Poland’s Tourism Marketers Caught in Grip of Uncertainty Over Nearby War

No doubt a huge challenge facing tourism marketers in Europe — the inability to predict the outcome or end of Russia's war on Ukraine, as well as how to hit the right notes amid human loss and devastation close to home. -Lebawit Lily Girma

Travel’s New Constant Volatility Requires Smarter Embrace of Data

The pandemic may be fading in many markets, but the Ukraine crisis is a reminder that volatility in travel demand is here to stay. Airlines, hotels, and cruise lines need to draw faster insights from their data to thrive. -Sean O'Neill

A local’s guide to Brussels, Belgium’s relaxed, moules-and-frites flavoured capital

Pierre Kompany, Belgium’s first black mayor, leads the way to the city’s best bars, food and a sporting landmark honouring his footballing son Vincent There is delicious Congolese food to be had in Brussels – a legacy of Belgium’s colonial history. For a lot of choice, I would go to Matongé, a buzzy, very multicultural area close to the city centre. I have two favourite restaurants there. Chez Malou Bomboka, at 104 Chausée de Wavre is very popular, yet the service is relaxed. Malou, who runs it, came to Belgium with nothing 40 years ago and now has a number of restaurants in Brussels. Its chicken wings are popular, but you shouldn’t miss out on the goat, which is street food in Kinshasa, capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. I also enjoy Malou’s pondu, a cassava-leaf stew. The other good Congolese restaurant in Matongé is Inzia: it does a €20 buffet, with grilled goat, beans, plantains and peanut chicken stew. In Ganshoren, the Brussels district where I was mayor until last month, we have fine-dining restaurants such as San Daniele and Bruneau by Maxime Maziers, but also good spots for smaller budgets. Brasserie The Spoon is good for moules. Continue reading...

Canoe the Severn, foodie Ludlow, walk the famous hills … 10 brilliant things to do in Shropshire

Shropshire may be one of the UK’s quietest counties, but there’s a lot going on A great choice for those looking for serious adventure (and know how to handle a canoe), this five- or seven-day tour offers the chance to disappear into Shropshire’s most beautiful landscapes. The trip – which can cover the entire 125 miles of river – is self-guided, but 24-hour assistance is available. The boat is safety-tracked and there is only one boat departure per slot, ensuring total peace and tranquillity. Accommodation must be booked separately, with riversidecampsites, B&Bs and hotels all within easy reach of the river. A five-day trip costs from £595 including all equipment; bigsevernadventure.co.uk. Continue reading...

U.S. Travel Booking Sites See Strong Summer Demand

The desire to just get away is stronger for U.S. travelers than the higher cost of fuel and (so far) fears of another coronavirus variant surge. -Jason Clampet

Microsoft Ups Its Own Carbon Penalty and More Top Stories This Week

In Skift's top stories this week, Microsoft increases its internal penalty for business travel carbon emissions, large numbers of Russians head to Dubai and Maldives, and U.S. airlines struggle to fill pilot shortages. -Rashaad Jorden

Walks of a lifetime: six epic mountain hikes across Europe

From a sandstone labyrinth to bears and marmots, Europe’s hills and mountains offer exhilarating long-distance walks. Just don’t forget your poles and harness Is this bag too heavy? Do my boots pinch? Am I fit enough? Do I look a complete anorak in this cagoule? There is nothing like the prospect of a multi-day, long-distance footpath to rouse lurking anxieties and keep you awake at night for weeks beforehand. And there is always the helpful soul who insists you must take a particular item: a thick hardback volume on the benefits of walking? Lovely. A selection of artisanal cheeses and a bottle of fizz? I’ll squeeze them in somehow. Once for me, in Yemen, it was a pistol, presented with the comforting words: “Take this – you’re going to need it.” Continue reading...

