Author: Emily Gautreaux

2021 Summer Travel Trends

In a normal year, it’s always beneficial to observe the latest travel trends at the start of the summer vacation, but this year it seems especially beneficial to observe summer travel trends and take note thanks to these analyzed travel trends from TravelPulse.

With travel restrictions being continually lifted across the United States (check the latest CDC travel advisories here), many new trends are starting to emerge that differ from previous patterns. Staff writers at Travel Pulse have analyzed travel data from a report released by the travel services company Amadeus. The trends that have emerged from the analysis report show new tendencies that are directly attributed to traversing in a post-quarantine landscape.

Workcations

One summer travel trend that has emerged is that more and more guests are booking vacations within a longer timeframe. While this statistical trend could indicate that more and more vacationers have come into more lucrative employment opportunities, it likely indicates that more vacationers are instead working remotely while on vacation. For instance, the travel services company cited “that the Caribbean is an appealing destination for travelers who are planning a workcation, with a 43 percent increase in the number of searches for 14-plus day stays compared to the same period in 2019.”

Amadaus’ research indicated that more travelers have searched for extended stay trips that include sleeping accommodations for greater than 8 days- as long as the resort also includes consistent wi-fi access. This upward trend of “workcations” is certainly expected since many private and public businesses have adapted a work-from-home business model in light of the pandemic, as it benefits both the worker and employer. So, if your job allows you to complete your work tasks remotely, only attend meetings that are absolutely essential, and respond to a portion of your emails during a designated “workcation” period, then more and more 2021 travelers might be booking an extended trip to the beach.

Revenge Travel

Simply stated, after a harrowing year of isolation, social distancing, and quarantine, many are using this newfound (but health-conscious) freedom as a chance to vacation both for 2021 and for the lost vacation of 2020; hence the term “revenge travel” has emerged. Seen as an answer to cabin fever or the restlessness that is felt when kept “cooped up inside” for days at a time, this summer travel trend has more and more vacationers booking trips in the world’s most popular vacation destinations. The interest in these locations indicates that travelers are more interested in the “better vacation spots” in order to atone of the lack of relaxation that occurred during the social distancing year.

Amadeus reported that “ people are booking these trips to top destinations such as Cancun, which the company found had skyrocketed from being outside the top 50 most searched destinations to now number four globally.”

Travel Bubbles

One trend that has been inspired by the pandemic but also the inclination to protect others is that of the “travel bubble.” This is known as the tendency for larger groups to book a stay together to a particular destination. Many times these destinations offer monetary or accommodational incentives if the group booking the trip can provide copies of a recent, negative COVID-19 test or vaccination card. Data from Amadeaus indicates that the company of travel insiders and analysts have “seen a 66 percent increase in searches from around the world for two-week trips to the Maldives compared to the same period in 2019.

Environmentally-Conscious Traveling

Lastly, the data acquired by Amadeaus seems to indicate that more and more vacationers are spending additional hours researching their destinations before booking a stay. “Its data suggests that people are researching their trips 27 percent earlier than they did in the same period in 2019.” The company attributes this increased time to wanting to vacation in a location that is both environmentally and socially conscious, but some may view that assumption as a bit of a stretch, given that the travelers could also be ensuring that their trip is health-conscious. No matter the meaning, the 27 percent increase in researching possible destinations is definitely a positive trend that should occur regardless.

For more travel-related news and information, click here.

 

Amtrak Releases 2035 Vision

More and more Americans may be choosing to travel across the country via train instead of car or plane, according to a TravelPulse article that details the vision set forth by Amtrak.

The expectation for more and more Americans to begin “riding the rails” comes from Amtrak, the National Railroad Passenger Corporation, who released their Amtrak Corridor Vision in May 2021. The thorough, 76-page document (which can be read here) promised to bring more trains, station routes, serviceable cities, and better service by the year 2035.

