# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Alert: There is now a dedicated airline for pets

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Your furry friend can even sit next to you on the flight – but at a cost

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Last night, at the finale of the Coperni show, Bella Hadid walked to the middle of the runway - wearing only a G-string, holding her breasts - as two men began to spray her body with what appeared to be white paint. Sure, there were immediate connections to another moment in fashion history: Alexander McQueen's spring 1999 show, when Shalom Harlow's dress was spray-painted by robots. It looked similar, but this was different. It took about 15 minutes, but as the men finished spraying on a dress, a woman came and cut a slit and pulled down Hadid's sleeves to make an off-the-shoulder look. As Hadid walked away, the dress moved with her. Wait ... what?

The story behind the spray-on dress started with a can of silly string and a man named Dr. Manel Torres. "I thought I could create a mist," he said in a 2013 TED Talk. "That was the eureka moment." Torres, who studied fashion design, had the idea to spray on a T-shirt (think of a spider web, he said) but he didn't have the knowledge to create such a product. He went to Imperial College in London, known for their innovations, with his thoughts. They liked his idea, and gave him resources: a lab and materials to play. After two years, and lots of trial and error, he started to get results.

In 2003, Torres created Fabrican - a liquid fiber, bound together with polymers, bio polymers and greener solvents, that evaporates when the spray reaches a surface, in this case, Hadid's body. According to Torres, the fabric feels like suede and can be manipulated like any other. Hence the woman who cut a slit into Hadid's dress. But that texture can change depending on what fibers are used (can be natural or synthetic fibers) and how it is applied.

Enter the Coperni designers - Sébastien Meyer and Arnaud Vaillan, known for their innovative designs like a glass bag - who created a design of their own. That design was realized using the Fabrican and 3-D technology, and built, in front of a fashion crowd and Kylie Jenner, on Hadid's body. It moved like a second skin, fitting her body seamlessly. In fashion, this technology can be used to make a whole dress, à la Hadid, or even to repair old pieces of damaged clothing. Their plan is to take this technology to the medical industry, being able to make casts or spray-on sterile bandages from aerosol cans.

"Fashion designers need new materials and fabrics to create products to address evolving lifestyles and consumer demands," wrote the show notes. "In the 21st century we should make it the first time that science and design really march together in close step, illustrating in this way their interdependence."

Bella Hadid posted a photo of the dress and wrote: "Only together we can make this magic. I am still speechless. She later posted another one that said: "No rehearsal, no nothing, just passion." No rehearsal?

Eureka indeed!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How Bella Hadid's Spray-on Dress Was Made

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Last night, at the finale of the Coperni show, Bella Hadid walked to the middle of the runway - wearing only a G-string, holding her breasts - as two men began to spray her body with what appeared to be white paint.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The Future. Restaurants are jumping on a growing trend and offering monthly subscriptions to diners. The move aims to ensure steadier cash inflow and entice loyal customers with specialized deals and offerings. As subscription models get more and more popular, those who join the trend may be on to something - we could be on the cusp of a whole new way of eating.

Subbed to the sub
Restaurants are trying out a new business model - subscriptions.

Large chains like Panera Bread and P.F. Chang's are experimenting with subscription models to lock in steadier revenue and customer visits.

Subscriptions include everything from unlimited drinks to free delivery.

Even Michelin-starred restaurants like Gravitas are joining the fun: Gravitas Supper Club offers subscribers a three-course takeout meal for $130 per month.

Elsewhere, bars like El Lopo provide members with their favorite dishes each time they come in, as well as the ability to gift a free drink to anyone in the bar.

Trending
The subscription model has been a growing trend as of late. According to Rocket Money, the average American had 6.7 subscriptions in 2022, up from 4.2 in 2019.

It's the same strategy that skyrocketed Amazon's success. By pioneering its Prime subscription model, the tech giant completely upended the world of delivery and became one of the biggest businesses in the world with its promise of two-day shipping - though some may say it's taken things too far.

Still, can restaurants do the same? Perhaps, but only time will tell.
SHARE THIS STORY

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The Future. Restaurants are jumping on a growing trend and offering monthly subscriptions to diners. The move aims to ensure steadier cash inflow and entice loyal customers with specialized deals and offerings. As subscription models get more and more popular, those who join the trend may be on to something - we could be on the cusp of a whole new way of eating.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Creepy or cool? New products that let people keep relatives "alive" via AI are proliferating - offering, say, an interactive conversation with a recently departed dad who took the time to record a video interview before he passed.

Why it matters: As interest in genealogy and ancestry proliferates, these tools let families preserve memories and personal connections through generations - even giving children a sense of the physical presence of a relative who died before they were born.

The tools are also being used to record the memories of noteworthy people: celebrities, Holocaust survivors, etc.

One such tool, StoryFile, was notably used at the late actor Ed Asner's memorial service, where mourners were invited to "converse" with the deceased at an interactive display that featured video and audio he recorded over several days before he died.

"Nothing could prepare me for what I was going to witness when I saw it," Matt Asner, the actor's son, told Axios.

The "Lou Grant" actor had used StoryFile to record an oral history; the product then employs AI to enable "conversations" based on subjects' answers to myriad questions.

At Asner's memorial, "many people just stopped by and asked a question or a couple questions," including Jason Alexander of "Seinfeld" fame, said Matt Asner, a TV and movie producer who now runs the Ed Asner Family Center, a nonprofit for people with special needs.

"Actually, you can't just ask one question," he observed. "That's the great thing about it, is it draws you in - because the personality is there."

Ed Asner, a former head of the Screen Actors Guild, had "covered everything - his childhood, work history, political history, family life," his son said.

While a few mourners were "a little creeped out by it," the conversational video was "like having him in the room," Matt Asner said. "The great majority of people were just blown away by it."

