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Booking Holdings launches Lola, an AI travel assistant from Kayak's founders that bets memberships can replace commissions, Alaska Airlines doubles down on premium cabins and a flagship lounge despite fuel costs wiping out its first-half profit, and Europe's new anti-greenwashing law just made vague eco-labels a legal liability. On today's Skift Daily Briefing, Tasmin Lockwood, Skift's Climate and Experiences Reporter, breaks down why Lola's subscription model could rewrite the economics of online travel if it works, why Alaska's premium bet is gutsy given that part of the plan rides on an uncertified plane, and what the EU's EmpCo law means for every travel brand still leaning on vague green claims. This episode is brought to you by ZS Articles Referenced:Connect with Tasmin LockwoodKayak Co-Founders Launch Lola, Booking Holdings' New AI Assistant — ExclusiveAlaska Airlines Adds Premium Economy and More Business Class. Can It Catch Up to the Big 3?EU Anti-Greenwashing Rules Take Effect and Some Eco-Labels May Not Survive Connect with Skift LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/skift/ WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAL375LikgIXmNPYQ0L/ Facebook: https://facebook.com/skiftnews Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skiftnews/ Threads: https://www.threads.net/@skiftnews Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/skiftnews.bsky.social X: https://twitter.com/skift Subscribe to @SkiftNews and never miss an update from the travel industry.
Bangkok floods snarl airports and threaten to redirect Golden Week travelers just as Chinese arrivals were tracking 78% ahead of last year, Expedia's latest layoffs zero in on data science as its efficiency push hits the org chart, and Carnival politely opts out of the premium arms race by doubling down on what actually works for its brand. On today's Skift Daily Briefing, Tasmin Lockwood, Skift's Climate and Experiences Reporter, breaks down why Bangkok may keep Golden Week spending but lose its share of it, what Expedia's latest round of cuts signals about where the company is heading, and why Carnival's bet on affordable done well is a strategy worth taking seriously. This episode is brought to you by ZS Articles Referenced:Connect with Tasmin LockwoodBangkok Floods Disrupt Airports, Spare the Hotels — for NowExpedia Cuts 58 Roles in Latest Layoff RoundCarnival Cruise Adjusts to New Passenger Habits Connect with Skift LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/skift/ WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAL375LikgIXmNPYQ0L/ Facebook: https://facebook.com/skiftnews Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skiftnews/ Threads: https://www.threads.net/@skiftnews Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/skiftnews.bsky.social X: https://twitter.com/skift Subscribe to @SkiftNews and never miss an update from the travel industry.
The full squad is back. Royal Caribbean is taking a 50% stake in Sandals Resorts for roughly $3 billion, and the crew breaks down why a cruise line wants an all-inclusive hotel brand. Edwin runs the numbers on who is really serving whose guests, and Scott, who has known the Stewart family most of his life, explains why cruise companies can't build ships fast enough and are coming ashore instead. Then it's Airbnb's hotel push: just shy of 4,000 hotels on the new listing format, hand-curated and aimed at independent and soft-brand three- and four-star properties. Ben weighs in as an operator who knows the platform well, and Edwin asks what happens to hotels when short-term rental markets get squeezed. From there, Uber's hotel business: Dara Khosrowshahi says the traveler comes to Uber, Uber One has more than 50 million paying members, and the Blacklane deal hints at where a trip super app could go. The closer: at Skift's first creator summit, IHG and Hyatt said they're giving up control of scripted creator campaigns. Scott says it's six years too late. Ben says social is now the best customer acquisition channel on the planet, and any brand that won't invest in it is choosing to hand its bookings to the OTAs. Plus spice of the week, from an Ibiza rave revival to the difference between building a brand and putting heads in beds. Your Hosts: Zach Busekrus — Journey LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zachbusekrus/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behindthestays/ Scott Eddy — Global Travel & Hospitality Expert @MrScottEddy LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrscotteddy/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrscotteddy/ Ben Wolff — Founder of Onera & Oasi LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-wolff/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iambenwolff/ Edwin Kramer — Luxury Hotelier Consultant & Former GM LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edwinckramer/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/edwinkramer/
Vrbo and Airbnb go all in on paid placement just as AI booking agents signal they won't factor it in, IHG and Hyatt hand creators the keys and learn to let go of control, and the travel industry grapples with how to measure whether creator content actually drives bookings. On today's Skift Daily Briefing, Bailey Schulz, Skift's Global Tourism Reporter, breaks down why sponsored listings may be a billion-dollar bet with an AI-shaped hole in it, how IHG and Hyatt rewired their creator strategies around authenticity over control, and why click-based attribution is the wrong way to measure what creator content actually does. This episode is brought to you by ZS Articles Referenced:Connect with Bailey SchulzSponsored Listings Are Spreading Across Online Travel — Just as AI Agents Threaten to Ignore ThemHow Travel Brands Learned to Stop Worrying and Trust CreatorsHow Travel Brands Measure Content Creator Lift Connect with Skift LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/skift/ WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAL375LikgIXmNPYQ0L/ Facebook: https://facebook.com/skiftnews Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skiftnews/ Threads: https://www.threads.net/@skiftnews Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/skiftnews.bsky.social X: https://twitter.com/skift Subscribe to @SkiftNews and never miss an update from the travel industry.
Airbnb's Next Big Business Might Be Hotels Airbnb makes a serious push into hotels with 3,900 properties live and CEO Brian Chesky calling it a potential ten-times opportunity, a former Remington CEO raises $7.5 million to build an AI-native hotel management company that isn't shy about cutting jobs, and Brand USA's Covid-era funding cushion is nearly gone. On today's Skift Daily Briefing, Bailey Schulz, Skift's Global Tourism Reporter, breaks down why Airbnb's hotel push is dividing early adopters from skeptical operators watching for cannibalization, how AIHG's AI operating system resets the economics of hotel management from the ground up, and why Brand USA's 2028 spending power depends heavily on Congress acting before the reserves run dry. This episode is brought to you by ZS Articles Referenced:Connect with Bailey SchulzAirbnb's Pivot: Inside Its New Push Into HotelsEx-Remington CEO Is Building an AI-Native Hotel Operator — ExclusiveBrand USA Budget: Fiscal 2027 Connect with Skift LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/skift/ WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAL375LikgIXmNPYQ0L/ Facebook: https://facebook.com/skiftnews Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skiftnews/ Threads: https://www.threads.net/@skiftnews Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/skiftnews.bsky.social X: https://twitter.com/skift Subscribe to @SkiftNews and never miss an update from the travel industry.
China's antitrust crackdown costs Trip.com $770 million and forces a full overhaul of how hotels compete on its platform, American Airlines puts the industry on notice that high fuel prices mean fewer flights, and Sam's Club makes a move into cruises targeting one of travel's last offline holdouts. On today's Skift Daily Briefing, Tasmin Lockwood, Skift's Climate and Experiences Reporter, breaks down why Trip.com's regulatory hit matters less than the new rules it's writing for hotel partners, how fuel costs rather than demand could slow American Airlines' faster-than-rivals growth, and whether Sam's Club can finally crack cruise booking's stubborn resistance to going digital. This episode is brought to you by ZS Articles Referenced:Connect with Tasmin LockwoodTrip.com Group's Antitrust Reset Could Change How Hotels Compete on Its PlatformAmerican Airlines to Cut Capacity if Fuel Costs Stay HighSam's Club Travel Relaunches With Cruises and Deal With Rocket Travel's Founders Connect with Skift LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/skift/ WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAL375LikgIXmNPYQ0L/ Facebook: https://facebook.com/skiftnews Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skiftnews/ Threads: https://www.threads.net/@skiftnews Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/skiftnews.bsky.social X: https://twitter.com/skift Subscribe to @SkiftNews and never miss an update from the travel industry.
Gulf hoteliers at Arabian Travel Market align on a 2027 recovery timeline as pricing stays stuck despite rebounding occupancy, Lindblad makes its biggest acquisition yet with a $67 million bet on Antarctic luxury that has nothing to do with ships, and GetYourGuide recruits creators to solve tour operators' oldest problem — no reviews, no bookings. On today's Skift Daily Briefing, Tasmin Lockwood, Skift's Climate and Experiences Reporter, breaks down why Dubai's recovery story is really about rate not occupancy, what Lindblad's land-first acquisition strategy reveals about where expedition travel growth is actually coming from, and how GetYourGuide is solving a cold-start problem with distribution rather than discounts. This episode is brought to you by ZS Articles Referenced:Connect with Tasmin LockwoodUAE Hotels Give Up on Q4, Hope for 2027 RecoveryLindblad Acquires White Desert and Echo CharlieGetYourGuide Creator Reviews and New Listings Connect with Skift LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/skift/ WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAL375LikgIXmNPYQ0L/ Facebook: https://facebook.com/skiftnews Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skiftnews/ Threads: https://www.threads.net/@skiftnews Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/skiftnews.bsky.social X: https://twitter.com/skift Subscribe to @SkiftNews and never miss an update from the travel industry.
