In an effort to discover how marketers can best influence travelers' purchase decisions online, the Bing Ads research team partnered with Phocuswright to conduct a search trends analysis.
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Wednesday, January 31, 2018
Six advertising trends to reach travel consumers
Trivago’s balancing act
Trivago has been trying out a new, simplified way of formatting results, which could obscure direct hotel prices. Find out more about how these changes could affect hotels.
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The growth of experiential travel
Travel has often been about escape and relaxation. But recent travel trends have shifted from escape to experience - specifically more immersive, adventurous and authentic experiences.
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How Google is getting a boost in online travel
Google's efforts to improve its travel search are paying off, according to analysts, strengthening its position against online travel agents and other search services by making its product more appealing to hotel brands.
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Google is using AI to predict flight delays before airlines
Google Flights is rolling out new features to help travelers tackle some of the more frustrating aspects of air travel – delays and the complexities of the cheaper, Basic Economy fares.
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American Express acquires AI travel assistant startup Mezi
The startup behind a human-assisted shopping and travel agent chatbot can automatically check you in at the airport or reschedule flights and arrange associated travel services like hotel reservations.
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ACTE launches Hotel Accreditation Program tailored to business travelers
The Association of Corporate Travel Executives has launched the Business Conference Hotel Accreditation program to guide corporate travel buyers in selecting business-quality accommodations for their travelers.
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SEM: Why traditional growth strategies fail
Google Adwords and Facebook Ads are hyper-competitive, so unless your company has an advantage, such as a strategic business advantage like Booking.com, it's easy for competition to respond.
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The Residence on Marine – West Vancouver
The Residences on Marine is being developed by Atti group and will be a boutique mid-rise building. Located at 1327 Marine Drive in West Vancouver, the Residence on Marine is centrally located at the entrance to the Ambleside community of West Vancouver, featuring Ambleside Park and Beach, as well all the shops and services along Marine Drive including its popular Farmers Market on the weekends.
The Residences on Marine will provide its homeowners to the best of the North Shore and Vancouver. With single-level living, featuring modern, open floor plans, attention to detail and high-quality craftsmanship.
To be kept up to date with this development and many more like it, register with us today.
This is not an offering for sale. No such offering can be made without a disclosure statement. E.&O.E.
The post The Residence on Marine – West Vancouver appeared first on Vancouver New Condos.
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The Residence on Marine – West Vancouver
The Residences on Marine is being developed by Atti group and will be a boutique mid-rise building. Located at 1327 Marine Drive in West Vancouver, the Residence on Marine is centrally located at the entrance to the Ambleside community of West Vancouver, featuring Ambleside Park and Beach, as well all the shops and services along Marine Drive including its popular Farmers Market on the weekends.
The Residences on Marine will provide its homeowners to the best of the North Shore and Vancouver. With single-level living, featuring modern, open floor plans, attention to detail and high-quality craftsmanship.
To be kept up to date with this development and many more like it, register with us today.
This is not an offering for sale. No such offering can be made without a disclosure statement. E.&O.E.
The post The Residence on Marine – West Vancouver appeared first on Vancouver New Condos.
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Crest by Adera- North Vancouver
Crest is Lonsdale newest development being built by Adera, the multi-disciplined organization known for creating homes with West Coast style. Crest is located in the heart of North Vancouver Lonsdale corridor on the corner of 8th and Lonsdale at 150 East 8th Street.
Crest will include 178 one, two and three bedroom homes (including 17 townhomes) with underground parking over two buildings all designed in a West coast modern design and architecture that Adera has become well-known for. Some homes will feature Private roof top patio, stunning views of the north shore mountains and and downtown Vancouver
Building amenities include a bike room, guest suite, party room, fitness studio, billiards room and much more. In addition to great condos, the location offers easy accessibility to golf, local parks, restaurants and other entertainment sites, too.
To stay up to date with this development and many others like it, register with us today!
E. & O. E. This is not an offering for sale. An offering for sale may only be made after filing a Disclosure Statement
The post Crest by Adera- North Vancouver appeared first on Vancouver New Condos.
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Crest by Adera- North Vancouver
Crest is Lonsdale newest development being built by Adera, the multi-disciplined organization known for creating homes with West Coast style. Crest is located in the heart of North Vancouver Lonsdale corridor on the corner of 8th and Lonsdale at 150 East 8th Street.
Crest will include 178 one, two and three bedroom homes (including 17 townhomes) with underground parking over two buildings all designed in a West coast modern design and architecture that Adera has become well-known for. Some homes will feature Private roof top patio, stunning views of the north shore mountains and and downtown Vancouver
Building amenities include a bike room, guest suite, party room, fitness studio, billiards room and much more. In addition to great condos, the location offers easy accessibility to golf, local parks, restaurants and other entertainment sites, too.
To stay up to date with this development and many others like it, register with us today!
E. & O. E. This is not an offering for sale. An offering for sale may only be made after filing a Disclosure Statement
The post Crest by Adera- North Vancouver appeared first on Vancouver New Condos.
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Southgate City – Burnaby
Back in 2011, developer Ledingham McAllister bought the old Safeway distribution centre and dairy plant with an ambitious vision in mind. It isn’t often that a fully masterplanned development like Southgate City comes to a major city like Burnaby. This new condo development will become an integral part of the skyline in South Burnaby. As envisioned, Southgate City will include up to 20 condo towers of between 24 and 46 storeys in height, and a variety of low- and mid-rise buildings, all of which combined will consist of about 6,400 residential housing units that will support a population of 20,000 people. The pedestrian- and public-transit oriented development is planned around a five-acre central park that will serve as the Southgate City’s core feature.
