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WHAT’S TRENDING
On Google:
‘Revenge travel’ is trending +120%; a new term for those looking to satisfy their travel itch and make up for lost travel time with a vengeance.
‘Destination Spa’ is a top travel search topic this week, trending +60%.
‘Epic Pass’ was a top 15 search term on Wednesday, following Vail Resorts’ announcement that 2021/2022 ski pass prices will be slashed by 20%.
Luxury travel advisor company Virtuoso is trending +160% after announcing that they’re dropping Trump Hotels from their listings.
On Social:
#ShrimpGate blew up on social media this week after someone tweeted a photo of shrimp tails in a box of Cinnamon Toast Crunch. The initial Twitter complaint gained massive attention after General Mills responded, identifying the obvious shrimp tails as ‘an accumulation of cinnamon sugar.’
Pinterest search trends show that people are searching for travel-related topics more now than at any point in the site’s history. Travel searches on Pinterest are reportedly up +60% year over year. The increase in searches stems from eight types of travelers: rural tourists, outdoor enthusiasts, digital nomads, bucket listers, culture chasers, foodies, memory makers, and weekend travelers.
A new viral social media trend has people turning insults, mundane texts, and emails from their bosses into inspirational quotes.
On Monday, clothing and decor brand Anthropologie released its first-ever digital-only catalog exclusively on Pinterest to give Pinners an interactive look at their spring decor collection.
Instagram announced it will be making another app specifically for kids 13 and under.
With Media:
Travel + Leisure announced the return of its podcast, Let’s Go Together, on April 7.
Departures Magazine announced that they will be folding in May and will no longer be part of the Meredith Corporation. Departures’ May/June print issue will be its last.
Consumer + Industry Insights:
On March 21, the TSA screened 1.5 million passengers, which is the highest number of travelers in over a year.
The US Travel Association and 26 other organizations have penned a letter to the White House asking the administration to develop a “risk-based, data-driven roadmap to rescind inbound international travel restrictions,” by May 1.
Health experts are saying people can begin traveling after the first dose of Pfizer or Moderna’s vaccine, but still encourage people to avoid crowds.
Italy’s two-room hillside hotel, OmHom, is debuting a ‘pay what you want’ offer to be implemented during the hotel’s reopening this summer. Guests will pay for their stay on an offer basis, basically giving the next guests (carefully chosen friends or complete strangers) a similar experience.
Royal Caribbean announced it’s beginning sailing again out of the Bahamas in June with fully-vaccinated guests and crew.
Following a year-long delay, the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Torch relay has finally begun. It will take a 121-day journey around Japan ahead of the Olympics. This comes after recent news that overseas spectators will not be allowed to attend the 2021 Olympic Games in Japan.
The UK’s new “Roadmap Regulations” include a fine for up to $7,000 for anyone attempting nonessential travel out of the country.
Miami Beach has extended its state of emergency in one-week increments until April 13 to control spring break crowds.
For the 4th year in a row, Finland has been named the world's happiest country.
Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants is partnering with Literary Hub to provide guests with a curated book lending program that lets them check out books during their stay.
MakeMyMove.com is a new online directory that shows people which places across the U.S. have incentive programs for relocation.
Millions of Americans downloaded Babble to learn a new language over quarantine in hopes of using their new skills when travel opens up again.
Outdoor adventure brand REI announced it will be closing the international branch of its Adventure programs in May to focus exclusively on domestic travel. The company also made the commitment to bring 3 million travelers on their trips in the next 9 years.
Best Practices:
The Good:
Reviews.org is working toward lowering screen times by offering to pay $2,400 to challengers willing to turn off their screens for 24 hours.
A Bansky painting that celebrates the work of nurses sold for $23.1 million and the proceeds are going to the University Hospital Southampton as well as health organizations and charities across the UK.
New York City will create a dedicated vaccination site for theater workers to encourage Broadway’s reopening by fall.
The Bad:
What started as a positive pro-vaccination campaign in which Krispy Kreme offered free donuts to vaccinated guests has turned into a confusing PR moment. In response to the campaign, anti-vaxxers called out the brand for excluding them from the promotion. Krispy Kreme’s solution was to offer free donuts on Mondays through the end of May to anyone. The move has people questioning the original point of the campaign and cracking jokes about ‘anti-vax Mondays.’
People are angry at billionaire Kylie Jenner for asking fans to donate to her makeup artist’s $69k GoFundMe when she donated just $5,000. In response, the billionaire stated that the original goal was $10k, which was reached with her donation.
The NCAA is catching heat for withholding the use of the ‘March Madness’ brand from women’s basketball. Fueling the fire is a wave of social media content highlighting the difference between women’s and men’s training facilities.