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Man Travelling with backpack

How To Travel With Just A Backpack

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Travelling can be one of the most rewarding experiences a human being can go through. Exploring the vast and changing world and seeing a life lived by many, but foreign to you, is enlightening. However, in order to properly travel, you need to get through the physical travelling part of it. Whether it be by car, plane, train, or bus, getting to your destination can be half the battle, especially if you’re like most individuals and struggle with packing. 

Packing for any sort of trip can be difficult, but it’s especially hard when you’re going to a place you’ve never been to before. You have to account for weather, what activities you’re planning on doing, places you’ll go, environmental conditions, etc. there’s just a lot to plan for. Even if you pack light and think you can fit everything into your personal bag and carry-on, the airport can still hit you with that pink tag indicating you need to check your bag due to overcrowding. Packing light is often the best way to travel, and really engulf yourself in your surroundings, so try to only pack a personal bag. You read that right, just pack the one single bag that can fit under your chair. It may seem impossible, but with some helpful tips, tools, sacrifices and space manipulation, anything is possible. 

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The first thing you’ll need to do is make sure you have the right type of bag. According to Outside Online Magazine the best option for single-bag travelling is a backpack. A backpack will ensure that you have the most space, and is easier to hold than something like a purse or messenger bag. Backpacks often have many inner pockets that are perfect for making sure your smaller personal items are safe and secure and not loosely being knocked around. Look for something on the larger side and in a hiking category. While you may not be planning on taking any hikes during your travels, although if you are having a backpack is another perk, backpacks that are equipped for hiking normally have the most space and compartments to hold everything you need. Amazon and Target definitely have cheap options, especially if your shopping after all those “Back to school” promotions, however, don’t be afraid to spend more money for better quality. If this bag is going to follow you all throughout your future travels and potentially be your only travel bag, you want it to be good quality. 

Just because you have one big bag to accompany you on your travels, that doesn’t mean smaller bags are out of the question. Laptop holders and tech pouches are great safe options to guarantee your devices won’t be scuffed or damaged while inside of your bag. These bags can also hold any important travel documents, or any other important papers, which would also ensure that all your valuables are in the same place within your bag, and you won’t need to dig to find them. Additionally, a small make up bag for toiletries will help keep each compartment in your bag organized. Go on Amazon, or out to a local drug store, and pick up travel size containers for your shampoo, soap, moisturizing needs. You can purchase multi-packs of mini squeeze bottles online that are perfect for saving space and travelling with all your bathroom needs. Remember, you want to pack light, so if you’re going to stay somewhere that you know will have things like soap, towels, toothpaste, etc. then leave it at home, less is more!

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Now for the fun part, clothing. While it may seem impossible to fit an entire trips worth of clothing into a backpack, it is, if you’re willing to make it work. First of all, make sure the outfit you’re wearing on the day of your travels have pieces that you can get a lot of use out of. Wear a nice and standard jacket that you can use and rework to fit any occasion. A bomber or flannel could work, even a jean jacket could do the job. Make sure your pants are also just as versatile, and are also comfortable enough to leisure in for hours at a time. Versatility is key here, keep it generic with shirts and bring a spare or two only. Underwear is small enough that it can fit in those small compartments throughout your backpack, the same goes for socks. If you have access to a laundry machine, you really only need two outfits, the one you wear the day of, and an extra. This was you’ll always have one full outfit while the others being cleaned.

For optimal storage, roll your clothing instead of folding, the minimal surface area and cylinder shape will allow the clothes to fit together within the bag much easier. Place the clothing at the bottom of the bag first so you get the most important pieces packed. From this point on you can work with everything else you have to pack like pieces of a puzzle to make it all fit. While traveling with one single bag may not seem ideal, it will ensure that your trip is about one thing and one thing only, the experience. Chances are you’ll be able to buy more clothing and a duffel bag wherever you’re going to anyway, so don’t sweat it and focus on the journey.

Woman Stressed

25% Of People Feel Stressed After Returning From Vacation

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New research by mobile travel app Vamoos has revealed that 1 in 4 people feel as stressed after returning from vacation as they did before they left.

Research conducted on over 1,000 travelers who go on luxury, educational and/or adventurous trips revealed that 24% felt stressed after returning home from vacation, which is only 1% less than the number of people who feel stressed right before leaving. Further insights from the report indicated that women were likely to be more stressed than their male counterparts, both before their vacation (30% vs 20%) and just after (27% vs 20%). 

