Saudi Arabia’s tourism minister says the kingdom counted more than 100 million tourists in 2023 – the numbers show growth in visits from international travelers, but that it still has work to do to become a globally competitive destination. Here’s the count shared by tourism minister Ahmed bin Aqeel Al Khateeb: Saudi saw 77 million domestic tourists and 27 million international ones...
For many travelers — particularly millennials and Gen Zers — the perfect trip is no longer just about checking into a hotel, shopping for souvenirs, and working through a checklist of popular tourist attractions. Driven by convenience, added value, and a desire to interact with the world in new ways, today’s travelers prefer spending money on unique experiences over material items. According to a...
The desire to travel for experiences is expected to keep growing, but it’s not without challenges. Leaders in providing travel experiences spoke at the Skift Global Forum in New York Wednesday: Ruzwana Bashir, founder and CEO of Peek; Jules Seeley, senior partner at McKinsey & Company; and Nishank Gopalkrishnan, chief commercial officer of TUI Musement. Super Growth Consumers are looking at...
TUI, Europe’s largest travel operator, has announced it’s partnering with the entertainment platform Fever to launch a new collection of activities aimed at local people in their home countries. The new product is a strategic step in the group’s aim to become the “leading provider of leisure activities for customers year-round”, both while travelling abroad and at home. While TUI is known...
Delta Air Lines said it plans to hire far fewer pilots in 2024 than in recent years, signaling a potential end to the airline industry’s post-pandemic hiring surge. Delta said it will hire a little over 1,000 pilots in 2024, roughly half the amount it hired in 2023. Since the pandemic, airlines have hired tens of thousands of pilots to keep up with high travel demand and make up for an ongoing...
Key Points India’s hotel industry projected to grow to $475 billion by 2029. Key growth drivers: rising disposable income, infrastructure development, and MICE tourism. India’s medical tourism sector and airline routes are expanding to accommodate increasing travel demand. Summary India’s hotel industry is expected to grow significantly, with market estimates reaching $247...
Key Points American Airlines and its flight attendants’ union have reached a tentative agreement, preventing a summer strike. The agreement addresses compensation, retroactive pay, and work rules, but specific details are not yet released. Southwest and Alaska Airlines have also reached agreements with their flight attendants, while United Airlines is still in negotiations. Summary American...
Steve Singh and a group of industry veterans are rolling out a new AI trip planner and booking agent for business travel. It’s called Otto, and the startup shared its plans on Thursday along with news of a $6 million seed round. The founder and CEO is Michael Gulmann, former senior vice president of consumer products for Expedia Group, and also the former chief product officer and head of...
Under a pilot program, Sri Lanka will be issuing free tourist visas through next March to visitors from seven countries: India, China, Russia, Japan, Thailand, Indonesia, and Malaysia. This initiative is part of Sri Lanka’s broader strategy to revitalize its tourism sector and achieve a target of 5 million arrivals by 2026. Sri Lanka’s Tourism Crisis: Sri Lanka’s tourism industry endured a severe...
Three online travel platforms — MakeMyTrip, Agoda, and Booking.com — released separate reports Tuesday on how Indians are gearing up for the year-end holidays. Together, they reveal the shifting dynamics of Indian travel preferences. From serene hill stations and vibrant heritage cities to culturally rich international capitals, here’s how Indians are planning to bid farewell to 2024. Home Sweet...