Air India Crash: What’s at Stake for Boeing
The Air India crash presents a new set of problems for Boeing, which was starting to emerge from a years-long safety crisis.
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Airlines
Air India Flight to London Crashes in Ahmedabad
It's a tragic day for Indian aviation. The focus now is on supporting families and uncovering what went wrong.
Flyadeal CEO on Its Unconventional Playbook for Scaling the Saudi Airline
Saudi Arabia’s Flyadeal is surely rewriting the low-cost rulebook. From widebody orders to a rare partnership with Cebu Pacific, this domestic darling is now eyeing global scale, all without losing sight of its lean, point-to-point roots.
Business Travel
Corporate Travel’s New Boss: The Finance Department
Finance teams have quietly become power players in corporate travel. The shift began years ago but has sped up post-pandemic. The challenge now? Ensuring that the traveler experience and domain expertise aren’t lost in the numbers.
Carey Hires New CEO, Pushes Strategy Shift for Elite Limo Service – Exclusive
New top boss Alex Mirza aims to modernize luxury ground transportation company amid pressure from ride-sharing apps.
Travel Managers Are Fed Up With Their Corporate Booking Tools
Corporate travel managers are done making excuses for legacy booking tools. With low adoption, clunky interfaces, and limited inventory still plaguing the user experience, companies are moving fast to rethink their tech stack.
Coronavirus
The Travel Industry’s Immense Potential for Growth
Despite the pandemic’s unprecedented challenges, the travel industry’s recovery is proving to be remarkable.
The Travel Industry Surpasses 2019
Today's edition of Skift's daily podcast looks closer at the recovery of the travel industry that have allowed it to surpass spring 2019 benchmarks.
Travel Makes a Complete Recovery
Today's edition of Skift's daily podcast looks closer at travel's coronavirus recovery, Airbnb's optimism, and Hilton's extended-stay moves.
Cruises
Travel’s Best Paid CEOs: Where They Rank
The pay for a dozen travel company CEOs in the S&P 500 attracted compensation greater than half of their peers in the S&P 500.
MSC Cruises Is Reimagining the Private Island Experience Through Conservation
Cruise lines are rethinking what drives guest interest in a destination. Conservation-led private islands investing in ocean health and local communities are creating the kind of differentiation guests increasingly expect and value.
How MSC Cruises Is Redefining the Future of Cruising with North America’s Largest Terminal
The guest journey begins at the terminal, and cruise lines are upgrading infrastructure to match that reality. MSC Cruises is shaping the industry's future with North America’s largest and most technically advanced cruise terminal located at PortMiami.
Experiences
Airbnb Exec: ‘We’ve Learned a Lot About Experiences’ – Full Video, Skift Asia Forum
Airbnb thinks its focus on high-quality experiences is the way to stand out in a crowded field.
5 Challenges for Airbnb Experiences
The latest version of Airbnb Experiences won't be a slam dunk even with a $250 million investment, and Airbnb hiring staff with experiences on their resumes.
Can Airbnb Experiences Stand Out? It’s Betting on Quality
The platform is offering experiences only available with Airbnb, like classes with Michelin star chefs and hang-out with singers, to differentiate itself from competitors.
Food and Drink
How Tourism Homogenizes Cuisines and What Are Possible Solutions
There is a lot that can be done, both from an awareness and, even more importantly, from a policy perspective. Most of it requires changes that the travelers of today, seeking more authentic experiences, would welcome.
Magic Mushrooms in the Minibar
Some will always love a luxury spa. But psychedelics (think psilocybin soundbaths and mushrooms) are the phase in high-end wellness.
24×7 Food at Delhi’s Aerocity – India Report
Delhi Aerocity, with a heavy presence of branded hotels, is a convenient hub for business and leisure travelers alike.
Ground Transport
Intercity Bus Technology: Smarter Commercial Software Takes the Wheel
By consolidating their commercial processes with a smaller set of systems providers, intercity bus operators have the opportunity to improve efficiency, boost profits, and deliver a better, more consistent passenger experience across all channels.
Exclusive: U.S. Outbound Travel is ‘Booming,’ Says Eurostar CEO
Shaking off speculation that U.S. consumers are traveling less, Eurostar CEO Gwendoline Cazenave shares exclusive data pointing to a strong summer for overseas spending.
3 Ways Ground Transportation Can Benefit From AI
Ground transportation stands to gain significantly from AI adoption as a means to free itself from legacy tech constraints. AI enhances efficiency by optimizing routes, managing fleets, and reducing fuel consumption, while also boosting customer satisfaction.
Hotels
Indian Hotel Industry Shifts Gears: Growth Normalizes After Post-Covid Surge
The boom in the Indian hotel industry is now over, changing into a more normalized growth. This is an indicator of a maturing hospitality sector in the country as it signals the end of abnormal travel trends.
