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Senior tourist dies at Grand Canyon after fall

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A 70-year-old tourist fell to her death yesterday, Tuesday, April 23, 2019, at the Grand Canyon in the US state of Arizona. She is the second person to die at this popular tourist destination this year. The Grand Canyon national park sees 6 million visitors every year.

A call went out to park rangers that someone needed  help at the South Rim of the canyon, but by the time responders arrived, the person had fallen 200 feet below the rim. Her body was recovered using a helicopter. It is not known how the woman fell.

The Grand Canyon has designated trails and walkways as well as railings and fences at overlooks that will keep visitors at a safe distance from the rim’s edge. Anyone who chooses to venture beyond that is literally taking their lives into their own hands.

In 2015, 8 men were hopping from one rock to another or posing for pictures, including a 38-year-old father from Texas who was pretending to fall to scare his daughter, but then really did fall 400 feet to his death.

On March 14, 2017,  30-year-old Gom Dang, of Ankeny, Iowa, fell to his death off the rim west of Mather Point as he was posing for a photo when he lost his balance and fell backward to his death. His body was recovered approximately 280 feet below the rim.

In this day and age of the selfie, many people have lost their lives trying to get the perfect picture. A tourist from Hong Kong died falling into the canyon on the Hualapai reservation, just outside the park’s boundaries, on March 28, 2017. He was taking a photo at the time.

In that same year, 20 people fell to their death at the Grand Canyon. A 67-year-old man fell 400 feet from the South Rim and died on April 3. There were 290 search-and-rescues and 1,135 emergency medical service incidents.

Dying from heat or dehydration is more common than falling off the edge in the Grand Canyon, but it is still a major concern. On average, 2 to 3 deaths per year are from falls over the rim.

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Top 10 sustainable places to stay around the world revealed

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Travel is not just about seeing the wonders of the earth but understanding our impact upon it. With increasing frequency, people are looking to make the shift from “tourist” to “conscious traveler” by finding ways to maximize positive impacts on the locations they visit. Making thoughtful choices about how, when, and where you go on a vacation can make a significant difference. So, this Earth Day, travel experts analyzed over eight million traveler reviews from last year to find the key hot spots for eco-travelers.

Delving deep into sentiment, the global data showed the 10 best places to stay around the world, as reviewed by Expedia travelers. From boutiques with beehives and resorts with rainwater recycling, to grand urban retreats with solar cell power, many of these amazing places show that luxury and sustainability are not mutually exclusive.
Additionally, the experts highlighted the top countries with the best reviewed eco-conscious accommodations, with the USA topping the charts.

Top 10 eco-friendly stays

1.Sandos Caracol Eco Resort, Mexico
2.Nomad Hotel Roissy CDG, Paris, France
3.Siloso Beach Resort, Sentosa, Singapore
4.Habitat Suites, Austin, Texas
5.Pakasai Resort, Krabi, Thailand
6.PARKROYAL on Pickering, Singapore
7.The Green House, Bournemouth, UK
8.Listel Hotel, Vancouver, Canada
9.Hotel Verde, Cape Town, South Africa
10.Sherwood Queenstown, Queenstown, New Zealand

Top 10 sustainable countries around the world

1.USA
2.Mexico
3.Canada
4.Australia
5.UK
6.Costa Rica
7.Thailand
8.New Zealand
9.France
10.Italy

Sustainable travel is the perfect opportunity to show Mother Earth and fellow inhabitants how much you care.

1. Sandos Caracol Eco Resort – Playa del Carmen, Mexico

Situated between dense jungle and the blue of the Mexican Caribbean coast, this Rainforest Alliance-certified destination is among the highest-rated by travellers for the multitude of positive impacts it offers.

•Extensive policies governing waste management, resource consumption and natural conservation

•Opportunities for guests to engage in ecologically sustainable practices: eco-tours, cruelty-free animal interactions and beach meditation

•A commitment to the community, reflected in celebrations of local indigenous culture, on-site markets that support local artisans, and local partnerships to improve area schools

2. Nomad Hotel Roissy CDG – Paris, France

Located five minutes by car from Charles de Gaulle airport, the Nomad Hotel Roissy CDG boasts Scandinavian-inspired design, tech-enabled customisable room layouts and a mission to “to reduce the ecological impact of these buildings to a minimum, at every stage of life, from design to operation”—making it the perfect accommodation for digital nomads with green leanings.

