Good morning from Skift. It’s Tuesday, June 18, 2024. Here’s what you need to know about the business of travel today.
31.05.2024 - 08:53 / skift.com / Dennis Schaal / Rashaad Jorden / Ellie Mertz
Good morning from Skift. It’s Friday, May 31. Here’s what you need to know about the business of travel today.
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The market for unlimited in-flight Wi-Fi connectivity is set to boom as airlines look to make it easier for travelers to stay connected in the skies. Reporter Ajay Awtaney provides background into the history of in-flight Wi-Fi.
Awtaney writes in-flight internet connectivity has come a long way since what he calls painfully slow service more than 20 years ago. As technology has improved over the past two decades, airlines have used advertising or sponsorship deals — such as a partnership with a streaming service — to make in-flight Wi-Fi more affordable. More carriers in recent years — including Delta Air Lines — have offered free Wi-Fi to members of their loyalty programs.
In addition, Airbus unveiled in 2022 the HBCplus system, which makes it easier for airlines to provide in-flight Wi-Fi.
Next, Airbnb hadn’t said much about its experiences offerings amid recent struggles. But the company’s Chief Financial Officer Ellie Mertz has explained what went wrong and how it plans to fix those problems, writes Executive Editor Dennis Schaal.
When asked at a Bernstein conference why Airbnb experiences hasn’t been a success, Mertz said outside of packaged tours, consumers don’t go to a site and book everything — flights, lodging, cars, etc. — at the same time.
Mertz also said Airbnb needs to ensure experiences are “appropriately priced” and that proper timing and personalization are keys to a successful experiences product.
Finally, Skift recently reviewed the pay for more than two dozen top bosses at U.S. destination marketing organizations. However, Global Tourism Reporter Dawit Habtemariam notes a lot of factors go into the link between CEO pay and the performance of a tourism board.
Habtemariam reports it’s hard to assess how much credit destination marketing organizations should get for tourism, adding a tourist may visit for reasons unrelated to marketing.
One place the value is more clear: Meetings and conventions. “They are hugely important. That’s the only organization that can talk collectively with meeting planners,” said Vijay Dandapani, a member of NYC Tourism’s board of directors and CEO and president of the Hotel Association of New York City.
But you can’t paint with too broad a brush. As one former DMO leader told us: “Some of these CEOs are probably underpaid, some of them are probably overpaid,” she said.
Good morning from Skift. It’s Tuesday, June 18, 2024. Here’s what you need to know about the business of travel today.
Sandals Royal Curaçao is the ideal destination for an island escape. Situated on the picturesque island of Curacao, the resort boasts stunning views, beautiful beaches, and crystal-clear waters. The island itself is known for its vibrant culture, colorful architecture, and rich history, adding to the overall appeal.
British Airways has added Lapland to its list, and checked it twice, as it prepares to launch new flights to Santa Claus’s home region this winter. Departing from London Gatwick, new twice-weekly flights will launch on 3 December 2024 and fly customers to Ivalo, which is home to Finland’s most northerly airport.
Geneva Tourism is delighted to unveil the inaugural Geneva Food Guide, produced in collaboration with Sébastien Ripari, a Geneva-born international gastronomic expert and food consultant. Developed to highlight Geneva’s authentic and diverse culinary culture, the Geneva Food Guide was launched at a high-profile press conference early this morning. Designed to be a trusted companion for locals and guests to the city, an initial 170 restaurants were tried and tested to select the very best of Geneva’s gastronomic offering, with the final edition of the Geneva Food Guide showcasing 60 recommended establishments personally tested and approved by Ripari. Providing visitors with an opportunity to discover Geneva’s diverse gastronomic scene, the Guide’s carefully curated recommendations will ensure that even the most discerning of foodies enjoy their stay in the city, with hidden treasures to suit every taste and budget.
Good morning from Skift. It’s Friday, June 14, 2024. Here’s what you need to know about the business of travel today.
The writing was on the wall, but now it's official: Southwest Airlines is making more adjustments to its network, with an emphasis on Atlanta.
Dozens of passengers were filmed struggling with the heat when their flight was stuck on the tarmac.
Alaska Airlines passengers will now be able to book British Airways flights to London directly on the American carrier’s website in an expanded partnership agreement.
Thailand’s government on June 4 approved a new tax break for companies organizing local conventions and seminars to boost domestic tourism during the country’s low tourism season.
Andrew Cifa joins The Logan Hotel, Philadelphia, as the new Director of Sales and Marketing, bringing over two decades of hospitality expertise.
Halifax is a harbor town. A narrow neck opens up to the protected waters of Bedford Basin, making it ideal as a naval and shipping port. Before Europeans arrived, this body of water was a sanctuary and home to Indigenous Mi’kmaq for millennia.
A friend recently said that living in Southeast Asia was akin to winning one of Willy Wonka's golden tickets. And it's impossible to dismiss a long list of advantages that include the cuisine, cultural heritage, diverse landscapes, low cost of living, and generally friendly, laid-back hosts.