The Skift Travel Podcast
Skift
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The Skift Travel Podcast delivers the latest insights from the most-trusted travel industry news source. Skift hosts conversations with creatives, executives, and entrepreneurs across travel to discuss travelers' habits, industry patterns, and seismic changes. Listen for exclusive interviews with travel leaders and Skift's own editors and analysts. Stay updated with daily news at skift.com/news.
Jaksot
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Travel’s AI Problem Is Bigger Than Most Companies Realize 29.05.2026 32minSarah Kopit and Adriana Lee break down why the travel industry may not actually be ready for AI despite the rush to adopt it. They explore fragmented hotel data systems, why travelers still do not trust AI booking tools, and how companies are starting to optimize not just for customers — but for AI agents themselves. Connect with Skift LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/skift/ WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAL375LikgIXmNPYQ0L/ Facebook: https://facebook.com/skiftnews Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skiftnews/ Threads: https://www.threads.net/@skiftnews Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/skiftnews.bsky.social X: https://twitter.com/skift Subscribe to @SkiftNews and never miss an update from the travel industry. 00:00 AI Readiness Reality Check 00:48 Meet Adriana Lee: The Guest Co-Host 02:34 Hotels Data Fragmentation 03:40 Why Only Two Percent 06:18 Trust Guarantees and Risk 08:15 AI Search Fails in Practice 10:34 Mews and SiteMinder Integration 13:35 Business to Agent Era 21:00 Expedia Explore Takeaways 21:54 Top AI Operators Insights 27:06 Winners Losers and Wrap
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Airbnb Is Becoming a Real OTA 22.05.2026 36minSarah Kopit reports live from Airbnb’s Summer Release event in San Francisco as Brian Chesky unveils Airbnb’s expansion into hotels, car rentals, services, and experiences.Sarah and Seth Borko break down why Airbnb increasingly looks like a full-service OTA, what Expedia’s latest acquisition says about the future of travel commerce, and how AI, creators, and social shopping are reshaping travel discovery. Connect with Skift LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/skift/ WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAL375LikgIXmNPYQ0L/ Facebook: https://facebook.com/skiftnews Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skiftnews/ Threads: https://www.threads.net/@skiftnews Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/skiftnews.bsky.social X: https://twitter.com/skift Subscribe to @SkiftNews and never miss an update from the travel industry. 00:00 Two Events Same Day 02:27 Airbnb Summer Release Highlights 03:48 Scaling Experiences and Services 05:43 Hotels Expansion Strategy 08:21 Selling Out Debate 10:43 AI Enhancements Not Hype 13:19 Conference Vibes and WiFi 14:41 Cars and OTA Convergence 16:51 Expedia CarTrawler Scoop 19:06 Car Rental Realities 20:41 Mexico Rental Stories 23:46 CarTrawler Deal Math 25:46 Airbnb Versus OTAs 27:24 Winners And Losers 29:20 Proper Hotel Design Wins 31:22 Luxury Hotel Little Things 32:36 Luxury Travel Shifts 33:53 Chasing Brian Chesky 34:26 Wrap Up And Goodbye
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America’s Travel Problem Is Getting Worse 15.05.2026 44minInternational travel to the U.S. fell another 14% as America’s tourism challenges continue ahead of the World Cup.Sarah Kopit and Seth Borko break down the growing perception problem facing the U.S., the pressure hotel owners are feeling from major brands, and why TikTok may become a major player in travel booking and discovery. Connect with Skift LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/skift/ WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAL375LikgIXmNPYQ0L/ Facebook: https://facebook.com/skiftnews Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skiftnews/ Threads: https://www.threads.net/@skiftnews Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/skiftnews.bsky.social X: https://twitter.com/skift Subscribe to @SkiftNews and never miss an update from the travel industry. 00:00 Inbound Tourism Slump 02:52 Is America Safe 05:33 Why Visitors Stay Away 08:07 World Cup Reality Check 09:38 Market Breakdown Canada EU Asia 11:50 China Trip Visa Talk 14:03 Hotel Owners Squeezed 17:47 Comment Cesspool Debate 20:14 Are Brands the Villains 22:32 Brands Aren’t Self-Correcting 24:32 AI Will Cull Hotel Brands 26:13 TikTok Shop Meets Travel 28:08 Why Experiences Sell First 29:40 Survey Data on Social Booking 31:08 Creators Close the Funnel 34:25 Live Streaming Travel Commerce 35:51 Winners and Losers Segment 36:03 Liberty Game Marketing Win 38:33 Hantavirus Cruise Panic 40:57 Ending on Women’s Sports 42:00 Wrap Up and Sign Off
