The Skift Travel Podcast
Get the latest from the most-trusted travel industry news source.
Skift sits down with creatives, executives, and entrepreneurs from across travel to discuss their insights and perspectives on the hows and whys of travelers’ habits, industry patterns, and the seismic changes happening across the industry.
Listen for exclusive conversations with travel leaders and Skift's own in-house editors and analysts. Presented by EF World Journeys.
Read the latest news every day at skift.com/news
26
The Private Sector’s Role in Saudi’s Travel Amb...
For this bonus episode, Skift CEO Rafat Ali is joined by Almosafer CEO Muzzammil Ahussain to discuss the evolution of the travel industry in Saudi Arabia
44 min
27
The New Era of Solo Women Travelers
Skift’s hosts and guests dive into the changing state of women travelers over 50 and what they want from their trips right now.
40 min
28
What’s Next for Short-Term Rentals: Regulations...
The short-term rental industry, now a $280 billion and increasingly mainstream market, is evolving rapidly with rising interest in unique local experiences, growing adoption of franchise models, and AI-driven operations.
43 min
29
Rewiring Hotel Tech for Humans
45 min
30
French-Waiter Engineers? Inside Palantir’s Opin...
Rather than just sell travel brands what they think they want, Palantir's employees have opinions about what they really need.
47 min
31
Marriott CEO on Next-Gen Loyalty and Market Vol...
Despite global economic uncertainties, Marriott is betting big on India, emphasizing local empowerment and streamlined growth.
27 min
32
The Brand That Set The Standard for Lifestyle H...
In this episode of the Skift Travel Podcast, guest Amar Lalvani of Hyatt discusses the evolution and future of lifestyle hotels, highlighting The Standard brand's growth, the role of wellness and AI in hospitality, and the importance of creating memorable, experience-driven stays.
37 min
33
AlUla and the New 7,000-Year-Old Tourist Destin...
AlUla, a location rich in history, has big plans to become a major tourism destination in Saudi Arabia, which we discuss in this episode of the Skift Travel Podcast.
36 min
34
Southeast Asia's Tourism Recovery: A Deep Dive
50 min
35
Minor Hotels and Strategizing for Film Tourism ...
In this episode of the Skift Podcast, Rafat Ali speaks with Ian Di Tullio, global chief commercial officer of Minor Hotels, about the company's growth strategy, the evolving hospitality landscape, and the influence of pop culture and film tourism on bookings.
52 min
36
White Lotus, Artificial Intelligence and the Ne...
Today we explore the evolving nature of luxury travel, highlighting emotional connections, media influence, innovative experiences, and the role of advisors and technology in creating meaningful, personalized journeys.
57 min
37
Borders, Bans, and Bookings: Navigating U.S. Tr...
Skift Edit and Research leaders unpack how Trump-era economic policies—from travel bans to tariffs—continue to ripple through the travel industry, reshaping consumer confidence, luxury trends, and the U.S.'s global competitiveness.
27 min
38
The Next Generation of Golden Visas
In this episode of the Skift Travel Podcast, Sarah Kopit and Seth Borko discuss the emerging trend of golden visas, particularly in light of U.S. President Trump's recent announcement regarding a new program in the U.S.
35 min
39
Unlocking the Secrets of Travel Rewards and Loy...
Today’s episode is all about travel loyalty. Out hosts are joined by the President of Point.me who explains the basics of why "membership rewards means travel."
43 min
40
Bollywood: The Strongest Currency in Indian Tou...
With India’s box office expected to hit $2.8 billion by 2028, Bollywood is a blockbuster travel agent in disguise. It turns reel magic into real tourism – making destinations into superstars.
39 min
41
The TikTok Travel Discovery Engine
“It's not about who you're following, it's not about your demographic, it's what you're interested in.“
23 min
42
Tourism Australia's $230 Billion by 2030 Goal
How live tourism, sustainable growth, and new marketing campaigns will get Australia to its ambitious tourism goals.
41 min
43
How AI Will Transform Travel Search
Listen to this week's episode to learn how AI agents are already transforming the travel industry.
29 min
44
TikTok, Instagram and Travel Influencers with B...
Content creators and social commerce are changing how people discover destinations. Find out how in this discussion with an influencers’ influencer.
42 min
45
From JetBlue to Breeze: David Neeleman’s Aviati...
From low-cost challenges to sustainable aviation fuel and beyond, airline pioneer David Neeleman shares his perspective on the aviation sector.
34 min
46
Kayak CEO on This Year’s Travel Megatrends
Our hosts are joined this week by Kayak CEO Steve Hafner, who shares how he thinks Kayak and the wider travel industry will navigate 2025.
30 min
47
2025 Travel Outlook: Steady Growth, Consumer Op...
From consumer spending habits to industry shake-ups in hotels, airlines, and short-term rentals, our hosts break down the numbers, the surprises, and why travel remains the ultimate must-have expense—even in a world of economic uncertainty.
31 min
48
How I Travel: Rafat Ali Featuring Sarah Kopit
Skift’s How I Travel Podcast features an in-depth conversation with Sarah Kopit, Skift's Editor-in-Chief, on her renewed approach to travel
45 min
49
How I Travel: Rafat Ali Featuring Jason Clampet
Skift’s How I Travel Podcast features an in-depth conversation with Jason Clampet, Skift's Chief Product Officer and Co-Founder, on his casual, relaxed approach to travel and how his travel habits have evolved over time.
51 min
50
How I Travel: Rafat Ali Featuring Colin Nagy
Skift’s How I Travel Podcast features an in-depth conversation with Colin Nagy, a seasoned travel writer who emphasizes a long-term, authentic approach to travel focused on personal growth, regional fascination, and seamlessly balancing business and leisure.
64 min