TGA Industry News Briefs

April 21, 2022

TOP NEWS

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Back-to-School Products for Tech-Savvy Students

TGA

These days, the majority of students — from junior high schoolers to collegians — are carrying laptops to and from school and using them to complete and submit assignments. Millions of high schoolers graduating this spring will be looking for gear to make their student lives easier and outfit their college dorms (or at-home classrooms). We are looking for innovative products for the current generation of tech-savvy students, including electronics, accessories, and backpacks/luggage.

If you manufacture items that fit these specifications and would like your product(s) to be considered for a back-to-school article in Travel Goods Magazine, please email product details, MSRP, product photo(s), and wholesale contact info (first and last name, email, and phone number) to kim@travel-goods.org by May 3, 2022.

Yeah…We’re Gonna Name Drop

TGA

Bob Marley, Guns & Roses, The Rolling Stones — they’re all here. Visit The HUB now, and travel like the rock star you know you are. READ MORE

TGA Urges Congress to Approve Ocean Shipping Reform Act

TGA

On April 20, TGA joined dozens of other industry groups in urging Congress to include the Ocean Shipping Reform Act (OSRA) in any final anti-China legislation. The legislation was included in the House-passed AmericaCOMPETES Act but was not included in the Senate-passed U.S. Innovation & Competitiveness Act. House and Senate conferees will begin negotiations next week in the hopes of reaching agreement on compromise legislation by summer. OSRA would require the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) to establish/enforce rules that would help end the current shipping crisis, and prevent the next shipping crisis, by mandating minimum service requirements for carriers, as well as establishing and enforcing rules barring contract breaches and excessive and unjust detention and demurrage fees.

TGA Criticizes China Section 301 Tariffs and Urges Congress to Renew Exclusion Process

TGA

Last week, TGA joined dozens of other industry groups in calling for an end to the China Section 301 tariffs, especially in light of rising inflation, and urged Congress, at a minimum, to renew and improve the China Section 301 tariff exclusion process.

Shanghai Tries to Ease Supply Chain Crunch Amid Lockdown

FREIGHTWAVES

Early this week, Chinese officials issued new guidelines to normalize industrial production and logistics flows, part of an effort to minimize the impact of strict lockdown measures in Shanghai. Under rules endorsed by the central government, localities will self-select specific companies in critical industries that can restart operations. READ MORE

China Port Data Shows Huge Impact of Lockdowns, But Restrictions Easing

THE LOADSTAR

Even as some factory production restarted in Shanghai this week, new data has shown a “near-doubling” of port congestion across China since the latest lockdowns began. According to predictive intelligence company Windward, there were 506 container vessels waiting outside Chinese ports in April, compared with 470 in March and 260 in February, before the first major lockdown began in Shenzhen. READ MORE

‘It’s Probably Worse Than Wuhan’: Experts Warn China’s COVID-19 Lockdowns Will Once Again Cripple Global Supply Chains

FORTUNE

Experts are warning China’s recent string of COVID-19 lockdowns is about to send another shock through global supply chains. At least 373 million people — in cities that represent roughly 40% of China’s gross domestic product — have been affected by the most recent wave of lockdowns across China, Reuters reported last week. READ MORE

The 14 Best Hardside Luggage That’ll Make You Actually Enjoy Packing

COSMOPOLITAN

Fact: A trip is only as great as the luggage you bring. After all, you don’t wanna be dealing with sticky wheels and stubborn zippers when you’re racing to board your flight before the doors close, right? Hardshell luggage is protective, chic, and surprisingly lightweight, and when it comes to the best hardside carry-on luggage, these bags can’t be beat. READ MORE

The Best Leaders Have a Contagious Positive Energy

HARVARD BUSINESS REVIEW

Researchers and leaders have looked for the secret to successful leadership for centuries. Dozens of books each year promise to deliver the answer. We decided to examine this question empirically, and when we did, we found that the greatest predictor of success for leaders is not their charisma, influence, or power. It is not personality, attractiveness, or innovative genius. The one thing that supersedes all these factors is positive relational energy: the energy exchanged between people that helps uplift, enthuse, and renew them. READ MORE

For Airlines, the Mask Mandate Couldn’t End Soon Enough

THE NEW YORK TIMES

It created tensions between flight attendants and noncompliant passengers, but some travelers are worried about what comes next. READ MORE

Best Times to Post on Social Media in 2022

SEARCH ENGINE JOURNAL

The best times to post on social media continue to stray from the norm as people around the world adjust to ever changing routines. As a result, what you found to be the best time to post on social media last year may not be as effective this year. Sprout Social analyzed current data and issued updated recommendations for 2022. READ MORE

As Biz Travel Slowly Returns, Some Companies Expect Workers to Pay Their Own Way

COMPUTERWORLD

Business travel is still two years away from reaching pre-pandemic levels, according to Deloitte. But when it does bounce back, some companies expect remote workers to pay for trips back to the office. READ MORE

Retail Is Plagued with Workers Making Less Than $15 An Hour, Despite Employers’ Rising Profits

CBS NEWS

The U.S. has seen a tight labor market over the past two years as employers have tried to entice workers to come back from coronavirus pandemic lockdowns. Seen as a deal sweetener, $15 an hour has become the de facto wage standard among companies competing to hire new staff, the Associated Press reported. But the EPI survey, released Tuesday, suggests that not everyone has been offered the new standard pay. READ MORE

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