Skift Daily Briefing

Episode Notes Disney has unveiled expansion plans for its parks, cruise line and digital platforms, writes Travel Experiences Reporter Jesse Chase-Lubitz.  Disney announced it will debut four new cruise ships between 2027 and 2031, an expansion that will increase its cruise line fleet to 13 ships. Meanwhile, the Disneyland Resort in California will feature a water-based Avatar attraction and Disne...

Episode Notes Expedia Group — like several other major travel brands — has seen “softening” travel demand recently, but it registered growth in several key metrics during the second quarter, writes Executive Editor Dennis Schaal.  CEO Ariane Gorin said Expedia Group is facing a more challenging environment since July, leading the company to adjust its expectations for the rest of the year. But Exp...

Episode Notes Hilton has raised its forecast for a profit this year. However, the company believes the post-Covid travel surge is cooling off — especially in the U.S., reports Senior Hospitality Editor Sean O’Neill.  CEO Christopher Nassetta said during Hilton’s second-quarter earnings call that domestic travel demand is “definitely softening.” However, he emphasized demand is “not cratering in an...

Episode Notes Airbnb’s second-quarter earnings revealed the company’s growth slowed down in several key areas, writes Executive Editor Dennis Schaal. The company forecasts that guests are making bookings with shorter lead times, and it is seeing “some signs of slowing demand from U.S. guests.” Airbnb said that in the third quarter, it expects a “sequential moderation” in year-over-year nights and...

Episode Notes July’s weaker-than-expected job growth sparked a selloff in global financial markets and raised concerns about a recession. Editor-in-Chief Sarah Kopit explains the impact on the travel industry.  In the airline sector, Delta and United have gotten a boost from the rise in premium long-haul demand fueled by travelers more willing to spend freely. As of the second quarter, that suppor...

Episode Notes Spirit Airlines had a rough second quarter, posting a significantly higher loss than last year. CEO Ted Christie is promising big changes to the company’s operations, writes Airlines Editor Gordon Smith.   Spirit said it registered a roughly $193 million net loss during the second quarter — up from a $2.3 million loss last year. Airline Weekly Senior Analyst Jay Shabat said a surplus...

Episode Notes Marriott executives are optimistic they’ll see growth throughout the year despite emerging headwinds, writes Senior Hospitality Editor Sean O’Neill. CEO Anthony Capuano said the company saw strong travel demand during the second quarter. Marriott said it expects its revenue per available room — a key hotel industry metric — to grow between 3% and 4% this year. But that’s down slightl...

Episode Notes A U.S. appeals court has struck down the Department of Transportation’s rulemandating airlines disclose all fees upfront, pending a full review, writes Airlines Reporter Meghna Maharishi.  A three-judge panel said the rule likely exceeds the department’s authority and would significantly harm airlines. The case will be heard during the next available oral argument panel. The Departme...

Episode Notes Meta AI recently released the newest version of its generative AI model, which it says outperforms that of OpenAI in nearly every metric. Travel Technology Reporter Justin Dawes tested how it works for trip planning.  Dawes notes the Meta AI’s chatbot gave a list of suggested activities in the Vancouver area focused around hiking and cultural experiences — but not in the form of a tr...

Episode Notes The Henley Passport Index has just released its rankings for the most powerful passports of 2024, and Singapore took the top spot, writes Asia Editor Peden Doma Bhutia.  A Singaporean passport provides visa-free access to 195 countries. Japan and South Korea occupy the second and third spots in the index while the U.S. is in eighth place. The Henley Passport Index measures the streng...

Episode Notes Google recently announced it won’t get rid of the third-party cookies in its Chrome browser that enable companies to track consumers across other websites. Executive Editor Dennis Schaal examines what Google’s decision means for travel marketers. Skift Head of Research Seth Borko said Google’s move will help smaller travel advertisers. Borko noted larger companies were already devisi...

Episode Notes Delta Air Lines is facing mounting pressure from travelers and the U.S. government as disruptions caused by a recent IT outage continue. The Department of Transportation is launching an investigation into the carrier, writes Airlines Reporter Meghna Maharishi.  Delta has canceled more than 5,000 flights after the outage last Friday caused systems relying on Microsoft Windows to crash...

Episode Notes Mallorca recently saw another large demonstration against mass tourism, writes Global Tourism Reporter Dawit Habtemariam. More than 20,000 protestors marched the streets of Palma de Mallorca on Sunday as Spain continues to emerge as one of the hottest destinations in Europe. Demonstrators called for more affordable housing, fair wages, better conservation of natural spaces, and respe...

