First Time in 100 Years: Young Kayakers on a Ride for the Ages
The remote and rugged Klamath River in Oregon and California, one of the mightiest in the American West and an ancient lifeline to Indigenous tribes, is running free again, mostly, for the first time in 100 years after the recent removal of four major dams.
At the burbling aquifer near Chiloquin, Ore., that is considered the headwaters, a sacred spot for native people, a group of kayakers, mostly Indigenous youth from the river's vast basin began to paddle on Thursday. Ages 13 to 20, they had learned to kayak for this moment.
Stroke by stroke, mile by mile, day by day, they plan to reach the salty water of the rugged Northern California coast, more than 300 miles away, in mid-July.
If all goes as planned, the kayakers will pass the rehabilitated sites of the largest dam-removal project in U.S. history. They will pass salmon swimming upstream in places that the fish had not been able to reach since the early 1900s. They will pass through the ancient territory of their tribes — the Klamath, Shasta, Karuk, Hoopa Valley and Yurok among them.
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Travel + Leisure
an hour ago
- Travel + Leisure
This Is One of the Biggest Cybersecurity Mistakes You Can Make at an Airport, Experts Warn
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Forbes
an hour ago
- Forbes
Mobility And Travel: Getting Around, Going Global
Buildings, sidewalks and parks: they all can present impossible hurdles for people with disabilities, whether physical or sensory. Even when owners declare their establishment to be accessible—by letter of the law, perhaps—sometimes it's simply not. The people and companies below provide technology and information to overcome those problems. Need the safest wheelchair securement system for your minivan? Need a cane that can detect obstacles and alert you (voice) long before you bump into them? New technology can do that. Craving safe and disability-friendly travel destinations before you show up? No problem. Courtesy of Kelly Twichel Even Paralympic wheelchair racers can't budge an inch on a beach—many resort to literally dragging themselves 60 yards across the sand to go in the ocean. This longtime accessibility challenge inspired Kelly Twichel, as a college occupational therapy project nine years ago, to invent portable 9-foot-square mats that can be laid end-to-end to create instant wheelways across grass, sand, snow and other heretofore unpassable terrain. 'The disabled community is my passion but there are so many parallel use cases,' Twichel says. 'It's not as niche as it was maybe conceived.' Indeed, the mats have been used by people pushing strollers and pulling coolers, and have been sold in almost 20 countries. Almost every hotel and tourist attraction likes to say it's accessible—sometimes to just check a regulatory box—but do they truly accommodate wide ranges of disabilities? AccessNow is a crowdsource-driven platform where people report their experiences through the lens of their own specific needs, from such basics as wheelchair access to the less obvious, like sink heights and light sensitivity—and across environments ranging from neighborhood pharmacies to hiking trails. The platform was launched in 2015 by Toronto native Maayan Ziv, who has muscular dystrophy and has used a wheelchair since by the disabled for the disable, it goes well beyond what Google and AirBnb provide. Users can find reviews and maps from 100 different countries. 'It really looks to engage people to action instead of being a passive player in accessibility,' Ziv says. How impactful is AccessNow and Ziv's personal voice? Last year, she was awarded Canada's Meritorious Service Cross, an honor just below the Royal Order of Canada. When you see a wheelchair ramp extend from a minivan or taxi, or see someone in a wheelchair get securely strapped into their disabled spot on a bus, chances are BraunAbility is behind the technology. Through partnerships with major car manufacturers like Toyota and Chrysler, as well as hospitals and municipal transportation systems, BraunAbility designs and outfits vehicles with the lifts and ramps that can be deployed hands-free. Its products are used in more than 50 countries on six continents and have generated more than $1 billion in sales. Their next frontier is helping design airplanes that allow people to fly in their own wheelchairs, rather than a standard seat, which is not just uncomfortable but potentially injurious—and be able to wheel themselves to the bathroom without being carried down the aisle. Courtesy of Simon Oschwald While some prosthetic legs can cost $30,000 or more, Circleg's products are far more affordable for users—or the insurance companies that can stonewall on prices—and therefore more widespread globally. (In Africa, where war and illness cause a disproportional need, a Circleg prosthetic can cost just $600.) The Zurich-based company is known for extraordinarily stable and lightweight knee joints that can withstand rough terrain, as well as a 'dynamic' foot that goes beyond a single piece of material by returning energy through a spring-type heel. Circleg doesn't merely sell prosthetics—it also cultivates a spirit of empowerment among users. 'To really support someone with an amputation, it has to go beyond the product,' says co-founder Simon Oschwald. 