The Skift Travel Podcast

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The Skift Travel Podcast is a leading source for the latest insights and perspectives on the travel industry.

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Latest Episodes

Business and International Travel Drove Earnings This Quarter

The recent earnings seasons provided a glimpse into how the largest publicly traded travel companies are faring in one of the more "normal" quarters in a number of years. So what are the main takeaways from earnings season? And which companies emerged as big winners? Senior Hospitality Editor Sean O’Neill and Airlines Reporter Meghna Maharishi joined Editor-in-Chief Sarah Kopit and Head of Research Seth Borko to discuss the results of earnings in this week’s Skift Travel Podcast. Read more about earnings this season at Skift.

The State of Conferences

In this special bonus episode, Skift Meetings Executive Editor Andrea Doyle speaks with Skift CEO Rafat Ali and Skift Head of Events Programming Brian Quinn about the "State of Conferences".

Airbnb’s Icons: Gimmick or Marketing Genius?

Last week Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky announced the company's renewed focus on Experiences with its “Icons” product launch. Skift Editor-in-Chief Sarah Kopit was in Los Angeles for the event and got to speak one-on-one with Chesky on a host of topics (including that pay question we promised you). In this episode we also dig into why Airbnb backed off of experiences after the pandemic, a potential Airbnb loyalty program and how Icons fits into Airbnb’s broader marketing strategy.

The Awakening of Sleep Tourism

Catch up on the importance of sleep tourism as Seth and Sarah discuss its emergence and growing importance in the travel industry. Building off of Sarah’s recent article in Skift, "The Science of Sleep: How the Travel Industry is Cashing on Tourism’s Latest Obsession,” they go into the growing fascination with sleep among Gen Z, the challenges of getting good sleep during travel, and the economics of sleep tourism.

Airbnb's Megawatt Payday and Should Billionaires Exist?

Fresh off the heels of the release of annual financial reports, Seth and Sarah discuss everyone's favorite topic: executive compensation. They examine how those reported compensation numbers relate to the performance of the companies in question, including Airbnb CEO and Co-founder Brian Chesky's potential $1 billion plus pay package, which leads them to the question: should billionaires exist?

Meet Skift and Your New Co-Hosts

Our new co-hosts, Editor-in-Chief Sarah Kopit and Head of Research Seth Borko, introduce themselves and talk about what Skift is, how it's quite literally defining the business of travel, and preview some of the exciting stories and research on deck for Skift and the podcast.

Loyalty and Short-Term Rentals: What Are The Opportunities Ahead?

As we look forward to the return of the Skift Short-Term Rental Summit on June 5 in New York, today we feature a conversation with Homes and Villas by Marriott International Vice President, Jennifer Hsieh, and Skift Senior Hospitality Editor, Sean O'Neill, that took place onstage at last year's summit. To join her and many other vacation rental executives and investors at this year’s Short-Term Rental Summit, visit live.skift.com for tickets and details.

Oberoi CEO on Redefining Luxury for the Affluent Consumer

Vikram Oberoi, The Oberoi Group CEO and Managing Director, speaks with Skift Senior Hospitality Editor Sean O'Neill. This discussion took place on stage at the inaugural Skift India Summit this month in New Delhi, India. on stage at Skift India Summit in New Delhi, India on March 20, 2024. To join the travel industry's best events in person, visit https://live.skift.com

US Ambassador to India on Bridging the U.S. and India in the Decade Ahead

Today we feature a discussion that took place on stage at the inaugural Skift India Summit this month in New Delhi, India. In this conversation Eric Garcetti, United States Ambassador to the Republic of India, speaks with Rafat Ali, Founder & CEO of Skift, about "Bridging the U.S. and India in the Decade Ahead". For more like this, visit live.skift.com to learn how you can attend our next industry defining live event.

Bio of The Skift Travel Podcast

The Skift Travel Podcast is a leading source for the latest insights and perspectives on the travel industry.
With a reputation as the most-trusted news source in travel, Skift presents exclusive conversations featuring creatives, executives, entrepreneurs, and industry leaders.

In each episode, The Skift Travel Podcast brings together a diverse array of guests to engage in enlightening discussions on travelers' habits, industry trends, and the transformative changes reshaping the travel landscape.

From unraveling the factors driving shifting consumer behaviors to analyzing industry patterns, this podcast offers valuable insights that keep listeners well-informed.