Posted by John Mayfield
Travel
Friday, May 20th, 2011
Linen Tracking Technology
It seems almost acceptable that when travelers go to hotels, there is a tendency for guests to take home hotel towels. But new technology may prevent those guests from getting away with this theft.
A Miami-based company called Linen Technology Tracking has patented a washable RFID chip that can be sewn into towels, robes and bed sheets. The RFID chip will aid the hotels that employ the technology to keep inventory of their linens.
Linens are one of hotel’s biggest expenses and Linen Technology Tracking is hoping that their chip can help the hotels reduce loss by keeping track of the linens.
The New York Times reports that Linen Technology Tracking’s executive vice president, William Serbin said three hotels, which Serbin would not name, in Honolulu, Miami and Manhattan are currently using the chip.
Serbin, however, told the Times that the Honolulu property, which introduced the technology last summer, has reduced theft of its pool towels from 4,000 a month to just 750, saving more than $16,000 a month.
Besides the obvious theft deterrent, the company says the chip can also benefit hotels by reducing inventory time and labor, improve control and savings within the laundry process and help with the management of linen purchases.
Posted by John Mayfield
Travel
Thursday, May 12th, 2011
See These Wonders
With a focus on eco-travel, environmentally fragile destinations are always a pull. While welcome for the tourists’ dollars, travelers need to be mindful of not straining already distressed areas. Still, environmentalists warn that these spots may be gone if global warming continues. Visit these areas soon before they are taken away from us.
MADAGASCAR
Environmentalists warn that the forests in the world’s fourth-largest island will disappear in 35 years if nothing is done to save the island. Already the once 120,000 square mile area has been pared down to 20,000. The area is being destroyed by logging, poaching and burning and 20 species of lemurs are in danger of becoming extinct.
THE CONGO BASIN
The Congo Basin is the world’s second-largest rainforest and occupies more than 1.3 million square miles. The United Nations has estimated that up to two-thirds of the rainforest could disappear by 2040 unless effective measures are taken to preserve the area. The ten million acres of forest extends across six nations and much is lost each year due to illegal logging, farming, ranching and mining. Endangered animals such as mountain gorillas, bonobos, okapis and forest elephants are hunted by poachers and bushmeat hunters.
THE DEAD SEA
In forty years, the Dead Sea has receded by a third and sunk 80 feet. Resorts and restaurants which used to be ocean front are now a mile from shore. Cosmetic companies and potash producers have long mined the sea for its minerals. Surrounding countries farm water from the Jordan River, the Dead Sea’s main source, leaving the Sea with smaller amounts fresh water every year. Environmentalists war that the Dead Sea could disappear within 50 years.
THE POLES
The world’s largest non-profit ocean research group, The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, has warned that 80 percent of the emperor penguin population of Antarctica is in danger of extinction if global warming continues. With sea ice decreasing 3% per decade since the 1970’s in the Arctic, the polar bear is also endangered. In fact, the receding sea ice is causing entire ecosystems to disappear. Predictions of the Poles are that if global warming continues, no ice will form in Antarctica within 20-40 years.
Posted by John Mayfield
Travel
Wednesday, May 11th, 2011
Georgia’s Immigration Reform Bill
When Arizona passed an immigration reform bill, they did not expect the backlash on their tourism industry that they saw. The response to the passing of the Arizona bill caused an estimated loss of $141 million in tourist revenue due to cancellations of meetings and conventions according to a report by the Center for American Progress.
Now Georgia tourism officials are gauging the potential backlash from the signage of a similar bill by Georgia Governor Nathan Deal. The bill, among other things, allows law enforcement officers to ask about immigration status when questioning subjects during certain criminal investigations.
The Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau, calling the bill “unwelcoming,” has voiced its concerns by passing a resolution outlining their opposition. It is feared that the bill could promote racial profiling and amp up discrimination. According to the United States Travel Association, tourists spent almost $20 billion in Georgia in 2009.
With approximately 34 million tourists visiting Atlanta every year, the resolution implores the Governor Deal to take the negative effects that may come with the passing of the bill. “Atlanta’s hospitality community is concerned that negative perceptions associated with this legislation could tarnish Atlanta’s reputation as one of America’s most welcoming cities,” the Convention and Visitors Bureau resolution reads.
