Today's consumer no longer thinks about loyalty solely in terms of points and miles. That's created a growing opportunity for travel brands to rethink the strategies they use to build loyalty with travelers.

Luxury travel advisors can thrive with the help of tech, rather than fear it, according to Matthew Upchurch, CEO of Virtuoso, and Jack Ezon, founder of Embark. Their claim makes intuitive sense.

Hyatt and other hotels are increasingly in the business of opening their doors to all who need a place to sleep, as long as they pack a peaceful and inclusive attitude with them.

TripAdvisor is notable for having a large audience of consumers looking for ideas about where to go and stay and what to do once they're there. It's sensible that the company is adding features to bolster that edge over its transaction-focused rivals — as long as the company doesn't neglect transactions.

Google has developed solid travel booking and itinerary management tools, but won't push fully into the online travel booking business because of its lucrative role in online advertising. It looks like Google's bifurcated travel strategy will continue for some time.

The hospitality industry shouldn't forget its humanity, while continuing to innovate - just in a sensible and appropriate way. Strong message.

Puerto Rico Governor Ricardo Rosselló is not shy about advocating for the island's potential future as a U.S. state. At Skift Global Forum, he reminded us that the travel industry has a duty to fight injustice and build connections despite political drama.

American Airlines hopes that newer, nicer planes will resonate with its customers. After success with increased fare segmentation, though, it will be interesting to see how the airline drives revenue on its new fleet.

Frequent Airbnb customers have been waiting for some kind of program to reward them for their loyalty. They'll have to be patient.

The world is a brighter place because of travelers and millions of them increasingly want to spend their vacations doing good rather than showing off their new bathing suits or selfie sticks.

Disney shifted to seasonal pricing a couple of years ago, and the entertainment giant is drilling down even more with the latest changes. Visitors will likely grumble at the more complicated new system, but we don't expect Disney's business to suffer.

The newspaper business continues to go through an evolution in the digital era, all while the travel industry is thriving and demand grows for tours and activities. City Tours probably won't be the biggest revenue generator for the Times anytime soon, but it could do a lot to make the publisher cooler and more relevant.

Offering vacation rentals to customers might be some way off, but it shows Thomas Cook is at least thinking creatively about its place in the travel industry. If it is something people want — and they clearly do — then the company needs to at least consider it.

Much of Florida's beaches remain pristine and algae-free and other parts of the state are seeing a boost as tourists relocate their vacations. This year's red tide is the latest wake-up call to climate change that the state's tourism industry has had to grapple with.

Not long ago, all discount airlines needed to compete was cheap fares. But times change, and with legacy airlines poaching some of their customers, more ultra-low-cost carriers are taking loyalty seriously.