The actor Ed Asner appears on screen at his memorial service. Photo courtesy of StoryFile

Amazon recently showed off an experimental Alexa feature that can read books aloud in the voice of a late relative, extrapolating from a snippet of that person's recorded voice.

MyHeritage, the ancestry-tracing site, now offers "Deep Nostalgia," a tool for animating old-timey photographs of your relatives.

HereAfter AI lets you record stories about yourself and pair them with photographs - so family members can ask you about your life and experiences.

Microsoft has obtained a patent to create "chatbots" that mimic individual people (dead or alive) based on their social media posts and text messages, per the Washington Post.

The big picture: StoryFile is perhaps the most robust of a growing number of tools that help people create interactive digital memories of relatives. Many of them don't require the relative to be alive during setup.

The company produces an archive that can be watched sequentially or used in a Q&A format.

When a question is asked, the AI technology retrieves relevant video content to create an answer, picking out clips from the available footage.

How it works: With StoryFile, a user sits for a video interview and answers a series of questions.

"In its most optimal state, the idea of StoryFile is you should be able to speak to anyone, anytime, anywhere that you wouldn't normally have access to," Smith tells Axios.

"Maybe you don't have access to grandma because she's passed away, but you can still learn her story, feel a sense of connection to her."

StoryFile is also building an archive of public figures who have sat for interviews. (Try asking a question of very-much-alive William Shatner.)

In the Netflix series "Black Mirror," a woman converses with a chatbot version of her late fiancé - and a grieving Canadian man did something similar with his dead girlfriend in real life, the San Fransisco Chronicle reports.

Other examples: Carrie Fisher being brought back to life as Princess Leia; chef Anthony Bourdain's AI voice being used to narrate a posthumous documentary about himself.

The company was co-founded by oral historian Stephen Smith, who used to run Steven Spielberg's Shoah Foundation and specializes in preserving the memories of Holocaust survivors.

"They were only able to do that with Bourdain because there are so many recordings of him in a variety of situations."

"In the future, we will probably be able to design AI that responds in a human-like way to new situations, but we don't know how long this will take."

Between the lines: These types of programs are already growing familiar through deepfakes, science fiction, and rock concerts that use holograms to bring back dead performers like Buddy Holly.

"We all have amazing stories to tell, and one of the big discoveries I've had in founding this company is how few of us truly understand the importance of our own story," he said. "We're quite self-deprecating."

What they're saying: "When we learn about some very sophisticated use of AI to copy a real person, such as in the documentary about Anthony Bourdain, we tend to extrapolate from that situation that AI is much better than it really is," said Amit Roy-Chowdhury, who chairs the robotics department at the University of California, Riverside.

The bottom line: These kinds of memory-preservation programs "might change the way we collect history," as Smith put it.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
New AI tools let you chat with your dead relatives

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Creepy or cool? New products that let people keep relatives "alive" via AI are proliferating - offering, say, an interactive conversation with a recently departed dad who took the time to record a video interview before he passed.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Top Ikea executive Jesper Brodin says he is not usually one to indulge in nostalgia. But at a pre-Christmas gathering for senior managers that used to work at the Swedish furniture group, he could not help but join with the chorus of those who said they missed the old times - when the world seemed relatively stable, trends were predictable and this could be translated into a more or less credible multiyear business plan.

"We always debate whether it was better before. I used to always argue it is better now. This time we tended to agree it was better before," he said. "The risks, the uncertainty, everything that used to be in a 'risk matrix file' is more or less happening . . . We laugh about the time when we were doing one-year budgets, and how we would be right or wrong by 0.3 per cent."

Brodin's reflections resonate across the corporate world. CEOs are struggling to make sense of confusing macroeconomic signals. In Europe and the US, an economic downturn is combined with record low unemployment and labour shortages. Consumer behaviour is a mystery: up until recently people have kept spending even though the price of almost everything has gone up.

The worst predictions of economic crisis and energy shortages from last year have not materialised. But it feels uniquely hard to predict the path ahead at the moment. On both sides of the Atlantic, little consensus is heard about where the economy is going, and for listed businesses, delivering guidance to the market is more difficult than ever. In the UK, auditing firms worr y that the forecasts their corporate clients submit to them for sign-off are impossible to assess.

In the game of adjusting to these new forms of chaos, some are better placed than others. Generally pressure is less on privately owned companies that do not have to publish profit targets.

Ikea, for instance, has changed tack. Instead of setting out specific goals for the year, it has a set of "scenarios" to give the business wiggle room as the outlook changes. It means acknowledging that widely different outcomes are possible. "It's teaching us agility in how we operate," said Brodin.

A year ago, the 54-year-old expected customers to cut spending because of high energy bills and mortgage rates. That did not happen. Meanwhile, supply chain disruptions improved more quickly than anticipated, leaving the group with more inventory and, in turn, the need to lower the prices of some of its products.

"We are celebrating that things are going in the right direction," said Brodin, "but we have no concept of predicting with precision what's going to happen in 6 to 12 months."

For Ikea, input costs are the trickiest to forecast. Transport prices have fallen. But Brodin did not expect that greater demand for wood to burn as fuel would make some of the company's materials more expensive.

It is not just the traditional variables of financial modelling such as inflation and consumer spending that have become harder to predict. The past few years have also provided some unexpected lessons on how business and society cope with shocks and uncertainty.

"Look at what people have gone through: the pandemic, the economic damage, the tragedy of war, energy prices," Brodin said. "What people might have underestimated is human resilience."

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
CEOs forced to ditch decades of forecasting habits

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Top Ikea executive Jesper Brodin says he is not usually one to indulge in nostalgia. But at a pre-Christmas gathering for senior managers that used to work at the Swedish furniture group, he could not help but join with the chorus of those who said they missed the old times - when the world seemed relatively stable, trends were predictable and this could be translated into a more or less credible multiyear business plan.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Why your next hire should be a highly sensitive person

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Sensitive people are high performers capable of innovation and creative problem-solving.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
JPMorgan Chase is eyeing travel sales volume of $15 billion in 2025.

