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Active Travel, Adventure Travel, benefits of travel

12 Getaways for Rejuvenation this Spring

Tortuga Beach, Santa Cruz, the Galapagos.The adventurous 11-day Darwin Discovery Tour in Ecuador combines the incredible Galapagos Islands and Amazon Rainforest © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com.

The season of renewal is here, and with it, the perfect opportunity to revitalize your mind and body. Research shows that nature is a powerful stress-reducer and well-being booster. Spring’s mild weather and vibrant scenery make it the ideal time to embrace these benefits. Ready to recharge? Here are 12 travel ideas to inspire your spring rejuvenation.

American Road Trip 2.0: Nothing is more rejuvenating than jumping in your car and heading out on an American road trip, and AdventureGenie is the world’s first AI-powered, end-to-end system for planning one. It offers the most immersive, innovative, and intelligent adventure travel planning tools available. Whether starting from a curated GenieTrip or creating a fully customized and personalized journey from your own ideas, AdventureGenie’s got you covered. https://adventuregenie.com/

Bentonville Biking Adventure: On this six-day family mountain biking tour of Bentonville, Arkansas, guests will have the option to explore over 140 miles of bike trails while staying in a luxurious vacation home equipped with an oasis pool, water slide, hot tub, and a fleet of bikes and tools. Escape Adventures trip leaders will prepare meals and provide itineraries based on age and skill level. Highlights include the Slaughter Pen trail system, the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Hobbs State Park, Coler Park and Bella Vista. https://escapeadventures.com/tour/bentonville-mountain-bike-tour/

Yellowstone Fly Fishing: Take an expertly guided float down the Yellowstone River on one of Flying Pig Adventures’ custom rafts while you enjoy the spectacular scenery, the abundant wildlife, and world-class fly fishing. Just outside Yellowstone Park, the upper stretches of the Yellowstone River are lightly fished, but hold large numbers of native cutthroats, rainbows, and brown trout. Private access to the river allows guides to take guests where the fish are without fighting the crowds. https://www.flyingpigrafting.com/yellowstone-fly-fishing

Darwin Discovery Tour: This adventurous 11-day journey in Ecuador combines the incredible Galapagos Islands and Amazon Rainforest. Using Scalesia Galapagos Lodge and Finch Bay Hotel as a base, guests will explore Isabela and Santa Cruz islands, and take a yacht to other nearby islands. Next, visit the Amazon, and from the comfortable Sacha Lodge, head into the jungle on expertly guided tours to discover colorful birds, fascinating reptiles, many monkeys, and an array of other wildlife. https://www.scalesialodge.com/programs/

Turkish Archaeology Cruise: On Peter Sommer Travels’ Cruising to Ephesus tour in Turkey, follow the shores of Caria and Ionia in a traditional gulet, and visit ancient cities with an archaeologist as guide. Starting in Bodrum, explore the remains of the port town of Iasos, the mountaintop sanctuary of Zeus at Labraunda, the huge Temple of Apollo at Didyma, the vast center of Miletus, the wooded setting of Priene, and magnificent Ephesus, with its expansive theater, ornate library and remarkable Terrace Houses. https://www.petersommer.com/tours/ephesus-cruise-turkey

Alaska Northern Lights: On Gondwana Ecotours’ Alaska Northern Lights Adventure, guests will get a dose of local culture by day and photograph the Aurora Borealis under the massive Alaskan sky by night. Highlights of the tour include dogsledding through snowy forests, taking curling lessons from locals, enjoying a meal with homesteaders, soaking in a geothermal hot spring, learning how to photograph the Aurora Borealis, snowshoeing on private land, having tea with a family of reindeer herders, and more. https://www.gondwanaecotours.com/adventure-tours/northern-lights-tour-fairbanks-alaska/

Machu Picchu Multisport: With Adventure Life, travel from Cusco, Peru, to the Inca citadel of Machu Picchu, enjoying active excursions and accommodations at lodges along the way. Hike to the ancient Sacsayhuaman and Q’enqo archaeological sites, kayak or paddleboard at Lake Piuray, bike from Maras to Ollantaytambo, go ziplining or horseback riding in the Sacred Valley, then ascend to and tour the Machu Picchu citadel itself. Rains typically taper off by April, before high-season arrives in June. https://www.adventure-life.com/peru/tours/18040/lodge-based-machu-picchu-multisport-adventure

