Skift

Bringing you the latest #travelindustry insights through breaking news, cutting-edge research, and world-class events.

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Meta already decides where people want to go. Now it wants to collect a fee when they book.

Is this a real threat to the OTAs, or just more AI hype? Adriana Lee digs into questions like that every week in The Prompt, Skift’s newsletter on AI in travel.

https://t.co/MxHJjK1dQC

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"Seventy-five percent of millennials told us, 'I would take the job with fewer benefits if I could have more time to travel.' To me, that's the future."

— Audrey Hendley, President, American Express Travel at Skift Global Forum 2026

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Airbnb will direct 10 cents from every stay to its nonprofit created to house people affected by everything from natural disasters to wars. The goal is to reach 1 million free nights a year by the 5th year.

https://t.co/cqQCdpXQbv

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Every airline makes promises to its customers. Operations decides which ones get kept.

Mark Nasr, EVP and COO at Air Canada, speaks at Skift Aviation Forum on When Customer Promise Meets Operational Reality.

November 12 | TWA Hotel, JFK, NYC

Register: https://t.co/zBQXkNH02x

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Waymo's first expense integration sends ride receipts straight to Ramp, matched to the card charge. Waymo said its spend on Ramp cards grew 173% through the third quarter. Uber for Business already connects with more than a dozen expense providers. https://t.co/p4FYM1OgKi

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Agoda now books hotels through Meta's Muse agent in Singapore and Japan. Meta has said it could take a cut of the value Muse creates. Hotels already pay online travel agencies a commission on each booking. https://t.co/7LKuBKcvfB

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Best Western's parent is renaming itself WorldHotels, after one of its smallest brands, with about 250 hotels. The hotel owners who make up the cooperative didn't get a vote. https://t.co/ba7Nxuk478

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Radisson's first net zero hotel in Africa, near Kruger National Park, is the 10th in its program. The owner is paying for it and expects slightly higher room rates to cover the cost. https://t.co/ARiRSqOk8F

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The Philippines plans to scrap its 1,620-peso ($25) tax on overseas trips. The tax raised $136 million in 2025, and half funded tourism infrastructure. The proposed budget has no replacement. https://t.co/QDXGM9tLoJ

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Airbnb will soon issue temporary phone numbers to guests and some hosts and managers in the U.S. and Canada. Airbnb says the change is meant to protect privacy. But it also makes it harder for property managers to turn Airbnb guests into direct bookers.

https://t.co/5is3sFOwpr

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JetBlue shares rose 21% Tuesday as the airline reaffirmed its 2027 profit goal. CEO Joanna Geraghty said there is 'a significant disconnect' between the bond market and the airline's results. https://t.co/QqzhP02aBU

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"Rebuilding our convention center has required us to think outside the box and lean into the city itself being the canvas for our events."

— Arron Brooks, Vice President of Sales, Visit Austin at Skift Meetings Forum 2026

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Hilton hired a technology chief from Uber, is moving its stock listing to the Nasdaq, and says it works with every artificial intelligence booking agent in travel. Owners will judge it by whether lower booking costs reach them. https://t.co/nu4OFBn9ys

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Travel brands are pouring more money into creators, but spend alone won’t build an edge. The advantage will come from learning faster, measuring better, and turning what works into a repeatable system.

Read more: https://t.co/M8hiLsaK3L

In partnership with @Meta

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Artificial intelligence drives under 1% of Booking Holdings’ room nights. That’s the wrong number to budget against.

The terms those agents run on are being set this year. Meta’s Muse already books flights through direct airline connections, while hotels get shopped through Expedia by software they never signed with.

Wait for the bookings, or lock in your position before they arrive?

We built Skift Commerce Summit around exactly these calls: November 11, New York City.

View More: https://t.co/3LPRpdYkDl

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UAE travelers are hesitating to book new trips after Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia. Those who already booked are still going, travel companies said. Musafir has had no cancellations so far. https://t.co/dgWmkrsanX

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At Skift Global Forum 2026, Lindblad Expeditions CEO Natalya Leahy discussed why affluent travelers increasingly value authentic experiences over traditional luxury amenities.

Watch the video: https://t.co/ClliJrfnNu

In partnership with Lindblad Expeditions

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MakeMyTrip's gross bookings rose 21% to $2.7 billion last quarter, even as domestic air departures in India fell 7%. Hotels, buses, and cabs are carrying the growth. https://t.co/n75wBtnmZf

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JetBlue says it's on track to return to sustained profitability in 2027. Its shares rose more than 10% after hours Monday, after falling more than 20% in a week on bankruptcy speculation. https://t.co/Sr4twFGSRG

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"Brands looking to build a creator strategy should invest in four stages: Discover the right creators, connect through real rights and permission infrastructures, scale with paid media, and optimize on what you learn."

— Sanjay Bhatia, Director, Head of Industry, Travel, Auto & Experiences, Meta at Skift Creator Summit 2026

Watch the conversation on demand here: https://t.co/DGvfJnyrMd