Latest news with #SethBorko
Skift
2 days ago
- Skift
The New Era of Solo Women Travelers
Solo women travelers above 50 are a booming demographic, but there are several misconceptions about the group, which we examine in this episode of the Skift Travel Podcast. Editor-in-Chief Sarah Kopit and Head of Research Seth Borko talk travel every week. Editor-in-Chief Sarah Kopit and Head of Research Seth Borko talk travel every week. Learn More This week's episode of The Skift Travel Podcast examined the surge in solo women travelers over the age of 50. JourneyWoman CEO Carolyn Ray and Intrepid Travel's Leigh Barnes discussed how travel is becoming a means of self-discovery for older women and the challenges of marketing to this demographic, among other topics, with Editor-in-Chief Sarah Kopit and Head of Research Seth Borko. Listen Now Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | RSS Five Key Points Solo Travel for Women Over 50 Is Now Mainstream: What was once considered niche has become mainstream. Travel companies are now actively recognizing the value and demand of older solo female travelers. Intrepid Travel, for example, has seen women over 50 become one of their fastest-growing customer segments. Factors Driving Travel Choices: 'Solo' isn't just about traveling alone — it's about making independent, empowered decisions. Women in this demographic often prioritize safety, cultural immersion, and meaningful experiences over luxury or traditional vacation formats. Travel Goals: Older women are moving away from the 'bucket list' mentality and toward travel experiences that foster personal growth, humility, gratitude, and cultural understanding. This demographic values meaningful and transformative journeys over tourist checklists. Challenges Facing Solo Women Travelers: A major barrier is the 'single supplement' fee that penalizes solo travelers for not sharing a room. Research shows 78% of women view this cost as a deterrent, and many prefer privacy over being assigned roommates. Companies need to rethink this model to better support solo female travelers. Myths About Older Travelers and Spending: The stereotype that older women always seek discounts is outdated. In reality, travelers aged 65–74 are among the most affluent and willing to spend on high-quality, meaningful travel. They may be frugal in other areas but prioritize spending on unique travel experiences. Episode Summary Kopit, Borko, Barnes, and Ray discussed how solo women travelers above 50, once largely ignored by the travel industry, are becoming more visible. Ray said a recent study published by JourneyWoman revealed a significant decrease in members of that group feeling undervalued by travel companies — from 70% to 34% in just two years. The four of them noted that marketing and authentic storytelling are crucial to reaching this audience, who rely more on word of mouth than traditional advertising. Despite their influence and spending power, older women remain underrepresented in travel marketing due to ageism and outdated perceptions. However, societal shifts such as increased longevity, better health, and rising passport ownership are driving this demographic to travel more than ever. The conversation also explored whether modern wellness trends, like weight-loss drugs, could further empower older women to pursue more ambitious travel experiences.
Skift
30-05-2025
- Business
- Skift
What's Next for Short-Term Rentals: Regulations, Airbnb, AI
The evolution of the short-term industry shows no signs of slowing down, and we examine how trends in travel and tech will impact the sector. Editor-in-Chief Sarah Kopit and Head of Research Seth Borko talk travel every week. Editor-in-Chief Sarah Kopit and Head of Research Seth Borko talk travel every week. Learn More This episode of the Skift Travel Podcast featured a discussion with Vered Raviv Schwarz, president and chief operating officer of Guesty, a property management platform for the short-term rental industry. Raviv Schwarz, Head of Research Seth Borko, and Editor-in-Chief Sarah Kopit delved into the current state of short-term rentals, the role of technology in the sector, and the impact of Airbnb's relaunched experiences, among other topics. Listen Now Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | RSS Five Key Points Market Trends Favoring Short-Term Rentals: The rise of blended travel, digital nomadism, and extended stays have favored the short-term rental sector. Travel Tech and Short-Term Rentals: Raviv Schwarz says investors remain bullish on travel technology, recognizing it as ripe for innovation and disruption, especially compared to more legacy sectors like airlines and hotels. The short-term rental segment, being younger and more tech-forward, is seen as a gateway to broader transformation in hospitality tech. Regulation Is Inevitable but Not Necessarily Harmful: While regulation of short-term rentals is growing globally, Raviv Schwarz views it as an opportunity for greater professionalism, consistency, and guest satisfaction. The key, she says, is education and advocacy by host communities to shape favorable policies that recognize their economic contributions. AI Is Transforming