About this episode
Have a question about the business of travel? Get your answer at Ask Skift . Episode Notes Inflation is still a major concern for many American travelers, but rising prices aren’t putting a dent in travel demand. More than 50 million Americans are expected to travel for this year’s Fourth of July , reports Associate Editor Rashaad Jorden. Travel organization AAA projects the number of Americans traveling for this year’s holiday will surpass the record set in 2019. A AAA executive said consumers are still looking to travel in large numbers despite concerns about inflation. Roughly 64% of respondents to a survey by travel news site The Vacationer said surging prices were affecting their travel planes. Jorden notes the U.S. airline industry is also optimistic about a banner Fourth of July weekend. The TSA projects more than 17 million travelers will fly for the holiday. In addition, the agency anticipates setting a single-day record for screenings on June 30. Next, Priceline has become the latest online travel agency to enter the world of artificial intelligence. The company has released an AI-powered platform as well as an AI chatbot, writes Reporter Jess Wade. Wade writes Priceline’s new AI platform Trip Intelligence provides travelers a list of personalized hotel recommendations and enhanced payment security among other features. Meanwhile, Priceline’s AI chatbot — named Penny — can be used as a local guide, help desk contact and 24/7 concierge. The company added that Penny can complete bookings within the chatbot interface. Priceline’s announcement came shortly after Booking.com unveiled an AI-powered trip planner as part of its Genius travel rewards program. We end today with a look at the occupancy levels for short-term rentals. Are they up or down? Short-Term Rentals Reporter Srividya Kalyanaraman writes the answer depends on what data you’re looking at . Short-term rental firm platform Beyond reported that occupancy levels for this July were roughly 5 percentage points under the figure from the same month last year. However, short-term rental data provider AirDNA found occupancy levels were a little more than 5 percentage points above 2019 levels in May of this year. The company also said demand for short-rentals increased roughly 12 percentage points in May 2023 from the same month a year ago. Kalyanaraman writes there are several reasons for the discrepancies, including base-year comparisons and seasonal changes.