News Update: UNESCO's New World Heritage Sites, Tauck's Loft-Like Cruise Suites and the A380 Might Come to America

(c) Department of Archaeology, National Museum & Library, Be Be Stupa, Sri Ksetra - Pyu Ancient Cities (Myanmar)

UNESCO Names New World Heritage Sites

CNN - June 22, 2014

Over the weekend, UNESCO added a number of locations to its World Heritage List, including the first-ever site from Myanmar. The Pyu Ancient Cities in Myanmar were added to the list, along with dozens of others, extending it to more than 1,000 cultural and natural treasures. Other sites added include the vineyard landscape of Piedmont in Italy, the Grand Canal in China and the Pergamon and its cultural landscape in Turkey.

#MyTake: The list of World Heritage Sites has grown significantly since it began in 1978, and UNESCO is expected to add more to the list in the following days. This is an indication that more countries are taking the time to protect these cultural sites and acknowledge their value. Not only that, but they hope to use this status to promote themselves as desirable destinations, touting the fact that they have such wonderful, historic and outstanding attractions.

Four Seasons Invests in Adventure Travel

TravelPulse - June 23, 2014

Four Seasons Hotels is a well-known name in the luxury travel market, but it's doing more to cater to younger travelers taking long haul trips and seeking experiential travel. In Asia, the hotel brand has turned to its activities to provide special experiences to travelers, showing they can have luxury and an authentic trip at the same time. The Four Seasons Resort Langkawi in Malaysia features a Mangroves & Eagles Safari that takes guests on a wildlife adventure through a maze of limestone cliffs, rock formations and mangroves. The Four Seasons Resort Kuda Huraa in the Maldives is considered a top surfing destination, and the resort caters to thrill-seekers with its new series of chartered "surfers," which use a seaplane to go from one break to the next so surfers are guaranteed to catch the next wave. The hotel brand also features a number of other tour packages, as well as special adventures for children.

#MyTake: Luxury travel has made a comeback in recent years, even with a somewhat slow economic recovery. People are eager to travel again, but they don't just want to sit on the beach all day at a luxury resort (though that might be nice for some people), they want to experience a destination to its fullest. This is especially true of Millennial travelers, many of which are coming into their own financially and want to treat themselves to something unique and special. It's not just about going to a destination anymore, it's about immersing yourself in the culture and the environment to a greater extent.

Tauck Launches Newest Ship With Loft-Like Suites

Travel Weekly - June 23, 2014

The Tauck travel company christened its newest ship, the Savor, which features loft-like suites in the hard-to-sell lower-deck cabins. The Savor, along with sister ship Inspire (which set sail in April), are part of a new class that ushers in this new suite concept. The cabins feature high ceilings and a raised seating area along windows that can be opened. This is far from the standard lower-deck cabin with just a porthole window. The 130-passenger Savor will sail the Rhine, Main and Danube rivers.

#MyTake: Tauck acknowledged that lower-deck cabins are often tougher to sell. Rather than continuing to find new verbiage to promote these cabins, they decided to engineer something more appealing. While upper-deck suites might be more popular, this certainly introduces something different and exciting for people to experience, and travelers are always curious about new features. Not only that, but it allows Tauck to more easily sell these once overlooked cabins.

TSA Increases Traveler Fees

TravelPulse - June 19, 2014

On July 1, 2014, the Transportation Security Administration fees, which are added to airline ticket prices, will increase. The TSA fee will rise from $2.50 for a non-stop flight to $5 for a trip with a layover and a flat rate of $5.60 for each leg of a trip. Now, however, the TSA said it's looking to charge an extra $5.60 fee for each leg of a flight where there's a connection of more than four hours. This basically means the TSA has changed the definition of a round trip, and travelers with super long layovers will be forced to pay a little more. The move is not being taken lightly by the travel industry, and it will take public comment for the next two months.

#MyTake: Aviation security is still a big concern, and there needs to be funding for it, and I don't think many people would argue with that. However, this additional note in the Federal Register is unfair to travelers and to airlines. It might seem like a small fee, but it can add up, and most frequent travelers don't have endless sums of money. At the same time, airlines could be blamed by travelers who are unaware of where the fee actually comes from, but it's the government that's implementing it. This could cause more customer dissatisfaction, unless airlines make it clear in their pricing what fees are for what. And lets face it, most people aren't going to research it or take the time to read every detail, they'll just get angry at the increase in fees.