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Trump's Tourism Envoy: Inside Nick Adams' Plan to Sell America 13.05.2026 15minAmerica has never had the equivalent of a tourism minister — until now. In March, President Trump created the role of Special Presidential Envoy for American Tourism, Exceptionalism, and Values, and handed it to Nick Adams: conservative commentator, self-styled "alpha male," and the loudest pitchman U.S. travel has ever had. In this special edition of the Skift Travel Podcast, Gordon Smith sits down with Adams for one of his first extended interviews in the role. They cover the operational push behind the 2026 World Cup, mounting concerns over transit pricing and visa wait times, and the "fake narratives" Adams says are distorting global perceptions of the U.S. Adams also lays out his ambitious goal of 100 million international visitors by 2030, and explains what "American exceptionalism" looks like through a tourism lens. It's a candid conversation with one of the most outspoken voices in U.S. travel — and a central question hanging over it all: is the world ready to buy what Nick Adams is selling? Connect with Skift LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/skift/ WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAL375LikgIXmNPYQ0L/ Facebook: https://facebook.com/skiftnews Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skiftnews/ Threads: https://www.threads.net/@skiftnews Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/skiftnews.bsky.social X: https://twitter.com/skift Subscribe to @SkiftNews and never miss an update from the travel industry.
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Spirit Airlines Collapsed. What Happens to Budget Travel Now? 08.05.2026 33minSpirit Airlines is shutting down after years of financial struggles, failed merger attempts, and rising costs.Sarah Kopit and Seth Borko break down what killed Spirit, what it means for budget travel in the U.S., and why Skift Research found that travelers don’t necessarily return to destinations simply because they loved them. Connect with Skift LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/skift/ WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAL375LikgIXmNPYQ0L/ Facebook: https://facebook.com/skiftnews Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skiftnews/ Threads: https://www.threads.net/@skiftnews Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/skiftnews.bsky.social X: https://twitter.com/skift Subscribe to @SkiftNews and never miss an update from the travel industry. 00:00 Spirit Goes Dark02:09 Bag Fees and Cheap Fares02:41 A Rare US Airline Collapse03:39 LaGuardia Marine Terminal Fallout04:50 What Killed Spirit05:37 DOJ Merger Block and Bailout Debate10:48 Low Cost Model Under Pressure14:26 Who Wins Next JetBlue15:39 New Report Destination Loyalty17:12 Why Loyalty Is Hard17:40 Survey Chart Surprise19:04 What Drives Returns19:32 Family Comfort Factor20:37 Jumpstart Vacation Mode22:42 Strategy For Destinations25:15 Repeat Travel Examples29:02 Winners And Losers30:22 Pop Culture Pivot33:22 Wrap Up And Goodbye
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The Fight for Control of Online Travel Has Started 01.05.2026 46minOTAs still dominate travel booking, but pressure is building from AI, banks, and global disruption.Seth Borko and Dennis Schaal break down Booking’s earnings, the Capital One–Hopper deal, and what it all means for the future of online travel. Connect with Skift LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/skift/ WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAL375LikgIXmNPYQ0L/ Facebook: https://facebook.com/skiftnews Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skiftnews/ Threads: https://www.threads.net/@skiftnews Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/skiftnews.bsky.social X: https://twitter.com/skift Subscribe to @SkiftNews and never miss an update from the travel industry. 00:00 Six Million Room Nights 01:05 Meet Dennis Schaal 02:42 Booking Earnings Breakdown 05:26 US Share Gains 06:23 Brand Strategy Debate 08:35 Genius Loyalty Power 10:20 Airbnb Loyalty Questions 13:02 Connected Trip Expansion 15:58 Glen Fogel Insight 17:03 AI Disruption Debate 19:44 OTA Marketing Arbitrage 21:38 Skift Path to Purchase 22:41 Search Phase Shift 22:57 AI Enters Decision 24:08 Trust and Intermediaries 25:16 Customer Service Reality 27:29 Capital One Buys Hopper Tech 28:50 Hopper and B2B Arms Race 31:14 B2B OTAs vs GDS 33:26 Expedia CFO Shakeup 36:29 Airbnb Services Debate 40:04 OTAs Still Dominate Booking 43:44 Winners Losers and Lessons
