Sat.Mar 23, 2024 - Fri.Mar 29, 2024

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Revolutionizing The Hotel Guest Experiences of Tomorrow with Velma: The AI-Powered Assistant

Are Morch

In the ever-evolving landscape of the hospitality industry, the quest for higher revenue, enhanced productivity, and greater guest satisfaction is relentless. Leading the charge in this digital transformation is Velma, an AI-powered assistant designed specifically for hotels. Velma is not just any virtual assistant; it’s a game-changer, transforming online visitors into loyal guests through a […] The post Revolutionizing The Hotel Guest Experiences of Tomorrow with Velma: The AI-Powe

Revenue 331
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Google’s New Travel AI Tools Want to Plan Customer Trips

Skift Blog

Skift Take: Google is the among the tech giants investing in a reimagined, AI-powered future of travel planning and booking. How can the smaller companies compete?

Travel 354
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A Dual Target: Hotel Executives on What It Takes to Be ‘Bleisure’ Ready

Lodging

The portmanteau “bleisure”—a mashup of “business” and “leisure”—denotes a phenomenon for our time, a time when technology makes it possible to work, even long-term, from locations that can be explored for pleasure when off the clock, often with partners and families. Seven hotel executives recently described for LODGING the emergence and evolution of bleisure, and how their respective properties are making the most of it: The comments of these hospitality insiders reflect the growing prevalence

Business 298
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Hilton CEO Chris Nassetta Talks Hotel Pipeline, Loyalty, and More

Skift Blog

Skift Take: In a recent interview, Hilton CEO Chris Nassetta discussed the hotel giant's record-breaking year for hotel development, the drivers behind its loyalty program's growth, and how it's trying to tame its carbon emissions.

Pipeline 343
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State of AI in Sales & Marketing 2025

AI adoption is reshaping sales and marketing. But is it delivering real results? We surveyed 1,000+ GTM professionals to find out. The data is clear: AI users report 47% higher productivity and an average of 12 hours saved per week. But leaders say mainstream AI tools still fall short on accuracy and business impact. Download the full report today to see how AI is being used — and where go-to-market professionals think there are gaps and opportunities.

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DOJ and FTC Weigh in on Hotel Price Collusion Case

Skift Blog

Skift Take: Two U.S. federal agencies warned hotel companies that using the same pricing software as rivals use may risk violating antitrust law in highly concentrated markets.

Hotels 339
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Southwest Is No Longer a Low-Fare Airline, Ryanair CEO Says

Skift Blog

Skift Take: Michael O'Leary says Southwest's all-inclusive fares are a sign that the airline has lost its 'passion' for low-cost travel.

Travel 339

More Trending

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Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun Out by Year-End, Airplane Chief Leaves Immediately

Skift Blog

Skift Take: Boeing will be hoping that the departure of three of its most senior leaders will mark a fresh start for company.

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Carnival Estimates Baltimore Bridge Impact on Cruises

Skift Blog

Skift Take: Carnival is the first cruise line to note the potential impact of the tragic Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse on the industry. A key port will be temporarily unavailable.

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India’s Massive Growth in Online Travel: Which Companies Will Lead?

Skift Blog

Skift Take: The online travel landscape is poised for dynamic growth as local players strive to maintain their dominance and western OTAs take steps to tap into the opportunity.

Travel 329
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IHG is Reviving a Forgotten Dubai Skyscraper Launched in 2007

Skift Blog

Skift Take: Six Senses Residences Dubai Marina is opening 2028, 21 years after the tower was conceptualized.

Tourism 326
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Don't Let AI Pass You By: The New Era of Personalized Sales Coaching & Development

Speaker: Brendan Sweeney, VP of Sales & Devyn Blume, Sr. Account Executive

Are you curious about how artificial intelligence is reshaping sales coaching, learning, and development? Join Brendan Sweeney and Devyn Blume of Allego for an engaging new webinar exploring AI's transformative role in sales coaching and performance improvement! Brendan and Devyn will share actionable insights and strategies for integrating AI into coaching and development - ensuring personalized, effective, and scalable training!

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What an Amex GBT-CWT Merger Means For Expedia and Booking.com

Skift Blog

Skift Take: As in the planned American Express Global Business Travel Group merger with CWT, many marriages have in-law issues.

Business 325
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Indians Top List for Increased Travel Spend — India Report

Skift Blog

Skift Take: Until recently, travel was seen as a luxury and once-a-year activity by Indians. International trips were even more infrequent. The new generation of Indian travelers is changing that.

Travel 326
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Booking.com Ends ‘Possibly Misleading’ Sustainability Program

Skift Blog

Booking.com was forced to abandon its Travel Sustainable plan for hotels after Netherlands regulators found the name "possibly misleading.

Travel 326
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Japan’s Cherry Blossom Boom Forces Tour Operators to Adjust

Skift Blog

Skift Take: Tour operators are managing cherry blossom tourism as Japan experiences a tourism boom.

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Diving into Diversity: Decoding the Foundations of Inclusion in Hospitality Talent Acquisition

Speaker: Lauren Fernandez - CEO & Founder, Full Course

Companies all over the world, including Marriot International and Hilton Worldwide, are aware of the value of including DEI in their talent acquisition strategy. However, despite these initiatives, there is still plenty that the hospitality sector can do to promote DEI. When comparing the hospitality industries in India, Iraq, the UK, and the US, you will see that there is a consistent underrepresentation of persons from different ethnic, gender, and disability origins across all levels of the i

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Four Seasons Yachts: 5 Facts and First Look at 2026 Itineraries

Skift Blog

Skift Take: Superyachts run by the Four Seasons brand are creating a buzzy new offering. Competitors include Marriott's Ritz-Carlton and Accor's Orient Express.

