Virtual travel could change the world with help from drones, VR and wireless – DroneDJ

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An article in the WSJ talks about how virtual travel could change the world with help from drones, VR and fast wireless networks. And even though drones might seem to be the best technology for deploying the cameras needed for digital teleportation, widespread use is likely to be years away.

Sarah Toth Stub writes for the Wall Street Journal that:

Proponents of digital teleportation are working to combine live virtual reality, drones and fast wireless networks to allow people to explore far-flung locales in real-time.

You strap on a slim, comfortable headset, pick up your controls and press a button. A drone takes off, whizzing down flooded city streets. Through the goggles, you see what the drone seesa crisp, live, 360-degree view of battered houses and uprooted trees. When you look down, you see whats below the drone. The full-color picture doesnt seize up; theres no latency. You are, essentially, digitally teleporting into the aftermath of a natural disaster.

At least, thats the goal. Digital teleportation, as the field is fancifully known, doesnt exist yet. But proponents of the technology, which some call live delivery, believe that in the coming years, a mix of virtual reality, fast wireless networks and machines like drones and rovers will allow people to immerse themselves in actual, far-flung environmentsin real time.

Since May, Israeli soldiers on the Gaza border have been using a drone system for surveillance, to search areas for explosive devices and enemy combatants, and to deflect flying objects sent by militants, according to the Israel Defense Forces. The drone transmits up to 130-degree, live footage to a pilots headset, allowing soldiers to explore dangerous areas without risking their safety.

Pairing live VR with drones is the next step. The technology partly comes from the small but growing world of professional drone racing. Pilots don goggles during races that give them a first-person view of the drones progress along the course. The system is difficult to learn; it takes the pilots full attention just to steer the drone. First-time fliers often crash, said Nicholas Horbaczewski, chief executive and founder of the Drone Racing League. Pilots often opt for flat, black-and-white footage because it has the quickest data-transmission rates, but it isnt detailed enough for military or other non-racing uses.

Still, startups are pushing ahead. For consumers, San Diego-based NewBeeDrone is working on a headset for use with first-person-view drones that comes with high-definition views. Its more of a proof-of-concept now, said Daryn Huang, the companys chief financial officer. But this shows people what it can be like to fly.

Still, the technological developments needed for useful, widespread teleportation by drone are likely years away, Mr. Chakareski said. Drones appear to be the best technology for deploying the cameras needed for digital teleportation, he said. But you have to completely redesign the process of gathering data and distributing data in order for VR to really deliver on its potential and have a societal impact.

You can read the entire article Virtual travel could change the world with help from drones, VR and wireless here [paywall].

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Virtual travel could change the world with help from drones, VR and wireless - DroneDJ

The best books of 2019 for people who love travel – The Points Guy

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It can be hard to find a nice holiday gift for the frequent flyer. In 2019, however, there are some notable coffee table books and book books that will please the AvGeek, the frequent flyer or anyone with a healthy love of wanderlust on your list.

If youre like me, route maps in the back of an inflight magazine are a fascinating look at the world. For instance, who knew there were nonstop flights between, for example, Nashville and London? Or, just how extensive are American Airlines routes to Central and Latin America? The route map is at once marketing for the airline and bragging rights that they can take you from here to there in style.

Enter: Airline Maps, a new release for 2019 that features full-color reproductions of route maps and airline art from the likes of American Airlines, British Airways, Air France and KLM, among many others. Its a fascinating look at an era of travel long past. The examples span from 1919 to the present day. Its a must for anyone interested in the history of flight and the graphic design behind the maps and airline posters. The authors, Mark Ovenden and Maxwell Roberts, are a design historian and university lecturer, respectively. (Ovenden also authored Transit Maps of the World.) Buy:Amazon.com

Theyre back. The Greenpoint, Brooklyn-based auteurs created a travel phenomenon with their original book, Atlas Obscura. The second edition features just as many oddities as the first, from the worlds largest solar furnace (Languedoc, France) to surfing in urban Germany. Equal parts fascinating, creepy, trippy and unexpected, pick up a copy for the most curious and adventurous traveler on your list. The new edition features 100 new spots plus a fold-out map of a dream round-the-world trip. Its all very, well, obscure. Buy: Amazon.com

On cold days, I love to flip through something that warms the spirit. What better way to remember a trip to Italy than with Gray Malins Italy. The noted photographers tome has 125 truly stunning images of everywhere from the rugged, rocky Puglia to the green, northern feel of Lake Como. Its bright, colorful and bold; I want it on my table. In an era where drone photography is ubiquitous on Instagram, Gray Malin is the original master. Gray Malin: Italy is as close to a visit to the Cinque Terre as youll get without actually flying there on points. Eccellente. (I had better get planning a trip for 2020.) Buy: Amazon.com

Airline pilot Mark Vanhoenacker penned Skyfaring, the popular book every traveler should read. Earlier this year, the British Airways Boeing 787 pilot released How to Land a Plane, which literally explains how one would fly a jumbo jet and actually land it. His prose is simple, enjoyable and the book makes for a quick read. Who knows? Maybe youll inspire a future pilot with this gift. Buy: Amazon.com

The weather has a very large impact on our travels. But if you want to get a deeper understanding of how the weather is forecast, and the history of humankinds efforts to predict it, try The Weather Machine, a new book by Andrew Blum. It doesnt explain how thunderstorms develop, but will help you understand how we went from an inability to predict the weather two days out to now being accurate to 10 days. Blums book is a non-technical explanation that goes behind the scenes of the worldwide meteorology club. (If you want something decidedly drier to learn more about the actual weather, the FAA publishes the Aviation Weather Guide for Pilots.) Buy: Amazon.com

Its already a best-selling book (to the tune of 3.5 million copies), but the book was released in 2019 in a giftable format: a hardcover edition worthy of your coffee table with more than 1,000 photos from adventures around the world. Its an international whats what of places to visit and experience, accompanied by photography that will definitely make you want to get out there and explore. Dont tell my brother, but hes getting this 15-pound book from me on Dec. 25. Its eye candy for travelers, and a hefty choice. Buy: Amazon.com

Since 2015, Monocle Magazine has published several dozen city guides, and is now in the process of updating some of the originals such as New York and London. The Monocle Guides are a more accessible version of the small, colorful Wallpaper Guides you may have seen. In 2019, Monocle released Athens, Hamburg, Chicago, Brussels + Antwerp, and Marrakech, Tangier and Casablanca. (Chicago, in particular, is a nice read with good information on architecture and simply the best curation of things to do, stores to visit and places to eat in this architectural gem of a city.) Buy: Monocle.com,$15 each

Mike Arnot is the founder of Boarding Pass NYC, a New York-based travel brand, and a marketing consultant to airlines, none of which appear in this story.

Feature photo by eternalcreative/Getty Images

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The best books of 2019 for people who love travel - The Points Guy

Great Lakes named a top destination for 2020 by Travel + Leisure magazine – The Times Herald

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We already know about the Great Lakes. But the word is starting to get out.

Travel magazine Travel + Leisurejust named the Great Lakes asone of the world's best places to travel in 2020, according to its annual list of the 50 best places to visit.

