frequentflierAccording to the Visa & PATA “Determining Travel Preferences in 2009 & Beyond” survey, one in three respondents are heavily influenced by frequent flier programmes. This was strongest in China (49%), Hong Kong (47%) & Korea (44%). As would logically be expected, frequent fliers are more heavily influenced (48%) than occassional travellers (33%).

The survey also found that people are now taking shorter breaks (25% spent 3-5 days at destination) and are looking for cheaper alternatives (64% reviewing plans in light of economy)

Nothing surprising, but good to have the numbers.

Image : http://www.flickr.com/photos/kalleboo/

The Cost of Performing Rest

The Cost of Performing Rest

Modern systems have turned rest into something we perform rather than something that restores us. This essay explores why holidays often fail to renew people, how work and the holiday industry reinforce the problem, and what real restoration actually requires.

The New Luxury Signal: Emotional Stability

The New Luxury Signal: Emotional Stability

Luxury resorts used to sell status and spectacle. Now they sell something quieter: relief. Guests arrive overloaded, and the best resorts are redesigning around sensory calm, reduced friction, and emotional steadiness. Modern luxury is less about what you add, and more about what you remove.

When You Can’t Leave: Designing for the Flight Reflex in Airports, Venues, and Hospitals

When You Can’t Leave: Designing for the Flight Reflex in Airports, Venues, and Hospitals

In high-stimulus public spaces, our bodies do more than react – they strategise.
Airports, hospitals, and stadiums all evoke subtle “Flight” responses: scanning, pacing, early exits.
Understanding how threat appraisal drives behaviour can help architects and planners design calmer spaces – and reveal why relaxation, not excitement, predicts dwell, spend, and satisfaction.