Whilst it has long been accepted that people feel stressed when booking or preparing for their vacation, less consideration has been given to how people feel when they return, often coming back to pressures at work, a mountain of emails and a never-ending to-do list. This is in addition to other factors such as getting children back into school or bedtime routines. Interestingly, only 5% of the 61 travel companies also interviewed as part of the research knew that their clients felt stressed after their vacation.

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“This new research would suggest that many people returning to work apparently ‘refreshed’ after their vacation, may be experiencing similar levels of stress as they were prior to leaving. More worryingly, they could either be suffering in silence or find their stress is disregarded as a simple case of the post-vacation blues,” explains Tony Bean, Director at Vamoos.

As global awareness on the importance of mental health continues to gain momentum, Tony suggests that more needs to be done to help people to settle back into daily life after they return from vacation. This includes both employers and travel companies. 

“Holiday companies have already started to address pre-vacation stress by providing checklists, handy reminders and apps to help their customers feel more in control prior to departure. What is needed now is a greater understanding and empathy for them after they return, perhaps better preparing them for those initial feelings of stress that they are likely to experience, along with some positive ideas for their next vacation to allow them to focus on their next exciting adventure,” adds Tony.

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If you have returned from a dream vacation and are feeling the tension rising, don’t fear! Here are a number of ways to tackle post-vacation stress:

PLAN BEFORE YOU LEAVE –  Sometimes the run up to clocking off from work can mean you leave many tasks incomplete, particularly those that can easily wait until you return. Trouble is that you’ll come back to an ever bigger mess than you left, which won’t help with the stress levels. Making sure you have planned the work for your return means that you are more likely to feel in control and on top of the situation. It’s always worth seeing what work can be delegated while you are away to further lessen the burden on day one!

EAT THE FROG – Don’t worry you don’t actually have to ‘eat’ a frog! There is a well known saying in the time management world to ‘eat your frog’ in the morning; this essentially means do the worst tasks first rather than putting them off until last, as this will help you to stop procrastinating and be more productive for the rest of the day. If facing a mountain of emails on your return to work fills you with dread, suck it up, grab a coffee and get down to it. You’ll feel so much better once it is done and able to focus on the day ahead.

EASE YOURSELF IN SLOWLY – After a wonderfully relaxing vacation, your mind is unlikely to be going at its usual lightening speed. Don’t expect it to just switch back on now you’re at work, it’ll take a little time to warm up. Try to avoid overloading yourself with back to back meetings, status updates and client calls on your first day back. Book them in over a series of days to ensure you don’t become too overwhelmed as you readjust to working life. 

DON’T BE ASHAMED OF VACATION TIME – Many people find themselves over-compensating for their time away, working excessively long hours prior to going, checking emails or responding to queries on holiday, or putting in extra shifts on their return to catch up or make up for the time they were away. Rest and recuperation is an essential part of working life and if necessary to retain mental and physical health. Enjoy it, be thankful for it, and don’t apologize for it; you deserve it! 

Food Market

How to Stay in the Moment when Traveling

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Many of us don’t often get the opportunity to travel, as the demands of work and other obligations keep us at home. So when we do get the opportunity to visit other places, it’s important that we make the most of our experiences, remaining present and observant of our new surroundings. As research shows that regular travel has a positive impact on a person’s overall sense of wellbeing, it can be helpful to put some thought into how to maximize the benefits of a travel experience.

While taking pictures while on vacation can be a fun way to preserve the experience to remember later, it can also have the effect of taking you out of the moment, as you look at your surroundings through your camera’s viewfinder or display rather than directly. As such, self-imposed limits on your photography can improve your experience of travel. If you set a limit on the total number of photographs you take on vacation, you can remain more present, while also devoting more attention to ensuring the pictures you do take are thoughtfully composed. 

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Additionally, there are other, less common ways of preserving an experience besides photography that can engage you more thoroughly in your environment. Instead of a camera, you can bring a notebook and colored pencils with you on a trip, allowing you to sketch your surroundings and record your thoughts in a journal. For the more creative among us, this practice can be more rewarding and satisfying than the standard vacation pictures.

There are also helpful ways of adjusting your frame of mind to make the most of a travel experience. Though many of us think of a vacation as a way to take a break from all forms of work, exercise can have the effect of sharpening one’s senses, allowing them to stay more present and engaged in their location. Going for a run or a bicycle ride can be a fun way to explore a new environment, and working up a sweat has the effect of raising one’s level of endorphins, helping you to stay in a good mood throughout the vacation. Additionally, mindfulness meditation is particularly helpful for making the most out of a vacation, as the practice of devoting focus to one’s internal and external experiences is particularly important when encountering a chance of locale.

