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Rough seas or smooth sailing? The cruise industry is booming despite environmental concerns

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/frederic-dimanche-836528">Frédéric Dimanche</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/toronto-metropolitan-university-1607">Toronto Metropolitan University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kelley-a-mcclinchey-1287281">Kelley A. McClinchey</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/wilfrid-laurier-university-1817">Wilfrid Laurier University</a> Cruise ship season is officially underway in British Columbia. The season kicked off with the arrival of Norwegian Bliss on April 3 — the <a href="https://www.cheknews.ca/first-cruise-ship-of-the-season-to-arrive-in-victoria-in-less-than-2-weeks-1196426/">first of 318 ships</a> that are scheduled to dock in Victoria this year. Victoria saw a record 970,000 passengers arrive in 2023, with more expected in 2024. The cruise industry <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trip.2021.100391">was badly hit</a> by the <a href="https://financialpost.com/financial-times/the-2020s-were-meant-to-be-a-boom-decade-for-cruises-then-covid-19-hit-them-like-a-tidal-wave">suspension of cruise operations due to the COVID-19 pandemic</a> in 2020. Fuelled by heavy consumer demand and industry innovation, cruising has made a comeback. It is now one of the fastest-growing sectors, rebounding even faster than international tourism. While many predicted <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2020/04/05/carnivals-struggle-to-survive-the-coronavirus-as-outbreak-wipes-out-the-cruise-industry.html">a difficult recovery</a>, a <a href="https://cruising.org/en">recent industry report shows a remarkable post-pandemic rebound</a>. Two million more people went on cruises in 2023 versus 2019, with demand predicted to top 35 million in 2024. But environmental issues plague the sector’s revival. Are they an indication of rough seas ahead? Or will a responsive industry mean smooth sailing? Cruising has long been criticized <a href="https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/their-purpose-is-to-be-fun-but-theres-a-dark-side-to-cruising-the-seas/dzxivdoos">for being Janus-faced</a>: on the surface, cruises are convenient, exciting holidays with reputed economic benefits. But lurking underneath are its <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2017.11.002">negative environmental and social impacts</a>. <h2>Unprecedented growth</h2> Newly constructed mega-ships are part of the industry’s unprecedented growth. Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas is the <a href="https://www.cruisehive.com/top-10-biggest-cruise-ships-in-the-world/66448">largest cruise ship in the world</a>, with 18 decks, 5,600 passengers and 2,350 crew. MSC World Europa with 6,700 passengers and 2,100 crew, P&O Arvia with 5,200 passengers and 1,800 crew, and Costa Smeralda with 6,600 passengers and 1,500 crew also claim mega-ship status. Those sailing to and from Alaska via Victoria will be some of the <a href="https://hakaimagazine.com/features/cruise-ship-invasion/">estimated 700,000 passengers departing Seattle</a> on massive ships three sport fields in length. Baby boomers represent less than 25 per cent of cruise clientele. Gen X, <a href="https://www.thenewdaily.com.au/life/2024/01/15/cruise-millennials-gen-z">Millennials and Gen Z</a> have more interest than ever in cruising, with these younger markets being targeted as the future of cruise passengers. The Cruise Lines International Association asserts that <a href="https://cruising.org/-/media/clia-media/research/2024/2024-state-of-the-cruise-industry-report_041424_web.ashx">82 per cent of those who have cruised will cruise again</a>. To entice first-timers and meet the needs of repeat cruisers, companies are offering new itineraries and onboard activities, from <a href="https://www.timescolonist.com/business/royal-caribbean-quantum-cruise-ship-1st-at-sea-bumper-cars-skydiving-observation-capsule-4585987">simulated skydiving and bumper cars</a> to <a href="https://nationalpost.com/travel/cruise-ship-offers-pickleball-on-the-high-seas">pickleball</a> and lawn bowling. Solo cruise travel is also on the rise, and <a href="https://www.cruisetradenews.com/demand-for-multi-generational-cruise-holidays-on-the-up-data-finds/">multi-generational family cruise travel</a> is flourishing, explaining the extensive variety of cabin classes, activities and restaurants available on newly constructed and retrofitted ships. However, only a few cruise ports are large enough to dock mega ships. Cruise lines are responding by offering off-beat experiences and catering more to the distinct desires of travellers. In doing so, there is a <a href="https://www.positivelyosceola.com/2024s-top-cruise-trends-embracing-smaller-ships-solo-adventures-and-luxury-suites/">move towards smaller vessels and luxury liners</a>, river cruises and <a href="https://www.travelweek.ca/news/cruise/expedition-cruising-what-is-it-and-how-do-you-sell-it/">expedition cruising</a>. Leveraging lesser-known ports that can only be accessed via compact luxury ships <a href="https://www.cntraveler.com/story/small-cruise-ships-are-more-sustainble-and-on-the-rise">offers more mission-driven, catered experiences</a> for the eco-minded traveller. <h2>Cruising and environmental costs</h2> Cruise ship visitors are known to negatively impact Marine World Heritage sites. While most sites regulate ballast water and wastewater discharge, there are <a href="https://doi.org/10.3390/su12020611">concerns about ship air emissions and wildlife interactions</a>. Cruise ship journeys along Canada’s west coast, for example, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/jul/09/us-cruise-ships-using-canada-as-toilet-bowl-for-polluted-waste-alaska-british-columbia">are leaving behind a trail of toxic waste</a>. <a href="https://foe.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Comparison_of_CO2_Emissions_v2.pdf">A study by environmental organization Friends of the Earth</a> concluded that a cruise tourist generates eight times more carbon emissions per day than a land tourist in Seattle. Also, a rise in expedition cruising means more negative impacts (long-haul flights to farther ports, less destination management in fragile ecosystems, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/03/briefing/last-chance-tourism.html">last chance tourism</a>) and a rise in carbon dioxide emissions. Toxic air pollutants from cruise ships around ports are higher than pre-pandemic levels, <a href="https://www.transportenvironment.org/discover/europes-luxury-cruise-ships-emit-as-much-toxic-sulphur-as-1bn-cars-study/">leaving Europe’s port cities “choking on air pollution</a>.” Last year, Europe’s 218 cruise ships emitted as much sulphur oxides as one billion cars — a high number, considering the introduction of the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/S2542-5196(20)30002-4">International Maritime Organization’s sulphur cap in 2020</a>. <h2>Rough seas ahead or smooth sailing?</h2> Royal Caribbean said its Icon of the Seas is designed to <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/environment/worlds-largest-cruise-ship-sets-sail-bringing-concerns-about-methane-emissions-2024-01-27/">operate 24 per cent more efficiently than the international standard</a> for new ships. International Maritime Organization regulations <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-01-22/royal-caribbean-s-icon-of-the-seas-highlights-climate-impact-of-cruises">must be 30 per cent more energy-efficient</a> than those built in 2014. But despite the industry using liquefied natural gas instead of heavy fuel oil and electric shore power to turn off diesel engines when docking, industry critics still claim <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2024/jan/26/icon-of-the-seas-largest-cruise-ship-human-lasagne-climate-fuel-lng-greenwashing">the cruise sector is greenwashing</a>. As a result, some cities like Amsterdam, Barcelona and Venice are <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/maryroeloffs/2023/07/21/war-on-cruise-ships-amsterdam-latest-port-to-limit-or-ban-cruise-liners">limiting or banning cruise ships</a>. Environmental critiques remain strong, especially for <a href="https://dergipark.org.tr/en/pub/ijegeo/issue/65449/957262">polar expeditions</a>. The industry must respond and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-01949-4_131">increase sustainability efforts</a>, but their measures remain reactive (i.e., merely meeting international regulations) rather than proactive. In addition, by sailing their ships under <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/05/13/real-problem-with-cruise-industry/">flags of convenience</a>, cruise companies evade taxes and demonstrate an unwillingness to abide by a nation’s environmental, health and labour regulations. In any case, environmental concerns are escalating along with the industry. <a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/article/cruising-green-eco-operators-make-waves">Travel agents and industry figures are aware of these impacts</a> and should help promote cruise lines that demonstrate a commitment to sustainable practices. Local residents need to expect more from port authorities and local governments in order <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annals.2024.103732">to cope with cruise tourism</a>. Cruise consumers should recognize the environmental costs of cruising, and demand accountability and transparency from cruise lines.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/228181/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/frederic-dimanche-836528">Frédéric Dimanche</a>, Professor and Director, Ted Rogers School of Hospitality and Tourism Management, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/toronto-metropolitan-university-1607">Toronto Metropolitan University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kelley-a-mcclinchey-1287281">Kelley A. McClinchey</a>, Teaching Faculty, Geography and Environmental Studies, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/wilfrid-laurier-university-1817">Wilfrid Laurier University</a> Image credits: Shutterstock This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/rough-seas-or-smooth-sailing-the-cruise-industry-is-booming-despite-environmental-concerns-228181">original article</a>.

