Travel in Asia is back. The region is leading global tourism recovery in 2024 with international arrivals surging to pre-pandemic levels in many destinations. Popular tourist hubs like Thailand, Vietnam, and Malaysia are reporting record visitor numbers, buoyed by pent-up demand and targeted policy changes. However, one factor is helping make this rebound even stronger:
Travel
Skift Take Join us this January for Skift Megatrends events in New York City (January 7) and London (January 9) to explore the transformative ideas reshaping travel in 2025, featuring insights from industry leaders, engaging panel discussions, and networking opportunities with industry leaders. — Becca Smith Our annual Skift Megatrends events are back this January, exploring
As we discussed earlier this week, there is a spectrum of performance between Europe’s three leading low-cost carriers. However, these variations aren’t unique to Ryanair, EasyJet, and Wizz Air. We see exactly the same disparity between the three major network carrier groups. In a moment, we’ll examine the fortunes of Air France-KLM and the Lufthansa
The airline business is usually a terrible business, at least if you want to make money. You’ll need a lot of labor. You’ll need a lot of capital. Be ready for intense competition and incessant government interference. And if anything really bad happens in the world—a pandemic, a natural disaster, a war—it’s the airline industry
At Skift, we recognize that corporate financial filings of public companies—including earnings-call transcripts, quarterly 10-Qs, and annual 10-Ks—provide a more detailed and many times unfiltered window into a travel company’s business priorities. In this new series, we use AI analysis and expert editorial insight to dissect both the verbal discussions in earnings calls and the
Japan Airlines (JAL), one of the nation’s largest carriers, became the latest target of a cyberattack early Thursday morning, disrupting its operations and causing delays to both domestic and international flights. The breach, which began at 7:24 a.m. JST, impacted critical systems linking the airline’s internal networks to external platforms, leading to a suspension of
The U.S. hotel industry refused to face a sobering reality in 2024: occupancy levels may not fully recover to pre-pandemic peaks for years. The culprit isn’t primarily international travel or other excuses. Instead, it’s a mix of supply growth and perhaps a fundamental change in corporate travel patterns. The numbers tell the story. U.S. hotels
Indian travelers are leaning towards more immersive and exclusive travel experiences, according to Sridhar Keppurengan, head of cross border payments for India and South Asia at payment services company Visa. “The growing demand for bespoke experiences is evident in a 250% year-on-year surge in luxury and duty-free purchases by Indian travellers between January and March
Groupo Posadas, Mexico’s largest independent hotel operator, is targeting Jamaica and Aruba for expansion as it pushes forward with plans for $850 million in development backed primarily by external investors. “It’s going to be a busy year in 2025,” said Enrique Calderón, vice president of upscale and luxury and chief operating officer. “Our main focus
The government of Goa is rolling out free public WiFi hotspots at 75 locations. It is also installing 11 4G BSNL mobile towers to improve network coverage area. These initiatives are expected to enhance creativity. The initiative to launch public WiFi hotspots, which aims to benefit Goa residents, comes amid the state’s efforts to attract
Remote Year, the travel startup that pioneered month-to-month work-and-travel programs, is shutting down after nearly a decade in operation. The company shared the news in a statement on its website, citing “circumstances beyond our control” and attributing the closure to new ownership, Collective Hospitality, which it says “blocked our last opportunity to continue.” The abrupt
The year was 1985. Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev led the world’s superpowers. Madonna and Duran Duran topped the pop charts. The smell of neon and capitalism was in the air. While yuppies and suburbanites waged backyard cola wars, a small group of computer scientists worked diligently, creating the infrastructure for the first wave of
Remote Year said it was closing after nearly a decade as a month-to-month work-and-travel services provider for digital nomads, as Skift reported Saturday. Over a dozen affected customers told Skift that they were affected, with several saying they’ve paid for upcoming trips and are afraid they won’t get their money back. Skift spoke to two
The year is closing with a slew of generative AI updates from OpenAI, Google, and Meta. It’s a big end to a year of huge advancements for the new tech and the way it relates to travel. Sundar Pichai, the CEO of Google, said this year that the company’s goal is for a “universal agent
Carnival Corp. CEO Josh Weinstein just wrapped up a banner year of record-breaking financial performance. “We delivered another stellar quarter to close out a phenomenal year,” said CEO Josh Weinstein during an earnings call on Friday. Now Weinstein’s plotting an ambitious course for 2025 that includes the debut of a half-billion-dollar private island destination and
The global travel industry made significant strides in 2024, emerging from the aftermath of the pandemic and seeing significant growth from the previous year. However, the industry still faces several challenges. So what are the biggest challenges the travel industry faces going into the new year? We posed that question to our answer engine. Ask
Ixigo’s acquisition of train food delivery app Zoop isn’t solely about financial gains. The rationale is straightforward: Zoop’s business model boosts profits, scales easily, and improves the delivery experience for customers, Ixigo Group CEO and Co-Founder Aloke Bajpai told Skift. According to Bajpai, Zoop can drive more purchases on the platform. “The number of transacting
Adventure travel is emerging as a key segment in U.S. leisure travel. According to Skift Research findings, the core demographic for adventure travel consists of young adults aged 25–44, predominantly male, and from middle-income households. These travelers favor guided tours and mid-budget options for convenience and safety while pursuing outdoor and thrill-seeking activities. With most