Episode Notes Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky’s 10-year pay package, announced in 2021, could hit $1 billion or more if the company’s share price hits certain price targets, reports Executive Editor Dennis Schaal. Airbnb said recently the potential value of Cheksy’s eight remaining tranches of unearned shares at the end of 2023 was $1.3 billion. However, Schaal notes it’s far from certain that Chesky will receive the shares. Airbnb awarded Chesky a pay package with 12 million restricted stock units that...
Apr 18, 2024•4 min
Episode Notes Officials in California recently launched a new tourism marketing campaign. Visit California CEO Caroline Beteta discussed it and more in an interview with Global Tourism Reporter Dawit Habtemariam. Beteta said California’s current marketing campaign — titled “Ultimate Playground — aims to showcase a sense of play often associated with the Golden State. She described the campaign as a pivot from Visit California’s long-running campaign “Dream Big,” which she added will still be a p...
Apr 17, 2024•3 min
Episode Notes Marriott and IHG have each announced plans to add 100 hotels to their portfolio in Europe, reports Senior Hospitality Editor Sean O’Neill. Marriott said it would add those roughly 100 properties by the end of 2026 through hotel conversions — deals where the owner of an existing hotel assumes a new brand affiliation — or converting existing buildings into hotels. Marriott already has more than 800 properties in Europe. As for IHG, the company is planning to team up with Novum Hospit...
Apr 16, 2024•3 min
Ben Drew recently announced he’s stepping down as Viator president. Executive Editor Dennis Schaal explores what that means for Viator’s parent company Tripadvisor, which is considering a potential sale. While Schaal writes the impact of Drew’s departure is unclear, one travel industry executive said it would make a potential buyer of Tripadvisor take a deeper look at Viator’s prospects as well as its leadership structure. Tripadvisor has yet to comment about who might succeed Drew. Tripadvisor ...
Apr 12, 2024•3 min
Episode Notes Delta Air Lines posted a first-quarter profit in what’s normally a sluggish period for airlines — in part due to a rebound in business travel, writes Airlines Reporter Meghna Maharishi. Delta President Glen Hauenstein said during the company’s earnings call that corporate travel sales were up 14% from last year. He added the technology, customer services and financial services industries led the increase. In addition, Delta saw record revenues for domestic travel during the first q...
Apr 11, 2024•3 min
Episode Notes Several major hotel CEOs took home more money in 2023 than they did the previous year. Senior Hospitality Editor Sean O’Neill provides information about their pay packages. Hilton CEO Christopher Nassetta was the highest paid hotel executive in 2023, making $56.8 million. He was awarded about $8.3 million in total compensation the previous year. O’Neill cites stock-market gains as a reason why Nassetta’s pay package was substantially higher. Hilton’s stock price jumped 42% last yea...
Apr 10, 2024•3 min
Episode Notes Michelin is rolling out a new hotel rating system worldwide this year. The company has already awarded 24 French hotels its highest rating, “Three Keys,” writes Travel Experiences Reporter Jesse Chase-Lubitz. Michelin said it’s looking to evaluate hotels beyond basic amenities, with an emphasis on their restaurants, design and service. One key signifies a “special” hotel, two keys an “exceptional” hotel, while three keys represents “extraordinary” establishments. Michelin has besto...
Apr 09, 2024•3 min
Episode Notes The total eclipse that will pass diagonally across the U.S. next week is expected to boost tourism in dozens of cities. So how will it impact air travel? Reporters Meghna Maharishi and Elizabeth Casolo have answers. The Federal Aviation Administration has issued warnings about traffic possibly being higher at airports in the eclipse’s path. However, two airports run by the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority in New York State aren’t projecting more traffic than usual. Meanwhi...
Apr 05, 2024•3 min
Episode Notes Brand USA will have a new president and CEO soon. NYC Tourism + Conventions CEO Fred Dixon will lead the U.S.’ destination marketing organization starting July 15, writes Global Tourism Reporter Dawit Habtemariam. Dixon, a veteran of the travel industry, will be tasked with helping the U.S. tourism industry make a full recovery from the pandemic. Long visitor visa wait times and the U.S.’ outdated air infrastructure have posed challenges for Brand USA. Dixon comes to Brand USA afte...
Apr 04, 2024•3 min
Steve Singh, co-founder of travel expense management company Concur, and four firms have acquired corporate travel agency Direct Travel, writes Travel Technology Reporter Justin Dawes. Singh said the group purchased Direct Travel, one of the world’s largest corporate travel agencies, from private venture capital firm Antares Capital and other debt providers. He said they’re planning to release a platform for Direct Travel customers that combines the four firms’ technologies and services. The pla...
