Articles tagged “wanderlust”

The travel industry has spent three years talking about artificial intelligence. In the summer of 2026, we’re finally building with it.

Billionaire Tilman Fertitta is buying a debt pile with a casino company attached. His firm is assuming $11.9 billion of debt from Caesars while putting up $5.7 billion to acquire it. Expect asset sales as an endgame.

Ten years after Hilton, Marriott, and other chains began coaxing travelers to book directly, online travel agencies still control roughly the same slice of the pie. Yet the chains have won the economics: lower commissions, better contract terms, and stronger loyalty programs.

Expedia's IShowSpeed partnership is another signal that creator marketing has moved from experiment to core strategy among travel brands — though it’s not yet clear how its social media impressions are converting to bookings.

Airbnb has struggled to scale experiences. Investing in WeRoad — and hiring its CEO — is Chesky's preferred move: partner first, potentially acquire later.

These may read as bets on new Texas wealth. They’re also real estate plays, with branded residential as the anchor that makes the hotels financeable.

Alaska’s reputation as a bucket list cruise destination rests largely on its wildlife encounters, especially whale sightings. MSC Cruises is treating its first season in the region as a research opportunity, exploring how marine science can guide operations in high-density wildlife corridors.

Fiji earns most of its tourism money from Australia and New Zealand. The Trip.com deal is Fiji's bet on Asia as a backup plan, before someone else claims that space.

The CBP's new social media rules weren't in effect yet, but the proposal made international travelers reconsider the U.S. as a welcoming destination.

With occupancy at 10% and summer ahead, fee exemptions may matter less than empty rooms.