Travel + Leisurewent through books andtourism statistics. It scopedout major events,new restaurant openings and posts of the best travelInstagram accounts. It surveyedtravel experts advisors, writers, hospitality insiders, and other industry pros to see what places should make it to the list.

The result: The Great Lakes made it to No. 22, sandwiched between Guyana and Istanbul, as the next hot cruise destination.

Turnip Rock in Lake Huron.(Photo: Dayna Mae Photography)

Collectively, the five lakes offer 11,000 miles of "attraction-packed shoreline."There are new small ship cruises making it easierfor visitorsto explore.

You can travel fromQubec to Milwaukeefor the first time in 2019 on luxury French cruise linePonant.If that doesn't quite float your boat,Blount Small Ship Adventuresadded a two-week Great Lakes trip, taking visitors from Chicago to Montral.

If you prefer to be on land, there's always Mackinac Island, named the no. 1 summer destination in Americaby TripAdvisor in 2018 and a top "secret celebrity hideaway" by Forbes in 2017.It's a traveler favorite and has two new hotels in 2019, theMackinac HouseandWaterfront Collection.

(Photo: iStock / Michael Deemer)

In Michigan's Upper Peninsula,Chicago Michelin-starred chef Iliana Regan and her wife, Anna Regan, launched theMilkweed Inn, a converted hunting lodge on 150 acres that's now aglamping destination. "The Regans serve exquisite meals all weekend long, capped off by a multi-course Saturday night tasting menu," Travel + Leisure wrote.

"And lakeside cities like Cleveland and Milwaukee are drawing new crowds, the former for a thriving creative scene and revived waterfront, the latter for its dynamic restaurant landscape, new museums, and anticipatory buzz ahead of Julys Democratic National Convention."

Other destinations on the list includeAddis Ababa, Ethiopia(No. 1), Barbados (No. 6), Doha, Qatar (No. 16) and Singapore (No. 43).

Contact Bisma Parvezat 313-222-1881 or bparvez@gannett.comFollow her on Twitter @bismapar.

More Michigan travel news:

Mackinac Island named the No. 1 summer destination in America

Peters: Why the Great Lakes are worth protecting

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Great Lakes named a top destination for 2020 by Travel + Leisure magazine - The Times Herald

Travel – The Italian village that celebrates ugliness – BBC News

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Tucked in a valley between the Apennine Mountains and the Adriatic Sea in central Italy, Piobbico is a handsome medieval town full of grand stone buildings surrounded by lush forests. But despite its picture-perfect setting, Piobbico is renowned for the ugliness of its people.

Since 1879, this 2,000-person town has been home to the Club dei Brutti (The Ugly Club), an association whose members believe that a person is what he is and not what he looks like. Over the generations, what started as a utopian idea has blossomed into a worldwide movement. Today, the so-called World Association of Ugly People counts more than 30,000 members across 25 global chapters.

The Club Dei Brutti was originally conceived as a matchmaking service for the towns single women. As it evolved, local villagers made it their mission to remind society that inner beauty is more important than ones physical appearance, and in 2007, Piobbico unveiled a statue dedicated to ugly people in the towns square.

Today, it is easy enough to become a part of the club. Senior members just have to judge and rank the ugliness of potential members which can range from unspecified to extraordinarily ugly. Yet, the groups members are not necessarily ugly the club is more focused on celebrating ones inner beauty and not worrying about what others think.

On the first Sunday of September, people gather from all over the world to take part in Piobbicos annual Festival of the Ugly, in which members elect the clubs president; sign up new members; and eat locally sourced truffles, polenta and pasta. In a country placing so much emphasis on making a bella figura (beautiful impression) this corner of Italy is proving that being genuine and unconventional may shine brightest.

(Video by Adam Barr, text by Bernadette Young)

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Travel baseball: a world where eight-year-olds are treated like pros – The Guardian

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A baseball player strikes out. Disappointed, he turns to the stands where he makes eye contact with a man who yells, WHAT A WASTE OF A SPACE. The player slowly walks back to the dugout, his head hung low, a routine he seems familiar with. He is isnt a major league superstar like Anthony Rendon, George Springer or Mike Trout, accustomed to the wrath of impatient fans. He is an eight-year-old boy and the disgusted fan is his father who, based on his body language, might as well have yelled, What a waste of a life.

This happened a month ago in a midst of an under-nine tournament as we waited for my sons game, which happened to be against the kid with the angry father. I wanted to hug that kid or at least compliment him in front of his dad. That wasnt necessary. His team demolished ours and the boy walked away with his father, who looked a little less incensed than he had a couple of hours prior.

The night before, I learned about a parent from a different team. He wore a shirt that read, FUCK OFF, and took a swing at a parent from our team for politely pointing out the inappropriateness of his attire. This was a youth baseball tournament sprinkled with players as young as six. Fuck Off Guy was given a proverbial Fuck Off when he was escorted out of the complex, a baseball Disneyland called Big League Dreams that hosts weekly tournaments and makes gobs of money in the process. There are beautiful fields and two bars. Apparently watching your kid play sports is better when buzzed.

That weekend was our first full-scale experience on the youth baseball travel circuit, a baseball business that presents kids as young as seven with a chance to compete at a theoretically higher level of competition by participating in regular tournaments. A key part of the USs $15bn youth sports industry, these travel teams often come with hefty price tags that automatically excludes many families. It was a contrast to the league we had played in the previous summer. There, my son was selected to a team of the best players in our local baseball league. We participated in three tournaments that were sweet, community-based annual events. Kids ran the snack shacks, there were trophy presentations for the winners and plenty of local pride was on show. The whole thing was so innocent it felt like it was played to the soundtrack of John Fogertys Centerfield.

A far different animal, last months tournament was just one of many for a company that runs tournaments every weekend all year long, trying to squeeze in as many teams (and their entry fees) as their permits allow. Our tournament involved 10 teams, and we started one game after 8.30pm. By the time my son came in to pitch, it was 10.17pm, 107 minutes past his bedtime.

There is no parenting manual that differentiates between the glorious aspects of youth baseball and the predatory ones. No one can fully explain how youth sports can monopolize your world until youre in it. And, for better or for worse, were officially in it.

My eight-year-old son is a multi-sport athlete. Its ridiculous to refer to him as an athlete since hes really just a third-grader obsessed with body-part jokes and his fantasy football team. But he plays soccer and baseball competitively and hes good enough at the latter that hell probably be playing for the foreseeable future.

Im one of those parents who is not only interested in her kids endeavors, I want to participate unless they tell me to get lost. So despite the fact that I never played softball or baseball as a kid and eschewed most organized sports for the performing arts, I have transformed into a hardcore baseball mom. I learned proper glove mechanics, the throwing motion and youth baseball rules so I could participate in the thing he loves most, which thankfully is baseball and not base jumping. Just yesterday, my son made my heart burst when he said, youre awesome at baseball for a mom, which was almost as gratifying as the follow-up, I love that you play baseball with me. It seems logical but I cant emphasize enough the magic of interacting with your kid on his turf.

