Gokongwei, Gotianun JV Seeks To Expand Philippine Airport Operations Amid Travel Boom
The duo—which runs the Clark International Airport, north of Manila, with Singapore's Changi Airport Group—submitted a proposal to modernize three provincial airports at some of the country's tourist hot spots. It's currently under review, Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon said in the Department of Transportation's website.
The partners are proposing to modernize and expand major regional airports in Bicol, Davao and Siargao, Dizon said, adding upgrading these airports will help boost commerce and tourism in these areas.
Bicol, south of Manila, is home to Mount Mayon, a volcano known for its perfect cone. Siargao and Davao, both on the southern Mindanao Island, are respectively popular destinations for surfing and Mount Apo, the country's highest peak and habitat to the endangered Philippine Eagle, the world's biggest eagle by length and wing surface area.
The Philippine government has been tapping private investors to improve the country's aging airport infrastructure. Aboitiz Equity Ventures runs the Mactan International Airport in the central Philippine island of Cebu, while billionaire Ramon Ang's San Miguel Corp. is spearheading the 170.6-billion-peso ($3 billion) upgrading and expansion of the country's main gateway, the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila.
JG Summit, which got its start from a corn starch factory founded by the late billionaire John Gokongwei in 1954, now has interests in airlines, food and beverage, banking, petrochemicals and utilities. His son Lance (who runs JG Summit as its president and CEO) and his sisters have a combined net worth of $1.8 billion, placing them at No. 14 on the list of the Philippines' 50 Richest published this week.
Filinvest Development, which was founded by the late couple Mercedes and Andrew Gotianun Sr. as a small financing company in 1995 has grown into one of the country's largest conglomerates with interests in banking, sugar, power and real estate. Their heirs have a combined net worth of $800 million.
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Travel + Leisure
an hour ago
- Travel + Leisure
This Is the Most Outdated Piece of Italy Travel Advice, According to an Longtime Resident
I've lived in Italy for 16 years, and I've been writing about Italy for almost that long. I've watched as the numbers of travelers have surged, sunk to pandemic lows, and rebounded to nearly unsustainable levels. Through it all, I've seen a certain once-rare practice evolve to the point that it's more the norm than not—even for Italians. And that's tipping in restaurants. Tipping, especially in sit-down restaurants, is now very much practiced in Italy. And travel guidebooks, influencers, and Italy 'experts' who say otherwise are giving outdated advice, and, in my book, being kind of ignorant and mean-spirited. But tipping a server in Italy doesn't mean adding a hefty 20 percent or more to your tab, as you might do in the U.S. Here are some basics that will help you leave a decent tip, make a bella figura (a good impression), and forge a little international diplomacy. Here are a few pointers on how much to tip at restaurants: A per-person service charge, often listed as coperta or pane e coperta is almost always part of your final bill. Any tip you leave is in addition to this, which is part of the reason tips can be smaller in Italy. For all but the most expensive meals, leaving a tip of just a few euros is sufficient. You may just round up, say by leaving €20 for an €18 lunch tab. For larger parties and longer meals where you've occupied a table the entire night, a €10 or €20 tip will be greatly appreciated by your server. If you pay by credit card, you probably won't have the option to add the tip to the card charge. Just leave cash, and make sure it gets into the hands of your server. If you've had bad, rushed or indifferent service, don't feel obligated to tip. In Italy, as elsewhere, tipping your server is an act of kindness, generosity, and appreciation. And because we tip less here, leaving a few extra euro in thanks for good service won't make or break your vacation budget, and it's an easy and fairly painless way to be a better guest when you visit the Il Bel Paese—and we can always use more of those.
