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EG Daily Reprises Role in Rugrats Revival

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EG Daily is set to reprise her iconic role of Tommy Pickles in the brand-new Nickelodeon Rugrats Revival, debuting Spring 2021 on Paramount +. EG is joined by an all-star roster of voice talent to reimagine the classic 90’s hit, including Michael McKean (“Better Call Saul”), Omar Miller (“Ballers”), Natalie Morales (“Dead to Me”), Tony Hale (“Arrested Development”), Anna Chlumsky (“Veep”), Timothy Simons (“Veep”), Tommy Dewey (“The Mindy Project”), Nancy Cartwright (“The Simpsons”), and Nicole Beer (“Named It!”).

The original Rugrats series eared four Daytime Emmy Awards, six Kid’s Choice Awards, and its own star on the Walk of Fame. Rugrats Revival Reunites Iconic Cartoon’s Original Voice Cast — See the First Trailer!

E.G. is one of the top voice-over actresses in the world, voicing top animated characters such as the Emmy award-winning Tommy Pickles on “Rugrats” (which ran for over 14 years and released three feature films), and Buttercup from “The Powerpuff Girls”. She was also the voice of Babe in “Babe 2”, Froggy in “The Little Rascals” feature film, and the voice of the lead character Baby Mumble in the Academy award winning feature films “Happy Feet”, and “Happy Feet 2”.

E.G.’s success began in the 80 ‘s and has continued with starring roles in over 30 feature films, including the blockbuster hit “Pee Wee’s Big Adventure”, where she starred as Pee Wee’s girlfriend Dotty. She also starred in the 80’s cult classic “Valley Girl” opposite Nicholas Cage, “No Small Afair” with Demi Moore, “My Sister’s Keeper” with Cameron Diaz, and “Loverboy” with Patrick Dempsey. Fans of the hit series “F.R.I.E.N.D.S” remember her from the iconic smelly cat episode as Phoebe’s ex-song writing partner.

E.G. competed on season 5 of the number one show in America, “The Voice”, winning a spot on team Blake. She had a major label record deal with A&M Records in the 80s, ending up with 3 top 10 hits, including her song “Say it, Say it”, produced by Jelly Bean Benetez. “Say It Say It” became a number one dance hit all over the world on the Billboard dance charts. She produced, composed, and sang on as many as 30 classic film soundtracks including “Scarface”, “The Breakfast Club”, “The County Bears”, “Babe”, “Rugrats”, and “My Sister’s Keeper”. She can also be heard singing on the infamous video game “Grand Theft Auto”, and the theme song of “Two And A Half Men.”

Amtrak’s Roomette Summer Sale

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Buy a Roomette, Bring a Companion Free on Amtrak

Amtrak customers can take advantage of this limited-time summer sale

Great deals are now available for summer travel on Amtrak with someone special. For a limited time, a customer booking a private Roomette for travel this summer can bring a companion for free. Roomettes offer meals included in the price of the ticket, scenic views by day, and comfortable beds at night. Available on Amtrak’s website, this sale is valid between Apr. 6-16, 2021, for travel between June 1 and Sept. 30, 2021.

“We want to offer our customers a truly unique way to see the country this summer,” said Amtrak Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing and Revenue Officer Roger Harris. “With our nationwide Roomette sale, customers can share the experience with a travel companion while taking advantage of some of the best sightseeing opportunities this country has to offer.”

For those seeking both space and privacy, Roomettes include a big picture window, fresh towels and linens and access to a restroom and shower. A dedicated attendant provides turndown service, assists with meals, helps with luggage and shares great stories of life on the rails. All customers in private rooms receive complimentary lounge access at major stations, priority boarding and complimentary meals onboard.

During this promotion, two customers can travel together in a Roomette for as low as:

Route	Fare	Cities	Fare
Chicago – St. Paul-Minneapolis	$193	Lorton – Sanford	$296*
Chicago – New Orleans	$319	New York – Chicago	$394
Chicago – Seattle	$527	Philadelphia – Miami	$489
Denver – Salt Lake City	$252	St. Louis – Austin	$314
Los Angeles – Albuquerque	$297	Washington, DC – Atlanta	$352
Los Angeles – Portland (Oregon)	$409	Washington, DC – Boston	$288
Fares may vary *Plus the cost of your vehicle on Auto Train

Private rooms are available on 15 routes across the national network: Auto Train, California Zephyr, Capitol Limited, Cardinal, City of New Orleans, Coast Starlight, Crescent, Empire Builder, Lake Shore Limited, Northeast Regional, Silver Star, Silver Meteor, Southwest Chief, Sunset Limited and Texas Eagle.

To apply this discount, visit Amtrak’s website, or enter code C645 when booking a trip on the Amtrak app. The paying adult and free companion must travel in the same room and reserve in the same reservation. This offer is valid for Roomettes only; no upgrades permitted. This offer is not combinable with any other discount offer. Other terms and conditions apply.