Soho House Owner Risks Cool Factor in Pursuit of Profitability

Membership Collective Group and its leading brand Soho House haven’t seen profitability since the first club opened more than 25 years ago. Opening more clubs at reduced costs can lead to profits, but that also risks diluting the exclusivity once associated with the brand. -Cameron Sperance

Travel Less and Carpool More, Global Energy Group Recommends

Several of the recommendations put forth by the International Energy Agency to reduce oil usage might be popular with consumers. However, one of the last things so many people thrilled by the large-scale easing of Covid measures worldwide want to do is travel less. -Rashaad Jorden

A great walk to a great pub – the Lister Arms, Malham, Yorkshire Dales

Wander waterfalls, ravines and impressive slabs of limestone before pie and ale at an 18th-century inn Malham meanderings/Lister ArmsChris MossNov 11, 2021Start Lister Arms, Malham, North Yorkshire Distance 7.6 miles Time 4 hours Total ascent 617 metres Difficulty Easy Continue reading...

Daily Podcast: Oyo’s Bumpy Road to an IPO

Good morning from Skift. It's Friday, March 18, in New York City. Here's what you need to know about the business of travel today. -Jason Clampet

Outdoor UK attractions bouncing back best after pandemic restrictions

Gardens and country parks saw a strong recovery in visitor numbers last year, but admissions are 57% down overall as some sites struggle to survive Visitor numbers at Britain’s museums, galleries, zoos, castles and country houses increased by 25% last year, but are still down 57% on pre-pandemic levels. Unsurprisingly, figures published on Friday showed striking rises over the year at outdoor attractions. However, those that rely mainly on overseas visitors have yet to claw back pre-2019 numbers. Continue reading...

Oyo’s Pending IPO Could Be Halved or Even Scuttled

Oyo's potential IPO has likely run head-on into the collapse of several recent public market debuts in India with a couple of lawsuits potentially figuring into the regulator's delayed decision. Oyo will eventually go public, but that maiden public appearance likely won't resemble the initial vision. -Dennis Schaal

European Hotel Performance Tumbles Since Ukraine War

It's still only one data point, but Europe's softened hotel performance is a warning signal to major hotel company executives who previously tried to downplay the impact the Ukraine War would have on their European portfolios. -Cameron Sperance

‘We strolled to a pink-sanded beach’: readers’ favourite coastal walks

From Fife to Crete our tipsters enjoy bracing and sultry saunters on perfect beaches, along cliffs and promenades, and spotting seals on the way The E4 European path cuts across Crete, and we did a few sections while backpacking there last October. One of the most scenic sections is from Krios Beach (you can drive here or take a bus from Paleochora town) to the beautiful pink-sanded beach of Elafonisi. Along the way you walk for about 10km across pristine white sand beaches and get to swim in clear turquoise water. You can get a taxi back to Paleochora from Elafonisi. All Trails has a “there and back” walk mostly following the same path, but there are plenty of descriptions of the route online. Rachel Elizabeth Continue reading...

Daily Podcast: Europe’s Hotel Room Prices Continue to Rise

Good morning from Skift. It's Thursday, March 17, in New York City. Here's what you need to know about the business of travel today. -Jason Clampet

I hated walking for 20 years, now I’m aiming to climb all 214 Lake District peaks

Returning to her native Cumbria, our writer sets off to bag all the Wainwrights – and discovers the soothing power of the hills The summit of Catbells – a fell in the Lake District – is a distinctive bulge that paws at the sky, before slightly drooping to one side, like the tip of a Smurf’s hat, only less severe. It’s early February when my parents and I find ourselves walking in weather typical of the Cumbrian winter; it is, mostly, gusty and wet, so my waterproof trousers balloon in the wind like a double-pronged windsock. But there are brief moments of calm, such as on our way to Maiden Moor, another fell, when we turn to look back at Catbells’ summit and see the sun momentarily overcome the cloud, illuminating the scenery around us. A rainbow manifests, then quickly fades away. It is fleeting, but beautiful. It’s taken me over 20 years to reach this summit, thanks to a tantrum at the age of eight, some yards from the top, on my first attempt. At the time, I hated walking, and berated my parents whenever they dragged me out on to the fells at the weekend. Believing it to be the ultimate protest, I lay down on the ground, declaring I would not go any further. My family went on without me. They collected me on their way down. (My parents would like to stress that I was in sight at all times during my demonstration.) Continue reading...

