The Skift Travel Podcast

Erik Blachford has been the CEO of companies large and small (Expedia, Terrapass, Butterfield & Robinson) and serves or has served on numerous boards (Zillow, Peloton Interactive, Glassdoor, etc). He joins Seth and Sarah to answer their questions about what exactly a CEO does, and the qualities that make someone a good candidate for the job.Looking for the perfect candidate to fill a leadership opening? Skift Executive Search can help. To learn more, visit https://www.skift.com/exec-search, or email us at ExecSearch@skift.com.Connect with SkiftLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/skift/X: https://twitter.com/skiftFacebook: https://facebook.com/skiftnewsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/skiftnews/WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAL375LikgIXmNPYQ0L/Subscribe to @SkiftNews and never miss an update from the travel industry.

Sarah and Seth are joined by Skift Managing Editor Lex Harris to discuss the recent market sell off and how it specifically impacts the travel sector.See how the industry is faring right now by checking out the Skift Travel 200, the first ever index that tracks the performance of the world's top publicly traded travel companies: https://data.skift.com/skift-travel-200/Connect with SkiftLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/skift/X: https://twitter.com/skiftFacebook: https://facebook.com/skiftnewsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/skiftnews/WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAL375LikgIXmNPYQ0L/Subscribe to @SkiftNews and never miss an update from the travel industry.

Seth and Sarah are joined by Greg Klassen, a Senior Director at Skift Advisory and former President and CEO of Destination Canada, to discuss what host cities stand to benefit and lose from hosting large sporting events such as the Paris Olympic Games.Connect with SkiftLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/skift/X: https://twitter.com/skiftFacebook: https://facebook.com/skiftnewsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/skiftnews/WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAL375LikgIXmNPYQ0L/Subscribe to @SkiftNews and never miss an update from the travel industry.

Our series on the Paris Olympics continues as Seth and Sarah speak with Patrick Mendes, the CEO of Europe and North Africa for Accor—an official Olympic partner and the largest hotel group in Europe.Connect with SkiftLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/skift/X: https://twitter.com/skiftFacebook: https://facebook.com/skiftnewsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/skiftnews/WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAL375LikgIXmNPYQ0L/Subscribe to @SkiftNews and never miss an update from the travel industry.

In the wake of tourists in Barcelona being attacked with water guns by protesters upset over the consequences of perceived overtourism, Oliver Martin and Aleix Rodríguez Brunsoms of Skift Advisory and Skift global tourism reporter Dawit Habtemariam discuss the situation and what can be done to strike a balance between the benefits and pitfalls of being a highly touristed city.Connect with SkiftLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/skift/X: https://twitter.com/skiftFacebook: https://facebook.com/skiftnewsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/skiftnews/WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAL375LikgIXmNPYQ0L/Subscribe to @SkiftNews and never miss an update from the travel industry.

In the first installment of our series celebrating the upcoming Paris Olympics, Seth and Sarah speak with Ben Smith, the CEO of Air France KLM—an official partner of these games and one of the largest airlines in the world.Connect with SkiftLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/skift/X: https://twitter.com/skiftFacebook: https://facebook.com/skiftnewsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/skiftnews/WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAL375LikgIXmNPYQ0L/Subscribe to @SkiftNews and never miss an update from the travel industry.

Seth is joined by senior research analyst Pranavi Agarwal and travel technology reporter Justin Dawes to discuss the current state of venture capital investment in the business of travel.Read the full research report "Venture Investment Trends in Travel 2024": https://research.skift.com/report/venture-investment-trends-in-travel-2024/Read more travel news at https://skift.com

Presented by Brand USAIn this episode of the Skift Travel podcast our hosts are joined by Jamie Lane, Chief Economist at AirDNA, to discuss the short-term rental industry’s outlook for Independence Day weekend. Lane notes that this year’s long weekend has boosted travel compared to last year, with bookings up 15% year-over-year due to last-minute planning.The discussion reveals that popular destinations include coastal and lake areas such as Orlando, Myrtle Beach, and the Outer Banks, with a notable absence of urban locations. Lane explains that traditional vacation spots are performing well, while cities like New York have seen declines due to regulatory changes and reduced international travel, particularly from Asia. He also highlights the rise of mid-sized cities like Chattanooga and Lubbock as emerging markets for short-term rentals.They also look at the impact of interest rates and hotel development in these growing areas, with Lane suggesting that high interest rates and cautious lenders have shifted demand towards short-term rentals. The hosts discuss the growth and professionalization of the short-term rental market, noting that large management companies are expanding, though individual hosts still dominate in guest satisfaction.Follow all Skift coverage of short-term rentals at https://skift.com/vacation-rentals/Follow all Skift coverage of tourism at https://skift.com/tourism/Presented by Brand USA

Marketing strategist Colin Nagy joins the conversation on ultra high net worth travel trends. Topics include extreme luxury experiences sought by the wealthy, ethical dilemmas in big game hunting, and the shift towards exclusive and adventurous travel over traditional luxury.

Presented by Brand USAA growing number of women have led major corporations in recent years — even in historically male-dominated industries. However, the aviation industry has struggled to close its gender gap in leadership roles.Airlines Reporter Meghna Maharishi recently examined the issue in depth, and she discussed her findings and more in this episode of the Skift Travel Podcast with Editor-in-Chief Sarah Kopit and Head of Research Seth Borko. Submit your questions for Seth and Sarah to podcasts@skift.com.Read more travel news at https://skift.com