Skift Take For this weekend's roundup of top travel stories we look at a few Super Bowl ads, the U.S. tourist visa backlog, Hilton and Expedia's earnings, and more news from this week. Jason Clampet First Things Earlier this week we did our first event on LinkedIn live, and we think it went pretty well. You can watch a recap of the discussion about what travel … [Read more...]
Florida Governor Assumes Control Over Disney Board Overseeing Development
Skift Take Disney has big challenges ahead so a battle of wills between Ron DeSantis and Disney World in central Florida may not seem like much, but the bill's approval Friday by state Republicans shows a level of support that may trouble some in the Mouse House that has always had plenty of clout in Florida. Sean O'Neill Florida lawmakers granted Governor Ron … [Read more...]
7 Questions for the U.S. State Department Official Out to Fix the Visa Delays Mess
American embassies are working around the clock to bring down the amount of time international travelers have to wait to get a visitor visa interview in order to travel to the U.S., according to Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Visa Services Julie Stufft. The global median wait time for a B-1 or B-2 visa, also known as a visitor visa, has been reduced from 17 weeks in June to five weeks … [Read more...]
Expedia, TUI-Backed Fund Created to Support Sustainable Tourism
Skift Take The UnTours Foundation is tired of all the talk and no action when it comes to making tourism sustainable. They hope their new $10 million fund will finally get the tourism industry in action mode. If the fund shows both impact and returns are possible, maybe the financial markets will take sustainable tourism more seriously as a business opportunity — a critical factor for … [Read more...]
Q&A: Why You Should Put Payments at the Heart of Your Hospitality Tech Stack
Skift Take Implementing the jumble of tools and services needed to raise the bar on the guest experience can feel like untangling spaghetti. A unified platform centered on payments can not only streamline hospitality technology, it can also power data-driven insights that save time, improve operations, reinforce loyalty, and boost revenue. Planet In order to meet … [Read more...]
Disney Turmoil Can’t Hold Back Theme Parks
Skift Take Today’s edition of Skift’s daily podcast looks at Disney's strong parks earnings, Michelin Guide tourism, and JetSmart's takeover ambition. Tom Lowry Good morning from Skift. It’s Thursday, February 9. Here’s what you need to know about the business of travel today. Listen Now 🎧 Subscribe Apple … [Read more...]
The Dolly Parton Solution to Tourism’s Labor Crisis
Skift Take Travel companies — especially destination marketing organizations — need to heed lessons from the innovative approach at Dolly Parton's Dollywood on how to make employees feel valued. That's critical in attracting workers back to an industry still plagued by labor shortages. Matt Stiker The numbers are bleak. Almost half of the jobs in the U.S. leisure … [Read more...]
Disney Theme Parks Remain Bright Spot for Embattled Company Set to Shed 7,000 Jobs
Skift Take The company is starting off its 100th anniversary by cutting more than $5 billion in costs, and by laying off 4 percent of its global workforce. Seems like the company is more in survival mode than creativity mode. As Disney goes through the turmoil, the steady growth at theme parks will come into even greater focus. Dawit Habtemariam Walt Disney … [Read more...]
Paying Michelin Guide to Help Promote Your Tourism Can Be a Messy Business
Israel’s Tel Aviv could be the next stop for a Michelin Guide, following a series of inaugural editions released around different corners of the world last year. After years of planning, the Israeli Tourism Minister Haim Katz announced February 1 that the ministry would be moving forward with bringing the guide to the country for the first time. The hoopla didn’t come without its … [Read more...]
Dubai’s 14 Million Foreign Visitors Last Year Nudges Closer to 2019 High
Dubai received 14.36 million international overnight visitors in 2022, growing 97 percent year-on-year from the 7.28 million tourist arrivals in 2021, according to the latest data published by Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism. In 2019, the city had welcomed a record 16.73 million international overnight visitors. The strong performance in 2022 features some noteworthy spikes in … [Read more...]