Travel Weekly
2 hours ago
- Travel Weekly
Domestic dip is at the heart of hotels' soft Q2 numbers
The hotel sector is seeing signs of softening, particularly in the U.S., with midyear results highlighting pressures from economic uncertainty and shifting travel patterns. Hilton and Wyndham Hotels & Resorts reported declines in revenue per available room (RevPAR) for the quarter, down 0.5% and 3%, respectively. Marriott International posted 1.5% RevPAR growth, but all three were slowed by domestic performance. Hilton reported a 1.5% RevPAR decline in the U.S. while Wyndham reported a steeper 4% drop. Marriott's RevPAR in the U.S. and Canada was flat. Hilton said business travel showed particular weakness, with business transient RevPAR down 2%, and CEO Christopher Nassetta attributed the period's declines to "holiday and calendar shifts, reduced government spending, softer international inbound business and broader economic uncertainty." Marriott and Wyndham, meanwhile, pointed to weakness in their lower-scale chains. Chris Nassetta Marriott's U.S. and Canada select-service and extended-stay RevPAR declined around 1.5% year over year. CEO Anthony Capuano said results came in below expectations in those segments, primarily due to declining demand from government and smaller business customers. Wyndham CEO Geoffrey Ballotti said during its July 24 earnings call that "higher-for-longer interest rates, persistent inflation and uncertainty around immigration and trade have created an environment of ongoing economic volatility for economy and midscale guests, who remain especially sensitive to these dynamics." Wyndham's brand stable -- with flags like La Quinta, Microtel, Days Inn, Super 8 and Travelodge -- is weighted more heavily toward economy and midscale than the Hilton and Marriott portfolios. Truist Securities analyst Patrick Scholes said that positioning puts Wyndham in a particularly challenging environment, with the second half of 2025 expected to continue to "be a difficult RevPAR environment for U.S. midscale and economy hotels." Meanwhile, weakness in the U.S. hotel industry overall has continued into the third quarter, according to STR data, which showed five consecutive weeks of domestic RevPAR decreases through late July, with the week ending July 26 down 0.8% year over year. Travelers in wait-and-see mode Richie Karaburun, clinical associate professor at NYU's Jonathan M. Tisch Center of Hospitality, called the current environment "a perfect storm" of reduced government spending, lower inbound international travel from key source markets like Canada, Mexico and parts of Europe and broader economic uncertainty. Richie Karaburun "Consumer behavior right now is to wait and see," Karaburun said. "People are saying we're not going to travel this year, or we're going to travel less. If we're going to actually travel, it will be for one week instead of two weeks." This uncertainty has manifested itself in significantly shortened booking windows, a trend that has been reported in other sectors and among travel agencies. Karaburun said conversations with hoteliers indicate dramatic domestic booking compression, from between a week to 10 days to as little as three or four days. The inbound travel slowdown particularly impacts gateway cities that have historically relied on overseas visitors. Karaburun cited New York, Boston, Washington, Las Vegas, Miami and Orlando as markets that could feel the impact most acutely. Hotel executives still feeling pretty good Despite the volatility, both Hilton and Wyndham executives expressed optimism about the industry's prospects. Hilton's Nassetta painted a particularly bullish picture for the intermediate term, citing expectations of a "more favorable regulatory environment, certainty in tax reform, expected settling down on global trade policy, continuation of very healthy corporate profits and significant investments across a multitude of industries." And while he forecasted Q3 RevPAR to be "flat to modestly down again," Hilton projects full year RevPAR to be flat to up 2%. At Wyndham, Ballotti cited opportunities for improvement before summer's end, with more schools starting later this year than last and with the economy "still humming" and pricing "holding steady." "Consumer spending on travel is continuing, despite the macro headlines," he said, pointing to internal research that indicated more guest optimism on travel intent and less economic concerns than "last year and even last month." Marriott executives also highlighted bright spots in certain segments. Capuano noted continued strength in luxury, while CFO Leeny Oberg pointed to improving forward momentum in group bookings. For the full year, Marriott expects systemwide RevPAR growth to land in the lower end of its 1.5% to 2.5% forecast range. Karaburun, meanwhile, is "cautiously optimistic." "We've survived the pandemic, 9/11, many recessions, 2008 -- and in the end, we're always going to survive, because hospitality is a resilient industry," he said. "There's a little bit of up and down right now, but we'll recover."
