Skift Daily Travel Briefing Skift Travel News

Skift Research recently examined more than 20,000 hotel listings on Google to discover which online travel agencies and direct sites compete for bookings. Senior Research Analyst Pranavi Agarwal explains the major findings from Skift Research’s report.  
Agarwal notes that Booking.com is the dominant brand across Google’s sponsored results, paying to appear the most often in every region. However, Skift Research found Expedia.com is investing heavily in ad dollars to be the top-of-the list option in Google’s sponsored results, especially in Asia-Pacific and the Middle East and Africa. 
In addition, Agarwal reports Google actively prioritizes direct sites over OTAs even though they are far from being the cheapest price. 
Next, the Biden administration has unveiled a set of rules that would require airlines to tackle junk fees, writes Airlines Reporter Meghna Maharishi. 
Maharishi reports the Department of Transportation is requiring airlines to disclose junk fees upfront. Airlines and ticketing agencies would have to inform customers of the prices for checked baggage, carry-ons, and changing or canceling a reservation. Airlines would also need to share all information on fees with third-party sites.  
The Biden administration has also unveiled rules mandating airlines provide automatic cash refunds in instances of significant flight disruptions and delays in checked baggage. The Department of Transportation said consumers often encounter a cumbersome process to receive a refund from an airline.  
Finally, Hyatt is finally permitting members of its loyalty program book at roughly 700 properties vetted by booking site Mr & Mrs Smith, which it bought last year, reports Senior Hospitality Editor Sean O’Neill. 
O’Neill reports the new properties add about 20 countries to the list of nations where Hyatt loyalty members can earn and redeem points. In addition, booking a stay at a Mr & Mrs Smith hotel will work on the same points-earning system as a stay at a Hyatt property. 

Episode Notes
Atlanta recently reached a three-year, $1 million deal with the Michelin Guide. Discover Atlanta CEO William Pate discussed that topic and more in an interview with Global Tourism Reporter Dawit Habtemariam. 
Pate said having Atlanta’s restaurants appear in the Michelin Guide has boosted the city’s culinary scene. He noted restaurants that have already been selected for the guide have seen a 30% increase in business. Atlanta is the seventh U.S. city to be selected for the Michelin Guide. 
Pate also touched on Atlanta’s preparations for the 2026 World Cup, during which the city will host eight matches. He said Atlanta could be a home base for World Cup fans since its airport has nonstop flights to every other host city. 
Next, while the airline industry is seeing a surge in travel demand, JetBlue Airways is struggling. The carrier posted a first-quarter loss, writes Airlines Reporter Meghna Maharishi. 
JetBlue reported a $716 million loss, which Maharishi notes was partly caused by the large fees the company had to pay to end its planned merger with Spirit Airlines. JetBlue’s Chief Financial Officer said the break-up fees cost the carrier $530 million. 
In addition, CEO Joanna Geraghty said the increase in capacity to popular destinations like Mexico and Caribbean has put pressure on the company’s revenues. 
Finally, Travel Technology Reporter Justin Dawes examines how Amadeus employees have been using Microsoft’s artificial intelligence-powered chatbot Copilot. 
Amadeus is among a group of companies testing Copilot as part of Microsoft’s Early Adopter Program. Microsoft said last September that it would incorporate Copilot into its products. Dawes lists several ways Amadeus staff has used Copilot, such as summarizing long discussions between coworkers and conducting searches of Amadeus’ own data. 
Frederick Ros, Amadeus’ head of digital workspace services, said staff at the travel technology company had spoken very highly of Copilot. 

Episode Notes
The Great Barrier Reef is currently experiencing its worst-ever mass bleaching event, during which warmer-than-usual water causes corals to expel their algae and turn white. Tour operators have been doing their part in helping preserve the popular tourist landmark, writes Travel Experiences Reporter Jesse Chase-Lubitz. 
Chase-Lubitz cites Reef Magic as one tour operator that offers travelers the opportunity to help revive corals. At least six tour operators are a part of the Coral Nurture Initiative, a partnership between researchers and tour operators to conduct research and restore reefs. Corals can survive a bleaching event, but it puts them under stress and makes them more susceptible to dying. 
In addition, 26 tour operators have provided almost 3,500 reef health surveys to the government in 2023 and 2024.  
Next, former JetBlue Airways CEO Robin Hayes has announced he will join Airbus to be the planemaker’s lead for North America, writes Airlines Editor Gordon Smith and Airlines Reporter Meghna Maharishi.  
Hayes, who served as JetBlue’s CEO for nine years, will lead Airbus’ commercial aircraft business in North America. He will also be responsible for coordinating Airbus’ helicopters, space and defense businesses in North America. Hayes will officially take over for Jeff Knittel at Airbus on June 3.
Hayes announced this January he would step down as JetBlue CEO. 
Finally, Delta Air Lines is planning to give staff 5% raises and increase the minimum starting wage for frontline employees to $19 an hour, writes Airlines Reporter Maharishi. 
Maharishi reports the $19 starting wages, which go into effect on June 1, will apply to flight attendants, mechanics and ground handlers, among other employees. Delta CEO Ed Bastian also said the company, which is anticipating a busy summer season, would create a 5% merit pool to be allocated to employees based on individual performance and market standing. 
However, the wage increases don’t apply to pilots. Delta’s pilots, who are already unionized, recently approved a contract that gave them 34% raises over the course of four years. 
Producer/Presenter: Jose Marmolejos

