Stage tips

“You’re here for the launch?” Ted Ebbers asked me the night of April 19, 2023, when we met on the beach of South Padre Island, Texas. The answer was obvious: We both were killing time before the next day’s scheduled flight of the world’s most powerful rocket. A recently retired Canadian federal employee, Ebbers, 58, drove from his home in Toronto to SpaceX’s spaceport in Boca Chica to watch his first rocket launch. He made the 1,900-mile trip alone, sleeping overnight at rest stops inside his Tesla Model Y.

As we eagerly anticipate the upcoming Skift Global Forum 2023 in two weeks, it’s the perfect time to take a trip down memory lane and revisit the incredible moments from previous forums. With the power of social media, the Skift community has come together to share their most cherished memories using the hashtag #SkiftRewind. These posts are a testament to the lasting impact of Skift Global Forums over the years and a reminder of the unparalleled experience that awaits us this year.

Rising like a phoenix in the Arizona desert, a new resort is taking shape in Glendale, Arizona. Set on 60 acres and just 1,000 feet from the Arizona Cardinals football stadium, Vai Resort promises to be the most unique resort in Arizona when it debuts in 2024.

After several delays, Brightline is launching its high-speed rail service between Orlando and southern Florida in just over a week.

There's good news for passengers flying through Washington, D.C.'s Dulles International Airport (IAD).

These days, the hotel world is abuzz with “sleep tourism,” a clever albeit trendy marketing term used to describe programming that extends beyond blackout curtains and soft, plush bedding. A 2016 study in the Current Biology journal expands on the “first-night effect” in human sleep research — stating that new environments often cause tossing and turning. So, then what’s a weary traveler to do while — trying— to sleep in New York City (aka the city that never sleeps)?

Robocops, robo-cleaners, robo-waiters, and robo-dogs — Singapore seems to want it all.

The lights dim, the curtain lifts and your eyes immediately widen to take in the vision of the stage, ablaze in a riot of colour. The hi-energy musical that is Six may be set in Tudor times, but its six characters – the reimagined wives of Henry VIII – are dressed as if Beyonce had styled them, on a set that could have been transposed from America’s Got Talent!

Harry Houdini performed magic under its marquee. Dick Van Dyke sent belly-aching laughter careening over its velvet seats. B.B. King unleashed the thrill of Lucille’s wailing strings over its orchestra pit. And Robert Plant sent the thunderous echoes of rock n’ roll around the glimmering sconces of its mezzanine.

One might describe Andrew Trotter’s passion for Puglia, in southern Italy, as a slow burn. The British-born, Barcelona-based designer first visited the region, which forms the heel of Italy’s geographic boot, about a decade ago. His close friend Carlo Lanzini planned to create a boutique hotel that would cater to the growing number of travelers lured by Puglia’s charming medieval villages, its sun-bleached landscape dotted with ancient olive groves and its nearly 500 miles of coastline, featuring picturesque coves with limestone cliffs and lovely sand beaches.

Brightline is once again delaying its debut at Orlando.

Minister of Tourism of Jamaica, Hon. Edmund Bartlett has kicked off engagements in Eastern Europe with a marketing blitz to promote destination Jamaica amid the staging of the 19th World Athletics Championships underway in Budapest, Hungary.

Jamaica to Triple Visitors from Central and Eastern Europe by 2025

Cruise line is set to become the club’s main partner and Official Vacation Partner.

Despite its paramount importance, distribution often remains an underappreciated and underserved area in academia and the industry as a whole. Many hospitality and tourism programs focus on areas such as hotel management, tourism marketing, and event planning, overlooking the critical role of distribution in optimizing revenue, expanding reach, and fostering collaboration.

Qatar Airways is no stranger to glamorous inflight experiences and sometimes flashy media headlines. The Oneworld alliance member is a growing global carrier that is upending what travelers should expect from an airline. The carrier’s vision comes from its CEO, Akbar Al Baker, who is responsible for taking this once-small carrier to the global stage.

Skift Global Forum Eastwill gather the top CEOs and travel industry leaders to the heart of the Middle East in Dubai, from Dec. 13-15 for three days of sessions, panels and networking opportunities. The Forum will look at the future of travel in the dynamic and growing Middle East and Asian regions, pull apart recent trends and discuss what they mean for the growth and future of the multi-faceted region. 

Qatar received just over 765,000 visitors during the first two weeks of the World Cup, according to an organisers’ report obtained by Reuters, falling short of the country’s expectations for an influx of 1.2 million during the month-long event.

Skift, Inc., the most influential media company in global travel, and ShortTermRentalz, a division of the International Hospitality Media portfolio that provides the news and intelligence for the short term rental industry, are announcing a content and media partnership to share fresh ideas and insights at their respective events.

As preparations continue for the coronation of HM The King Charles III on May 6, The Dorchester London has transformed its famous façade with a modern reinterpretation of the decorations used for the coronation of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II in 1953.

We are excited to announce that Uber CEO, Dara Khosrowshahi, has been added to our growing list of exceptional speakers for this year’s Skift Global Forum. We last spoke with Dara on stage during our 2021 Global Forum.