How Trump May Change American Travel, Again
Hello, dear readers! It's Lily Girma, your Pursuits travel news correspondent in charge of all things responsible tourism.
Next week, I'll be celebrating my birthday in Canada, where I plan to blend work and family time. First, I'll be speaking at the annual Impact Sustainability Travel & Tourism Summit in British Columbia and rubbing elbows with all sorts of professionals who use tourism as a tool for positive social and environmental change. Afterward it's on to Ontario, where my family and I will likely drive to Niagara Falls and also have a celebratory dinner at a Caribbean restaurant in Toronto that my brother says is one of the best in the city. I'll report back!
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Travel Weekly
42 minutes ago
- Travel Weekly
Holland America Line pitches a relaxing Caribbean experience in new campaign
A new Holland America Line advertising campaign aims to differentiate its Caribbean cruises from competitors that sail mega-ships with amusement-park qualities. The campaign, "Refreshingly Free," tells cruisers what they won't find on Holland America sailings. "Refreshingly free of bland buffets," one ad reads. "Refreshingly free of amusement parks on board," another says. Holland America Line has found strength in its Alaska and Europe sailings and is now looking to bolster interest in the Caribbean, said chief marketing officer Kacy Cole. "I think we're not top of mind when you think about Caribbean," she said. "You don't think about Holland America or, candidly, the typical type of cruising that we do. And I think for us, it's really about how do we differentiate within each region?" The line crafted the campaign after surveying guests about what is most important to them on a Caribbean cruise. Exceptional service came in as the highest-ranked factor. During that same research process, some customers shared distaste for the experience aboard the largest cruise ships, recalling long lines and staff that could not keep up with demand due to the number of guests onboard, Cole said. "They are looking for service and relaxation and cultural enrichment," she said. The launch of the campaign accompanies the launch of fare discounts of up to 40% for certain sailings this fall and next spring. Those promotions, dubbed "Travel By Sea," run through the end of July.
Travel Weekly
18 hours ago
- Travel Weekly
Four islands, four approaches to Airbnb
Arnie Weissmann Of all the disrupters that have entered the travel industry so far in the 21st century, none has been as disruptive -- and ubiquitous -- as Airbnb. Hospitality companies that must adhere to strict local development guidelines and pay bed taxes have begged regulating jurisdictions to level the playing field by addressing unregulated vacation rentals. Communities that lost housing stock to Airbnb conversions have seen rents increase and the fabric of their neighborhoods thin. The residents of some cities blame the company for contributing to overtourism. Municipalities, even countries, have responded. This year Spain will implement regulations that include requiring that a permit be obtained before a property can become a vacation home. Oahu and New York have banned stays of less than 30 days. Amsterdam capped the number of nights a host can rent to 30 per year. Airbnb issues become more complicated for countries whose economies are tourism-dependent. This week was Caribbean Week, when tourism ministers and the heads of destination promotion bureaus descend on New York to raise awareness of their islands. In a series of back-to-back-to-back-to-back interviews with representatives of Caribbean islands, I found that they each looked at Airbnb's presence differently. Antigua and Barbuda was the most supportive of vacation rentals. "They are good for us," said the country's tourism minister, Max Fernandez. "We have seen a plethora of interest, and that means that a lot of people are getting involved in the industry. If you don't have people from all strata involved in tourism, especially in terms of ownership, then it's not sustainable, and sustainability is the key." To keep housing affordable as more properties convert to vacation rentals, Fernandez said the government is supporting a large-scale home-building initiative. "It's about creating a balance," he added. Airbnb serves another supportive role, Fernandez believes. "In economic downturns, the high-end is less likely to be affected. But at the same time, we believe that short-term rental properties like Airbnb can offer the kind of mix to make it balance out," he said. "That's the way we are looking at it." On Anguilla, vacation rentals are regulated for two reasons, tourism minister Cardigan Connor said. First, they are monitored to see if they meet required standards, and second, guest information is gathered to help keep track of where visitors are staying in case of a hurricane. "Anything that happens on the island is a responsibility of government," Connor said. "And as long as proprietors of the Airbnb properties understand that, then they know we're protecting each other as well as guests." St. Martin -- the French side of the island -- creates its balance by actively looking for unregistered vacation rentals but in some instances allowing them to operate in neighborhoods where they're not supposed to be. "We need 3,500 rooms," said St. Martin tourism minister Valerie Damaseau. "We see that there's a lot of purchasing of villas and vacation rental homes. They're listed [on Airbnb's platform] but are registered to us as their personal home. We know that some are not fully paying their taxes. "So we have several teams that visit these sites; they're just going to show up," she continued. "The situation exists, and we want to structure it. We don't want visitors who stay in these properties to say that they're not good, so we can assist the homeowner to make sure that the product is as renovated as possible and that it has the amenities that everyone is seeking." Many of the St. Martin vacation rentals are in areas where they're forbidden to be, but Damaseau is not shutting them down. "We're working on some text to try to regulate them," she said. "We need those rooms to bring [the island inventory] up to 3,500. We shut our eyes because those extra rooms have saved us over the years. We'll tighten the screws a little, but we need to find the right balance." "Villas are a tricky one," said Turks and Caicos tourism minister Zhavargo Jolly. "It's a catch-22. We're a high-end luxury destination, but we get six or seven people staying in a villa because it's less expensive than six or seven hotel rooms. But then they can't afford the amenities that generate the [per person] revenue we expect. And they complain about the affordability of the island." Paul Pennicook, CEO of Experience Turks & Caicos, added that it's one reason they are focusing on the travel trade, which doesn't typically attract the same clients as Airbnb. "Also, with the Airbnb scenario, we're not ever sure that everyone is paying their fair share of taxes. But I had a discussion with Airbnb and got a commitment that they were willing to collect taxes for us," he said. "But they're not prepared to give us the details about who they collected the taxes from; they'll just send a lump sum. My attitude is: just take the money."
