D/R DOWNLOAD 5.5

What’s Trending

01/ On Google

• “Travel arrow” trended 200%+ this week as travelers download the online Google Chrome extension that converts their Google Flights search onto Skyscanner, Kayak, and Expedia to find the cheapest flight options.

02/ With Media

• Sam Jacobs has been appointed as the new Editor-in-Chief of TIME, overseeing the magazine's journalism across all platforms and managing TIME's newsroom.

• Media company Vice is preparing to file for bankruptcy in the next few weeks. With five companies showing interest in acquiring, the chances of a sale occurring have been slimming down due to the potential of bankruptcy associated with it.

• This week journalists were interested in cruise cabin expertise, ways you can get paid to travel, family travel, sustainability travel, and more.

03/ In The Zeitgeist

• According to the United States Surgeon General, loneliness has been identified as a public health epidemic, stating that it is as significant as smoking. Health risks associated include dementia, depression, anxiety, heart disease, and more.

• Sofia Richie, daughter of Lionel Richie, got married at the Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc located in the South of France. The luxury hotel offers many amenities, including a Dior Spa with views of the French Riviera.

Industry Insights

• The United States plans to lift its COVID-19 vaccination requirements for international travelers in hopes to increase tourism and business travel to the country on May 11.

• The coronation of King Charles III taking place on May 6, in Westminster Abbey has bolstered tourism of international visitors. London has been dubbed the most popular European destination of 2023, in part because travelers want to witness the celebratory festivities in real-time.

• The James Beard Foundation announced a relaunch of its Stadium Chef Series this summer, offering a chance to dine in center field at Wrigley Field in Chicago, Fenway Park in Boston, and Target Field in Minneapolis.

• Amtrak has partnered with Broadway allowing guests to redeem their Amtrak Amtrak Guest Rewards points for tickets to the acclaimed Broadway show Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. In addition, four special locomotives between Washington, DC, and Boston will be wrapped in iconic Harry Potter and the Cursed Child artwork featuring the main characters.

• Vacuum brand Mach announced its Dirty Weekend Away giveaway, allowing travelers to exchange a free stay for cleaning up the home using the new Mach V1 Ultra vacuum. Winners of the giveaway get to stay in a luxurious five-bedroom, five-bathroom home in Australia by using the new vacuum to clean three areas of the home.

• Hyatt announced its plans to acquire travel club and boutique hotel specialist, Mr. & Mrs. Smith in an effort to expand into the luxury sector. Although Mr. & Mrs. Smith does not own any hotels, it is affiliated with over 1,500 luxury hotels.

• Airbnb launched its new listing category, Airbnb Rooms, offering affordable private rooms in someone else’s home, aiming to help travelers looking for an authentic and budget-friendly traveling experience.

• The new booking platform Travelpass offers hotel rooms in the U.S. and Canada for up to 70 percent off the regular price. The platform sources rates from multiple suppliers used by travel industry professionals, seeks to expand into the global market, and plans to add the option to book activities as well.

• Global entertainment company Live Nation launched Vibee, a self-described "music-led destination experience company" aiming to transform the way fans experience live music by curating immersive trips and activations for music lovers around the world.

Best Practices

01/ The Good

• Greece announced that more than 200 of its beaches are being made wheelchair accessible by installing remote-operated ramps, making restroom improvements, and more. In addition to the new ramps, the country is working to install removable changing rooms, portable sanitary facilities, accessible parking areas, and more improvements in order to create integrated tourist-accessible sea destinations.

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