The bank, which launched ChaseTravel.com last year, said travel sales volume was about $8 billion in 2022 and estimated it will be $10 billion this year.

During an investor day this week, the company said it is a "Top 5 consumer Leisure Travel Provider" and that 1 in 4 leisure travel dollars are spent on Chase cards.

It also said it has seen 24% growth in transactions through Chase Travel year over year and approximately 40% growth in consumers purchasing travel on Chase.

The company has ambitious plans to further grow its lifestyle business through shopping and dining experiences by building on the existing travel business.

Targeting "affluent" consumers through its lifestyle products is one of three key areas of growth for the business, where it sees a "unique competitive advantage and outsized opportunity for growth."

Get a dose of digital travel in your inbox each day

Subscribe to our newsletter below

It has already opened three airport lounges with another two to open this year and five more in the pipeline.

Allison Beer, CEO of card services and connected commerce at JPMorgan Chase, said the products "resonate across generations" and the bank said about 70% of fee-based card demand is driven by millennials and Gen Z.

She shared that the plan is to create a "high-tech, high-touch" business through its acquisitions, which are already profitable excluding the respective deal costs.

"Now we're taking this winning travel playbook and using it to innovation on other high-spend categories like shopping and dining."

The bank is among a number of financial institutions partnering with or acquiring travel companies in a bid to launch travel products and boost loyalty.

Capital One integrated Hopper Cloud to power its booking platform for its travel rewards credit card customers.

Meanwhile, in July 2021 United Kingdom-based banking app Revolut launched accommodation bookings powered by Expedia, and on the business travel side, U.S. Bancorp acquired travel and expense platform TravelBank in November.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
JPMorgan Chase using travel playbook to build lifestyle product

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
JPMorgan Chase is eyeing travel sales volume of $15 billion in 2025. The bank, which launched ChaseTravel.com last year, said travel sales volume was about $8 billion in 2022 and estimated it will be $10 billion this year.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The skin is the largest organ in our body, and also the most complex. Peer at it under a microscope and you'll see thousands of nerve endings that keep the brain connected to the outside world and allow us to feel touch, pressure, and pain. But when Zhenan Bao looks at it, she sees something else.

For Bao, a chemical engineer focused on making polymers, the skin is not only a sensory organ, but also a material. One that, in her words, is flexible, but also stretchable, self-healing, and biodegradable. Bao works in the emerging field of electronic skin and has made it her mission to recreate the many functions of human skin for use in prosthetics and robotics. For people who wear artificial limbs, a sense of touch would immeasurably improve their quality of life-enabling them to distinguish soft from hard and to notice the dangerously sharp or the scaldingly hot before they can do any damage.

When Bao joined Stanford University in 2004, few researchers were working on flexible sensors that could be wrapped around an artificial hand to mimic the sense of touch, and Bao's previous experience with flexible displays would prove useful. By 2010, Bao and her colleagues had developed a flexible sensor so sensitive that it could detect the touch of an alighting butterfly.

"Our current electronics are very rigid, brittle, and bulky," says Bao. "But if we can make them all like skin, then that can potentially completely change how humans interact and interface with electronics." Our skin, which forms a natural protective barrier against the environment, could also serve as an interface between humans and devices.

In addition to robotics and prostheses, Bao sees potential applications for electronic skin, or e-skin, in the field of wearables. Imagine a device that is worn on the body like a second skin and uses sensors to accurately measure blood pressure, temperature, or glucose and oxygen levels in real time. "There is a lot of interest for wearables that go beyond just measuring how many steps we walk each day or the heart rate," says Bao.

One invention coming out of Bao's research lab at Stanford could be manufactured and clinically tested in the next few years. The Silicon Valley startup PyrAmes, which Bao cofounded, is developing a soft band that wraps around a wrist or foot and could be used to monitor the blood pressure of premature babies in intensive care units. It is designed to record blood flow continuously like an arterial line typically does, without the need for needles that carry the risk of infection, tissue, and nerve damage. The band is then wirelessly paired with a tablet to monitor blood pressure changes in real time.

For such applications, the electronics must be stretchable and flexible from the outset. Bao's team of researchers has taken a molecular approach to designing organic polymers with this in mind. A polymer is a large molecule made up of many repeating monomers linked together like a long chain of paper clips. By changing the structure of these monomers, researchers can make the material stretchable and shape it to fit onto or even inside the human body.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Electronic Second Skins Are the Wearables of the Future

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The skin is the largest organ in our body, and also the most complex. Peer at it under a microscope and you'll see thousands of nerve endings that keep the brain connected to the outside world and allow us to feel touch, pressure, and pain.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Ever wondered what it would be like to board a cruise ship in the metaverse? Celebrity Cruises ®, known for next generation ships at the intersection of architecture, technology and design, is sailing into the future with the launch of a new virtual experience dubbed, the 'Wonderverse'.

In an industry first, travelers will get to "see before they sail," exploring a hyper-realistic, digital recreation of aspects of their newest ship in Celebrity's transformational Edge® Series, Celebrity Beyond, complete with the ship's artful and inspiring spaces, entertaining signature moments like Celebrity's famous Martini Bar Flair Show, and the ability to visit top destinations that Celebrity sails to - from Alaska to the Caribbean and Europe to Asia.

In addition, guests can meet and chat with the line's key leaders as digital avatars, including President and CEO Lisa Lutoff-Perlo, the inspirational Captain Kate McCue - the first, and still only, American female captain of a major cruise ship, and Nate Berkus, Celebrity's Edge® Series Travel Ambassador and designer of the Sunset Bar on Celebrity Beyond.

