D/R DOWNLOAD 11.1
What’s Trending
01/ On Google
“Hawaii vacation packages 2024” trended +160% this week indicating travelers are looking for warm escapes this winter.
02/ With Media
This week the media was interested in Black Friday/Cyber Monday travel deals, private islands in the Caribbean, warm weather winter getaways for families, great all-inclusive holiday vacations for families, and more.
03/ In the Zeitgeist
Tulsa, Oklahoma’s new one-year program, Tulsa Remote, is offering remote workers $10,000 to relocate to the city in response to the emigration of working professionals in the area. Researchers at Harvard found benefits for both the city and the workers, including an increase in annual income tax revenue and overall savings on housing costs.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has instituted a new set of rules banning fake online reviews and testimonials and suppressing negative reviews. Incidents can be reported to the FTC fraud page.
Scientists have discovered findings that reveal the body's process of regulating its internal clock. These revelations can lead to treating circadian rhythm disorders, including jet lag.
ChatGPT Search, a launch from Open AI, is positioning itself to compete with dominant search engines. ChatGPT will now suggest articles or blog posts, similar to how a search engine functions.
Industry Insights
As of October 28, the Department of Transportation's new rule mandates that airlines must provide automatic refunds to consumers if a flight is canceled, delayed over three hours for domestic flights, or delayed over six hours for international flights. The new rule also provides refunds for itinerary changes and significantly delayed bags.
Aloft Hotels is partnering with local shelters and hosting “Not Watch Pawties” on Election Night. Anyone who wants to de-stress can visit select locations and play with puppies while avoiding any election news.
American Airlines is testing a new "Gate Lice" prevention system that flags passengers who attempt to board before their group has been called. The technology has been tested in Albuquerque and Tuscon airports and will soon expand to other locations.
Priceline's "Where To Next" 2025 Travel Trends Report centers around a theme of intentionality, with travelers predicted to maximize their investments and experiences. Some of the trends include astro-tourism, solo getaways for moms, and small-town travel.
Amazon Prime members can now activate an offer that will allow them to save 10 cents per gallon at select gas stations across the United States.
United Airlines is updating its Premier elite status program for 2025. This includes increasing the threshold for achieving perks and status, adding new ways to redeem PlusPoints, and more.
Delta Airlines is offering passengers the chance to win a $400 Delta gift card each month by competing in its in-flight Sky Hopper game. The game is available for SkyMiles members to play up to 10 times per flight through April 2025.
MSC Cruises will launch its first-ever sailings to Alaska as part of its 2026 itineraries. The ships will sail out of Seattle weekly starting in May 2026.
American Airlines members will now have the opportunity to use TSA’s touchless ID program using facial recognition. Travelers who wish to stick with the standard process can opt out of the program.
Travelers are sharing their discomfort with the lack of doors in hotel bathrooms as they are being replaced with curtains, frosted glass and sometimes nothing. Designers claim that this layout can assist with limited space, budgeting, and aesthetic purposes.
The Good
Samsonite put its luggage durability to the test by dropping the brand’s lightest and toughest suitcase to date 130,000 feet above the Earth’s surface with the help of Sent Into Space. The suitcase withstood the fall, and the footage was captured on video.
The Bad
American Airlines will have to pay a $25 million fine to the U.S. Treasury for mistreating passengers with disabilities. Complaints against the airline include inadequate wheelchair assistance and the mishandling of wheelchairs.
