The Trump Effect: Borders, Bans and Bookings

The annual Incentive Travel Index, released this week at IMEX, reflects mounting concerns around rising costs and global instability, along with “shrinking optimism.”

Airports across the country started reporting delays as Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said there had been a “slight tick up” in sick calls among air traffic controllers.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said he is concerned that absenteeism among air traffic controllers could increase if they miss their paycheck next week.

It’s getting more costly to visit the U.S. after three new fees on international travelers went into effect, with another significant fee hike in the pipeline. Some worry the new fees could curb visitation rates for 2026 events like the FIFA World Cup.

It’s been a weak summer for international travel. A government shutdown could add more bottlenecks to inbound tourism's recovery.

Currently the impact to travel is minimal, but if the shutdown stretches for weeks, travelers may start to see long lines at the airport, flight delays, and litter all over national parks.

The airline industry said that there could be a slowdown in operations if the government shuts down. However, it so far seems unlikely that Congress will have a deal before midnight.

The impact of a government shutdown on travel is unclear this time around, given the possibility of mass layoffs. It is also unclear how long a shutdown would last.

Despite the politicizing of climate change, aviation remains a global industry and its strong presence at Climate Week New York shows how focused it is on promoting sustainable aviation fuel as its path forward.

What's next for Airbnb? How are the most important travel companies using AI? And do travelers have 'price fatigue'? Here's what we heard from more than two dozen executives at the Skift Global Forum.