Blog

Skift Take Come for the rides, stay for the food. Dara Khosrowshahi joined Uber as CEO when ridehailing was everything. Now he’s navigating a multi-product approach. Yet when it comes to profits, Uber’s still en route. Sean O’Neill Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said his strategy is to expand the mobility company’s delivery business. But Uber won’t expand into selling flights or...

Skift Take As more people in India are seeking upscale living options that blend luxury with convenience, IHCL is leveraging its strong brand and hospitality expertise, to step into this space to meet these evolving demands. Peden Doma Bhutia The Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL) is diving into the branded residences market with its first Taj Branded Residences in Chennai. “This is a very...

Skift Take In this video recording from Skift Global Forum, we hear from Joseph Rajadurai, vice president & general manager, travel & hospitality, Cognizant, and George Turner, chief commercial and technology officer, IHG Hotels & Resorts, who discussed digital strategies that started in response to the pandemic and are now influencing the future of the travel industry. Cognizant...

Skift Take Most environmental, social and governance (ESG) reports include a company’s aspirations to reduce carbon emissions and combat global warming, but at an operational level it seems there’s little regard for the impacts of travel. Matthew Parsons Companies are making little effort to track and reduce the carbon emissions within their travel programs, according to two reports...

Skift Take The travel industry in Southeast Asia is continuing to grow, and so is the short-term rental industry worldwide. Justin Dawes Five travel tech startups have announced fundraises this week totaling more than $144 million.  >>Gother (formerly TraveliGo), an online travel agency based in Thailand, has raised $25 million from Kasikorn Bank Group.  The news about the funding and rebrand was...

Skift Take As Tongcheng Travel waits for China to relax restrictions and open travel, the online travel company has used the downtime to diversify its user base. Now if only the borders would fully reopen! Peden Doma Bhutia Catch them young clearly seems to be the mantra for Tongcheng Travel as the Chinese online travel agency has been steadily ramping up efforts to enhance its brand influence...

Skift Take Does JetBlue’s surprise bid for Spirit make sense for the carrier’s network? At first glance, Wall Street didn’t think so. Madhu Unnikrishnan JetBlue Airways threw the airline world for a loop with a surprise bid for ultra-low-cost carrier Spirit Airlines, that may derail Spirit’s planned merger with Frontier Airlines. JetBlue’s $3.6 billion deal offers investors a...

Startups
13 Travel Startups Raise $600 Million in 2 Weeks
Twelve’s massive total fundraise of $645 million shows that the company is positioning itself for a future where alternative jet fuels aren’t just trendy, but essential. Skift has now reported 16 travel startups that have raised over $100 million so far this year.
Justin Dawes | 2 hours ago

Expedia Group Vice Chairman and CEO Peter Kern spoke with Skift Executive Editor Dennis Schaal at Skift Global Forum 2021. The two discussed the theme “Powering Travel Beyond the Booking to Boost Recovery.”  You can watch a full video of their discussion as well as read a transcript of it, below. Dennis Schaal: Hey everybody. Don’t forget if you have questions for Peter ask them through the Skift...

Skift Take Online travel agencies and credit card companies — other than Chase — have Southwest-envy. Not having Southwest flights is a major hole in their travel offerings. Dennis Schaal Chase cardholders can book Southwest Airlines flights through the Chase Travel portal, and that’s a rarity for leisure travelers. You can’t do it through American Express, Citi or Capital One’s travel platforms...