Skift Take
Today’s edition of Skift’s daily podcast looks at Hong Kong’s quarantine relaxation, Trip.com Group’s earnings, and the touristic pull of summer music festivals.
Good morning from Skift. It’s Monday, September 26. Here’s what you need to know about the business of travel today.
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Episode Notes
Airlines are rushing to take advantage of pent-up demand for travel to Hong Kong, with the territory ending its mandatory three-day hotel quarantine for visitors on Monday. Cathay Pacific Airways and British Airways are adding flights to Hong Kong to their schedules, reports Edward Russell, editor of Airline Weekly, a Skift brand.
Cathay Pacific, Hong Kong’s flag carrier, announced it’s adding flights to both long-haul and Asian destinations, including a return to Tokyo Haneda Airport on November 1. Japan is restoring visa-free entry for independent travelers from October 11. Meanwhile, British Airways will resume flights from London Heathrow Airport to Hong Kong on December 5. The carrier suspended service in December 2021 after the territory reintroduced strict travel restrictions due to the Omicron surge.
Although Cathay Pacific said the easing of entry rules would spur travel to Hong Kong, Russell writes the damage to the territory’s status as a major aviation hub may already be done. American Airlines and Virgin Australia, among other carriers, have announced they don’t intend to return to Hong Kong for the foreseeable future.
Next, amid recent struggles for domestic tourism in China due to surging Covid cases and extensive travel restrictions, Shanghai-based online travel giant Trip.com Group rode increased revenue from its international brands to a profitable second quarter, reports Executive Editor Dennis Schaal.
Trip.com Group reported in its recent second quarter…