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Travel Madagascar’s Best Locations With Satguru Travel
Traveling to the most beautiful places in Africa is a dream and most people are accomplishing it with the help of Satguru Travel. Madagascar is one of the best countries in Africa which one should definitely visit. When it comes to Africa, the first thought we get is wildlife, forests and nature. Here you will get to see everything that you have imagined. Madagascar has some of the best beaches in Africa, amazing wildlife and biodiversity that will amaze you.
If you’re looking for an amazing trip to Madagascar, Satguru Travel is there to help you. Satguru Travel is an award-winning travel management company that has been a great partner for many tourists' journeys. Satguru Travel is a one-stop travel solution that provides the best packages for your stay and travel. Madagascar is the best destination to plan holidays.
Get your plan set and contact us for more information.
Read More - http://satgurutravel.com/madagascar/2022/09/22/top-beaches-for-tourists-in-madagascar/
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Types and Top features of the Yacht CHARTER YACHT
When searching for a different spin on the family reunion or the perfect way to entertain co-workers on the business outing, yacht charters are a terrific way to plan a distinctive getaway. As they take action of hiring a yacht is often reserved for personal rendezvous' and family activities, there are many advantages to planning for a corporate and business event through this calming method, such as creating strong ties with clients or conditioning employer-employee relationships.
Yacht chartering involves the booking or chartering of the engine yacht or sailboat to travel about the seaside or other island locations. Over the full years, the act is becoming an extremely popular approach to viewing the world while enjoying a good journey pass on across calming drinking water.
Two Different varieties of Charter
When chartering a yacht, you need to know there are two main types to consider - bare vessel and crew. Having a bare motorboat charter, a person or group rents a vessel and then manuals the trip on his / her own accord. For the less experienced, numerous bare fishing boat companies supply the teaching of basic seaman skills that helps interested parties.
A crewed charter involves a yacht that already includes a team. Depending on your preferences, this kind of charter might provide the help of a duo (like a husband-wife team) that acts as captain or may make use of the help of the several different team members, like a chef, engineer, deckhands, and perhaps a good scuba dive expert.
Yacht Charter Factors
Once you've decided on the goal of your yacht charter, many different facets will affect how you approach planning for a trip. For some, there are restrictions on how much cash will be spent or how big is yacht needed. Smaller excursions work very well with a motorboat calculating 35 to 40 ft, while larger celebrations need vessels around 300 feet. This and pedigree of the vessel is important as well. Usually, a more youthful boat offers a more powerful sense of security.
Also, if you haven't decided yet, the main part of planning for a yacht charter is where you should go. The destination will also play a substantial role in regards to what types of yacht charters will be accessible to support your trip goals. Some individuals will spend up to $25,000 per person for weekly on an extravagance yacht charter, while some keep their budget below $1000.
How exactly to Secure a Yacht Charter
Most people seeking to plan a holiday or outing by chartering a yacht will often have a particular destination already planted in their minds. Some individuals could also foundation their trip on price or option of charters, meaning they may be limited to a few of the locations they can visit. The world is filled up with a lot of international opportunities to explore, like the warmth of Mexico to the biting temps of Antarctica.
Western travel is also very popular, like Belgium, Poland, Finland, and France all offer yacht charter services. Islands, such as Barbados and Fiji pleasant travelers with open up hands, while old standbys, such as Canada provide interesting voyages as well... Additional locations to consider include Madagascar, Argentina, Australia, Slovenia, and the Dominican Republic.
Finding suitable yacht charter companies are very easy. Even though many people rely on travel companies to point them in the right path, you will find loads of options designing the web with ample information on a few of the most popular yacht charters.
Suppose you are thinking about yacht charters offered in the Guadaloupe area. Completing a particular seek out the destination or looking at a data source situated on the yacht charter-related website should reveal that we now have some different companies spread about the archipelago. Presently, most yacht charters can be found in St. Martin with an increase of ten options.
For example, the North Child Swan Yacht Charter promotes corporate and business occasions, cruising and racing charters throughout the UK during the summer months and about the Caribbean when the wintertime months arrive. This specific selection features the help of two professional staff users, a skipper, and a captain. Luxury vessels are also popular because they are known to support wedding receptions or take honeymooning lovers off into the sunset. In St. Martin, Sunreef Yachts provides these types of custom-made beauties.
To see the pleasure of chartering a yacht, preparing in advance of your time also really helps to secure the best offers and be sure you have sufficient time for you to make proper travel plans if enjoying a global adventure. Additionally, it is wise to keep the vision out for changing weather reviews - you want to be sure you don't charter a yacht throughout a time where possible storms, hurricanes, and such will hit.
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Travel Leaders Network embarks upon major international expansion
Travel Leaders Network, North America’s largest travel agency organization, in partnership with sister company Travel Leaders Corporate, has embarked upon a large-scale international expansion program to expand opportunities and provide enhanced service to corporate customers. To date, 40 major travel agencies from Europe, Latin America, the Middle East and Asia have become new members of Travel Leaders Network. Many more agencies are expected to join over the coming months.
“We are creating a network of agencies that will serve as connective tissue enabling us to respond to larger opportunities both regionally and internationally,” said Roger E. Block, CTC, President of Travel Leaders Network. “These agencies, now backed by the scale, technology and tools available through Travel Leaders, are positioned to provide an even more customized, personalized and superior level of service to existing and new clients within their respective geographies.”
New members, some of which are among the largest corporate travel agencies in their countries, join several existing international members of Travel Leaders Network. Combined, the network now has agency representation in nearly 50 countries. Additionally, Travel Leaders Group agencies across the U.S., Canada, the UK and Mexico, inclusive of CTS (Corporate Travel Services), will play a significant role in the international expansion.
“Our plan is to sign one exclusive Travel Leaders representative in key countries around the globe. We are engaging partners who can offer a full portfolio of corporate, leisure and events services and are recognized in their country and by their peers as service-oriented, successful agencies,” said Block.
The newly-joined international members will have access to Travel Leaders’ comprehensive suite of resources. Those include online booking tools, a wide variety of marketing programs, the company’s extensive hotel program, including its highly curated SELECT Hotels & Resorts Program, international destination company (DMC) network and access to a vast array of education and training resources. Additionally, members will be able to support both international accounts and local customers through Travel Leaders’ end-to-end technology suite that provides profile management, online trip authorization, data consolidation and analytics, meetings technology and customer reporting tools. International partners will also have access to some of the marquee leisure programs offered by Travel Leaders Network.
“This expansion program is transforming both Travel Leaders Network and Travel Leaders Corporate into more robust international players with stronger abilities and reach enabling true multi-national account management based upon a highly personalized service model on an international scale,” said Gabe Rizzi, President of Travel Leaders Corporate. “Clients will be serviced by local agencies who are leaders in their markets providing premium corporate travel services supported by a vast array of technology. These innovative agencies are now backed by one of the largest travel agency networks in the world. We’re not a call center operation and neither are they. That’s our sweet spot and our competitive difference.”
Member support will be provided on a regional basis with key positions located in each region, including Latin America; Europe, the Middle East and Africa; and Asia Pacific. “We have hired regional sales professionals in the areas of sales, operations, technology and account management to create a more localized support structure to best serve the needs of our international members,” Rizzi added.
Angeles Yugdar, Senior Vice President of International Markets for Travel Leaders Group, is leading the expansion efforts and overseeing the new regional team members. Kevin Brown, Vice President of International Sales for Travel Leaders Corporate, is also serving in a key role. New regional team members include: •Carina Fernandez Grenno, Regional Partner Management Director, Latin America •Susan Lancaster, Regional Partner Management Director, Europe, Middle East and Africa •Pat Siow, Regional Partner Management Director, Asia Pacific
New international agency members include:
Armenia
Global Travel Club LLC
Brazil
Travel Leaders Brazil
Bulgaria
Jamadvice
Burma
Supported by Vietnam
Cambodia
Supported by Vietnam
China
Travelux Limited
Colombia
Trafalgar Tours SAS
Costa Rica
Rutas Aereas S.A.
Croatia
Supported by Serbia
Egypt
Travel Leaders Egypt
France
Marietton Development SAS (Havas Voyages / Ailleurs Business)
Greece
Kyvernitis Travel
Guatemala
Grupo Travel
Hong Kong
Travel Leaders Hong Kong
Indonesia
Travel Leaders Indonesia
Israel
Lachish Tours
Japan
Toppan Travel Service Corp.
