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Ask Skift Is the AI Chatbot for the Travel Industry. Try It. Episode Notes The U.S. tourism industry has gotten a boost from the Biden administration lifting its vaccine requirement for inbound travelers in May. However, a prominent U.S. tourism official believes the industry won’t make a full recovery without the large-scale return of Chinese visitors, writes Global Tourism Reporter Dawit Habtemariam.  Brand USA CEO Chris Thompson said at a U.S. Senate hearing this week that dropping the vaccine mandate has helped boost visitor numbers. But he acknowledged that the eased travel curbs won’t be enough to compensate for the lack of Chinese tourists. The U.S. welcomed over 540,000 Chinese travelers in April, a 81 percent drop from the same month in 2019. China reopened its borders earlier this year for international travel after more than two years of restrictions. Next, the short-term rental industry is poised to benefit enormously from the boom in summer travel, writes Short-Term Rental Reporter Srividya Kaly

Try the AI Chatbot for the Travel Industry Episode Notes Travel demand among Chinese citizens has surged since Beijing eased the country’s strict Covid-era curbs in January. So how can travel brands tap into one of the world’s most lucrative markets? Skift Research examines in a new report what strategies companies should take to attract Chinese travelers. Senior Research Analyst Varsha Arora writes Skift Research explored various stages of the Chinese travel journey, including planning and booking. The report also touches on the general economic outlook for Chinese travelers, including their widespread optimism. The report concludes with key takeaways for destination marketing organizations, which Arora notes provide valuable tips on how to engage Chinese travelers.  Next, a growing number of real estate investors are looking to combine hotels with members clubs. However, Gansevoort Hotel Group President Michael Achenbaum warns blending a hotel with a club is more difficult than it seems, reports Senior Hos

Try the AI Chatbot for the Travel Industry Episode Notes Airfares in India have been soaring recently, and a new report finds the country registered the highest increase in airfares in the Asia-Pacific region, reports Asia Editor Peden Doma Bhutia.  A study conducted by Airports Council International attributed the surging airfares to factors such as rising fuel prices and pent-up travel demand. The report noted that fuel prices have jumped 76 percent compared to 2019. The CEO of India-based travel agency Nomad Travels said fares for routes such as Mumbai to Delhi have almost doubled. The study also found the airfares have increased elsewhere in the Asia-Pacific region, including Indonesia, Saudi Arabia and Japan.  However, one airline industry expert said rising airfares are unlikely to stall the surge in Indian aviation, with the country’s major airlines having recently announced record profits for the 2022 financial year.  Next, tours and activities platform GetYourGuide announced on Monday it’s launching

Try the AI Chatbot for the Travel Industry Episode Notes Saturday’s Champions League final, perhaps soccer’s most prestigious annual event, drew tens of thousands of visitors to Istanbul. But local officials believe the action on the field is secondary to the boost the game will give the city’s tourism industry, writes Travel Technology Reporter Justin Dawes.  While Dawes writes that visiting fans will surely inject a lot of money into Istanbul’s economy, he adds the event’s true value is the advertising power. Turkish Hotel Association President Muberra Eresin said this year’s Champions League final could enhance Istanbul’s reputation as a sought after destination for future events. The city has hosted several major sporting events in recent years, with Dawes noting that sports tourism is one of the fastest growing sectors of tourism.  Next, spending by visitors to the U.S. in April surpassed that of Americans traveling abroad for the first time in seven months, writes Global Tourism Reporter Dawit Habtemar

Episode Notes Airline executives acknowledged this week they could be in the midst of a recession. But they’re largely unconcerned about an economic downturn impeding the industry’s ongoing recovery, reports Edward Russell, editor of Airline Weekly, a Skift publication. Leaders speaking at a major aviation conference in Istanbul expressed optimism about aviation’s boom continuing. International Air Transport Association Director General Willie Walsh said the airline industry is making progress in terms of profitability. The organization expects to record a more than $22 billion profit this year, a seven-fold increase from its forecast last December.   However, Russell writes behind those optimistic projections is a turbulent backdrop, citing in particular the stalled corporate travel recovery. Corporate travel revenue has plateaued in the U.S. at between 75 and 80 percent of 2019 levels according to executives from several major U.S. airlines. United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby admitted the U.S. is experiencing

