The Heathrow Airport Third Runway Expansion Saga
A Heathrow expansion could signal that the UK is open for business and tourism. But we may not see a shovel in the ground for years.
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Airlines
India Plans 50 New Airports in 5 Years — India Report
Having become the third-largest domestic aviation market, India is now setting sights on positioning itself as a hub connecting the East to the West. Perhaps this could also boost the lagging international inbound segment.
JetBlue Issues Dim Outlook But Execs Remain Confident in Turnaround Plan
JetBlue said it was expecting a weaker first-quarter while executives said they believed the carrier’s turnaround plan would eventually deliver long-term profitability.
Business Travel
TravelPerk Raises $200 Million for Business Travel Tech
TravelPerk's $200 million deal likely is a preview of what to expect in 2025. There were multiple large raises in 2024 — including hundreds of millions of dollars for business travel platforms — and the signs point to that continuing.
Cathay Pacific Completes ‘Two-Year Rebuilding Journey’ — Here’s What's Next
Relegated to relative laggard status on the international stage in the post-pandemic years, Cathay is now making up for lost time with a multi-pronged transformation.
Business Travel Emissions Climb at Big Banks Amid Net-Zero Pact Exodus
A rise in business travel emissions at major U.S. banks could show a lack of internal policies to address or offset staff air travel.
Coronavirus
The Travel Industry's Immense Potential for Growth
Despite the pandemic’s unprecedented challenges, the travel industry’s recovery is proving to be remarkable.
The Travel Industry Surpasses 2019
Today's edition of Skift's daily podcast looks closer at the recovery of the travel industry that have allowed it to surpass spring 2019 benchmarks.
Travel Makes a Complete Recovery
Today's edition of Skift's daily podcast looks closer at travel's coronavirus recovery, Airbnb's optimism, and Hilton's extended-stay moves.
Cruises
Royal Caribbean to Add River Cruises Under Celebrity Brand in 2027
Bookings are already off to a record start in 2025 for Royal Caribbean, and the company is now set to expand its offerings further by breaking into river cruises, the CEO told Skift.
Luxury Cruise Group Ponant Acquires Aqua Expeditions
In an era of overtourism, the model of intimate, carefully orchestrated exploration feels especially set up for growth.
Carnival Heads Into 2025 With Record Bookings at Higher Prices
Carnival Corp. CEO Josh Weinstein is practically throwing confetti from the upper deck about 2025's prospects. For now, all the numbers and forecasts seem to support his optimism.
Experiences
The Long Tail of Luxury Travel Rewards
Loyalty programs used to feel cookie-cutter — you had points, but your options were limited to a standard king-size suite or a business-class seat. Today, points let you dream bigger (and more luxe), whether it’s a secluded wellness retreat, a private cultural tour, or a completely custom vacation rental.
The Travel Industry Moments We're Still Thinking About From 2024
From the trends that blindsided us to the cultural shifts we didn’t see coming — these are the travel moments (business or otherwise) that stayed with Skift staffers long after the suitcase was unpacked.
How Gen AI Is Enhancing Guest and Employee Experiences in Hospitality
Generative AI is transforming hospitality with personalized guest experiences, optimized workforce management, and operational efficiency. Through smart rooms, predictive maintenance, and AI-driven tools like chatbots, hotels are elevating service while supporting staff.
Food and Drink
How Tourism Homogenizes Cuisines and What Are Possible Solutions
There is a lot that can be done, both from an awareness and, even more importantly, from a policy perspective. Most of it requires changes that the travelers of today, seeking more authentic experiences, would welcome.
Magic Mushrooms in the Minibar
Some will always love a luxury spa. But psychedelics (think psilocybin soundbaths and mushrooms) are the phase in high-end wellness.
24x7 Food at Delhi's Aerocity - India Report
Delhi Aerocity, with a heavy presence of branded hotels, is a convenient hub for business and leisure travelers alike.
Ground Transport
3 Ways Ground Transportation Can Benefit From AI
Ground transportation stands to gain significantly from AI adoption as a means to free itself from legacy tech constraints. AI enhances efficiency by optimizing routes, managing fleets, and reducing fuel consumption, while also boosting customer satisfaction.
AI-Powered Revenue Management Transforms Ground Transportation
The integration of AI-powered revenue management by ground transportation operators is transforming the industry, introducing dynamic pricing and demand forecasting. Traditionally reliant on static pricing, the bus industry is now embracing more granular control over pricing strategies, allowing operators to adjust fares based on specific departure days and demand fluctuations.
Amtrak Posts Record Ridership – Can it Double by 2040?
Amtrak runs some very long routes, like the California Zephyr, but most people don't actually use them to go across the country. Instead, they use them for shorter trips, like visiting their aunt in the next state over. Amtrak is planning its growth around this.