Branding 324
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Spirit Airlines to Receive up to $200 Million for Pratt & Whitney Engine Problems

Skift Blog

Skift Take: The compensation could give the struggling Spirit a significant boost to its liquidity.

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This NYC Hotel Has a $30 ‘Curation Fee’

Skift Blog

Skift Take: Some hotels will come up with fancy names to hide the fact that they are charging guests an unpopular mandatory fee.

Hotels 322
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Oberoi Group CEO Vikram Oberoi on India’s Future in Hospitality – Full Video

Skift Blog

Skift Take: The Oberoi Group understands its position among competitors and strives to differentiate itself through quality. The future of India's hotels and economy relies largely on a shared mission to empower the country's workforce and travelers.

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A Buyer’s Guide to Future-Proofing Your Restaurant Tech Stack

The race to 100% digital is on. With the restaurant industry still in the early innings of its digital transformation, brands need an airtight strategy when it comes to building out their tech stack. Download the buyer’s guide to learn where to prioritize your efforts and get the most out of every investment.

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Air India CEO on the 180-Degree Transformation — Full Video

Skift Blog

Skift Take: Air India CEO Campbell Wilson has lofty ambitions for Air India. Once underinvested by the Indian government, Air India now 470 aircraft on order and hired thousands of new employees as part of an effort to turn its operations around.

Hiring 321
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Sonder Rivals Take Over Some of Its Properties

Skift Blog

Skift Take: Landlords approached Sonders' rivals to take over properties where Sonder was trying to renegotiate terms or exit from master leases.

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Marriott Vacations Bets on Big Cities With New Timeshare Collection

Skift Blog

Skift Take: Think beyond the beach. Marriott Vacations is shaking up the timeshare game by debuting a City Collection of properties in response to growing demand.

Hotels 317
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TCab Tech Raises $20 Million for Flying Taxi: Startup Funding Roundup

Skift Blog

Skift Take: There's a lot of money going into the development of flying taxis. The one featured this week has its eyes set on the Middle East and Asia.

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The GTM Intelligence Era: ZoomInfo 2025 Customer Impact Report

ZoomInfo customers aren’t just selling — they’re winning. Revenue teams using our Go-To-Market Intelligence platform grew pipeline by 32%, increased deal sizes by 40%, and booked 55% more meetings. Download this report to see what 11,000+ customers say about our Go-To-Market Intelligence platform and how it impacts their bottom line. The data speaks for itself!

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China’s Outbound Tourism Rebounds with Visa-Free Boom and Surge in Middle East Travel

Skift Blog

Skift Take: 2024 may be the first “back to normal" year for China's outbound travel since the pandemic, and Chinese tourists are leaning towards destinations with simpler visa processes.

Travel 317
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Australia’s Arrivals from India Break New Record — Tourism Chief Talks Strategy

Skift Blog

Skift Take: The travel trends to Australia underscore the potential of India's middle class and its young demographic as a major force in shaping future travel trends.

Tourism 317
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Amex GBT to Acquire CWT for $570 Million

Skift Blog

Skift Take: The deal would absorb one of the industry's older corporate travel companies.

Travel 318
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Hurricanes But Not Flu Outbreaks: Airbnb Revises Cancellation Policy

Skift Blog

Skift Take: Airbnb's new cancellation policy will cover hurricanes — if they trigger government travel bans. But if there is a flu warning in the U.S., a malaria emergency in Thailand, or a Covid-19 outbreak, these situations would not be covered.

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Beyond the Basics: How to Develop and Retain a Top-Performing Sales Team

Speaker: Brendan Sweeney, VP of Sales at Allego

Maximizing sales rep performance is no easy task. 📈 Traditional sales training methods focus heavily on the first few weeks in the sales role. Companies dedicate time, resources, and budget to onboarding new hires, only for them to forget what was learned in those first few weeks, lose motivation, and struggle to come to grips with their role.

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How Hilton Got So Big

Skift Blog

Skift Take: Today's podcast looks at Hilton's ascent, Maui's tourism pitch, and Breeze's new loyalty program.

Tourism 314
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Hawaii’s New Message to Tourists: ‘Maui Is Ready’

Skift Blog

Skift Take: Maui is ready for its close-up, according to a new marketing campaign. If tourism doesn't rebound soon, valuable talent may leave.

Tourism 313
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Highest Paid Timeshare CEOs in 2023

Skift Blog

Skift Take: It's not wholly surprising that Michael Brown, CEO of Travel and Leisure Co., topped the list of compensation among the top bosses of timeshare operators. His company led its peers in revenue and net income last year.

Revenue 313
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IHG Signs 24 Hotel Projects in China, Reveals Latest Trends

Skift Blog

Skift Take: The franchise model allows for rapid expansion and scalability, which is particularly helpful for a market like China, where the demand for accommodations is high.

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Beyond The Meeting Room: Luxury Magazine Resource

Escape into a world of luxury and dive into the future of tech, fun takes on the American pastime, and many inspirational individuals. With engaging reports on fashion, food, travel, finance, sports, and more, download now and enjoy the read!