Coronavirus

Australia in Step to Reopen Will Test Quarantine for Vaxxed Global Travelers

If Australian officials deem the home quarantine scheme to be a success, expect the government to give more consideration to opening up the country for tourism sooner.

Renju Jose, Reuters | 9 hours ago
Australia in Step to Reopen Will Test Quarantine for Vaxxed Global Travelers

Airlines

JetBlue-American Partnership Draws Scrutiny of U.S. Senator Over Airfares

An increase in airfares could contribute to reducing airline passenger numbers. That would be another blow for an industry still suffering from damage caused by Covid variants.

Diane Bartz and David Shepardson, Reuters | 13 hours ago
JetBlue-American Partnership Draws Scrutiny of U.S. Senator Over Airfares

Travel Booking

Expedia Gives GetYourGuide Big Lift and 9 Other Travel Stories This Week

In big travel news this week, Skift looked Expedia partnering with GetYourGuide to help give it a big U.S. presence, four airlines that made more on ancillaries than ticket sales in 2020, and what the retirement of longtime CEO David Kong means for the future of Best Western.

Tom Lowry | 2 days ago
Expedia Gives GetYourGuide Big Lift and 9 Other Travel Stories This Week

Tourism

Pressure Mounts on White House to Reopen the Border with Canada

Border state senators say the restrictions have led to "economic and emotional strain in our communities" — a fair point considering they've been in place since March 2020.

David Shepardson, Reuters | 2 days ago
Pressure Mounts on White House to Reopen the Border with Canada
Free Read

Online Travel

The 2021 Digital Transformation Report

The Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 was a digital wake-up call for the travel and hospitality industry, placing new demands on companies across the sector and creating an urgent need for solutions to address them. Travelers demanded more online shopping options, digital communications, and contactless solutions, forcing companies to adapt how they served customers. Meanwhile, behind…

AWS + Skift | 3 days ago
The 2021 Digital Transformation Report

Announcements

Launching: A New Skift.com Focused on Readers

What's next for the travel industry? Let's start with new website and a new look for Skift.com.

Jason Clampet | 2 days ago
Launching: A New Skift.com Focused on Readers

Airlines

A New List of the Most Valuable Public Travel Companies

Old school travel companies still largely dominate in terms of stock market valuation, but there is no denying the disruption sparked by Airbnb’s debut on the stock market.

Cameron Sperance | 2 days ago
A New List of the Most Valuable Public Travel Companies

Airline Weekly

Biden Administration Takes Unusual Step to Promote Newark Airport Competition

Airport access awards don't usually make the news, but the Biden administration is making a usually obscure federal process part of its larger competition agenda. The upshot is that Spirit Airlines could stand to benefit from more rights at Newark Liberty International Airport.

3 days ago
Biden Administration Takes Unusual Step to Promote Newark Airport Competition

Tourism

Dubai Expo Tells Unvaccinated or Untested to Stay Away

The presence of "2020" in the name should tell you what you need to know about why Dubai is not screwing around. And really, what destination other than Florida or Texas is excited about being a super-spreader hotspot?

Reuters | 2 days ago
Dubai Expo Tells Unvaccinated or Untested to Stay Away

Tourism

UK Travel Restrictions May Ease for Vaccinated Arrivals

The removal of the much-hated and frequently sleazy testing regimen for vaccinated travelers will give a boost for airlines, holiday and tourism companies not just in the UK, but across Europe. It's time to catch up.

Costas Pitas, Guy Faulconbridge and Sarah Young, Reuters | 3 days ago
UK Travel Restrictions May Ease for Vaccinated Arrivals

Business Travel

Former Airbnb Exec Pitches Remote Work as Reward Not a Right

Companies could end up harnessing Airbnb veteran Stanley Fourteau's new venture Ukio, which has the backing of Travelperk's CEO, as a means to take back control of the remote work conversation.

Matthew Parsons | 3 days ago
Former Airbnb Exec Pitches Remote Work as Reward Not a Right