•Rigorous standards for creation/loss of heat and a low total annual energy consumption, supported by green (living) exterior cladding, solar panels, air handling units

•Proactive efforts to neutralize water impact through use of rainwater collectors

•Use of sustainable materials, including PEFC wood, carpets made from recycled fishing nets, recycled stone and glass shower units

3. Siloso Beach Resort, Sentosa – Singapore

Just off Singapore’s south coast lies Sentosa Island, a haven whose southwest coast is the home to the Siloso Beach Resort. Steps from the sandy beaches of the South China Sea, this award-winning eco-resort has taken special care to integrate the surrounding habitat into its design by prioritizing open spaces and preserving established natural features like mature trees and flowing springs. The result? A uniquely organic take on a luxurious beach resort experience.

•200 original trees preserved (and 450 planted) on-site; landscape pool fed by underground waters and built according to natural terrain formation

•72% of the resort is open-air—and activities including cycle tours, hikes and other eco-adventures

•Operations keep ecological impacts top-of-mind, emphasizing locally-sourced foods, limited use of plastics, and reduced energy consumption

4. Habitat Suites – Austin, TX, USA

Habitat Suites, a sustainable gem in the heart of Texas’ most progressive city, boasts a 30-year track record of forward-thinking environmental stewardship. Habitat Suites has been a charter member of the Green Hotels Association since 1991—and won an Austin Green Business Leader Gold Award in 2018.

•Widespread use of alternative energy, including solar panels, solar thermal and electric vehicle charging
•On-premises organic fruit and herb gardens; clean, local and organic food options

•Use of plant-based, zero harsh chemical detergents for cleaning; bio-safe guest shampoos and detergents; hypoallergenic suites that include live potted plants and windows that open for access to fresh air

5. Pakasai Resort – Krabi, Thailand

Spa treatments, boxing and cooking classes plus plenty of space for lounging by the pool—the Pakasai Resort delivers on everything you’d expect from a tropical Thai resort, then sweetens the deal with an impressive list of sustainability efforts. “Krabi’s Greenest Resort” was the first in the area to win an ASEAN Green Hotel Award (2014).

•Resource conservation efforts include rainwater capture and greywater recycling, energy efficient lighting, biogas production and reduction of plastic use

•Careful attention given to reducing carbon emissions through waste minimization program and collaboration with the local community and local organizations

•Guests are encouraged to make their stay even greener by joining the #GreeningPakasai campaign, which incentivizes visitors to make low-carbon choices around food, transportation, linen services and local activities

6. PARKROYAL on Pickering – Singapore

With 15,000 square metres of greenery and a cutting-edge design, the PARKROYAL is equally impressive in what it does and doesn’t do. This LEED-certified masterpiece saves 32.5 Olympic-sized swimming pools’ worth of water annually and could power an estimated 680 households with the energy saved by its conservation efforts.

•Highly regulated resource consumption through employment of light, motion, and rain sensors

•Solar cells and rainwater collection mean zero-energy maintenance of the 15,000 m2 sky gardens

•Thoughtful construction processes reduced concrete (and associated waste and energy expenditure) use by more than 80%

7. The Green House – Bournemouth, UK

Equally suitable for weddings, self-care weekends and romantic getaways, every detail of this eco-hotel has been designed to help guests feel great while doing good. That ethos touches every facet of The Green House, from the building’s renewable energy production and Forest Stewardship certified, UK-crafted furnishings to the on-site restaurant’s adherence to local sourcing and high animal welfare standards—the company car even runs on bio-fuel from the kitchen’s old cooking oil!

•The use of earth-friendly cleaning products and efforts toward energy conservation

•Staff are trained in the ethos of sustainability and are encouraged to find new ways to improve the Green House’s efforts

•Environmental efforts extend to the exterior grounds, including bird and bat boxes (to provide a safe place for breeding) and rooftop beehives that produce honey

8. The Listel Hotel Vancouver – Vancouver, BC, Canada

The Listel Hotel dedicates itself to both environmental responsibility and the arts. The hotel provides a location to elevate local and international artists—including a gallery dedicated to First Nations artists from the Northwest Coast—while participating in the city of Vancouver’s “Corporate Climate Leader” program, setting an example for sustainable tourism efforts across the globe.

•Responsible food practices including membership in Vancouver Aquarium’s Ocean Wise sustainable seafood program and a commitment to offering local and sustainable food and wine

•Conservation efforts including 20 solar panels, a state-of-the-art heat capture program (reducing the hotel’s natural gas use by 30%) and water reduction and air quality programs

•Adherence to a 100% Zero Waste policy since August 2011

9. Hotel Verde – Cape Town, South Africa

“Sustainable by design, stylish by nature” is the modest motto of Cape Town’s Hotel Verde. The first hotel in Africa to offer 100% carbon-neutral accommodation and conferencing, the Cape Town Verde has earned an extensive list of international accolades (LEED Platinum certification and a 6-star rating from the Green Building Council of South Africa) for its extensive adherence to sustainable practices.

