Snyder is director of convention services of ATL Airport District Convention & Visitors Bureau in Atlanta. Her career began at Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau, where she started in convention services; she was later promoted to convention services manager. Snyder has a degree in marketing from Georgia State University.
Tonya Scott, CHA
Scott is general manager of Pheasant Run Resort in Chicago. Her career started at Hostmark Hospitality at Holiday Inn City Center, also in Chicago. Since then, she has worked in several cities, most recently as general manager for Hotel Burnham in Chicago, Hotel Zamora in St. Petersburg, Florida, and Key West Inns, which covers six properties in Florida. Before that, she was assistant general manager for Hotel Monaco in Denver.
Cliff Myers
Myers is president and CEO of Visit Vancouver USA in Washington. He comes from Virginia Beach Convention and Visitors Bureau, where he served for the last 14 years as convention sales manager, assistant general manager and, most recently, on the executive leadership team.
Jessica Morgan
Louisville Tourism in Kentucky welcomed Morgan as tourism development director. She recently served as president of Chef Space, Louisville’s first share kitchen space, where food industry personnel can rent space. She has experience with other tourism bureaus as well, including Lee County Visitor & Convention Bureau in Fort Myers, Florida, followed by Bradenton Convention and Visitors Bureau in Florida.
George Jordan
Oxford Hotels & Resorts, LLC, promoted Jordan to president. Before this appointment, he served as senior vice president and then executive vice president with the company. Prior to joining the Oxford team, Jordan held numerous leadership roles at various properties, including The Arizona Biltmore in Phoenix, The St. Paul Hotel in Minnesota, The Marquette Hotel in Minneapolis and Hilton International. He’s served on a handful of boards, as well, including Magnificent Mile Avenue Association, Illinois Hotel and Lodging Association and DePaul School of Hospitality, all in Chicago, where he is an active member of Holy Name Cathedral.
Tony Keane
Keane is general manager of Australia’s first Quay Perth Hotel. Most recently, Keane served as hotel manager at Rendezvous Hotel Central Perth; before that, he was operations manager at Frasier Suites Perth. Keane also spent 13 years with Mantra Resorts & Hotels, where he held leadership positions at Mantra on Hay and Mantra on Murray, both in Perth, and Mantra on Frome in Adelaide, Australia.
Dannie Halloran
Halloran joined Kimpton Onyx in Boston as director of sales. He came from Battery Wharf Hotel, also in Boston, where he served as corporate sales manager. Before this, he worked in numerous sales roles at Room Mate Grace Hotel, The Out Hotel and Chambers Hotel, all in New York City.
This residential-style hotel is designed particularly with groups in mind. With three floors and 15 guest rooms, plus a penthouse suite, 121 Hotel can be booked by the floor, by the entire hotel or for individual stays. Each floor has a plush living area with full kitchen, as well as a dining/meeting room, lounge, fireplace and balcony terrace. It’s location in the West End is central, just five minutes from downtown and Nashville’s most desired destinations.
This Hyatt Hotels property opens January 2020, in the Navy Yard neighborhood just south of Capitol Hill. The 225 guest rooms, many with river or ballpark views, are awash in natural light, crisp contemporary lines and natural finishes. The hotel offers seven varied spaces with a total of 7,000 sq. ft. for meetings, including a private dining room for up to 24. The dining room is a draw, given that the hotel’s food and beverage are under the helm of acclaimed Danny Meyer’s Union Square Hospitality Group; the signature restaurant is a sister to New York City’s well-known Maialino.
Situated in central Denver, this pop-art hotel is two blocks from 16th Street Mall and a block from Colorado Convention Center. Get the creative juices flowing on 13 themed floors, and choose from suites, standard or hyper-themed rooms—laugh it up in the Knock Knock room or pop champagne in the Chick Flick room. There’s 28,000 sq. ft of adaptable event space, including outdoor terraces, and the setup is designed to put the fun in function: Just try to say “Let’s meet at 5 in the Peek-a-Boo room” with a straight face.
