05 Jun
Travel

Marriott Says Trump Administration Demanded It to Shutter Cuba Hotel Operations

Falkenpost / Pixabay

Four years after Starwood became the first U.S. hotel operator to run a hotel in Cuba since the 1959 revolution, Marriott — which bought Starwood in 2016 — says the Trump administration wants it to end operations. Falkenpost / Pixabay

Skift Take: Marriott’s planned Cuban expansion may become a sacrificial byproduct of the Trump administration’s quest to appeal to Cuban-American Florida voters in the 2020 presidential campaign.

— Cameron Sperance

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05 Jun
Travel

Travel Sector Remains Thorn in a Falling U.S. Unemployment Rate Defying Expectations

William Warby / Flickr

The U.S. unemployment rate dropped to 13.3 percent in May, but the travel sector is still seeing brutally high numbers. William Warby / Flickr

Skift Take: The travel industry shouldn’t sing yet — the hospitality and leisure unemployment rate fell three points in May, but the sector is still in a decimated place from where it was a year ago.

— Cameron Sperance

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05 Jun
Travel

What South Africa’s Virus Protocols Tell Us About Balancing a Travel Economy With a Nation’s Health

Reuters

South Africa president Cyril Ramaphosa imposed strict lockdown measures early on in the crisis. Reuters

Skift Take: South Africa is understandably cautious as it approaches winter, and doing all it can to stave off a health crisis. But its strict and prolonged protocols might end up doing more harm than good.

— Matthew Parsons

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05 Jun
Travel

A New Boss of Clean Will Ensure More Than Just Crystal Sparkles at New York’s Baccarat Hotel

Baccarat Hotel New York

Tanja Hernandez is the Baccarat Hotel’s new director of environmental health and safety. Baccarat Hotel New York

Skift Take: It’s going to take more than a label to give guests confidence to book a post-pandemic hotel stay. Hoteliers need someone to make sure all the heightened cleaning standards are not only announced but also rigorously followed.

— Cameron Sperance

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05 Jun
Travel

Where Are Travel Prices Headed? Get Ready for Twists and Turns

Hatoriz / Visual Hunt

Pavilion of the enlightened at Ancient Siam in Thailand. Hatoriz / Visual Hunt

Skift Take: Domestic airfares around the world fell dramatically in May — on average. But, as with hotels, there are currently pockets of strength — and will be for months. Still, contrarian trends don’t make for a nice, tidy trend line when it comes to prices.

— Dennis Schaal

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