Jordan
Dakkak Travel Agency (DTA)
Kuwait
KAPICO Travels and Tourism Co. WLL
Laos
Supported by Vietnam
Latvia
TAS Baltics Ltd.
Lithuania
JSC Vestekspress
Luxembourg
Select Travel S.A.
Madagascar
Arcadia Travel
Malaysia
Travel Biz & Tours
Mauritius
Arcadia Travel
Montenegro
Supported by Serbia
Netherlands
Business + Travel Group
Panama
International Meetings and Conventions Panama Inc.
Paraguay
Compania de Desarrollo Turistico SRL – Comdetur
Peru
Promotora De Viajes Nuevo Mundo
Romania
Aerotravel
Russia
IBC Corporate Travel International Business Centre Ltd.
Serbia
Travel Leaders Serbia
Switzerland
STC Travel Swiss SARL (Havas Voyages)
Thailand
Travel Leaders Thailand
Ukraine
Sky Travel Holdings Limited (Ukraine)
Uruguay
Travel Leaders Uruguay
Venezuela
Molina Agencia De Viajes C.A.
Vietnam
HG Group
The above agencies join Travel Leaders Network’s existing international members which include:
Bahrain
Cozmo Travel
India
Greaves Travel Pvt Ltd and Orchid Voyages Pvt Ltd
Ireland
Travel Management International
Qatar
Cozmo Travel
Saudi Arabia
Cozmo Travel
United Arab Emirates
Cozmo Travel
Travel News | eTurboNews
Original Article
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Legendary Surf, Lifestyle and Adventure Photographer Ted Grambeau
Interview with Ted Grambeau @tedgrambeau
Firstly, can you start with a little bit about yourself and your photography career.
I grew up in Victoria in the Gippsland region in Wonthaggi and Foster.
My interest in photography evolved through shooting surf photography and expanded from there.
I studied photography at RMIT, in Melbourne, working briefly as an assistant at Brian Brandt studios in South Yarra. That was a leading Advertising, Commercial and Fashion photographic studio in the day in Melbourne. Brian was a living legend in the industry during this time.
I travelled and worked in New York as an assistant to Burt Glinn, chairman of Magnum at the time. Burt was shooting corporate work. Magnum is considered the most prestigious photo agency with a collection of the world’s greatest photojournalist/artists. It still is today.
I returned to a nomadic lifestyle for some 30 years shooting surf for Surfer magazine and Surfing Life in Australia. I have developed a range of clients in the surf industry Rip Curl, Quiksilver and Billabong. In addition to Red Bull, Apple, Speedo and Patagonia. I also shot swimwear issues for several years.
I specialised in big projects such as Rip Curl’s Search, Quiksilver's Crossing, and Billabong Odyssey.
I also rode a motorbike from LA to Patagonia for BMW and Rip Curl on the Search, eight months and 35,000 km.
I’ve published several books, including ‘Ted Grambeau - Masters of Surf Photography’ by The Surfers Journal, ‘The Surfer and the Mermaid’ with Tim Baker, and ‘Adventures in Light’ with Rip Curl and Tim Baker.
In addition, I have pursued personal fine-art projects, in particular, ‘Sealevel’ a fine-art abstract documentation of the ocean.
This series was unique, and I have developed that for about 8 or 9 years now with numerous exhibitions.
Now I share some of this knowledge through photography workshops.
What equipment do you use to create your images and why did you select it?
I have had the good fortune of working with and owning a diverse range of camera equipment.
From 8x10, 4x5 film cameras, medium format, Hasselblad, Leica, Fuji, Mamaiya, Linhoff, 35mm systems Nikon, Canon and Olympus.
I currently use Nikon cameras and lenses and occasionally other medium format equipment.
I want to be clear that no camera or brand makes will make you a better photographer; it may make the photos you take better! By this, I mean the camera does not make you get out of bed earlier to search for the perfect light or create unusual compositions. It will not create great anticipation or connection with your subject.
Your camera is a tool; you must feel comfortable and confident in what you can achieve. This knowledge will provide you with the opportunity to create images with a minimal effort, in a reliable manner and importantly support that reliability with back up service. It would be a system that extends those opportunities through lens and accessory choices. All this at a suitable resolution that you require for your end-users within your budget.
Currently, the range of high-quality options available for all the above criteria is endless.
If your destination is exhibitions, your requirements may be different from someone whose use is mainly shooting for the web. Determining your requirements for the end usage is essential.
Shooting mega resolution pixels for the web is overkill and expensive.
If you are a high-end advertising photographer shooting with a $60,000 equipment may be justified.
It's a very personal decision, and there is no one best camera, of course, the budget will usually be the determining factor.
I love fast prime lenses, and I like to be able to choose the best camera for the assignment at hand. The medium format experience is higher quality sometimes at the expense of the slightly deliberate (slower) process.
If you have got a 150-megapixel camera and end-use is Instagram you may have spent too much and slowed your workflow down dramatically.
Can you tell me about your book ‘Adventures in Light’?
My book "Adventures in Light" ( my companies’ name ), literally describes my life.
I wanted to create a book that represented all aspects of my photo journey. Quite often, when you do a book, you need a definitive theme. Which, immediately rules out a lot of your favourite images.
My theme is more about my photo journey, much of which was a collaboration with Rip Curl. As the philosophy of The Search closely mirrored my own philosophy, maybe I was looking for light as much as waves.
But my theme was broad enough to sustain images that stand alone. An underwater portrait could sit alongside a wave shot, so turning each page is like a surprise. It is intersected by several little feature trips on extreme travel and surf adventure.
In essence, it is a photo-based book with words by Tim Baker and designed by Alastair Mitchell of "The Potting Shed" in the UK, it is in effect about my photographic journey.
I self-published, a daunting task as creating the images is only about 25% of the work required when creating a book. There is a large financial commitment. Selling the book is the biggest ongoing challenge.
I continue to sell exclusively through my website as well as some Rip Curl stores.
I have been fortunate with the number of industry connections that have assisted me. My partner Selina has been that key to making the book successful. Her knowledge of social media and design have been invaluable.
Which photographers have inspired your journey and why?
Photographers that consistently produce high-quality work, I draw my inspirations form a diverse range of genres.
The great photojournalist's who turn truth into art, my boss Burt Glinn was indeed one of these. Henri Cartier Bresson, I believe, was the greatest photographer ever. Sebastian Selgardo. Frank Hurley, an Australia photographer who was unbelievable, James Nachtwey.
Fashion legends Richard Avedon, Peter Lindenberg, Albert Watson, Mario Testino, Gilles Bensimon.
Landscape inspirations Ansel Adams, and Murray Fredricks.
Sports, Walter Boos, and Art Brewer.
This is the tip of the iceberg, but these are the calibre of people I will spend $150 on their book. They produce consistently high quality work. But most importantly, they have developed their look by contributing to the creative process.
How has social media changed the photography world today?
Today Instagram is a constant and immediate source of amazing imagery, much of which the photographers have not gone on their own creative journey but that have seen a look online and gone out and copied that technique.
It becomes quite evident when you look at someone's body of work, whether they have evolved with their own style with a constant evolution of development.
To be considered valid as a good photographer, we must contribute to the creative process.
All the inspiration we feed off should be a starting point, not an endpoint. If it's the endpoint, then you haven't gone anywhere, other than showing you have mastered a technique.
This is a long journey; it is a lifetime journey.
It is a significant point that our inspirations should only be a starting point.
How has surf photography evolved over the years, what do you see in the future for the industry?
Surf photography has had several major disruptions in the last decade.
One was digital; images became unlimited in quantity. Good and bad.
But the instant verification cut out the learning curve. People could get a result without knowing technically about what they are doing.
Previously shooting film, whether that be for surf, wedding, fashion or commercial was daunting. Someone invested thousands of dollars for you to go on assignment. Sometimes I would be away for two weeks on a commercial assignment and bring back 200 rolls of film. You didn't know if you had a single image until they were processed. When shooting slides the margin for error was about ⅓ of a stop for reproduction in a magazine. You had to know what you were doing. Exposure was not a guessing game.