The total vision outlines a plan to not only introduce up to 39 new routes to those already offered by Amtrak but to also potentially enhance over two dozen existing routes and improve service in major cities that the company sees as underutilized and “underserved by rail.” These cities receiving the proposed improvement would include Houston, Texas; Atlanta, Georgia; and Cincinnati, Ohio.

Another goal proposed by the company is to “bring new intercity passenger rail service” to cities that have had either extremely limited or nonexistent train service before now. These cities receiving the rail service installation would be those like Wichita, Kansas; Phoenix, Arizona; Columbus, Ohio; Nashville, Tennessee; and Las Vegas, Nevada.

Operating under a rebranding over the past decade, Amtrak primarily operates under the moniker “Amtrak Connect US,” and its recently announced proposal, known as the “Amtrak Corridor Vision” is expected to produce an $8 billion annual benefit to the economy by 2035. This would be in addition to an additional $195 billion accumulated through capital investments made over the next 15 years, thus bringing a near $200 billion economic activity to the United States.

CEO of Amtrak Bill Flynn released a statement alongside the company’s Corridor Vision in which he outlined the impact of proper investment in the nation’s railroad systems by saying, “new and improved rail service has the ability to change how our country moves and provides cleaner air, less traffic, and a more connected country.”

Amtrak’s initiative has gained hefty online support from consumers participating in regular, routine travel; this is due to the fact that national support has begun to swing toward railway transportation as it’s often seen as a cheaper, safer, and less worrisome alternative to flying. When compared to traveling America by automobile or airplane, train-based travel doesn’t have the extra fees, gridlock traffic, or unpredictable weather delays that are all-too-common with road trips and air travel.

Apart from garnering support from individual consumers, Amtrak’s proposal also has attracted the attention of policymakers, legislators, and those in support of environmental conservation as the presented expansion of Amtrak’s services will reportedly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Traveling on Amtrak trains outside of its populated Northeast Corridor produces up to 55% fewer greenhouse gas emissions than driving and up to 30% fewer emissions than flying. Released by Amtrak last year in an effort to outline its efforts toward environmental sustainability in the future, the company stated in its FY2020 Sustainability Report that they had reduced their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 31 percent since 2010 and further planned to reduce that amount by an additional 9% by 2030.

Remarking on the vision he foresaw for the company’s environmental impact, Flynn stated, “by investing in innovative equipment and new technologies, protecting vital rail infrastructure from climate change, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and expanding access to new communities, we can work together to create a future where intercity rail is operated on clean energy. Investment decisions made today position us to achieve these goals. These visions and our strong sustainability story continue to evolve and grow every year.”

In order to better prepare yourself for the likely changes coming cross-country traversal, consider traveling by train on your next vacation outing, and you’ll be railway-acclimated before you know it.

For more travel-related news and information, click here.

 

3 Packet Cooking Recipes that are Perfect for Camping and Meal Prepping

For those in search of simpler cooking methods, a new trend called “packet cooking” is becoming increasingly more popular, but thankfully it’s also become easier to navigate thanks to this recipe blog from The Washington Post.

For the uninitiated, “packet cooking” is essentially an individualized form of meal prep that has culinary participants cooking a meal and quickly wrapping portions inside of aluminum foil for consumption at a nearby, later date. Now, the placing of portioned meals inside of foil isn’t a completely new concept, and it may even be such an obvious venture that many would prefer to utilize the nearby premium Tupperware set. By quickly sealing your fresh ingredients inside a sheet of aluminum foil, you’re essentially guaranteeing that the dish will continue to cook through the incredibly effective kitchen practice of steaming.

The steaming of your portioned meals ensures that your more delicate proteins (like fish) are going to be cooked for an extended period of time, but the steaming process also traps moisture inside its metallic walls, thus ensuring no dry food dishes once you unwrap. The aluminum foil wrapping helps herbs, spices, and aromas blend together in a more significant way, and the cleanup processes are practically nonexistent as everything is self-contained. This is why “packet cooking” is becoming a hard-to-beat kitchen trend for those portioning out leftovers alongside dinner plates as well as those going on a camping trip. That being said, enjoy these packet-ready recipes from the culinary blog archives of The Washington Post.

