-
Travel2020: Anticipated cooling finally hits hot hotel development market
Lark Gould Travel, Hospitality & Event ManagementAfter forecasting a certain strength in demand for 2019, STR, a data benchmarking, analytics and marketplace insights source for the global hospitality sector, is seeing a softening following its August report. In a year-over-year comparison with August 2018, the industry saw a flattened occupancy rate at 71.4%, with the average daily rate (ADR) up 0.9% at $132.47 and revenue per available room (RevPAR) up 0.9% to $94.55. The hotel industry’s current expansion cycle has reached 114 months (March 2010-present), with year-over-year increases in RevPAR in 112 of those months.
-
Travel2020: Saudi Arabia tourism visa represents a final frontier for travelers
Lark Gould Travel, Hospitality & Event ManagementMuch as a woman in a niqab may show her face for a flash before veiling under the dark of her robes, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has been exposing slivers of tourism possibilities to the west and then masking them again in a play of calculated flirtation — until now. Travelers have long held the Kingdom as a bucket list destination. But, until now, Saudi Arabia remained off-limits for all but the most hardened travelers. All that changed in September.
-
Texas’ fishing quirks on display with 2 recent news stories
John McAdams Recreation & LeisureTexas is a very large state with a unique and colorful heritage. The gigantic state also offers hunters and anglers some incredibly diverse hunting and fishing opportunities. Not surprisingly, there are some especially interesting hunting and fishing stories that emerge from various parts of the state from time to time. Today, we’ll talk about two particularly noteworthy stories involving fish and fishermen in the Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston metropolitan areas that recently made the news.
-
The wonder of morning walks
Cindy Belt Recreation & LeisureHiking during the day is great. Exploring the trails, enjoying the views, and getting exercise are all great reasons to hike at any time of the day. However, I have found morning walks to be more satisfying. Here are my reasons.
-
Malls without walls: The stealth privatization of public space in the US
Lucy Wallwork Construction & Building MaterialsTo architects and urban designers, the "public realm" has become sacred in planning systems and urban visions over the last two decades. The space between buildings has become seen as equally consequential as the buildings themselves. This often results in captivating sketches and visualizations of new development or transformed town centers. But the creeping privatization of the land rights and management regimes that underlie those sketches is provoking questions about how the ownership of the public realm impacts our experience of it.
-
The loneliest road in America
Steve and Diane Owens Recreation & LeisureAfter many years, we are heading back to California for a visit. Our destination is the east side of the Sierra Nevadas: Tahoe, Mono Lake, Yosemite, and Stanislaus Forest. But first we must cross the vast desert land called Nevada. We have selected the "Loneliest Road in America" — Highway 50 — as our travel companion, a distance of about 600 miles from Provo, Utah, to the California border below Carson City. U.S. 50 is an incredible road, and a driver should be prepared for long distances between towns, high mountain passes, and winding narrow roads with many hairpin turns and no shoulders or guardrails.
-
World Mountain Ungulates Conference shows concerns, hope
Chester Moore Jr. Recreation & Leisure"What the heck is a mountain ungulate?" An Instagram follower asked this after I posted about attending the 7th World Mountain Ungulates Conference in Bozeman, Montana. It is a good question. Ungulate, after all, is sort of a strange word. The quick explanation is an ungulate is an animal with hooves and a “mountain ungulate” is any of the variety of sheep, goats, deer and antelope that inhabit the hills and highlands of the world.
-
What you should know about Texas’ newest gun laws
John McAdams Law Enforcement, Defense & SecuritySept. 1 was the effective date for most of the new pieces of legislation passed by the Texas Legislature in its most recent session. Among other changes, hunters no longer need to possess a valid hunting license to shoot feral hogs on private property with landowner permission. But there are also several new gun laws that just went into effect that you need to be aware of. These include House Bill 1143, which allows people with a valid License to Carry a Handgun (LTC) to store a firearm or ammunition in their vehicle on school grounds.
-
Community revitalization: 10 tips to get people to come downtown
Terri Williams Civil & GovernmentThe heart of any city or town is its downtown area. While the lure of the suburbs has seduced many to put down roots in the outlying areas, there are ways to coax residents back to the city — if not permanently, then at least for shopping, eating, and entertainment. Once they’ve experienced a fun, walkable downtown, they’re more likely to want to live there. But how can you get people to come downtown? Programming. "Essentially, programming means creating activities that drive people downtown," explains Quint Studer, a community revitalization expert.
-
State fairs: More than just funnel cakes and Ferris wheels
Dave G. Houser Travel, Hospitality & Event ManagementBeginning in 1841 in Syracuse, New York, state fairs have convened largely to showcase and celebrate livestock and agriculture. Over the years, these fairs evolved into carnivals, notable for their "step right up!" revelry, rickety rides, freak shows, unhealthy foods and unwinnable games. Today’s modern state fairs retain some of those elements but on a much, much grander scale. And with many of them now in their second century of existence, there’s plenty of history and tradition to celebrate.
All Recreation & Leisure Articles