Cruising

Meal kits are booming – but how do they stack up nutritionally?

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kylie-fraser-1483094">Kylie Fraser</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/deakin-university-757">Deakin University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/alison-spence-720195">Alison Spence</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/deakin-university-757">Deakin University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/karen-campbell-224857">Karen Campbell</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/deakin-university-757">Deakin University</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/penny-love-1060241">Penny Love</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/deakin-university-757">Deakin University</a> Meal kits are a <a href="https://www.statista.com/outlook/dmo/online-food-delivery/meal-delivery/australia">billion dollar industry</a> selling the promise of convenience while cooking healthy meals at home. Delivering ingredients and step-by-step recipes to the doorstep, meal kits reduce the time and energy to plan, shop and prepare meals. But do they deliver on their promise of health? While people may <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0195666321007236">think</a> meal kits are healthy, <a href="https://academic.oup.com/heapro/article/38/6/daad155/7441372?searchresult=1">our new research</a> suggests this varies. The range and quantity of vegetables in a meal is a great indicator of how healthy it is. So we assessed the <a href="https://academic.oup.com/heapro/article/38/6/daad155/7441372?searchresult=1&login=false">vegetable content</a> of recipes from six Australian meal kit providers. We found when it comes to nutrition, whether it be budget friendly or high-end, it’s more about the meals you choose and less about what company to use. <h2>What we found</h2> For our <a href="https://academic.oup.com/heapro/article/38/6/daad155/7441372?searchresult=1&login=false">new research</a> we purchased a one-week subscription to nine Australian-based meal kit companies to access weekly recipes. Six companies provided their full week of recipes. The vegetable content of these recipes were analysed. Of the 179 meals analysed, we found recipes use a median of three different types of vegetables and provide a median of 2.5 serves of vegetables per person. At first glance, this looks promising. But on closer inspection, the number and types of vegetables vary a lot. Some recipes provide less than one serve and others more than seven serves of vegetables per person. Not surprisingly, vegetarian recipes provide more vegetables, but almost one-third of these still include less than two vegetables serves per person. The variety of vegetables included also varies, with recipes providing between one and six different types of vegetables per meal. <h2>What’s for dinner?</h2> <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10200412/">Dinner</a> is the time when we’re most likely to eat vegetables, so low levels of vegetables in meal kit meals <a href="https://theconversation.com/food-as-medicine-why-do-we-need-to-eat-so-many-vegetables-and-what-does-a-serve-actually-look-like-76149">matter</a>. Eating vegetables is known to <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5837313/">reduce the risk</a> of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6266069/">obesity</a> and some cancers. What’s more, food preferences and eating habits are <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17367571/">learned</a> in childhood. So being exposed to a wide range of vegetables from a young age is important for future health. But few Australians eat enough vegetables. According to the <a href="https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/guidelines/australian-dietary-guidelines-1-5">Australian Dietary Guidelines</a>, children should be eating 2.5 to five serves and adults at least five serves of vegetables each day. Currently children eat an average of <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Lookup/4364.0.55.012main+features12011-12">less than</a> two serves and adults less than three serves of vegetables per day. So there’s room for improvement and meal kits may help. <h2>Meal kits have advantages</h2> The good news is that using meal kits can be a healthier alternative to ordering takeaway delivery or prepared ready-to-heat meals. When we cook at home, we have much more say in what’s for dinner. We can use healthier cooking methods (think grilled rather than deep-fried), healthier fats (olive or canola oil) and add in plenty of extra veg. All make for better nutrition and better health. Meal kits might also build your cooking confidence to cook more “from scratch” and to learn about new ingredients, flavour combinations and time-saving techniques. Cooking with meal kits may even <a href="https://theconversation.com/cooking-from-meal-boxes-can-cut-household-food-waste-by-38-new-research-192760">cut household food waste</a> by providing the exact amount of ingredients needed to prepare a meal. <h2>5 tips for getting the most out of meal kits</h2> 1) Select some vegetarian options This way you can have <a href="https://meatfreemondays.com/about/">meat-free</a> dinners during the week. Vegetarian recipes are more likely to help you meet daily vegetable intakes and to eat a wider variety of vegetables 2) Choose recipes with at least 3 different types of vegetables Eating a range of vegetable types and colours will help maximise nutritional benefits. <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7195662/">Research</a> shows eating a variety of vegetables at dinner can increase our vegetable intakes. Exposing children to “<a href="https://theconversation.com/how-to-get-children-to-eat-a-rainbow-of-fruit-and-vegetables-97546">eating the rainbow</a>” can also increase their willingness to eat vegetables 3) Choose recipes with unfamiliar or new vegetables Research tells us that learning to prepare and cook vegetables can increase cooking <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20399299/#:%7E:text=Households%20bought%20a%20greater%20variety,at%20least%20one%20minor%20(difference%3A">confidence</a> and skills. This can influence our willingness to buy a wider range of vegetables. Worried about fussy eaters? Add your child’s favourite cooked or raw veg to their plate (one familiar, one new) 4) Look for ways to add more vegetables It’s OK to tweak the recipe! Adding vegetables from your fridge – maybe some lettuce on the side or chopped up carrots to a cooked sauce – to meal kit meals will help reduce household <a href="https://www.dcceew.gov.au/environment/protection/waste/food-waste">food waste</a>. You can also extend meals by adding a can of lentils or beans to mince-based meals, or frozen peas or chickpeas to a curry. This adds valuable fibre to the meal and also bulks up these recipes, giving you leftovers for the next day 5) Use less While vegetables are important for health, it’s also important to consider the <a href="https://academic-oup-com.ezproxy-b.deakin.edu.au/heapro/article/36/3/660/5908259">salt</a>, <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31694291/">fat and energy</a> content of meal kit recipes. When using meal kits, you can <a href="https://www.heartfoundation.org.au/bundles/healthy-living-and-eating/salt-and-heart-health">use less</a> seasoning, spice mix or stock cubes and add more herbs instead.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/218339/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kylie-fraser-1483094">Kylie Fraser</a>, PhD Candidate, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/deakin-university-757">Deakin University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/alison-spence-720195">Alison Spence</a>, Senior Lecturer in Nutrition and Population Health, Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition (IPAN), <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/deakin-university-757">Deakin University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/karen-campbell-224857">Karen Campbell</a>, Professor Population Nutrition, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/deakin-university-757">Deakin University</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/penny-love-1060241">Penny Love</a>, Senior Lecturer and Research Fellow, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/deakin-university-757">Deakin University</a> Image credits: Getty Images This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/meal-kits-are-booming-but-how-do-they-stack-up-nutritionally-218339">original article</a>.