Potato and Prosciutto Packets

This powerful, simple recipe takes proper advantage of the aluminum foil packaging by essentially steaming Yukon Gold Potatoes with the flavor and aroma of creamy goat cheese and You’ll begin by oiling the potatoes with extra-virgin olive oil and tossing them with salt, pepper, and rosemary before cooking them beneath the thick slices of prosciutto and hefty goat cheese dollops. Next, you’ll essentially pack up each potato for approximately 35 minutes on a grill, only to remove it when each piece can be easily pierced with a fork. You then have a decision to make; you can immediately eat the potatoes, let them continue to cook in the foil for consumption later in the day, or save the packets in the refrigerator for later in the week.

Mixed Grill Packets with Sausages, Vegetables, and Corn

Just in time for summer is this simple and tasty dish that can be used as a standalone dish or a great filling for some sausage and vegetable quesadillas. This recipe has cooks using around two pounds of their preferred turkey or pork sausage and cooking it alongside zucchini, corn, bell peppers, and onion. When cooking, you’ll add the herbal taste and aroma from freshly minced thyme and freshly grated garlic; both ingredients will only continue to infuse with your sausage and vegetables once you portion your ingredients in aluminum foil or parchment paper for a powerful protein kick on your next hike!

Seafood and Summer Corn Packet Ragout

Instead of packeting this dish in aluminum foil, this recipe has you cook your seafood in parchment paper, and the packets can be assembled and refrigerated up to six hours in advance. These packets are made with approximately 15 inches of parchment paper on which you’ll place a corn mixture topped with a butter square, an herbal medley, and the seafood trio of shrimp, mussels, and sea scallops. The corn mixture (made up of shucked corn, tomatoes, onion, jalapeño, oil, hot sauce, salt, pepper, and lemon juice) stands as a perfect base for the seafood and herbs while also absorbing all of the juices produced by the latter during the cooking process. For an added, delicious taste, be sure to save some of the herbal blend for a garnish that can be sprinkled atop once these packeted “ragouts” are brought tableside.

For more delicious recipes, click here.

Louisiana’s SmartPort Initiative Receives U.S. Dept. of Commerce Award

Governor John Bel Edwards recently announced that SmartPort, the initiative to rejuvenate the state’s Mississippi River ports with the latest in maritime technology, received a $1.6 million grant from the United States Economic Development Administration.

State and port partners matched the $1.6 million federal award for a total of $3 million that will directly contribute to the SmartPort Initiative and thus streamline port operations significantly as well as improve safety practices. Supporting the project alongside Louisiana Economic Development (LED) are the Port of New Orleans, the Port of South Louisiana, the Port of Greater Baton Rouge, and a multitude of other ports and warehouses along the lower Mississippi River.

The SmartPort Initiative was originally announced in July 2020, but this latest influx of $3 million in grant and award funds will inject massive momentum into a project that has the potential to revolutionize one of the state’s most valuable resources, the ports along the Mississippi River.

In addition to those ports previously mentioned as leading stakeholders in the SmartPort initiative, the recently announced grant will also be able to support the launch of the program at the Port of Vidalia, Madison Parish Port, St. Bernard Port, Lake Providence Port, and Plaquemine Port.

Justin Ehrenwerth, president and CEO of The Water Institute, an independent, non-profit Baton Rouge research institution that partnered with the state on the initiative, commented that they were “honored to partner with the State of Louisiana, our world-class network of Mississippi River ports and the Economic Development Administration on SmartPort. Together, we will create innovative new tools while leveraging decades of knowledge and investment to manage the Mississippi River for navigation, flood risk reduction, and coastal restoration purposes. We look forward to sharing this knowledge with our state and federal partners as we collectively bring a holistic perspective to the river.”

