Biggest Travel Innovators and Other Top Stories

In Skift top stories this week, we pick what we think are the biggest innovators in hospitality in 2022, offer disability rights advocate Tanzila Khan a column to express disappointment with Air France, and to put forward our boldest predictions for travel in 2023. -Tom Lowry

‘Gold mist lingers over frozen marshes’: eight great UK winter walks

With its stark beauty and quieter paths, it’s the ideal season for exploring. Our writers tread routes with a theme, from art and architecture to birds and rivers Arty walk Penzance, Cornwall It’s tipping towards sunset on a November afternoon and St Michael’s Mount shimmers on the horizon, reflected in the high tide that surrounds this Cornish island. As I set out along the coastal path from Penzance to Marazion, it’s a surreal view. The mount, with its collar of gold-flecked water, looks like it’s levitating. The podcast I’m listening to is telling me that the mount is also surrounded by a submerged forest. This blue space was once green. Continue reading...

‘Cheap compared with most holidays’: booking a vacation just to read

Making a reading list the focus of an entire holiday is a convenient way to spend your time off. And as people who’ve done it found – it can be life-changing We’ve all stretched airline weight limits or our back’s carrying capacity by cramming books into a suitcase, only to return home without having opened a single volume. But books needn’t be sidenotes to a holiday. Make them the stars of your next break and you have an itinerary that’s weather-proof, flight-cancellation-free and Covid-safe to boot. Flex your library card or raid friends’ shelves, and your trip is budget-friendly too. Consider the summer Jennifer Byrne spent in 19th-century Russia with the “expressionist, complex, psychological stories” of Fyodor Dostoevsky and “gentler novels” of Leo Tolstoy. “They were like mountains that you knew you’d one day have to climb,” says the former host of ABC TV’s The Book Club. Continue reading...

Flight Meltdowns Are Biggest Airline Story of The Year

Today’s edition of Skift’s daily podcast looks at a year of flight meltdowns, Indi’s new Covid rules, and the biggest travel research reports of 2022. -Jason Clampet

Banshees of Inisherin shines light on Ireland’s west coast in tourism spin-off

Despite film’s macabre plot, campaign featuring its actors and locations draws millions of views It has a macabre plot featuring violence, mutilation and despair, but that has not stopped The Banshees of Inisherin being used as a global advertisement for visiting Ireland. A tourism campaign based on the film has taken off and transformed its dark story into a glowing promotion for Ireland’s west coast islands. Continue reading...

‘Dark days are a time to replenish’: how to walk well in winter

A walking therapist, a Japanese calendar and yes, a cat, help our author enjoy the outdoors slowly and meditatively I want to love winter walking, but I have two problems. One, I’m not very keen on winter: it makes me lazy, and probably gives me Sad (seasonal affective disorder). Leaves go mushy, and underfoot becomes slushy. Rain turns torrential, cold and – around Pendle Hill, Lancashire, where I live – slanty. Gales mean mental turbulence, at least for me. The other, more serious, problem is that I tend to walk too fast. To do that, I need to keep a close eye on the terrain, so I walk with my head bowed (I’m 6ft 3in, so this is almost a reflex). My mind is focused on the summit, even when I pretend it isn’t. If I see a slope, I speed up; once on it, I race against myself. I’m no mountaineer – I’m talking the Pennine moors, not K2. I am assailed by a drive to arrive. Then, I sit down, wolf a sandwich and quaff hot tea. I even do that breathlessly, as if I had an appointment to keep, or a clock to beat. Continue reading...

The Most Important Story in Airlines in 2022

We learned this year that air travel truly is a team sport that's only as strong as its weakest member. -Edward Russell

Lessons From Our Oral History of Short-Term Rentals

In an era today when investors place a high value on profitability, our oral history of short-term rentals includes regrets from those who were too risk-averse to grab an opportunity. -Dennis Schaal

Top 10 Skift Research Reports in 2022

Skift Research produced a wide range data analysis, surveys, and in-depth reports to keep subscribers informed and ahead of the competition. Here are some highlights. -Wouter Geerts

