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TGA/TRAVEL GOODS MAGAZINE
Clever Water Bottles and Travel Mugs
Whether you’re a coffee-fueled commuter, a long-haul traveler, or planning a staycation, these reusable bottles and tumblers are a match for your high-adventure, low-impact lifestyle. READ MORE
Shop Via Snappy 60-second Videos
Featuring Indio Hardside from Ricardo Beverly Hills, a stylish collection of beautifully coordinated luggage and travel accessories that offers complete organization, and RAINRAP, fashionable rain gear that is reversible, lightweight and fast-drying. READ MORE
Have You Heard the Latest Industry Buzz?
Learn who’s leading which companies and teams, check out brand-new products, and read about just-announced licensing agreements and notable awards. Read it here first! READ MORE
Trade Is Allowed Between the United States and Myanmar…for Now
TGA
TGA wishes to clarify this week’s U.S. government announcement on Myanmar (Burma). Many press outlets incorrectly described the announcement as suspending all trade between the U.S. and Myanmar. Trade is still allowed between the United States and Myanmar. Instead, the announcement only suspends trade talks between the U.S. and Myanmar under the U.S./Burma Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA). Further, the announcement states that the Biden administration will attempt to remove Myanmar as a GSP beneficiary when Congress renews the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) program later this year. Please note that while trade is allowed to continue between the United States and Myanmar, refunds of duties paid since GSP expiration could be in jeopardy if Myanmar is not part of GSP renewal. Further, if the situation in Myanmar continues to deteriorate, the U.S. might decide to impose further sanctions in Myanmar. Myanmar is the 4th largest supplier of travel goods to the U.S. market.
President Biden Signs PPP Extension Act Into Law
TGA
On March 30, President Biden signed into law the TGA-supported bipartisan PPP Extension Act of 2021, which extends the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) filing deadline by two months, to May 31, to help businesses keep their workforce employed during the current health crisis.
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Suez Canal Reopening Triggers Rush on Ports Around the World
AJOT
The prospect of resumed passage through the Suez Canal has the maritime cargo industry bracing for the next phase of the crisis – a race to ports around the world. Data from supply chain visibility company project44 indicates that consumer goods will be delayed as the canal incident creates worsening congestion at ports. READ MORE
Inventory Levels Tumble, Threatening Retailers’ Spring and Summer Sales
SUPPLY CHAIN DIVE
Companies across industries have been dealing with supply chain bottlenecks for months now, and they’re starting to result in lower inventory for some companies at a time when they’d normally be bringing in items for spring collections. READ MORE
Average Easter Spending Expected to Be Highest on Record
NATIONAL RETAIL FEDERATION
Consumers plan to spend an average of $179.70 this Easter, the highest figure on record, according to results of the annual survey released today by the National Retail Federation and Prosper Insights & Analytics. A total of 79% of Americans will celebrate the holiday and spend a collective $21.6 billion, down slightly from last year’s pre-pandemic forecast of $21.7 billion. READ MORE
‘Upsizing’ Could Become a Major New Travel Trend
TRAVEL PULSE
Tourism companies and travel advisors should be aware that not everyone is looking to save a ton of money when they do decide to travel again. Instead, with the high pent-up demand for travel, people may be more eager than ever before to splurge on that bucket-list trip they’ve been dying to take since lockdowns began. READ MORE
3 Tools to Help Leaders Steady Their Teams During a Transition
HARVARD BUSINESS REVIEW
When we experience a big change, we need support to help us make it to the other side. Developmental psychology, and particularly the seminal work of D.W. Winnicott, offers a way to do this: through transitional objects. These objects – whether they take the form of a physical item (like a security blanket) or something more abstract (like a routine, habit, or action) – provide the necessary grounding to help us navigate uncertainty. READ MORE
Family Travel Gets Complicated Without a COVID Vaccine for Kids
THE NEW YORK TIMES
Amid the chatter of travel’s long-awaited rebound one year into the pandemic, many families with children feel largely left out of the conversation. READ MORE
Why You Might Want to Pack Two Wallets the Next Time You Travel
THE POINTS GUY
The next time I hit the road, I’ll carry two wallets instead of just one and keep them in separate locations for the duration of my trip. I’ll keep a small card holder with a flexible credit card, a debit card, a nonessential ID and a little cash on me at all times, and I’ll pack a full-size wallet with my driver’s license, a second bank card and my other credit cards in my carry-on and store it in a hotel room safe. In addition to having a backup in the event that one wallet gets lost or stolen, it can also be helpful to keep a decoy wallet in the event of an unpleasant encounter with a mugger. READ MORE
How Digitalization Has Revolutionized Social Media Marketing
INFLUENCIVE
The phenomenon of social media has ushered in a cultural revolution on an international scale, and it seems that this dynamic has also been transferred to the way in which businesses operate. The intent behind the creation of platforms such as Instagram, Facebook and Twitter may have initially been to enable story-telling and interpersonal connections, but they have since evolved to become fundamental marketing tools. READ MORE
Emerging Trends in Retail, Payment Methods and Open Banking
PYMNTS.COM
A much slimmer version of JCPenney is aiming to put itself on an even keel months after it emerged from bankruptcy, while the new owner of Lord & Taylor is reportedly close to reintroducing a streamlined and digital-only version of its store. In payment methods, buy now, pay later (BNPL) appears to have particular sway among younger U.S. shoppers and has attracted consumers around the world. READ MORE
‘I’m Vaccinated’ Merch Gives Etsy Sellers Another Shot at Profits
MARKETWATCH
COVID-19 vaccines are doing more than just protecting people from the virus, they’re also giving some small businesses that were hit hard by the pandemic something to celebrate – and another shot at profits. READ MORE
Permanent Funding for Amtrak?
RAILWAY AGE
U.S. Sen. Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and U.S. Rep. Davis (D-Ill.) have introduced the Intercity Passenger Rail Trust Fund Act to create a dedicated funding stream for Amtrak. The Act would establish a new federal trust fund to which approximately $5.4 billion would be added annually in grants for “repairs, trip time optimizing investments, improving service, modernizing the fleet and other needs,” the two legislators said, noting that 40% would be reserved for the Northeast Corridor (Washington-New York-Boston service) and 60% for state-supported and long-distance service lines. READ MORE
Americans Spent 176 Hours Scrolling Social Media for Travel Inspiration
HOTEL BUSINESS
The average American spent 176 hours scrolling social media for travel inspiration throughout the past year, according to new research from Motel 6. On the heels of the one-year anniversary of the health crisis, the economy lodging brand released a survey revealing that 60% of Americans experienced a stronger desire to travel in the past 12 months than in a normal year and hope to turn that into a reality in 2021. READ MORE
29 Finches Discovered in Hair Rollers in Man’s Luggage at JFK Airport
THE HILL
U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers discovered 29 finches concealed in hair rollers in a man’s baggage at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York. The officers discovered the birds during a baggage examination on Sunday at the New York airport after a 26-year-old man arrived on a flight from Georgetown, Guyana. READ MORE
TRENDING ARTICLES
Missed last week’s issue? See which articles your colleagues read most.
- TGA Urges New U.S. Trade Representative to End Punitive Tariffs on China (TGA)
- ‘Vaxications,’ Catch-up Trips and Pent-up Demand Fuel Travel Surge (NBC NEWS)
- The Best Carry-on Luggage of 2021: Amazon, Away, ROAM and More (NBC NEWS)
- Americans Have $1.7 Trillion to Burn in Revenge-spending Binge (BLOOMBERG)
- Rent Is Cheap, Vacant Space Is Everywhere: Retailers Seize the Moment to Open Stores (CNBC)