A 33 Percent Drop in U.S. GDP and the Ominous Signs for Travel’s Recovery

The U.S. economy showed a record rate of contraction in the second quarter, and a closer look revealed some troubling signs for travel. -Korey Matthews

Has the Pandemic Killed the Freebie Trip for Travel Influencers?

The comped influencer trip has long been a divisive idea in the travel industry, but in the context of the pandemic, some are asking if it should exist at all. -Rosie Spinks

Out to play: the best things to do around the UK this week

From pop-up dining boxes in Salford to being cast away in Cornwall, here’s our weekly pick of attractions and events Last week’s selection – all still going on Support local artists while dining waterside by the Quays in Salford, at Box on the Docks, which launches today. Private dining pods seating two to six people have each been curated by a different local artist or collective, with light and sound installations, murals and more. Designs range from graffitied greenhouses to a wooden hut inscribed with poetry and another shaped like a giant record box, plus plenty of deckchairs on the grass. Grindsmith has four pods serving coffee, cake and ice-cream to walk-ins; others are taking bookings, including cocktail bar The Alchemist, plant-based cafe Vertigo (from 3 August) and Dockyard, offering craft ales and pub grub. Times vary, but there’s something on offer most days from breakfast to late evening drinks, with more restaurants to follow in the coming weeks. • boxonthedocks.co.uk Continue reading...

How a Pandemic Helped Expedia’s Vrbo Fix Its Google Problem

Vrbo is benefiting from a ton of direct traffic because vacation rentals are having a moment, and competitors' paid marketing through Google fell off a cliff. The brand will likely get some sustainable benefit from the lift, but the dynamic can change in a heartbeat. -Dennis Schaal

Whipped cream, fly and drone sculpture unveiled in London

A giant swirl of whipped cream topped with a cherry, a fly and a drone has become the latest artwork to sit atop Trafalgar Square's sought after Fourth Plinth.

This Stationary Life …

We have always assumed constant movement is better. I am questioning that now, in an extended lockdown world ... -Rafat Ali

Imagining Travel in the Year Ahead: Skift’s 8th Anniversary Edition

We may have asked our reporters and editors to do the impossible task for this year's Skift anniversary. Tell us what travel will look like when we celebrate our 9th year in 2021. What you will read, of course, is the most accurate snapshot yet of where we could be next year. -Tom Lowry

Russia Leads Rebound Helped by International Flights: Latest Skift Recovery Index

Skift Research keeps analyzing how the travel recovery is shaping up. It’s needed, because demand remains volatile and none of the 22 markets tracked in the Skift Recovery Index is above 50 percent of prior year performance. -Wouter Geerts

Major Online Travel Exec: Negotiating With Google Is Almost Pointless

Deep-pocketed Google clearly didn't appease suffering travel advertisers in any meaningful way because it didn't have to — it's Google. Don't look for Google to find religion in terms of being a more collaborative partner perhaps until regulators would take it down a peg. -Dennis Schaal

Lyft, Other Car Services Cater to Grounded Corporate Travelers

The latest round of platform updates revolve around cost and safety — two things that corporations care deeply about today. -Matthew Parsons

Executive Q&A: Why Covid-19 Will Bring a Shift Toward Personalized, Experiential-Based Loyalty Programs

The Covid-19 pandemic has shown that travel brands need to rethink consumer trust and loyalty to adapt to the new normal and truly deliver the personalized experiences that today’s customers expect. The stakes are higher than ever. -

Trail blazers: the Asian hiking group tackling Scotland's treks – and diversity | Nazia Parveen

Boots and Beards is helping Glasgow’s Asian population to discover freedom, camaraderie and mental wellbeing in the Scottish mountains When a recent episode of the BBC’s Countryfile programme examined why BAME people feel the British countryside is a “white environment”, I thought back to a soggy February weekend just west of Glasgow. With Storm Jorge buffeting our car towards the mountains, myself and my husband were discussing our different upbringings while on the way to a weekend with an Asian hiking group, Boots and Beards. He is from Lancashire and his childhood memories include camping in the countryside and family holidays in Wales and France. Mine – growing up in a Pakistani household in inner-city Birmingham – were different. The furthest I walked was to school and back. Then, in my early 20s, I took up hiking and then mountain climbing – relishing the freedom of the outdoors, the health benefits and expansion of my social horizons. However, venture out into the UK’s hills and mountains and it’s immediately obvious that diversity in our national parks is something of an issue. There is a distinct lack of people who look like me. Continue reading...