Latvia's AirBaltic files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection as fuel costs and a failed IPO take their toll, Starlink is becoming a must-have for airlines but somebody is going to have to pay for it, and Etihad's biggest problem right now is that it doesn't have enough planes to meet demand. On today's Skift Daily Briefing, Tasmin Lockwood, Skift's Climate and Experiences Reporter, breaks down why AirBaltic's restructuring is a test case for whether mid-sized European flag carriers can restructure their way back, who ends up footing the bill for the Starlink upgrade travelers are now demanding, and why Etihad's supply constraint is actually the best kind of problem to have. This episode is brought to you by ZS Articles Referenced:Connect with Tasmin LockwoodAirBaltic Files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Protection as Financial Pressures MountStarlink Is a Must-Have for Airlines but Somebody's Got to PayEtihad CEO Says Aircraft Is the Constraint as China and Africa Drive Growth Connect with Skift LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/skift/ WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAL375LikgIXmNPYQ0L/ Facebook: https://facebook.com/skiftnews Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skiftnews/ Threads: https://www.threads.net/@skiftnews Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/skiftnews.bsky.social X: https://twitter.com/skift Subscribe to @SkiftNews and never miss an update from the travel industry.
Meta ha presentato Muse, un agente a cui chiedi di prenotarti un viaggio come lo chiederesti a un amico. Skift l'ha provato e ha trovato due velocità: sul volo Muse si collega diretto all'inventario di oltre cinquecento compagnie e paga con una carta virtuale usa e getta; sull'hotel, invece, non si collega a niente e va a fare la spesa sui portali come faremmo noi. Per un albergo è il peggio dei due mondi: entra come prenotazione da portale, con la commissione, e per di più l'agente ci gira sopra decine di volte facendo lievitare i costi. La vetrina si sposta dentro la chat, WhatsApp compreso, e la domanda dell'anno non è più solo «l'AI mi trova», ma «su quale strada mi vende, e chi controlla quella strada». Da qui parte l'episodio, tenuto insieme da un filo solo: farsi leggere dalle macchine e tenersi la relazione con chi arriva, perché è l'unica cosa che nessun agente può portare via. In questo episodio: • La notizia della settimana: Meta Muse, l'agente che prenota il volo da solo e, sull'hotel, disintermedia il sito senza nemmeno un accordo. Cosa cambia per hotel e destinazioni. • Il Radar by https://tourismintel.ai: Google rifà la ricerca di hotel in Europa sotto la spinta del regolatore; il dato Bookboost su chi torna in albergo, il 5,1% dei diretti contro l'1,3% dei portali; Marriott che porta la fedeltà dentro gli strumenti di prenotazione aziendali; la «Not Hot List 2027» di Intrepid e l'overtourism al contrario; Google che ammette di non saper misurare il traffico dall'AI, con Adobe che conta un +194% di visite in un anno. • Officina Turistica, con Silvia Moggia: il 2027 non è un anno, è un calendario. Pasqua il 28 marzo, 25 aprile di domenica, primo maggio di sabato, Ferragosto di domenica: come si sbaglia un budget senza accorgersene, e cosa decidere adesso su aperture ed eventi. • Il segnale della settimana: come gli enti del turismo scelgono i mercati, e la domanda di Xavier Font sulla spesa per tonnellata di CO2. • I compiti della settimana: il calendario 2027 di Silvia (venti minuti) e i vostri primi tre mercati esteri pesati anche in anidride carbonica (dieci minuti). Fonti e link citati:https://skift.com/2026/09/09/m...https://about.fb.com/news/2026...https://tourismintel.ai/report...https://skift.com/2026/09/10/g...https://insights.ehotelier.com...https://skift.com/2026/09/10/m...https://globetrender.com/2026/...https://www.searchenginejourna...https://www.visitbritain.org/n...https://www.linkedin.com/posts...https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tour...https://www.theguardian.com/au...https://www.cittadellaspezia.c...https://finance.yahoo.com/econ... Iscriviti alla newsletter di Officina Turistica: https://www.officinaturistica.... Dai un'occhiata a https://tourismintel.ai
Blake Danner has spent his career inside the rooms where lifestyle hospitality was invented. Eleven years alongside Ian Schrager opening the Clift, Sanderson, and Shore Club. Seven years as founding COO of the Sydell Group, where he helped create Nomad, The Line, and Freehand — 11 hotels in seven years. A stint running operations at Proper Hospitality. And now, as COO of AKA Hotels & Hotel Residences, he's running a 16-property luxury serviced residence portfolio where the entry-level monthly rate starts at $30K and the loyalty program charges $750 just to join. This week, Blake makes the case that the mid-size independent operator isn't just surviving — it's winning. He explains why he's "completely unhireable" by big brands, what he learned from Schrager about staying culturally voracious, and the Andrew Zobler lesson he still carries: never sacrifice brand DNA, no matter how big the check. He tells the Delano pool story — suits outnumbering swimsuits — and why the Nomad once turned down a million-dollar group that wanted a banner over the front desk. Then the crew digs into Skift's latest loyalty data showing credit cards and banks now outrank hotels as the most rewarding loyalty programs in the eyes of travelers. Blake's response: boo hoo. If your product is good enough, people will skip the points. The conversation turns to Neil Jacobs' new operating company backed by Constellation Hotels — his pitch for a "third way" between global management scale and solo passion projects. Blake co-signs the thesis and adds: AKA doesn't want 50 properties, and that restraint is the whole point. Stream The Hotel Daddy Podcast Follow Blake on Instagram Connect with Blake on LinkedIn Your Hosts: Zach Busekrus — Journey LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zachbusekrus/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behindthestays/ Scott Eddy — Global Travel & Hospitality Expert @MrScottEddy LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrscotteddy/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrscotteddy/ Ben Wolff — Founder of Onera & Oasi LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-wolff/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iambenwolff/ Edwin Kramer — Luxury Hotelier Consultant & Former GM LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edwinckramer/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/edwinkramer/
The Iran war has quietly devastated Gulf tourism with Dubai hotel rates down 50% and recovery not expected before late 2027, Meta launches an AI agent called Muse that can actually book travel, and Marriott's CEO says AI's biggest impact on hotels won't be chatbots — it'll be distribution. On today's Skift Daily Briefing, Sarah Dandashy breaks down just how bad Gulf tourism's numbers have gotten and what it means for travelers eyeing a Dubai trip right now, what Skift's hands-on test of Meta's Muse agent reveals about how AI is starting to shop for travel on your behalf, and why Marriott is racing to feed AI systems as much content as possible before the distribution battle is decided. This episode is brought to you by ZS Articles Referenced: Honorable Mention: @AskAConcierge on IGA Lost Year for Gulf TourismMeta Says Its Muse Agent Books Travel. Here's What That Actually Means.Marriott CEO Says AI Will Impact Hotel Distribution First Connect with Skift LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/skift/ WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAL375LikgIXmNPYQ0L/ Facebook: https://facebook.com/skiftnews Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skiftnews/ Threads: https://www.threads.net/@skiftnews Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/skiftnews.bsky.social X: https://twitter.com/skift Subscribe to @SkiftNews and never miss an update from the travel industry.
The EU Just Gave Cities a Roadmap to Crack Down on Airbnb The EU hands cities a legal framework to justify short-term rental restrictions, Navan buys AI-powered events platform BoomPop to push deeper into corporate meetings, and Klook turns travel creators into full-on storefronts with one link to book the whole trip. On today's Skift Daily Briefing, Bailey Schulz, Skift's Global Tourism Reporter, breaks down why the EU's proposed short-term rental framework has Airbnb and Booking pushing back hard, how Navan's BoomPop acquisition fits a deliberate playbook of building a platform too integrated to leave, and why Klook is betting creators can close the gap between travel inspiration and actual bookings. This episode is brought to you by ZS Articles Referenced:Connect with Bailey SchulzEU Proposed Rules on Short-Term RentalsNavan Buys BoomPop to Push Into Meetings and EventsKlook Bets Creators Can Sell the Whole Trip, Not Just the Viral Attraction Connect with Skift LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/skift/ WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAL375LikgIXmNPYQ0L/ Facebook: https://facebook.com/skiftnews Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skiftnews/ Threads: https://www.threads.net/@skiftnews Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/skiftnews.bsky.social X: https://twitter.com/skift Subscribe to @SkiftNews and never miss an update from the travel industry.
Google Is Stripping Travel Search in Europe to Avoid More Fines Google scales back hotel, flight, and restaurant search features across Europe to dodge further EU fines, the bloc's border safety valve expires just as airlines warn of more delays, and hurricane season is putting a real dollar figure on what extreme weather costs hospitality companies. On today's Skift Daily Briefing, Bailey Schulz, Skift's Global Tourism Reporter, breaks down why Google's European search changes are being cheered by some and criticized by others, what the expiration of the EU's border flexibility measure means for travelers heading into fall, and what Host Hotels' hurricane repair bills reveal about the growing cost of climate resilience in hospitality. Articles Referenced:Connect with Bailey SchulzGoogle Update: Europe Travel Search Results and the DMAEU Ends Border Safety Valve as Airlines Warn of More DelaysWhat Hurricane Season Means for Hospitality's Capex Connect with Skift LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/skift/ WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAL375LikgIXmNPYQ0L/ Facebook: https://facebook.com/skiftnews Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skiftnews Threads: https://www.threads.net/@skiftnews Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/skiftnews.bsky.social X: https://twitter.com/skift Subscribe to @SkiftNews and never miss an update from the travel industry.