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How TV and AI Are Reshaping Travel Demand 24.04.2026 37minTV is driving travel demand. AI is reshaping how people search.Sarah Kopit and Seth Borko break down how culture and technology are changing who controls visibility, demand, and bookings in travel. Connect with Skift LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/skift/ WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAL375LikgIXmNPYQ0L/ Facebook: https://facebook.com/skiftnews Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skiftnews/ Threads: https://www.threads.net/@skiftnews Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/skiftnews.bsky.social X: https://twitter.com/skift Subscribe to @SkiftNews and never miss an update from the travel industry. 01:10 Prestige TV Confessions 01:28 HBO at Hotel Conferences 03:09 White Lotus Tourism Effect 06:59 Season Four Location Scoop 09:57 Hyatt Unbound Soft Brands 12:24 Fan Mail Hotelier Squeeze 14:45 AI Search Visibility Shock 18:46 AI Citations Study 20:28 Why Aggregators Win 21:06 Brands Need Answers 23:07 Do Travelers Want Rankings 24:38 Chart of the Week 27:06 Trust and Accuracy 29:02 Research vs Booking 31:00 Winners and Losers 34:08 Wrap Up and Farewell
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The Crisis Crushing America’s Hotel Owners 17.04.2026 38minHotel brands are winning while owners face rising costs and softer demand.Sarah Kopit and Seth Borko break down the growing pressure on hotel owners and what it means for the future of the franchise model. Presented by Viasat Ads. Click here to learn more! Connect with Skift LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/skift/ WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAL375LikgIXmNPYQ0L/ Facebook: https://facebook.com/skiftnews Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skiftnews/ Threads: https://www.threads.net/@skiftnews Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/skiftnews.bsky.social X: https://twitter.com/skift Subscribe to @SkiftNews and never miss an update from the travel industry. Timestamps: 00:00 Tax Day By Numbers 02:05 Refunds And Reality 04:34 Filing Jointly Milestone 05:15 Behind The Big Feature 07:29 Hotel Owners In Crisis 11:16 Costs Squeezing Operators 15:17 Fees Brands Take Off Top 17:21 Asset Light Winners Losers 18:26 Franchise Model Breaking Point 19:41 Do Brands Earn Fees 20:11 Tech Enables Independence 21:47 Why Brands Still Matter 23:49 PIPs And Brand Standards 26:07 Asset Light Versus Owners 29:25 World Cup Hotel Stress Test 31:42 Swiss Cheese Risk Stack 33:06 Winners Losers And Wrap
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Why Flights Stay Cheap While Travel Costs Rise 10.04.2026 42minFlights are cheap. Hotels are expensive. Sarah Kopit and Seth Borko break down the economic forces driving up travel costs — and what it means for travelers, hotel owners, and the future of the industry. Presented by Viasat Ads. Click here to learn more! Connect with Skift LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/skift/ WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAL375LikgIXmNPYQ0L/ Facebook: https://facebook.com/skiftnews Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skiftnews/ Threads: https://www.threads.net/@skiftnews Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/skiftnews.bsky.social X: https://twitter.com/skift Subscribe to @SkiftNews and never miss an update from the travel industry. 01:40 Why Labor Costs Rise 03:06 Artemis Moon Mission 04:23 Sci Fi and Space Evolution 06:51 Sam Altman Profile 13:10 Cost Disease Explained 18:57 Travel as Social Antidote 20:47 Hotels Get Unaffordable 21:43 Overtourism and Cheap Flights 22:32 Why Flights Stay Cheap 23:47 Airline Efficiency Revolution 24:52 Hotels Lag Behind 25:49 Labor Crunch Reality 28:17 Fixing Hotels Like Airlines 31:37 Owners Squeezed Hard 32:33 Cost Levers Breakdown 35:13 Hyatt Tackles Distribution 39:54 Winners Losers Wrap
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What’s Really Changing Inside the Airline Industry 03.04.2026 40minAirline leadership shakeups, alliance shifts, and AI-driven discovery are all hitting travel at once. Sarah Kopit and Seth Borko break down what these changes mean for how the industry operates — and how travelers choose where to go. Presented by Viasat Ads. Click here to learn more! Connect with Skift LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/skift/ WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAL375LikgIXmNPYQ0L/ Facebook: https://facebook.com/skiftnews Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skiftnews/ Threads: https://www.threads.net/@skiftnews Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/skiftnews.bsky.social X: https://twitter.com/skift Subscribe to @SkiftNews and never miss an update from the travel industry. 00:00 Airline Drama Teaser 01:18 England Trip Banter 01:45 Brummy Accent Storytime 03:29 Air Canada Language Fallout 07:07 Flag Carriers And Politics 09:10 Willie Walsh Joins IndiGo 13:43 ITA Airways To Star Alliance 15:08 April Fools News Pitfalls 17:41 Hotels Lose Discovery Window 19:45 AI Disrupts Travel Discovery 20:50 AI Discovery Black Box 21:36 Experience First Search 22:26 AI Shelf Space Shrinks 23:55 Funnel Flips To Experiences 26:10 Hotels Build Surface Area 27:13 Ads And Monetization 29:45 Live Translation Breakthrough 33:13 Travel Friction And Language 36:12 Winners And Losers 37:48 Airlines Week Wrap
