05 Dec
Travel

Rest Easy, Travel Advisors — Cruises Are Recession Resistant: World Travel Holdings Co-CEO

El Coleccionista de Instantes Fotografía / Flickr

Jeff Tolkin, co-chairman and CEO of World Travel Holdings, asserts that cruises will gain momentum as a revenue source for travel advisors over the next decade. Shown here is Royal Caribbean’s Anthem of the Seas in Las Palmas. El Coleccionista de Instantes Fotografía / Flickr

Skift Take: Executives at World Travel Holdings, a major cruise distributor, are confident that cruises will only grow in importance to travel advisors, pointing to consumer trends and changing demographics. Given the value cruises provide, the executives also believe they are the most recession-proof form of travel.

— Maria Lenhart

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05 Dec
Travel

How the California Wildfires Are Impacting Tourism

Randall Benton / Sacramento Bee/MCT

California tourism must cope with a lack of affordable housing for service workers trying to live in areas ravaged by wildfires. Pictured, Pamela Harris sheds tears as she closes the doors of her Pine Mountain Deli after 10 years in business in Groveland, Calf., on October 18, 2013. Businesses in the area of Yosemite National Park took a double hit as first the Rim Fire wildfires kept visitors away followed by the federal budget shutdown of the park. Randall Benton / Sacramento Bee/MCT

Skift Take: Several years of devastating wildfires have taken a toll on California tourism but have not affected overall visitor numbers. Instead, the fires have changed the way the state markets itself and made it harder for tourism employees to live in California.

— Maria Lenhart

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05 Dec
Travel

Wildfires Raise Challenges for California’s Tourism Management

Terry Chea / Associated Press

Resident Keith Bispo points to his house in the Palo Colorado community while interviewed in Big Sur, California, July 29, 2016, with wildfires raging to the north. Affordable housing in regions impacted by wildfires is an issue for the tourism industry. Terry Chea / Associated Press

Skift Take: After several years of historic wildfires, California has to take a hard look at the future of tourism in its wine regions and mountain resort communities. The fires have exacerbated problems such as a lack of affordable workforce housing.

— Maria Lenhart

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05 Dec
Travel

Travel Leaders Group Aims to Accelerate UK Growth After Thomas Cook Collapse

Malcolm Cochrane / Barrhead Travel

Barrhead Travel staff. the company was bought by Travel Leaders Group in 2018. Malcolm Cochrane / Barrhead Travel

Skift Take: With one of the biggest names in UK travel exiting the market, there’s space for other travel firms to pick up some of the travel demand. It’s not going to be easy with plenty of Brexit uncertainty in the market as well as lots of competition.

— Patrick Whyte

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05 Dec
Travel

Oyo Promotes Executive to Board to Aid Growth Efforts

Akio Kon / Bloomberg

Ritesh Agarwal speaks at the SoftBank World 2019 event in Tokyo. The company has added a new board member. Akio Kon / Bloomberg

Skift Take: Looks like Oyo is taking a more sustainable approach to global growth rather than simply looking to boost hotel numbers at any cost. But will the new board appointment lead to a discernible change in strategy?

— Patrick Whyte

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05 Dec
Travel

Norwegian Taps Former JetBlue Exec in Management Reshuffle

Norwegian

A Norwegian Boeing 737-800. The company has reshuffled its senior management team. Norwegian

Skift Take: Another big news day for Norwegian. Given the focus on profitability, exiting the difficult domestic market in Argentina is not really surprising, but the appointment of Marty St. George is certainly a curveball.

— Patrick Whyte

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05 Dec
Travel

India Wants to Make It Easier For Foreigners to Invest in Its Airlines

Dylan Agbagni (CC0) / Flickr

An Air India Boeing 747. The Indian government is looking to attract a buyer. Dylan Agbagni (CC0) / Flickr

Skift Take: Like so many other flag carriers around the world, Air India seems to exist in a perpetual state of limbo. Nobody wants to buy it, but the government doesn’t want to pull the plug.

— Patrick Whyte

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