Flyadeal to Squeeze More Flying From its Fleet to Fuel Expansion
Flyadeal's CEO believes the airline has seen the worst of the aircraft delivery delays, but engine reliability and spare parts shortages remain a concern.
All Categories
Airlines
Jet Fuel Made From Sewage Draws Airline Interest
The real test is whether this long-studied technology that converts waste into oil can clear certification and financing fast enough to make a dent before mandates start pushing airfares higher.
The 2026 Winter Olympics Are an Endurance Test for Travelers, Not Just Athletes
Milano Cortina 2026 is testing whether modern mega-events can function without a single dominant transport hub.
Business Travel
For Corporate Travel, the 2026 World Cup Is Becoming a Multi-City Business Platform
For a tournament billed as a once-in-a-lifetime business travel moment, friction over U.S. border rules poses a real threat to revenue and the experience.
Navan Buys Lodging Visibility in Business Travel Blind Spots — With Booking.com as the Guide
Navan is buying relevance in places corporate travel programs still don’t reach, and Booking.com is happy to be the map.
Capital One Gets Deeper Into Business Travel With $5 Billion Brex Acquisition
Capital One is ambitiously building out its travel business and tech stack. It also recently acquired Discover, which will add to the mix.
Coronavirus
The Travel Industry’s Immense Potential for Growth
Despite the pandemic’s unprecedented challenges, the travel industry’s recovery is proving to be remarkable.
The Travel Industry Surpasses 2019
Today's edition of Skift's daily podcast looks closer at the recovery of the travel industry that have allowed it to surpass spring 2019 benchmarks.
Travel Makes a Complete Recovery
Today's edition of Skift's daily podcast looks closer at travel's coronavirus recovery, Airbnb's optimism, and Hilton's extended-stay moves.
Cruises
Carnival CEO to Chair Cruise Group, Says Emissions Cuts Are a Priority
Now that the cruise industry has moved past its pandemic recovery, Carnival CEO and chief climate officer Josh Weinstein’s focus on greenhouse gas emissions marks a notable shift, especially as the sector faces intensifying scrutiny over its environmental impact.
Cruise Sector and U.S. Government Block Hawaii’s Climate Tax on Cruise Ships
As more destinations consider climate-linked tourism fees, Hawaii’s legal battle could set a national precedent.
Indian Cruise Line Cordelia Cruises to IPO in January: Exclusive
Cordelia Cruises started sailing in September 2021, and unlike other cruise lines, it is not content to wait decades to list publicly.
Experiences
Scaling Up African Tourism: Fixing Execution, Hotel Supply, and Investment
Africa’s tourism growth challenge isn’t demand — it’s execution: scaling reliable operations, mid-market infrastructure, and globally exportable talent to turn world-class assets into sustainable volume growth.
BTS Comeback Tour Moves Travel Demand Even Before Tickets Go on Sale
BTS hasn’t played a note yet, but flight and hotel searches are already spiking. Welcome to the new shape of live tourism!
Why K-Pop Sensation BTS’ Comeback Tour Is a Test Case for Live Tourism
The music may be the headline of BTS’s comeback tour, but the travel boom is the subtext, and arguably the bigger story.
Food and Drink
Omakase, Fine Casual… and Burgers: Marriott’s Top Food Trends in Asia
Asia’s food culture, from hawker stalls to omakase counters, has always been vibrant. But it’s now also setting the pace for how food tourism might look globally in the years ahead.
How Tourism Homogenizes Cuisines and What Are Possible Solutions
There is a lot that can be done, both from an awareness and, even more importantly, from a policy perspective. Most of it requires changes that the travelers of today, seeking more authentic experiences, would welcome.
Magic Mushrooms in the Minibar
Some will always love a luxury spa. But psychedelics (think psilocybin soundbaths and mushrooms) are the phase in high-end wellness.
Ground Transport
Uber Rebuilds Asia Presence Starting Small in Macau
With the Macau entry, Uber is making its way back into Asia. But it is moving slowly. And this time, it is sticking to the rules.
Rising Train Demand Tests Capacity of Europe’s Rail Networks: Eurostar Exec
Demand for rail is rising, but the network isn’t ready. A warning from Eurostar's chief commercial officer shows that Europe needs serious investment in infrastructure and rail coordination.
Saudi Arabia–Qatar High-Speed Rail Aims to Boost Tourism and Cut Emissions
Saudi Arabia and Qatar plan a high-speed rail link connecting Riyadh and Doha, promising faster travel, tourism growth, and lower emissions if powered by clean energy.
