Olivia Carville, Bloomberg
Murray Cox runs Inside Airbnb, which uses the homesharing giant’s own data to highlight illegal listings in big cities. The housing activist particularly deserves kudos for catching the lister of home rentals providing misleading data to public and city officials in 2016. But Airbnb is also right in that some of Cox’s data lacks context.
1 day ago
Sarah Algethami, Bloomberg
The long-discussed first phase of the Red Sea project, with 14 hotels and an airport, is due in 2022. We'll believe it's not a mirage when we see it.
2 days ago
Maria Lenhart, Skift
With more cruise choices than ever before, there are plenty of opportunities for travel advisors to boost earnings from cruise sales. Doing so, however, means taking a proactive approach to education and customer service.
3 days ago
Paul Biasco, Skift
Cuts to the Mexico Tourism Board are having an immediate impact on local operators in some of the country's most popular tourist destinations. A lack of marketing resources is especially difficult for some of the country’s smallest and often most alluring places.
4 days ago
Maria Lenhart, Skift
This might be the best time in history for travel advisors to sell cruises, but it's also the most complex. Those who take time to know the growing array of cruise choices and focus on the high end of the market are the most likely to succeed.
4 days ago
Maria Lenhart, Skift
Sales of travel insurance are on the rise, possibly due to heightened awareness of risks posed by everything from terrorist attacks to a sudden illness. For travel advisors, insurance is both a source of revenue and a way to provide good customer service.
1 week ago
Allan Leibowitz, Skift
Awareness of the need for travel insurance is on the rise in some quarters. This trend offers significant opportunities for travel advisors to generate additional revenue and offer peace of mind to travelers.
2 weeks ago
Maria Lenhart, Skift
A proliferation of Hawaii short-term rentals, which are exacerbating an already expensive and tight housing market, is sparking heavy debate in a state where tourism is the main economic driver. While such accommodations are needed to handle rising visitor numbers, some say it's time to get them under control and look at the consequences of unchecked tourism growth.
2 weeks ago
Sean O'Neill, Skift
SeaWorld's challenges have not gone away. But it enjoys several advantages over its theme park rivals, such as having marine-themed parks, which are a rare and distinctive product. Its new CEO is rightly focused on investing for growth while finding operational efficiencies.
2 weeks ago
Allan Leibowitz, Skift
In Australia, the New Distribution Capability is moving from a vague concept to an active business model, as Qantas urges travel agents to sign up to a new channel with expanded content. Those who miss the June 30 deadline could lose out on some enhancements but also face new fees for airline bookings.
3 weeks ago
Sandrine Rastello, Bloomberg
Canadian tour operator Transat says multiple bidders have approached it, possibly including Air Canada or TUI. The news comes as Thomas Cook is rumored to be seeking suitors, too.
3 weeks ago
Maria Lenhart, Skift
The recent terrorist attacks in Sri Lanka underscore the need for addressing traveler safety. While mitigating risk does not come with the same obligations for leisure travel advisors as it does for those on the corporate side, there are still steps they can take to protect clients.
3 weeks ago