GOOD DAY, READERS.
International travel to the U.S. took another hit in April, with arrivals dropping 14.1% year-over-year after two months of modest gains. The U.S. saw declines from every region, with the steepest drops in the Middle East, Africa, and Western Europe — eight of the country's top 10 source markets posted decreases.
A new U.S. Travel Association forecast says inbound travel won't return to 2019 levels until 2029, nearly a decade after the pandemic began. The one bright spot: Canadian return trips ticked up 1.4%, the first gain in 15 months — though off a deeply depressed base.
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U.S. Inbound Tourism Drops 14% in April, Erasing Two Months of Gains
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The Most Dangerous Word in Hospitality Right Now Is ‘Resilience’
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The industry keeps celebrating its ability to bounce back. That may be the problem.
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.
CURACITY + SKIFT
Generative AI now filters hotels before travelers even reach a booking site. With 94% of hotels invisible to AI, early visibility is the new distribution.
MORNING HEADLINES
CHART OF THE DAY
The new report Beyond the First Visit: The Destination Loyalty Race to Own the Repeat Traveler, moves beyond basic loyalty programs and promotional incentives to understand how product design, storytelling, and local engagement can drive repeat visitation, creating a more resilient visitor base that is less vulnerable to market shocks and rising acquisition costs.
Understanding how travelers discover and decide to visit a particular destination is the first step to building engagement. Our survey reveals that the most powerful source of initial inspiration is rarely paid marketing, but a conversation that a satisfied traveler has with someone they trust. Convenience also carries considerable weight.
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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