That being said, it’s also important to make sure you enjoy the experience, which is after all the point of going on vacation. Your mindfulness should extend to your decisions about what activities to engage in, as you want to strike the right balance between doing novel things and choosing activities that you’re likely to find valuable and enriching. If you’re more of an introverted person, you may choose to go on hikes in nature, whereas extroverted people may find excitement in immersing themselves in the local nightlife. In either case, your individual personality and interests will dictate the sorts of activities you’ll enjoy, so it’s a good idea to do some introspection when planning your next getaway.

Tourist

Growing Tourism Market Means An Increase In Tourist Misconduct

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Tourism is beginning to become a bad word in many parts of the world. Headlines regarding tourists complete disregard and disrespect for local values have only increased within the past years and a big part of the blame is to be placed on social media. 

According to the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), there was a record of 1.4 billion tourists visiting various places around the globe in 2018, making the tourism market a $1.7 trillion industry. While many places around the world are highly dependent on the high grossing tourism market, many popular destinations are trying to restrict the market. Venice, Italy, for example, is affected every year by the population spikes during the vacation season, causing the water levels to continue to rise at astronomical rates. Places such as Ibiza and Barcelona have even implemented tourism taxes to make up for the amount of water and food waste they go through yearly, according to CNN. 

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One of the biggest reasons behind an increase in tourism over the years is social media and influencer culture. Trendy tourist destinations see a major increase in their normal tourism rates when highly followed influencers visit them. In addition, the mending of cultures between traditional and sacred locations and social media stars just looking for a quick photo-op is causing a lot of the worlds “anti-tourism” attitude. 

“Currently, there are no statistics to suggest that misconduct by tourists is increasing. However, in this digital era, things can go viral easily, giving the impression that inappropriate conducts are increasing in number. This is actually an important reminder for the security forces and tourism industries to continue to educate tourists on respecting local culture and rituals. It’s possible that recent misconduct by tourists in Bali may relate to the individual’s lack of awareness and understanding of local wisdom and values of the Balinese people. The trend for sharing these types of videos on social media only serves to worsen the relationship between tourists and locals,” Michael O’Regan, a former assistant professor at the Institute for Tourism Studies Macao, said to CNN Travel. 

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Tourists in general are becoming less socially aware of foreign policies and using the fact that they’re a tourist as an excuse to behave recklessly. According to CNN, so much so that places like Italy have taken action with its tourism laws. Italy has banned street drinking, any public fountain swimming, and pub crawls. Different areas of Europe have also banned any sort of food products in areas of historic value. Drinking is one of the main reasons behind so many tourist horror stories. Individuals, especially in Europe, assume that the alcohol is always flowing, and therefore you can act as such 24/7.

The best way to combat the increasing levels of disconnect between a culture’s values and tourists rule breaking naive way of thinking is through education. Not the type of education that they receive on a tour bus, but preliminary research instead. It’s the tourists responsibility to be fully aware and educated on the are that they will be travelling too, especially if it’s a completely different culture. 

“Usually these incidents are related to abuse of alcohol and ensuing behavior related to drunk and disorderly conduct. At the national level we would say that the best way to deal with this is to work on public awareness and education about respecting the destination one is visiting, there’s no evidence to suggest codes of conduct actually work, pointing out that many tourists won’t even be aware of them in the first instance. Tourism is meant to educate. Travelers should go to a different destination, adapt to different cultures and come back somewhat changed. Educational outreach about expectations before tourists even arrive can help reduce tensions. We can’t expect ready made, perfect tourists as soon as they land at a destination. It’s a learning process,” says Ina Rodin, director of North America at the Croatian National Tourist Office to CNN.

Surfboards

Hawaii Tourism Authority Releases Guidelines for Vacation Behavior

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Tourists have long been stereotyped as people who are rude, entitled, and cause trouble by failing to observe local customs and norms. While many tourists are respectful and responsible while travelling, this stereotype is unfortunately true for some, as anyone who lives in a heavily-touristed area can attest. The bad behavior of tourists in Hawaii has become enough of a problem that the Hawaii Tourism Authority has created a project designed to teach tourists about the appropriate way to behave on the island. The project, called the Kuleana Campaign, which translates to “responsibility” in Hawaiian, involves a collection of videos featuring interviews with inhabitants of the island who share their thoughts about the best way for visitors to behave.

