Latest news with #GaryMorrison
Daily Record
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Galleon leisure centre to host Kilmarnock pantomime this year
The big top circus tent won't be returning to town this year. Kilmarnock's annual pantomime will be held in the Galleon this year. Sleeping Beauty will be performed in the leisure centre as renovation work continues on the Palace Theatre. Last year's festive show was held at a big top tent at Ayrshire Athletics Arena. The giant circus tent was ripped down during a red weather warning sparked by Storm Eowyn in January this year. This year's panto will move back to the town centre a new "purpose-built auditorium Galleon Auditorium". The show will run from November 28 to December 28 and promises to feature "Imagine Theatre's breathtaking state-of-the-art digital set, creating a dazzling visual spectacle to transport you straight into a fairytale world full of laughter, adventure, and festive fun for all ages." However, Kilmarnock panto mainstay Gary Morrison won't be returning to Ayrshire this festive season after a decade of shows in the town after joining a panto cast in Dunfermline. Ayrshire panto legend Eric Potts will be heavily involved in this year's production again. He said: 'I am thrilled to be writing and acting as Associate Producer on this year's production of Sleeping Beauty. Having been born and brought up in Irvine it is a real joy to be so involved with Ayrshire's premier panto. The plans for the performance space in the Galleon Centre are really exciting and will transport our audiences to the mystical and mythical Caprington Castle! Come and join the Killie gang for another mad-cap, magical panto adventure! 'We're incredibly excited to welcome audiences to the brand-new Galleon Auditorium for this year's pantomime. This purpose-built space within the Galleon Leisure Centre has been designed to deliver a truly immersive theatre experience, and we can't wait for families to enjoy the magic of Sleeping Beauty in this new venue. This year promises even more sparkle, laughter, and a festive touch of fairy tale magic, right in the heart of the town.' When the wicked Fairy Carabosse places an evil curse on Princess Beauty causing her to prick her finger on the spindle of a spinning wheel, will brave Prince Connor be able to save her before the 100 year curse comes true? Join the Killie panto gang for an adventure filled with excitement, fun and even an evil dragon! Don't miss the spellbinding, magical family pantomime Sleeping Beauty! Tickets start from just £15.50 and go on sale Wednesday, May 21 via
The Independent
13-05-2025
- Business
- The Independent
This travel hack could make the price of a hotel room cheaper
A surge in solo travellers, particularly those flocking to affordable hostels in Asia, is reshaping the travel industry, according to Hostelworld's CEO Gary Morrison. The industry has historically focused on couples, often overlooking the needs and desires of individual adventurers, he said. The shift is fuelled by a rise in "solo by circumstance" travel, where individuals find themselves alone due to life changes like relocation or relationship breakups, rather than a deliberate choice to travel solo, he said. 'To a large extent, the travel industry has been kind of closed off to solo travellers and it doesn't really cater to them,' Mr Morrison said. 'Every single hotel room is for two people. 'I think, in the longer term, other parts of the travel industry will start catering to solo travellers – which is, to stop charging them for two-person rooms.' Hostelworld, which is a platform for hostels around the world, has been involved in the social side of travel through its chat room app which launched after the Covid pandemic. It works by connecting people who have booked into hostels in a particular destination, allowing them to co-ordinate plans or find like-minded people staying in the same place. Bookings data from the platform show the proportion of solo travellers had risen from 57 per cent in 2021 to 63 per cent in 2024. Furthermore, young female backpackers have become the fastest-growing group, spurred on by increasing opportunities to group up with others or enhanced safety measures including the availability of female-only hostel dormitories. Mr Morrison said the 'vast majority' of European travellers were going to Asia, particularly Thailand, because of the appeal of cheaper hostel rooms and living expenses. He admitted that the shift 'obviously hurts revenues' for Hostelworld, which last month said its average booking values had dropped from €14.36 (£12.26) in 2023 to €13.21 (£11.28) in 2024. Mr Morrison said the company had set its sights on creating the 'world's largest travel network'. It does not make money from people using the chat function, but the engagement is seen as driving bookings as people recommend hostel stays, or even make cheap bookings in order to access the feature.
The Independent
05-05-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Solo female backpackers driving travel industry shift, hostel platform boss says
Solo travellers swarming destinations in Asia for cheap hostels are driving a shift in the travel industry which has long catered to couples, the boss of Hostelworld has said. Gary Morrison said the travel industry has had a long period of being 'closed off' to people going on trips alone. He suggested the shift was being driven by an increase in being 'solo by circumstance, not by design', such as people moving cities, or their circumstances changing such as breaking up with a partner. 'To a large extent, the travel industry has been kind of closed off to solo travellers and it doesn't really cater to them,' Mr Morrison told the PA news agency. 'Every single hotel room is for two people.' 'I think, in the longer term, other parts of the travel industry will start catering to solo travellers – which is, to stop charging them for two-person rooms,' Mr Morrison said. Hostelworld, which is a platform for hostels around the world, has been involved in the social side of travel through its chat room app which launched after the Covid pandemic. This works by connecting people who have booked into hostels in a particular destination, allowing them to co-ordinate plans or find like-minded people staying in the same place. Bookings data from the platform show the proportion of solo travellers had risen from 57% in 2021 to 63% in 2024. Furthermore, young female backpackers have become the fastest-growing group, spurred on by increasing opportunities to group up with others or enhanced safety measures including the availability of female-only hostel dormitories. Mr Morrison said the 'vast majority' of European travellers were going to Asia, particularly Thailand, because of the appeal of cheaper hostel rooms and living expenses. He admitted that the shift 'obviously hurts revenues' for Hostelworld, which last month said its average booking values had dropped from 14.36 euros (£12.26) in 2023 to 13.21 euros (£11.28) in 2024. The chief executive, who said his own love of travel inspired him to join Hostelworld, said the company had set its sights on creating the 'world's largest travel network'. It does not make money from people using the chat function, but the engagement is seen as driving bookings as people recommend hostel stays, or even make cheap bookings in order to access the feature. Mr Morrison said the company had ambitious plans to use artificial intelligence (AI) to tap into bookings patterns and conversations between travellers, and develop a better understanding of what people are doing on their trips abroad. He also revealed plans for the platform to expand beyond hostels and into other budget accommodation. Investing in the new features, coupled with the shift away from higher-cost destinations, will result in a 'crunch' period for the company, but is expected to result in longer-term sales growth.