Your workflow had to be impeccable. There was a lot of pressure to get it right; you had to choose what ISO you were going to shoot before you left the country: 50 ISO, 100 ISO or 400 ISO.
You had to meter highlights, shadows, mid-tones, know the nuances of the film, know the lab where you were getting them processed, what colour bias they might have. It was very specialised.
Now you look in the back of the camera you can get a result or change exposure.
Professional photographers solve other people’s photographic problems, so it's essential to know what you are doing. No amount of "likes" makes you solve those problems.
It's raised the bar for sure, and there are a lot more great images as a result, but as I said maybe some people have taken a short cut and do not understand how they achieved that result, so it's less likely they can re-create that result again.
What have been some of your favourite photography trips?
Generally, the most challenging trips stand out for me like the Bike trip through Mexico, Central and South America, looking for the northernmost surfer in the world. Boat trips with Martin Daley and Sonny Miller on the Search, Mozambique, Madagascar, Russia with Tom Curren, Iceland, Norway, Tahiti for perfect surf (hopefully my next trip will be my best!).
In your opinion what makes an image exceptional?
The ability of an image to affect us emotionally, it has to be able to connect with us.
For whatever reason, it has to communicate with us, it might be the subject, the composition, the technique, the tone, the colour, the texture.
It has to be such that it is no longer just an arrangement of pixels but something that impacts us profoundly.
This is essential for all great pieces of art.
It might be historic, horrific, beautiful, but it must have the power to move us.
Images that stand out for example:
The napalm girl from Vietnam or the man in front of the tank in Tiananmen Square.
The tonal master of Ansel Adams and so it goes on.
Cartier Breton was a genius at defining moments, of real life.
It's an excellent exercise when we see an exceptional image to ask ourselves that very question. What makes this image great...
What is the most challenging aspect of being a photographer today?
The most challenging aspect of photography today is standing out in a saturated sea of images.
With clients erring toward-influencers it becomes a popularity poll and less about crafted image-making.
Magazines have died a natural death; other opportunities have flourished; everyone can be an expert. Saturation dominates subtlety.
There are more great photographers than ever before, but it gets somewhat smothered in the sheer volume of visual stimulus.
Do you have any projects planned?
Yes! Always.
Do you have an advice for aspiring photographers, especially in such a saturated market?
For aspiring photographers, it is the most exciting, challenging time.
There is more competition than ever before.
My advice: learn your craft thoroughly, follow your passion relentlessly and enjoy the journey.
Finally, you offer incredible Ocean, Lifestyle and Surf Photography workshops, what can people expect from this experience?
Next year’s Surf, Ocean and Lifestyle Experience in Bali will be pretty exciting. Darren Jew, one of the most gifted ocean photographers on the planet will be joining us as well as Jasmine Carey, who is full of talent and technical knowledge.
This course aims to have practical and relevant exercises. Whilst it has aspects of surf action, it is more about learning and understanding skill sets that can be applied to all aspects of your photography.
Understanding light, colour, working with water housings in the ocean and pools, applying solutions to portraits, swimwear, fashion as well as action and street photography.
Helping you solve photographic problems as you evolve as a photographer.
Creating more professional workflow solutions all while having fun in one of the most amazing working environments. It is about giving you the confidence to take your work to the next level.
Bookings are through Foto Frenzy’s website.
It might be prudent to book as soon as possible as numbers are limited.
Regards,
Ted
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Types and Characteristics of the Yacht Charter Boat
When seeking for any distinct spin around the family reunion or the ideal solution to entertain co-workers on a small business outing, yacht charters are an excellent technique to plan a one of a kind getaway. Though the act of renting a yacht is frequently reserved for private rendezvous' and loved ones adventures, there are an abundance of positive aspects to planning a corporate event by way of this relaxing system, for example producing strong ties with consumers or strengthening employer-employee relationships.
Yacht chartering involves the renting or chartering of a motor yacht or sailboat with all the objective of traveling about coastal or other island areas. Over time, the act has become an increasingly well-known method of seeing the planet when enjoying a nice journey spread across calming water. Two Distinctive Sorts of Charter When chartering a yacht, you ought to know there are actually two most important forms to think about - bare boat and crewed. Having a bare boat charter, a person or group rents a boat and then guides the trip on their own accord. For the significantly less skilled, several bare boat corporations give the teaching of basic seaman capabilities that aids interested parties. A crewed charter entails a yacht that currently comes with a crew. According to your demands, this sort of charter might offer the assistance of a duo (which include a husband-wife group) that serves as captain or may perhaps use the assist of a various distinctive crew members, for instance a chef, engineer, deckhands, and possibly even a scuba dive specialist. Yacht Charter Factors Immediately after you might have decided the objective of one's yacht charter, many distinctive aspects will affect the way you method organizing a trip. For some, you will find limitations to how much dollars will be spent or the size of yacht necessary. Smaller excursions work properly having a boat measuring 35 to 40 feet, when larger parties will need boats about 300 feet. The age and pedigree of a boat is vital also. Usually, a younger boat provides a stronger sense of security. Also, if you haven't decided yet, one of the most important element of preparing a yacht charter is where you will go. The destination will also play a important role as to what sorts of yacht charters might be offered to accommodate your trip ambitions. A number of people will commit as much as $25,000 per particular person for any week on a luxury yacht charter, when others maintain their price range under $1000. How to Safe a Yacht Charter Most of the people looking to plan a getaway or outing by chartering a yacht typically have a particular destination currently planted in their head. Some individuals might also base their trip on value or availability of charters, which means they are restricted to several of the places they could check out. The planet is filled with plenty of international possibilities to discover, including the heat of Mexico to the biting temperatures of Antarctica. European travel are also pretty popular, as Belgium, Poland, Finland, and France all offer you yacht charter services. Islands, including Barbados and Fiji welcome travelers with open arms, while old standbys, for example Canada provide intriguing voyages also.. Extra destinations to consider include Madagascar, Argentina, Australia, Slovenia, and the Dominican Republic. Acquiring suitable yacht charter organizations are really simple. Even though quite a few people rely on travel agents to point them inside the ideal path, you will discover tons of choices decorating the web with ample details on several of the most well known yacht charters. Let's say you might be interested in yacht charters supplied within the Guadaloupe location. Finishing a specific search for the destination or browsing a database situated on a yacht charter-related internet site ought to reveal that there are actually numerous diverse organizations scattered in regards to the archipelago. Currently, one of the most yacht charters are supplied in St. Martin with far more than ten options. For example, the Northern Child Swan Yacht Charter promotes corporate events, cruising and racing charters all through the United kingdom throughout the summer time season and regarding the Caribbean when the winter months arrive. This distinct selection features the help of two specialist crew members, a skipper in addition to a captain. Luxury boats are also popular, as they're known to accommodate wedding receptions or take honeymooning couples off in to the sunset. In St. Martin, Sunreef Yachts gives these kind of custom-made beauties. To know more details visit here: Yacht charter Aeolian Islands
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Corporate Travel Got Even More Complicated in 2017
This photo shows protests at John F. Kennedy International Airport over the Trump administration's first travel ban in January. The ban — a third version of which was allowed to go into effect late in the year — was one of many disruptive forces in business travel in 2017. Beverly Yuen Thompson / Flickr
Skift Take: Business travelers coped with a range of surprises, including disruptive natural disasters and sudden shifts in government policy. Expect more uncertainty.
— Hannah Sampson
From a controversial U.S. travel ban to questions about the implementation of Brexit to a devastating Atlantic hurricane season, the past year required business travelers to adapt and change course, sometimes at a moment’s notice.
At the same time, global economic growth finally looks healthy a decade after the financial crisis, according to the Skift 2018 Global Travel Market Outlook. High consumer and business confidence is likely to motivate businesses to hire employees and to encourage them to travel.
Skift asked executives in corporate travel — travel management companies, technology providers, organizations, and others — what affected their business in 2017 and the biggest industry breakthroughs this year. We also asked about their priorities for 2018, which will appear in a story in the coming weeks. They responded by email and in phone interviews.
A Year of Surprises
While tropical storms and other natural disasters are to be expected every year, many executives said one of the biggest shocks in 2017 was the extraordinary hurricane activity in the Atlantic. The region recorded 17 named storms, the highest number of named hurricanes since 2005. Together, they caused an estimated $188 billion or more in damages, according to AccuWeather.