•Restoration of the surrounding wetlands now supports indigenous water-wise vegetation and a healthy population of Cape honeybees—as well as an ecotrail, outdoor gym, and eco-pool for visitor use, plus on-site edible food gardens and aquaponics

•Energy efficiencies include photovoltaic panels on the roof and north-facing facades, wind turbines, energy-generating gym equipment and geothermal heat

•Commitment to social responsibility through sustainable procurement practices, waste management and community involvement

10. Sherwood Queenstown – Queenstown, New Zealand

Sustainability and connection with nature are behind every detail you’ll encounter at the Sherwood Queenstown, a boutique hotel perched on three acres of alpine hillside overlooking Lake Wakatipu. The Sherwood operates based on the belief that “a simple respect for nature lies at the heart of any sustainable practice”. The hotel’s orchards and kitchen garden supply its award-winning restaurant; most rooms offer sweeping mountain or lake views, and all are outfitted with South Island wool blankets and locally-sourced beverages. Mornings start with optional yoga sessions, followed by hiking, mountain biking, skiing or snowboarding.

•A focus on materiality selection that integrates the building with the landscape, while employing upcycled fixtures, fittings and furnishings

•Conscious choices about energy generation—the Sherwood is one of the largest private solar installs in New Zealand and currently generates enough electricity to return surplus to the grid

•Selection of food, wine, beer, spirits, and other consumable products that are local, natural, healthy, ethical, seasonal and sustainable in their production and use

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PM Hotel Group to manage new TownePlace Suites by Marriott in Austin, Texas

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PM Hotel Group, one of the industry’s leading hotel management companies, has been selected to operate the new TownePlace Suites by Marriott in Austin, Texas. This new hotel represents the first TownePlace by Marriott property in the PM Hotel Group portfolio and further expands the company’s relationship with Marriott International.

“We are thrilled to have been selected to manage the TownePlace Suites- Austin, which expands our footprint in Texas,” said Joseph Bojanowski, President of PM Hotel Group. “Austin is a rich and exciting city, and with this new project we are thrilled to be broadening our relationship with another valued ownership group, Scenic Capital Advisors.”

Currently under construction and scheduled to open in October, the 103-room hotel is conveniently located minutes from the Austin International Airport and downtown attractions.

“The south Austin corridor is growing rapidly, and we are excited to bring a new extended-stay Marriott product to a location that is conveniently located to all that Austin has to offer,” said Thomas Chen, Principal of Scenic Capital Advisors. “Expanding our partnership with PM Hotel Group has been tremendously rewarding, and we eagerly anticipate future opportunities.”

Travel News | eTurboNews

Marriott International official hotel sponsor of Brand USA United Stories international campaign

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Today, Brand USA, the destination-marketing organization for the United States, announces Marriott International across the United States as the official hotel sponsor for United Stories. The sponsorship will help expand the global reach of the United Stories campaign, which aims to inspire international travelers to visit the USA through visual storytelling efforts. This new United Stories collaboration also provides Marriott International, one of Brand USA’s founding and diamond partners, fresh localized content and innovative ways to reach international customers.

Launched earlier this year in partnership with Beautiful Destinations, United Stories utilizes mobile content creation labs to track and share relatable, human stories to inspire lasting emotional connections between international travelers and people and places across the United States. Throughout the year, accomplished content creators, storytellers, and influencers will travel to various points of interest across the country in eye-catching, buzz-worthy vehicles branded with #UnitedStories.

“We are thrilled to collaborate with Marriott International on United Stories. Marriott’s strong international brand recognition and ongoing dedication to their customers makes them an ideal partner to expand the reach of this campaign,” said Tom Garzilli, chief marketing officer of Brand USA. “We believe in the power of storytelling to engage global audiences and highlight the diversity of real travel experiences in the USA. Our partnership will help deliver these inspiring stories to an even larger population of international travelers, extending the United Stories campaign to millions of people around the world.”

Marriott Bonvoy will be integrated within the United Stories campaign to generate awareness and create connectivity with its newly launched travel program. This includes branding of the mobile content creation labs and hosting influencers and content creators at hotels across the USA.

