Rephonic
Artwork for The Skift Travel Podcast

The Skift Travel Podcast

Skift
Travel Industry
Airbnb
Artificial Intelligence
Tourism
India
Luxury Travel
Short-Term Rentals
Travel
Dubai
Saudi Arabia
Hospitality
New York City
Skift Global Forum
Aviation Industry
Airlines
Tiktok
AI In Travel
Hospitality Industry
Customer Service
Middle East

Get the latest from the most-trusted travel industry news source. Skift sits down with creatives, executives, and entrepreneurs from across travel to discuss their insights and perspectives on the hows and whys of travelers’ habits, industry patterns, and the seismic changes happening across the industry. Listen for exclusive conversations with travel leaders and Skift's own in-house editors and a... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes344Founded11 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Business NewsSociety & CultureNewsPlaces & Travel

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for The Skift Travel Podcast

Latest Episodes

Seth Borko and Sean O'Neill discuss the biggest lessons from Skift's Data + AI Summit and revisit a decade of hotel direct-booking strategy.

They examine why hotels improved profitability without significantly reducing OTA share, how loyalty program... more

Sarah Kopit and Adriana Lee break down why the travel industry may not actually be ready for AI despite the rush to adopt it.

They explore fragmented hotel data systems, why travelers still do not trust AI booking tools, and how companies are starti... more

Sarah Kopit reports live from Airbnb’s Summer Release event in San Francisco as Brian Chesky unveils Airbnb’s expansion into hotels, car rentals, services, and experiences.

Sarah and Seth Borko break down why Airbnb increasingly looks like a full-ser... more

International travel to the U.S. fell another 14% as America’s tourism challenges continue ahead of the World Cup.

Sarah Kopit and Seth Borko break down the growing perception problem facing the U.S., the pressure hotel owners are feeling from major ... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Accepts Sponsors
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

Recent Guests

Sean O'Neill
Guest host who wrote a feature on the 10-year anniversary of Hilton's Stop Clicking Around campaign
Skift
Episode: Hotels Tried to Cut Out Expedia. Here's What Happened.
Dennis Schall
OTA reporter, specializes in car rental and OTA stories
Skift
Episode: Airbnb Is Becoming a Real OTA
Nick Adams
Special Presidential Envoy for American Tourism, Exceptionalism and Values
Office of the President / U.S. Government
Episode: Trump's Tourism Envoy: Inside Nick Adams' Plan to Sell America
Dennis Schaal
Veteran online travel journalist and guest host for this episode
Independent | Formerly Sidestreet PR/Skift contributor
Episode: The Fight for Control of Online Travel Has Started
Markwayne Mullins
New DHS leadership figure introduced during the episode
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Episode: 3-Hour Airport Lines and a System Under Pressure
Warren Fields
CEO of Pyramid Global
Pyramid Global
Episode: How Pyramid Global Is Rethinking Hotel Management
Ken Cruse
CEO of Soul Community Planet
Soul Community Planet
Episode: Inside Soul Community Planet, the Hotel Brand Betting on Conscious Travel
Zohran Mamdani
Newly elected mayor of New York City and Democratic Socialist
Episode: New York's New Mayor Zohran Mamdani & The Eastward Shift in Travel
Jennifer Trock
Aviation lawyer and partner at Morgan Lewis
Morgan Lewis
Episode: Flying Cars, Privatized Airports, and the Future of U.S. Aviation

Hosts

Sarah Kopit
Editor-in-chief/host with Skift Travel content leadership and industry perspective.
Seth Borko
Co-host providing economic and industry analysis and discussion.

Reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars from 87 ratings
  • Out of Touch

    As a travel industry professional, I listen to Skift for insights into industry, innovation, and economic trends. In the latest episode, Seth mentions the U.S economy being in 'pretty good shape.' He goes into surface-level statistics that appear good at a glance but are a far cry from the bleak economic outlook Americans/the globe are facing. It is this man's job to have a comprehensive overview of the economy, an in-depth analysis of spending habits, and an understanding of discretionary/di... more

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Dmactizzy
    Canada5 months ago
  • Good contents but poor production

    I really enjoy the contents but I can’t imagine it an extravagant investment to improve the recording and audio quality. That recent episode on the industry research is absolute torture to listeners ears.

