Skift Take Vacationers have been Hilton's bread and butter recently, but the hotel giant predicts a full house of the briefcase brigade soon. Sean O'Neill Hilton has ridden high on a surging wave of vacationers. But executives at the hotel giant now see the return of corporate trips and conferences as powering the next phase of its growth. Executives predicted … [Read more...]
Hyatt Loyalty Play: Adding 700 Hotels via Mr & Mrs Smith Mash-Up
Skift Take Hyatt has begun letting members of its loyalty program earn and redeem points at about 700 boutique and luxury hotels via Mr & Mrs Smith, a service that curates boutique properties. Sean O'Neill A year ago, Hyatt bought the booking site Mr & Mrs Smith for $66 million. On Wednesday, it finally began letting members of its loyalty program book at … [Read more...]
Skift Research Scraped 20,000 Google Hotel Listings: Here’s What We Found
Skift Take We web-scraped 20k+ hotels listed on Google across the U.S., Europe, Asia and Middle East to understand which online travel agencies and direct sites compete for bookings in Google's sponsored and organic listings. Pranavi Agarwal Skift Research’s latest report analyzes the distribution channels bidding for hotel bookings on the largest and most … [Read more...]
Indian GenZs Plan International Travels After Getting First Salary – India Report
Skift Take Being meticulous planners and financially independent, young travelers have made India a lucrative source market for several countries. Bulbul Dhawan More than 81% of the Indian GenZs – aged between 18 and 25 years – start planning their first international trips as soon as they secure a job or receive their first paycheck, online travel agency Skyscanner … [Read more...]
American Airlines Cuts Travel Agencies Slack: Extends Deadline For Loyalty Points
Skift Take Who's in and who's out of American Airlines' new preferred agency program to date? The deadline extension seems to indicate their are some hiccups along the way. Dennis Schaal American Airlines was poised to stop enabling customers of certain travel agencies to earn loyalty points on the airline’s bookings starting May 1, but said Tuesday it is extending … [Read more...]
Trivago Tests New TV Commercials – At Least 1 With AI
Skift Take Just as online travel companies experiment with new features on their website pages, Trivago does something similar with its TV ads. Too soon to tell which ones will make the cut. Dennis Schaal About five months after debuting a global ad campaign that used AI to enable its pitchman to speak in multiple languages for different markets, Trivago is testing … [Read more...]
India’s TBO Gets Green Light for IPO
Skift Take Will TBO go into wait-and-watch mode like Oyo or Ixigo, or will it launch an IPO soon enough? Peden Doma Bhutia Travel distribution platform TBO Tek has received the final nod from the Securities Exchange Board of India (SEBI) to raise funds through an IPO. The issue includes fresh equity of INR 4 billion ($48 million) and an offer for sale of up to … [Read more...]
Travelers Say They Want Sustainable Options – But It’s Not the Top Priority
Skift Take The survey encapsulates a seeming dilemma for the travel industry. What proportion of their resources should they pour into promoting sustainable travel choices when a wide swath of travelers aren’t focused on the issue. Dennis Schaal For more than a decade, travel companies have been saying sustainability would gain in importance – Tripadvisor said the … [Read more...]
Marriott Earns Nod for Hotel Climate Plan, Joining Hilton, Accor, and IHG
Skift Take The world's largest hotel group has had its carbon reduction plans approved by the world’s main verifier of corporate climate targets. Marriott follows Accor, Hilton, and IHG in having SBTi verify its plans. Sean O'Neill Marriott’s carbon-reduction plans received a seal of approval from the world’s main verifier of corporate climate targets. The giant … [Read more...]
Understanding What Travelers Want Most From Loyalty Programs in 2024
This sponsored content was created in collaboration with a Skift partner. The loyalty landscape is more competitive than ever. According to Bond Brand Loyalty, the average consumer is active in more than 16 loyalty programs. How can hotel brands stand out with so many choices competing for a share of mind and wallet? It starts by listening to loyal guests, understanding what they value most, and … [Read more...]
What Happened to the Trivago Guy?