While there have not been any cancellations via the Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau thus far, the United States Human Rights Network announced that it would relocate its 2011 national conference in December from Atlanta if Governor Deal signs the bill. The group’s executive director Ajamu Baraka said, “Unless Governor Deal vetoes this bill or until it is repealed, the Network will honor its commitment to the rights of all individuals by taking its business elsewhere.”
Posted by John Mayfield
Travel
Friday, May 6th, 2011
Boost in Tourism
Today at WTM Vision Conference, disclosed research shows that the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia will undergo some of the world’s toughest incoming tourism evolution over the succeeding 5 years.
Euromonitor International Travel & Tourism Industry’s Nadejda Popova publicized that Saudi Arabia and UAE will grasp unswerving growth amid 2010 and 2015.
The Travel and Tourism Global Overview report advices Saudi Arabia, as the world’s leading oil exporter, to have one of the biggest compound yearly growth rates worldwide with 12.3 per cent for influxes over 2010-2015 which will produce a superfluous 9.3 million tourists to the country. This entitles Saudi Arabia as the fifth leading country in relation to absolute arrivals growth via the estimate review.
With the construction of 6 super cities that will aid create employment, draw asset and initiate commercial tourism, it is then spending seriously in economic expansion.
Being the 14th largest country with regards to absolute arrivals growth over 2010-2015, the United Arab Emirates will perceive an increase annually in arrivals throughout the forecast review period of 6.9 per cent, bringing about 3.6 million new arrivals.
Also, noteworthy infrastructure advancements, which are projected to substantially contribute to the budding of arrivals to the country, are taking place.
Dubai is also ready to cap its spot as an international air transportation hub with the inaugural of the world’s largest airport, Al Maktoum Airport, having a 160 million passenger-capacity a year. Moreover, this is an optimistic viewpoint for the region since Qatar will hold the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Although Popova ensured highlighting that the UAE, itself, has lingered “stable,” the “contagion of instability” and oil price upsurges are possible weaknesses during the region’s current civil and political strife. He likewise said there is going to be an outright increase in outbound travels from the UAE of 2 million between 2010 and 2015.
World Travel Market Exhibition Director Simon Press said, “The Middle Eastern tourism industry should take heart from these generally positive findings.”
Posted by John Mayfield
Travel
Friday, April 29th, 2011
New Islands Found
Discovery of hundreds of new islands all over the world is one thing that you don’t encounter every day.
According to a firsthand worldwide survey by researchers from Duke University and Meredith College in Raleigh, N.C., the Earth has 657 more barrier islands than formerly believed.
By using navigational charts, topographical maps and satellite images, researchers were able to identify a sum of 2,149 barrier islands in the whole world. Compared to the recognized 1,492 islands in a 2001 survey piloted without any assistance of widely accessible satellite imagery, the current total is indeed much greater.
Oftentimes, barrier islands appear as series of long, low, narrow offshore sand and sediment deposits, running parallel to a coast however disconnected from it by estuaries, lagoons or bays. These islands, not like static landforms, accumulate, erode, drift and reconstruct as time goes by in reaction to currents, tides, waves and other physical courses in the vulnerable marine milieu.
Overall, the world’s barrier islands size approximately 13,000 miles or 21,000 kilometers in length. They form just about 10% of the Earth’s interior coastlines and are situated in all continents excluding Antarctica and the entire oceans. Furthermore, the northern hemisphere is haven to 74% of these isles.
Barrier islands can be essential wildlife habitations. Also, they aid in safeguarding main lowland shores against storm and erosion destruction. The United States of America contains most barrier island counting to 405, together with those alongside Alaskan Arctic shoreline.
Duke University study team member Orrin H. Pilkey said, “This provides proof that barrier islands exist in every climate and in every tide-wave combination. We found that everywhere there is a flat piece of land next to the coast, a reasonable supply of sand, enough waves to move sand or sediment about, and a recent sea-level rise that caused a crooked shoreline, barrier islands exist.”
Posted by John Mayfield
Travel
Thursday, April 28th, 2011
FAA Caught Napping
It’s been almost two years since the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) vowed to allow their air traffic controllers to sleep or at least rest during overnight work shifts, but the plan has yet to come to fruition.
