Google's Travel Breakthrough + Very Best Hotel Rewards + Airbnb CMO's Untimely Exit

The Travel Industry's Daily Agenda-Setting Newsletter

October 5, 2017 View in browser

Note From the Editor One of the themes ubiquitous in conversations all over Skift Global Forum last week was the importance of experiential travel to consumers and travel brands alike. A new survey from the Skift Research team sheds more light on the subject, showing that 65 percent of respondents said they valued experiencing something new on a trip over plain old relaxing or recharging. And nearly 7 in 10 said they would prefer to spend more money on better activities than a fancier hotel room. Imagine the kind of experiences travelers could have if language barriers were knocked down. Wednesday, Google announced new consumer technology that could make travel more accessible than ever: Google Pixel Buds, wireless headphones with real-time translation capability. Now how do you say "game changer" in 40 languages? — Hannah Sampson, News Editor Digitally Transforming the Airline Industry with Real-Time Data [SPONSORED] Sponsored by Sabre Airline Solutions Today, the only way to survive as a business is to evolve digitally. While the airline industry is supported by sophisticated digital technologies, these technologies, and the data generated by them, need to be brought together to uncover insights and take action. Read More Top Stories Google's New Earbuds With Real-Time Translation Have Huge Implications for Travel The first iteration of this technology could be glitchy, but the ability to translate your speech into 40 languages could turn out to be something of a true killer app for the travel industry. AccorHotels Buys Into Orient Express to Remake an Iconic Brand While some of the deals done by AccorHotels have raised eyebrows, this one seems like a good strategic fit. The Orient Express brand is known the world over and will give AccorHotels a greater presence in the luxury space. Skift Research Survey Preview: Travelers Value Activities More Than a Luxe Room The upcoming 2017 Experiential Traveler Report will present a deep dive into the mind of the modern traveler. Here's a sneak peek of our survey results. United Complains Airbus Won't Give It Competitive Prices We like United President Scott Kirby because he says what's on his mind. But something doesn't add up here. Is this the real reason United hasn't placed a new order for the A320 family of jets? Airbnb CMO Jonathan Mildenhall to Leave Company As much of the talk around Airbnb right now relates to a possible IPO, it's odd to see a C-level exec depart at this stage in the company's lifespan. Hotelbeds Eyes a Viable Wholesaler Path in the Shadows of Priceline and Expedia Since 2016, the quiet wholesaler marketplaces for hotel supply have become noisy as private equity firms invested $2.9 billion to make Hotelbeds Group a market leader. Expect more consolidation. Wyndham Rewards Loyalty Program Provides the Most Payback on Guest Spending While it's fairly straightforward to quantify the value of a loyalty program in terms of "payback," that doesn't account for all the other special perks and experiences that travelers may value. JetBlue-Backed Zunum Plans to Produce a Small Hybrid-Electric Plane by 2022 Don't let recent news fool you. This is a promising development, but we're still far from a world in which a substantial number of passengers fly on a hybrid-electric plane. Transportation Spending Grabs Smaller Share of Household Income in Sharing Economy Era The democratization of travel in the U.S. has led to a smaller share of spending on cars and transportation over the last 30 years. It's disheartening, though, that transportation costs still account for the second largest spending bucket for U.S. residents. Meeting Planners Will Face Challenge of Rising Attendance Costs in 2018 When it comes to attending a meeting or event in the year ahead, it really is a seller's market. Meanwhile, travel costs for attendees and planners are on the rise. Buckle up for increased spending. The Unshakeable Value of Live Events — Meetings Innovation Report The importance of face-to-face meetings and live events is more invaluable than ever. Skift Book Club Confronts the Dark Side of Tourism Our latest company blog post digs into the Skift Book Club, which most recently read Here Comes the Sun by Jamaican novelist Nicole Dennis-Benn. This story revolves around a resort in Montego Bay that has devastating effects on the local community, and that topic is right up our alley. Popular Now What Monarch Air's Bankruptcy Means for European Aviation While there might be too many European airlines, Monarch's demise shouldn't necessarily be seen as being symptomatic of wider industry problems. Like Alitalia and Air Berlin before it, the UK-based airline and tour operator had plenty of self-inflicted wounds that were exacerbated by external issues. 8 Questions About Hotel Safety and Security Raised by the Las Vegas Shooting Short story: Hotels are just as fine as other businesses. It's guns in the U.S. that are the problem. Best Tourism Videos of 2017 Highlight the Art of Storytelling These winning tourism videos don't use radical production elements to tell the stories of their countries. Instead, they let the landscapes and handshakes speak for themselves, and show why travel is such a beautiful and enlightening thing. 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