“The United Stories mission aligns with our passion for travel, said Kieran Donahue, vice president, marketing, The Americas. “Our sponsorship of United Stories is a great extension of our ongoing partnership with Brand USA. The mobile content labs allow us to show the breadth, depth, and variety of our brands, destinations, and hotels throughout the U.S., and most importantly, connect with our members and guests in a way that showcases how good travel can enrich and unite the world.”

The Marriott Bonvoy travel program is built on the belief that all travel is good travel; it enriches the individual and connects the world. The program offers a global footprint of extraordinary hotel brands, experiences for every passion on Marriott Bonvoy Moments, and the richest rewards and benefits.

The United Stories mobile content lab launched in January and has traveled to nine U.S. states and territories: Alaska, Arizona, Florida, Hawai’i, Puerto Rico, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, and Vermont. At each destination, United Stories content creators spotlight first-person perspectives of American culture via locals, influencers, and travelers.

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FAA provides aviation careers to people with disabilities

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The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) today announced a pilot program to help prepare people with disabilities for careers in air traffic operations.

A key focus for the FAA’s Office of Civil Rights is to identify specific opportunities for people with targeted disabilities, empower them and facilitate their entry into a more diverse and inclusive workforce.

The FAA will enroll up to 20 people in the Aviation Development Program. They will train for up to one year at 10 Air Route Traffic Control Centers throughout the U.S. The following facilities will participate in the pilot: Minneapolis, Minn., Cleveland, Ohio, Boston, Mass., Denver, Colo., Fort Worth, Texas, Jacksonville, Fla., Seattle, Wash., Memphis, Tenn., Kansas City, Kan., and Salt Lake City, Utah.

The candidates in this program will receive the same rigorous consideration in terms of aptitude, medical and security qualifications as those individuals considered for a standard public opening for air traffic controller jobs. The training will prepare them for an opportunity to be appointed to a temporary air traffic control specialist position at the FAA Academy.

Candidates for the Aviation Development Program must meet the following criteria:

• United States citizenship
• The qualification for Schedule A Direct Hiring Authority (PDF)
• Meet Office of Personnel Management ATC qualification standards
• Pass Air Traffic Skills Assessment (AT-SA) Aptitude test
• No more than 30 years of age
• Pass a medical/security review
• Be proficient in English
• Education and/or work experience:
– three years of progressively responsible work experience or,
– a bachelor’s degree or
– a combination of post-secondary education and work experience that totals three years.

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Arlington Convention & Visitors Bureau receives US Travel honor

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The U.S. Travel Association on Wednesday announced the Arlington (TX) Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) as the winner of its 2019 Grassroots Travel Champion Award.

U.S. Travel announced the award today at Destination Capitol Hill—the travel and tourism industry’s premier legislative fly-in event dedicated to educating policymakers about the power of travel and showcasing the industry as one of America’s strongest economic sectors.

Arlington CVB, led by Ron Price, is being honored for its industry-leading efforts to connect sports and travel, and for educating policymakers on travel’s limitless potential for growth.

“Major sports are evolving as a significant driver of travel for destination marketers, and Ron and his team at the Arlington CVB are helping lead the way, both locally and nationally,” said U.S. Travel President and CEO Roger Dow. “We began discussing the intersection of these two major industries at last year’s IPW, and that led to the creation of the first-ever Sports Travel Forum last November, which relied on input and expertise provided by Ron and the Arlington CVB.”

Arlington CVB also hosted a key “Travel Talks” session with U.S. Rep. Marc Veasey in his home district, showcasing the new Texas Live! entertainment complex—a central part of Arlington’s burgeoning sports tourism scene. Thanks to Arlington CVB’s advocacy efforts, Rep. Veasey is now one of the industry’s champions in Congress.

Said Dow: “Ron and the Arlington CVB demonstrate a deep understanding of the future of travel and tourism, and we are honored to present the organization with this year’s Grassroots Travel Champion Award.”

In addition to serving as Arlington CVB’s president and CEO, Price also serves on the executive committee of U.S. Travel’s Board of Directors.

Travel News | eTurboNews

St. Kitts shines in US Roadshow 2019

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A signature activity in US, the St. Kitts Tourism Authority conducted its 2nd annual Destination St. Kitts & Nevis US Roadshow 2019 from Monday, March 25 to Friday, March 29. The week-long series of 6 events were held in New York, New Jersey, Atlanta, Houston, Farmer’s Branch (Texas) and Dallas in order to grow visitor arrivals from these gateway markets and supporting flow markets. These events were designed to educate travel agents, tour operators, MICE buyers, wedding and honeymoon planners, media and experiential lifestyle consumers about everything the destination has to offer both business and leisure travelers.

