Marriott's Sheraton Makeover + Event Ticketing Goes Social + GetYourGuide Offers Branded Tours

The Travel Industry's Daily Agenda-Setting Newsletter

June 18, 2018

Editor's Note Marriott is very proud of the brands — 30 in total — it has assembled over the years. But its problem child, brought into the portfolio through the 2016 Starwood acquisition, is one of its biggest brands, Sheraton. Within the hospitality industry, Sheraton is seen as dated, your parents' hotel brand, and in big need of a revamp. Senior Hospitality Editor Deanna Ting today takes us through Marriott's plan to reinvigorate Sheraton, still its most global brand and third-biggest fee generator but nowhere near its potential. Part of Marriott's efforts include redesigning public spaces, exploring co-working spaces inside the hotels, and looking at private club membership models. At this point, 80 years on, Sheraton is too big to fail. So what we can expect is a long process of fits and starts with Marriott's efforts. It's hoping a next-generation Sheraton will be the result. — Tom Lowry, Managing Editor New Skift Report: Where Luxury is Going Next Sponsored by AccorHotels Where is luxury going next? In a nutshell, everywhere. Today, luxury travelers can be found anywhere from second-tier cities to remote destinations in developing countries. And as travelers increasingly flock to novel places, expect hospitality companies to bookmark them as well. Download Now Top Stories How Sheraton Lost Its Way and Marriott Plans To Bring It Back Before you read this, ask yourself: What exactly does Sheraton stand for? For example, Westin is synonymous with wellness, St. Regis with luxury, W with lifestyle. And at the end of this article, ask yourself that same question again. If you struggle to come up with an answer, it's clear Marriott has a lot more work to do with the Sheraton brand. Would You Buy Your Next Event Tickets on Instagram? Engagement with social media for planners and marketers is moving beyond hashtags and sponsored posts into a competitive marketplace for digital ticket distribution. This won't really affect associations and B2B conferences immediately, but make sure to track the trend as consumer events experiment with distribution over social networks. GetYourGuide Will Market Some Tours and Activities Under Its Own Brand GetYourGuide is betting that travelers will prefer to book GetYourGuide-branded tours over locally branded ones. This diagonal integration echoes marketing moves made by Oyo in hotels and RedAwning in lodging rentals. But will it work? Airbnb's Partnership Strategy in Japan May Serve as Global Model Airbnb's moves in Japan are smart for its future growth. But again we can't help but wonder: Why is the company so willing to fully comply with local laws in certain regions, like Japan, but so reluctant to do the same in others, like New York City? Video: Club Med's Europe and Africa CEO on the Evolution of the All-Inclusive Vacation If Club Med has its way, the "all-inclusive" vacation should no longer conjure up images of tacky beach clubs and all-you-can-drink-and-eat buffets. How One Restaurant Group Took on the Hollywood Bowl Running successful restaurants in Los Angeles for decades is a feat on its own, but running food and beverage at an 18,000-person venue takes something special. China's Crackdown on Airline Websites Is Meeting Some Resistance We still don't know whether U.S. airlines will remove Taiwan references from their websites as China has requested. Ultimately, as American CEO Doug Parker said earlier this month, this is an issue between governments. It's likely U.S. airlines will do what their government recommends. Popular Now Royal Caribbean Is Buying a $1 Billion Stake in Silversea to Boost Its Luxury Offerings Buying Silversea will certainly improve Royal Caribbean's offering in the luxury and expedition sectors. Will it be happy as a majority shareholder, as it says now, or will it eventually want complete control? Hipcamp Raises $9.5 Million for Campsite Booking: Travel Startup Funding This Week Public campgrounds were already an alternative form of travel. But now there's "alternative alternative travel." Meet the startup Hipcamp, which is like an Airbnb for privately-owned campsites and hosted experiences. How the Global Distribution Systems Are Fighting for Change The global distribution systems are finally moving away from the antiquated legacy systems that frustrate travel providers. Will their new cloud-based systems usher in a new era for corporate travel, or help maintain the status quo? For Gmail users: If you are using the tabbed inbox, Skift emails may be pushed to the 'Promotions' tab. To get updates from Skift direct to your primary inbox, drag and drop this email to that tab. You received this email because you are subscribed to Skift Daily Newsletter from Skift.

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