“I don’t think anyone foresaw the scope of the Atlantic hurricane season, and it caught quite a few people and companies by surprise,” said Gabe Rizzi, chief sales officer and president of Travel Leaders Corporate. Both leisure and business travelers saw their plans disrupted. The Caribbean is a popular destination for meetings and events, Rizzi noted, “and the strong hurricane season caused a domino effect for air travel.” Travel Leaders Corporate worked both to move travelers out of danger and to transport employees to affected areas to help with cleanup or to maintain business operations.
In addition, corporate travel executives had to scramble to deal with an outbreak in Madagascar of the plague, a disease from the Middle Ages that killed more than 200 people in the country from August to mid-November. “Who would have thought you needed a plan for the plague?” said Dr. Myles Druckman, senior vice president and Americas regional medical director at International SOS, a medical and travel security services firm.
Druckman said the spate of disasters also highlighted weaknesses in preparation by businesses and travel companies. “Continually, what is a bit of a surprise is that a lot of organizations have health as a major priority, yet they struggle to find good ways to implement their plans globally,” he said.
Disasters and disease weren’t the only surprises. The political disruption that emerged worldwide in 2016 continued to affect corporate travel over the past year. Brexit has weakened the pound and damaged the confidence of UK businesses. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump’s travel ban created turmoil at airports and added to geopolitical uncertainty for business travelers. In early December, the U.S. Supreme Court allowed the third version of the ban, which bars residents of six majority-Muslim countries from traveling to the United States, to take effect while legal challenges continue.
The Global Business Travel Association has run shock scenarios covering everything from an Ebola outbreak to spikes in oil prices to terror attacks, and business travel has always shown resiliency, said Michael McCormick, executive director and chief operating officer of the association. “Yet the uncertainty factor in the past year has created both an immediate impact and the potential for a negative long-term impact as well, unlike anything we have seen,” he said.
Greeley Koch, executive director of the Association of Corporate Travel Executives, said he was surprised to notice a trend of companies scaling back their financial support for educational conferences and learning opportunities. Anecdotally, more people in the corporate travel industry are using personal vacation days and their own funds to attend conferences, he said. ACTE is responding by providing more webinars and online resources to make it easier for people to learn wherever they are.
Some unexpected developments were specific to individual businesses. For Rob Greyber, president of Egencia, the biggest surprise was the departure of Dara Khosrowshahi, chief executive of parent company Expedia, to become CEO of Uber. “The best example of his leadership is the deep leadership team and resilient culture he built at Expedia,” Greyber said.
Dan Ruch, founder and chief executive of Rocketrip, which helps businesses reward employees for saving money on corporate travel, said “maybe not the biggest, but the nicest surprise this year was seeing how the industry and more organizations have become aware and proactive about promoting sustainable travel.”
The Impact
In financial terms, the uncertainty driven by the travel bans and the U.S. laptop ban that was lifted in July had the largest impact on the corporate travel industry this year, according to McCormick. In the week following the Trump administration’s initial travel ban, $185 million was lost in U.S. business travel bookings, GBTA estimated.
The association projected that those policies led to a loss of more than $1.3 billion in 2017 in overall travel-related expenditures in the United States, including hotels, food, rental cars, and shopping expenses. “Fortunately, the underlying economies in most markets here and abroad were strong enough to support this impact for the near term,” McCormick said.
Despite political and environmental challenges, many of the corporate travel executives who answered our questions pointed to growth and momentum in their own businesses. Rizzi of Travel Leaders Corporate cited a strong U.S. dollar that made international business trips a good value for companies. In 2017, Travel Leaders Corporate expanded its reach through acquisitions and partnerships in the U.S., Mexico, and Europe.
Rizzi said he also is seeing a larger focus on the responsibility of employers to keep business travelers safe. “In a year where global terrorism has dominated the headlines, duty of care needs to be a top concern of any company who has employees traveling,” he said.
Egencia’s Greyber said he has been “amazed at the resilience of business travelers” through natural disasters, acts of terrorism, and even the normal wear and tear of corporate travel. He pointed to the example of Mahshid Mazooji, a territory sales manager in the food service industry, who was stranded overnight at Charlotte Douglas International Airport when she missed her connecting flight. Instead of complaining, she created a music video of herself dancing to Lionel Richie’s “All Night Long,” appearing with airline employees, a Starbucks barista, and fellow travelers. The video has been watched on YouTube more than 2.7 million times.
“I think the video went viral because people love stories of resilience, of reacting to adversity with joy,” Greyber said. “When we reflect on our brand, our products, what we want to stand for as a company and an industry, we think about travelers like Ms. Mazooji and how we can serve them better.”
Ruch at Rocketrip said his work on motivating business travelers to make better decisions was supported by this year’s Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences, awarded to Richard H. Thaler, an economist at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business who has been a pioneer in behavioral economics. “Recognition for his work on nudge theory and proving human irrationality has provided continued validation for the incentivized behavioral change space,” Ruch said.
Corporate Travel Tech Continues to Evolve
Executives in the corporate travel industry expect the technological change they witnessed in 2017 to accelerate next year. “People are now starting to realize that the future that we’ve always talked about – whether artificial intelligence, blockchain, or alternative forms of payment – these things are closer than people realize,” said Koch, the ACTE executive director.
These developments could be a boon to business travelers, saving time and money, and even providing them with better care on the road. “What we’re seeing in the industry are a lot of new apps for health,” said Druckman of International SOS. It’s becoming easier for a traveler to have a live video call with a doctor, for example. For some remote locations, there is now a televideo link between the paramedics that work for International SOS and the doctors helping to manage patients’ cases. Even the ability to text the assistance center instead of having to call every time makes travelers’ lives easier, Druckman said.
Rizzi of Travel Leaders Corporate noted a continued demand for mobile technology. Through the company’s mobile communications travel platform, agents can chat with business travelers on the road and can rebook a connecting flight before travelers even know they’ve missed it. “We’re also seeing a tremendous appetite for data intelligence and analytics as it relates to companies’ travel and travel expense data, to optimize and fine-tune their supplier agreements and traveler behaviors,” he said.
Another trend in 2017 was streamlining travel-booking processes. Rocketrip developed a method of embedding its technology within customers’ online booking tools, showing travelers the most cost-effective and rewarding options.
“After launching the integration, we’ve seen traveler engagement increase significantly,” Ruch said.
Steven Reynolds, CEO of hotel rate tracking tool tripBAM, said his company’s biggest innovations this year are a new analytics package with tripBAM’s proprietary lowest qualified rates and a new automated rebooking solution.
Outside of his own company, he highlighted itinerary management platform Traxo for its innovations in tracking reservations made outside corporate booking tools.
“Across the industry, Traxo’s ability to automatically capture direct bookings could be very significant,” he said.
A common theme was the growing ability to use big data to help business travelers make better decisions. Greyber of Egencia said the greatest driver of innovation at his business in 2017 was testing and learning at scale, using machine learning algorithms to improve computer models.
“While this is common across consumer internet companies, we’re the only major TMC doing this in a serious way,” he said. “Our test capacity is up 100 percent year-over-year and will continue to grow in 2018.”
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Corporate Travel Got Even More Complicated in 2017
This photo shows protests at John F. Kennedy International Airport over the Trump administration's first travel ban in January. The ban — a third version of which was allowed to go into effect late in the year — was one of many disruptive forces in business travel in 2017. Beverly Yuen Thompson / Flickr
Skift Take: Business travelers coped with a range of surprises, including disruptive natural disasters and sudden shifts in government policy. Expect more uncertainty.
— Hannah Sampson
From a controversial U.S. travel ban to questions about the implementation of Brexit to a devastating Atlantic hurricane season, the past year required business travelers to adapt and change course, sometimes at a moment’s notice.
At the same time, global economic growth finally looks healthy a decade after the financial crisis, according to the Skift 2018 Global Travel Market Outlook. High consumer and business confidence is likely to motivate businesses to hire employees and to encourage them to travel.
Skift asked executives in corporate travel — travel management companies, technology providers, organizations, and others — what affected their business in 2017 and the biggest industry breakthroughs this year. We also asked about their priorities for 2018, which will appear in a story in the coming weeks. They responded by email and in phone interviews.
