Skift Global Forum East 2025 Sessions

Travel talent is overdue for a rebrand. The future isn’t about fighting AI, it’s about doubling down on the human edge. For hospitality to thrive, it must tell a better story.

An IPO just a few years after Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection's maiden voyage would be ambitious, though the CEO also raised the possibility of getting "gobbled up."

Marriott CEO Anthony Capuano says the company is fine-tuning its approach to everything from acquisitions to AI to talent development, with Gulf Cooperation Council countries emerging as a testing ground for its evolving tactics.

Jim Murren, chair of the UAE’s gaming authority, expects to see up to four integrated resorts in the UAE in the coming years.

Travelers aren’t browsing aimlessly - they’re searching with precision. Google says the future of travel discovery lies in creators, AI tools, and meeting intent in the moment.

Oman Air is going all-in on its home market and its digital strategy is paying off faster than expected. But the road to broader transformation still depends on infrastructure and realism about climate goals.

Accor’s Group Deputy CEO Jean-Jacques Morin credits the Middle East’s decisive leadership for fueling hotel development. Morin says AI, loyalty, and live events will help define the company's next phase.

Saving a basis point or two per transaction in Booking.com's payments business can turn into a windfall of millions of dollars. That's an edge that Booking.com is leveraging in payments, which are also central to its connected trip strategy.

As travel’s center of gravity shifts eastward, Accor’s Deputy CEO Jean-Jacques Morin sees the next phase of growth rooted in demographic power, experience-led travel, and talent-driven innovation.

Stefan Leser believes Saudi Arabia’s edge in the future of travel lies in people, not projects. Adeera Hospitality Group’s CEO is betting on homegrown talent to drive transformation across the Kingdom’s fast-growing tourism sector.