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Good morning from Skift. It’s Thursday, May 2. Here’s what you need to know about the business of travel today.

Travel tech holding company Travelsoft Group said today that it has acquired Eventiz Media Group, publisher of French travel trade magazine L’Echo Touristique, which was founded in 1934. 

 MGM Resorts executives enthused Wednesday about the likely impact of their newly minted licensing deal with the Marriott Bonvoy loyalty program.

Airbnb’s Brian Chesky has entered his next innovation era. He sat down with Skift this week at a product event in Los Angeles for a wide ranging interview on AI, loyalty programs, Airbnb for corporate travelers and his billion-dollar pay package. We also talked about the company’s launch of almost a dozen immersive, experience-based homes that they’re calling ‘Icons.’

Airbnb CEO and co-founder Brian Chesky says a points-based loyalty program is not in the company’s future.

Some unionized hotel workers will participate in May Day rallies across the U.S. and Canada on Wednesday, pushing for more employee fairness and wage increases, especially as the hotel industry bounces back from the pandemic. 

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings doesn’t expect expect to see his a slowdown in its revenue, executives said Wednesday.

Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky has frequently mentioned the creative ways the brand has tried to stay top of mind beyond traditional advertising. This included its Barbie House, which attracted the 250 million social media impressions last year.

Marriott raised its forecast for 2024 profitability on Wednesday after predicting continued travel demand worldwide. But analysts spent the earnings call focused on travel booking behavior in the U.S., where post-pandemic domestic demand may be cooling.

After months of short-term funding to keep the Federal Aviation Administration afloat, Congress just unveiled a new reauthorization bill that covers everything from pilot training to family seating. 

Trivago’s first AI-infused TV ad didn’t play well in Latin America so the Germany-based hotel price comparison site curtailed marketing investments in the region.

Are Saudi Arabia’s new tourism offerings too pricey? That’s the sentiment on the ground at the Future Hospitality Summit (FHS) in Riyadh this week.

Just days after the Department of Transportation released a rule requiring airlines to give automatic refunds after flight disruptions, Congress is set to vote on legislation that could impose more hurdles. 

Hyatt has struck a deal with Peloton to feature the fitness company’s bikes and rowing machines at 800 properties. Members of the hotel group’s loyalty program will earn points for Peloton workouts at participating hotels.

Good morning from Skift. It’s Wednesday, May 1. Here’s what you need to know about the business of travel today.

The Madras High Court has made it mandatory for all motor vehicles seeking to enter the Nilgiris and Kodaikanal between May 7 and June 30 to obtain electronic passes. The aim is to collect data on the number of tourists visiting and the number and types of vehicles that are entering these hill stations.

Viking, an operator of river and ocean cruises, and a group of shareholders were set to raise more than $1 billion in an initial public offering on Wednesday.

Premier Inn’s parent company, Whitbread, announced on Tuesday an “accelerating growth plan” for the budget hotel group, which owns about 800 hotels in Britain and dozens more in Germany.

The U.S. travel industry will see a full recovery in Chinese and Japanese tourism by 2026 — one year earlier than previously projected, according to the U.S. National and Travel Tourism Office’s latest annual forecast released Tuesday.

India’s largest carrier IndiGo, which recently placed its first-ever order for widebody aircraft, plans to offer nonstop connectivity from major Indian airports to global destinations.

The Transportation Security Administration announced Tuesday that travelers will now be able to enroll in its Pre-check program through Clear.