A Year of Surprises
While tropical storms and other natural disasters are to be expected every year, many executives said one of the biggest shocks in 2017 was the extraordinary hurricane activity in the Atlantic. The region recorded 17 named storms, the highest number of named hurricanes since 2005. Together, they caused an estimated $188 billion or more in damages, according to AccuWeather.
“I don’t think anyone foresaw the scope of the Atlantic hurricane season, and it caught quite a few people and companies by surprise,” said Gabe Rizzi, chief sales officer and president of Travel Leaders Corporate. Both leisure and business travelers saw their plans disrupted. The Caribbean is a popular destination for meetings and events, Rizzi noted, “and the strong hurricane season caused a domino effect for air travel.” Travel Leaders Corporate worked both to move travelers out of danger and to transport employees to affected areas to help with cleanup or to maintain business operations.
In addition, corporate travel executives had to scramble to deal with an outbreak in Madagascar of the plague, a disease from the Middle Ages that killed more than 200 people in the country from August to mid-November. “Who would have thought you needed a plan for the plague?” said Dr. Myles Druckman, senior vice president and Americas regional medical director at International SOS, a medical and travel security services firm.
Druckman said the spate of disasters also highlighted weaknesses in preparation by businesses and travel companies. “Continually, what is a bit of a surprise is that a lot of organizations have health as a major priority, yet they struggle to find good ways to implement their plans globally,” he said.
Disasters and disease weren’t the only surprises. The political disruption that emerged worldwide in 2016 continued to affect corporate travel over the past year. Brexit has weakened the pound and damaged the confidence of UK businesses. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump’s travel ban created turmoil at airports and added to geopolitical uncertainty for business travelers. In early December, the U.S. Supreme Court allowed the third version of the ban, which bars residents of six majority-Muslim countries from traveling to the United States, to take effect while legal challenges continue.
The Global Business Travel Association has run shock scenarios covering everything from an Ebola outbreak to spikes in oil prices to terror attacks, and business travel has always shown resiliency, said Michael McCormick, executive director and chief operating officer of the association. “Yet the uncertainty factor in the past year has created both an immediate impact and the potential for a negative long-term impact as well, unlike anything we have seen,” he said.
Greeley Koch, executive director of the Association of Corporate Travel Executives, said he was surprised to notice a trend of companies scaling back their financial support for educational conferences and learning opportunities. Anecdotally, more people in the corporate travel industry are using personal vacation days and their own funds to attend conferences, he said. ACTE is responding by providing more webinars and online resources to make it easier for people to learn wherever they are.
Some unexpected developments were specific to individual businesses. For Rob Greyber, president of Egencia, the biggest surprise was the departure of Dara Khosrowshahi, chief executive of parent company Expedia, to become CEO of Uber. “The best example of his leadership is the deep leadership team and resilient culture he built at Expedia,” Greyber said.
Dan Ruch, founder and chief executive of Rocketrip, which helps businesses reward employees for saving money on corporate travel, said “maybe not the biggest, but the nicest surprise this year was seeing how the industry and more organizations have become aware and proactive about promoting sustainable travel.”
The Impact
In financial terms, the uncertainty driven by the travel bans and the U.S. laptop ban that was lifted in July had the largest impact on the corporate travel industry this year, according to McCormick. In the week following the Trump administration’s initial travel ban, $185 million was lost in U.S. business travel bookings, GBTA estimated.
The association projected that those policies led to a loss of more than $1.3 billion in 2017 in overall travel-related expenditures in the United States, including hotels, food, rental cars, and shopping expenses. “Fortunately, the underlying economies in most markets here and abroad were strong enough to support this impact for the near term,” McCormick said.
Despite political and environmental challenges, many of the corporate travel executives who answered our questions pointed to growth and momentum in their own businesses. Rizzi of Travel Leaders Corporate cited a strong U.S. dollar that made international business trips a good value for companies. In 2017, Travel Leaders Corporate expanded its reach through acquisitions and partnerships in the U.S., Mexico, and Europe.
Rizzi said he also is seeing a larger focus on the responsibility of employers to keep business travelers safe. “In a year where global terrorism has dominated the headlines, duty of care needs to be a top concern of any company who has employees traveling,” he said.
Egencia’s Greyber said he has been “amazed at the resilience of business travelers” through natural disasters, acts of terrorism, and even the normal wear and tear of corporate travel. He pointed to the example of Mahshid Mazooji, a territory sales manager in the food service industry, who was stranded overnight at Charlotte Douglas International Airport when she missed her connecting flight. Instead of complaining, she created a music video of herself dancing to Lionel Richie’s “All Night Long,” appearing with airline employees, a Starbucks barista, and fellow travelers. The video has been watched on YouTube more than 2.7 million times.
“I think the video went viral because people love stories of resilience, of reacting to adversity with joy,” Greyber said. “When we reflect on our brand, our products, what we want to stand for as a company and an industry, we think about travelers like Ms. Mazooji and how we can serve them better.”
Ruch at Rocketrip said his work on motivating business travelers to make better decisions was supported by this year’s Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences, awarded to Richard H. Thaler, an economist at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business who has been a pioneer in behavioral economics. “Recognition for his work on nudge theory and proving human irrationality has provided continued validation for the incentivized behavioral change space,” Ruch said.
Corporate Travel Tech Continues to Evolve
Executives in the corporate travel industry expect the technological change they witnessed in 2017 to accelerate next year. “People are now starting to realize that the future that we’ve always talked about – whether artificial intelligence, blockchain, or alternative forms of payment – these things are closer than people realize,” said Koch, the ACTE executive director.
These developments could be a boon to business travelers, saving time and money, and even providing them with better care on the road. “What we’re seeing in the industry are a lot of new apps for health,” said Druckman of International SOS. It’s becoming easier for a traveler to have a live video call with a doctor, for example. For some remote locations, there is now a televideo link between the paramedics that work for International SOS and the doctors helping to manage patients’ cases. Even the ability to text the assistance center instead of having to call every time makes travelers’ lives easier, Druckman said.
Rizzi of Travel Leaders Corporate noted a continued demand for mobile technology. Through the company’s mobile communications travel platform, agents can chat with business travelers on the road and can rebook a connecting flight before travelers even know they’ve missed it. “We’re also seeing a tremendous appetite for data intelligence and analytics as it relates to companies’ travel and travel expense data, to optimize and fine-tune their supplier agreements and traveler behaviors,” he said.
Another trend in 2017 was streamlining travel-booking processes. Rocketrip developed a method of embedding its technology within customers’ online booking tools, showing travelers the most cost-effective and rewarding options.
“After launching the integration, we’ve seen traveler engagement increase significantly,” Ruch said.
Steven Reynolds, CEO of hotel rate tracking tool tripBAM, said his company’s biggest innovations this year are a new analytics package with tripBAM’s proprietary lowest qualified rates and a new automated rebooking solution.
Outside of his own company, he highlighted itinerary management platform Traxo for its innovations in tracking reservations made outside corporate booking tools.
“Across the industry, Traxo’s ability to automatically capture direct bookings could be very significant,” he said.
A common theme was the growing ability to use big data to help business travelers make better decisions. Greyber of Egencia said the greatest driver of innovation at his business in 2017 was testing and learning at scale, using machine learning algorithms to improve computer models.
“While this is common across consumer internet companies, we’re the only major TMC doing this in a serious way,” he said. “Our test capacity is up 100 percent year-over-year and will continue to grow in 2018.”
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Are You Considering a Luxury Yacht Charter?