Apr 03, 2024•3 min
Episode Notes Travel metasearch sites, which enable consumers to compare hotel or flight prices from multiple vendors simultaneously, had been thriving since the early days of online travel. But the sector is experiencing a rough patch now, reports Executive Editor Dennis Schaal. Schaal writes some of the major travel metasearch players have had financial issues in recent years, noting Google has eaten into Tripadvisor’s metasearch market share. Tripadvisor’s hotel metasearch revenue grew only 7...
Apr 02, 2024•4 min
Episode Notes Airbnb will introduce a new cancellation policy in June that will cover weather-related disruptions, reports Executive Editor Dennis Schaal. Airbnb’s “Major Disruptive Events Policy” would enable guests to cancel reservations and receive refunds when a natural disaster causes government travel restrictions or mass outages of utilities, such as electricity or water. Airbnb’s new policy would allow guests to cancel reservations mid-trip during a covered event. However, the short-term...
Mar 29, 2024•3 min
Episode Notes Google is launching several new artificial intelligence-powered tools to help travelers plan trips, writes Travel Technology Reporter Justin Dawes. The new tools will allow Google Search to create itineraries based on prompts from users. Dawes reports users can search for a trip itinerary, and they’ll see flight and hotel options as well as suggestions for attractions and dining. Google said the AI tools use information appearing online and reviews that users post about businesses....
Mar 28, 2024•3 min
Episode Notes Hilton has built the largest pipeline of hotels in its history, an achievement CEO Chris Nassetta attributed to the power of the group’s brands. Nassetta touched on Hilton’s pipeline growth and more in an interview with Senior Hospitality Editor Sean O’Neill. Hilton has also seen membership growth in its loyalty program surpass that of its rivals in the last five years. Nassetta cited partnerships Hilton has entered into and improvements in the program’s app as reasons for the memb...
Mar 27, 2024•3 min
Episode Notes Amex GBT announced plans on Monday to acquire CWT for $570 million, a deal that would combine two of the world’s largest corporate travel agencies. Travel Technology Reporter Justin Dawes explains why Amex GBT executives are pushing for the megadeal. Amex GBT CEO Paul Abbott said acquisitions are a key part of its growth strategy, noting the combined company would generate revenue of at least $3 billion. Abbott added acquiring CWT would strengthen several areas of Amex GBT, citing ...
Mar 26, 2024•3 min
Episode Notes Hilton recently held a private presentation for investment analysts at its U.S. headquarters. Senior Hospitality Editor Sean O’Neill lists the three biggest takeaways from the presentation’s 223 slides. First, Hilton claims the world’s largest hotel pipeline. The company said it controls about 20% of the rooms under construction worldwide. Hilton added its loyalty members are responsible for 64% of its total room nights booked, which it claims is an industry high. The company said ...
Mar 22, 2024•3 min
Episode Notes Ennismore co-CEO and founder Sharan Pasricha believes India is a sleeping giant in the lifestyle hotel sector, writes Middle East Reporter Josh Corder. Pasricha told Senior Hospitality Editor Sean O’Neill at the Skift India Summit on Wednesday that the new wave of lifestyle hotels could be in India. Ennismore currently doesn’t have any hotels in India in its portfolio. But Pasricha said that could change as soon as this year, citing India’s growing middle class and infrastructure i...
Mar 21, 2024•3 min
Air India has major goals. CEO Campbell Wilson is looking to turn the company into a “top-tier and world-class airline” after decades of underinvestment by Indian officials, writes Airlines Reporter Meghna Maharishi. Wilson discussed Air India’s strategy during a discussion with Asia Editor Peden Doma Bhutia at the Skift India Summit today. The company has undergone a major overhaul in recent months that includes new business class cabins and a new logo. In addition to going on a major hiring sp...
Mar 20, 2024•3 min
Episode Notes Indian weddings are a billion dollar business — and not just in India. Asia Editor Peden Doma Bhutia delves into the increasingly lucrative phenomenon. Bhutia writes Indian weddings aren’t just celebrations — they’re massive economic engines. The roughly 3.5 million couples that got married in India between November 23 and December 15 last year spent about $57 billion on wedding-related expenses. Meanwhile, the more than 900 weddings Marriott hosted in India last year generated clo...
Mar 19, 2024•3 min
Episode Notes The growing push to ban TikTok in the U.S. has raised questions about how travel brands would market themselves without the popular app. Global Tourism Reporter Dawit Habtemariam writes several state tourism offices have already directed more resources toward Instagram and YouTube. Habtemariam notes Visit Utah has increased its investment in Instagram Reels after Utah’s governor banned state government agencies from using TikTok in 2022. Katlyn Svendsen, an executive at Travel Sout...