Wyndham’s New Ad Blitz: 25 Brands, 1 Message
The world's largest hotel franchisor wants its guests to think "I am a Wyndham person" rather than "I am a Super 8 person who sometimes stays at other random hotels."
India Plans to Limit Air Conditioning in Hotels Amid Soaring Heat and Power Demand
As global temperatures rise and warnings mount over soaring aircon demand, India’s move could be just the beginning. More countries may soon be forced to follow with similar limits to keep energy systems from overuse.
Luxury
Capella’s Break-Out Year: Four Openings, Two Brands, Cracking Luxury’s Toughest Challenge
The Singapore-based hotel group expands its portfolio while expanding a second brand, demonstrating that growth and craft excellence aren't mutually exclusive.
Rosewood’s Luxury Bahamas Resort Faces Backlash Over Threat to Carbon-Storing Seagrass
As climate risks grow, projects catering to the few ultra-wealthy raise tough questions about who really benefits and who bears the cost.
First Class Is Back and Bigger than Ever — But Sometimes in Disguise
First class isn’t dead — it’s just evolving. As airlines chase high-margin passengers, luxe cabins are back, but often rebranded or reimagined as ‘business plus’ instead.
Media and PR
Virgin Atlantic Expands Diversity Focus in New Global Ad Campaign
The diversity is still there, not least in Angelou's powerful prose, but it's also about the diverse destinations served by the airline – arguably a much safer corporate position amid intense culture wars.
Marriott Unveils New Ad Campaign: ‘Travel Shapes Us’
Marriott ditches mundane advertising tropes in its new marketing campaign. Instead, it tries to tap into the emotional alchemy of travel itself.
Social Media Agency Launches Gamified Travel Marketing in Singapore Test
Gone are the days of old-school pitch meetings with traditional agencies — tourism marketing has entered the age of storytelling, captivating content, and instant booking options.
Meetings
Inside India’s Events and Meetings Aspirations
India upped its convention center game for the G20 Summit last year. Now, it is trying to drum up the marketing for these spaces across the country. But is India really MICE ready?
How Fontainebleau Las Vegas Is Unlocking New Possibilities for Meetings and Events
From world-class dining and versatile meeting spaces to high-touch service standards and one-of-a-kind offerings, Fontainebleau Las Vegas offers everything planners need to craft exceptional events.
Rajasthan Focuses on Weddings, Conferences to Boost Tourism – India Report
Rajasthan, a premier wedding destination in India, has much to offer including wildlife, museums, temples, and lakes. While the state is seeking to promote its various offerings, it does not want to lose out on the significant revenue from weddings and business meetings.
Online Travel
Hotels Shrug Off Airbnb’s Push Into Experiences – But They Still Need to Compete
Airbnb’s relaunch of its Experiences platform and new offering of hotel-style à la carte services might pressure hoteliers. But so far, many hotel execs seem unfazed.
Airbnb Accused of Poaching Tour Guides From Rival Platforms to Grow Experiences
Whether the poaching attempts were a rogue or not, it's clear that Airbnb is going all-out to compete in its new experiences business.
Google’s AI Shift: Travel Marketing Disruption Is Coming Fast
At Skift Research, we think travel leaders need to be a little Google-obsessed. It’s one of the most important drivers of bookings, and our data shows Google is undergoing a real-time AI transformation with massive implications for the industry.
Podcasts
Airbnb’s Poaching Experiences, IHG’s U.S. Bounce and Meliá’s Expansion Plans
For today’s pod we look at Airbnb’s aggressive expansion approach, IHG’s good news in the U.S., and Melia’s equally good news about Mediterranean numbers.
Marriott’s Mid-Market Push, Apple’s Travel Updates and Google’s AI Tools
On today’s pod we look at Marriott’s cheaper room push, Apple’s new tools for travelers, and Google’s rapidly changing marketing landscape.
The New Era of Solo Women Travelers – Skift Travel Podcast
Solo women travelers above 50 are a booming demographic, but there are several misconceptions about the group, which we examine in this episode of the Skift Travel Podcast.
Short-Term Rentals
Short-Term Rentals Could Benefit as Extreme Weather Disrupts Travel
Extreme weather isn't just a future concern, it’s already driving demand for rentals. But costs are rising too.
Brian Chesky Talks ‘Night School’ and Leadership Lessons with President Obama
Oh, to be a proverbial fly on the wall during the Airbnb CEO's private discussions with the former President, who had been a community organizer and housing advocate on the South Side of Chicago.
Spain Orders Airbnb to Block More Than 65,000 Holiday Rentals
The Spanish's government order is the latest move to crack down on short-term rentals in response to the shortage of affordable housing.