Committing to a travel team requires drastically altering your life. Multiple practices a week are just the start. If you have a two-sport athlete like I do, it means tournaments every weekend, hotels, expenses something we are lucky enough to be able to afford and making sure siblings are sated. When the stars align like they have for us and the parents are amazing and your kid becomes instant friends with his teammates, you indulge in everything because you suddenly have a baseball family.

If my kid decided to walk away from travel baseball tomorrow, I would be devastated, but also aware that my number one job is to support my children. Not every kid has that luxury. I polled several friends with sporty kids on the travel circuit, and many have been witness to parents who seem to care more about youth baseball than their kids do. Some are simply trying to relive their glory days (or construct glory they never had); other parents from certain socio-economic backgrounds view a baseball as their childs only viable path to college and see youth baseball as a training ground for a scholarship. No wonder, for some, every game feels like life or death. This of course can lead to detrimental team dynamics as parents gossip or aggressively lobby coaches for playing time. I cant even imagine that type of in-fighting among our baseball crew, but our kids are only eight and nine. Who knows if in five years one of us will go postal if a coach makes a decision that we feel unfairly harms our kids trajectory?

For now, I am laser-focused on protecting my son against the outside forces who care about what they can squeeze out of him. Last summer, my son was invited to play on a travel team he could even make it without a tryout, the coach said. When we politely declined citing concerns about burnout, the coach said my son is the type who will never burn out because he loves baseball so much. He was pleasant about the whole thing and we eventually joined his fall travel team, largely because my son likes him and a ton of his friends signed up. But Im concerned about fending off future invites.

The future scares me. I dont want my sons joy to wane. But I know there will be more recruiting, more join-this-or-that-or else-your kid may fall behind sales methods.

I dropped my five-year-old off at an after-school class a few weeks ago and had a coach ask me if my eight-year-old would be participating in their winter workouts. I said no, that we didnt want to burn him out. The coach looked at me like I was torturing my child, and simply uttered, I hope he doesnt get too rusty. I smiled on the outside and rolled my eyes on the inside. Then I left to pick up my kid and meet my husband at a local park where we all played catch for the next hour. Like we always do.

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Travel baseball: a world where eight-year-olds are treated like pros - The Guardian

Hunting with the falcons of Abu Dhabi – CNN

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(CNN) Twelve-year-old Mohammad is the first to spot the tracks.

Jumping from the SUV driven by his father, Ali, he races a few yards over the desert sands and follows them toward a small, scrubby bush. "Rabbit," he says with a grin, pointing to the animal camouflaged against the grayish-yellow sand. And then with an even wider smile, "He's going to be dead."

With the prey sighted, sitting on the back seat of the SUV is the predator, a falcon, ready to be released and to confirm Mohammad's prediction.

With the rabbit found, the hunting party and its guides in two other 4x4s start shouting, blaring their car horns and driving after the startled animal (neatly defining the word "overkill").

From one of the vehicles another falcon is quickly released, and it swoops alongside the cars as they careen over the low dunes. The rabbit manages to dodge an impossibly fast dive by the falcon and hides in another bush -- only temporarily safe. Yet neither Saeed M. Al Mansoori, one of the visiting Emerati falconers, nor his falcon can catch it even when flushed out a second time. In the end it's left to young Mohammad and his falcon Marzoom to show the visitors how it is done.

In for the kill

Marzoom is quickly prized off the kill by the distraction of another rabbit carcass, before being tethered and gently picked up by Ali and returned to his son. A gentle spray of water with a diffuser cleans Marzoom's beak of blood and, Ali says, helps calm him down. The rabbit is placed in a bloodied sack. It's set for the cooking pot that night when tales of how it was caught -- and almost not caught -- plus the other hunts of the day are to be served up back at the camp.

It's a scene that plays out daily between November and February in the vast Al Marzoom Hunting Reserve. Just an hour's drive from the gleaming towers of urban Abu Dhabi, it's one of only two areas in the emirate where, for the past five years, falcon owners and curious visitors have had the opportunity to hunt sustainably managed wildlife.

It's a delicate balance between hunting and conservation, yet the reserve is managed by Abu Dhabi's Ministry of Climate Change and Environment. Hunting -- entwined in the Bedouin heritage of the country -- is touted as a form of eco-tourism. Rabbits and indigenous houbara bustards and karawan are either bred on-site or bought from other government-regulated breeders and then released into the desert, where wild animals including deer also roam across 200 square kilometers.

Visitors like Saeed Al Mansoori can choose what prey they want their falcons to catch, each providing different challenges for falcons. The unsuspecting prey are then released in one part of the reserve before being tracked with the help of guides, giving each excursion the semblance of a "proper" hunt. A typical day consists of one hunt early in the morning before the desert heat is too intense and another from late afternoon until dusk.

Cars and camels

Falcons in transit.

Dean Irvine

Last season over 1,300 people visited the reserve, many as family groups and mainly from the UAE and neighboring Gulf states. According to Mohammad Basheer, the genial guest coordinator at the reserve, a typical visit is one to three days, although guests can come for just one morning or afternoon hunt if they prefer.

Overnight stays are spent in one of three pop-up campsites on the reserve. Looking out across the vast sands of Al Dhafra, the vast western region of Abu Dhabi, the camps are well appointed, ranging from the comfortable -- sofas, proper beds and hot showers -- to the luxurious King Camp, the only one to offer a deep bath-tub with gold-gilt fittings, literally fit for a king. All have the essential campfires for storytelling and cooking of the day's hunt.

This mix of traditional and modern extends to how visitors can hunt. While many from the Emirates or Saudi Arabia come with their own falcons and in their own 4x4s, there is a garage on site housing classic Land Rovers and Toyota Land Cruisers from the 1950s and '60s. All are available for rent; a Land Rover comes as complimentary if staying in the King Camp. But for those who not only want to step back in time but return to a pre-modern era, camels can be hired.

"One visitor from the UK was able to ride the camel and hunt with the falcon, it was surprising and impressive," says Mohammad Basheer.

Bloodlines

Owning a falcon, however, isn't essential for would-be visitors to the reserve. Visitors can go out with Ali and his falcons or other guides and trainers at the reserve and still get the full experience.

While falconry and the birds themselves are revered in Abu Dhabi and the knowledge and skills are still being passed down through families, as with Ali and his son Mohammad, it remains a status hobby with a price tag to match. The most prized birds are the original wild types with pure bloodline, affectionately known as "wahasha" (or "monster") for their wild, killer instincts. These beasts are hard to find, says Ali, and can easily cost in excess of $30,000. And then there's the training. It can take from six months to a year to fully train a falcon and the trainers at Al Marzoom, who often have a few falcons each, use remote controlled planes adorned with houbara feathers to teach young birds.

For Al Mansoori it's been one of his most loved hobbies for more than 13 years; he looks after his falcon as a cherished pet.

"Sometimes I go 12 times [a year to the reserve]. I would like more so I also travel to Morocco, Azerbaijan and Pakistan, too," he says. "I look after my falcon in my home, sometimes he's even living in the same room I am sleeping."

