Articles tagged “labor”

Expedia Group, and its Vrbo unit, are willing to take a significant hit to their property listings in San Diego in exchange for an ongoing path to crystal clear legality in an important business and convention market. With other jurisdictions undoubtedly looking on, Airbnb has to decide if it will play hardball.

There's no getting around it: The first half of 2020 has been grim for airlines. Hopes for a quick recovery have fizzled. Until the virus is contained or an effective vaccine or therapeutic is found, airlines will continue to struggle.

Vrbo has been in the right place(s) at the right time, somewhat reversing a very challenged 2019. Is the changed trajectory a momentary blip in the throes of a pandemic, or will it be sustainable?

A travel recovery may be starting, but it may not be enough to save thousands of U.S. airline jobs. Unless Congress acts to extend payroll protections, mass layoffs could start on October 1.

Oyo's decision to part ways permanently with furloughed U.S. employees is tied to its view that the lodging company's full global recovery wouldn't occur until the second half of 2021. It's a nice gesture to give them stock options, although the jury is out on whether they'll be worth much in the long run.

Great hoteliers are a different breed with skill sets that are hard to find in other industries. While hospitality has cut talent to the bone, other growing industries can benefit from a very unique suite of people skills, operational acumen, and soft diplomacy. They are worth consideration.

If the dining and travel industries are looking for a bright spot during these dark days, then returning employees are a morsel to hang onto.

There is always the potential of going too far with layoffs during an economic downturn. But coronavirus has upended the travel industry with so much uncertainty that Hilton's sizable layoffs reflect a narrowed corporate focus on near-term health, survival, and reopening.

Sabre's leadership team has been like an endurance runner in its strategy of patching up the security of the company's software, breaking down internal business silos, and moving Sabre's systems to the more stable cloud. This latest restructuring is the next phase.

Kayak, OpenTable, and Agoda have laid off employees. The flagship brand, Booking.com, initially took Dutch government relief money that forestalled downsizing, but has opted not to extend it. Amid other restructuring moves under way, that means layoffs are likely on the agenda as Chairwoman Gillian Tans re-ups.