Vietnam Is Missing Big-Spending Tourists From Russia

Vietnam won't come even close this year to the $19 billion it generated from tourism in 2019. One big reason: No direct flights from Russia to the north. -Tom Lowry

Ski touring without the machismo: a women-led weekend on Cairngorm mountain, Scotland

Ski and snowboard touring can be intimidating for novices. We join a two-day workshop that aims to make the sport more accessible The closer we get to the summit, the harder the wind blows. When it fills the sky fills with tiny ice pellets picked up from the upper slopes, we seek shelter beneath a bank of snow. We have a decision to make. Continue our ascent of Cairngorm mountain or switch our kit back to snowboards and skis, and ride down from here instead. We’re on an introductory weekend to ski touring, the sport where you attach sticky but removable “skins” to the base of your skis so you can walk uphill. In my case, though, it’s splitboard touring: I’m on a snowboard that splits in two, allowing me to climb, with skins, like a ski tourer. Continue reading...

2022 in 11 Skift Research Charts

The year 2022 has been a contrast between massive pent-up demand and revenge travel on the one hand, and worries about rising prices, growing inflation, and a possible recession on the other. -Wouter Geerts

Pan-European sleeper train to sweep Britons to Berlin from May 2023

Other similar routes have sprung up as the travel industry responds to rising fuel costs and climate damage It hasn’t been an easy time to be a rail enthusiast, but the resurgence of the sleeper train on the continent is offering British travellers a tantalising prospect for 2023. A new pan-European service starting in May is opening up the possibility of jumping on a Eurostar at Kings Cross St Pancras on a Friday afternoon and waking up in Berlin the following morning, breakfast included. Continue reading...

The Most Important Story in Hotels in 2022

Hoteliers managed to maintain pricing discipline in 2022, a practice that has long eluded the industry. -Sean O'Neill

Bold Predictions for 2023 in the Travel Industry

We know the travel industry will surprise us in 2023. That's one thing that's certain. These envelope-pushing prognostications are just our way of getting ready for the unexpected. We had fun coming up with these, and hope you read them in that same spirit. -Rashaad Jorden

Spain tops world’s best tourist villages ranking with three awards

UN World Tourism Organization’s list of 32 best places worldwide for small community tourism also includes villages in China, Morocco and Ecuador Three remote Spanish communities have been named as among the best villages in the world for tourists – the most entries for a single country. The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) recently revealed its annual list of the best tourism villages across the globe, with those included in the list scoring highly on social and environmental sustainability as well as their tourism work. Zell am See, Austria Wagrain, Austria Puqueldón, Chile Dazhai, China Jingzhu, China Choachí, Colombia Aguarico, Ecuador Angochagua, Ecuador Mulu Ecovillage, Ethiopia Mestia, Georgia Kfar Kama, Israel Sauris-Zahre, Italy Isola del Giglio, Italy Umm Qais, Jordan Creel, Mexico El Fuerte, Mexico Ksar Elkhorbat, Morocco Moulay Bouzerktoune, Morocco Lamas, Peru Raqchi, Peru Castelo Novo, Portugal Pyeongsa-ri, South Korea Rasinari, Romania Al’Ula Old Town, Saudi Arabia Bohinj, Slovenia Rupit, Spain Alquézar, Spain Guadalupe, Spain Murten, Switzerland Andermatt, Switzerland Birgi, Türkiye Thái Hải, Vietnam Continue reading...

Dear Air France — My Wheelchair Is Like My Legs, Not My Luggage

Travel industry, ensure the safety of passengers with disabilities while in transit and deliver their assistive devices as per their needs. There is no universal design for disability. But there is one for empathy. -Rashaad Jorden

The Most Important Story in Corporate Travel in 2022

Business travelers went quickly from a fear of catching Covid-19 in 2021 to feeling utterly miserable in 2022 when faced with the daunting prospect of having to fly, such was the chaos across airports in Europe and the U.S. This year, caution prevailed. -Matthew Parsons

I did the English leg of the Camino de Santiago – starting in Reading

The UK section of the pilgrimage runs through Berkshire and Hampshire to Southampton, where the faithful would set sail for Spain. And it’s now all waymarked The man hammering a roundel to a fingerpost between an ancient wood and an electricity substation just outside Silchester was deep in concentration. He seemed both happy and dismayed to see me. “You’re early! I’d better get on with it! Buen camino!” It was a chance encounter but, as it happens, David Sinclair was waymarking the route I’d set out to follow. I’d just pipped him to the “post”. Continue reading...

