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With no fees or minimums on checking accounts, it's no wonder the Capital One bank guy is so passionate about banking with Capital One. If he were here, he wouldn't just tell you about no fees or minimums. He'd also talk about how most Capital One cafes are open seven days a week to assist with your banking needs. Yep, even on weekends, it's pretty much all he talks about in a good way. What's in your wallet? Terms apply. See capitalone.com bank capital1na member FDIC
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close your eyes. Summer smells like sunshine, fresh citrus and salty air. What if your living room could feel just like that? With Pura's new Summer collection, it can restore your sense of well being with fragrances designed to move with your day. From bright, energizing mornings to soft, relaxing evenings make the invisible unforgettable. This season, visit pura.com to find your new favorite summer scent. Latte for Keenan that's me. Hey, you're yeah, Buying a car online on Autotrader.
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Really?
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But unlike other sites, you can start online, test drive with a local dealer, then finish online or at the dealership.
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Cool.
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Enjoy. Buy your car online on Autotrader. Really?
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One of my great passions in life is travel. I've traveled for fun. I've traveled for work. I've traveled with friends. I've traveled under the sea. I've traveled across the savannas. I've traveled with my students, my parents, my nephew, my nieces. It's something special I share with the people I love. Like, hey, let's see a new part of the world together. Let's meet new people and learn about their histories and experience different cultures and different ways of life. That curiosity has always been a central part of who I am. But as I've grown and changed, so has the tourism industry. Social media and over tourism have made even some of the most magical places feel like a jam packed selfie line. Cities like Barcelona have begun to push back on the giant crowd of tourists visiting each year, going so far as to appoint a new commissioner for sustainable tourism. But what role can we, the travelers, play in protecting the places we love to visit and want to preserve? I'm Madup Bakinola, this is TED Business, a podcast from ted. Our speaker today, travel industry expert Suresh Sabhoodi wants us to reflect on our travel habits because the truth is, we're loving these places to death. Not only is increased tourism making it unpleasant for fellow travelers, it's actually driving up costs for local residents to the point where these places are becoming unlivable. But the good news is people who love to travel can grow along with the industry and figure out new ways to inhabit old places. Suresh tells us it's the difference between being a tourist and being a joyful guest. Then, after the talk, I'll ask you how you can be a joyful guest in your own life. But first, a quick break. This episode is brought to you by Pakka I'm always on the hunt for those staple pieces I can easily pack and know I'll be comfortable no matter what I'm doing. At this point, I don't travel anywhere without my Packa hoodie and original crew sweater. They're both made with the same care and unmistakable softness. Pakka creates outdoor and lifestyle apparel from alpaca fiber, one of the most sustainable natural fibers on the planet. Their signature hoodie is unbelievably soft, warmer than wool, yet still breathable enough to wear through whatever the day brings. It's built for real life, thermoregulating, odor resistant, durable and made to last. And I'm not the only one who loves it. More than 250,000 people have already picked up theirs. Once you feel the quality of paca, you'll understand why people keep coming back. To grab your Packa hoodie, go to www.packaapparel.com. that's www.pakaapparel.com.
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with no fees or minimums on checking accounts, it's no wonder the Capital One bank guy is so passionate about banking. With Capital One. If he were here, he wouldn't just tell you about no fees or minimums. He'd also talk about how most Capital One cafes are open seven days a week to assist with your banking needs. Yep, even on weekends, it's pretty much all he talks about. In a good way. What's in your wallet? Terms apply. See capitalone.com bank capital1na member, FDIC.
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And now Suresh Sabudi takes the TED stage.