The 60-acre development also includes numerous smaller parks, creek-side greenways and open areas, all of which are designed to help foster interconnection between all of its residential and commercial elements. This planned interconnectedness also includes easy access to the rest of Burnaby, and greater Vancouver, via road upgrade connections, pedestrian/bicycling paths, and its proximity to the Edmonds Skyway Station. Proposed commercial ventures include a gourmet grocer, cafés, community shops and restaurants. A new community centre is also included in the plans. The final result will be a stunning community developed from the ground up.
Southgate City will rapidly become one of the most exciting places to live in all of the lower mainland.
With the first building, Precedence, starting sales soon; home buyers will have the opportunity to secure their view of what will become the definition of master planning. Residents will be able to wake up and look out to the green space, fountains, and inviting public spaces. Driving to the hottest restaurants and shops will be a thing of the past with the best that Burnaby has to offer just steps away.
What sets Southgate City apart from other developments is the attention to detail put into every aspect of the design. There are plenty of new condo developments to see in Burnaby and surrounding areas but few, if any, offer the total and complete lifestyle that Southgate City will offer. A new community centre is just one part of the plan that aims to provide residents with a superior living experience in the heart of South Burnaby.
This will undoubtedly be one of the most exciting, inspirational, and popular new condo developments in Burnaby and the entire lower mainland. Stay tuned for more news and developments about Southgate City as construction moves ahead.
To be kept up to date with Southgate city, Register with us today.
This is not an offering for sale. No such offering can be made without a disclosure statement. E.&O.E.
The post Southgate City – Burnaby appeared first on Vancouver New Condos.
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Southgate City – Burnaby
Back in 2011, developer Ledingham McAllister bought the old Safeway distribution centre and dairy plant with an ambitious vision in mind. It isn't often that a fully masterplanned development like Southgate City comes to a major city like Burnaby. This new condo development will become an integral part of the skyline in South Burnaby. As envisioned, Southgate City will include up to 20 condo towers of between 24 and 46 storeys in height, and a variety of low- and mid-rise buildings, all of which combined will consist of about 6,400 residential housing units that will support a population of 20,000 people. The pedestrian- and public-transit oriented development is planned around a five-acre central park that will serve as the Southgate City's core feature.
The 60-acre development also includes numerous smaller parks, creek-side greenways and open areas, all of which are designed to help foster interconnection between all of its residential and commercial elements. This planned interconnectedness also includes easy access to the rest of Burnaby, and greater Vancouver, via road upgrade connections, pedestrian/bicycling paths, and its proximity to the Edmonds Skyway Station. Proposed commercial ventures include a gourmet grocer, cafés, community shops and restaurants. A new community centre is also included in the plans. The final result will be a stunning community developed from the ground up.
Southgate City will rapidly become one of the most exciting places to live in all of the lower mainland.
With the first building, Precedence, starting sales soon; home buyers will have the opportunity to secure their view of what will become the definition of master planning. Residents will be able to wake up and look out to the green space, fountains, and inviting public spaces. Driving to the hottest restaurants and shops will be a thing of the past with the best that Burnaby has to offer just steps away.
What sets Southgate City apart from other developments is the attention to detail put into every aspect of the design. There are plenty of new condo developments to see in Burnaby and surrounding areas but few, if any, offer the total and complete lifestyle that Southgate City will offer. A new community centre is just one part of the plan that aims to provide residents with a superior living experience in the heart of South Burnaby.
This will undoubtedly be one of the most exciting, inspirational, and popular new condo developments in Burnaby and the entire lower mainland. Stay tuned for more news and developments about Southgate City as construction moves ahead.
To be kept up to date with Southgate city, Register with us today.
This is not an offering for sale. No such offering can be made without a disclosure statement. E.&O.E.
The post Southgate City – Burnaby appeared first on Vancouver New Condos.
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Best Scuba Diving in Bunaken
North Sulawesi is home to some of Indonesia's — if not the world's — best wall diving. The islands that form Bunaken Marine Park drop precipitously, reaching below 2,000 feet (600 m) in some places. The best scuba diving in Bunaken features pristine hard corals, abundant reef fish, and larger pelagic species including reef sharks, eagle rays and tuna. Often simply called Bunaken, the Bunaken Marine Park consists of five islands: Manado Tua, Siladen, Mantehage, Nain and Bunaken itself. While a large volcano dominates Manado Tua's skyline, the other four are mostly flat and surrounded by large fringing reef plates. Mangrove forests protect many of the islands' sandy beaches, which means there's little erosion and a tranquil atmosphere even on wavy days.
Scuba diving in Bunaken
The dive sites around the islands are slopes, walls or sloping walls. Briefings instruct divers to descend to a set maximum depth before going 'reef left' or 'reef right,' depending on the current. Not all of the drops are sheer, though, and a number of flat, sandy areas make this a great training ground for new divers, too.
Traditionally, the islanders here were fishermen. Recently, however, dive resorts and homestays have provided more employment options. Many area dive guides are from Central and South Sulawesi. The park offers plenty of dive sites to choose from, with operators based mostly on Bunaken and Siladen. Dive centers on mainland Sulawesi also offer trips to the Marine Park.
Most resorts offer full board, and some also have small cafes or bars perfect for socializing at the end of a diving day. To check out how the locals live, it's worth taking a stroll into the nearby villages on the islands. Here are our picks for the best scuba diving in Bunaken.
Ron's Point
Where is it: On the southwest corner of Bunaken island, Ron's Point is a sloping reef running out into a large plateau which varies from 114 to 130 feet (35 to 40 m).