China to Drop Quarantine Requirement for Inbound Travelers From January 8

The world's travel industry has been waiting a long time for these kind of decisions from Beijing. It is looking like China is finally opening up after keeping the tightest grip for nearly three years. -Tom Lowry

The Biggest Innovators in Travel and Hospitality: 2022 Year-End Edition

We're back with another installment of inspiration in hotels and hospitality. Female-led luxury seemed to be a common theme this year, alongside those maintaining standards, leading teams, and executing on subtle touches for the people who notice. Here are a few brands, ideas, and services that deserved a hat tip in 2022. -Colin Nagy

The Best Travel Writing of the Year: Our Favorite Stories of 2022

Travel came roaring back in 2022 and we were there to cover it all from across the globe. By asking our team of editors and reporters to pick their favorite stories from the year, it really captures the scope of that coverage. Enjoy their inside accounts of how these stories came to be. -Rashaad Jorden

Where in the world? The big Boxing Day travel quiz

In which city were candy canes invented, and where is Bethlehem? Gather friends and family, fill your glasses and try our fun and fiendish quiz 1. Which airline had to suspend a policy allowing staff to wear gender-neutral uniforms on a flight taking the England football team to the World Cup in Qatar? Continue reading...

Hong Kong Plans to Reopen Borders With Mainland China by Mid-January

After nearly three years of zero-Covid policies that were felt deeply across all of travel, this news from Hong Kong shows that China might have a new story to tell in 2023. -Tom Lowry

5 U.S. Cities Remake Tourism and Other Top Stories

In Skift top stories this week, we highlight five U.S. destinations remaking their tourism strategies, American Airlines takes a big step in paying off its debt, and Airbnb is top spender among travel brands on U.S. TV this year. -Rashaad Jorden

Far and away my best Christmas trip: a cottage on the Pembrokeshire coast

Going away for the festivities can raise issues from sleeping to catering to whether Santa will still find you. But get it right and it can be a yuletide miracle And then the dreaded words were spoken: “Let’s all go away for Christmas.” We braced ourselves for the avalanche of opposition, particularly from the most formidable quarters: children and grandparents. Like most families we were riven by deaths, divorces, distance and Marmite. Christmas had become a crazy shuttling between familiar locations: picking people up, dropping others off, constantly eating. How many times in one day can you say with conviction to several different relatives, “Yes, your Christmas cake is the very best”? And constantly making amends, “I’m sorry, but we left all your presents at the last house we were in. Everything is such a rush …” Continue reading...

Hybrid Hospitality Meets Crowdfunding

For any travel company that leans on a membership model, offering a tiny slice of equity is a cost-effective way to grow an army of loyal guests — but only if the brand is strong enough. If institutional investors continue to shy away, crowdfunding could take off in 2023. -Matthew Parsons

‘In Serbia, women shower men with nuts’: readers’ top Christmas traditions from their travels

Unruly Icelandic ‘lads’, mass football, kindly witches … our tipsters revel in festive legend and ritual. Scroll down to see the winning tip According to legend, the Yule Lads are the sons of a troll named Grýla and come down one by one from the mountains to cause trouble but also to leave gifts in the shoes of children. The first to arrive, on 11 December, is Stekkjastaur, who bothers the sheep (he tries to drink milk straight from the ewe’s teat) in Icelanders’ farms. The next day Giljagaur arrives: he is known for stealing the froth from cow’s milk. On the 13th, it’s Stúfur, who steals food from frying pans. Then there’s Þvörusleikir (spoon-licker), Pottaskefill (pot-scraper), Askasleikir (bowl-licker), Hurðaskellir (door-slammer), Skyrgámur (skyr yoghurt-gobbler), Bjúgnakrækir (steals sausages), Gluggagægir (window-peeker), Gáttaþefur (door-sniffer), Ketkrókur (meat hook) and Kertasníki (candle-beggar). And then, in the same order in which they came, when the last Yule Lad has departed, Christmas is over. Collette Continue reading...