How India’s SpiceJet Is Using Tech to Innovate During the Pandemic

SpiceJet has championed reforms of airport processes that have already changed how all air travelers in India fly on all airlines. In a move reported here first, the budget carrier will begin to sell some of the tech it has developed to other airlines. -Sean O'Neill

Britons flying to and holidaying in Spain: what are your rights?

New coronavirus quarantine rules present dilemma over whether to cancel or claim on insurance * Coronavirus – latest updates * See all our coronavirus coverage I’m due to travel this week – what happens if I cancel? This is the dilemma facing thousands of families. The situation is complicated by the fact that the UK government is only advising against non-essential travel to mainland Spain. This means that many people could still fly to to the Balearic or Canary islands and carry on their holiday as planned. Continue reading...

Hotel Owners’ New Financial Realities Thwart Pandemic Tech Push by the Major Brands

Hotel companies want technology to streamline operations and reduce labor costs, but labor union pushback and cash-strapped hoteliers will continue to delay widespread tech adoption within the industry. -Cameron Sperance

Return of the youth hostel: a stay at the YHA New Forest

The Youth Hostels Association celebrates its 90th anniversary in the most difficult of years, but this unique social enterprise recently reopened 30 hostels Bethan applied the brakes, brought her tiny bike to a halt, and gasped. Ten metres ahead of us, a red deer had materialised from the piney depths of the forest. It had early-season antlers – a pair of bony stumps the size of garden hand-forks – and a glossy, chestnut coat. Eyes fixed, it trotted across the cycle path and disappeared again into the trees. “That was like … an animation!” spluttered Bethan. Then her attention turned to her older brother, pedalling ahead of us in the middle distance, and an even more exciting thought occurred: “And Joe missed it!” The three of us – respectively aged 8, 11 and lost count – had come to the New Forest on a two-night hostelling trip. Among other things, it was a chance to get away and enjoy another part of the country. But hold on. A hostelling trip in summer 2020? Well, technically, yes. YHA England & Wales eased back into business earlier this month, reopening 30 of its 153 hostels on 17 July. A further 63 are now available for exclusive hire. The 30 properties taking individual bookings were selected chiefly for their outdoor space and their self-contained accommodation options. YHA New Forest, tucked away down a long, unsealed lane in the dappled belly of the national park, fits that bill. Continue reading...

Messing about in boats … on the Thames

The Wollaston family should have been sailing the Med this summer, but a serene riverboat adventure more than compensates, with picnics, kingfishers and their own Mr Toad “This sleek, sinuous, full-bodied animal, chasing and chuckling, gripping things with a gurgle and leaving them with a laugh, to fling itself on fresh playmates that shook themselves free, and were” That’s Kenneth Grahame, describing the river – this river, the Thames – in The Wind in the Willows, published in 1908. It could have been today though. We’ve pulled over to the bank to tie up for the night in an ideal spot under a tree outside Wallingford in Oxfordshire, not so very far up river from Grahame’s place. The evening light dances on the water; huge dragonflies like the Chinooks flying out of RAF Benson up the road dart low across the river; from high above comes the sad whistle of a red kite. The other sound is the unmistakable one of an English riverbank in summer: the gentle swish of leaves in the breeze, the wind in the willows. This year’s family holiday was supposed to be sailing, around Corsica. Then … you know what happened. So we’re spending the weekend chugging down the Thames. Guess what though: it’s bloody lovely. Corsica may still happen, but it’ll do well to beat this. Continue reading...

UK imposes 14-day quarantine on travellers from Spain

Move comes as blow to travel corridor scheme, as Spain reports surge in Covid-19 cases * Coronavirus – latest updates * See all our coronavirus coverage The UK imposed restrictions on holidaymakers returning from Spain on Saturday night in a bid to curb the surge in coronavirus infections. The decision means those coming back from Spain will have to self­isolate for two weeks upon their return. The move, a blow to the government’s travel corridor scheme, followed a dramatic increase in the virus in Spain where nearly 1,000 infections have been reported in the past two days. Continue reading...