Hospitality Operations: AI adoption among Guesty customers has risen from 40% to 70% in a year. AI is being used for guest communication, dynamic pricing, and review analysis, helping hosts provide faster, more intelligent, and personalized service—bridging the gap between tech efficiency and human touch. The Hospitality Landscape is Diversifying: Raviv Schwarz emphasized that there's room for both hotels and short-term rentals, as travelers seek different experiences for different occasions. The industry isn't shifting to one dominant model but rather expanding to accommodate a range of preferences, from standardized hotel stays to unique, personal short-term rentals. Episode Summary Borko, Kopit, and Raviv Schwarz discussed Guesty's global scale, its offerings for both small and large rental operators, and its role in managing operations for hundreds of thousands of properties in over 80 countries. Guesty has surpassed $100 million in annual recurring revenue, backed by prominent investors like KKR and Innovia. The three also touched on short-term rentals in depth, questioning whether they still count as 'alternative accommodations' given their mainstream growth. Raviv Schwarz said she's seen a continued blurring of the lines between short-term rentals and hotels, predicting that in five to 10 years, those accommodations may become indistinguishable. Despite economic uncertainty, the global short-term rental market remains stable with slight growth, especially in drive-to destinations and affordable stays. And Airbnb's recent push into experiences is seen as a major industry move that could enhance the appeal of short-term rentals.
Skift
23-05-2025
- Business
- Skift
Rewiring Hotel Tech for Humans
Mews founder Richard Valtr argues hospitality needs to embrace technology more, a point he made during this episode of the Skift Travel Podcast. Editor-in-Chief Sarah Kopit and Head of Research Seth Borko talk travel every week. Editor-in-Chief Sarah Kopit and Head of Research Seth Borko talk travel every week. Learn More This episode of the Skift Travel Podcast featured a discussion with Richard Valtr, founder of cloud-PMS provider Mews, which took place during the Mews Unfold conference in Amsterdam. Valtr talked with Head of Research Seth Borko about the company's vision and why hospitality undervalues technology. Listen Now Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | RSS Five Key Points Hotel Tech Is Burdened by Legacy Systems: Valtr explains that many of the entrenched problems in hotel tech stem from the early adoption of digital systems that were ahead of their time. These legacy systems, like those used in airlines (e.g., Sabre), became rigid and unable to adapt to modern needs. Mews aims to address these limitations by building more flexible and intuitive systems designed with hoteliers in mind. Industry Standardization Needs to Evolve: While hotel brands have historically emphasized standardization to scale globally and ensure consistency, Valtr argues that today's technology enables personalization and richer guest experiences. Mews seeks to elevate industry norms by leveraging modern tools—like AI and automation—to recapture the personal touch once common in hospitality. Modernizing Hospitality Employment and Operations: The industry needs to rethink traditional hospitality roles and working conditions — like long front desk shifts — and introduce more flexibility and automation in back-end operations. Leveraging automation can help reduce unnecessary labor while improving both employee well-being and operational efficiency. Industry Resistance to Tech is Cultural, Not Logical: A persistent challenge in hospitality is a cultural reluctance to embrace technology, particularly among older leadership. The next generation of hoteliers is expected to drive more tech-forward, guest-centric operations by seeing tech as an enabler, not an obstacle. The Future: Interoperability, Empathy, and AI: Technologies like computer vision and data-sharing (e.g., from platforms like Uber) can create truly personalized, seamless guest experiences. Mews envisions a future where tech augments human empathy—identifying guest moods or preferences on arrival—and blends invisible data flows into intuitive service that defines modern luxury. Episode Summary Borko and Valtr discussed the evolution of hotel technology. Valtr explained that the original vision behind Mews was to eliminate the impersonal and transactional nature of hotel check-ins by creating a more human-centric, tech-enabled guest experience. Although Mews has grown into a Property Management System (PMS) that acts as a hotel's central nervous system, integrating booking, guest data, and operations, Valtr emphasized that Mews is more than a PMS. It's evolved into a guest management and profitability optimization platform. Valtr also said that while standardization helped the hotel industry scale efficiently — enabling tasks like cleaning 100 rooms quickly — it should now serve as a foundation, not the goal. With modern technology, it's possible to return to a more personalized, 17th-century-style guest experience, once impossible due to technological limitations.
