Latest news with #SkiftResearch
Skift
8 hours ago
- Business
- Skift
Hotel Outlook 2025 Amid Disruption and Opportunity
Report Overview In Skift Research's latest report, we provide a thematic update for the hotel industry, revisiting our 2025 Global Travel Outlook and providing updates on the state of play within the sector. The hospitality industry entered a rapidly shifting landscape in 2025. After years of recovery following the pandemic, hotels now face a more complex mix of challenges and opportunities. While demand remains resilient, new headwinds, including geopolitical instability, economic volatility, and rising consumer expectations, are testing the adaptability of even the most established hotel brands. This report explores how the global hospitality sector is responding to shifting dynamics through innovation, strategic diversification, and renewed attention to guest experience. Drawing on insights from our ongoing tracking of hotel performance, and traveler behavior, this report provides direction in terms of where the industry stands and where it's heading for the rest of 2025 and beyond. From the rise of social commerce and 'quiet luxury', to the lasting value of live tourism and evolving loyalty models, this report helps hospitality leaders understand the forces reshaping travel in 2025 and how best to position themselves for long-term growth.
Skift
a day ago
- Business
- Skift
India vs. China vs. Japan: Who Leads in Online Travel and Hotel Loyalty
Asia's top travel markets are rewriting the rules of booking — with OTAs, loyalty programs, and social media now driving distinct, market-specific behaviors that global travel brands must strategically adapt to. As travel demand surges across Asia, understanding not just where travelers are going — but how they book — has become more critical than ever. Skift Research's latest report, 2025 Asian Travelers' Booking Preferences, takes a deep dive into the digital behaviors, channel choices, and loyalty patterns of outbound travelers from India, China, and Japan. Together, these three countries represent the region's most influential travel markets. In India and China, mobile-first ecosystems and strong online travel agency (OTA) adoption are driving a fast-paced digital transformation. Japan presents a more traditional, slower-moving recovery, with direct bookings and offline planning still playing a meaningful role. OTAs Dominate in Asia Online travel agencies are the top booking channel in Asia (67%) and Europe (60%), reflecting strong platform usage and consumer comfort with third-party sites. In contrast, North American travelers still prefer booking directly with hotels (59%), likely due to higher trust in branded hotel infrastructure and the strength of loyalty programs. For brands targeting Asia and Europe, OTA visibility and pricing strategy are key. In North America, reinforcing direct booking value through loyalty perks and frictionless UX remains essential. Loyalty Programs Thrive in China and the U.S. Hotel loyalty membership is highest in China (68%) and the U.S. (63%), underscoring how branded supply, integrated rewards, and co-branded credit cards can reinforce repeat behavior. In contrast, lower levels in Japan and Europe reveal the limitations of loyalty in markets with more independent supply and less reward infrastructure. The strategic takeaway? Loyalty must be localized — and built on a strong foundation of availability and perceived value. Social Media as a Booking Gateway Travelers in China (72%), India (67%), and the U.S. (74%) are increasingly comfortable initiating flight bookings through social media — a sign of growing trust in digital advertising and seamless mobile user flows. For travel brands, this represents a major shift: social platforms aren't just for inspiration — they're now part of the conversion path. Optimizing content and commerce within these environments is no longer optional. For travel executives, marketers, and distribution strategists, this report offers a roadmap to meeting Asian travelers where they are — on mobile, on social, and on the move. From the rise of alternative accommodations to the waning influence of traditional loyalty programs in some markets, the shifts documented here highlight a new era of travel consumption — one that's increasingly digital, deeply local, and moving at different speeds across Asia. Explore the full findings and download the report here: 2025 Asian Travelers' Booking Preferences
Sydney Morning Herald
5 days ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
‘We left behind our spouses and grown-up children': The rise of the girls' trip
This story is part of the June 28 edition of Good Weekend. See all 21 stories. Think 'early explorers' and it's often names like Marco Polo, Francis Drake and Captain James Cook that spring to mind. Not so much Jeanne Baret – the first woman credited with circumnavigating the globe after she joined the botanical expedition of French captain Louis Antoine de Bougainville in 1766, with the help of her lover and professional partner in botany, Philibert Commerson. She did it dressed as a man until she was eventually found out, at which point Bougainville wrote in his journal, 'her example will hardly be contagious.' It's only taken the best part of three centuries, but Baret – and the countless corseted would-have-been female explorers denied the chance to travel – may yet get the last laugh. One of the hottest trends in travel over the past 10 years is women carving out 'me time' from work, family and caring responsibilities, to either travel alone or in all-female groups. 'The 'mumcation' is a whole new world of sisterly misadventure that recently opened up to me,' says financial services professional, Kathryn Hanes, who late last year joined her sister and two of her oldest friends on a week-long trip to New Zealand, which they dubbed 'Mothers Uncorked'. 