Skift Daily Travel Briefing

Hotel deals are projected to surge in 2025, with JLL forecasting 15-25% growth and a focus on city-center properties in destinations like London, New York, and Tokyo. Meanwhile, Greenland’s rising tourism, fueled by global attention and a 9% hike in land-based visitors in 2023, is straining its limited infrastructure and fragile environment. Finally, TravelPerk’s $200 million funding round, the largest for an expense management platform since 2023, signals strong investor confidence in corporate travel tech heading into 2025. Hotel deals worldwide are projected to boom in 2025 Is Greenland is equipped to handle a tourism surge? Corporate travel agency TravelPerk said it’s raised $200 million Connect with SkiftLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/skift/WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAL375LikgIXmNPYQ0L/Facebook: https://facebook.com/skiftnewsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/skiftnews/Threads: https://www.threads.net/@skiftnewsBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/skiftnews.bsky.socialX: https://twitter.com/skiftSubscribe to @SkiftNews (https://www.youtube.com/@SkiftNews) and never miss an update from the travel industry.

OpenAI has introduced Operator, a digital assistant that autonomously handles travel bookings, stirring concern among industry stalwarts like Booking.com. Meanwhile, TripAdvisor is shuffling its corporate deck, rejecting an acquisition bid while eyeing its parent company. American Airlines reports robust earnings but anticipates a dip next year as costs rise, contrasting with Delta and United's optimistic forecasts for record profits. It's a whirlwind of innovation and strategy in the travel landscape!

Accor is expanding its portfolio of economy hotels in the Middle East as the region shifts toward mass-market tourism, with a particular focus on Saudi Arabia. In India, while domestic and outbound tourism have grown, inbound tourism remains weak due to visa difficulties and reduced government funding for global tourism promotion. Meanwhile, the Chinese social media platform RedNote has surged in popularity among American travelers, offering a new hub for travel inspiration amid uncertainty over TikTok’s future. Accor has big plans to expand its portfolio of economy hotels in the Middle East Why India can’t attract more international tourists RedNote, the Chinese social media platform that has seen a surge in popularity among American travelers Connect with SkiftLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/skift/WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAL375LikgIXmNPYQ0L/Facebook: https://facebook.com/skiftnewsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/skiftnews/Threads: https://www.threads.net/@skiftnewsBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/skiftnews.bsky.socialX: https://twitter.com/skiftSubscribe to @SkiftNews (https://www.youtube.com/@SkiftNews) and never miss an update from the travel industry.

President Donald Trump signed executive orders that could impact travel, including a federal hiring freeze that may lead to visa processing delays and stricter screening rules that resemble his previous travel ban. Online travel agency Hopper is considering an IPO, with CEO Fred Lalonde estimating a potential $10 billion valuation, though the company must meet revenue and profitability targets first. Meanwhile, global tourism has rebounded to pre-Covid levels, with international arrivals increasing by 11% in 2024, driven largely by growth in Africa and the Asia-Pacific region. The executive orders that could have the biggest impact on the travel industry Online travel agency Hopper is considering an initial public offering  Global tourism recovered to pre-Covid levels in 2024 Connect with SkiftLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/skift/WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAL375LikgIXmNPYQ0L/Facebook: https://facebook.com/skiftnewsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/skiftnews/Threads: https://www.threads.net/@skiftnewsBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/skiftnews.bsky.socialX: https://twitter.com/skiftSubscribe to @SkiftNews (https://www.youtube.com/@SkiftNews) and never miss an update from the travel industry.

Donald Trump’s return to the White House has the hotel industry hopeful for policies like tax cuts and expanded worker visas to boost business, as the expiration of key tax provisions could lead to a 33% increase in taxes. Meanwhile, TikTok will remain accessible in the U.S. after Trump extended the deadline for ByteDance to find a buyer, preventing a federal ban that could have disrupted travel marketing for major brands like Expedia and Disney Parks. Additionally, online travel agency Agoda has launched a Sustainable Tourism Impact Fund to support small businesses in Southeast Asia with low-interest loans to promote eco-friendly practices. Airbnb has unveiled measures to crack down on price gouging 2024 was a record-breaking year for airlines Luxury cruise group Ponant Explorations Group acquired Aqua Expeditions Connect with SkiftLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/skift/WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAL375LikgIXmNPYQ0L/Facebook: https://facebook.com/skiftnewsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/skiftnews/Threads: https://www.threads.net/@skiftnewsBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/skiftnews.bsky.socialX: https://twitter.com/skiftSubscribe to @SkiftNews and never miss an update from the travel industry.