Cruise Lines Have No-Sail Disorder and 12 Other Coronavirus Travel Stories This Week

In coronavirus-related travel stories this work, Skift covered the criticism of cruise line practices during the no-sail pause, Travelport's rescue deal, tips for hoteliers on how to treat their employees, and Airbnb's considerations about going public. -Dennis Schaal

‘We were the luckiest people in the world’: our month on the last lockdown cruise

On 1 March, photographer Jon Tonks left New Zealand on a Pacific cruise. Twenty eight days later, the boat docked in San Diego, amid a pandemic. What happened in between? The cruise ship MS Maasdam left New Zealand on the evening of 1 March, steaming out of Auckland’s Waitemata harbour into the Hauraki Gulf, where it headed north. The route was to San Diego via Fiji, the Cook Islands, French Polynesia and Hawaii. On board the Holland America Line ship were around 1,200 passengers, including Americans, Britons, Canadians, Australians and French holidaymakers. The 542 crew included Dutch, Americans, Germans, Venezuelans and Filipinos. There were also a handful of entertainers and guest lecturers along for the ride, including Jon Tonks, a portrait photographer from Bath, who ended up with a portrait of a cruise that didn’t go to plan. Covid-19 was certainly a thing at the beginning of March, but it was still considered mainly a China thing. The Maasdam wouldn’t be going anywhere near China. Questionnaires were handed to passengers, about symptoms and where they’d been before, but then they were good to go. Still, Tonks says that friends had joked before he left: “Good luck on your corona cruise.” Continue reading...

Google Made Advertising Concessions to Travel Partners But They’re Still Angry

Google's travel ad chief said companies that aren't seeing enough advertising benefits with Google probably shouldn't spend as much as they are. Few big travel companies would drop out of Google knowing it might sabotage their businesses, but probably an increasing number are desperate for alternatives. -Dennis Schaal

Borders Are Open: It’s Peak Holiday Season in Europe But Are Europeans Really Traveling?

Europe opened its internal borders six weeks ago. Bookings are up, but there's a big difference between booking a trip and actually taking one. -Rosie Spinks

Alaska Airlines President Wants Competitors to Stop Dumping Cheap Seats

Consumers probably would love it if airlines sold more seats than they could reasonably fill because they would see bargain fares. But a race to the bottom could be disastrous for the industry. The situation is bad enough as it is. If airlines must compete by selling bargain fares, some carriers would be in peril. -Brian Sumers

Pandemic Spurs American Airlines to Make Long-Needed Changes to Coastal Strategy in U.S.

When an airline makes billions of dollars in profits, it can afford to keep some unprofitable routes for strategic reasons. But not anymore. -Brian Sumers

Introducing the Skift Health Score: Assessing the Viability of 100 Public Travel Companies Each Month

How are the global travel companies weathering the once-in-a-century coronavirus storm and what are their prospects for recovery? The new Skift Health Score has the quantified answer through a well-vetted unique score. Dig in. -Seth Borko

Airbnb Mulls Trendy, Non-Traditional Way to Take Itself Public

Special purpose acquisition company, direct listing or an initial public offering — Airbnb's choice mostly matters to big-name investors and employees, past and present. But nothing is ever certain about a stock market listing — especially during a pandemic. -Dennis Schaal

Travel Managers Are Resetting Their Moral Compass on Liability Risk

There’s a clear dilemma about sending staff back out on the road, and who should have the final say, in this summer of second waves. -Matthew Parsons

Cruise Lines’ Booking Practices in a Pandemic Are ‘Astonishing’: CDC Official

Cruise lines have been selling tickets for cruises all spring and summer long, despite it now being quite clear they were not ready to safely resume sailing. What gives? -Rosie Spinks

Tip a family-friendly UK bike trail for the chance to win a £200 holiday voucher

In search of fresh air and a fun cycle, which route does your gang pick? Share your favourite for the chance to win a prize from Canopy & Stars The UK’s love of cycling has grown rapidly in recent years – Olympic glory seems to have helped with that! Though that doesn’t mean that all journeys have to be record-setting lung-busters. Perhaps, you have a favourite coast or countryside route; or maybe it’s something that goes, safely, from urban to rural without tackling the roads. With news that the National Cycle Network is cutting a quarter of its routes on safety grounds, we would love your ideas for safe, family-friendly, off-road UK trails that are perfect to explore together. Continue reading...

