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Machines, not workers wanted for Alibaba’s futuristic hotel
Linchi Kwok Travel, Hospitality & Event ManagementAlibaba, one of the largest e-commerce companies in the world, recently debuted a new hotel prototype in Hangzhou, China, where machines provide the services. This hotel of the future is called FlyZoo. The 290-room property maximizes guest-machine interactions but minimizes guest-staff interactions. Travelers, for example, can book and check-in into a hotel room with the FlyZoo App, as many other hotels have already offered with their apps. What makes the FlyZoo App stand out is that travelers can choose the room they want to stay in, including the floor the room is on and the direction the room is facing.
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America may need to rethink how it handles recycling
Scott E. Rupp Waste Management & EnvironmentalYears of educational programs and campaigns to drive awareness about recycling in the U.S. may be headed for the trash. As it turns out, the waste produced by consumption is overwhelming to the point that recycled materials no longer have a marketplace. According to The Atlantic, much of the recycled material is ending up in the trash. Where was the recycled trash going? China. Tons and tons of it were sent over on ships, with the materials remade into shoes and bags and new plastic products. But that’s changed.
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Credit this: Big banks step up loan approvals to small business owners
Seth Sandronsky Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementBig banks, those with assets of $10 billion or more, are feeling the love for small businesses. Loan approval rates with large banks rose in February versus January, according to the Biz2Credit Small Business Lending Index. "Overall, the cost of capital is relatively low," said Biz2Credit CEO Rohit Arora, in a statement. "Small businesses are looking to secure funding, and for many companies, recent financial performances have made them creditworthy borrowers." Biz2Credit's monthly research comes from over 1,000 small business credit applications on the firm's online lending platform.
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Baby boomers are changing the senior living paradigm
Michael J. Berens Construction & Building MaterialsHaving spent a lifetime demanding and indulging their independence, members of the baby boom generation are showing no signs of letting up as they prepare for their next life-stage. Now in their early 70s, leading-edge boomers are looking ahead to how they want to spend their later years. One thing most of them don't want is to wind up like their parents or grandparents in an isolated senior care facility. They are pressing builders and developers to give them more options to remain connected to their communities.
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Sint Maarten traffic bouncing back after hurricanes, but finances are precarious
Matt Falcus Travel, Hospitality & Event ManagementThe Caribbean island airport at Sint Maarten, popular for its low-flying aircraft over the neighboring beach, is slowly returning to normalcy following devastation from hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017, with more routes returning. However, a tricky financial situation is putting further pressure on operations. The two hurricanes wiped out much of the infrastructure on the twin-nation island, with Princess Juliana International Airport (PJIA) seeing its terminal out of action for months and the airfield in disarray. When flights tentatively resumed, passengers were forced to use tents as temporary arrivals and departures zones, and many of the airport's regular airlines suspended flights for a number of months.
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3 venues shaping the future of sporting events
Katherine Radin Sports & FitnessEvery sports season brings a new set of hopes for fans. While many are optimistic their team will make the playoffs or win a championship, others in some areas are looking forward to gaining a new team or venue in their town. From a fan experience perspective, outdoor viewing parties near stadiums have become popular in recent years, and arenas are continuing to progress much further than one could have ever expected. With promises of holograms and gondolas, let’s take a look at the current pulse of sports venue modernizations.
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Visiting energy sites on your travels
Cindy Belt Recreation & LeisureFrom water wheels to solar power, we are constantly adapting our energy sources in today’s world. Traveling allows you to see where the energy you use every day is produced and where scientists and engineers are studying new methods to produce energy. Even the old methods of energy production are fascinating. Many areas have museums or tours available to see energy production behind the scenes.
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Airbnb acquires HotelTonight amid transition to a travel enterprise
Linchi Kwok Travel, Hospitality & Event ManagementAirbnb made headlines again last week. The company is set to acquire HotelTonight, an online travel agent (OTA) that focuses on last-minute bookings through its website or a mobile app for hotel stays. Even though Airbnb is commonly known for its dominant position in the room-sharing market, the company has been aiming to become a massive travel enterprise. Besides hotels, Airbnb also competes directly with OTAs. According to The Wall Street Journal, adding more hotels to Airbnb listings has become a key strategy to boost growth before the company's initial public offering (IPO).
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Largest US bank divests from private prisons
Michelle R. Matisons Law Enforcement, Defense & SecurityJPMorgan Chase, the U.S.' largest bank with assets close to $3 trillion and a 2018 income of $41 billion, is no longer funding private prison companies. Last week, the financial heavyweight announced it will stop bankrolling GEO Group and CoreCivic, the largest builders of private prisons. This is a direct result of an activist campaign involving a coalition of organizations, all opposing immigrant detention in private facilities. It is estimated that up to 70 percent of all immigrant detention facilities are private. These facilities have long been criticized for being largely unregulated — unlike state-run facilities.
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Who makes the first offer?
Dale Willerton and Jeff Grandfield RetailWhen it comes to commercial leasing, who makes the first offer on a property for lease? The answer might surprise you! We strongly urge commercial tenants to leave that first offer to the agent or the landlord. The reason is simple. Once you have made that first offer, you will have shared your interest in a commercial property. By showing your cards (as you will) to the agent, you will have committed yourself to this commercial leasing deal. Once the agent’s first offer has been made, you have a number of options.
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