Lexus × Distracted Driving Awareness Month

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Lexus Can Change Your Mind About Texting and Driving in 4.6 Seconds

Powerful new video aims to change perceptions during Distracted Driving Awareness Month

How long do you think it takes to glance at a text message when you’re driving? One second? Two seconds? You’re not alone. Most drivers believe that texting and driving creates only a momentary distraction. Today on April 6, or 4.6, Lexus has released a new video to shatter this common misconception. The average length of time it actually takes to send or receive a text message when you’re behind the wheel is 4.6 seconds, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

April is National Distracted Driving Awareness Month, established by the National Safety Council (NSC) more than 10 years ago. It’s a good time to regroup and reconsider the choices we make when we’re on the road. Distracted driving is dangerous, claiming 3,142 lives in 2019 (the most recent available data) according to NHTSA. Texting is the most alarming distraction. At 55 mph, taking your eyes off the road for 4.6 seconds is like driving the length of an entire football field with your eyes closed.

In the new video called “Driving Disrupted,” released today, Lexus demonstrates exactly what happens when drivers can no longer see the road for 4.6 seconds. Participants get behind the wheel of a Lexus NX on a closed course, thinking they’re taking the vehicle for a routine test drive. What they don’t know is that they’re not driving an ordinary NX. They’re driving a one-of-a-kind specially modified vehicle called the NX 4.6. It’s equipped with electrochromic technology that turns the windshield and windows from transparent to opaque instantaneously, completely obscuring the driver’s view for 4.6 seconds. The video captures the chaos that ensues.

“Lexus wants to bring awareness to safety behind the wheel by changing perceptions about texting and driving,” said Vinay Shahani, vice president of Lexus marketing. “Even the most advanced safety systems on the road today can’t replace the undivided attention of the driver.”

To learn more, visit Lexus’ website.

Greece: Europe’s Next, Best Expat Haven

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By: International Living

Greece is positioning itself to be Europe’s next, best expat haven, according to the overseas experts at International Living, who say that as a travel destination or live-abroad base, Greece should be on North Americans’ radar. In addition to offering warm weather year-round and easy low-cost living —Greece’s new digital nomad visa coming soon will make it easier for people working remotely to stay for extended periods and even gain citizenship and a passport. What’s more, Greece’s borders are set to open to international travelers May 14, 2021.

Greece offers an enthralling mixture of sun-drenched islands, towering mountains, buzzing cities, and timeless traditions. Wrapped in the warm embrace of the Aegean Sea, it’s vibrant, welcoming, and offers great-value living for North American expats. A couple could live comfortably there for as little as $2,000 a month, according to International Living.

“We’ve seen a sharp uptick in online traffic to our Greece content in 2021, with the overall traffic to our Greece pages up 41% in the first three months of 2021, when compared to the last period (Oct-Dec) of 2020,” says Jennifer Stevens, Executive Editor, International Living.

“The appetite for on-the-ground Greece intel has increased, and we’re happy to see that because this is a nation that can make good sense for all sorts of expats—younger, older, full-time or part-time. If you like the idea of a travel-rich life in Europe, Greece could make a very good base.”

Exploration in Greece will be a possibility again as soon as May 14, 2021 when, according to the Greece tourism minister, the borders are set to open to international travelers who show proof of vaccination, covid-19 antibodies, or a negative test result taken within 72 hours of departure.

Greece offers expats easy, good-value living in the sun. After 15 years in San Francisco where she worked as a Certified Public Accountant, IL contributor Lynn Roulo moved to Greece—with her dog, her two cats, and one suitcase in tow.

“I moved without a local job or a significant relationship waiting for me in Athens, so it was a big step into the unknown,” says Roulo. “But it didn’t feel scary or anxiety-provoking. The idea of moving and starting a fresh new life energized me. That was in 2012, and I still feel a sense of excitement that I get to live here.

“When I moved from San Francisco to Athens, I was pleasantly shocked to learn I could rent a comfortable 70-meter apartment with a modern bathroom and kitchen, as well as a huge private roof deck with a view of the Parthenon for less money than it would have cost me to rent a studio basement apartment in the worst neighborhood in San Francisco.

“Greece is a great choice for expats because of its amazing weather, hospitable people, its relatively low cost of living and its location, giving visitors easy access to travel to a wide range of other countries. You can go to London or Lebanon for a long weekend.”

“And if you have a dream to move, don’t give up on it. These dreams come from somewhere, and moving abroad may just be the best decision of your entire life. I know it was for me.”

Greece already has in place a “Golden Visa,” (effectively an investment visa) which grants long-term residence—with a path to citizenship and a passport—to people who make an investment in real estate valued at EUR250,000 (roughly $300,000) or higher. That’s about half the investment threshold required for a similar visa in places like Portugal or Italy where the necessary investment is closer to $600,000.

Most exciting, though, is a new visa aimed at attracting digital nomads, set to come online soon, the editors at International Living report. They argue it makes very good sense for a person who has the flexibility to work remotely and likes the idea of a sunny European base.