U.S. Hotels Push Hard for Industry-Specific Relief Fund From Congress

Time is ticking for the U.S. hotel industry to convince Congress to deliver industry-specific aid similar to what the airline industry received. Continued high unemployment and suspended operations at hotels are why Washington should listen. -Cameron Sperance

Has Postponing the Summer Olympics Stifled Japan’s Ambitious Tourism Plans?

This was supposed to be the year when Japan's dedicated tourism push came to fruition with the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. But even with the postponement — and all the uncertainty — of the Games until 2021, the tourism groundwork laid by Japan is still likely to bear fruit. -Rosie Spinks

Passengers Now Need a Negative Covid Test Certificate Before Flying to China

The test, paperwork, and five-day time frame all add up to a lot of extra work for the traveler. Those airlines that are allowed to fly to China will probably be hoping it's a very temporary measure. -Matthew Parsons

Demand for Buyout Packages High Among Pilots

These airline incentives seem to be working, and early retirement is looking likely for many Delta Air Lines and Southwest Airlines pilots. -Matthew Parsons

'It's the fear factor.' English pub owner installs electric fence to keep customers at a safe distance

Businesses have had to embrace social distancing during the pandemic, and perhaps none more so than an English pub which installed an electric fence to keep thirsty customers at bay.

How coronavirus is reshaping Europe's tourism hotspots

The collapse of visitor numbers amid the pandemic offers cities a new opportunity to rethink their business model * Coronavirus – latest updates * See all our coronavirus coverage Barely a year ago the graffiti on the walls of Barcelona read Tourists Go Home. Now that they have gone, the city – along with others that are heavily dependent on the tourist trade – fears an economic meltdown and is hastily drawing up plans to lure visitors back while placating tourist-weary residents. Trade associations predict at least 15% of businesses and one in four restaurants in Barcelona city centre will close permanently as a result of coronavirus and the outlook is similarly grim in other urban tourist destinations, with tens of thousands of jobs at risk. Continue reading...

What it's like sailing to the top of the Earth

Travel writer Terry Ward spent four months sailing from mainland Norway to the Svalbard archipelago in the Arctic. In a crew of five, she was the sole American and only woman.

Leaner South African Airways Can Stay Independent: Government Official

Officials in South Africa seem committed to having the national airline stay independent. Well, as independent as a flag carrier can be. Let's see in the coming months if there is a change of heart. -Tom Lowry

National Cycle Network cuts a quarter of its routes on safety grounds

Review by Sustrans rules that only traffic-free routes will be part of its network, which excludes the UK’s most popular long-distance cycle path The National Cycle Network (NCN) will lose almost a quarter of its 16,000 miles of UK-wide cycling and walking routes from Monday, as part of an ongoing plan to improve safety standards. Some of the UK’s favourite long-distance cycle routes, including the Coast to Coast (C2C) from Whitehaven to Tynemouth, will now no longer be part of the official network because it has a fast 4.5-mile on-road stretch over the Hartside Pass in Cumbria. The move follows a 2018 review by Sustrans, the charity that created the NCN, which found that 42% of the network’s routes were “poor”, with substandard crossings, signage or main road sections, and 4% “very poor”, taking cyclists on roads with heavy traffic. In addition, urban roads with speed limits in excess of 20mph and rural roads faster than 40mph are being taken out of the network. Continue reading...

Egypt Reports Coronavirus Case Drop But Still Hasn’t Qualified for European Travel

It's good to see Egypt making progress against coronavirus but the numbers are still too high to get the European Union's travel blessing. -Dennis Schaal

Delta Pilots Face Decision: Accept Furloughs or Agree to Reduced Minimum Pay

These are labor negotiations for pandemic times. Fresh off a dismal earnings report this week, Delta reportedly proposed slashing pilots' pay in exchange for letting them stay on the job. The decision due Sunday from the pilots will have big implications for other carriers. -Tom Lowry

