Golf-Hotel-Resorts AND CASINO News: Americans Shun Airline Loyalty + Wyndham’s Big Bargain Buy + Six Flags’ CEO Surprise

July 19, 2017

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Note From the Editor

For all the fascination with points pros and credit card churners, a new Skift survey shows that loyalty programs don't loom so large in the minds of many travelers. The latest story in our Travel Habits of Americans series shows that 33 percent of respondents say they never collect points when they fly, while only about 17 percent say they always accumulate points. Younger travelers are not as points-driven as older counterparts, which could point to a problematic trend for companies depending on loyalty outreach in the future.

But loyalty still has power, especially as travel companies consider mergers and acquisitions. Wyndham and AmericInn both cited the prospect of benefitting from each other's loyalty programs when Wyndham announced it bought the smaller Minnesota-based brand on Tuesday.

— Hannah Sampson, News Editor

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Travel Habits of Americans: U.S. Travelers Shun Airline Loyalty Programs

Many airlines have rewritten loyalty rules in recent years to make their programs more profitable and reward the most lucrative travelers. But our data show many U.S. travelers don't want to play by those rules and aren't loyal to any airline.

Wyndham Buys AmericInn Hotel Chain for $170 Million

Wyndham's version of a great American idea? Buying AmericInn. (Sorry, we couldn't help ourselves.)

iCars Denies That It Is Spinning Its Wheels in Corporate Ground Transport

In theory, the merger of iCars and Limos.com promises a thriving black car service for corporate travelers. In practice, there is circumstantial evidence this investment vehicle hasn't yet left the repair shop.

Six Flags Just Unexpectedly Replaced Its CEO With Its Previous CEO

Duffey's departure is mysterious, but the new (and old) CEO knows the company and headed it for several years. There shouldn't be too much upheaval or shift in strategy, even if the unexpected change proves distracting for awhile.

United Airlines Hits Pause on Delivery of Passenger-Friendly Airbus Jets

Will United Airlines ever take the 35 Airbus A350s it has on order? At one point, it had an acute need for the new long-haul aircraft. But times change, and United already has a worthy successor for its Boeing 747 fleet — the Boeing 777-300ER.

British Airways Turns to A-List Actors for New Safety Video

In-flight safety videos are fascinating in that they all must stick to the same script. What airlines decide to do with this locked-in time is always an extension of their brand.

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DerbySoft has thrived as a vendor that helps global hotel groups with distribution partly because its top boss Ted Zhang called the rise of Booking.com early on. Zhang's latest predictions about what's next for the industry may ruffle some feathers.

New Research Suggests It Doesn't Always Pay to Book Direct for a Hotel

Maybe it really is better to keep clicking around if you're hoping to save money (and you don't want to be a member of a hotel loyalty program).

Tourism Boards Increasingly Worried About Politicians and Budget Cuts

While tourism board funding has been a mixed bag around the world in recent years, it's evident tourism boards aren't losing focus on strategies like video and more deeply engaging with the local community.

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