The Negro Motorist Green Book was first published in 1936 as a guide for Black people traveling through hostile, racist towns in the Jim Crow South. The legacy of the publication helped hundreds of Black travelers to safely explore the country and encourage other generations of explorers. One Black woman wants to preserve its legacy with a new travel guide to open travelers to the African diaspora around the globe.

Martinique Lewis is a travel consultant and owner of the ABC Travel Green Book series, a new collection of travel guide books highlighting Black-owned tours, restaurants, and places of interest-based on the local Black population. Lewis was inspired by her own travel experiences meeting Black people from other countries.

“After traveling the world and being blown away by the people who look like me in places I’d never think Black people were, I knew I had to somehow create a resource that helped others have these experiences,” says Lewis in an email interview with BLACK ENTERPRISE.

“Not only did I want to connect the African diaspora globally, I wanted to celebrate Black businesses around the world to help keep the Black dollar circulating.  There is not one resource that compacts all this information and no search engine or travel site can tell you where in Israel you can get your hair braided. But we seek that info and now it’s available through the book!”

“In addition to running her own business, Lewis also works to advocate for diversity within the travel sector ranging from her Diversity Report Card to her work on the board of the Black Travel Alliance, an organization seeking to amplify Black narratives within the industry. She also works closely with the Nomadness Travel Tribe, a collective of Black travelers spanning over 20,000 members around the world.

Lewis hopes for the new series to inspire the next generation of Black travelers. “I want people to realize that the African Diaspora is everywhere, and there is a vast opportunity to amplify black voices, stories and businesses with the ABC Travel Greenbook,” she added. “I want the travel industry to not just talk about it, but be about it.”

They no longer can say they didn’t know the Black restaurants or Black history tour in Amsterdam to put in their travel publications or to add to their itineraries because the ABC Travel Greenbook tells you where they are,” Lewis says. “I also want people to realize Black people didn’t only get to destinations through the slave trade. We were explorers too, and sailed the seas just like everyone else. I want people to treat this book like one of the most powerful resources in the world, because it is.”

Travel and tourism sector key to APAC’s economic recovery: WTTC

The travel and tourism industry will play a pivotal role in Asia-Pacific’s economic recovery, once the Covid-19 pandemic resolves, according to a new report by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC).

In its latest annual Economic Impact Report (EIR), WTTC shared that in 2019, travel and tourism generated US$2,971 billion towards GDP, or 9.8 per cent of the region’s economy, representing a 5.5 per cent growth from the previous year. This figure puts it ahead of the overall regional economy for the fifth consecutive year, which grew by 4.2 per cent.

International visitor spend totalled a staggering US$548 billion, representing 6.6 per cent of the region’s total exports.

This surge in tourism receipts was driven by the continued growth in middle income households, visa facilitation, improved connectivity and government prioritisation of the sector.

In addition, WTTC’s study also showed that over the last five years, the travel and tourism sector created more than 21 million new jobs in the region, accounting for 56 per cent of all new jobs globally.

As well, leisure travel makes up the majority of total travel and tourism spend (81 per cent), with only 19 per cent being attributed to business travel. When considering domestic and international spend, the numbers skewed similarly, with domestic visitor spend comprising 74 per cent of the total, and international making up 26 per cent.

China led the region in 2019 in terms of GDP and employment size, with strong performances in other major Asian markets such as Vietnam, Malaysia and the Philippines.

The travel and tourism industry supports more jobs in China than in any other country in the region, accounting for nearly 80 million jobs, or 10.3 per cent of total employment. Last year, the travel and tourism economy in the country grew by 9.3 per cent and is the second largest in the world, making up 11.3 per cent of China’s overall economy.

Malaysia and Vietnam also witnessed significant growth, up 6.6 per cent and 7.7 per cent respectively, with both displaying an even split between domestic visitor spending (49 per cent) and spend from international (51 per cent). The majority of the travel and tourism spending in both countries overwhelmingly came from leisure travel, with Malaysia attributing 86 per cent of visitor spend to leisure, and Vietnam attributing 90 per cent.

The Philippines also saw significant growth by 8.6 per cent once again, making up 25.3 per cent of the total economy in the country and supporting 24.1 per cent of total employment, the equivalent of more than 10 million jobs. Leisure spending made up 66 per cent of total visitor spending, and 85 per cent was made up of domestic visitors.