One essential aim of the initiative is to improve safety measures and practices through the use of real-time data that is shared by port administrators, shippers, tenants, and cargo, ground, and warehouse transportation providers. With the up-to-the-minute data being shared among the most important port stakeholders, productivity will increase significantly, thus ensuring a safer working environment. Further contributing to safety, the program will also support efforts for the proposed river diversion project as well as comprehensively evaluate risk factors along the Mississippi river such as coastal issues, flood risks, and navigation.

One tool that will be added to the Louisiana port arsenal thanks to the SmartPort program will be a decision support tool that is able to forecast waves and shoaling at port facilities along the Mississippi River; this will vastly aid efforts in both port navigation and operations. The tool, known as the Real-Time Shoaling Forecast Tool, will be part of a larger suite of weather, river, and road traffic analytic resources that aim to improve port efficiency and support the ports from threatening natural disasters and/or economic uncertainties. The Shoaling Forecast Tool was originally instituted by the Port of New Orleans, and the SmartPort program’s recent multi-million dollar infusion will only build upon that indispensable work.

Governor Edwards said of the historic initiative, “with the SmartPort initiative, Louisiana is taking a major leading role in bringing technological efficiencies to maritime commerce,” said Gov. Edwards. “Louisianans are keenly aware of the vital role the Mississippi River plays in our history, our economic successes, and our future. This grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration is an affirmation that they, too, understand the role that safe, efficient river-based transportation plays in the broader U.S. economy. With the support of ports along the river, the SmartPort program will help us set a new standard for safety and emergency management.”

For more Louisiana-related articles, click here.

 

 

 

UL Lafayette and SLCC Partner on New Engineering Transfer Agreement

It was recently announced that the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and South Louisiana Community College are collaborating on a new transfer pathway agreement that will allow students to earn a bachelor’s degree in engineering from both institutions.

This beneficial transfer agreement, which is set to begin with the Fall 2021 semester, will allow students beginning their post-secondary studies at SLCC to earn an associate’s degree in general studies with a pre-engineering concentration at SLCC. The student will then transfer to UL Lafayette’s College of Engineering to complete coursework, earning them a bachelor’s degree in engineering with no course credits lost in the process.

For decades high school graduates in the Acadiana region regularly attend their first two years of post-secondary education at SLCC before transferring’ over to ULL. Students choosing this pathway do so to save on tuition costswhile they earn generalized course credits that transfer over with them when they transfer to the four-year university. It should be noted that in transferring from a community college to a public university, many students notice that not all of their course credits transfer to their new degree program; luckily this won’t be the case with the announced transfer agreement.

SLCC’s chancellor Dr. Vincent G. June commented on the aim of the agreement, saying that it was designed to help a larger percentage of the student body achieve both their academic and career goals as well as give a boost to the development of the engineering workforce.  When speaking of the organization of the agreement, Dr. June was quoted as saying “to ease the transition for SLCC students who ultimately intend to pursue a bachelor’s degree in engineering from UL Lafayette.”

While at SLCC students will complete a curriculum consisting of 61-63 course credits that include classes in English, history, math, natural sciences, and social sciences. In addition to these courses that are applicable to a General Studies degree, students will also be required to take several engineering courses that are to be taught on UL Lafayette’s campus by professors from its College of Engineering. This cross-campus learning model is best suited for students entering the transfer pathways agreement as it will acclimate them to the learning environment, practices, and student body of the school in which they will ultimately finish their degree.

The press release confirmed that all credits taken in the pathway will successfully transfer to UL Lafayette, allowing students to pursue an engineering degree in a variety of disciplines and concentrations, including chemical, civil,electrical and computer, mechanical, and petroleum engineering. In order to earn an undergraduate engineering degree from ULL students must have completed at least 127 course credit hours of study.

Members of UL Lafayette’s administration who were present at the signing included Dr. Joseph Savoie, president, Dr. Jaimie Hebert, provost and vice president for academic affairs, and Dr. Ahmad Khattab, dean of the College of Engineering. Representing SLCC at the historic signing that occurred in late May were Dr. Vincent G. June,chancellor, and Dr. Darcee Bex, interim vice chancellor of Academic and Student Affairs.

