Global Travel Market Outlook + Facebook's Google Envy + Airline Loyalty Spinoffs

We don't always have positive news to share — that's the business we're in, don't shoot the messenger — but today we're happy to deliver...

The Travel Industry's Daily Agenda-Setting Newsletter

December 6, 2017 View in browser

Note From the Editor We don't always have positive news to share — that's the business we're in, don't shoot the messenger — but today we're happy to deliver some optimism in the form of the latest Skift Research Report. The global travel market outlook by senior research analyst Rebecca Stone actually includes the words "Room for Optimism" in the title. Check out the report to see why she's upbeat about 2018. One other development to look for in the new year: Facebook wants to get better at reaching customers as they're considering travel plans. Expect the social media platform to get smarter and more effective with its travel-focused advertising. — Hannah Sampson, News Editor Top Stories New Skift Research Report: 2018 Global Travel Market Outlook With many global markets showing healthy signs of growth and consumer and business confidence high, we expect the travel industry to benefit from a solid year of macroeconomic growth in 2018. Should More Airlines Spin Off Their Loyalty Programs? Analyst Joseph DeNardi is passionate about his thesis — that airlines should sell their frequent flyer programs. Yes, an airline can make money doing so. But airlines that don't operate their own programs sometimes get into trouble. They have far less data about customers than their competitors. And in 2017, access to data is a big deal. Facebook Wants to Get a Little More Like Google in Identifying Traveler Intent Is it just the varied nature of the two advertising platforms, Google's versus Facebook's, that makes Google more effective at identifying traveler intent? Some would make that argument. If the travel industry hopes that Facebook will ever supplant Google as an advertising platform, then buckle up for an extended wait. Boutique Hotels Become Part of the College Experience Luxury boutique hotels are suddenly sprouting up near the campuses of small liberal arts colleges. But most seem to be shunning franchise flags in favor of independence. We examine the reasons why. Pan-African Booking Player Travelstart Buys SafariNow in Lodging Play Regionally focused online travel success stories are as rare as rhinos in the wild these days. But this merger of two South African players may help an endangered species — independent-booking players — keep thriving in a market where so much is dominated by the global duopoly, the Priceline Group and Expedia. Luxury Brands Embrace Experiential Marketing to Stay Relevant Louis XIII Cognac's most recent activation is a great example of how luxury brands are aligning with meaningful causes and influencers to appeal to luxury consumers' growing desire to feel their purchases are part of something bigger than themselves. Video: Why CMOs Might Be The Most Influential People at Any Travel Brand Financial analysts and other travel industry watchers often listen to the words of CEOs to hear what direction they're taking their companies. But, increasingly, CMOs at many major travel brands are dealing with ground-level, consumer-facing marketing and strategy that impact the company and customers on a daily basis. Skift Table: This Year's Eater Awards Have an Activist Edge There's a progressive theme in many of Eater's national awards this year, helping to prove that food, people, and politics are inseparable. The Top Traits of Elite Hospitality Employees Everyone agrees that service is key to the luxury experience. That means there's a great deal of pressure on hiring managers to find the right talent. They should be looking for certain key psychographic factors that have consistently proven to be strong indicators of employee success. Popular Now Marriott CEO Sees the Line Between Leisure and Business Travel Blurring Jumeirah Hotels Is Launching a New Lifestyle Brand in Early 2018 Australia's New Long-Haul Service to Europe Could Be Just the Beginning For Gmail users: If you are using the tabbed inbox, Skift emails may be pushed to the 'Promotions' tab. To get updates from Skift direct to your primary inbox, drag and drop this email to that tab. You received this email because you are subscribed to Skift Daily Newsletter from Skift.

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