Airport Meals On-Demand + China’s Overflowing Cruises + Trump’s Transport Failure

The Travel Industry's Daily Agenda-Setting Newsletter

August 21, 2017 View in browser

Note From the Editor We like to see new things and innovative approaches. Take a look then, as Aviation Business Editor Brian Sumers did, at a couple of new apps that enable passengers arriving at airports for tightly choreographed connecting flights to order meals before they board. We don't know if it will work because of the complex logistics, but one thing that certainly isn't working yet is President Trump's much-touted infrastructure plan, as Senior Writer Andrew Sheivachman points out. Meanwhile, News Editor Hannah Sampson examines a relatively newish thing — the China market — for the globe's biggest cruise lines. They are playing the long game in China, are happy with demand, and are hopeful that pricing will rise — if and when — tensions with South Korea simmer down. We hope you'll likewise settle down and consume today's stories. — Dennis Schaal, Executive Editor New Skift Research Report Launching This Week Want to read it the second it becomes available? When you become a Skift Research subscriber, not only do you gain access to our twice monthly, in-depth Research Reports, but also our exclusive subscriber-only Data Sheets, Analyst Sessions, and more. Subscribe Now Top Stories Skift Global Forum 2017: Facebook, Delta and More Big Brands Don't miss out on hearing from one of the most diverse and relevant collection of brands at any travel conference. New Apps for the Airport Promise to Feed Time-Crunched Travelers Fast If this works at scale, it'll be appreciated by travelers in hub airports, where there's often not enough time to grab food between flights. But reliably delivering food to passengers waiting at gates is logistically difficult, if not impossible. We'll see if these new services can pull it off. China Cruises Are Packed at Lower Prices Amid Tensions With South Korea An international skirmish that forced itinerary changes for China-based cruises threw operators for a loop, but demand seems fundamentally intact. If tensions ease and South Korea reopens, will pricing return to high levels or have lower fares become the new normal? Hyatt and Expedia Formally Sign New Deal Any potential crisis has now been definitively averted, at least until this contract expires. Travel This Week: Will Airbnb Block Hotel Surge Pricing for Solar Eclipse? Hotels used to be nearly the only game in town for accommodations during high-demand occasions, and they could charge whatever the market would bear. They can still charge guests whatever the market will bear but the question is whether companies such as Airbnb are changing the market and pricing dynamics. Trump Plan to Improve U.S. Infrastructure Is Going Nowhere for Now A plan to invest in U.S. infrastructure was supposed to be a slam dunk for the Trump administration. Yet even with an experienced political operator such as the Secretary of Transportation, it's now unclear whether any robust plan will ever come to fruition. Travel Payments Sees $10.4 Billion Merger That Makes Worldpay a Stronger Competitor Vanity's $10.4 billion acquisition of Worldpay creates a payments processing powerhouse with a huge hand in helping travel businesses boost online and mobile purchases. Due to competition from new rivals, fees are unlikely to spike in the short term. Still Popular Despegar Files for $100 Million IPO and Expedia Could Benefit From Its Growth Despegar is on track to attract a $1 billion valuation. That's impressive. But its newish CEO needs to pivot the business away from a reliance on selling airline tickets, which are becoming less profitable for his firm by the day. Social Media Influencers Have Little Sway Over Asia-Pacific Travelers There is a ton of variation in the behavior of travelers from different countries across the Asia-Pacific region. Travel companies should pay more attention to the specific needs of the travelers they're trying to reach. Hotel CEOs Say They're Cautiously Optimistic About Corporate Travel But shouldn't hotel executives be a bit more concerned? At least that's what one analyst is wondering, and we are too. 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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