Wine Country Weekend: Just north of San Francisco, the winding Russian River meets the dramatic Pacific coastline, shaping if not sheltering a world all its own. Escape Adventures offers an idyllic three-day road biking tour in this romantic landscape, quilted with a colorful patchwork of old growth redwoods, fruitful vineyards, historic towns, and beautiful gardens. https://escapeadventures.com/tour/napa-valley-weekend-road-bike-tour/

Jackson Hole Tiny House: Wyoming’s Fireside Resort offers 25 luxuriously outfitted tiny house rental units designed by Wheelhaus just a short distance from Grand Teton National Park and the Jackson Hole ski slopes, making it the perfect weekend getaway. https://www.firesidejacksonhole.com

Arizona Ranch Getaway: Visit Rancho de la Osa in Arizona for classic dude ranch activities, and Southwestern color and charm amid spring’s high-desert bloom. Try horseback riding, archery and shooting, or go hiking and birding at neighboring Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge, then enjoy fresh, hearty, and healthy meals highlighting regional cuisine, and spend the night in accommodations once visited by the likes of Zane Grey and Eleanor Roosevelt. https://www.ranchodelaosa.com/

Piedmont Wine + Hiking: The Langa and Roero regions of Piedmont are in one of the most important wine production areas in Italy and received UNESCO World Heritage status in 2014. This Tourissimo hiking tour of Piedmont takes guests to the heart of these regions, over rolling hills covered with endless vineyards, and past ancient castles and hidden hilltop hamlets. Travelers will see how connected the local people are to the land, and how they take pride in everything they produce. https://www.tourissimo.travel/piedmont-barolo-hiking

Big Sky Spring: In Big Sky, Montana, spring can bring adventures ranging from snowy to sunny. Using The Wilson Hotel as your base, ski the slopes of Lone Peak a final time in March and April, then, as the snow melts and temperatures warm in May and June, hike or bike the wildflower meadows and mountains surrounding town, go fly fishing or whitewater rafting on the famed Gallatin River, or explore the natural wonders and wildlife of Yellowstone National Park. https://thewilsonhotel.com/

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Benefits of Travel & Tourism

National Plan for Vacation Day is Jan 25: Battle Burnout by Taking Time to Plan

Family at Grand Teton National Park. January 25, 2022 is National Plan for Vacation Day. “After nearly two years of living with the pandemic, Americans are in serious need of the reset that a vacation offers, no matter how near or far it may take you,” said U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Roger Dow. “National Plan for Vacation Day is the perfect opportunity to sit down with family and friends and make plans for much-needed time off for the rest of the year.” © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com

After nearly two years of pandemic-related stressors, Americans workers are burned out—and new data proves it.

To help battle burnout and spur Americans to take some much-needed vacation, thousands of travel organizations around the United States are highlighting the annual National Plan for Vacation Day (NPVD) on January 25 to encourage Americans to plan all of their time off for the year at the start of the year.

More than two-thirds (68%) of American workers feel at least moderately burned out and 13% are extremely burned out. Further, more than half (53%) of remote workers are working more hours now than they were in the office and 61% find it more difficult to unplug from work and take a vacation.

Despite the latest wave of the pandemic, data from Destination Analysts found that the majority of Americans polled are in a “ready to travel” state of mind and are eager to plan a trip: 

  • 81% of Americans are excited to plan a vacation in the next six months
  • Nearly six in 10 (59%) agree that travel is more important than ever and 61% plan to make travel a top budget priority in 2022

Historically, NPVD was intended to help address the problem of Americans failing to utilize all of their earned time off each year, however, the challenges of the pandemic have given NPVD new significance: a time to plan ahead for brighter days and to unplug from the stressors of daily life. 

“After nearly two years of living with the pandemic, Americans are in serious need of the reset that a vacation offers, no matter how near or far it may take you,” said U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Roger Dow. “National Plan for Vacation Day is the perfect opportunity to sit down with family and friends and make plans for much-needed time off for the rest of the year.”

Even the simple act of planning a vacation can help to chase away the winter blues. Nearly three-quarters (74%) of planners reported being extremely or very happy anticipating and planning vacations for the coming year versus just four in 10 of non-planners.