“Finally—a remote worker incentive plan that actually makes a lot of sense,” says Jeff D. Opdyke, editor of Global Intelligence Letter, a publication of International Living.

“The new plan that Greece is now in the process of assembling…it looks to be one of the smartest remote-worker visas I’ve come across. That’s because under the Greek plan as currently envisioned, a ‘digital migrant,’ as the Greeks call us, will be eligible for a 50% exemption on earned income for the first seven years. In essence, you owe local taxes on only half your income.

“For someone who’s still in the workforce and looking to maximize their savings opportunities as they approach retirement, sharply reducing your tax burden for seven years represents an intriguing opportunity to squirrel away more money.

“Though Greece hasn’t finalized details of its plan yet, the Greek approach looks to allow for longer living arrangements, given the seven years of tax breaks. And it just so happens that ‘long-term migrants,’ which is what you’d be as a digital worker, are eligible for Greek citizenship after seven years. Which means you could apply for a Greek passport…which is an E.U. passport…which would give you unfettered access to live and work across the rest of the European Union, no different than if you were moving from Tampa to Tucson.”

A person considering a move to Greece will want to carefully research the options for visas and residence permits. International Living’s report details the best of them for expats looking for a full- or part-time retirement in Greece, including a discussion of this new digital nomad visa on the horizon.

But accessible residence is just one of the many reasons to love living in Greece. It’s an easy place to adopt a healthy lifestyle, the entire country is physically breathtaking, and the Greek people have a well-earned reputation for being friendly, helpful, and genuinely caring.

Here are four more reasons why International Living recommends Greece as a potential destination for anybody ready to move out of the U.S.:

1. Good-Value Cost of Living

Greece is super-affordable, especially when compared to North America and much of the rest of Europe. Prices for daily essentials (food, transport, etc.) are at least 20% cheaper than in the U.S., and costs to rent an apartment can be as much as 70% less.

Throughout Greece, expats will save money by using public transport, avoiding touristy areas, shopping at local markets, and eating out where the Greeks do. A budget-conscious expat can live comfortably in Greece for $1,830 a month or less.

2. Welcoming and Easy Lifestyle

Greece is a proud nation that emphasizes family, tradition, and a love of the outdoors. Because tourism plays such an important part in the Greek economy, English is widely spoken in many areas and the country’s infrastructure caters well for locals and visitors alike.

Expats enjoy lots of options in terms of lifestyle: from a sturdy lakefront cabin in the mountains, to a rooftop apartment on the outskirts of Thessaloniki, to a low-maintenance beachfront unit on Mykonos, residents are guaranteed plenty of sunshine and four distinct (though mild) seasons—even though the Greeks tend to think in terms of ‘summer and everything else’.

3. Excellent Healthcare

The quality of medical care in Greece is generally excellent, especially in major centers like Athens and Thessaloniki. Emergency healthcare in Greece is free regardless of nationality. Pharmacies are abundant throughout the country—Greece has more pharmacists per capita than any other nation in Europe.

4. Safety

Greece is one of the safest countries in Europe, and has an easy-going, relaxed feel.

Roulo, based in Athens, says, “As a single woman, I feel very safe living here. Crime here is significantly lower than in the United States, the police presence is strong, and there is no need for ‘active shooter’ drills in Greece.”

Basic precautions with regard to personal belongings will prevent rare cases of petty theft.

About International Living

Since 1979, InternationalLiving has been the leading authority for anyone looking for global retirement or relocation opportunities. Through its monthly magazine and related e-letters, extensive website, podcasts, online bookstore, and events held around the world, InternationalLiving provides information and services to help its readers live better, travel farther, have more fun, save more money, and find better business opportunities when they expand their world beyond their own shores. Their website has more than 200 contributors traveling the globe, investigating the best opportunities for travel, retirement, real estate, and investment.

Best Culture & Fashion Lifestyle Publication – USA

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360 MAGAZINE has been selected as Best Culture & Fashion Lifestyle Publication – USA

Awarded by the 2021 Global Business Insight Awards, which celebrates business leadership, innovation in finance and investment and sector success across all seven continents of the world, 360 Magazine is honored to receive this prestigious title. Global Business Insight has ranked 360 Magazine at the “pinnacle of its peers,” recognizing our magazine’s commitment to continued success and innovation.

What are the 2021 Global Business Insight Awards?

“The 2021 Global Business Insight Awards are an exact illustration of the very best this essential and competitive industry as to offer. By concentrating on a wealth of disciplines, our awards will endeavor to identify and celebrate those individuals and businesses within the Business Insight umbrella. From Financial Services and Technology to Construction and Healthcare – all sectors and company sizes are welcome, including individual recognition for outstanding achievements. Using our far-reaching and intense research process, we guarantee the selection of only the elite for our prestigious honors.”

How is the 2021 Winner List Formulated?

