The Skift Travel Podcast

As we look forward to the return of the Skift Short-Term Rental Summit on June 5 in New York, today we feature a conversation with Homes and Villas by Marriott International Vice President, Jennifer Hsieh, and Skift Senior Hospitality Editor, Sean O'Neill, that took place onstage at last year's summit.To join her and many other vacation rental executives and investors at this year’s Short-Term Rental Summit, visit live.skift.com for tickets and details. 

Vikram Oberoi, The Oberoi Group CEO and Managing Director, speaks with Skift Senior Hospitality Editor Sean O'Neill. This discussion took place on stage at the inaugural Skift India Summit this month in New Delhi, India. on stage at Skift India Summit in New Delhi, India on March 20, 2024.To join the travel industry's best events in person, visit https://live.skift.com

US Ambassador to India, Eric Garcetti, discusses bridging the U.S. and India in the decade ahead. Topics include improving visa processes, enhancing educational exchange programs, exploring diverse Indian cuisine, promoting US-India tourism, passion for cricket in America, and the impact of the Indian diaspora in the US.

Today we feature a discussion that took place on stage at the inaugural Skift India Summit this week in New Delhi, India.In this conversation Air India CEO and Managing Director Campbell Wilson speaks with Skift Asia editor Peden Bhutia about "Connecting India to the World".For more like this, visit live.skift.com to learn how you can attend our next industry defining live event. 

Last week, as the world came together to celebrate International Women's Day, news that a Brazilian tourist had accused seven men of gang rape in a remote region of India, prompted Skift Asia Editor Peden Bhutia to ask in her headline reporting on the story: “Is India Safe for Female Travelers?”In this episode, Peden and Skift Research Analyst Saniya Zanpure, both based in India, join Skift Editor-in-Chief Sarah Kopit to discuss the case, its effects, their experiences as women in India, and why, ultimately, the answer to Peden’s question is: yes, everyone should visit India.Visit skift.com for continuing coverage of this story and all the latest travel news and research.

In our fifth and final episode covering Skift’s Megatrends for 2024, Editor-in-chief Sarah Kopit is joined by Skift Founder and CEO Rafat Ali to discuss two megatrends centered around technology, demographics, and the future of the human condition.You can see all of Skift’s Megatrends for 2024 right now at Skift.com/megatrends.

Andy Washington, Trip.com Group's General Manager for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA), joins Pranavi Agarwal, Senior Research Analyst for Skift Research, in a session titled “Reaching the Emerging Traveler”. This is a previously unreleased discussion from our Skift Megatrends event in London last month. You can read Skift’s Megatrends for 2024 right now at Skift.com/megatrends.

Exploring the impacts of AI, Ozempic era, and extreme wellness on the travel industry, from AI concierge hype to practical applications, to the rise of extreme wellness experiences in luxury travel. Discussions on AI in hotel operations, personalized search experiences, language models, and consumer adoption challenges in the hospitality industry.

Continuing our series on Skift’s Megatrends for 2024, today we feature a conversation focused on developments reshaping India, the Middle East, and by extension, the whole of the global travel business. To explore these topics Skift Editor-in-Chief Sarah Kopit is joined by two members of Skift’s editorial team well versed in these regions: India-based Asia Editor Peden Domo Bhutia, and Dubai-based Middle East Reporter Josh Corder.Bhutia and Corder wrote about the rising Indian middle class, a potential short-term rental boom in the Middle East, and the emergence of "Made in Dubai" as a global brand. The discussion highlights the significant influence of the growing Indian middle class on outbound travel, fueled by increased disposable income and a desire for travel experiences post-COVID. India's outbound tourism is seen as highly aspirational, with the government facilitating easier passport procurement to boost travel.The conversation shifts to the Middle East, where Dubai is positioned as a brand akin to New York or Paris, with its companies expected to expand internationally. The short-term rental market is identified as a key growth area in the Middle East, driven by ambitious tourism targets and a need for budget-friendly accommodation options. The panel discusses the role of celebrities like Shah Rukh Khan and Ranveer Singh in marketing destinations and the importance of value for money to Indian travelers, including the rise of "travel now, pay later" schemes.Dubai's strategy to become a cosmopolitan hub is underscored by its use of short-term rentals to attract long-term residents, alongside the introduction of the golden visa to encourage residency among tourists. The podcast also touches on the broader trend of luxury travel in the Middle East, the need for budget accommodations to meet the demands of the middle class, and the strategic use of luxury hotels as marketing tools to attract tourists, with short-term rentals providing practical accommodation solutions.You can see all of Skift’s Megatrends for 2024 right now at Skift.com/megatrends.

On our second episode exploring Skift’s Megatrends for 2024, Skift Editor-in-Chief Sarah Kopit is joined by Managing Editor Lex Harris, Airlines Editor and Reporter Gordon Smith, and Airline Weekly Senior Analyst Jay Shabat, to discuss our three most "problematic" Megatrends. They cover: the current uproar over Junk Fees, the continuing supply chain issues faced by the aviation sector, and the impacts of the burgeoning climate crisis on the business of travel. You can see all of Skift’s Megatrends for 2024 right now at Skift.com/megatrends.