However, work-related barriers—such as heavy workloads and staff shortages—are some of the top reasons preventing Americans from using their time off. 

“Rested and recharged workers create a better, more productive workplace,” Dow added. “I encourage business leaders and team members to make vacation planning a priority, particularly frontline employees who have been working harder than ever during the pandemic.”

Social media content for National Plan for Vacation Day will be tagged using #PlanForVacation.

Click here to see a fact sheet that includes more data on the importance of planning for vacation.

U.S. Travel Association is the national, non-profit organization representing all components of the travel industry. In 2020, travel generated $1.5 trillion in economic output and supported 11 million jobs, a drastic decline from pre-pandemic figures. U.S. Travel’s mission is to increase travel to and within the United States. Visit ustravel.org for information.

benefits of travel, Benefits of Travel & Tourism, Uncategorized

National Travel and Tourism Week 2021 (May 2-8) Celebrates ‘the Power of Travel’

Discovering the delights of the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes, Death Valley National Park. National Travel and Tourism Week 2021 reminds people of the importance of the $2.6 trillion travel industry that supports 17 million jobs and an infinite number of life-long memories and experiences © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com

National Travel and Tourism Week (NTTW) taking place May 2-8 is the annual celebration of the contributions of the U.S. travel industry. This year, it spotlights the critical role that travel will play in driving economic recovery efforts and building the path forward through the theme Power of Travel.

Celebrated annually the first full week in May, NTTW was created by Congress in 1983 to elevate the economic power of travel in the U.S. This year, the 38th annual NTTW arrives at an opportune moment to recognize the importance to the U.S. economy of initiating a post-pandemic travel recovery.

“NTTW takes on a special significance this year as the travel industry looks to rebound quickly from the pandemic and accelerate recovery efforts,” said U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Roger Dow. “The past year was incredibly challenging, but we saw the full power of the travel industry on display in the way we united and supported one another through this crisis.”

“Before the pandemic, travel generated $2.6 trillion in economic output, supported 17 million American jobs and delivered a $51 billion trade surplus to the U.S.—evidence of the outsized role the industry will play in America’s broader economic recovery,” said Dow.

However, this vital revenue source stemming from business and leisure travelers was severely diminished amid the pandemic.

In 2020, the entire U.S. travel industry lost half a trillion dollars in travel-related spending—10 times the economic impact of 9/11. Nationally, total travel-supported jobs accounted for a staggering 65% of all U.S. jobs lost amid the pandemic.

With such disparate losses, it is clear that a broader economic recovery hinges on a recovery within the travel industry.

“While the rapid pace of vaccinations has provided hope that a return to normal is on the horizon, a resurgence in travel demand is not inevitable,” the USTA said in a statement. “Without aggressive federal action to reopen the travel economy and spur demand, the travel industry’s recovery is expected to take as long as five years—far too long to wait for the workers whose livelihoods depend on this vital industry.

“But with the right measures in place, we can get people moving again in a safe and healthy way, restore our workforce and help power a broader economic recovery. The travel industry needs sustained relief to ensure businesses can maintain operation and workers can stay on payrolls until sustained demand can truly take hold.

“Importantly, policymakers must also identify the path to reopening our borders and safely restarting international inbound travel, as well as restarting professional meetings and events; these are crucial segments of our local economy, without which we cannot fully recover.

“The road ahead is challenging, but the travel industry is resilient and has an incredible ability to bounce back from hard times. We recovered after 9/11, after the 2008 financial meltdown, and after health scares such as Zika, Ebola and SARS. This is the toughest challenge the U.S. travel industry has ever faced, but we know  travel is one of the best-equipped industries to lead a revival.

“If lawmakers act now to jumpstart recovery efforts and get Americans moving, then all of us can get back to doing what we do best more quickly—providing quality job opportunities for Americans of all background, reconnecting family and friends, and showing the world what makes the U.S. the best place to visit.”

This week, TSA reported the highest number of travelers coming through airports, 1.6 million, while car rentals, hotels, AirBnBs and attractions, especially those around national parks, are booking up, a clear demonstration of pent-up demand being unleashed. Now the question is whether the industry will be able to accommodate it and how long it will be sustained. That will depend largely on the ability of the nation to vaccinate as many people as possible, so that travelers and workers feel safe and venues can increase capacity and operating hours.

