Skift Travel Health Index Shows Softening Trend

Only two weeks to go until the flagship event in the vacation rental industry, Skift Short-Term Rental Summit, and over 90 companies already plan to attend on June 5 in New York City. This includes a cohort of names in the industry such as AvantStay, Awaze, Beyond, BookingPal, IHG, Hilton, and Whimstay, just to name a few.

Connecting Travel Marketplace, formerly Global Travel Marketplace, is set to expand with new editions in the UK and Italy, enhancing its role in connecting high-spend travel industry professionals. This evolution aligns with Jacobs Media’s 15th anniversary and aims to boost global travel business opportunities.

The Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR) highlights a robust first quarter in 2024 for the U.S. B2B exhibition industry, with significant improvements in attendance and overall exhibition performance.

This global coverage guide is tailored to help you explore the complex landscape of international health coverage.

Resources required to implement new technology platforms and maintaining customer satisfaction rank highest as challenges for the year ahead.

Aruba Tourism Authority introduces myAruba Assistant, an AI tool enhancing travel planning, alongside significant sustainability initiatives and developments to improve the visitor experience on the island.

Cindy McCabe. (Source: Cindy McCabe)

Even in 2024, the question “can Americans travel to Cuba?” is still frequently asked among US travelers. Few destinations create such simultaneous longing and confusion as this crocodile-shaped island only 95 miles south of Key West. It has held a mythic status since the early 20th century for its vibrant mix of Latin and Caribbean cultures, its hundreds of miles of pristine beaches, its African-influenced music, and its vintage charm; today, Chevrolets and Buicks from the ’50s rattle down Spanish colonial streets in Old Havana that have hardly changed since Ernest Hemingway was knocking back mojitos there.

Earlier this week, Skift Research’s Seth Borko and Pranavi Agarwal hosted a LinkedIn Live session to discuss the evolving role of credit card companies in the travel industry. Their conversation built on an earlier Skift Research report about banking and travel loyalty.

Good morning from Skift. It’s Thursday, May 16. Here’s what you need to know about the business of travel today.

Chase cardholders can book Southwest Airlines flights through the Chase Travel portal, and that’s a rarity for leisure travelers.

With things looking up for tourism in The Bahamas, representatives of the country’s Ministry of Tourism, Investments & Aviation (BMOTIA) are set to build on their success at the 42nd edition of Caribbean Travel Marketplace. Hosted by the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) and scheduled for 20 - 23 May 2024 at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in Jamaica, the Caribbean’s largest tourism marketing event will offer opportunity for The Bahamas to shine as buyers and sellers of tourism products and services from countries across the region convening for business. In 2023, The Bahamas saw record-breaking tourism growth accounting for 9.6 million visitors, up 38% from 2022. While foreign air arrivals rose 17% to record 1.7 million in 2023, cruise arrivals surged 43.5% to record 7.9 million. The country’s 16 islands all enjoyed significant increases, with visits to New Providence, for instance, up 36% in 2023, to Grand Bahama up 44%, and the Out Islands up 40%.