D/R DOWNLOAD 5.3
What’s Trending
01/ On Google
“Journee travel”, a surprise trip company, trended +1,200% this week, likely due to an article on Time Out about mystery trips and the overall trending topic of surprise vacations.
02/ With Media
This week, media were interested in travel dupe destinations for Paris, family-friendly hotels in Nashville, new hotels in London, the best Australia and New Zealand-focused cruises, and more.
Jarret Myer, Rich Antoniello, and musician will.i.am have united to establish UPROXX Studios following their acquisition of UPROXX, HipHopDX, Dime Magazine, and various other media assets from Warner Music Group. The trio will use the studio to manage Warner Music Group’s inventory of YouTube stars.
Condé Nast Traveler has debuted a new series about traveling after confinement. The first installment features former incarcerated journalist Ryan M. Moser, visiting Miami after serving time in an Everglades prison facility. The second installment is set to be published this summer.
The Peabody Awards announced the nominees for its 84th annual season, nominating 68 bodies of work across streaming, journalism, immersive content, and more. Nominees include The Bear, Fellow Travelers, The John Oliver Show, YouTube series Defunctland, ‘The Blast Effect’ by the Washington Post, The Milwaukee Public Library, and more.
03/ In the Zeitgeist
Industry Insights
Adult “gap years” are increasing in popularity, and Europe is the top destination choice. Similar to a sabbatical, these adult gap years refer to when adults need a break from work burnout and high-pressure situations.
As more travel brands invest in sleep tourism, Skift dives into the science of these types of vacations, detailing how the experience is designed to measure and score travelers' sleep. Gen Z is also noted as a frontrunner consumer for this type of tourism.
Overtourism has hit an all-time high in Venice, with there now being more beds for tourists than residents. The city has added a five euro day-trip fee to combat the issue, which has recently led to protests as residents state they do not want to live in a closed city.
Hard Rock International has partnered with Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises for a new reward system where members from each program are eligible to redeem exclusive discounts from their counterparts including cruises and hotel stays.
Blade, a luxury travel brand focused on flights via airplanes and helicopters, has started offering luxury coach rides from New York to the Hamptons, which start at $195 a ticket.
AirBnb’s latest stunt includes recreating the iconic house from Pixar’s animated film Up. The fully recreated house will be suspended by crane over the New Mexico desert, and available for guests to book.
Nosara, Costa Rica has been transformed with a new string of luxury resorts and experiences, following the country's investments in fiber optics during the COVID-19 pandemic. Even more properties are expected to open in 2025.
Delta will be reaffirming its position as the “largest U.S. carrier in Africa” with upcoming expansion plans to Nigeria, Ghana, and more. In addition, the airline is also upgrading its long haul fleets on other routes to Africa in order to accommodate more passengers than ever before.
The pandemic caused an increase in yacht purchases, as people desired to isolate themselves on the sea rather than on land. Now that time has passed, many yachts are back on the market.
Victoria & Albert’s, a restaurant located in Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa in Orlando, FL has been awarded a Michelin star for its superb dining experience. Victoria & Albert’s is the first theme park location to be awarded a Michelin Star.
The Good
11 luxury hotels were awarded Michelin Keys this year. This system awards hotels with one, two, or three key emblems, akin to Michelin's renowned restaurant stars, recognizing the most exceptional establishments worldwide.
The Bad
Hotels that provide single-use disposable slippers for guests are coming under fire for being wasteful, and are being challenged to find a more sustainable alternative.
After Australia’s newest airline Bonza unexpectedly “temporarily suspended” all services, travelers are left stranded due to canceled flights. Affected passengers have been offered a free ticket on a Qantas or Jetstar flight when seats become available, however they have been encouraged to call their hotline for help.