Gloria Guevara, WTTC president & CEO, said: “WTTC’s 2019 EIR shows how intrinsic travel and tourism was last year to the economy in Asia-Pacific, making it the fastest growing region in the world in terms of its contribution to GDP, supporting more than 182 million jobs or 9.6 per cent of the total number of people employed.

“Our report underscores how vital travel and tourism will be in powering the recovery of the region’s economy, generating new jobs and driving visitors back to Asia-Pacific, having a positive economic domino effect on suppliers large and small throughout the industry.

“Until then, it is crucial that all governments throughout the region help to protect travel and tourism as the backbone of the regional and global economy, which is currently in a fight for survival. Our research shows that up to 75 million jobs globally are at immediate risk, with more than 48 million at risk across the Asia-Pacific region alone, highlighting how critically the sector requires support.”

On a global level, the travel and tourism sector outperformed the 2.5 per cent rate of global GDP growth for the ninth consecutive year in a row, thanks to an annual GDP growth rate of 3.5 per cent. This made it the global economy’s third highest sector in terms of GDP growth.

The EIR shows the sector supporting one in 10, or 330 million, jobs; making a 10.3 per cent contribution to global GDP and generating one in four of all new jobs.

A breakdown by WTTC shows Asia-Pacific to be the top performing region worldwide, with a growth rate of 5.5 per cent, followed very closely by the Middle East at 5.3 per cent. The US and EU both demonstrated a steady growth rate of 2.3 per cent, while the fastest growing country was Saudi Arabia, growing four times than the global average.

Purushwadi, a village full of fireflies in Maharashtra

People travel in search of adventure, places, culture, religion, cuisine and so much more; and then, you have Purushwadi. A place that attracts those in search of some good, old-world charm, for it has swarms of fireflies coming in. Yes, you read that right; this tiny village in Maharashtra, at a drive of some four hours from Mumbai, is the stuff that all good dreams are made of. So much so that Purushwadi also plays host to a Fireflies Festival every year, right when the monsoons are about to hit India.

If you have a taste for surreal, Purushwadi is an ideal getaway from both Pune and Mumbai. A sliver of a place, it attracts fireflies to its lush green areas; especially before the monsoons when the mating season for the species in on then. The fact makes May-June the best time to visit Purushwadi, especially if the place has seen a light rain shower or two, and if you do not mind getting drenched in sudden bursts of rains. Do remember that a heavier rain burst ends up in killing the species and you might miss on the extravaganza; so yes, go before the actual Maharashtra monsoons hit.

Expect a stunning show, like nothing that you would have ever seen, for there are more than 2000 species of fireflies that put on their mating lights in May-June! Get ready to trot around the village lanes, and see them come alive with warm lights from thousands of fireflies, as the night gets darker.

While there, you can binge on some really delectable Marathi cuisine. And believe us, there is nothing fresher and more delicious than a fresh serving of puran poli, or a plate of piping hot pav-bhaji. Purushwadi has a few camps that are open to tourists, and while the village has no luxury resorts yet, a night or two in one of the camps or homestays will be an experience to remember.

Ranveer Singh and Manushi Chhillar come together to promote e-commerce fashion brand, Club Factory

Publicis Beehive, the full-service ad agency from Publicis Worldwide has won the creative mandate of popular Chinese e-commerce fashion brand, Club Factory. As its creative partner, Publicis Beehive will play an integral role in launching the brand in India. To further the cause of the brand in India, Club Factory recently announced Bollywood’s leading star and youth icon Ranveer Singh and Miss World Manushi Chhillar as brand ambassadors. The two together star in a high decibel brand campaign that has been executed and conceptualised by Publicis Beehive. The film portrays the broad range of products available on the platform and how users can own these trendy & factory priced brands at just the click of a button.

Watch the spot:

A popular online shopping brand across the world, Club Factory has a strong presence in South Asia, Europe, the United States, the Middle East and other regions. What makes Club Factory unique is that it allows users to shop through millions of products that are trendy and fashionable and available at unbeaten prices.

Commenting on the partnership and the launch of the brand in India, Aviva Wu, Marketing Director, Club Factory said: “Club Factory has managed to carve a unique niche in the hearts of the consumers across various markets that we operate in. India is no exception with consumers, especially the youth, having taken a liking to the brand in a very short span of time. We have ambitious plans for the market and are glad Publicis Beehive is our creative partner.”