TikTok Go was supposed to turn creators into a hotel distribution channel. Instead, a Skift investigation found dozens of AI-generated fake videos attached to real properties — fabricated suites, nonexistent amenities, faceless accounts — with one Sedona luxury resort racking up 17 flagged videos. The kicker: the hotel doesn't even sell through TikTok Go's booking partners. Scott says forget the AI part — someone can now recommend a hotel they've never visited, show rooms that don't exist, and disappear while the property deals with the fallout. Then Airbnb quietly drops the most telling number of the year — testing reduced host fees as low as 6% when hosts drive their own bookings. Ben does the math: Airbnb just told you demand generation is worth nine points of margin. The host does the marketing. Airbnb keeps the customer. Edwin rattles off a staggering list of global STR bans and argues this is less generosity than regulatory hedging. And Google rolls out hotel bookings inside AI mode. Edwin delivers the sharpest take: hotels get the booking, but Google keeps the reason they booked. Discovery, intent, the "why" — all inside Google's walled garden. Hotels become the fulfillment layer. Plus: Marriott bets big on the NFL, Booking.com lets a fake https://www.linkedin.com/in/zachbusekrus/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behindthestays/ Scott Eddy — Global Travel & Hospitality Expert @MrScottEddy LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrscotteddy/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrscotteddy/ Ben Wolff — Founder of Onera & Oasi LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-wolff/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iambenwolff/ Edwin Kramer — Luxury Hotelier Consultant & Former GM LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edwinckramer/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/edwinkramer/
Travel industry executives meet with President Trump to push for more inbound tourists, Uber cuts 3,300 jobs while doubling down on robotaxis and quietly sidelining its travel ambitions, and Southwest opens airport lounges , but it's really a credit card strategy wearing an airport badge. On today's Skift Daily Briefing, Tasmin Lockwood, Skift's Climate and Experiences Reporter, breaks down why the industry wants the World Cup's welcome mat to become permanent policy, what Uber's reorg signals about where travel fits in its actual priorities, and why Southwest's lounge announcement is less about hospitality and more about the next phase of a much bigger reinvention. This episode is brought to you by ZS Articles Referenced:Connect with Tasmin LockwoodTravel Execs Meet Trump at the White HouseUber to Lay Off 3,300 Employees, Reducing Management Jobs by 20%Southwest to Launch Airport Lounges in 2027 Connect with Skift LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/skift/ WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAL375LikgIXmNPYQ0L/ Facebook: https://facebook.com/skiftnews Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skiftnews/ Threads: https://www.threads.net/@skiftnews Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/skiftnews.bsky.social X: https://twitter.com/skift Subscribe to @SkiftNews and never miss an update from the travel industry.
Airbnb names a former Booking.com hotel chief as its new chief business officer as its hotel push accelerates, AirDNA launches a dynamic pricing tool aimed at the 85% of short-term rental hosts still leaving money on the table, and JetBlue bets its comeback on a new domestic first class with mattress foam and custom cocktails. On today's Skift Daily Briefing, Tasmin Lockwood, Skift's Climate and Experiences Reporter, breaks down why Airbnb's latest hire is a clear signal that its hotel ambitions just got serious, how AirDNA is betting simplicity can unlock dynamic pricing for the hosts that every other tool hasn't reached, and why JetBlue thinks premium cabins can do what cost-cutting alone hasn't. This episode is brought to you by ZS Articles Referenced:Connect with Tasmin LockwoodAirbnb Names Ex-Booking.com Hotel Boss and Viator President as Chief Business OfficerAirDNA Enters Revenue Management Market With Host Dynamic Pricing Tool — ExclusiveJetBlue Unveils New Domestic First Class Seats Connect with Skift LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/skift/ WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAL375LikgIXmNPYQ0L/ Facebook: https://facebook.com/skiftnews Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skiftnews/ Threads: https://www.threads.net/@skiftnews Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/skiftnews.bsky.social X: https://twitter.com/skift Subscribe to @SkiftNews and never miss an update from the travel industry.
A bombshell estimate flips the script on who actually leads in B2B hotel bookings, Marriott presses its sales teams to close a $1.55 billion gap in group bookings for 2027, and AI-generated hotel videos on TikTok are misleading travelers about properties they can actually book. On today's Skift Daily Briefing, Bailey Schulz, Skift's Global Tourism Reporter, breaks down why a new analyst estimate suggesting Booking Holdings leads Expedia in B2B room nights could reshape how the industry thinks about OTA competition, what Marriott's internal stretch goal reveals about the group booking market heading into 2027, and why TikTok Go's AI-generated hotel videos are a real problem for travelers and property owners alike. This episode is brought to you by ZS Articles Referenced:Booking Holdings vs. Expedia in B2B: Bombshell Estimate Says Booking Leads in Room NightsMarriott Presses Sales Teams on $1.55 Billion Gap to Goal for 2027 GroupsAI-Generated TikTok Go Hotel Videos Connect with Bailey Schulz Connect with Skift LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/skift/ WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAL375LikgIXmNPYQ0L/ Facebook: https://facebook.com/skiftnews Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skiftnews/ Threads: https://www.threads.net/@skiftnews Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/skiftnews.bsky.social X: https://twitter.com/skift Subscribe to @SkiftNews and never miss an update from the travel industry.
Dollywood bucks the theme park industry's closure wave as operators honor Dolly Parton's legacy with a $500 million expansion, Harry Styles' Madison Square Garden residency is giving NYC hotels and short-term rentals a meaningful boost, and there's a reason boutique hotel founders almost always end up selling to the big chains. On today's Skift Daily Briefing, Bailey Schulz, Skift's Global Tourism Reporter, breaks down why Dollywood's culture-first strategy is outperforming parks built on licensed characters, how a two-month residency in one city can move a market without needing Taylor Swift numbers, and why distribution economics make it nearly inevitable that boutique hotel founders eventually sell. Articles Referenced:Connect with Bailey SchulzDolly Parton, Dollywood, and Theme Park SuccessHarry Styles' Residency Is Giving NYC a Demand BoostWhy Every Boutique Hotel Founder Eventually Sells Connect with Skift LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/skift/ WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAL375LikgIXmNPYQ0L/ Facebook: https://facebook.com/skiftnews Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skiftnews/ Threads: https://www.threads.net/@skiftnews Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/skiftnews.bsky.social X: https://twitter.com/skift Subscribe to @SkiftNews and never miss an update from the travel industry.
A familiar face may be headed back to lead NYC Tourism, Wall Street is warming up to Airbnb's growth story after five straight quarters of double-digit gains, and three South Korean budget airlines are merging into one low-cost giant. On today's Skift Daily Briefing, Bailey Schulz, Skift's Global Tourism Reporter, breaks down why Fred Dixon's potential return to NYC Tourism comes at a tough moment for inbound visitors, what's driving Airbnb's structural acceleration and why some analysts are still not fully convinced, and what South Korea's budget airline merger means for the country's aviation landscape. Articles Referenced:Connect with Bailey SchulzBrand USA's Fred Dixon in Talks to Return to NYC TourismWall Street Is Starting to Believe Airbnb's Growth StoryThree South Korean Carriers Are Merging Into One Low-Cost Giant Connect with Skift LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/skift/ WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAL375LikgIXmNPYQ0L/ Facebook: https://facebook.com/skiftnews Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skiftnews/ Threads: https://www.threads.net/@skiftnews Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/skiftnews.bsky.social X: https://twitter.com/skift Subscribe to @SkiftNews and never miss an update from the travel industry.
F1 confirms its Abu Dhabi Grand Prix is on despite war jitters, luxury tour operator Black Tomato sells 75% of itself to its own staff instead of private equity, and Thailand tries once again to collect a tourist fee it's been attempting since 2020. On today's Skift Daily Briefing, Bailey Schulz, Skift's Global Tourism Reporter, breaks down why Abu Dhabi's bet on marquee events like F1 keeps paying off, how Black Tomato's employee ownership move is a pointed contrast to travel's private equity wave, and why Thailand's latest tourist fee attempt faces the same question it always has — how to actually collect it. Articles Referenced:Connect with Bailey SchulzF1 Confirms Abu Dhabi Grand Prix — Events Calendar Is Propping Up TourismBlack Tomato Founders Sell 75% to Employee Ownership Trust but Keep Control — ExclusiveThailand's Six-Year Tourist Fee Saga Returns With a $14 Price Tag Connect with Skift LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/skift/ WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAL375LikgIXmNPYQ0L/ Facebook: https://facebook.com/skiftnews Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skiftnews/ Threads: https://www.threads.net/@skiftnews Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/skiftnews.bsky.social X: https://twitter.com/skift Subscribe to @SkiftNews and never miss an update from the travel industry.
