Episode NotesThe total eclipse that will pass diagonally across the U.S. next week is expected to boost tourism in dozens of cities. So how will it impact air travel? Reporters Meghna Maharishi and Elizabeth Casolo have answers. The Federal Aviation Administration has issued warnings about traffic possibly being higher at airports in the eclipse’s path. However, two airports run by the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority in New York State aren’t projecting more traffic than usual. Meanwhile, one expert said it’s safe to fly in the middle of a solar eclipse, adding it’s practically no different from flying at night.  United Airlines and Southwest Airlines, among other carriers, have offered flights that provide travelers a chance to see the eclipse. Next, travel technology company Amadeus announced it has agreed to an expanded partnership with Expedia, writes Executive Editor Dennis Schaal. Schaal reports Expedia will further incorporate the New Distribution Capability into its operations. The NDC enables online travel agencies to allow travelers to choose their plane seats in advance for many airlines, along with a range of offerings. While Amadeus said the collaboration would enable Expedia to further personalize services, Expedia declined to state which services it might add. Finally, Alaska Airlines said it’s received $160 million from Boeing as initial compensation for lost profits after the blowout aboard Flight 1282, writes Airlines Reporter Maharishi. Maharishi notes the $160 million is the initial payment Alaska expects to receive for the blowout in January. However, the terms of future payouts from Boeing haven’t been revealed yet. Alaska Chief Financial Officer Shane Tackett said the company expects to be fully compensated for any losses in the first quarter. 

Episode NotesBrand USA will have a new president and CEO soon. NYC Tourism + Conventions CEO Fred Dixon will lead the U.S.’ destination marketing organization starting July 15, writes Global Tourism Reporter Dawit Habtemariam. Dixon, a veteran of the travel industry, will be tasked with helping the U.S. tourism industry make a full recovery from the pandemic. Long visitor visa wait times and the U.S.’ outdated air infrastructure have posed challenges for Brand USA. Dixon comes to Brand USA after having helped NYC secure $30 million in funds to market itself after the pandemic. Next, Hilton has acquired a majority controlling interest in Sydell Group, the owner of NoMad Hotels, reports Senior Hospitality Editor Sean O’Neill. Sydell will design, brand and manage the NoMad brand while Hilton will take the lead in working to get more NoMad hotels created. Hilton expects to build up to 100 NoMad hotels. NoMad, which currently has properties in Las Vegas and London in its portfolio, will join Hilton’s rewards program. Hilton’s acquisition of NoMad Hotels comes after it announced last month it would buy Graduate Hotels for $210 million.  Finally, Air India has completely transformed its loyalty program, writes Contributor Ajay Awtaney. Awtaney lists six major changes the company has made to its loyalty program. Air India will now award points to customers based on the fare paid instead of the distance traveled. In addition, Air India will keep any unredeemed points alive provided the loyalty program member flies with the company every two years. Under the previous system, unredeemed points expired three years after they were earned. Air India has also simplified the loyalty program’s status tiers. Awtaney notes Air India’s loyalty program is considered the toughest in India to achieve status. 

Steve Singh, co-founder of travel expense management company Concur, and four firms have acquired corporate travel agency Direct Travel, writes Travel Technology Reporter Justin Dawes. Singh said the group purchased Direct Travel, one of the world’s largest corporate travel agencies, from private venture capital firm Antares Capital and other debt providers. He said they’re planning to release a platform for Direct Travel customers that combines the four firms’ technologies and services. The platform is expected to include an artificial intelligence-powered trip planner and a way to provide assistance to travelers facing disruptions.  Next, Trivago has brought back members of its leadership team from the time of its IPO in December 2016, reports Executive Editor Dennis Schaal. Trivago recently named Robin Harries its chief financial officer, a move the company said completed its leadership changes. Schaal notes that four executives who left Trivago in 2020 have returned to the Germany-based hotel metasearch engine. The company launched an AI-driven ad campaign in December. Finally, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts has announced its 25th brand, WaterWalk Extended Stay by Wyndham, reports Senior Hospitality Editor Sean O’Neill.O’Neill reports WaterWalk stands out from other hotel brands in that it permits owners to sell a mix of rooms. About 60% of its rooms are marketed as extended-stay hotel rooms and 40% are marketed as short-term rentals. O’Neill adds WalterWalk is part of Wyndham’s strategy to expand in the extended-stay sector. 

