Skift

The price gap between sustainable aviation fuel and conventional jet fuel is narrowing, as oil market shocks from the Iran war push fuel prices higher across the board. “A significant share of both fossil fuels and HEFA feedstocks move through the Middle East, so when those routes are disrupted, prices rise across both conventional jet fuel and SAF,” Santos said. hubs.li/Q047NC2d0

Three weeks into the U.S. and Israel's war on Iran, and the impact is widening. Friday ended with Iran threatening tourists everywhere, while travelers began to settle on travel alternatives far from conflict. Follow news across the entire industry at our hub for reporting, research, interviews, videos, podcasts, and more. All on Skift here: hubs.li/Q047Nv090

OpenAI's retreat from direct booking in ChatGPT eased investor concerns for OTAs, but the bigger issue is AI's growing influence over travel discovery. AI tools are increasingly used by travelers for trip planning and discovery, shifting the critical point of customer engagement upstream from booking. While AI referrals may convert at higher rates, the competition to be recommended by AI platforms is intensifying, with Google pushing forward in agentic checkout. hubs.li/Q047Nvr30

An Iranian military official on Friday warned that tourist sites around the world could be targeted, raising fresh concerns about travel security amid escalating conflict with the U.S. and Israel. “From now on, based on the information we have about you, even parks, recreational areas and tourist destinations anywhere in the world will no longer be safe for you,” Iranian General Abolfazl Shekarchi said on Iranian state television, according to several news organizations. hubs.li/Q047Nvc10

Marriott has filed trademarks and registered related web domains for “Matter Hotels by Marriott,” a sign that the hotel giant may be preparing to add another brand to its 37-brand portfolio. The company declined to comment Friday, saying it had nothing to share at this time. The trademark filing comes just days after CEO Anthony Capuano identified specific “whitespace” in the group’s “brand architecture” at an industry conference. hubs.ly/Q047Mm-40

The Iran war didn’t just disrupt the Middle East. It exposed weak points across the global travel system. In this episode of the Skift Travel Podcast, Sarah Kopit and Seth Borko unpack how the conflict has rippled through the travel industry, from broken airline networks and stressed customer service systems to a broader sense that travel is once again being tested by forces it cannot control. Listen or watch right here: hubs.li/Q047Hnvr0

OpenAI pulled back earlier this month from enabling direct AI transactions inside ChatGPT. Google is moving in the opposite direction. Google just shipped new commerce tools for retail. The travel industry is watching — and some developers aren't waiting for an invitation. hubs.li/Q047FssP0

Room00, a hotel and youth hostel operator known for its compact properties, is preparing to invest €330 million to €420 million ($380 to $484 million) in 2026 as it expands deeper into Southern Europe and enters London for the first time. The new investment plan, which represents a capital-intensive phase of growth, will add 20 properties and over 1,400 rooms in Spain, Portugal, Italy, and the UK. hubs.li/Q047rpdH0

Greg Maffei, who has served as chairman of Tripadvisor’s board since 2013, will not seek reelection at the company’s next annual shareholder meeting in June. Tripadvisor said Thursday that Maffei and fellow board member Albert Rosenthaler will both step down when their terms expire. Tripadvisor said their departures were not due to disagreements over policy or operations. hubs.li/Q047FnTZ0

“We have over 20,000 team members, of which 97 percent are Caribbean nationals. It’s who we are. It’s our heritage,” said Adam Stewart, executive chairman of Sandals Resorts International. 🌴 The brand is doubling down on its Caribbean identity, expanding its Beaches brand, and leveraging its regional workforce and suppliers to power both hospitality excellence and economic growth. Find out how here: hubs.li/Q047rB240 In partnership with @SandalsResorts

Dubai’s aviation leaders say the door is open. Some airlines suggest it’s being held shut. The disconnect is becoming harder to ignore as carriers extend suspensions to one of the world’s most important hubs. It raises a key question: are airlines choosing not to return to Dubai, or are they being prevented from doing so? hubs.li/Q047D1XK0

In this week’s podcast 🎧, Gordon and Jay unpack how U.S. airlines are navigating a fuel price crisis — with jet fuel nearly doubling since February — while demand remains surprisingly strong. They dig into key takeaways from the JP Morgan Industrials Conference, where top airline CEOs sounded off on fare hikes, the O'Hare turf war between American and United, and whether an oil-driven recession could be the industry's next big threat. Watch or listen to the pod on your favorite platform or right here: hubs.li/Q047ycqn0

The Trump administration has expanded its visa bond policy, adding 12 more countries whose citizens may be required to post bonds of up to $15,000 to enter the U.S., the State Department revealed on Wednesday. The visa bond requirement for the latest additions will go into effect on April 2, and in total, travelers from 50 countries will be subject to the requirements. hubs.li/Q047C9s00

Travel has become a non-negotiable. In 2025, 66% of Americans took a trip – the highest share in six years. Even among those who say they can’t afford it, 40% are traveling anyway, helping fuel a record $226 billion in summer vacation spending. The result? Download the Allianz + SkiftX report to find out here: hubs.li/Q047qP-t0 In partnership with Allianz

There’s no shortage of information in travel right now. What’s harder to find is clarity. At Skift Global Forum, we focus on what actually matters and where the industry is heading. 🎟️ 22–24 September hubs.li/Q047jpdS0

💡 Early results from our industry survey are in. The #1 reason travel leaders attend conferences in person? It's the conversations nobody planned. We're building Skift's 2026 events around what the industry actually told us. But we need more voices to get it right. ⏱ Takes 5 minutes. 👉 Take the survey: hubs.li/Q047vMWp0

Hilton has signed a franchise agreement with UK-based hotel chain Yotel, making it the first brand to sit under the new Select by Hilton brand. While the deal is not an acquisition and allows Yotel to be independently managed, it brings the tech-forward brand into Hilton’s loyalty, distribution, and commercial systems. Christian Charnaux, Hilton’s CDO, told Skift that Select by Hilton is a “brand of brands” that is open only to taking on “a very selective list of companies or brands.” hubs.li/Q047vNHl0

Wars end. Memory lingers. The question that will define the region's next tourism decade is in what shape demand returns, from where, at what yield, and with what brand equity still intact. Here is the decision framework for managing through uncertainty over the next two to four years: hubs.li/Q047rrQV0

As Chinese transport infrastructure improves, with faster trains, better flight connectivity, and smoother road networks, travel demand is showing up in places that barely used to register on hotel maps, H World Group has said. In its latest earnings call, H World Group CEO Jin Hui explained: “As China’s transportation network improves, accommodation needs to quickly expand from major cities to country level markets, making the lower-tier city a new growth engine for tourism consumption.” hubs.li/Q047rvDX0

Travel demand across Latin America is strong, but the way travelers move through the system is changing. For travel leaders, understanding how affordability, income levels, and travel costs shape where people go and how they book will influence decisions around pricing, route expansion, marketing strategy, and distribution. Get highlights from the latest Skift Research here: hubs.li/Q047rBNn0