Skift

Skift Skift is a New York-based media company focused on the global travel industry. Founded in 2012 by Rafat Ali and Jason Clampet, the company produces daily news, research, events, and podcasts aimed at executives at airlines, hotels, online travel agencies such as Expedia Group and Booking Holdings, cruise lines like Carnival Corporation and Royal Caribbean Group, and tourism boards including VisitBritain and Tourism Australia. Skift's offerings intersect with major hospitality and transportation companies such as Hilton Worldwide, Marriott International, Delta Air Lines, American Airlines Group, and technology platforms like Airbnb, Uber Technologies, Google, and Microsoft.

History

Skift was launched in 2012 by Rafat Ali, a former entrepreneur associated with PaidContent and MediaPost, alongside Jason Clampet, previously of Conde Nast Traveler. The company emerged during a period of disruption involving TripAdvisor, Booking.com, and legacy chains such as InterContinental Hotels Group and AccorHotels. Early coverage included consolidation moves by Expedia Group and legal disputes featuring Airbnb and municipal regulators in cities like San Francisco and New York City. Throughout the 2010s, Skift expanded amid industry events such as the Arabian Travel Market and World Travel Market, reporting on mergers and partnerships involving Marriott International’s acquisition of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide and airline alliances like Oneworld and SkyTeam. As the global travel sector confronted shocks including the COVID-19 pandemic and geopolitical disruptions involving destinations such as Ukraine and Hong Kong, Skift broadened research capabilities and event programming to serve corporate leaders at firms such as American Express Global Business Travel and CWT.

Products and Services

Skift produces a portfolio of offerings tailored to decision-makers in hospitality, aviation, and tourism. Core products include daily news articles and feature reporting referencing industry actors like IHG Hotels & Resorts, Hyatt Hotels Corporation, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, and technology vendors such as Sabre Corporation and Amadeus IT Group. The company’s research arm publishes market reports and trend briefings that analyze data from sources including Statista and authoritative institutions like the World Travel & Tourism Council and the International Air Transport Association. Skift operates conferences and summits drawing executives from Delta Air Lines, United Airlines Holdings, Accor, and luxury brands including Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts and Ritz-Carlton, and runs newsletters and podcasts featuring interviews with leaders from Hilton Worldwide, Expedia Group, Airbnb, and investment firms such as Blackstone Group and KKR. Its event roster mirrors gatherings like Phocuswright Conference and ITB Berlin, while its research products reflect interests of corporate subscribers including airlines, hotel chains, and destination management organizations like Visit Florida.

Editorial Coverage and Influence

Editorially, Skift covers strategic developments affecting corporations and institutions across travel and hospitality, often profiling executives such as CEOs of Marriott International, Hilton Worldwide, and Expedia Group and reporting on regulatory matters involving city authorities in London, Paris, and Los Angeles. Coverage spans airline route strategies and alliances including Oneworld and Star Alliance, accommodation trends from short-term rentals by Airbnb to loyalty program shifts at IHG Hotels & Resorts, plus technology initiatives by Google and distribution debates involving Travelport. Skift’s investigative pieces and trend analyses are cited by major outlets and institutions such as The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and consultancies like McKinsey & Company and Deloitte, and they influence boardroom decisions at corporations including Carnival Corporation and Hilton Worldwide. The publication’s podcasts and interviews have amplified voices from tourism ministries, hoteliers, airline executives, and investment leaders from firms such as Goldman Sachs.

Business Model and Ownership

Skift operates on a mixed revenue model combining subscriptions, sponsored research, events, and advertising. Corporate subscriptions and premium research products are marketed to stakeholders at organizations like Expedia Group, Booking Holdings, Marriott International, and Airbnb. Event revenue derives from conferences that attract exhibitors and sponsors from companies such as Amadeus IT Group, Sabre Corporation, and hotel brands including Hyatt Hotels Corporation. Sponsored content and native advertising involve partnerships with airlines, hotel chains, and tourism boards including VisitBritain and Tourism Australia. Initially self-funded by founders with venture support from angel investors and industry executives, the company remains privately held and has explored strategic partnerships and sponsorships with trade organizations and investment firms like Blackstone Group and media partners in the trade-show space.

Reception and Impact

Skift has been recognized for focused business journalism that targets the travel and hospitality sectors, earning attention from industry leaders at Marriott International, Hilton Worldwide, Delta Air Lines, and Carnival Corporation. Its research and conferences have shaped industry discourse on topics such as pandemic recovery strategies, distribution economics involving Booking.com and Expedia Group, and sustainability initiatives advocated by organizations like UNWTO and World Bank. Critics and competitors, including legacy trade publications and mainstream outlets such as Condé Nast Traveler and The New York Times, note Skift’s niche influence among corporate executives and investors; analysts from McKinsey & Company and Deloitte cite its insights in sector studies. Skift has contributed to transparency around pricing, loyalty-program reforms, and platform regulation debates that involve municipal and national authorities across destinations like Barcelona, Singapore, and Tokyo.

Category:Media companies