Skift Take Will AI replace the Tim Williams (Trivago Guy) and William Shatner (the Priceline Negotiator) types? Could be. Trivago, meanwhile, is already testing a second AI-infused commercial. Dennis Schaal Tim Williams, the Texas-born actor who played the Trivago Guy didn’t know he’d been replaced until he saw a new Trivago commercial last December. There had … [Read more...]
Ferragamo’s Formula: Behind Portrait Milano’s Luxury Hotel Launch
Portrait Milano is a case study in how to put a new luxury hotel on the map. The 73-room property opened in Milan’s fashion district in December 2022. It’s part of the Lungarno Collection — a set of boutique hotels solely owned by the family behind fashion house Ferragamo. “We’ve become a hub of the city’s fashion district,” said Valeriano Antonioli, CEO of the Lungarno … [Read more...]
Amsterdam Bans New Hotels
Skift Take Today's podcast looks at Amsterdam's hotel ban, Hyatt's Indian leisure travel, and new Apple technology in hotel rooms. Rashaad Jorden Good morning from Skift. It’s Friday, April 19. Here’s what you need to know about the business of travel today. Listen Now 🎧 Subscribe Apple … [Read more...]
Paris’ Best Hotels: Michelin Ratings Vs. Online Reviews
Skift Take Michelin has debuted its first ratings for hotels. But when a tech firm crunched the numbers from traveler reviews across 140 sites, it found that crowd favorites clashed with Michelin's picks. Sean O'Neill Michelin began rating hotels this month, starting with 189 properties in France. Yet many of the hotels that received coveted Michelin “keys” didn’t … [Read more...]
Hyatt Hotels Sets Sights on India’s Thriving Leisure Market
Skift Take Hyatt currently has 50 hotels in 17 markets in India. Its next 50 will be in more diversified markets of India. Bulbul Dhawan Hyatt Hotels definitely has its eyes on India and the focus specifically is on domestic Indian leisure travelers. “The leisure travel market is primarily driven by Indians traveling within India and discovering the country,” said … [Read more...]
Priceline, Trivago See Price Gains in These French Cities Ahead of Paris Olympics
Skift Take Buckle in for a bustling summer of bookings across France. You could (partially) blame that on the soccer frenzy. Elizabeth Casolo Online travel booking sites report higher hotel rates in Paris for the 2024 Olympic Games, but Paris isn’t alone. Some Olympic events will take place beyond the city limits, and there were increases in hotel rates for these … [Read more...]
Google Adding Features to Maps and Search to Promote More Sustainable Travel
Google said Wednesday that it is releasing new features that share options for traveling in ways that are more environmentally friendly. There are several features that have either been released or are coming to its Maps, Search, Flights, and Hotels products. Some of the features are powered by its Gemini generative AI technology. The company also shared updates about expanding … [Read more...]
TUI Taps Into African Tourism With Hotel Push
Skift Take TUI is tapping into the booming African tourism market as it spreads its offerings throughout the continent. Jesse Chase-Lubitz TUI Group’s hotel division, TUI Hotels & Resorts, said on Tuesday it planned to expand its presence in sub-Saharan Africa, a region with significant tourism potential. The move comes after years of concentrating on North … [Read more...]
Hostelworld CEO Sees Profit Rebound, Adoption of Traveler Chat Tool
For 25 years, Hostelworld has stood apart from other online travel agencies by connecting travelers with hostels. In 2022, it became the first agency to offer a chat tool that lets guests talk before staying at the same hostel. Earlier this month, the Dublin-based company reported its annual results. Skift checked in with Hostelworld CEO Gary Morrison to get an update on the company. Here are … [Read more...]
Wyndham Lures Businesses to Book Directly With New Loyalty Perks
Skift Take Wyndham aims to woo businesses to book hotels directly by simplifying the process and turbocharging rewards. The hotel franchisor is betting big on America's infrastructure spending boom. Sean O'Neill Wyndham Hotels & Resorts said Tuesday it’s taking steps to improve how companies book and manage group bookings, meetings, events, and business travel at … [Read more...]