Skift
16-05-2025
- Business
- Skift
Inside Palantir's Opinionated Approach to Travel Tech
Palantir's Breno Helfstein Moura has no shortage of thoughts about what travel brands really need, which he discussed in this episode of the Skift Travel Podcast. Editor-in-Chief Sarah Kopit and Head of Research Seth Borko talk travel every week. Editor-in-Chief Sarah Kopit and Head of Research Seth Borko talk travel every week. Learn More This episode of the Skift Travel Podcast features a discussion with Breno Helfstein Moura, the head of hospitality at Palantir. Moura addressed a wide variety of topics with Editor-in-Chief Sarah Kopit and Head of Research Seth Borko, including how the company leverages data to solve complex problems in travel. Listen Now Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | RSS Five Key Points Off-the-Shelf AI Solutions Are a Myth: Buying a plug-and-play AI solution is often a fantasy, and true transformation requires custom integration and an understanding of the unique challenges each business faces. Even standardized systems like PMS or ERP transitions often end up as costly, multi-year projects. Operational AI Trends Are Driving ROI: Key AI trends Palantir sees across industries — especially in travel and hospitality — include procurement and supply chain optimization, revenue and rate management, and targeted marketing. AI is a Mirror — and a Force Multiplier: AI doesn't replace humans — it enhances them. Like chess grandmasters paired with AI outperforming AI alone, people with AI tools perform at their best. But AI can also reflect the flaws in a company's culture or data. If the organization is confused or misaligned, the AI will be too. Travel Tech Can Skip the Legacy Journey: The travel industry often assumes it must progress through slow technology such as clunky interfaces and fragmented tech before adopting advanced solutions like AI. Palantir argues that travel companies can leapfrog outdated steps and go straight to modern, integrated platforms. AI Use Cases Are Already Transforming Travel: Revenue management and loyalty optimization are among the viable AI use cases already active in travel. Episode Summary Palanatir's Breno Helfstein Moura discussed the company's growing role in the travel industry with Kopit and Borko. Known primarily as a defense contractor, Palantir is expanding into commercial sectors, including travel, where it has leveraged its expertise in data integration and AI. While some may view Palantir as a consulting firm, Moura emphasizes that it's fundamentally a software company delivering tailored tech solutions. He also warned of AI's potential risks, stressing the need for safeguards around data access, especially in sensitive industries like hospitality, to ensure responsible and ethical use. Moura added he sees strong return on investment opportunities in both revenue generation and cost reduction. Finally, he said he views the industry's vast amount of underused, unstructured data as a goldmine for improvement.
Hospitality Net
12-05-2025
- Business
- Hospitality Net
Hunting and Gathering: A New Mindset for Hotel Sales Amid Industry Uncertainty
The hotel industry is navigating through a storm of uncertainty. Travel demand, both domestic and international, is showing worrying signs of decline due to economic uncertainties, shifting tariffs, and operational disruptions from aging airport infrastructure. The knock-on effects are clear—government and mid-sized businesses are cutting back on meetings, consumers are delaying vacations, and international visitation is expected to drop significantly this summer. Recent industry data confirms slowing travel within the U.S. A Bank of America Institute report highlights softer spending across lodging, tourism, and airlines, suggesting households are cautious about planning major trips in the near term. International travel to the U.S. also faces challenges. Skift Research notes that tariff wars, a stronger U.S. dollar, and negative border experiences could reduce inbound tourism significantly. According to Seth Borko from Skift Research, such factors might cut U.S. travel growth by half, representing billions in lost revenue. In this challenging environment, hotel sales professionals can no longer afford to sit back and passively respond to RFPs. The era of reactive selling is behind us. Today's sales leaders must shift to an aggressive, proactive "hunter and gatherer" mindset to unearth new business opportunities and strategically bridge the emerging revenue gaps. Here are key strategies hotel sales teams should adopt immediately: 1. Shift from Reactive to Proactive Waiting for RFPs to arrive is no longer sufficient. Sales teams need to actively identify and pursue opportunities in their local markets and beyond, leveraging networks and prospecting new segments aggressively. Tip: Regularly schedule "hunting days" focused purely on proactive outreach to potential clients rather than reacting to incoming inquiries. 2. Leverage Local and Regional Businesses With larger companies and governmental agencies scaling back, turning attention to smaller local and regional businesses can provide fresh sources of revenue. These organizations might not traditionally hold events at hotels but could be convinced through personalized and targeted outreach. Tip: Identify businesses within a 100-mile radius and create customized meeting packages tailored to their specific needs. 