The videos, which are just a few minutes in length, will be played on television screens in airports as well as on tourists’ social media feeds, taking advantage of geo-tracking technology that recognizes when people arrive to the island. The videos cover topics like ocean safety, ocean conservation, culture, and land safety. Rather than criticising tourists ignorant of rules and customs, the videos take a welcoming approach, and focus on explaining why the relevant rules and customs are present to help tourists understand their importance. The videos are available in a variety of languages, including English, Japanese, and Korean, reflecting the diversity of countries of origin of the state’s visitors.

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The project was funded by a state tax called the Transient Accomodation Tax, which is a tax placed on rental units like hotels and timeshare vacation homes in the state and is meant to fund programs that improve the quality of life for residents in areas affected by tourism. The project is specifically targeted at reducing behaviors that locals find the most problematic, which includes leaving the trail while hiking to explore the woods, which can lead to erosion and cause unsafe conditions. Additionally, tourists in Hawaii have been known to hike on private property, leading to annoyance from landowners and possible legal action against vacationers.

The videos are artfully shot, and are meant to showcase the natural beauty of the island so as to demonstrate the importance of taking care of and respectfully appreciating the environment. As they come from all over the world, visitors to Hawaii may simply lack the knowledge of what constitutes appropriate behavior when visiting the state. As such, the project’s directors take the position that people are mainly good and want to do the right thing, and will be self-motivated to follow instructions when they understand the justifications for doing so.

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One video, entitled “Ocean Safety,” encourages visitors to be mindful of the dangers in their environment when swimming in the ocean, as dangers such as rip currents and rocks aren’t always obvious, particularly for people who aren’t experienced with navigating natural bodies of water. In a similar vein, a video entitled “Ocean Conservation” teaches tourists about “travel pono,” which is defined as travelling in a way that is positive for the thousands of miles of ocean surrounding the island. The video specifically highlights the problem of microplastics, which collect in the ocean from disposable water bottles and other plastic items, and of sunscreen which contains chemicals that can harm the ocean’s reefs.

“Land Safety,” in addition to urging travellers to stay on trails, also advises them to wear appropriate footwear and clothing and to “take only pictures and leave only footprints.” And “Culture” stresses the importance of asking permission before entering a privately-owned place and having a general attitude of respect towards the native inhabitants whose home vacationers are visiting.

The videos can be viewed on the official Go Hawaii Youtube channel, alongside videos documenting tourist attractions on the island as well as local beliefs and activities. More information about travelling to Hawaii can be found on the state’s official website for tourists, gohawaii.com. 

Hard Rock Cafe

Hard Rock Opens First Ever Guitar Shaped Hotel In Hollywood, Florida

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The Hard Rock Cafe has taken having a “rockin’ vacation” to a whole new level with their new guitar shaped hotel in Hollywood, Florida. This fall Hard Rock will open the first ever Guitar shaped hotel as part of a $2.2 billion project that will expand two Florida Hard Rock Hotels and Casinos, this one in Hollywood and one in Tampa. The Guitar Hotel piece of the property is taking $1.5 billion of that budget alone. 

The hotel will officially open October 24th but Hard Rock is already taking reservations and has been for the past couple of months, so now’s a better time than ever to jump on the opportunity to be one of the first individuals to vacation in a guitar! The guitar building itself will be about 400 feet tall, tickets for musical performances also are already on sale as well for artists such as Andrea Bocelli. 

“The Hard Rock brand is stronger today than it ever has been, it represents more than food, beverage and a place to stay. The musical element is an enormous part of what defines the Hard Rock hotels, restaurants and entertainment properties around the world,” says Jim Allen, chairman of Hard Rock International, at a press event regarding the new guitar hotel, in New York City’s Hard Rock Cafe.

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The corporate workers of Hard Rock International want their overall brand to be about the experience that one endures while staying at one of its locations, or goes to one of its restaurants. It’s not just about how good the food is, or nice the rooms are, it’s about all of it coming together to give every vacationer a specifically “Hard Rock” experience. This is one of the reasons the company has introduced “The Oculus” to its Hollywood location. 

“The Oculus” is a show free to hotel guests that involves sound, light, a major water feature, projections and choreography all working with the sounds of music. The real star, additionally, is the “Hard Rock Live” venue set up inside the guitar, which will be set to host around 100 events a year. The venue was built as a multipurpose space, this way Hard Rock can host a variety of special events such as concerts, boxing, stand up comedy, theater entertainment, and maybe even an award show or two. More than $120 million has been spent of the budget on this space alone. 

