Miscellaneous

✈ On Aug 15, 2024, booking flights directly with airlines could lead to higher costs due to a trend in personalization, ancillary fees, and complex seat selection. American Airlines acknowledges significant revenue from these fees, while Expedia spokesperson Melanie Fish suggests third-party services strive to simplify the process for customers.

📱 On Aug 15, 2024, Adobe revealed that 64% of Gen Z use TikTok for search, particularly for travel inspiration and planning. TikTok's #holiday tag amassed 3 billion views in the past month, with content ranging from itineraries to dining suggestions. The platform is gaining traction with all age groups, with 92% of UK Millennials and 83% of Gen X and Baby Boomers taking action after viewing content.

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🍞 Porto's Bakery & Café, established in 1976, is partnering with digital solutions expert Tillster to enhance online ordering. Serving over 2 million guests monthly across six Southern California locations, with a seventh to open in Downtown Disney, Anaheim, in 2025. Porto's was voted Best Bakery by the Los Angeles Times and offers nationwide shipping through Porto's Bake at Home. Tillster's technology aims to streamline operations and improve customer engagement for Porto's vast clientele.

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🏖️ On Aug 12, 2024, experts urged lawmakers and management companies to address tourism challenges by involving residents from the beginning. Simon Hudson of the University of South Carolina highlighted the dependence of tourist happiness on the satisfaction of residents and workers in tourism-centric areas. George Washington University's Cevat Tosun advocated for "de-marketing" to distribute tourism's impact more evenly. Strategies to recalibrate how destinations are promoted were recommended to target specific visitors. Read more at Travel Weekly.

📞 Highlighting eight living rooms where oversized sofas are the focal point, Dezeen's latest lookbook includes designs from Paris and São Paulo. Key settings feature a sculptural vintage sofa in a Haussmann-era Parisian apartment by Rodolphe Parente, and an olive-green, broad sickle-shaped sofa in São Paulo's DN Apartment by BC Arquitetos. Other notable mentions are Hotel Valley Ho in Scottsdale, Arizona, with colourful U-shaped sofas, and the Gale Apartment in São Paulo, showcasing a super-long sofa. The lookbook series offers visual inspiration from Dezeen's archives, with past editions showcasing paper lamps, sculptural furniture, and 1970s decor.

🍷 Alex Price, fascinated with wine since joining an after-school 'Corkscrew Society', curates a unique wine list inspired by European vegetation zones for Plates. His list includes selections from the deciduous forests, Alpine shrubs, Mediterranean scrubland, with plans to expand to Scandinavian wines and a fine wine selection. Price admires Honey Spencer, enjoys Thymiopoulos Blanc des Côteaux Cuvée Amphore, and recommends Roc D'Anglade Rosé for best value. He recently participated in Caia Confluence, a series at Notting Hill restaurant Caia, featuring different sommeliers.

🍕 Tortilla updates its loyalty program with a new app, integrating collection of stamps and unlocking rewards. Existing members earn a free burrito after five stamps, with free guacamole after two. Rewards, now valid for 90 days, are redeemable at company-owned stores. The Burrito Society offers surprise perks and users can gain stamps through a referral feature. Over 80 Tortilla UK locations offer free chips and salsa upon app signup until August 14.

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