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Travel2020: 9 travel gadgets you never knew you needed

Lark Gould Travel, Hospitality & Event Management

This year’s Travel Goods Show in Las Vegas brought forth plenty of new luggage, carry-on solutions, and novel ways to rest on a plane. But the show, which brings together buyers and manufacturers in this $31.1 billion market, also highlighted solutions for things not always identified as problems. Some useful, if not quirky, innovations surfaced that deserve their moment in the spotlight, even if that light is a dim beam streaming from a ceiling panel on a plane.

Istanbul Airport’s great move completed

Matt Falcus Transportation Technology & Automotive

The story of one of the world's biggest airport projects took a huge step forward this month as the transfer of operations to the new Istanbul Airport was completed over a two-day period without any major problems. Set to become the world's largest airport, the new site north of Istanbul opened on Oct. 29 last year to mark the anniversary of the founding of the Turkish Republic. Since then, Turkish Airlines has operated a small number of daily departures from the facility ahead of the complete transfer this month.

You don’t bring me flowers anymore: When customers turn on you

Anne Rose Business Management, Services & Risk Management

One day you’re walking on water, the best thing since sliced bread, you can do no wrong, and your customer is going to tell all their friends how wonderful your product and service are. And the next day, wham, suddenly you’re a pariah, a nobody, the worst ever, and they’re going to report you to the authorities to have your licenses revoked, have you thrown in jail, and bashed on any social media that exists. What happened? Did you change overnight? Did the other person change overnight? Did the circumstances surrounding your relationship change overnight?

America’s best beaches for couples and families in the spring

Connie Ulman Recreation & Leisure

Winter has ended and, despite the occasional cold snap, spring is here. Many couples and families will be hitting the beaches this spring, and I hope to do the same. While most of my children are grown, we still have one adult child in the home who loves to travel and go to the beach. I’d like to share with you the best options for beaches in the spring whether you’re a couple or a family.

Small-business owners lukewarm — or worse — on new tax law

Seth Sandronsky Business Management, Services & Risk Management

At best, some owners of small firms are lukewarm about the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (TCJA) that Congress passed and President Trump signed. We turn to an April 10 public opinion poll from Businesses for Responsible Tax Reform. Among 501 small-business owners who were polled March 26-27 across the U.S. who have filed their taxes or are yet to finish their filing, nearly half, or 48%, reported that the new tax law did not make their profits or firms grow. About a quarter, or 24%, said the law caused them harm.

Travel2020: Reimagining the airline seat of the future

Lark Gould Travel, Hospitality & Event Management

Small may not be so beautiful for airline passengers; that is, if current concepts in economy seat design get a foothold in the airline industry. The airline seat of the future may not be a seat at all. In fact, if Italian seat designer Aviointerior has its way, it may be more of a, well, perch. While it may not be the first time such concepts have been proposed, perhaps the scary part is that this concept of stand-up airline seating keeps coming back to live another day.

Bigger isn’t better: Investors favor boutique stores and hotels

Linchi Kwok Travel, Hospitality & Event Management

Bigger is better, right? That’s why there have been more hotel mergers and acquisitions in recent years. There are also many hotel chains building larger loyalty programs to pull in more travelers. Besides hotels, Airbnb and online travel agents (OTAs) also want to get bigger through acquisitions. When it comes to product development, however, investors seem to favor small, boutique concepts over bigger ones. Here are a few examples.

The pros and cons of corporate events at sports venues

Wendy Parsley Travel, Hospitality & Event Management

We recently found ourselves at a football stadium that was playing host to a manufacturing industry conference and trade show. It didn’t take long for us to ask: are sports venues a good fit for corporate events? Let’s face it: finding unique event venues for corporate events with the ever-elusive "aha" factor can be challenging for event professionals everywhere. We are all on the hunt for the extra special place that offers a truly one-of-a-kind experience. But before you make the leap to say yes to a ballpark or basketball arena as your next event venue, be sure to think about all the potential pros and cons. Here are just a few that caught our attention.

Global travel is booming, creating millions of jobs in the process

Bambi Majumdar Travel, Hospitality & Event Management

The travel and tourism sector saw record growth in 2018, up to $8.8 trillion from $8.3 trillion in 2017. It has made huge contributions to the world’s combined gross domestic product and supports 319 million jobs. A report released by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) stated that travel and tourism generated 10.4% of the world's total economic activity in 2018. The rapid growth of travel and tourism in regions like Oceania, Southeast Asia, India, and China has contributed to this growth. The WTTC report states that travel is now responsible for creating one out of every five new jobs worldwide.

The best museums for planes, trains and automobiles

Dave G. Houser Recreation & Leisure

America has a long and proud history of being at the forefront of transportation technology. Examples include the Wright Brothers' historic first flight, Henry Ford's Model T, the Transcontinental Railroad, the Panama Canal, and, of course, the first lunar landing. Thankfully, the rich, colorful history of transportation in America has been preserved at a number of fine museums across the country. Read on to learn about eight of them that are well worth a visit.

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