Travel's Personalization Dilemma + Skift Tech Forum Takeaways + Russia's World Cup Opportunity

The Travel Industry's Daily Agenda-Setting Newsletter

June 14, 2018 View in browser

Note From the Editor Russia is frequently in the news these days, and not for reasons that help its tourism aspirations. The country should be able to use the 2018 FIFA World Cup, which it is hosting, as an opportunity to show off its cities as international travel destinations. But as Tourism Reporter Dan Peltier explains, some soccer fans — notably those from the United States and United Kingdom — are not playing ball, and the overall number of tickets released and sold in 2018 is expected to be far lower than in 2014. Are there lessons to learn from Russia's experience, now that the U.S., Canada, and Mexico have locked down the 2026 World Cup? One lesson United Airlines learned recently: Don't touch the tomato juice. The carrier's chief digital officer took a break from talking about apps and loyalty at Skift Tech Forum this week to touch on the recent purge (and return) of the beverage. Aviation Business Editor Brian Sumers has the fun read, which may leave you hankering for a V8. — Hannah Sampson, News Editor New Skift Report: Where Luxury is Going Next Sponsored by AccorHotels Where is luxury going next? In a nutshell, everywhere. Today, luxury travelers can be found anywhere from second-tier cities to remote destinations in developing countries. And as travelers increasingly flock to novel places, expect hospitality companies to bookmark them as well. Download Now Top Stories The Personalization Dilemma in Travel: Read the New Magazine Check out our latest magazine to see how travel companies are weighing their push to personalize offerings against their customers' desire for privacy. And keep reading for insight on mobile payments, digital assistants, and the future of personalization. 4 Key Insights on Travel Tech Advances, Personalization, Voice and Amazon What do Amazon's Alexa, personalization, and the tech arms race have in common? They were common refrains overheard this week at our inaugural Skift Tech Forum in Silicon Valley. Russia Faces an Uphill Climb To Turn World Cup Into Tourism Win Who can blame travelers for wanting to sit this World Cup out given all the reasons (some valid) they get from news reports every day? FIFA could also have done more to assure travelers from countries like the U.S. and UK that Russia will have the welcome mat rolled out, at least while the matches are being played. Tomato Juice Is Back on United Airlines Flights, But It's Still Not Popular In May, United removed tomato juice because few passengers drink it. Afterward, though, United got another lesson in the power of social media. Many folks complained, and so tomato juice has returned. The funny thing is, United's customers still aren't asking for it. But at least it's there. Nice Viral Restaurant Hit, Now Where's the Money? Instagram-powered visual marketing seems to be a necessary tool for food businesses. However, the lack of exact metrics and instruments to gauge its ROI makes it a trickier undertaking than it looks on camera. Planners and Hotels Wrestle With Rising Costs as Event Dining Evolves As social media shines a spotlight on dining experiences, delegate expectations are placing pressure on food and beverage budgets. Meeting organizers don't just have to deal with allergies and intolerances; they also have to wow attendees while keeping costs under control. The Folly of the State-Owned Airline The government of South Africa is adamant the country needs a global airline as a matter of national sovereignty. That has been a costly decision. Is it necessary? Popular Now AccorHotels Chief Brand Officer: 'We Need to Watch Google and Amazon Carefully' Smart hotel brands like AccorHotels know that the real threat isn't Airbnb or even their fellow hotel companies. It's the Googles, Tencents, Facebooks, Amazons, and Apples of the world. United Plans New App But Is Weighing 'Creepy' Versus 'Personalized' There are limits to how much an airline like United knows about you and that is comforting to some travelers. But putting the data it does have to good use remains a challenge, although we see nothing controversial about wishing someone a happy birthday. Rwanda Is Making a Push for the Right Number of High-Spending Visitors Rwanda is setting itself up as Africa's new big luxury tourism destination. And while mountain gorillas are the country's main attraction, new luxury lodges will help open up other regions of this small, yet highly diverse country. 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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