This Week In Startups is made possible by: Superhuman https://Superhuman.com Sentry https://sentry.io/twist Lightfield https://lightfield.app Today's show: Jason's been saying it for years now (and we've got an All In clip from 2023 to prove it). Open source will win the AI race. This week gives us a major evidence point, as $11B legal AI company Harvey released its own in-house model, trained on an open-weight Kimi K3 base. Harvey made a proprietary specialized solution without having to risk sharing its precious expert-compiled data with the major frontier labs. PLUS we're checking out the FREE AI dictation app Willow with co-founder Allan Guo, and finding out how he plans to compete with giants like Wispr Flow and Apple. AND we've got the Stanford student who built an automated golf cart and gave luminaries like Jensen Huang and Sam Altman rides around campus. Guests Allan Guo on X: https://x.com/_allanguo Willow: https://willowvoice.com/ Ethan Goodhart: https://x.com/EthanGoodhart Sign up for the Wind TestFlight: https://testflight.apple.com/join/zZqmhhwf Relevant Links CNBC: OpenAI "will be a public company in 2027": https://www.cnbc.com/2026/08/19/open-ai-ipo-timing-2027-friar.html OpenAI Zero Data Retention Pledge: https://openai.com/index/our-commitment-to-zero-data-retention TWIST (June 2026): Jason comments on OpenAI and training data: https://youtu.be/o3eow1nTrcI?si=orungk7OmplOuyio&t=742 All In podcast (Feb 2023): Jason comments on open source vs. frontier models: https://youtu.be/PVgBWV2bvLs?si=j6y7sHS0wx9q09oa&t=5173 Harvey: https://www.harvey.ai/ Harvey Tenet Research Preview: https://www.harvey.ai/blog/post-training-update-harvey-tenet Fireworks AI: https://fireworks.ai/ Wispr Flow: https://wisprflow.ai/ Pipedrive: https://www.pipedrive.com/ Nvidia Jetson Thor: https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/autonomous-machines/embedded-systems/jetson-thor/ OpenAI shares Wind golf cart clip: https://www.tiktok.com/@openai/video/7645336713472134431 Starlink Mini: https://starlink.com/mini-product-us?srsltid=AfmBOorzM7arxhdzYAdDpH6RGD4LLg9WV_BFnEoLuYieuHuGSCjQTE1Y Toro mowers: https://www.toro.com/ 404 Media: https://www.404media.co/ Punchbowl News: https://punchbowl.news/ Semafor: https://www.semafor.com/ Skift: https://skift.com/ Newcomer: https://www.newcomer.co/ Deirdre Bosa on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@deebosa Electrek: Genesis GV90 review: https://electrek.co/2026/08/20/genesis-gv90-luxury-coach-doors-images/ Toyota Alphard gallery: https://global.toyota/en/mobility/toyota-brand/gallery/alphard.html The Clash "London Calling" video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EfK-WX2pa8c Timestamps: 0:00 What is Jason's Grok Bot up to? 5:17 Systems over goals 9:43 Superhuman - Superhuman Go is an AI chat that's always there when you need it, already aware of what you're doing, and doesn't ask you to start from zero. Sign up to get the best in AI at https://Superhuman.com 13:08 OpenAI will go public soon 14:19 Top line ARR matters way less than churn 20:43 Sentry - Your team should be focused on shipping features — not chasing down bugs. New users can get $240 in free credits when they go to https://sentry.io/twist and use the code TWIST 29:55 Lightfield - Name one person who's ever enjoyed updating a CRM. Exactly. Lightfield's AI agent does it for you — it even prospects and books your meetings. Used by thousands of startups. Free at https://lightfield.app 30:52 Harvey launches Tenet 34:32 "Open source is going to win it all" 35:58 Allan Guo of Willow joins 39:18 Managing a single source of truth across a team 47:00 Lon and Jason love the Toyota Alphard 51:00 Stanford student and AV expert Ethan Goodhart joins 1:00:09 How Ethan got Jensen Huang to go for a ride 1:00:37 Punk Rock 101 1:06:24 Phoebe Gates' secret Harvard class Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp Follow Lon: X: https://x.com/lons Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis Check out all our partner offers: https://partners.launch.co/ Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland Check out Jason's suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis Follow TWiST: Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com
On this week's Good Morning Hospitality, A Skift Podcast: Hotels Edition, Sarah Dandashy and Steve Turk dig into how the hotel industry measures success, where capital is flowing, and who controls the information guests use to make decisions. The conversation opens with a new Skift analysis arguing that net unit growth, the metric every hotel brand has been racing to win for a decade, may have been the wrong measure all along. From there, Sarah and Steve get into Minor International's plan for a $1 billion hotel REIT spanning its NH Hotels & Resorts, Anantara Hotels & Resorts, and Minor Hotels assets, and what a major Asian-originated hotel capital raise signals about where global hospitality investment is heading. They also unpack Google's acquisition of Spirit Airlines' reservation data from bankruptcy to train its AI hospitality recommendations, and close with what the rise of creator travel content and Substack travel newsletters tells hotel marketers about where traveler trust actually lives now. This episode is presented by StayFi & Bilt. If you're ready to start turning today's guests into tomorrow's direct bookings, head to stayfi.com/goodmorninghospitality and use code GOODMORNINGHOSPITALITY to get 50% off your first three months. And for hotels with restaurants and restaurant owners, Bilt Hospitality is finally here. Go to joinbilt.com/gmh to learn more for GMH listeners!
On this week's Good Morning Hospitality, A Skift Podcast: Hotels Edition, Sarah Dandashy and Steve Turk dig into how the hotel industry measures success, where capital is flowing, and who controls the information guests use to make decisions. The conversation opens with a new Skift analysis arguing that net unit growth, the metric every hotel brand has been racing to win for a decade, may have been the wrong measure all along. From there, Sarah and Steve get into Minor International's plan for a $1 billion hotel REIT spanning its NH Hotels & Resorts, Anantara Hotels & Resorts, and Minor Hotels assets, and what a major Asian-originated hotel capital raise signals about where global hospitality investment is heading. They also unpack Google's acquisition of Spirit Airlines' reservation data from bankruptcy to train its AI hospitality recommendations, and close with what the rise of creator travel content and Substack travel newsletters tells hotel marketers about where traveler trust actually lives now. This episode is presented by StayFi & Bilt. If you're ready to start turning today's guests into tomorrow's direct bookings, head to stayfi.com/goodmorninghospitality and use code GOODMORNINGHOSPITALITY to get 50% off your first three months. And for hotels with restaurants and restaurant owners, Bilt Hospitality is finally here. Go to joinbilt.com/gmh to learn more for GMH listeners!
On Monday's Good Morning Hospitality, A Skift Podcast, Brandreth Canaley, Michael Goldin, and Jamie Lane each share the stat from Skift's State of Travel 2026 report that hit hardest for them, with Seth Borko, Skift's Head of Skift Research, joining to close with the bigger picture on where travel is actually heading. This episode is presented by StayFi & Bilt. If you're ready to start turning today's guests into tomorrow's direct bookings, head to stayfi.com/goodmorninghospitality and use code GOODMORNINGHOSPITALITY to get 50% off your first three months. And for hotels with restaurants and restaurant owners, Bilt Hospitality is finally here. Go to joinbilt.com/gmh to learn more for GMH listeners!
On Monday's Good Morning Hospitality, A Skift Podcast, Brandreth Canaley, Michael Goldin, and Jamie Lane each share the stat from Skift's State of Travel 2026 report that hit hardest for them, with Seth Borko, Skift's Head of Skift Research, joining to close with the bigger picture on where travel is actually heading. This episode is presented by StayFi & Bilt. If you're ready to start turning today's guests into tomorrow's direct bookings, head to stayfi.com/goodmorninghospitality and use code GOODMORNINGHOSPITALITY to get 50% off your first three months. And for hotels with restaurants and restaurant owners, Bilt Hospitality is finally here. Go to joinbilt.com/gmh to learn more for GMH listeners!