Food & Wine

Why is extreme ‘frontier travel’ booming despite the risks?

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/anne-hardy-151480">Anne Hardy</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-tasmania-888">University of Tasmania</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/can-seng-ooi-399312">Can Seng Ooi</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-tasmania-888">University of Tasmania</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/hanne-e-f-nielsen-139245">Hanne E.F. Nielsen</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-tasmania-888">University of Tasmania</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/joseph-m-cheer-104606">Joseph M. Cheer</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/western-sydney-university-1092">Western Sydney University</a> The world has watched in shock as rescue crews feverishly search for the <a href="https://oceangate.com/our-subs/titan-submersible.html">Titan</a> submersible vehicle, which <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/jun/19/titanic-tourist-submarine-missing-north-atlantic">disappeared</a> while attempting to take tourists to view the wreckage of the Titanic in the North Atlantic. The horror of the incident raises questions as to why people engage in risky tourism activities in remote locations and whether there should be more restrictions to what adrenaline-seeking tourists can do. <h2>What is frontier tourism?</h2> This type of travel, known as “<a href="https://research.monash.edu/en/publications/frontier-tourism-retracing-mythic-journeys">frontier tourism</a>”, is becoming big business. The wider adventure tourism industry is already worth <a href="https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/adventure-tourism-market">billions of dollars</a> – and is growing quickly. Frontier tourism is an exclusive and extreme form of adventure travel. The trips are very expensive, aim to overstimulate the senses and go to the outer limits of our planet – the deep oceans, high mountains, polar areas – and even space. Frontier tourism is not new; humans have explored remote locations for millennia. Pasifika people used the stars to navigate the oceans for migration and trade. Europeans sailed to the edges of what they believed to be a flat Earth. In recent years, however, frontier tourism has attracted widespread attention thanks to the common occurrence of long queues on <a href="https://theconversation.com/70-years-after-the-first-ascent-of-everest-the-impact-of-mass-mountaineering-must-be-confronted-204270">Mount Everest</a>, the trending <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/discover/Drake-Shake">TikTok phenomenon</a> of crossing the #DrakePassage in <a href="https://theconversation.com/more-than-100-000-tourists-will-head-to-antarctica-this-summer-should-we-worry-about-damage-to-the-ice-and-its-ecosystems-192843">Antarctica</a> and the rapid development of <a href="https://theconversation.com/virgin-galactics-use-of-the-overview-effect-to-promote-space-tourism-is-a-terrible-irony-206868">space tourism</a> for the wealthy. The rise of travel content sharing on social media and <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10548408.2021.2006858?journalCode=wttm20">revenge travel following COVID-19</a> have contributed to the surge in its popularity. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> When you’re happily having dinner and the ocean decides to scare the shit out of you! Cue debate around just how strong those windows are… <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DrakePassage?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DrakePassage</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SouthernOcean?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SouthernOcean</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BigSwell?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BigSwell</a> <a href="https://t.co/OLDq5W2Wkm">pic.twitter.com/OLDq5W2Wkm</a> — Dan Brown (@DanBrownNature) <a href="https://twitter.com/DanBrownNature/status/1598669901350293509?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 2, 2022</a></blockquote> <h2>Why are we so obsessed with extreme forms of tourism?</h2> Risky activities release chemicals in the brain that can be addictive. Research <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/0013916594261001">suggests</a> engaging in risky tourism activities, such as scaling a high mountain, can bring about feelings of accomplishment and euphoria. Travellers report feeling alive and experiencing a sense of transformation. Some are also <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/09669582.2021.1897131">attracted</a> to the pristine, untouched and remote aspects of the locations that they visit. Furthermore, the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/20/movies/james-cameron-titanic.html">element of fantasy</a> associated with imagining certain places or stories, like the movie Titanic, can be alluring. Besides physical frontiers, there is also the <a href="https://www.cabidigitallibrary.org/doi/10.1079/9781780642093.0111">thrill people get</a> at pushing the human body to its limits and facing one’s fears. Base-jumping, skydiving, bungee jumping and polar plunges are common examples of this. In a slightly more mundane way, even tasting “<a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1356766709104271">scary food</a>” pushes tourists outside of their comfort zone and helps them <a href="https://www.insider.com/harvard-psychologist-why-wealthy-seek-high-risk-trips-titanic-space-2023-6">feel alive</a>. Still others make extreme tourist journeys to follow in the <a href="https://www.nebraskapress.unl.edu/nebraska/9781496221216/">footsteps of their heroes</a>, such as those who travel to Antarctica to pay homage to explorer Ernest Shackleton. Extreme and risky activities not only make participants feel euphoric, but they also convey status. When bucket lists are ticked off and experiences shared on social media, this brings bragging rights. <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/polar-record/article/from-awe-to-satisfaction-immediate-affective-responses-to-the-antarctic-tourism-experience/2B65FEDCEF9D7DEBB689C39C93549702">Research</a> suggests many travellers seek recognition for undertaking the first, longest or most extreme experiences possible. But frontier tourism is clearly not for all. It is usually only accessible to a privileged few, as the tragic circumstances of the Titan highlight. Passengers onboard the vessel reportedly paid <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-65953872">US$250,000</a> for the voyage. <h2>What are the impacts of frontier tourism?</h2> Beyond the unspeakable angst that friends and family must endure when things go wrong, there are many other impacts of this form of tourism. This type of travel can create <a href="https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.4324/9781003219866-11/tourist-experiences-attention-products-seng-ooi">environmental harm and negatively impact local communities</a>. For example, after decades of mass mountaineering, the environmental <a href="https://theconversation.com/70-years-after-the-first-ascent-of-everest-the-impact-of-mass-mountaineering-must-be-confronted-204270">impact</a> on Mount Everest must be addressed. And when mishaps do occur, the cost of search and rescue efforts can be massive and put rescue teams at great risk. The plight of frontier tourists are usually the focus of media reports, while emergency responders are often overlooked. Recent efforts by sherpas such as <a href="https://www.netflix.com/au/title/81464765">Nimsdai Purja</a> are trying to overcome this issue. Through the Netflix documentary, 14 Peaks, he publicises the behind-the-scene preparations and heavy lifting work done by sherpas who guide and rescue tourists up Everest and other mountains. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Climbers have been filmed crushed together in a “human traffic jam” as they battle the elements in an attempt to reach the summit of Mount Everest. Terrifying. <a href="https://t.co/pehNmJCPdP">https://t.co/pehNmJCPdP</a> <a href="https://t.co/nxVhADM0L8">pic.twitter.com/nxVhADM0L8</a> — news.com.au (@newscomauHQ) <a href="https://twitter.com/newscomauHQ/status/1133978847387430912?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 30, 2019</a></blockquote> <h2>Frontier tourism is not going away</h2> Despite tragedies like the Titan disappearance, tourists remain attracted to the quest for the most unique experiences in the most remote, uncharted places. Tourists also increasingly feel able to embark on trips once perceived as too dangerous because technology and other innovations have ostensibly made them safer and more accessible. In many instances that danger remains, but the commercial transaction <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1835-9310.2002.tb00213.x">strips away the perceived risks</a> involved. Marketing materials aim to sell “safe” adventures, with the risks are often listed in the fineprint. A <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/11745398.2017.1286512">polar plunge</a> in Antarctica, for instance, is often marketed as safe because participants are attached to a tether and the swim time is limited to prevent hypothermia. Two decades ago, in forecasting the growth of space tourism, anthropologist Valene Smith <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/02508281.2000.11014920">said</a> what tourists want, the industry will provide. This has become a truism, as the Titan voyages demonstrate. The massive growth of frontier tourism could lead to even greater problems if the industry doesn’t respond in the right way. If travellers are going to expose themselves to extreme risks, whose responsibility is it, then, to ensure their safety and recovery should accidents occur? Many tourism businesses and travel insurance companies make risks known to their guests. But regulations on disclosing risks differ between countries. These means travellers may have to evaluate the risks themselves, and this is fraught with danger if company standards are low. One solution is frontier tourism might be best experienced in controlled and safe environments through <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14616688.2023.2224043">digital storytelling</a> or <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/4/3348">augmented and mixed reality</a>. However, this may not be enough to satisfy the adrenaline junkies out there. As the Titan incident illustrates, the unpredictable nature and unintended consequences of frontier tourism are very real things. While money can allow us to travel almost anywhere, it’s worth considering whether some places should just remain untouched, sacred and off limits completely.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/208201/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/anne-hardy-151480">Anne Hardy</a>, Associate Professor, Tourism and Society, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-tasmania-888">University of Tasmania</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/can-seng-ooi-399312">Can Seng Ooi</a>, Professor, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-tasmania-888">University of Tasmania</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/hanne-e-f-nielsen-139245">Hanne E.F. Nielsen</a>, Senior lecturer, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-tasmania-888">University of Tasmania</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/joseph-m-cheer-104606">Joseph M. Cheer</a>, Professor of Sustainable Tourism and Heritage | Co Chair - World Economic Forum Global Future Council on the Future of Sustainable Tourism, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/western-sydney-university-1092">Western Sydney University</a> Image credits: OceanGate This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-is-extreme-frontier-travel-booming-despite-the-risks-208201">original article</a>.

