The Skift Travel Podcast

In this discussion, Seth Borko, a Skift analyst, joins founding editor Dennis Schaal to dive into the impact of AI on travel. They explore how AI is reshaping trip planning and customer service while looking at the tense competition between OTAs and direct bookings. Dennis reflects on past Skift Global Forums and forecasts future discussions on industry shifts, loyalty innovations, and regulatory challenges. The conversation highlights the importance of balancing technology with human connection in the evolving travel landscape.

The countdown to the FIFA World Cup 2026 is on, and New York–New Jersey is set to host the world’s biggest stage — including the final at MetLife Stadium. Seth Borko and Sarah Kopit sit down with Bettina Garibaldi, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer for the NYNJ Host Committee, to unpack how the region is preparing for an event expected to bring $3.3 billion in economic impact. From transit and mobility challenges to fan festivals and local business engagement, Bettina shares how the World Cup could transform the region’s hospitality landscape and leave a long-term tourism legacy. Presented by ⁠⁠⁠⁠EF World Journeys⁠⁠⁠⁠. Takeaways: New York–New Jersey will host eight matches and the final, expected to attract global audiences on par with 13 Super Bowls. The event is projected to deliver $3.3 billion in economic impact and support more than 26,000 jobs. Mobility and operations are top priorities, with agencies preparing for 80,000+ fans per match. Local businesses are encouraged to creatively engage visitors with thematic experiences, even without FIFA IP rights. The official FIFA Fan Festival at Liberty State Park will run all 39 days of the tournament. Beyond 2026, the tournament is seen as a chance to strengthen the region’s long-term tourism and hospitality brand. 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.

In this engaging conversation, Omri Morgenshtern, CEO of Agoda, shares insights on transforming Bangkok into a thriving tech hub, likening it to 'Silicon Valley in Bangkok.' He discusses Agoda's significant focus on artificial intelligence, revealing its potential to enhance engineering and customer service. Morgenshtern highlights the balance of global expertise and local talent in building a robust workforce. Additionally, he addresses the current limitations of generative AI, which, while promising, is still evolving in the travel sector.

On this episode of the Skift Travel Podcast, co-hosts Sarah Kopit and Seth Borko return from their summer break with a high-speed conversation featuring Boom Supersonic founder and CEO Blake Scholl. Scholl shares how Boom is working to make three-hour transatlantic flights a reality by the end of the decade, why Concorde failed to scale, and how Boom’s technology could silence the dreaded sonic boom. From regulatory wins in Washington to airline pre-orders from United and American, Scholl lays out how supersonic travel could reshape global tourism, business, and culture. Presented by ⁠⁠⁠⁠EF World Journeys⁠⁠⁠⁠. 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.

Shai Zelering, Global Head of Hospitality Investments at Brookfield Real Estate, makes his first podcast appearance, sharing insights on billion-dollar strategies and the future of hospitality. He discusses Brookfield's significant investments in Europe and India, the quirks of aligning brands with owners, and the rise of affordable travel with Generator hostels. Zelering believes technology can revolutionize the industry, addressing the challenges of the U.S. labor market and the need for unique lodging concepts in a commoditized landscape.

Dive into the hospitality industry's latest shifts! Explore Marriott's flat Q2 performance and its strategic push into app advertising. Discover heartwarming inclusive hiring initiatives for individuals with intellectual disabilities. Learn about the TSA's potential rollbacks on liquid rules and Delta's resistance to AI in customer targeting. Enjoy some funny travel stories and insights on how social media influences travel decisions among younger generations. The conversation is lively with real-time audience interaction, adding to the excitement!

