Turkish Airlines' Hub Strategy + Airbnb Rival Gets Stronger + Princess Cruises Leverages History

The Travel Industry's Daily Agenda-Setting Newsletter

September 21, 2018

Editor's Note Earlier this month, we posted an in-depth story that looked at the relevance of national airlines. Part of that analysis focused on Turkish Airlines, which was "privatized" by the government even though it still owns a 49 percent stake. Turkish Airlines is betting big on a new $11 billion airport nearing completion in Istanbul, which it hopes will eventually handle 200 million passengers a year as a major hub between the East and the West. This week, Business Travel Editor Andrew Sheivachman was in Istanbul for a conference hosted by Turkish Airlines. The gathering had the autocratic vibe of an airline still very much under government control. No surprise, the messages were upbeat about the airline's prospects. But a geopolitical cloud hangs over Turkey. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has made enemies in both the U.S. and Russia. That uncertainty looms heavily on Turkish Airlines, too, no matter how bullish its shareholders have been or how glimmering its new hub will be when it finally opens. — Tom Lowry, Managing Editor How Meeting Planners Can Leverage Albuquerque's Legacy as a Cultural Crossroads Sponsored by Visit Albuquerque The cultural and creative diversity in Albuquerque — and the collaboration between all of its many communities — is one of the defining characteristics that differentiates the city from others in the American Southwest. Read More Top Stories Turkish Airlines Plans for Growth With Business Travel at Core Do business travelers really want one-stop service around the world? Turkish Airlines is continuing its strategy of using Istanbul as a bridge between the East and West, although a lot is riding on improvements to its business class product, whenever they emerge. Booking Holdings' Agoda Takes a Distinctive Approach on Short-Term Rentals Airbnb may have popularized the idea of travelers staying in homes. But Booking Holdings is using its Agoda brand to make a push to gain share through discounting and price guarantees. Skift Global Forum Preview: Princess Cruises Is Evolving With History in Mind Princess Cruises has a long history and widespread awareness, but the cruise line knows it can't rest on the past. President Jan Swartz talks about innovation, authenticity, and why diversity in leadership is good for business. Choice Hotels Debuts New Midscale Brand Clarion Pointe Does the world really need yet another midscale select-service brand? According to Choice Hotels, yes, yes it does. Emirates Looks to Become World's Largest Airline With Potential Takeover of Etihad An Emirates-Etihad merger makes a lot of sense. Emirates may not be as strong as it once was, but it's still a well-run global airline that strikes fear into established competitors. Eithad, however, is in rough shape. It could use a makeover. Setoo Raises $9.3 Million for Insurance Innovation: Travel Startup Funding This Week Setoo is helping to pioneer a wave of customized protection products, such as letting travelers buy coverage to get money back if there's not enough snow during a ski trip. The new products could provide more upselling opportunities for travel suppliers and online agencies. Frontier Lowers Its Change Fees As Competition Heats Up This is how competition should work. American, Delta, and United have been poaching customers from discount airlines with their no-frills basic economy fares. Frontier doesn't like that, so it has come up with a new passenger-friendly policy to try to sway potential passengers. Skift Global Forum Is Almost Sold Out Skift Global Forum is our chance to examine and showcase innovations powering the travel industry. We're running out of seats, but we really want you to experience 30+ sessions, hands-on workshops, and find a community at Skift Global Forum. All you have to do is register! Popular Now Skift Podcast: Travel's Tough Truths and Inspirations Skift Founder and CEO Rafat Ali sparked some heated debate with a recent story on lessons he's learned about travel in the six years since he started the company. In this podcast, he riffs with Co-Founder Jason Clampet on uncomfortable observations as well as inspirations. How Hotels Need to Balance the Amenities We Want Versus Those We Actually Use There's a very careful consideration to be made here by hoteliers, and even if guests don't use a particular amenity as much as they think they will, that doesn't necessarily mean that a hotel should get rid of it. Expedia Believes Tech Is Key to Helping Travelers Plan the Perfect Vacation How can companies use technology to make the perfect recommendations for travelers? That's what everyone is trying to figure out. 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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