Skift Daily Travel Briefing Skift Travel News
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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.
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State Tourism Boards Relying More on Instagram and YouTube
Episode Notes
The growing push to ban TikTok in the U.S. has raised questions about how travel brands would market themselves without the popular app. Global Tourism Reporter Dawit Habtemariam writes several state tourism offices have already directed more resources toward Instagram and YouTube.
Habtemariam notes Visit Utah has increased its investment in Instagram Reels after Utah’s governor banned state government agencies from using TikTok in 2022. Katlyn Svendsen, an executive at Travel South Dakota, said the state took a similar approach after South Dakota enacted its own state government ban on TikTok that year. Svendsen said the agency has had success reaching audiences on platforms such as Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts.
Next, business travel could make a full recovery from the pandemic in 2024, writes contributor Justin Bachman.
Business travel is expected to hit 95% of 2019 levels this year, according to the U.S. Travel Association. However, some major corporations could send more staff on the road if the U.S. economy achieves a so-called “soft landing,” which would see inflation slowing and interest rates easing. Executives from both Alaska Airlines and Delta Air Lines said at a recent investor conference they’re seeing business traffic increase.
Finally, Middle East Reporter Josh Corder profiles the new Ritz-Carlton Reserve in Saudi Arabia, which is set to be the Middle East’s most expensive hotel.
A night at the new Ritz-Carlton Reserve, which opens for bookings on May 26, will set guests back roughly $3,400. The property — known as Nujuma — will be home to 63 villas. Nujuma is slated to include a spa, swimming pools, and a retail area, among other features.
Nujuma is located in a coastal tourism project called The Red Sea, which will eventually house 50 hotels. -
Visa-Free Travel Becomes More Common
Episode Notes
Skift on Wednesday unveiled its newest venture: Executive Search. The aim: Address the growing demand for skilled and visionary leaders within the travel sector. The people we place will define the future of travel.
Skift has helped thousands of travel industry leaders establish connections at our events throughout the years, often indirectly acting as a recruitment firm. The Executive Search unit is the next step in assisting companies looking not only to acquire talent but better understand prospective candidates.
We turn next to the growing push to ban TikTok in the U.S. Although it’s uncertain the U.S. government will enact such a measure, Global Tourism Reporter Dawit Habtemariam breaks down how a TikTok ban would impact the U.S. travel industry.
U.S. lawmakers have expressed concerns over China's government having access to personal data of American citizens, with TikTok being owned by a Chinese company. Habtemariam notes a ban on TikTok would disrupt the global travel industry as many travel brands have offices in the U.S. Travel brands would also lose the ability to advertise on TikTok, a popular platform for promoting destinations and products.
Finally, visa requirements are easing for travelers worldwide, according to a recently published report by UN Tourism, reports Associate Editor Rashaad Jorden.
UN Tourism’s Tourism Visa Openness Report revealed 47% of people globally last year needed a traditional visa. A traditional visa is a standard paper visa placed in a passport after submitting paperwork and/or conducting an in-person interview. That figure is a 12-percentage point drop from 2018. However, 84% of the world’s population still needs a traditional visa to travel to North America.
Meanwhile, the percentage of travelers able to obtain an e-visa has increased significantly in recent years. About 18% of the world’s population can apply for e-visas, up from 7% in 2018. -
The Solar Eclipse Tourists Will Gather in April
Episode Notes
A total solar eclipse will pass diagonally across the U.S. on April 8, a development that’s poised to spark a tourism surge. So are destinations prepared to take advantage of the visitor boom? Global Tourism Reporter Dawit Habtemariam examines the issue.
The eclipse will cross the country from the south to the east, touching roughly a dozen states. Habtemariam cites Niagara Falls, New York as one destination expecting to see large crowds for the eclipse. A local tourism executive said the region is expecting 1 million visitors. In addition, domestic flight bookings for cities where viewers can see the full eclipse have increased fourfold from April 1 to 7 last year.
However, Habtemariam notes communities will have set aside massive resources to serve the large number of projected visitors. One Texas country has already declared a state of emergency ahead of the eclipse due to concerns about the impact on local infrastructure.
Next, airlines went on a hiring spree after the pandemic to address the labor shortage that had plagued the industry. However, that hiring surge could be ending, writes Airlines Reporter Meghna Maharishi.
Southwest Airlines CEO Bob Jordan said there even could be job cuts. He cited Boeing delivery delays and the demand for airline jobs returning to pre-Covid levels as reasons hiring has plateaued.
Maharishi notes Southwest isn’t the only airline to slow pilot hiring. United Airlines recently told staff it’s planning to pause pilot hiring this spring due to delivery issues with the Max 10. Meanwhile, Delta Air Lines is slowing pilot hiring in 2024 with job demand in the industry starting to level off.
Finally, Middle East Reporter Josh Corder profiles the Aman Dubai, which could be the most expensive hotel in the United Arab Emirates.
Aman Resorts CEO Vlad Doronin made the claim at the hotel’s unveiling this week. Corder notes Aman Dubai, which is scheduled to open in 2027, will have a 350-meter private beach and its own members-only club, among other features. While it’s uncertain how many rooms the property will have, Doronin said that Aman’s city hotels don’t exceed 90 rooms.
