Mic Check: The Soundtrack of Travel

Hey everyone! Wil Slickers here, back with the second edition of Mic Check!

If last week was about setting the stage, this week is about finding our rhythm. The response to the launch has been incredible, and it’s clear there’s real appetite for smart conversations that go beyond the headline scroll. Besides, that’s what this space is for! To give you the voices, ideas, and insights shaping the business of travel in real time.

Every episode we release across the Skift Podcast Network adds a new layer to that conversation. Whether it’s a CEO rethinking loyalty, an economist unpacking demand data, or a host challenging how hospitality should evolve next. My job here is to bring the best of those moments to your inbox so you can plug in and catch up, wherever you are.

Before we dive in, a quick thank you again to our podcast sponsors, EF World Journeys , Sierra , and Lodgify for supporting the conversations that keep this industry moving forward.

Now, let’s get into what’s worth listening to this week.

🎧 This Week on the Pods

If you haven’t tuned into the Skift Daily Briefing lately, now’s the time. The show just got a fresh new voice, Sarah Dandashy , who you might also know as co-host of Good Morning Hospitality, A Skift Podcast !

Every Tuesday through Friday, Sarah delivers the biggest travel stories in 3 minutes or less. In this episode, she breaks down the latest hotel pricing strategies, shifting power in online car rentals, and how tech outages are redefining airline reliability.

Suite Success: Masters of Hospitality joined Skift this year through the acquisition of Hospitality.FM and continues to highlight the people shaping modern hospitality.

In this episode, host Katie Cline talks with Julie Frank , Vice President of Design at Aspen Hospitality Group. Julie shares how her path from architecture in New York to leading design for brands like W Hotels, Nobu, and St. Regis influences how she approaches hospitality spaces today.

Wrapping up this week, Sarah Kopit and Seth Borko bring a new episode format to the Skift Travel Podcast. Skift’s Editor-in-Chief and Head of Research dig into the transatlantic slowdown, exploring why more than a million European travelers are skipping trips to the U.S. and what that means for global demand.

🎥 From the Stage and Screen

Skift Global Forum East is where we bring the ideas shaping travel’s future to life — from shifting traveler habits to the rise of new global hubs. It’s a stage where strategy meets storytelling, and this year’s sessions offered some of the sharpest insights we’ve heard yet.

One standout came from Seth Borko , Skift’s Head of Research. In his session, Seth explores how the center of gravity in travel is moving east, why the Gulf is emerging as a global hub, and how the experience economy and generative AI are redefining what growth looks like.

Watch the full session below for a data-backed look at how travel’s next decade is taking shape.

To see more exclusive content from Skift Global Forum East, make sure to log in with your Skift Pro Subscription or become a Pro Subscriber today to access the full library of on-demand sessions.

That’s it for this week’s Mic Check. Thanks for listening, reading, and being part of the Skift audience that never stops asking what’s next in travel.

If you caught something that sparked an idea, share it, tag it, or drop me a note. These conversations only get better when more voices join in.

Until next time, keep your mic on and your mind open!

— Wil Slickers, Director of Video & Audio Strategy