A local’s guide to Nuremberg, Germany: great glühwein at a traditional Christmas market

Tour guide Claudia Radtke leads us around this atmospheric city, famed for its Christmas market, rich culture and centuries of history You can’t leave Nuremberg without eating a Nürnberger. These sausages are just 7-9 centimetres long, tiny by German standards, and are the only sausages allowed to be called after the city. My favourites are from Bratwurst Häusle, by the rebuilt Renaissance City Hall, and are made fresh every day in the basement by the restaurant’s own butchers. Ask for drei im Weckla (three in a bun) to take away, or sit down and eat them with potato salad or sauerkraut. Never, ever add ketchup; do add horseradish. Continue reading...

Tell us about trips you’re planning or dreaming of for 2023 – you could win a holiday voucher

Whether it’s in the UK or elsewhere in Europe, share a place you’d love to visit sometime in the next 12 months – the best tip wins £200 towards a Sawday’s stay Money may be tight and the bucket list may be subject to alterations accordingly, but we’d love to hear about your dreams, plans and aspirations for travel in 2023. You may have seen a photo of a gorgeous beach or mountain you simply have to visit. Perhaps it’s time to take an Interrail break so you can visit a host of brilliant cities and explore a country at a slower pace. There could be an ulterior motive for a trip – to attend a concert or festival, view wildlife or run a marathon. Or maybe you’re planning the trip of a lifetime? Whatever is on your itinerary for 2023 in the UK and elsewhere in Europe, we’d love to hear about it. Continue reading...

Hotel Design Goes Very Big

Today’s edition of Skift’s daily podcast looks at a new hotel design trend, United's deal with Mesa Air, and a rare big non-gaming deal in Macau. -Jason Clampet

Guyana’s New Eco Tours Are Giving Indigenous People a Say

It's one thing to create off-the-beaten-track adventures, but just how sustainable these multi-day experiences are needs careful consideration from the remote locals. After all, they're expected to drip-feed off those offerings by showcasing their everyday existence. -Selene Brophy

Hotel Designer Bensley’s ‘Maximalist’ Look Tracks With Emerging Trend

After the pandemic, many travelers seek a "maximalist," or more-is-more, aesthetic, immersing all their senses in a profusion of color, pattern, and texture. Designer Bill Bensley captures this look at a new Thai resort. Expect to see maximalism at more hotels. -Sean O'Neill

Hilton CEO on Building Vs. Buying

Listen to Chris Nassetta, CEO of Hilton, in conversation with Skift's Rafat Ali. -Jason Clampet

Economic Turbulence’s Toll on Travel Recovery

Today’s edition of Skift’s daily podcast looks at how economic challenges are upending tourism's recovery, why U.S. travel will cool in December, and LAX's plans for pre-Olympic expansion. -Jason Clampet

Puerto Rico Short-Term Rental Growth Exacerbates Housing Crisis: Report

Puerto Ricans aren't merely imagining that Airbnb and Vrbo have transformed their neighborhoods — sometimes negatively. Here's a report that quantifies the housing impact. -Dennis Schaal

Steam trains, shipwrecks and Tarka the otter: a car-free break around Exeter, Devon

River cruises, rural buses and scenic rail routes come into their own when exploring the bracing shores, gorges and wildlife of this stunning area The moon makes a silver path over Tor Bay. It’s framed by clouds of steam, glowing lilac in the train’s floodlights. This is the view from my toasty carriage on the Dartmouth Steam Railway’s Train of Lights. It’s one of many things I would have missed if I’d come in summer. In winter, Devon’s trains, hotels and beaches are generally emptier. There are thousands of wading birds, crisp coastal walks to pubs, bracing moorland and Christmas lights, all easy to reach by rail if you avoid the strikes. Continue reading...

