The Alaska Whale Corridor
Alaska draws crowds for the animals. Whales mostly. MSC Cruises isn’t just running tours though. Their first season there is a lab. A live one.
They want to know how marine science shifts ops when boats hit dense wildlife zones. It’s less about selling tickets right now, more about understanding the water. Can operations bend to fit biology? That’s the question.
Hotels Still Fighting OTAs
A tug of war that never ended.
Ten years ago Hilton, Marriott and friends told customers “book with us directly.” Did it work? Online travel agencies hold the same chunk of market share. Roughly. Same as a decade ago.
But chains got smart on money. Lower commissions. Better terms. Loyalty programs that actually lock people in. They won the economics, if not the eyeballs.
Power isn’t just reach. It’s margin.
Accor’s Exit Strategy
Sébastien Bazin said he’d stay. Then he didn’t.
The CEO announced a succession search. Might leave sooner. Maybe later. Depends if the board finds someone “right.” Accor had a retirement policy for this. Or they didn’t. Who knows anymore.
Shareholders are not happy. Over 40% voted against his pay packet. That’s a lot of noise in a room. Is the leadership tired, or is the stock price? Probably both.
Influencers Who Actually Sell
Expedia signed IShowSpeed. You’ve heard the name. Loud. Fast.
Brands aren’t treating creator marketing like a side project. It’s core strategy now. But here is the rub: impressions do not equal bookings.
Everyone chases views. Fewer track revenue. Expedia wants to see the link between hype and reservations. Maybe they will find it. Maybe it’s just noise again.
