Skift

25/12/2025

Saudi Arabia has confirmed plans for a 785 km electric high-speed rail link with neighboring Qatar, a project that could reshape and help decarbonize regional travel.

The line would connect the capitals Riyadh and Doha, with stops at King Khalid International Airport and Hamad International Airport.

If completed on schedule, the two-hour journey is expected to begin operations by 2031, marking the Gulf’s first international high-speed rail service.

Saudi Arabia and Qatar plan a high-speed rail link connecting Riyadh and Doha, promising faster travel, tourism growth, and lower emissions.

25/12/2025

The Middle East and Africa emerged as the leading region for travel growth as we approached year-end: an 8% gain in November, according to the most recent Skift Travel Health Index.

This surge, which aligns with the region’s peak travel season, is being driven by a shift toward hosting live events and expansion in connectivity.

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25/12/2025

Prism, the parent company of Oyo, has now received shareholder approval for what could be the largest IPO the Indian travel sector has ever seen, almost twice the size of The Leela Palaces & Resorts’ listing earlier this year.

It could have easily gone to the U.S. for its IPO. Prism is global: It owns Motel 6 and Studio 6 in the U.S., as well as European leisure-home brands.

But it is choosing to list in India — a decision as symbolic as it is strategic.

For a company with such a wide international footprint, Oyo-parent Prism's choice of India over U.S. exchanges is symbolic and strategic.

24/12/2025

India-based Waterways Leisure Tourism, the operator of Cordelia Cruises, will open its initial public offering in January, CEO Jurgen Bailom told Skift. The company had filed draft papers with Indian markets regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) this June.

The company wants to raise up to INR 7.27 billion ($84.5 million), with plans to use the majority to fund lease rentals for cruise vessels.

Sebi approved Cordelia’s IPO plans in October. “We have all the approvals. This year was exceptional for IPOs, and everybody was running for listing dates. We’re not really in a rush,” Bailom told Skift.

Cordelia Cruises started sailing in September 2021, and unlike other cruise lines, it is not going to wait decades to list publicly.

24/12/2025

As AI remakes the travel industry, one acronym is sparking both excitement and confusion: MCP, or Model Context Protocol. But what exactly is it — and why are so many hotels and others suddenly paying attention?

At its core, MCP streamlines how travel systems are made accessible and legible to AI.

The difference it makes is stark: A chatbot suggesting vacation destinations is one thing. An AI agent that drills deep into travel supplier systems to find available seats and compare room prices is quite another.

Read on for everything else you need to know:

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24/12/2025

Google is testing new ad formats for attractions like Disneyland California and Universal Orlando, Skift has confirmed, inserting sponsored links from multiple experiences platforms into a booking module.

If you search Google for “Disneyland California,” for example, you may see a booking module labeled “Sponsored Tickets & Tours,” featuring ads from Headout, Trip Group, and Klook.

These new ad formats have not been previously reported. A Google spokesperson confirmed to Skift that the company has been testing new Things to Do ad formats. Because this is a test, not all users will be able to see them, and formats and placements are subject to change.

Google is testing new ad formats for attractions, inserting sponsored links in a booking module with multiple advertisers for the first time.

24/12/2025

For decades, railways were the romantic sideshow to the jet age — a sepia-toned indulgence for nostalgists and hardened eco-warriors. No longer.

This new era of air-rail cooperation is more sophisticated than the “train-to-plane” experiments of the 1990s. Instead of new concrete and steel, software is the new infrastructure. Airlines and rail operators now aim for a single, seamless journey — and a single booking number.

New AI-powered platforms synchronize timetables, automate baggage transfers, and generate unified itineraries. The result: one booking, one QR code, and one less reason to fly 45 minutes when you can glide at 200 mph.

Rail travel is making a comeback with technology and sustainability leading the charge. Learn more about this shift in transport.

23/12/2025

The rising value of independent luxury hotels is no accident. Travelers trust hotels with a point of view, and The Set turns that trust into a competitive advantage by uniting standout properties under a model built for visibility. SkiftX spoke with CEO Robin Stangroom on how The Set is redefining independent luxury hospitality through thoughtful growth, curated partnerships, and a renewed focus on authenticity.

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Sponsored by The Set

The Set bridges that gap, giving small luxury brands global reach without sacrificing their individuality.

23/12/2025

Flexible work isn't disappearing; it's being rebuilt with hospitality logic. Brands like The Malin show that small-scale, service-led models — run more like boutique hotels than real estate plays — can succeed where lease-heavy coworking failed.

By operating with a hotel-style staff and forging asset-light agreements with landlords, The Malin distinguishes itself from past coworking trends, focusing on human-scale experiences and emotional connection rather than scale and spectacle. This approach appeals to high-level professionals seeking environments that reflect their ambitions and integrates workspaces into the broader hospitality ecosystem.

The first era of coworking was defined by scale, spectacle, and venture capital, and the next is being shaped by service and judgment.

23/12/2025

OTAs are posting record revenues, and the top four still dominate. But they face a major shift if AI platforms bypass them altogether.

- The global online travel agency market is projected to grow about 7% annually through 2026, reaching $107 billion in revenue.

- Accommodations, especially hotels, account for the majority of OTA revenues due to higher commission rates, while airlines contribute less despite significant booking volume.

- The OTA market is dominated by a few major players, but advances in AI are threatening their traditional business model by enabling direct, personalized travel planning.

OTAs are posting record revenues, and the top four still dominate. But they face a major shift if AI platforms bypass them altogether.

23/12/2025

The cards are on the table, and Megatrends is just one month away.

🤖 AI acceleration
🌍 New travel power shifts
🌱 Climate realities

Which Megatrend are you most interested in hearing about at our events?

If you haven't secured your seat yet now is the time: https://hubs.li/Q03YXbKQ0

23/12/2025

Airbnb built its business as the anti-hotel. Now, it has invited a handful of hotel operators to test whether the home-sharing platform can work for them, too.

Sage Hospitality Group, a Denver-based operator, and Arlo Hotels, based in New York, are among the companies that have joined a pilot program that gives hotels clearer placement on Airbnb’s site and app.

Airbnb launched the pilot in October in New York, Los Angeles, and Madrid, with the company seeking supply “across chains, independents and a variety of key brands.”

Arlo and Sage hotels joined an Airbnb pilot that gives boutique properties dedicated listings, betting the platform can deliver new guests.