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Restaurants create social buzz, opportunity for hotel marketers

Bambi Majumdar Travel, Hospitality & Event Management

The recent 2018 Global Digital Report from We Are Social and Hootsuite revealed that a million new social media users are "born" every day. This is an incredible opportunity for hotel marketers. The 2018 CMO Survey showed that companies are spending 12 percent of their marketing budgets on social media. This percentage will accelerate in the coming years. Before they allocate budgets, it is essential that hotel marketers understand what kind of social posts work for them. A generic plan will not work.

Historic California wildfires ignite blame game

Michelle R. Matisons Law Enforcement, Defense & Security

You already know there are some serious wildfires burning in California and the west. So what’s new? What’s new is that the Mendocino Complex fire is now the largest in California history. This fire is so large that one astronaut on the International Space Station — 250 miles above Earth — tweeted a photo of the infernos as seen from space. The really bad news is that fires are expected to burn the rest of August as high temperatures further fan the flames.

Hotels try to pull in travelers with larger loyalty programs

Linchi Kwok Travel, Hospitality & Event Management

Bigger usually means better, especially when it comes to hotel loyalty programs. Otherwise, why are hotel chains building bigger travel rewards programs? Marriott acquired the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Group in 1995 and then Starwood Hotels and Resorts in 2016, but it was not until this April that the company announced its plan to combine the three chains' independent rewards programs under one operation. The merger of these three travel rewards programs brought a combined membership of 110 million travelers into the new program.

Should you refrain from posting your hunt on social media?

John McAdams Recreation & Leisure

It’s the same story over and over again: a hunter posts a photo on social media of an animal that he or she harvested, someone with a large social following expresses condemnation of the hunt, and then a firestorm of disapproval ensues for the next few days. Then, the whole process repeats itself a few weeks later. Regardless of where the hunt took place, the end result is never good: the hunter is the object of harassment, and the hunting community in general gets a lot of negative publicity in the media. So, what can be done to break this cycle?

Edmonton tackles fence security with autonomous vehicles

Matt Falcus Transportation Technology & Automotive

Edmonton International Airport (EIA) is leading the way in developing systems to protect the safety of its perimeter by introducing a new autonomous vehicle that offers an extra set of eyes around the miles of fencing that are hard to patrol in person. I reported last month about the problems airports are facing in securing the vast areas of land away from the passenger terminals, which could prove an easy target to those intent on breaking onto airport property and causing danger.

Wolves, transport infrastructure and ‘trophic cascades’

Lucy Wallwork Transportation Technology & Automotive

What have wolves got to do with railway lines? A video that has gone viral on YouTube tells the story of so-called "trophic cascades" through the reintroduction of wolves into Yellowstone National Park — a small-scale change that set off a chain reaction of responses in the park’s complex ecosystem. Yellowstone Park may seem a far cry from the transport infrastructure of our biggest cities. However, the same processes set in action by the wolves can help to better understand how we should approach planning our highways, railways and streets.

4 fascinating state capitol buildings

Cindy Belt Recreation & Leisure

A great place to visit in each state is a state’s capitol building. I love the history, the stories behind it, the architecture, and that visiting capitol buildings is free! Most capitols also have free tours available, so you can hear more stories. There are two issues to remember…you may need to go through a metal detector. Also, parking can be difficult in these cities. Parking an RV would be very difficult. Here are four intriguing capitol buildings.

Going underground: America’s most amazing cave tours

Dave G. Houser Recreation & Leisure

With more than 50,000 caves within the United States, there’s a mysterious and intriguing world to explore beneath the surface. Natural caverns reveal spectacular geologic formations like you’ll never see on the surface. For some, the prospect of venturing underground is exhilarating. For others it is frightening. But as noted author and mythologist Joseph Campbell once wrote, "The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek." So, strike your best Indiana Jones pose — and let’s go spelunking!

How Anthony Bourdain changed both food and travel

Bambi Majumdar Food & Beverage

The news about Anthony Bourdain's suicide on June 8 shook the world. His work reached across the food, travel and media industries but it touched millions. From the streets of Bangkok to diners in cowboy country, he explored the food that locals loved and devoured. He taught us to celebrate the differences in culture and appreciate the exotic. He also gave us a glimpse of the restaurant world, which is as harsh as it is creative.

Airlines, restaurants and hotels are switching to more sustainable products

Linchi Kwok Travel, Hospitality & Event Management

From airlines to restaurants and hotels, the hospitality and tourism industry is responding to the calls for more sustainable products. A small move, as “simple” as dropping plastic straws, could make a significant impact on the planet. For example, Starbucks announced in July that the company would eliminate single-use plastic straws in over 28,000 stores. This "small" move alone is expected to eliminate more than 1 billion plastic straws per year.

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