All of this is in the greater effort to provide an unforgettable experience to tourists and locals alike. The Oculus, and Hard Rock Live are just the cherries on top of a much larger and luxurious hotel. The property will also include a large day pool that converts to a club atmosphere as a greater attempt to rival any other hotels pool parties. A family friendly man-made lake fully equipped with paddle boats and lazy river will keep the kids entertained while the parents can also enjoy a 12,000 square foot rooftop bar and lounge area. Other areas include a multitude of retail stores, a comedy theater, and casino, which includes 3,000 slot machines and 230 game tables. Large spaces for conventions and business events are also located in Hard Rock, and after those business meetings individuals can choose from 14 on site restaurants.

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The goal is to give guests a full vacation resort experience without having to leave the large and diverse premises. The guitar alone has 638 rooms and suites which, size wise, start at a standard 515 square feet and only go up from there. The Oculus area even includes “swim-up” suites that includes tons of amenities. 

Allen stated at the New York press event that he really wanted to give guests the “Bora Bora” experience but in Florida. Offering a luxury experience within the United States will certainly attract tourists everywhere trying to plan a warm and unique getaway. 

“With villas (ranging in size from 450 to 800 square feet) submerged in water, personal butler service and more, guests can experience the ultimate in luxury with next to no effort. The VIP villas are intended to offer guests a private and exclusive pool experience.”

The hotel also includes a full indoor and outdoor spa, fitness center, and hair salon. The franchise is also upgrading its Tampa location to keep up with all the amenities that the Hollywood location is now acquiring. Allen and Hard Rock International are all about selling the vacation as a total package experience, get your luxury getaway all without having to leave the resort.

Train travel

Should You Consider Traveling By Train Instead of By Plane?

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If there’s one aspect of traveling that can really put a damper on the experience, it’s the stress and frustration of dealing with airports. They are often crowded, the food is usually overpriced and mediocre, and going through security is a pain. Air travel generally involves spending long hours sitting in airports, where access to electrical outlets is limited, cellular data networks are congested and sometimes fail, and free Wi-Fi is nowhere to be found. And the experience is not much better once you get in the air; seat sizes have been steadily decreasing over the years to fit more people onto planes, in-flight entertainment options are usually limited, and meals are generally limited to bags of chips and small cups of soda. Nevertheless, plane trips are widely regarded as a necessary evil when traveling to sufficiently distant destinations, and are generally more bearable than a long car trip.

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In many cases, however, there is a better way to travel, which is to take a train. There are several benefits to doing so. For instance, the drive to a train station is often much shorter than the one to an airport, and train tickets are nearly universally cheaper than plane tickets. You don’t have to go through security when boarding a train, nor do you have to deal with long waits in airports, and selections for food and beverages are often better. Also, trains happen to be a more environmentally-friendly form of transportation than planes, which have recently been found to pollute more than previously thought, and cell phone reception on trains is generally better than at airports and in the air. Of course, for sufficiently long distances, taking a plane can be your only option, but for a trip that would take one hour by plane it may be a better idea to take a five-hour long train trip when all factors are taken into consideration.

The quality of the time you spend on a train is often better than the time you spend in the air travel process, as you often have more legroom and opportunities for relaxation or work.

One such factor is the hidden additional time it takes to fly beyond the time spent in the air. Regardless of how long your trip to the airport is, you generally have to wait at least a few hours in the airport before boarding the plane, and it’s always recommended to arrive extra early as a precaution. The disembarking process also takes time, as you find your luggage while navigating an unfamiliar airport, and then you’ll often have to wait to be picked up by a taxi service or a relative. All of this time adds up, and a one-hour flight can quickly become a five-hour affair, making a train trip of similar duration more appealing. Furthermore, the quality of the time you spend on a train is often better than the time you spend in the air travel process, as you often have more legroom and opportunities for relaxation or work.

The New York Times writer Elaine Glusac compared details of traveling between various popular Americans cities by train and by plane in order to test the theory that train trips are often more desirable than plane trips. Her results, surprisingly, argued that for many trips we tend to imagine as necessitating air travel, trains were a superior form of transport. The trip from Boston to New York City, for instance, is both cheaper and faster by train than by airplane, as is the trip from New York City to Washington. The trip from Boston to Washington, however, is a better deal by plane. The trip from Seattle to Vancouver, British Columbia, was recently made easier by the signing of an agreement between the United States and Canada to allow travellers to clear customs and immigration before leaving a country, and taking a train instead of a plane allows travelers to save both time and money on this trip.