Subscribe to This Week in Hospitality wherever you get you podcasts: Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/5oPExA0txHMjEI5Ye13IUy Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/this-week-in-hospitality/id1849637233 Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/@ThisWeekinHospitality This week we're joined by Sarah Kopit, Editor-in-Chief of Skift — the publication that fuels basically every episode of this show — and she came ready. We open on the story all of hospitality shared this week: Aman's brand-new, $6,000-a-night Amanvari turning away independent reviewer Ryan Walker at the gate on night two, then calling the cops on his driver. Scott and Sarah are inclined to give Aman the benefit of the doubt. Ben isn't — he thinks it might be the canary in the coal mine for a brand scaling faster than it ever has. From there we get into The Squeeze, Sarah's reporting on the crisis crushing America's small and mid-scale hotel owners. Record brand profits, owners barely cash-flowing, and a franchise model showing real cracks. We dig into why owners are revolting, what deflagging really costs, the financing fears keeping them locked to their flags, and the gut-punch of learning the Google reviews you spent eighteen years building don't belong to you — they belong to the brand. Then Marriott's new rebate: a real concession, or breadcrumbs tossed to the good boys who hit their guest-satisfaction scores? Sarah makes the case that the credit card companies are now the biggest force in travel, and that Amex and Capital One are building their own soft brands in plain sight. We close with a game — the hotel accounts winning on social, and the 99% still getting it wrong. This one's loaded. Come hang. — This Week in Hospitality is presented to you by Journey. Journey is a loyalty platform built specifically for independent boutique hotels and high-touch hospitality brands. Our mission is to give operators the same powerful rewards engine, data intelligence, and guest insights that major chains rely on — without asking them to give up the individuality, soul, or story that makes their property extraordinary. If you're an owner or operator of an extraordinary, independently owned and operated hotel or residence — and you want to see whether your property is a fit for the Journey Alliance — you can learn more and apply at https://www.journey.com/alliance — Key Topics & Timestamps 00:00 — Intro 09:49 — Story #1: The Great Hotel Owner Squeeze 33:05 — Story #2: Aman's YouTuber Fiasco 44:41 — Story #3: Marriott's Owner Concession 55:01 — Hotel Social Media Game 01:06:23 — Spice of the Week — Special Guest: Sarah Kopit — Editor-in-Chief of Skift LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahkopit Your Hosts: Zach Busekrus — Journey LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zachbusekrus/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behindthestays/ Scott Eddy — Global Travel & Hospitality Expert @MrScottEddy LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrscotteddy/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrscotteddy/ Ben Wolff — Founder of Onera & Oasi LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-wolff/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iambenwolff/ Edwin Kramer — Luxury Hotelier Consultant & Former GM LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edwinckramer/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/edwinkramer/
In this sponsored episode of Good Morning Hospitality, Wil Slickers introduces a conversation between Skift's Darren Frei and Elizabeth Mullins, President of Evermore Orlando Resort, about why human connection is becoming a bigger part of the hospitality and wellness travel conversation. Elizabeth explains Evermore's approach to relational wellness, how the resort was designed around togetherness, and why the company is working with social health expert Kasley Killam to shape guest experiences, employee culture, and long-term strategy. The conversation also explores what hotel, resort, and vacation rental leaders can learn from Evermore's model as travelers seek more meaningful shared experiences. This episode is presented by Evermore! 00:00 Show Intro00:24 Why Connection Matters01:53 Evermore Origin Story03:15 Interview Begins03:50 Relational Wellness Explained05:31 Designed for Togetherness06:54 Meet Kasley Killam: Leading social health expert08:50 Building Staff Connection11:17 Hotels Meet Rentals12:41 On Property Experiences15:20 Balancing Me Time16:27 Advice for Operators17:59 Measuring Success19:21 Closing Thoughts
In this sponsored episode of Good Morning Hospitality, Wil Slickers introduces a conversation between Skift's Darren Frei and Elizabeth Mullins, President of Evermore Orlando Resort, about why human connection is becoming a bigger part of the hospitality and wellness travel conversation. Elizabeth explains Evermore's approach to relational wellness, how the resort was designed around togetherness, and why the company is working with social health expert Kasley Killam to shape guest experiences, employee culture, and long-term strategy. The conversation also explores what hotel, resort, and vacation rental leaders can learn from Evermore's model as travelers seek more meaningful shared experiences. This episode is presented by Evermore! 00:00 Show Intro00:24 Why Connection Matters01:53 Evermore Origin Story03:15 Interview Begins03:50 Relational Wellness Explained05:31 Designed for Togetherness06:54 Meet Kasley Killam: Leading social health expert08:50 Building Staff Connection11:17 Hotels Meet Rentals12:41 On Property Experiences15:20 Balancing Me Time16:27 Advice for Operators17:59 Measuring Success19:21 Closing Thoughts
On this week's Good Morning Hospitality, A Skift Podcast: Hotels Edition, Sarah Dandashy and Steve Turk dig into how hotels earn money and keep it. The conversation opens with Hilton CEO Chris Nassetta making the case that 28 brands is a data-driven strategy not sprawl, and calling out the hotel industry's default fix for unhappy guests: a pile of loyalty points at checkout. He says AI can catch the problem while the guest is still in the building. From there Sarah and Steve get into why Accor, Melia, and The Social Hub are circling student housing as a four-income-stream asset class, why micro-creators with under 20,000 followers are now driving real hotel bookings through affiliate deals, and close with Skift's Rafat Ali on the quiet reinvention of the hotel tax and the fight over who controls where that money goes. This episode is presented by StayFi & Bilt. StayFi helps short-term rental operators build direct guest relationships through branded wifi portals, email marketing, and guest data tools. Visit stayfi.com/goodmorninghospitality to learn more. And for hotels with restaurants and restaurant owners, Bilt Hospitality is finally here. Go to joinbilt.com/gmh to learn more.
On this week's Good Morning Hospitality, A Skift Podcast: Hotels Edition, Sarah Dandashy and Steve Turk dig into how hotels earn money and keep it. The conversation opens with Hilton CEO Chris Nassetta making the case that 28 brands is a data-driven strategy not sprawl, and calling out the hotel industry's default fix for unhappy guests: a pile of loyalty points at checkout. He says AI can catch the problem while the guest is still in the building. From there Sarah and Steve get into why Accor, Melia, and The Social Hub are circling student housing as a four-income-stream asset class, why micro-creators with under 20,000 followers are now driving real hotel bookings through affiliate deals, and close with Skift's Rafat Ali on the quiet reinvention of the hotel tax and the fight over who controls where that money goes. This episode is presented by StayFi & Bilt. StayFi helps short-term rental operators build direct guest relationships through branded wifi portals, email marketing, and guest data tools. Visit stayfi.com/goodmorninghospitality to learn more. And for hotels with restaurants and restaurant owners, Bilt Hospitality is finally here. Go to joinbilt.com/gmh to learn more.
Connect with Colin: linkedin.com/in/colinjamesnagy/ Connect with Zach: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zacharybusekrus/ Apply to join the Journey Alliance: http://journey.com/alliance/ — The luxury hotel boom of the last decade produced more five-star rooms, more high-end brands, and more capital chasing premium travelers than any period in modern hospitality history. It also produced a lot of hotels that feel exactly the same. Colin Nagy has spent nearly a decade covering the business of luxury travel for Skift while leading global brand strategy for Instagram and Threads at Meta. He sits at a rare intersection — deeply inside the world of brand, culture, and consumer behavior, and deeply inside an industry he genuinely loves. That combination makes him one of the most clear-eyed observers working in hospitality today. In this episode, Colin and I dig into why luxury has optimized itself into sameness — and more importantly, what the brands getting it right are actually doing differently. We get into the role hospitality plays in a world where AI is accelerating isolation and people are hungry for real human connection. We talk members' clubs — the ones worth betting on and the ones burning through capital without a clue. We get into the macro disruption question most operators aren't asking loudly enough. And we talk about what world building actually requires — and why so few brands are willing to do the work. Colin isn't cynical about any of this. He's demanding. There's a difference. And if you care about where this industry is headed, this conversation will sharpen how you see it. — Behind the Stays is brought to you by Journey — a first-of-its-kind loyalty program that brings together an alliance of the world's top independently owned and operated stays and allows travelers to earn points and perks on boutique hotels, vacation rentals, treehouses, ski chalets, glamping experiences and so much more. Your host is Zach Busekrus, Head of Growth at Journey. If you are a hospitality entrepreneur who has a stay, or a collection of stays with soul, we'd love for you to apply to join our Alliance at journey.com/alliance.
This week, the squad breaks down Norwegian Air's World Cup Instagram stunt that cost next to nothing and generated more brand equity than campaigns with budgets a hundred times the size. Eivind Hammer Myhre, who leads comms and marketing at Norwegian, joins us live to walk through exactly how it happened — the 25-minute brainstorm, the one phone call to get sign-off, and what came after when the whole thing blew up overnight. Then we get into the Ennismore story. Skift's Rafat Ali floated a thought experiment this week that reads less like an op-ed and more like a deal memo left on the wrong desk — a potential distribution and loyalty partnership between Airbnb and Accor's lifestyle hotel subsidiary ahead of a $3.7 billion IPO. Ben, Edwin, and Scott dig into whether the math actually works for owners, who benefits more, and why Wall Street keeps struggling to put a number on cool. And finally — Vrbo is launching sponsored listings. The beta is live. The full rollout is coming. And if you've been around long enough to remember what happened when organic reach died on Meta, you already know where this is going. Scott's spice of the week ties it all together: four stories that seem unrelated until you realize they're all asking the same question. How do you earn trust at scale? And what happens to the brands — and the platforms — that can't figure that out? — This Week in Hospitality is presented to you by Journey. Journey is a loyalty platform built specifically for independent boutique hotels and high-touch hospitality brands. Our mission is to give operators the same powerful rewards engine, data intelligence, and guest insights that major chains rely on — without asking them to give up the individuality, soul, or story that makes their property extraordinary. If you're an owner or operator of an extraordinary, independently owned and operated hotel or residence — and you want to see whether your property is a fit for the Journey Alliance — you can learn more and apply at https://www.journey.com/alliance — Key Topics & Timestamps 00:00 — Intro 03:18 — Interview: Norwegian Air's Viral Women's Euro Campaign 26:53 — Story #1: Airbnb and Ennismore Hook Up 33:47 — Story #2: The Slow Death of Organic Discovery on Vrbo 39:52 — Story #3: South Korea Could Strip Hotels of Stars for Price Gouging 1:04:47 — Spice of the Week — Your Hosts: Zach Busekrus — Journey LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zachbusekrus/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behindthestays/ Scott Eddy — Global Travel & Hospitality Expert @MrScottEddy LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrscotteddy/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrscotteddy/ Ben Wolff — Founder of Onera & Oasi LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-wolff/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iambenwolff/ Edwin Kramer — Luxury Hotelier Consultant & Former GM LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edwinckramer/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/edwinkramer/
On this week's Good Morning Hospitality, A Skift Podcast: Hotels Edition, Sarah Dandashy and Steve Turk break down who controls hotel demand and what it costs.Skift's Rafat Ali lays out the deal thesis nobody has written yet: why an Airbnb and Ennismore partnership could close the $2 billion gap in Ennismore's IPO valuation. From there, they get into Accor and H World International's plan to link 430 million loyalty members, what the official government data says about FIFA World Cup 2026™ - Canada, Mexico and the United States inbound tourism, and the one earnings metric that will tell operators whether hotel profits are truly broadening when Marriott International, Hilton, and Hyatt report Q2 this week. This episode is presented by StayFi & Bilt. If you're leaving direct bookings on the table, StayFi turns your wifi into a guest relationship engine. Visit https://stayfi.com/goodmorninghospitality/ to learn more about their special offer of 50% off for GMH listeners! And for hotels with restaurants and restaurant owners, Bilt Hospitality is finally here. Go to joinbilt.com/gmh to learn more.