Dr. Bex, who is also SLCC’s dean of STEM as well as Transportation and Energy, spoke to ULL Press on the beneficial aspects of the agreement, “upon enrolling, transferring students will already know some of our professors and their fellow students and be acclimated to campus. They will also have about four semesters of coursework completed. Aligning the community college with university partners like UL Lafayette just makes sense. This transfer pathway will increase educational attainment in Acadiana and is a commitment to those students seeking a career as an engineer. We’ve created a pathway to get these students to that career.”

For more education-related information, click here.

2021 Fourth of July Travel Destinations

With the limitations of the pandemic continuing to be lifted across the United States, more and more travelers are looking to “go all out” this upcoming Fourth of July Weekend, and with Reader’s Digests’ list of the best 4th of July getaways half the trouble of planning a patriotic outing has been taken care of.

As always, before you purchase though roundtrip airline tickets or hit the open highway, be sure to double-check the latest CDC and local travel recommendations to ensure safety above all. In addition to medical caution, it might also be a good idea to brush up on the most recent firework restrictions, depending on the state you’ll be traveling to.

The Fourth of July is often seen as one of the annual holidays that is most conducive to a trip since it falls in the middle of summer and is a federal holiday, ensuring that most businesses close for the day when the holiday doesn’t fall on a weekend. This year the 4th is to fall on a Sunday, the following Monday, July 5th, will be observed as a federal holiday, and with the rate of vaccinations increasing and social distancing restrictions scaling back nationwide, it’s never been a better time to consider traveling so that you can celebrate the anniversary of the United States of America’s Declaration of Independence. What follows is a selection from Reader’s Digest’s complete list of getaway options.

 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Immerse yourself this independence day in the location where it all began, the patriotic birthplace of America, Philadelphia. Around the beginning of July, no other city celebrates with the same enthusiasm as the Pennsylvanian locals. Each year, the city hosts the Wawa Welcome America event over an extended period leading up to July 4th, ultimately culminating in a show-stopping fireworks display over the Philadelphia Museum of Art, located at the southern portion of Fairmount Park. This year, the non-profit organization that organizes the event will host an array of safe, responsible programming that includes art, education, culture, entertainment, and of course, history.

Other than the infamous Wawa Welcome America spectacle, the city has plenty of other locations to enjoy the holiday weekend such as Philadelphia’s Four Seasons Hotel. Being that the hotel also stands as the tallest tower in the city, it’s a perfect vantage point from which to observe the city’s various fireworks displays. Of course, you can always make the most of your trip to the city that started it all by going on one of Philadelphia’s numerous historical tours and observe textbook-famous sights like the Liberty Bell or the Franklin Institute. All in all, if you find yourself usually caught up in the historical legacy of Independence Day, then there’s no better destination than Philadelphia.

Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

If you find yourself more drawn to the general atmosphere and seasonal aspects of the 4th of July, then why not enjoy the festivities at one of the most exciting and enjoyable beach towns found in the original thirteen colonies? Myrtle Beach, which covers 60 miles of beautiful coastline, is the ideal location to enjoy breath-taking sunrises emerging over the Atlantic Ocean, famous Southern hospitality, and delectable coastal cuisine year-round. It’s during the summer months that the boardwalk of Myrtle Beach is the star of the show with its notorious Sky Wheel that towers over the attractions below at a height of over 200 feet, making it one of the tallest Ferris wheels in the country. While it’s not a carnival ride, it is a fully accessible observation tower that allows you to see any fireworks or holiday celebrations from a prime vantage point. Other than the Skywheel, the Myrtle Beach Boardwalk and Promenade is abound with vintage favorites such as fudge shops, candy makers, arcades, and so much more.

As for accommodations, there’s one resort that stands as the obvious choice as it encompasses 27 acres of Myrtle Beach, and that is Hilton’s DoubleTree Resort. The resort features a “Beach Oceanfront” which acts as a direct pathway to the Atlantic coastline, giving you and your traveling party the ideal passageway to relaxation this summer holiday season.

For more travel-related news and information, click here.