Blog

Little Progress This Year on Vaccine Equity Bodes Poorly for

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Nearly a year since the start of global vaccine distributions and nearly six months since Skift’s first coverage on vaccine equity and its impact on the recovery of tourism, the needle hasn’t moved. Ten of the world’s richest countries are currently hoarding an excess of 870 million doses — the U.S. being the chief vaccine hoarder — of which approximately 241 million are estimated to expire by...

Wego Expands into Business Travel with Acquisition of Singapore-Based Travelstop

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Middle East-based online travel marketplace Wego has acquired corporate travel platform Travelstop as part of its expansion into business travel and expense management. Speaking to Skift, Wego CEO and Co-Founder, Ross Veitch, refrained from disclosing the acquisition’s financial details. However, he said, “I see a wide-open opportunity to bring next-generation business travel and expense...

Africa’s Booming Middle Class Poised to Boost Domestic Tourism

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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’s Travel Resilience Underscored by Startup Aviasales’ $43 Million Funding

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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: Domestic Demand ‘Strong,’ Reveals Risk of Continued War

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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 Growing Global Appeal of the Japanese Ryokan

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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 Names New CEO as Longtime Chief Gary Kelly

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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’s 2024 Experience of Travel Study: 3 Charts

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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 Chief Plans to Double Its Luxury Hotel Room Count

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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...

Vacation Rental Management Association Seeks New Allies and a Stronger

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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...