About this episode
EPISODE NOTES Denmark’s national tourism board VisitDenmark is tapping into artificial intelligence to boost interest among prospective visitors. Its latest tourism campaign includes foreign landmarks, with an assist from Artificial Intelligence, playfully urging travelers to visit Denmark, reports Contributor Samantha Shankman. The campaign features iconic attractions such as the Mona Lisa and Statue of Liberty telling travelers they should head to Denmark instead of coming to see them. VisitDenmark’s Marketing Director Dennis Englund said the organization aims to show the opportunities the country provides, especially outside of its major cities. Englund added VisitDenmark learned about AI’s strengths and weaknesses in content creation while developing the campaign. Next, New York’s Gansevoort Hotel is facing competition to attract the consumers increasingly interested in fine art and luxury goods. So the boutique property is undergoing a $30 million facelight to remain relevant in Manhattan’s changing Meatpacking District, reports Contributor Leslie Barrie. As the Meatpacking District has transformed from the center of New York’s nightlife into a neighborhood with luxury shops, Barrie writes the Gansevoort is becoming an adult version of itself. The hotel has remodeled its rooms, lobby and check-in. It’s also increased its art collection, with the aim of becoming a cultural hub instead of a nightlife epicenter. Barrie also writes that some of the quirks that made Gansevoort appropriate for a New York’s nightlife hot spot are gone. But she adds the hotel must walk a fine line between working with its brand recognition from that era and appealing to deep-pocketed consumers in a rapidly gentrifying neighborhood. Finally, China has issued more than 18,000 visas to Indian travelers this year despite a lack of direct flights between the two countries, writes Middle East and Asia Reporter Amrita Ghosh. Ghosh reports Indian travelers have passed through Nepal and Myanmar, among other countries, to reach China. A Chinese official said Beijing was working with India to resume direct flights linking the two countries, which have been disrupted since the start of the pandemic. Ghosh adds that Indian tourists have paid steep airfares to travel to China. For more travel stories and deep dives into the latest trends, head to skift.com. To find these stories and more insight into the business of travel, subscribe to Skift daily newsletter at skift.com/daily.