Glenn Fogel travel tips

Good morning, readers. I was off the clock when this broke Monday night, but among the latest short-term rental alliances to sue a big city is one in Dallas. 

20 CEOs. 35 sessions in all. The Skift Global Forum ran from September 17 – 19 with loads of insights into the future of travel. We heard from the biggest hotel operators, OTAs, tourism boards and other leaders of the industry. 

Good morning from Skift. It’s Wednesday, September 18, and here’s what you need to know about the business of travel today.

Booking Holdings’ short-term rental business has been growing faster than Airbnb’s, and the company’s CEO plans to keep that momentum going. 

The eleventh edition of Skift Global Forum commences next week in New York City and to get you excited, we wanted to prepare you for the countless exclusive insights, intuitive conversations, and world-class industry networking.

Skift Global Forum will return to New York this month, and — as always — it will feature travel industry leaders in exclusive interview sessions. The theme of this year’s event is “Travel’s Great Renewal” as the the industry takes the next step coming of the pandemic.

Booking Holdings is now the largest travel business and one of the most profitable, and current CEO Glenn Fogel played a key role in putting all the pieces together starting two decades ago. 

Skift Global Forum kicks off on September 17th with an opening reception at The Glasshouse (660 12th Ave at 48th Street) in New York City, running from 6-9 pm ET. This special evening will include insightful fireside chats with top executives from the travel industry, followed by an exciting reception.

Booking and Expedia spend a ton on marketing: Nearly $13 billion combined in 2023, up from $10 billion in 2019. And it’s the largest expense for both companies, accounting for roughly half of their total operating expenses. 

Executives of top travel companies continue to emphasize that AI will transform the industry — even if it’s taking longer than expected.

Good morning from Skift. It’s Tuesday, August 6, and now here’s what you need to know about the business of travel today. 

There has been a resurgence in the use of travel agents since the pandemic – and even before – especially for luxury trips.

Booking Holdings CEO Glenn Fogel said he’s disappointed that the company’s U.S. short-term rental portfolio doesn’t “have near the number or the type of home accommodations in the U.S. to be fully competitive.”

In 2014, Booking Holdings — then called the Priceline Group — warned analysts that the 29% room night growth it achieved in the second quarter that year would decelerate over time.

Skift Global Forum on September 17-19 in New York City is the premier gathering for anyone in the online travel industry, bringing together the brightest minds and leading voices in OTAs and beyond.

Short-term rental veterans for years have said “professionalization” is key to industry expansion. But Airbnb believes that its individual hosts — and not professional property managers — is one of its biggest advantages over Vrbo and Booking.com.

Airbnb hasn’t been vocal about its strategy for experiences since it paused adding new ones last year or even a couple of weeks ago when it confirmed it has been removing some experiences providers from its platform.

Good morning from Skift

Glenn Fogel, the CEO of both Booking Holdings and its flagship brand, Booking.com, was the highest-paid travel CEO among the bosses of S&P 500 companies in 2023, with a total package of $46.7 million.

Chase Travel grew sales last year at a pace on par with Booking Holdings and far ahead of Expedia Group.

Good morning from Skift. It’s Friday, May 3. Here’s what you need to know about the business of travel today.

Booking Holdings has been engaged in building a “connected trip” — where travelers might book a flight accommodation and attraction on Booking.com — over the past few years.