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Disney's parks are telling two very different stories.

At home, business is booming. The experiences unit that spans parks, cruises, and consumer products posted a 20% increase in operating income in the third quarter, powered by a 27% rise from domestic business.

It's a different picture abroad. While international park revenue was up, operating income fell 13%, dragged down by a weaker consumer at the Shanghai and Hong Kong parks. Disney expects that softness to continue in the fourth quarter.

"We're certainly not immune to the macros," Disney Chief Financial Officer Hugh Johnston said on an August 5 earnings call.

Disney isn't the only one feeling it. Hilton saw a 2.2% decline in revenue per available room in China in the second quarter, with CEO Christopher Nassetta noting that "the China economy is sputtering.”

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EDITOR’S PICKS

Two Disneys: Booming U.S. Parks, Sluggish Asia

August 5, 2026

While domestic park attendance remains strong, executives said Disney’s Asian parks aren’t immune to recent macroeconomic pressures.

Extreme Drought Is Upending River Cruises

August 6, 2026

Low water levels in Europe are causing widespread disruption to river cruises, leading to one Viking ship running aground. As guests face potential cancellations, the consumer travel insurance industry could be set to win as the sellers of peace of mind.

Delta Is Poaching Allegiant Pilots — and Now Allegiant Is Cutting Flights

August 5, 2026

Allegiant pilots based in Minneapolis are leaving for Delta, causing Allegiant to further reduce flying out of the region.

Wynn’s UAE Casino Is Delayed and Costlier — CEO Calls It a ‘Monopoly’ Worth the Spend

August 5, 2026

Despite a $600 million overrun, Wynn doubled down on the UAE — treating regional conflict as a cost, not a reason to pause.

Iran War Drags Down Q2 Earnings for Big Hotel Chains

August 4, 2026

Q2 came in better than feared across the board, thanks to resilient domestic demand. But no one’s calling it over — Q4, the Gulf’s peak season, is the real test.

Accor Concentrates on Makkah and Madinah as Gulf Tourism Cools

August 3, 2026

Riyadh sets the pilgrim quota. Accor is building around it.

U.S. Makes Visa Bond Program Permanent — Visas Granted to Targeted Countries Drop 83%

July 31, 2026

Overstays from the targeted countries are down, but so is demand for tourist visas.

Mexico Will Spend $115 Million Fighting Rotting Seaweed as Hotels Slash Rates

July 31, 2026

Mexico officials will invest in specialized vessels, offshore barriers and monitoring systems to tackle record-levels of sargassum — but the tourism industry wants more emphasis on environmental solutions. 

India’s Inbound Problem: With Its Marketing Budget Gutted, Government Enlists Air India and IndiGo

July 31, 2026

India is compensating for shrinking marketing budgets by giving its airlines a bigger role in selling the country overseas. But this alone won't fix the structural challenges that continue to hold back inbound tourism.

MGM Resorts Looks to Luxury and ‘Live Tourism’ Given Tourist Shortfall

July 30, 2026

The visitor to Las Vegas who books a mid-priced room and buys show tickets, whether they're from Cleveland or Calgary, hasn't come back in full yet.

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SKIFT PODCAST NETWORK

Wildfires are forcing tourist evacuations across France and Spain with officials warning the risk is spreading, Norwegian Cruise Line's CEO admits the company's problems are mostly self-inflicted, and Lufthansa and Air France-KLM are competing for Portugal's national airline with two very different approaches.

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SKIFT TRAVEL 200

How are public travel tech companies performing around the world? The Skift Travel 200 pulls the data you need to know to understand the market. Paid subscribers get full access here.

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