Cropping up statewide with playful and rebellious hospitality, Marriott’s Moxy brand has landed in the Derby city, just blocks from Kentucky Convention Center. You’ll find 11,313 sq. ft. for events, with 110 space-savvy rooms, lightning fast Wi-Fi everywhere—and 24/7 tacos at resident Zombie Taco. As with all Moxys, there’s a comp cocktail on arrival, board games in the “loungey” central bar—and thanks to an explosion of catchy design, the overwhelming urge to take way more selfies than usual.
Recently renovated, this 15-story, 294-room DTLA location is a darkly elegant venue, a collision of edgy, modern L.A. and its old-world Hollywood beginnings. Paying homage to art deco heritage, the style throughout is sophisticated mischief—cinematic lighting and gilt touches against velvet and brass. Set your soiree in the wooden-raftered ballroom (location of the first post-Oscars party), host presentations in the “Vivian” boardroom, or rent out the swanky, seductive Library Bar. You can even broadcast tales of your nostalgic euphoria from the Podcast Room, available for guests to record in by appointment.
This new property is a Silicon Valley stay for the conscious entrepreneur, just 5 minutes from San Jose International Airport. A LEED Silver-certified building, it extends eco-vibes through its neutral palette, clean lines and organic textures. With 188 guestrooms, indoor media salons and more than 5,000 sq. ft. of outdoor meeting space removed from the city fray, it’s the perfect venue for a calm, yet energizing gathering. The AC Lounge & AC Kitchen provides bright, communal workspace that transitions come sunset to the perfect place for meet-and-martinis.
A mid-town pinnacle of contemporary opulence, the Conrad New York Midtown is a 562 all-suite property designed to bestow a luxe in-residence feel, however brief your sojourn. With uniquely sumptuous services offered to every guest, such as in-room caviar tastings and complimentary hair-styling at the nearby Dyson showroom, it’s no surprise the landmark hotel (formerly The London) will continue its tradition of catering to the stars. For gatherings, a 1,000-square-foot private restaurant space, 3,000-square-foot foyer complete with bar and 4 bay-windowed boardrooms can meet a variety of needs—the property is also prepped for media junkets with 4 shooting suites, a green room and control room.
This recently renovated resort boasts an unending array of options for any scale of rendezvous. The refreshed 884 guest rooms include 101 new suites, and 234,000 sq. ft. of updated meetings space can accommodate groups ranging from 10 to 3,000. Host cocktails poolside, compete down the fairway, conference in the midcentury Sinatra ballroom or take yoga on the outdoor peninsular “Pointe” space. Gargantuan can be green, too—the resort has converted to bulk amenities to eliminate plastic waste, and their eateries commit to sustainably sourced ingredients.
Take a journey through the rich artistic and musical heritage of one of the south’s iconic cities. This property pays homage to the 105-year-old former train station it calls home through preserved original architecture and 123 guest rooms in mid-century style. A dedicated Listening Lounge with a full collection of Memphis city vinyl, the high-ceilinged “8 & Sand” Bar and a 6,000-square-foot ballroom are just a taste of the legacy you’ll find in this South Main soon-to-be institution.
Situated just a 30-minute train ride outside of New York City, this charming, contemporary New Jersey retreat presents 159 guest rooms in a tributary style to the town’s artistic and eclectic vibe. In addition to the family-style restaurant and lobby bar, it includes more than 8,500 sq. ft. of event space, from a bright and airy gallery with a private outdoor patio to a rooftop lounge boasting clear views all the way to Manhattan. Guests can explore the town afoot, as quaint local shops, restaurants and the historic Wellmont Theater are just minutes outside the hotel lobby.
In the downtown Warehouse District of the city, Hotel Zaza offers 159 guest rooms, a 7th floor outdoor pool and 8,500 sq. ft. of event space. Its sky lounge and restaurant, Group Therapy, can host engagements of up to 120 beneath its antique luminaires, overlooking the pool and downtown architecture. Otherwise, meet and greet at the aptly named lobby bar, Perfect Strangers, where you can sip craft cocktails against darkly floral marbled walls.
