Hyatt Bans Hate Groups + Airbnb's Loyalty Delay + American's Big Bag Redo

The Travel Industry's Daily Agenda-Setting Newsletter

September 28, 2018 View in browser

Editor's Note Skift Global Forum did not disappoint on day one with something for everyone. What we heard from travel executives was news (Hyatt banning hate groups); future predictions (Booking pushing data-based personalization); a destination's rebirth (optimistic numbers from Puerto Rico); an icon's reflections (Ian Schrager on old Studio 54 pal Trump); inspiring new models on travel (two startups taking experiences further); even some disappointment (Airbnb's loyalty program is not coming soon), and so much more. See below for our full coverage. Of course, we didn't take our eye off the industry either on Thursday. We have other top stories for you as well. We'll be back today to give you more of the same, as Skift interviews a bunch more CEOs and top executives. Keep checking back with us. — Tom Lowry, Managing Editor The Future of Business Travel is About Putting People (Not Policy) First Sponsored by TripActions Cost is an important consideration when designing a business travel program. But more organizations are waking up to the fact that smarter policies aren't solely about saving money. Today's modern policy must take into account growing employee demand for more choice, greater convenience, and better traveler support. Read More Skift Global Forum View Coverage of Skift Global Forum: Day 2 It's the last day of the fifth annual Skift Global Forum. Check out our coverage on the 30+ highly focused sessions and talks on the global travel trends you need to know about. Hyatt CEO Says Hotels Will Ban Hate Groups: 'We Need to Draw the Line' Hyatt and other hotels are increasingly in the business of opening their doors to all who need a place to sleep, as long as they pack a peaceful and inclusive attitude with them. Google's Conflicted Travel Strategy Pushes Forward Google has developed solid travel booking and itinerary management tools, but won't push fully into the online travel booking business because of its lucrative role in online advertising. It looks like Google's bifurcated travel strategy will continue for some time. Airbnb Is Not Launching Its Much-Anticipated Loyalty Program Anytime Soon Frequent Airbnb customers have been waiting for some kind of program to reward them for their loyalty. They'll have to be patient. Why American Airlines Brought Big Bags Back to Basic Economy American Airlines hopes that newer, nicer planes will resonate with its customers. After success with increased fare segmentation, though, it will be interesting to see how the airline drives revenue on its new fleet. How Booking Holdings Is Plotting the Next Decade of Online Travel Innovation The Booking Holdings CEO is taking the long view, which can be difficult for the leader of a public company to accomplish while growing stock value. The opportunity is there, though, for the online booking leader to improve its offerings with data-based personalization. Ian Schrager on How Hotels Get Technology Wrong The hospitality industry shouldn't forget its humanity, while continuing to innovate — just in a sensible and appropriate way. Strong message. JetBlue Still Just Wants to Be Loved JetBlue is trying to hold on to the qualities that set it apart — and made it a fan favorite — amid increasing competition. President and COO Joanna Geraghty explains why the carrier is still working to prove that air travel shouldn't be a commodity. Luxury Travel Advisors Aim to Put the Person Back in Personalization Luxury travel advisors can thrive with the help of tech, rather than fear it, according to Matthew Upchurch, CEO of Virtuoso, and Jack Ezon, founder of Embark. Their claim makes intuitive sense. Puerto Rico Uses Hurricane Headlines to Help Make It a Global Destination When it comes to destinations post-disaster, bad publicity can usually be flipped on its head and retooled to portray an encouraging comeback story. Puerto Rico's tourism industry is on its way to such a story, not letting disaster images and videos derail its progress. Chef Thomas Keller on Creating Destination Restaurants It's a whole different ballgame between Yountville, California, and New York City's Hudson Yards. Behind TripAdvisor's Renewed Push to Inspire Travelers Beyond Just Making Sales TripAdvisor is notable for having a large audience of consumers looking for ideas about where to go and stay, and what to do once they're there. It's sensible that the company is adding features to bolster that edge over its transaction-focused rivals — as long as the company doesn't neglect transactions. Creating New Twists on Travel Through Stories of Place The world is a brighter place because of travelers and millions of them increasingly want to spend their vacations doing good rather than showing off their new bathing suits or selfie sticks. Other Top Stories Caribbean Drag Persists But Carnival Still Reports Record Earnings Wall Street wasn't fond of what Carnival revealed about 2019 booking trends. Was the share price slump an overreaction? Airbnb Clone Wimdu to Close Despite Having Raised More Than $90 Million One ripple effect of startups like Airbnb raising enormous sums of funding is that it has become harder for smaller rivals to clone their models elsewhere in the world. While clones get a bad name, they do provide benefits to consumers in added competition. Hilton Wants to Change the Conversation About Direct Booking With New Ad Campaign Hotel industry to consumers: You should still stop clicking around, (obviously!), but you should also expect a lot more from us when you (1) book direct with us, (2) join our loyalty programs, and (3) stay in our hotels. Travelsify Raises $5.8 Million for Hotel and Restaurant Tech: Travel Startup Funding This Week Accor's backing of Travelsify is eye-opening. It suggests that the hotel giant will take advantage of the startup's artificial intelligence-powered engine, which collects data about hotels, restaurants, and vacation rentals to boost online marketing and discovery. 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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