What makes it special: Situated right on the edge of the island's fringing reef, this is the perfect spot to see pelagic species like sharks and eagle rays pass by. Many dive guides might start and end the dive on the sloping reef while spending the best part hanging out above the plateau looking for big stuff. With luck, you might even spot a dugong in the shallow parts of the site.
Mandolin Reef
Where is it: right around the corner from Ron's Point on the west side of Bunaken and facing the island of Manado Tua lies Mandolin Reef.
What makes it special: The water in front of the reef runs as deep as 1,900 feet (600 m) in places, which makes it another excellent place to spot sharks and tuna. Technical divers will enjoy hovering over smaller outcrops within the reef which start from about 148 feet (45 m).
Sachiko I and II
Where is it: On the east side of the island lie the slopes of Sachiko I and II. They are home to wire corals, Napoleon wrasse and plenty of a Bunaken favorite — green turtles.
What makes it special: Whether there is a bit of current on these dives or not, there is always plenty of life on the reefs. While your dive guide is checking for small stuff, it's worth keeping an eye in the blue for larger marine life.
Lekuan II
Where is it: along the south of Bunaken island lies the vertical wall of Lekuan II.
What makes it special: The boats generally drop divers in a recess here, close to a shallow overhang which is home to juvenile reef sharks. A wall for fans of macro and large life alike, this site combines amazing amounts of life with impressive topography.
Muka Kampung
Where is it: Literally translated, Muka Kampung means "in front of the village" — that is, the main village on Bunaken island.
What makes it special: Generally, this is a gentle to moderate drift along a large sloping wall. But don't worry, there are a few eddies along the wall, giving divers a break from the current and a chance to look for smaller species such as ornate ghost pipefish.
Pangalingan
Where is it: On the south side of Manado Tua island, Pangalingan is for fans of adrenaline diving.
What makes it special: This current-swept dive site offers a chance to see schooling snappers, fusiliers and other reef fish while ducking and diving around the current.
Bualo
Where is it: Bualo is on the west side of Manado Tua.
What makes it special: More relaxed than Pangalingan, this dive site features a few great overhangs and offers great chances of spotting pelagics as well as small stuff.
Siladen Wall
Where is it: On the southwest side of the smallest of the marine parks' islands, lies this site named after its island.
What makes it special: Siladen is another site where you have a great chance to see small and big stuff alike. A gentle current usually pushes divers along this wall and with characteristic good visibility, this can really give you a panorama-dive feel.
Barracuda Point
Where is it: Barracuda Point is on the west side of Mantehage, the large island to the north of Bunaken.
What makes it special: The clue is in the name – this is one of the best spots to encounter schooling barracuda, midnight snappers and other species. It's worth the one-hour-plus boat ride from Bunaken or Siladen.
Manado Wreck
Where is it: The Manado wreck lies in 79 to 130 feet (24 to 40 m) just outside the marine park and off the coast of North Sulawesi to the east of the city of Manado.
What makes it special: A bit of mystery surrounds this wreck, as almost nothing is known about it apart from it having sunk during World War II. About 160 to 200 feet (50 to 60 m) long, the wreck still has intact propellers at 130 feet (40 m) and a few penetration opportunities in shallower parts. It also features a lot of natural coral growth and is a great spot for pipefish and blue dragon nudibranchs.
The post Best Scuba Diving in Bunaken appeared first on Scuba Diver Life.
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Best Scuba Diving in Bunaken
North Sulawesi is home to some of Indonesia’s — if not the world’s — best wall diving. The islands that form Bunaken Marine Park drop precipitously, reaching below 2,000 feet (600 m) in some places. The best scuba diving in Bunaken features pristine hard corals, abundant reef fish, and larger pelagic species including reef sharks, eagle rays and tuna. Often simply called Bunaken, the Bunaken Marine Park consists of five islands: Manado Tua, Siladen, Mantehage, Nain and Bunaken itself. While a large volcano dominates Manado Tua’s skyline, the other four are mostly flat and surrounded by large fringing reef plates. Mangrove forests protect many of the islands’ sandy beaches, which means there’s little erosion and a tranquil atmosphere even on wavy days.
Scuba diving in Bunaken
The dive sites around the islands are slopes, walls or sloping walls. Briefings instruct divers to descend to a set maximum depth before going ‘reef left’ or ‘reef right,’ depending on the current. Not all of the drops are sheer, though, and a number of flat, sandy areas make this a great training ground for new divers, too.
Traditionally, the islanders here were fishermen. Recently, however, dive resorts and homestays have provided more employment options. Many area dive guides are from Central and South Sulawesi. The park offers plenty of dive sites to choose from, with operators based mostly on Bunaken and Siladen. Dive centers on mainland Sulawesi also offer trips to the Marine Park.
Most resorts offer full board, and some also have small cafes or bars perfect for socializing at the end of a diving day. To check out how the locals live, it’s worth taking a stroll into the nearby villages on the islands. Here are our picks for the best scuba diving in Bunaken.
Ron’s Point
Where is it: On the southwest corner of Bunaken island, Ron’s Point is a sloping reef running out into a large plateau which varies from 114 to 130 feet (35 to 40 m).
What makes it special: Situated right on the edge of the island’s fringing reef, this is the perfect spot to see pelagic species like sharks and eagle rays pass by. Many dive guides might start and end the dive on the sloping reef while spending the best part hanging out above the plateau looking for big stuff. With luck, you might even spot a dugong in the shallow parts of the site.
Mandolin Reef
Where is it: right around the corner from Ron’s Point on the west side of Bunaken and facing the island of Manado Tua lies Mandolin Reef.