Mesa Airlines Finalizes Agreement With United, Cutting Ties With American

While American Airlines has given pilots at two regional affiliates pay raises, its decision not to do the same at non-affiliated carriers contributed heavily to Mesa Airlines' decision to halt flights for American. -Rashaad Jorden

‘A land of fairy pools and exquisite light’: escape to the wilds of Skye

Discover breathtaking views, superb food and utter peace on this popular island on the west coast of Scotland However fraught your journey (ours is seven hours, fretting as our electric car battery dwindles), reaching Kinloch Lodge is a joyful corrective. As you cross the bridge to Skye, it’s instantly apparent you’ve escaped the grind – soft ranges of peaks, each fainter and hazier than the last, in shades of lavender and smoke. The sea is everywhere, lapping wild, seaweed-strewn shorelines and filling rock pools. This is why Skye attracts 650,000 visitors a year – it’s legendarily beautiful, a land of fairy pools and exquisite light. In late autumn, however, on the gentle Sleat peninsula in the south, tucked away down a private track, Kinloch has an extra asset: absolute peace. As we get out of the car, stiffly, a shaft of sun pierces the clouds and the sea loch glitters. There’s a smell of damp peat and brine; the only sounds are waves and curlews calling. The lodge looks sturdily approachable, not grand. Inside there’s a crackling fire and a welcome glass of fizz in the tiny bar. Staff are smiley and utterly relaxed about our crumpled, crumb-covered appearance. It’s miles away from my childhood Hebridean holidays in spartan self-catering cottages, but also from the constipated jacket-and-tie stuffiness of traditional country house hotels. In the lounge, people curl quietly on fat sofas, doze, eat cake and gaze outside, books forgotten on laps. Our calm, cosseting room has the view, too, from two window seats overlooking the loch. It’s haute comfort; nothing cold, fussy or intimidating. Continue reading...

Highgate’s Deal to Buy Viceroy Hotels and Other Top Stories This Week

In Skift's top stories this week, hotel real estate investor Highgate inks a deal to buy Viceroy Hotels, United Airlines orders more than $29 billion of Boeing jets and JetBlue Airways finally updates its loyalty program. -Rashaad Jorden

How Strasbourg became the evergreen ‘capital of Christmas’

From sustainable gifts to energy-efficient fairy lights and hotels using only local products, here’s how to have yourself an eco-friendly Christmas in France It’s mid-morning on a December Saturday and Strasbourg’s rue des Orfèvres is rammed with festive shoppers. They’re gawping into patisserie shops and jewellery boutiques, snapping photos and soaking up the festive cheer on this narrow street close to the city’s mighty cathedral. Above our heads, the ancient buildings’ facades are decorated with giant baubles, fat teddy bears and glittery bows and, while you can see a web of fairy lights wound among these arrangements, the lights are decidedly “off”. Strasbourg, the self-proclaimed French “capital of Christmas”, draws 2.5 million visitors to its world-famous marché de Noël. This year, efforts to make the yuletide fun more eco-friendly are in tune with other city-wide initiatives, such as the 373 miles (600km) of bike paths that saw it crowned “cycling capital of France”. This means those Christmas lights won’t be switched on until sundown and will go off at 11pm (when previously they were on 24/7). Many have been replaced by more energy-efficient LEDs and the city has been clever not to double up by hanging lights where businesses have their own bright decorations. Continue reading...

Dartmoor camping ban could hit birdwatchers and climbers, court told

National park argues attempt by landowner to stop people sleeping overnight could restrict other ‘sedentary pursuits’ Banning wild camping on Dartmoor could also end up affecting birdwatching and rock climbing, lawyers for the national park have said, as a landowner tries to stop people sleeping overnight in the park. The judge hearing the case, Sir Julian Flaux, the chancellor of the high court, has said he will give a judgment on the case early next year. Continue reading...