'We left behind our spouses and nine (mostly) grown-up children and walked up and down mountains, around lakes, through valleys and talked and talked and talked,' says Hanes, who is in her early 50s. 'It was so thrilling to have a holiday where the backing track wasn't 'Are we there yet?' with an 'I'm bored' chorus.' Hanes' two children are now aged 22 and 18, but she well recalls the 'draincations' with young kids: 'So often on family holidays there's no real downtime, days are planned with military precision,' she says. 'This was the first time since my 20s that I felt truly open to spontaneity again. But unlike in our 20s, we now have well-paid, full-time jobs, so the trip wasn't on a shoestring. We had long, lazy meals with lovely plonk. It was bliss.' Whether setting out in all-female groups or alone, more women are embracing the shift. In a survey by online portal 54 per cent of female respondents said they planned to travel solo in 2024. More than 64 per cent of the world's travellers are women, according to New York-based Skift Research's 2024 The Woman Traveller report, and women over 50 are the fastest-growing cohort. Almost a quarter of women aged 55-plus said they would prefer to travel solo than with their spouse and kids. Such figures are no surprise to Jenny Gray. She created the Women's Expedition product range in 2018 for Australian-owned Intrepid Travel. The tours make a particular effort to support women-owned and operated businesses. 'We launched our Women's Expedition range seven years ago, when we realised more than 63 per cent of our travellers were female – and they were telling us they wanted to better understand and connect with women in a range of destinations and cultures,' says Gray. Today, women aged over 45 represent the fastest-growing demographic for the Women's Expedition category, and many are booking into an all-female trip on their own: 'They are prioritising themselves like never before,' says Gray. 'An increasing number of them are repeat travellers with us. It's not that they want a 'soft' option, they just want the logistics taken care of, and to travel with like-minded women.' India is the top-selling Women's Expedition for Intrepid's Australian customers, with a newly created women-only trip to Saudi Arabia and a long-standing tour to Morocco the next most popular. An increasing number of operators, including Banyan Tours in New Delhi (overseen by Lucy Davison), Girls' Guide to the World and India Design Tours (run by Nicole Court, based out of Sydney) also facilitate trips for women to India. Australian outfit Pink Pelican Tours was founded last year. Next year it will run five women's tours, to Italy, Indonesia and Slovenia. 'The Bali Girls Tour and the Italy Food Tours book out the quickest,' says Pink Pelican's director, Felicity Armstrong. 'Women are redefining what it means to live fully, independently, and on their own terms. They feel less pressure to wait for a partner, family or friends before they travel. The narrative has shifted from 'being selfish' to 'self-worth'.' Loading When it comes to travelling solo, safety remains the number-one concern for women, according to the Skift report. But technology has made things easier; laptops, mobile phones, global roaming, WhatsApp and online travel-support forums offer a greater degree of contact and backup. And there's more airplay online about the safest places to visit. Spartacus World's 2025 Gay Travel index nominates Canada, Iceland, Malta, Portugal and Spain as all excellent for LGBTQ+ friendliness, a factor that tends to mirror safety indexes for women. New Zealand consistently rates highly, as does Japan, Norway, Austria, Italy and Switzerland. Roving communications consultant Erin Forster, 33, spent almost six months in 2024 travelling through Europe and Asia, mainly solo. 'For my age group, solo travel is seen as normal,' she says. 'It can also be an even more social experience than travelling with friends. Travelling alone is something I wish I'd done much earlier. The personal growth you experience when pushed outside your comfort zone can't be underestimated.'
The Age
5 days ago
- The Age
‘We left behind our spouses and grown-up children': The rise of the girls' trip
This story is part of the June 28 edition of Good Weekend. See all 21 stories. Think 'early explorers' and it's often names like Marco Polo, Francis Drake and Captain James Cook that spring to mind. Not so much Jeanne Baret – the first woman credited with circumnavigating the globe after she joined the botanical expedition of French captain Louis Antoine de Bougainville in 1766, with the help of her lover and professional partner in botany, Philibert Commerson. She did it dressed as a man until she was eventually found out, at which point Bougainville wrote in his journal, 'her example will hardly be contagious.' It's only taken the best part of three centuries, but Baret – and the countless corseted would-have-been female explorers denied the chance to travel – may yet get the last laugh. One of the hottest trends in travel over the past 10 years is women carving out 'me time' from work, family and caring responsibilities, to either travel alone or in all-female groups. 'The 'mumcation' is a whole new world of sisterly misadventure that recently opened up to me,' says financial services professional, Kathryn Hanes, who late last year joined her sister and two of her oldest friends on a week-long trip to New Zealand, which they dubbed 'Mothers Uncorked'. 'We left behind our spouses and nine (mostly) grown-up children and walked up and down mountains, around lakes, through valleys and talked and talked and talked,' says Hanes, who is in her early 50s. 'It was so thrilling to have a holiday where the backing track wasn't 'Are we there yet?' with an 'I'm bored' chorus.' Hanes' two children are now aged 22 and 18, but she well recalls the 'draincations' with young kids: 'So often on family holidays there's no real downtime, days are planned with military precision,' she says. 