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Travel Tips For Consultants

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Travel is a fact of life for most consultants. Many spend 45 weeks on the road every year, and some say they would not want it any other way.

We know one married couple where both are traveling consultants. They often joke that they should write a book called "Marriage on Three Days a Week" because they only see each other from Thursday night to Sunday night most weeks. Of course, they take great vacations with all the frequent flier miles and hotel points, and neither one is left at home to manage the household while the other dines in restaurants every night and comes home expecting all the chores to be done.

Like many others, they have learned how to be comfortable on the road so that their travel schedules are a source of new experiences and great stories instead of a hardship. If you learn how to be comfortable in your environment, you'll do better work and last longer in this demanding field.

There are two types of consulting roles, from a travel schedule perspective. One type of consultant is the real Road Warrior who is in a different city each week, often visiting two or three different clients and staying only a couple of days each place. The other type travels to the same destination every week to work on a long-term engagement over several months. Which type of travel schedule you end up with depends as much on your personality as on your skill set.

No matter which type of travel schedule you have, there are some seemingly small things you can do to make yourself significantly more comfortable on the road.

Enroll in every frequent flier and hotel points program you can. The biggest perks in business travel come when you get a free family vacation later. All those trips to Pittsburgh might buy you a trip to Honolulu or Prague or wherever your heart leads you.

Whenever possible, use the same airline and hotel chain for every city. This helps you rack up the points faster, and it also establishes a level of comfort and familiarity for you from the moment you arrive in the city. Not every Marriott is exactly like every other Marriott, but there are enough similarities between them that you will begin to feel at home quickly.

Packing for Travel

Develop a routine for packing. Make a checklist that includes everything that you know you'll need for any trip, including items like toothbrush and cell-phone charger. Go over the checklist every single time you pack a suitcase.

If you do not follow this advice, you will eventually end up spending $ 200 on a "charge everything" device and using a hotel toothbrush that will rip your gums out.

Always assume you will have to carry your luggage yourself. If you are not sure you will need it, do not take it. You can always buy one there. (Do not accept engagements in locations that do not have stores.)
Pack something comfortable to wear in your hotel room and clothes you can wear to work out.
Plan to sleep in something you do not mind being seen wearing in public. In the event of a fire, hotels will evacuate two floors above and two floors below, even if it's just a small fire in a trash basket. That's what that loudspeaker above the bed is for.
All luggage looks alike. Make your bag easy to spot on the carousel and less likely to be stolen with a few strategically placed strips of duct tape or a big pink bow.
The military knows that rolled clothing does not wrinkle. Do not fold it, roll it. Turn jackets inside out, fold the collar up and press one shoulder inside the other.
Think about what you pack from the perspective of Customs and Airport Security. For example, many airlines will not allow you to carry steel-tipped darts in your carry-on luggage. (Yes, one of us learned this the hard way. Not the one you think.) Carry all medication in the original packages, particularly prescription medication.
Purchase two of everything you use daily, like cosmetics, razors, toothbrush, etc. Leave one set at home. Pack toiletries once and leave them packed. This way, you do not have to worry that you forgot something essential and will not notice until the middle of the night in a strange hotel room. When you run out of something on the road, replace it. (This is easier if you use common brands that are sold nationally.)

After only a few weeks of travel, you'll know exactly what you need to pack and what you do not.

Hotel Living

If you are traveling to the same city every week, pick a hotel that you are comfortable in and make friends with the people at the front desk and in Housekeeping. If you can commit to a certain number of weeks, they might even give you a break on the room rate, which is also good for your customer.

Once you've tried two or three different rooms in different parts of the hotel, you'll begin to identify specific things you like or dislike. Within a few weeks, you'll probably have a favorite room. Do not be afraid to ask for it every week. Staying in the same room every week can increase your sense of comfort and it's easier to remember what room you are in. Every one of us has been frustrated at least once by trying to open a hotel room door, only to realize that the key does not work because this is the room we were in last week, and we have no idea what room we have been assigned this week.

If you followed our instructions for packing and bought duplicates of all your toiletries and travel needs, you can check a suitcase with the bellman over the weekend instead of carrying it home with you. Leave your laundry with a dry cleaner over the weekend and come back on Monday to a fresh wardrobe without carrying a bag with you to the airport. That's freedom!

Make friends with the people who have control of the food. If you are eating all your meals off the Room Service menu, you will soon get bored with the choices. Encourage the person who answers the Room Service line to give you suggestions.

When Christine was working in one city where it was not considered safe to leave the hotel and wander around at night, she called the Room Service number one night and said, in the most pitiful voice she could muster, "I'm hungry and nothing on the menu looks good tonight. Help me! "

The Room Service voice laughed and said, "Miss Lambden, do not you worry. After all these months, I know what you like. Let me surprise you."