Biden Administration Wants Covid Vaccine Mandate for Foreign Travelers to Stay
Skift Take The White House's message is clear: "Welcome to the U.S., but only if you are vaccinated." Peden Doma Bhutia The White House said Tuesday it opposes legislation before Congress that would end a requirement that most foreign air travelers be vaccinated against Covid-19. The House of Representatives is set to vote on the bill on Wednesday. The Biden … [Read more...]
India Ramps Up On Sustainable Tourism With G20 Presidency
Skift Take India is dialling in on tourism, and foreign tourists are picking up. Green initiatives, sustainable investments and responsible tourism will be core to its G20 presidency in 2023. Sherry Sun India plans to promote green tourism, open up to 50 new tourism destinations, and launch a publicity campaign in overseas markets during its presidency of the G20 this … [Read more...]
Rio Expects Carnival’s Return to Generate $1 Billion in Tourism Business
Skift Take Blocos and samba schools will return in full force to the streets of Rio de Janeira this month for Brazil's largest annual celebration. The biggest carnival in the world is expected to generate a new record in revenues for the economy. Sherry Sun Rio de Janeiro’s famously colorful Carnival celebration will return in full force this month and is expected to … [Read more...]
Tourism Advertising Finds New Value With Streaming TV
Skift Take As TV becomes even more digital and people cut the cable cord further, expect it to compete directly for destination marketing social media advertising dollars. Dawit Habtemariam Tourism agencies are investing more of their advertising dollars in streaming because of its targeting precision, measurement and flexibility. Some agencies have expanded their … [Read more...]
Arizona Preps for Rush of Visitors for Super Bowl
Skift Take Arizona officials acknowledge that hosting the Super Bowl is a gargantuan effort. But they believe they're much better prepared for the challenge now than the last time the state welcomed the big game. Rashaad Jorden A mega-watt spotlight falls on Arizona on Monday as a week-long celebration of the National Football League’s title game will prove the … [Read more...]
U.S. Looks to End Covid Vaccine Mandate for Foreign Travelers
Skift Take Five months after President Biden's remarks declaring the pandemic was "over," the U.S. still requires adult international visitors to be vaccinated. Peden Doma Bhutia The U.S. House of Representatives plans to vote next week on a bill that would end a requirement that most foreign air travelers be vaccinated against Covid-19, Majority Leader Steve … [Read more...]
President Biden’s Plan to End Nuisance Airline and Resort Fees Is Dead on Arrival
Skift Take President Joe Biden won't actually do anything about hotel resort fees, but by calling them out — and by blaming Congress for any inaction — he can still win with consumers ... who vote. Rashaad Jorden President Joe Biden went to war against hotel resort fees and other consumer fees this past fall. He directed federal agencies to find a way to … [Read more...]
Delivering Uneasy Lessons to Tourists About the Lasting Legacy of Slavery
Skift Take Unlike many Americans eager to avoid any mentions of slavery, Stephanie Lampkin believes it's critical to address how its legacy is still driving the widespread inequality plaguing the U.S. — a point she strives to make to visitors to the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center. Rashaad Jorden Stephanie Lampkin freely admits that her work entails … [Read more...]
Cyprus Moves On Without Russian Tourists
Skift Take Seems like the loss of the Russian tourist segment made Cyrpus' transition to a more sustainable approach to tourism easier. Dawit Habtemariam Cyprus has been diversifying its visitor base and marketing approach as it fills the huge void left by the loss of Russians and Ukrainian tourists. The island was hit by a double whammy — the pandemic and … [Read more...]
New Report: The Tipping Point for Travel Loyalty in 2023
Skift Take In order to meet new consumer expectations, travel loyalty programs must evolve with a new value proposition built around the booking experience, sustainability, personalization, and payment technology. iSeatz’s new report explores this “Tipping Point for Travel Loyalty in 2023” to help loyalty providers uncover new revenue opportunities. iSeatz Despite … [Read more...]