- Travel Goods Association

November 05, 2020

TOP NEWS

See It First: Industry Buzz in Travel Goods Showcase

TGA

Don’t miss Industry Buzz! Read about clever new accessories, beautiful new travel bags and the latest business news. Read all-digital Travel Goods Showcase for more industry news, product innovation, and smart solutions for retail businesses.

We Need You to Oppose Punitive Tariffs on U.S. Travel Goods Imports from Vietnam

TGA

TGA urges all members to submit comments (see draft template) opposing punitive tariffs on U.S. travel goods imports from Vietnam under the Trump administration’s Section 301 investigation of Vietnam. You can submit comments here. The deadline to submit comments is November 12. TGA also urges members to sign on to an industry letter opposing tariffs on Vietnam. Please let TGA’s Nate Herman know if your company wants to join the industry letter by November 10 (all we need is your company name). In the first 8 months of 2020, the most current data available, U.S. travel goods imports from Vietnam increased 16.4%, making Vietnam the 2nd largest supplier of travel goods to the U.S. market, supplying 18.4% of all U.S. travel goods imports.

TGA Stops Withdrawal of GSP Travel Goods Benefits for Thailand and Indonesia

TGA

On October 30, the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) announced the results of its annual Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) review. While USTR did remove some benefits from Thailand, it did NOT remove any GSP benefits for U.S. imports of travel goods from Thailand. In addition, USTR ended a review of Indonesia’s GSP preferences without action, meaning U.S. imports of travel goods from Indonesia can still enter duty-free under GSP.

Urge Congress to Renew GSP Today!

TGA

The Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) program is set to expire on December 31, 2020 unless Congress acts to renew GSP before the end of this year. We need you, and all of your colleagues, to send letters to your members of Congress urging them to renew GSP before the end of this year. The letter should only take one minute to send. Under GSP, U.S. travel goods imports from developing countries such as Thailand, Cambodia, Burma (Myanmar), Indonesia, Sri Lanka, the Philippines, and Pakistan enter the United States duty-free. In the first 8 months of 2020, the most current data available, U.S. travel goods imports from GSP countries increased 27.3%, supplying 15.5% of all U.S. travel goods imports.

The Election and Travel’s Big Ask

TRAVEL WEEKLY

Soon, voters will have decided whether Donald Trump or Joe Biden will lead the U.S. into the next decade. The winner will face an enormous challenge in leading the nation back from one of the worst crises in history. “It’s a daunting task, and its success will be contingent on the revival of the travel industry,” said Tori Emerson Barnes, executive vice president of public affairs and policy for the U.S. Travel Association. READ MORE

Holiday Travel and Safety: 5 Things We Know

THE NEW YORK TIMES

During the current pandemic surge, how risky is it to travel during what is normally one of the busiest seasons? And how is the industry making it safer? Here’s what you need to know. READ MORE

How the U.S. Election Might Determine the Future of Travel

CNN

Airport improvements, easier access to certain destinations, making aviation less destructive ecologically – and a railroad revolution. OK, the way we travel isn’t exactly the burning question that will decide the US election, but a second term of Donald Trump’s presidency or the first term of a Joe Biden administration might have radical differences in the industry’s development – not just in the U.S., but globally, too. READ MORE

What to Know if Your Passport Expires in the Next Year

CONDÉ NAST TRAVELER

Have you checked your U.S. passport lately? Even if you’re not considering international travel any time soon, you may want to take a look at the expiration date. Though travel agents typically recommend giving the government a few months to process a passport renewal, the timeline has, unsurprisingly, become a bit more complicated during the coronavirus pandemic. READ MORE

Slow Rebound Marks Cautious Optimism in Battered Travel Business

PYMNTS.COM

The travel industry has been reporting a slow increase in demand that’s leading to a rebound in revenues, as well as the possibility of increased capacity for hotels, car rentals and airlines. Although COVID-19 cases are once again starting to rise in the U.S. and abroad, airline and hotel industry executives are saying that seven months of pent-up consumer demand bodes well for the future of the beleaguered sector. This budding “worst-is-over” logic is predicated on the fact that any business that has spent the past seven months retooling its operations to adapt to this financial crisis will probably be there on the other side. READ MORE

The Top 10 Social Media Marketing Trends of 2021, Predicted by Marketing Experts

DIGITAL INFORMATION WORLD

The year 2020 has been the most unpredictable year of our lives. The coronavirus has badly shaken the earth. However, some very noticeable changes took place, which would impact our decisions over how we carry out our marketing activities. To get more information over the changes in the marketing space, TalkWalker interviewed around 70 frontline experts and marketing specialists and asked them about their thoughts and trends for the year ahead. Here are the predictions of the experts. READ MORE

Talking About Mental Health with Your Employees – Without Overstepping

HARVARD BUSINESS REVIEW

It’s been called a “second pandemic” – the mental health implications of the global health crisis, political unrest, economic uncertainty, rising unemployment, social isolation, remote work, home schooling, and so much more. And while it can feel like the first pandemic has been with us long enough for employees to have accessed the necessary resources and strategies for handling their stress, the fact is, many of us are struggling more, not less. You may have checked in with your employees back in April when the crisis was acute, but you need to keep doing it. READ MORE

3 Essential Strategies to Address in 2021 Retail Planning

TOTAL RETAIL

While COVID has been an “unprecedented disruption” for business and consumers, it’s clearly been an accelerant for existing trends. For retailers, this includes “Retail Darwinism.” Retailers filing for bankruptcy is nothing new, but regardless of a vaccine or another “unprecedented” event, failure to understand the context that made COVID exacerbate retail’s challenges will only leave your business and your brand further behind. There are three critical customer marketing priorities that while important pre-COVID, are even more significant going forward. READ MORE

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