Travel Tips

The pandemic’s gardening boom shows how gardens can cultivate public health

As lockdowns went into effect in the spring of 2020 to slow the spread of the coronavirus, reports emerged of a <a href="https://www.sfchronicle.com/culture/article/A-comeback-for-victory-gardens-amid-Bay-Area-15177272.php">global gardening boom</a>, with plants, flowers, vegetables and herbs sprouting in backyards and on balconies around the world. The data backs up the narrative: An analysis of Google Trends and infection statistics found that during the first few months of the COVID-19 pandemic, country-by-country interest in gardening, from Italy to India, <a href="https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/11/26/opinion/covid-inspired-gardening-was-worldwide-phenomenon/">tended to peak just as infections peaked</a>. Why did so many people find themselves being pulled toward the earth in a time of crisis? And what sort of effect did gardening have on them? <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ufug.2022.127483">In a new study</a> conducted with a team of environmental and public health scholars, we highlight the extent to which gardening became a coping mechanism during the early days of the pandemic. Even as restrictions related to COVID-19 have eased, we see some real lessons for the way gardening can continue to play a role in people’s lives. <h2>Dirt, sweat, tranquility</h2> To conduct our study, we used an online questionnaire to survey more than 3,700 respondents who primarily lived in the U.S., Germany and Australia. The group included experienced gardeners and those who were new to the pursuit. More than half of those we surveyed said they felt isolated, anxious and depressed during the early days of the pandemic. Yet more than 75% also found immense value in gardening during that same period. Whether done <a href="https://doi.org/10.3733/ucanr.6720">in cities or out in the country</a>, gardening was almost universally described as a way to either relax, socialize, connect with nature or stay active. More than half of the respondents reported a significant increase in the amount of time they were able to spend gardening. Other respondents found some value in growing their own food, but few felt financially compelled to do so. Instead, most respondents saw gardening as a way to connect with their community and get some exercise. People with more personal difficulties due to COVID-19, like the inability to work or struggling with child care, were more likely to spend more time gardening in their spare time than they had in the past. <h2>The garden as a refuge</h2> In our analysis of written responses to the survey, most gardeners seemed to either experience a heightened sense of joy and reassurance or feel more attuned to the natural world. This seemed to have positive therapeutic and psychological benefits, regardless of age or location. To many people, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wss.2021.100055">gardening became a sort of safe space – a haven from daily worries</a>. One German gardener started seeing their garden as a sanctuary where even “birds felt louder.” “Gardening has been my salvation,” a respondent from the U.S. noted. “I’m very grateful I can surround myself with beauty as a buffer to the depressing news COVID brings each day.” Another German gardener wrote that their garden became their “little safe universe in a very uncertain and somewhat dangerous time. … We have learned to appreciate the so far very high value of ‘own land, own refuge’ even more.” <h2>A green prescription</h2> As life returns to normal, work ramps up and obligations mount, I wonder how many pandemic gardens are already being neglected. Will a hobby born out of unique circumstances recede into the background? I hope not. Gardening shouldn’t be something that’s only taken up in times of crises. If anything, the pandemic showed how gardens serve a public health need – that they’re not only places of beauty or sources of food, but also conduits for healing. In fact, several countries like New Zealand, Canada and some in Europe now allow “<a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2022/02/green-prescriptions-health-wellbeing/">green prescriptions</a>” to be issued as alternatives to medication. These are directives from doctors to spend a certain amount of time outdoors each day or month – an acknowledgment of the very real health benefits, from lowered stress to better sleep and improved memory, that venturing into nature can offer. I also think of the people who never had a chance to garden in the first place during the pandemic. Not everyone has a backyard or can afford gardening tools. Improving access to home gardens, urban green spaces and <a href="https://theconversation.com/not-all-community-gardens-are-environmental-equals-10485">community gardens</a>could be an important way to boost well-being and health. Making seeding, planting, pruning and harvesting part of your daily routine seems to open up more opportunities, too. “I never previously had the time to commit to a garden,” one first-time gardener told us, “but [I’ve] found such satisfaction and happiness in watching things grow. It has been a catalyst for making other positive changes in my life.” Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-pandemics-gardening-boom-shows-how-gardens-can-cultivate-public-health-181426" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.

