TravelPulse Podcast: The Growth of Sports Travel

When the Van Cortlandt family acquired their sprawling Hudson Valley estate in the late 1600s, they couldn't have imagined that it would one day host a jack-o'-lantern festival with pumpkin sculptures including a Kraken, moving windmill, and Statue of Liberty.

Leaving the shores of Sicily, season three of HBO’s White Lotus is being filmed in Thailand. If you’re dreaming of a stylish beach vacation White Lotus style (minus the murder, scams, and sleeping around), you’re in luck because Unforgettable Travel, a premier luxury travel company, has just launched a White Lotus Thailand tour from Bangkok to the stunning island of Koh Samui.

Germany’s got a big secret: It’s got islands. And not the rocky, desolate, and uninhabited kind, but islands with miles of sandy beaches, picturesque cliffs, peaceful, protected forests, and seaside luxury hotels. The Germans obviously are in the know, and because of their geographical locations, the Dutch and Danes are, too. But nobody else in in the world seems to remember that Germany has a coastline on both the North Sea and the Baltic Sea, let alone that this coastline is peppered with dozens of islands. The biggest of all the German islands is Rügen in the state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, itself a wildly underrated area. While Rügen takes a little effort to get to, the trip is hardly insurmountable, and travelers who want to see Germany away from the big urban centers, internationally known beer festivals, and packed tourist attractions would be remiss to pass on it.

If you’re looking for a cruise but don’t like the sound of a mega-ship, river cruises offer more intimate, handcrafted experiences, taking guests to parts of the world inaccessible to larger vessels. There’s a bunch of luxury river cruise companies providing five-star service, dining, and accommodation. One of the better in Europe is Scenic Luxury Cruises and Tours. With nearly 40 years of experience, Scenic’s routes range from an architectural journey through the Douro Valley in Portugal to the French vineyards and romantic towns in Budapest. They offer a range of routes, but one of the most popular is the 15-day Romantic Rhine and Moselle itinerary. It explores two of Europe’s most enchanting river valleys, lesser-known historical sites, and includes a classical concert in a UNESCO-listed church in Trier, Germany.

There have been dozens of travel tech acquisitions so far this year: That includes at least 11 deals over the past three months, which followed at least 15 earlier this year.

Welcome back to another episode of the TravelPulse Podcast! 

Recently, Phocuswright's Global Travel Market Report 2024 revealed the industry exceeded pre-pandemic levels in 2023 with a 24 percent increase in gross bookings and a total spend of $1.5 trillion.

In this episode of the Skift India Travel Podcast, Asia Editor Peden Doma Bhutia and India Reporter Bulbul Dhawan dive into the top travel stories from India this month. They explore Leela Hotels’ move toward an IPO, South Africa’s new visa reforms, and Oyo’s acquisition of Motel 6. The discussion also covers key trends in Indian aviation and how Indian millennials are driving a surge in travel spending.  

The EU's post-Brexit Entry/Exit System (EES) is due to launch in November, but recent reports suggest it may face further delays.

There’s something about sleeping on a boat. It’s the rocking, of course, and the sound of the water. It’s also the cocoon effect of containment in a small space tucked away from the world. I’m not talking about cruise ships and luxury yachts here. I’m talking about a vessel that gently rocks, just enough to let a person know she’s not on dry land. If you suffer from seasickness, this could be an issue. As for me, I never sleep better than I do on a boat.

We just returned from what will likely be the final flight with my infant son sitting on my lap.

Where is the growth and momentum going to come from in online travel over the next few years as the law of large numbers and increased competition take hold? Is the thrill gone?