U.S. national parks were established toensure visitors would always have access to the parks’ beautiful landscapes and natural wonders. But a recent proposal to raise entrance fees at popular parks has drawn outrage from many visitors who argue they wouldn’t be able to afford higher fees. The message was heard: Officials are reconsidering the price hikes. The Washington Post reported last week that the U.S.

Can an A-list be an A-list if you have to pay to be on it? That’s the question facing the travel advisor industry today after Travel + Leisure announced it would charge $4,000 a pop to those who want to be on its “A-List” of top travel agents. While agents dominate the list, it also includes some bespoke tour operators and representatives of destination marketing companies. Veteran A-Listers recently received a letter, announcing a move to a membership-based system.

The Skift Airline Innovation Report is our weekly newsletter on the business of airline innovation. We look closely at the technological, financial, and design trends at airlines and airports. Brian Sumers writes and curates the newsletter, and we send it on Wednesdays. You can find previous issues of the newsletter here. If you want to impress your friends with aviation trivia, tell them about Qantas flights 11 and 12, operating the carrier’s daily route between New York and Los Angeles.

As legacy airlines seek to compete with scrappy, low-cost competitors across the Atlantic, some are ending a traditional perk on their cheapest tickets — free checked luggage. Beginning April 10, Delta, Air France/KLM and Alitalia are implementing basic economy fares for transatlantic flights that require passengers to pay for their first checked bag, and do not permit travelers to receive advanced seat assignments.

Each week we round up travel startups that have recently received or announced funding. Please email Travel Tech Editor Sean O'Neill [email protected] if you have funding news. The total publicized this week was more than $24 million. >>HolidayMe, a Dubai-based travel agency, has raised $12 million in a Series B funding round. It did not disclose who the lead investors were. The company has raised $23 million, to date.

Throughout the week we post dozens of original stories, connecting the dots across the travel industry, and every weekend we sum it all up. This weekend roundup examines aviation. For all of our weekend roundups,go here. >>Great Lakes Airlines is essentially going out of business. The Regional Airline Association is using this as a chance to lobby politicians to relax requirements on pilot training. But that’s probably not necessary.

Event technology has helped revolutionize the process of planning a meeting along with the experience for attendees. The space is crowded with competing products and platforms, however, adding an additional layer of complexity for planners. In our new Event Tech Evolution Interview Series, we're talking to leaders at the companies defining the future of the event technology space with an eye on the trends and disruptions to come. You can read all of the articles in the series here.

The Skift Airline Innovation Report is our weekly newsletter on the business of airline innovation. We look closely at the technological, financial, and design trends at airlines and airports. Brian Sumers writes and curates the newsletter, and we send it on Wednesdays. You can find previous issues of the newsletter here. If you’re a frequent long-haul traveler, you’re probably familiar with the spectacle of an airplane breakfast.

Hundreds of the travel industry’s most-forward-thinking executives will gather for our second annualSkift Forum Europe in Berlin on April 26.In just a few years, Skift's Forums — the largest creative business gatherings in the global travel industry — have become what media, speakers, and attendees have called the “TED Talks of travel.” After last year's European tourism comeback, Skift Forum Europe 2018 will take place at Cafe Moskau in Berlin.

Editor's note: This series, called Airline Insiders, introduces readers to behind-the-scenes decision-makers for airlines. Unlike our ongoing airline CEO series, Future of the Passenger Experience, we will not question the highest-ranking executives here. Instead, we will speak with insiders who guide decisions on airline operations, networks, marketing, and the passenger experience. You can read all the stories in the series here.