Travelography
The Travelography podcast discusses travel and tourism related news, opinions and more from around the globe. I discuss travel in the news, and news that affects travel.
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10 Episodes of this Podcast:
#162: The Right to Free Hotel Wifi
Published: 2009-11-12 19:47:29The first story today is about how unions are calling on more regulations to stabilize the very unstable airline industry. The second is eight reasons why all hotels should provide free wifi, with mention of Google's and Bing's free offerings this holiday season. And then I talk a little about Taiwan's Modern Toilet Hotel. This podcast is available at:
PodcasterNews.com, Blubrry.com and Travelgeography.info. and TravelCastNetwork.com. And also follow Travelography News on Twitter.com. Click Here for ALL of the News Stories discussed in this podcast.
#161: H1N1 on a Plane
Published: 2009-11-02 22:11:31H1N1 Swine Flu and its impacts on travel in the US was the top story for this past week. Most of us who have the flu will be flying on a plane because airlines make it hard to do otherwise. Also, how to buy travel insurance; don't trust tourism numbers, like those from Lebanon; and Yosemite bears know which cars have kids. This podcast is available at:
PodcasterNews.com, Blubrry.com and Travelgeography.info. and TravelCastNetwork.com. And also follow Travelography News on Twitter.com. Click Here for ALL of the News Stories discussed in this podcast.
#160: Tourism and the Internet: A Match Made in Heaven
Published: 2009-10-24 23:42:06Travelers primarily use tourism-related social networks to get up-to-date information, as do a lot of business travelers. Southwest Airlines is flying its new green plane. Thailand find a home for retired elephants. And Cyprus is a major wedding tourism destinations for certain couples from Israel and Lebanon. This podcast is available at:
PodcasterNews.com, Blubrry.com and Travelgeography.info. and TravelCastNetwork.com. And also follow Travelography News on Twitter.com. Click Here for ALL of the News Stories discussed in this podcast.
#159: Tourism and the Economy: Uneasy Bedfellows
Published: 2009-10-15 21:00:03Business travel is in the dumps, and a new study is commissioned to try and turn that around. The Australian dollar is stronger than ever -- which is really bad for Australia's tourism. Finally, I can take my precious water on the plane -- in Europe. And are floating hotels the future is a global warming world? This podcast is available at:
PodcasterNews.com, Blubrry.com and Travelgeography.info. and TravelCastNetwork.com. And also follow Travelography News on Twitter.com. Click Here for ALL of the News Stories discussed in this podcast.
#158: Global Economy Hurting Tourism, Helping Sharks
Published: 2009-09-28 16:52:11This podcast is available at PodcasterNews.com, Blubrry.com and Travelgeography.info. and TravelCastNetwork.com. And also follow Travelography News on Twitter.com. Click Here for ALL of the News Stories discussed in this podcast.
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#157: Fighting the Image War for Tourism
Published: 2009-09-20 23:37:55This podcast is available at PodcasterNews.com, Blubrry.com and Travelgeography.info. And also check out Travelography on Twitter.com. Click Here for ALL of the News Stories discussed in this podcast. The Two Highlighted Stories for today are: Political Instability, Violence Threat to Asia's Tourism Industry Political violence has done considerable damage to tourism in Asia and the Pacific over the past few years. But industry experts say the damage is not necessarily permanent. Governments and industry leaders say much can be done to rebuild tattered tourism reputations. Wish you were here? Asian war zones battle for tourists Across a swath of south and south-east Asia previously wracked by war or strife, officials are carrying out a rebranding exercise to lure back tourists who have long been scared of visiting. In places such as Nepal, it is more like fine-tuning. In others, such as Kashmir, it means a complete overhaul.
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#155: Our Changing World: Geishas and Satellites
Published: 2009-09-06 18:11:15This podcast is available at PodcasterNews.com, Blubrry.com and Travelgeography.info. And also check out my Travelography Twitter Blog. Geisha turn barmaids to keep Japan’s ‘Floating World’ afloat A traditional two-hour dinner with a geisha, who will entertain with music, dance performances and conversation, can cost as much as 67,000 yen ($715), more than half of which goes to the teahouse and an arranger, ... "It's a luxury industry, and like the high-end hotels, it has dropped," ... [However,] bookings have declined 50 percent since last October, the month after the collapse of [financial services firm] Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc, ...
Economists Measure GDP Growth From Outer Space Using U.S. Air Force weather satellite picture composites, they look at changes in a region’s light density over a 10-year period. “Consumption of nearly all goods in the evening requires lights,” ... “As income rises, so does light usage per person, in both consumption activities and many investment activities.” ... For example, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, lights suggest a 2.4-percent annual growth rate in GDP, while official estimates suggest a negative 2.6-percent growth over the same time period. The Congo appears to be growing faster than official estimates suggest. At the other end, Myanmar has an official growth rate of 8.6 percent a year, but the lights data imply only a 3.4-percent annual growth rate.
#154: Tourism is the New Flat
Published: 2009-09-03 18:43:12Stories discussed in this podcast are from the Travelography Twitter Blog for the week of 26 August to 3 September 2009. This podcast is available at PodcasterNews.com, Blubrry.com and Travelgeography.info. Travel is Growing Again!
“flat is the new up.” By that definition, and taking into consideration the trends and data discussed below, the good news is that U.S. Travel is growing again! Yes, this is a bullish view on our sector, but even if it’s premature, who couldn’t use good news?