In addition to the best steak and the freshest salad ever served by Room Service, the waiter brought a glass of red wine and said, "The chef said to tell you that he knows you do not like red wine, but this is special. Try it with the steak. Alternate one bite of steak with one sip of wine. "

She still talks about that steak. After that night, she never had to look at the Room Service menu again. When she called, she would say, "Maybe a fish tonight?" or "I'm in the mood for something chocolate."

Remember, if you are tired of the hotel menu, just imagine how the chef feels.

Since you can not eat all the time, here are some other ways to fill an evening in a hotel room:

Call your mother.
Read.
Go to a movie.
College libraries are often open late. Learn something.
Work out. Remember the Freshman Fifteen in college? The life of a consultant includes too many meals in restaurants and too few long walks in the park.

If you exercise at home, try to exercise the same way when you are traveling. Find out if it's safe to walk / run outside near the hotel. This is also a great way to find the neighborhood restaurants and pubs that the travel books do not know about.

If you exercise in a gym at home, stay in a hotel with a gym and use it. If there is no gym available in the hotel, remember that many national chains have memberships that allow you to work out in any city. Like national hotel and restaurant chains, gyms are a great way to find familiar surroundings in an unfamiliar place.

Exploring new cities is a great way to get exercise and enjoy your time on the road. See the sights. Shop. Ask the people at the hotel and at work what you should be sure to see while you are in town.

We know one consultant who managed, in one year, to see Niagara Falls (working in Buffalo), the Arch in St. Louis, the Napa Valley wine country, six shows on Broadway, and Fort Lauderdale during Spring Break.

Did you know that Kansas City is the City of Fountains? In the winter, the city slowly freezes some of the fountains so you see frozen ice where water flows in the summer. Just beautiful.

Did you know that you can visit the Budweiser Clydesdales at Grant's Farm in St. Louis? If you think they are fun to watch on Super Bowl commercials, just imagine how magnificent they are up close.

These opportunities may not present themselves again. Do not spend every evening in your hotel room.

Every city has something unique to offer and the people who live there will be happy to help you discover what is wonderful about their hometown.

Single Life on the Road

The constant-travel lifestyle is often more appealing to single people who do not have a family at home waiting for them each week. For these consultants, the only challenge is finding a way to maintain a home when you are not there during the week.

Here are some tips:

Ask a friend or neighbor to pick up your mail once or twice during the week.
Install automatic light timers in your house. Install motion sensor lights outside. This makes it look like someone is home and protects your stuff. (It also makes bats and possums find another yard to live in, but that might just be an Austin thing.)
Hide valuables. Burglars know all about looking in the freezer for your jewelry, but would they think to look in that bag of potting soil in the garage? Hint: Tell someone you trust where you hid them … you'll remember all the great spots you considered, and you'll forget the one you picked.
Splurge a little with all that money you are making as a consultant and hire a maid service to come in and clean your house while you are gone. If you have a lawn, hire a yard service, too. The last thing you are going to feel like doing when you finally get home is housework, and you'll be happier in this job if you do not feel that you are neglecting chores.
If possible, have a trusted house-sitter stay in your house. Then you will not have to worry at all.

In addition to maintaining your house, a single person on the road has to maintain a social life. When you are out of town all week, it's easy to find yourself excluded from your friends' conversations about plans for the weekend. You have to work harder to maintain those friendships at home, especially if you are also forming new friendships in the city where you are working.

It's not totally unheard of for consultants assigned to the same client week after week to form friendships, or even romantic attachments, in the city where they work. Having bonds with people all over the country can be a huge advantage professionally because your network is expanded to include all of their colleagues, as well.

Do not date someone in the client company. This can get messy. (Yeah, we know. Your situation is different. You'll handle it like grownups. We'd like to believe this, but in our experience it rarely works out that way. Even so, this is still good advice for everyone else. )

Married With Children

Life on the road is harder for those who have a family at home. You miss them and you feel guilty about leaving them behind, and even more guilty when you're having fun without them.

The same tourist attractions that enliven a single person's travel can make you miss your family even more. You find yourself thinking, "The kids would love this," or "Niagara Falls by myself? I do not think so!"

Here are some tips for making travel easier when you miss your family:

Write long letters saying all the stuff you would have said if you were at home. Buy a fax machine for the house so you can send them before you go to bed and the family can read them with breakfast. (We know. Email works just as well. Except it does not. Handwritten letters mean more. They just do.)
Give the hotel's fax number to your family or set up a personal e-fax number. Encourage letters from home. Also drawings and report cards and anything else that will make you feel closer. Almost all children could benefit from the occasional writing exercise, and most of them already know how to operate a computer.
Buy a small digital camera or use your cell phone to take pictures and make a "Day in the Life" slide show for the kids. Take pictures of your day from the time you wake up to the time you prepare for bed – pictures of your hotel room, your breakfast plate, your cubicle and co-workers, the bookstore you stop at after work, the restaurants you like – everything ! (Trust us, they'll love it.)