Cruise ship runs aground during Caribbean voyage

Just as passengers were feeling safe to get back in the virus-filled water, a new problem has struck the cruise industry -- in this case, literally, with a 164,000-ton ship running aground in the Dominican Republic.

Canadian Tourism’s Struggle to Jumpstart Its Recovery

A reputation for strict entry requirements, plus an unexpected variant and social disruption, is hard to undo. Canada's tourism businesses are certainly paying the price, despite a successful vaccination campaign. Will it be another lost summer for the U.S. neighbor, particularly given the rising fuel costs? -Lebawit Lily Girma

Skift Forum Europe Preview: Accor Moves to Defend Its European Turf

Accor continues to see bright days ahead in its recovery, but the war in Ukraine adds new challenges for Accor's already volatile pandemic recovery — especially a conflict in one’s backyard. -Cameron Sperance

Pillow and a palette: Leeds’ Art Hostel is a creative’s dream

Designed by 20 artists, the rooms at this imaginative hub are not just places to sleep but fascinating installations too In one room, tiny sheep tiptoe above a bunk bed and there are hoof-prints across the cement floor. In the room next door, carrier bags have been twisted into a light fixture in the fashion of a Hindu flower garland. Down the hall, lost mementoes including holiday postcards, bingo tickets and grainy photos decorate a glitter- and confetti-strewn resin floor. Welcome to what is claimed to be the UK’s first Art Hostel – a social enterprise project that has given artists free rein to design every inch of its premises from the ground up, in an effort to showcase grassroots creative talent from the UK and abroad. It’s the brainchild of East Street Arts, a charitable organisation that works with artists and residents in local communities. And the hostel isn’t in a hip enclave of east London, as you might expect, but in a deprived central suburb of Leeds. Continue reading...

Travel Tech Rollup Mondee Still Aims to Go Public Via $1 Billion Blank Check Deal

Interest in special-purpose acquisition companies, or SPACs, has fizzled. The sell-off in market silliness could mean that investing in a profitable leisure travel wholesaler like Mondee via a SPAC is no longer a high-risk calculation. -Sean O'Neill

Three women, one airplane journey, and an unexpected friendship

Nine years ago, strangers Regina Dew, Winnie McMorrow and Debra Jonsson ended up sat together on the same Southwest flight. The three women became fast friends and remain in contact today.

How your holidays can help the people of Ukraine

The travel industry has moved quickly to support refugees from Ukraine and British holidaymakers can play a major role British holidaymakers eager to help the people of Ukraine are being urged to book with travel companies that are using their resources to support those fleeing the conflict. Dozens of transport providers, tour operators and accommodation websites have jumped into action. Eurostar is offering unlimited free tickets to Ukrainians travelling from any Eurostar station to the UK, while Wizz Air will provide 100,000 free seats on flights from Ukraine’s neighbouring countries to any available destination. Continue reading...

Daily Podcast: Where Russians Are Traveling

Good morning from Skift. It's Tuesday, March 15, in New York City. Here's what you need to know about the business of travel today. -Jason Clampet

Campervan conflict? Not in Tiree

The surge in campervan holidays in Scotland has had a negative impact on local communities. Now, a Hebridean island has found a sustainable solution With an ever-growing number of Britons choosing to holiday in the UK, campervans and motorhomes have become much more popular, providing, as they do, a balance between freedom and home comforts. But in Scotland, in particular, the sheer number of large vehicles visiting popular rural areas has become a seasonal problem for some communities. Last summer, issues with inappropriate parking and waste management reached crisis point, causing local frustration and negative newspaper stories. Calmac, which runs ferries to the Hebrides, reports that annual motorhome crossings have risen from 16,507 in 2015 to 56,420 in 2021. The story is similar in the Highlands – Gordon Petrie from Scottish Campervan Rentals in Crieff, tells of an overwhelming increase in inquiries. Continue reading...

