Jan 19th, 2010 at 3:00PM:
The light at the end of the tunnel is always cause for hope. When market conditions are at their worst, the promise of a recovery keeps morale from plummeting and gives a reason to keep pushing forward. For the hotel industry, however, there's nothing but darkness for the next year. The latest research from PhoCusWright paints a pretty dismal picture, evident immediately from the title of its ...Click on a label to read posts from that part of the world.
recession posts
Guests to stay in control of hotel industry until at least 2012
Jan 19th, 2010 at 3:00PM:
The light at the end of the tunnel is always cause for hope. When market conditions are at their worst, the promise of a recovery keeps morale from plummeting and gives a reason to keep pushing forward. For the hotel industry, however, there's nothing but darkness for the next year. The latest research from PhoCusWright paints a pretty dismal picture, evident immediately from the title of its ...Mexico relies on Facebook to kick travel slump
Jan 6th, 2010 at 12:00PM: Travel to Mexico got a big ol' kick in the cojones last year. The global recession spanked airlines and hotels around the world, and since the United States was ground zero for the financial crisis that accelerated the recession, Mexico likely lost some action from its biggest trading partner. And then swine flu came along, bringing much of the Mexican tourism and travel industry to a crawl. When ...LetMeGo to pit hotels against each other directly
Dec 30th, 2009 at 10:00PM: Normally, I'd think that a website inviting hotels to beg for bid on the insane and detailed requests of travelers would be a nonstarter. But, we're in the middle of a brutal travel market recession. And, this decade has been awful for airlines and hoteliers alike. So, if the industry is going to learn any lessons from this turbulent decade known as [well, nobody really figured that out what to ...Tourism industry in The Gambia gutted by global recession
Dec 30th, 2009 at 4:00PM: We all know the global recession has hit the tourism industry pretty hard, but smaller countries off the beaten path are feeling it worse, and are less able to bounce back. The Gambia is the smallest nation on the African mainland and has a modest tourism industry based around its beautiful beaches, serene river, and two UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including the mysterious stone circles pictured ...Hawaii needs your help!
Dec 24th, 2009 at 2:00PM: Hawaii needs $1.23 billion and could use your help. Governor Linda Lingle is calling it a "fiscal crisis" and says it won't be fixed with budget cuts alone. Essentially, the fiftieth state wants everyone else to chip in. This year's budget gap is $721 million, which will be followed by $509.5 million next year. The state might not hit pre-recession levels until 2014.
According to Lingle, "The ...Virgin America: Financials prove service makes a difference
Dec 12th, 2009 at 3:00PM:
We've all gotten used to bailing out airlines that can't figure out how to take care of their paying customers, operate profitably or otherwise get their respective acts together. And, there really isn't much hope of this situation changing. To be an airline, in general, is to be dysfunctional ... until you look at the new entrant, Virgin America. The privately held carrier announced on Friday ...Passengers to become drivers for Thanksgiving this year
Nov 19th, 2009 at 3:00PM: We aren't staying at home, but we're definitely not flying. That's the word out of AAA this year. Thanksgiving, always a travel-heavy holiday, will see more cars in the road than people crammed at the gate, as travelers respond to the recession and recent increases in airfares.
AAA puts the number of people driving 50 miles or more from home for Thanksgiving at 38.4 million -- up 1.4 percent ...Tips for tippers: it isn't what you expect
Nov 18th, 2009 at 8:00AM:
tweetmeme_url = 'http://www.gadling.com/2009/11/18/tips-for-tippers-it-isn-t-what-you-expect/'; tweetmeme_source = 'Gadling';
Tipping's a tough nut to crack. Should you tip a housekeeper? Back in the day, the rule was leaving some cash only if your stay was 30 days or longer. Since then, however, it seems to have changed. And, what's appropriate for a valet? Bellman? Skycap? Travel means ...UK online bookings to grow this year
Nov 7th, 2009 at 12:00PM:
tweetmeme_url = 'http://www.gadling.com/2009/11/07/uk-online-bookings-to-grow-this-year/'; tweetmeme_source = 'Gadling';
Yes, you read that correctly – online bookings are expected to finish higher in the United Kingdom this year! Even in this dismal economy – which has been particularly brutal for the travel industry – the web guys have something to celebrate. Sure, the ...Online travel agencies still making money in today's travel market
Oct 31st, 2009 at 3:00PM:
tweetmeme_url = 'http://www.gadling.com/2009/10/31/online-travel-agencies-still-making-money-in-todays-travel-mark/'; tweetmeme_source = 'Gadling';
There's still money in the travel business; you just have to look in the right places. In the United States, the online leisure and unmanaged business travel sector is where you'll find the cash -- this sector is outperforming every other travel ...Hundreds of flights cancelled as Iberia workers go on strike
Oct 26th, 2009 at 11:00PM: Thousands of passengers were left stranded today as workers at Iberia Airlines walked off the job for the first day of a two-day strike. Iberia was forced to cancel more than 400 of its 2,000 flights for this Monday and Tuesday as cabin crews protested the fact that they haven't received a pay increase in four years. This is a tough situation for Spanish workers, who live in a country with one of ...Will flights be less crowded next year?
