Luxury Travel

First impressions still count. Luxury hoteliers need to double down on doormen and the crucial first few minutes of arrival. It changes the game of a stay.

It's time to recognize long-haul travel for what it is: an endurance event. For those making the trip instead of the Zoom, there are new imperatives that premium brands need to serve up to cater to these travelers. Hint: it doesn't look like the luxury of the past.

As the world begins to recover from the pandemic’s effects and luxury travel evolves, there’s an opportunity to build new destinations from the ground up that implement cutting-edge technologies to usher in smart tourism and create bespoke experiences from day one.

In Skift's top travel stories this week, we covered the Expedia CEO's take on Airbnb, the Hyatt-Apple Leisure deal, two online travel veterans launching a hotel distribution network, the unpaid fines of unruly flyers, among other topics.

At a time when sustainability, social distancing, and reconnecting with the environment are key priorities for travelers, Azerbaijan offers a number of unique ways to experience its natural riches.

In Skift’s top stories this week, Icelandair's plan to return to normalcy, airlines wants to bring criminal charges against unruly passengers, shortages ripple through the travel industry this summer and investors back Outdoorsy as the new Airbnb.

Wyndham's arrival to the luxury sector adds a missing piece to its brand portfolio, but don't expect a high-end glut of new hotels anytime soon. This is a very competitive hotel sector, and Wyndham plans to stick to the standard luxury playbook of exclusivity. Less is more when it comes to finer hotels.

In Skift's top travel stories this week, we covered Europe's opening to vaccinated U.S. travelers, luxury travel's recovery, Amtrak in the limelight, and American Airlines demothballing jets.

We could all use a splurge after what we've been through. That's why upscale leisure travel is starting to sprint ahead for a phased, market-by-market recovery.

Subscriptions look set to be big business, with the needle currently swinging to higher quality holidays and experiences.