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Hilton wants to be valued like a technology platform. Owners will judge it by whether lower distribution costs actually reach them.

What Changed: Hilton hired a CTO from Uber, moved to Nasdaq, and links directly to AI agents; RISE 2 due in Q1.

Who it Impacts: Hotel brand leaders, owners, developers, and distribution execs at GDSs, OTAs, and TMCs.

What to Watch: Whether direct AI agent links cut owners’ distribution costs, and how fast rivals match Hilton.

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Skift Aviation Forum · NYC · November 12

Aviation’s margin story is written by whoever controls capacity, loyalty, and labor.

On November 12 at the TWA Hotel, the people writing it take the stage: IAG’s Luis Gallego, American’s Nat Pieper, Breeze’s David Neeleman, and Sara Nelson of the AFA-CWA.

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Saudi Giga Project Spending Shrinks. Hotel Developers Keep Building

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Saudi Arabia is shrinking giga project budgets on Riyadh’s event deadlines. Hotel developers are still building as if the old plan held, with pipelines up and skewed to luxury. That mismatch, plus cost inflation and security risk, is the bigger story for owners and brands.

Airbnb to Require Temporary Phone Numbers for Large Hosts and Guests

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Airbnb says the temporary phone numbers are meant to protect privacy. But the change also makes it harder for property managers to turn Airbnb guests into direct bookers.

Philippine Travel Tax Repeal Risks Tourism Funding Gap

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Scrapping the Philippines’ travel tax would make overseas trips cheaper but strip its tourism infrastructure agency of its main revenue source, with no replacement in the proposed 2027 budget.

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JetBlue shares bounced back after its third-quarter earnings calmed investor fears over a possible Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

Best Western’s Parent Changes Its Name Again: From BWH to WorldHotels

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The parent company of the Best Western family of hotels has decided to rename itself WorldHotels to appeal to a broader range of travelers. Its toughest audience may be its own members.

Royal Caribbean Says Sandals Deal Can Help It Win Half of Guests’ Travel Spend

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Royal Caribbean Group wants a bigger slice of travelers’ wallets. Close to half of guests this year are expected to be repeat customers, but executives see room for growth aided by plans to purchase a 50% stake in Sandals Resorts and Beaches Resorts. The cruise operator, which reported better-than-expected third-quarter results and raised its full-year […]

Lanserhof’s Medical Resorts Look Beyond Weight Loss and Longevity Fads

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Lanserhof's sharpest longevity pitch is restraint: knowing what a guest needs, and what they don't. A €95 million investment and plans beyond Europe will test whether the business can keep the medical judgment and personal attention behind that promise.

SPONSORED · HOLAFLY

No single travel brand owns the journey, but every brand is impacted when a traveler’s phone goes dark. At Skift Global Forum 2026, Holafly’s Richard Trinder shared why connectivity needs to be built into booking flows before agentic AI raises the stakes.

From Skift Research

Consumer Expectations Are Changing Faster Than Organizations

Source: Skift Research’s State of Travel 2026

AI trip planning more than doubled in a year, but just 2% of travel organizations have scaled agentic AI.

Skift Podcast

France Protests Could Hurt Travel Bookings for a Year

At least nine governments updated their travel guidance for France in a single weekend as cost-of-living protests spread across Europe.

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