Dennis Schaal, Skift
In some respects, travel companies are prisoners of their geographic strengths and weaknesses in the Covid-19 era. Operational considerations aside, it sure didn't hurt Trip.com Group to be based in China.
4 weeks ago
Joshua Franklin, Reuters
Have you ever claimed your value added tax back for things you bought during a trip to Europe? Then you probably used a Global Blue Tax Free Shopping service. If your airport line was endlessly long, you'll be amused to know it took nine months for Global Blue's sale to happen.
2 months ago
Cameron Sperance, Skift
The worst time ever to launch a global expansion of an iconic luxury hotel brand? Maybe not, if you are players like Accor and SBE with enough capital and Delano brand awareness.
2 months ago
Dennis Schaal, Skift
Domestic airfares around the world fell dramatically in May — on average. But, as with hotels, there are currently pockets of strength — and will be for months. Still, contrarian trends don't make for a nice, tidy trend line when it comes to prices.
5 months ago
Waruna Karunatilake, Reuters
The peak tourism season in Sri Lanka starts in November. The country is reopening tourism slowly for now, and is catering to luxury travelers in high-end hotels where cleaning regimes are said to be the most rigorous.
5 months ago
Silvia Aloisi, Francesca Piscioneri, and Christian Lowe, Reuters
The fashion capitals of Paris, Rome, and Milan are awakening to a harsh reality. Chinese and other Asian tourists accounted for a crucial slice of the luxury retail sector’s sales in Europe before coronavirus, but those visitors aren't likely to return soon.
5 months ago
Junko Fujita and Ritsuko Shimizu, Reuters
The Tokyo-based, 100-year old hospitality company, Hoshino Resorts, used to focus on international luxury travelers. But, as Japan essentially closes to foreign travel for months to come, the privately held company has pivoted to wooing domestic tourists.
6 months ago
Samantha Shankman, Skift
Climate change is more than an existential threat to the outdoor ski economy. It will take a combination of greener operations and smarter business practices to ensure its viability for decades to come.
7 months ago
Leslie Barrie, Skift
While certain wellness travel trends are on the rise, like sound therapy, they won't drive more bookings as long as the coronavirus is a threat. Wellness travel, along with the rest of the industry, will need to hold tight and hope the outbreak gets under control.
8 months ago
Laura Powell, Skift
If you have been noticing more spas offering treatments that incorporate Tibetan singing bowls, tuning forks, or gongs, you aren’t alone. Sound therapies are starting to make waves in the spa industry.
8 months ago
Leslie Barrie, Skift
Luxury travelers increasingly want to stay at hotels with a social conscience. While it's great that locations like Four Seasons Chicago and The Peninsula are working with the refugee-helping nonprofit Heartland Alliance, it should be thought of as just that — a small move in the right direction.
8 months ago
Laura Powell, Skift
The U.S. government in 2020 may have severely limited the number of refugees it would resettle, but a luxury hospitality program taking place in America's heartland is proof that refugees are still welcome here.
8 months ago