On winning the mandate, Paritosh Srivastava, COO – Publicis Beehive said: “The Indian online retail market is at an interesting juncture right now with a plethora of brands vying for some share of the customer’s attention and also his wallet. Though a late entrant, Club Factory is already a well-known brand and our task was to make it a popular & regular online partner of its patrons and keep them coming back for more. With the inaugural launch communication already out, we are confident of achieving that.”

Sharing her views on the film, Shyamashree D’Mello, ECD & Head of Creative Services, Publicis Beehive said: “It was great fun working on the Club Factory launch campaign, as it challenges the notion of fashion being the fiefdom of expensive brands. The bonus was getting the energy of Ranveer Singh and the elegance of Manushi Chillar, paired together for the first time ever, to do that. The light-hearted reverse snobbery they bring to the fore, really hits home as it’s all about being trendy and original in style choices, but paying a fair price for it. Fashion pundits be damned!”

The film has been launched on various digital platforms and has been receiving some rave reviews from the viewers. It has already surpassed 24million views on Youtube since it went live a few days ago. The campaign has also been launched across various platforms including television, digital, outdoor, print etc.

Campaign credits:

Client: Club Factory
Client Team: Aviva Wu
Agency: Publicis Beehive
MD & CCO: Bobby Pawar
MD: Srija Chatterjee
COO: Paritosh Srivastava
Creative Team: Shyamashree D’Mello, Avinash Parab, Savita Nair, Nikhil Warrier, Harish Iyengar, Shreyas Shetty
Account Management: Smita Das, Khushbu Hisaria
Account Planning: Binita Tripathy
Production House: Prodigious
Production Team: Vandana Watsa, Anup Das, Andalib Patel, Sajid Shaikh
Director: Karan Kapadia

Resource: https://brandequity.economictimes.indiatimes.com/

Ten Tips for Shooting a Travel Video

Shooting travel videos may seem easy, however, achieving good footage on the move requires combination of proper planning, technique, and a good story.

Whether you’re planning to shoot travel photos or videos on your next trip, there will always be some obstacles that will ruin your images. Especially, when visiting popular tourist attractions, your images will be photobombed by tourists most likely. But, tourists are not the only problem you might face. You may just need to pay a bit more attention to details, technique, and your schedule to overcome any possible problems.

Parker Walbeck is a full-time filmmaker and on this 17-minute video, he shares his top 10 tips on travel videography. He underlines the significance of scheduling the shoot day, and how he manages his time to get more from daylight. This leads to other topics such as content, composition, subject, and how to use them effectively in a travel video. The video continues with other helpful tricks including gear, lens choice, camera settings, and post-processing, and Walbeck explains these tips with samples on this video.

Do you have any tips for shooting travel photos and videos? Please share your thoughts in the comments section down below.

The Appeal of Adventure is Growing for Chinese Tourists

The outbound Chinese market is maturing and increasingly looking to adventure as the means to more deeply experience the world and its many cultural and natural wonders. A May 2018 poll from J. Walter Thompson Intelligence found that 30 percent of Chinese travelers had already taken a trip focused on thrill-seeking or adrenaline-pumping activities, while 45 percent are interested in planning one.

The poll was based on 1,500 consumers from 16 Chinese cities who had traveled outside China in the past 18 months and reported in “China Outbound: The New Face of Chinese Global Travel.”

With Chinese tourists’ overseas spend expected to grow from $115 billion in 2017 to $429 billion by 2021, according to CLSA, adventure operators can expect a jump in Chinese customers.

“Chinese high-end travelers are becoming increasingly mature and sophisticated in their travel preferences. They’re no longer interested in traveling in big groups which lacks a sense of privacy, flexibility, and uniqueness and are now looking for exceptional experiences and completely customized itineraries,” explains Jonathan Cheung, CEO of Abercrombie & Kent China whose headquarters are in Beijing.

“They do not want to travel the traditional way by visiting crowded tourist sites but are looking for a holiday where they can experience new cultures with unique experiences.”

After years of providing travel services to Chinese expatriates living abroad, Abercrombie & Kent recently set up a private travel office in Beijing to serve the growing clientele interested in luxury adventure trips.

While African safaris and polar expeditions are both high on Chinese adventurers’ wish lists, catering these experiences to the Chinese market is particularly challenging.

