Skift

If you could see next year in advance… would you look? Megatrends 2026 arrives this January. London • Jan 20 | NYC • Jan 22 Register now and start the year with the insights that matter. ⬇️ London : https://hubs.li/Q03VXlZD0 New York city: https://hubs.li/Q03VXmFt0

As Trip.com Group further expands into Europe and North America, the company is leveraging learnings from its work in the Asia-Pacific region. Road-tested strategies around customer service, localization, partnerships, and industry collaboration are propelling Asia’s leading travel service provider into its next era. At the Skift Transatlantic Summit in NYC this October, Edison Chen, vice president of Trip Group, shared how the company’s DNA is guiding its global expansion. Full article and video: https://hubs.li/Q03V-fCp0 Sponsored by Trip.com Group

We are excited to announce we are offering translation and transcription services for all sessions at next week's Skift Aviation Forum, provided by Wordly. With the event app, you’ll be able to follow interview sessions with live transcription, as well as translation into the language of your choosing. Attendees won’t miss a word. Register now: https://hubs.li/Q03VXBM20

How can travel brands build sustainable growth beyond their core? Catch up on our discussion with, ZS, AWS & Marriott by watching the recording: https://hubs.li/Q03W2kf70 We dive into: - ZS’s 5As Framework - Case studies & success stories - Cross-industry lessons Sponsored by ZS

India expands visa-on-arrival facility for UAE travelers. Good news, right? The UAE is a huge potential market for India given the vast Indian diaspora, but it has not yet been realized. And even with easier entry, the pace of change remains, well … … glacial. https://hubs.li/Q03VXm2t0

India’s tourism sector has long been described as an underperformer. The promise is always there, but the outcomes rarely match it. And now, another prominent figure is saying this gap is becoming harder to ignore. In a recent podcast, Sanjeev Sanyal, a member of the Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory Council, said India is “simply not doing anything much” when it comes to tourism. India continues to attract far fewer foreign tourists than many smaller economies. Domestic travel is rising, but not being channeled into better-designed destinations at home. Sanyal called tourism one of the “low hanging fruits” that India has failed to capitalize on. Click the link in the first comment.

✈️ What if the whole world were just one sleep away? Ahead of Skift Aviation Forum, Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) CEO Chris McLaughlin shares why modernizing airspace is the breakthrough that will unlock aviation’s next era. He highlights the complexity hidden behind every seamless trip, the urgency of upgrading aging systems, and the enormous opportunity for airports and airlines as demand reaches its limits. In the blog, Chris discusses: • Why airspace modernization is the industry’s most important trend • The “symphony” of operations passengers rarely see • How capacity limits pose both risk and opportunity • Early wins from DFW’s One-Stop Security pilot • His bold vision for global travel within a single sleep cycle 📰 Read the full conversation and join us in Fort Worth next week for more insights on the future of aviation: https://hubs.li/Q03VXpzS0

Travelers from overseas looking to explore U.S. national parks next year will have to shell out more money. Non-U.S. residents without an annual pass will pay $100 to enter 11 of the most-visited national parks — on top of the standard entrance fee, the Department of the Interior said Tuesday. Annual passes will cost $250 for non-U.S. residents, compared to $80 for U.S. residents. “These policies ensure that U.S. taxpayers, who already support the National Park System, continue to enjoy affordable access, while international visitors contribute their fair share to maintaining and improving our parks for future generations,” said U.S. Department of the Interior Sec. Doug Burgum. https://hubs.li/Q03V-8tb0

Independent hotels are winning over travelers who crave authenticity, but scale still matters. The Set bridges that gap, giving small luxury brands global reach without sacrificing their individuality. SkiftX sat down with Robin Stangroom, CEO of The Set, to understand how the brand is redefining independent luxury hospitality through thoughtful growth, curated partnerships, and a renewed focus on authenticity. “Our focus is very clear: quality over quantity. We have no ambition to become a vast network of hundreds of hotels.” Full interview: https://hubs.li/Q03VXyy_0 Sponsored by The Set

✈️ Kevin Jackson, President of Porter Airlines Inc. will be joining us on stage at Skift Aviation Forum next week. Kevin brings more than two decades of aviation leadership across commercial strategy, marketing, technology, and customer experience. With key roles at US Airways and America West Airlines. Before becoming President, Kevin served as Porter’s Chief Commercial Officer and Chief Marketing Officer, where he helped strengthen the airline’s commercial capabilities, elevate its customer offering, and shape its market identity. Don't miss out on Kevin’s insights on December 3. 🎟️Grab your tickets: https://hubs.li/Q03VXmPx0