The cruise industry is trying to figure out how to watch whales without stepping on them. Or, well, floating near them in a massive steel box. MSC Cruises treated their first Alaska season like a lab experiment. They aren’t just selling tickets. They are looking at marine science data. High-density wildlife corridors.
They want to see if the science can tell them where to steer. Alaska sells itself on whale sightings. It’s a bucket list item for a reason. If MSC can get the operations right, the whole industry might change how they handle those crowded ocean highways.
The hotel power grab isn’t ending
Hotels are tired. They’ve been playing middleman with booking sites for too long. The direct booking tug-of-war has been raging for years. Chains want the power back. They want the data. They want your credit card number directly in their system.
It’s not a clean fight. But they aren’t stopping.
Bazin’s exit and angry shareholders
Accor had rules for retirement. They actually had a policy. CEO Sébastien Bazin is ignoring it, mostly. He says a “succession search” has started. He might leave sooner. Only if the board finds someone good. Maybe.
Here’s the rub.
Shareholders aren’t happy. Over 40% voted against his pay package. That is a lot of anger for one executive compensation committee meeting.
A CEO who says he will stay unless fired by competence is not a plan.
Why IShowSpeed? Seriously?
Expedia teamed up with IShowSpeed. If you don’t know who he is, check it out. He’s chaotic. He’s loud. He is everything traditional travel marketing fears.
And loves.
Brands are doubling down on creators. This isn’t an experiment anymore. It is core strategy. They believe eyeballs turn into bookings.
They probably don’t. Yet. No one can prove the conversion path. All those impressions. All that noise. Does anyone actually buy a trip to Lisbon because of a Twitch streamer? Maybe. Or maybe it just gets you likes.
A PDF took eight years
America loves disclosure. We believe if you show the rules, people will play fair. Europe believes in liability. They think you should just follow the law or go to jail.
Two decades later, Europe is ahead. Their framework works.
So what did the US do? They spent eight years creating a one-page PDF for the airline industry. A PDF. One page. To explain air travel consumer rights.
Is eight years a long time
