It's been almost two months since American Airlines revealed its anticipated summer 2025 schedule drop, which saw the carrier unveil five new routes to Europe for next year's peak flying season.
14.10.2024 - 10:53 / skift.com / Sean Oneill / Geoff Ballotti / Richard Verma
Top executives in the U.S. hospitality industry are urging the government to take action to lift international tourism, which continues to lag in key markets.
“We’re a net exporter of travel,” said Geoff Ballotti, president and CEO of Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, at this week’s Lodging Conference in Phoenix.
Last year, nearly 99 million U.S. citizens traveled abroad, while about 67 million visitors arrived. Ballotti emphasized the need for a more competitive approach to attract international visitors. He noted the issue of visa wait times and comments by a State Department official at last month’s Skift Global Forum.
“At Skift Global Forum, you had [Deputy] Secretary of State [Richard] Verma up on stage talking about all the steps that our government is taking, and he was quick to admit they need to do more in terms of attracting inbound visitors,” Ballotti said. “Wait times, which have come down under his leadership from 400 days to 250 days, are still 250 days to get a visa. There is so much opportunity.”
Verma said the State Department has largely been able to get visa wait times back to pre-pandemic levels but acknowledged there’s more work to be done in some countries, including Mexico, Brazil, Colombia, and India. He said wait times are affected by the strong demand for travel to the U.S. and America’s security concerns.
Deputy Secretary of State Richard Verma said at the Skift Global Forum that the State Department is still working to reduce wait times in countries like Mexico, Brazil, Colombia and India.
What am I looking at? The performance of hotels and short-term rental sector stocks within the ST200. The index includes companies publicly traded across global markets, including international and regional hotel brands, hotel REITs, hotel management companies, alternative accommodations, and timeshares.
The Skift Travel 200 (ST200) combines the financial performance of nearly 200 travel companies worth more than a trillion dollars into a single number. See more hotels and short-term rental financial sector performance.
Read the full methodology behind the Skift Travel 200.
It's been almost two months since American Airlines revealed its anticipated summer 2025 schedule drop, which saw the carrier unveil five new routes to Europe for next year's peak flying season.
The holiday season is nearly upon us, which means it's time to book those flights to see your parents, in-laws, siblings, family, friends, or even that solo getaway you so desperately need at the end of the year. But before you do, make sure to consider all your flight options because some airports are simply better than others for holiday travelers. To help you find the right ones, MarketWatch conducted a survey of 3,000 Americans to learn more about their holiday travel habits. The team found that 61 percent of respondents plan to travel this holiday season, 36 percent intend to fly for the holidays, and they expect to pay an average of $1,869 on holiday air travel.
Tens of thousands of people marched in various Italian cities on Saturday calling for peace in Gaza and Ukraine.
NYC Tourism + Conventions, the city’s official destination marketing organization, announced Tuesday that it had named Julie Coker its next president and CEO.
NYC Tourism + Conventions, the city’s official destination marketing organization, announced Tuesday that it had named Julie Coker its next president and CEO.
From the rooftop pool deck of the Kimpton Sawyer in Sacramento’s Downtown Commons (DOCO) mall, I gazed down at a crowd of hyped-up circus fans buzzing around Golden 1 Center. Home to the Sacramento Kings basketball team, the arena also hosts concerts and special events like the Greatest Show on Earth, which happened to be in town during my visit.
One of TPG's most anticipated hotel openings of the year is finally here with the arrival of Regent Santa Monica Beach, a return to the U.S. for the ultraluxury hotel brand.
India’s sports tourism market is expected to grow at an annual rate of 17% and reach $53 billion by 2033. A new report by KPMG – ‘Harnessing India’s Sports Tourism Potential’ – looks at the challenges India faces in capturing this potential.
Elliott Investment Management has ramped up its battle with Southwest Airlines by formally calling for a special shareholder meeting on December 10, during which shareholders could vote for a new set of directors to steer the company’s strategy.
Hotels and resorts can now become wellness certified, thanks to the industry’s first program focusing on ways that accommodations amplify and offer ways for their guests to be well, launched by Wellness in Travel & Tourism (WITT).
My family of six recently visited both Disneyland and Universal Studios Hollywood.
Good morning from Skift. It’s Tuesday, October 15, 2024, and here’s what you need to know about the business of travel today.