GOOD DAY, READERS.
It's the latest sign Airbnb is getting serious about hotels: It named Andrea D'Amico, CEO of WeRoad and an 18-year Booking.com veteran, to lead the effort. There's plenty to do. Chief Business Officer Dave Stephenson said Airbnb needs a leader who can help build hotel supply at scale, deepen global partnerships, and compete against incumbents with decades of experience.
As we reported last week, CEO Brian Chesky is sticking to a unique approach — more boutiques, fewer big chains. It's more "on brand" for Airbnb, he said.
Enter the Skift IDEA Awards
Saying you're innovative is easy. Proving it to the industry is a different conversation. That's what the Skift IDEA Awards do for winners. Entries close July 1.
Airbnb Names Booking.com Veteran in Hotel Leadership Shakeup
by Dennis Schaal
The hotel leadership shuffle represents somewhat of an about-face for Airbnb as it opts for a leader with online travel agency experience rather than a hotel brand track record. Still, these are early days for Airbnb hotels, and there is plenty of time to get things right.
Mews and SiteMinder to Put Hotel Distribution, Operations Under One Roof — Exclusive
by Adriana Lee
Mews and SiteMinder are bringing distribution and hotel operations into one platform. The goal: Break down the hotel data silos that complicate AI adoption in the agentic age.
$11.4 Billion and Zero Churn: What SpaceX Said About Starlink’s Travel Industry Grip
by Dennis Schaal
The competitors to Musk's Starlink will eventually up their game. It's never healthy for customers and end-users to be dependent on a single vendor, regardless of the Starlink's competitive advantage at this moment.
MSC CRUISES + SKIFT
Protecting 2.5% of the world's oceans could save 90% of large whales. MSC Cruises is testing what that looks like in practice, starting in Alaska this summer.
From shifting consumer tastes to the impact of AI, global travel is undergoing unprecedented change. Skift Advisory helps make sense of it all. Learn more here.
MORNING HEADLINES
SKIFT PODCAST NETWORK
As Airbnb expands into new travel categories, some of its strategic choices are raising eyebrows.
In this clip from Good Morning Hospitality, Brandreth Canaley and Michael Goldin discuss Airbnb’s move into car rentals and whether partnerships might make more sense than building everything in house.
Brandy compares Airbnb’s approach to Expedia’s growing relationship with Uber, the conversation explores how loyalty programs, transportation, and travel ecosystems could shape the next phase of competition.
Is Airbnb building the right travel platform, or missing opportunities to connect travelers beyond the stay?
SKIFT TRAVEL 200
How are public travel companies performing around the world? The Skift Travel 200 pulls the data you need to understand global market movements. Paid subscribers get full access here.
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