A curated collection of can’t-miss news from this week, including 2021 travel trends and more. Sign up to get the TURNER Weekly Download in your inbox.
Travel remains on shaky ground this fall. That’s why it’s more important than ever to keep track of the trends shaping the industry. One of them is “trip stacking,” reports the New York Times’ Concepción de León. Trip stacking is an increasingly popular tactic for luxury travelers who are “buying two trips over the same time period in case one of them falls through.”
When we think of influencers, we usually think of the younger generations. But seniors are getting in on the game as well. According to the Christian Science Monitor, there is a growing number of “grandfluencers,” — “folks 70 and up who have amassed substantial followings on social media with the help of decades-younger fans.” These older influencers are making waves in the wellness, travel, and tech landscapes.
Like everything else in the travel world, airports have had to adjust in a major way during the pandemic. The New York Times’ Elaine Glusac looks at how they can improve travelers’ experiences. One development we like — the quiet airport. “Before the pandemic, when the airport was setting passenger records, San Francisco International rolled out its ‘quiet airport’ program, a noise reduction plan that has eliminated TVs in seating areas of terminals and narrowed the scope of broadcast announcements, rather than airing them terminal-wide.”
Hotels are evolving, too. 5G networks are set to supercharge commerce and connectivity in the coming decade, and the hospitality industry will see some major changes because of it. Skift reveals: “Guest convenience is the name of the game in the industry, with hotel operators constantly seeking ways to streamline experiences with new digital tools and platforms. 5G can enable operators to revolutionize their offerings with cutting edge in-room and cross-facility services.”