Al Marzoom Hunting Reserve, Al Gharbia - Abu Dhabi; +971 56 587 4448

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Hunting with the falcons of Abu Dhabi - CNN

W Muscat Wins Double at the World Travel Awards – Al-Bawaba

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W Muscat, one of the capitals newest and hippest hotels, has scooped two coveted titles for Worlds Leading New Hotel 2019 and Omans Best Hotel Spa at the World Travel Awards (WTA) 2019 and its offshoot, the World Spa Awards. Joining the global hospitality industrys most prestigious properties, W Muscat received the awards during the Grand Final Gala Ceremony held at the neighbouring Royal Opera House Muscat. Considered the Oscars of the hotel industry, the World Travel Awards are a welcome win for the resort, which opened its doors in April this year.

Were thrilled that our hotel has been recognised with two World Travel Awards, a remarkable achievement given our short time in operation. Our aim from the beginning was not only to offer something new to the local social scene, but to draw a different kind of tourist to Oman; one that is young, adventurous and experience-hungry. Whether guests are looking to chill, to play, or anything in between, we have something for all. It is all about our guests pursuing their lust for life and unlocking their individuality, said Gerald Chevasson, General Manager of W Muscat.

As an iconic property owned and developed by OMRAN Group, the Sultanates leading executive arm for tourism development, W Muscat has brought its fresh approach to luxury hospitality to Oman, steered by the globally-recognised W brand. A true disruptor in its aesthetic, the hotel is an eye-catching ode to the brands passion for design, music, fashion and fuel, and a playful take on the Sultanates natural beauty and rich heritage.

An essential part of the W experience is the AWAY Spa which, like the rest of the hotel, is designed to make guests feel like theyve stepped into another world. Reminiscent of the ancient ritual of stargazing, guests are enveloped under a bejeweled night sky with the intimacy of cave-like comfort. With an enticing spa menu, a Beauty Bar for touch-ups and quick fix treatments, AWAY Spa is perfect for all-day pampering or a quick glam session before a night out.

Aside from a range of programmes to suit everyone from thrill-seekers to chill-seekers, W Muscat boasts an array of picture-perfect dining spots and a bold food and beverage culture, all created to provide guests with a one-of-a-kind experience.

For more information on all things W Muscat, visit http://www.wmuscat.com or get social with W Muscat on Instagram @wmuscat.

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W Muscat Wins Double at the World Travel Awards - Al-Bawaba

Delta partners with Wheels Up, creating one of the world’s largest fleets of private aircraft – CNBC

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Delta Air Lines said Thursday it is taking a minority stake in private aviation start-up Wheels Up, in a move that establishes one of the world's largest fleets of private aircraft.

Once the transaction is approved, which is expected in early 2020, Wheels Up will have a fleet of 190 planes and more than 8,000 customers, Delta said.

"This groundbreaking partnership will democratize private aviation making the convenience of private jet travel accessible to more consumers," Delta CEO Ed Bastian said in a statement. He added that the agreement "is the latest step in Delta's ongoing effort to build partnerships that extend Delta's brand beyond its core business."

The company declined to disclose financial terms but said it expected no impact to its 2019 financial guidance. Delta will also hold an equity position in Wheels Up, which said in August that it had completed a $128 million round of funding that valued the company at $1.1 billion.

"It's a way for us to extend our brand and our ability into a new space," Bastian told CNBC's Phil LeBeau in a "Squawk Box" interview from the airline's investor day in Atlanta.

Industry giants such as VistaJet, Directional Aviation and Wheels Up are vying to become the dominant players in the industry.

"To partner with the No. 1 airline in the world ... that's incredible validation for Wheel's Up," the company's founder and CEO Kenny Dichter told CNBC.

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Delta partners with Wheels Up, creating one of the world's largest fleets of private aircraft - CNBC

Wyndham debuts two properties in Muscat, Oman | News – Breaking Travel News

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Wyndham Hotels & Resorts continues to ramp up its expansion across the Middle East, with the opening of two new hotels in Muscat, capital of Oman.

Marking the introduction of the Wyndham Garden and Ramada Encore by Wyndham brands to Oman, the openings underscore Wyndham Hotels & Resorts commitment to strengthening its presence in the market.

In a statement, the company said it would seek to support Omans ambitious Vision 2040 programme, which includes a focus on developing the countrys mid-market hotel sector and creating more job opportunities, in a bid to welcome 11 million visitors to the sultanate by 2040.

Over the past year, the destination has become an increasingly popular destination for travellers, witnessing an increase of more than 25 per cent in inbound visitors in the first six months of 2019 alone.

World Travel Awards also recently hosted its 2019 Grand Final at the Royal Opera House in Muscat.

The surge in visitor numbers follows the ministry of tourisms sustained efforts to promote Oman as a key travel destination and attract investment to the sector.

Panos Loupasis, vice president development, Middle East, Eurasia & Africa, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, said: The anticipated openings of these two new hotels in Muscat mark a significant milestone as we seek to expand our presence in this important market.

We want to bring diverse accommodation choices to travellers across the Sultanate, and support Oman in its ambitious 2040 tourism plans, particularly on developing its mid-market hotel sector.

With their unrivalled locations in the heart of Muscats business and leisure district, these newest additions to the Wyndham Garden and Ramada Encore by Wyndham family are the perfect properties to complement our growing offering in the region, and guests can look forward to the same exceptional service they have come to expect from our brands around the world.

Set across eight floors and bringing 143 new rooms and suites to the city, Wyndham Garden Muscat Al Khuwair is expected to open later this month.

Located on Sultan Qaboos Street, just 20 minutes from Muscat International Airport, the new hotel boasts state-of-the art leisure facilities with two swimming pools, steam rooms and saunas, as well as three food and beverage outlets.

Ramada Encore by Wyndham Muscat Al Ghubra is expected to open in March and will be located in the heart of Muscat, next to the Al Ghubra roundabout on Sultan Qaboos Street, just minutes away from three of the citys major shopping malls.

With easy access to the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, the Royal Opera House and Muscats international airport, the hotel will also boast 163 rooms, a rooftop pool with sundeck and a fully equipped fitness centre and spa.

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Wyndham debuts two properties in Muscat, Oman | News - Breaking Travel News

The 10 hottest destinations billionaires are traveling to in 2020 – Business Insider

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Billionaires are always on-the-go, even when they're vacationing.

Business Insider teamed up with boutiqueluxurytravel agencyOriginal Travel, which plans trips for high-net-worth individuals, to find out the hottest spots the elite are spending their money on in 2020. They based this ranking on the number of bookings and performance; the latter was assessed by feedback, their expertise, and client inquiries.

Overall, billionaires are seeking out the unknown and the exclusive, from off-the-beaten path Kyrgyzstan to Nicaragua, newly removed from the FCO travel warning list. They're also looking to set sail, opting for intimate luxury cruises in far-flung destinations like the Maldives and Antarctica.

While they seem to have a taste for the exotic, they're also headed to the Middle East and Europe to visit a few more well-traveled countries.

Here are the destinations the ultra-wealthy will be checking off their bucket lists in the new decade.

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The 10 hottest destinations billionaires are traveling to in 2020 - Business Insider

Radisson Blu Resort Cam Ranh opens in Vietnam – Breaking Travel News

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Radisson Blu has welcomed the opening of a new beachfront resort on the shores of Vietnam.

