South Africa’s Visa Problems and 9 Other Tourism Trends This Week

>>South Africa’s onerous visa regime for minor travelers continues to hobble its all-important tourism industry. Amendments published last month may look like good news, but read them closely and – industry insiders say – not nearly enough has changed: South Africa’s Visa Policy Is Still Hurting Tourism

>>TUI seems to have mitigated the potential damage from a challenging operating environment. It will be interesting to see how it sustains its growth over the coming years: How TUI Weathered Europe’s Summer Heat Wave

>>It may seem early to be worrying about the October 2020 deadline for so-called Real IDs for U.S. domestic travel, including U.S. territories, but planning ahead could reduce headaches at the airport or motor vehicle agencies: Travel Advisors Warn U.S. Clients to Get Ready for Real ID Deadline

>>Conventional wisdom says a good travel agent can arrange leisure travel or corporate travel, but not both. Even if it were true, there’s nothing to prevent the agency from selling both leisure and business travel — except believing conventional wisdom: Agencies Find Opportunity When Vacations Are Tacked Onto Business Travel

>>As more business travelers view their trips as working vacations, travel advisors must draw on both corporate and leisure travel-planning skills. It’s no simple challenge, but it’s necessary given the strength of the bleisure travel trend: Travel Advisor Innovation Report: Bleisure Trend a Mixed Blessing for Agents

>>Where will luxury travelers be jetting off to in 2019? For clues, look at where the world’s high-end brands are opening their newest properties: The Next Big Destinations for Luxury Brands

>>Small-city hospitality, modern facilities, a collaborative approach, and an effort to show off individuality are winning over event organizers who tend to select big cities for their conferences: Smaller Cities Win Bigger Events by Trying Harder

>>In an age when business travelers are tired of visiting the same old place every year, secondary destinations are making a play to turn intimacy and character into a major draw for event organizers: How Small Cities Are Going Big on Events

>>Meditation is now the fastest-growing wellness activity in the United States. Because it’s a free (or mostly free) practice, brands will probably need to get creative if they want to capitalize on the trend — especially since the app category is already saturated: Meditation Boom Is Pushing Brands to Keep Up

>>Skift publishes our annual Megatrends Magazine each January. It’s released through a series of intimate and highly engaging events where Skift editors present themes to our readers and discuss them in live Q&As held in locations in the U.S., Europe, and Asia. RSVP today to claim your spot! RSVP Now for Skift Megatrends Launch Events Around The World