3. Create Flexible Packages Uncertain economic times call for flexible solutions. Develop flexible booking terms, scaled pricing structures, and customizable event packages to attract groups wary of commitment amid financial uncertainties. Tip: Clearly communicate flexible cancellation and booking policies as a major selling point to ease client concerns. 4. Explore New Niche Markets Think beyond the traditional corporate and leisure segments. Look into niche markets such as educational workshops, healthcare seminars, hybrid events, and social celebrations that may still require in-person gatherings. Tip: Network with local chambers, industry associations, and community organizations to uncover niche market opportunities. 5. Capitalize on Short-Term Bookings Be prepared to quickly respond to last-minute bookings as more businesses and individuals delay decision-making. This agility can turn market uncertainty into opportunities for properties equipped to handle spontaneous requests efficiently. Tip: Streamline your internal processes to ensure rapid response times to inquiries and maximize short-term booking opportunities. 6. Enhance Digital Prospecting and Outreach Invest time in digital prospecting tools and platforms such as LinkedIn, industry forums, and targeted social media advertising. Digital outreach can open doors to new prospects who might not otherwise be reachable through traditional methods. Tip: Utilize advanced digital tools to identify key decision-makers and craft personalized messages that clearly articulate your property's unique value proposition. 7. Strengthen Relationships with Existing Clients In uncertain times, relationships matter more than ever. Strengthening bonds with your existing clients through consistent communication, offering additional value, and proactively addressing their evolving needs can secure ongoing business. Tip: Schedule regular check-ins and actively listen to client concerns to anticipate and address their needs proactively. 8. Optimize Online Visibility and Reputation A robust online presence and positive reputation are critical during periods of uncertainty. Regularly update your property's website, social media channels, and online listings to clearly showcase special offers, flexible packages, and testimonials. Tip: Encourage satisfied guests and event organizers to leave positive reviews online to reinforce credibility and attract hesitant prospects. 9. Foster Internal Collaboration Sales cannot operate in isolation. Encourage collaboration between sales, marketing, operations, and revenue management teams to ensure unified strategies, clear messaging, and optimal service delivery. Tip: Hold regular cross-departmental meetings to align on objectives and optimize strategies for responding rapidly to market shifts. 10. Stay Informed and Adapt Quickly Staying informed about changing economic conditions, travel regulations, and market trends allows hotel sales teams to adapt swiftly. Flexibility and rapid decision-making capabilities will set apart successful hotels from those that struggle to react. Tip: Regularly monitor industry news, attend relevant webinars, and engage with industry peers to keep ahead of trends and adjust your sales strategies promptly. By adopting this proactive "hunter and gatherer" mindset and implementing these strategic actions, hotel sales professionals can effectively navigate uncertainty and secure essential revenue, setting their properties apart in a competitive and unpredictable market landscape. About Lodging Interactive Since its founding in 2001, Lodging Interactive has provided digital marketing services to hotels worldwide, including select service, full-service, and luxury properties. The company's social media marketing and guest reviews response division, CoMMingle:Engage, serves a range of hospitality businesses, including hotels, restaurants, spas, and management companies. The company continues to innovate by introducing supportive services that enhance its primary business lines. Recently, it launched Social Media Amplified, custom landing page services designed to drive direct bookings through social media content posts. Building on this commitment, the company has also unveiled GuestCONNECT—an all-inclusive service for modern hotels and resorts. GuestCONNECT includes a mobile-first responsive website with hosting and support, tailored social media strategy and marketing, guest review response services across 140 OTA sites, a real-time reporting and analytics dashboard, and a dedicated Client Success Manager. Lodging Interactive has received numerous awards, including the HSMAI Adrian Award and accolades from the International Academy of Visual Arts, Interactive Media Awards, Horizon Interactive Awards, Web Marketing Association, Academy of Interactive & Visual Arts, and Travel Weekly's Magellan Awards. For more information, email [email protected], call 877-291-4411 ext. 704, or visit the company's website. DJ Vallauri President & Founder +1 877 291 4411 View source
