Releasing baby turtle ( tukik ) at Serang Beach. The schedule in afternoon starting Turtle talk, look at the turtle incubation place, and the last session releasing tukik.
May 17, 2024
Impressions are the most important thing to millennials
👍 Millennials value experiences more than things
According to American Express Travel’s 2023 Global Travel Trends Report, Millennials spend 46% of their travel budget on experiences (the same trend seen in Generation Z). More than anyone else, millennials are focused on mental health and opportunities to relax. Hotels with spas are growing in popularity among Generation Y for quality health care.
Some 82% of Generation Z travelers and millennials say they are interested in taking vacations that have minimal impact on the environment, compared to 72% of Generation X and 64% of boomers.
Millennials carefully plan itineraries and their “agenda,” including items like “try local food” or “visit the place where a favorite TV show was filmed.”
🏨 Millennials prefer apartments over hotels
According to UK-based research firm YouGov, millennials make up nearly half of Airbnb customers in 2022 - more than Generation X and baby boomers combined.
No surprise, given that many millennials have become parents and are now traveling with children. Since 2019, Airbnb rentals have grown the most specifically among travelers with children six and under. They expect a separate bedroom for their child in an apartment. In addition, hosts often offer cribs, high chairs, and toys.
Meanwhile, many hotels are trying to reorient themselves to “family vacation”: they make themed children’s rooms and are always ready to stuff the room with everything children may need. Somewhere, on request, they will even bring a refrigerator that maintains the temperature necessary for safe storage of breast milk.
May 4, 2024
Best capital for traveling
Lisbon has been named Europe’s best capital for traveling in 2024.
The Best European Capitals to Visit in 2024 ranking took into account the following factors: weekly budget, number of English speakers, safety and friendliness of the country.
Top 10 capitals:
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇳🇱 Amsterdam
🇨🇿 Prague
🇵🇱 Warsaw
🇪🇸 Madrid
🇭🇷 Zagreb
🇬🇧 London
🇮🇹 Rome
🇨🇭 Burn
🇫🇷 Paris
Lisbon is one of the cheapest places to live - you need about €385 for a week here. The people of Lisbon are among the friendliest, just after the Spanish and Italians, and the second most English-speaking, just after the Dutch, with the exception of the British.
Feb. 19, 2024
Airbnb has announced a ban on cameras
On April 30, the ban on cameras inside residences will go into effect. Hosts will only be able to keep outdoor cameras, but will have to specify their location.
Until now, they could be placed in common areas (such as the living room), as long as they were visible and their presence was specified in the ad’s description.
It took them a surprisingly long time to decide on this ban. The main thing is that this ban should be enforced by the owners.
Source
Translated with DeepL.com (free version)
Feb. 10, 2024
Airports will soon abolish the 100 ml liquid rule in hand luggage
Some European airports are starting to lift the restriction on liquids in hand luggage thanks to new and improved security scanners.
✈️ The new scanners are already in use at Teesside International Airport in County Durham, UK; Schiphol in Amsterdam and Leonardo da Vinci International Airport in Rome.
In recent years, the scanners have been tested at London Gatwick and Heathrow. Once the scanners are installed, the 100ml rule will be phased out over two years.
The ritual of drinking water bottles before going through pre-flight screening will soon end.
Aug. 4, 2023
Guide to fast payment systems
The application performs transactions without commission for individuals within Sweden, allows you to send and receive money by phone number, as well as by QR code and from a smartphone.
Faster Payments is the UK’s fast payment system, with over 40 banks in the country, including Revolut, connected to it. The system allows you to send up to £1 million in a single transaction and make online payments with no fees from private customers.
Supported by 20 Chinese banks, the system allows customers to make instant transfers in Hong Kong dollars and RMB with no fees using the recipient’s phone or bank account number, email or QR code.
Australia’s fast payment system, transfers can be made by phone number, email, business number (ABN) or bank account number, transfer fees are set by the bank.
A Brazilian service that allows you to make transactions instantly (in less than 10 seconds), 24/7 without commission.
America’s fast payment systems, Venmo is a local service that can only be used in the US.
A system in Thailand allows payments in Thai baht using bank accounts in Thailand.
A fast payment system in Poland allows money transfers between Polish banks.
Indian service operating since 2010.
An application launched by Italian hypermarket chain Iper for all its outlets in seven Italian regions. Using JIFFY, customers can pay for purchases through a smartphone app that connects directly to their bank account. Money is transferred in real time between individuals and payments can also be made to merchants.
A popular e-wallet and mobile payment service in the Philippines, used by over 60 million people.
The service started in Turkey, accepts any Visa, Mastercard, Mir and UnionPay cards. The service earns on commission for making payments (2%) and conversion rate from rubles to lira (+12% of the real one). The money is credited to the seller’s Turkish account within two working days of payment.
March 23, 2023
Market entry and starting a business abroad in 2023: What to know
In today’s globalized business environment, entering a new market or starting a business abroad calls for a rigorous strategy and a firm knowledge of local and international conditions.
This is especially the case as globalization involves numerous business lines that are vulnerable to volatile affairs such as political and socio economic issues. The recent pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war are just some of the events that prompted a notable change in some aspects of global economies.