Hotels
Oyo's Expansion Plan: From Goa to Religious Spots — India Report
Oyo is ensuring it stays competitive in the growing spiritual tourism market, a sector that has caught the attention of major players like MakeMyTrip and proven to be a significant revenue driver for them.
Hotel Deals to Soar — Exclusive Look at JLL Forecast
Hotel broker JLL sees global hotel transactions jumping at least 15% this year. It expects more M&A, too, as brands seek other ways to grow besides constructing new properties.
Barry Sternlicht Brings Back Starwood Brand – Full Timeline
Barry Sternlicht's first attempt at building a hotel empire worked out pretty well: He started Starwood in 1991 with $20 million, and eventually sold a 1,300-property empire to Marriott for about $13 billion. Will the sequel be as good?
Luxury
Belmond Hotel Group's Anti-TikTok, Slow TV Marketing Push
Belmond believes that true luxury will become having the luxury of time.
Kerzner CEO Explains How to Scale New Brands While Keeping One&Only and Atlantis Exclusive
There's a funny thing about ultra-luxury: You want to grow because growth economies of scale are real. But also, if you grow too much, you're not exclusive anymore. Kerzner aims to thread that needle.
The Pig's Founder Shares the Recipe for the Boutique Hotel Brand
"People think this is some sort of property game," says Robin Hutson, founder of The Pig brand of boutique hotels. "It's not a property game. ... This is a people game."
Media and PR
Social Media Agency Launches Gamified Travel Marketing in Singapore Test
Gone are the days of old-school pitch meetings with traditional agencies — tourism marketing has entered the age of storytelling, captivating content, and instant booking options.
Choice Hotels' Latest Ad Campaign
Choice Hotels really wants you to use your paid vacation days.
The Slow Fade: Why Consumer Travel Media Is Obsolete
As someone who has devoted all of my life to media, it pains me to say this: consumer travel media, in its current incarnation, is dead. The world has changed, and it’s time for us to move on.
Meetings
How Fontainebleau Las Vegas Is Unlocking New Possibilities for Meetings and Events
From world-class dining and versatile meeting spaces to high-touch service standards and one-of-a-kind offerings, Fontainebleau Las Vegas offers everything planners need to craft exceptional events.
Rajasthan Focuses on Weddings, Conferences to Boost Tourism - India Report
Rajasthan, a premier wedding destination in India, has much to offer including wildlife, museums, temples, and lakes. While the state is seeking to promote its various offerings, it does not want to lose out on the significant revenue from weddings and business meetings.
Behind Fontainebleau Las Vegas’ Vision to Transform Luxury Meetings: Watch Video
Today’s meeting planners face unique challenges driven by evolving attendee expectations, technological advancements, and the ongoing need for flexibility. This video explores how Fontainebleau Las Vegas is redefining luxury meetings to meet these challenges.
Online Travel
Ixigo Makes Quarterly Gains in Flights and Spiritual Tourism
Ixigo has reported a robust third quarter. Its focus on smaller cities and bringing its customer base online seems to be paying off.
Manfredi Lefebvre Redefined Luxury Travel in Europe. Here’s His Vision for AirAsia’s Superapp — Exclusive
What’s a luxury guy like Manfredi Lefebvre d’Ovidio doing at AirAsia? Trading luxury cruises for budget flights, it seems — though don’t be fooled. He’s got a lot on his mind, from rethinking travel experiences to sneaking a touch of five-star luxury into your next app booking.
Lastminute.com Ups Its International Presence With Joint Venture in the UAE
For lastminute.com, investing in a local partner in the UAE is a great way to test the waters in a region on the rise.
Podcasts
DeepSeek’s Disruption, AirAsia Move's Aspirations and Boeing's Optimism
On today’s briefing we talk about DeepSeek’s impact on travel, AirAsia Move’s new chairman, and Boeing’s sunny take on cloudy earnings.
Hotel Dealmaking Boom, Greenland Tourism, and TravelPerk's Fundraising
On today's podcast, we discuss a potential surge in hotel investment deals, whether Greenland can cope with tourism growth, and another big investment in business travel technology.
OpenAI's Travel Tool, TripAdvisor’s Machinations and American Air’s Earnings
Today’s podcast discusses OpenAI’s new travel tool, Tripadvisor bidding battles, and American Airlines’ earnings.
Short-Term Rentals
Airbnb Cracks Down on Price Gouging During L.A. Fires
Good move, Airbnb.
Spain Looks to Raise Taxes on Holiday Rentals
Raising taxes on short-term rentals in Spain may not slow down the enormous demand for those properties. But it is a sign that the government is listening to those angry about the sector's perceived role in making housing unaffordable.