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3-Hour Airport Lines and a System Under Pressure 27.03.2026 32minThree-hour airport lines. TSA agents not showing up. Ground stops at major airports. All in the same week. In this episode of the Skift Travel Podcast, Sarah Kopit is joined by Skift Managing Editor Lex Haris to unpack what may be the clearest signal yet that the U.S. travel system is under real strain. They break down how a partial government shutdown is impacting TSA staffing, why some airports are seeing massive wait times while others are operating normally, and how unpredictable the experience has become for travelers. The conversation goes beyond the headlines to explore what happens when multiple pressures hit the system at once — record spring break demand, staffing shortages, operational incidents, and ongoing political uncertainty. They also examine the business side: why some airlines like United say they’re well positioned to weather the chaos, while others may struggle if conditions worsen. And with global events and international travel sentiment in the mix, the ripple effects could extend far beyond U.S. airports. At its core, this episode asks a simple question: Is this just a rough week for travel — or a sign of something bigger? Presented by Viasat Ads. Connect with Skift LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/skift/ WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAL375LikgIXmNPYQ0L/ Facebook: https://facebook.com/skiftnews Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skiftnews/ Threads: https://www.threads.net/@skiftnews Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/skiftnews.bsky.social X: https://twitter.com/skift Subscribe to @SkiftNews and never miss an update from the travel industry. 01:01 Monday Meltdown Recap 01:54 Why Airports Are Jammed 05:34 Is Aviation Broken 09:15 TSA Staffing Fallout 13:46 Business Impact On Travel 14:16 United And Delta Flex 15:35 Buy The Whole Row 18:39 Hotels War And World Cup 21:37 New DHS Boss Spotlight 23:51 Shutdown Predictions 26:51 Winners And Losers 30:14 Wrap Up And Goodbye
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The Iran War Broke More Than the Middle East 20.03.2026 39minThe Iran war exposed cracks across global travel, from broken systems and AI customer service failures to mounting pressure at U.S. airports. In this episode of the Skift Travel Podcast, Sarah Kopit and Seth Borko break down the latest travel fallout and explain why Latin America may be the most important market to watch next. Presented by Viasat Ads. Click here to learn more! 00:00 Shutdown Travel Fallout00:49 Iran War Disruptions03:06 AI Fails in Crisis05:30 Chatbots vs Humans08:23 Shutdown Hits TSA11:26 Donations for Agents14:22 Newark Airport Tangent16:32 Latin America Resilience19:33 New Traveler Survey20:27 Top Destinations Quiz20:59 Politics vs Travel Demand22:16 Affordability Takes Over23:05 Broadway Sticker Shock24:42 How LatAm Plans Trips27:17 AI Disrupts Search First28:26 Buy Now Pay Later and FX29:25 Crypto and Inflation Mindset31:01 Government Shutdown Bet33:11 Winners Losers and Wrap Connect with Skift LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/skift/ WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAL375LikgIXmNPYQ0L/ Facebook: https://facebook.com/skiftnews Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skiftnews/ Threads: https://www.threads.net/@skiftnews Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/skiftnews.bsky.social X: https://twitter.com/skift Subscribe to @SkiftNews and never miss an update from the travel industry.
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Oil Hit $100. What Happens to Travel Now? 13.03.2026 45minOil hit $100, airlines are under pressure, and Gen Z is not behaving like millennials did. In this episode of the Skift Travel Podcast, Sarah Kopit and Seth Borko unpack what higher fuel prices mean for airline economics, how this week’s travel chaos felt in real life, and why new Skift Research suggests Gen Z may force the industry to rethink some big assumptions. Presented by Viasat Ads. Click here to learn more! Connect with Skift LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/skift/ WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAL375LikgIXmNPYQ0L/ Facebook: https://facebook.com/skiftnews Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skiftnews/ Threads: https://www.threads.net/@skiftnews Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/skiftnews.bsky.social X: https://twitter.com/skift Subscribe to @SkiftNews and never miss an update from the travel industry.