“This year’s US Roadshow was a resounding success with record numbers of attendees for each event,” said the Hon. Lindsay F.P. Grant, Minister of Tourism for St. Kitts & Nevis. “Having attracted the sheer number of travel agents, MICE buyers, media and more who sell or publicize business and/or leisure travel demonstrates that there is growing interest and demand in these gateway markets for the tourism product that St. Kitts & Nevis has to offer.”

The first event was a brunch held at The Castle Hotel & Spa in Tarrytown, New York, an affluent suburb north of New York City on Monday, March 25. The second event was a dinner held at the Pleasantdale Chateau in West Orange, New Jersey, an upscale neighborhood in the northern part of the state, also on March 25. On Tuesday, March 26, the third event was a dinner held at the Westin Buckhead, located in an affluent suburb just north of Atlanta. The fourth event was a luncheon held on Wednesday, March 27, at the Hess Club in Houston. A cocktail reception held on Thursday, March 27 at the Brookhaven Country Club in Farmer’s Branch, an affluent suburb of Dallas, Texas, was the fifth event in the Roadshow, while the sixth and final event was a luncheon held at III Forks Restaurant in Dallas.

All events supported St. Kitts’ non-stop flights and attracted a total of 300 attendees combined, all of whom were travel agents, MICE buyers, tour operators, wedding and honeymoon planners, media or experiential lifestyle consumers. Attendees were top travel professionals representing some of the most respected organizations in the business, including Maritz Travel, Cox Enterprises, Pro Travel International, Meetings Plus, Valerie Wilson Travel, Houston Style Magazine, Frosch, Questex LLC, Travel Impressions, and Westchester magazine.

“Developing lasting relationships with top travel professionals in our key gateway markets is a key component of our overall marketing strategy for the destination and our Roadshow provides us with the opportunity to connect with these individuals face-to-face,” added Racquel Brown, CEO of the St. Kitts Tourism Authority. “In order to continue growing arrivals, we need to maintain and expand our base of sellers to help fill our non-stop flights as we continue to build out new and increased airlift from the US.”

In addition to being treated to a meal and lively conversation with representatives from St. Kitts, the individuals played games, listened to presentations and won a variety of prizes from hotel stays to bottles of St. Kitts’ own Brinley Gold Shipwreck rum that were provided by participating local island tourism stakeholders. In addition, attending travel agents were offered a special $150 incentive for booking clients’ air only on the non-stop flights to St. Kitts or air in combination with a hotel reservation at participating destination hotels, all offering special Summer Sunsation rates, between now and May 17, 2019 for clients’ travel through August 17, 2019 when they log their productivity on St. Kitts’ website or via the Destination Specialist program with Travel Agent University. As a result, many attendees are now adding St. Kitts & Nevis as a featured destination they will sell to their clients.

The delegation from St. Kitts inclded: the Hon. Lindsay F. P. Grant, Minister of Tourism for St. Kitts & Nevis; Racquel Brown, CEO of the St. Kitts Tourism Authority; Ambassador Jonel Powell, Chairman of the Artist Selection Committee for the St. Kitts Music Festival; Annie Sinzinger, US Marketing Manager for the St. Kitts Tourism Authority; Denise Zimber, Christina Mucha and Shayna White, Marketing Consultants for the St. Kitts Tourism Authority; Tom Jaronski, Golf Consultant for the St. Kitts Tourism Authority; and Candice Kimmel, CEO and Founder of Adams Unlimited, PR & Marketing Agency in North America for the St. Kitts Tourism Authority.

A number of tourism stakeholders from St. Kitts & Nevis were also part of the delegation, including: Troy Hendrickson, Carib Journey Masters; Tawanna Wigley, Sales Representative, Ocean Terrace Inn; Richard Berridge, General Manager, Kayanjet; Jaana Kuntonen, Sunlinc; Christine Marshall, Sales Manager, Park Hyatt St. Kitts; Sylvia Martinez, Director of Sales and Marketing, St. Kitts Marriott; Tim Thuell, Nisbet Plantation; Cyndi Miller-Aird, President, Miller + Aird Destination Marketing for Belle Mont Farm; Jamar Wilkins, Travel Industry Sales Manager, Four Seasons Resort Nevis; and Darren Thompson, General Manager, Royal St. Kitts.

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How safe is travel to Africa? African Tourism Board appoints SaferTourism

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African Tourism Board, (ATB)  has travel and security on its top agenda when attracting visitors to the continent.

