Skift Daily Travel Briefing

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.

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

Episode NotesIndian weddings are a billion dollar business — and not just in India. Asia Editor Peden Doma Bhutia delves into the increasingly lucrative phenomenon. Bhutia writes Indian weddings aren’t just celebrations — they’re massive economic engines. The roughly 3.5 million couples that got married in India between November 23 and December 15 last year spent about $57 billion on wedding-related expenses. Meanwhile, the more than 900 weddings Marriott hosted in India last year generated close to 10% of its revenue in the country. Bhutia cites Thailand and the United Arab Emirates as destinations eager to attract wealthy Indians looking to get married. A Thai tourism official said the country hosts between 400 and 500 Indian weddings annually. Next, United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby has sought to reassure travelers after a spate of recent mishaps aboard United flights, writes Airlines Reporter Meghna Maharishi. Kirby sent a memo to customers on Monday stating that United is working to improve safety. United has had five incidents during the past month, including one where a Boeing jet landed in Medford, Oregon with an external panel missing. Kirby said United is reviewing the details of each and plans to use information from those reviews to develop its safety procedures. Finally, Egypt’s tourism chief said the ongoing Israel-Hamas war has hurt the country’s growth, writes Global Tourism Reporter Dawit Habtemariam.Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Ahmed Issa said tourism grew 6% in the first two months of 2024 compared to last year. The government was expecting a 20% increase. Issa added Egypt has seen a decrease in the number of American tourists, with two tour operator executives stating bookings from the U.S. have yet to make a full recovery.   Presenter/Producer: Jose Marmolejos

Episode NotesThe growing push to ban TikTok in the U.S. has raised questions about how travel brands would market themselves without the popular app. Global Tourism Reporter Dawit Habtemariam writes several state tourism offices have already directed more resources toward Instagram and YouTube. Habtemariam notes Visit Utah has increased its investment in Instagram Reels after Utah’s governor banned state government agencies from using TikTok in 2022. Katlyn Svendsen, an executive at Travel South Dakota, said the state took a similar approach after South Dakota enacted its own state government ban on TikTok that year. Svendsen said the agency has had success reaching audiences on platforms such as Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts. Next, business travel could make a full recovery from the pandemic in 2024, writes contributor Justin Bachman. Business travel is expected to hit 95% of 2019 levels this year, according to the U.S. Travel Association. However, some major corporations could send more staff on the road if the U.S. economy achieves a so-called “soft landing,” which would see inflation slowing and interest rates easing. Executives from both Alaska Airlines and Delta Air Lines said at a recent investor conference they’re seeing business traffic increase. Finally, Middle East Reporter Josh Corder profiles the new Ritz-Carlton Reserve in Saudi Arabia, which is set to be the Middle East’s most expensive hotel. A night at the new Ritz-Carlton Reserve, which opens for bookings on May 26, will set guests back roughly $3,400. The property — known as Nujuma — will be home to 63 villas. Nujuma is slated to include a spa, swimming pools, and a retail area, among other features. Nujuma is located in a coastal tourism project called The Red Sea, which will eventually house 50 hotels. 

Episode NotesSkift on Wednesday unveiled its newest venture: Executive Search. The aim: Address the growing demand for skilled and visionary leaders within the travel sector. The people we place will define the future of travel. Skift has helped thousands of travel industry leaders establish connections at our events throughout the years, often indirectly acting as a recruitment firm. The Executive Search unit is the next step in assisting companies looking not only to acquire talent but better understand prospective candidates. We turn next to the growing push to ban TikTok in the U.S. Although it’s uncertain the U.S. government will enact such a measure, Global Tourism Reporter Dawit Habtemariam breaks down how a TikTok ban would impact the U.S. travel industry.U.S. lawmakers have expressed concerns over China's government having access to personal data of American citizens, with TikTok being owned by a Chinese company. Habtemariam notes a ban on TikTok would disrupt the global travel industry as many travel brands have offices in the U.S. Travel brands would also lose the ability to advertise on TikTok, a popular platform for promoting destinations and products. Finally, visa requirements are easing for travelers worldwide, according to a recently published report by UN Tourism, reports Associate Editor Rashaad Jorden. UN Tourism’s Tourism Visa Openness Report revealed 47% of people globally last year needed a traditional visa. A traditional visa is a standard paper visa placed in a passport after submitting paperwork and/or conducting an in-person interview. That figure is a 12-percentage point drop from 2018. However, 84% of the world’s population still needs a traditional visa to travel to North America. Meanwhile, the percentage of travelers able to obtain an e-visa has increased significantly in recent years. About 18% of the world’s population can apply for e-visas, up from 7% in 2018.