The Independent
05-05-2025
- Business
- The Independent
The travel trend that could make the price of a hotel room cheaper
A surge in solo travellers, particularly those flocking to affordable hostels in Asia, is reshaping the travel industry, according to Hostelworld's CEO Gary Morrison. The industry has historically focused on couples, often overlooking the needs and desires of individual adventurers, he said. The shift is fuelled by a rise in "solo by circumstance" travel, where individuals find themselves alone due to life changes like relocation or relationship breakups, rather than a deliberate choice to travel solo, he said. 'To a large extent, the travel industry has been kind of closed off to solo travellers and it doesn't really cater to them,' Mr Morrison said. 'Every single hotel room is for two people. 'I think, in the longer term, other parts of the travel industry will start catering to solo travellers – which is, to stop charging them for two-person rooms.' Hostelworld, which is a platform for hostels around the world, has been involved in the social side of travel through its chat room app which launched after the Covid pandemic. It works by connecting people who have booked into hostels in a particular destination, allowing them to co-ordinate plans or find like-minded people staying in the same place. Bookings data from the platform show the proportion of solo travellers had risen from 57 per cent in 2021 to 63 per cent in 2024. Furthermore, young female backpackers have become the fastest-growing group, spurred on by increasing opportunities to group up with others or enhanced safety measures including the availability of female-only hostel dormitories. Mr Morrison said the 'vast majority' of European travellers were going to Asia, particularly Thailand, because of the appeal of cheaper hostel rooms and living expenses. He admitted that the shift 'obviously hurts revenues' for Hostelworld, which last month said its average booking values had dropped from €14.36 (£12.26) in 2023 to €13.21 (£11.28) in 2024. Mr Morrison said the company had set its sights on creating the 'world's largest travel network'. It does not make money from people using the chat function, but the engagement is seen as driving bookings as people recommend hostel stays, or even make cheap bookings in order to access the feature.
Daily Mirror
05-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mirror
Break-ups fueling new travel trend as singles say they've had enough
Hostelworld chief executive Gary Morrison said the travel industry had a long period of being "closed off" to people going on trips alone but this is changing quickly A rise in solo travellers flocking to Asian destinations for budget-friendly hostels is partly caused by break-ups and is causing a significant shift in the travel industry, according to Hostelworld's chief. An industry traditionally geared towards couples is in the midst of a big change. Gary Morrison believes that the travel sector has long been "closed off" to solo adventurers. He pointed out that the change is spurred by an increase in people being "solo by circumstance, not by design", such as relocating to new cities or undergoing personal changes like ending a relationship. "To a large extent, the travel industry has been kind of closed off to solo travellers and it doesn't really cater to them," Mr Morrison explained to the PA news agency. "Every single hotel room is for two people. I think, in the longer term, other parts of the travel industry will start catering to solo travellers – which is, to stop charging them for two-person rooms." Hostelworld, a global hostel booking platform, has also tapped into the social aspect of travel with its chat room app, introduced post-Covid pandemic. The app connects individuals who have booked into hostels at the same destination, enabling them to plan together or meet fellow travellers with similar interests. Booking statistics from the site reveal that the share of solo travellers has increased from 57% in 2021 to 63% in 2024. Moreover, young female backpackers are now the fastest-growing demographic, driven by better chances to connect with fellow travellers and improved safety features like women-only hostel dorms. Mr Morrison highlighted that the "vast majority" of European wanderlust is directed towards Asia, especially Thailand, lured by the affordability of hostels and lower cost of living. He conceded that this trend "obviously hurts revenues" for Hostelworld, which reported a dip in average booking values from 14.36 euros (£12.26) in 2023 to 13.21 euros (£11.28) in 2024 last month. The CEO, whose passion for travel led him to Hostelworld, shared that the company aims to build the "world's largest travel network". While the chat function on their platform doesn't directly generate income, it fosters engagement that leads to bookings as users recommend stays or make economical reservations just to use the feature. Mr Morrison disclosed ambitious plans for Hostelworld to harness artificial intelligence (AI) to analyse booking trends and traveller chats, aiming to gain deeper insights into international travel behaviours. He also unveiled intentions to broaden the platform's scope to include various budget-friendly accommodations beyond hostels. The company is anticipating a "crunch" period as it invests in the new features and shifts its focus away from more expensive destinations, but this move is predicted to drive longer-term sales growth.