It not only requires Mandarin-speaking guides, but the product must be completely customized to reflect Chinese interests and menus, explains the A&K team.

For example, Geoffrey Kent took 11 Chinese billionaires on their first safari to Kenya and found that rather than teaching a local guide to speak Mandarin, it was more successful to teach a Mandarin speaker to be a safari guide.

These challenges haven’t stopped visitor growth to some of the world’s most remote destinations.

Last year China overtook Australia as the second largest source of travelers to Antarctica, accounting for 12 percent of approximately 46,000 visitors, according to the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators.

Chinese nationals are also the largest group of visitors to Russia’s Arctic region, according to government figures. Moreover, Finland’s Lapland region last year recorded a record 92 percent rise in overnight stays by Chinese visitors.

“While they want adventure and exploration, they expect to travel in comfort and style,” explains Cheung.

WeChat has also become an important element of the high-end travel experience for Chinese guests and being used to settle payments, communicate with guests and for marketing.

Even Chinese travelers not interested in such extremes are seeking to explore more traditional destinations in Asia, Europe, and the United States in a new way whether that be through the lens of art, wine, fashion, or sports.

Not all Chinese adventure tourists are looking beyond the selfie just yet, according to Dan Austin, owner of Austin Adventures, an award-winning tour operator primarily focused on national parks.

“Our understanding and impression so far is that the average Chinese visitor to the US may want to ‘see’ the iconic sights like say Old Faithful,  but they are looking for a quick selfie and not deep immersion being on a site-packed travel itinerary,” explains Austin.

In his experience, Yellowstone National Park is an exceptionally desired location. However, the Grand Canyon, Yosemite National Park, and Zion are also growing quickly.

Austin has found the best way to reach the market is with and through an “in country” Chinese travel partner

“We see opportunities in the custom-designed, exclusive trip area where we can build an itinerary to suit specific desires, goals, and budgets. The high-end, affluent Chinese client is becoming our target audience and custom, private trips are the product we feel we can sell,” he says.

As a leader in national park vacations, Austin has organized a handful of “custom” Chinese requests and expects that number to continue growing.

As often occurs, the luxury market is leading the evolution of Chinese adventure tourism with deeper, more immersive and exotic experiences. Adapting this model for a variety of price points will be key in capturing the growing outbound market looking to move beyond the museums and shops of major cities and into nature.

Experiencing Ooty Through Its Lakes

The charming hill station of Ooty is an escape plan during the harrowing summer months. And the places to visit in Ooty include some very irresistible natural vistas, misty landscapes, and lakes that present a strong case for languid living. Wouldn’t it be just perfect to sit back and relax by one of these lakes in Ooty, where you don’t have to do much, perhaps drink homemade Sangria, and feel the breeze on your face?

Most of the places to visit in Ooty are full of romance, as it is with most hill towns in India, but the place has a characteristic charm that is undeniable. Of course, much of this has to do with the alluring Nilgiri Hills. When in Ooty, do visit these lakes and experience wonder like never before.

Avalanche Lake 

Located about 28 km away from Ooty, this picturesque lake is just perfect for a day out. Pack a lunch, get in the car, and drive to Avalanche Lake, and do stop for the waterfalls on the way. Also, the journey will take you through forests, so it is going to be a memorable journey. Surrounded by rhododendrons, magnolia, and more, Avalanche Lake is for the ardent romantics.

Emerald Lake 

Yet another beautiful lake that is perfect as a picnic spot, Emerald Lake is located almost 25 km from Ooty. Yet another great place to enjoy a day out, and probably a picnic, Emerald Lake is known for exotic birds that are found here, and as well as scenic sunrise and sunsets. You could also visit one of the tea plantations that are located in and around the place.

Upper Bhavani Lake 

Definitely a place to visit for all, the lake is located in the hilly region of Upper Bhavani, and is all about peacefulness. Herein, the Bhavani River flows before it enters the plains, and it is a pleasant place where you can spend some quality time. Here too, you will get the chance to experience riding on a boat, and horse riding at the same time. It is quite a charming place for those who take interest in photography.

Ooty Lake 

A major attraction here in Ooty, you can expect quite a few tourists here at the lake, mostly enjoying boat rides. The lake was constructed way back in 1824, and has been a major part of tourism in Ooty. You can enjoy the boat race that takes place here during the summer. The lake includes some exciting features such as a mini train, an amusement park, and a canteen.