At the upcoming ATB Launch on April 11, the organization will be announcing their appointment of SaferTourism.com to provide support and guidance to keep African Tourism Safe.

The man behind SaferTourism.com is no other than one of the best global experts available in this field.

Dr. Peter Tarlow, seen as a world-renowned expert in travel and tourism will be the keynote speaker at the African Tourism Board Launch Event on April 11.

ATB members and WTM visitors will be able to meet Dr. Tarlow at the African Tourism Board Stand (AP 12). His goal is to provide proactive guidance and hands-on approach to keep African destinations, hotels and attractions safe and available specifically for North American Visitors.

Dr. Tarlow is leading SaferTourism’s  Visitor Surety approach, meaning:

• The providing of a safe and secure environment for visitors and for those who work in its visitor industry
• Protection of tourism sites and infrastructure
• Perceptions, including how these perceptions impact its reputation
• The Protection of the economy vis-à-vis its tourism industry

Dr. Tarlow has been working on projects around the world and is known to include feedback from the US State Department in many of his international projects.

Dr. Peter Tarlow will be a speaker at the ATB Launch event on April 11,2019 during WTM Cape Town.

He is a world-renowned speaker and expert specializing in the impact of crime and terrorism on the tourism industry, event and tourism risk management, and tourism and economic development.  Since 1990, Tarlow has been aiding the tourism community with issues such as travel safety and security, economic development, creative marketing, and creative thought.

Tarlow has worked with numerous US government agencies including the US Bureau of Reclamation, US Customs, the FBI, the US Park Service, the Department of Justice, the Speakers Bureau of the US Department of State, the Center for Disease, US Supreme Court police, and the US Department of Homeland Security.  He has worked with such US iconic locations as the Statue of Liberty, Philadelphia’s Independence Hall and Liberty Bell, the Empire State Building, St. Louis’ arch, and the Smithsonian’s Institution’s Office of Protection Services in Washington, DC.

Tarlow has been a keynote speaker for governors’ tourism conferences around the nation including those for Illinois, South Carolina, South Dakota, Washington State and Wyoming.

He has addresses large-scale US government meetings for such agencies as:

  • The Bureau of Reclamation
  • The US Center for Disease Control
  • The US Park Service,
  • The International Olympic Committee

On the international scene, he has addressed conferences such as:

  • The Organization of American States (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Panama City, Panama),
  • The Latin American Hotel Association (Quito Ecuador, San Salvador, El Salvador and Puebla, Mexico),
  • The Caribbean Chiefs of Police Association (Barbados),
  • The International Organization for Security and Intelligence – IOSI  ((Vancouver, Canada),
  • The Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Ottowa
  • The French Hotel Association CNI-SYNHORCAT (Paris)

Additionally, Tarlow is a featured speaker for numerous US embassies and with foreign tourism ministries around the world. For example, in his role as an expert in tourism security he has worked with:

  • Vancouver’s Justice Institute  (2010 Olympic games)
  • The police departments of the state of Rio de Janeiro (2014 World Cup Games)
  • The Royal Canadian Mounted Police,
  • The United Nation’s WTO (World Tourism Organization),
  • The Panama Canal Authority,
  • Police forces in Aruba, Bolivia, Brazil, Curaçao, Colombia, Croatia, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Serbia, and Trinidad & Tobago.

In 2013 the Chancellor of the Texas A&M system named him his Special Envoy.  In 2015 the Faculty of Medicine of Texas A&M University asked Tarlow to “translate” his tourism skills into practical courses for new physicians.  As such he teaches courses in customer service, creative thinking and medical ethics at the Texas A&M medical school

In 2016 the international engineering firm Gannet-Fleming appointed Tarlow its Senior Security and Safety Specialist  Also in 2016, Governor Gregg Abbot of Texas named Tarlow as the Chairman of the Texas Holocaust and Genocide Commission. As such he has wide experience in dealing with protest marches and other public events that touch upon that theme.

Tarlow organizes tourism security conferences around the world, including the International Tourism Safety Conference in Las Vegas along with conferences in St. Kitts, Charleston (South Carolina), Bogota, Colombia, Panama City, Croatia, and Curaçao

Tarlow lectures and trains tourism professionals and security personnel in multiple languages on a wide range of current and future trends in the tourism industry, rural tourism economic development, the gaming industry, issues of crime and terrorism, the role of police departments in urban economic development, and international trade.  Some of the other topics about which he speaks are: the sociology of terrorism, its impact on tourism security and risk management, the US government’s role in post terrorism recovery, and how communities and businesses must face a major paradigm shift in the way they do business.