Dubai Tour Planning Faces a Mid-Market Beachfront Gap

The Middle East is leading global tourism recovery as its robust expansion in both leisure and business experiences fuel its appeal. Add to this, its long summer remains a key multi-day tour drawcard for tour operators selling the region. -Selene Brophy

Creative Social Video Inspires Future Travelers … And Better Yet Engagement

Social video is winning out as the preferred way for destinations to connect directly with travelers. But it's not just top of funnel awareness. New technology is making it possible to provide an engaging experience all the way from discovery to booking. -Miguel Neves

Share a tip on Christmas traditions and festivities from around the world – you could win a holiday voucher

Tell us about Christmas festivities you’ve witnessed, anywhere in the world – the best tip wins £200 towards a Sawday’s stay Many countries have their own unique way of celebrating at this time of year. In Sweden, the Yule Goat is a Christmas symbol dating back to ancient pagan festivals. In Mexico a colourful religious march at the beginning of the festive season recerates the journey of Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem. Over in El Salvador, fireworks signal the beginning of festivities, and in the city of San Fernando in the Philippines a Giant Lantern festival features dazzling parols (lanterns) that symbolise the Star of Bethlehem. This week, we would like to hear about favourite festive-season traditions you have come across on your travels. If you have a relevant photo, do send it in – but it’s your words that will be judged for the competition. Continue reading...

EasyJet chief paid almost £3m despite airline’s £208m loss

Johan Lundgren gets rise of about 273% from 2021, when he received no bonus because of Covid pandemic The boss of easyJet was paid almost £3m in 2022, in the year when the airline made a £208m loss and cancelled thousands of flights because of staffing and other problems. The easyJet chief executive, Johan Lundgren, received a £1.2m annual bonus and £925,000 in shares on top of his £833,000 fixed salary and benefits. Continue reading...

Flights cancelled while more travel delays expected due to cold snap

Stansted airport suspends flights amid yellow weather warnings with snow and ice across country Further travel disruption is expected this week with temperatures forecast to stay well below freezing overnight, and up to 10cm of snow forecast in the south-east of England. Met Office yellow warnings were in place from Sunday until Monday morning for northern and south-western Scotland, Northern Ireland, north-eastern England, the Midlands and south-west as well as London and the south-east. Continue reading...

Chapter and verse: 10 best UK retreats for book lovers

You’ll have no problem tucking up with a good book at these fine hotels – they all have extensive collections, or even their own library A turreted Victorian pile in South Gloucestershire set in 30 acres of sweeping grounds, Tortworth Court has teamed up with Bloomsbury so guests can loan books during their stay. You can choose from hundreds of vintage titles lining the walls of the old Library Bar: the perfect excuse to cosy up and stay put with an Old Fashioned and an Agatha Christie on one of the velvet sofas. There’s also an impressive oak-panelled dining room serving up tasty locally sourced food, a large indoor swimming pool and comfy, spacious rooms. A rural gem that’s only a cab ride from Bristol Parkway means it’s handy for non-drivers, too. Doubles from £125; devere.co.uk. London Paddington to Bristol Parkway with Great Western Railway from £21.50 one way, visit GWR.com Continue reading...

10 of Europe’s best cosy cabins for winter

Perfect snow, hot saunas, twinkling stars and the snuggliest blankets. We pick the most scenic winter hideaways With their cone-shaped, wood-tiled roofs that reach almost to the snowy ground of their little fenced gardens, these pretty cabins, scattered across a high plain at Velika Planina, have a cute appearance that belies tough-nut origins. These were the traditional huts of one of Europe’s largest herder settlements, dating back to the 16th century. Still now in summer, cows are brought up to pasture here. Winter guests can explore the Kamnik-Savinja Alps, with their miles of ski tracks, go sledging and ice-skating or ski touring on the Skuta glacier, then relax in the site’s Finnish sauna. From €100 a night sleeping two, extra adult €30 a night, extra child €5/€20, two-night minimum stay, koca.si Continue reading...

‘Our magical cabin’: a fairytale ski hut in the Austrian Alps

An isolated hideaway near Kitzbühel is the perfect base for a family skiing trip – and an opportunity to indulge in naked moonbathing The night was as dark as the bottom of a well when I pushed open the old timber door, releasing a wraith-like furl of steam into the frost-glittered air. Shoving my wet feet into my snowboots, I stepped out and walked naked across creaky-fresh snow beneath a full moon. Fir and pine silhouettes towered all around, a silent forest filing up into the blueish mountainsides. I stretched my arms towards the lunar light like some sort of pagan worshipper, feeling the icy sting of the air working its invigorating magic. Continue reading...