The World Cup failed to deliver the U.S. tourism bump everyone was counting on, Skift lays out a compelling theory for why Airbnb's best hotel move might be Ennismore's upcoming IPO, and Frontier Airlines announces Starlink — the last major holdout finally goes premium. On today's Skift Daily Briefing, Sarah Dandashy breaks down why June's overseas arrival numbers are sobering even with a global sporting event on U.S. soil, why the Airbnb-Ennismore deal Skift is floating could solve a distribution problem neither company can fix alone, and what Frontier's Starlink announcement signals about the end of the truly bare-bones flying experience. Articles Referenced: Honorable Mention: @AskAConcierge on IGWorld Cup Inbound Travel Decline: JuneAirbnb's Best Hotel Strategy Is Sitting in Ennismore's IPO FilingFrontier Airlines to Install Starlink — Premium Push Connect with Skift LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/skift/ WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAL375LikgIXmNPYQ0L/ Facebook: https://facebook.com/skiftnews Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skiftnews/ Threads: https://www.threads.net/@skiftnews Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/skiftnews.bsky.social X: https://twitter.com/skift Subscribe to @SkiftNews and never miss an update from the travel industry.
On this week's Good Morning Hospitality, A Skift Podcast: Hotels Edition, Sarah Dandashy and Steve Turk break down who controls hotel demand and what it costs.Skift's Rafat Ali lays out the deal thesis nobody has written yet: why an Airbnb and Ennismore partnership could close the $2 billion gap in Ennismore's IPO valuation. From there, they get into Accor and H World International's plan to link 430 million loyalty members, what the official government data says about FIFA World Cup 2026™ - Canada, Mexico and the United States inbound tourism, and the one earnings metric that will tell operators whether hotel profits are truly broadening when Marriott International, Hilton, and Hyatt report Q2 this week. This episode is presented by StayFi & Bilt. If you're leaving direct bookings on the table, StayFi turns your wifi into a guest relationship engine. Visit https://stayfi.com/goodmorninghospitality/ to learn more about their special offer of 50% off for GMH listeners! And for hotels with restaurants and restaurant owners, Bilt Hospitality is finally here. Go to joinbilt.com/gmh to learn more.
On Monday's Good Morning Hospitality, A Skift Podcast, Brandreth Canaley and Michael Goldin break down three stories about who is building the next layer of travel distribution and what it means for STR operators. The conversation opens with a Skift scoop: Booking Holdings (NASDAQ: BKNG) is forming a formal B2B unit bringing together Booking.com, Agoda, and Priceline to take on Expedia Group, where B2B already grows at three times the rate of its consumer business. From there, Brandy and Michael dig into what Airbnb's hiring of OpenAI's first global VP of creative says about the company's bet that brand is its moat against AI flattening. They close with a Visa Economic Insights deep dive on the great wealth transfer — $8 trillion in inherited boomer wealth heading toward travel over the next 20 years, and what that means for who STR operators will be serving. This episode is presented by StayFi & Bilt. If you're leaving direct bookings on the table, StayFi turns your wifi into a guest relationship engine. Visit https://stayfi.com/goodmorninghospitality/ to learn more about their special offer of 50% off for GMH listeners! And for hotels with restaurants and restaurant owners, Bilt Hospitality is finally here. Go to joinbilt.com/gmh to learn more.
On Monday's Good Morning Hospitality, A Skift Podcast, Brandreth Canaley and Michael Goldin break down three stories about who is building the next layer of travel distribution and what it means for STR operators. The conversation opens with a Skift scoop: Booking Holdings (NASDAQ: BKNG) is forming a formal B2B unit bringing together Booking.com, Agoda, and Priceline to take on Expedia Group, where B2B already grows at three times the rate of its consumer business. From there, Brandy and Michael dig into what Airbnb's hiring of OpenAI's first global VP of creative says about the company's bet that brand is its moat against AI flattening. They close with a Visa Economic Insights deep dive on the great wealth transfer — $8 trillion in inherited boomer wealth heading toward travel over the next 20 years, and what that means for who STR operators will be serving. This episode is presented by StayFi & Bilt. If you're leaving direct bookings on the table, StayFi turns your wifi into a guest relationship engine. Visit https://stayfi.com/goodmorninghospitality/ to learn more about their special offer of 50% off for GMH listeners! And for hotels with restaurants and restaurant owners, Bilt Hospitality is finally here. Go to joinbilt.com/gmh to learn more.
Subscribe to This Week in Hospitality wherever you get you podcasts: Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/5oPExA0txHMjEI5Ye13IUy Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/this-week-in-hospitality/id1849637233 Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/@ThisWeekinHospitality Sean O'Neill of Skift joins the roundtable this week for a conversation that cuts straight to the fault lines running through the hotel industry right now — distribution versus identity, brand proliferation versus brand meaning, and the wellness promise versus wellness delivery. The panel leads with Pali Society's decision to bring its 16-property California portfolio into Marriott's Design Hotels ecosystem — the single largest addition in the program's history. Edwin draws the line everyone in the independent space is afraid to say out loud: using Marriott as a marketing channel is smart; slowly operating for Marriott guests instead of your own is how you lose the thing that made you worth joining in the first place. Scott is blunter: "Every owner in the world loves independence until they have empty rooms." From there, Sean's own Hilton story lands on the table. Hilton's new CDO is signaling five or six organic brands are coming — and a trademark filing, locked domain, and placeholder social accounts are already pointing toward a lifestyle concept called "Tortoise." The group debates whether the major brand groups, Hilton included, are actually delivering on their supposed superpower. Sean's take: in an AI-discovery world, the question isn't how many brands you have — it's whether any of them mean anything. The conversation gets sharper on wellness — a category where nearly everyone claims the space and very few actually own it. Ben makes the obvious argument: if Oura can sync with fitness apps, why can't Canyon Ranch pull your health data? Edwin adds the counterweight — the freedom to do nothing is the next frontier that nobody's building for. Plus: Soho House gets called out for failing to remember Edwin's green tea order after ten years, Scott's Venice discovery about a pool built in feet instead of meters, and Zach's verdict on San Antonio as the most underrated hotel market in America. This Week in Hospitality is presented to you by Journey. Journey is a loyalty platform built specifically for independent boutique hotels and high-touch hospitality brands. Our mission is to give operators the same powerful rewards engine, data intelligence, and guest insights that major chains rely on — without asking them to give up the individuality, soul, or story that makes their property extraordinary. If you're an owner or operator of an extraordinary, independently owned and operated hotel or residence — and you want to see whether your property is a fit for the Journey Alliance — you can learn more and apply at https://www.journey.com/alliance Key Topics & Timestamps 00:00 — Intro 38:13 — Story #1: Palisociety Joins Marriott's Design Hotels 49:52 — Story #2: Hilton's New Brand Factory 01:01:51 — Spice of the Week Your Hosts: Zach Busekrus — Journey LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zachbusekrus/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behindthestays/ Scott Eddy — Global Travel & Hospitality Expert @MrScottEddy LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrscotteddy/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrscotteddy/ Ben Wolff — Founder of Onera & Oasi LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-wolff/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iambenwolff/ Edwin Kramer — Luxury Hotelier Consultant & Former GM LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edwinckramer/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/edwinkramer/
On this week's Good Morning Hospitality, A Skift Podcast: Hotels Edition, Sarah Dandashy and Steve Turk break down why hotel AI is stuck on the wrong side of the ledger and what it will take to flip it. The conversation opens with Mews founder Richard Valtr making the case at Skift's Data and AI Summit that fragmented hotel data is the reason AI keeps cutting costs instead of driving revenue. From there Sarah and Steve dig into what Apple's rebuilt Siri means for how guests will find and interact with travel, Alaska Airlines' bet that Starlink wifi is a better loyalty driver than points for basic economy travelers, and why Delta Air Lines is expanding American Express card benefits without raising fees while every competitor goes the other direction. This episode is presented by Cloudbeds & Bilt. Visit cloudbeds.com/gmh to learn more. And for hotels with restaurants and restaurant owners, Bilt Hospitality is finally here. Go to joinbilt.com/gmh to learn more. And if you're leaving direct bookings on the table, StayFi turns your wifi into a guest relationship engine. Visit https://stayfi.com/goodmorninghospitality/ to learn more.