Episode Notes Hyatt is close to a deal to buy Standard International, operator of the upscale Standard Hotels, reports Senior Hospitality Editor Sean O’Neill.  Negotiations between Hyatt and Standard International “are in advanced stages,” according to Bloomberg News. A source at Hyatt said the talks were ongoing and hadn’t been finalized, noting that Hyatt has walked away from deals at the last m...

Episode Notes Virgin Atlantic is pulling out of China after serving the country for 25 years. Virgin becomes the latest Western carrier to retreat from China, writes Airlines Editor Gordon Smith. Virgin Atlantic cited “significant challenges and complexities” as the reason for its decision. The carrier’s final round-trip service to China will be London-Shanghai flights on October 25. Smith notes t...

Episode Notes Amsterdam, one of the world’s most visited destinations, wants fewer tourists. The city’s Deputy Mayor Sofyan Mbarki discussed Amsterdam’s strategy to decrease visitor numbers and attract better-behaved travelers with Global Tourism Reporter Dawit Habtemariam.   Mbarki said more rental units need to be reserved for residents instead of tourists, and that Amsterdam plans to introduce...

Episode Notes Last-minute travel booking sites have often done well during economic downturns. Executive Editor Dennis Schaal provides information about companies like last-minute vacation rental site Whimstay, which has announced discounted inventory deals with several major travel brands.   Whimstay recently unveiled a partnership with Expedia Group and Vrbo that will furnish the company with up...

Episode Notes Despite a record number of people traveling this summer, quarterly results from Delta — one of the most profitable U.S. airlines — fell short of expectations, writes Airlines Reporter Meghna Maharishi. Delta reported record revenues for the second quarter but profits dropped 29% largely due to a surplus of seats and higher fuel costs. President Glen Hauenstein said domestic seat grow...

Paris is expecting to see a small bump in overseas visitors for the upcoming Summer Olympics, but no large-scale boom, writes Global Tourism Reporter Dawit Habtemariam.  Less than 15% of the projected roughly 11 million Olympic visitors will be foreign, according to the city’s tourism board. Paris tourism chief Corinne Menegaux had previously told us that most Olympic ticket holders will be French...

Episode Notes Air travel is breaking records. But a recent Newsweek poll found that 44% of respondents won’t be traveling anywhere in the next three months, while 53% said they would’ve gone on vacation if the cost of living had been cheaper. Meanwhile, luxury hotel occupancy was up 1.8% in the first five months of 2024 while economy hotel occupancy was down 3.4% Next, Marriott has debuted an onli...

Episode Notes Boeing will accept a guilty plea deal from the Department of Justice over charges the planemaker misled federal authorities on certain aspects of the 737 Max 8, which has been involved in fatal crashes. Airlines Reporter Meghna Maharishi lists three takeaways from Boeing’s deal with the Justice Department.  Boeing will have to pay a more than $240 million criminal offense fine and in...

Presented by Brand USA Episode Notes A growing number of companies have reduced their travel budgets in recent years, but that hasn’t slowed down business travel’s rebound, writes Reporter Christiana Sciaudone.  Roughly 60% of travel buyers said their companies have cut their travel budgets in the past few years, according to a recent BCD Travel survey. In addition, 96% said their companies have i...

Episode Notes Nat Pieper has the task of helping lead 13 airlines as the CEO of the oneworld alliance, one of the world’s three major airline groups. Pieper discussed the challenges he faces and industry trends in an interview with Airlines Editor Gordon Smith. Oneworld has opened airport lounges in Seoul and Amsterdam this year, but Pieper acknowledged he doesn’t have a magic number in mind for h...

Presented by Brand USA Episode Notes The National Transportation Safety Board has blasted Boeing, arguing the planemaker shared sensitive information with the media, writes Airlines Editor Gordon Smith.  The NTSB said that Boeing had violated the agency’s investigative rules by disclosing information to the press about the January blowout on an Alaska Airlines flight. The agency also said Boeing i...

Presented by Brand USA Episode Notes A Microsoft executive believes Xbox can teach the travel industry several things about the customer experience, writes Travel Technology Reporter Justin Dawes.  Shane O’Flaherty, a Microsoft executive who spoke this week at hospitality tech event HITEC, said Xbox has found ways to drive digital engagement with consumers. O’Flaherty explained that Xbox tracks ev...