TGA Industry News Briefs

June 23, 2022

TOP NEWS

---

Smart Kids, Smart Solutions, Smart Reform

TGA

Manufacturers of tech-friendly backpacks help kids move to the head of the class. Accessorize your accessories? We’ve got the Buzz. Does hope spring eternal? Unlikely as it seemed just last month, Nate Herman shows that it does indeed in the latest Capital Beat. READ MORE

Tick…Tick…BOOTH!

TGA

The clock is winding down on the time left for exhibitors to take advantage of the Early-Bird booth discount for The 2023 Travel Goods Show and the FREE ad offer in an upcoming issue of TGA’s Industry News Briefs. Buyers, time to save the date for the world’s largest travel goods showcase and the world’s favorite gathering place: Las Vegas. Opportunity is knocking. Will you answer? READ MORE

West Coast Port Labor Contract Negotiations — Two Sides Issue Joint Statement

TGA

On June 14, the International Longshore & Warehouse Union (ILWU) and the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) broke their media blackout with a joint statement saying negotiations continue in good faith but will not be completed by the July 1 expiration of the current contract. However, “Cargo operations continue beyond the expiration of the contract. Neither party is preparing for a strike or a lockout, contrary to speculation in news reports. The parties remain focused on and committed to reaching an agreement.” On June 14, the ILWU also laid out their concerns in the negotiations. On June 8, TGA joined two other groups in urging President Biden to engage in the West Coast port labor negotiations. Congress has also started to weigh in, with a June 8 Republican letter to President Biden and work happening on a bi-partisan Congressional letter to the ILWU and PMA. Many believe the negotiations will turn on the issues of pay and the future of automation at West Coast ports.

No Biden Move on Chinese Tariffs Likely Before G7 Meeting, Sources Say

REUTERS

U.S. President Joe Biden is considering scrapping tariffs on a range of Chinese goods to curb inflation, but no decision is likely before next week’s Group of Seven summit, people familiar with the matter said. READ MORE

Uyghur Forced Labor Act Goes Live in the U.S. — a Timeline of Events

JUST STYLE

In a move that reinforces U.S. policy on the prohibition of the import of goods made with forced labor, the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) requires the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to “apply a presumption that imports of all goods, wares, articles, and merchandise mined, produced, or manufactured wholly or in part in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (Xinjiang) of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), or by entities identified by the U.S. government on the UFLPA Entity List, are presumed to be made with forced labor and are prohibited from entry into the United States.” READ MORE

Fourth of July Travel Trends

TRAVEL PULSE

Millions of Americans will travel for the long Fourth of July holiday weekend this year. As demand to get away continues to increase more than two years into the COVID-19 pandemic, the way July 4th revelers are traveling and the experiences they value have changed, even if only slightly. READ MORE

11 Retail Content Marketing Trends to Inspire Your Next Campaign

SEARCH ENGINE JOURNAL

Are you planning retail content marketing for your next campaign? Take a look at these 11 trends for your brand. READ MORE

Small Actions Make Great Leaders

HARVARD BUSINESS REVIEW

Leadership has traditionally been taught as a set of larger actions, such as having a difficult conversation or coaching someone. In reality, leading well is an integrated activity, in which one is doing many things simultaneously. One way to learn to do this better is to think about leadership as a series of small actions that are practiced, then carefully sequenced and interwoven during interactions. READ MORE

62% of Consumers Made Credit Card Payments in Last 90 Days

PYMNTS.COM

Credit cards are the most common credit products that U.S. consumers use. In fact, 62% of consumers made credit card payments in the last 90 days, according to “The New Reality Check,” a PYMNTS and LendingClub collaboration based on a survey of 2,326 U.S. consumers. READ MORE

Air Travel Is Getting Worse. Here Are 6 Tips to Make It Less of a Headache.

CBS NEWS

Thousands of flights were canceled or delayed over the Father’s Day weekend, with the chaos at airports in the U.S. and abroad pointing to a summer of discontent for travelers. So what can you do to minimize the frustrations? Travel pros recommend some tricks of the trade to make air travel less of a headache this summer. READ MORE

Pilots Picket as Airline Unions Leverage Summer Travel Woes

AP

Hundreds of uniformed Southwest Airlines pilots stood in perfect lines in the scorching Texas sun at Dallas Love Field on Tuesday, holding signs that blamed Southwest management for delays and cancellations that have upset passengers. The protest, which the union said drew up to 1,300 pilots, was the latest example of airline workers trying to put pressure on companies by taking their demands for higher pay directly to the flying public. READ MORE

Money, Not COVID, Is the Biggest Travel Hurdle This Summer

STATISTA

After two years of COVID-related restrictions and inhibitions, travelers are ready to hit the beaches in masses this summer — that is if they can still afford it. With everyday purchases like food, gas and utilities having become much more expensive over the past few months, many families are forced to reconsider their holiday plans, if not to scrap them altogether. READ MORE

How to Increase Conversion Rate on Social Media in 2022

FOUNDR

The significance of social media for digital marketing is undeniable. While over 92% of companies in the U.S. include social media in their marketing strategy, increasing the conversion rate on social media is an ever-present challenge for marketers. READ MORE

38 Problem-solving Travel Products, Because Summertime Vacays Should Be Stress-Free

BUZZFEED

“Don’t worry about a thing, ’cause every little thing is gonna be alright.” — Bob Marley, and you on vacation this summer if you have these products on hand. READ MORE

---

TRENDING ARTICLES

Missed last week’s issue? See which articles your colleagues read most.

• Best Backpacks and Shoulder Bags for Travel In 2022 (CBS NEWS)
• Runaway Inflation Brings New Attention to Easing China Tariffs (POLITICO)
• U.S. Travel Goods Industry Faces More California Prop 65 Notices; TGA Prop 65 Best Practices Guidance (TGA)
• Capitol Beat: A Summer of Hope? (TGA)
• Summer Air Travel Could Be Expensive and Chaotic. Here’s How to Avoid Trouble (NPR)