A Big Picture View of Travel’s Future at Skift Global Forum 2023

The pandemic sped up the transition towards digital and alternative payment methods. Non-cash transaction volumes are projected to surge to $2.3 trillion by 2027, and it has become essential for hoteliers to embrace a variety of payment options to enhance guest satisfaction. To do so, they should consider adopting modern fintech systems and establishing partnerships with leading payment processors.

The shift from desktop to mobile created new winners in various industries. Will the current innovations around artificial intelligence do the same? That’s unlikely, according to Spencer Rascoff, co-founder of Zillow and CEO of 75 & Sunny Ventures.

This year, Skift Global Forum East will be held at the 5-star, ultra-luxury resort: Atlantis The Royal. We plan to welcome 300+ travel industry professionals and speakers to this iconic venue on December 12-14.

Today’s travelers are in pursuit of emotional engagement, meaningful connections, and memorable moments, and AI is going to be a pivotal tool in fulfilling these desires.

Jason Calacanis and Brad Gerstner are looking forward to the days that generative AI becomes reliable and has a real effect on how the world operates. And they believe that could be the case in some areas in as soon as a year.

Booking Holdings has viewed its planned $1.7 billion acquisition of Swedish-based company eTraveli Group as a coup in its attempts to boost its flight business. However, the European Commission has blocked the deal, arguing that the deal would increase Booking.com’s hotel market share in Europe.

Are you ready for an aviation event like no other? Skift Aviation Forum 2023 is set to be a game-changer, and here are the top three reasons why you absolutely must attend:

Christopher Nassetta, president and CEO of the hotel giant Hilton Worldwide, last week highlighted his company’s move to display mandatory fees, such as resort fees, upfront when a consumer first searches on the group’s website and app.

Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky last week discussed the hot topic of cleaning fees, primarily as it relates to the short-term rental company’s plans to move toward upfront pricing.

eTraveli Group was left at the altar last week when the European Commission blocked its acquisition by Booking Holdings on antitrust grounds. Booking is appealing, but eTraveli CEO Mathias Hedlund said the $1.8 billion deal would be “no longer in play.” “We are a bigger fish now than we were at the time,” Hedlund said in an exclusive interview with Skift, referring to when the company signed the merger deal in November 2021. He said eTraveli is 2.4 times larger than before the pandemic.

Calpak first caught my attention when I got my hands on its popular Luka duffel bag that had previously racked up a 44,000-person-deep waiting list. It quickly became my favorite weekender bag of all time, accompanying me on all of my NYC weekend getaways to New England and the Jersey Shore, and as my personal item on several flights I took this year—and that was only the beginning of my love affair with Calpak. Since then, I've tried out a variety of bags and travel accessories from the brand and I've never been disappointed. As a chronic overpacker, I look for smart travel gear that offers me ample space, pockets, and ways to stay organized on the go—and Calpak gets it. And my fellow Condé Nast Traveler editors agree: Calpak is consistently designing reliable and functional luggage that gets the job done in style.

Hilton CEO Chris Nassetta opened the Skift Global Forum 2023 Tuesday in New York City. He addressed the group’s recent move to display mandatory fees; how he is working to address the greatest hurdles in travel as chair of U.S. Travel; and the introduction of its new brands Spark and “Project H3” as part of a new mission for Hilton to dominate middle-class travel.