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Twelve other travel Megatrends f rom Skift in
this annual package speak about tech-enabled
upselling entering a new era; emerging destina-
tions reacting against overtourism with a push
for meaningful growth; low-cost carriers around
the world running into various headwinds in
the face of rapid growth and competition from
mainline carriers; online booking companies really
scrambling for the next phase of their growth
and stumbling and succeeding in various ways;
the next phase of travel loyalty programs; and
labor issues and shortages becoming a bigger
and bigger issue for hospitality sector companies,
among other trends.

As Skift grows in various geographies around the
world and our brand moves into covering the
travel-adjacent sectors of dining and wellness,
we will continue to cast a wide net on the ways
travel is changing the world and vice versa, our
original promise when we launched Skift six
years ago.
Travel’s larger role in the world is now a given,
and we at Skift continue to push and prod the
industry in various ways, even if sometimes that
The bigger picture Skift is watching in the means pointing out the uncomfortable truths
coming year will surround the settling down of about the travel sector. That’s what I did in my
gains made by the travel sector in 2018 — the piece in August on the “21 Uncomfortable Truths
recovery of many regions around the world — That I Have Learned About the Travel Industry” as
while the larger turmoil in geopolitics continues I saw it, a story that generated tons of reaction
to play out. This seemingly contrary faultline — from the industry.
ongoing turmoil as the new normal and travel’s
continued rise in all parts of the globe — in my We will continue to serve in the watchdog+in-
opinion is one of the most fascinating tensions novator role at Skift as we grow; the Megatrends
to watch in the world. we present here fit into that larger narrative arc
we have created.
The other major battle we’re following is the big
tech backlash. The year 2018 proved to be the year Please let me know if you have any feedback for
of tech backlash, as we predicted at the start of our work here, or if you would like for us to help
this year. Will these platforms clean up the mess you and your company understand the larger
NOTE of hyper-addictive products, fake news blight, Megatrends affecting your business. Email me
FROM and digital harassment issues? It looks like at at ra@skift.com.
THE least they are moving toward giving consumers
CEO The Skift Megatrends annual package is the largest annual effort from more control over data, though regulation seems
the Skift global editorial team. These Megatrends defining the future of to be where we’re heading. Regards,
travel in 2019 and beyond reflect our work on connecting the dots through
Skift’s intensive daily editorial and long-term Skift Research coverage of In travel, there is more consciousness over Rafat Ali
various parts of the travel industry, our hundreds and hundreds of hours of giving more control to consumers as well while
talking directly to the leaders and operators in the travel industry, and our building in serendipity and surprise, and our CEO and Founder
surveys, interviews, and focus groups with travelers throughout the year. flagship Megatrend for 2019 speaks to that. That
Megatrend alone casts a big net across product, Skift
marketing, tech, and sales for every travel brand
creating experiences for travelers.

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