Built in partnership with virtual event platform architects Surreal Events, Celebrity's Wonderverse is also complete with mini games and activities, entertainment, easter eggs revealing special offers and much more, all hosted on the web at celebritycruises.com/wonderverse.

The experience launches today, in time for the holidays when consumers are dreaming of where to go in the new year and utilizing time with family and friends to explore destinations and plan their travels.

" Celebrity Beyond is the newest, most luxurious and most innovative ship in our fleet and I can't think of a better ship to showcase its state-of-the-art design than in our state-of-the-art Wonderverse," said Lutoff-Perlo. "Celebrity has always been at the forefront of consumer desires, literally creating resorts at sea with the design of our ships and the onboard experiences offered; and now we're bringing this to life in new ways to inspire and connect with travelers."

"We've revolutionized cruise ship design and now we're revolutionizing where cruise ships are experienced," said Celebrity Cruises' Chief Marketing Officer Michael Scheiner. "The Wonderverse allows us to unlock and bring to life the richness and fullness of the Celebrity experience in really exciting ways we can't do through traditional marketing and advertising vehicles. We believe this has opportunities to expand even further, creating experiences our consumers are looking for."

Once logged in to the Wonderverse, consumers will move from space to space, enjoying immersive, interactive content throughout, as they learn more about the ship and the destinations they can sail to on Celebrity Cruises, including:

The Magic Carpet®, considered one of the most unique design innovations ever for a cruise ship, that soars cantilevered above the sea with uninterrupted vistas for enjoying virtual cocktails or dinner. The first space users will experience, it also doubles as a meeting space, providing a dynamic way for users to interact together virtually.

The majestic Grand Plaza, the social epicenter of Celebrity Beyond, spanning three decks with the brand's signature Martini Bar at the heart of it all, will serve as a social-first lounge where passengers can connect, listen to music, enjoy Celebrity's iconic Martini Bar Flair Show and chat with Celebrity's President and CEO, Lisa Lutoff-Perlo.

The Resort Deck, featuring a Rooftop Garden, the ship's Main Pool, unique cantilevered float pools and sunken seating offers interactions with Captain Kate and Nate Berkus, who showcases the brand's 2024-2025 season offerings. Visitors can also relax in lounge chairs, jump in the pool, and get a drink from the bar.

The Nate Berkus-designed Sunset Bar, where Berkus shares his personal travel experiences reflected in the internationally-inspired ambience at the multi-level, multi-terraced outdoor space while visitors enjoy one of the most talked about spaces on any cruise ship.

The journey begins with a user-controlled tender game to the iconic Magic Carpet, where participants will have a chance to create their own personalized avatar. Participants will then be transported to the Resort Deck, where they will be greeted personally by Captain Kate, on hand to help answer questions and can explore the ship from there.

From there, visitors can also experience some of the world's most breathtaking destinations in the Wonderverse, including the Endicott Arm & Dawes Glacier in Alaska; the whitewashed beauty of Santorini, Greece; the bright lights of Japan's capital city of Tokyo and the awe-inspiring Mt. Fuji; and the white sand beaches and clear Caribbean turquoise waters of St. Lucia, all before reuniting with Nate Berkus at the Sunset Bar, where they'll have the opportunity to ask him a series of questions about the stunning ship and breathtaking destinations. As part of the experience, guests will be able to easily access a portal for immediate bookings.

A next generation ship, Celebrity Beyond goes further than ever-imagined possible for a cruise ship, giving guests endless opportunities to disconnect from the everyday - while connecting with the wonders of the world around them.

Inspirational design from the world's leading architects and interior designers, fine dining experiences from Michelin starred chefs, world renowned wellness partners, exquisite art, cutting-edge entertainment and luxury brand retailers, along with Celebrity's uniquely intuitive service, Celebrity Beyond shatters every preconceived notion of the cruising experience, representing the epitome of a relaxed luxury resort at sea.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The world's first digital cruise ship experience in the metaverse - A Luxury Travel Blog

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Ever wondered what it would be like to board a cruise ship in the metaverse? Celebrity Cruises ®, known for next generation ships at the intersection of architecture, technology and design, is sailing into the future with the launch of a new virtual experience dubbed, the 'Wonderverse'.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
So What is the Difference for the Tourism Industry?

From a tourism perspective, being a sustainable tourism operator means acting responsibly and having socially and environmentally responsible practices.

Sustainable Travel International states that 'Sustainable tourism accounts for both the immediate impacts felt today as well as those longer-term impacts that will be experienced by future generations.'

Regenerative tourism, on the other hand, means businesses and destinations in the visitor economy ensure each activity implemented has a positive impact for the destination and it's people.

What does it take to be a Regenerative tourism business?

Becoming a Regenerative business is a holistic approach, looking at consumer facing operations as well as business operations, giving back whilst also running a successful and profitable business, supporting your community whilst your community in turn supports you, offsetting emissions whilst also decarbonising.

Being a Regenerative tourism business means you are:

Making ethical choices, where all choices either improve or do no harm to the community or environment

Supporting the community you operate in

Having a long-term positive impact on the environment

Being economically beneficial to both your own business, and others in your community and beyond who have a shared ethos

The UN World Tourism Organization (WTO) defines sustainable/regenerative tourism as "tourism that takes full account of its current and future economic, social and environmental impacts, addressing the needs of visitors, the industry, the environment and host communities".

Through making conscious choices, a tourism businesses can help regenerate their community and environment through helping to tackle:

Climate change

Social injustices

Threats to native wildlife

Negative community sentiment

Over-tourism

Pollution & Waste

First Nations rights

Visitor behaviour

All whilst running a prosperous and healthy tourism business.

The Elephant in The Room

We know tourism is a significant contributor to global emissions, and at the same time the tourism sector is highly vulnerable to climate change, which is especially the case here in Australia.

As an industry we must connect the dots, so that when our tourism businesses are hit with cancellations, destruction and other devastating consequences due to bushfires, floods, and droughts, we are also part of an industry which is one of the root causes of climate change leading to these natural disasters.