In keeping with the theme of old-world European hospitality in modern settings, the third Mr. C property is an elegant nod to its nautical surroundings on the waterfront of an iconic Miami neighborhood. It offers 100 guest rooms and a top floor ballroom that serves 250 for a cocktail reception, and a flexible downstairs space for up to 750 guests. Travelers can procure breakfast, lunch and dinner at Bellini Restaurant and Bar, extending the same inspired takes on Italian fare as their Seaport, New York location.
Editor’s Note: Updated on 11/26/2019.
A beautiful part of the holiday season is that many festivities are united by a common theme. From department store music to decorations and public lights, Kringle magic is in the air.
Hotels join in the fun, often going beyond stunning decorations to feature joyful additions, as well as special offerings on stays and experiences. In the next few weeks, we’ll be highlighting that celebratory spirit, along with deals you need to know about.
Hotels Getting in the Spirit: Chicago and New York City
The Peninsula Chicago turns to the holiday season on Nov. 23 with its beloved Sky Rink, where guests can carve the ice against the city skyline in a wintry land of glimmering pine trees and the crooning of holiday classics. At the same hotel, don your merry threads for the Ugly Sweater Party in Z Bar on Dec. 13.
At The Peninsula New York, Holiday Afternoon Tea in Gotham Lounge is the spot to warm up with tea, coffee and holiday-themed treats. Later, transport yourself to the Swiss Alps without leaving Manhattan at Chalet de Ning, a cozy rooftop under chalet-inspired domes, with specialty fare and drinks inspired by the Engadine region of Switzerland.
If you’re in the neighborhood on Dec. 9, don’t miss the Peninsula New York’s Tree Lighting, with complimentary refreshments as you’re soothed by holiday favorites sung by National Children’s Chorus.
Special Offer for 2 in Columbus, Ohio
The Holiday Lights Package at Hotel LeVeque is a getaway bundle for two that includes a tour of twinkling lights downtown, accommodations, plus breakfast and festive cocktails at the hotel’s acclaimed The Keep Restaurant & Bar.
Holiday Office Parties in Scottsdale, Arizona
Christmas at Fairmont Scottsdale Princess transforms the resort with thousands of brilliant lights, entertainment and of course, delectable festive eats and drinks. Visit its Winterland for mistletoe photo ops, hot and cold drinks at the ice bar, and live holiday musical performances. The resort has also rolled out the Biggest Little Office Party Offer, featuring the chef’s holiday menu and specialty cocktails—an easy way to keep humbug out of your party planning.
Package Deal in San Francisco
Hilton San Francisco Union Square and Parc 55 San Francisco unveil their Holiday Skate, Shop & Stay package, combining accommodation with three ice skating tickets at Union Square rink, plus bonus specials for making headway on your Christmas list at Bloomingdale’s.
Giant Gingerbread Village and Room-Rate Reduction in Seattle
If you’re staying in Seattle anytime from Nov. 22 to Jan. 1, enjoy 20 percent off retail rates on a minimum of two-night stays at Sheraton Grand Seattle. During those same dates, you can treat your inner kid in the lobby at the 27th annual Gingerbread Village. It took Sheraton chefs more than 2,000 hours and 1,850 pounds of gingerbread to create the cookie town with this year’s #elflife theme, benefitting the Northwest Chapter of Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. No nibbling on the door frame, please. Santa is watching.
Super Deal in Denver
The Curtis is offering the Black Friday Meets the Mile High super deal—$52.80 per night for stays in December, January and February (available for booking from Black Friday to Cyber Monday). That’s more than 75 percent off average rates for a sleepover on one of its 13 fun, pop-art themed floors.
Seasons and Savings at Omni Hotels
Omni hotels’ quarterly menu curation, Season of Spice, will be available Nov. 22 through Jan. 4. Chefs across the properties will debut fresh recipes and incorporate twists that make use of those warming spices that give us holiday fuzzies. Savor wintry flavors with creations such as Morita Spice Churros with Spanish Hot Chocolate, Apple Spice Pork Belly Sliders and Spiced Old Fashioned.
