Hailo launched its taxi e-hail app in New York without the city’s approval
Hailo can block passengers and drivers for bad behavior, but the question now looms whether the TLC will block Hailo for jumping the gun.
Tourism News
Hong Kong Express pivots from full-service airline to low-cost carrier
Tourism out of Asia is growing, but travelers worldwide are still looking to trim costs leading to the rise in low-cost carriers and the now evident decline of full service airlines.
San Francisco’s efforts to make Airbnb, FlightCar and the sharing economy legit
The Mayor's Office, Airbnb, and SFO all talk about an ongoing "dialogue" and "conversation," but any timelines are vague and the city’s own neighborhood associations, let alone its residents, aren't yet part of the discussion. The sharing economy will one day be regulated in San Francisco, but there's still much work to be done.
Saudis, Australians, and Chinese are world’s top travel spenders
Chinese travel spend is clearly on the rise, but this Visa study also found that easier bookings and increasing options are leading all tourists to allocate more money to more trips in the coming years.
Anthony Bourdain’s “Parts Unknown” episode 3 recap: Deep into Colombia
Episode three sets high goals for the rest of the season: Bourdain succeeds in dispelling myths about much discussed destination. This and similar episodes are not only important for each country’s people, but for Part’s Unknown viewers who are one step closer to understanding their complicated past.
Government travel warnings do more harm than good, says Richard Branson
Branson and others in the tourism industry stand to lose money when travel warnings are issued, but that doesn't mean their voices should be quickly dismissed. Governments must do a better job explaining context to visitors when they caution about travel.
If you were to rename Iceland, what would you call it?
Neither of them are catchy enough, but among the two, the winner is obvious, the "Isle of Awe Land." Which is what Iceland is anyway.
Why travel needs to have a bigger seat at the table in U.S. immigration debate
Making it easier to travel U.S. is tied to the visa regime and border security, which in turn is heavily influenced by immigration reforms. Also U.S. travel orgs need more manpower to help grow them, and in turn grow jobs all around. All of this should be on the table in immigration reform debates.
The business case for responsible tourism
A great summary of results in building sustainable tourism practices.
Psy makes a tourism ad for South Korea: Gangnam Style and beyond
"Gangnam Style" was already an unofficial Korean tourism vehicle, so why not make it official? Tune in next month for the video clip.