Home & Garden

Real estate in the metaverse is booming. Is it really such a crazy idea?

The idea of spending thousands or even millions of dollars to buy fictitious “land” in a virtual world sounds, to be frank, absurd. But in recent months, we’ve seen significant investments in virtual land within the metaverse. PwC is among <a href="https://www.consultancy.uk/news/30011/pwc-buys-virtual-land-nft-in-the-sandboxs-metaverse">the latest</a> to dive in, having purchased real estate in The Sandbox, a virtual gaming world, for an undisclosed amount. If other reported sales are anything to go by, it would have been a handsome sum. One person recently bought a plot of land in <a href="https://fortune.com/2021/12/09/snoop-dogg-rapper-metaverse-snoopverse/">the Snoopverse</a> – a virtual world rapper Snoop Dogg is developing within The Sandbox – for <a href="https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-news/sandbox-decentraland-virtual-land-sales-soar-metaverse-nfts-1267740/">US$450,000</a> (around £332,500). Meanwhile, the Metaverse Group, a real estate company focused on the metaverse economy, reportedly bought a piece of land in Decentraland, another virtual platform, <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/metaverse-property-decentraland-nft-decentraland-b1965973.html">for US$2.43 million</a>. Let’s refresh on what the “metaverse” is. You probably heard the term a lot when Facebook re-branded to <a href="https://about.facebook.com/meta/">Meta</a> in October 2021. Other companies, such as <a href="https://www.theverge.com/22833369/nike-rtfkt-nft-sneaker-shoe-metaverse-company">Nike</a> and <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/currencies/5-household-names-companies-plans-metaverse-digital-crypto-2021-12">Microsoft</a>, have also announced they will launch into this space. The metaverse describes a vision of a connected 3D virtual world, where real and digital worlds are integrated using technologies such as virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR). This immersive environment will be accessible through the likes of VR headsets, AR glasses and smartphone apps. Users will meet and communicate as digital avatars, explore new areas and create content. The idea is the metaverse will develop to become a collaborative virtual space where we can socialise, play, work and learn. There are several metaverses already – for example in virtual gaming platforms like The Sandbox and virtual worlds like Decentraland. In the same way a website is part of the broader 2D world wide web, individual metaverses will form a larger, connected metaverse. Importantly, as in the real world, it is and increasingly will be possible to buy things in the metaverse – including real estate. <h2>Virtual land as an NFT</h2> Transactions in the virtual world are generally monetised using cryptocurrency. Other than cryptocurrenies, non-fungible tokens (NFTs) are the primary method for monetising and exchanging value within the metaverse. An <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/nfts-digital-revolution-embodies-metaverse-theofilos-tzanidis/">NFT</a> is a unique digital asset. Although NFTs are primarily items of digital art (such as videos, images, music or 3D objects), a variety of assets may constitute an NFT – including virtual real estate. On platforms like <a href="https://opensea.io/">OpenSea</a>, where people go to buy and trade NFTs, there are now plots of land, or even virtual houses. To ensure digital real estate has value, supply is limited – a concept in economics called “scarcity value”. For example, <a href="https://decentraland.org/">Decentraland</a> is made up of 90,000 pieces or “parcels” of land, each around 50 feet by 50 feet. We’re already seeing examples where the value of virtual real estate is going up. In June 2021, a digital real estate investment fund called Republic Realm reportedly spent the equivalent of <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-fintech-nft-land-idCAKCN2DU1GA">more than US$900,000</a> to buy an NFT representing a plot on Decentraland. According to <a href="https://dappradar.com/blog/investors-buy-most-expensive-virtual-real-estate-ever-in-decentraland">DappRadar</a>, a website which tracks NFT sales data, it was the most expensive purchase of NFT land in Decentraland history. But then as we know, in November 2021, the Metaverse Group bought their plot in Decentraland for <a href="https://www.reuters.com/markets/currencies/virtual-real-estate-plot-sells-record-24-million-2021-11-23/">US$2.4 million</a>. The size of this purchase was actually smaller than the former – 116 land parcels compared to 259 bought by Republic Realm. <img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/439652/original/file-20220106-27-dimlq9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" alt="A man wears VR goggles." /> There are already several metaverses. <a href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/bearded-man-wearing-virtual-reality-goggles-519893707" class="source">SFIO CRACHO/Shutterstock</a> It’s not just Decentraland seeing appreciations. In February 2021, <a href="https://coinquora.com/axie-infinity-land-nft-sells-for-2-3-million-surpasses-record/">Axie Infinity</a> (another virtual gaming world) reportedly sold nine of their land parcels for the equivalent of US$1.5 million – a record, the company said – before one land parcel sold for US$2.3 million in November 2021. While it appears that values are climbing, it’s important to acknowledge that real estate investment in the metaverse remains extremely speculative. No one can be certain if this boom is the next great thing or the next big bubble. <h2>The future of metaverse real estate</h2> Financial incentives aside, you may be wondering what companies and individuals will actually do with their virtual land. As an example, the Metaverse Group’s purchase is in Decentraland’s fashion precinct. According to the buyer the space will be used to host digital <a href="https://www.reuters.com/markets/currencies/virtual-real-estate-plot-sells-record-24-million-2021-11-23/">fashion events</a> and sell virtual clothing for avatars – another potential area for growth in the metaverse. While investors and companies are dominating this space at the moment, not all metaverse real estate will set you back millions. But what could owning virtual land offer you? If you buy a physical property in the real world, the result is tangible – somewhere to live, to take pride in, to welcome family and friends. While virtual property doesn’t provide physical shelter, there are some parallels. In shopping for virtual real estate, you could buy a piece of land to build on. Or you could choose a house already built that you like. You could make it your own with various (digital) objects. You could invite visitors, and visit others’ virtual homes too. This vision is a while away. But if it seems completely absurd, we should remember that once upon a time, people had doubts about the potential significance of the internet, and then social media. Technologists predict the metaverse will mature into a <a href="https://www.matthewball.vc/all/themetaverse">fully functioning economy</a> in the coming years, providing a synchronous digital experience as interwoven into our lives as email and social networking are now. This is a strange fantasy come true for someone who was a gamer in a former life. Some years ago, a younger version of my conscience was telling me to stop wasting time playing video games; to go back to study and focus on my “real” life. Deep inside I always had this wish to see gaming overlapping with real life, <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1677720/">Real Player One</a> style. I feel this vision is inching ever closer.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/174021/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/theo-tzanidis-1295734">Theo Tzanidis</a>, Senior Lecturer in Digital Marketing, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-the-west-of-scotland-1385">University of the West of Scotland</a> This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/real-estate-in-the-metaverse-is-booming-is-it-really-such-a-crazy-idea-174021">original article</a>. Image: denisik11/Shutterstock