Omni Houston Hotel at Westside also is extending the Fall Back Into Savings Group Promotion for meeting planners, which includes choosing four enhancements for planned events taking place until Dec. 30. Check it out here.
Also from Omni Hotels is Season of Savings—book by Dec. 3 for stays until Feb. 15, with rates starting at $119 in its properties across the states.
Viceroy Hotel Bargains in San Francisco and Colorado
At Hotel Zetta, Hotel Zelos and Hotel Zeppelin—all Viceroy properties—take advantage of Rock the Holidays by getting up to 25 percent off stays that are a minimum of two nights, plus a $25 food and beverage credit for bookings until Jan. 5.
At Viceroy Snowmass in Colorado, Complimentary Winter Nights offers a third night free for arrivals between Nov. 27 to Dec. 10, and March 29 to April 15.
Viceroy also whipped up a Black Friday post-Turkey Day special—use code CYBER2019 on Nov. 29 for 40 percent savings.
Airbnb, the leading online marketplace for lodging and tourism experiences, has come under fire from Congress due to hosts exploiting the platform and its users.
The online lodging platform has also come under intense fire recently following a shooting at a rental that killed five in Northern California at a Halloween party. The parents of a victim killed in the incident say in a lawsuit that Airbnb failed to properly vet the people who rented the house.
Congressional investigators followed up this month with a letter to Airbnb’s CEO Brian Chesky that contained a laundry list of questions regarding deceptive practices and misleading or false hosts.
Even though Airbnb has insisted it has a ‘One Host, One Home’ policy, as well as a zero-tolerance policy for misleading accounts, media reports have raised repeated concerns about the rapid increase of limited liability corporations using the site as hosts. Deceptive and misleading listings “have also led to customers being scammed by ‘hosts’ who abuse Airbnb’s cancellation policies to trick guests into unsuitable housing conditions for monetary gain,” Congress members charged.
Chesky said the company is making plans to be “100 percent verified” by the end of 2020. All hosts and listings will be reviewed as part of the process, with the goal of making sure that hosts are who they say they are, photos and information are accurate, and the locations meet safety standards, according to news reports.
Fair-housing advocates, reported Tonya Riley of The Washington Post, are accusing Airbnb and other short-term rental platforms of abusing the legal provision that grants tech companies broad immunity for content people post on its platforms. They want Congress to ensure online rental services cannot ignore—and profit from—listings that violate state and local housing laws.
“The Airbnb model essentially says, we don’t care whether your vacation rental is illegal, we don’t care whether your vacation rental is disrupting neighborhoods, we don’t care if your vacation rental is jacking up housing prices and removing inventory from the local community,” said Rep. Ed Case (D-Hawaii), a former hotel executive. “That model has had serious negative effects on communities across the country.”
Airbnb has since charged that the bill is a ploy by the hotel lobby to stifle competition and that it “knowingly ignores” the company’s record of reaching compromises with cities to enforce short-term rental rules and collect taxes.
As Airbnb and its adversaries continue their war of words, Airbnb announced a partnership with San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo, San Jose State University and Bill Wilson Center. In 2018, SJSU reported that approximately 14 percent, or 4,000 of its students, had experienced some type of homelessness while enrolled at the university. Airbnb says it will help alleviate these student struggles by allowing students to book short-term stays, [which] will range between a few days to a few weeks and up to several months—as determined by individual need—while Bill Wilson Center works to identify a long-term, stable housing solution for participating students.” The center will use existing federal, state, and local funding sources to cover the short-term rents, SJSU said in a statement.
If you aren’t a native to Orlando—which, as it turns out, not many of the city’s residents are—it can be difficult to disassociate the city with Disney World, nightly fireworks and the mouse who is so popular he need not be named.
But if there’s one thing that should be known, it’s that reducing Orlando to these internationally known attractions would be a disservice to not only the city, but also to those planners who opt out of visiting because they seem to be all the city offers.