What makes it special: The water in front of the reef runs as deep as 1,900 feet (600 m) in places, which makes it another excellent place to spot sharks and tuna. Technical divers will enjoy hovering over smaller outcrops within the reef which start from about 148 feet (45 m).
Sachiko I and II
Where is it: On the east side of the island lie the slopes of Sachiko I and II. They are home to wire corals, Napoleon wrasse and plenty of a Bunaken favorite — green turtles.
What makes it special: Whether there is a bit of current on these dives or not, there is always plenty of life on the reefs. While your dive guide is checking for small stuff, it’s worth keeping an eye in the blue for larger marine life.
Lekuan II
Where is it: along the south of Bunaken island lies the vertical wall of Lekuan II.
What makes it special: The boats generally drop divers in a recess here, close to a shallow overhang which is home to juvenile reef sharks. A wall for fans of macro and large life alike, this site combines amazing amounts of life with impressive topography.
Muka Kampung
Where is it: Literally translated, Muka Kampung means “in front of the village” — that is, the main village on Bunaken island.
What makes it special: Generally, this is a gentle to moderate drift along a large sloping wall. But don’t worry, there are a few eddies along the wall, giving divers a break from the current and a chance to look for smaller species such as ornate ghost pipefish.
Pangalingan
Where is it: On the south side of Manado Tua island, Pangalingan is for fans of adrenaline diving.
What makes it special: This current-swept dive site offers a chance to see schooling snappers, fusiliers and other reef fish while ducking and diving around the current.
Bualo
Where is it: Bualo is on the west side of Manado Tua.
What makes it special: More relaxed than Pangalingan, this dive site features a few great overhangs and offers great chances of spotting pelagics as well as small stuff.
Siladen Wall
Where is it: On the southwest side of the smallest of the marine parks’ islands, lies this site named after its island.
What makes it special: Siladen is another site where you have a great chance to see small and big stuff alike. A gentle current usually pushes divers along this wall and with characteristic good visibility, this can really give you a panorama-dive feel.
Barracuda Point
Where is it: Barracuda Point is on the west side of Mantehage, the large island to the north of Bunaken.
What makes it special: The clue is in the name – this is one of the best spots to encounter schooling barracuda, midnight snappers and other species. It’s worth the one-hour-plus boat ride from Bunaken or Siladen.
Manado Wreck
Where is it: The Manado wreck lies in 79 to 130 feet (24 to 40 m) just outside the marine park and off the coast of North Sulawesi to the east of the city of Manado.
What makes it special: A bit of mystery surrounds this wreck, as almost nothing is known about it apart from it having sunk during World War II. About 160 to 200 feet (50 to 60 m) long, the wreck still has intact propellers at 130 feet (40 m) and a few penetration opportunities in shallower parts. It also features a lot of natural coral growth and is a great spot for pipefish and blue dragon nudibranchs.
The post Best Scuba Diving in Bunaken appeared first on Scuba Diver Life.
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Facebook Dynamic Ads for Travel: A marketing tool to boost direct bookings
While Facebook continues to limit brands' organic reach, it also continues to develop more effective Facebook Advertising opportunities including Facebook Dynamic Ads for Travel.
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What does loyalty mean for hotels in Europe?
Loyalty for independent hotels in Europe can mean something totally different when compared with the big brands in the US and beyond.
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Is the hotel commission model on borrowed time?
Marriott's move to reduce commissions on group bookings is clearly a disruption - and forces much-needed change in the meetings industry. Are we witnessing the end of third-party commissions?
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What corporate travel is saying about Marriott’s commission cut
The news that Marriott International will reduce groups and meetings commissions from 10% to 7% sent some in the corporate travel community reeling, while others said they had known it was only matter of time.
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Sabre adds new lodging content
Sabre entered agreements with Bedsonline, Travelbound and the Expedia Affiliate Network to make their content available in the new Sabre Content Services for Lodging.
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What is the one thing that could disrupt OTAs?
It is a new business model or platform that can deliver demand to airlines and hotels at a significantly lower customer-acquisition cost.
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Why travel brands are particularly ripe for digital innovation
The travel sector is already disrupting itself and disrupting itself again because it has all the makings of things that are going on in the consumer markets right now, which is in the direct-to-consumer, service-based moment.
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Google publishes comprehensive guide to featured snippets
Google has published one of the most comprehensive explanations yet of their featured snippets in a post on its search blog.
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Tuesday, January 30, 2018
U.K. Microbead Ban Comes into Effect
Earlier this month, the U.K. took a landmark step to help address the immense volume of plastic in our oceans and waterways. Going forward, the government has banned the manufacture of products containing microbeads. These tiny bits of plastic are in everything from soap to toothpaste. Despite their size, they do untold damage to the world's waters and marine life. The new U.K. microbead ban will hopefully address some of this damage.
U.K. microbead ban comes into effect
The damaging microbeads wash down the drain with your face wash or hand soap. The cumulative effect means billions of pieces of tiny plastic are choking our oceans. The ban means that manufacturers cannot add the beads to any products going forward from now. The U.K has also instituted plastic-abatement measures. These include a 5p charge for plastic bags. This step has meant 9 billion plastic bags moved out of circulation, as reported by The Independent.
Environment minister Thérèse Coffey told the paper that the government would tackle other forms of plastic waste as well.
"The world's seas and oceans are some of our most valuable natural assets, and I am determined we act now to tackle the plastic that devastates our precious marine life," she said.
"Microbeads are entirely unnecessary when there are so many natural alternatives available. I am delighted that from today cosmetics manufacturers will no longer be able to add this harmful plastic to their rinse-off products," she said.
The microbead ban comes as the U.K. government releases a 25-year environment plan that aims to address issues on land and in the ocean and waterways.
