Wyndham’s Optimism, Southwest’s Strong Bookings and Malaga’s STR Crackdown

Good morning from Skift. It’s Friday, October 25, 2024, and here’s what you need to know about the business of travel today. 

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Episode Notes

Wyndham Hotels says it’s still seeing strong demand for leisure and business travel despite economic uncertainty, writes Senior Hospitality Editor Sean O’Neill.

CEO Geoff Ballotti said on Thursday that the company believes it won’t see a decline in leisure travel demand during the fourth quarter and throughout 2025. Ballotti added a continued drop in interest rates would help boost leisure travel. 

Next, Southwest Airlines reported it’s seeing strong bookings for the holiday travel season and healthy demand, writes Airlines Reporter Meghna Maharishi. 

Southwest also announced a truce with Elliott Investment Management, which had been pushing for changes at the airline. As part of the deal, it seems as though CEO Bob Jordan will remain in place. Maharishi reports that executives are upbeat on its new plan, which includes premium and assigned seating, red-eye flights, airline partnerships, and cutting capacity in underperforming areas. 

Finally, tourists will no longer be allowed to book short-term rentals in large parts of Malaga, Spain, starting in early November, writes Global Travel Reporter Dawit Habtemariam.

Malaga’s city council introduced new rules on Thursday prohibiting short-term rental registrations in 43 neighborhoods. The ban, which will last for up to five years, targets areas where more than 8% of homes are short-term rentals. Malaga joins Barcelona on the list of destinations worldwide to enact restrictions on short-term rentals in recent months.