Underneath the attractions, which reel many people in like babies to candy, is a destination unlike anywhere else; in addition to all there is to explore, Marriott’s Florida Convention & Resort Network properties are a destination in themselves. There is adventure, relaxation, family fun, team-building activities and meeting space in abundance. Disneyland may be the happiest place on earth, but Orlando is a close second.
Grande Lakes Orlando
Da Vinci Lawn
The 500-acre Grande Lakes Orlando resort comprises the 1000-room JW Marriott Orlando and the 582-room Ritz-Carlton Orlando. Eleven lakes and two handfuls of adventure are sitting there, waiting to be explored by meeting planners and their attendees.
While the amount of meeting space is impressive—more than 147,000 sq. ft., which visiting groups can utilize at both properties—the beautiful outdoor space is where the meetings at Grande Lakes really shine. The lakes on the property serve as perfect backdrops to the Astro-Turfed outdoor venues. One of the spaces, Da Vinci lawn, sits directly in front of a beautiful waterfall, ideal for attendees looking to add some pizzazz to their Instagram feeds.
And did we mention adventure? Yes, we did, and there’s plenty of it. Kayak or canoe along Shingle Creek on a two-hour guided eco-tour; fly-fish with Capt. Mark Benson, the property’s director of fly-fishing (yes, that’s his title); mountain bike the 2-mile Hidden Lake trail; be one with the falcons at the falconry school, which can accommodate groups of up to 50; or play the 18-hole golf course that runs along the back end of the property. And enjoying those activities is merely dipping toes in the waters of the many attractions.
Unique to Grande Lakes is Whisper Creek Farm, a 7,000-square-foot vegetable garden, where much of the property’s fruit and vegetable supply is grown, including edible flowers, bananas, peppers, cucumbers and sweet potatoes. The farm is also home to hen, quail and bees, whose honey is used in many dishes and in various spa treatments. For a true farm-to-fork experience, a 11,000-square-foot event space adjoins the farm, where plated dinners can be served by the chefs, right in front of guests. The space can be bought out for groups of up to 800.
Disney Springs
Spending all your leisure time in a hotel room isn’t much fun, and Orlando is the last place you want to do that. Enter Disney Springs, the ultimate shopping and dining destination, with 60 places to eat, 102 shops, and 21 daily events and shows. Attendees have access to all this, and at a bargain through Disney Springs’ Show Your Badge discount program. All attendees need to do it present their meeting/convention name tag to any participating food, beverage or retail location, each of which offers its own special discount.
The Disney company is known for offering memorable experiences, and Disney Springs has them aplenty, including House of Blues Music Hall; Aerophile, an air balloon adventure that holds up to 29 people; and NBA Experience, an interactive option that puts visitors on the court.
Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center
Gaylord Palms is one of five Gaylord Convention Resorts. Despite being the smallest of the bunch, the property is still massive. Boasting 1,416 guest rooms and 400,000 sq. ft. of meeting space, it is the epitome of “having it all in one place.”
The Gaylord Resorts brand knows about the life of planners, including their need to skip meals and coffee breaks to make sure their event is going according to plan. Gaylord has tried to boost planners with its butler service, which enables them to devote more time to their work.
If you’re on or near Gaylord Palms from Nov. 16 to Jan. 6, you’ll want to stop by Ice, an incredibly icy Florida attraction. Guests will witness 2 million pounds of ice being transformed into Christmas symbols, lifelike figures and architecture. Be sure to layer up, as the space is kept at 9 degrees.
In mid-2021, the property will expand, adding 302 guest rooms and 90,000 sq. ft. of meeting and convention space.
Renaissance Orlando at SeaWorld
Renaissance Orlando at SeaWorld is mainly an event- and culinary-focused property; it has a smaller room count (781) than some other large properties, but a whopping 215,000 sq. ft. of space. One especially fun and innovative team-building activity there is the hands-on cooking experience, in which attendees can sit alongside the chef’s kitchen and even get the chance to make dishes.
And the aesthetically pleasing ballrooms are something to get excited about. The Peninsula ballrooms are the newest additions to the event space. Floor-to-ceiling windows, walls decorated with a modern feel and linear lighting make for a very beautiful space.