The effects of the cause of sleep deprivation on the aviation industry are not rocket science. In fact, the documented outcome of lack of sleep has resulted in 14 accidents with 263 deaths since 1993. The National Transportation and Safety Board has determined that fatigue was the direct cause or at least a factor that contributed to the incidents. The FAA has also acknowledged that lack of sleep on overnight shifts is a problem.
In light of the recent incidents where five air traffic controllers have reportedly fallen asleep on the job during their overnight shifts, there seem to be no progress and much debate over what seems to be a simple resolution.
The recognition of the issue of sleeplessness on the aviation industry is simple, however, finding a solution that is palatable to the government, unions, workers, airlines and the public is a much shakier prospect.
Considering the current United States economy, the reaction to the proposition of paying people to nap does not seem to be acceptable to anyone, other than the workers. And while it is anything but a secret that the sleeplessness of our aviation workers is a concrete problem, the solutions to this seem to come at a price that the industry does not want to pay.
Ironically, other countries have implemented some of the FAA’s own research to adopt regulations permitting pilot napping, including the European Aviation Safety Agency. Additionally the FAA has rejected its own research and that of agencies such as NASA when they have come to them with documentation and solutions regarding the issue of sleep deprivation.
There have been committees and advisories dating back to the early 1990’s advising the FAA of the problem of and solutions to the sleep deprivation of aviation workers, but currently the politics behind the entire industry has hindered a resolution to the problem.
Posted by Andrew Timms
Travel
Monday, April 25th, 2011
Songkran Festival Water Fight
On April 13, Thai’s traditional New Year hit off in Bangkok with a water fight great enough to break a record and claimed the title as the world’s largest water fight.
Songkran, which marks Thailand’s start of the lunar year, was celebrated by numerous merrymakers who took the streets soaking each other with balloons, buckets and water guns.
An American, Mike Rios, 28, who has resided in Thailand and Southeast Asia since 2006, says his first Songkran was nothing like he had ever experienced. “It’s chaotic but beautiful in its own way because of how much fun everyone’s having,” he said. “I felt like a little kid again, and I did for the whole week.”
Songkran is a term which came from Sanskrit indicating the movement of the sun from the Pisces to the Aries zodiac orbit. The water fights of contemporary Songkran have their origins in Hindu and Buddhist water ceremonies around 7,000 years ago.
A professor of Southeast Asian and Thai Studies at Cornell University in New York Dr. Thak Chaloemtiarana says, “The water-throwing we see now comes from how water used to cleanse spirits.”
According to Chaloemtiarana, a lot of modern Thais still celebrates their ancestors’ Songkran rituals nowadays despite the fact that Songkran has advanced into a “young person’s holiday” in the current years.
Similar to every Buddhist holiday, Songkran regularly starts with the practice of feeding and “making merit” to local monks.
During local temples visits, numerous Thais construct tiny sand models of “chedis” structures initially set up to house relics of the Buddha besides washing Buddha images.
London’s Royal Thai Embassy press secretary Rutchabhoom Boonrawd says, “Another celebration ritual is the annual unveiling of the Songkran Lady.”
As stated by traditional beliefs, the emblematic Songkran Lady foresees the country’s affluences for the forthcoming year. Unluckily, this year’s Songkran Lady is “riding an elephant and is angry” indicating that Thailand’s year will be packed with natural calamities, according to Boonrawd.
Posted by John Mayfield
Travel
Sunday, April 24th, 2011
Royal Wedding
In 2-weeks’ time, approximately 600,000 people will visit London for one of the most awaited royal occasions which is the wedding ceremony of Britain’s Prince William and his beloved, Kate Middleton.
Thousands of royal wedding travelers have already consumed a variety of the 90,000 hotel rooms all throughout the capital as it’s so-called to be the wedding of the century.
Yet, it’s not too late to catch a room.
Hotels.com managing director Nigel Pocklington said, “There is still availability for the royal wedding night. Around 50% of the hotels we sell still have some availability for that weekend.” Then, he cautions, “Now’s the time to book it, I wouldn’t leave it much later than this!”
Certain capital’s costlier creations have not yet occupied all their rooms whereas some hotels in London are fully booked by this time. On the other hand, if you’re eager to pay a bit more, you can still hitch a hotel in the most desirable places all over Westminster Abbey and Buckingham Palace with markdown charges on selected ones.