“The 2021 Global Business Insight Awards are a celebration of business leadership, innovation and sector success across the globe. Nominated through a legitimately independent process, each of the winners is carefully selected by the corporate community, raising the kudos of these annual awards. Business leaders are recognized across a full spectrum of sectors, from Financial Services and Technology to Construction and Healthcare and then judged in a range of categories.”

“Ensuring that the award evaluation process is neutral and valid, is a key priority and as a consequence votes are gathered year-round via a number of digital channels and then evaluated employing a transparent and dynamic framework. For each of the awards programs we utilize quantitative and qualitative studies which have been conducted by our experienced research teams and by measuring each business against a precise set of appraisal criteria, we have created a unique model which assures the validity of our results. The criteria and sub-criteria offer a robust set of requirements that are then used as the methodology to not only benchmark but also create a depth of understanding amidst the participating businesses, ultimately allowing us to ensure that we capture different dimensions of the same phenomenon.”

Who Judges the Awards?

“The judges of the 2021 Global Business Insight Awards are highly experienced and diverse; the panel are made up of transnational and multi-lingual appointed individuals whose backgrounds span a host of different disciplines such as European languages, journalism, history, media and not least business. Headed up by an experienced academic leader of international schooling, who boasts years of coaching practice and is well-informed in research practices and the verification of facts and facilitation, the panel are able to run efficiently and dependably, ultimately ensuring the weight of these awards.”

TA3 Swimwear

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By: Leila Shams

As we near the end of winter, I’m sure we are all highly anticipating spring and summer. With the beautiful, warm weather rolling in comes the overwhelming need for a perfect beach body. What if we could eat whatever we want, work out less, and still look amazing on the beach? That’s where Leila Shams steps in and says “you can!” With her new swimsuit line, TA3 Swim, everyone can look and feel like a “Baywatch babe” walking down the beach.

Leila Shams is a seasoned fashion designer. She is founder and CEO of TA3 Swimwear–a fashion line that offers a newly innovative type of swimsuit that flatters your shape, regardless of body type. After a lot of hard work and dedication, she has created the world’s most sculpting swimsuits. Her exciting career has involved working for top brands such as DKNY, Express, and Tommy Hilfiger, but launching her newest swimwear line, TA3, has been the highlight of her career.

Leila created TA3 because she wanted to look good in a swimsuit and was inspired by her own insecurities. She wondered why women invest in shape wear for under their clothes, but then when they’re the most exposed on the beach, they wear some of the flimsiest garments ever.

“I see so many ‘inclusive’ swimwear brands showing a suit on a plus-sized woman that just doesn’t fit. If her bust isn’t supported, if there are bulges everywhere, then you’ve just sized up but you haven’t bothered to flatter her body” says Leila. Leila believes we should all be able to eat and still look hot at the pool or beach without having to stress. This is why she named the company TA3, which is “EAT” backwards.

It took Leila almost three years, hundreds of prototypes, and fittings to create a waterproof swimsuit that squeezes your body into a beautiful hourglass shape. TA3 suits are created from compression fabric, which Leila discovered after surgery when she had to wear a compression suit. Her swimsuit is a patent-pending construction that snatches your waist, flattens your tummy and lifts your bust. Leila is a long-time fashion designer whose designs have clothed the biggest celebrities in the world including Kim Kardashian, Kendall Jenner, Kelly Clarkson and Nicki Minaj. Her products are sold in some of the best boutiques and on-line retailers. Even with her rich designer past, Leila feels that the greatest thrill of her career and life is being the reason that women loving the way they look in a swimsuit, and instilling a newfound confidence in her customers.

TA3 suits are sexy, fashionable, and give every woman the shape and curves they have been striving for their entire lives. Leila’s current, one-piece suit collection comes in all-black , and features three trendy styles: zippy, lacey, and high-cut zippy. The suits are so versatile that women can even wear this matte swimsuit as a bodysuit with a skirt or jeans–making TA3 swimsuits the “little black dress” of this years’ Summer wardrobe. This will be your new go-to piece. You no longer need to buy several different bathing suits.

TA3 Swim has customers raving about their new self-esteem boost. Whether it’s a postpartum mother or victim of the “Covid-15” weight gain, TA3 is bringing women back to the beach and pool by making them feel confident. TA3 swimwear is handing women back their power. Women can now confidently strut their stuff without a worry in the world.

Leila’s creativity, relentless drive, and sense of humor make her the perfect female disruptor who is reimagining the concept of a successful apparel industry. Leila claims, “the way we usually fit women’s clothing is so backwards.” Models are tall, hourglass shaped and “perfect”–but this is not what the average, everyday woman looks like. Women’s bodies can vary and differ in so many ways. What sets Leila’s apparel apart from other brands is that her suits are not very stretchy, and she molds her styles on women of all shapes and sizes. Over the past two years, she has taken in her customers’ feedback and tweaked the design to make necessary changes, which has led to the development of her current collection. Leila explains that making clothing used to be expensive and slow, which was annoying because trends would die out before companies were even able to launch a product. Nevertheless, she realized that clothing should be expensive and slow, because although you may like to design and shop, creating stuff that is quick and cheap is merely fun. In fast fashion, workers aren’t paid what they should be paid and companies produce a lot of waste. On top of that, people end up buying a bunch of clothing that they wear once and then quickly throw away.