The property doesn’t allow processed, prepackaged food to enter the building—there is a “scratch-cooking mentality,” where everything is prepared and cooked on site. Chefs cure their own meats and grind their own chicken; the salmon is top-notch, coming in from Scotland three times a week.
JW Marriott Bonnet Creek Resort & Spa
Situated near a 70-acre nature preserve and scheduled to open in February, JW Marriott Bonnet Creek will be the latest offering by the brand. The 516-room property has more than 50,000 sq. ft. of meeting space, but there’s more, including the sixth-floor activity area, which includes a nine-hole miniature golf course, a rock-climbing wall and outdoor yoga. The ninth-floor terrace is the perfect place for receptions, during which attendees can watch the nightly Disney fireworks.
Satellite check-in makes life easier for planners and attendees, as groups can check in before they ever step into the lobby. And a strong focus on culinary makes the experience all the better. JW Bonnet Creek will have seven dining options, with a signature steak and seafood restaurant, as well as a biergarten.
Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin
Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort is a Disney-branded Marriott property—so yes, you’ll get your Marriott Bonvoy points. Separated into two different properties—Swan and Dolphin—each carries its own distinct mark. The 2,270-room Dolphin Hotel is the larger of the two. Enjoy unlimited wining and dining at Swan and Dolphin’s 10th annual Food & Wine Classic, set for Nov. 8–9.
In March 2021, The Cove will join Swan and Dolphin, which will add 349 guest rooms and more than 22,000 sq. ft. of meeting space, giving the complex a total 2,600 guest rooms and 350,000 sq. ft. of event space. The Cove will be a more meeting-oriented property, with nearly half of the rooms being business suites that can be transformed from traditional rooms into meeting spaces with conference tables and built-in audiovisual capabilities.
Orlando World Center Marriott
Orlando World Center Marriott is one of the largest properties in Orlando, with 2,009 guest rooms and 338,306 sq. ft. of meeting space, as well as the largest ballroom in the state, at 105,000 sq. ft. The emphasis on natural light is noticed upon entering the property’s spaces. Recreational facilities include an 18-hole golf course, a gym and two 200-foot waterslides.
Speakeasies have been trending in the last of years, including in hotel properties—but none are quite like the one at Marriott World Center. On the west side of the property, a secret door provides access to The Stockroom (it served as a stockroom for 20 years). Designed like a speakeasy, this intimate, Prohibition-style bar features dim lighting, brick walls and cushy sofas. Its specialty is craft cocktails, served as blues music plays. It’s available only to groups, and can fit up to 50 people. To say it’s “hidden in plain sight” isn’t just an expression.
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) has been selected as the top U.S. airport in the recently released 2019 U.S. airport rankings by The Wall Street Journal.
Phoenix Sky Harbor has branded itself as America’s friendliest airport and has excelled recently, with great Yelp reviews of airport restaurants, fast Wi-Fi and even therapy dogs to help stressed travelers relax.
PHX edged last year’s winner, Denver International Airport (DEN), which was ranked second. The Wall Street Journal ranked the largest 20 airports in the United States, as well the 20 next-largest airports, which were designated as medium-sized airports. Tampa International Airport (TPA) in Florida was the top-ranked airport in that category. While Tampa didn’t rank first in any of the 15 categories measured, it was consistently strong in most of them.
Rankings were determined by 2,500 subscribers’ responses to a questionnaire. The questions covered five measures of operations, five measures of value and five measures of convenience. Measures included average airfare cost, on-time arrival rate and levels of convenience. The average grade subscribers gave was a C+; the highest grade was only a B and six received grades of C or lower.
While many of the categories measured can be, and in some cases are being, improved upon by airports, some things, such as weather, are out of their control. One of things that could have enabled Phoenix to overtake Denver this year is the comparatively warm weather that Arizona enjoys.
