05 Mar
Travel

85 Percent of U.S. Travel Agencies Won’t Survive the Year Without Aid, Trade Group Warns

anyaberkut / Getty Images

The American Society of Travel Advisors says most U.S. agencies won’t survive past 2021 without federal support. anyaberkut / Getty Images

Skift Take: Travel advisors play a critical role in the recovery of the leisure tourism sector. But these majority women-owned, small businesses will need relief to stay afloat if the U.S. travel industry is to benefit.

— Lebawit Lily Girma

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05 Mar
Travel

Why Omni and Loews Opted for Partnership Over a Merger

Omni Hotels & Resorts

Loews and Omni are finally linking up in a sales and marketing deal that could eventually extend to the meetings and events side of their similar businesses. Omni Hotels & Resorts

Skift Take: Loews and Omni’s closer working relationship is more about maintaining their respective independence rather than setting the stage for an eventual merger, or so company leaders say.

— Cameron Sperance

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05 Mar
Travel

Las Vegas Sands Sells Venetian and Sands Expo Center for $6.25 Billion

Ricky Barnard / Wikimedia

Investment fund Apollo Global Management is set to buy Las Vegas Sands’ Venetian Resort and Sands Expo and Convention Center for $6.25 billion. Ricky Barnard / Wikimedia

Skift Take: The $6.25 billion jackpot for the Venetian Resort and Sands Expo and Convention Center shows investors clearly see a rebound ahead for the Las Vegas convention industry.

— Cameron Sperance

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05 Mar
Travel

Hospitality Companies Follow Pandemic Demand by Offering Villa Rentals

AvantStay

AvantStay’s expansion to Cabo San Lucas arrives as more hospitality competitors see opportunity in high-end vacation home rentals. AvantStay

Skift Take: AvantStay’s expansion to the villa rental market in Mexico is happening at a slower pace than bigger brands like Marriott, but it still signals a lot of future growth in the lodging sector won’t be tied to traditional hotels.

— Cameron Sperance

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05 Mar
Travel

What SoHo House Going Public Says About the Future of Luxury Travel

Ben Terrett / Flickr

SoHo House is taking a second crack at taking its members-only social clubs (pictured: the SoHo House Istanbul) public on the stock exchange. Ben Terrett / Flickr

Skift Take: Even if luxury travel bounces back quickly, there may be a ceiling on how well an exclusive, members-only club like SoHo House will do during the pandemic recovery relative to traditional, luxury hotel competitors.

— Cameron Sperance

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05 Mar
Travel

The Aspirations of JetBlue to Be a Travel Tech Company

JetBlue

Image of planned Mint class studio seat for JetBlue’s planned transatlantic service. JetBlue Airways sees wants to add a business line: travel technology, said chief digital and technology officer Eash Sundaram. JetBlue

Skift Take: What’s the best strategy for a corporation? Some years, it’s trendy for consultants to advise companies to focus on their “core competency.” In other years, it’s all about diversifying. JetBlue’s effort to diversify into enterprise tech will be worth watching.

— Sean O’Neill

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05 Mar
Travel

Electric Aircraft Are Coming, Just Not as Soon As You Think

Jean-Marie Liot / Eviation Aircraft

Eviation’s Alice aims to be one of the first electric planes certified by regulators. Jean-Marie Liot / Eviation Aircraft

Skift Take: Electric aircraft are an inevitable step for commercial aviation with the heightened focus on carbon emissions. Numerous companies are vying to develop this new technology but, with engines still in the works and a lengthy certification runway ahead, when is everyones’ guess.

— Edward Russell

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