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Travel2020: Overtourism, safety, climate change now top concerns for travelers

Lark Gould Travel, Hospitality & Event Management

The results of a recently released annual survey paint a picture of rapidly changing priorities among travelers, driven by growing concerns over safety, more conscious travel values, and the quick adoption of new platforms in the sharing economy. The research hails from the 29th annual MMGY Travel Intelligence report: The 2019 Portrait of American Travelers survey. Here are some highlights from the latest edition of the travel survey.

The future is when? The state of emerging technologies

Tory Barringer Science & Technology

On July 16, Elon Musk — billionaire, physicist, founder of multiple envelope-pushing tech startups and the real-life answer to Marvel’s Tony Stark — unveiled his latest project: Neuralink, an implantable "neural interface" designed to merge human and machine minds. It's a technology that, until recently, existed only in the realm of science fiction. But as we prepare for the grand future we've seen in movies and books, a dose of perspective might be in order. After all, it wasn’t that long ago when people envisioned cars zipping across city skylines in the year 2000. With that in mind, here's a quick rundown of some other major technological advancements and how they’re coming along.

Amazon prepares to disrupt the travel industry

Bambi Majumdar Travel, Hospitality & Event Management

The partnership between Amazon and Indian travel firm ClearTrip, announced earlier this year, revealed some of Jeff Bezos' vision for disrupting the travel industry. While this is not the first time that Amazon has made a foray into travel, the approach is radically different. The company's travel experiment in 2015 did not work, but that did not stop Amazon from thinking about travel. Its reentry into the online travel business could have far-reaching consequences for all.

TPWD’s drawn hunts offer a variety of opportunities for sportsmen

John McAdams Recreation & Leisure

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) recently began accepting applications through its Public Hunt drawing system for the 2019-20 season. Completely separate from the Big Time Texas Hunts that hunters may also apply for, the hunts offered through the Texas Public Hunt System are great opportunities for sportsmen and women to hunt big game, small game, waterfowl, and upland bird species at over 70 different hunt areas in Texas. Just like the types of game offered on these hunts, the locations the drawn hunts take place at are extremely varied.

America’s 10 deadliest national parks

Dave G. Houser Recreation & Leisure

Last September, Tomer Frankfurter, an 18-year-old student from Israel, was hiking in Yosemite National Park when he decided to go for a "selfie" standing atop a cliff next to 594-foot Nevada Fall. Sadly, the teen lost his balance and plunged hundreds of feet to his death on the rocks below. Scarcely a month later, a California couple suffered the same fate — falling 800 feet from a ledge at Yosemite’s Taft Point. These widely publicized deaths remind us that while the nation’s superb park system is meant to offer healthy, outdoorsy adventures, there's a darker side to what can happen at these parks that often goes unnoticed.

What to upgrade, eliminate and replace for a better RV

Cindy Belt Recreation & Leisure

RV manufacturers want to make a profit, but the way they skimp on costs is a pain to consumers. The average new RV is $100,000 to $150,000, yet we still have to upgrade an RV after we purchase it. Here’s my list of items that can be eliminated and replaced or should be upgraded in new RVs.

3 things that make it hard to fire someone in any industry

Catherine Iste Business Management, Services & Risk Management

Terminations are stressful for everyone. While there are challenges unique to firing specialists in any industry, there are a few things that make it hard to fire someone regardless of industry. Here are some common challenges around terminations and strategies for addressing them. For example, documentation is one of the most common issues with terminations. In some cases, we do not have enough documentation.

Is the current market too tough for upscale restaurants?

Linchi Kwok Food & Beverage

Operating a restaurant is never easy, but is it particularly challenging for upscale restaurants? Restaurants Unlimited Inc., for instance, which operates 35 fine-dining and "polished casual" eateries, filed for bankruptcy in Delaware last week. In June, the Four Seasons Restaurant, an iconic spot for power lunch in Manhattan, also closed for business less a year after its reopening. Are these two examples isolated cases or the tip of the iceberg? If upscale restaurants are struggling to survive in today’s market, what challenges are they facing?

How to plan a Disney World vacation on a budget

Julie Anne Wells Travel, Hospitality & Event Management

Disney World might be the happiest place on earth, but it also happens to be pretty expensive. While there isn't much you can do about the price of park tickets, there are ways to make your Disney dreams come true without breaking the bank. Here are a few tips any family can use to make their Disney World vacation more affordable.

Making the best of days where it all goes wrong

Anne Rose Business Management, Services & Risk Management

Have you ever had one of those days where nothing goes right and everything goes wrong? No matter what you touch, there’s a screw-up. At the end of the day, you have nothing to show for your work and just wish you could have a "do-over." I had one of those days recently. Absolutely nothing went right. Total failure. Failed culinary skills. Failed computer skills. I was a failure. The day was a failure! The next morning it occurred to me what my biggest failure was: measuring my day by whether or not activities proceeded according to my plan.

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