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Last July, I was in Rome. I walked from my hotel to the Trevi Fountain on the cobbled streets lined with beautiful cafes bustling with residents and travelers drinking their espressos and cheering and greeting each other. Small souvenir shops selling beautiful replicas of the Colosseum, the Sistine Chapel ceiling paintings. What an atmosphere. I soaked it all in, reached the Trevi Fountain, grabbed my favorite pistachio gelato and looked at the marvelous views. A perfect Roman holiday. Suddenly my alarm rang and I woke up from my dream. I was in Rome. I did walk from my hotel to the Trevi Fountain. But I felt rushed. The cafes were crowded. People had to even queue outside. The shopkeepers had no time to entertain visitors. I reached the Trevi fountain and forget grabbing my favorite pistachio gelato or finding a bench to sit, I couldn't get to the steps. Thousands and thousands of people all around. Have you felt the same way when you reach your dream destination, you feel as if it has been overrun. You feel as if it has become a selfie cue. I had the same feeling. And this is not an isolated incident. I had the same exact experience in Tokyo when I went there. During the cherry blossom season, tourists crowd every park in the city to get the glimpse of the famous sakura. I asked a resident, how does he feel seeing so many tourists all around. He told me that he doesn't bring his family anymore for a picnic under the sakura. That response broke my heart. We are loving our favorite destinations to death. We are overrunning them. And residents are pushing back because it's impacting their livability. Their cost of living is increasing. Congestions on the road, rental prices, food prices. They're pushing back. And they're pushing back. Like in Barcelona with the graffiti asking tourists to go home in Barcelona, in Italy, in Portugal, residents are pushing back. I have been researching the travel industry for last 20 years and my two research subjects, the residents and the traveler, are on a collision course like never before. We have a travel crisis. The travel industry employs about 300 million people globally. And it's going to be a 15 trillion dollar industry by 2040. Too large, too many livelihoods at stake for us to ignore this crisis. But let me pause and ask you a question. Why do we travel? We travel for joy. Joy by experiencing the diversity this world has to offer. Joy by experiencing different lives. Joy through a shared connection. My daughter, son and wife are here and I want them to experience the same joy I experienced in my Roman dream. I want all of you to experience the same joy. We need to bring joy back in travel. But it's a complex problem. We have millions of tourists getting inspired by social media and planning the travel destinations and planning the travel itineraries. We have the travel industry, which is looking for short term profits. And we have cities who don't know how to manage the tourist inflow. There is a path forward though. With the use of technology like AI and simple behavior changes, we could bring joy back in travel. Now imagine if we were to make the entire travel industry's objective, the airlines, the hotel, the travel tour operators, to bring joy to both residents as well as the travelers and they have everything at their disposal from technology to people to skilling. They will rise to the occasion. They will do three things. 1. Help manage crowd, help discover authentic experiences and help drive a really, really respectful connection between the resident and the traveler. In your last trip, did you feel like rushed? Did you feel like you were going through a checklist, moving from one place to another place? Did it feel like a chore? Or did you feel joy? We all are super busy and we all land up to the same destinations during the same peak season times without realizing. Quieter seasons, quieter times or hidden paths. What if technology could help us figure that out? Feel Florence is an app by the City of Florence which helps exactly do this for the travelers. It uses the data from sensors from cameras to understand crowded locations and recommends personalized travel itineraries for tourists. It sends user alerts to avoid crowded locations. When this happens, it balances the load and it is beneficial for both the tourists as well as the residents. Cities are going down that path. Amsterdam and even religious cities like Mecca or Varanasi are increasingly using technology to manage crowd. What was your last unforgettable trip? Was it the famous landmark Instagrammable picture? Or was it a shared smile with someone? Or was it a story that somebody told you? Of course, in the backdrop of a beautiful nature or a beautiful surrounding? I asked the same question to my friend. He said if I ignore my bachelorette party outside. My last unforgettable trip was in Vietnam. A fisherman took me on his boat ride, told me stories about Vietnam, told me stories about that life he has lived there and I cannot forget that. What a beautiful connection for me. It was my experience in Istanbul in Turkey, where a cheerful cafe owner took interest in me and told me the history of Turkish tea, how to make it and how to drink it. Whenever I think about Turkey or Istanbul, my heart fills with joy. This is what we crave. This is what we seek. I'm sure some of you have been stranded at airports because of airline disruptions. The airline has two options. One, to check you into a hotel overlooking the terminal or maybe organize a Turkish tea making workshop. Maybe some of us will like it and if we like it, we will become a loyal customer of the airline. Same is the case with hotels. If hotels can use technology to give custom concierges which speaks in your language, curates local suggestions, helps you discover hidden gems