Mystery Software Firm Sparked Launch of an Inspirato Corp Rewards Plan

Hey, when opportunity knocks, answer the door if you think there is an ample addressable market. That's what Inspirato did as it develops a corporate rewards or incentive program and seeks to broaden its products into flights and adverture travel, as well. -Dennis Schaal

Russians Flee to Favorite Tourism Locales of Dubai and Maldives

Sanctions be damned, destinations like Dubai and Maldives continue to welcome an inflow of Russian roubles to their tourism economies. -Peden Doma Bhutia

Microsoft Discourages Corporate Travel by Raising Own Carbon Fee 600 Percent

Hiking the internal penalty for business travel carbon emissions might be a huge deterrent to employees when thinking about their next trip, but it's more a wake-up call to airlines to go greener. -Matthew Parsons

Daily Podcast: Travel Brands Continue Pulling out of Russia

Good morning from Skift. It's Monday, March 14, in New York City. Here's what you need to know about the business of travel today. -Jason Clampet

Let’s go Dutch: why the Netherlands beats the Med for family holidays

With its sandy beaches, gentle climate and family-friendly resort parks the Netherlands is holiday heaven for kids ‘Fshhhhh,” says my two-year-old, Jemima, as the arrow whips through the air and thunks into its wooden target. Her brother, Seb, five, looks up as the string on his bow twangs back, somewhat startled at his own strength and precision. Robin Hood eat your heart out. Time to hand over the toddler and have a go myself, as our archery instructor, Lucas, shows me how it’s done. This is one of many family activities at the uber-chic Hof van Saksen family resort, in the Drenthe province of the Netherlands. Continue reading...

India Needs a New Tourism Policy — Now

While India has set an ambitious, so-called Vision@2047 goal for tourism some two decades into the future, what’s really needed urgently right now is a long-overdue national tourism policy. -Peden Doma Bhutia

South African Comair Grounded Just As Travel Rebounds

This unfortunate pause comes just as South Africa reopens fully to greater regional and international travel. -Lebawit Lily Girma

Reach your peak: 10 of the best UK hill and mountain walks

From leisurely hill walks to the highest mountain in the land, we select 10 hikes for all abilities Peak aficionados favour Mam Tor and the Great Ridge, but for something quieter, these two mini-mountains offer an equally pleasing climb. Set in the lush pastures of the White Peak and formed from the calcified remains of enormous coral reefs, they are home to varied flora and fauna including hoverflies, butterflies and rare lichen. Loop between Chrome Hill’s spiny summit – known as the “Dragon’s Back of the Peak District” – over to scrambly Parkhouse Hill, or simply settle for the shorter Chrome Hill climb: either way, you’ll enjoy fantastic Peak District panoramas. The route is five miles long and is moderate to easy, with a summit of 1,500ft (peakdistrictwalks.net). Stay at the historic Palace Hotel Buxton & Spa, which has comfortable rooms and an indoor pool; doubles from £45 B&B, britanniahotels.com Continue reading...

A local’s guide to Arrecife, Lanzarote: volcanoes, sunsets and seafood

Hotelier María Álava guides us around her home town, with its cool shops and seaside restaurants, and the volcanic crater at the heart of the island The most beautiful dining area in Arrecife, the island’s capital, is around the Charco de San Ginés lagoon. On its south side, La Puntilla serves an elegant menu on a terrace overlooking colourful fishing boats; dishes include slow-cooked pil pil cod, the island’s goat’s cheeses and papas arrugadas (the Canaries’ traditional wrinkly potatoes), paired with Lanzarote’s up-and-coming wines. Continue reading...