Real Estate

Coronavirus quarantine could spark an online learning boom

The spread of the coronavirus disease known as COVID-19 is a public health emergency with economic and social ramifications in China and across the world. While the impacts on business are <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/5f9af4d0-51f8-11ea-8841-482eed0038b1">well documented</a>, education is also facing the largest disruption in recent memory. Institutions around the world are responding to travel bans and quarantines with a shift to online learning. The crisis may trigger an online boom for education – or at least make us more ready to cope with the next emergency. Education disrupted As many as 180 million Chinese students – primary, secondary and tertiary – are homebound or unable to travel. In China, the spring semester was originally scheduled to begin on February 17 but has now been postponed indefinitely. In response, Chinese institutions are attempting to <a href="http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2020-02/17/c_138792006.htm">switch</a> to online education on a massive scale. Effects of the epidemic are also being felt closer to home. Australian higher education is increasingly dependent on a steady flow of Chinese students, but the Australian government has restricted travel from China until at least 29 February. At the time of writing, thousands of students are still in limbo. As a result, Australian higher education institutions are trying to <a href="https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/race-create-online-courses-virus-stranded-students">boost their online capacity</a> to deliver courses to stranded concerned students. Some universities – and some parts of universities – are better prepared than others. While all universities use online learning management systems and videoconferencing technology to some degree, there are no mandatory standards for online education. This makes for a huge variety among institutions and even between individual courses in how digitised they are. To make this worse, not all staff are familiar with (or feel positive about) distance or blended learning. Will ed-tech ever take off? Educational technology has historically struggled with large-scale adoption and much has been written about the cycles of <a href="http://hackeducation.com/2012/10/29/ed-tech-bubble">boom</a> and <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Robert_Zemsky/publication/201382274_Thwarted_Innovation_What_Happened_to_E-Learning_and_Why/links/59edcae30f7e9bc36521e770/Thwarted-Innovation-What-Happened-to-E-Learning-and-Why.pdf">bust</a> of the ed-tech industry. It may even be legitimate to ask whether adoption is a goal any longer for many in the industry. Nowadays, a critical observer could be forgiven for thinking that the most successful ed-tech companies only pay lip service to mass adoption. Instead, their energies are firmly directed at the more remunerative game of (overinflated) start-up funding and selling. Yet visions of mass adoption are still what drives the volatile dynamics of ed-tech financing. Investors ultimately hope that an innovation will, at some point in the near future, be used by large numbers of students and teachers. Is the coronavirus a ‘black swan’ for online learning? In 2014 Michael Trucano, a World Bank specialist on education and technology policy, <a href="https://blogs.worldbank.org/edutech/education-technology-age-pandemics-revisited">described</a> the importance of “tipping points” to push educational technology into the mainstream. Trucano suggested that epidemics (he talked about the 2003 SARS epidemic, but the argument applies to COVID-19) could be “black swans”. The term is borrowed from the American thinker Nassim Nicholas Taleb, who uses it to describe unanticipated events with profound consequences. During the SARS outbreak, according to Trucano, China was forced into boosting alternative forms of distance education. This led to pockets of deeper, more transformational uses of online tools, at least temporarily. The long-term effects are still unclear. The current landscape of global digital education suggests COVID-19 may result in more robust capabilities in regions with enough resources, connectivity and infrastructure. However, it is also likely to expose chronic deficiencies in less prepared communities, exacerbating pre-existing divides. Investors appear to see this as a moment that could transform all kinds of online activity across the region. The stocks of Hong Kong-listed companies linked to online games, digital medical services, remote working and distance education have <a href="https://www.scmp.com/business/money/markets-investing/article/3049628/could-coronavirus-lockdown-have-big-upside-chinas">soared</a> in recent days. Online drawback Adding to the complexity, students do not always welcome digital education, and <a href="https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/students-less-likely-drop-out-if-taught-lectures-study-finds">research shows</a> they are less likely to drop out when taught using “traditional” face-to-face methods. Indeed, studies on the effectiveness of “virtual schools” have yielded mixed results. A <a href="https://nepc.colorado.edu/sites/default/files/publications/Virtual%20Schools%202019.pdf">recent study</a> focusing on the US recommended virtual schools be restricted until the reasons for their poor performance are better understood. Students may also oppose online learning because they perceive it as a sneaky attempt at forcing education down their throats. This <a href="https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/Coronavirus/Alibaba-s-virus-beating-education-app-draws-Chinese-students-ire">may be what happened</a>recently when DingTalk, a large Chinese messaging app, launched e-classes for schools affected by the coronavirus emergency. Unhappy students saw their forced vacation threatened and gave the app a bad rating on online stores in an attempt to drive it out of search results. Perhaps this last story shouldn’t be taken too seriously, but it does highlight the importance of emotional responses in attempts to scale up an educational technology. A permanent solution or a crisis response tool? The importance of distance education in an increasingly uncertain world of global epidemics and other dramatic disruptions (such as wars and climate-related crises) is without doubt. So-called “developing countries” (including large rural regions in the booming Indian and Chinese economies) can benefit greatly from it, as it can help overcome emergencies and address chronic teacher shortages. Once the current crisis passes, however, will things go “back to normal”? Or will we see a sustained increase in the mainstream adoption of online learning? The answer is not at all obvious. Take Australia, for example. Even if we assume the COVID-19 emergency will lead to some permanent change in how more digitally-prepared Australian universities relate to Chinese students, it’s unclear what the change will look like. Will we see more online courses and a growing market for Western-style distance education in Asia? Is this what the Chinese students (even the tech-savvy ones) really want? Is this what the Chinese economy needs? Alternatively, perhaps, the crisis might lead to a more robust response system. Universities might develop the ability to move online quickly when they need to and go back to normal once things “blow over”, in a world where global emergencies look increasingly like the norm. Written by Carlo Perrotta. Republished with permission of <a href="https://theconversation.com/coronavirus-quarantine-could-spark-an-online-learning-boom-132180">The Conversation.</a>

