On September 1, Carol and Tom Cutkomp stepped aboard Royal Caribbean's Radiance of the Seas ship in Seward, Alaska, and began unpacking their belongings, eager to kick off their vacation after three long days of travel.
25.08.2023 - 14:44 / skift.com / Royal Caribbean / Colin Nagy / Jason Liberty / Tom Lowry / Sean Oneil
Good morning from Skift. It’s Friday, November 4. Here’s what you need to know about the business of travel today.
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Marriott executives said they feel confident in the hotel company’s ability to weather any economic downturn better than it has through past recessions.
They noted that the company’s fourth quarter will exceed 2019 in revenue per available room in a quarterly earnings call on Thursday. In its largest markets, the U.S. and Canada, Marriott collected $630 million in net income and $5.3 billion in revenue.
Marriott executives are optimistic about 2023 even if the economy enters a downturn, Senior Hospitality Editor Sean O’Neil reports. Executives cited the fact that Marriott’s portfolio is weighted toward premium brands, giving the hotel company a resilient attachment with consumers with higher levels of discretionary income.
As the global hotelier enters a post-pandemic boom, it is leaning less on online travel agencies and encouraging consumers to book direct. In the third quarter, 38 percent of consumers went direct, compared to 12 percent from online travel agencies, which was 1 percent higher as a proportional share than in 2019.
Next, cruise company Royal Caribbean experienced a year-over-year boost in its booking volume in the third quarter thanks to its own relaxed Covid protocols and looser restrictions in various countries. On a quarterly earnings call on Thursday, executives said relaxed the protocols expanded the addressable market in the U.S. by 35 million, Global Tourism Reporter Dawit Habtemariam reports.
Executives also took a chance to talk about the upcoming launch of their Icon of the Seas class ship, which is reportedly the world’s largest cruise ship. Royal Caribbean Group President and CEO Jason Liberty said it will be a game changer for the company.
Looking ahead to 2023, Royal Caribbean executives are optimistic about most markets. For China, they don’t expect to have business there in 2023. They do, however, expect there will be business before 2025.
Finally, we turn to Zimbabwe. In the country, community development and environmental conservation non-profit Malilangwe Trust is working to ensure the country’s communities are fed and healthy, which are the foundations of a successful tourism economy, writes Skift On Experience columnist Colin Nagy in this month’s At Your Service feature on unique jobs in travel.
The sub-Saharan country is currently undergoing many challenges. The tourism industry experienced a 28 percent decline in employment from 2019 and 2020 to 128,000. Political instability, corruption, food shortages and rampant inflation continue to plague the country.
Tendai Nhunzwi, Malilangwe Trust’s
On September 1, Carol and Tom Cutkomp stepped aboard Royal Caribbean's Radiance of the Seas ship in Seward, Alaska, and began unpacking their belongings, eager to kick off their vacation after three long days of travel.
While summer gently fades away, Asheville, North Carolina, prepares to unveil its annual masterpiece of nature: the breathtaking fall color leaf change. The biodiversity of tree species in the Blue Ridge Mountains ensures a visual symphony of crimson, gold, and amber hues, while variations in elevation grant leaf-peepers one of the longest fall color seasons in the nation.
If you're planning a trip to Walt Disney World in Orlando in 2023 and beyond, you're going to want to read this before you commit to any dates.
Norwegian Cruise Line has docked two ships in Baltimore, calling the Maryland city a long term home for the first time ever.
If you’ve ever been crammed into an uncomfortable coach seat, been charged extra for a bag, or had a flight delayed for no good reason, you know how much the airline you fly can impact your trip.
Over 300 leading companies already plan to attend Skift Global Forum 2023 on September 26-28 in New York City. This includes companies like Marriott, Disney, Accor, Google, Netflix, Hilton, Amazon, Thayer Ventures, Highgate, and U.S. Travel just to name a few.
The luxury travel network Virtuoso® has revealed the winners for its 2023 Best of the Best awards announced at this year’s Virtuoso Travel Week held in Las Vegas at Bellagio Resort & Casino, ARIA Resort & Casino, and Vdara Hotel & Spa. The 35th annual gala spotlighted the network’s most esteemed travel agencies, advisors, and preferred partners.
Good morning from Skift. It’s Friday, November 11. Here’s what you need to know about the business of travel today.
Hoteliers are now in the middle of 2023 budgeting. It’s a tricky task given the uncertain forecasts.
Several big-name hotel companies have entered 2023 with tech partnerships to modernize operations and services.
Good morning from Skift. Somehow it’s already Friday, January 20. Here’s what you need to know about the business of travel today.
Skift Research has been tracking the performance of the travel industry since the start of the pandemic, and we have analyzed all the peaks and troughs, highs and lows for three years now. The last months of 2022 saw little movement in the global Index score as continued growth in demand in some areas was counterbalanced by increased worries about the broader economy.