Top U.S. Large Airports
Phoenix (PHX)
Denver (DEN)
Fort Lauderdale (FLL) and Detroit Metro (DTW)
Orlando (MCO)
Las Vegas (LAS)
Atlanta (ATL)
Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW)
Los Angeles (LAX)
Houston Bush (IAA)
Top U.S. Medium-Sized Airports
Tampa (TPA)
Austin (AUS) and Portland (PDX)
Nashville (BNA)
Sacramento (SMF)
San Diego (SAN)
Salt Lake City (SLC)
Oakland (OAK)
San Jose (SJC)
Houston Hobby (HOU)
To see if your most-frequented airports made the top 20 lists, check out the full table rankings here.
In the 12 weeks leading up to a trip, people search for experiences three times more than they do for hotel booking and eight times more than for flight searches, according to a recent study.
The research, done by Google and Greenberg, Inc., examined the behavior of travelers from the United States, United Kingdom, France and Germany, and focused on the growing trend of travelers searching for experiences at destinations. Despite trailing airline and hotel bookings on the digital plane in recent years, the travel experience industry is expanding at an incredibly fast rate. Phocuswright, a travel-market research company, predicted that it will grow into a $183 billion industry.
Myriad Experiences Available
Travelers have some general idea of what to expect when booking a flight or hotel room, and the options are limited, but booking activities and experiences is a much more varied and open-ended endeavor. Experiences can range from visiting the famed Louvre Museum in Paris to enjoying a hot-air balloon ride in Arizona.
The Google study found that 48 percent of searches for experiences were done after travelers had already arrived at their destination, which could indicate that many travelers looked for quick experiences after their business was settled and/or after they had learned more about the place.
Millennials’ Impact
This increase in search behavior for experiences was likely affected by a large number of millennials prioritizing them over products and other things. This preference was indicated in a report, 2018 Future of U.S. Millennial Travel, based on a Resonance Consultancysurvey. Given that millennials travel more than the general population—82 percent of millennials traveled last year, compared to 75 percent of all other generations—they likely helped to boost the overall increase in searches for experiences. And, since millennials are estimated to outnumber baby boomers by 2028, this trend is likely to continue.
Business Plus Leisure
The increase in searches for experiences makes sense when you also factor in the increasing popularity of “bleisure” travel, another phenomenon in which millennials are leading the charge, with more millennials (90 percent) engaging in bleisure than Gen Xers (81 percent) and baby boomers (80 percent), according to National Car Rental’s 2019 State of Business Travel Survey. Last year, 75 percent of business travelers said that they extended their trips to make time for leisure.
Whether for business or for leisure, people want the new experiences that traveling offers, and if their search history as revealed in the study is any indication, they put a high priority on them.
On Tuesday, November 26, union collective Unite Here will hold demonstrations at more than 16 airports across the country to rally attention as they attempt to secure higher wages and affordable health care for airline caterers who prepare meals for all onboard food service. The employers of the protesters are LSG Sky Chefs and Gate Gourmet—but demonstrators will direct their pleas to American Airlines.
American subcontracts the catering companies, so Unite Here aims to put pressure on the airline to encourage subcontractors to come to terms with the union. Although their performance is crucial to daily operations, Unite Here reports that 25 percent of its caterers earn less than $12 per hour, including many who have held their jobs for a decade or more. Additionally, a survey of Sky Chefs workers revealed 30 percent were uninsured medically, while 35 percent depend on government-subsidized health care.
Federal Intervention
In accordance with the Railway Labor Act, transportation employees cannot strike without approval from the National Mediation Board, which outlines a process of arbitration and provides federal mediation between the parties. Requests to strike were made over the summer by Unite Here, during which time similar protests were held at multiple national airports, some resulting in arrests and fines. The current protests are a response to the lack of progress made since June.
Unite Here president D. Taylor said that protests are not meant to disrupt holiday travel, saying “We don’t want to affect customers. We do want to get a message out.”
Airports with Planned Protests on Nov. 26:
Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT)
Chicago-O’Hare International Airport (ORD)
Dallas-Ft. Worth International Airport (DFW)
Denver International Airport (DIA)
Detroit Wayne International Airport (DTW)
Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL)
Houston Bush International Airport (IAH)
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
Miami International Airport (MIA)
Minneapolis International Airport (MSP)
San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK, New York)