Tarlow publishes extensively in these areas and writes numerous professional reports for US government agencies and for businesses throughout the world.  He has been asked to be an expert witness in courts throughout the United States on matters concerning tourism security and safety, and issues of risk management.

As a well-known author in the field of tourism security, Tarlow is a contributing author to multiple books on tourism security and publishes numerous academic and applied research articles regarding issues of security including articles published in The Futurist, the Journal of Travel Research and Security Management.  Tarlow’s wide range of professional and scholarly articles includes articles on subjects such as: “dark tourism”, theories of terrorism, and economic development through tourism, religion and terrorism and cruise tourism.  Tarlow also writes and publishes the popular online tourism newsletter Tourism Tidbits read by thousands of tourism and travel professionals around the world in its English, Spanish, and Portuguese language editions.

Among the books that Tarlow has authored are:

  • Event Risk Management and Safety (2002).
  • Twenty Years of Tourism Tidbits: The Book (2011)
  • Abordagem Multdisciplinar dos Cruzeiros Turísticos (co-written 2014, in Portuguese)
  • Tourism Security: Strategies for Effective Managing Travel Risk and Safety (2014)
  • A Segurança: Um desafío para os setores de lazer, viagens e turismo, 2016 published (in Portuguese) and republished in English
  • Sports Travel Security  (2017)

At numerous universities around the world Tarlow lectures on security issues, life safety issues, and event risk management. These universities include institutions in the United States, Latin America, Europe, the Pacific Islands, and the Middle East.  Tarlow earned his Ph.D. in sociology from Texas A&M University.  He also holds degrees in history, in Spanish and Hebrew literatures, and in psychotherapy.

Tarlow has appeared on national televised programs such as Dateline: NBC and on CNBC and is a regular guest on radio stations around the US.   He is the recipient of the International Chiefs of Police highest civilian honor in recognition for his work in tourism security.

Tarlow is a founder and president of Tourism & More Inc. (T&M).  He is a past president of the Texas Chapter of the Travel and Tourism Research Association (TTRA).  Tarlow is a member of the International Editorial Boards around the world.

Travel News | eTurboNews

Which is the top US airline in North America? Depends on how you look at it

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In a recent new study, a detailed analysis of the US airline market-share domination in North America, ranks and lists results by factors such as passenger numbers and miles flown. This particular study focused solely on domestic passengers flying within the US, and depending on how you look at the numbers, the top airline changes over the various categories.

Methodology

The Most-Traveled Domestic Air Carrier (with % market share)

The Top Domestic Carriers by Passenger Count

The Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) maintains current data that sometimes runs on a three-or-four-month delay, depending on when it is compiled and uploaded. This new study conducted by Upgraded Points represents analyzed data from January 2018–October 2018.

The study also uses a specific table from BTS that contains domestic, nonstop segment data reported by air carriers. This includes carrier name, origin, destinations, as well as other information concerning transported passengers. Finally, data from the BTS directly reflects the number of passengers and the distance flown. This particular information was used to create the concluding graphic featured in the study.

Number of Passengers Flown

Looking at the total number of passengers flown during any given time is the clearest indication of market domination. The final results for this time period were surprising: Delta Air Lines and American Airlines were both in the top five carriers, with 16 percent (106,062,211 passengers) and 15 percent (99,857,863 passengers) respectively — but neither ranked as the number one carrier. Each missed that spot by nearly 5 percent. And the clear winner boasted over 132 million passengers.

United Airlines was another major contender for one of the coveted top five spots, sitting at 11 percent of the market share (71,722,425 passengers).

Most Traveled Air Carrier by State

Geography is a limiting factor when people choose a specific air carrier, especially since further limitations are imposed by air carrier availability at each hub. The Upgraded Points study had to factor in this important detail when ranking its list by state. For example, since Delta Air Lines is based out of Atlanta, it is no surprise that Delta is the dominator of the Georgia market.

But for states like Iowa and Arkansas, the dominating airline is a far less-known carrier. And though American Airlines and Southwest Airlines both flew quite competitively from Texas, one did take the edge over the other in the number of passengers flown from that state.

Most Well-Traveled States

Ranking the states by most well-traveled gives another fascinating look at US air carrier traffic. Researchers expected the most populated states to be the clear winners of the top five spots, simply by virtue of sheer volume. And to a degree, that was true. California, Texas and Florida each flew well over 50 million passengers, securing them the top three spots. But other highly populated states, like New York and Pennsylvania, did not rank in the top five at all.