Uber Is Adding a Fuel Surcharge to Trips and Deliveries in the U.S.

Rides will be going up by 45 to 55 cents, but if more drivers decide to quit because of rising gas prices, trip costs could surge further. -Matthew Parsons

Easy does it: 10 of the best short breaks in Europe by train and ferry

Don’t be put off by the thought of busy airports – take it slow and enjoy these trips taking in beaches, cities, spas and great food and drink, by ferry or train Four hours by ferry from Poole It might be a British dependency yet Jersey feels like a proper escape, with white-sand shores and villages with French names and sea views. It is the largest of the Channel Islands, but since it covers only 45 square miles, you’re never far from the water. Continue reading...

Cuba Feels Economic Blow From Departing Russian Tourists

The impact of the war in Ukraine continues to cast light on just how many destinations are dependent on Russian visitors. -Matthew Parsons

Disney Halts Political Donations in Florida After Anti-LGBTQ Bill

This looks like too little too late after Disney, which employs 65,000 workers at Disney World in Orlando, Florida, stayed silent on legislation that would limit discussions of LGBTQ issues in the state's schools. Shame on you, Mouse House. -Tom Lowry

Best boutique hotels opening in Europe in 2022

Whether you're looking for a home away from home, a hideaway from the bustle of the city, or somewhere in the center of it all, here are some of the most stylish new European boutique boltholes to watch out for in 2022.

The wild side of the Balearics: off the beaten track on Spain's stunning paradise islands

Beyond the hotspots each island has a wilder side to get lost in, writes the co-author of a new guide to the archipelago The rugged west coast is where some of Ibiza’s biggest adventures are to be found. The rocky headlands are covered in forests, occasionally dipping down to stunning beaches, and much of this area is accessible only on foot. Continue reading...

Hilton and Marriott Downplay Potential Ukraine War Impact on Business

Although several hotel executives don't view the war in Ukraine as a drag on European hotel performance at the moment, their tune could change if the conflict continues to makes travel to Europe more difficult. -Rashaad Jorden

American Airlines AAdvantage Chief on the New Simplicity in Loyalty

During the pandemic, American Airlines altered its frequent flyer programs, recognizing that the program had become too complicated and also that credit card use — not air travel — provides the bulk of the income. -Ted Reed

U.S. Extends Mask Rules for Planes, Trains Through April

Mask rules for travelers are not going away yet with the Biden administration extending them into April. But the one-month extension signals that new rules easing the controversial mandate are in the works. -Edward Russell

This Italian destination will pay your wedding bills

So you've always wanted a destination wedding. Italy, maybe. In the Eternal City, perhaps. Or one of those hilltop towns -- think of the wedding photos! There's just one problem -- weddings are expensive at the best of times, destination weddings involve even more expense, and these aren't the best of times.

How Much Hotel Tech Investment Is Just Way Too Much

Some hoteliers risk being overly ambitious in their tech efforts coming out of the pandemic. -Sean O'Neill

OTA Insight Buys Transparent to Offer Both Hotel and Vacation Rental Data

Here's yet another sign that alternative accommodations are becoming sophisticated businesses just like hotels. -Sean O'Neill

Sonder Says New Public Company Visibility Helps Close Deals in Premium Locales

Sonder began feeling an adverse impact from the Omicron outbreak in late November 2021, and that spilled over into January and February, hurting its booking numbers. Still, the forecast is for a 2022 revenue jump of 100 to 110 percent as it inks new deals in more lucrative markets. -Dennis Schaal

Travel world responds to Russia's invasion of Ukraine

From professional sports to Hollywood to food and beverage, a wide range of industries have announced boycotts, bans and other forms of retaliation against Russia in response to its violent invasion of Ukraine.

IHG, Marriott, and Equinox Hotels Turn Up Sleep Soundtrack Strategies

For hotels, now is the time to think beyond the scope of traditional music programs to create experiences that resonate with guests. -Carley Thornell