Driving in Strange (translation: "New To You") Places

Weather conditions and driver courtesy rules vary from city to city. In some cities, driving is a brutal competition, and it's considered rude or suicidal to slow down for a yellow light. Someone will honk at you or run into you. In others, you'll get dirty looks if you do not yield and let a waiting car merge in front of you. On most country roads, failure to wave at passing drivers marks you as an outsider.

No matter where you are, these tips will help lessen the impact of driving during your travels:

Get a map when you arrive. If you know where you are going, you are much less likely to end up in the wrong place.
If you rear-end a car on the freeway, your first move should be to hang up the phone. Better yet, go hands-free when you are driving. Best of all, hang up and drive.
Rent your car from the same agency every week and be extra nice. Usually, the same agents are on duty every Monday morning, so eventually they'll know you and may offer you the cool convertible or the Jag for a week at no extra charge.
Not every state or city has a "right on red" law. Check with the car rental agency or look for a "No right on red" sign before you assume it's legal in any intersection where you are.
If you are stopped for speeding, running a red light, driving the wrong way, or, worst of all, hitting something, be very polite to everyone involved. Of course, this is true when you are not traveling, too, but you have a better chance of making your meeting or flight if you deal with the situation nicely.

In New York or Boston (or London or Beijing), take a cab or public transportation. Some warnings say "Do not try this at home." With regard to driving in these places, the rule is "Do not try this on the road." In other words, ask someone at your destination or consult a travel guide to find out whether it's advisable to drive yourself around.

If you are facing your first winter in a snowy climate, ask someone to teach you how to drive in icy conditions before the first blizzard. You may feel foolish, and they will definitely laugh at you, but the first time you feel your car start to slide, you'll be glad you did.

For us, just saying "I'm from Texas" is often enough to have our clients offer free driving lessons, icy conditions or not.

Air Travel Tips

Since 9/11, keeping track of the rules for air travel and getting through Security checkpoints has become more of a challenge, but the airlines have made a sincere effort to help.

Every airline and airport website has information about security requirements and how much time will be required to get to your gate. Experienced travelers quickly learn to avoid the busiest times of the day and week. In fact, we do not know a single traveling consulting who would consider flying on the day before Thanksgiving under any circumstances.

Airport websites will also give you information about other amenities that are available in the terminals. For instance, did you know that the Hong Kong airport has showers and rooms where you can take a nap? After a long flight across the Pacific ocean, a shower is a wonderful way to spend your three-hour layover between connecting flights.

The airport in Portland, Oregon, has a great mall. You can get all your Christmas shopping done between flights and have the items you bought shipped home. Oh, and did we mention that Oregon does not have sales tax?

The San Francisco airport has twenty different museum galleries that rotate art, culture and science exhibitions on a regular schedule. At SFO, you can not avoid being entertained and educated while you travel.

Here are some other tips for making air travel easier:

When you make your reservations, ask for a seat near the front of the plane. Airlines assign seats back-to-front and families traveling with children tend to plan further ahead than business travelers, so the shrieking three year-olds are usually in the back of the plane.
Always request the Exit Row. Children are not permitted, and you get more legroom.
Wear earplugs or invest in some good noise-canceling headphones if you plan to sleep. People talk louder on airplanes.
Planes have only 3% humidity, so you get dehydrated quickly. Carry a bottle of water on board. (This will also keep your feet from swelling.) To keep costs and carryon weight low, carry an empty bottle and ask the flight attendant to fill it for you. On international flights, there is usually a water fountain available for passengers to serve themselves.
When they say, "Limit two carry-on bags," assume they really mean it and be prepared to check everything but your purse, briefcase and laptop. A good alternative if you are in a hurry is to "gate check" your bags. Especially with smaller commuter flights, this means you get your bags immediately when you get off the plane with no stop at baggage claim.
Pay attention to the safety speech every once in a while. Like washing your car to make it rain, it's just good karma. We've asked, and yes, most flight attendants feel just as silly giving the speech as you do listening to it, but the fact that no one is listening just makes their job harder.
To prevent a stiff neck from sleeping on a plane, ask the flight attendant for a blanket, roll it up and wrap it around your neck before you fall asleep. Your head will not roll from side-to-side, you will not snore and you will not look nearly as ridiculous as those people drooling on their neighbor's shoulder. They make C-shaped pillows that do this, but that's just one more thing to carry with you. We prefer to travel light.

While you are traveling, do everything you can to make your life easier. When you are enjoying yourself, you are better prepared to perform at work, and you'll be more successful.

Cubicles and conference rooms are the same everywhere. The work will not change, but taking the time to make friends with the people around you, at work and at the hotel, will make all the difference in the world to how well you do it.

