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GOOD DAY, READERS.

Skift Research's newest survey exposes a gap between what travelers say and what they'll actually pay for. 78% say sustainability will factor into their 2026 travel decisions, but only 24% are willing to trade off cost or convenience for it — and 12% wouldn't choose a train over a flight under any circumstances.

Meanwhile, experiences are close to a universal priority: 7 in 10 travelers say they're what makes a trip worth taking, with unique experiences topping the splurge list in China and India, especially. Our takeaway: sustainability doesn't move behavior on its own. Bundled with the experiences travelers already want, it might.

Skift Global Forum

The room where travel's most consequential decisions get pressure-tested before they reach your boardroom.

25+ leaders take the stage September 22-24 in NYC, and reserving today claims priority access to the expert-guided roundtables, which open first to the earliest registrants and fill fast.

Ticket prices increase by $200 from July 31.

DON’T MISS THESE STORIES

Sustainability Doesn’t Sell Itself — Sell It as an Experience Instead

Sustainability Doesn’t Sell Itself — Sell It as an Experience Instead

by Robin Gilbert-Jones

Experience premiums are bankable; sustainability premiums are not. Both poll more than 70% on the question of whether they matter to travelers, but only one shows up in wallet share.

Who Owns Travel: The Sovereign Wealth Map of 2026

Who Owns Travel: The Sovereign Wealth Map of 2026

by Rafat Ali

We mapped who owns travel's physical layer in 2026 and it came back sovereign, but the money is not as patient as it used to be, and after the Saudi-UAE rift, not as unified either.

Europe’s Airline Supergroups Brace for a Crucial Earnings Week 

Europe’s Airline Supergroups Brace for a Crucial Earnings Week 

by Gordon Smith

Before the Iran war, all three of Europe's largest legacy players enjoyed decent profits. A costlier second half of the year will test how much of that holds.

STACKADAPT + SKIFT

AI is making it possible to connect media spend to visitation, traveler value, and economic impact before campaigns end.

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Europe’s Fires Haven’t Stopped Tourism Yet, But EU Officials Warn Risk Could Spread 

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SKIFT PODCAST NETWORK

TravelAI runs 530 consumer travel sites and clears $750 million in gross bookings a year. Most people have never heard of them.

In this clip from Good Morning Hospitality, A Skift Podcast, Michael Goldin, Brandreth Canaley, and Jamie Lane break down how TravelAI quietly became one of the biggest players in travel distribution by buying seasoned branded URLs and turning B2B supply into OTA businesses, and why the Sonder acquisition after $84 million in annual marketing spend is exactly the kind of deal they are built for.

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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