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War, Airspace, and Oil: The Risks Facing Travel Right Now 06.03.2026 45minConflict in the Middle East is once again raising questions about the resilience of global travel. In this episode of the Skift Travel Podcast, Seth Borko is joined by Skift Airlines Editor Gordon Smith to examine how escalating geopolitical tensions could ripple through the aviation industry. They discuss the potential impact of airspace disruptions, how airlines prepare for geopolitical risk, and why oil prices and flight routing remain critical vulnerabilities for global aviation. The conversation also explores how travelers respond to geopolitical uncertainty and why airlines and travel companies are paying close attention to how the situation develops. From operational challenges to economic ripple effects, this episode looks at how global conflict can quickly reshape travel. Presented by Viasat Ads. Click here to learn more! Connect with Skift LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/skift/ WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAL375LikgIXmNPYQ0L/ Facebook: https://facebook.com/skiftnews Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skiftnews/ Threads: https://www.threads.net/@skiftnews Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/skiftnews.bsky.social X: https://twitter.com/skift Subscribe to @SkiftNews and never miss an update from the travel industry.
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The Hidden Risks Hotel Owners Never Planned For 27.02.2026 43minHotels are facing political pressures they were never built to handle. In this episode, Sarah Kopit and Seth Borko examine how immigration enforcement, protests, and franchise agreements are forcing hotel owners into impossible decisions. They also explore why hotel brands have doubled in number but struggle to stand out, and what that means for the future of travel. Presented by Viasat Ads. Click here to learn more! Connect with Skift LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/skift/ WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAL375LikgIXmNPYQ0L/ Facebook: https://facebook.com/skiftnews Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skiftnews/ Threads: https://www.threads.net/@skiftnews Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/skiftnews.bsky.social X: https://twitter.com/skift Subscribe to @SkiftNews and never miss an update from the travel industry.
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Marriott Is Worried About AI. Should They Be? 19.02.2026 35minMarriott expects 35% growth in co-branded credit card fees next year. At the same time, it’s warning investors that AI could disrupt its entire loyalty ecosystem. In this episode of the Skift Travel Podcast, Sarah Kopit and Seth Borko break down what’s happening at the intersection of loyalty, artificial intelligence, and geopolitics. They start with Marriott’s earnings, where the power of co-branded credit cards is now central to profitability. With 270 million Bonvoy members and over $700 million in credit card fees, loyalty has become a financial engine. But in a dramatic shift from prior years, Marriott and Hilton are now explicitly disclosing AI as a risk in their SEC filings. Why? Because AI-powered intermediaries may change how travelers search, compare, and book hotels. Skift Research data shows that only 6% of travelers say they would remain loyal if an AI found them a better deal. That’s a sobering number for any brand betting on loyalty. The conversation then widens to Skift Research’s 2026 outlook, where the word of the year is “resilience.” Consumers continue to prioritize travel globally, even amid affordability pressures and economic uncertainty. But geopolitics, from protests to tariffs to airspace disruptions, may be the single biggest risk facing the industry. They close with a look at tech stock volatility, market reactions to AI, and what all of this means for travel companies heading into an uncertain year. A sharp, data-driven discussion about loyalty, AI disruption, market risk, and the resilience of the global traveler. Presented by Viasat Ads. Click here to learn more! Connect with Skift LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/skift/ WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAL375LikgIXmNPYQ0L/ Facebook: https://facebook.com/skiftnews Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skiftnews/ Threads: https://www.threads.net/@skiftnews Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/skiftnews.bsky.social X: https://twitter.com/skift Subscribe to @SkiftNews and never miss an update from the travel industry.