National Travel and Tourism Week also reminds travelers of the pleasures and value of travel – of getting together, sharing the delight in exploring and learning and doing new things, meeting new people where they live, embracing other cultures and environments, and sharing memorable, even life-changing experiences.

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Benefits of Travel & Tourism, Responsible Travel, Sustainable Travel, Uncategorized

Devastating Hurricane Dorian Reminds of Vital Link Between Climate Action, Tourism & Sustainable Economy

Tourism creates jobs, provides a sustainable economy that preserves heritage and environment © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com

On World Tourism Day 2019, Patricia Affonso-Dass, president of the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association offered this message:

The theme of this year’s World Tourism Day, “Tourism and Jobs: A better future for all”, is particularly relevant for the Caribbean because no other sector creates more jobs or more opportunities in a wider variety of professions and skills. 

In addition to the 2.5 million people employed directly, many more benefit indirectly from the industry’s contributions to Caribbean health, wealth, education and the environment. Our infrastructure, schools, hospitals, public services, and parks and recreation facilities are all helped by this dynamic and growing industry – already the world’s largest sector but also its fastest growing.

The 2017 hurricanes and Hurricane Dorian that devastated some of our destinations reinforced the indispensable role of tourism in our lives. They remind us that for each tourism employee unable to work because of the storms, many members of their families were also affected.

Initiatives such as “Tourism Jobs for Bahamians”, just launched by the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) together with the Bahamas Hotel and Tourism Association (BHTA), are finding interim jobs for displaced industry professionals.

There will be more jobs as tourism recovers from the hurricanes and the industry resumes its healthy growth trend, and our task is to spread the benefits more equitably to a wider cross section of our people. We want to ensure women, youth, minorities, and the differently abled have open gateways to employment, ownership and leadership within the industry. There are over 1,000 different job and career paths in the industry, a fifth of which are at supervisory and management levels. Increasing diversity always strengthens companies and organizations, especially in tourism. Our visitors come from a wide range of backgrounds, so our people who welcome visitors to our shores should also reflect the full spectrum of our rich human diversity.

The Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association, with the support of many of the region’s local associations and our members, is earnest about its mandate to develop our industry’s human resources. Well over 500 Caribbean nationals have received higher education scholarships through the CHTA Education Foundation. More than 1,000 chefs and several hundred bartenders have honed their skills through professional development opportunities that CHTA and the industry have provided through our Taste of the Caribbean initiative. 

Thousands of employees have benefited from industry-sponsored professional development training, including over 500 who attended “diversity in the workplace” courses over the past year. Earlier this year, CHTA launched its Young Leaders Initiative, in which dozens of young people are developing their leadership skills and their understanding of the industry and the opportunities it offers. 

This does not include the additional investments that independent hotels, resort brands, airlines, tour operators, attractions, taxi and transportation providers, vendors and other industry stakeholders, with their human resource professionals and employees, are making every day to deliver exceptional hospitality. 

Building upon a rich foundation, we have the responsibility to make more opportunities to develop our people and our industry, anticipating technological and consumer demand-driven changes which are now a constant. The recent collapse of the world’s oldest travel agency offers more lessons. While never losing sight of the fundamentals of hospitality, the dynamics of our industry demands our adaptability and responsiveness to change if we are not to face a similar fate.

Tourism can benefit every corner of our region and so on this World Tourism Day, we celebrate the importance of the industry and the employment and entrepreneurial opportunities it represents. We resolve individually and collectively, as businesses, governments and education and training institutions, to continue to invest in our people. 

In the Caribbean, “Tourism is Everyone’s Business”.

The Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) is the Caribbean’s leading association representing the interests of national hotel and tourism associations. For more than 50 years, CHTA has been the backbone of the Caribbean hospitality industry. Working with some 1,000 hotel and allied members, and 33 National Hotel Associations, CHTA is shaping the Caribbean’s future and helping members to grow their businesses. Whether helping to navigate critical issues in sales and marketing, sustainability, legislative issues, emerging technologies, climate change, data and intelligence or, looking for avenues and ideas to better market and manage businesses, CHTA is helping members on issues which matter most.