Sonder Replaced CEO Francis Davidson as Board Chairperson
Having an independent board chairperson is always a good move. Given Sonder's current status, one wonders what took the board so long to make a change.
Skift Originals
Marriott Bonvoy's New AI Search Tool: 4 Tests Show How It Works — and Doesn't
Marriott Bonvoy's new AI tool probably isn’t sharp enough yet to be reliable. But as one of the first tools like it by a major hotel brand, it offers an early glimpse at how lodging search could look in the future.
Don't Create Company Culture: Lessons on Meaning of Work
Culture stems from the meaningful work we do, and each of us seeing the tangible in-situ effects of that work for the people for whom we create everything.
Celebrating 10 Years of Skift Deep Dives
Our Deep Dive stories are the cornerstone of Skift's journalism. Meticulous reporting. Smart analysis. Great writing. All packaged and designed in ways to keep you glued to the story. Here's a few of our favorites over the past 10 years.
Startups
Flying Taxis and Loyalty Tech: 6 Travel Startups Raise $100 Million
It's a slow start to the year, but travel startup funding is sure to pick up.
Travel Startups Shattered Funding Records in 2024. We Tracked Billions in Deals
There were several fundraises in 2024 that topped anything the travel industry has seen in years. Travel startups raised billions more than in 2023 despite the number of deals being roughly the same.
Remote Year Shuts Down Despite New Owners’ Earlier Promises of a Bright Future
Remote Year was a small but pioneering company, innovating on the edges over the years. Sad to see it come to an end.
Tour Operators
Listings Were Never the Answer
We may be at an inflection point where the very nature of how we discover and book travel is being fundamentally reimagined – and listings are increasingly not the best answer.
TUI Pushes Premium Rates for Tours and Plans Climate-Driven Shifts
TUI has emerged from the pandemic leaner and more focused under the steady hand of CEO Sebastian Ebel. But the company's pivot into becoming a digital-first, experience-led business remains tough to execute.
Outdoor Economy Grows Across U.S., But Urban Giants Like New York Lag
As Americans continue to prioritize outdoor experiences, the opportunity for states to rethink their approach to outdoor recreation remains significant.
Tourism
Will Trump Policies Stymie an Inbound Tourism Comeback?
The U.S. seeing more outbound than inbound travel in 2024 is a sign the travel industry still has work to do in its recovery, which is poised to face more hurdles from the Trump administration's policies.
Greenland Tourism Was Surging, Now it Could Get a Trump Bump
Greenland attracts tourists for its unique landscapes and northern lights. But it needs more investment in the tourism sector to meet demand.
China and India Lead in Plans to Spend on Travel
Growing wealth in Asian markets, particularly India and China, are fueling a boom in outbound travel and it is crucial for travel businesses to understand these demographics.
Travel Agents
Booking Platform Mondee Files for Bankruptcy
The bankruptcy comes after Mondee was delisted in December.
Travelers Are Taking Longer to Plan Trips, Despite Faster Tools to Book Them
The trend toward increased research time reflects a more deliberate and empowered traveler who prioritizes control, trust, and value in their planning process.
How the Humble Package Holiday is Fueling EasyJet’s Record Profits
EasyJet’s success in integrating its core airline business with a high-margin holiday subsidiary isn't just a financial play; it’s a redefinition of how low-cost carriers can compete effectively.
Travel Technology
AI Startup DeepSeek Has Silicon Valley Panicking. What It Could Mean for Travel
More AI companies surely is better for the travel industry, even if Silicon Valley isn't happy about it.
ChatGPT Can Now Book Restaurants and Events on Its Own
OpenAI’s new autonomous digital assistant is an early glimpse of what travel leaders have been waiting for — and warning against — since ChatGPT was first released.
Tripadvisor's New Partnership With ChatGPT-Competitor Perplexity
The Tripadvisor brand has been struggling, but there could be value in its huge dataset for AI search engines that want to deliver personalized results.
Venture Capital
Airline Tech M&A: The Quiet Evolution in Travel Tech Consolidation
In a market increasingly dominated by efficiency and integration, the long-overlooked airline tech sector might just become the travel industry’s next big story.
Archer Aviation Raises $430 Million for Flying Taxis: Startup Funding Roundup
Archer Aviation has raised $660 million this year alone, while competitor Lilium is going through bankruptcy proceedings after burning through $1 billion. It takes a lot of money to get new planes into the sky.
Small Players Backed by PE Thrive in Travel Tech’s M&A Surge
2025 is expected to be a banner year for travel tech M&A. Add-on acquisitions, particularly of companies with $5M-$50M ARR, are poised to set new records as platforms scale up and prepare for IPOs or acquisition by mega-cap firms.