When looking for a various spin on the family gathering or the right solution to entertain co-workers on a company getaway, yacht charters are a great way to strategy a distinctive getaway. While the behave of renting a yacht is frequently reserved for personal rendezvous'and household activities, there are plenty of benefits to planning for a Motor Yacht Charter Turkey function through this calming process, such as producing strong ties with clients or strengthening employer-employee relationships. Yacht chartering requires the hiring or chartering of a generator yacht or sailboat with the goal of traveling about coastal or other area locations. Through the years, the behave is now an significantly common approach to viewing the entire world while enjoying a good trip distribute across comforting water. Once you have decided the goal of your yacht charter, a variety of factors may influence the way you approach planning for a trip. For many, you will find restrictions to the amount of money will soon be used or the size of yacht needed. Smaller excursions work well with a vessel measuring 35 to 40 legs, while bigger events require ships around 300 feet. Age and pedigree of a ship is important as well. Frequently, a young ship provides a tougher feeling of safety. Also, in the event that you have not determined however, the main part of arranging a yacht charter is where you'll go. The location will even perform a substantial role as to what types of yacht charters is going to be available to support your journey goals. Some individuals can invest around $25,000 per person for weekly on a luxurious yacht charter, while others hold their budget under $1000. Many people looking to program a vacation or trip by chartering a boat usually have a particular destination currently planted inside their head. Some people can also foundation their trip on price or accessibility to charters, meaning they are limited to a number of the places they can visit. The world is stuffed with plenty of international possibilities to explore, including the warmth of Mexico to the biting conditions of Antarctica. Western journey will also be quite popular, as Belgium, Poland, Finland, and France all offer yacht charter services. Islands, such as for example Barbados and Fiji welcome tourists with open hands, while old standbys, such as for instance Canada provide intriguing voyages as well.. Extra places to think about include Madagascar, Argentina, Australia, Slovenia, and the Dominican Republic. Finding suitable yacht charter companies are quite easy. While lots of people depend on vacation brokers to point them in the proper path, there are tons of alternatives decorating the Net with sufficient details on some of typically the most popular yacht charters. Let us state you are enthusiastic about yacht charters provided in the Guadaloupe area. Performing a certain search for the destination or searching a repository positioned on a boat charter-related site must reveal that there are several different companies dispersed about the archipelago. Currently, the most yacht charters are given in St. Martin with more than twenty choices. As an example, the Northern Child Swan Yacht Charter encourages corporate activities, cruising and racing charters throughout the United Kingdom during the summer season and about the Caribbean when the winter months arrive. This kind of collection functions the help of two skilled team customers, a skipper and a captain. Luxury ships may also be popular, as they are known to allow for wedding receptions or get honeymooning couples down into the sunset. In St. Martin, Sunreef Yachts offers these types of custom-made beauties.
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Top Beaches For Tourists in Madagascar
Travelling to the most beautiful places in Africa is a dream and most people are accomplishing it with the help of Satguru Travel. Madagascar is one of the best countries in Africa which one should definitely visit. When it comes to Africa, the first thought we get is wildlife, forests and nature. Here you will get to see everything that you have imagined. Madagascar has some of the best beaches in Africa, amazing wildlife and biodiversity that will amaze you.
Madagascar has the best beaches that will make you go again and again. Going to these beaches will make you feel relaxed. This is the reason why people choose Madagascar for their vacation. Madagascar is known for its seafront it has more than any other African nation. This clear and crystal water of the Indian Ocean will give you the best beaches.
Vacations are equal to beach trips and if you’re planning for one, Satguru Travel will help you to get the best deals over your stay and travel. It is very important to know about the places you are going to visit that save your time and lets you enjoy yourself with fewer worries. This blog will suggest some of the best and prime beaches in Madagascar, let’s start our exploration.
1. Sainte Marie
The tiny island of Sainte-Marie is situated on the northeastern coast of Madagascar. These beaches will make you feel as if you have stepped into heaven. The turquoise waters, white sand, and mysterious coves are the things that make it heaven. There are beaches where piracy has been witnessed in past years and the beach nearby is called Baie des Forbans. Also, you can find the island’s famous “Pirate Cemetery”. You will get to see some tombs adorned with the classic skull and symbol.
2. Manafiafy
Manafiafy is a beach that has something different to experience. It lies on the south coast of the island that is situated on a stunning, tree-lined bay that is not so crowded for visitors. On this beach, you can enjoy snorkeling and watersports such as kayaking. This has the best atmosphere and chills and vibes that will make you feel relaxed.
3. Mitsio Islands
These Mitsio Islands are very famous as the “Maldives of Madagascar”. Due to the white sandy beaches, crystal clear waters, and exotic wildlife, this is the best destination for your vacation. The beaches are very beautiful and enhance the beauty of Madagascar.
4. Nosy Be
Nosy Be is the most famous and well-known beach in Madagascar. It’s a huge island that is situated off the coast of Madagascar. It has plenty of beautiful beaches and is especially known as one of the few best places in the world. Here you may spot a rare Omura whale during peak whale watching season which is held from June to September. This beach is very expensive as it's popular and crowded.
There are plenty of things you can explore in Madagascar but while exploring you should know a few things that are important in terms of safety and security. Here we are going to mention some important things that are must know before planning a trip to Madagascar. Satguru Travel will help you plan the best trip. Satguru Travel is the best travel management company that is also known as a one-stop travel solution.
Satguru Travel is the best travel management company that provides the best places to stay and every service regarding travel. Travel to the best beaches in Madagascar and spend the best time in Madagascar. Without wasting your time, pack your bags and just book your trip with Satguru Travel. Contact us for more information.
Read More - http://satgurutravel.com/madagascar/2022/09/22/top-beaches-for-tourists-in-madagascar/
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New Post has been published on Mortgage News
New Post has been published on http://bit.ly/2tqvhQ6
10-ways-drones-are-changing-your-world
(Consumer Reports)–Drones have been a hot topic in the news for some time. Depending on what you’ve read, they’re devastatingly effective weapons of war, the next big threat to personal privacy, a revolutionary leap in video technology, or hazardous toys capable of chopping your fingers off.
To be fair, there’s a measure of truth to all those statements. But you might be surprised to learn that drones will soon affect our everyday lives in a host of useful ways. People are already using them to deliver fast food to hungry teens in Virginia, improve the productivity of Midwestern farms, and even protect rhinos and elephants in Africa from poachers.
In the next year, almost 2.3 million of the unmanned aircraft will be sold, according to market analysis firm Skylogic Research. And the vast majority will be the multirotor models embraced by apple farmers, wedding photographers, and search-and-rescue workers.
“This is one of the few technologies that could revolutionize the way the world appears,” says Mark Blanks, who oversees the test site at Virginia Tech where air-traffic-control concerns related to drones are being studied.
Before we launch a few million more aircraft into our collective airspace, though, many concerns need to be resolved. Last summer the Federal Aviation Administration unveiled the first set of regulations governing the commercial use of drones, generally confining them to daylight flights below 400 feet and within the pilot’s field of vision. Experts believe there’s lots of work to be done, however, to balance the technology’s incredible potential against the public’s right to safety. “Right now, it’s a jumbled mess of competing policy visions, clashing local laws, and citizens’ privacy concerns,” says Skylogic CEO Colin Snow.
But, even though the regulations, social norms, and tech standards are still in flux, researchers and pioneering companies are developing innovative ways to use these flying robots right now.
Package Delivery In an interview with CBS’s “60 Minutes,” Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos said about 86 percent of the orders the online retailer ships weigh less than 5 pounds. That’s lightweight enough to be delivered by drone. Amazon is now testing autonomous aircraft that can drop a book or a pair of shoes at your home within 30 minutes of receiving an order.
So it’s not difficult to imagine a day when you no longer have to rush out to the store in your pajamas for a quart of milk. In fact, Dominos has already begun to test drones for pizza deliveries in New Zealand. And Walmart is examining ways to deploy drones inside its warehouses to photograph and catalog inventory. The retail giant has offered few details on its plans, but if it used drones for transporting goods, too, it would be a game-changer: 70 percent of the U.S. population reportedly lives within 5 miles of a Walmart store.
Google’s research facility, known as Google X, launched a test program of its own in 2012. In one trial, the company has been delivering Chipotle meals to students and faculty at Virginia Tech. But rather than receiving a burrito in front of, say, a dorm, customers must place their orders at a local kiosk, then wait a few minutes while a drone approaches and lowers their food into a field with a rope.
So much for convenience. The point, says Blanks of Virginia Tech, is safely mastering the logistics. “Package delivery is one of the harder challenges to overcome,” he explains. “It involves operating over people, controlling multiple aircraft at once, and handling spikes in demand at certain times of day.” But if Blank’s researchers can create an effective air-traffic-control system, we could be looking at much more than a cure for the late-night munchies. Cutting down on the number of delivery vehicles on the ground could reduce the strain on the nation’s streets, highways, and bridges, too.