In this episode, Nick Slavin, the CEO and co-founder of Curacity, shares his front-row perspective on why hotel discovery is being rewritten by AI, what 94% of hotels are missing on their own websites, and how independent properties can use this moment to take market share back from the OTAs.You'll hear the difference between ranked search and binary AI search, why third-party media coverage now drives 10 to 100 times the visibility signals of your own website, and what to do this week to start showing up.Resources mentioned:Curacity and the Vista platformCuracity x Cornell research on AI in travel planningColin Nagy in Skift on AI reshaping luxury travel discoveryProperties Nick referenced: Baccarat Hotel, The Broadwick SohoThis episode is sponsored by Curacity.A few more resources:If you're new to Hospitality Daily, start here. You can send me a message here with questions, comments, or guest suggestionsIf you want to get my summary and actionable insights from each episode delivered to your inbox each day, subscribe here for free.Follow Hospitality Daily and join the conversation on YouTube, LinkedIn, and Instagram.If you want to advertise on Hospitality Daily, here are the ways we can work together.If you found this episode interesting or helpful, send it to someone on your team so you can turn the ideas into action and benefit your business and the people you serve!Music for this show is produced by Clay Bassford of Bespoke Sound: Music Identity Design for Hospitality Brands
On Monday's Good Morning Hospitality, A Skift Podcast, Michael Goldin, Brandreth Canaley, Jamie Lane, and Wil Slickers are joined by Sean O'Neill, Senior Hospitality Editor at Skift, to break down a major strategic shift in the short-term rental space. onefinestay is pulling back from hundreds of urban rentals to focus on ultra-luxury homes and high-end leisure destinations, signaling a broader move toward fewer, higher-quality listings as operators rethink where margins and demand are strongest. The team also unpacks new data out of New York City showing that 27% of approved short-term rental listings are now operating illegally, highlighting the ongoing tension between regulation and enforcement even after strict laws were put in place. The episode wraps with a look at ChatGPT introducing cost-per-click ads, a shift that brings AI platforms directly into the same performance marketing model that powers Google and OTAs today, raising new questions about who controls travel discovery and demand. This episode is presented by Vrbo & Bilt. Visit vrbo.com/goodmorning to learn more about how you can earn OneKeyCash for each eligible property you list. And for hotels with restaurants and restaurant owners, Bilt Hospitality is finally here. Go to joinbilt.com/gmh to learn more.
In this episode, Sarah Kopit, the Editor in Chief at Skift, shares what she found reporting The Squeeze, her deep dive into the economic pressures facing America's hotel owners. You will hear why runaway costs, refinancing, and the franchise fee structure are putting owners in an impossible position.Read her reporting: Inside the Crisis Crushing America's Hotel Owners, as well as her earlier piece in this series.Connect with Sarah on LinkedIn. A few more resources:If you're new to Hospitality Daily, start here. You can send me a message here with questions, comments, or guest suggestionsIf you want to get my summary and actionable insights from each episode delivered to your inbox each day, subscribe here for free.Follow Hospitality Daily and join the conversation on YouTube, LinkedIn, and Instagram.If you want to advertise on Hospitality Daily, here are the ways we can work together.If you found this episode interesting or helpful, send it to someone on your team so you can turn the ideas into action and benefit your business and the people you serve!Music for this show is produced by Clay Bassford of Bespoke Sound: Music Identity Design for Hospitality Brands
Subscribe to This Week in Hospitality wherever you get you podcasts: Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/5oPExA0txHMjEI5Ye13IUy Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/this-week-in-hospitality/id1849637233 Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/@ThisWeekinHospitality The hotel industry is telling two very different stories right now — and this week, the squad unpacks both. First up: a Skift deep dive exposes the brutal math crushing America's hotel owners. Hilton, Marriott, and Hyatt are posting record profits while the people who actually own the buildings are hemorrhaging cash — franchise fees, loyalty fees, F&B fees, spa fees, stack an OTA commission on top and owners could be handing over 40% of revenue before paying a single employee. The panel doesn't hold back. Edwin calls it a deadlock. Ben calls it a hostage situation. Scott says the cracks show up the moment growth slows — and right now, they're everywhere. Then: the man behind Six Senses is back. Bernard Baumgartner's new venture, Discover Collection, ditches OTAs entirely for a membership-based model with 32 villas in Oman and a bombshell incentive — travel advisors earn 12% commission on lifetime guest spend. It won't scale. That's the point. Wyndham makes a surprise appearance with a genuinely clever social campaign — a $20K Route 66 road trip giveaway pairing grandparents with grandkids, comp stays at Days Inn and Super 8, full content documentation required. The most valuable guest isn't the highest spender — it's the best storyteller. And Coachella? Ben drops a reality check. It didn't sell out in 2023. Random April weekends outperformed festival weekends at his Palm Springs hotel. Justin Bieber saved it this year. The takeaway: demand anchors are powerful, but they're lineup-dependent, not brand-dependent. This Week in Hospitality is presented to you by Journey. Journey is a loyalty platform built specifically for independent boutique hotels and high-touch hospitality brands. Our mission is to give operators the same powerful rewards engine, data intelligence, and guest insights that major chains rely on — without asking them to give up the individuality, soul, or story that makes their property extraordinary. If you're an owner or operator of an extraordinary, independently owned and operated hotel or residence — and you want to see whether your property is a fit for the Journey Alliance — you can learn more and apply at https://www.journey.com/alliance Key Topics & Timestamps 00:00 — Intro 05:12 — Story #1: Hotel Owners Get Crushed While Brands Cash In 26:46 — Story #2: Bernard's Members-Only Hotel Bet 40:13 — Story #3: Wyndham's Grandparent Route 66 Play 48:57 — Story #4: Coachella Became a Hospitality Engine 59:13 — Spice of the Week Your Hosts: Zach Busekrus — Journey LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zachbusekrus/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behindthestays/ Scott Eddy — Global Travel & Hospitality Expert @MrScottEddy LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrscotteddy/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrscotteddy/ Ben Wolff — Founder of Onera & Oasi LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-wolff/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iambenwolff/ Edwin Kramer — Luxury Hotelier Consultant & Former GM LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edwinckramer/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/edwinkramer/
Subscribe to This Week in Hospitality wherever you get you podcasts: Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/5oPExA0txHMjEI5Ye13IUy Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/this-week-in-hospitality/id1849637233 Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/@ThisWeekinHospitality This week's episode of This Week in Hospitality starts on a deeply human note, with the crew reflecting on the escalating conflict in Iran and the ripple effects being felt across the Middle East and global travel. Edwin, Scott, Ben, and Zach share firsthand accounts from friends and colleagues across Dubai, Kuwait, Doha, Beirut, and beyond — a sobering reminder that hospitality often becomes both refuge and frontline in moments of crisis. From bombed airports to stranded travelers to terrified interns far from home, the conversation grounds the industry in what matters most: people caring for people. From there, the episode pivots hard into one of the biggest questions facing travel right now: what happens when AI stops being a novelty and starts becoming the interface? The panel unpacks Skift's “Claude Effect” thesis — the idea that travel may be next in line for the same investor panic and business-model disruption already hitting legal, finance, and cybersecurity. Ben argues the OTAs are in the blast zone. Scott says the markets always overreact — but something big is clearly coming. Edwin drops a scorching hot take: the real endgame may not be Booking vs. Expedia, but an AI giant partnering with or buying one of them outright. The back half of the episode tackles hotel brand sprawl and whether the industry has finally reached a saturation point. Are soft brands actually helping, or have they become watered-down middle children that confuse consumers and dilute meaning? The crew debates whether AI-powered discovery will make “brand count” irrelevant and force hotel groups to compete on clarity, trust, and true personalization instead. Finally, the episode closes with a fascinating look at Kimpton, one of the rare boutique brands that seems to have scaled without completely losing its soul after acquisition. Scott and Edwin explain why Kimpton has worked when so many others have failed: separate teams, protected identity, and the discipline to let the back-end scale quietly without flattening the front-end experience. Oh, and in true This Week in Hospitality fashion, the episode wraps with a spicy final challenge for the industry: if you're a travel executive talking about AI but not personally using it every day, what exactly are you leading? This Week in Hospitality is presented to you by Journey. Journey is a loyalty platform built specifically for independent boutique hotels and high-touch hospitality brands. Our mission is to give operators the same powerful rewards engine, data intelligence, and guest insights that major chains rely on — without asking them to give up the individuality, soul, or story that makes their property extraordinary. If you're an owner or operator of an extraordinary, independently owned and operated hotel or residence — and you want to see whether your property is a fit for the Journey Alliance — you can learn more and apply at https://www.journey.com/alliance Key Topics & Timestamps 00:00 — Intro 15:15 — Story #1: AI's “Claude Effect” Comes for Travel Booking 34:53 — Story #2: Have Hotel Soft Brands Hit a Saturation Point? 45:58 — Story #3: Can Kimpton Scale Without Losing Its Soul? 53:12 — Spice of the Week Your Hosts: Zach Busekrus — Journey LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zachbusekrus/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behindthestays/ Scott Eddy — Global Travel & Hospitality Expert @MrScottEddy LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrscotteddy/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrscotteddy/ Ben Wolff — Founder of Onera & Oasi LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-wolff/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iambenwolff/ Edwin Kramer — Luxury Hotelier Consultant & Former GM LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edwinckramer/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/edwinkramer/
Travelers say they're worried about the economy — but they're still packing their bags. In this episode of The STR Data Lab, AirDNA Chief Economist Jamie Lane sits down with Seth Borko, Head of Research at Skift, to unpack the 2026 travel outlook and what it really means for short-term rental hosts and property managers.The headline? Travel remains the world's top discretionary spending priority — even in an uncertain economy. While consumers are price-conscious and navigating a “K-shaped” recovery, they're not cutting trips. Instead, they're choosing cheaper flights, exploring more affordable destinations, and prioritizing accommodations and experiences over everything else. For STR operators, that's a powerful signal: the right property in the right market, positioned around the right experience, is still incredibly compelling.The conversation also dives into the rapid rise of AI in trip planning. Nearly half of U.S. travelers are already using AI tools for discovery and inspiration. While booking behavior hasn't fully shifted (yet), personalization is accelerating — and that could reshape loyalty, distribution, and direct booking strategies in the years ahead.You don't want to miss this episode.Practical Takeaways for STR Hosts & ManagersTravel is still the #1 discretionary spend. Even in uncertain times, consumers want to travel — they're just adjusting how they do it.Guests are saving on flights — not stays. Survey data shows travelers are cutting airfare costs first while prioritizing accommodations and experiences. Your property still matters.Experiences drive the trip. Today's traveler starts with “What do I want to experience?” and back-solves into destination and accommodation. Design and market your STR as part of that experience — not just a place to sleep.Affordable destinations have momentum. With travelers choosing less expensive markets, regional and domestic STR markets may benefit from trade-down behavior.AI is reshaping discovery. Travelers are increasingly using AI tools to compare destinations, activities, and accommodations. Properties with clear positioning, strong differentiation, and well-structured listing content will win in AI-powered search.Loyalty may be redefined. As personalization improves, guests may be more willing to switch brands or platforms if the offer is better. Value, flexibility, and frictionless booking will matter more than ever.Sign up for AirDNA for FREE
In this episode, Adam Stoker sits down with Rafat Ali, CEO and Founder of Skift, for a high-level reality check on the state of travel. If you've been waiting for the world to "get back to normal," Rafat has news: the volatility of the last few years isn't a phase—it is the new permanent baseline. Whether discussing the rise of AI or the importance of showcasing local creative energy over traditional "sun and sand" ads, Rafat's message is clear: you can outsource your tactics, but you can never outsource your vision. Subscribe to our newsletter! The Destination Marketing Podcast is a part of the Destination Marketing Podcast Network. It is hosted by Adam Stoker and produced by Brand Revolt. If you are interested in any of Brand Revolt's services, please email adam@thebrandrevolt.com or visit www.thebrandrevolt.com. To learn more about the Destination Marketing Podcast network and to listen to our other shows, please visit www.thedmpn.com. If you are interested in joining the network, please email adam@thebrandrevolt.com.