Episode Notes
Amsterdam is banning hotel developments as part of its strategy to fight mass tourism, writes Global Tourism Reporter Dawit Habtemariam.
Amsterdam’s municipal government announced the Dutch capital will no longer issue permits for new hotels. The only exception would be if another hotel in the city closes and the number of beds doesn’t increase. Habtemariam notes Amsterdam officials are looking to limit annual overnight stays in the city to 20 million. 
The new hotel restriction is Amsterdam’s latest attempt to discourage mass tourism. The city raised its tourist tax 5 percentage points earlier this year. 
Next, Hyatt is ramping up its efforts to attract Indian leisure travelers, writes India Reporter Bulbul Dhawan. 
Hyatt CEO Mark Hoplamazian said India’s leisure travel market is mainly driven by domestic travelers, and that the company is looking to open 50 more hotels across 28 markets in India. The company currently operates 50 hotels in 17 Indian markets. Hoplamazian added he’s seen more interest in investments in India’s hospitality industry. 
Finally, Apple is putting wireless streaming technology in hotel rooms for the first time as part of its partnership with IHG Hotels & Resorts, writes Travel Technology Reporter Justin Dawes. 
Apple’s Airplay technology is now available in rooms at more than 60 IHG properties throughout North America. Airplay enables guests to stream content from their iPhone or iPad to the LG television in their hotel rooms. An IHG executive said the company is looking to create a “home-away-from-home” experience that many guests crave. 

Episode Notes
Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky’s 10-year pay package, announced in 2021, could hit $1 billion or more if the company’s share price hits certain price targets, reports Executive Editor Dennis Schaal.  
Airbnb said recently the potential value of Cheksy’s eight remaining tranches of unearned shares at the end of 2023 was $1.3 billion. However, Schaal notes it’s far from certain that Chesky will receive the shares. Airbnb awarded Chesky a pay package with 12 million restricted stock units that the company valued at $430 million in November 2020 before Airbnb’s IPO.
The potential payout would be based on whether Airbnb’s share price hits the designated thresholds as well as the actual share price on the date an earned award settles.  
Next, Europe’s largest tour operator TUI announced in February it would be offering sustainability-linked bonds. Travel Experiences Reporter Jesse Chase-Lubitz delves into whether those bonds are a step toward more sustainable tourism or a form of greenwashing.  
TUI’s sustainability-linked bonds are tied to an overall environmental target – if it misses the target, it pays a higher interest rate. The Germany-based tour operator has linked its bonds to its airline division, which is responsible for 70% of the company’s total greenhouse gas emissions. 
However, Chase-Lubitz notes some climate finance experts aren’t sold on the new instruments: They don’t have a long track record and there’s no standard for measuring progress. An executive at a global investment bank described sustainability-linked bonds as the Wild West. 
Finally, Google is releasing new features that aim to promote greener ways of travel, writes Travel Technology Reporter Justin Dawes.
Dawes reports the new features will appear in its Maps, Search, Flights and Hotels products, adding some of those features are powered by generative artificial intelligence. Google Maps will also include features to help electric vehicle drivers locate charging stations. Dawes also notes Google’s Travel Impact Model is free to other tech companies that want to embed carbon emissions info into their websites or apps. 
Presenter/Producer: Jose Marmolejos

Episode Notes
Officials in California recently launched a new tourism marketing campaign. Visit California CEO Caroline Beteta discussed it and more in an interview with Global Tourism Reporter Dawit Habtemariam.
Beteta said California’s current marketing campaign — titled “Ultimate Playground — aims to showcase a sense of play often associated with the Golden State. She described the campaign as a pivot from Visit California’s long-running campaign “Dream Big,” which she added will still be a part of the organization’s messaging.
Beteta also touched on Visit California’s work with celebrities, who frequently appear on the cover of its visitor guides. She cited Jennifer Hudson as one celebrity the organization has partnered with. 
Next, travel and tourism investment firm Certares was behind a consortium that acquired FTI Group, Europe’s third-largest tour operator, writes Travel Experiences Reporter Jesse Chase-Lubitz. 
The consortium will own all of the share capital while FTI will receive about $130 million to use for its digital transformation and growth. Certartes holds stakes in G Adventures, Tripadvisor and AmaWaterways, among other travel brands. Meanwhile, Munich-based FTI has 120 subsidiaries throughout Europe. 
Finally, Iceland is still a popular destination for Chinese travelers while Kazakhstan has become a new favorite, reports Asia Editor Peden Doma Bhutia.
Iceland remains one of the top 10 most coveted outbound destinations among travelers surveyed by China-based marketing company Dragon Trail International. An executive at Dragon Trail credited reality TV and social media for familiarizing Chinese travelers with Iceland. As for Kazakhstan, the easing of visa restrictions — as well as its winter resorts — have made the country more appealing for many Chinese. 
However, Thailand has suffered in the eyes of many Chinese travelers due to concerns about safety. Roughly 38% of those surveyed by Dragon Trail considered Thailand “unsafe” to visit.