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With the advent of the Internet, it’s never been easier to do research on travel opportunities. One popular online resource is Hipmunk, which allows users to input the details of their journey to compare prices and travel times between different airlines and automatically includes details for taking a train instead. Before embarking on any trip, you should look into the various rules and restrictions of your travel method of choice, as both airlines and planes impose limitations on the size and type of luggage you can carry, among other rules. When planning a trip, make sure you take all eventualities into consideration, as a thoroughly-planned trip is much likelier to be a successful one than a spontaneous journey.

Tech at Home

How Technology will Shape Life in the Home

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Already, rapid advancements in technology have fundamentally changed the way most of us spend time in our homes, adding convenience into our daily routines and expanding options for entertainment beyond what was once considered possible. This rapid pace of technological advancement is sure to continue, and while it’s difficult to predict exactly how technology will change our lives at home far into the future, looking at current trends and the research and development being conducted can give a general understanding of the direction technology is taking us.

It’s worth taking a look back several decades into the past to determine which previous predictions about the homes of the future came true and which didn’t. Some concepts, such as video calling and advanced thermostats, have manifested into technologies like Apple’s Facetime and Nest’s Learning Thermostat. Other predictions turned out to be off the mark, such as the idea that homes of the future would be made out of glass or Thomas Edison’s prediction that steel would become the primary material for building furniture. Most of the predictions that came true involved how technology would impact the way we engage with information and conduct our daily routines; as such, the best predictions are the ones that look to how technology can work in these domains. For instance, Phillip’s Hue system of smart light bulbs can be programmed to automatically adjust to our schedules, and Amazon’s Alexa and Google’s Home devices allow us to interact with our personal computers by using natural language. While the rate of technological progress has produced these impressive devices, there is plenty of room for improvement, and continued investment and innovation by these companies is sure to produce even more advanced generations of the same fundamental concepts.

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One of the most promising domains of technological development can be found in the field of artificial intelligence. Machine learning systems which take advantage of neural network technology have already produced incredible results, as speech synthesis systems can sound totally indistinguishable from a genuine human voice and can even mimic the speaking styles of real individuals with great verisimilitude. This technology would not only allow for natural-sounding communication between humans and AI, but assistants could even be programmed to mimic the tone of voice of different emotions, enabling a personal assistant which always sounds happy to speak with you to create a more pleasant experience. In the future, deep learning technology could be used to make these assistants smarter, as they would be able to better parse and interpret the complex information expressed in natural speech to accomplish specific and unique tasks. For instance, in the future you may be able to ask a computer assistant to take notes, send emails, and set reminders without having to worry about how you phrase your requests and with confidence that the computer will understand you correctly. We will continue to carry these assistants with us on our phones, but they will also be integrated in the home in the form of connected smart speakers placed in different rooms.

Another field worth paying attention to involves the rising interconnectivity of our devices. Though compatibility varies across manufacturers, already consumers are able to synchronize their activity between their tablets, laptops, smartphones, and desktop consumers, and it’s even possible to wirelessly stream content from a phone to a TV. As our devices get better, their capabilities begin to overlap, causing some specialized devices to become obsolete. Tablets such as the iPad have incorporated much of the functionality of laptops, making ownership of the latter device unnecessary, and improvements in smartphone cameras have all but killed the compact camera industry.

As virtual reality headsets and computer graphics become more realistic, the allure of vacationing in a distant location will become overshadowed by the difficulties of transportation and the cost of travel and accommodations

This trend is sure to continue, and as devices become more versatile, we’ll find that our smartphones, which will have folding screens and seamless wireless compatibility with a host of input and display options, will become our primary computing devices. We will still have displays around our houses, and in fact even more of them as we add smart mirrors and wallpapers to our televisions and desktop monitors, but these displays will function not as discrete computing entities but instead will connect to our personal smartphones. As such, all of our computing needs will be handled by a single portable computing device, which will be deeply integrated with the cloud and which we will interact with in different ways by using wirelessly connected devices, such as keyboards, monitors, large tablets with styluses, our voices, and our television sets with remote controls. In this way, our computers will seem to follow us wherever we go, as sitting down in front of a monitor in a public place will grant exactly the same experience as sitting in front of a monitor at home.