Those states whose populations travel the least include West Virginia, Wyoming and Delaware. Researchers conceded however that the data might be slightly skewed for these rankings, given that not only does Delaware not have a major airport, it is also one of the least populated states in the US.

Conclusions and Other Rankings

The study concluded by sifting the BTS data into percent of market share by carrier, by month, and revenue passenger miles (RPM). RPM is a particularly important metric that shows the number of miles traveled by paying passengers. At high levels, RPM indicates an airline’s overall traffic. And although there are a variety of large air carriers flying in the US, the final results of the Upgraded Points study clearly indicate that passengers are not evenly split among them.

The full study can be viewed here.

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Summer Schedule 2019: Frankfurt Airport puts spring in its step

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New flight schedule to take effect on March 31 – Total flights expanding moderately

Frankfurt Airport (FRA) continues to strengthen its status as Germany’s leading international aviation hub. Starting on March 31, travelers will be able to fly from Frankfurt to a total of 306 destinations in 98 countries.

In this year’s summer season, the number of flights will increase moderately (by more than one percent) compared to last year. Seat capacity will also grow by between one and two percent.

European, domestic German and especially intercontinental flight offerings will all expand. A rise of between 1.5 and two percent of aircraft movements is expected in the intercontinental category, with seat capacity increasing by 1.5 to 2.5 percent.

 New long-haul destinations

United Airlines will introduce daily services to Denver (DEN) in early May. Lufthansa will also offer a once-daily flight to DEN, while adding Austin (AUS), Texas as a new destination in North America. Cathay Pacific is increasing the frequency on its Frankfurt-Hong Kong (HKG) route, thus bringing the total to three services a week. Qatar Airways will offer more seats on one of its two daily flights to Doha (DOH), which will now be operated by an Airbus A380.

The intercontinental connections available from Frankfurt are marked by an impressive diversity, serving a total of 137 destinations. Lufthansa is continuing the new services introduced last winter to Cancún (CUN) in Mexico and Agadir (AGA) in Morocco. Condor will retain its flights to Kuala Lumpur (KUL) in Malaysia while stepping up the frequency to Phoenix (PHX) in the U.S., Calgary (YYC) in Canada, and Mombasa (MBA) in Kenya. Air India will also maintain its Frankfurt-Mumbai (BOM) route.

More connections to Turkey from FRA

Holidaymakers who wish to spend their vacation in Turkey have quite a few options to choose from: 11 airlines will now fly from FRA to a total of 15 destinations in that country, 15 percent more than before. They include a new service to Bodrum (BJV) by Lufthansa, which is also adding two other European holiday destinations: Heraklion (HER) in Greece and Tivat (TIV) in Montenegro.

Lufthansa will also continue flying to the new destinations it inaugurated last winter. Among them are Thessaloniki (SKG) in Greece, Trieste (TRS) in Italy, and Tromsø (TOS) in Norway. The airline is also adding more frequencies to Tirana (TIA) in Albania and Sofia (SOF) in Bulgaria, as well as Palma de Majorca (PMI) and Pamplona (PNA) in Spain. German leisure carrier TUIfly is strengthening its services from Frankfurt to Lamezia Terme (SUF) in Italy, Larnaca (LCA) in Cyprus, and Djerba-Zarzis (DJE) in Tunisia. In late March, Ryanair will add more services to Dublin (DUB), the Irish capital, bringing the total to 12 a week. Altogether, the total number of European destinations served from FRA will climb to 154, and within Germany to 15.

The impact on Frankfurt Airport of recent airline insolvencies is negligible. Flybmi will no longer be serving Bristol (BRS) in the United Kingdom and Jönköping (JKG) and Karlstad (KSD) in Sweden but because the aircraft used on those routes had only limited passenger seating their cancellation is only minimally affecting FRA’s total capacity. Nor are the failures of two other airlines, Germania and Small Planet Germany, having more than a very slight effect on total traffic. 

Good preparation for a positive travel experience

The moderate growth in flight movements is fully in line with the expectations of Fraport, the operator of Frankfurt Airport. To handle the increase, Fraport has been hiring more staff and allotting more space for additional security checks during the summer season. Nevertheless, passengers may still experience processing delays on peak days. They are therefore advised to check in online before leaving home, arrive at the airport at least two and a half hours before departure, and then head immediately for the security checkpoint. Travelers intending to drive to the airport and leave their vehicles there can book parking spaces online in advance. Passengers are also advised to observe the airlines’ rules on cabin luggage. Fraport recommends taking as few carry-on items as possible. Information and pointers on travel and carry-on luggage can be found at www.frankfurt-airport.com.

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