Travel

Skift Take Vasu Raja’s severance package includes a payout of his base salary until January 31, 2025 and flight benefits. He’s also eligible to receive a lump sum payout of $968,750 after the severance period ends. Meghna Maharishi The details are out on former American Airlines chief commercial officer Vasu Raja’s severance package. Raja will

This sponsored content was created in collaboration with a Skift partner. A tourism boom in 2023 saw Spain welcome 85 million international visitors, surpassing even the most optimistic forecasts and breaking its pre-pandemic record. Continuing with this momentum, 14.5 percent more international passengers traveled to the country in the first quarter of 2024 compared to

Skift Take Banyan Group, the Singapore-based luxury hotel operator, is on a growth spree. It is also going asset-light faster than you can say “fee-based income.” Sean O’Neill Banyan Group is set to open a record number of luxury hotels and resorts this year. The Singapore-based luxury hotel operator also plans to expand into the

This sponsored content was created in collaboration with a Skift partner. The Saudi government’s $1 trillion investment in tourism is starting to yield returns. The country welcomed over 100 million visitors in 2023, with a combined total spend of $67 billion, achieving its tourism goal seven years ahead of schedule. Air connectivity is at an

Skift Take Airbnb loves publicity, but not when it involves stories about hidden security cameras inside its properties. Dennis Schaal A months-long CNN investigation found that Airbnb has worked to keep thousands of complaints about properties with hidden indoor security cameras out of the public domain. Airbnb banned indoor cameras in March. “A CNN investigation

Skift Take The 2024 Paris Olympics may be a big draw – but not for international tourists. Dawit Habtemariam Sports fans around the world aren’t rushing to Paris for this summer’s Olympic Games. International flight bookings for the event period, from July 26 to August 11, have increased by a modest 8% from the same

Skift Take This November, Skift Global Forum East will return to Dubai to uncover the future of the travel industry in the Middle East and beyond. Rafat Ali We are excited to announce the third annual Skift Global Forum East, returning to the dynamic city of Dubai on November 19-20. Following the tremendous success of

Skift Take In recent months, several big-name airlines have been accused of greenwashing. Could independent, AI-driven data put an end to the confusion for consumers and corporate travel departments? Gordon Smith Air France, Lufthansa, and Etihad Airways each have something in common. The answer? They’ve all fallen foul of the advertising regulator for making claims

Skift Take Barcelona, one of the world’s most popular destinations, just got a rude awakening about how it manages tourism. Dawit Habtemariam Thousands of protestors marched in Barcelona over the weekend against overtourism. Nearly 3,000 people took to the street on Saturday. More than 140 organizations, including neighborhood associations, ecologists and housing activists marched under

Skift Take Gangwal’s appointment comes after activist investor Elliott criticized the airline’s board for not having enough directors with external airline experience. Meghna Maharishi Southwest Airlines announced Monday it is adding longtime airline executive and IndiGo co-founder Rakesh Gangwal to its board of directors.  The move appears to be the airline’s latest defense from hedge

Skift Take Established brands and rising Millennial and Gen Z demand are transforming India’s travel landscape through authentic, immersive short-term rentals. Varsha Arora, Skift Vacation rentals still represent a relatively small segment in India’s hospitality industry. Research we put out last August (India on the Move: A Traveler Survey) showed around 62% of Indian travelers

Skift Take After a snap U.K. election, the results are in. A landslide for the Labour party means aviation pledges should soon turn into practice. The industry will be watching. Pranjal Pande, Skift It’s the morning after a resounding Labour victory in the United Kingdom. As Sir Keir Starmer’s center-left party prepares to ascend to

Skift Take Mid-sized cities are becoming the new hotspots for July 4th getaways. Rashaad Jorden Travelers heading to destinations along the Atlantic coast for the Fourth of July weekend booked short-term rentals in large numbers. However, New York City didn’t see as many short-term rentals as it did last year for the holiday. Editor-in-Chief Sarah Kopit and

Skift Take Earlier this year, the Indian government gave a boost to the tourism budget for development, but cut down the global promotion allocation by 97%. Now, as the final Budget is around the corner, the industry is hoping for a more significant resolution to its challenges. Bulbul Dhawan In February, the Indian government had

Skift Take While the extended-stay hotel boom may be more of a slow burn than a supernova, hotel brands with patience and deep pockets may find the long-term rewards to be substantial. Sean O’Neill America’s hotel companies have invested heavily in extended stays. Last year, Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt, and Wyndham all began rolling out brands

It’s been a busy time for travel startups – 17 of them announced fundraises totaling over $317 million in the past three weeks. There’s a lot of variety in the areas these companies are working in: flying taxis, skiing tours, renewable jet fuel, loyalty, pest control, luggage, and a new travel media brand. Four the

Skift Take As climate policies raise the cost of air travel, particularly in Europe, some destination marketers may find it’s riskier to bet on tourism growth from long-haul markets. Sean O’Neill Should Europe’s tourism agencies stop trying to get travelers to fly long distances for quick visits? The issue is climate change and these long-haul

Skift Take It might be Independence Day, but the sky-high ties between the two countries have never been stronger. Gordon Smith As the United States celebrates July 4 and the Declaration of Independence from British colonial rule, there are signs that the two nations have never been closer.  New data shows that the number of