There are huge steps that still needs to be taken by governments, airlines, transportation providers, accommodations, and other industry organisations and authorities to reduce the emissions and find solutions to more sustainable ways to travel. Progress seems frustratingly slow as we see the UN Climate Change Conference (COP) come and go each year.
So, should it be the problem of smaller tourism operators to take action?
The answer in short, is a resounding yes!

According to Tourism Research Australia, of the 334,532 tourism businesses in Australia, 78% have only 1-4 employees, and 95% have under 20 employees. Put simply, the backbone of the visitor economy in Australia is small businesses who collectively have the power and opportunity to make a huge difference.

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it is the only thing that ever has" - Margaret Mead, American Cultural Anthropologist

The Future of Tourism

Tourism is vital to Australia and Australia is vital to tourism. The future of tourism is adopting a regenerative approach - tourism for good. Because travel is one of the most important life experiences one can have.

As Discover Hervey Bay puts it "Traveling is important in life because it will open you up to a new way of living and being. You will experience new connections with people and places and immerse in different cultures, which can help widen your perspective. So much learning and personal growth can come from traveling."

Business for Good, is Good for Business

Becoming a purpose driven business is a highly rewarding process, and ironically if a business steers away from the traditional 'growth at all costs' business model to make ethical decisions that support people and planet before profit, it can attract more customers.

The Sustainable Travel Study By Expedia Group 2022 found that half of consumers would be willing to pay more for transportation, activities and lodging if the option was more sustainable.

Not only can being a regenerative tourism operator be good for business, but it can also lead to more positive reviews, more attention from media and tourism bodies, more advocates for your business, and a more supportive community.

"The greatest threat to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it." - Robert Swan, Environmental Leader and First Person in History to Walk to both North and South Poles

Celebrate Progress not Perfection

Like all business development initiatives, becoming a Sustainable and Regenerative tourism business takes time. Time to consider your options, time to implement your new initiatives, and time to settle into a new rhythm.

It's also a mindset; sitting in the mess about what your business values are, and how you live those values too. Having a deep and clear understanding of this helps you to identify what practices you will change to become sustainable, or regenerative, and to accurately articulate this to your guests.

Sometimes the biggest and most difficult step for a business to make on the path to becoming more Sustainable or Regenerative, is the first step.

Starting is the most important and significant milestone, from making small changes, to aiming for longer term goals.

So start slow, build, and celebrate your changes, and remember that regenerative tourism is a continuous, ever-evolving process and it's all about progress not perfection along the way.

*Image Credit: https://www.spherasostenible.com/our-blog/regenerative-design

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Regenerative Tourism vs Sustainable Tourism - The future of our industry, traveller and planet

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
From a tourism perspective, being a sustainable tourism operator means acting responsibly and having socially and environmentally responsible practices. Sustainable Travel International states that 'Sustainable tourism accounts for both the immediate impacts felt today as well as those longer-term impacts that will be experienced by future generations.'

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Editor's Note: Sign up for Unlocking the World, CNN Travel's weekly newsletter. Get news about destinations opening, inspiration for future adventures, plus the latest in aviation, food and drink, where to stay and other travel developments.

A surprisingly large number of Japanese say that travel is no longer a priority for them.

A survey done last year by global intelligence company Morning Consult showed that 35% of Japanese respondents said they were unwilling to travel again, the highest number of any country.

Tetsu Nakamura, a professor at Tamagawa University and a tourism behavior and psychology specialist, says the results are not at all surprising.

"In 2019, even before the pandemic, (Japanese) people who traveled abroad at least once a year made up about 10% of the population," says Nakamura.

According a study Nakamura did back in 2016, there are what he calls "passivists," those who say they want to travel abroad but won't, and "denialists" - people who show no interest in traveling abroad and won't.

Together, these two groups comprise around 70% of respondents in his pre-pandemic study, with "denialists" comprising roughly 30% of them.

Happy at home

Despite Japan having the world's most powerful passport, fewer than 20% of Japanese people actually have passports in the first place, according to Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

For some of these "never travelers," domestic trips within Japan are enough.

"Many Japanese feel like overseas travel is time-consuming even before they step foot on foreign land, that it takes a lot of time, skill and planning," says Nakamura.

Hiroo Ishida, 25, a caregiver from Chiba Prefecture and motorcycle enthusiast with a love for Harley Davidson bikes, says this resonates with him.

"I have some desire to go to the US, mostly because in Western media shown in Japan, that's the place to go to for motorcyclists, but I most likely won't go because just planning it is an inconvenience. Japan is abundant with destinations that motorcyclists find attractive," says Ishida.

His last trip abroad was a field trip to Guam in high school; he's never felt the urge to go overseas since, he adds.

Kotaro Toriumi, a Japanese aviation and travel analyst, says the thought of complicated travel procedures abroad due to the pandemic and the risk of infection hinders people from seeking overseas travel.

Further, he claims that the pandemic has altered the "Japanese mindset."

"People who used to travel ... are now afraid to go abroad because of the risk of infection, but are fine traveling domestically. I think they are realizing more and more that there are many attractive tourist spots within Japan and people can have fun without going abroad," says Toriumi.

The analyst notes that people who say they "never want to travel again" may simply be reluctant to travel soon until the pandemic is fully over.

Less money, more problems

The cost of travel is also a consideration.

The yen is at its weakest in decades, and many Japanese workers haven't had a raise in 30 years.