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Source by Lambden christine

Hiking the "W" Circuit in Torres del Paine National Park – Patagonia-Chile

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A hiking trip at the end of the world is not something I would normally consider. I am a girly girl whose ears perk up at the mention of booking a "spa" or a "villa" rather than doing "rugged mountain hiking." The luxury travel magazines Travel & Leisure and Departures are my vacation planning sources. Nonetheless, my tennis partner and good friend, Donna, had planned a trip to Patagonia to celebrate her birthday and insisted I do something new and different for my next vacation. Always up for an adventure, I agreed to tag along.

Two months later I found myself on a 10-hour flight from Dallas to Santiago: the first leg of a trip that would end at Torres del Paine National Park in Patagonia, Chile. Torres del Paine is a spectacular, unspoiled national park boasting a breathtaking mountain range, azure lakes, and magnificent flora and fauna. Located 1,000 miles north of Antarctica, the park attracts tourists from all over the world.

I did not have time to do much research about the trip and had envisioned the hike to be filled with rolling hills and gentle sloping paths set with a spectacular mountain view. The Sound of Music comes to mind. However, instead of a relaxing walk through nature, the "W" Circuit (named based on the shape of the trail) was a truly challenging hike covering over 30 miles of territory in only four days. It was to be a grueling trip for a first-time hiker.

The rugged terrain and long hiking days were not the only challenges. Patagonia's remote location meant there were no TV, radio, and phone or email access available. Having zero communication with the outside world was daunting, at first, but soon became one of the most alluring aspects of the destination. Our entertainment was the untarnished beauty of the region. Pure glacier-fed springs with fresh water and magnificent mountains revealed nature at its best.

After a layover in Santiago, the capital of Chile, we took a four-hour flight to Punta Arenas, the southernmost city in the geographically long and skinny Chilean countryside. We stayed a night here before driving three hours to Puerto Natales, Chile, a small town that serves as the gateway to Torres del Paine National Park. Here travelers stock up on food and camping supplies before heading into the park. Our group had food and lodging supplied for us since we had decided to take a small hiking tour arranged by an American adventure travel company that specializes in South American treks.

The first day was a four-hour boat ride into the park where we viewed a colony of condors, sea lions, massive glaciers, and an authentic estancia before stopping for lunch. After lunch was the much-anticipated two-hour zodiac boat ride taking us deep into the park and offering unsurpassed views of Cuernos del Paine, a part of a magnificent mountain range. It was beautiful ride but bone-chilling cold. Even the immense parkas the guides wrapped us in were not enough for the sharp Patagonian rain and winds in the open boat. And, there are no bathrooms on zodiacs. I found that out the hard way.

After our zodiac trip ended, we were taken to our first night at Eco Camp, environment-friendly accommodations comprised of private tents with two twin beds but no heat. Clean bathrooms with hot showers and delicious meals were provided. Here we met the other members of the hiking group: two ladies from Pittsburgh in their mid-50's, and a young couple from Tampa. Everyone was a seasoned hiker with the exception of myself. We chatted over a hearty dinner and went to bed early for good night's rest before the first hiking day.

Glorious blue skies, warm temperatures and a gentle breeze welcomed us to our first day of hiking along the shores of Lake Nordenskjold. I was advised this five-hour trek would be the easiest with rolling hills and only a few steep ascents. The azure blue water of this dazzling lake was my constant companion as I hiked along its path to our destination at Cuernos Lodge. It was a beautifully quiet day where nature was picture-perfect.

Cuernos Lodge was the first time I had stayed at a hostel. Each traveler is given a sleeping bag and a bunk bed in a room with eight hikers. No thought is given to gender or nationality. You just grab a bunk and hit hay. The lower bunks always get snatched up quickly as hikers are exhausted from the trek and do not want to climb one more thing at the day's end. I even politely asked a flirtatious German man to switch bunks with me as I was afraid of heights and received a solid "no way". It was everyman for himself.

The next day we rose early to begin a challenging ten-hour hike that runs along the base of Cuernos del Paine, which are tremendous granite towers in the middle of this circuit, into the French Valley. It snowed all day making the hike beautiful but a bit treacherous in places. Covered in layers upon layers of clothing, toting a heavy backpack, and walking in a line of similarly clad travelers made me feel as if I was part of an Everest Expedition. We hiked all morning until lunchtime where we sat in the snow to eat. Ravenous from the difficult trek I polished off two huge sandwiches in less than five minutes. After lunch we had five more hours of hiking. We all collapsed exhausted at Camp Pehoe at nightfall.