Episode NotesTravel metasearch sites, which enable consumers to compare hotel or flight prices from multiple vendors simultaneously, had been thriving since the early days of online travel. But the sector is experiencing a rough patch now, reports Executive Editor Dennis Schaal. Schaal writes some of the major travel metasearch players have had financial issues in recent years, noting Google has eaten into Tripadvisor’s metasearch market share. Tripadvisor’s hotel metasearch revenue grew only 7% in 2023. Meanwhile, Trivago recorded a roughly $176 million loss last year. Wells Fargo Managing Director Brian Fitzgerald said factors other than increased competition from Google have contributed to the struggles of travel metasearch companies. Hotels in particular have been able to attract more direct traffic through their loyalty programs.Next, United Airlines is offering pilots unpaid time off in May due to delivery delays with Boeing jets, writes Airlines Reporter Meghna Maharishi. The carrier said its projected 2024 block hours — the industry’s standard measure for aircraft use — have been cut. So United pilots now have the option of taking unpaid time off to help reduce excess staffing. Boeing delivery delays have also impacted hiring at United, with the airline announcing it would halt pilot hiring in May and June. Finally, baseball star Shohei Ohtani could boost tourism to the U.S. this season after joining the Los Angeles Dodgers — that is, if he isn’t suspended for being involved in an ongoing gambling scandal, writes Associate Editor Rashaad Jorden. Japanese travel agency JTB is looking to take advantage of the huge interest in Japan in seeing Ohtani play for the Dodgers. JTB, which agreed to an international partnership with Major League Baseball earlier this year, is offering travel packages to Ohtani’s regular season games in the U.S. JTB Branding and PR Manager Kaori Mori said the company saw enormous demand in the travel packages it offered for the season-opening series in South Korea between the Dodgers and San Diego Padres.Ohtani has been mired in controversy recently, as his longtime interpreter has been accused of stealing millions of dollars from Ohtani to cover a gambling debt. But Mori said she believes more Japanese fans want to travel to the U.S. to watch Ohtani, who has denied betting on baseball. Producer/Presenter: Jose Marmolejos

Episode NotesAirbnb will introduce a new cancellation policy in June that will cover weather-related disruptions, reports Executive Editor Dennis Schaal.  Airbnb’s “Major Disruptive Events Policy” would enable guests to cancel reservations and receive refunds when a natural disaster causes government travel restrictions or mass outages of utilities, such as electricity or water. Airbnb’s new policy would allow guests to cancel reservations mid-trip during a covered event. However, the short-term rental giant explicitly said its new policy would not cover Covid-19 or flu outbreaks. Next, Marriott Vacations Worldwide has launched its first collection of timeshares in cities, a sign of the increasing demand for timeshares outside of resort locations, writes Senior Hospitality Editor Sean O’Neill. The Marriott Vacation Clubs City Collection has properties in seven U.S. cities, including Boston, New York and San Francisco. While city timeshares will still be the minority of the group’s portfolio, executives say they’ve seen more interest in urban timeshares. O’Neill reports Waikiki and Charleston are among the locations where Marriott Vacations Worldwide will open its next city clubs. Finally, Las Vegas will start welcoming low-cost, long-haul flights from London later this year, writes Airlines Editor Gordon Smith. The route, which will be operated by Norse Atlantic Airways, is due to start on September 12. As flights from Las Vegas to London run between 10 and 11 hours, Norse will be the only low-cost carrier flying such a long route from the Nevada city. Meanwhile, Smith notes that economy passengers on the Las Vegas-London flights will be paying for services for checked bags and inflight meals. 

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

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

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

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

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