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Everything you need to know about the business of travel today. Each episode covers new travel stories from Skift's editorial team. Listen to the latest developments at hotels, airlines, destinations, online booking sites, and more.

Published Tuesday through Friday by 5am ET.

For ongoing coverage, please visit Skift.com/news.

Skift Daily Travel Briefing Skift Travel News

    • Nieuws

Everything you need to know about the business of travel today. Each episode covers new travel stories from Skift's editorial team. Listen to the latest developments at hotels, airlines, destinations, online booking sites, and more.

Published Tuesday through Friday by 5am ET.

For ongoing coverage, please visit Skift.com/news.

    Google Unveils New AI-Powered Travel Tools

    Google Unveils New AI-Powered Travel Tools

    Episode Notes
    Google is launching several new artificial intelligence-powered tools to help travelers plan trips, writes Travel Technology Reporter Justin Dawes. 
    The new tools will allow Google Search to create itineraries based on prompts from users. Dawes reports users can search for a trip itinerary, and they’ll see flight and hotel options as well as suggestions for attractions and dining. Google said the AI tools use information appearing online and reviews that users post about businesses.  
    Google is also enhancing its Maps app to provide users more details about certain destinations in the U.S. and Canada. 
    Next, the U.S. State Department will receive $50 million to help it cut visa wait times and passport backlogs, writes Global Tourism Reporter Dawit Habtemariam. 
    President Joe Biden recently signed a bill into law that would provide the department more resources to tackle lengthy visa wait times, one of the travel industry’s most pressing issues. The average wait time for a first-time visitor visa for the U.S.’ top inbound markets is roughly 400 days, according to the U.S. Travel Association.  
    More than 300 travel industry professionals recently lobbied federal lawmakers to take action on the issue of excessive visa wait times. 
    Finally, Australia saw a record number of visitors from India last year. Asia Editor Peden Doma Bhutia turned to Nishant Kashikar, Tourism Australia’s country manager for India, to find out about Australia's recent success in attracting Indian tourists.  
    Australia welcomed roughly 402,000 arrivals from India from February 2023 to January 2024. India is now Tourism Australia’s fifth largest inbound market. Kashikar partly attributed that record number to an increase in weekly flights from India to Australia and a simplified visa application process for Indian travelers.   
    Kashikar added that Australia has seen a significant surge in business travel from India. 

    • 3 min.
    How Hilton Got So Big

    How Hilton Got So Big

    Episode Notes
    Hilton has built the largest pipeline of hotels in its history, an achievement CEO Chris Nassetta attributed to the power of the group’s brands. Nassetta touched on Hilton’s pipeline growth and more in an interview with Senior Hospitality Editor Sean O’Neill. 
    Hilton has also seen membership growth in its loyalty program surpass that of its rivals in the last five years. Nassetta cited partnerships Hilton has entered into and improvements in the program’s app as reasons for the membership boom. He also addressed Hilton’s work to reduce carbon emissions in its franchised hotels. 
    Next, Breeze Airways announced it’s launching a co-branded credit card and re-branded loyalty program, writes Airlines Reporter Meghna Maharishi. 
    Chief Commercial Officer Lukas Johnson said Breeze was eager to launch the co-branded credit card as part of its effort to revamp its loyalty program. The credit card, in partnership with Barclays, would allow customers to earn 10 times the points for checked baggage and premium seating, among other services. Johnson said he was confident Breeze could attract enough sign-ups for the card. 
    Meanwhile, Breeze’s loyalty program will be known as “Breezy Rewards” instead of “BreezePoints.”
    Finally, Hawaiian officials recently launched a marketing campaign to reassure travelers that all of Maui is ready for visitors following last August’s wildfires, writes Global Tourism Reporter Dawit Habtemariam. 
    The campaign is called Mākaukau Maui, which means “Maui is Ready,” and it’s part of efforts to attract tourists amid the island’s slow recovery. Visitor spending in Maui fell 19% in January 2024 from the previous year. Maui lost an estimated $120 million in revenue.
    In addition, Maui is facing fierce competition from other sun-and-sea destinations looking to lure American tourists. 
    Producer/Presenter: Jose Marmolejos