The third day took us through the Wind Valley and to the base of Grey Glacier. Unbelievable 45mph gusts of wind made the trek difficult. It was like hiking against a wall of hurricane-force wind. The ever-changing weather in Patagonia could be discussed at length but suffice it to say that in a brief span of our four-day trek we experienced everything Mother Nature could throw our way: bright sunshine and warm temperatures of 65 degrees, followed by temperatures plummeting to the 30's with snow, rain and winds close to 45 miles per hour. Travelers should bring all waterproof gear for the hike and dress in layers as the daily temperatures vary greatly in this part of the world.

On our final day we left Eco-Camp and headed to the base of Torres, one of the most popular viewpoints on the circuit. The challenging ten-hour hiking day began with bright, sunny skies as we hiked from Eco-Camp to the Chilean Camp where we stopped for a quick rest. Hours later we found ourselves at the bottom of what some refer to as Boulder City: a seemingly endless expanse of large rock boulders heading upwards. At the top of the boulder field, far, far away a saw a speck of a man. "We're going there?" I asked my guide in disbelief. I could not believe the trek that lay ahead. As I took the slow climb up, I found myself shedding layer up layer of clothing as my heart rate increased from the difficult climb. I crouched low and steadily moved from rock to rock. At last I reached the top to glimpse the massive towers in the distance. I felt truly insignificant compared to the majestic mountains surrounding us, and enjoyed the feeling.

Back at Eco-Camp we all celebrated by sipping on Pisco Sours, the country's national beverage made of pisco brandy sugar and lemon juice, and discussed the trip. While some felt a great sense of accomplishment for completing the circuit, I simply enjoyed the fact that I had made it to the end in one piece. My friends congratulated me on successfully completing my first hiking trip and prodded me to join them again on a future trip in a new destination. Everest anyone?

———————–

Trip Tips:

Come equipped with waterproof gear, comfortable hiking boots, wool hat and gloves, water bottle, sunscreen and wind-resistant gear for the regions inclement weather

Plan your trip in Spring / Summer (November – March) when the temperature in Patagonia is mild in comparison to its intense winters.

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Source by Hunter Butler

History of Travel & Tourism

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2000 years Before Christ, in India and Mesopotamia

Travel for trade was an important feature since the beginning of civilisation. The port at Lothal was an important centre of trade between the Indus valley civilisation and the Sumerian civilisation.

600 BC and thereafter

The earliest form of leisure tourism can be traced as far back as the Babylonian and Egyptian empires. A museum of historic antiquities was open to the public in Babylon. The Egyptians held many religious festivals that attracted the devout and many people who thronged to cities to see famous works of arts and buildings.

In India, as elsewhere, kings travelled for empire building. The Brahmins and the common people travelled for religious purposes. Thousands of Brahmins and the common folk thronged Sarnath and Sravasti to be greeted by the inscrutable smile of the Enlightened One- the Buddha.

500 BC, the Greek civilisation

The Greek tourists travelled to sites of healing gods. The Greeks also enjoyed their religious festivals that increasingly became a pursuit of pleasure, and in particular, sport. Athens had become an important site for travellers visiting the major sights such as the Parthenon. Inns were established in large towns and seaports to provide for travellers' needs. Courtesans were the principal entertainment offered.

This era also saw the birth of travel writing. Herodotus was the worlds' first travel writer. Guidebooks also made their appearance in the fourth century covering destinations such as Athens, Sparta and Troy. Advertisements in the way of signs directing people to inns are also known in this period.

The Roman Empire

With no foreign borders between England and Syria, and with safe seas from piracy due to Roman patrols, the conditions favouring travel had arrived. First class roads coupled with staging inns (precursors of modern motels) promoted the growth of travel. Romans travelled to Sicily, Greece, Rhodes, Troy and Egypt. From 300 AD travel to the Holy Land also became very popular. The Romans introduced their guidebooks (itineraria), listing hotels with symbols to identify quality.

Second homes were built by the rich near Rome, occupied primarily during springtime social season. The most fashionable resorts were found around Bay of Naples. Naples attracted the retired and the intellectuals, Cumae attracted the fashionable while Baiae attracted the down market tourist, becoming noted for its rowdiness, drunkenness and all- night singing.

Travel and Tourism were to never attain a similar status until the modern times.

In the Middle Ages

Travel became difficult and dangerous as people travelled for business or for a sense of obligation and duty.

Adventurers sought fame and fortune through travel. The Europeans tried to discover a sea route to India for trade purposes and in this fashion discovered America and explored parts of Africa. Strolling players and minstrels made their living by performing as they travelled. Missionaries, saints, etc. travelled to spread the sacred word.

Leisure travel in India was introduced by the Mughals. The Mughal kings built luxurious palaces and enchanting gardens at places of natural and scenic beauty (for example Jehangir travelled to Kashmir drawn by its beauty.

Travel for empire building and pilgrimage was a regular feature.