The post U.K. Microbead Ban Comes into Effect appeared first on Scuba Diver Life.
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U.K. Microbead Ban Comes into Effect
Earlier this month, the U.K. took a landmark step to help address the immense volume of plastic in our oceans and waterways. Going forward, the government has banned the manufacture of products containing microbeads. These tiny bits of plastic are in everything from soap to toothpaste. Despite their size, they do untold damage to the world’s waters and marine life. The new U.K. microbead ban will hopefully address some of this damage.
U.K. microbead ban comes into effect
The damaging microbeads wash down the drain with your face wash or hand soap. The cumulative effect means billions of pieces of tiny plastic are choking our oceans. The ban means that manufacturers cannot add the beads to any products going forward from now. The U.K has also instituted plastic-abatement measures. These include a 5p charge for plastic bags. This step has meant 9 billion plastic bags moved out of circulation, as reported by The Independent.
Environment minister Thérèse Coffey told the paper that the government would tackle other forms of plastic waste as well.
“The world’s seas and oceans are some of our most valuable natural assets, and I am determined we act now to tackle the plastic that devastates our precious marine life,” she said.
“Microbeads are entirely unnecessary when there are so many natural alternatives available. I am delighted that from today cosmetics manufacturers will no longer be able to add this harmful plastic to their rinse-off products,” she said.
The microbead ban comes as the U.K. government releases a 25-year environment plan that aims to address issues on land and in the ocean and waterways.
The post U.K. Microbead Ban Comes into Effect appeared first on Scuba Diver Life.
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Monday, January 29, 2018
How blockchains for hotel reservations work
Koddi walks us through a hypothetical example of a reservation blockchain where we want to develop a blockchain that manages reservations between hotel suppliers and OTAs.
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More hotel loyalty programs experiment with revenue-based models
For both flights and hotel stays, travelers will have to invest more in 2018 for the same status they earned in 2016 or 2017. Here's what to expect from the travel loyalty industry in 2018.
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Hotel loyalty must be earned, not bought
When looking to building more loyalty for your hotel, ask yourself if what you are doing is really going to improve enthusiasm and devotion for your hotel?
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BCD Travel renews Amadeus distribution deal
Amadeus has secured the renewal of a multi-year global distribution deal with BCD Travel. The travel management company will have access to extensive travel content on Amadeus as a result of the agreement.
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How hotels are using AI to provide awesome guest experiences
Even though AI is regarded as the emerging technology trend, the hospitality industry has already experienced incredible benefits and wide impact on their business momentum.
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What makes a Really Good Email?
Really Good Emails aims to be the best showcase of email design and resources on the web. Here are the guidelines that they've come up with after reviewing thousands of emails.
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A new approach to lifetime value of guests
Measuring the total lifetime spend of a guest against costs of retention yields the most important metric: the gross margin of a guest relationship over time.
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SEO practices every hotelier should know
Here are the top 6 definitive SEO trends to help your hotel dominate Google's search results in 2018.
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Main & Twentieth by Landa Global in Vancouver
Main & Twentieth is a collection of 42 boutique one bedroom, two bedroom, and loft homes with stylish interiors, open layouts, generous outdoor spaces, and a beautiful, lush central courtyard. Located at the corner of Main St & E 20th Ave, Main & Twentieth is surrounded by all the eclectic shops, restaurants, schools, transit and diverse community resources that Main Street has to offer.
The post Main & Twentieth by Landa Global in Vancouver appeared first on Vancouver New Condos.
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Main & Twentieth by Landa Global in Vancouver
Main & Twentieth is a collection of 42 boutique one bedroom, two bedroom, and loft homes with stylish interiors, open layouts, generous outdoor spaces, and a beautiful, lush central courtyard. Located at the corner of Main St & E 20th Ave, Main & Twentieth is surrounded by all the eclectic shops, restaurants, schools, transit and diverse community resources that Main Street has to offer.
The post Main & Twentieth by Landa Global in Vancouver appeared first on Vancouver New Condos.
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Park Hill in Langley
PARK HILL is a new community coming soon to Langley's Willoughby neighbourhood, located off 68th Ave and 201 St, in a peaceful residential neighbourhood giving you room to breathe. This boutique collection of 2 & 3 bedroom townhomes and contemporary 1, 2 & 3 bedroom condos is located in a quiet residential area nestled against 1,200 acres of lush parkland and community trails. Park Hill has two phases of development. Phase I is over 80% sold and moving quickly. Register now to have our team contact you with details about our remaining inventory, and for priority access to Phase II.
The post Park Hill in Langley appeared first on Vancouver New Condos.
from Buildings – Vancouver New Condos http://ift.tt/2nkylwi
Park Hill in Langley
PARK HILL is a new community coming soon to Langley’s Willoughby neighbourhood, located off 68th Ave and 201 St, in a peaceful residential neighbourhood giving you room to breathe. This boutique collection of 2 & 3 bedroom townhomes and contemporary 1, 2 & 3 bedroom condos is located in a quiet residential area nestled against 1,200 acres of lush parkland and community trails. Park Hill has two phases of development. Phase I is over 80% sold and moving quickly. Register now to have our team contact you with details about our remaining inventory, and for priority access to Phase II.
The post Park Hill in Langley appeared first on Vancouver New Condos.
from Buildings – Vancouver New Condos http://ift.tt/2nkylwi
Mantas in Florida
A manta named Gillie. Photo courtesy of Bethany Augliere.
Driving her ATV down the Florida beach while counting sea-turtle tracks, large, dark shapes swimming close to shore piqued Jessica Pate's curiosity. After investigating, the marine biologist was shocked to discover mantas, which she didn't think often visited Floridian waters. Even a broad online search for mantas in Florida turned up little.