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Ozempic, Travel, and the End of the Old Vacation Model 12.02.2026 35minWeight loss drugs may be one of the most underestimated forces reshaping travel. In this episode of the Skift Travel Podcast, Sarah Kopit and Seth Borko unpack how GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic are quietly changing who travels, where they go, and how they spend. As obesity rates decline for the first time in decades and medication prices fall, travelers are unlocking trips they once thought were impossible, from walkable European cities to long-delayed bucket-list experiences. The conversation explores how this shift affects hotels, cruises, airports, and destinations. They debate whether cruise lines could lose part of their core audience, why airports may need to rethink food, alcohol, and retail revenue, and how experiential travel becomes more important as physical barriers fade. Along the way, they connect the dots to major cultural moments like the Super Bowl halftime show and the Olympics, showing how entertainment, health, and tourism increasingly intersect. A timely look at why travel demand is changing, and why the industry may be less prepared than it thinks. Presented by Viasat Ads. Click here to learn more! Connect with Skift LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/skift/ WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAL375LikgIXmNPYQ0L/ Facebook: https://facebook.com/skiftnews Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skiftnews/ Threads: https://www.threads.net/@skiftnews Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/skiftnews.bsky.social X: https://twitter.com/skift Subscribe to @SkiftNews and never miss an update from the travel industry.
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Why Travel Companies Are Staying Silent on Politics 05.02.2026 45minThis week on the Skift Travel Podcast, Sarah Kopit and Seth Borko tackle a wide-ranging conversation that sits at the intersection of geopolitics, growth, and brand identity in travel. They begin with one striking reality: very few travel companies are willing to go on the record about political issues, even as immigration policy, protests, and global perception begin to influence tourism decisions ahead of major events like the World Cup. From there, Seth breaks down Skift Research’s latest Travel Health Index, revealing a year of uneven growth, regional divergence, and a continued shift of travel’s center of gravity toward Asia and the Middle East, while North America and Europe lag behind. The episode also covers severe winter storms and flight cancellations, airline geopolitics, American Airlines’ return to Venezuela, uncertainty around aircraft certification, and what safety, affordability, and perception mean for U.S. tourism in 2026. The conversation closes with a deeper question facing hotels, Airbnb, and destinations alike: can brands scale without losing their soul? Using lifestyle hotels as a case study, Sarah and Seth explore why “cool” is harder to scale than luxury, and why fixed assets collide with fast-moving cultural trends. A thoughtful, data-backed look at where travel is headed and what’s holding it back. Presented by Viasat Ads. Click here to learn more! Connect with Skift LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/skift/ WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAL375LikgIXmNPYQ0L/ Facebook: https://facebook.com/skiftnews Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skiftnews/ Threads: https://www.threads.net/@skiftnews Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/skiftnews.bsky.social X: https://twitter.com/skift Subscribe to @SkiftNews and never miss an update from the travel industry.
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Airbnb, OTAs, and the Fight for Control of Travel 29.01.2026 34minThis week on the Skift Travel Podcast, Sarah Kopit and Seth Borko break down a set of travel industry flashpoints that all connect back to one thing: trust. They start with the industry’s most hated topic, fees. Resort fees, junk fees, and the reality that “transparent pricing” usually just means the cost moves around, not that it disappears. They dig into what travelers actually notice, what regulators are trying to fix, and why hotels keep getting stuck in the middle of disclosure, taxes, and pricing optics. Then the conversation shifts to Airbnb’s renewed hotel push, including its moves to bring more independent and boutique hotels onto the platform. Seth lays out why Airbnb’s brand has always benefited from being the alternative, and why chasing scale creates a new set of tradeoffs, especially when you are competing with the OTA giants. If you care about where travel distribution is heading, and why pricing trust is becoming a competitive advantage, this one’s for you. Presented by Viasat Ads. Click here to learn more! Connect with Skift LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/skift/ WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAL375LikgIXmNPYQ0L/ Facebook: https://facebook.com/skiftnews Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skiftnews/ Threads: https://www.threads.net/@skiftnews Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/skiftnews.bsky.social X: https://twitter.com/skift Subscribe to @SkiftNews and never miss an update from the travel industry.
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New from Skift: Executive Conversations Shaping the Travel Industry 26.01.2026 3minWe’re sharing a preview of a new podcast from Skift called Skift Take Sessions. Skift Take Sessions is a weekly, journalist-led podcast built from the most important conversations shaping the global travel industry. Each episode features candid interviews with CEOs and senior leaders across airlines, hotels, and travel platforms, recorded live at Skift events and expanded with context around why the conversation matters now and what we learned. Hosted by Wil Slickers, the show brings listeners inside executive-level thinking from leaders at companies like Hilton, Expedia Group, Airbnb, JetBlue, and more. New episodes drop every week. Listen and follow Skift Take Sessions: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/skift-take-sessions/id1871511773 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4oKApv7z0I65VpySjh9rqP?si=2e8f1e3e83e8459d Skift.com: https://skift.com/skift-travel-podcasts/
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