Bottom line. Don’t expect Amazon to roll out mass drone deliveries for at least three years.
Agriculture A farmer using a drone Farmers are using drones to monitor the health of their crops, pinpointing the parts of their fields that need more water, fertilizer, or pesticides. In recent years, farmers have discovered that drones are very useful for monitoring the health of their fields. “It would cost me a couple hundred dollars an hour for a plane or helicopter,” says fourth-generation grain and apple farmer Jeff VanderWerff. “With my [DJI] Phantom 3 drone, a device I paid $1,200 for, I can fly it every day.”
When he gets a commercial license, he plans to put the craft to use on the family’s 1,800-acre Michigan grain farm. Aerial imagery from a drone equipped with an NDVI (normalized difference vegetation index) camera could help him accurately estimate the yield of a crop in July, rather than waiting until harvest in October. With special software he could analyze that imagery, spotting crops beset by diseases, weeds, and flooding while there’s still time to save them. And he could then use the drone to efficiently apply fertilizers and pesticides.
At the moment, he has to use a giant crop sprayer to treat the entire field. “With drone technology,” he says, “I’m going to determine exactly where the problem exists and apply pesticide to that area alone. Rather than 80 acres, I might treat just 15.” That means fewer pesticides on the food, lower fuel use and emissions, and more healthy plants at harvest time.
Bottom line. Drone use on farms will become more significant when FAA rules permit certain flights beyond the pilot’s field of vision.
Photos and Videos
Nothing captures a major life moment like an aerial snapshot from a drone.
“If you want a moment to look epic,” Parker Gyokeres says, “hire a drone.” As a photographer in the Air Force, he once built a drone from scratch, outfitting it with a GoPro camera, because he could not persuade anyone to take him up in a helicopter. Today he owns a fleet of autonomous aircraft in New York that he uses to shoot projects as varied as BMW commercials, corporate events, and weddings (including the nuptials of U.S. Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney, D-N.Y.).
The soaring panoramas captured by drones are compelling enough to have made their way into movies such as “Captain America: Civil War,” “Spectre,” and “The Wolf of Wall Street,” as well as CNN’s coverage of the earthquakes in Italy and Ecuador a year ago. Real estate agents and travel hot spots are embracing the technology, too, to promote their scenic offerings. And now that drones can be programmed to follow their owners, they’re even more likely to turn up in the air above cyclists, skiers, surfers, hikers, and kayakers.
Bottom line. Images from drones are appearing right now on TV, movie screens, YouTube, and Instagram feeds.
Humanitarian Aid Some 1.3 billion to 2.1 billion people on the planet don’t have access to essential medicines, the World Health Organization says, often because they live in hard-to-reach places. To address that concern, California drone maker Zipline signed a deal with the government of Rwanda last February to shuttle supplies to remote areas on demand.
With “Zip” drones, which cover a roughly 50-mile radius, a health center in Rwanda can send a text message to order blood for a patient with severe malaria-related anemia and it shows up via parachute within 40 minutes.
“We are already delivering more than 40 percent of the transfusions for the entire country,” says Zipline founder Keller Rinaudo. “These are cases where, if bad roads or lack of supply prevents deliveries, people die.”
Similar efforts involving organizations such as UNICEF and Doctors Without Borders and the companies Matternet and Vayu are already underway in Malawi, Madagascar, and Papua New Guinea. Even certain remote locales in the U.S. will soon benefit from such services. Last August, the Obama administration announced that it would partner with private-sector firms to begin testing the idea on Maryland’s Smith Island, Washington’s San Juan Islands, and Nevada’s Pyramid Lake Tribal Health Clinic.
Bottom line. Drones are now delivering medical supplies in countries beset by malaria, tuberculosis, and AIDS.
First Responders Drones can also help SWAT team members safely gather valuable info.
In February 2015, the Michigan State Police received FAA approval to fly a SkyRanger quadcopter made by Canada’s Aeryon Labs for public safety efforts. A week later, troopers used it to investigate a suspicious fire in Jenison. According to Aeryon CEO David Kroetsch, the craft can also be used to conduct search-and-rescue operations, gather aerial intelligence for SWAT teams, and even map accident scenes. That last task usually involves an officer on foot measuring the crash site and sketching the details on graph paper—a system ripe for inaccuracy, given the time constraints. With a drone and a laptop, he can instead stitch together a series of geotagged photos and even film fly-throughs to determine what drivers might have seen in the moments before impact. “That’s evidence-grade data,” Kroetsch says, “and it can be done in 15 minutes.” By completing the mapping quickly, officers can reduce the length of lane closures on busy highways, potentially sparing hundreds of thousands of dollars in tolls for a state, he says.
Better yet, aerial footage provided by drones keeps early responders out of harm’s way. In a SWAT scenario, for example, a camera-equipped craft with a powerful 30x zoom lens can give officers a close-up look at a compound where hostages are being held—while they remain 1,000 feet away. And, likewise, a fireman can fly a drone with thermal-imaging and video-streaming capability over a four-alarm blaze and determine, in real time, where to direct his colleagues and where to help them avoid trouble.
Of course, drones with zoom lenses also raise the specter of unwanted surveillance. In a 2012 Monmouth University telephone poll, fewer than one in four Americans endorsed the idea of having the aircraft patrol the nation’s highways, doling out speeding tickets. That’s why the Michigan State Police have taken a cautious approach, even meeting with the American Civil Liberties Union to review policies, says Sgt. Matt Rogers, a member of the force’s aviation unit. “The last thing I want to do is create case law,” he says. “If using a drone furthers an investigation, we require a search warrant.”
Bottom line. Drones will become a vital tool for police officers and firefighters in the next five to 10 years.
Safety Inspections Drones are exceedingly effective at finding structural flaws, not only because they can quickly and efficiently take high-resolution images and laser scans but also because they can get up close in treacherous spaces, such as the underside of an offshore drilling rig or the top of a cell tower.
Boeing’s drone-making subsidiary Insitu is working with BNSF Railway to test rail-inspection possibilities in New Mexico. “If there was a lot of rain overnight,” says Jon Damush, the company’s vice president and general manager, “we could send an unmanned sentry out before the first train of the day and see if there was a washout.”
With a waiver to the flight rules that prevent drones from flying beyond the pilot’s view, the technology could one day be deployed to spot-check roads, bridges, pipelines, dams, and other public works. That could allow for better use of limited tax dollars. “Even with the same amount of funding, with better information workers can be deployed to the places where they’re most needed,” says Thomas Haun of PrecisionHawk, which offers drones and data services to energy companies, utilities, and construction firms. In the U.S., a country with a D+ infrastructure rating (according to the American Society of Civil Engineers), that’s no small thing.
Bottom line. Inspection crews are already putting drones to use, and the scope of those efforts will increase as regulations get sorted out.
Insurance “Let’s say a hailstorm rolls through Texas and damages 2,000 roofs in its wake,” says Dan Burton, founder of DroneBase, an Uber-like service that connects businesses with independent drone pilots. “We could go take some pictures and then say, ‘Based on the damage to this roof, there’s a 98 percent chance you will pay a claim. On this other one, it’s 80 percent.’ ”
With that in mind, most of the major insurance companies are now experimenting with drones, some by hiring outside contractors, others by sending out aircraft of their own. If you’re a claims adjuster, it saves you time and money, and reduces the risks of climbing ladders and walking on damaged roofs. But if you’re the customer, that might not translate to lower insurance premiums.
“I doubt the savings will be passed on to consumers,” says Skylogic Research’s Snow. But those reductions in inspection time could lead to quicker settlements, and the detailed documentation in the aerial photos feasibly could aid with disputed claims.
Bottom line. This application could be widespread very soon.
Internet Access Well over half the planet’s population—some 4 billion people—currently has no internet access. A full 1.6 billion live in areas too remote for mobile broadband. That means no Facebook, of course, but also no email, no world news, no information and instruction from YouTube, and no access to online commerce. And without a huge investment in satellites and cell towers, that’s mighty difficult to change.
Google has floated a plan to fix the problem by relaying internet signals via a network of giant, high-altitude balloons, but the company is also reportedly looking into drones as a solution. Facebook is headed that way, too.
