Skift Daily Briefing

Gulf Tourism Is Having a Lost Year

The Iran war has quietly devastated Gulf tourism with Dubai hotel rates down 50% and recovery not expected before late 2027, Meta launches an AI agent called Muse that ca

The EU Just Gave Cities a Roadmap to Crack Down on Airbnb

The EU Just Gave Cities a Roadmap to Crack Down on Airbnb The EU hands cities a legal framework to justify short-term rental restrictions, Navan buys AI-powered events p

Google Is Stripping Travel Search in Europe to Avoid More Fines

Google Is Stripping Travel Search in Europe to Avoid More Fines Google scales back hotel, flight, and restaurant search features across Europe to dodge further EU fines,

The Southwest You Grew Up With Is Gone

Southwest announces airport lounges and keeps reinventing itself into something almost unrecognizable, Uber cuts 3,300 jobs and pulls focus back to its core as travel amb

Travel's Biggest Names Just Walked Into the White House

Travel industry executives meet with President Trump to push for more inbound tourists, Uber cuts 3,300 jobs while doubling down on robotaxis and quietly sidelining its t

Airbnb Just Poached Booking.com's Hotel Boss

Airbnb names a former Booking.com hotel chief as its new chief business officer as its hotel push accelerates, AirDNA launches a dynamic pricing tool aimed at the 85% of

That Stunning Hotel You Found on TikTok Might Not Be Real

A bombshell estimate flips the script on who actually leads in B2B hotel bookings, Marriott presses its sales teams to close a $1.55 billion gap in group bookings for 202

Google Just Made Hotel Booking Part of the Chat

Google Just Made Hotel Booking Part of the Chat Google launches hotel booking inside its AI chat with major chains and OTAs on board, passport renewals are about to get

Dolly Parton Left Behind a Legacy That Draws 2 Million Visitors a Year

Dollywood bucks the theme park industry's closure wave as operators honor Dolly Parton's legacy with a $500 million expansion, Harry Styles' Madison Square Garden residen

Wall Street Is Finally Buying Into Airbnb's Growth Story

A familiar face may be headed back to lead NYC Tourism, Wall Street is warming up to Airbnb's growth story after five straight quarters of double-digit gains, and three S

Black Tomato Just Did the Opposite of Every Other Travel Company

F1 confirms its Abu Dhabi Grand Prix is on despite war jitters, luxury tour operator Black Tomato sells 75% of itself to its own staff instead of private equity, and Thai

Google Just Bought Spirit's Data for $10 Million and Got a Steal

Google scoops up Spirit Airlines' pricing and booking data in bankruptcy for a fraction of its value, the UK launches a crackdown on hidden travel fees with fines up to 1

If the World Cup Couldn't Fix U.S. Tourism, What Will?

Overseas visits to the U.S. fall for the fourth straight month despite the World Cup, travel creators are pivoting hard to shorter and cheaper trips because that's what t

Europe Is on Fire and Summer Travel Is at Risk Again

Wildfires are forcing tourist evacuations across France and Spain with officials warning the risk is spreading, Norwegian Cruise Line's CEO admits the company's problems

China's Travelers Want to Go Abroad. There Aren't Enough Flights.

Hilton makes a rare move by cutting fees for its hotel owners as the market cycle finally turns, JetBlue posted a $247 million loss and its stock jumped 13% anyway, and C

Amazon Just Entered the Travel Booking Business

Amazon brings travel booking inside Alexa with Priceline as an early partner, American Express buys Europe's biggest restaurant reservation platform and the real reason i

The World Cup Tourism Boom Was a Myth

The 2026 World Cup's promised tourism windfall didn't materialize as international visitors stayed home, United tried to merge with both Delta and American and got turned

Southwest Reinvented Itself and Just Had a Record Quarter

Southwest posts record revenue after overhauling its entire business model, American Airlines hits record revenue too but keeps cutting its profit forecast, and the times

Loyalty Programs Are Now How Travel Companies Find New Customers

Travel's biggest companies are trading loyalty members directly with each other as Google's dominance over customer acquisition breaks down, three hotel giants launched d

The UAE Passport Just Lapped the U.S.

The U.S. passport stalls at 10th while the UAE jumps to second in the global rankings, Emirates president Tim Clark says retirement can wait, and Expedia opens a Silicon