Will flights be less crowded next year?

by Tom Johansmeyer on

The number of passengers passing through planes in 2010 is expected to decline again. The Boyd Group, a consulting firm in this industry, forecasts a decline of 74 million passengers relative to 2008 – down to 675 million next year. This means you’ll get a little more elbow room, as long as the airlines don’t respond with more route cuts. The fact that unemployment is likely to break the 10% level early next year isn’t helping, as people will be less likely to pick up a ticket and hit the road if they are worried about losing their jobs.

The year after is the one we’re all waiting for – the airline industry is expected to start to recover in 2011. It’s going to take a while, though. Even in 2014, there will be 16 million fewer passengers than there were in 2008.

Dates for 2010 Travel Blog Exchange Announced

by Katie Hammel on

Last July, travel writers and bloggers from all over the world came together in Chicago for TBEX, the Travel Blog Exchange. It was a day to meet people in the industry, to learn from other writers and bloggers, and most of all, to start a conversation about the business of travel blogging.

Topics covered at the inaugural event included “Creating a a Lively and Successful Travel Blog”, which was led by Bootsnall’s Sean Keener, Nomadic Matt, Micheal Yessis from Worldhum, and Gadling’s own Heather Poole (who did a stellar job explaining how she keeps her own blog stocked with informative and entertaining posts). There was a session on working with PR people, one on podcasting and video (featuring Chris Martin from the Indie Travel Podcast and Chris Elliott from National Geographic and MSNBC) and a panel on the difference between travel journalism and blogging, led by Conde Nast’s Wendy Perrin and Jen Leo from the LA Times. Between sessions there was plenty of time for networking.

I had the chance to attend the 2009 event and was glad I did. I learned a lot, got to meet several people whose blogs I have been following, and made some valuable connections. As soon as the event was over, I signed up to be alerted with news about the 2010 Travel Blog Exchange.

Today, the dates and locations for next year’s TBEX were announced. This year’s event will be held June 26 and 27, 2010, and sounds like it’s going to be even bigger and better than last year. It will be held in New York City, is an extra day long, and will offer more in-depth session for niche discussions. Plus, Gadling is going to be one of the sponsors.

Speakers have not been confirmed yet, but based on the experts assembled last year, I’ve no doubt that next year’s attendees will be treated to an all-star panel. Early Bird registration (before January 1, 2010) is just $40. After that, it’s only $80, making this one of the cheaper blogger conferences available and well worth the money. You can sign up now to attend in person, or stay tuned to the TBEX page for information on watching the event via live stream.

Gadlinks for Friday 10.16.09

by Brenda Yun on


Another Friday is upon us here at Gadling, and after that balloon kid fiasco yesterday, which also happened to be Blog Action Day, I think we need a good few days of rest. So cuddle up with these cool weekend reads and enjoy what I hope will be a drama-free weekend!

‘Til Monday, have a great weekend!

More Gadlinks HERE.

Moose tries to check in to hotel, lives another year

by Tom Johansmeyer on

The front desk staff of the Mainstay Suites in Fargo, North Dakota had to deal with an unusual guest. A moose came by the hotel but was unable to communicate his exact needs. So, he hung out in the courtyard for a while, noshing on grass and leaves until a veterinarian, armed with a tranquilizer gun, put him to sleep before he could even get to a bed. Had the moose been able to communicate, he might have had a shot at getting a room. Only 75 percent of the 127 rooms were occupied.

The police were notified of the visitor at 5:45 Tuesday morning – and they were told that the moose seemed to have no interest in leaving. After being tranquilized “in the behind” (the exact quote was noted twice by the Minneapolis Star-Tribune in the beginning of the story), he wandered briefly before settling down to snooze. The animal was then carted away by a front-end loader and now calls the Erie Dam Wildlife Management area home.

Now, the moose has a big white “X” on each shoulder, warning hunters not to cap him this season. The beast’s jaunt earned him a stay of execution!

Hawaii delights with a 10-day international film extravaganza

by Brenda Yun on

For ten glorious days (which began yesterday), Hawaii will host its international film festival until October 25. The film line-up is chock full of Asian films as well as other international cinema delights.

This year’s centerpiece films on opening, mid-festival, and closing nights demonstrate the diverse films that make up this year’s deep line-up. The one I’d like to see is “Red Cliff” – a John Woo film that is based on the famous Chinese novel “Romance of the Three Kingdoms.” You can watch the Red Cliff trailer below.

The Hawaii International Film Festival (HIFF) started as a project of the East-West Center at the University of Hawai`i Manoa campus in Honolulu in 1981. Back then, only seven films were screened from six countries to an audience of 5,000. Today, HIFF is the premiere cinematic event in the Pacific that has had more than one dozen screening sites on six Hawaiian Islands and draws an audience of 80,000 or more from around the state, the nation and throughout the world.
HIFF is unique in discovering features, documentaries and shorts from Asia made by Asians, films about the Pacific made by Pacific Islanders, and films made by Hawai`i filmmakers that present Hawai`i in a culturally accurate way. The film festival also conducts seminars, workshops, special award presentation receptions with top Asian, Pacific and North American filmmakers.

Most of the films will be playing at the Dole Cannery Theaters in downtown Honolulu. For a complete film listing or to order tickets in advance, visit the HIFF website.