As stated by Hotels.com, London proprietors, generally, are currently looking over their rates to entice more people into the capital other than releasing additional rooms and doing away with reservations limits for instance, least possible days if you’re pursuing April 29 bookings. Nonetheless, the hotel reservation website advises that April charges are still more expensive compared to the regular London hotel rate.
Deciding on a hotel far off the processional route or even outside of London might be a preference if you’re on a close-fitting budget or not in the mood to be in the middle of a jam-packed London.
“If you’re looking to save a bit of money or book a bit smarter, the best thing to do would be to get out of (Central London) and go a few tube stops down the line or even into the suburbs,” said Pocklington.
Posted by John Mayfield
Travel
Friday, April 22nd, 2011
Shave Richard Branson’s Legs
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia – After losing a bet to a rival airline mogul, billionaire Richard Branson will have his legs shaved in public to dress up and serve as a flight attendant. This would be his next cutting-edge risk that would expose himself like never before.
According to Malaysian carrier AirAsia, the proclaimed winner of a charity auction will be paying a sum of $650000 for the honor. AirAsia said on Monday that the founder of the Virgin Atlantic would hand the razor to one of the 160 passengers on board during a special charity flight from London to Kuala Lumpur that he will personally give on May 1 while disguised as a female flight attendant.
Tony Fernandes, founder of AirAsia, and Branson made a bet during a Formula One race that the loser would have to serve as a female flight attendant on the winner’s airline. In a statement released by AirAsia, Fernandes said, “As an AirAsia flight attendant, Richard would have to comply to our grooming standards, and that includes shaving his legs. Rather than shave him myself, Richard and I thought we could have a bit of fun, engage with our guests and raise more money for charity if we opened up the opportunity to the highest bidder.”
The statement also said that the winner would be “invited to shave Richard once he’s unveiled as an AirAsia flight attendant” and the bidding would take place right before AirAsia flight leaves Stansted airport. Earnings from both the flight ticket sales and the bidding will go directly to beneficiaries identified by Branson’s nonprofit establishment, the Virgin Unite. A single one-way ticket aboard that flight would cost approximately $7300 that will also feature live bands and a magic show.
Branson would nevertheless be expected to put on some makeup, wear high heels, and perform all tasks done by a female flight attendant, said Fernandes.
Posted by John Mayfield
Travel
Monday, April 18th, 2011
Dubai’s “Super-fast Superbus
The Superbus appears similar to the product of an enamored locomotive link between a stretch limousine and DeLorean, with its doors that look like the wings of a gull and a framework of 15-meter long (50 feet).
The transportation’s Dutch developers at the Delft University of Technology are taking aim to transform the 21st century’s self-effacing travel rather than providing it for the wine-swigging party people.
The 6-wheeler bus, with a maximum speed of 155 mph (250 kph) and a 23 passenger-capacity transfer, challenges the expediency and suppleness of car-traveling having the speed and coziness commonly associated with rail trips.
The project’s general manager Wubbo Ockels said, “The strength to the concept is that the Superbus can drive everywhere where a normal bus can drive. It has adjustable height, rear-wheel steering and a turning circle of roughly 10 meters.”
Providing the passengers’ endpoint, Ockels envisions a web of “super tracks” (a fundamentally dedicated 2-lane freeways connecting a city to another) working together with traditional road networks empowering the Superbus to shift between 2 tracks.
Recently, during the 2011 World Exhibition of the International Association of Public Transport (UITP) which was held in Dubai, a model of the electric vehicle was presented hoping to entice investment for a test infrastructure development.
“At the moment we have a prototype. The next phase is an industrial prototype and the third level is the actual implementation,” Ockels said.
By way of what he calls Dubai’s “visions of sustainability”, he is still optimistic that it will provide the go signal to an experimental plan.
As far as this goes, it’s been a lengthy and costly road for Ockels and his squad. The year 2004 marks the start of this project and it has cost around €13 million ($19 million) until now by means of the technology advancements in Formula One racing and the aerospace industry.
Nevertheless, Ockels says that a production prototype would be substantially low-priced appraising around €2 million ($2.9 million).