Southwest Airlines adds charge to board sooner ... for an extra $10 each way Southwest passengers can automatically reserve a boarding position prior to general check-in. That would allow those customers to begin boarding the plane after certain elite fliers, who don't have to pay add-on fees for early boarding privileges. Unlike other carriers, Southwest does not offer assigned seating.
#153: Mexico and Thailand's Tourism Challenges, and more...
Published: 2009-04-28 01:19:00Stories discussed in this podcast are from the Travelography Twitter Blog for the week of 21 to 27 April 2009. This podcast is available at PodcasterNews.com, Blubrry.com and Travelgeography.info. Canada hoping to attract Chinese travellers Canada is one of the few remaining countries that hasn't been granted "approved destination status," known as ADS, by the Chinese. As a result, the Canadian tourism industry cannot actively market Canada in China, and Chinese travel agents can't advertise and promote Canadian trips. But that may be about to change. Thais to move swiftly to limit strife damage Tourism was hit particularly hard by recent street violence in a long battle between royalists, the military and urban Thais who back the current government and supporters of exiled former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra whose power base was mainly drawn from the millions of rural poor. "The combination of the impact of the slowdown of the global economy and the social unrest domestically means that we're anticipating tourist arrivals, originally forecast at 14 million, to be something closer to… Ryanair proposes surcharge for fat passengers “With passengers voting overwhelmingly for a ‘fat tax’ we are now asking them to suggest which format the charge should take. The above four points seem to us to be the simplest, fairest and administratively easiest to apply. In all cases we’ve limits at very high levels so that a ‘fat tax’ will only apply to those really large passengers who invade’ the space of the passengers sitting beside them." Swiss heartland voters ban nude hiking in Alps By a show of hands citizens of the tiny canton (state) of Appenzell Inner Rhodes voted overwhelmingly at their traditional open-air annual assembly to impose a 200 Swiss franc ($176) fine on violators. Only a scattering of people on Sunday opposed the ban on the back-to-nature activity that took off last autumn when naked hikers — primarily Germans — started showing up in eastern Switzerland. RT @markwilliams Baja, land of drug wars, tries to keep tourists coming Given the circumstances (Tijuana's 843 murders last year doubled 2007's), it takes moxie to launch a [tourism] campaign. Number one on the list: "Take a picture with the famous Tijuana zebra donkey." Number 75: Get out of town by "Flying direct to Narita, Japan, from Tijuana Airport." Delusional thinking or marketing optimism? Digital IDs make clearing customs easier The ID cards are embedded with an image of the traveler's eye that is used to verify his identity. Industry groups say the program will encourage travel to the USA by reducing the hassles of clearing customs. Thai tourism to lose $5.35 billion: Government spokesman "The revenue from tourism could drop 35 percent... to only 350 billion baht from 540 billion baht in 2008," ... The kingdom's tourist-friendly image was dented by a nine-day seizure of Bangkok's airports at the end of last year that left thousands stranded, and was further affected by rallies held by rival demonstrators last week.
#152: Green Skeptics, and a Week of Bizarre Travel News
Published: 2009-04-21 01:48:47Stories discussed in this podcast are from the Travelography Twitter Blog for the week of 14 to 20 April 2009. This podcast is available at PodcasterNews.com, Blubrry.com and Travelgeography.info. Polish travel agency takes tourists to Afghanistan [Extreme Tourism] It said the 12 places, costing up to $3,700 apiece, have all been booked. However, reports of the offer spurred Poland's Foreign Ministry to warn Poles against unnecessary travel to Afghanistan, where NATO forces are struggling to tame a relentless Taliban insurgency. The ministry said the country "remains a zone especially susceptible to terrorist attacks" and said Poles could be targets for kidnappers due to the presence of some 1,600 Polish troops in the NATO force. #tnt Four Corners misses mark by 2.5 miles Oh No! ... the Four Corners marker showing the intersection of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah is about 2.5 miles west of where it should be, According to readings by the National Geodetic Survey... #geog #travel Zimbabwe dumps own currency Trade in goods across Zimbabwe will now be conducted in US dollars, euros, British pounds, and probably South African rand, besides accepting currencies of neighboring countries. Ordinary people, however, in villages across the country will find it hard to get hold of foreign money making it arguably even more difficult to access goods and services. Pets-only airline says it plans to serve Denver, New York, Washington, Chicago and Los Angeles Pet Airways, a startup based in Delray Beach, Fla., said in an announcement Thursday it will carry pets (but not their human friends) in the main cabin. The budding airline said it will carry "pawsengers" ... Travel firm plans cruise to mark anniversary of Titanic disaster (example of Dark Tourism) The sailing will follow the Titanic's original route westward and include a memorial service on the morning of April 15, 2012 in the exact location where the Titanic went down. The Titanic sank on April 15, 1912. Police delete London tourists' photos 'to prevent terrorism' He described his horror as he and his 15-year-old son were forced to delete all transport-related pictures on their cameras, including images of Vauxhall underground station. "Google Street View is allowed to show any details of our cities on the world wide web," he said. "But a father and his son are not allowed to take pictures of famous London landmarks." 72% Question Hotel "Green" Practices; 44% Say Green Travel Options Hard to Find Seventy-six percent of travelers sometimes incorporate green choices in their travel plans and 27 percent of respondents intentionally made environmentally-friendly travel choices in the past year. Fifty-two percent regularly find it challenging to incorporate "green" choices into their travel plans and 44 percent of travelers find that environmentally-friendly options are not readily available when traveling.
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