D/R DOWNLOAD 1.21

What’s Trending

01/ On Google

• ‘Airlines and 5G’ trended +4,300% this week as several international airlines including Emirates and Air India, suspended flights over their concern for the rollout of 5G across major telephone networks.

02/ On Social

• Instagram is launching an early test of Instagram Subscriptions, a feature that gives creators the option to offer their followers paid access to exclusive Instagram Live videos and stories. 

• Twitter released #RealTalk, a new report conducted about brand perception, which revealed that half of its users think too much humor from brands is outdated.

• YouTube is folding its effort to create original programming and focusing on the millions of creators who populate the video platform with content.

03/ With Media

• Love is in the air. Journalists this week expressed story interest in Valentine’s Day travel, family spring break travel and winter getaways.

Industry Insights

• American Cruise Lines plans to expand its fleet to more than 25 small ships. The first two ships — American Eagle and American Glory — will debut in 2023 and sail domestic itineraries along the East Coast.

• Marriott officially discontinued their Hotel + Air travel packages which allowed Bonvoy members to redeem bundles of Marriott Bonvoy points for seven-night stays and 50K or 100K airline miles.

• Crystal Cruises suspended operations for its ocean and expedition ships through April 29 and its river ships through the end of May. The decision comes after its parent company, Genting Hong Kong, said that it would be out of cash by the end of the month.

• CEO and co-founder of Airbnb, Brian Chesky, announced he will permanently live in a rotation of properties listed by the home rental company, furthering Airbnb’s commitment to remote work.

• American Airlines and The Points Guy are suing each other. American Airlines has been clamping down on websites that work with AAdvantage member data for their customers, and sent a cease and desist letter to Red Ventures, which owns The Points Guy, over its TPG app which lets customers track their frequent flier program balances.

• Digital Mapmaking innovators are revolutionizing travel by creating GPS for scuba divers, cars with built-in holographic maps, and other new groundbreaking tech.

• Phocuswire’s 2022 consumer travel trends highlight an increase and continued focus on sustainable travel, remote work, virtual world simulators related to the Metaverse, and virtual tours that give groups a sneak peek into travel experiences. 

Pop Culture + Trending Moments

• Travel brands like Expedia and Booking.com have entered the Super Bowl’s in-game ads in an effort to seek mass-market opportunities and rebound from pandemic lows.

• Marriott Bonvoy is on the lookout for three TikTokers to send on a 300-day tour of its 30 hotel brands around the world. To enter the contest, participants must post a TikTok video answering how travel has shaped their life using the #30stays300days and #contest hashtags.

• TikTok travel content creators are taking over the platform with virtual guides, foodie videos and travel inspiration. The Wall Street Journal published a list of some of the best creators on the platform.

Best Practices

01/ The Good

• For the first time in 80 years, M&M has rebranded to have more progressive and innovative characters that combat social stereotypes and embrace the ever-changing times of today.

02/ The Bad

• West Elm is trending across social media– but not for the right reasons. Women of TikTok have band together to tell their terrible dating experiences with ‘West Elm Caleb’, a designer at the company. Other brands, like Ruggable, have taken advantage of the opportunity, posting content of their rugs that ensures West Elm Caleb had no part in the design process.

Covid-Related Updates

• This week, the CDC moved 22 nations into Level 4, the highest-risk travel category, and 22 additional nations into Level 3. See a full list here. 

• The UK has lifted COVID-19 restrictions as government scientists claim the surge of Omicron infections “has now peaked nationally.” Sweden will no longer require travelers to present a negative Covid-19 test result to gain entry at the border, but Hawaii may soon require travelers arriving from other U.S. states and territories to have a Covid booster shot if they want to travel to the islands. The French government has also begun requiring vaccinations to access many attractions and forms of long-distance transportation. 

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