'There's psychosocial support, the building community, the journey with information and knowledge.' Whereas many companies focus on prosthetic feet and legs that provide primarily mobility, Koalaa's hand- and arm-related swappable prosthetics allow people to perform more specific tasks, such as stirring pasta, doing pushups or playing guitar. (One for toddlers, with furry outer sleeves that look like the arms of kangaroos or Dalmatians, help them push walkers and steer scooters.) A relatively permanent prosthetic operates as an arm, while different modules—functioning as different types of hands or finger grips—can be easily attached. Says Nate Macabuag, Koalaa's founder, 'What do people want to do? What were their experiences before, what can the experience be now, and can we close that delta?' Whereas it can take up to six months for an amputee's limb to be ready for a hard prosthetic, Koalaa's far softer 'Day 1' sleeve can be used just hours after surgery. Wheelchairs can provide independent transportation. But for their occupant to travel safely in a vehicle—they can't brace themselves properly for a fall, or get themselves up afterward—only the strongest securement straps and other devices will do. Q'Straint designs the vast majority of systems in accessible cars, vans, buses and other transportation that keep people in wheelchairs as safe, often even more so, than any other passenger. The technology can be used in autonomous vehicles to deploy automatically, no aide required, and when airplanes allow people in wheelchairs to park themselves in a dedicated spot (which is several years away), Q'Straint will be ready. 'We work with cities as well and train them directly,' says Patrick Girardin, Q'Straint's co-president. 'We're making safety accessible.' Courtesy of Pierre Paul Sometimes 'opening doors' means, simply, opening doors. We Hear You specializes in doing just that with remarkable ease. 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Wheel the World is an Expedia-like travel platform that researches, verifies and reviews the accessibility features of hotels and other destinations across the globe, from sink heights and door widths to places that the sensorially sensitive might find overwhelming. It partners with cruise lines and tour companies to ensure appropriate transportation and amenities—good luck finding a wheelchair-accessible taxi to the Acropolis—and has worked with cities like Fort Lauderdale and Scottsdale to improve accessibility at the civic level. All of this, says Wheel the World CEO Alvaro Silberstein, not only serves travelers but boosts providers' bottom lines: 'Disability inclusion has a positive return on investment. This isn't an ideological discussion of whether it's DEI or not.'
Travel Weekly
2 hours ago
- Travel Weekly
Business travel in the age of the Trump tariffs
Charlene Leiss is president of Flight Centre Travel Group, Americas, where she oversees a vast network of companies that includes flagship business travel divisions Corporate Traveler and FCM Travel. We at Flight Centre Travel Group acknowledge that while President Trump's trade tariffs pose challenges, they also highlight the necessity of sustained global business travel and the opportunities they give for businesses big and small. The long history of economic growth and trade goes hand in hand with the movement of people across borders. For businesses, the answer lies in maintaining robust travel strategies to explore new markets, build and grow international relationships and negotiate mutually beneficial agreements. The travel management industry is well aware of the apprehensions among both international traders and companies due to the recent tariffs introduced by President Trump. These tariffs, aimed at protecting domestic industries, potentially and inadvertently create barriers to international trade and cooperation. But business travel worldwide is the key to mitigating these barriers and unlocking new markets. By enabling direct engagement with foreign partners, businesses can navigate many tariff complexities, explore alternative sourcing options and diversify their market presence. Flourishing markets in Southeast Asia and Africa, for example, can now be seen as opportunity regions for U.S. corporations, especially as American businesses currently face heightened tariffs with Chinese goods. But through strategic business travel, companies large and small can identify new suppliers in countries less affected by the tariffs, building new trade routes that benefit both the American economy and emerging economies in these regions. Companies looking to survive and thrive in the new trade tariff world may well respond to the uncertainty by forging new relationships and investing in corporate travel to offset challenges in the U.S., as managed travel becomes a key cog in the machine of driving new market opportunities and collaboration across the globe. Business travel has played a pivotal role in economic development for centuries, with the only constant being change and opportunity - President Trump's new global tariffs are no different and offers both - where international borders can be lucrative new avenues rather than obstacles. The historical need for corporate travel -- and the more recent requirement for managed business travel -- is mirrored today by those globetrotting to not only win new business and bid for contracts but to build relationships, negotiate contracts, and attend meetings, events, and conferences. Today, the link between business travel and economic growth is undeniable. In an age where AI is playing an ever-increasing role in multiple industries, the connections people are able to create through in-person interactions can't be understated. Who would sign a multimillion-dollar deal over a Zoom or Teams meeting? Business travel opens a gateway to understanding the local business environment, while ensuring compliance with regional regulations and tailoring products to meet local demands. As a travel management company, we are committed to supporting enterprises in navigating this complex landscape, ensuring that business travel continues to be a formidable driver of economic success and global cooperation and providing the gateway to thrive in 2025. _______________________________ Travel Weekly accepts opinion pieces on subjects of interest to the travel industry and, most importantly, to travel advisors. Forums should be 550 words and must be exclusive to Travel Weekly; no part of the writing can have been published anywhere else. Forums must not be self-promotional and should be submitted with the understanding that Travel Weekly reserves the right to edit the content for length, style, spelling, clarity, structure, etc. Submissions, along with a high-resolution headshot and a short bio, should be emailed to editor in chief Arnie Weissmann and deputy managing editor Gerry Bourbeau.
