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Royal Caribbean Group is opening a new port in Juneau, Alaska, a move it claims will help disperse foot traffic in the city’s downtown as residents continue to debate the cost and benefits of cruise ships.  The announcement came on October 16, a day after city officials certified the results of a local election that would have imposed some cruise restrictions. Residents voted down the ballot...

More Indians are taking personal loans to travel and meet vacation-related expenses, according to Madhavan Menon, executive chairman of Thomas Cook India.  “The average Indian traveler is now more willing to spend rather than save. They want to indulge in new experiences such as motorcycle rides from Leh to Ladakh, glamping, and trekking,” Menon told Skift’s Asia Editor Peden Doma Bhutia in the...

For this edition of the Skift Podcast, we turn to our recent Skift Global Forum East event in Dubai, UAE. Near the end of the first day of the event, Skift CEO Rafat Ali was joined by Hany Abdelkawi, Google’s Head of Travel Sales.
Alli and Abdelkawi discuss the role of AI in connecting people and industries, emphasizing its growing impac

John Legend is a founder of a startup building what it says is an “invite-only” social media app for restaurant reviews. The app is meant to help users save a list of their favorite places and those they want to visit, as well as share those lists with friends and followers. There’s also a focus on viewing recommendations from celebrities, and the startup says the app will do away with the...

Inspirato, which offers a luxury vacation home and hotel subscription service for affluent guests, layed off around 50 staffers, or some 6% of its workforce yesterday, Skift has learned. Skift received a tip about the job cuts, and Jeff Hartman, Inspirato’s executive vice president of marketing, confirmed the workforce reductions Thursday. The staff cuts occurred in the company’s...

This sponsored content was created in collaboration with a Skift partner. Business travel demand has rebounded significantly in recent years. However, even as working travelers have returned to the air, companies now face the dual challenge of managing rising trip costs while maintaining the quality of their commuters’ in-air experiences. According to the Global Business Travel Association...

Please note that Dwell will hit your inboxes on Thursdays every week with a digest of the top short-term rental stories published on Skift. You can sign up for it on our newsletters page. This week, we have a roster full of stories — from company shutdowns to acquisitions, the short-term rental industry is on the brink of consolidation and professionalization that industry insiders keep harping...

Two Days of Connections and Ideas Skift Global Forum East kicks off on November 19, with the opening reception taking place at Address Grand Creek Harbour, followed by a day of full forum discussions on November 20 at Address Sky View. Here, we will explore how evolving source markets, experience-driven consumer demand, regional air connectivity, data and AI innovations, luxury travel trends, and...

Good morning from Skift. It’s Wednesday, August 2. 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 The solid performance of Marriott’s premium hotels drove the world’s largest hotel company to a strong second quarter. And now, Marriott is looking to add midscale hotels to...

Hotels Global Accommodation Sector Market Estimates 2025: Research Preview The global accommodation market, valued at $1.2 trillion in 2024, is projected to reach $1.3 trillion by 2026. Driven by increasing travel demand, the Asia-Pacific region is forecasted to overtake Europe in accommodation revenues by 2026. Despite ongoing geopolitical and regulatory challenges, we anticipate continued...