Tripadvisor Shakeup, Loyalty Myths & AI’s Real OTA Threat
Good Morning Hospitality
03/23/26
•35m
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On Monday’s Good Morning Hospitality, A Skift Podcast, Michael Goldin and Jamie Lane break down the latest headlines shaping online travel and platform strategy. The team starts with leadership changes at Tripadvisor, where longtime chairman Greg Maffei is stepping down as activist investor Starboard Value pushes for greater control and strategic changes at the company.
They then unpack a new analysis arguing that travel’s obsession with loyalty program size is largely misleading, as membership growth hasn’t translated into lower customer acquisition costs for most companies outside of airlines. The episode wraps with a look at how AI is already reshaping travel discovery — even without handling transactions — as more travelers use tools like ChatGPT to plan trips before ever visiting OTA platforms.
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Previous Episode
On this week’s Good Morning Hospitality, A Skift Podcast: Hotels Edition, Sarah Dandashy and Steve Turk unpack Hyatt’s push into non-luxury brands and smaller markets as the company works to expand beyond its traditional luxury footprint.
They also explore how United Airlines and Marriott Hotels are turning planes and hotel rooms into advertising platforms, why Delta Air Lines says travel demand remains strong despite rising jet fuel costs, and what FAA-ordered flight reductions at Chicago O’Hare could mean for airline schedules and travelers.
Finally, in the Unhinged Story of the Week, two viral airplane moments take over the internet: one passenger repeatedly shoving the seat in front of them after it reclines, and another traveler attempting to run the equivalent of a 5K inside an airplane bathroom — proving that sometimes the real turbulence comes from fellow passengers.
Next Episode
GMH Hotels: Is Hyatt About to Beat OTAs With AI?
March 25
•43m
On this week’s Good Morning Hospitality, A Skift Podcast: GMH Hotels Edition, Sarah Dandashy and guest host Katie Cline, host of Suite Success: Masters of Hospitality, a Skift Podcast, break down Hyatt’s latest AI push and whether hotel brands can finally compete with OTAs by capturing travelers earlier in the booking journey.
They also explore Hilton’s new YOTEL partnership and what it signals about a platform-style model, Marriott Hotels’s potential new brand revealed through trademark filings, and United Airlines’ plan to add more than 250 aircraft as it doubles down on long-term demand.
Finally, in the Unhinged Story of the Week, a possum is discovered hiding among stuffed animals in an airport gift shop in Australia, a reminder that sometimes the wildest travel moments happen before you even board the plane.
Connect with Skift LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/skift/ WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAL375LikgIXmNPYQ0L/ Facebook: https://facebook.com/skiftnews Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skiftnews/ Threads: https://www.threads.net/@skiftnews Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/skiftnews.bsky.social X: https://twitter.com/skift Subscribe to @SkiftNews and never miss an update from the travel industry.
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