Caring

Why board games are booming

Board games are booming. <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/sep/25/board-games-back-tabletop-gaming-boom-pandemic-flash-point">Article</a> after <a href="https://time.com/4385490/board-game-design/">article</a> describes a “<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/nov/25/board-games-internet-playstation-xbox">golden</a> <a href="https://attackofthefanboy.com/articles/the-golden-age-of-board-games-continues-to-get-better-every-year/">age</a>” or “<a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/2017/07/31/bored-digital-games-join-board-game-renaissance/476986001/">renaissance</a>” of boardgaming. In Germany, the home of modern boardgaming, the industry has grown by over 40% in the past five years; the four-day <a href="https://www.spiel-messe.com/en/%22%22">SPIEL trade fair</a> this year saw 1,500 new board and card game releases, with 209,000 attendees from around the world. What is it about board games that attracts people, and what emerging trends can we see in the latest releases? Social, challenging, real Four main elements make board games enjoyable for families and <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/">dedicated</a> hobbyists alike. Firstly, board games are social; they are played with other people. Together, players select a game, learn and interpret the rules, and experience the game. Even a mediocre game can be fun and memorable when you play it with the right group of people. Secondly, boardgames provide an intellectual challenge, or an opportunity for strategic thinking. Understanding rules, finding an optimal placement for a piece, making a move that surprises your opponent – all of these are enormously satisfying. In many modern boardgames, luck becomes something that you mitigate rather than something that arbitrarily determines a winner. Thirdly, board games are material – they are made of things; they have weight, substance, and even beauty. Hobbyists speak of the tactile joy and sensual delight of moving physical game pieces, and of their appreciation for the detailed art on a game box or board. Some go to great lengths to protect their games from damage, even “sleeving” individual cards in plastic to protect them from greasy fingers, spills or wear. Collectable Monopoly sets and other <a href="https://www.workandmoney.com/s/valuable-vintage-board-games-32b5423591a94861">vintage games</a> can fetch hundreds of thousands of dollars at auction. Finally – and this helps to explain the enormous volume of new releases each year – board games provide variety. Beyond “the cult of the new” lurks a desire to have the right game for the right situation – whatever combination of gamers and strategic depth that might require. The game’s theme matters, but so do the mechanisms of its play, as well as the game’s expected duration. Like authors, <a href="https://www.boardgamequest.com/top-10-board-game-designers/">game designers</a> such as Pandemic creator Matt Leacock attract a following of fans who enjoy the style of games that they produce. ‘Escape room’ experiences To meet the demand for variety, designers look for new elements to offer in their games. “<a href="https://nonstoptabletop.com/blog/2017/6/17/tear-up-your-cards-legacy-games-explained">Legacy</a>” style games – where players customise the game as they play it, writing on the board, and discarding rules or game components – create a one-off, individualised variant of a core game. They also invite a group to play together over several play sessions, modifying “their” game throughout the experience. That can feel confronting to those of us who grew up protecting our games from “damage”. If writing on game pieces is confronting, the <a href="https://boardsandpawns.com/2019/05/11/the-complete-list-of-exit-the-game-series/">Exit</a> game series, by German couple <a href="https://opinionatedgamers.com/tag/inka-markus-brand/">Inka and Markus Brand</a> is even more so. These small, inexpensive games aim to replicate the experience of an “<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Escape_room">escape room</a>” experience by providing the players with a series of puzzles to solve together, as a cooperative activity. To solve the puzzles, however, players must literally destroy the game – cutting up cards, tearing objects, folding and gluing and writing on them. Board games are not fading away in the digital world. They are booming. There’s a lot to be said for these low cost single-play games, which build communication and teamwork skills and – like real-world escape rooms – provide an opportunity for friends and families to work together to solve a common problem. For those who would like to be able to retrace their steps, or to pass a game on to friends, the <a href="https://www.spacecowboys.fr/unlock-demos-english">Unlock!</a> game series takes a different look at the escape room genre by using an integrated app to provide clues and answers. This ensures that the game itself is replayable, even if the players do not wish to revisit the same story. Like Exit games, the Unlock! series offers creative opportunities to combine different objects as part of solving the puzzles, but adds occasional multimedia elements and uses the various properties of a smartphone as problem-solving tools. Real boards, digital play For people who enjoy solving puzzles, there are many other new games that combine <a href="http://www.digra.org/digital-library/publications/digitising-boardgames-issues-and-tensions/">digital technologies</a> with the components and feel of a board game. <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/239188/chronicles-crime">Chronicles of Crime</a> puts players in the role of police detectives, who must travel to different locations to interview suspects, consult experts, and conduct searches. Similarly, <a href="https://detectiveboardgame.com/">Detective</a> sets players to solve a series of crimes. In this game, however, it is not enough to simply learn who committed a crime, it also must be proven by the chain of collected (and registered) evidence registered by players on a custom website. These games reflect the broader development of a small group of games that use digital tools to add new features to board games. <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/286927/one-night-ultimate-super-heroes">One Night Ultimate Superheroes</a> uses an app to run the game, taking on an administrative role that would otherwise have to be performed by a player. The <a href="https://www.fantasyflightgames.com/en/products/the-lord-of-the-rings-journeys-in-middle-earth/">Lord of the Rings: Journeys in Middle-Earth</a> uses an app to speed setup, set game maps, resolve rules and track the players’ progress, streamlining and simplifying play. <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/185709/beasts-balance">Beasts of Balance</a> – a simple, dexterity-based stacking game – uses an app to create a story world which brings the tabletop animal figures to life and encourages players to stack different figures to continue its narrative. These digital tools add variety to the range of boardgames that are available. More than simple battery-enabled games like <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_(game)">Operation</a>, they provide new ways to interact with the game material and mechanisms while still supporting the sociability, intellectual challenge and tangibility so enjoyed by players. Physical board games aren’t going anywhere, but apps add exciting new possibilities to this play space. Written by Melissa Rogerson. Republished with permission of <a href="https://theconversation.com/board-games-are-booming-heres-why-and-some-holiday-boredom-busters-128770">The Conversation.</a>

Art

Hidden camera technology is booming: What this means for your privacy

With stories about people finding hidden cameras and other technology in their AirBnb’s and apartment rentals, some people are curious as to why and where the hidden technology boom has come from. Bruce Baer Arnold, an associate professor of law and justice at Canberra University, told <a href="https://www.news.com.au/technology/online/security/a-boom-in-hidden-camera-tech-makes-it-difficult-to-spot-devices-and-the-law-is-complex/news-story/59ec9bbef84ed22748429647ae7a4414">news.com.au</a> his thoughts on the matter. “Fifteen years ago, the technology that was available was expensive and a bit quirky and was mostly bought by law enforcement, private investigators and uber geeks.” He added, “But we’re seeing the Kmart effect where availability has boomed and prices have fallen, so now anybody can get their hands on them.” Some of the objects that are able to conceal cameras include hats, fake car key fobs, watches, picture frames, wall clocks, television remotes, notebooks and music speakers. Some of the technology also has hidden video recorders inside them, so that the footage can be looked at later. Depending on what you’re after and what website you buy it from, it could set you back $20 or $168. University of Technology Sydney law professor Kristopher Wilson says that this is a real problem for privacy. “We don’t have any real standards or control mechanisms for the development and sale of these devices,” he said. “That’s an issue for cyber security as well as privacy. There’s a plethora of flow-on effects from this.” Although stories of technology being found in apartment rentals are nothing new, there are more sinister uses for the hidden technology. “An emerging problem is ‘cyber gaslighting’ where these kind of devices are being used in domestic violence situations,” Mr Wilson said. “It might be a husband who installs them to monitor his wife’s movements to harass and intimidate. It’s a relatively new phenomenon.” Dr Baer Arnold says that context was key when it comes to determining the legality of using the devices, which again, raises a host of issues. “The big issue we’ve got is that the law is so profoundly inconsistent between the states and territories. And then there are cases where a potential offence would be dealt with by Commonwealth laws. “It’s all a bit rocky, and some of the laws have been shown to be outdated. We’ve had instances in the past where an invasion of privacy with a video recording was deemed fine because the sound was off. That’s a bizarre situation.” However, it seems like the law will consistently be playing catch up. Dr Baer Arnold believes that restricting the sale of the technology won’t help matters. “Like all technology, it can be used for good and it can be used for bad,” he said. “Take drone technology. Drones can protect the environment and help in emergencies. They can also be used to spy and to kill. It’s about context. Just restricting something doesn’t work.”

