🛳️ Royal Caribbean vs. 🎰 Vegas

Royal Caribbean Group CEO Jason Liberty looks beyond the seas for the company's competition.

The Daily November 4, 2024

By Elizabeth Casolo

Good morning, readers. Find the odd one out: Las Vegas, Orlando… and Royal Caribbean. Trick question — the cruise line's CEO wants its experiences to rival land resorts. Turns out, Royal Caribbean's competitors may not be who you think. Royal Caribbean CEO Jason Liberty brought Skift up to speed.

Skift Global Forum East is gathering top travel industry leaders from around the global to discuss the future of the Middle East and beyond. Watch Skift journalists speak with Hyatt's Mark Hoplamazian, Etihad's Antonoaldo Neves, Minor International's Dillip Rajakarier, Dubai Airport's Paul Griffiths, Booking.com's Carlo Olejniczak...and more. 🌎 Get on the List

Cruises Royal Caribbean CEO's Premium Push

Photo by Royal Caribbean International

Royal Caribbean Group CEO Jason Liberty is looking upmarket and pushing for premium. Senior Hospitality Editor Sean O'Neill spoke with Liberty for the latest in our C-Suite interview series: Despite steeper cruise prices, Liberty says the Royal Caribbean experience is now on par with land-based resorts — and still about 20% cheaper. Royal Caribbean wants to reform the cruise stereotype: Half of its passengers are millennials or younger, and the company now offers short trips that accommodate remote workers. Liberty sees potential for wealthier demographics, noticing Baby Boomers who cover trip costs for extended family. Get the Full Story on Skift

Tourism Accor CEO Doesn't Stress Over Saudi Delays

Photo by Skift

Will Saudi Arabia hit its Vision 2030 economic and tourism goals? Accor CEO Sébastien Bazin thinks any progress toward the $500-billion dollar goal is key. "Even if it's only half achieved, that's a remarkable half," he told Skift. Middle East Reporter Josh Corder explains where Bazin wants to go from here: Accor has signed onto projects across Saudi Arabia, working with hotel brands like Habitas, Banyan Tree, Raffles, 25hours, Morgans Originals and Faena. Bazin believes expanding into newer regions requires starting slow with smaller, luxury hotels. "Don't always tie a destination to the 150 million [visitor] target," Bazin said, in favor of smaller hotels. Get the Full Story on Skift

Destinations Equipping Destination Organizations With Essential Tools for Success in 2025 and Beyond

Destination organizations and convention and visitors bureaus (CVBs) are operating in an increasingly demanding environment characterized by shifting consumer preferences and intense competition. They can address these challenges and improve decision-making by leveraging Destinations International's tailored suite of tools and products. Read the Full Story Sponsored by Destinations International

Travel Technology Trip Planning with ChatGPT's New Search Engine

Photo by Pedro Alvarez/Pixabay

When booking a trip, ChatGPT's new search engine could be a boon — at least to an extent. The search engine integrates live results from the web with AI-generated insights. It could potentially be a one stop shop for your travel questions, but it's early days. Travel Technology Reporter Justin Dawes tested it out:  For Dawes, the search engine was a good starting point for discovering restaurants and off-the-beaten-path activities. Sometimes ChatGPT provided outdated hours, availability or event information. The search engine also was unreliable with flight and hotel pricing, once suggesting a round-trip flight for $460, while the actual price was $757… for one way. Get the Full Story on Skift

More From Skift

Expedia Extends Its Loyalty Program to Microsoft Bing Travel Users A New Airport Experience Awaits Travelers in Thailand: Here's What to Expect

Skift Travel 200: Top Movers

Booking Holdings 4,749.11 +1.56%

Airbnb 136.46 +1.24%

Marriott International 260.57 +0.21%

Source: The Skift Travel 200 (ST200) combines the financial performance of nearly 200 travel companies worth more than a trillion dollars into a single number. Go to the Skift Travel 200. Stock data as of market close.

Today's Calendar

Marriott International third-quarter earnings Loews Corporation third-quarter earnings Ryanair half-year earnings Choice Hotels third-quarter earnings GBTA Sustainability Summit

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