The new Radisson Blu Resort Cam Ranh is nestled on Long Beach, a stunning 18-kilometre-long stretch of sand in Khanh Hoa province, on Vietnams south-central coast.

Located just ten minutes drive from Cam Ranh International Airport, which offers direct connections to and from major Asian cities including Bangkok, Hong Kong, Seoul and Shanghai, this elegant seafront resort will provide an inspiring retreat for domestic and international travellers alike.

The resort features 292-rooms, suites and pool villas, which range from a generous 45 square meters to an expansive 140 square meters with panoramic ocean views.

The 36-villas also boast private pools, cabanas and alfresco dining areas.

Guests can relax on the beach along the resort or take part in water sports activities, enjoy the resorts spa facilities such as the Himalayan crystal salt chamber or Ice grotto, plunge into the outdoor infinity pool or work out in the fully equipped fitness centre.

Event planners can organize creative meetings and social functions in nine state-of-the-art facilities, including the versatile Grand Ballroom that can seat up to 385-persons for a gala dinner.

We are delighted to introduce guests to Radisson Blu Resort Cam Ranh, our new jewel on Vietnams golden coast.

With a beachfront setting, outstanding accommodation and world-class facilities, we are confident that this will become a sought-after destination for couples escapes, family vacations and memorable events, including weddings.

We look forward to welcoming the world to Cam Ranh Bay, said Peter Tichy, general manager, Radisson Blu Resort Cam Ranh.

Vietnam welcomed 11.3 million international visitors in the first eight months of 2019, up 8.7 percent year-on-year.

This puts the country firmly on track towards achieving another full-year arrivals record.

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5 of the best digital detox retreats – World First Travel Insurance

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13 December 2019 08:17

Throw yourself into an analogue escape.

Press reset on your digitally dominated life and escape to one of our five favourite wellbeing retreats...

The name might suggest a venue with a pyramid stage, but this retreat is better suited to mastering the pyramid pose. Venues for this five-day retreat change every year. They're chosen for their remote locations that make living off grid easier and checking your Instagram feed almost impossible. More than a simple glamping experience with luxury spa treatments, this trip includes yoga and meditation classes to help you unplug.

This high-end spa in Vichy, south eastern France, has carefully crafted its own 'Digital Detox Cure'. Guests are invited to leave their phones in the hotel safe before a thorough digital detachment regime ensues. Expect a medical and nutritional consultation and psycho behavioural coaching to combat screen-based behaviour. Healthy meals fuel a programme of physical exercise held in the venue's picturesque grounds. Recommended retreats last a minimum of three days.

Those serious about exorcising their electronics can choose this three-day digital detox. Apple amnesty aside, your rooms are stripped of TVs, iPads and radios to encourage you to appreciate your surroundings. Luckily the New Forest and the hotel's enchanting tree houses are extremely easy on the eye. Yoga, meditation and Nordic walks are fuelled by a menu of alkaline foods aimed at redressing your pH levels.

Founded by Tanya Goodin, a digital entrepreneur who grew concerned at the damaging effects of technology, Time To Log Off's retreats place an emphasis on natural beauty and physical activity. Venues range from Somerset to Italy to Hawaii and specialised retreats are on offer for internet-addicted teenagers. Hand in your devices at the start of the retreat and leave with a plan for the boundaries you'll set yourself for screen time when it's back to 'real life'.

This Mexican hotel strips its eco-luxury rooms of telephones and TVs, encouraging guests to make the most of its calendar of activities. Morning yoga and regular meditation sessions see guests bond with each other over their enthusiasm for wellbeing and the opportunity to connect doesn't end there. Explore Juluchuca and the surrounding area by volunteering in a local turtle sanctuary or working with the community in specially organised workshops.

Remember your travel insurance before you disconnect. At World First, we provide last-minute travel insurance, so you can be covered when you discover a digital free lifestyle.

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Wales is World Class – and the Destination of Choice for 2020 – Business News Wales

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Wales has gained recognition from national and international travel experts as being among the best in the world. Duncan Craig the travel editor of The Times and The Sunday Times chose Wales for the Travel Editors Award at the News UK Travel Awards 2019 in London recently. In presenting the award, he commented; Its small but perfectly formed, accessible and welcoming Wales continues to go from strength to strength as a destination.

The Wales Way, which is the initiative focused on Wales family of touring routes, has been named among 25 of the best trips in the world to take in 2020, according to the National Geographics international editorial teams. The Wales Way featured number 3 in the Adventure Trip category, and was hailed for its far reaching routes that get the blood pumping . Wales was topped by Tasmania, Australia (1) and Grossglockner High Alpine Road, Austria (2), and ahead of Tohoku, Japan (4), Kamchatka, Russia (5), and Zakouma National Park, Chad (6) https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/features/best-trips-2020/ . In addition to this, Adventure Parc Snowdonia won the One for the Kids (family experience) award at the National Geographic Traveller Reader Awards last week.

During the World Travel Market, an international travel trade fair in London, Visit Wales won a Silver Award in the International Travel and Tourism Awards for Best Destination Marketing Campaign Country , in a hotly contested category which also included Puerto Rico, Azerbaijan; KETCHUM INC; Tobago; India and Buzz4Trips.

These accolades follows on from Castle Beach in Tenby winning The Sunday Times best beach in the UK award this summer and with eight beaches in the top 40, it was a standout summer for the Welsh coast. Marloes Sands and Rhossili made the top ten. Barmouth came in at number 12, the Llyns Porth Iago at 22; Swanlake Bay at 26; and Tor Bay and Mwnt at 36 and 37 respectively.

Wales has also been named in the Lonely Planets top 5 best sustainable trips for families, with special mentions of Pembrokeshires Green Campsites; The Centre for Alternative Technology and the worlds only people powered rollercoaster in Greenwood Forest Park near Felinheli.

Deputy Minister for Culture, Sport and Tourism, Lord Elis-Thomas, said;

Im delighted that Wales is getting international recognition for what we see as our inherent strengths the quality of our environment, sustainability, adventure, accessibility and welcome. This is brilliant recognition for the hard work of the industry and to the team at Visit Wales for working together to make sure that our best is world class. Of course, weve always known that were the best in the world and its fantastic when others agree.

Wales has also been seen on TV screens in Germany. Following a visit of the crew from Tellvision, Munich arranged by Visit Wales in the summer, a programme which had an audience of 590,000 featured farmer Gareth Wyn Jones in north Wales.

Last month, Conwy and Gwynedd also starred on BBCs Countryfile looking at north Wales as an adventure playground and spending time with inclusive activity groups for girls and those with learning disabilities. The programme also featured an interview with those maintaining the Snowdonia Slate Trail and Matt Baker had a go at Zip Worlds quarry karts.

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Youd now require an Inner Line Permit to visit Manipur; what does it mean for a traveller? – Times of India

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Manipur joins its three other northeast sister states to become the fourth state where Inner Line Permit is now applicable. Now, if you want to travel to northeast Indias Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, and Mizoram, you have to follow the procedure of obtaining an Inner Line Permit. The new rule was signed by President Ram Nath Kovind two days after the decision was first announced in the Lok Sabha.