Episode Notes The short-term rental industry has experienced a major boom coming out of the pandemic. But Laurence Tosi, founder of investment firm WestCap, believes the sector’s enormous growth is slowing down, reports Associate Editor Rashaad Jorden.  Tosi said that future growth for travel will moderate during a discussion at the Skift Short-Term Rental Summit on Wednesday. He also told Skift founder and CEO Rafat Ali that companies like Sonder and Vacasa aiming to become profitable need to focus on having sustainable business models.  Tosi also touched on the rise of artificial intelligence in travel, urging travel brands to proceed carefully with how they use the technology. He cited Hopper as one company that has used AI extensively.  Next, several airlines are removing first class seats from long-haul international routes. However, Emirates Airlines isn’t getting rid of the luxury offering, reports Edward Russell, editor of Airline Weekly, a Skift publication.  Emirates President Tim Clark said at a co

Episode Notes Hotel executives expressed optimism this week for a continued boom despite inflation and a possible recession, reports Senior Hospitality Editor Sean O’Neill.  Accor CEO Sébastien Bazin said at an event organized by New York University that the future for the hotel industry has never been as strong as it currently is. Bazin added that hotel rates in Paris have been 50 percent above 2019 levels for the past six months. O’Neill writes a limited supply of travel lodging has boosted the pricing power of existing hotels, with one executive describing low supply as music to her friends.  O’Neill adds that hotel CEOs are bullish on a surge in travel from Asia, noting that Chinese travelers still haven’t returned en masse. In addition, Bazin said he envisioned India emerging as a major source of business, with the country’s rapidly expanding middle-class increasingly looking to travel abroad. Next, as short-term rentals sit at an inflection point after several years of enormous growth, Skift Research ta

Episode Notes Travel companies across the U.S. have seen an enormous boom in leisure travel demand coming out of the pandemic. However, United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby believes the U.S. is in a “business recession,” reports Edward Russell, editor of Airline Weekly, a Skift publication.  Kirby said at a conference in Istanbul on Monday that while consumer spending is strong, the same can’t be said for businesses. Russell writes that the downturn has contributed to a slower business travel recovery than many had expected. United Chief Commercial Officer Andrew Nocella acknowledged that business travel demand at United has plateaued while declining to state how much it’s recovered. Russell adds the state of corporate travel is a major concern for airlines, noting the business travelers represent a significant portion of revenue — especially during periods of slower leisure travel.  Next, Marriott is making another foray into the extended-stay sector. The company is launching a brand geared toward price-conscious

Episode Notes Tourists from the U.S. are boosting the UK’s tourism recovery, with more Americans traveling to the country in 2022 than prior to the pandemic, writes Global Tourism Reporter Dawit Habtemariam.  A little more than 4.5 million Americans traveled to the UK last year, a 2 percent jump from 2019. In addition, American visitors were spending more and staying longer in the country. Americans spent a record $7.45 billion in the UK in 2022, according to national tourism board VisitBritain. That’s a 42 percent increase from 2019 levels. Tracy Halliwell, an executive at Visit London, said the UK saw a large number of American visitors immediately after the country lifted travel restrictions.  However, Habtemariam notes tourism to the UK still hasn’t made a full recovery from the pandemic. Britain welcomed 31 million visitors last year, a 24 percent drop from 2019.  Next, Associate Editor Rashaad Jorden takes a look at the challenges female business travelers face, nearly a decade after Skift Research repo

Episode Notes The short-term rental industry has seen an enormous boom over the last decade. And ahead of Skift’s Short-Term Rental Summit in New York next week, Skift Research has unveiled the Skift Short-Term Rental 250, a list of the 250 most prominent companies in the industry. Head of Skift Research Wouter Geerts writes the detailed look at the sector comes four years after its seminal report on the short-term rental ecosystem. He adds that Skift Research divided the 250 companies into three distinct sectors. The new report also delves into Airbnb’s dominance of the short-term rental industry. Next, India-based low-cost carrier Indigo had a banner financial year, flying over 86 million passengers, a 72 percent year-over-year jump. And the company believes an enhanced loyalty program will attract more customers, reports Asia Editor Peden Doma Bhutia. Indigo CEO Pieter Elbers said in an interview with Skift that the Indian market is ready for a loyalty system unlike 10 ten years ago. However, he added the