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    mmmmmmengsun
    United States2 years ago
  • Soundproblems?

    Do they use microphones? Not sure.

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    Makadini
    Switzerland3 years ago
  • Highly recommend!

    The Skift Travel Podcast has quickly become a favorite in my feed! Their insightful content and engaging conversations had me hooked from the very first listen. Thanks so much for putting out such a stellar show guys - keep up the great work!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    mvelasco07
    United States3 years ago
  • A must-listen for travel business people

    Insightful and authentic content for travel business people. Helps you develop a holistic view of travel and tourism industry

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Alireza Aghasi
    United States7 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Listeners praise authenticity and depth of travel industry analysis.
Some reviews call for sharper audio and fewer filler words during conversations.
A strong faction highlights access to high-profile guests and actionable business takeaways.
Positive notes on industry insight and guest quality, with occasional critiques of audio production quality.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Hotels Tried to Cut Out Expedia. Here's What Happened.
Q: Talk us through the significance of the Stop Clicking Around campaign and take us back to 2016.
The campaign symbolized a shift toward centralized, direct-brand marketing and a unified message across Hilton's channels, aiming to drive direct bookings and build a long-term loyalty ecosystem even though OTA share didn't shrink immediately; the deeper impact was in creating a framework for direct marketing, loyalty, and price discipline that could scale globally.
Trump's Tourism Envoy: Inside Nick Adams' Plan to Sell America
Q: What are your and your team's priorities for the coming 12 months?
The priority is to bring as many international visitors to the U.S. in 2026 as possible, leveraging major events like the World Cup and national celebrations to showcase America while expanding access and improving the overall travel experience.
3-Hour Airport Lines and a System Under Pressure
Q: Do you think the government will fund TSA to quell the shutdown, or will the partial shutdown persist longer?
The expectation is that funding will be found for TSA to reopen and normalize operations, though the partial shutdown may continue for a bit as lawmakers negotiate.
Skift Sessions Episode featuring Brian Chesky, CEO & Founder of Airbnb
Q: Why would the attach rates for services work this time when they didn't work previously?
Chesky points out that they stopped investing in experiences during the pandemic but are now investing heavily and marketing these services effectively.
Skift Sessions Episode featuring Brian Chesky, CEO & Founder of Airbnb
Q: How should we think about Airbnb today?
Chesky emphasizes the importance of patience and understanding the long-term vision behind the company's expansion into services, which is still in its early stages.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About The Skift Travel Podcast

What is The Skift Travel Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A business-focused travel podcast that routinely analyzes industry dynamics through a data-informed lens, blending Skift Research findings with field anecdotes and executive-level interviews. Episodes typically cover airline pricing and branding, hotel ownership and franchising, OTA strategies, and the evolving role of AI, social platforms, and politics in travel demand and distribution. Notable strengths include high-caliber guests, analyses of macro trends (inflation, visas, world events) and a willingness to challenge conventional wisdom about marketing, loyalty, and branding in hospitality and travel tech. The show often surfaces practical implications for operators, advertisers, and policymakers, making it a valuable listen for profess... more

Where can I find podcast stats for The Skift Travel Podcast?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for The Skift Travel Podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to The Skift Travel Podcast and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does The Skift Travel Podcast get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for The Skift Travel Podcast, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for The Skift Travel Podcast?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for The Skift Travel Podcast, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does The Skift Travel Podcast have?

To see how many followers or subscribers The Skift Travel Podcast has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to The Skift Travel Podcast?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Skift Travel Podcast:

1. Skift Daily Briefing
2. Airline Weekly Lounge
3. The Prof G Pod with Scott Galloway
4. All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg
5. The Air Show

How many episodes of The Skift Travel Podcast are there?

The Skift Travel Podcast launched 11 years ago and published 344 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact The Skift Travel Podcast?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for The Skift Travel Podcast?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for The Skift Travel Podcast from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for The Skift Travel Podcast?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of The Skift Travel Podcast. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on The Skift Travel Podcast?

Recent guests on The Skift Travel Podcast include:

1. Sean O'Neill
2. Dennis Schall
3. Nick Adams
4. Dennis Schaal
5. Markwayne Mullins
6. Warren Fields
7. Ken Cruse
8. Zohran Mamdani

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days