More than 1,500 San Francisco hotel workers went on strike Sunday, demanding better pay and working conditions from Hilton, Marriott, and Hyatt.
14.09.2024 - 19:22 / skift.com / Anthony Capuano / Sean Oneill
Where will future hotel development growth come from? How are hotels using technology to sell more than just rooms? Do U.S. officials and travel marketers have good gameplans for hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the Summer Olympics in 2028, the Cricket World Cup, and other major sporting events to come?
These and other subjects will be top of our minds as we hear from leaders at Marriott, Wyndham, MGM Resorts at the Skift Global Forum in New York on September 17 to 19.
The theme of Skift Global Forum 2024 is “Travel’s Great Renewal (or Reckoning).” We’re interested in knowing what is normalizing back to 2019 levels and whether anything has changed for good.
Perhaps people continue to value travel more post-pandemic than they did before. Maybe there are tangible signs that consumers are protecting vacation spending in their discretionary budgets, preferring to cut other types of spending first.
Similarly, corporate travel remains down about 18% from 2019 levels when you adjust for inflation. Do booking patterns on weeknights suggest that “blended trips” — where vacation time is added onto business — still happen at elevated levels?
We’ll likely ask Marriott president and CEO Anthony Capuano some versions of those questions.
Hotel groups have many possible sources of growth, but which ones are they prioritizing? We’ll ask Wyndham president and CEO Geoff Ballotti what he anticipates for his company, the world’s largest franchisor, and for the industry broadly.
Wyndham has a deep presence in economy and midscale hotels as measured by room count. But its 25 brands span the full range, including upper-upscale brands like Wyndham Grand and Dolce.
Rivals Marriott, Hilton, and Hyatt doubled down on extended-stay as a category in the past couple of years with new brands. Will the extended-stay category continue to be a hot segment, and what tailwinds drive that interest?
Lifestyle and boutique hotels generate a lot of buzz, such as with Hilton buying Graduate Hotels and Hyatt buying Standard International.
Luxury and ultra-luxury are also key topics. We’ll ask Capuano about Marriott’s plans to expand in this space and how new products like The Ritz Carlton Yacht Collection are performing.
But betting on the middle class is also popular. Marriott has recently added midscale brands like StudioRes, Four Points Express by Sheraton, City Express by Marriott in Latin America, and its as yet unnamed brand Project Mid-T. Hilton has added two midscale brands, as did IHG. Hyatt is also moving downscale. What’s driving this dynamic?
Geographically, where’s the growth? Marriott placed at least one recent bet on Latin America with its City Express acquisition. It is competing with IHG, Hilton, and Accor to expand in China
More than 1,500 San Francisco hotel workers went on strike Sunday, demanding better pay and working conditions from Hilton, Marriott, and Hyatt.
Marriott Bonvoy is making it easier to plan a fall getaway for less with a flash sale that has up to 20 percent off stays around the world.
Bali has long been a tourist honeypot, but the growing influx of visitors is putting pressure on local infrastructure and endangering the environment.
Few places on the West Coast conjure up California beach vibes like Santa Monica, famous for its ride-filled pier, busy shopping streets and beautiful ocean views.
Another ‘Sphere’ is landing on Earth, this time in Dubai. MGM Resorts is building its own “Dubai Sphere”, promised by CEO and president Bill Hornbuckle to be “equally compelling as the Las Vegas Sphere.”
MGM Resorts has already submitted its proposal to the UAE government to operate a casino in the country, CEO Bill Hornbuckle said Thursday at the Skift Global Forum 2024. The Las Vegas giant is yet to have any running hotels there but is the only operator to openly state it has applied for the right to run a legal casino.
Good morning from Skift. It’s Tuesday, September 17, and here’s what you need to know about the business of travel today.
As fall road trip season is officially underway, a new study shows just how different car rental prices can be around the country. When it comes to the most expensive city to rent a car, travelers will find the highest price ins Little Rock, Arkansas, according to a new study from Cheapcarrental.com, which compared prices at 100 different U.S. airports from September to November. The average rate for the cheapest car at Little Rock’s Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport (LIT) came in at $95 per day.
Another wave of hotel strikes unfurled in two major New England cities Tuesday, while one in Southern California continues to grip a Hilton-affiliated property.
Michelin announced a second wave of top picks for U.S. hotels Thursday. It also revealed its first picks for a small group of luxury and boutique hotels in Canada and Mexico.
Plan an escape to Europe or beyond starting at less than $500 thanks to this KLM Royal Dutch Airlines fall and winter sale.
London Heathrow Airport retains its position as the most internationally connected airport in the world in 2024, according to the latest figures from OAG.