China, Italy, and the U.S. — A Tale of 3 Hotel Industry Recoveries

Li Yang  / Good Free Photos

China’s hotel industry recovery from the pandemic continues to propel forward while the U.S. stagnates amid rising cases. Li Yang / Good Free Photos

Skift Take: China and Europe continue to post strong gains in their hotel industry recoveries — not so much in the U.S. Hotel company mask mandates won’t help the problem unless more Americans follow the rules.

— Cameron Sperance

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Majority of Brits, Germans and French Would Skip Holidays if Masks and Testing Required: New Survey

Nacho Doce  / Reuters

No wonder these tourists are lonely. Many Europeans say they would skip vacations if required to wear masks and take tests. Nacho Doce / Reuters

Skift Take: Travel is just too much of a hassle, it seems. So many Europeans are asking: Why bother? Not what airlines, hotels, and destinations want to hear right now.

— Tom Lowry

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China Tourism Leans on Cross-Province Group Tours as Bellwether of Recovery

Photo courtesy of Abercrombie and Kent

Domestic travelers at Yu Gardens in Shanghai before Covid-19. Will there be as many? Photo courtesy of Abercrombie and Kent

Skift Take: China has allowed cross-province group tours to resume, with conditions. Sold in a flash is an understatement. But will all go well? This will be the test towards full recovery of its travel market.

— Raini Hamdi

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The Hotel as Cultural Diplomacy: More Important Than Ever Going Forward

The Royal Mansour Hotel

The lobby of the Royal Mansour Hotel in Marrakech, Morocco. The Royal Mansour Hotel

Skift Take: Cultural diplomacy is often found in museums and cultural initiatives. It is seldom found in hotels. The Royal Mansour in Marrakech was a statement of intent from the king to show the best of the country’s craft and service. The result is impactful, especially in these times — perhaps more so than other means of country branding.

— Colin Nagy

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