Global Tourism Investment Shows Uptick but Is Far Below 2019

As a flock of noisy jet skiers circle the Statue of Liberty on a warm October evening, Matthew Rhys looks out at the horizon. “There’s a Welsh word, hiraeth, which is loosely translated to ‘a longing for home,’" he says. “But it's something slightly more than that. It's a longing for something that can never be again.”

U.S. hotels again saw an increase in job growth in September. But despite the surge in hiring, the industry still has a long way to go to fully recover from the pandemic.

In a milestone event that promises to reshape the contours of the global Travel & Tourism sector, the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) today unveils the bold theme and agenda for WTTC’s 23rd Global Summit taking place in Kigali, Rwanda: “Building Bridges to a Sustainable Future”.

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.

Be a car enthusiast or not, you must have heard the buzz surrounding the Geneva International Motor Show (GIMS Qatar 2023) that will soon be taking place in Qatar.

It may be the proverbial "needle in a haystack."

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.

Saudi Arabia has become a “must-see destination”, Zurab Pololikashvili, secretary-general of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation, said in Riyadh during the opening ceremony of World Tourism Day this weekend. “This is a country that always looks forward, and in big ways,” he continued. “Saudi Arabia is now the second-biggest place for foreign direct investment projects in all the Middle East and Africa. I’m proud to say we count on the support of Saudi Arabia.”

Los Cabos Tourism Board announced Diana Flores, the Captain and Quarterback of Mexico’s World Champion Women’s National Flag Football Team, as the first-ever Brand Ambassador for Los Cabos.

Traffic fatalities declined for the fifth straight quarter. About 19,515 people died in motor vehicle traffic crashes in 2023, a decrease of about 3.3% compared to 20,190 fatalities in the first half of 2022.

Skift Global Forum is the most anticipated event for the travel industry insiders and travel enthusiasts alike. It’s half thought leadership conference, half essential networking opportunity, and all around way to connect with the ideas and people who are defining the future of travel.