ADVERTISEMENT
TOP NEWS
Prepare for the Future
TGA
Retail is changing unimaginably quickly. Learn how to reach customers and adapt to the new normal, with online webinars from Stand Up 4 Retail such as:
- 10 Action Steps to Rebuilding Your Retail Business
- Opening Your Virtual Doors: How to Start Selling Online During COVID-19
- 5 Virtual Strategies Brick and Mortar Stores Can Easily Implement NOW Despite Being Closed
These webinars are free, although you must register to view. See the full roster of 10 available seminars here.
More China Tranche 3 Tariff Exclusions for Travel Goods
TGA
Last week, on May 22, the U.S. government announced that it has granted new exclusions from the punitive China tariffs for three travel goods items (NO luggage) – certain plastic handbags (see description on page 8, #36; see petition), certain plastic coin purses (see description on page 8, #37; see petition), and certain MMF travel bags (see description on page 8, #38; see petition). Anyone importing products matching these descriptions no longer pays the punitive 25% tariff (until Aug. 7, 2020). Previous tariffs paid are eligible for refunds, retroactive to Sept. 24, 2018. The U.S. government also denied thousands of petitions over the last week. In fact, USTR has reviewed all 30,283 Tranche 3 petitions submitted – denying 28,786 petitions to date and only granting 1,497 petitions to date (a 4.9% approval rate). For travel goods, out of 868 petitions filed, USTR has granted only 25 petitions, and rejected 843 of those petitions (a 2.8% approval rate).
U.S. Travel Goods Industry Faces More California Prop 65 Notices; TGA Prop 65 Best Practices Guidance
TGA
Despite the pandemic, dozens of new California Proposition 65 (Prop 65) “60-day” notices have been issued over the last few months alleging that brands and retailers sold totes (Notice 1, Notice 2, Notice 3, Notice 4, Notice 5, Notice 6, Notice 7, Notice 8, Notice 9, Notice 10, Notice 11, Notice 12, Notice 13, Notice 14, Notice 15, Notice 16, Notice 17), travel bags (Notice 1, Notice 2, Notice 3), duffle bags (Notice 1), passport/ID holders (Notice 1, Notice 2), handbags (Notice 1, Notice 2, Notice 3, Notice 4, Notice 5, Notice 6, Notice 7, Notice 8, Notice 9, Notice 10, Notice 11, Notice 12, Notice 13, Notice 14, Notice 15), wallets (Notice 1), backpacks (Notice 1, Notice 2, Notice 3, Notice 4, Notice 5, Notice 6, Notice 7, Notice 8, Notice 9, Notice 10, Notice 11, Notice 12), cosmetic bags (Notice 1, Notice 2, Notice 3, Notice 4, Notice 5, Notice 6, Notice 7, Notice 8, Notice 9, Notice 10, Notice 11, Notice 12, Notice 13), phone armband holders (Notice 1)/cases (Notice 1)/holders (Notice 1)/dry bags (Notice 1, Notice 2, Notice 3), fanny packs (Notice 1, Notice 2, Notice 3), PVC bags (Notice 1), weekly planners (Notice 1), travel kits (Notice 1), and toiletry bags (Notice 1) in California that contained di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) and/or diisononyl phthalate (DINP) in violation of a California law known as Proposition 65 (Prop 65). The notices serve as intent to bring lawsuits against the companies that made and sold these products. Check out TGA’s member-only California Proposition 65 (Prop 65) Best Practices Guidance on the Prop 65 page on the TGA website. This member-only guidance details best practices in developing your company’s Prop 65 testing and warning label protocol, including recommendations on which warning label text to use, where to place the warning label text, and how to test for Prop 65 listed chemicals in your products. For more information on Prop 65, please contact TGA’s Nate Herman, nate@travel-goods.org, 202-853-9351.