The Grand Tour

From the early seventeenth century, a new form of tourism was developed as a direct outcome of the Renaissance. Under the reign of Elizabeth 1, young men seeking positions at court were encouraged to travel to continent to finish their education. Later, it became customary for education of gentleman to be completed by a 'Grand Tour' accompanied by a tutor and lasting for three or more years. While ostensibly educational, the pleasure seeking men travelled to enjoy life and culture of Paris, Venice or Florence. By the end of eighteenth century, the custom had become institutionalised in the gentry. Gradually pleasure travel displaced educational travel. The advent of Napoleonic wars inhibited travel for around 30 years and led to the decline of the custom of the Grand Tour.

The development of the spas

The spas grew in popularity in the seventeenth century in Britain and a little later in the European Continent as awareness about the therapeutic qualities of mineral water increased. Taking the cure in the spa rapidly acquired the nature of a status symbol. The resorts changed in character as pleasure became the motivation of visits. They became an important centre of social life for the high society.

In the nineteenth century they were gradually replaced by the seaside resort.

The sun, sand and sea resorts

The sea water became associated with health benefits. The earliest visitors therefore drank it and did not bathe in it. By the early eighteenth century, small fishing resorts sprung up in England for visitors who drank and immersed themselves in sea water. With the overcrowding of inland spas, the new sea side resorts grew in popularity. The introduction of steamboat services in 19th century introduced more resorts in the circuit. The seaside resort gradually became a social meeting point

Role of the industrial revolution in promoting travel in the west

The rapid urbanisation due to industrialisation led to mass immigration in cities. These people were lured into travel to escape their environment to places of natural beauty, often to the countryside they had come from change of routine from a physically and psychologically stressful jobs to a leisurely pace in countryside.

Highlights of travel in the nineteenth century

· Advent of railway initially catalysed business travel and later leisure travel. Gradually special trains were chartered to only take leisure travel to their destinations.

· Package tours organised by entrepreneurs such as Thomas Cook.

· The European countries indulged in a lot of business travel often to their colonies to buy raw material and sell finished goods.

· The invention of photography acted as a status-enhancing tool and promoted overseas travel.

· The formation of first hotel chains; pioneered by the railway companies who established great railway terminus hotels.

· Seaside resorts began to develop different images as for day-trippers, elite, for gambling.

· Other types of destinations-ski resorts, hill stations, mountaineering spots etc.

· The technological development in steamships promoted travel between North America and Europe.

· The Suez Canal opened direct sea routes to India and the Far East.

· The cult of the guidebook followed the development of photography.

Tourism in the Twentieth Century

The First World War gave first hand experience of countries and aroused a sense of curiosity about international travel among less well off sector for the first time. The large scale of migration to the US meant a lot of travel across the Atlantic. Private motoring began to encourage domestic travel in Europe and the west. The sea side resort became annual family holiday destination in Britain and increased in popularity in other countries of the west. Hotels proliferated in these destinations.

The birth of air travel and after

The wars increased interest in international travel. This interest was given the shape of mass tourism by the aviation industry. The surplus of aircraft and growth of private airlines aided the expansion of air travel. The aircraft had become comfortable, faster and steadily cheaper for overseas travel. With the introduction of Boeing 707 jet in 1958, the age of air travel for the masses had arrived. The beginning of chartered flights boosted the package tour market and led to the establishment of organised mass tourism. The Boeing 747, a 400 seat craft, brought the cost of travel down sharply. The seaside resorts in the Mediterranean, North Africa and the Caribbean were the initial hot spots of mass tourism.

A corresponding growth in hotel industry led to the establishment of world-wide chains. Tourism also began to diversify as people began to flock alternative destinations in the 70s. Nepal and India received a throng of tourists lured by Hare Krishna movement and transcendental meditation. The beginning of individual travel in a significant volume only occurred in the 80s. Air travel also led to a continuous growth in business travel especially with the emergence of the MNCs.

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Source by Sarvajeet Chandra

When & How to Trim Citrus Trees in Arizona

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In the elementary school I attended in Tempe, Arizona, I was taught about the Five C's of Arizona. They are: Copper, Cattle, Cotton, Citrus and Climate. For this article, I will be focusing on the fourth C of this list. Arizona's climate is perfect for growing citrus trees, but not all Arizonans know how to care for them. The biggest mistakes commonly made involve how and when to prune citrus trees. Many people are concerned about WHEN they should prune their citrus trees, though that is not the most important question involved. For some, the answer could be: NEVER! Perhaps a more appropriate question is: why should I not trim my citrus trees?