A380 Might Make Its Way to America

BusinessWeek - June 23, 2014

Rumor has it that Airbus's A380 superjumbo jet may be making its way stateside. According to Mark Lapidus, the chief executive officer of the aircraft leasing company Amedeo, Delta Air Lines will be the first U.S. carrier to fly the A380. Delta has denied any interest in the plane, saying it doesn't fit the needs or scope of the airline. However, the larger aircraft, which is mostly flown by Middle East, European and Australian airlines, does hold some potential for the U.S., and Lapidus believes it would be a good move for the one of the North American airlines to bite. 

#MyTake: The A380 isn't really suitable for an American fleet, just because it's too big for most of the networks. U.S. airlines bank on less seating, therefore making it easier to charge more for limited spots on frequent routes. The A380 seats 600 people, and that wouldn't work for the U.S. airlines's profit margins. However, the aircraft could make it easier to offer segmented cabin space, which has experienced a gain in interest from travelers, especially global business travelers willing to spend a little more for extra leg room and additional amenities, but not the full amount for first or business class. For now, the rumors will stay just that. But I'll definitely keep an ear to the ground - er - sky on this one.

A Room Fit for a Princess

As many of you know, tomorrow is the day of the royal wedding, when Prince William will marry Kate Middleton in front of 2,000 guests and nearly one billion viewers around the world. Kate will ride down a long parade route, waving at spectators that have been camping out for days just to get a glimpse of her white-gloved hand. She will then step out in front of Westminster Abbey where thousands of paparrazi will flash pictures of the gorgeous bride in her flowing wedding gown designed by--well, we don't know yet. Once she walks through the doors, she will float down the aisle towards her prince, who she will promise to love and cherish until death parts them.

Needless to say, Kate's under a lot of pressure.

So how do you prepare for such a large spectacle as this? Stay in a fabulous hotel, of course!

Kate will be spending her last night as a single lady in the five-star luxury Goring Hotel, located just around the corner from Buckingham Palace. The hotel opened in 1910 and is still owned by the family of the founder. It was credited as one of the first hotels in the world to offer a private bathroom for each room. And since it is so close to the palace, it has had the privilege of hosting a number of royal celebrities, including Queen Mary and Queen Mother Elizabeth, who both enjoyed tea at the Goring.

Kate and her family have taken over the hotel, with the recently redecorated five-room suite overlooking the garden reserved specifically for the bride. Her room comes with a four-poster bed, silk wallpaper and a waterproof flatscreen in the bathroom. While Kate might be a little too nervous to eat anything before the ceremony, I hope her family takes advantage of the first-class chef the hotel has on staff. The kitchen is known for its Lobster Thermidor omelets--yum!

The Goring defines itself as the quintessential British hotel. Each room is individually designed in a range of color palettes. Most rooms overlook the historic Victoria Square and Beeston Place, while a select few--including Kate's--overlook the garden. The bathrooms are stocked with Egyptian cotton bath sheets and various toiletries from English perfumer, Molton Brown. The hotel provides bathrobes and slippers, 24-hour room service, internet and on-demand movies. As far as other amenities, the Bar features a verandah that looks out over the gardens. It offers the finest wines, deep tea blends and wonderful treats to nibble on. The food at the Dining Room is prepared with fresh, local ingredients, and each dish is a tribute to English heritage and culture. They serve everything from Eggs Drumkilbo and Gulls Eggs to Cornish Sardines with Sea Sandwort and the best oysters on earth. (Their words, not mine.)

It certainly sounds like a fairytale, but then again, Kate will soon be spending her evenings in a palace, so this is a nice preview of what she will have the rest of her life.

Is Flying Just Another Form of Public Transportation?

