Silk vendor at D. Popli & Sons in Mumbai displays high-quality yet reasonably priced silk. Photo by Jacqueline Swartz By Jacqueline Swartz Mumbai, the city formerly known as Bombay, is the marketplace of India — its jewelry, textiles, handicrafts, furniture and leather goods come from all over India and around the world. This is India’s…
Are you ready to travel after months of confinement and looking for a great alternative to the traditional branded, cookie-cutter hotel? Well, you’re in luck. More and more hotels are announcing their presence with their own distinct architecture, personality and design. The availability of lodgings listed below depend on local public health ordinances, so plan now but don’t expect your reservation to be confirmed for at least another month.
By David DeVoss When travel began to plummet in mid February airlines responded in the usual way: they dropped prices. By the last week in February it was possible to fly round-trip from LA to Montreal for $196 on American. Round trips between United hub cities also fell below $200. But then something unusual…
by David DeVoss Sinitic cultures are famed for their hard work. From Shanghai to San Francisco, Singapore to Seattle, Chinese work hard so they can take 10 days off for at Chinese New Year. This week Chinese, Vietnamese and Koreans are celebrate the Year of the Rat, one of the zodiac symbols that define the…
How restaurants control your experience in ways you may not realize By Peter Greenberg Ever wonder why so many fast food chains use red and yellow in their logo? Research shows that color scheme is an intentional stimulant signifying happiness, energy – and hunger. They subtly tell consumers enjoy yourself, but to also get in…
LA’s New Landlords Is Los Angeles the Next Shanghai? By David DeVoss There are more than 225,000 Koreans living in and around Los Angeles and this week they have a new symbol of accomplishment, a glass-sheathed hotel, office and retail tower topped by an enormous, sail-shaped LED screen that nightly beams the Korean Airlines logo…
Buzz Phrases and Fake Photos Plague Internet Hotel Advertising By Peter Greenberg Pictures don’t always say a thousand words. Have you ever booked a hotel that looks great online, only to show up and find out you were completely misled? There are all kinds of phony marketing tactics designed to get you to click. When…
Turkish Airlines Lounge in Istanbul is the Best Reason to Arrive at the Airport Early By Peter Greenberg In the world of airline consolidation, mergers, and failures, it’s easy to argue that competition has suffered, and along with it customer service. That can often be an easy argument to make in the U.S. Then there’s…
Cuba Flirts With U.S. Entrepreneurs, But Courtship Can Be Challenging By David DeVoss Seattle tour operator Zach Smith built Anywhere.com into a $15 million travel business by offering customized tours to exotic locations in Latin America. The 35-year old entrepreneur knew from ten year’s experience that small and medium-sized companies like his must constantly…
Trans Pacific Partnership Under Fire From Both Right & Left in America by David DeVoss Foreign Ministers spend most of their time persuading other countries to do their bidding. But last month U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry flew to Los Angeles to convince a decidedly American audience to support the Trans Pacific Partnership, the…