Travel Trouble

How Prince Louis caused a 400 per cent sales boom

Unlike babies around the world, Princes and Princesses don’t just drink any ordinary baby formula found on supermarket shelves. And thanks to Prince Louis, one British-made formula brand is experiencing an exponential growth in sales after it was revealed that it’s the one used to feed the 11-month-old royal. It’s reported that Kendal Nutricare was contacted last November by royal nanny Maria Teresa Turrion Borrallo. Now, a few short months later, the company is experiencing a rise in sales simply due to the fact that it is British and is being used by the royal family. Borrallo has been the nanny for all three of the Cambridge children since the birth of Prince George in 2013. According to <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/" target="_blank">The Telegraph</a>, Borrallo first heard of the full-cream baby formula at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in London. George and Charlotte were initially breastfed, then given Aptamil, but by the time little Louis was being weaned, the family made the decision to give him Kendal Nutricare instead. After seeing how pleased William and Kate were with the British brand, Kate's sister Pippa Matthews – who welcomed baby boy, Arthur, in October – also jumped on the bandwagon. Ever since receiving the royal endorsement, the company has seen a 400 per cent growth. The business had originally sent the formula to the royal family for free, but it was sent back with a note explaining that they could not accept free items and would purchase it instead.

Family & Pets

Vintage photos capture the height of the baby boom

At the end of World War II, Australians returned and family life resumed after an interruption of almost six years of war. Soon after saw the start of a population revolution as childbirth rates rocketed sky high. Fun facts: <ul> <li>More than four million Australians were born between 1946–1961.</li> </ul> <ul> <li>People born during this period became known as baby boomers.</li> </ul> <ul> <li>Today, members of the baby boomer generation are just beginning to enter retirement.</li> </ul> Related Links: <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/news/news/2016/01/never-carry-your-phone-in-your-pocket/">You should never carry your phone in your pocket</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/news/news/2016/01/bear-cub-performing-tai-chi/">Cute bear cub masters the art of tai chi</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/news/news/2016/01/things-you-didnt-know-your-dishwasher-could-do/">5 things you didn’t know your dishwasher could do</a> <a href="/health/body/2015/12/signs-your-body-is-trying-to-tell-you/"> </a>

News

Boom-packer: 64-year-old grandma backpacks around Europe

I’m sure there are many baby boomers out there who remember backpacking in your younger years. With a rucksack on our back and little money in the pocket, backpacking is about exploring cities in faraway places and sleeping in questionable beds. Fast-forward a few decades and it’s safe to say most of us prefer more luxurious holiday travel plans. However, backpacking has changed a lot since those days – it’s much safer and cleaner – meaning everyone, even over-60s, can (and should) do it! In fact, this is becoming a trend and one that has already been coined, “boom-packing”. Just ask Over60 community member, Judi Bradshaw, 64, from Parmelia, Western Australia who found the whole experience “amazing, fun, exhausting and exhilarating”. Judi and her daughter went on a whirlwind European trip for four weeks – and yes, they backpacked the whole way! “Backpacking was my plan from the start as I don't like planned structured holidays,” Judi tells Over60. “I’m a bit of a wing it girl through life anyway so to me it was about the freedom to stay or move when it suited us.” With only carry-on luggage in tow, the only thing the mother-daughter duo booked was flights into Paris and the first two nights’ accommodation. From Paris to Barcelona to Berlin, Judi and her daughter travelled with ease. “Backpackers accommodation was fantastic but we did book private rooms where we had our own bathroom,” explains Judi. “Laundry facilities in all accommodation was always available hence the carry-on luggage.” Judi wasn’t worried or even phased about not having anything booked in advance. “Computers are available for use at all accommodation to book travel and accommodation in the next country to visit,” she explains, “but we mainly used our phones to book anything, all from the comfort of our room.” And what a comfortable and easy experience the trip was. “Tours were always available through reception in accommodation,” Judi says, continuing, “although in Rome we bought a 24-hour pass on a hop on hop off open top double decker bus which took us to all the sites we wanted to see like the Colosseum.” It’s not to say backpacking didn’t come with challenges but Judi always saw the positive side of things. “We encountered our only hiccup when our Athens to Rome flight was cancelled. We got there in the end via Bulgaria which was another country on the passport!” says Judi, continuing, “some people might not like the uncertainty of nothing planned, but if you can retain a sense of humour and can think on your feet it's a fantastic way to travel. Look for the solution not the problem.” Although Judi was determined to travel light the whole trip she had to admit defeat in the beautiful Greek island of Santorini. “We spent six nights in this idyllic part of the world and while this was our relaxation time we did manage to get off the sun lounges for a day for a boat ride to climb an active volcano then on to visit Ora for the sunset and overlooking the postcard buildings,” she smiles. “We conceded defeat here and bought a suitcase because the shopping was great as were the people – and the food too.” After the four weeks came to a close, it was clear that Judi had a trip of a lifetime. “I still look back in amazement – travelling with my daughter, the fantastic places we saw, the adventures we had, the people that we met, the laughs we had along the way, the appreciation of life and history I could share with her on our visit to the concentration camp [in Berlin],” recalls Judi. “A reward in life you cannot buy, just a life experience,” she simply states. For any Over60s members concerned about whether they can keep up backpacking, Judi advises not to let health worries get in the way of life’s many possibilities. “I do have quite bad osteoporosis but never let it get in the way of life,” explains Judi, whose positive attitude sees the best of the backpacker lifestyle. “It’s just a condition that you have to be aware of… exercise is must so lots of walking up and down stairs at train stations was good and a lot of walking and sightseeing,” the traveller says, continuing, “Health issues, I'll worry about when I get old”. If there’s one thing Judi takes away from this experience – apart from the amazing memories with her beloved daughter – it that she wants all over-60s to consider giving backpacking a go. “In our travels we only saw one other couple close to my age backpacking,” she smiles. “Backpacking was an amazing experience and would love to see more people my age out there doing this. I would do it again in a heartbeat.”

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