Los Angeles Times
a day ago
- Los Angeles Times
Visit Huntington Beach President and CEO Kelly Miller to retire in October
Kelly Miller wants to visit Joshua Tree. To help make that happen, he's stepping down as president and chief executive of travel marketing organization Visit Huntington Beach, effective Oct. 15. Miller, who has been at the helm of Visit Huntington Beach for 12 of the nearly 35 years he's worked in the visitor industry, decided it's a good time to retire and enjoy life with his wife. 'I do believe that as we get to the next chapter and hopefully the next third of my life, because I do want to try to live to be 100, those priorities change,' said Miller, 67, in an interview Monday. 'You have a sense in your own skull that those priorities are changing and you want to do more hobbies or travel more, and you aren't as excited about the things you used to be excited about when I was younger in the hospitality industry. 'I love to ride my bike, I love Orange County and I love Huntington Beach, and I want to really enjoy the time we have here within this region. I've never been to Joshua Tree, for example. These are the things that we talk about, but before you know it we're in the middle of COVID and all of these things start to happen.' Miller feels that under his leadership, Visit Huntington Beach has solidified Surf City's status as a premier destination for travelers, events and 'beach-wide' conventions, delivering on the brand promise of being the quintessential California beach destination. Miller, whose organization hosted the biannual Tourism Summit last month, noted that Huntington Beach welcomed 2.34 million non-Orange County visitors last year, a 4.4% increase from 2023. Roughly two-thirds of the city's visitors overall are repeat visitors. 'If you lay that foundation right and the team is delivering on what the board's expectations are, the question becomes, do you mail it in or do you look to do the next chapter?' Miller said. 'Leaving on one's own terms is very important.' During his tenure, Visit HB reached a 10-year funding agreement with the city of Huntington Beach, and saw three Tourism Business Improvement District (TBID) assessment increases. Justin Simpson, the Visit HB board chairman and general manager of Kimpton Shorebreak Huntington Beach Resort, said Miller's ability to balance forward-thinking strategy with a results-based approach has served the city well. 'While we will deeply miss his presence, we fully support Kelly's decision to retire and are grateful for the legacy he leaves behind,' Simpson said in a news release. 'Under his leadership, VHB has not only achieved national recognition, including DMAP accreditation from Destinations International, but has also twice been named one of the best places to work in Orange County. His impact will be felt for years to come.' Miller held destination leadership roles in Juneau, Alaska; Atlanta, Ga.; Asheville, N.C. and Tampa, Fla. before coming to Huntington Beach. A longtime supporter of sports tourism, he is currently the chair of the Orange County Sports Commission and formerly chaired the Orange County Visitors Assn. He said some of his favorite memories during his tenure include celebrating surfing's centennial in 2014 and 2015, when he rode a 42-foot-long surfboard with 66 other surfers, setting Guinness World Records for both the length of the board and most riders. In June 2019, Huntington Beach hosted Visit USA's annual IPW tourism showcase, which included a performance by Snoop Dogg. Miller said that hosting the International Surfing Assn. World Para Surfing Championship the last two years was also meaningful for him, as his stepmother lived with multiple sclerosis for decades. Visit Huntington Beach now has more money to market the travel destination than ever before, and recently partnered with a new advertising agency, JNS Next. 'I now have in place an incredible team,' he said. 'There were some things we wanted to check off. This might be a good time to wave goodbye, be around to see my successor get hired, help train them and go to my next chapter. It just felt time.'