As an open-water dive instructor, she knew divers didn't commonly see mantas in the area. But she stumbled upon them often enough along the shoreline while researching sea turtles to believe these giant rays simply inhabited shallower waters while in Florida. So, she and her boyfriend rented a boat and were ecstatic to find two mantas that first day — but then none for three weeks.
Mantas regularly appear in Floridian waters
Continuing her hunt, she found more mantas, usually in shallow waters of 10 feet or less. This cleared up the mystery of why divers rarely saw them. With this data in hand, she established The Manta Ray Program for the Americas branch of the Marine Megafauna Foundation last year. Jessica has now been able to compile some surprising preliminary data working as a volunteer in her off-hours, with help from fellow manta lovers, two conservation photographers documenting the project, and a volunteer summer research assistant.
Jessica goes out on the water to further her research one to three days week. On her best day, she found seven mantas, but occasionally goes weeks without seeing any if the conditions are bad enough. Many fish migrate through Floridian waters, but she's actually seen mantas return to the area. She documented one manta on seven separate occasions over a two-month period, and many that she and her team recorded last year have returned this year.
Humans heavily impact mantas
Researchers have seen propeller scars and missing tails. Fishing hooks and line entanglements are also common, which makes it all the more heart-wrenching to find out that mantas are likely quite intelligent since they have the largest brain-to-body ratio of all rays, sharks and skates. In the video below, a female manta named Stevie Nicks seemed to know someone was trying to help and patiently waited for an hour while Jessica worked to remove three hooks with fishing line attached. The hooks in her belly also included weights, affecting Stevie's ability to swim.
Video courtesy of Bethany Augliere Photography
While this video has a feel-good ending, human impacts are a sad, regular occurrence. Last year, the Manta Ray Program recorded a beautiful giant ray they named Kevin who had a smooth body. This year, they took photos of a missing left wing-tip and a gash on his back so large it allowed them to see all the way into Kevin's body cavity. They documented another gash a week later and soon thereafter found him with two attached fishing lines dragging along a plastic bag. Jessica successfully removed everything from poor Kevin and he seems to have recovered, but he may not be so lucky the next time.
In the drone footage below, viewers can see a manta with a missing left wing-tip. This indicates it could be Kevin, swimming along the Florida shoreline and then close to a pier. A fisherman clearly casts out in front of the manta three times before the ray swims back into open water. It's not just happenstance that Jessica continues to see mantas covered in hooks and fishing line. Fishermen try to catch cobia underneath mantas and they often injure the mantas instead.
South Florida may be special
The Manta Ray Program has discovered three extraordinary phenomena in South Florida:
- The area could be a nursery for baby mantas since Jessica and other researchers often see small, immature manta rays.
- Some rare melanistic mantas, commonly called 'black morphs,' with their striking all-black coloring
- A dead manta found in Pompano Beach provided the program with a unique opportunity to collect a large amount of data from a particularly important specimen. Marine Megafauna Foundation founder Dr. Andrea Marshall suspects this is a potential third species of manta.
What's next for the Florida mantas?
While it's still a mystery why scientists have done little research on the Florida mantas before, Jessica plans to continue her volunteer manta studies part-time in the hopes that eventually funding will appear. Full-time research and tagging the mantas to track their behavior is the key to finding out more about these majestic creatures.
If you're as thrilled as we are to know that mantas can be found in the contiguous United States and not just exotic locales, check out the Facebook page of Marine Megafauna Foundation: Americas which Jessica runs. Please visit MarineMegafaunaFoundation.org to volunteer or donate to this 501(c)(3) charity focused on saving our ocean giants, and helping marine life and humans thrive together.
The post Mantas in Florida appeared first on Scuba Diver Life.
from Scuba Diver Life http://ift.tt/2GqWR6P
Mantas in Florida
A manta named Gillie. Photo courtesy of Bethany Augliere.
Driving her ATV down the Florida beach while counting sea-turtle tracks, large, dark shapes swimming close to shore piqued Jessica Pate’s curiosity. After investigating, the marine biologist was shocked to discover mantas, which she didn’t think often visited Floridian waters. Even a broad online search for mantas in Florida turned up little.
As an open-water dive instructor, she knew divers didn’t commonly see mantas in the area. But she stumbled upon them often enough along the shoreline while researching sea turtles to believe these giant rays simply inhabited shallower waters while in Florida. So, she and her boyfriend rented a boat and were ecstatic to find two mantas that first day — but then none for three weeks.
Mantas regularly appear in Floridian waters
Continuing her hunt, she found more mantas, usually in shallow waters of 10 feet or less. This cleared up the mystery of why divers rarely saw them. With this data in hand, she established The Manta Ray Program for the Americas branch of the Marine Megafauna Foundation last year. Jessica has now been able to compile some surprising preliminary data working as a volunteer in her off-hours, with help from fellow manta lovers, two conservation photographers documenting the project, and a volunteer summer research assistant.
Jessica goes out on the water to further her research one to three days week. On her best day, she found seven mantas, but occasionally goes weeks without seeing any if the conditions are bad enough. Many fish migrate through Floridian waters, but she’s actually seen mantas return to the area. She documented one manta on seven separate occasions over a two-month period, and many that she and her team recorded last year have returned this year.
Humans heavily impact mantas
Researchers have seen propeller scars and missing tails. Fishing hooks and line entanglements are also common, which makes it all the more heart-wrenching to find out that mantas are likely quite intelligent since they have the largest brain-to-body ratio of all rays, sharks and skates. In the video below, a female manta named Stevie Nicks seemed to know someone was trying to help and patiently waited for an hour while Jessica worked to remove three hooks with fishing line attached. The hooks in her belly also included weights, affecting Stevie’s ability to swim.