In the latter company’s vision, a series of lightweight drones with the wingspan of a Boeing 737 will cruise high above normal airspace delivering connectivity to people within a 60-mile radius. Powered by batteries and solar energy, they will remain aloft for three months at a time. The company can’t say when the project will be operational—“significant advancements in science and technology will be needed,” a spokesperson says—but last June a full-scale prototype (shown at the top of this article) made a successful test flight of more than 90 minutes over southern Arizona.
Bottom line. It could be five to 10 more years before the program takes flight.
Hurricane and Tornado Forecasting In the future, when a severe tropical storm approaches Florida, as Hurricane Matthew did last October, autonomous aircraft developed by defense contractor Raytheon Missile Systems could fly right up to the maelstrom to take measurements for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
Originally created for anti-submarine warfare, the small, fixed-wing crafts known as Coyotes launch from the bottom of hurricane hunter planes, which often fly in the upper reaches of a storm, often more than 10,000 feet in the air. The Coyotes can, by contrast, maneuver around at 500 feet—right at the dangerous boundaries of the storm, where the most dramatic atmospheric changes occur.
“Instead of a camera to find bad guys,” says John Hobday, head of business development for unmanned air systems at Raytheon, “the Coyotes carry atmospheric sensors to measure things like air pressure, temperature, wind direction, and humidity.” The changes they detect govern how a storm moves and what kind of damage it might do.
“For NOAA, that is the info they have to deliver accurately to authorities in Miami, New Orleans, or Charleston,” Hobday says. “They need to be able to say with a high degree of accuracy, ‘This is the big one. You need to worry about it now.’ ”
For tornadoes, the margin for error is even narrower, explains Brian Argrow. A professor of aerospace engineering at the University of Colorado Boulder, he has been conducting research with drones for more than 15 years. “Right now, the average warning time for a tornado is 14 minutes,” he says. “Drones enable us to get data that’s going to protect property and save lives.” But because tornadoes travel on land, beneath airspace governed by the FAA, it will take some time to iron out the necessary safety guidelines.
Bottom line. This is happening in limited scope now.
Wildlife Conservation In recent years, scientists at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Massachusetts have used drones to monitor the health of humpback whales off the coast of Cape Cod, even capturing from their blowholes breath samples flush with DNA that can be analyzed for wildlife studies. The U.S. Geological Survey has also dispatched them to observe sandhill cranes in Colorado. But to date, the tech’s most profound contribution to wildlife protection might be unfolding in Africa, where drones are policing vast tracts of land to catch poachers hunting rhinos and elephants. The horns and tusks of those animals can fetch hundreds of thousands of dollars from Asian crime syndicates.
Instead of having park rangers go out after dark to try to catch the heavily armed bandits, drone pilots patrol the targeted areas with their aircraft, collecting data used to predict the poachers’ movements. “We look at the patterns of how the animals move because that dictates how poachers move,” says Bowling Green State University professor Thomas Snitch, who is working to refine the approach. “We keep track of water sources because the animals have to get water every day.”
That information is then cross-referenced with factors such as the weather and time of the month—because, for instance, well-lit full-moon nights are particularly dangerous.
Bottom line. Wildlife protection programs involving drones have been evolving since 2011.
Editor’s Note: This article also appeared in the January 2017 issue of Consumer Reports magazine.
Copyright 2017 by WKMG ClickOrlando – All rights reserved.
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Travel Madagascar’s Best Locations With Satguru Travel
Travelling to the most beautiful places in Africa is a dream and most people are accomplishing it with the help of Satguru Travel.
Madagascar is one of the best countries in Africa which one should definitely visit. When it comes to Africa, the first thought we get is wildlife, forests and nature. Here you will get to see everything that you have imagined. Madagascar has some of the best beaches in Africa, amazing wildlife and biodiversity that will amaze you.
If you’re looking for an amazing trip to Madagascar, Satguru Travel is there to help you. Satguru Travel is an award-winning travel management company that has been a great partner for many tourists' journeys. Satguru Travel is a one-stop travel solution that provides the best packages for your stay and travel. Madagascar is the best destination to plan holidays.
Get your plan set and contact us for more information.
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4 Best Beaches to Explore in Madagascar
Going to the beaches is like going to the paradise of water where you experience peace. People are very attracted to beaches that make us feel good. Let’s travel to Africa’s one of the best beach countries, Madagascar.
As an Island nation, Madagascar is very well known for its amazing and world-class beaches. You may get to see amazing views of smaller islands of their own. For those who are seasoned travellers, this is an absolute unmissable destination. If you’re frustrated by your day-to-day schedules and want to escape to a chill environment, beaches in Madagascar are the best option. This is a great chance to grab some tan that even your parents won’t recognize.
When we think about the best beaches in Africa, places like Mauritius, Zanzibar, and Cape Town are the options that come first to our mind, but there is a lot that we have not explored in Africa yet. Madagascar has some spots that will make you forget every other place in your mind. Madagascar is a place with more kilometres of seafront that any other country in Africa. Madagascar has white sandy beaches and that makes it more attractive. Get your bags packed and be ready to explore the amazing beaches in Madagascar.
Manafiafy
If you really want to escape from the day-to-day hectic schedule, this is the perfect place to visit. If you are not looking for a beach that is crowded, Manafiafy is the dream destination for you. This beach is quite secretive and smaller but has so much to experience.
Tsarabanjina
This is one of the smallest tourist islands that is surrounded by Madagascar and that is the reason why Tsarabanjina is one of the most beautiful beaches with amazing landscapes on the Indian Ocean. You may find crystal clear water that is only accessible by using boat. The island has only one lodge which is luxurious. Also, this island is only 40km minutes away from Nosy be.
Anjajavy
This beach is placed at the edge of a National Park of the same name, Anjajavy beach has 400 metres of white sand. This would be the best beach for those who are fearful of the ocean or are not good swimmers. Here, you will get an amazing infinity pool. Its other specialities are that it does not have to venture too far for superb snorkelling since the beach is surrounded by some of the most beautiful coral reefs in the country.
Nosy Be
Nosy Be is one of the most beautiful and popular tourist destinations in the country. Nosy Be is one of the largest islands that are surrounded by the coast of Madagascar. In traditional Malagasy, the meaning of Nosy Be is “big island”. The island has a variety of spices due to which it is also referred to as Nosy Mantra which means scented island. This island is one of the favourite islands for tourists from all over the world. This is a very beautiful and picturesque beach location. This destination is recently has grabbed the attention of the world as one of the few places to spot rare animal species on the planet.
These are the famous beaches of Madagascar that one should definitely visit. Get ready with your friends and family, book your favourite destination or beach locations from Satguru Travel and travel with fewer worries. Satguru Travel will give you the best deals over your stay and travel. Just provide the required documents and be done. These amazing beaches are waiting for you, don’t waste your time and contact us now.
Read More - http://satgurutravel.com/madagascar/2020/09/08/business-travel-will-survive-the-pandemic/
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Travel Madagascar’s Best Locations With Satguru Travel
Travelling to the most beautiful places in Africa is a dream and most people are accomplishing it with the help of Satguru Travel. Madagascar is one of the best countries in Africa which one should definitely visit. When it comes to Africa, the first thought we get is wildlife, forests and nature. Here you will get to see everything that you have imagined. Madagascar has some of the best beaches in Africa, amazing wildlife and biodiversity that will amaze you.
If you’re looking for an amazing trip to Madagascar, Satguru Travel is there to help you. Satguru Travel is an award-winning travel management company that has been a great partner for many tourists' journeys. Satguru Travel is a one-stop travel solution that provides the best packages for your stay and travel. Madagascar is the best destination to plan holidays.
Get your plan set and contact us for more information.
#travel management company in madagascar#best corporate travel company in madagascar#online travel booking in madagascar#madagascar corporate travel services#business travel management company in madagascar#travel ticket booking in madagascar#website for flight booking in madagascar#top corporate travel management companies in madagascar#corporate travel providers in madagascar#madagascar top business travel agency
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http://satgurutravel.com/madagascar/2020/09/08/business-travel-will-survive-the-pandemic/
#travel management company in madagascar#best corporate travel company in madagascar#online travel booking in madagascar#madagascar corporate travel services#business travel management company in madagascar#travel ticket booking in madagascar#website for flight booking in madagascar#top corporate travel management companies in madagascar#corporate travel providers in madagascar#madagascar top business travel agency
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