The Skift Travel Podcast

Our new co-hosts, Editor-in-Chief Sarah Kopit and Head of Research Seth Borko, introduce themselves and talk about what Skift is, how it's quite literally defining the business of travel, and preview some of the exciting stories and research on deck for Skift and the podcast.

As we look forward to the return of the Skift Short-Term Rental Summit on June 5 in New York, today we feature a conversation with Homes and Villas by Marriott International Vice President, Jennifer Hsieh, and Skift Senior Hospitality Editor, Sean O'Neill, that took place onstage at last year's summit. To join her and many other vacation rental executives and investors at this year’s Short-Term Rental Summit, visit live.skift.com for tickets and details.

Vikram Oberoi, The Oberoi Group CEO and Managing Director, speaks with Skift Senior Hospitality Editor Sean O'Neill. This discussion took place on stage at the inaugural Skift India Summit this month in New Delhi, India. on stage at Skift India Summit in New Delhi, India on March 20, 2024. To join the travel industry's best events in person, visit https://live.skift.com

Today we feature a discussion that took place on stage at the inaugural Skift India Summit this month in New Delhi, India. In this conversation Eric Garcetti, United States Ambassador to the Republic of India, speaks with Rafat Ali, Founder & CEO of Skift, about "Bridging the U.S. and India in the Decade Ahead". For more like this, visit live.skift.com to learn how you can attend our next industry defining live event.

Today we feature a discussion that took place on stage at the inaugural Skift India Summit this week in New Delhi, India. In this conversation Air India CEO and Managing Director Campbell Wilson speaks with Skift Asia editor Peden Bhutia about "Connecting India to the World". For more like this, visit live.skift.com to learn how you can attend our next industry defining live event.

Last week, as the world came together to celebrate International Women's Day, news that a Brazilian tourist had accused seven men of gang rape in a remote region of India, prompted Skift Asia Editor Peden Bhutia to ask in her headline reporting on the story: “Is India Safe for Female Travelers?” In this episode, Peden and Skift Research Analyst Saniya Zanpure, both based in India, join Skift Editor-in-Chief Sarah Kopit to discuss the case, its effects, their experiences as women in India, and why, ultimately, the answer to Peden’s question is: yes, everyone should visit India. Visit skift.com for continuing coverage of this story and all the latest travel news and research.

In our fifth and final episode covering Skift’s Megatrends for 2024, Editor-in-chief Sarah Kopit is joined by Skift Founder and CEO Rafat Ali to discuss two megatrends centered around technology, demographics, and the future of the human condition. You can see all of Skift’s Megatrends for 2024 right now at Skift.com/megatrends.

Andy Washington, Trip.com Group's General Manager for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA), joins Pranavi Agarwal, Senior Research Analyst for Skift Research, in a session titled “Reaching the Emerging Traveler”. This is a previously unreleased discussion from our Skift Megatrends event in London last month.  You can read Skift’s Megatrends for 2024 right now at Skift.com/megatrends.

Our Megatrends series continues today as Skift Editor-in-Chief Sarah Kopit is joined by Skift Travel Technology Reporter Justin Dawes, and Colin Nagy, a Skift contributor and host of The Skift Ideas Podcast, to tackle three of Skift's Megatrends for 2024 that deal with: artificial intelligence, the Ozempic era and "extreme wellness".  They discuss how the travel business is being transformed by these advancements. You can see all of Skift’s Megatrends for 2024 right now at Skift.com/megatrends.

Continuing our series on Skift’s Megatrends for 2024, today we feature a conversation focused on developments reshaping India, the Middle East, and by extension, the whole of the global travel business. To explore these topics Skift Editor-in-Chief Sarah Kopit is joined by two members of Skift’s editorial team well versed in these regions: India-based Asia Editor Peden Domo Bhutia, and Dubai-based Middle East Reporter Josh Corder. Bhutia and Corder wrote about the rising Indian middle class, a potential short-term rental boom in the Middle East, and the emergence of "Made in Dubai" as a global brand. The discussion highlights the significant influence of the growing Indian middle class on outbound travel, fueled by increased disposable income and a desire for travel experiences post-COVID. India's outbound tourism is seen as highly aspirational, with the government facilitating easier passport procurement to boost travel. The conversation shifts to the Middle East, where Dubai is positioned as a brand akin to New York or Paris, with its companies expected to expand internationally. The short-term rental market is identified as a key growth area in the Middle East, driven by ambitious tourism targets and a need for budget-friendly accommodation options. The panel discusses the role of celebrities like Shah Rukh Khan and Ranveer Singh in marketing destinations and the importance of value for money to Indian travelers, including the rise of "travel now, pay later" schemes. Dubai's strategy to become a cosmopolitan hub is underscored by its use of short-term rentals to attract long-term residents, alongside the introduction of the golden visa to encourage residency among tourists. The podcast also touches on the broader trend of luxury travel in the Middle East, the need for budget accommodations to meet the demands of the middle class, and the strategic use of luxury hotels as marketing tools to attract tourists, with short-term rentals providing practical accommodation solutions. You can see all of Skift’s Megatrends for 2024 right now at Skift.com/megatrends.

On our second episode exploring Skift’s Megatrends for 2024, Skift Editor-in-Chief Sarah Kopit is joined by Managing Editor Lex Harris, Airlines Editor and Reporter Gordon Smith, and Airline Weekly Senior Analyst Jay Shabat, to discuss our three most "problematic" Megatrends. They cover: the current uproar over Junk Fees, the continuing supply chain issues faced by the aviation sector, and the impacts of the burgeoning climate crisis on the business of travel.  You can see all of Skift’s Megatrends for 2024 right now at Skift.com/megatrends.