Swimsuits are not where it ends for Leila Shams. She fully expects to expand and incorporate more categories focused on ultra-flattering fits for your body shape. She is adding more lengths and fits to her best-selling styles, as well as adding bodysuits. She is also expanding her team. Now with Leila’s new swimsuit line, TA3 Swim, women no longer need to worry about their bodies, jump on crazy diet fads, or work out until their limbs fall off trying to achieve an unrealistic, nearly unattainable body. Leila wants to be known as “the fashion designer that stopped shoving women into thin, stretchy, and unflattering clothing.” She is determined to change the way we fit and size clothing. We can now live in and be proud of our own bodies.

TAFI × Champion 2021 Spring Line

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Tafi and Champion Athleticwear Expand Partnership to Showcase Champion’s 2021 Spring Line

Tafi and Champion bring new Spring Collection to life with NFTs and Avatar Content for Samsung AR Emoji

Tafi, a leading creator of custom 3D content for avatar and emoji systems, and Champion Athleticwear today announced the availability of Champion’s 2021 Spring Collection for Non-Fungible Tokens (“NFTs”) and Samsung Galaxy’s AR Emoji.

Champion Athleticwear, makers of authentic athletic apparel since 1919, in partnership with Tafi brings Champion’s 2021 Spring Collection to life through NFTs and on Samsung’s AR Emoji. Through this partnership, the companies are leading the new wave of digital fashion and personalization.

The launch of Champion’s NFT Spring Collection auction will include iconic and exclusive Champion artwork as well as limited-edition avatars inspired by Champion. The companies are leveraging NFTs as an innovative way to share Champion’s 2021 Spring Collection.

The new digital content available on Samsung’s AR Emoji from Champion’s 2021 Spring Collection includes branded slides, sweatshirts, tees, joggers and more. The collection is available now in the Samsung Galaxy store.

“This is an incredibly exciting, transformative time in the digital world. We are just starting to scratch the surface on the benefits that NFTs unlock for the customer,” said Tyler Lewison, General Manager at Champion. “This NFT drop is an extension of our partnership with Tafi, which started last year in an effort to better reach our customers and make Champion accessible to them in a whole new way.”

“At Tafi, our mission is to democratize access to personalized avatars and digital content,” said Preston Woo, Chief Strategy Officer of Tafi. “With this partnership, we’re not only making Champion’s 2021 Spring Collection available to Samsung AR emoji users, but we’re enabling the customer to digitally own unique pieces of Champion’s iconic collection through NFTs. We are thrilled to deepen our partnership with Champion given their leadership in innovation and quality.”

To check out the Tafi x Champion’s NFT Spring Collection, please go this website.

About Tafi

Founded in 2019, Tafi’s mission is to make personalized avatars and branded digital content available to anyone and everyone who wants to level-up their digital personality. Tafi’s best-in-class avatar solutions are portable across platforms including mobile, gaming, XR, social media, messaging, and video communications. Tafi’s investors include Benchmark Capital, Columbia Capital, and Ponte Partners. Learn more at this website.

About Champion®

Since 1919, Champion Athleticwear has offered a full line of innovative athletic apparel for men and women including activewear, sweats, tees, sports bras, team uniforms, footwear and accessories. Champion uses innovative design and state-of-the-art product testing to ensure uncompromised quality and innovative apparel for its consumers. Champion Athleticwear can be purchased at department stores, sporting goods, specialty retailers, and at their website. For more information, follow Champion on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram. Champion is a brand of Hanesbrands Inc. (NYSE: HBI).

Tourism Trends in 2021

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What’s Ahead for Travel and Tourism? 5 Trends to Look For in 2021 and Beyond

By: Stefan Read, SVP Engagement Advisory and Strategy Practice Lead at Jackman

As vaccines continue to roll out and people begin to see a light at the end of the pandemic tunnel, many consumers are starting to think of travel. A recent survey by CivicScience found that as of March 2021, nearly 6 in 10 US adults say they’d be willing to travel in the next five months. This is very promising, but much has changed in the past year and several aspects of consumer behavior have been permanently altered. In order to succeed in the new post-Covid world, travel and hospitality brands must understand the new and emerging trends impacting this industry. Below are the top trends and customer behaviors that we will see in 2021 and beyond as travel begins to ramp up again.