The Inner Line Permit is basically an official government document that will allow you to travel inside a protected area. Therefore, you are required to seek permission, and a valid permit to enter the states of Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Mizoram, and Manipur as well. The idea behind such a rule of law is to protect tribal cultures of the northeastern states and to respect the unique tribal culture of these states.

You can obtain an Inner Line Permit to visit Manipur or the other three states mentioned above, by applying online, or even physically. Your permit will be issued by the state government of the state you want to visit, and it will mention the dates of travel and specify the places you can visit.

The Inner Line Permit was first introduced during the Colonial rule, under the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation Act, 1873. It was designed to restrict and regulate entry of British subjects (Indians) in certain designated areas, mostly to protect the commercial interest of the British. After independence, the term British subjects was replaced with Citizen of India, and the Inner Line Permit continued to exist for certain parts of the country.

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What Are The Top 10 Blockchain Predictions For 2020? – Forbes

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Top Ten Blockchain and Crypto Predictions

By all measures 2019 was a remarkable year for the blockchain and crypto space. We saw the birth of new alliances, new cryptocurrency trading products, Bitcoin and Ethereum survived the bear market, and a plethora of blockchain protocols matured and expanded in growth. Finally, the U.S. Congress and foreign central banks are paying close attention to the benefits of blockchain and digital assets. Even China has entered the blockchain race in full force by spending billions on innovation. The largest financial companies in the world are building on blockchain and this trend is not slowing down.

We have a lot to look forward to in the next year. So, lets review the most expected events that will shape the blockchain ecosystem in 2020.

1. China will launch its Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC)

China has always been active in the blockchain and crypto space, as some of the largest cryptocurrency exchanges are based in China as well as the largest mining power. Still, when President Xi Jinping announced in his speech that blockchain is the future and it is the technology that China will be the leaders in, it led to massive investments and blockchain research work. The scale on which China is operating is enormous: just recently the Bank of China (BoC) completed an issuance equivalent to $2.8 billion worth of financial bonds for small enterprises.

One of the key developments that China is pursuing is the Digital Currency/Electronic Payment (DC/EP) initiative and by the looks of it, this will be rolled out in 2020, even in limited scope.

Central Bank Digital Currency CBDC

2. Facebooks Libra will launch with very limited functionality

Facebooks payment network initiative that received a mountain of resistance from regulators both in the U.S. and in Europe has been slowly developed, shying away from media attention. Their GitHub repository has regular development commits and activity. The expectation is that Libra will launch in one jurisdiction and with very limited scope, partners and functionality. It will not be the payment rails and onboarding vehicle that it promised originally but still will show signs of progress.

3. Bitcoin ETF still wont be approved in 2020

There was a lot of buzz in the bitcoin space in anticipation of whether the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) will approve any of the several Bitcoin ETF filings. So far SEC has rejected all of them on the same grounds of not enough financial surveillance and manipulation in underlying markets. In that sense, companies like Elliptic, Chainalysis and CipherTrace provide vital and important tooling. Another reason for Bitcoin ETF not happening might be the recent appointment of Brad Sherman as chair of the Subcommittee on Investor Protection, Entrepreneurship and Capital Markets, which practically oversees the SEC and its self-regulatory bodies like FINRA, and he is no friend to bitcoin and cryptocurrencies in general.

4. Stablecoins paradise

The trend we saw from the last few years that issuers are tokenizing fiat currencies and using them as easier exchange mechanisms on cryptocurrency exchanges will continue. We will see increased adoption of stablecoins, mostly fiat-backed, and driven from trading on exchanges. Projects like Fnality and J.P. Morgans stablecoin will become live. Even now the dollar-backed Tether $USDT is the most volatile cryptocurrency asset.

Tether Volume

5. Growth of DeFi and Open Finance ecosystem

Currently, we have a little over $290 million locked in the various applications living on the DeFi ecosystem. This number is mostly due to the growth of Maker DAO and Dai stablecoin, but nonetheless, there is an expansion of decentralized exchanges, prediction markets, and lending/borrowing applications. The Open Finance narrative was hot also in the venture capital (VC) space and this trend will continue.

DeFi data

6. Ethereum 2.0 will continue to progress

The teams responsible for the development of clients and components for the new Ethereum 2.0 blockchain listened to the ecosystem feedback and started to become more vocal in sharing updates and progress. This brought more confidence that the new and improved Ethereum blockchain is still happening. The progress so far has been good and there is huge optimism for a 2020 partial deliverable as per their roadmap.

7. Lightning network adoption will grow

The lightning network is a layer 2 implementation on top of the bitcoin network that provides instant bitcoin transactions and payments. It dramatically improves the current bitcoin transaction speed by leveraging off-chain data and enabling low fees. In 2020, we will see an increased number of applications, nodes and channels created on this layer 2 network. Overall we will see a growing trend in the bitcoin development ecosystem due to companies and tools like RSK and Exonum which use the bitcoin network as a base.

Lightning network statistics

8. Expansion of privacy tools and oracles

Companies like Ernst & Young are investing heavily into the development of privacy tooling for the public Ethereum ecosystem and their product called Nightfall is a great example of how one day all the enterprises will be using the public mainnet for transactions with enough privacy comfort. In 2020, we will see more zero-knowledge (ZK) and multi-party computations (MPC) projects maturing and entering the blockchain space. If VC funding of startups is considered a metric, then MPC should be the number-one hot area. As for the oracles projects, expect Chainlink to continue with strong partnerships and integration with new services.

9. More interoperability between blockchains protocols

With the move of Hyperledger Besu, a native Ethereum client developed by PegaSys, to the Linux Foundations Hyperledger initiative we saw a significant sign that the permissioned blockchains will continue to converge. The differences between the major blockchain protocols like Quorum, Besu, Fabric and Corda remain still significant but there is an open dialog for collaboration and research into how assets on different chains can co-exist. In 2019 we saw the multi-cloud blockchain deployments so wont be surprised to see successful cross-blockchains pilots in 2020.

10. More regulators will follow Wyomings example

Wyoming has laid out the groundwork for digital assets and a digital-banking-friendly regulatory regime. With the separation of digital assets into three distinctive categories, Wyoming is explaining the differences between virtual currencies and digital securities, all deemed intangible personal property. But Wyomings blockchain work didnt go unnoticed as Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona are also looking into similar legislative work.

Overall, the next year is shaping up to be crucial for the blockchain technology and digital assets ecosystems. We have several main threads to watch out for and 2020 is already promising to be the year when the major blockchain protocols and digital assets continue to grow in usage, metrics and adoption rates.

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What Are The Top 10 Blockchain Predictions For 2020? - Forbes

Hold Tight, Here Come the Blockchain Wars – CoinDesk

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Secondly, the natural instinct of this slightly-less-dumb capital is to pick projects with defendable moats. Monopolies make great returns for their backers. Duopolies are okay too. But an active market saturated with great teams doing awesome things is just not worth the bother. Large and vaguely strategic investors act as catalysts, unfairly popularising their own bets, sometimes against better alternatives. In other words, its winner-take-all. This makes the industry-wide open-source collaboration and technology sharing, which has characterized blockchain innovation so far, that much less likely to continue.