Endless dunes and beach cabanas – that’s summer on Belgium’s coast

It only spans 40 miles but the Belgian coast is one long line of fun resorts, nature reserves and beaches, all linked by the world’s longest tramline Desperate for crashing waves on a beautiful sandy shore – but keen to avoid a beach packed with boozy post-lockdown holidaymakers – I’ve opted for a road trip along Belgium’s North Sea coast, which stretches for 40 miles between the French and Dutch borders. There are 15 resorts dotted along the dunes that line the entire coast, and as Belgium has been out of confinement since 8 June, everything has pretty much reopened. I can choose between campsites, B&Bs and classic hotels, enjoy a traditional Belgian beer in a cosy, pub-like estaminet or sit outdoors at a sunny beach cabana, ordering at the bar. Restaurants have also reopened, and the only reason to book is to ensure a table, capacity having been reduced to ensure social distancing. Continue reading...

Navigating the Patchwork Recovery of the Asia-Pacific Hotel Business

Second waves of coronavirus will continue to dictate the staggered hotel recovery across the Asia-Pacific region. But the return of group business travel, even in a region that doesn't depend on it, will govern when pricing goes back to 2019 levels. -Cameron Sperance

Amadeus to Scale Up Its New Distribution Effort in 2021 Starting in Asia

It's a fascinating question whether airlines and travel agencies will be able to keep pushing forward on modernizing the sector's tech. But Amadeus aims to press on with its part in the process. -Sean O'Neill

10 of the best long-distance walking routes in Italy

A new ‘slow tourism’ initiative is promoting 70 trails from Sicily to Friuli. We pick some of the most beautiful Io Cammino in Italia (I Walk in Italy) is a campaign by walkers, guides, tour operators and hospitality providers, set up amid the coronavirus pandemic to work with local authorities to promote “slow tourism” on the country’s long-distance trails. The aim is to help rural economies hit by months of lockdown. “In just a few days our lives changed,” says leading member Gianluigi Bettin, a guidebook writer and sustainable-tourism expert. “We became suddenly aware of our vulnerability. Now, even if our bodies are healthy, we can see that our society is not, and it’s not all down to Covid-19. Many of us see the chance, even the need, to reassess our lifestyle and values. And one simple way to do this is to walk more.” Continue reading...

Critics Fear Japan’s Domestic Tourism Campaign Will Cause Infection Spike

The Japanese government wants people to travel domestically to get the economy rolling again — but regional officials say it's too much too soon. -Rosie Spinks

Hotels are selling out in popular US vacation spots this summer

If there was any doubt whether travel-starved vacationers would stay in hotels after months of lockdown due to Covid-19, it should be gone now.

American Airlines Will Send Furlough Notices to 25,000 Employees

Someday, the U.S. airline industry will have a glorious recovery. But this is not right around the corner. It will take some time — years, probably — and until then, airlines don't need as many employees as in 2019. -Brian Sumers

Payments Firm for Airport Luxury Goods Shops Could Sell for $2.6 Billion

Global Blue helps luxury goods shops at airports process purchases by international travelers. Private equity firm Silver Lake's attempted sale of it looks likely soon. -Sean O'Neill

A glamping break ... but where's the tent?

In pop-up sites across the UK, tipis and bell tents are being used to meet extra summer demand. But the one we try takes sleeping under the stars to extremes Soaring demand for camping and the need for accommodation providers to make up for loss of income have led to a new summer trend: the pop-up campsite. Across the land tipis and bell tents that would usually be touring the festival circuit are being repurposed to create temporary glamping sites – some with just a single tent, others more like mini festivals. Among those getting in on the pop-up action is Camphill Estate in North Yorkshire, which has added 15 bell tents to its existing collection and has already extended availability to the end of October after being inundated with bookings. In the New Forest, Harry’s Meadow is a sister site to permanent Harry’s Field, with an extra 100 pitches for six weeks until August; and for two weeks in August you can get your festival vibes at Wild Canvas in Somerset. Last week, glamping specialist Canopy & Stars launched its own summer campout offering, each a single tent in the grounds of properties on sister website Sawday’s. More sites were unveiled this week and in total it will run more than 20 between now and the end of September. Continue reading...

We May Never See as Many Business Travelers as Before: Delta Air Lines CEO

On most financials, Delta has been one of the two strongest U.S. airlines for some time. But it reported a massive second quarter loss. If it's this dire for Delta, how will the rest of the U.S. airlines fare? Here's a hint: Not well. -Brian Sumers