Cleanliness: Unsurprisingly, travelers now say that cleanliness is their top priority when selecting hotels and flights. In November 2020, Booking declared that short-term or holiday rentals have to meet a minimum cleanliness standard by May 2021, or have their properties delisted. Airbnb and VRBO created new cleaning procedures for hosts to follow in the pandemic. Even after the pandemic ends, cleanliness will remain top of mind for travelers as the anxiety around COVID and other illnesses have now become part of our new reality. Travel and hospitality brands can do their part by communicating detailed and specific information with travelers about the cleaning procedures they have in place, and making sure the procedures can be clearly observed by guests. Hotels and property hosts should also adjust their change and refund policies to allow guests to cancel at the last minute in case of a future outbreak. Brands that prioritize the health and well-being of guests over profits will win when it comes to customer loyalty and safety.
Wellness Tourism: Cleanliness goes hand in hand with wellness, and wellness tourism will keep growing over the next couple of years as people continue to seek out travel for the purpose of promoting health and well-being through physical, psychological, or spiritual activities. According to the Global Wellness Institute, wellness tourism will be worth $919 billion by 2022, representing 18 percent of all tourism globally. Brands should start to think about what services or experiences they can create or enhance that will attract these wellness travelers, such as transforming outdoor spaces to become open air yoga studios or hiring meditation or massage experts available for guests to utilize during their stay.
Staying Close to Home: It’s no surprise that during the pandemic traveler preferences shifted toward the familiar. Backpacking through Europe was no longer feasible, so travelers instead opted for domestic destinations and were more thorough in their planning. A recent AirBnB survey revealed that 56 percent of consumers prefer a domestic or local destination and one in five Americans say they want their destination to be within driving distance of home. As a result, road trips will boom – in fact, 59 percent of families say they’re more likely to drive than fly on their next trip. Smaller hotels can compete with the big hotel chains by highlighting the local aspect of their experience and engaging meaningfully with the community they’re in. They might also consider banding together to help people plan fun road trips along specific routes. Travel and hospitality brands can help take some of the anxiety off of travelers by playing a more active role in the planning aspect of the guests’ travel.

Traveling to Connect: The door is open for brands to play a more meaningful role in the travel plans for customers as Airbnb anticipates 2021 being the year of “meaningful travel.” It’s not the act of getting on a plane, standing in long line ups, and visiting crowded tourist attractions that people miss about travel. Rather, it’s the element of social connection – reuniting with old friends, spending time with family, and experiencing something new with loved ones. For a significant percentage of AirBnB survey respondents, their definition of meaningful travel has changed since the pandemic to become even more focused on being with loved ones. These people also say they intend to travel more after the pandemic, with nearly one in two (46%) saying they will travel more for pleasure, such as by going on vacation and to visit family. Brands should consider helping with family reunion planning and continue to be mindful of ways to bring families together while still maintaining a clean and safe environment.
Eco-Tourism: Defined as “responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment, sustains the well-being of the local people and involves education,” eco-tourism is on the rise. Consumers are taking on the role of “concerned citizens” demanding responsible travel policies, and we’re seeing a shift in behavior and sentiment toward appreciating the earth and what it has to offer. Moving forward, people will be thinking more mindfully about the way they travel, why they travel, and where they go. Rather than trying to fit as many destinations as possible into one trip, many consumers will opt for longer stays, choosing to get to know the local communities, cultures, cuisines, and landscapes.

The world of travel and tourism has been forever altered by the pandemic and lockdowns. With some valuable insights into how customer behaviors and desires have changed, travel and hospitality brands can find new, creative ways to appeal to travelers. The five trends listed above are a great place to start when looking to understand the ways these industries will continue to change moving into 2021 and beyond.

NCAA Opposes Anti-Trans Sports Bills

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On the Eve of Final Four Tournament, NCAA President Mark Emmert Speaks Out Against Anti-Trans Sports Bills In States, Reinforces NCAA Will Hold Championship In Locations “Free of Discrimination.”

On the eve of this weekend’s NCAA Final Four tournament, NCAA President Mark A. Emmert spoke out against the slate of discriminatory, anti-transgender bills in state legislatures across the country—aimed at banning transgender youth from participating in sports—framing the legislation as “harmful to transgender student-athletes” and “conflicting with NCAA’s core values.” In addition to criticizing the legislation, Emmert went a step further by reinforcing NCAA’s commitment to hosting championship games in locations “free of discrimination.”

In a letter sent to HRC President Alphonso David—released today by HRC—Emmert wrote: “The NCAA Board of Governors policy requires championship host sites to demonstrate how they will provide an environment that is safe, healthy, and free of discrimination. The board policy also requires that safeguards are in place to ensure the dignity of everyone involved in the event.”

The letter—sent in response to a letter from David—further called out Idaho House Bill 500, a bill that bars transgender women and girls from participating in sports consistent with their gender identity. Emmert expressed that the legislation “conflicts with the NCAA’s core values of inclusivity, respect and the equitable treatment of all individuals.” He further emphasized the NCAA’s commitment to host sites that are “safe, healthy, and free of discrimination.”

In 2016, the NCAA Board of Governors instructed the association to relocate all seven previously awarded championship events from North Carolina after the vote of HB 2, legislation that eliminated existing municipal non-discrimination protections for LGBTQ people and forced transgender students in public schools to use restrooms and other facilities inconsistent with their gender identity. The NCAA has continuously stated a firm position that if participating states do not meet the association’s “expectations of a discrimination-free environment,” they will “not hesitate to take necessary action at any time.”

