Traveling Blog: JetBlue Preps for Founder's New Airline + The Amazon Factor + Accor's New U.S. Push

July 2, 2018

Editor's Note

The hardest working executives in all of travel this year may very well be CEO Sebastien Bazin's deals team at AccorHotels. Friday's announcement of Accor's $319 million deal to buy a 50 percent stake in SBE Entertainment Group (see our story below) marks its sixth acquisition year-to-date, double the number of buys compared to the next most active hotel group. What's more remarkable, given the sheer scope of the hospitality industry, is that Accor accounts for 20 percent of all deals by value, both buying and selling, so far in 2018. Thanks to Skift Research for the calculations on this.

Bazin has said he wants to be opportunistic, but the pace so far is extraordinary. And there's a lot to digest — and to calculate in terms of how diluted Accor's earnings will be with so many new properties in its fold. Bazin seems unfazed by it all, telling Skift earlier this year it's more important to be making big moves than be a "sleeping giant."

— Tom Lowry, Managing Editor

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Top Stories

Skift Call July 10: The Amazon Factor

Nothing quite gets the attention of travel executives these days than the mere mention of Amazon. Will it get in? Will it stay on the sidelines? We'll explore all the implications on Tuesday, July 10 at 1 p.m. EST on a Skift Call. Please join us for this all-important discussion.

AccorHotels Is Buying Half of SBE Entertainment Group for $319 Million

This AccorHotels investment in SBE aligns with its strategy for growth in North America as it adds more properties in key cities such as New York, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and Miami. It does, though, contradict, in some respects, the chain's push to go asset-light.

JetBlue Girds for New Competition as Its Founder Prepares to Start a New U.S. Airline

JetBlue's president and its CEO say they're not worried about competing with JetBlue's founder, David Neeleman, who may be starting a new U.S. airline as soon as 2020. Behind the scenes, we bet it's not their favorite idea. But we do believe they're not surprised Neeleman wants back in. Even since Neeleman was pushed out of JetBlue, insiders expected he would return someday.

Understanding Amazon, Group Travel and Loyalty in Only 3 Charts

Amazon is posing a threat. Chinese tourists are spotted everywhere and the loyalty war is getting ever more intense. Common threads? It's a disruptive phase for travel that requires nimble strategies.

Few Corporate Travel Policies Specifically Address Female Safety

Travel managers know they need to focus on safety as more women travel for business, but seem to be unwilling so far to make specific changes to their policies. Hopefully, this trend won't continue.

Video: Why Lufthansa Helps Customers From Other Airlines Check In for Flights

Lufthansa's Airlinecheckins.com may not be the most amazing innovation ever, but considering it only took about 30,000 euros to build, the return on investment has been impressive. The platform allows customers to check in for flights on more than 200 airlines. And as the facilitator, Lufthansa gets a lot of data about passenger preferences.

AccorHotels Finally Combines Fairmont, Raffles, and Swissôtel Loyalty Programs With Its Own

There's so much more AccorHotels could be doing with its loyalty program, including integrating it with its Accor Local mobile app. For now, however, the company seems more focused on making sure it doesn't upset any elite loyalty members from Fairmont, Raffles, and Swissôtel.

Skift Table

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Skift Restaurants Forum: Happy-Hour Pricing Is Now in Effect

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Chipotle's Revised Strategy: Closing Stores and Launching Loyalty

The team has clearly identified what needs to be fixed at Chipotle. Now, it's a matter of rolling out those changes and making sure that customers approve.

Hyatt's new World of Hyatt credit card launched Thursday does a better job of targeting younger and thriftier travelers. Big spenders, on the other hand, may be unhappy with some of the new perks.

The Plight of the Millennial Business Traveler

Business travel is obviously a great way to advance your career, but few talk about the negative effects like weight gain, stress, and problems with personal relationships. As younger professionals enter the workforce, more travel managers and corporate leaders should pay attention to the ways that business travel can lead to a problematic lifestyle.

New Toy Story Land Shows Disney Isn't Playing With Theme Park Competitors

Disney's Hollywood Studios in Florida should become more of a destination in its own right with the addition of Toy Story Land. Will that help ease the crowds at other parks — and keep guests staying at Disney longer?

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