Travel's Reopening and Coronavirus Recovery

The slow winter travel season, delayed vaccination schedules, and people giving up on hotel jobs are pushing the hospitality sector unemployment figures up once again. More vaccines can speed up the recovery (the industry hopes).

Many global airlines have reduced long-haul flights or exited markets altogether due to the pandemic, but more often than not their loyalty points have an expiration date. Now is a really good time for airlines to put customers first and adjust their valuable currency — or risk losing their loyalty.

The pandemic has produced unlikely partnerships between the hotel and office sectors, but the longevity is up for debate. The ghost kitchen pairing between hotels and an outside food operator may actually stick for years to come, as it solves a pre-pandemic revenue loss problem.

The first full-time, diversity-focused organization for U.S. travel launched this week as destination marketers, trade groups and publicists are also collaborating on solutions to equity, diversity and inclusion barriers in tourism. It’s long and shamefully overdue — but promising, since change begins from the C-suites down.

Pandemic job cuts won't solve the industry's longstanding issue of needing a new generation of pilots to replace those retiring. Now is the time for the airlines to do the right thing — open the field to a more diverse and inclusive pool of talent as they recover from the pandemic.

A more permanent working relationship between hotels and coworking providers like the one between Industrious and Wythe Hotel indicates sold-out room nights with traditional hotel guests are a long way away.

Southwest Airlines is raising alarm bells about the cost of mandatory Covid-19 tests for domestic travel after its first annual loss in 48 years. But with containing the virus top of mind for the new administration, the industry may have few legs to stand on.

American Airlines' outlook for 2021 is decidedly more cautious than those of its largest competitors. With a moribund recovery and the possibility of new domestic Covid testing rules, the airline may be forced to make further cuts to staff come April.

Wyndham's deal to bring in seven boutique hotels to its portfolio begs the question: Is there a hotel company that isn't trying to tap into the so-called lifestyle hotel sector?

The U.S. Travel Association just shared its new policy recommendations for a faster tourism recovery: invest in infrastructure and air travel technology, support Brand USA, and avoid imposing travel bans, quarantines, and domestic air travel testing. Ball is in your court, White House, and Congress.