Episode Notes Expedia Group CEO Peter Kern recently accused rival online travel agency Agoda of undercutting the nightly rates posted on official hotel websites, and that’s anathema to hotels. So how has Agoda been able to discover cheaper rates? Executive Editor Dennis Schaal explains how in his weekly Online Travel Briefing.  Schaal includes a video of then-Agoda CEO John Brown at Skift Forum East in 2019 detailing his company’s mindset on hotel prices. Brown said the company has the responsibility to customers to find the cheapest hotel rates found online even though that caused friction with hoteliers. A spokesperson from Booking Holdings, Agoda’s parent company, said Agoda gets many different rates by contact from its partners. But Kern of Expedia said many hotels don’t realize how their rates are being mishandled. Schaal adds that Expedia has a tech tool that helps hotels weed out rates appearing in unauthorized outlets. smart_toy Next, generative artificial intelligence — which includes the creation of

Episode Notes Destinations across the Middle East are poised to get a major tourism boost from China — or more specifically, China’s wealthiest citizens, reports Asia Editor Peden Doma Bhutia in this week’s Middle East Travel Roundup.  More than 20 percent of Chinese millionaires plan to visit the Middle East in the next year, according to a recent report from luxury consulting firm Agility. Bhutia writes Middle Eastern destinations have been wooing Chinese travelers ever since Beijing resumed outbound group tours for its citizens on February 6. Dubai has launched a “China Ready” strategy and run campaigns in the country. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia has included China in its e-visa program as part of its aim to attract 4 million Chinese visitors annually by 2030.  Next, the ground transport sector worldwide has struggled to innovate in recent years, with many bus and train companies still forcing travelers to use paper tickets, for example. However, a growing number of companies are working to modernize the indus

Episode Notes Independent hotel brand Arlo Hotels had emphasized smaller rooms in its properties when it launched as part of its appeal. But the company is moving to larger rooms due to a shift in consumer demand, reports Senior Hospitality Editor Sean O’Neill.  Real estate development firm Quadrum Global recently announced it’s planning to bring Brookyln’s The Williamsburg Hotel under its Arlo Hotels brand by September. O’Neill writes rooms at The Williamsburg are considerably larger than the ones at the first Arlo properties. He adds Arlo has been shifting to properties with larger rooms after its first two hotels welcomed more affluent guests than projected. Arlo CEO Oleg Pavlov said the brand had originally focused on attracting millennials.  Next, Montana recently passed a law banning all personal use of TikTok in the state in response to allegations China is using it to spy on Americans. However, while they wait for legal challenges to play out, Montana’s tourism boards are still active on the popular s

Episode Notes Skift editorial events producer Jane Alexander is joined by Skift’s head of research, Wouter Geerts, P.H.D., and research analyst, Saniya Zanpure, to discuss a the travel industry's complete recovery from the pandemic. They discuss how this past April the Skift Travel Health Index average score surpassed that of 2019 for the first time, the weaknesses that still exist and the opportunities for growth. You can read an outline of the report and see supporting charts and graphs in the story Tourism Triumphs: Skift Travel Health Index Reaches Record High.

Episode Notes A recent report in the Wall Street Journal said Choice Hotels International is considering buying Wyndham Hotels & Resorts. However, hotel industry analysts are skeptical, reports Senior Hospitality Editor Sean O’Neill. O’Neill writes a Choice Hotels-Wyndham merger could create the largest hotel franchisor in the U.S. But he cites two analysts who explained why it’s unlikely to happen in a Truist Securities research report. Choice Hotels would have to add more budget properties to its portfolio, which might undermine its strategy of boosting its collection of high-end properties. In addition, a merger might face pushback from antitrust authorities. The two companies combined already have a more than 50 percent share of the U.S. economy hotel market.  Still, O’Neill adds that a merger might make sense in some ways. He notes that bigger is better is a general rule in hotel marketing, franchising and management.  Next, Short-Term Rental Reporter Srividya Kalyanaraman profiles a&o hostels, a Berlin-