Consider that Silicon Valley startups are not well known for giving away the engineering secrets to their core products. Sure, Apple open-sourced Darwin, but it kept the real jewels of OSX for itself. Ditto Facebook. Ditto Google. Companies share what makes strategic sense to share, but that rarely means sharing the really cool stuff. The game becomes increasingly zero-sum. This is already happening to some degree in our space with numerous well-funded and research-heavy startups like StarkWare and Dfinity refusing to open up the important bits of their technology. Some are even apparently considering patents.

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Hold Tight, Here Come the Blockchain Wars - CoinDesk

Five Reasons Why Blockchain Is Key For The Future Of Technology – Inc42 Media

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Can blockchain change the future? It depends on how you remember the past.

Do you remember November 8, 2016? As the clock struck 8 in the evening, most Indians may have been kicking their shoes off and getting ready to unwind after a day of work. But out of nowhere came a bolt that shocked the Indian public and the ripple effects of which are still being felt in the economy. As Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in one of his most famous (and infamous) national broadcast revoked the legal status for INR 500 and INR 1000 currency notes. Modi invoked black money 17 times in his 40-minute speech as Indians watched in stunned silence.

With 86% of the currency in India wiped out overnight, the next few months were painful for a number of citizens. Many had to spend a significant part of their lives simply waiting in queues to withdraw whatever little money ATMs had been allowed to dispense in this time.

Multiple deaths have been reported so far, which can be directly or indirectly attributed to demonetisation, even though the government of the day maintains that it was a much-needed move.

Many are now reliving those traumatic days as the latest banking scam Punjab and Maharashtra Co-operative (PMC) Bank has blocked account holders from withdrawing their own money.

So where does blockchain figure in all this? The fact that governments have such a stranglehold on currency and control every aspect of it is scary. Blockchain was seen as the answer to this with Bitcoin. Bitcoin was developed precisely to eliminate this big brother control over everyday transactions and currency.

Built on blockchain, cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin are decentralised and use a distributed ledger to track, control and monitor the flow of the transactions. This eliminates central banks, governments and gives control to the users at least the ones that know what they are doing. But its not just fintech; blockchain can also eliminate the game of middlemen in several key areas to bring efficiency, transparency and eliminate corruption at the highest level.

As explained in our previous articles, blockchain is an immutable record of events and transactions that can be extended to a number of operations and use-cases.

Speaking to Inc42, 100X.VCs Sanjay Mehta had earlier averred,

The apps have gone the Bitcoin way [blockchain-based]. We will see lots of apps adopting decentralised P2P platforms where users and suppliers will get connected without getting controlled by any third party. You will see such P2P startup apps giving Uber and Amazon a run for their money.

The technology is growing fast and according to a survey by Deloitte, 61%, 47% and 54% of US, China and Singapore citizens agree with the argument that blockchain is scalable and will eventually achieve mainstream adoption.

So what are the facts about blockchain that make it so appealing to businesses? Lets take a look.

Blockchain employs the distributed ledger technology (DLT), which means that data is never saved at one place, but across nodes or users. While not all blockchain works this way, nearly all applications of blockchain are pinned on its distributed ledger tech. This keeps every node or user abreast of the developments across the chain. Transactions are recorded in terms of blocks which are added only after a verification and validation process done either through Proof-of-Stake or Proof-of Work. The blocks once added can not be removed or modified, which makes blockchain more secure than paper documentation, traditional databases and other options.

This not only eliminates the need for a third-party auditor but also eradicates the possibility of anyone tampering with or manipulating the data. There is a 51% attack possibility where the protocols could be changed, if enough nodes act on it, however, even this is recorded and easily traceable to the nodes that put this in motion.

Blockchain scores over conventional technology in terms of security, cyber defence, reliability, and scalability.

In the case of Bitcoin or cryptocurrencies, the peer-to-peer electronic cash transaction is nothing but a set of information exchange and hence the idea got implemented in numerous other use-cases. Many of the Indian banks have already adopted a host of blockchain-based applications such as invoice processing, discounting, eKYC, document authentication and verification using e-signatures, issuance of commercial letters and other trade documents.

All of these at one point or the other needed a middleman or an agent or auditor to fulfil one or the other aspect of the transaction, which introduced layers of corruption or malfeasance or simply mismanagement.

As stated, not all blockchains are decentralised. A blockchain could be public, private, permissioned and/or a combination of these as one protocol could be integrated at the top of another. Consider Facebooks Libra, for instance. Unlike Bitcoin, and many other cryptocurrencies, Libra, in spite of being based on the Libra blockchain will be controlled and monitored by Libra Association. This association includes Facebook and its member companies who are looking to make profit and not run Libra as a non-profit cryptocurrency such as Bitcoin.

This customisation, however, makes blockchain so versatile that the technology is now increasingly used for numerous non-fintech applications as well. To name a few - storing medical records, concluding binding agreements, tracking the flow of goods, storing personal credit records, land registry and even verifying facts in the light of the fake news epidemic.

According to the International Data Corporation (IDC) blockchain spending is expected to grow at a robust pace throughout the 2018-2023 forecast period with a five-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 60.2%. In August, IDC released the Worldwide Semiannual Blockchain Spending Guide which indicates that blockchain spending in 2019 is forecast to be $2.7 Bn, an increase of 80% compared to 2018.

The spending is led by banking industry accounting for 30% of the total global spending, while discrete manufacturing and process manufacturing will be the next largest industries with a combined share of more than 20% of overall spending, according to the report.

In India too, the market for blockchain is burgeoning thanks to the unique properties of blockchain that have lent itself to solve many business problems, especially among small and medium businesses. For example, PARAM Network wants to change how businesses do e-invoice processing. PARAMs blockchain solution claims to not only reduce the per invoice cost by $6 roughly by half but it would also automate the entire process while bringing in transparency. This also cuts down the turnaround time and complexity of the verification process in invoice processing.

Among the countries that have adopted blockchain-based solutions on a large scale, Estonia is a shining example of how blockchain can bring efficiencies in governance and ease of doing business. Estonia has used the KSI blockchain for various egovernance services. The blockchain is reportedly used in various Estonian digital services such as digital health records, prescription database, judiciary, law & order, banking, business registration, and land registration.

In India, the Indian government recently informed the Lok Sabha that it is indeed working on to develop National Blockchain Framework. NITI Aayog has already published a White paper on blockchain and is exploring its applications for egovernance services across the sectors and states.

International organisations including NATO, UN and World Bank have adopted blockchain for various applications such as issuing bonds using blockchain. Leading companies Microsoft and Accenture have teamed up to create a prototype digital identity system for a UN project aimed at providing legal identification to more than 1 Bn people in the world.

With this, ones personal information could easily be shared with service providers and government agencies without compromising how it will be used or telling users clearly whether it has been shared with third-parties.

In contrast to 84% in 2018, in 2019, 86% of the 1,386 executives who participated in the Deloitte survey from across a dozen countries, believed that blockchain will reach the mainstream eventually. This shows that major business leaders and corporations are looking at blockchain adoption seriously. Naturally, this has a positive ripple effect on smaller businesses as well.

A report by Gartner says the business value added by blockchain will grow to slightly more than $176 Bn by 2025, then surge to exceed $3.1 Tn by 2030. Thats exponential growth in a matter of months.