'This was the first time since my 20s that I felt truly open to spontaneity again. But unlike in our 20s, we now have well-paid, full-time jobs, so the trip wasn't on a shoestring. We had long, lazy meals with lovely plonk. It was bliss.' Whether setting out in all-female groups or alone, more women are embracing the shift. In a survey by online portal 54 per cent of female respondents said they planned to travel solo in 2024. More than 64 per cent of the world's travellers are women, according to New York-based Skift Research's 2024 The Woman Traveller report, and women over 50 are the fastest-growing cohort. Almost a quarter of women aged 55-plus said they would prefer to travel solo than with their spouse and kids. Such figures are no surprise to Jenny Gray. She created the Women's Expedition product range in 2018 for Australian-owned Intrepid Travel. The tours make a particular effort to support women-owned and operated businesses. 'We launched our Women's Expedition range seven years ago, when we realised more than 63 per cent of our travellers were female – and they were telling us they wanted to better understand and connect with women in a range of destinations and cultures,' says Gray. Today, women aged over 45 represent the fastest-growing demographic for the Women's Expedition category, and many are booking into an all-female trip on their own: 'They are prioritising themselves like never before,' says Gray. 'An increasing number of them are repeat travellers with us. It's not that they want a 'soft' option, they just want the logistics taken care of, and to travel with like-minded women.' India is the top-selling Women's Expedition for Intrepid's Australian customers, with a newly created women-only trip to Saudi Arabia and a long-standing tour to Morocco the next most popular. An increasing number of operators, including Banyan Tours in New Delhi (overseen by Lucy Davison), Girls' Guide to the World and India Design Tours (run by Nicole Court, based out of Sydney) also facilitate trips for women to India. Australian outfit Pink Pelican Tours was founded last year. Next year it will run five women's tours, to Italy, Indonesia and Slovenia. 'The Bali Girls Tour and the Italy Food Tours book out the quickest,' says Pink Pelican's director, Felicity Armstrong. 'Women are redefining what it means to live fully, independently, and on their own terms. They feel less pressure to wait for a partner, family or friends before they travel. The narrative has shifted from 'being selfish' to 'self-worth'.' Loading When it comes to travelling solo, safety remains the number-one concern for women, according to the Skift report. But technology has made things easier; laptops, mobile phones, global roaming, WhatsApp and online travel-support forums offer a greater degree of contact and backup. And there's more airplay online about the safest places to visit. Spartacus World's 2025 Gay Travel index nominates Canada, Iceland, Malta, Portugal and Spain as all excellent for LGBTQ+ friendliness, a factor that tends to mirror safety indexes for women. New Zealand consistently rates highly, as does Japan, Norway, Austria, Italy and Switzerland. Roving communications consultant Erin Forster, 33, spent almost six months in 2024 travelling through Europe and Asia, mainly solo. 'For my age group, solo travel is seen as normal,' she says. 'It can also be an even more social experience than travelling with friends. Travelling alone is something I wish I'd done much earlier. The personal growth you experience when pushed outside your comfort zone can't be underestimated.'
Skift
23-06-2025
- Skift
How Extreme Weather Is Shaping Travel Plans
Only a third of travelers actively avoided destinations due to extreme weather. But many are opting for flexible bookings, safer seasons, or backup plans rather than canceling trips entirely. Global warming surged to alarming new highs in 2024: The World Meteorological Organization reported that 2024 was the warmest year ever recorded, with temperatures approximately 1.55°C above pre‑industrial levels. Skift Research surveyed U.S. travelers to learn how weather-related events are affecting their travel choices. Our survey reveals that most are not yet significantly altering their plans in response to climate risks: Only 34% reported avoiding destinations due to extreme weather, and another 21% considered it. In addition, 40% were unconcerned and 24% took no specific precautions. That suggests that climate concerns are still secondary for many travelers — and could also suggest a clear divide in risk perception. Among those who are adapting, popular strategies include choosing more climate-stable destinations, traveling in shoulder seasons, and booking flexible or refundable travel. This behavior indicates a growing, but not yet dominant, awareness of climate-related travel risks. It also points to a form of passive risk management: instead of changing destinations or timing upfront, travelers are relying on reactive measures — such as cancellations, refunds, or insurance claims — if disruptions do occur. In other words, climate isn't necessarily deterring travel, but it is shaping how people prepare for uncertainty. One particularly telling shift is the increased preference for shoulder season travel. With 31% of respondents adjusting the timing of their trips to avoid weather extremes, this reflects a more thoughtful, balanced approach — travelers are not abandoning their plans, but they are choosing windows that offer more stable conditions, fewer disruptions, and greater peace of mind. It's a sign that while climate may not yet dominate travel decisions, it's quietly reshaping when and how people move. Skift's in-depth reporting on climate issues is made possible through the financial support of Intrepid Travel. This backing allows Skift to bring you high-quality journalism on one of the most important topics facing our planet today. Intrepid is not involved in any decisions made by Skift's editorial team.
