Miscellaneous

🚢 From November 8–16, 2026, Four Seasons Yachts and longevity experts Lanserhof will host "The Lanserhof Reset" aboard *Four Seasons I* during its transatlantic crossing from the Mediterranean to the Caribbean. The 8-day wellness program includes personalized consultations, holistic treatments, and wellness experiences. The voyage launches after Four Seasons Yachts' debut in March 2026. The venture includes Marc-Henry Cruise Holdings Ltd., Four Seasons Yachts, and Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri. *Four Seasons II* will debut in 2027.

💰 Jerry Schurder, ex-business rates policy lead at Newmark UK, has been appointed by the Treasury to lead a review of business rates for pubs and hotels. Schurder's findings are due by March 2027, aiming for implementation in 2029. A consultation, starting today, seeks input from landlords, brewers, hoteliers, and business owners.

🏖 American travelers are embracing nature for Labor Day 2026, with rural areas accounting for 90% of searches. Domestic trips are up 13.5% from 2025, representing 65% of searches. The average stay is 8 days, covering 727 miles, at $111.91 per night per person. Top trending U.S. destinations include Bay Saint Louis, Red River Gorge, and Orcas Island. Overall, searches for Labor Day trips increased by 23% compared to last year, as travelers favor quieter, picturesque getaways.

🛩 Lufthansa Group and TPConnects, 10-year partners, have expanded their collaboration, focusing on NDC innovation. TPConnects achieved NDC 24.1 Hybrid certification, enhancing Lufthansa's distribution strategy. This upgrade offers improved disruption management and upsell features for agencies using the TPConnects Iris platform. The partnership, established in 2016, involves Lufthansa, SWISS, Austrian Airlines, and others. Heinrich Lange and Stephanos Kykkotis emphasize the strategic importance of this collaboration in transforming airline retailing.

🕯️ Dumæ, a Los Angeles-based design brand founded by Kym Gold and Sakshi Khurana, introduces the Kayla Lighter, a brass, handcrafted, refillable, and chic alternative to everyday igniters. This product is made in India with artisan partners, blending function and home decor. Dumæ's collection includes decorative pieces like lighting and serving vessels, rooted in aesthetics and functionality. The brand's name combines Malibu's Point Dume and a tribute to motherhood.

✈️ Lufthansa launched a captivating campaign featuring witty captions on in-flight merchandise. The campaign, highlighted in Episode 313 of "Shut Up And Brand," showcases the airline's creativity and understanding of consumer behavior. While the exact cost is unclear, it's suggested that a few hundred dollars were spent on shirts and photos for this impactful campaign. The initiative, well-received by the public, highlights the power of creative branding without the need for extravagant campaigns.

🚗 Monterey Car Week 2026 concluded on August 16 with the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in California, seeing $755.6 million in sales. A 1964 Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe fetched $42.905 million, and the first Ferrari Luce sold for $40 million, setting a record for new cars. Cadillac showcased its electric Escalade IQ, offering 1 million customization options. Lamborghini unveiled the Revuelto SV, capable of 345 km/h, and Audi debuted the Nuvolari, reaching 349 km/h. Best in Show was awarded to a 1935 Duesenberg SSJ Special Speedster.

🏠 April 12, 2026, Brickell Key: The 23-story Mandarin Oriental Miami was imploded at 8:30 AM. Four months later, momondo lists rooms from $415, while TripAdvisor mistakenly ranks it #23 of 154 Miami hotels, noting it as "temporarily closed." The site will remain unused until 2030. Despite demolition, some sites, like trivago, inaccurately describe amenities. The hotel's outdated web presence highlights flaws in how the industry manages hotel listings.

📹 Orlando, FL – August 20 – Travel Media Group (TMG) celebrates generating over 30,000 hours of video watch time and more than 500,000 engagements for hotel partners. This equates to 3.5 years of continuous video watching. TMG achieves this through strategic content creation and short-form videos, emphasizing social media as a vital hotel marketing tool. Nicole Osvath and Jason Lee highlight social media's role in traveler engagement and relationship-building before arrival.