Video courtesy of Bethany Augliere Photography
While this video has a feel-good ending, human impacts are a sad, regular occurrence. Last year, the Manta Ray Program recorded a beautiful giant ray they named Kevin who had a smooth body. This year, they took photos of a missing left wing-tip and a gash on his back so large it allowed them to see all the way into Kevin’s body cavity. They documented another gash a week later and soon thereafter found him with two attached fishing lines dragging along a plastic bag. Jessica successfully removed everything from poor Kevin and he seems to have recovered, but he may not be so lucky the next time.
In the drone footage below, viewers can see a manta with a missing left wing-tip. This indicates it could be Kevin, swimming along the Florida shoreline and then close to a pier. A fisherman clearly casts out in front of the manta three times before the ray swims back into open water. It’s not just happenstance that Jessica continues to see mantas covered in hooks and fishing line. Fishermen try to catch cobia underneath mantas and they often injure the mantas instead.
South Florida may be special
The Manta Ray Program has discovered three extraordinary phenomena in South Florida:
- The area could be a nursery for baby mantas since Jessica and other researchers often see small, immature manta rays.
- Some rare melanistic mantas, commonly called ‘black morphs,’ with their striking all-black coloring
- A dead manta found in Pompano Beach provided the program with a unique opportunity to collect a large amount of data from a particularly important specimen. Marine Megafauna Foundation founder Dr. Andrea Marshall suspects this is a potential third species of manta.
What’s next for the Florida mantas?
While it’s still a mystery why scientists have done little research on the Florida mantas before, Jessica plans to continue her volunteer manta studies part-time in the hopes that eventually funding will appear. Full-time research and tagging the mantas to track their behavior is the key to finding out more about these majestic creatures.
If you’re as thrilled as we are to know that mantas can be found in the contiguous United States and not just exotic locales, check out the Facebook page of Marine Megafauna Foundation: Americas which Jessica runs. Please visit MarineMegafaunaFoundation.org to volunteer or donate to this 501(c)(3) charity focused on saving our ocean giants, and helping marine life and humans thrive together.
The post Mantas in Florida appeared first on Scuba Diver Life.
from Scuba Diver Life http://ift.tt/2GqWR6P
Ensure your property is displaying when travel agents search for hotels in Sabre GDS
In order for your property to display in travel agent's search, your hotel's description in Sabre GDS should include all the amenities your property offers.
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Amex: Optimistic outlook for business travel in 2018
Amex GBT says demand for business travel started the road to recovery last year and is expected to continue growing over the next 12 months. Notable gains are predicted in Europe and Asia, with China and India's economy leading the way.
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Weak dollar a magnet for inbound global travelers
The weakening U.S. dollar might contribute to a boost in international travel spend. That could present an ADR opportunity for hoteliers in some U.S. markets.
from HOTELMARKETING.COM http://ift.tt/2rPOazI
McKinsey & Co. on why digital strategies fail
Most digital strategies don't reflect how digital is changing economic fundamentals, industry dynamics, or what it means to compete. Companies should watch out for five pitfalls.
from HOTELMARKETING.COM http://ift.tt/2GqKebL
Are hotels at war with their guests?
By turning their noses up at OTAs, some hoteliers seem to be effectively at war with modern guests and their booking preferences.
from HOTELMARKETING.COM http://ift.tt/2rQC8pS
What Google’s new ad settings mean for your remarketing campaigns
Fresh on the heels of Facebook announcing a major overhaul of how its News Feed delivers content to users, Google has decided to get in on the user experience party, too.
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TravelClick unveils revamped Rate360 platform
The revamped Rate360 offers customers a brand new look and feel, real-time rate shopping, meta shopping and integrated forward-looking demand data via TravelClick's Demand360.
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Up to 80% of last-minute hotel bookings are now made on mobile devices
Criteo's latest Travel Insights Report reveals the increasing influence of mobile shopping in the travel industry. The majority of mobile traffic and bookings comes from travelers looking to get away on a whim, so the convenience of online and apps helps drive this change.
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Sunday, January 28, 2018
Getting Rid of Plastic in Your Life
We all know by now the danger that plastic debris poses to marine life. It's easy to do your part to stem the seemingly unstoppable tide of plastic into our watersheds by getting rid of plastic in your life, at least as much as you are able. Reducing your reliance on plastic and the waste that you produce is as easy as changing some of your daily habits for good. Single-use plastics create a huge amount of trash every day, which is absolutely choking landfills and waterways. And although recycling is a good way to get rid of some of this waste, not using it in the first place is a far better choice.
Here we'll look at a few different areas of your home and your life and how you can successfully get rid of plastic in your life.
Shopping and eating out
Avoid the plastic bag and carry a reusable grocery bag in your car or your purse. Many — if not all — grocery stores now sell these bags for around .99 cents. You can also buy them online, as well as foldable, reusable produce bags. If your local grocery store sells bulk products, you can also bring your own container.
When it comes to your caffeine habit, buy a reusable travel mug for your coffee (or two if you tend to forget one at the office). Again, most coffee chains sell reusable travel mugs, and you often get a discount on your coffee for bringing one in. For those of you who pack a lunch to work, drop the plastic bag for your sandwich and invest in reusable food wrappers or containers.
When having a drink at a restaurant or bar, ask for no straw. We use plastic straws for a few minutes and ditch millions of them every single day. If you really need a straw in your iced latte, you can buy a glass or metal reusable one and carry it with you.