According to the Deloitte survey, 81% of respondents also said that they are planning to replace their existing system of records with blockchain, while 77% believe that they might lose market share or traction if they dont adopt blockchain. In fact, the major question for industry leaders is not whether they should adopt blockchain, but how to make blockchain work for their specific needs.

This evolution is interesting as Gartner in its market research cautions, by 2021, 90% of current enterprise blockchain platform implementations will require replacement to remain competitive, secure and avoid obsolescence. This indicates a healthy future for blockchain innovation and iteration, and thats a positive sign for any new technology.

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Report: IoT and blockchain integration is booming among US businesses – TechRepublic

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Gartner finds 75% of organizations that have implemented IoT plan to pair it with blockchain tech.

Tech analytics firm Gartner has news for companies planning to integrate their Internet of Things (IoT) systems with blockchain: You're not alone.

Seventy-five percent of organizations have already merged the two, or plan to do so within the next year. That number jumps to 89% within two years, signaling that companies with heavy investment in IoT technology nearly all see the value of using blockchain tech to improve IoT security and reliability.

SEE: How blockchain will disrupt business: A special report (Free PDF) (TechRepublic)

To make the case for IoT and blockchain working side by side even more airtight, 94% of companies with mature IoT implementations (defined be Gartner as using KPIs and centers of excellence in their IoT systems) plan to connect their IoTs with blockchain.

"The integration of IoT and blockchain networks is a sweet spot for digital transformation and innovation," said Avivah Litan, distinguished vice president at Gartner. "It is actually moving ahead at a much faster pace than expected, according to the survey."

The connection of IoT and blockchain have been in the news for some time, with everyone from analysts to large companies like Samsung saying the integration of the two is the way forward for both.

Gartner's findings in this report solidify the fact that said integration is happening--and quickly--but the study also addresses the question of why IoT and blockchain are coming together, and the reasons aren't surprising.

The top reason survey respondents gave for integrating blockchain and IoT is "increased security and trust in shared multiparty transactions and data."

Connecting IoT sensors and devices to a blockchain "enables an immutable audit trail of key IoT data and related business events that is shared across multiple participants, and that can be independently verified by each party," the report states.

Second, and closely related to security, is the ability of blockchain-connected IoT devices and sensors to save organizations money. Blockchains enable the use of decentralized applications that work across business platforms, support smart contracts, and enables more automation twhich can reduce labor needs and speed up processes from factory to retail.

Other reasons cited for integrating IoT and blockchain are increased revenue and new business opportunities, and improved participant experience. Both fell far behind security and cost effectiveness, however.

SEE: Special report: The rise of Industrial IoT (free PDF) (TechRepublic)

Gartner provides three recommendations for businesses that have, or are planning to, integrate IoT and blockchain:

Blockchain word as symbol cryptocurrency in chrome chain.

Getty Images/iStockphoto

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2019 Analysis of Blockchain Technology in the Energy Industry – Rising Demand for Faster & More Secure Transactions along with Full Transparency…

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2019 Analysis of Blockchain Technology in the Energy Industry - Rising Demand for Faster & More Secure Transactions along with Full Transparency Drives the Market

Dublin, Dec. 12, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Blockchain Technology in the Energy Industry" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The architecture of the global energy market is changing. The market model is transforming from highly centralized power distribution into decentralized, distributed energy management enabled by intelligent software and new approaches to data management. Three trends - digitalization, decentralization, and decarbonization - are steering the transformation.

All these changes lead to the central question: how will the electricity services that are today primarily provided in a centralized, top-down manner be provided in the future?

The rising demand for faster and more secure transactions along with full transparency has made blockchain one of the fastest-growing technology markets in the world. Blockchain technology enables transparent, tamper-proof, and secure systems for different business solutions through smart contracts.

Over the past few years, industry stakeholders, utilities, energy service companies, and information and communication technology companies in the energy market have taken great interest in blockchain technologies and are investing heavily in research and development related to verifying and recording finance transactions. Blockchains are primarily designed to facilitate distributed transactions by removing the central point of authority.

The potential of blockchain technology in the energy industry has just started to be realized, evident by the increasing number of blockchain start-ups involved in R&D and pilot projects. Blockchain technology here remains in its infancy but is slowly growing. Beyond 2020, the energy market is expected to witness more blockchain projects coming online.

The report reveals the market positioning of companies in an industry using their Growth and Innovation scores as highlighted in the Radar methodology. The document presents competitive profiles on each of the companies in the Radar based on their strengths, opportunities, and a small discussion on their positioning.

The report analyzes hundreds of companies in the industry and benchmarks them across 10 criteria on the Radar, where the leading companies in the industry are then positioned. Industry leaders on both the Growth and Innovation indices are recognized as best practice recipients.

The companies included in this Radar are LO3 Energy, Power Ledger, WePower, Grid+, Electron, Ponton, Veridium Labs, Grid Singularity, The Sun Exchange, Energy Web Foundation, Greeneum, and Prosume.

Key Topics Covered

1. Industry Overview

2. Blockchain Technology in the Energy Industry

3. C2A - Market Participant Profiles

4. The Last Word

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/y6o6uy

Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research.

News by QuoteMediawww.quotemedia.com

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Swiss Blockchain Federation publishes new guidelines for digital equity and token issuers – HedgeWeek

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The Swiss Blockchain Federation has published guidelines for issuers of digital equity and related tokens aimed particularly at helping smaller and mid-sized companies to fully leverage the issuance and trading of equity on the blockchain.

The issuance of equity and other financial instruments in the form of digital tokens is seen as one of the most promising use cases for the blockchain technology. Even smaller issuers are now able to digitise their equity, participation certificates or bonds in full compliance with regulatory requirements. They become digitally transferrable within seconds, which in the medium run could enable the development of a secondary markets for all shares that are currently not publicly traded.

The Swiss Blockchain Federation is convinced that the capital markets of the future will be digitised and that Switzerland is well-positioned to assume a pioneering and leadership role in this field. To make sure that not only large corporations with the necessary expertise are able to benefit, an expert group has developed these simple and concise guidelines, laying out the most important steps and recommendations around the issuance of equity tokens. The guidelines could further provide valuable insights to foreign issuers that consider creating security tokens under Swiss law.

The document focuses on the digitisation of well-established financial instruments, namely shares, which unlike other token types provide investors by law with a well-known bundle of rights. Relying on established instruments enables a timely implementation and helps avoiding cumbersome legal evaluation and approval procedures. Moreover, concrete recommendations concerning transparency and governance are made, which are both essential for the development of a healthy capital market.

The following experts have contributed to the Guidelines for Issuers of Equity and Related Tokens: Khalil Aouak (Falcon Private Bank), Diego Benz (Drakkensberg), Hans Kuhn (DALAW), Luzius Meisser (Bitcoin Association Switzerland), Daniel Rutishauser (inacta), Peter Schnrer (daura), Christopher Schtz (SDX), Alexander Thoma (Alethena), Claudio Tognella (daura), Rolf H. Weber (University of Zurich).

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Swiss Blockchain Federation publishes new guidelines for digital equity and token issuers - HedgeWeek