    • 3 min.
    The New Business Travel Mega Merger

    The New Business Travel Mega Merger

    Episode Notes
    Amex GBT announced plans on Monday to acquire CWT for $570 million, a deal that would combine two of the world’s largest corporate travel agencies. Travel Technology Reporter Justin Dawes explains why Amex GBT executives are pushing for the megadeal. 
    Amex GBT CEO Paul Abbott said acquisitions are a key part of its growth strategy, noting the combined company would generate revenue of at least $3 billion. Abbott added acquiring CWT would strengthen several areas of Amex GBT, citing CWT’s footprint in industries such as the media, entertainment and sports. 
    In addition, Amex GBT also said the acquisition would help produce savings of $155 million within three years. 
    Next, Boeing’s senior leadership team is undergoing a major overhaul. CEO Dave Calhoun announced he’s leaving the role at the end of the year, writes Airlines Editor Gordon Smith and Airlines Reporter Meghna Maharishi. 
    In addition to Calhoun stepping down, Commercial Airplanes Division CEO Stan Deal is retiring while board chair Larry Kellner will not run for re-election. Those senior personnel changes come as Boeing has experienced a rough start to 2024, including a blowout aboard an Alaska Airlines flight in January. Smith and Maharishi note that major airline CEOs and the U.S. government have been increasingly critical of Boeing in recent weeks. 
    Finally, Booking.com is ending a program that highlighted properties the company believed were standouts in sustainability, writes Executive Editor Dennis Schaal.  
    Dutch regulators said that Amsterdam-based Booking.com’s “Travel Sustainable” program, which awarded certain properties green leaves as badges, was possibly misleading. Dutch officials said properties might be conducting sustainable practices that weren’t recognized. Booking.com reported last year that more than 100,000 properties on its site had received a Travel Sustainable badge. 
    Producer/Presenter: Jose Marmolejos

    • 3 min.
    Hilton Investor Day's Main Takeaways

    Hilton Investor Day's Main Takeaways

    Episode Notes
    Hilton recently held a private presentation for investment analysts at its U.S. headquarters. Senior Hospitality Editor Sean O’Neill lists the three biggest takeaways from the presentation’s 223 slides. 
    First, Hilton claims the world’s largest hotel pipeline. The company said it controls about 20% of the rooms under construction worldwide. Hilton added its loyalty members are responsible for 64% of its total room nights booked, which it claims is an industry high. The company said it’s aiming to get that number up to 75%.
    In addition, Hilton said it’s increasing its investment in technology to help sell more ancillary services to guests. Only 13% of its bookings include these upsells. 
    Next, United Airlines will allow friends and family to create joint accounts for pooling frequent flier miles through its loyalty program, writes Airlines Reporter Meghna Maharishi. 
    Any adult United MileagePlus user can be “pool leader” and create a joint account on United’s website. United MileagePlus Chief Operating Officer Luc Bondar said the move is intended to make it easier for friends and family to use miles when booking flights. Bondar added United’s decision was driven by a surge in family and friends travel since the pandemic. 
    Maharishi reports United is the first of the Big Four U.S. airlines to allow pooling miles with no extra fees. 
    Finally, China’s economy is going through a rough patch now, but that probably won’t stop large numbers of Chinese from traveling overseas, writes Global Tourism Reporter Dawit Habtemariam. 
    Several executives speaking at the recent ITB Berlin travel show said those in China with the means to travel internationally will do so. One CEO stated about 100 million Chinese travelers have enough money for a long distance trip. In addition, Philip Dickinson, an executive at Visit Qatar, said the Gulf State has seen a surge in Chinese tourists since Beijing lifted its group travel ban on Qatar last August. 
    However, one obstacle for Chinese tourism to the West has been flight availability. Flight schedules from China to Germany, the U.S. and the U.K., among other destinations, haven’t recovered to pre-Covid levels. 