Finally, you can carry around a reusable metal water bottle and keep it on hand to refill at drinking fountains. Many restaurants or coffee shops will be happy to refill it for free as well.
At home
Kitchen
We already mentioned your shopping bags and containers. To store your leftovers or food, ditch the plastic wrap and switch to reusable food wraps, which you can make yourself. When it comes to storage for sloppier items, switch to glass rather than plastic.
For cleaning needs, you can find a wide range of eco-friendly products at your local supermarket. But these still come in plastic bottles. It's easy to DIY your own cleaning solutions as well — the internet is full of recipes. Also consider ditching single-use wipes and similar products, and buy good-quality dishcloths and cleaning cloths to wash and reuse.
If you absolutely must use disposable kitchenware for a big event, you can still avoid plastic and buy compostable bamboo plates and utensils. If those are too pricey for you, try to buy recyclable paper plates rather than Styrofoam.
Bathroom
The bathroom can be tough since many health and beauty products come in plastic containers, bottles and so on. The starting point is to try to buy your products in the biggest containers possible, which is also usually cheaper. Buying bigger means you're at least sparing an extra plastic bottle.
Re-usable products such as razors and toothbrushes always have more sustainable alternative, so think about switching those. You can also choose to buy your cosmetics from brands that use as little plastic packaging as possible.
Finally, if you've got some time, the bathroom is a great place to try your hand at making your own beauty and hygiene products. Again, the internet is full of recipes with natural ingredients for everything from deodorant to soap to shampoo.
Rest of the house
Getting rid of the plastic is not always as easy as it sounds, but if you look for alternatives you'll find there's usually a more sustainable option.
Use glass (with silicone sleeves) bottles and biodegradable diapers (or cloth) for babies. When confronted with the choice to buy a plastic product — such as a mixing spoon — or a wooden or metal one, choose the alternative.
There are lots of online resources to help you take the first steps in getting rid of plastic in your life. With one small habit change at a time, we can all help reduce the amount of plastic waste we create.
The post Getting Rid of Plastic in Your Life appeared first on Scuba Diver Life.
from Scuba Diver Life http://ift.tt/2Gq4fPG
Getting Rid of Plastic in Your Life
We all know by now the danger that plastic debris poses to marine life. It’s easy to do your part to stem the seemingly unstoppable tide of plastic into our watersheds by getting rid of plastic in your life, at least as much as you are able. Reducing your reliance on plastic and the waste that you produce is as easy as changing some of your daily habits for good. Single-use plastics create a huge amount of trash every day, which is absolutely choking landfills and waterways. And although recycling is a good way to get rid of some of this waste, not using it in the first place is a far better choice.
Here we’ll look at a few different areas of your home and your life and how you can successfully get rid of plastic in your life.
Shopping and eating out
Avoid the plastic bag and carry a reusable grocery bag in your car or your purse. Many — if not all — grocery stores now sell these bags for around .99 cents. You can also buy them online, as well as foldable, reusable produce bags. If your local grocery store sells bulk products, you can also bring your own container.
When it comes to your caffeine habit, buy a reusable travel mug for your coffee (or two if you tend to forget one at the office). Again, most coffee chains sell reusable travel mugs, and you often get a discount on your coffee for bringing one in. For those of you who pack a lunch to work, drop the plastic bag for your sandwich and invest in reusable food wrappers or containers.
When having a drink at a restaurant or bar, ask for no straw. We use plastic straws for a few minutes and ditch millions of them every single day. If you really need a straw in your iced latte, you can buy a glass or metal reusable one and carry it with you.
Finally, you can carry around a reusable metal water bottle and keep it on hand to refill at drinking fountains. Many restaurants or coffee shops will be happy to refill it for free as well.
At home
Kitchen
We already mentioned your shopping bags and containers. To store your leftovers or food, ditch the plastic wrap and switch to reusable food wraps, which you can make yourself. When it comes to storage for sloppier items, switch to glass rather than plastic.
For cleaning needs, you can find a wide range of eco-friendly products at your local supermarket. But these still come in plastic bottles. It’s easy to DIY your own cleaning solutions as well — the internet is full of recipes. Also consider ditching single-use wipes and similar products, and buy good-quality dishcloths and cleaning cloths to wash and reuse.
If you absolutely must use disposable kitchenware for a big event, you can still avoid plastic and buy compostable bamboo plates and utensils. If those are too pricey for you, try to buy recyclable paper plates rather than Styrofoam.
Bathroom
The bathroom can be tough since many health and beauty products come in plastic containers, bottles and so on. The starting point is to try to buy your products in the biggest containers possible, which is also usually cheaper. Buying bigger means you’re at least sparing an extra plastic bottle.
Re-usable products such as razors and toothbrushes always have more sustainable alternative, so think about switching those. You can also choose to buy your cosmetics from brands that use as little plastic packaging as possible.
Finally, if you’ve got some time, the bathroom is a great place to try your hand at making your own beauty and hygiene products. Again, the internet is full of recipes with natural ingredients for everything from deodorant to soap to shampoo.
Rest of the house
Getting rid of the plastic is not always as easy as it sounds, but if you look for alternatives you’ll find there’s usually a more sustainable option.
Use glass (with silicone sleeves) bottles and biodegradable diapers (or cloth) for babies. When confronted with the choice to buy a plastic product — such as a mixing spoon — or a wooden or metal one, choose the alternative.
There are lots of online resources to help you take the first steps in getting rid of plastic in your life. With one small habit change at a time, we can all help reduce the amount of plastic waste we create.
The post Getting Rid of Plastic in Your Life appeared first on Scuba Diver Life.
from Scuba Diver Life http://ift.tt/2Gq4fPG
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