As a major tourist destination and with the bulk of hotels still running independently, Italy is a workshop for trends in hotel investment. The impact of the largest global firms is random, if not disparate, as they scramble to expand their footprint. The glut of luxury hotels in Rome, Milan, […]
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The travel industry was scorched by the pandemic, creating an opportunity for the largest enterprises to rethink business strategies. Smaller companies, however, jettisoned their expansion plans and continue to play catch-up. Those difficult days still influence management decisions, with the industry depending more-and-more on technology to sustain profitability. Theme parks, cruise lines, and luxury hotels, among other industry segments, share similar challenges.
Tokyo and Seoul Clash Over Abandoned Gold Mines
Sado Island offers nostalgia for many Japanese. It is the site where workers for the Tokugawa Shogunate achieved almost perfect purity in its gold production through handicraft methods. In the 1600s, the mines were responsible for as much as ten percent of global gold output. Based on that partial history, […]
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Will Business Travel Return to Pre-Covid Levels?
A quick scan of the trade press spotlights an aspirational outlook for business travel. Headlines read “Execs Choose (Real) Face Time Over Zoom” and “Business Travel Ignores Inflation.” But a less selective read offers more muted conclusions. “Business Travel Resumes, But Not at Its Former Pace” may best capture the […]
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This Company Puts New Spin on ‘Digital Nomad’
Royal Caribbean announced this week what could be the definitive travel experience: a nine-month around-the-world cruise. Given that the global economy has yet to rebound fully from the pandemic, we will give them credit for moxie. Images of the Diamond Princess floating in Yokohama harbor, unable to disembark some 3,700 […]
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