D/R DOWNLOAD 3.7
What’s Trending
01/ On Google
“Carnival Cruise Cancelled” trended +1,000 this week, indicating heightened concern over cruise disruptions, likely due to Tropical Cyclone Alfred impacting itineraries throughout Australia.
02/ With Media
This week, media were interested in adult-oriented spring break travel, the best International Women’s Day deals, historic hotels in or near national parks, places with low crowds for spring travel, and more.
Disney laid off around 200 employees from its ABC News Group and Disney Entertainment Networks unit, representing 6% of staff and impacting shows like 20/20, Nightline, and Good Morning America. Google’s updated rules for product-review sites, aimed at improving search quality, have led to a dramatic drop in traffic for sites like CNN Underscored and Forbes Vetted, threatening their business model and hurting the freelancers that contribute to them.
03/ In the Zeitgeist
At the 97th Academy Awards, Anora swept the night with five Oscars, including Best Picture, while Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo delivered a show-stopping Wicked medley.
Following the Trump administration’s DEI program cuts, an employment law firm survey revealed mixed reactions from companies, with 8% of C-suite leaders considering changes while nearly half are maintaining DEI initiatives.
Industry Insights
Gen Z and Millennials are reshaping travel planning, with 57% using social media platforms like Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok as key booking sources, embracing these channels despite skepticism from older generations.
Contrast therapy, the hot-and-cold wellness trend of 2025, has gained popularity for its holistic mood-boosting benefits and offers a flexible wellness solution, ideal for hospitality businesses with limited space.
Alaska’s Department of Environmental Conservation revealed a troubling rise in water-quality violations, tripling since 2018, as cruise ship visits surge from 1.1 million passengers to a projected 1.9 million in 2025.
American Airlines is testing free Wi-Fi on three routes to boost in-flight connectivity and customer experience.
Accor revealed plans to expand its luxury brands in North America and all-inclusive offerings in Central America.
Las Vegas will welcome the world’s first fully AI-powered hotel this summer, introducing a hyper-personalized, tech-driven luxury experience.
The Good
Delta is expanding its partnership with Shake Shack after success on flights out of Boston. The airline will now offer Shake Shack cheeseburgers to first-class passengers on flights over 900 miles from Atlanta, Los Angeles, New York-LaGuardia, and Seattle.
The Bad
Disney and Hulu faced technical issues during the Oscars stream, including login problems, poor picture quality, and interruptions. Both companies issued an apology, assuring viewers that a full replay of the event would be available soon.