As our devices become more interconnected and artificial intelligence streamlines our relationship with technology, more opportunities to fundamentally transform our lives at home will continue to open up. A new generation of young professionals will increasingly view the commute to work in the office as unnecessary and burdensome, as computing and communications technology will replicate nearly all of the functionality of the office environment. Instead, young people will opt to work from their home offices, using high-quality video calls and augmented and virtual reality systems to replicate the experience of participating in conferences and meetings. Home offices will be customized to suit the individual’s professional needs to the same degree that office buildings can provide, and though professional attire will remain an expectation, the flexibility of the home environment will ensure a more efficient collaborative experience. As a result, the boundaries between the home environment and the work environment will be blurred, and while this is sure to enable a great degree of convenience for professionals, it may increase levels of stress among the professional population, as they will be expected to be available throughout the day whenever they’re in their houses.

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Technology is also likely to transform the way we think about leisure. As virtual reality headsets and computer graphics become more realistic, the allure of vacationing in a distant location will become overshadowed by the difficulties of transportation and the cost of travel and accommodations, and the alternative of staying at home during vacation time will become more appealing. As consumer devices will be able to replicate the look and feel of visiting exotic destinations, even fictional ones, the natural urge to travel and explore different places will be satisfied by simulations of these experiences. Developers will have the freedom to craft entire vacation experiences, which will be able to be enjoyed either for a few hours at the end of the day or for days at a time, and consumers will be able to download and share these experiences digitally without having to leave home at all.

Of course, no one can be totally accurate in predicting the future of technology in the home, but by looking at the general principles by which technology has already shaped our home lives it’s easy to imagine how it will continue to do so with time. Human nature, of course, will always stay the same fundamentally, and future generations will still have the same needs of experiencing novelty, finding purpose in life and work, and interacting socially, but the ways we go about fulfilling these needs are sure to radically change.

Image credit: https://www.flickr.com/photos/143789194@N03/28935810275

Nassau Bahamas

In Aftermath of Devastation from Hurricane Dorian, Bahamas Welcomes Tourists

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Hurricane Dorian was a disaster for the Bahamas, leaving at least 50 people dead, 2,500 registered as missing, and 17% of the island’s inhabitants rendered homeless as a result of property destruction. The category 5 hurricane was among the most powerful ever to hit the Caribbean on record, and the Prime Minister of the Bahamas noted that damage from the storm would be felt for generations to come. As a result of the damage wrought by the hurricane, many vacationers have cancelled their plans to travel to the island. But as the Bahamas are an archipelago consisting of 700 islands and cays, and only the Abaco and Grand Bahamas regions were hit, many of these cancellations were unwarranted. Officials in the tourism business report that tourism has decreased by half since the hurricane, and many government officials are stating that the best way to help the country is by visiting and spending money, as tourism makes up 60% of the nation’s economy.

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While Grand Bahama and Abaco were the second and third most visited islands of the Bahamas, and those two islands will be out of commission as tourist destinations for the foreseeable future, the majority of the major travel destinations in the country were totally unaffected, contrary to popular assumptions. The major tourism center at Paradise Island and the ports for cruise ships, for instance, remain totally intact, and communicating that fact is proving to be a challenge for the tourism industry, as cable news and Internet stories are dominated by images of total destruction in the Grand Bahamas and Abacos islands. The Bahamas spans 100,000 square miles of water, and while the size of the hurricane was massive, it only affected a small portion of the overall land mass of the country.

In an effort to court travelers, businesses offering tourist attractions such as fishing expeditions have offered discounts and attempted to spread the word that they were still open on social media. The official Instagram account of the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism and Aviation, visitthebahamas, posted a picture of a map with all of the islands unaffected by the hurricane highlighted in yellow, accompanied by the text “You’ve shown us great love. We’re so grateful, we’d like to return the favor. 14 islands welcome you with open arms,” and the caption “The last few days have reminded us that together, we’re stronger. Let us return the love you’ve shown us by welcoming you the only way we know how — with open arms.”

Because of the importance of tourism to the economy of the Bahamas, officials are hoping that the islands that were untouched can function as a lifeline to help support the economy of the country overall. While the best way to support the hurricane relief effort is to donate money or goods or to volunteer, tourism in the Bahamas is expected to be another essential element of the country’s recovery. These islands, including Harbour Island, Eleuthera, and Bimini offer cruise ports, resorts, hotels, and beaches, and remain open for business. Officials have urged travelers with plans to visit unaffected islands to keep their reservations, and suggested that travellers who had plans to visit Grand Bahamas and Abacos reschedule their plans to visit the other islands instead.

