What’s Trending
01/ On Google
“What is eco tourism” trended +190% this week as travelers seek how to travel more sustainably
02/ With Media
This week, the media were interested in Black Friday deals, European Christmas Markets, walkable cities in the U.S., family-friendly holiday celebrations, over the top holiday hotel suites, and more.
Newsgirls, a viral interview series led by young journalists Wren Woodson and Mabel Kabani, is gaining attention for its candid conversations and unconventional style, reflecting how younger voices are changing the way audiences engage with journalism.
Salon, the progressive digital news and opinion site founded in 1995, is shutting down after more than 30 years, citing an unsustainable business model. An early pioneer of online journalism, Salon helped shape digital media and launched the careers of several prominent journalists.
Media companies are continuing to cut jobs, with People Inc., parent company of People, Travel+Leisure, Food & Wine and other media brands, laying off 195 employees, about 6% of its workforce, while Cruise Critic is also reducing its editorial staff amid ongoing shifts in the media industry.
03/ In the Zeitgeist
“Delta Disruptive,” a fictional cabin section for unruly passengers, is the subject of a new Saturday Night Live parody taking aim at disruptive traveler behavior and airlines’ rising fees, cramped seating and focus on profits over passenger comfort.
Disneyland’s Autopia is going electric after 71 years, as the gas-powered cars are to be retired by early 2027 under a settlement with California’s Air Resources Board over emissions violations. The change closes the chapter on the park’s last original Tomorrowland attraction.
The 2027 Met Gala has unveiled its theme, “extraORDINARY: Fashion and the Poetics of the Everyday”, exploring how designers turn everyday items like jeans, T-shirts and plastic into high fashion. The announcement comes after a planned exhibition honoring designer John Galliano was canceled amid renewed attention to his past antisemitic remarks.
Industry Insights
ShopMy has expanded into travel and hospitality, letting creators earn affiliate commissions by recommending luxury hotels, resorts, vacation rentals, and experiences. Because creators can link directly to hotel websites instead of relying only on third-party booking platforms, it gives hotels more visibility into the bookings their creator partnerships drive.
Finland is offering 16 singles a free trip through Visit Finland’s “Finnish Dinner Date” campaign, an all-expenses-paid four-day food trip to Helsinki or Tampere in February 2027 that ends with a blind group dinner. The campaign pitches the world’s happiest country as a place to meet someone over great food instead of on a dating app.
American Airlines is partnering with the Michelin Guide to give AAdvantage members access to exclusive dining events and curated culinary journeys they can book with their miles. The first events launch in early 2027, starting in Los Angeles, Miami, and Chicago, and the airline also becomes the official restaurant partner of the U.S. Michelin Guide ceremonies.
Airbnb is targeting the first half of 2027 for the launch of an AI travel agent that will help travelers compare options, build itineraries and book directly in the app.
The Bad
Martha Stewart is facing criticism after featuring a Halloween costume depicting a person experiencing homelessness in an Instagram post promoting her QVC candle collection. After the post drew backlash, she deleted it and issued an apology, shifting attention from the product launch to the controversy.