Less disposable income means young people may be more inclined to stay at home or explore nearby locations.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Why Japan has so many 'never travelers' | CNN

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Editor's Note: Sign up for Unlocking the World, CNN Travel's weekly newsletter. Get news about destinations opening, inspiration for future adventures, plus the latest in aviation, food and drink, where to stay and other travel developments. A surprisingly large number of Japanese say that travel is no longer a priority for them.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Inside the Modular Hotels of the Future - Sunset Magazine

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A new trend in hotel development is emerging: Design firms are creating modular, moveable hotels. Now, landowners can be aspiring hoteliers.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Neom is arguably the world's largest and most controversial architecture project. Here, we explain the key details of the development in Saudi Arabia, which includes The Line megacity.
What is Neom?
An initiative of crown prince Mohammed bin Salman - Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler - Neom is a large area of the country that has been earmarked for development.

Although often called a smart city, Neom is more accurately described as a region that will contain numerous cities, resorts and other developments.

The project is being largely bankrolled by the Public Investment Fund, which invests funds on behalf of the government of Saudi Arabia. The Saudi development company established to create Neom, which is led by chief executive officer Nadhmi Al-Nasr, claims the fund is contributing $500 billion to the scheme.

It forms part of the Saudi Vision 2030 plan to diversify the country's economy in order to reduce its dependence on oil.
Where is Neom?
Neom encompasses an area of around 10,200 square miles (26,500 square kilometres) in northwestern Saudi Arabia. This is around the size of Albania.

The area is bounded by the Red Sea to the south and the Gulf of Aqaba to the west.
What will be in Neom?
According to the developer, Neom will consist of 10 projects that they refer to as regions. So far, details of four of the regions have been announced. These are The Line, which is the most well-known, as well as Oxagon, Trojena and Sindalah.

The Line is planned to be a 170-kilometre linear city that will house nine million people. It will run from east to west across the Neom region. According to the developer, the city will consist of two parallel, 500-metre-high, linear skyscrapers standing 200 metres apart. The buildings will be clad with mirrored facades.

Oxagon is planned as an octagon-shaped port city that will be built on the Red Sea at the far south of the Neom region. According to Neom's developer, the port and logistics hub will be the "world's largest floating structure".

Trojena is planned as ski resort in the Sarwat Mountains near the north of the Neom region. The 60-square-kilometre skiing and outdoor-activity resort will offer year-round skiing and is set to host the 2029 Asian Winter Games.

Sindalah is planned as an island resort within the Red Sea. Aimed at the yachting community, the 840,000-square-metre island will have an 86-berth marina and numerous hotels.
What architecture studios are designing Neom?
Only a handful of architecture studios have been officially announced as designers of the Neom project. US studio Aecom is listed as a partner on the Neom website.

The developer of Neom revealed that UK studio Zaha Hadid Architects, Dutch practice UNStudio, US studio Aedas, German studio LAVA and Australian studio Bureau Proberts are working on the design of the Trojena ski resort.

Dutch studio Mecanoo also confirmed to Dezeen that they were working on Trojena.

Italian superyacht and architecture studio Luca Dini Design and Architecture has been announced as the designer of the Sindalah resort.

Numerous other studios have been connected to Neom, with multiple studios named within an exhibition of The Line in Riyadh. However, the exhibition did not make clear the extent of involvement of the studios named and several told Dezeen that they are no longer working on the project.

US studio Morphosis has long been rumoured to be the lead architect of The Line and was included in the exhibition. Its founder Thom Mayne appeared to confirm this at a talk last month, in which he stated he was working on a city that he described as "a big planning thing in Saudi Arabia that I can't talk about".

Architecture studios "benefiting" from alleged human rights violations at Neom

Other studios believed to be working on The Line and named in the exhibition include: US practices Pei Cobb Freed & Partners, Tom Wiscombe Architecture, Oyler Wu Collaborative and HOK; UK studios Adjaye Associates and Peter Cook's studio CHAP; Austria studios Coop Himmelb(l)au and Delugan Meissl Associated Architects; and Italian practice Studio Fuksas.

Leading the design of the project is former deputy mayor of Barcelona Antoni Vives, who is The Line's chief urban planning officer.

British architect Norman Foster was initially on the Neom advisory board but withdrew following Jamal Khashoggi's murder. A spokesperson for his studio, Foster + Partners, confirmed that the firm is not currently working on the project.
When will Neom be built?
Neom is working to ambitious timelines, with much of the project set to be built by 2030.

Last year, drone footage was revealed showing site preparation for The Line taking place, while Neom recently released a video showing glimpses of progress on the site.

The first element scheduled for completion is the Sindalah luxury island, with the developer of Neom aiming to welcome its first guests in early 2024.

Port city Oxagon will follow shortly after, with the first residents planned to move in by 2024 and the onshore part of the city due to complete by 2030. Ski resort Trojena is set to open in 2026.

According to the developer, the largest element of Neom, The Line, will "be rolled out between now and 2045". The aim is for one million people to be living in The Line by 2030. Some commentators have expressed scepticism about these timelines.

According to the developer, 2,400 staff already live and work at Neom.
Why is Neom controversial?
The Neom project has proved controversial due to three main concerns - sustainability, liveability and human rights.

There are numerous concerns about Saudi Arabia's human rights record - Freedom House gave the country 7/100 in its global freedom scoring, while Amnesty International has published a list of 10 ways the country "violates human rights" on its website.

While there are broad concerns about human rights in Saudi Arabia and for the people who will be building the gigantic project, the direct controversies connected to Neom are related to evictions taking place ahead of construction.

The area that is set to be developed is the historic homeland of the Huwaitat tribe and it is estimated that around 20,000 tribe members will be relocated to accommodate the planned development.

Sustainability and liveability claims of Saudi 170-kilometre city are "naive" say experts

In 2020, Abdul Rahim al-Huwaiti from the tribe posted videos online aiming to draw attention to these evictions. The BBC later reported that Al-Huwaiti was killed by Saudi security services.

Last year human rights organisation ALQST reported that three people connected to Al-Huwaiti, who were forcibly evicted from the Neom site in 2020, had been sentenced to death.

