Good morning from Skift. It’s Tuesday, October 31. Here’s what you need to know about the business of travel today. Listen Now Subscribe Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Overcast | Google Podcasts | Amazon Podcasts Episode Notes Visa processing delays have hurt the travel industry’s recovery, especially in the U.S. and Europe. Associate Editor Rashaad Jorden turns to Ask Skift, our artificial...
Russia has seen its domestic travel recover faster than most other countries in the pandemic. That reality is highlighted by news on Wednesday that private equity firm Elbrus Capital and venture firm iTech Capital will invest $43 million in Aviasales, a Moscow-based travel price comparison search site that has been focused on Russian-speaking travelers. The fundraising is one of the largest in...
United Airlines on Tuesday reported “strong and steady domestic demand” and profits for key international markets at “record highs.” But it also broke out the potential business impact of a continuation of the Israel-Hamas war. Overall revenue in the third quarter rose 12.5%, with domestic revenue up 8.7%. “Domestic revenues in the quarter were second highest all-time and the domestic system...
The traditional Japanese ryokan is a beautifully structured and choreographed experience. Hospitality and ritual are the emphasis. The family-run inns are often set within beautiful nature, ideally with access to restorative hot springs, known as onsens. The emphasis is on relaxation, Kaiseki meals based on local and seasonal ingredients, and hyper-personalized service. For guests who aren’t...
Southwest Airlines will get its first new CEO in nearly two decades next February when Gary Kelly passes the reins to Robert Jordan. On February 1, 2022, Jordan will become only the sixth CEO of the Dallas-based carrier , which celebrated its 50th anniversary earlier this month. He joined Southwest in 1988 and, after serving in multiple roles, is currently executive vice president of corporate...
Tripadvisor has released a preview for its upcoming 2024 study on the Experience of Travel, which showed that 67% of travelers surveyed across 7 key markets placed more value on experiences than things. It’s a drum the sector has been beating for a while. Tripadvisor’s study saw participation from 5,618 travelers from Australia, France, India, Japan, Spain, the UK, and the U.S. While all...
Oberoi Group — known for its luxury hotel brands Oberoi and Trident — is quietly developing new hotels close to nature, the company’s top boss revealed on Wednesday. “Some of those hotels will be … in beautiful locations with a strong sense of place,” said Vikram Oberoi, managing director and CEO. “These will be much smaller hotels.” The project to develop the hotels close to nature is known...
Kimberly Miles, the executive director of the Vacation Rental Management Association, acknowledges that there is a “new normal” for the sector this year as demand softens or over-supply takes hold in certain markets, but there is also a reset for the association in terms of unlikely allies and members. Miles, who marks her second anniversary leading the property manager-oriented VRMA this month...
Over 200 top companies plan to attend Skift Global Forum East in Dubai on December 12-14. This includes household names like Air Arabia, Auberge Resorts, Booking.com, Emirates, Hilton, Seera, and Shangri-La Group, just to name a few. View the companies attending: Last Year’s Numbers Don’t Miss Out Your ticket also includes access to an opening reception at Cloud 22, all conference sessions...
Scammers have been targeting Booking.com customers for years, and in the latest attempt to find victims, they have reportedly been placing ads on the dark web to obtain the passwords of Booking’s hotel partners. “Hackers are increasing their attacks on Booking.com customers by posting adverts on dark web forums asking for help finding victims,” the BBC reported last week. “Cyber-criminals are...