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Automatic

2825 posts

Aviation falling behind in efforts to reduce carbon emissions

✈️ On Jan 8, 2025, Willie Walsh, IATA’s director general, expressed skepticism about the aviation industry meeting the EU’s 6% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) target by 2030 and warned that the 34% target by 2040 is "extremely difficult" due to slow progress. Walsh criticized SAF mandates for penalizing producers who then pass costs onto airlines and consumers, and he noted major fuel producers are reducing their SAF commitments. He praised the U.S. for its significant investments in SAF, contrasting this with Europe's slower advancements.
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Hotels overcoming challenges to remain profitable in 2025

🏨 On Jan 8, 2025, hotel industry anticipates slower rate growth with stronger RevPAR in the US than Europe. Robert Holland highlights the need for hotels to utilize ecommerce, actionable data, and AI for profitability amid stagnant rates. Key strategies include capturing ancillary revenue during booking, leveraging business intelligence for operations, and implementing automation in dynamic pricing, marketing, labor scheduling, and inventory management.
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The new Chinese traveler

🌍 Chinese outbound travel expected to reach 130 million trips in 2024, short of pre-Covid peak of 155 million. By 2028, forecasted to hit 200 million. Modern Chinese travelers vary from Gen Z to luxury and first-time tourists, with spending set to increase; nearly half plan to spend over RMB 25,000, with some exceeding RMB 50,000. Digital bookings and payments, like Alipay and WeChat Pay, dominate, while platforms like Ctrip, Qunar, Xiaohongshu, and Douyin shape travel decisions. Reported by Skift on January 8, 2025.
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eDreams ‘sustainable’ advertising claims censured

📝 On January 8, 2025, eDreams was reprimanded by the British Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) for misleading ads featuring "Puerto Rico sustainable destination" and "discover our sustainable trips" claims made last summer. The ASA banned the ads, instructing eDreams to ensure that future environmental claims are clear and substantiated, emphasizing that absolute claims require substantial evidence. This action reflects a broader initiative to address environmental advertising in the travel sector.
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Hotel innovation enters a new era

🪰 On January 8, 2025, a report from Oracle Hospitality and Skift revealed that hotels must adapt to changing consumer behaviors and expectations for technological integration. Key strategies include contactless services, automation, and unbundling amenities, while integrating AI, predictive analytics, and VR into hospitality. Despite labor shortages, technology is enhancing guest experiences without replacing the human touch. Full insights can be found on Skift's website.
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UK: Spending with travel agents continues to grow

🏖️ Barclays UK Year End Consumer Spend Report reveals a 7.5% increase in spending with travel agents year on year. In December, agents saw a 17.8% growth in transactions, outperforming 15.6% from November. Travel sector's year-on-year spend rose by 4.7% with transactions up 3.4%. Despite flat consumer card spending in December, travel and entertainment were prioritized over essentials like food. (Date: Jan 7, 2025).
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Tripadvisor pays $435 million to simplify ownership

🏖️ Tripadvisor will buy Liberty TripAdvisor for $435 million, aiming to simplify its ownership structure by settling debts and eliminating the holding company's stake. This deal could allow Tripadvisor, established in 2000 and once valued at $15 billion in 2015, to either expand or downsize as its market value has decreased to under $2 billion by December 18. Hindered by debt, competition, search engine changes, and the pandemic's impact, Tripadvisor sees this agreement as a strategic move towards flexibility and a wider range of potential transactions.
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Despegar has been acquired

🏖️ Prosus, based in the Netherlands, to acquire Despegar, a Latin America online travel agency, for $1.7 billion on Jan 7, 2025. The all-cash deal aims to reach over 100 million Latin American customers, expanding in travel, e-commerce, and fintech. Despegar, founded in 1999, operates in 19 markets and will be delisted from NYSE upon shareholders' approval, including Expedia Group. Prosus sold its Trip.com stake in September for $743 million.
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Travel trends 2025: Budget, luxury, digital, personalized

🌍 In 2025, travel and tourism are shaped by low-cost innovation, premiumization, online platforms, and personalization. GlobalData's report identifies key technological, macroeconomic, and ESG trends influencing the sector, such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and connectivity. The landscape has evolved from 2019, with personalized offers based on customer data becoming essential. Online travel apps now offer more than bookings, driving changes in consumer behavior and market dynamics.
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