Airbnb is cracking down on price gouging with a new policy limiting price increases in wildfire-affected areas. Meanwhile, the airline industry is celebrating a record-breaking year, with heightened passenger capacity and fewer scheduled flights. Also, luxury cruising gets a boost as Ponant Explorations acquires Aqua Expeditions, expanding its high-end offerings and planning new itineraries in East Africa.

The U.S. Department of Transportation is suing Southwest Airlines for chronically delayed flights on specific routes, while the airline disputes the claims. President-elect Donald Trump’s Transportation Secretary nominee, Sean Duffy, emphasized aviation safety and merit-based hiring during his Senate hearing. A report on the hotel industry highlights a gap between sustainability commitments and actual actions, with only 6% of surveyed hotels using renewable energy despite widespread emissions reduction plans. U.S. Department of Transportation has filed a lawsuit against Southwest Airlines President-elect Donald Trump's nominee for Transportation Secretary appeared before the Senate Commerce Committee A new report by the World Travel and Tourism Council and Greenview about hotels and sustainability Connect with SkiftLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/skift/WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAL375LikgIXmNPYQ0L/Facebook: https://facebook.com/skiftnewsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/skiftnews/Threads: https://www.threads.net/@skiftnewsBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/skiftnews.bsky.socialX: https://twitter.com/skiftSubscribe to @SkiftNews and never miss an update from the travel industry.

Tripadvisor is testing a partnership with AI search engine Perplexity to leverage its vast travel data and maintain visibility in search results, while Perplexity pays for that data and gives Tripadvisor a commission on bookings. Meanwhile, Southwest Airlines is pausing corporate hiring and most internships to cut costs as it works toward returning to profitability. Finally, luxury hospitality company Banyan Group plans to expand beyond its Asian base by adding new properties and residences, including openings in Tanzania, the Dominican Republic, North America, and the Middle East. Tripadvisor has begun a trial to power travel-related answers on ChatGPT rival Perplexity Southwest Airlines is pausing corporate hiring and most summer internships Luxury hospitality company Banyan Group is looking to expand beyond its traditional base Connect with SkiftLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/skift/WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAL375LikgIXmNPYQ0L/Facebook: https://facebook.com/skiftnewsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/skiftnews/Threads: https://www.threads.net/@skiftnewsBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/skiftnews.bsky.socialX: https://twitter.com/skiftSubscribe to @SkiftNews and never miss an update from the travel industry.

American Express Global Business Travel is defending its proposed $570 million acquisition of CWT against a U.S. Department of Justice lawsuit, arguing the deal, slated to close in March, would not harm competition despite DOJ concerns over pricing and innovation. Meanwhile, luxury hotel brand Belmond is promoting its properties with hour-long ambient videos, aiming to differentiate itself from competitors who focus on short social media clips. Lastly, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced plans to raise taxes on holiday rentals, aligning with a new EU directive and addressing concerns about their impact on housing availability and affordability. American Express Global Business Travel pushed back on a recently filed U.S. Department of Justice lawsuit Ultra-luxury hotel brand Belmond is sharing hour-long videos with minimal action Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced plans on Monday to raise taxes on holiday rentals Connect with SkiftLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/skift/WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAL375LikgIXmNPYQ0L/Facebook: https://facebook.com/skiftnewsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/skiftnews/Threads: https://www.threads.net/@skiftnewsBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/skiftnews.bsky.socialX: https://twitter.com/skiftSubscribe to @SkiftNews and never miss an update from the travel industry.

TikTok is launching its first e-commerce product exclusively for travel brands to help them reach potential customers in the booking moment. Meanwhile, Hilton has surpassed 1,000 trading hotels in Asia-Pacific ahead of schedule and plans to expand further by tailoring offerings to local travelers and leveraging strategic franchising. Lastly, with hotel supply in India lagging behind demand, industry analysts predict room rates will surge and revenues will continue climbing through the 2025 and 2026 fiscal years. TikTok said Thursday it’s launching its first e-commerce product exclusively for travel brands Hilton is looking to take advantage of the travel boom across Asia  Room rates in the India are expected to surge Connect with SkiftLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/skift/WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAL375LikgIXmNPYQ0L/Facebook: https://facebook.com/skiftnewsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/skiftnews/Threads: https://www.threads.net/@skiftnewsBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/skiftnews.bsky.socialX: https://twitter.com/skiftSubscribe to @SkiftNews and never miss an update from the travel industry.