For further information, visit www.caribbeanhotelandtourism.com.

benefits of travel, international travel, Lonely Planet, Student Travel, Sustainable Travel, value of travel

President Barack Obama Pens Article for Lonely Planet on Importance of Travel

President Obama discusses the value of international travel, especially to young people in an exclusive article for LonelyPlanet.com.
President Obama discusses the value of international travel, especially to young people in an exclusive article for LonelyPlanet.com.

(NOV 20, 2016) –– President Barack Obama shared his thoughts on the important role travel plays and his hopes for the future of the planet with Lonely Planet’s travelers on lonelyplanet.com, during his final foreign trip as President.

President Obama offered to share his thoughts with Lonely Planet on how interacting with people and cultures from different countries is essential for the world’s future. In an exclusive article written, he describes how travel is fundamental to progress and essential to overcome challenges across borders.

The President traveled extensively during his eight years in office, becoming the first sitting US president to visit Cambodia, Ethiopia, Kenya, Laos and Myanmar. He also paid homage at Hiroshima, Japan, and visited Vietnam. Recognizing the value of travel in cultivating face-to-face interactions, he also lifted the more than 50-year ban on US travel to Cuba.

Since the publication of its first guidebook in 1973, Lonely Planet has always believed responsible travel can be a force for good, and continues to today as the world travels with Lonely Planet content on mobile, web and in print. It’s a belief shared by President Barack Obama, detailed in his exclusive article on lonelyplanet.com, highlighting how the optimistic, tolerant and engaged young people he has met around the world give him hope for the future.

obama-lonelyplanet2

A key takeaway from his extensive travels as President is the importance of engaging beyond governments, and connecting with young people – who will determine the future of the planet – in a meaningful way. This is particularly crucial for the future of the developing world, where 90 percent of the global population under 30 lives.

“It is the world’s young people who will determine whether their voices direct the change that is sweeping our world towards greater justice, opportunity, tolerance, and mutual respect,” President Obama stated.

President Obama shared the plans he has put in place to support the empowerment of young global citizens prior to hosting a town hall meeting with young people in Peru.

For more information and to read President Barack Obama’s first person article, visit lonelyplanet.com.

Obama Administration Paves Path for Students, Millennials to Travel

Throughout his presidency, Obama has appreciated the importance of travel to bring people together, forge better understanding. Travelers become ambassadors for America and also bring back to the US appreciation for other cultures and people. The opportunity to travel abroad is particularly important for young people, and the Obama Administration has also facilitated opportunities for students and millennials to study, volunteer, work and travel abroad.

In December 2014, the National Security Council hosted a summit with 100 of the most influential travel bloggers and digital media outlets to highlight U.S. Government initiatives and discuss strategies for encouraging American students to study, volunteer, and work abroad.  The summit emphasized that international education and exposure are increasingly essential for the competitiveness of American companies and the American workforce, yet fewer than ten percent of students in the United States choose to study abroad.

By transforming interest in travel into study, volunteer, and work opportunities, the Administration sought to significantly increase the number and diversity of young people participating in educational, cultural, and professional experiences internationally.

Throughout Obama’s presidency, his administration has focused on broadening the scope of the U.S. government’s engagement with citizens abroad. Efforts included the President’s signature Young African Leaders Initiative, the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative, 100,000 Strong in the Americas, and a project connecting Americans to youth in the Middle East, the J. Christopher Stevens Virtual Exchange Initiative.

Studying abroad is a critical component to deepening and broadening relationships with citizens overseas. Today, fewer than 10% of students take part in study abroad. In 2012 to 2013, the total number of U.S. students taking part in study abroad was under 300,000 — only 1.5 percent of the almost 20 million American students enrolled in U.S. higher education programs.

To combat these trends, the State Department’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs created the U.S. Study Abroad Office. This office  manages the Department’s study abroad scholarships and capacity building programs for American students and institutions, as well as plays a leading role in promoting the benefits of study abroad to U.S. students and parents, faculty, and education administrators. It provides resources that can help interested U.S. students navigate a complex process to study or intern abroad by offering scholarships, recommendations, and guidelines.

The summit also featured remarks, presentations, and panels of experts on current efforts around studying, volunteering, and working abroad. Experts from National Geographic, iHeartMedia, Institute for International Education, George Mason University, Millennial Trains Project, Minerva Project, Travel Channel, and Yahoo Travel shared their ideas for increasing students’ international interest.

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