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Happy Holidays from All of Us at TGA
TGA
TGA wishes our friends, colleagues, membership and industry all the joys of the season and health, peace and prosperity to you and your families.
Attention, Buyers and Exhibitors! It’s Time to Get Excited About Travel Again
TGA
Join us for The 74th Travel Goods Show this February 27-March 1 in Las Vegas! The 2022 Travel Goods Show will co-locate with ASD Market Week, the nation’s largest B2B general merchandise show. Your TGA Show badge gets you quick access to the ASD show floors, all easily accessible within the Las Vegas Convention Center. Get excited to:
- Reconnect with the travel goods community
- Network with new contacts
- Explore the latest innovations in travel goods from top brands
Exhibitors, Meet More Buyers Than Ever!
TGA
The exhibitor service discount deadline is Jan. 31. Now is the time to sign-up and start planning your booth. Don’t miss out on new business opportunities. Secure your booth now! With questions, contact Cathy Trecartin at cat@travel-goods.org, 877-842-1938 x-702. READ MORE
Ports of LA/Long Beach Super Demurrage Fee Delayed Again
TGA
On Dec. 13, the Ports of Los Angeles/Long Beach again delayed the so-called “super demurrage fee” until at least Dec. 20 because of a 47% reduction in longstanding containers on docks. This is better than the 37% reduction announced Dec. 6, but little overall progress over the last few weeks. Even this decline is a straw house as many containers were just moved to off-dock facilities. TGA has urged the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) to prevent the Ports of LA/LB from implementing the super demurrage fee on containers stuck at the ports as every carrier has already stated that they will pass this new fee onto shippers, aka you.
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‘Amazing’ Transit Times: From China, It’s Faster to Reach New York Than LA
FREIGHT WAVES
Time is the most valuable commodity in the world of trade. It’s priceless. A new report out on transit times from digital freight forwarder Shifl shows the impact the massive congestion off the coast of Los Angeles and Long Beach has had on transit times. The pipes of trade on the West Coast are so clogged it is now faster for vessels to travel to the East Coast and call on the Port of New York and New Jersey than to travel to the West Coast ports and wait, the report says. READ MORE
Factories Shut and Ningbo Restricts Truckers in Zhejiang Province Lockdowns
THE LOADSTAR
Lockdowns across China’s Zhejiang province have prompted multiple factory closures, and new restrictions have been placed on trucking. China reported new COVID cases in Tianjin and Guangzhou this week, including the Omicron variant, but the outbreak in Zhejiang, another major manufacturing heartland, remains the most serious. READ MORE

101 Ships Spread Across 1,000 Miles Waiting for Berth Space at LA and Long Beach
SPLASH247.COM
Out of sight, yet growing day by day, the number of containerships straddling the Pacific shoreline waiting for berths to open up at Los Angeles and Long Beach is now in excess of 100. Spread out across 1,000 miles of North American coastline, stretching deep into Mexico, there are 101 box ships anchored or loitering, waiting for space at America’s twin top gateways, according to the latest data from the Marine Exchange of Southern California. READ MORE
Is Travel Demand Down Due to the Omicron Variant?
THE POINTS GUY
The omicron variant came at an inopportune time for travel: the beginning of the busy winter holiday season. We know that the variant may be more contagious than others and contains several spike protein mutations that may make it less responsive to COVID-19 vaccines. There are also signs it may be more virulent than other variants. All of these factors played a part in why it was deemed a “variant of concern” — the most severe category — by the World Health Organization. READ MORE
4 Charts Show What the Travel Industry Looks Like 2 Years into the COVID Pandemic
CNBC
After a year of heavy losses, the travel industry is finally showing some signs of bouncing back — even as the emergence of the COVID-19 omicron variant has led some countries to tighten their borders again. Increased vaccination rates, pent-up demand and accumulated savings helped spur demand for global tourism through 2021 as nationwide lockdowns eased and countries rolled back border restrictions. Here are four charts that show what the travel industry looks like two years into the COVID pandemic. READ MORE

On Cruise Ships, Omicron Puts Safety Protocols to the Test
THE NEW YORK TIMES
Many lines are adjusting their masking, testing and vaccine rules, while criticism is mounting about the lack of transparency in reporting positive cases to passengers and crew members. READ MORE
These Retail Chains Increased Their Minimum Wage Amid the Worker Shortage
INDY STAR
The pandemic, along with the quarantine and unemployment benefits, allowed many to rethink their lives and priorities. Some companies are implementing modest wage increases and offering bonuses to attract workers. Here’s a list of chains that raised their starting pay to attract and retain workers. READ MORE
Google Rolls Out eCommerce Storefronts for Creators
PYMNTS.COM
Similar to Shopify, Google has rolled out a U.S. beta launch of Qaya, a platform that helps creators develop web storefronts to sell their products and services, according to a blog this week. READ MORE
10 Ways You Can Use Situational Leadership to Motivate Your Team
MUO
Situational leadership is an effective approach to improve your management style and your team’s performance. Here are some practical ways to use it. READ MORE
TRENDING ARTICLES
Missed last week’s issue? See which articles your colleagues read most.
- TGA Urges Congress to Approve MTB (TGA)
- House Approves TGA-Supported Legislation to Address the Shipping Crisis (TGA)
- New for 2022: Register and Receive FREE access to TWO shows (TGA)
- Key Indicators Hint the Supply-Chain Crisis Is Over and Inflation Will Cool Off Soon (BUSINESS INSIDER)
- TGA Urges Congress to Restart China Section 301 Tariff Exclusion Process (TGA)