Skift’s Megatrends for 2024 were released at the beginning of the year, our 12th annual reporting on the trends defining the travel industry. Today, we’re proud to present the first episode in a series highlighting these Megatrends featuring Skift’s editor-in-chief Sarah Kopit and Skift Hotel Editor Sean O’Neil. They discuss the Megatrend that Sean himself penned, entitled “How Hotels will Seduce the Middle Class Traveler”, where Sean explains how a growing global middle class and ample opportunity in mid-market hospitality should result in continued and increasing investment in so-called select service hotels. Sean spoke with Wyndham Chief Marketing Officer Lisa Checchio at the Megatrends release event in New York last week and he relates how Wyndham and other major hotel players, such as Hyatt and Hilton, are approaching this focus on Midscale. Sarah and Sean also discuss other Megatrends related to: the growing Indian middle class, the impact of artificial intelligence, and the controversy surrounding hotel junk fees. You can read the Skift Megatrends for 2024 right now at skift.com/megatrends

One year ago, on January 8 2023, China began reopening to tourism. In our first dispatch of 2024, Skift founder and CEO, Rafat Ali, talks with Check-In Asia director, Gary Bowerman, to discuss the state of Chinese tourism. It is a wide-ranging conversation covering the evolution of the Chinese reopening, how China is addressing the "3 pillars" of travel and tourism, visas, the importance of travel influencers in China, and much more. If you enjoy this conversation visit skift.com for breaking travel news, the latest research, and industry-defining events.

Today we feature Hany Abdelkawi, Head of Travel Sales for Google, in conversation with Skift CEO and Founder, Rafat Ali, on stage in Dubai at Skift Global Forum East this December. They spoke on the topic of "Connections in the Age of AI". Visit live.skift.com to learn more about how you can attend or view our next industry defining event.

Today we feature Kerzner Internaltional CEO, Philippe Zuber, in conversation with Skift Editor-in-Chief, Sarah Kopit, on stage in Dubai at Skift Global Forum East last week. They spoke on the topic of "Inspiring Innovation in the Age of AI". Visit live.skift.com to learn more about how you can attend or view our next industry defining event.

As we prepare to return to Dubai on December 12-14, we're revisiting a few of the most popular sessions. This episode of the Skift Travel Podcast is a rebroadcast of a session that took place at Skift Global Forum East in December of last year: His Excellency Helal Saeed Almarri, Director General of Dubai Department of Economy & Tourism, speaks with Rafat Ali, Founder & CEO of Skift, on the topic of "Bringing Travel into the Future". Visit live.skift.com for info on how to attend or view Skift Global Forum East 2023.

This episode of the Skift Travel Podcast is a rebroadcast of a session that took place at Skift Global Forum East in December of last year: "A Global Outlook for the Year Ahead" featuring Hilton President & CEO, Chris Nassetta speaking with Skift CEO, Rafat Ali. As we prepare to return to Dubai on December 12-14, we're revisiting a few of the most popular sessions. Visit live.skift.com for info on how to attend or view Skift Global Forum East 2023.

In anticipation of Skift Global Forum East, happening in Dubai December 12-14, I wanted to sit down with both our Middle East Report, Josh Corder, and Twenty31 Consulting (now Skift Advisory) Managing Director, Joe Naaman, to discuss a big picture view on growth and dynamics in the Middle East. In 45 minutes, we were able to just scratch the surface of our 25+ full speaker lineup and topic discussions slated for our Forum in December. If you haven’t secured your pass, get yours today as you don’t want to miss it. In this podcast, we discuss:  How is the conflict in Israel being felt on the ground in the region? What is the anticipated impact for COP28 and did the World Cup deliver?  How are countries planning ahead for Indian outbound travelers? What important changes have happened for China as a source market?  The status of a GCC unified visa and what this means for tourism in the gulf. Supply and oversupply: how has the hospitality mix shifted and is it working? How has Dubai captured the market and what are other countries doing to compete? Listen in to this exciting discussion and join us at Skift Global Forum East this December as we gather representatives from the world’s leading brands who are eager to delve into the transformative global, economic, and technological trends shaping the travel industry.  From aviation and hospitality to technology and online booking (and everything in between), this event is a unique opportunity to expand your industry knowledge and be inspired by the region and influential decision-makers in this space.

Today on the podcast we feature Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi in conversation with Skift Founder and CEO Rafat Ali onstage at Skift Global Forum in New York City last month.  Among a litany of subjects, Khosrowshahi discusses Uber’s high burn rate, its use of artificial intelligence, upcoming product releases like Uber Teens, Uber becoming a super app, and how essential the delivery service (Uber Eats) is to the business today.  Visit live.skift.com to learn how you can attend our next industry defining live event. Up next is the Skift Aviation Forum, coming to Ft Worth, Texas on November 1.

This week Choice Hotels publicly offered to acquire Wyndham Hotels & Resorts following months of private discussions between the two companies. This was pretty exciting in itself, with the last major M&A deal in the hotel industry being the Starwood-Marriott merger in 2015. However, later that day, more news broke that Wyndham had rejected Choice’s offer and saw its stock being halted on the NYSE. All of this drama had Skift's team asking: Are we covering Twitter here or the relatively stable hotel industry? In this episode Pranavi Agarwal, senior analyst at Skift Research, Skift senior hospitality editor, Sean O’Neill, and Alan Woinski, editor of the Daily Lodging Report, talk us through the details of the deal, what might be motivating each side's actions, and what the story tells us about the current state of the hospitality landscape.