Episode Notes The travel industry has reached a significant milestone in its recovery from the pandemic. Skift Research’s Travel Health Index for April 2023 reveals the industry is performing better than it did prior to the pandemic. Research Analyst Saniya Zanpure reports the Index’s average global score in April hit 101 percent of pre-Covid levels, 2 percentage points higher than the previous month. Skift Research uses data from 22 partners to track the travel industry’s performance. Latin America, the Middle East and Africa are among the regions that have seen their travel industries make a complete recovery from the pandemic.  However, Zanpure notes not all countries have fully recovered, citing Hong Kong and Russia as two destinations yet to hit even 80 percent of pre-Covid levels. Nine of the 22 countries Skift Research tracked haven’t surpassed 2019 levels as of April 2023.  Next, Airbnb executives recently expressed concerns amid falling stock prices about a slowdown in bookings compared to 2022. But

Episode Notes Skift senior media producer Jose Marmolejos speaks with Skift executive editor Dennis Schaal about his latest article on Skift.com covering the 10 highest-paid online travel execs in 2022. They discuss who topped the list, how executive pay has trended in the last few years, and whether these large compensation packages are necessary to recruit top-notch talent. In other Skift news, Associate Editor Rashaad Jorden reports that hotels are increasingly developing locally themed experiences to appeal to travelers. Jorden writes hotels believe they can attract guests and boost revenue by featuring local art and food, with more travelers looking for destination-based experiences.   Next, a U.S. District Court judge recently ordered JetBlue Airways and American Airlines to end their Northeast Alliance, which enabled the two companies to sell tickets on each other’s flights. Edward Russell, editor of the Skift publication, Airline Weekly, delves into the implications of the judge’s decision, including

Episode Notes Hotel giants like Marriott, Hyatt, and Hilton have unveiled plans in recent weeks to open extended-stay brands. They’re betting the segment will continue to grow in popularity in years to come, reports Senior Hospitality Editor Sean O’Neill. Marriott CEO Anthony Capuano said in a recent earnings call that his company would be launching an extended-stay product in the near future. Hilton CEO Chris Nassetta said it would debut an extended-stay brand soon while Hyatt unveiled a new brand last month as part of its entry into the sector.  So what’s driving the enormous interest in extended-stay brands? O’Neill cites the ongoing housing crisis in the U.S. as one factor, noting that home construction has failed to keep up with demand in many U.S. markets. He adds the resilience of blended leisure and business travel could boost extended-stay brands for years to come.   Next, the Soho House chain of membership clubs is eager for its members to increase spending. However, it’s not necessarily looking for

Episode Notes Google Travel eliminated the feature that allowed Gmail users to view summaries of their past, present and future trips on google.com/travel, reports Executive Editor Dennis Schaal.  A Google spokesperson said the tech giant decided to scrap the free feature in Google Travel because it didn’t attract enough users to justify the resources required to maintain or further develop it. However, the list of travelers’ past and future trips will still appear on Google calendar. Schaal writes that Google Travel will continue to focus on services such as flights, hotels and vacation rentals.  Next, Booking.com’s latest Sustainable Travel Report reveals a large appetite among Indian travelers for greener ways to travel. Nearly three-quarters are seeking regenerative travel, which aims to leave destinations in a better condition than prior to a visit, reports Middle East and Asia Reporter Amrita Ghosh in Skift’s India Travel Daily newsletter. Booking.com found a greater percentage of Indian travelers are p

Episode Notes People who want knowledge about the travel industry on Wednesday got a valuable new resource to obtain critical information. Skift unveiled Ask Skift, an artificial intelligence chatbot that will answer your questions focused on the travel sector, says Skift founder and CEO Rafat Ali. Ali writes that a user can ask questions on Skift’s website such as “How is Airbnb planning to leverage AI?” or “Who is IHG’s CEO?” Ask Skift has been trained on the entirety of Skift archives over the last 11 years, including daily stories and research reports. The chatbot will also provide other specialized travel industry content and data in weeks to come. Ali said the emergence of generative AI is enabling Skift to have a question and answer-based relationship with readers that wasn’t feasible before.  Next, JetBlue Airways believes it’s taken a big step to boosting revenue. The company has made major updates effective Wednesday to its already lucrative loyalty program, reports Edward Russell, editor of Airline