ADVERTISEMENT
U.S. Challenge in Penalizing China: Hurt Beijing, Not Hong Kong
BLOOMBERG
The Trump administration has promised strong action against China over its national security law in Hong Kong, but its options may be limited because any harsh penalties aimed at Beijing would likely also harm both Hong Kong – and the U.S. READ MORE
Many SMB Retail, Restaurants ‘Don’t Have the Wherewithal to Reopen’
PYMNTS.COM
Stephen Ross, chairman of Related Cos., said bankruptcy could be the future for many retailers as the effects of the pandemic continue to play out. Ross, speaking with CNBC earlier this week, said retail and hotel industries were the hardest-hit by the pandemic, and the closures and reduced travel would force closures and bankruptcies beyond those like J.C. Penney, Neiman Marcus and J. Crew that have filed already. Related CEO Jeff Blau, also recently talking with CNBC, reported that 35% of its retail tenants had been able to make rent payments on time, and only 20% of enclosed mall locations had been able to do so. Rent payments have been a point of contention with big real estate owners as companies have had to try to make ends meet amid plummeting sales due to job losses and fear of the coronavirus. READ MORE
The Pandemic Could Change Air Travel Forever
RECODE
Air travel is in the midst of another sea change, not just because of the public health crisis but also the corresponding economic collapse. Schaberg, author of The End of Airports and several other books about air travel, believes that even the essential elements of flying that have always remained the same – boarding at the gate, drinks on ice in the air, waiting at baggage claims – will never be the same. Even as the effects of the pandemic ease, air travel as we know it probably won’t ever return. READ MORE
ADVERTISEMENT
8 HR Leaders Share the Crucial Management Insights They’ve Learned During COVID
FORBES
It’s during these challenging times that great leadership is so crucial. We need people who can help teams navigate their new normal, adjust to a different way of living and working, and look forward to an increasingly uncertain future. So, what does great leadership look like in times like this? I reached out to eight brilliant Chief People Officers and other HR leaders, who shared the top insights they’ve learned so far during the pandemic. READ MORE
Who Decides When Employees Are Fit Enough to Travel Again – And How?
SKIFT
For travel managers worldwide, the first phase of the crisis was about bringing staff back home safely. Now it’s time to see who’s ready to go back out. Checking the fitness of employees used to be reserved for high-risk sectors, such as mining where staff would spend long periods away at remote work camps. But today, nearly every destination can be classified as a hotspot. READ MORE
The Latest Trend in Vacation Rentals: Long-term Stays
THE NEW YORK TIMES
Like a barbershop newly opened from lockdown, vacation properties are experiencing a surge of bookings. But instead of a week or two on the beach, people are looking for a month or more. READ MORE
How to Sanitize Your Luggage
PETER GREENBERG WORLDWIDE
When we start traveling again, we’ll be wearing masks and some of us will wear gloves. All of us will be carrying some form of antiseptic wipe or antibacterial hand sanitizer. But what about our bags? Our suitcases pass through many hands when we travel. READ MORE
Should You Save Your Miles for Future Travel or Cash Them Out Now?
THE POINTS GUY
While no one knows exactly when travel will begin to return to normal, experts around the world are predicting a slow recovery and that it will take several years for demand to return to pre-pandemic levels. Many award travelers are using this time to build up their account balances and plan for future trips, but some are considering cashing out their points and taking a different approach. READ MORE
Beyond Vanity Metrics: Measuring Social Media Success
CMS WIRE
Brands continue to invest more in social media marketing each year. In fact, HubSpot found that 74% of global marketers currently invest in social media marketing. And with this adoption, there’s been enormous amounts of data collected in an effort to measure the success of social media campaigns. But for many marketing teams, it’s becoming a challenge to sift through the wide range of metrics to understand if their social media campaigns are effective. That’s why we’ve asked social media experts how they determine success and what metrics you should track that actually matter. READ MORE
Hotels vs. Airbnb: Has Covid-19 Disrupted the Disrupter?
THE NEW YORK TIMES
Airbnb, born in 2008, famously disrupted the hotel industry. It stole market share, put pressure on hotel rates, inspired the creation of affordable brands and saw hotels across the spectrum create restaurants, bars and lobbies that channeled the local vibe. Airbnb’s recent layoff of a quarter of its work force indicates the financial strain the company is under. Now the question is: Has Covid-19 disrupted the disrupter? READ MORE
TRENDING ARTICLES
Missed last week’s issue? See which articles your colleagues read most.
- The Future of Travel: An Optimist’s View (TRAVEL WEEKLY)
- Retail Has a Ticking Debt Bomb Set to Explode (COMMERCIAL OBSERVER)
- Travel in the ‘New Normal’: When Coronavirus Restrictions Loosen, What Will Travel Be Like? (WWTOP NEWS)
- Here’s What China’s Coronavirus Shutdown Did to Global Supply Chains (MARKETWATCH)
- Weighing Whether to Travel This Summer During the Coronavirus Pandemic? What to Consider (USA TODAY)