and walks along with you, you will become a loyal customer of the hotel. Imagine the possibilities of uncovering authentic experiences that give us true joy. Many residents in the Destinations we love don't see the direct benefits of a traveler, they only see the negative side. I know we are contributing to the local economy through our money, but that may not be enough. And even if we want to contribute through our time, we don't know how to do it. Residents feel like how I used to feel as a child when unexpected guests arrived in my house, especially if they didn't carry any special gifts for me. I barely uttered a smile and I wished that they leave as soon as possible. I'm sure many of you if you could find a way to contribute through your time, you would. Again, things are changing on this front. Golden Volunteer is an example of a platform which connects volunteers with organizations and projects looking for volunteers. It in fact goes to the extent of doing volunteer background check. If we can unleash a gratitude marketplace at scale, we will create a deep connection between the traveler and the resident. Copenhagen is going on that path. With copenpei, you get points if you do gardening, you get points if you do cycling, and you can use those points for redeeming against attractions. If you had the opportunity to contribute with your time, what would you do? Some of your annual lovers you may want to be part of the elephant rescue centers in Thailand or want to be part of sea turtle rescue centers in India. If you're environment or nature lover, you may want to be part of coral reef preservation in the Great Barrier or in Maldives. And if you're a history lover like me, you may be wanting to be part of restoration of an 800 year old temple. In fact, I will seek such an opportunity and bake it in my itinerary because I would love to be part of something like this. The possibilities are infinite. The travel industry is going to grow. It's one industry that is probably encouraging tolerance in this highly polarized world. It's for us to shape positively the destinations we love and the people who call it their home. I've talked about the tools at hand and I've given you a few examples. I want to leave with one question in your next trip, will you be tourist or a joyful guest? It's time we bring joy back in travel. Thank you.
- [16:49]
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With no fees or minimums on checking accounts, it's no wonder the Capital One bank guy is so passionate about banking with Capital One. If he were here, he wouldn't just tell you about no fees or minimums. He'd also talk about how most Capital One cafes are open seven days a week to assist with your banking needs. Yep, even on weekends it's pretty much all he talks about in a good way. What's in your wallet? Terms apply. See capitalone.combank, capital One, NA Member, FDIC.
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Close your eyes. Exhale. Feel your body relax and let go of whatever you're carrying today. Well, I'm letting go of the worry that I wouldn't get my new contacts in time for this class. I got them delivered free from 1-800-contacts. Oh my gosh, they're so fast. And breathe. Oh, sorry. I almost couldn't breathe when I saw the discount they gave me on my first order. Oh, sorry.
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Namaste. Visit 1-800-contacts.com today to save on your first order.
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1-800-contacts. You've never been one to settle. Stand down or stand still. You're a lifelong learner, energized by excellence. There's a fire inside you you can't ignore. You've got competition to outrun, momentum to build on, and your own high standards to meet. Stop now. Not a chance. At Capella University, we help you catch what you're chasing because you've always had the drive. Now go earn the degree. Capella University. What can't you do? Visit Capella Edu to learn more. That was Cresh, the booty at TEDxBCG, I commend Suresh for getting real about over tourism. It's grim to see how much social media and the algorithms have dictated our travel plans, and it's even more heartbreaking to see the negative impact on local residents. But I also appreciate that Cresh is pointing out the possibilities for this growing industry too. I mean, how much joy the World cup has brought so many people this summer. And it's not just the games. Bringing so many people from around the world together has enlivened our home cities and towns. I think Suresh's point about not just rushing from place to place, not just doing it for ig, is applicable far beyond just travel. If Cresh tells us that the joy of travel is the joy of human connection, couldn't that be true of our daily lives as well? So my question for you is, in what ways can you become joyfully present in your life and in your workplace this week? How can you prioritize meaningful connection and conscious consumption? That's it for today. TED Business is part of the TED Audio Collective. This episode was produced by Hannah Kingsley, ma, edited by Alejandra Salazar and fact checked by Julia Dickerson. Special thanks to Maria Ladias, Farrah de Grunge, Daniela Balarazo, Tansika Sangmanibong and Roxanne hi Lash. I'm Medupa Akinola. Thanks for listening.
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With no fees or minimums on checking accounts, it's no wonder the Capital One bank guy is so passionate about banking with Capital One. If he were here, he wouldn't just tell you about no fees or minimums. He'd also talk about how most Capital One cafes are open seven days a week to assist with your banking needs. Yep, even on weekends it's pretty much all he talks about. In a good way. What's in your wallet? Terms apply. See capitalone.com Bank.
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