Skift

Skift analyzes and outlines trends for CEOs and CMOs worldwide in the travel, dining, and wellness industries by utilizing a mix of news, research, conferences, and marketing solutions. In 2020, Skift made the decision to eliminate its physical office and shift to a completely remote work model.

International, Trade/B2B

English

Online/Digital

Outlet metrics

Domain Authority

Ranking

Global

#100618

United States

#44474

Travel and Tourism/Travel and Tourism

#462

Traffic sources

Monthly visitors

Articles

Brand USA Funding Would be Slashed by 80% in Senate Republican Proposal

15 hours ago | skift.com | Dennis Schaal

A U.S. Senate Committee is proposing to slash Brand USA's annual funding to $20 million from the current $100 million. If the measure ultimately becomes law, it would severely hamper Brand USA's ability to market the U.S. internationally as a travel destination. "That will have very severe ramifications for what Brand USA will be able to do and not do," said a source close to Brand USA.
Travel Managers Are Fed Up With Their Corporate Booking Tools

1 day ago | skift.com | Dennis Schaal

Many travel managers are disenchanted with their corporate booking tools. A recent Global Business Travel Association of Survey of U.S. and Canada-based corporate travel managers found:57% reported friction with online booking experiences for unprofiled guest travel [contractors, job candidates etc.]. 50% cite issues with meeting and event travel. 64% of buyers said managing exchanges and cancellations is a pain point. 54% said their tools struggled with unused tickets.
Booking Holdings Hedges Google Disruption, Wants to 'Be Close' to AI Hyperscalers

1 day ago | skift.com | Dennis Schaal

Key Points Booking Holdings is actively partnering with major AI companies to stay ahead of changes in travel search and marketing. The company is reallocating investments towards AI, advertising, Asia expansion, and its OpenTable platform after achieving significant cost savings. Booking Holdings reports its alternative accommodations segment is growing faster than Airbnb's, though definitions of these offerings differ.
AI Usage is Getting Cheaper

2 days ago | skift.com | Dennis Schaal

While building cutting-edge AI models remains an expensive proposition, the actual cost to use them is nosediving. That's the view of Rodrigo Acuna Agost, head of research and the AI Center of Excellence at Amadeus. "In 18 months, I think it's decreased ... 240 times less," Acuna Agost said, referring to the cost per token in GPT-4. He estimated the cost of using "voice-to-voice and phone" is roughly $1 per conversation.
Exclusive: JetBlue Unit Rebrands to Paisly on the Cusp of United.com Partnership Changes

3 days ago | skift.com | Dennis Schaal

JetBlue Travel Products, which offers non-air products like hotels, packages and cars to the airline's customers, has dropped the airline's name. Now known as Paisly LLC, it's poised to power these sales on United.com and its mobile app under the two airlines' new Blue Sky agreement. "It's the first time we've had a subsidiary which doesn't have JetBlue in the name," Paisly President Jamie Perry told Skift in an exclusive interview.
Air India's Delhi-Manila Nonstop to Power Philippines’ Visa-Free Push

3 days ago | skift.com | Peden Doma Bhutia

Starting October 1, Air India will operate direct flights between Delhi and Manila five days a week. This makes it the only airline offering non-stop service between India and the Philippines. For Indian travelers, it opens up the Philippines as a more viable destination at a time when Southeast Asia is becoming more competitive and accessible. Last month, the Philippines introduced visa-free entry for Indian tourists for up to 14 days.
Marriott’s Strategy for Its New Series Brand: Why It Started in India

3 days ago | skift.com | Peden Doma Bhutia

When Marriott International introduced its newest global brand — Series by Marriott — it chose India as the launch market and took the unusual step of making an equity investment in its local partner, Mumbai-based Concept Hospitality. Asked if this is the hotel company’s first equity investment in the Indian hotel sector, Rajeev Menon, president of Asia Pacific (excluding China) at Marriott International, said, “You could say that. Marriott will only invest for very strategic purposes.
Emirates Warns India’s Protectionism Could be Drag on Growth

4 days ago | skift.com | Peden Doma Bhutia

India wants to be a global aviation hub. But its current aviation policy may be holding that dream back. That’s the view coming from Emirates, one of the world’s biggest international airlines and the largest foreign carrier operating in India. Earlier this week, Emirates President Tim Clark criticized India’s aviation policy, saying its tight bilateral air service agreements with countries like the UAE are “not compatible” with its ambition to become an international aviation hub.
Travel's Best Paid CEOs: Where They Rank

4 days ago | skift.com | Dennis Schaal

How does the compensation of travel CEOs compare with peers in the S&P 500? The three highest-compensated CEOs of travel and travel-related companies in 2024 were Glenn Fogel of Booking Holdings ($44.8 million), Bob Iger of Disney ($41.1 million), and Uber’s Dara Khosrowshahi ($39.4 million), according to the Wall Street Journal’s annual survey of S&P 500 CEO pay. Fogel ranked 16th among all S&P 500 CEOs, Iger was 19th, and Khosrowshahi was 21st — placing all three in the top 25.
JetBlue CEO: ‘We're Playing It Safe’ With United After DOJ Frustrations

4 days ago | skift.com | Peden Doma Bhutia

JetBlue’s partnership with United Airlines didn't come as a surprise, but it's still a big deal. Not because it signals a merger — CEO Joanna Geraghty was clear it doesn’t — but because of what it could mean for the way mid-sized carriers operate in a market dominated by the Big Four.