CNET
4 hours ago
- CNET
Want Super Cheap Tickets? Google Says Shop Flights on These Exact Days
Let Google's data guide your flight purchase rather than hoping for costs can skyrocket during busy seasons, but timing your booking right can help you save hundreds. CNET experts analyzed Google Flights' latest travel report , which draws from four years of airfare trends, to pinpoint when ticket prices are lowest. The findings reveal some very clear patterns that can help you plan smarter, whether you're chasing a last-minute deal or locking in your trip months ahead. It can absolutely help you get the cheapest flights possible. According to the data, avoiding peak booking windows and targeting specific days of the week can make a noticeable difference in price. Small shifts in your travel dates or purchase timing can often be the key to landing the best fare. By applying these strategies, you can stretch your vacation budget further and enjoy your trip without worrying about overspending on airfare. For more key travel tips, explore these travel essentials you need for every vacation and then take a look at this travel checklist. You should also review CNET's roundup of the best headphones for travel. How to Use Google Maps Like a Pro How to Use Google Maps Like a Pro Click to unmute Video Player is loading. Play Video Pause Skip Backward Skip Forward Next playlist item Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration 9:29 Loaded : 0.00% 0:00 Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 9:29 Share Fullscreen This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Text Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Caption Area Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Drop shadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Close Modal Dialog This is a modal window. This modal can be closed by pressing the Escape key or activating the close button. Close Modal Dialog This is a modal window. This modal can be closed by pressing the Escape key or activating the close button. How to Use Google Maps Like a Pro What days are the cheapest to fly? CNET If you're planning to book a flight, you're likely trying to find the most budget-friendly option. According to Google Flights, the cheapest flights are available when flying on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, with Tuesday being the cheapest day, according to the historical flight data. Flying early- to midweek can save travelers 13% to 20% on airfare compared to flying on Friday, Saturday or Sunday, with Sunday the most expensive day to fly. Do layovers on flights save you money? It may come as no surprise that flights with layovers are cheaper than nonstop flights but you may not realize just how significant those savings can be. The Google Flight data shows that travelers can save 25% by booking a flight with a layover instead of a nonstop flight. Which day of the week is the cheapest for booking flights? There are certainly cheaper days to fly, there aren't really cheaper days to book. "There's not much benefit to buying your tickets on a certain day of the week," according to the Google report. Google Flights does state that Tuesdays are typically the cheapest day of the week to book, according to the data, but Tuesday bookings are only 1.3% cheaper than the most expensive day, Sunday. Is it cheaper to book flights far in advance? To wait or not to wait? According to Google, it's better to book your travel far in advance, especially if you need to fly on a specific day or time. There are some patterns you can analyze to decide whether it's better to wait for lower prices or book now based on specific scenarios, destinations and dates of travel. For domestic flights, the prices are generally at their lowest between 21 and 52 days before your trip -- with 38 days before departure being the cheapest day to book on average. For international flights, the prices are generally lowest between 50 and 101 days before your trip, but it's generally best practice to book as early as you can. According to Google, "Average prices don't meaningfully drop anytime before departure but they usually do start to rise within 50 days of the flight itself" for international travel from the US. Never miss out on the cheapest airfare again./Gianmarco Chumbe/CNET When is the best time to book a flight in every season? Here's what Google says about the best times to book holiday flights and vacation trips to certain popular destinations. Summer break: The cheapest domestic flights in July and August are usually available 13 to 43 days in advance, with 21 days before departure being the cheapest day on average to book. Thanksgiving: The cheapest domestic flights over the Thanksgiving holiday are usually available 26 to 59 days in advance, with 45 days out being the cheapest -- meaning it's best to book Thanksgiving flights in early October. Christmas: The cheapest domestic flights over the winter holidays are usually available 36 to 72 days in advance, with 58 days out being the cheapest. It's best to book Christmas or holiday travel in the latter half of October. Spring break: The cheapest domestic flights in March and April are available between 33 to 59 days in advance, with 44 days before departure being the cheapest time to book on average. When is the best time to book a flight to Europe? International flights to Europe from the US are usually cheaper 50 or more days before departure, with 94 days out being the cheapest day to book on average. As with all international travel, it's generally best practice to book as early as you can. When is the best time to book a flight to Mexico or the Caribbean? International flights to Mexico and the Caribbean are the one exception to the broader international trend, according to Google. That's because flights are generally at their lowest between 26 and 68 days in advance, with 44 days out being the cheapest. For more, check out CNET's picks for the best travel credit cards in 2025. You can also explore the 12 travel essentials you always need to pack and the worst airlines for flight delays and cancellations.
