Where digital meets travel + lifestyle … A collection of can’t-miss news from this week. Sign up to get the TURNER Weekly Download in your inbox every Friday.
Travelers want more than just relaxing vacations. They’re looking to be transformed by their adventures. The Global Wellness Summit's 2018 trend report singled out transformative wellness travel as a top trend, calling it a step beyond “authentic” or “experiential” travel — one that reaches “a deeper emotional level.” “What are we as an industry doing to give travelers not just a great time, but to awaken in them passion and energy to do good in this world?” asks Christina Beckmann, senior director of strategy and impact for the Adventure Travel Trade Association. “That's possibly our greatest opportunity right now.”
Hate air travel? Then say hello to Care-E, your stress-reducing robot friend, the creation of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. The Verge reports: “The robot, Care-E, will meet you at the security checkpoint and take you wherever you need to go with your carry-on luggage on its back. To start your trip with the robot, it will prompt you to scan your boarding pass through nonverbal sounds and cues on its screen.” Look out for Care-E at New York’s JFK and San Francisco’s International airports this summer, before it expands to other markets.
One thing that’s sure to make travel less stressful? Craft beer brewed on-site at your hotel. Forbes has rounded up several luxury hotels that are getting into the beer game. Aficionados take note: The Source Hotel in Denver has teamed up with the legendary New Belgium Brewing Company to produce a rotating tap list focused on experimental ales. And Tokyo’s Trunk Hotel has joined forces with Ishikawa Brewery to brew small-batch beer on-site. Hey, if the beer is good, you’ll have even less reason to leave the hotel grounds.
The recent death of Anthony Bourdain has left fans of the Parts Unknown host’s singular blend of food, adventure, travel and politics looking for other inspiring globetrotting TV shows. As a result, Forbes has found a few that scratch that itch. This week, check out No Passport Required, a travel food program on PBS that stars superstar chef Marcus Samuelsson, the owner of Red Rooster in Harlem. Then give Somebody Feed Phil on Netflix a try – it features Phil Rosenthal, executive producer of Everybody Loves Raymond, traveling all over the world and trying all kinds of food.