Why NOT to Trim Citrus Trees

When one Valley resident asked The Arizona Republic's garden expert when she should trim her citrus trees, this was part of the reply: "Homeowners like to trim their citrus trees for looks. Did you know that citrus trees are actually bushes and their branches naturally grow low to the ground? That's Mother Nature's way of protecting the fruit and bark … "Those who have driven by the old groves that still exist in parts of East Mesa may understand this idea of citrus trees as overgrown shrubs. The popular misconception that citrus trees should be trimmed the same way as any other type of tree means a shortened life span for many citrus trees in the Phoenix area. This is why I would like readers to ask themselves why they want to trim them before they wonder about when to prune their citrus trees. Whether the aim is to optimize citrus fruit production or simply to have your citrus trees contribute aesthetically to your yard, you should keep their overall health in mind when trimming.

How to Trim Citrus Trees

Even if done during the most optimal time of year, any pruning done should be very minimal. As Dave Owens, also known as 'The Garden Guy' states, "Citrus trees like to be left unpruned. The more foliage and dead wood on the tree, the more sun protection the tree trunk will get." John Begeman, another gardening expert of Arizona, points out that "more leaves equates to more and better fruit," and also recommends pruning "only if you must and only using the proper techniques." As outlined in a 1987 article by Lowell F. True, there is some trimming that may be necessary. Although it is best to leave a 'skirt' (branches that nearly touch the ground), it is all right to trim this away just enough to make watering and fertilizing easier. Errant branches may also be trimmed, especially if they rub against other branches. As for the outer foliage, the tree's silhouette, this may be 'shaped' for aesthetic purposes, as long as great care is taken to avoid exposing too much bark of the tree to sunlight. There is only one type of pruning that can and should be done regardless of the time of year, especially if you maintain citrus trees for their fruit: the removal of sucker growth. These suckers are also called 'water sprouts,' and will sprout from the trunk or even the roots of the tree. A layman may feel this necessary out of intuition or a desire to make the tree look nice, but in fact there is a good reason behind it. True says: "Be sure to eliminate all suckers arising from below the bud union [which is the site of grafting]. They are from the rootstock variety and will not bear edible fruit. When left to develop, they will take over the top portion causing your named citrus variety to be reverted back to an undesired variety. " One important 'when' of pruning involves limbs that have been killed by frost, do not remove this deadwood until after spring growth has started, so you can be sure of the extent of the damage.

When to Trim Citrus Trees in Arizona

The best time of year to trim citrus trees is in the spring. If you trim them between about mid March to early May, the trees are less likely to be harmed by extremes in temperature. Citrus fruit ripens in the late fall, from about November to February for most varieties. Minimal pruning during this harvest time is also acceptable. During the winter there is danger of frost, and during the summer there is the opposite problem. Citrus trees are highly sensitive to sun damage, especially during the hottest months of the year and during the hottest parts of the day. If the tree is not shaded during the afternoon, any bare trunk or branches need to be wrapped or painted (whitewashed) for sun protection. The tree is most vulnerable where it receives direct sunshine in the afternoon: the Southwestern exposure. This is why it is so important not to overprune citrus trees: branches subjected to direct sun will burn, and full exposure to the trunk can kill the tree altogether.

In conclusion, I would like to re-emphasize that knowing when to trim citrus trees is not nearly as important as understanding how to trim citrus trees. The number one rule in knowing when to trim citrus trees is the sun. The number one rule in knowing how to trim citrus trees is minimalism. Remember, they are actually just large bushes.

SOURCES (in order of citation within article ): The Arizona Republic: Southwest Gardens, Diana Balazs. The Garden Guy: "Citrus Trees" by Dave Owens. Arid-Southwestern Gardening Information: John Begeman [http://www.ag.arizona.edu/gardening/news/articles/3.30.html], University of Arizona College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. "To Prune, or Not to Prune – Citrus, That is." Lowell F. True, The University of Arizona College of Agriculture "Citrus in the Home and Garden"

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Source by Claire Charlton

The Pros and Cons of Coffee Franchise Opportunities

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Coffee franchise opportunities are a good way to start a new business you should however consider the pros and cons of buying a franchise.

The pros

• Instant clients. When you buy a well known brand you will have instant clients due to brand recognition. With franchises the brand are sometimes more important that the actual product they sell. Companies spends millions to ensure that their brand has a good standing and reputation. This will put you ahead of local neighbourhood coffee shop, just because you have a known name above your door.

• Full backup and training. When purchase coffee franchise opportunities you will receive all the training and back up you need. This means that you would not have to grow your business by learning the hard way, everything you need to know will be available at your fingertips. You will also receive advice on the location, suppliers and staff management.

• A high resale value. A known brand will automatically have a high resale value. The brand name alone is worth a lot, and if you follow their advice on location you will receive an ever better resale amount. Some franchises will even buy the business back when you plan to sell it. It is always wise to have an exit strategy as part of your planning.

• Instant marketing. When a business launches a marketing campaign, owners of coffee franchise opportunities will be automatically included in the campaign. Not only will the marketing campaign draw more customers to your store it will also increase the revenue you generate. The brand your business belongs to will provide you with all the marketing material and stationary. This means you do not have to spend time and money on marketing, it will be done for you. You just need to focus on running your coffee shop.