Skift Originals
Marriott Bonvoy’s New AI Search Tool: 4 Tests Show How It Works — and Doesn’t
Marriott Bonvoy's new AI tool probably isn’t sharp enough yet to be reliable. But as one of the first tools like it by a major hotel brand, it offers an early glimpse at how lodging search could look in the future.
Don’t Create Company Culture: Lessons on Meaning of Work
Culture stems from the meaningful work we do, and each of us seeing the tangible in-situ effects of that work for the people for whom we create everything.
Celebrating 10 Years of Skift Deep Dives
Our Deep Dive stories are the cornerstone of Skift's journalism. Meticulous reporting. Smart analysis. Great writing. All packaged and designed in ways to keep you glued to the story. Here's a few of our favorites over the past 10 years.
Startups
Electric Planes and Travel Advisor Tech: 10 Startups Raise $245 Million
There hasn't been as much travel startup funding this year. But there are certain areas, particularly hotel tech and business travel, continuing to see investor interest.
Behind Numa Group’s Profitable European Expansion
While others folded under costly master leases and rapid expansion, Numa aims to prove that measured growth, careful deal-making, and automation can deliver profits for apartment-style hotels.
Fora Travel Raises $40 Million to Expand Offering for Newbie Advisors
This $40 million investment should expand Fora Travel's reach and help further develop its tech platform.
Tour Operators
‘It’s Like Being in an Oven:’ How Extreme Heat Is Changing Travel
Climate disruption isn’t just a future threat - it’s already changing the way we travel. Businesses have no choice but to adapt.
Make Alcatraz a Prison Again? The Impact on San Francisco’s Iconic Tour
Trips to Alcatraz represent big business for San Francisco-based tour operators, so they're paying close attention to President Trump's plan.
Cox & Kings 2.0: Old-World Service, New-Age Tech
The Cox & Kings brand has re-entered India at a time when competition is intense. Can the brand recall value and loyalty help it thrive?
Tourism
Los Angeles Immigration Protests Spur Some Travelers to Change Plans
International tourists viewing the headlines from Los Angeles and other big U.S. cities may decide to skip the hassle and vacation elsewhere. The U.S. keeps giving tourists reasons to not visit.
Travel Brands Stick With Carbon Capture Firm Despite Layoffs and Setbacks
Carbon capture may be a promising climate solution, but the gap between promise and delivery is growing harder to ignore.
Japan to Revamp Entry Rules for Tourists: What’s Changing
As visitor numbers to Japan soar, so do the headaches. But despite a target of 60 million tourists a year by 2030, authorities aren’t afraid of adding a few hoops. The government’s betting visitors will come anyway.
Travel Agents
How Commission Yields Affect Hotel Profits: A European Case Study
In the competitive hotel market, commission yields quietly shape profits, and small percentage shifts can mean big revenue swings. In Europe, higher proportions of independent hotels and third-party booking transactions require nuanced strategy and sharp data analysis for optimizing revenue from hotel room sales.
Booking Platform Mondee Files for Bankruptcy
The bankruptcy comes after Mondee was delisted in December.
Travelers Are Taking Longer to Plan Trips, Despite Faster Tools to Book Them
The trend toward increased research time reflects a more deliberate and empowered traveler who prioritizes control, trust, and value in their planning process.
Travel Technology
Why Smarter In-Flight Wi-Fi Is Now a Business Imperative
As demand for high-speed connectivity soars, in-flight Wi-Fi is no longer a perk — it’s a loyalty driver. With its hybrid, multi-orbit approach, Viasat is delivering what the future requires: smarter, faster, more reliable in-flight internet that scales globally and sustainably. Here’s how it works.
Apple’s Travel Upgrades: New Digital Passport, Live Translation for Messages and Calls
Apple is testing its own version of live translation through calls and texts, but not for face-to-face conversations through wearable devices.
New Report Explores How Travel Marketers Are Using AI
The travel business has unparalleled access to customer data, and AI offers ample avenues to apply it and improve the traveler experience. By creating insights and knowledge, including who to talk to, where to reach them, and what to say to them, AI offers travel marketers unique opportunities to help their brands make better decisions that can drive business growth at scale.
Venture Capital
JetBlue Ventures CEO: Investment Focus and What’s Next After Sale
JetBlue Ventures is still focused on investing in startups for the airline industry, but its funding is not coming from JetBlue anymore.
Biz Travel and Hotel Tech: 5 Startups Raised $53 Million Over 2 Weeks
Startup funding is slow so far this year, but tech for business travel and hotels is pushing forward.
Travel Startup Funding Is Slowing: Companies that Raised in the Past 3 Weeks
The companies that got the most funding fall in line with trends we've seen: Hotel tech, business travel tech, and anything focused on the burgeoning Indian travel economy.