Since OpenAI released the groundbreaking ChatGPT tech late last year, travel companies have been exploring how the latest developments in generative AI could change the way they operate. Only three and a half months later, OpenAI released an update of the technology called GPT-4. Among several notable updates, the last version of ChatGPT can accept images, not just text, and describe them in...
Extreme weather patterns – heat waves, wildfires, floods – are reshaping how people travel. This is clear from changing booking windows, evolving off-season travel itinerary choices, and how popular destinations adapt to the ongoing changes in the weather. Change is already happening – albeit slowly. We think it’s going to accelerate. See all of this year’s Megatrends on our hub page. Travel...
American Airlines’ profits dipped significantly in the second quarter as it seeks to recover from a controversial distribution strategy that led to the departure of its chief commercial officer. The carrier reported a net income of $717 million, a 46% decline compared to the same time last year. American also had record revenues for the quarter at $14.3 billion. American’s results mirror that...
This sponsored content was created in collaboration with a Skift partner. The bustling capital of Canada, Ottawa, is not only a livable and charming city criss-crossed by rivers and surrounded by nature, it is also a hub for Canada’s advanced manufacturing sector. The sector accounts for $185 billion of Canada’s GDP, $260 billion in annual exports, and 1.7 million jobs across the country. A...
The proposed $3.9 billion Wynn Al Marjan has caused a development frenzy in Ras Al Khaimah, the once-quiet man-made island– located about 70 minutes drive from Dubai International Airport. Just about every major hotel operator has a project underway, and as Bloomberg reported last month, developers have snapped up every available plot. Much of the excitement stems from hopes for gaming –...
Sonder, the San Francisco-based startup that operates hotels and leases apartment buildings for short-term rentals, made its stock market debut Wednesday in a special purpose acquisition company merger, and saw its share price drop about 8 percent. The Nasdaq, where Sonder trades, was slightly down, 1.6 percent for the day. Founded in 2014 by Francis Davidson, Lucas Pellan, and Martin Picard...
Hotels Q&A: Accor’s Maud Bailly On How Sofitel Is Redefining Luxury Hospitality There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to luxury hospitality, but Accor believes it’s up to major brands in the space to push the envelope. After a major rebranding, Sofitel has taken up the mantle of redefining luxury by investing heavily in team training, taking a stand for sustainability, and more. Accor Group...
IAG, the parent company of British Airways and Iberia, announced Thursday that it was terminating its proposed takeover of Air Europa. The company had offered concessions to European Union regulators in June after they warned that the acquisition could be anticompetitive. Some of these concessions included ceding 52% of Air Europa’s flights to its rivals. Air Europa is the third-largest carrier...
The shift from desktop to mobile created new winners in various industries. Will the current innovations around artificial intelligence do the same? That’s unlikely, according to Spencer Rascoff, co-founder of Zillow and CEO of 75 & Sunny Ventures. Rascoff discussed the impact of AI on the travel industry in a conversation with Skift Editor-in-Chief Sarah Kopit at the Skift Global Forum...
Israeli-based tour guides are facing a wave of cancellations as the country unites in response to the fatal missile attacks on Saturday. As of Monday, more than 1,000 people had lost their lives. Intrepid Travel has canceled tours to Israel and the Palestinian Territories until 31 October. The Travel Corporation also confirmed all its October departures had been canceled as of Saturday, noting it...