Indian online travel agency Yatra.com reported a 5% quarterly revenue decline Tuesday, a drop CEO Dhruv Shringi attributed to intensifying price competition in the consumer business.
13.08.2024 - 08:06 / skift.com / Brian Chesky / Rashaad Jorden / Sean Oneill / Peden Doma Bhutia / Sébastien Bazin
Good morning from Skift. It’s Tuesday, August 13, and now here’s what you need to know about the business of travel today.
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | RSS
Disney has unveiled expansion plans for its parks, cruise line and digital platforms, writes Travel Experiences Reporter Jesse Chase-Lubitz.
Disney announced it will debut four new cruise ships between 2027 and 2031, an expansion that will increase its cruise line fleet to 13 ships. Meanwhile, the Disneyland Resort in California will feature a water-based Avatar attraction and Disney’s Animal Kingdom in Florida will be home to Indiana Jones and Encanto-themed attractions.
In addition, Disney is working with Epic Games to incorporate its characters into digital environments linked to the popular online game Fortnite.
Next, India’s outbound travel market is projected to reach $55.4 billion by 2034. And the country’s clout in the global travel industry is expected to continue growing, writes Asia Editor Peden Doma Bhutia.
Several travel executives addressed India’s role in global tourism during recent earnings calls. Accor CEO Sebastien Bazin said the number of Indian outbound travelers could double in the near future, which would have a big impact on Southeast Asia and Middle East hotel markets. And Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky said Airbnb is a crucial market, with the company seeing a 30% increase in nights booked in 2023 from the previous year.
Finally, the three largest U.S.-based sellers of vacation ownership, or timeshares, have reported a pullback in consumer spending behavior, writes Senior Hospitality Editor Sean O’Neill.
Executives at Hilton Grand Vacations, Marriott Vacations Worldwide and Wyndham Destinations said they noticed an increased consumer hesitancy to buy timeshares, particularly for new buyers in the bottom-third of income. O’Neill notes the pullback follows a high level of demand. The sector saw sales volume hit $11 billion last year, marking a full recovery from pre-Covid levels.
Where will growth come from? “Global” was the most-used word by timeshare executives in recent earnings calls. Marriott Vacations Worldwide is planning a new resort in Thailand. Hilton Grand Vacations sees opportunities in boosting its sales of units to Japanese buyers. And Travel and Leisure Co. saw its international tour flow jump over 50% in the second quarter.
Indian online travel agency Yatra.com reported a 5% quarterly revenue decline Tuesday, a drop CEO Dhruv Shringi attributed to intensifying price competition in the consumer business.
In this episode of the Skift India Travel Podcast, Asia Editor Peden Doma Bhutia sits down with Mahesh Iyer, managing director and CEO of Thomas Cook India, to explore how the company is strategically adapting to the evolving preferences of Indian travelers. The discussion delves into the shifting dynamics of India’s travel landscape and how Thomas Cook is positioning itself to meet these new demands.
Southeast Asian online hotel management and booking platform RedDoorz has its sights set on IPO – but it has a lot of steps to clear first.
Duane Brown jets off to international destinations seven or eight times a year.
Hilton has partnered with Indian actor Sidharth Malhotra to extend its global marketing platform, ‘Hilton. For The Stay’ in the Indian market. The campaign would be driven with new initiatives and investments tailored to India, the company said in a statement.
India’s tourism industry is undergoing a significant transformation. The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) projects the outbound travel market to reach $55.4 billion by 2034. At the core of this boom is India’s expanding middle class, driving both domestic and international travel as disposable incomes rise.
You don’t hear about Central Florida very often, and when you do, chances are it has something to do with Walt Disney World. But just over an hour north of the famed resort complex is the mid-sized city of Ocala, a destination bursting with superlatives, including “America’s largest spring” and “horse capital of the world.”
Hospitality company Oyo, once a beacon of India’s startup ecosystem, has seen its valuation drop from a peak of $10 billion in 2019 to $2.4 billion in its latest funding round.
The coastal Thai city of Pattaya is embarking on an ambitious rebranding effort, aiming to distance itself from its associations with sex tourism and illegal gambling into a destination that appeals to families, while also positioning itself as Thailand’s first casino city.
It was eight in the morning, and the prickly July humidity had already seeped through my skin as I hopped out of the cab in Singapore’s Little India. Greeted by the bustle of vendors setting up, I was transported back to my childhood, to days spent wandering the neighborhood with my grandmother. The aroma of fresh coriander from vibrant spice stalls spurred memories of her tangy coconut prawn curry. The musky fragrance of jasmine adorning colorful flower stalls reminded me of how she’d woven them into my braids. She never would again.
Wynn Resorts has just closed a deal to buy another 70 acres of land on Ras Al Khaimah’s Marjan Island, giving the operator a total of 155 acres and ownership of a quarter of the entire island. Wynn is already developing a $3.9 billion resort in the emirate.
InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) reported earnings Tuesday, and said it isn’t seeing signs of demand weakness outside of China.