In this episode of the Skift Travel Podcast, Skift CEO Rafat Ali talks with Euan McGlashan, Global Co-Founder, CEO, and Owner of Valor Hospitality Partners, about what’s broken—and what’s still worth rebuilding—in U.S. hospitality. With a presence in 20 countries and nearly 100 properties, Valor is redefining what hotel management looks like, from talent pipelines to franchise relationships to frontline culture.Ali opens with a provocation — that U.S. hospitality has, in many ways, lost the plot. McGlashan doesn’t disagree, but brings a global lens to the conversation, arguing that much of what’s broken can be traced back to culture, misaligned incentives, and outdated management models.McGlashan shares how Valor has grown by focusing on culture, purpose, and performance—not just scale. He breaks down what’s behind the industry’s worsening labor shortages and how emotional intelligence training has become core to Valor’s model. With a blunt take on the limits of brand-led loyalty and the traditional third-party operator model, McGlashan offers a vision for a more human, more effective version of hotel leadership.The discussion also covers Valor’s global growth strategy, how it balances working with big brands while protecting team identity, and why “doing the simple things brilliantly” is still the fastest way to win guest loyalty. Presented by ⁠EF World Journeys⁠.Key Themes What’s broken in U.S. hospitality and what it will take to fix it Reframing frontline hospitality roles as emotionally complex, high-value work Why culture, not branding, drives loyalty and performance Emotional intelligence training as a competitive advantage Redefining third-party management with purpose and commercial discipline How Valor grows globally while protecting team culture locally Why innovation means revolution, not imitation Building owner trust by running great hotels, not chasing headlines 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.

Wil Slickers here again, and I’m closing out our summer break by sharing one of my favorite episodes from Slick Talk — a deep, future-focused conversation with Richard Valtr, founder of Mews. Richard and I go beyond operations to explore what it means to think theologically about hospitality: why the real competition isn’t other hotels but the hours outside of a guest’s sleep, how technology should drive growth instead of just cutting costs, and what it takes to turn a property into a lifestyle brand. We talk about Mews’ journey from serving independents to winning enterprise clients, the role of acquisitions like Nomi Travel, and how AI, personalization, and a richer 24-hour guest experience could redefine our industry. This one’s for anyone who wants to think bigger about what hospitality can be. Follow the Hosts: Wil Slickers – ⁠LinkedIn⁠ 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.

Join industry leaders Rafat Ali, CEO & Co-Founder of Skift, and Siradej "Champ" Donavanik, Vice President Development (Global), of Dusit International, as they explore how Asian hospitality brands are carving out a unique identity amid global competition. From managing villas across continents to expanding beyond Thailand, they discuss the importance of cultural authenticity, personalized guest experiences, and balancing technology with the human touch. Dive into the challenges and opportunities facing Southeast Asia’s booming travel markets, the impact of geopolitical shifts on tourism, and how Dusit leverages bespoke hospitality and strategic partnerships to grow in diverse markets, including India, China, Japan, and Europe. Learn how innovation, tradition, and education intersect to redefine what hospitality means in an increasingly connected world. Presented by EF World Journeys. Key Themes:- Managing and marketing villas across 20+ countries on four continents- Diversifying beyond Thailand: growth priorities in Southeast Asia, India, China, and Europe- Leveraging Asian hospitality’s unique, personalized service as a competitive edge- Balancing high-tech tools with high-touch human interaction for better guest experiences- Using technology to free staff for more meaningful guest engagement, not replace them- Overcoming challenges from geopolitical issues and natural disasters in Thailand- Promoting cross-cultural education and ASEAN hospitality competency standards- Targeting fast-growing emerging markets: Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines- Entering complex markets like India with local partners and long-term commitment- Exploring opportunities in Saudi Arabia and new European territories- Positioning Asian hospitality brands as distinctive alternatives to Western global chains 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.

While Sarah and Seth are on a summer break, we are taking the opportunity to introduce listeners to new shows. Today that is a Suite Success episode. Host Katie Cline sits down with Top Chef judge and culinary storyteller Gail Simmons to talk travel, taste, and the unexpected power of a good meal. From her early days in food media to two decades on Top Chef, Gail reflects on how curiosity—and a few bold leaps—shaped her career. She shares how food became her lens for understanding people and places, and why the best bites often come from the most surprising cities. Whether you’re building a brand, booking a trip, or dreaming up your next dinner party, Gail’s insights will leave you hungry for more. Presented by EF World Journeys. Connect with Gail: Gail's Instagram – ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Link⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Gail's Website – ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Link⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Gail's Substack – ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Link⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Links: Apple Podcasts - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Link⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Spotify - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Link⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Connect with Katie⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