Seth Borko, head of research at Skift, talks with Alan Fine of Insider Travel Report during Skift's conference about global travel megatrends, separating fact from fiction on the economy, U.S. inbound travel, luxury demand and traveler loyalty. Borko also discusses artificial intelligence, why curation and trust matter more than ever, and what these trends mean for travel advisors and the future of trip planning. For more information, visit www.skift.com. All our Insider Travel Report video interviews are archived and available on our Youtube channel (youtube.com/insidertravelreport), and as podcasts with the same title on: Spotify, Pandora, Stitcher, PlayerFM, Listen Notes, Podchaser, TuneIn + Alexa, Podbean, iHeartRadio, Google, Amazon Music/Audible, Deezer, Podcast Addict, and iTunes Apple Podcasts, which supports Overcast, Pocket Cast, Castro and Castbox.
We're sharing a preview of a new podcast from Skift called Skift Take Sessions. Skift Take Sessions is a weekly, journalist-led podcast built from the most important conversations shaping the global travel industry. Each episode features candid interviews with CEOs and senior leaders across airlines, hotels, and travel platforms, recorded live at Skift events and expanded with context around why the conversation matters now and what we learned. Hosted by Wil Slickers, the show brings listeners inside executive-level thinking from leaders at companies like Hilton, Expedia Group, Airbnb, JetBlue, and more. New episodes drop every week. Listen and follow Skift Take Sessions: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/skift-take-sessions/id1871511773 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4oKApv7z0I65VpySjh9rqP?si=2e8f1e3e83e8459d Skift.com: https://skift.com/skift-travel-podcasts/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Is travel’s affordability crisis reaching a boiling point? Rafat Ali thinks it may be. A veteran business journalist turned travel media entrepreneur, he is the founder of Skift, one of the world’s leading travel business websites. And he has been one of the industry’s most outspoken voices on the trouble brewing with travel’s high prices. Rafat joins this episode of the podcast to discuss the affordability issues dogging travel in 2026 — and how they may be driving customers away. He shares why profit maximization may be working against travel companies and how group travel may be one of the keys to making travel more affordable to the middle class. Plus, we have news about Delta’s growing premium sector and a Hot Minute about why you must clarify your core values in 2026. Insights from Rafat Ali Rafat had lots of insight about why travel got so expensive in the past few years — and why that trend is probably unsustainable. Here's what she had to say about how the post-pandemic travel surge is changing: “The conventional wisdom became after COVID that people have reprioritized travel over other things. We have said that 100 times. But the numbers now are showing that travel's wallet share has decreased in the last two years by four points, from 12% to 8%. And that means in the hierarchy of needs wants, travel has fallen back down to where it was before.” Plus, he had great perspectives on: Whether travel vendors have any flexibility on pricing Automation ideas that could ease labor costs in travel Destinations offering great, affordable experiences Resources Mentioned in This Episode Learn more about Skift and subscribe to the daily newsletter at skift.com. Follow Rafat Ali on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/rafatali. Learn more about the Skift Global Forum at live.skift.com/skift-global-forum. Apply to attend our OnSite FAM tour in Myrtle Beach at grouptravelleader.com/mb-fam. Key Moments From This Episode 1:18 — Travel News: Delta doubles down on high-end customers 2:49 — News From Us: Join us for a student travel FAM to Myrtle Beach 7:06 — How Rafat Ali became a travel media mogul 10:12 — What is driving travel's affordability crisis? 16:05 — How profit maximization might be damaging your brand 21:31 — Do your travel vendors have any flexibility on pricing? 23:33 — Is automation the answer to high travel prices? 26:06 — Identifying more affordable destinations 30:32 — Potential solutions to travel's affordability crisis 42:55 — Hot Minute: Why does your travel organization exist in 2026? Watch the Full Interview See the full interview with Sheila on our YouTube channel. About the Podcast Gather and Go with Brian Jewell is a tourism industry podcast that helps group travel leaders plan, promote and lead better trips. There are also tips and insights for destination marketers and others who support the tourism trade. Each episode reaches thousands of professional tour operators, travel agents and the volunteer group leaders they serve. The audience also includes destination museum leaders, church travel leaders and other tourism enthusiasts around the world. Each show includes an interview with a smart travel pro or an insightful person from outside tourism who’s expertise can help make travel businesses better. You’ll also hear travel news, road tips and more. New episodes are released about twice monthly. You can find Gather and Go wherever your listen to podcasts or subscribe by email.
For those of us who have chosen to walk a spiritual path, we've been called a great number of things. Particularly, crazy. So it can be important to have a translator of sorts to explain to the logically minded skeptics that it's possible to be spiritual without losing your mind. You don't have to abandon your logic to learn how to be spiritual. And you don't have to squeeze yourself into someone else's rituals, beliefs, or vibes to become a spiritual person. My guest this week, Laura Kusto, has done us all a favor and become that bridge to explain that there's another path — one built for strategic minds, skeptical hearts, and people who crave meaning that actually makes sense. Where spirituality isn't performance. It's pattern. It's timing.On this guest episode I have the pleasure of hearing Laura's story and conversation about al the great and rational gifts of astrology, moon phases, and how each supports productivity or planning. Laura explains how spirituality is actually the truth that rises when you finally stop outsourcing your intuition and start aligning with your natural rhythm. She shows us how to become spiritual in a way that feels grounded, intelligent, and completely yours — so your inner world can feel as clear and powerful as the life you've built on the outside. She walks us though the moon phases and how someone with zero astrology knowledge can start syncing their workflow to the moon today. She also shares about her creation, the Moon Map, and how it helps someone understand their natural timing and focus areas.Laura is the Moon Phase Astrologer for Strategic Minds—helping high-achieving entrepreneurs and executives claim their spiritual rhythm through grounded, repeatable frameworks rooted in lunar cycles. A sought-after speaker and featured Authority Magazine author, she helps analytical minds disenchanted by surface-level, “good vibes only” spirituality reconnect with something deeper. Her mission is to show driven, discerning thinkers that their intellect isn't a spiritual barrier—it's the bridge to alignment, clarity, and belonging. 25-year global corporate strategist and speaker (consulting VP & practice line lead). Sought-after expert featured in Skift, Crush the Rush and Company DimeSpeaker at 10+ international conferences (GBTA, ACTE Amsterdam, ProcureCon & more)Built a visibility platform with thought leadership across both corporate + spiritual spaces Midwest-born, moon-obsessed, and always tracking patterns (on earth and in the stars) Addicted to systems, cozy playlists, & decoding big truths through tiny details. Midwest-born, raising her 11-year-old daughter outside Bozeman, MT.w w w . l a u r a k u s t o . c o myoutube.com/@LauraKusto
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