Producer/Presenter: Jose Marmolejos -
Airbnb Is Turning Off Hosts’ Cameras
Episode Notes
Airbnb announced on Monday it’s banning the use of all indoor security cameras, writes Short-Term Rental Reporter Srividya Kalyanaraman.
The company said the change comes after it received feedback from guests, hosts and advocacy groups. Indoor cameras had been permitted in common areas of homes under certain conditions, but the cameras had to be disclosed to guests and not be in private spaces. Hosts not complying with the new policy by April 30 could see their listings or accounts removed.
Next, Saudi Arabian officials believe its latest tourism campaign featuring soccer icon Lionel Messi can help it overcome negative perceptions, writes Global Tourism Reporter Dawit Habtemariam.
Fahd Hamidaddin, CEO of the Saudi Tourism Authority, addressed the kingdom’s efforts to increase visitor numbers in an interview with Skift. Saudi Arabia recently launched a campaign titled “Go Beyond What You Think” in which Messi attempts to break down stereotypes about the country. Hamidaddin said thus far the campaign has performed better than the agency’s previous marketing efforts.
Hamidaddin added Saudi Arabia is looking to attract 150 million visitors by 2030, up from its previous target of 100 million.
Finally, columnist Colin Nagy addresses the decline in American hospitality that he argues is making travel less pleasant for visitors to the U.S. .
Nagy writes that international travelers often encounter sloppiness, rudeness and ineptitude. He cited Dubai Airports CEO Paul Griffiths’ four-and-a-half hour delay at immigration at JFK Airport last year as an example of worsening hospitality in the U.S. Nagy added if the service at airports, hotels and restaurants continues to decline, international travelers would be less willing to come to the U.S. -
TikTok Is Coming for Travel
Episode Notes
Millions of travelers look to TikTok for help in planning their next trip. So we discussed the company’s influence in the travel industry, among other topics, with Stuart Flint, head of TikTok’s global business solutions for Europe and Israel.
Flint told Global Tourism Reporter Dawit Habtemariam that several major travel brands are working with TikTok, including Booking.com. Although TikTok doesn’t currently allow travelers to book directly on the platform, Flint acknowledged that could change as commerce is a huge part of its growth. He also addressed TikTok’s role in the growing trend of “travel dupes,” which are possibly cheaper and less crowded alternatives to popular destinations.
Next, United Airlines is putting a pause on pilot hiring in the spring due to aircraft delivery delays from Boeing, writes Airlines Reporter Meghna Maharishi.
New-hire classes won’t take place in May and June while some may resume in July, according to a staff memo. The memo cited new aircraft certification and manufacturing delays at Boeing as the reason why the carrier is slowing the pace of pilot hires. United CEO Scott Kirby had expressed his frustrations with Max 10 delivery delays earlier this year.
United, one of Boeing’s biggest customers, had expected to receive an order of 80 Max 10s in 2024. Maharishi notes United isn’t expecting that order to be fulfilled this year due to the certification delays.
Finally, The European Union’s Digital Markets Act, which is designed to ensure fair competition for online platforms, went to effect on Thursday. However, the EU Travel Tech association argues that Google isn’t complying with the new law, reports Executive Editor Dennis Schaal.
The group said in a letter to the European Commission that Google’s own products for hotels, flights and travel services appeared more prominently than those for its competitors. EU Travel Tech added that Google’s efforts to change how it displays search results haven’t satisfied the new law’s requirements. The association has also demanded Google propose new ways to show search results.
A Google spokesperson said, in addition to changing search result displays, it’s been seeking feedback from consumers as well as hotels and airlines. -
Tripadvisor's Possible Sale
Episode Notes
Speculation has been rife about what company could be behind the possible sale of Tripadvisor since the news first broke last month that it was in play. Executive Editor Dennis Schaal writes about recent reporting that one possible buyer is private equity firm Apollo Global Management.
Apollo has expressed interest in a bid , according to Bloomberg. Schaal notes that Apollo’s exploration of any purchase is believed to be in an early phase.
Tripadvisor has formed an independent committee to vet any offers, which analysts and travel industry insiders believe will come from private equity firms. Tours and activities leader Viator is the fastest-growing in Tripadvisor’s portfolio of brands. In speaking to travel industry insiders, most agreed that buying Tripadvisor and then selling Viator made the most sense.
Next, the alleged rape of a Brazilian tourist in India has raised questions about whether the country is safe for female tourists, reports Asia Editor Peden Doma Bhutia.
Bhutia writes the incident has triggered criticism of India across social media, with one travel executive stating the widespread coverage would hurt the country’s marketing efforts. The CEO of a company organizing backpacking trips in India for a largely female clientele said it would take years to undo the damage.
However, Chirag Gupta, CEO of online platform Deyor, said he hasn’t received any cancellations despite concerns from international travelers.
Finally, one travel executive believes artificial intelligence could replace generic top 10 lists and travel guides, writes Global Tourism Reporter Dawit Habtemariam.
Barry Rogers, the head of Dublin City Tourism Unit, said ChatGPT could enhance tourism marketing. Speaking during a panel discussion at the ITB Berlin travel trade show, Rogers added that AI will be able to give travelers personalized itineraries. The Dublin City Council and OpenAI announced a partnership to develop AI-powered itineraries.