The following article describes how they sell traveler products with specialty stores around the world in the digital age. It is incredible how the travel products have grown over the last 12 plus years and Flight 001 is growing. I think that all the electronic gadgets have made us less sociable when traveling but it has grown the travel accessories market. We are less sociable because we tend to look at our apps on the smart phones rather than asking locals directions or recommendations. I know guidebooks and maps are used but you still need to ask for more information with using maps and guidebooks but they offer limited information but the smartphone apps are unless. The travel accessories have grown because we need a case for our smartphones and accessories for our iPads to mount to our seats to use them. When we travel I will use my smartphones in the hotel to plan for the day and get a general sense of the place and places to go then I will ask locals to get the best advice but my wife will always want to buy the latest cover for her ipad and iphone to travel.
http://skift.com/2013/06/27/skift-qa-how-to-sell-physical-products-to-todays-digital-travelers/#/0
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We are in full planning mode for our trip to China this fall. We will be there for two important holidays, Mid-Autumn Festival and the National Day on October 1st. Our first week will be in Beijing. After setting in our apartment in the Nanjing area we will be heading to the Shaolin Temple then off to Xian to see the Terracotta Warriors. I cannot wait to eat Moon Cake during the Mid-Autumn Festival and we will be in the Shaolin Temple area during this time. My wife’s neighborhood friend has a social group on QQ (the Chinese version of IM) about 30 friends and they are planning a big night in Nanjing for dinner with us and then an all-night party time at KTV (Karaoke) until the early morning hours, it will be a drink fest. Each trip we stay longer in China and every time our schedule is full with events. This will be my 16th trip to China for close to 400 days and counting.
My number one recommendation to reduce jet lag on international flights which would include Red Eye flights is NO alcohol. This article offers 5 helpful tips when traveling on red eye flights and the first tip is NOT consuming alcohol. I enjoy a drink as much as anyone but for international and red eye flights it is definitely off limits. The other tip I found useful is bringing a change of socks and I recently started to take off my shoes on flights and it has made a great difference to get to sleep because my feet swell. My next trip to China I will definitely change socks and try this tip.
http://www.bbc.com/travel/blog/20130625-five-tips-for-getting-rest-on-a-red-eye It is interesting when there is never an issue with airline fees, for example, when they do not affect us directly but when they do they are called dumb. This traveler is OK with all the additional fees by the airline but not the one for changing to an early flight. I agree with the article travelers would game the system by buying less expensive flight times then change at the airport. I would if I could without paying a change fee especially for my recent purchase to China. I wanted the red eye flight this September but the prices increased so I had to take the afternoon flight which in the end I arrive at night rather than in the morning to enjoy a full day. I thought the article was interesting because most people do not have a problem with traveling fees until it affects them directly. I do not care about the baggage fees because at this point when I fly to China on Air China there is no baggage fees.
http://www.thestreet.com/story/11961646/1/the-dumbest-fee-in-the-airline-business.html?puc=yahoo&cm_ven=YAHOO The China’s Rice Terraces added to the UNESCO Heritage list and what a great feat of engineering that is 1300 years old. How did they do it without the computer or the iPhone, just kidding. It is incredible how they are constructed and used for so many years. This place is definitely on our list to visit maybe next year in China. All the pictures I have seen are beautiful and looks like a must visit when in the Yunnan province.
http://www.latimes.com/travel/deals/la-trb-cultural-landscape-of-honghe-hani-rice-terraces-20130625,0,7621171.photogallery Wow, this is a crazy story about an American factory owner outsourcing from outsourcing and the employees trapped him in the factory until they get compensated. The owner is closing only part of his Chinese factory and outsourcing to India and was given paid to the laid-off workers and the rumor got around like all rumors in factories that the whole factory was closing and the other workers did not any compensation. After reading the article I am surprise it happens more often with local owners, but maybe we should do this to our management in the US. The other interesting factor in this article is that more and more companies are leaving China to go to India, Vietnam, back to the US and even the Chinese factories are moving to Vietnam to save money. I source my travel products in China but my competition is going to Vietnam so I maybe going to Vietnam as well, I want to source with the best factories and where my competition uses as well because I compete on design NOT price.
http://news.yahoo.com/us-factory-boss-held-hostage-workers-beijing-074855847.html;_ylt=AwrNUbDAEclRwB4AWCPQtDMD This article reviews where crimes happens the most for tourists. This happens anywhere and everywhere there is tourism, but travelers can prevent these crimes by being aware of your surroundings. Also, keep your expensive jewelry at home and do not flash your expensive devices around. This article covers “Apple Picking” which is displaying your Apple Devices visible and easy access to thieves. We use so much technology all the time in our daily life we need to ease up and enjoy a break from all the instant information while on vacation. Always use a money belt and never let anyone touch you which this video shows what can happen and always take a few steps back. We went to Paris last fall and never had an issue. We took photos with our iPhones but then put the iPhones back in our bag which is always strap on our shoulder and place in front of us. My wife did not have any expensive jewelry. We only had 1 gypsy approach us at a public toilet but I quickly and loudly said no and took one step back with a mean face and she quickly ran off. Most pickpockets are easily avoidable by knowing your surroundings, watch out for the distraction methods (bumping you, spilling on you or baby hold), wearing a money belt, bags on your shoulder in front, and never leave your devices around for easily access to anyone. http://travel.yahoo.com/blogs/compass/where-tourist-crime-happens-most-171502067.html Check out this latest trend in China to combat sexual harassment which is hairy silk stockings! It gets very hot and humid in China during the summer months and yes the Chinese ladies tend to wear very short cut clothes. Unfortunately this looks like it leads to sex harassment in the workplace but China is allowed to review your body type before hiring. During our last trip to China our friends daughter was interested in a job at a hotel for cleaning services and she needed to send a photo of her and it had to be recent in high quality. Actually they requested several more photos of her before they would interview her for the cleaning job. She did get hired but I was so surprised they requested these photos. If you fly Chinese brand airlines you will notice all the flight attendants both male and female are young and attractive people. China is still a male dominant society and many times at my wife’s family the males and females will sit at separate tables during lunch and dinner. http://english.people.com.cn/90882/8291662.html Looks like a nice updated terminal at the Los Angeles Airport for foreign guests to see as they enter the US. Look at the Coach Store photo and I bet it will be one of the busiest Coach stores in the US. This renovated terminal is much needed and finally coming this August. I hope they have a lot of seating for the passengers because I know it was a problem with the old terminal. Too bad I will not be able to check it out for our next trip to China because we are departing from Terminal 2 at LAX.
http://skift.com/2013/06/20/sneak-peek-at-the-new-lax-international-terminal/#/2 We would suggest you try pickled snacks in China and my favorite is the pickled radish and cabbage combination. My wife’s aunt makes it the best and the main vegetable is the radish it is sweet and sour but has a cool refreshing crunchy texture. It is the best because all the ingredients come from her farm and her secret ingredient is Baijui which is the rice wine in China. If it is not made correctly it will have a strong vinegar taste, the good stuff has a good balance between sweet and sour. This snack is great on hot and humid days in China. My last trip to China at my wife’s aunt house we finished 3 plates of her homemade pickled radish and cabbage. Many different types of vegetables and meats are pickled as snacks and you will see the locals eating everywhere on trains, tourist sites, and along any streets. This type of food is more common than the crazy carnival food in Beijing of the Scorpions and bugs on a stick. |
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September 2019
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