Courtesy of Wellcultured.com

Sure, flying is a way to get a group of people from one place to another, but can you really lump it into the "public transportation" category? According to an article from Travel + Leisure, the days of fancy air travel, well-dressed patrons and prim-and-proper stewardesses are long gone; replaced with cramped seats, low-budget service and socially detached airline personnel. Even though traveling by plane is no longer the elegant event it used to be, I could never classify it the same way as buses, trains and subways. But let's face it, that may be where it's heading, just one more way to get from point A to point B, without any style, flare or social interaction. I mean, isn't that what happened to train travel in this country?

From flickr, by mark_v_socal

Back in the glory days of the locomotive, train cars were outfitted with velvet chairs, white-linen table cloths, immaculate chandeliers, specially carved bars and actual beds. Now, the bar car is a bland box of linoleum, seats face only two directions, tables are attached to the walls, and beds fold down like ironing boards. And what about the train conductors with their three-piece suits, golden stop watches and whistles screaming "all aboard?" They're gone, too. Such is the world of the airplane. Back in the early 40s, planes also had that chic decor and swanky clientele, and a flight was a real enjoyable travel experience. Stewardesses, also referred to as "fly girls," served champagne and full-fledged meals, all while dressed in alluring outfits and adorable hats. Not only did stewardesses wear different clothes than the flight attendants of today, but their dedication to serving the customer was something to be admired. They went out of their way to make sure passengers were comfortable, had everything they wanted and got to their destinations with little to no complaints. They even had conversations with passengers, getting to know the stylish businessmen who were jetting off to their next meeting. Today, it seems like flight attendants just want to get passengers boarded, seated and quiet, and then just as quickly get them off the plane. There's no more panache to air travel.

I find this revelation to be rather sad, because I truly enjoy flying. I love knowing that I am going to be on a plane, traveling somewhere different, or perhaps someplace familiar--it all depends on my travel plans. But the fact is, I still get excited to board a plane, to watch the airport grow smaller as we ascend into the air, to feel the drop in my stomach as the wheels go up and the plane is floating. I still think of it as something special. And yet I know there are few who feel the way I do about having to fly. They look at it as a chore, an obligation to get them to their destination. It's uncomfortable, frustrating, expensive, and they just want it over with as soon as possible. So what can be done?

From Flickr, by mark_v_socal

I was discussing this issue with my boyfriend, and he shrewdly observed that airlines need to use this in their favor to gain more business. Then he mentioned Virgin America's plan to make flying a more enjoyable experience for passengers, and it stirred my curiosity. In a recent article from Bloomberg Businessweek, Virgin America's unconventional ways were put to the test to see how they could fare in this competitive industry. Founder and CEO of Virgin Group, Richard Branson, made a remark to employees and press as the first Virgin America flight came into Dallas-Fort Worth Airport: "You can either go on that other carrier and get their kind of service...or you can come on the Virgin carrier and have a blast." The airline has a philosophy known as fun in the skies, and it has shown promise in the last three years. Their Airbus A319 and A320 feature entertainment in every seat-back and have free Wi-Fi internet access. Even though competition is tough and the airline has had its fair share of struggles, Branson believes it has something truly special to offer customers: great service. He says that other airlines do not think of the passengers at all, it's become like a bus service. (Sounds familiar, right?) So Branson has dedicated most of his efforts to improving customer service and design. When they ordered their first line of planes, Virgin wanted to equip them with leather seating, translucent barriers between sections so as to reduce that claustrophobic feel, touchscreen entertainment systems that let passengers select movies and shows on command, and the ability to have food and drinks ordered from the seats whenever it was desired. LED-lighting would also be installed in the cabins to improve ambiance and overall mood.

While these amenities certainly bring back some memories of the early days of air travel when passengers were excited about flying and truly enjoyed their experience on planes, it does not mean that Virgin America will prosper, especially with other airlines doing their best to make sure it fails. But if Virgin's ways cannot get them to the top of the airline industry, they are at least pushing other airlines to instill some of these concepts on their planes. In fact, Delta and United are already starting to install Wi-Fi on their flights, Continental is looking into satellite television and mood-lighting is being put into many of Boeing's new models.

Even if the days of stewardesses, smartly dressed business men, luxury seating and impeccable service are long gone, there is still hope that air travel will not lose its cache. And if airlines like Virgin America continue to keep the passenger as their main focus, we might be welcoming a whole new era of air travel, where--hopefully--the champagne will be flowing.