North American cruisers are extremely price-conscious. They're likely to move away from expensive cruise brands. A robust market of high-spending Chinese vacationers can't emerge soon enough for cruise lines.
Airbnb takes another step closer to the mainstream through its new partnership with American Express. Hosts who are American Express cardholders will receive visible credentials on Airbnb, creating a new layer of host verification.
The reality is that carriers like Virgin America are going to have cut prices even lower to compete with ultra low-cost carriers. Like it or not, "garbage fares" are here to stay.
Cruise lines entering China face a dilemma: tailoring the onboard experience to the Chinese may remove some of the Western touches that Chinese travelers actually want from their vacation. MSC Cruises is searching for a middle-ground.
It's shocking that more corporate travel managers haven't embraced mobile technology and the sharing economy as ways to reduce costs and gain more accurate data on the habits of their clients.
Cruise lines haven't been effective in selling millennials on cruising. A direct appeal to the Selfie generation from social media influencers makes sense.