Syndicated

Singapore Tourism Industry Buoyed by Tourists Avoiding Hong Kong

Faris Mokhtar, Bloomberg

Singapore's tourism sector has plenty of things going for it currently. Unfortunately for Hong Kong, travelers choosing to skip the protests there and visit Singapore instead appears to be one of them.

France Will See More Travel Disruptions as Unions Protest Pension Changes

William Horobin, Bloomberg

While this will undoubtedly be an inconvenience for most travelers, the most interesting aspect is how President Emmanuel Macron deals with the protesters. Will he buckle or continue playing hardball? The latter could mean more disruption in the future.

Macau Faces Biggest Threat to Growth in 5 Years

Jinshan Hong, Bloomberg

New casino resorts in Japan and Vietnam are expected to be “stunning,” raising new questions about Macau’s future growth amid a huge dip in current performance from the trade war and Hong Kong protests.

What’s in Store for the Hotel Sector in 2020: New Skift Research

Wouter Geerts and Seth Borko, Skift Research

Hotel performance in 2020 could diverge from region to region as local uncertainty makes itself felt across markets from Hong Kong, the United Kingdom, the United States, and more. Our overall outlook is for slower but still positive growth.

Cruise Tourists Among Those Caught Up in Deadly Volcano Eruption in New Zealand

Matthew Brocket, Bloomberg

Cruise Giant on Hunt for Asia Ports to Meet Growing Chinese Demand

Christopher Jasper, Bloomberg

A lack of port infrastructure has always been a key issue in developing Asia as the next cruise playground. Singapore can't do it alone, because cruising is regional. Global Ports' investment and expertise to regenerate ports and local towns is much needed.

Virgin Galactic Celebrates a Year of Milestones in the Race to Space Tourism

Associated Press

The company seems to be inching closer to actually launching commercial flights, though it still won't commit to a launch date. Many expect 2020 will be the year, but space tourism is an industry that hits a lot of snags.

Guests May Still Be Hesitant to Visit Disney’s Latest Star Wars Land

Christopher Palmeri, Bloomberg

Looks like Disney's second Star Wars park is turning out to be another Phantom Menace. Maybe involving Baby Yoda, Star Wars' latest big hit, will bring some fresh ideas to attract hesitant vacationers.

No Facial Recognition Screening for Americans: Homeland Security

David Koenig, Associated Press

The Department of Homeland security seems to have bowed to public pressure on a plan to introduce facial screening for American citizens. But it's still using the practice on foreign visitors — something not all travelers will be happy with.

Horizon Air Executive Sounds Alarm on Airline’s Safety Culture

Associated Press, Associated Press

Given the Boeing crisis, airlines need to be particularly aware of restoring the public's trust in commercial aviation's safety. Against this backdrop, an internal alarm at Horizon Air is especially worrying.

Airbnb Cracks Down on Parties and Nuisance Behavior

Dee-Ann Durbin, Associated Press

Airbnb has been on the back foot since a tragic shooting in California in November. It finds itself coming under pressure increasingly from the public and lawmakers to make sure it is doing all it can to get a handle on guest behavior.

Cruise Lines Are Expanding Ships by Stretching Them: Here’s How

Fran Golden, Bloomberg

First you cut them in half. Then you add a prefab midsection — voila! An expanded ship. It costs nearly three times less than building a new ship, and takes only a few months to complete. Talk about stretching it.