Speaking to Dezeen, Amnesty International's Peter Frankental said that companies working on Neom were facing a "moral dilemma" and should "think twice" about their continuing involvement in the project.

Additionally, the developer of Neom has made many sustainability claims, with the development aiming to be powered by 100 per cent renewable sources.

"We see The Line as a unique opportunity to set a new benchmark for combining prosperity, livability and environmental preservation," Neom's executive director Tarek Qaddumi told Dezeen.

However, Neom - and The Line in particular - have been criticised for the expected embodied carbon associated with building the project. Philip Oldfield, head of the built environment school at the University of New South Wales, has estimated that upwards of 1.8 billion tonnes of embodied carbon dioxide will be produced.

He told Dezeen that this huge embodied carbon cost of construction "will overwhelm any environmental benefits".

Experts talking to Dezeen were also concerned over the mirrored facades' impact on animal and birdlife.

On liveability, Bin Salman stated that The Line "will challenge the traditional flat, horizontal cities and create a model for nature preservation and enhanced human liveability".

However, according to experts, the liveability claims would rest on how the city is maintained.

"These images project a degree of control which is very difficult to retain, especially over a period of time, even in a very autocratic society," said associate professor of architecture at Princeton University Marshall Brown.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Everything you need to know about Saudi mega-project Neom

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Neom is arguably the world's largest and most controversial architecture project. Here, we explain the key details of the development in Saudi Arabia, which includes The Line megacity. What is Neom? An initiative of crown prince Mohammed bin Salman - Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler - Neom is a large area of the country that has been earmarked for development.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Designers Sandra G Matthews and Michael R Henderson have created a concept for a 224-metre-high spherical resort that would include a moon-like experience, which they hope to realise in four locations around the world.

Named Moon, the resort would consist of a spherical steel structure enclosing a hotel and the moon-surface attraction built on two of a three-storey circular podium.

"There is nothing remotely similar to Moon anywhere on planet Earth," Henderson told Dezeen.

"It will be a fully integrated, contemporary, luxurious destination resort encompassing a unique signature attraction enabling guests to walk on the lunar surface while exploring an authentic lunar colony - space tourism for all!"

Above the podium, the 224-metre-high structure will be enclosed within the "world's largest sphere", which would be externally decorated as the moon.

This spherical shape would be constructed from a steel frame of a similar nature to the ones popularised by US architect Richard Buckminster Fuller. It would be covered in a carbon-fibre composite and incorporate solar panels to power the resort.

Within the sphere, a 20-storey hotel would be topped with the lunar experience, which would mimic the surface of the moon and incorporate a "lunar colony".

"It will have 10 acres of authentic undulating lunar surface incorporating a highly detailed working lunar colony," explained Henderson.

"This specific area will be utilized for guest visits and astronaut training," he continued. "The colony will feature multiple global corporations and space agencies showcasing their technology. It will also incorporate a university campus component."

Nine examples of spherical architecture from around the globe

Henderson and Matthews set up the Moon World Resorts organisation to license the Moon concept, with the aim of building one resort in North America, Europe, the Middle East and Asia. The organisation anticipates the first resort being built in Dubai.

They estimate that each resort will cost $5 billion to construct and would attract 2.5 million visitors a year.

"Unlike many 'fantasy proposals' featured on Dezeen, Moon will be built, as it's entirely logical from a built environment perspective and its business plan is extremely compelling," said Henderson.

"We will master license a single major corporation or regionally license multiple corporations the ability to develop Moon in four global locations.

The attraction bears a resemblance to a pair of spherical music venues that are set to be built in London and Las Vegas. Designed by architecture studio Populous for MSG Group the London venue was recent granted planning permission, while the Las Vegas sphere is under construction.

Dezeen recently rounded up nine spherical buildings from all around the globe.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Moon-shaped resorts proposed to provide "space tourism for all"

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Designers Sandra G Matthews and Michael R Henderson have created a concept for a 224-metre-high spherical resort that would include a moon-like experience, which they hope to realise in four locations around the world. Named Moon, the resort would consist of a spherical steel structure enclosing a hotel and the moon-surface attraction built on two of a three-storey circular podium.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
I'm sure you've heard these phrases before. These lines proffered by a growing number of global hotels, coupled with a website featuring a "sustainability mission" page littered with lofty nebulous language, mislead guests into believing they're choosing a property that aligns with their values. The problem is that these efforts comprise the absolute bare minimum of responsible resource management. In fact, when you dive deeper into the world of sustainable practices, you discover just how few properties strive to adhere to the concept in the strictest sense. In a perfect world-a vision for the planet which mankind is rapidly racing away from-businesses like hotels would work towards a closed loop system. After all, preserving the community and natural environment serves as a long-term investment in the assets upon which the tourism industry is based.

Part of the definition of a closed-loop system states that businesses reuse the same materials repeatedly to conserve natural resources and divert waste from landfill. In all my travels across the last two decades, I've encountered one-off eco-lodges or boutique properties that have put this ethos into practice, but rarely an international luxury brand. That is, until discovering Six Senses a few years ago. In particular, Six Senses Fiji on Malolo Island approaches the brand's mission with the singular purpose of an Olympic athlete. Led by Sustainability Director Sia Rasalato, the hotel incorporates both micro and macro level strategies, from raising hens at "cluckingham place" for eggs, to replanting native habitat around the island and employing solar energy to desalinate sea water for drinking water.

In fact, riding around the property in a golf cart with Rasalato provides a masterclass in long-term thinking, problem-solving, and planning. During a visit in November, I spent a morning exploring all the initiatives in progress or in blueprint for approval. I asked if I could stay on as an apprentice, half joking, as this was the kind of hands-on learning I imagine many aspiring sustainability directors could use. Also, I was quite enjoying my beachfront pool villa and would have happily stayed on to "learn."

