ALG Vacations (ALGV) is celebrating the arrival of spring with its new European Cities & Seas sale featuring $50 air credit on United Airlines flights and 50 percent savings on air and hotel packages.Travel advisors can book with Apple Vacations, Funjet Vacations, Travel Impressions and United Vacations from now until April 4 for travel through December 15, 2024, to score their clients special savings and perks.Guests can pair a stay of three nights or longer with a United Airlines flight to receive $50 off their booking, which they can combine with promotional pricing for hotel stays for as low as $350 down.The promotion allows travelers the unique opportunity to visit Europe's most coveted cities such as London, Paris and Rome while also enjoying a beach vacation in seaside destinations like the Canary Islands, Mallorca and Corfu, Greece."After exploring top cities in Europe, your clients will love relaxing at the beach with ALGV's Cities & Seas program," says Jacki Marks, Global Head of Trade Brands. "Plus, they know they'll be well-taken care of by familiar hotels like Dreams Resorts & Spas and Secrets Resorts & Spas."Travel advisors can visit ALGVacations.com to learn more about ALGV's European Cities & Seas sale.
Tripadvisor's Possible Sale
07.03.2024 - 10:03 / skift.com / Dennis Schaal / Rashaad Jorden / Peden Doma Bhutia
Good morning from Skift. It’s Thursday, March 7. Here’s what you need to know about the business of travel today.
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Speculation has been rife about what company could be behind the possible sale of Tripadvisor since the news first broke last month that it was in play. Executive Editor Dennis Schaal writes about recent reporting that one possible buyer is private equity firm Apollo Global Management.
Apollo has expressed interest in a bid , according to Bloomberg. Schaal notes that Apollo’s exploration of any purchase is believed to be in an early phase.
Tripadvisor has formed an independent committee to vet any offers, which analysts and travel industry insiders believe will come from private equity firms. Tours and activities leader Viator is the fastest-growing in Tripadvisor’s portfolio of brands. In speaking to travel industry insiders, most agreed that buying Tripadvisor and then selling Viator made the most sense.
Next, the alleged rape of a Brazilian tourist in India has raised questions about whether the country is safe for female tourists, reports Asia Editor Peden Doma Bhutia.
Bhutia writes the incident has triggered criticism of India across social media, with one travel executive stating the widespread coverage would hurt the country’s marketing efforts. The CEO of a company organizing backpacking trips in India for a largely female clientele said it would take years to undo the damage.
However, Chirag Gupta, CEO of online platform Deyor, said he hasn’t received any cancellations despite concerns from international travelers.
Finally, one travel executive believes artificial intelligence could replace generic top 10 lists and travel guides, writes Global Tourism Reporter Dawit Habtemariam.
Barry Rogers, the head of Dublin City Tourism Unit, said ChatGPT could enhance tourism marketing. Speaking during a panel discussion at the ITB Berlin travel trade show, Rogers added that AI will be able to give travelers personalized itineraries. The Dublin City Council and OpenAI announced a partnership to develop AI-powered itineraries.
Travel Agency Airline Ticket Sales Hit $8.9 Billion in February
February air ticket sales totaled a record $8.9 billion in February for U.S. travel agencies, a figure that is 6 percent higher the same time last year.This February’s staggering air ticket sales also represent the second straight month that agency sales hit such highs, according to Airlines Reporting Corp. (ARC).“Americans continue to prioritize domestic travel in the early part of the year, with year-over-year trips to U.S. destinations outpacing those of international trips,” said Steve Solomon, chief commercial officer at ARC, said in a statement. “Airlines are seeing robust demand from both corporate and leisure travelers, signaling the continued health and anticipated growth in air travel for 2024.”February ancillary sales increased 34 percent year over year to $29 million, while ancillary transactions increased 47 percent to 476,633 over the same period.The ticket sales results are based on monthly sales data ending February 29, 2024, according to ARC.The information was gathered from 10,367 U.S. retail and corporate travel agency locations, satellite ticket printing offices and online travel agencies. The results, however, do not include sales of tickets purchased directly from airlines.Additional highlights from the latest ARC report include:
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Tripadvisor Sale: Apollo's Interest and Possible Scenarios
Ever since Liberty Tripadvisor disclosed in early February that it was exploring a potential transaction in which itself and Tripadvisor would be acquired in an all-cash deal, speculation was rife that a private equity firm was behind the possible move.