Oct 17th, 2009 at 8:00AM: The number of passengers passing through planes in 2010 is expected to decline again. The Boyd Group, a consulting firm in this industry, forecasts a decline of 74 million passengers relative to 2008 - down to 675 million next year. This means you'll get a little more elbow room, as long as the airlines don't respond with more route cuts. The fact that unemployment is likely to break the 10% level ...Travel from the rest of the world to the U.S. falls ... again
Sep 12th, 2009 at 12:00PM:
Travel fell again in 2009, according to U.S. Department of Commerce data, as a weak economy put pressure on both personal and corporate travel budgets.
Only 3.6 million people arrived from other countries, marking a decline of 11 percent from June 2008 to June 2009. For the six months of the year, international arrivals were off 10 percent year-over-year. The spending situation was even worse. ...Airlines can breathe again - bottom of their recession may be in sight
Sep 8th, 2009 at 2:00PM: There is no doubt that 2009 is a year that most airlines will want to put behind them as fast as they can. In essence, it was the perfect storm combining everything that airlines hate. A report published back in May told the doom and gloom story about airline profits - and that not a single airline in the world would earn anything this year. As the first very small signs of economic recovery ...Tourism helping Iceland weather their perfect storm
Aug 22nd, 2009 at 12:00PM: If you think the recession in the US has been dreadful, I recommend reading up on how Iceland has been coping. This nation of just 320,000 people let its banks pull the country into a total financial disaster. Their three national banks had debt equaling over three times the countries gross domestic product. Their government collapsed, their currency lost a third of its value, they had to take ...Vermont cab driver offers "pay what you want" fares
Aug 5th, 2009 at 4:00PM: digg_url = 'http://digg.com/business_finance/Vermont_Taxi_Driver_Offers_Pay_What_You_Want_Fares'; Websites like eBay and Priceline let consumers pay what they want for everything from designer gowns to airline tickets. Now, if you live in Essex, Vermont, you can exercise that same financial control when it comes to taxi fares. Eric Hagen, a part-time cab driver has been offering "pay what you ...Beating the recession on the Appalachian Trail
Jun 30th, 2009 at 8:00AM: Yesterday we introduced you to one of the world's classic treks in the from of The Appalachian Trail. Turns out you might not have needed in introduction at all, as according to NPR, many Americans are heading to the AT to beat the recession. According to the story, a number of hikers who have lost their jobs, have decided to take advantage of their time off, and spend some extended time on the ...Good news and bad: Rabbit Hill Inn extends pink slip getaways
Jun 25th, 2009 at 1:00PM: I guess it's a bad sign that this deal has been extended. Popular demand, however, has prompted the management of the Rabbit Hill Inn to stretch out its "Pink Slip Getaway Giveaway" program. Originally planned to run through the end of the year, it's now going to last until April 2010. Every month – except September and October, the Rabbit Hill Inn will pony up at least one two-night getaway ...Laid off? Take off! Intrepid extends deal
Jun 5th, 2009 at 8:00AM: Layoffs may be slowing down a little, but they're still coming. So, if you need to disappear to collect your thoughts for a while, Intrepid Travel is still willing to help. The company has extended its 15 percent discount for recent layoff victims, which are good on more than 400 Intrepid adventures in more than 90 countries. The catch? You need to book by the last day of 2009.
To take advantage ...Guilt-free vacation, part I: free your inner workaholic
May 28th, 2009 at 3:00PM: If you haven't read about how to screw-off and look good while you're on vacation, check out yesterday's article. This is what you're up against. The workaholic invests even vacation time in career success, and to look like that white-collar stud, you need to deliver beyond the appearances of your lazy, poseur coworkers.
But, you will.
When you get to the office, you see opportunities rather than ...