Six Senses Fiji offers 24 spacious villas all with private pools. Resort Villas range in size from 1,200 to 1,600 square feet including interior and exterior space. There are also 60 luxury residences (two-, three-, four- and five-bedroom configurations), which will be developed in stages over the coming years.

As we rolled past a section of banyan trees and mangroves, Rasalato explained the decline in local flora as one challenge of many he wanted to tackle. "The island is 2000 acres" he said, "and yet, there's only 96-100 acres left of native forest left." He pointed up to the crest of a hill, upon which a rash of dry Moluccan Ironwood had spread. "It's native to Fiji but it's invasive on our island" he noted. Fiji, like many places in the world, has been plagued by increasingly dry conditions. The withering of non-native species sends a clear signal that's something's amiss in the ecosystem, as native plants, though vulnerable, tend to be more resilient against harsher weather. Rasalato is leading efforts to replant native species first on Six Senses land, then beyond its borders in collaboration with the community in future years. A large nursery managed on-site supplies the seedlings and plants for replanting efforts, as well as for the garden and farm that supplies the kitchen with herbs and produce.

Drier weather, nay drought, also forces the property to not just conserve water, but expand on ways to catch rain as well as tap the largest body of water nearby, the ocean. Like every promising solution that's conceived outside the scope of earth's natural recycling systems, desalination, too, has its downside. It produces a briny byproduct that's often discarded into the sea, usually a problem at scale. The process is also power-hungry, demanding twice as many kilowatt-hours as wastewater reuse. However, at Six Senses, the desalination systems run on solar, eliminating one of the biggest drawbacks to seawater conversion.

Most of the property now runs on solar, much of it provided by the stunning waterfront residences built in tandem with the hotel by private clients. Contracts to build new homes require the incorporation of solar panels so the energy created can be shared with the resort. A clever win-win. The hotel has further invested in 20 Tesla batteries and as a last resort, has 3 back-up generators that kick in if batteries go offline to charge. Compare this arrangement to another notable resort I visited which runs entirely on diesel. In one of the sunniest places on earth. And that's not uncommon, either unfortunately.

Luxury hotels are one of the biggest contributors of food waste and single-use plastics in the hospitality and food service sector (HaFS). In the supposedly noble quest for food safety and sterility, a decidedly anthropocentric perspective that's led to the problems we face today, modern hotel kitchens have become leaders in landfill-destined refuse.

For perspective, the cost of food waste is " inconceivable and irreversible" according to U.S. public awareness campaign initiative, Foodprint. "Wasting food wastes money, along with the water and energy it took to produce that food. Agriculture accounts for nine percent of greenhouse gas emissions in the US, and those climate impacting gases are even more senseless when the food is wasted" the site points out.

However, Six Senses Fiji, through elimination of plastic, glass reuse and recycling, and recycling of food scraps whether in cooking, animal feed, or garden compost, has trimmed its total waste shipped to landfills down to 1% of volume of materials used. Even more thrilling is the fact that the guest experience is in no way diminished. Six Senses Fiji had the most creative, delicious food of any resort I visited in the island-nation opting to serve local ingredients like mahi-mahi and crab with Fijian, Indian, Japanese, and Chinese flavors, instead of the tired Western men of burger and food-service fries found at most properties (though you can have an excellent version of that, too, if you want.) The restaurants also serve a broad range of options for diners, whether pescatarians, vegans, or health and wellness seekers on special diets, all with minimal waste while working to reduce carbon footprint.

According to Rasalato, the kitchens still import about 50% of the ingredients used, but his team have been ramping up output in the gardens since it's sustainable and far less expensive to grow their own food than send it over on a ship. They buy fish from the local fishermen and farmers, but also have plans to convert a pond for aquaculture farming of tilapia. A kiln for blowing glass and a processing plant allow them to produce and reuse their own bottles, which saves on both cost and carbon footprint of shipping glass in as a bottle or cup, or out as trash.

One of the pillars of sustainability, often forgotten in the quest for conserving natural resources, is human sustainability. This pillar aims to maintain and improve human capital in society which comes from investments in the health and education systems and access to services, nutrition, knowledge and skills. The hotel works with the local community on a number of initiatives, including marine conservation. Guests can learn more about the program during a weekly talk held in the lobby.

Other small but mighty measures taken at Six Senses Fiji include making their own mosquito spray from homegrown herbs like lemongrass and offering a cooking class for guests that demonstrates all the traditional ways locals cooked before the advent of fossil-fuel based materials, aka plastic.

I spent an afternoon with chef Kami Motu learning some of those traditional cooking techniques using, well, natural resources-what we might call found objects. Motu, armed with his machete, walked over to a banana tree and trimmed off a long leaf. His colleague climbed a nearby palm tree and hacked off two coconuts. In a Fijian home, these resources get used in a variety of ways: the coconut shell for bowls, the husk for smoking, and the meat for consumption. Smoked meat is squeezed into an aromatic milk for Kokoda, Fiji's version of ceviche enriched with coconut milk. To wrap fish, Motu ties down strips of banana leaves, not Saran wrap.

Watching Motu, a cooking class experience guests can book, drives home the sheer wastefulness of contemporary life. It's also heartening to know that Six Senses Fiji takes its commitment to the land and people seriously, going well beyond the straw-cancelling movement to make real strides towards a holistic system. I could write more about the organic spa, yoga and meditation classes, fermented drinks program, marine conservation partnerships, and the fantastic team of GEMs (Guest Experience Makers), but I'll leave some details left for you to discover. If you're looking to align your values with your tourism dollars, book a stay at Six Senses Fiji.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Six Senses Fiji Offers A Blueprint For A Sustainable Luxury Resort Vacation

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Led by Sustainability Director Sia Rasalato, Six Senses Fiji incorporates both micro- and macro-level strategies, from raising hens at "cluckingham place" for eggs, to replanting native habitat around the island and employing solar energy to desalinate sea water for drinking water.