Marriott Tests Traveler ID Plan + Blockchain Arms Race + Ace's New Brand, Explained

The Travel Industry's Daily Agenda-Setting Newsletter

January 25, 2018 View in browser

Note From the Editor Ace Hotels has a new brand, Sister City, sort of. The brand's first property is slated to open in the fall in New York City and all we really know about it so far comes from the cryptic marketing messages in the launch announcement. That didn't deter Hospitality Editor Deanna Ting, who deftly translated the hype in her story, "Ace Hotels' New Sister City Brand, Explained." Speaking of hype, there's lots to go around. Will blockchain be the great equalizer and trigger a tech arms race? And does a YouTube video that went viral about a purported Crocodile Dundee movie mean Tourism Australia is planning a Super Bowl Ad? We have all the hoopla covered below. — Dennis Schaal, Executive Editor Skift Q&A: The Big Vision for Augmented Hospitality Sponsored by AccorHotels As hospitality brands rethink their service offerings beyond the overnight guest experience, the hotel of the future has a bigger role to fill as a community hub and everyday problem solver for locals. We spoke with Maud Bailly, AccorHotels chief digital officer, to better understand this evolution. Read More Megatrends 2018 Travel Megatrends 2018: Blockchain Will Spark a New Type of Tech Race in Travel Some companies are betting big on blockchain's bandwagon effect. Time will tell whether the new technology materializes into cheaper, better, and faster travel experiences. Restaurant Megatrends 2018: Good Content Is the Path to Bot Recommendations In a race to personalize everything, from your news feed to the ads you see, companies are embracing artificial intelligence to get to the perfect answer. But it's going to take much more human curation before the robots take over. Top Stories Marriott CEO: Known Traveler Program Could Balance Visitor Demand With Security Issues The balance between the freedom to travel versus security issues is a dynamic playing out across the globe. A known traveler program that uses biometrics and other data to alleviate security concerns would be great for road warriors and other supertravelers, but might have less utility for once-a-year vacationers. Then again, there are no panaceas. Ace Hotels' New Sister City Brand, Explained Details are scant about Ace Hotels' new sister brand. But if Ace Hotels' track record is any proof, perhaps this could be a hit. But the bigger question is how do you balance travelers' desires for more local experiences versus feeling like they can escape the city they're in? Sharing Economy Growth Was a Big Part of European Tourism's Excellent 2017 Much of the European tourism industry has emerged from the doldrums of 2015 and 2016 stronger than ever but not without fault lines to keep track of such as hotels and alternative accommodations, the latter proving it's a sector that's holding its weight against hotels across much of the continent. Tourism Australia May Bring Back Crocodile Dundee, This Time With a Super Bowl Ad Crocodile Dundee is a nostalgic figure in the U.S., and it appears as though Tourism Australia could be hoping to score with an ad on Super Bowl Sunday. A campaign could get younger and older generations interested in Australia. But would a pricy spot during the Super Bowl be worth it? Ctrip Chairman Believes His Company's the Answer for U.S. Travelers Headed to Asia Ctrip isn't pursuing U.S. travelers aggressively yet, but it will. The Trip.com deal was small, but might be seen as an early indicator. Royal Caribbean Execs Feel 'Pretty Good' About Key Caribbean Market Royal Caribbean Cruises has new ships coming into the crowded Caribbean market this year, so it's no surprise the company has a positive outlook for the year. But we still wonder how eager cruise passengers will be to sail in the region this hurricane season given the disruption caused by storms in 2017. United May Finally Be Frank About Why Flights Are Delayed Travelers often think their airlines lie to them about flight delays. While that could be true sometimes, it's almost certainly not the norm. Event Technology Will Be Transformational Event technology is complicated. But as competing platforms develop the capability to work together, a more flexible future will be possible for planners. Popular Now Travel Megatrends 2018: Personal Fulfillment Is the New Ultimate Luxury For luxury travelers, an experience in itself is no longer enough. The personal fulfillment and self improvement one gains from an experience are taking precedence, and luxury brands can help travelers reach this goal. New Skift Research Report: WeChat Strategies for Global Travel Brands 2018 WeChat may be key for travel brands and destinations looking to appeal to Chinese outbound travelers. However, brands need to go beyond simply copying and pasting content from western social media to see the kind of payoff they are hoping for. American and Delta Will Collaborate Again in Rebooking Passengers During Flight Disruptions American and Delta once again will take care of each other's customers when flights are delayed or canceled. For travelers, that's good news. The two giant airlines stopped cooperating in 2015, and passengers have been hurt. 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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