Maria Lenhart, Skift
Southwest Airlines’ entry into the Hawaii market is likely to bring more competitive airfares from the U.S. mainland and also on inter-island routes. The good news may be tempered, however, by rising hotel rates and limited availability in Hawaii’s most-popular destinations.
6 hours ago
Nikki Ekstein, Bloomberg
Transformative travel has been a buzzword for a while, and these companies are finding a way to put the concept into practice. Actual therapy should be left to professionals, but there's no denying travelers can find a helpful fresh perspective through their journeys.
6 days ago
Maria Lenhart, Skift
South Asian destination weddings, which involve large groups and multi-night stays, are big business for a growing number of resorts and travel advisors. Succeeding in the niche requires a marriage of cultural knowledge and logistical skill.
7 days ago
Maria Lenhart, Skift
South Asian destination weddings are a lucrative and growing travel niche, fueled by demand from affluent Indian immigrant communities in North America. However, travel advisors need to be prepared for complex challenges.
1 week ago
Paul Biasco, Skift
Adventure travel is a booming niche that many agencies would be wise to take on. Given the trends for retirees to live longer and healthier lives and for millennials to search for unique experiences, this segment of the travel market is just getting started.
1 week ago
Allan Leibowitz, Skift
A range of differing responses to the Ethiopian Air disaster involving a Boeing 737 Max 8 is making it hard for travel advisors.
2 weeks ago
Maria Lenhart, Skift
As one travel advisor told us about the Costco and state tax proposal flaps: “The little guys can fight back.”
2 weeks ago
Maria Lenhart, Skift
A recent Today Show segment touting Costco Travel is riling ASTA, as are Four Seasons ads on Facebook promising perks for direct bookings. Travel advisors are irked as well, but are finding ways to hold their own.
2 weeks ago
Maria Lenhart, Skift
As states look for new sources of tax revenue in the service-driven economy, businesses like travel agencies are viewed as likely targets. Part of the problem is ignorance among legislators of how agencies operate and why added taxes would be devastating for many.
2 weeks ago
Nikki Ekstein, Bloomberg
We've seen trip-planning tools come and go, but this Wanderlist one might thrive because its users get additional assistance from real travel experts who charge fees. Until artificial intelligence improves substantially, this hybrid digital and human approach is the most promising approach.
2 weeks ago
Maria Lenhart, Skift
Overtourism is becoming a bigger problem for popular destinations, having a negative impact on local communities as well as on the visitor experience. Travel advisors can help the situation by suggesting alternatives to crowded places and times to take trips.
3 weeks ago
Allan Leibowitz, Skift
While everyone has heard horror stories of overcrowded destinations, hostile locals, and lining up for hours for a glimpse of a tourist attraction, travel advisors are still faced with requests to visit the world’s most popular places. They have a dilemma: Do they make the booking or risk losing the business by recommending alternatives?
3 weeks ago