    • 3 min.
    India Could See a Lifestyle Hotel Boom

    India Could See a Lifestyle Hotel Boom

    Episode Notes
    Ennismore co-CEO and founder Sharan Pasricha believes India is a sleeping giant in the lifestyle hotel sector, writes Middle East Reporter Josh Corder.  
    Pasricha told Senior Hospitality Editor Sean O’Neill at the Skift India Summit on Wednesday that the new wave of lifestyle hotels could be in India. Ennismore currently doesn’t have any hotels in India in its portfolio. But Pasricha said that could change as soon as this year, citing India’s growing middle class and infrastructure improvements as reasons why lifestyle hotels could thrive in the country.
    Next, Eric Garcetti, U.S. Ambassador to India, is eager to see U.S. travel demand for India increase, writes Travel Technology Reporter Justin Dawes.
    Garcetti told Skift CEO and founder Rafat Ali at the Skift India Summit that Americans don’t know India as well as Indians know the U.S. Garcetti said a lot of work needs to be done to promote India as a tourism destination. But he noted India’s tourism infrastructure has gotten a boost from the growth of the country’s aviation industry. 
    Garcetti also addressed the lengthy waits many Indian travelers have endured to obtain U.S. visitor visas. Although the U.S. government has been able to reduce average wait times, he said there’s work to do as travel demand to the U.S. increases. 
    We end today with a look at Keshav Suri, a hotel owner looking to increase support for India’s LGBTQ+ community. 
    Suri, the executive director of the LaLiT Suri Hospitality Group, told Senior Hospitality Editor O’Neill at the Skift India Summit that his company has a loyal customer base among the LGBTQ+ community. He added that being supportive of the community is a competitive advantage. Suri, whose company operates roughly a dozen hotels across India, added that he would like to see more research done on the LGBTQ+ market.

    • 2 min.
    India’s Booming Travel Market

    India’s Booming Travel Market

    Air India has major goals. CEO Campbell Wilson is looking to turn the company into a “top-tier and world-class airline” after decades of underinvestment by Indian officials, writes Airlines Reporter Meghna Maharishi.  
    Wilson discussed Air India’s strategy during a discussion with Asia Editor Peden Doma Bhutia at the Skift India Summit today. The company has undergone a major overhaul in recent months that includes new business class cabins and a new logo. In addition to going on a major hiring spree, Air India has also recently placed an order for 470 aircraft — one of the largest orders in commercial aviation. 
    Next, the CEOs of India’s two largest online travel agencies said they’re not at war with each other. But they acknowledged they’re in a race to take advantage of India’s huge potential for growth, writes Middle East Reporter Josh Corder. 
    MakeMyTrip CEO Rajesh Magow said at the Skift India Summit that there’s room for multiple competitors in the sector considering the huge size and potential of India’s travel industry. While Magow added competition is healthy, Yatra Online CEO Dhruv Shringi said during the discussion with Executive Editor Dennis Schaal he doesn’t worry about what Yatra’s rivals are doing. 
    Both executives also said that companies operating in India need to focus on promoting domestic travel and finding ways to reach the country’s growing middle class.   
    Finally, Oberoi Group has unveiled plans to develop an ultra-luxury hotel brand, writes Middle East Reporter Corder. 
    Oberoi Group CEO and Managing Director Vikram Oberoi told Senior Hospitality Editor Sean O’Neill that the new brand is part of the company’s push to double its overall room count by 2030. Oberoi also discussed the company’s “Oberoi Nature” project, which is its plan to develop hotels close to nature. He said Oberoi Group wants to add 50 new hotels to its portfolio by 2030. 

    • 2 min.

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