Mar 15, 2024•3 min
Episode Notes Skift on Wednesday unveiled its newest venture: Executive Search. The aim: Address the growing demand for skilled and visionary leaders within the travel sector. The people we place will define the future of travel. Skift has helped thousands of travel industry leaders establish connections at our events throughout the years, often indirectly acting as a recruitment firm. The Executive Search unit is the next step in assisting companies looking not only to acquire talent but better...
Mar 14, 2024•3 min
Episode Notes A total solar eclipse will pass diagonally across the U.S. on April 8, a development that’s poised to spark a tourism surge. So are destinations prepared to take advantage of the visitor boom? Global Tourism Reporter Dawit Habtemariam examines the issue. The eclipse will cross the country from the south to the east, touching roughly a dozen states. Habtemariam cites Niagara Falls, New York as one destination expecting to see large crowds for the eclipse. A local tourism executive s...
Mar 13, 2024•4 min
Episode Notes Airbnb announced on Monday it’s banning the use of all indoor security cameras, writes Short-Term Rental Reporter Srividya Kalyanaraman. The company said the change comes after it received feedback from guests, hosts and advocacy groups. Indoor cameras had been permitted in common areas of homes under certain conditions, but the cameras had to be disclosed to guests and not be in private spaces. Hosts not complying with the new policy by April 30 could see their listings or account...
Mar 12, 2024•3 min
Episode Notes Millions of travelers look to TikTok for help in planning their next trip. So we discussed the company’s influence in the travel industry, among other topics, with Stuart Flint, head of TikTok’s global business solutions for Europe and Israel. Flint told Global Tourism Reporter Dawit Habtemariam that several major travel brands are working with TikTok, including Booking.com. Although TikTok doesn’t currently allow travelers to book directly on the platform, Flint acknowledged that ...
Mar 08, 2024•3 min
Episode Notes Speculation has been rife about what company could be behind the possible sale of Tripadvisor since the news first broke last month that it was in play. Executive Editor Dennis Schaal writes about recent reporting that one possible buyer is private equity firm Apollo Global Management. Apollo has expressed interest in a bid , according to Bloomberg. Schaal notes that Apollo’s exploration of any purchase is believed to be in an early phase. Tripadvisor has formed an independent comm...
Mar 07, 2024•3 min
American Airlines is changing its strategy. The company is turning to smaller U.S. cities and its loyalty program to boost revenue, writes Airlines Reporter Meghna Maharishi. American Chief Commercial Officer Vasu Raja cited the Sun Belt region as a location the carrier is focusing on. The region has accounted for 75% of U.S. population growth in the past decade, according to U.S. Census data. American’s focus on smaller U.S. cities lies in contrast to rivals like Delta and United, which have ch...
Mar 06, 2024•3 min
Episode Notes Airbnb said on Monday it’s approaching 1.5 million verified listings, a key part of its strategy to build trust among users, reports Executive Editor Dennis Schaal. The company added that badges will be pinned to listings that have completed the verification process. Airbnb has long struggled to deal with fake listings and scammers, Airbnb’s verification push is designed to combat those issues. The short-term rental giant said it removed 59,000 fake listings last year. Airbnb first...
Mar 05, 2024•3 min
Timeshare operator rivals Hilton Grand Vacations, Marriott Vacations Worldwide and Travel and Leisure Company have all reported financial results recently. Senior Hospitality Editor Sean O’Neill delves into those reports to search for broader trends in the segment. HGV executives said they’ve seen more consumers hesitant to agree to deals in part because of inflation. However, O’Neill notes that HGV has actually had to deal with more demand than the group can efficiently handle. Meanwhile, both ...
Mar 01, 2024•3 min
Episode Notes Gilda Perez-Alvarado surprised some hotel industry insiders when she left JLL to become Accor’s chief strategy officer last October. Perez-Alvarado outlined her plans for Accor in her first interview since taking the new role. Perez-Alvarado touched on Accor’s efforts to make inroads in the U.S., among other subjects, with Senior Hospitality Editor Sean O’Neill. She said Accor would target markets and segments in the country where the company believes it should be present. Perez-Al...
Feb 29, 2024•3 min
Episode Notes American Airlines and United Airlines are among the major carriers that have increased baggage fees in recent months. Airlines Reporter Meghna Maharishi explains why checking bags at airports has gotten more expensive. Maharishi writes that nearly every carrier cited inflation, higher fuel and operating costs as reasons they hiked baggage fees. JetBlue Airways said it raised baggage fees as part of its plan to return to profitability. Airlines may also be increasing bag fees to hel...
Feb 28, 2024•3 min
