TGA Industry News Briefs

October 06, 2022

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TOP NEWS

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If You Booth It…

TGA

…They will come. Buyers, that is. These travel goods manufacturers have joined the ever-growing list of exhibitors showing their new products at The 2023 Travel Goods Show: Olympia USA, MiWorld™, KARGO USA, Walter + Ray and McKlein USA®. Attendees, here’s your chance to see what’s new in travel goods. READ MORE

Buyers, register for your FREE badge here.
Exhibitors, time to booth it and show buyers what you’ve got. Reserve your booth here.

We’re Sharing Stories, Smelling Roses, Giving Hugs

TGA

Click into TGA’s new, ongoing series and learn about the industry’s specialty retailers. “Getting to Know You” shares their stories, challenges, successes — and how childhood interests helped shaped their careers. Roses, hugs and Emmy Awards? Find out what all the Buzz is about here.

TGA Urges Renewal of China Section 301 Tariff Exclusion Process

TGA

On October 4, TGA joined 171 other industry groups in urging the Biden administration to renew the China Section 301 tariff exclusion process. U.S. travel goods imports from China today are still subject to 25% punitive tariffs. As of September 14, American companies paid more China Section 301 duties under the Biden administration than under the Trump administration.

We Need You to Urge Congress to Approve GSP Renewal/Relief ASAP

TGA

We need you, your staff, your colleagues, your friends, and your family to urge Congress to approve the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) program this year, or provide immediate relief. It only takes 2 minutes to send letters to your members of Congress. GSP has now been expired for 20 months. Short of renewal, TGA urges Congress to approve the GSP “Refund-Only” bill (H.R. 8906), which would immediately refund to TGA members the duties paid on U.S. travel goods imports from GSP countries from January 1, 2021 to August 30, 2022, to provide some immediate relief to our industry as we wait for Congress to conclude its negotiations over GSP renewal. GSP provides duty-free access to the U.S. market for travel goods from developing countries (Cambodia, Indonesia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Thailand, etc.). Today, GSP countries supply 20% of all U.S. travel goods imports.

Ocean Freight Orders Are Signaling a Big Drop in Consumer Demand

CNBC

A significant consumer pullback is showing up in ocean shipping, with logistics managers telling CNBC they have seen a 20% drop in ocean freight orders for the months of September and October. The decline in demand cuts across many products, including machinery, housing, industrial and some apparel. READ MORE

Ocean Carriers Up Blank Sailings to Brace for Softening October Demand

SUPPLY CHAIN DIVE

Volatile market conditions in ocean shipping are leading ocean carriers to increase the number of blank sailings next month compared to previous years, according to Sea-Intelligence. The research and analysis agency said stalled demand, not fully utilized vessels and dropping freight rates are giving carriers the opportunity to blank more sailings than usual in 2022. READ MORE

6 Things to Know About the 2022 Holiday Shopping Season

NATIONAL RETAIL FEDERATION

Long before Halloween candy goes on sale, retailers are beginning to put out their holiday merchandise and offer deals targeting early shoppers. Is this the new normal? Are shoppers ready? What role does the economy play? Read on for answers to commonly asked questions about the holiday shopping season. READ MORE

25 Travel Essentials You Should Always Pack — No Matter What

ESQUIRE

Book your vacation and take a look at this packing list that you can finally rely on. Trust me, never ever leave home without checking these items off your list. READ MORE

Half of Large Retailers Say In-Store Mobile Tech Lacking

PYMNTS.COM

When retailers are recovering from a tumultuous fiscal year, they often look to innovation, since making shopping easier or more enjoyable for their customers is common sense in a competitive market. Consumers shopping in-store now expect the latest digital conveniences, however, pressing retailers to introduce innovations simply to retain their existing customers. For example, PYMNTS’ data finds that 81% of retailers now see mobile app access as table stakes for customer loyalty. READ MORE

CDC Suspends Country-Specific COVID-19 Travel Advisories

CNN

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will no longer maintain a country-by-country list of travel advisories related to COVID-19, the agency said Monday. “As fewer countries are testing or reporting COVID-19 cases, CDC’s ability to accurately assess the COVID-19 THN [Travel Health Notice] levels for most destinations that American travelers visit is limited,” an agency spokesperson said in a statement to CNN Travel. READ MORE

BeReal Takes Off: New Social Media App Is Considered ‘Anti-Instagram’

NEW YORK POST

A new app called BeReal is bringing authenticity back into the social media landscape — and it’s seriously taking off. (Even “SNL” referenced it in a skit this past weekend.) BeReal was originally launched in December 2019 by French founder and former GoPro employee Alexis Barreyat, according to TechCrunch. READ MORE

These Are the Best Products and Services to Help Make Travel More Seamless

FORBES

While there’s no controlling the weather or fuel prices, there is plenty travelers can do to feel empowered about seeing the world. With all these variables in flux, here are various products and services that anyone can obtain to improve the travel experience. READ MORE

3 Experts Share Predictions for the 2022 Holiday Retail Sales Season

RETAIL CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE

With so much economic turmoil, and shoppers flowing back into stores, the 2022 holiday sales season is likely not to be typical in any manner. READ MORE

Is Bad Onboarding Stifling Your New Senior Leaders?

HARVARD BUSINESS REVIEW

Onboarding is traditionally an exercise in orienting new employees to the status quo: the existing people, rules, culture, norms, processes, procedures, and behaviors that they will need to be successful in their new job. But leaders today are brought into organizations to create change. The typical orientation process can stifle the new leader’s innovative spirit. To set up a new leader to create change, build their onboarding process around a specific near-term challenge, customize it around a particular question, or ask them to regularly report critical observations of what they learn to a group of stakeholders. READ MORE

Travel Advisors Dish on Their Craziest Client Requests

TRAVEL MARKET REPORT

Train or bus tickets to Hawaii. Ocean-view rooms in land-locked locales. Tours to exotic destinations for less than $1,000. Reservations for the spouse and paramour? Travel advisors have to deal with lots of laughable demands. But some requests leave even the most seasoned travel advisors scratching their heads. READ MORE

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TRENDING ARTICLES

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

• $700 Million Might Be Coming for Tariff-Hit Importers (SOURCING JOURNAL)
• The Best Carry-on Luggage for Every Traveler (MASHABLE)
• The Most Effective Way to Organize Your Suitcase Using Packing Cubes (CONDÉ NAST TRAVELER)
• Travel Is High Stress, But These Easy-Does-It Travel Products Can Help (NEW YORK POST)
• TGA Urges U.S. Government to Address False Leather Claims Online (TGA)