05 Mar
Travel

Travel Advisors Field Cruise Concerns as Coronavirus Outbreak Spreads

Princess Cruises

The quarantine of the Diamond Princess is among factors driving cruise cancellations and postponements. Princess Cruises

Skift Take: The coronavirus is wreaking havoc on the cruise industry, with travel advisors caught in the middle as they deal with cancellations and questions from worried clients that are difficult to answer. Among the most troublesome aspects is the uncertainty of how long the crisis will last and how much worse it may get.

— Maria Lenhart

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05 Mar
Travel

Finnair Considering Layoffs to Deal With Coronavirus Downturn

Phil Noble / Reuters

A Finnair jet. The airline considering temporary layoffs. Phil Noble / Reuters

Skift Take: Finnair’s latest response to the outbreak shows how quickly things can change and how difficult it is for a company to quantify the impact of a fast-changing external event. Only a month ago, the CEO was saying that coronavirus would have a “relatively limited” impact on the airline.

— Patrick Whyte

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05 Mar
Travel

Travel Megatrends 2020: The Rise of Ultra-Long-Haul Flights Is Changing the Way We Travel

Skift

More airlines are launching ultra-long-haul flights, making it easier for travelers to fly nonstop between large cities. Skift

Skift Take: Connecting to the ends of the Earth with nonstop flights is an increasingly attractive prospect for flyers. The growing popularity of nearly day-long flights, however, is set to disrupt the economics of the airline business. Adapting will be crucial as demand from the travel industry grows.

— Brian Sumers

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05 Mar
Travel

Coronavirus Tests Economic Reforms for Travel in Gulf Arab States

Shaihana AlMutairi / flickr.com

Saudi Arabia last week also shut down the two holiest sites of Islam in Mecca and Madina (pictured here) to foreign travelers. Shaihana AlMutairi / flickr.com

Skift Take: Gulf Arab states are feeling the brunt of an economic slowdown as the spread of coronavirus tests years’ worth of reforms. Countries like the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia have relied on tourism and hospitality sectors to diversify away from oil, but recent travel cancellations and suspensions due to the illness are set to result in significant financial losses.

— Reem Abdellatif

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05 Mar
Travel

Millennial Parent Travelers Set Themselves Apart From Peers Without Kids: Skift Research

Pixaby / Pexels

Most millennials today are parents, and they’re changing family travel. A young dad plays with his son on the beach. Pixaby / Pexels

Skift Take: Millennial parents have a lot in common with their generational peers without kids, but they also have some unique travel preferences and values. Their impact on the family travel segment is just beginning.

— Meghan Carty

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05 Mar
Travel

Nearly 90 Percent of U.S. Travelers Have Yet to Cancel Plans Due to Virus: Skift Research

Nico El Nino / Adobe

In a straw poll of the U.S. online adult population conducted by Skift Research from Feb. 27–29, almost nine in 10 American travelers have not canceled trips due to coronavirus. Nico El Nino / Adobe

Skift Take: U.S. travelers are taking a wait-and-see approach to the evolving coronavirus situation, with few canceling just yet. But most American travel happens domestically, and as the virus spreads within the country, that may soon change.

— Seth Borko

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