“These bills seek to deny the very existence of transgender people, further perpetuating stigma that fuels an epidemic of violence against our community,” said HRC’s Alphonso David. “To be clear, this stigma is directly affecting NCAA athletes; as highlighted in a recent article detailing the steps the NCAA had to take to protect the safety of one of its transgender athletes, including hiring body guards. It bears repeating: this is a moment of crisis. HRC stands ready to support the work of the NCAA to ensure that we continue to foster diversity, inclusion and equity.”

“It’s heartbreaking that during a global pandemic, when transgender youth especially need community and support, we are seeing a record number of proposed bills threatening to ban them from playing sports with their friends,” said Athlete Ally’s Anne Lieberman. “These discriminatory bills are in direct violation of the NCAA’s 2016 nondiscrimination policy for championship events, and we hope to see the NCAA join us in supporting the rights of all LGBTQ+ student athletes to be safe, welcome and included in sport.”

Athletes Across the Country Speaking Out Against Anti-Transgender Bills

Athletes and other prominent sports figures across the country are speaking out against the discriminatory measures. Recently, 500 NCAA student athletes called on the Board of Governors to continue upholding its “NCAA Anti-Discrimination Policy and only operate championships and events in states that promote an inclusive atmosphere.” This week, Minnesota Lynx GM and coach Cheryl Reeve wrote: “Transgender exclusion pits woman athletes against one another, reinforces the harmful notion that there is only one right way to be a woman and distracts us from the real threats to women’s sports.”

The anti-transgender legislation is part of a larger coordinated effort to advance a series of anti-LGBTQ measures in statehouses across the country—where 192 discriminatory bills targeting LGBTQ people are under consideration. Of these discriminatory bills, 93 directly target transgender people and about half of those would ban transgender youth from participating in sports consistent with their gender identity.

The full letter from Emmert is below.

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April 1, 2021

Dear Alphonso:

Thank you for writing to me and the NCAA Board of Governors. We appreciate your continued attention to this issue and are pleased we share the same views on the importance of diversity and inclusion.

As you mentioned, the NCAA, including our more than 1,100 member schools, has long advocated for increased opportunities and inclusion in sport. We are incredibly proud of the opportunities that student-athletes have gained thanks to more inclusive collegiate environments. Our member schools and conferences also share our commitment to offering a diverse and inclusive experience for all our student-athletes, which is why we have developed policies to ensure students have fair and equitable opportunities to compete.

The NCAA is concerned with the numerous bills that have been filed across our country related to sport participation. As we have previously stated in situations such as Idaho’s House Bill 500 and its resulting law, this legislation is harmful to transgender student-athletes and conflicts with the NCAA’s core values of inclusivity, respect and the equitable treatment of all individuals. The NCAA Board of Governors policy requires championship host sites to demonstrate how they will provide an environment that is safe, healthy, and free of discrimination. The board policy also requires that safeguards are in place to ensure the dignity of everyone involved in the event.

The NCAA continues to closely monitor and assess state bills and federal guidelines that impact student-athlete participation. In addition to our longstanding work in diversity and inclusion, in October 2020, the NCAA convened a summit about gender identity and student-athlete participation that focused on issues of competitive equity, inclusion, and physical and mental health for all student-athletes. NCAA inclusion and Sport Science Institute staff and others continue to work with leading experts to assess our transgender participation policy and provide resources to the membership about inclusive practices on their campuses.

We also are aware of President Biden’s recent executive order that strengthens the enforcement power of Title IX as it relates to transgender students on campuses. This federal guidance will be another important mechanism that states consider when formulating new legislation. All NCAA schools also must follow state and federal laws, including Title IX.

It is our clear expectation that all NCAA student-athletes will be welcomed, treated with respect, and have nondiscriminatory participation wherever they compete. We are committed to upholding these principles and will continue to assess emerging laws to ensure student-athletes have fair opportunities.

Thank you again for contacting us.

Sincerely,

Mark A. Emmert

NCAA President

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The Human Rights Campaign is America’s largest civil rights organizations working to achieve equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people. HRC envisions a world where LGBTQ people are embraced as full members of society at home, at work and in every community.

JULIA MICHAELS – ALL YOUR EXES

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EXES BEWARE GRAMMY® NOMINATED SINGER & SONGWRITER JULIA MICHAELS CHANNELS PYSCHO KILLER IN NEW VIDEO FOR “ALL YOUR EXES” OUT NOW

FULL-LENGTH ALBUM DEBUT COMING APRIL 30TH

Watch the music video for “All Your Exes”—HERE.
Listen to “All Your Exes”—HERE.

Grammy® Award-nominated multiplatinum singer and songwriter Julia Michaels has unleashed the clever and campy music video for her latest single “All Your Exes.”