Hotels
Activists Target Hilton CEO’s Home Over ICE Housing
Targeting a CEO’s home marks a new phase in the anti-ICE campaign — and a reminder that hotel groups now face reputational risks in an ever-more politicized moment.
Choice Hotels Targets 100 Hotels in Africa by 2035
Choice must prove its partner-led, franchise-only model can overcome a regional track record of slow builds and unrealized projects.
Prism-Backed Asset Arm Acquires 8 Hotels in Upmarket Push
Sunday PropTech expansion shows Prism’s effort to shed its budget-hotel image ahead of an IPO and present a more predictable business to investors.
Luxury
A Remote Atoll and the Economics of Ultra-Luxury Conservation
Tetiaroa proves that conservation works when it's designed as architecture: binding governance and indigenous knowledge made operational. It's a useful source code for other climate-sensitive areas.
Accor’s Message to Sofitel Owners: ‘Renovate, Rebrand, or Exit’
Accor, the Paris-based hospitality company, is continuing a sweeping renovation campaign at Sofitel, its largest luxury hotel brand.
Investment Firm L+R Targets Hotels as Institutional Funds Retreat
L+R’s reorganization underscores a broader trend in how specialist investors aim to get an edge over generalist real estate funds in hotel investing. Its plan to spend over $250 million on properties in its new Iconic hotel collection is one example.
Media and PR
The Validation Economy: How Western Travel Creators Monetize South Asia’s Need to Be Seen
This is a preview of where travel media is headed: destinations as identity theaters and creators as roaming interfaces between cultures and the algorithm.
Hilton Drops Franchise After it Refuses Rooms for ICE Agents
Hilton apparently decided it needed to move swiftly to guard its national brand reputation.
Hilton Blames Franchisee After DHS Blasts it for Refusing Service
DHS has accused a Minneapolis Hilton franchisee of canceling ICE agent reservations. Hilton's corporate headquarters says the incident doesn't reflect its values.
Meetings
5 Ways Meeting in Ireland Balances the Best of Both Worlds
All too often, choosing a destination for incentive travel forces meeting planners to prioritize either a busy city or rural country, business or wellness, modern developments or rich cultural experiences. Here’s how planners get to have it all on the island of Ireland.
3 Ways Corporate Meetings in New Orleans Can Fuel Creativity
Beyond the everyday challenges of organizing memorable events that move the needle for companies, today's planners are under mounting pressure to inspire a burned-out workforce. New Orleans combines its rich history, deep culture, and modern innovation to host corporate experiences that spark creativity and foster connection.
Inside India’s Events and Meetings Aspirations
India upped its convention center game for the G20 Summit last year. Now, it is trying to drum up the marketing for these spaces across the country. But is India really MICE ready?
Online Travel
Trivago Made Its Name on TV Ads — Now It’s Moving Into Streaming and Podcasts
It's been a slog for Trivago executives to turn around the company. In 2026, they argue they have the advertising scale to get more profitable.
Steve Hafner’s 22-Year Run at Kayak: Skift Timeline
Kayak's Steve Hafner has seen everything in online travel, from the founding of airline-owned Orbitz to the AI era.
Kayak CEO Steve Hafner Exits Post After 22 Years
Don't expect Hafner to stick around for an extended period in the new executive chair role.
Podcasts
Scaling Short-Term Rentals Is Harder Than the Industry Admits
Short-term rentals are no longer a frontier business. Outside of a small group of disciplined operators, the sector has settled into a slow, operational grind that favors local execution over national ambition.
Sonder Shuts Down After Marriott Termination, Marking the End of a Hospitality Experiment
Marriott’s abrupt termination of its licensing deal with Sonder has sent shockwaves through hospitality and finance circles alike. For Sonder, this collapse now marks the end of its operations entirely, with the company confirming an immediate liquidation. For Marriott, it raises hard questions about risk, diligence, and the future of its extended-stay strategy.
Explora Journeys President on Redefining Ocean Travel and the New Language of Luxury
Explora Journeys isn’t trying to compete with the cruise industry — it’s trying to reinvent it. By replacing “cruising” with “ocean travel,” the brand aims to redefine what time, space, and luxury mean on the water.
Short-Term Rentals
Kindred Raised $125 Million in Funding to Expand Home-Swapping Platform
Kindred's challenge is to help take home-swaps from a niche market into a more mainstream product.
Airbnb Debate Continues: Who Is STR Innovation Actually For?
Those invested in the current model aren’t happy when we point out a simple truth: The magic of short-term rentals has been professionalized out of existence.
Airbnb Services Is Offering ‘Ready to Heat’ Meals From Celebrity Chefs
Consider Airbnb's partnership with CookUnity an experiment to see if there is a market for such services.