Businesses are compelled to be prepared for the opportunities and challenges in the following year ahead. Here are the top five market entry trends to look out for in 2023.
Top 5 market entry trends for 2023
Emerging markets
Though there is no official definition for the term “emerging markets,” the International Monetary Fund (IMF) described it as those who have achieved “remarkable progress in strengthening their macroeconomic policies since the turn of the century, which helped them more than double per capita incomes on average.”
With the current globalized business ecosystem, market participants are incentivised to drive their innovation efforts in emerging markets. Moreover, collaboration with enterprises and government units can be expected. For instance, governments in emerging markets assertively push and invest in the use of automation in local firms to drive their competitive advantage.
However, amidst the global inflation is seen to continue well into 2023, existing and entering businesses are likely to face rising costs.
Digital transformation
In recent years, digital transformation in business functions has augmented efficiency in areas such as transparency and compliance, to name a few. In our recent blog, we discussed Regulatory Technology (RegTech), automation in compliance checks and perpetual Know Your Customer (KYC) processes, which all involve the integration of digitalised solutions for compliance.
The pandemic brought about many changes in an organization’s work setup. Aside from the shift in a work setting, which will be discussed in the latter part of this article, the digitalisation of work processes has also emerged. With this, businesses will need to ensure that the right technological tools and talent are available for the organization to effectively integrate digital transformation into day-to-day and specialized business functions.
Moreover, market entrants will also need to prepare themselves for the risks associated with doing so. Digital security is a top concern in going digital, especially when dealing with various data and clients.
Sustainability and ESG
The concept of sustainability and the Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) framework are recurring themes within the business ecosystem. Both are previously mentioned in blogs discussing the anticipated trends for 2023 in family offices, fund administration and private equity.
Sustainability and ESG in market entry are no different. A report by Capgemini Research Institute found that eight out of ten consumers base their purchase decisions on sustainability. Moreover, 77 percent of the 7,500 consumers surveyed expressed concerns about an organization’s treatment of its workers.
The International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) was specifically created to carry out a global baseline of sustainability-focused disclosure standards. The board will assist in helping capital market players evaluate enterprise value and risks associated with ESG.
With investors and consumers placing much value on these concepts in their investments and purchasing decisions, organizations are compelled to align and position their business strategies accordingly. In addition, companies are urged to be mindful of their operations and how they affect both their internal and external stakeholders.
However, it is important to note that maximizing the value creation from sustainability comes with responsibility and commitment from the organization. A McKinsey survey) that the companies that have effectively created value from their sustainability programs manage this business area with the same dedication and discipline as with their other business initiatives.
Amplified regulatory environment
In prior years, the regulatory environment has become more stringent as several aggressive actions in policy making and enforcing regulations were made.
For instance, the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) reported that it had filed 760 enforcement actions in 2022, documenting a nine per cent increase from the previous year. According to Division of Enforcement Director Gurbir Grewal, “the Enforcement Division is working with a sense of urgency to protect investors, hold wrongdoers accountable and deter future misconduct in our financial markets.”
Market entrants have to keep track of compliance risks that may occur in various aspects of businesses such as digital assets, personal data, cybersecurity and reporting requirements, to name a few.
Those planning to start a business abroad should be mindful of the rules and regulations applicable to the country’s local and regional business environment, the industry that will be entered and the type of business to be launched, among many other factors.
Adjustments in work setup
Over the past years, the flexibility provided by the remote and hybrid work setup became a significant factor in the employment decisions of employees. This trend is seen to continue in 2023 and beyond.
In a 2022 U.S. survey by the Pew Research Center, 78 percent of the respondents that were working from home most at the time of the survey or all the time conveyed their preference for continuing their current work setup even after the pandemic. This figure indicated an increase from 2020’s 64 per cent.
In addition, flexible hours and shortened workweeks also became a sought-after aspect for employees and will continue to do so in the years to come.
With this, market entrants are encouraged to adapt and accommodate such changes in the work setup moving forward. With the right policies in place, organizations may still ensure employee productivity even without the traditional work conventions.
Moving into a new market in 2023 can be challenging, especially with external factors that can be hard to control. However, having the right market entry strategies and team to support your business functions can help position your business on the path to success…
Georgia , Feb. 21, 2023
Tours of Georgia
- Tour of Tbilisi, on foot and by car. Duration of the tour 8 - 10 hours.
- Tour of Kakheti. Wine region of Georgia. Duration of the tour from 9.00 to 20.00 hours.
- Tour of Kazbegi, Georgian Military Road. Gergeti, Daryal Uzel. Duration of the tour from 9:00 till 21:00.
- Mtskheta tour. The Old Capital of Georgia. Tour duration - from 9 am till 5 pm.
- Tour of Gori, the Stalin Museum and Uplistsikhe (city in the rocks, over 3,500 years).
- Tour of Racha, mountainous region of Georgia, Tour Duration - 2 nights / 3 days.
- Tour of Samegrelo (waterfalls and canyons) Tour duration - 1 night / 2 days.
- Kutaisi and Lechkhumi tour (Prometheus Cave), waterfalls and lakes. Tour duration: 2 nights / 3 days.
- Tours by guest order.
TEL: +995 568 89 40 04 VIBER: +995 568 89 40 04