Uber goes deeper into the journey with the Hopper deal

Good morning from Skift. The day is Wednesday, May 10. Here’s what you need to know about the travel business today.

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Uber is gradually increasing its ride portfolio. The company has entered into a partnership with Hopper, an online travel agency that gives its users in the UK the opportunity to book flights and buy fintech products, reports editor-in-chief Dennis Schaal.

Schaal announced in mid-May that Uber is introducing its flight booking feature to a small number of UK users, with plans for a full rollout this summer. In addition, a number of Hopper services are available to Uber UK users, including refunds in the event of flight cancellations or flight disruptions for any reason.

Further, despite price increases, American travelers are generally not eager to reduce their travel budget. Skift Research’s newly released US Travel Tracker report shows that due to inflation, many consumers are looking forward to spending cuts on travel.

A recent survey by Skift Research found that 70 percent of US travelers have experienced high travel prices when booking travel. However, 5 percent of respondents said they would reduce or reduce their travel expenses. Senior research analyst Varsha Arora wrote that while a growing number of Americans believe the nation’s economy will get worse next year, more than half believe their personal financial situation will improve over the next 12 months.

Arora added that nearly 60 percent of Americans traveled in March 2023, a 4 percent increase from last December.

Finally, Choice Hotels saw bookings surpass pre-Covid levels, despite broad pessimism about the US economy. Why is the company enjoying so much success recently? The increase in Choice bookings is due to the rise of combined business and leisure travel, reports senior hospitality editor Sean O’Neill.

CEO Patrick Pacius said during Choice Hotels’ first-quarter earnings call Tuesday that remote work is helping to drive its strong performance. O’Neill said the company has benefited from more travelers extending their weekend trips to shoulder days than before Covid. Choice Hotels reported a 2 percent increase in occupancy on Thursday and Sunday compared to 2019 levels.

Choice Hotels generated net income of approximately $53 million in the first quarter.