their global companies?