Skift Originals
Building in Travel Has Never Mattered More
Travel is where history gets physical. We're in it. Right where we should be.
Legacy Is When Your Ideas Outlive Their Attribution: The Skift Journey
Skift is an extended argument for a particular way of being in the world: intellectually rigorous, commercially viable, editorially independent, globally aware, personally authentic.
Skift Expands Community and Multimedia Offerings with Two Strategic Acquisitions
I’m proud to announce two acquisitions that mark significant steps forward for us in community-driven, multimedia content. These acquisitions are part of our intentional growth strategy, balancing simplicity and complexity to build resilience into our media ecosystem.
Startups
Ugandan Startup Roamio Aims to Use AI to Connect Travelers With Local Operators
AI can dream up your adventure, but it’s connecting to the operators on the ground who actually make it real. That’s the challenge Roamio is taking on.
India’s Travel Startup Funding Is No Longer Just About Online Travel Agencies
These fundings reflect a broader trend: For India’s travel startup ecosystem, capital infusion is no longer about scale alone, but about where value is being created in the travel stack.
Vibe Coding Will Unleash a Tsunami of Travel Startups
AI-powered "vibe coding" is turning travel sector insiders into amateur developers and product designers. A coming wave of new startups and digital services may fix travel's innovation problem.
Tour Operators
Google Tests Ad Formats That Push Attractions Bookings: Scoop
Google is expanding its experiences' advertising business, heightening competition among online travel agencies and the attractions themselves.
How to Use Skift Megatrends 2026: A Playbook for Travel Operators
The next 12–24 months will reward operators who act on trends early, not those who wait for certainty.
TUI Adds Hotels in Africa as Travelers Look Beyond Europe
Africa’s hotel boom is real thanks to growing demand for alternatives to overtourism, and TUI’s expansion signals confidence. But the long-term test will be whether TUI can convert pipeline optimism into actual openings.
Tourism
MGM Resorts’ Las Vegas Revenue Dropped, But CEO Says Worst Is Over
MGM Resorts said Las Vegas is stabilizing after a tourism decline last year, though leisure travel and Canadian visits remain soft.
Olympics to Require Climate Measures From All Future Hosts
The IOC is warning that global warming could impact the Winter Olympics while simultaneously standing by fossil-fuel sponsorships.
Dubai Hotelier Says Rising Costs Are Squeezing Margins Despite Strong Demand
Smaller, regional operators find it hard to compete with international brands.
Travel Agents
Q&A: Inside Civitatis’ Push to Own the Spanish-Language Tours Market
Offering wide-scale travel experiences is one thing — curating high-quality activities specifically for the world's 850 million Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking travelers is another. With its relaunched app, Civitatis is dedicated to keeping the travel planning process simple and culturally resonant for its global audience of travelers.
Selectour’s New AI Aims to Fix The Booking Handoff Problem
For a travel sector eager to automate, the basics still matter — especially continuity between bots and human travel agents. Selectour and Kleio tackle the handoff problem, and the effort could prepare advisors for the agentic future.
Expedia Hires Former Google VP as First Chief AI Officer
Expedia Group’s move to bring in Xavier Amatriain, a heavyweight from Google, as its inaugural Chief AI and Data Officer underscores its intent to lead on travel technology in the AI age.
Travel Technology
Google Earnings: AI Search Is Changing Travel Discovery, Even Before Booking Tools Arrive
Google’s AI search is changing how travelers find trips. The booking tools aren’t here yet, but the traffic dynamics are already shifting — and the rules for capturing demand are shifting with them.
Q&A: How Hitit Oxygen Is Helping Airlines Navigate the Modern Retailing Transition
Airlines exploring modern retailing face a narrow margin for experimentation, as changes increasingly play out in live operational settings. Hitit Oxygen offers a look at how offer-and-order models are being tested in practice, as airlines pursue scalable paths to evolve without disrupting day-to-day operations.
Google’s Latest AI Search Features Look Like a Personalized Travel Concierge
Google is stitching its AI search features into a single workflow. For some users, that means a smarter, more personalized experience, with AI that shapes responses based on real travel preferences without leaving search.
Venture Capital
Travel Venture Capital Is Back, But Only for the Biggest, Safest Bets: 3 Charts
Early-stage startups face longer fundraising cycles and less capital.
Regional Air Travel Startups Raise Over $85 Million: Funding Roundup
The biggest airlines are behind on updating their tech systems and operations; regional airlines are even further behind.
Ramp Raises $200 Million for Expense and Biz Travel Management: Startup Funding Roundup
Startups for business travel management and flying taxis are still raising a lot of money.