GOOD DAY, READERS.
Summer in New York City – one of the most popular destinations in the world – can be difficult. Hot, expensive, and overcrowded, it’s not a mix that engenders joy.
But this June is different. An incredibly enthusiastic new mayor, a global sporting event, and a once-in-a-lifetime sporting win have taken the city’s exhausted summer frown and turned it upside down. On Saturday, streets were filled with Brazil and Morocco fans (as well as an inordinate amount of men in kilts) in eager expectation of the evening’s World Cup game in nearby New Jersey. And starting close to midnight, the city erupted in joy after the Knicks won an NBA championship after 53 years of letdowns. The city will be a party for the victory parade on Thursday, and everyone is invited.
Although the U.S. has been uncharacteristically unwelcome to many, many countries over the last 17 months, the vibe now for those who are in New York right now is one of open arms.
We hope the feeling catches on.
Skift IDEA Awards
New York chose welcome over friction. The teams who engineer that choice deserve the record.
Tiffany Townsend of NYC Tourism + Conventions joins the 2026 judging panel. Final entries close July 1.
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Build versus buy sounds like a business school debate until you realize the travel industry is still digging out from years of tech debt it barely managed to offload to the cloud. In this clip from the Skift Travel Podcast, Seth Borko and guest host Sean O'Neill break down the five biggest AI tensions facing the industry right now and why the question of who builds what in-house could define the next decade.
Because vibe-coded AI tools shipping from the front desk might solve a problem today and create five more by 2035.
SKIFT TRAVEL 200
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