In the visual directed by Blythe Thomas, she quite literally brings the song to life in bloody good fashion. Nodding to cult classics such as Serial Mom and American Psycho, Julia invites her boyfriend’s exes over for “dinner.” What follows is brutally hilarious as there’s no chance anybody will ever bring up her significant other’s past trysts ever again.

Consider yourself warned…

“I think this is the most fun I’ve ever had making a music video,” she commented. “I’ve never really played a character before, so it was fun to let loose and show a side of me that fans haven’t seen,” she says. “I feel like we all have those moments in relationships where our minds go to ridiculous places- like clearly I don’t want to kill your exes, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t thought about it,” she laughs. “This album shows another side of me, because for the first time I’ve experienced a new kind of love, one that has been happy and healthy, and the songs reflect that. Oh wow, that sounds gross hearing myself say that,” she laughs “but I’m still excited to share them,” she adds.

A clip of the video premiered yesterday on YouTube Originals weekly music show, “RELEASED,” which premieres every Thursday night at 11:45pm ET in the moments before the world’s top artists drop their new music, only on YouTube.

Last week, Julia unveiled “All Your Exes.” Co-written with Grammy nominated singer and songwriter JP Saxe, the track immediately garnered critical acclaim. Entertainment Weekly hailed it “a deliciously wicked delight,” with The New York Times praising it as “harsh, funny, sad and relatably petty.” FLOOD Magazine called it “a prime example of a vulnerable pop-punk banger,” while Billboard noted “Michaels has a tendency to throttle her listeners with her pen — and on the muscular, virtuosic “All Your Exes,” she makes sure that your attention is focused entirely on her seething jealousy.” Meanwhile, V Magazine summarized “There’s something to ditching fairytale notions of love that Julia Michaels fully gets as she returns to the front of the stage once again.”

Be on the lookout for additional details on her forthcoming album, arriving April 30.

ABOUT JULIA MICHAELS

Over the past few years, no songwriter has had more of an impact on reshaping pop music than Grammy nominated and multi-platinum selling artist Julia Michaels, whose razor-sharp perspective on love, loss, and the wide spectrum of the human experience has deservedly catapulted her to the forefront of her industry. Lauded for her work on hit singles by artists like Justin Bieber, Selena Gomez, Niall Horan, Dua Lipa, Janelle Monáe, Shawn Mendes, P!NK, Ed Sheeran, Britney Spears, Gwen Stefani, Hailee Steinfeld, The Chicks, Keith Urban, Jessie Ware, and more, Julia has spent the last decade honing her craft and delivering fans some of the most evocative music of a generation.

In 2017, Julia embarked on a solo career separate from her work synthesizing the stories of the stars around her with “Issues,” her 5x-platinum selling debut single. A year later, her peers recognized her stunning work with Grammy nominations for “Best New Artist” and “Song of the Year.” Committing to her solo work, Julia released a series of critically acclaimed EPs, including 2017’s fan-favorite Nervous System and 2019’s critically acclaimed Inner Monologue Part 1 and Inner Monologue Part 2. She also embarked on The Inner Monologue Tour, which marked her first-ever headline tour throughout the U.S. following an enviable run touring the world with an incredible array of artists including Maroon 5, Keith Urban, Shawn Mendes, Niall Horan, and P!NK.

In 2020, she received her third Grammy nomination, and second in the prestigious “Song Of The Year” category, for her collaboration with JP Saxe on “If The World Was Ending,” in addition to earning her second #1 as a songwriter on the Billboard Hot 100 for Selena Gomez’ “Lose You To Love Me.”

ABOUT REPUBLIC RECORDS

A division of Universal Music Group, the world’s leading music company, Republic Records is home to an all-star roster of multi-platinum, award-winning legends and superstar artists such as Ariana Grande, Black Thought, Drake, Florence + the Machine, Greta Van Fleet, Hailee Steinfeld, Jack Johnson, James Blake, James Bay, Jessie J, John Mellencamp, Jonas Brothers, Julia Michaels, Kid Cudi, Lil Wayne, Lorde, Metro Boomin, NAV, Nicki Minaj, Of Monsters and Men, Pearl Jam, Post Malone, Seth MacFarlane, Stevie Wonder, Taylor Swift, The Weeknd and more. Founded by brothers and chief executives Monte and Avery Lipman, it is also comprised of innovative business ventures, including American Recordings, Boominati Worldwide, Brushfire, Casablanca Records, Cash Money, Lava Records, XO, Young Money, among others. Republic also maintains a long-standing strategic alliance with Universal Music Latin Entertainment (J Balvin and Karol G). In addition, Republic has expanded to release high-profile soundtracks for Universal Pictures (Fifty Shades of Grey), Sony Pictures (Spider-Man Into the Spider-Verse) and NBC TV (The Voice), as well as other notable film and television franchises. Extending further into the worlds of film, television, and content, Republic launched Federal Films in order to produce movies and series powered by the label’s catalog and artists. Its first production was the Jonas Brothers documentary Chasing Happiness for Amazon Prime Video.