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Though the cruise ship industry has had a rocky relationship with the government of the Bahamas at times, Carnival and Royal Caribbean have committed resources to rebuilding the affected islands. The country has a message to send to the rest of the world that can be difficult to communicate: while the government doesn’t want to trivialize or marginalize the extent of the damage to property and human life wrought by the storm, they also don’t want to send the message that the Bahamas are a dangerous or unappealing place to visit for leisure. While Dorian has been more destructive than previous hurricanes, the country tends to see a decline in tourism in the aftermath of these weather events, which usually returns to a normal rate within two years.

Travel Influencer

What it’s Like to be a Travel Influencer

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Most anyone with an Instagram account is familiar with the countless number of so-called “influencers” who populate the platform, who seem to make a living posing for the camera in exchange for likes and comments. The owners of these accounts travel the world all throughout the year, visiting unique locales and staying at expensive-looking resorts. The sheer volume of these accounts leaves one wondering exactly how much money influencers make on the platform, and what else the job entails beyond posting extravagant photos and raking in the cash. While the job description certainly seems like a dream come true — who wouldn’t want to be paid to travel the world? — the reality is that, for most, the life of a would-be influencer is full of frustration, hard work, and rejection.

Travel influencers depend upon engaging with their audiences to support their lifestyle. Bloggers and Instagram users build audiences by perfecting their photography skills and learning how to maximize their use of social media platforms to cast a wide net. A big part of the job involves reaching out to tourist organizations, like hotels, to ask for a free stay in exchange for exposure. Additionally, influencers partner with brands, incorporating their products into their social media presence, for ad revenue.

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Though the job of travel influencer is a relatively new occupation, the sheer volume of people competing to work in the field means that a sophisticated business model, on both the side of the traveler and the tourist attractions they visit, has emerged. In response to an increase in the number of people looking to exploit vacation spots for social media, the travel industry has had to adapt by learning how to vet requests for free vacations. Looking at the number of followers a particular account has is not sufficient, as measuring engagement, or the frequency with which followers interact with the accounts in question, is the key to determining whether an opportunity to collaborate with an influencer will be profitable. The Japan National Tourism Organization, for instance, considers someone with greater than a 3.5% engagement rate to be influential. In fact, hosting travel accounts with as few as 40,000 followers – so-called “micro-influencers” – can be worth the expenses for a travel organization looking to spread the word about travel opportunities for niche markets with specialized interests.

In addition to being subjected to a high level of scrutiny when pairing up with tourism boards, Instagram influencers face other challenges. A negative stereotype of influencers as being entitled, spoiled, and disrespectful has emerged as a result of incidents in which influencers ignored the sensibilities of the local culture in pursuit of a picture. One couple, for instance, drew criticism for splashing holy water in an Indonesian temple, and more than a few business owners have taken to social media to complain about Instagrammers looking for hand-outs. While the Internet can provide a legion of dedicated admirers, it can also manifest an angry mob when influencers are perceived to misbehave, potentially ending careers. As such, the most successful influencers are careful to ensure that they portray the communities they visit in a respectful and positive light.

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It’s important to note that while audiences see only the end product of an influencer’s work – the photo that gets posted to social media, and the pithy caption beneath it — a substantial amount of work goes on behind the scenes. Influencers work hard to build and maintain relationships with partnering organizations, and sometimes hire staff to focus on growing and expanding their audience by engaging with a plethora of social media outlets. And influencers are sometimes lumped together with travel journalists, who are hosted in a particular location in order to cover a developing story, leading to inconveniences on the part of the influencer. There’s a substantial upfront cost to becoming a travel influencer, of course, as early trips before an audience is established will have to be self-funded. And, unfortunately, there seems to be some merit to the stereotype of the Instagram influencer as entitled, as several businesses have reported being on the receiving end of temper tantrums when things don’t go the influencer’s way, making the industry more difficult for its more well-intentioned members.

However, given the continuing growth in popularity of social media sites, especially Instagram, the career of influencer doesn’t seem to be going away anytime soon. Nowadays, an increasing number of people look to social media to plan their vacations, as influencers can turn people on to travel destinations that would otherwise be overlooked. As such, the job of the travel influencer is healthy for the travel industry as a whole, as it expands the number of destinations that travelers are interested in visiting.