The cons

• High overhead costs. Buying coffee franchise opportunities is expensive, in addition to the initial investment you will also have to pay for; consumables, stock, location rent, franchise fees, royalties, salaries for staff, marketing, equipment and licensing.

• You have to stick to the plan. Franchise companies provide all owners with a set business plan to follow; this means that you may not be able to add any creative ideas to your business. You may not be able to make decor choices, have specific logo placements or rental locations to adhere to. These rules are there to ensure that your franchise reaches its intended goals. If you intend to purchase coffee franchise opportunities you should be willing to let go of your creative ideas.

• Long work hours. When you do buy a coffee franchise you have to be prepared to work long hours. Most people want to buy coffee before work in the morning and late at night after a dinner out.

Conclusion

It is always wise to weigh the pros and cons of any venture you consider investing in. That way you will be sure that you make an informed decision when you do purchase coffee franchise opportunities.

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Source by Brian A. Cooper

History Of The Pawpaw Tree

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Pawpaw trees were discovered in 1541 by the Spanish explorer, Hernando Desoto, on an excursion into the Mississippi Valley, and he sent samples of this plant back to Europe.

William Bartram in 1776 stated in his botanical book, Travels, that he found pawpaw trees growing on the Alatamaha River in Georgia and in east Florida, which he described as, 'Annona incarna,' the name later was updated by modern taxonomists. "The fruit the size of a small cucumber … containing a yellow pulp of the consistence of a hard custard, and a very delicious, wholesome food."

This fruit is agreeably flavored and considered to be the largest native fruit of North America. The pawpaw trees are said to be endangered or threatened in the states of New York and New Jersey, in the forests where it grows naturally.

The pawpaw tree grows across most of the eastern United States as a native tree. Mature pawpaw trees produce fruits 2 "wide by 10" long, looking and tasting very much like a banana. The fruit is liked immensely by most people and may be purchased at many outdoor markets in West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, etc. The pawpaw pulp has the consistency of creamy custard and may be eaten raw, baked, or used as a pie filling. The trees grow about 15 'tall and have been known to produce as much as 60 pounds of pawpaws per tree. Some individual pawpaws weigh up to a pound each. Zones 5-10

Much interest has been recently directed towards research and development of improved varieties of the pawpaw at Universities in Tennessee, Kentucky, and Ohio. The large fruit is not well known in much of the United States, but its flavor and exotic shape make it a candidate for the expansive, potential of specialty fruit markets in the future. Taste it once fresh and you will feel compelled to have some of these pawpaw trees growing in your personal fruit orchard.

One of the great horticultural mysteries of the world is: why have most paw paw trees, that were plentiful throughout early US forests, virtually disappeared from their natural habitat today? That answer may lie within the research results (Peterson 1991), that showed that the paw paw is sensitive to ultraviolet light, thus, paw paw seedlings may not grow back after the forests have been harvested, and there are very few virgin forests left in the United States. Paw paws can be found growing there abundantly, but once the forests are clean-cut, the paw paw will not usually become re-established.

These experiments must be clearly remembered, when you order your paw paw trees. They must be planted under partial shade of other trees, however, you may plant your pawpaw trees in the open, if the trees are grown under shade cloth for a couple of seasons. The tree will lose its sensitivity to full sunlight once it has become established and the shade cloth can be discarded.

Some gardeners wish to plant their pawpaw trees in pots for a couple of years under shady conditions, but this is not necessary if the above guidelines are followed. Since paw paw trees are tap rooted, growth will be slow during the first year, but after that, very rapid growth occurs afterwards.

Paw paw leaves are large and that large leaf surface generally indicates a need for large amounts of soil moisture, and therefore, generally, paw paws are found in their greatest numbers near river flood plains. Leaves or other organic composted materials are very beneficial to paw paws.

The skin of paw paws is thin and edible and can vary in color from a light green to a golden yellow. Most people prefer to eat the pawpaw fruit after it becomes soft to the touch. The custard- like pulp tastes like banana and varies in color from white to deep orange. The seed are few and large, thus, pawpaws are easy to eat raw.

Most paw paws are sold at roadside markets, because the shelf life is short. Commercially, the paw paw is important in juices, pies, cakes, custards, ice cream and other processed products.

The pawpaw tree was voted by Better Homes and Gardens, in the year 2000, as the landscape tree of the year. The pawpaw and the pawpaw tree are loaded with beneficial health extracts. The bark contains fluids that demonstrate anti-tumor properties and have been used over the years to fight scarlet fever and red skin rashes. These extracts from pawpaw trees are highly useful as an organic insect killer (pesticide).

Pawpaw fruits are rich in minerals such as magnesium, copper, zinc, iron, manganese, potassium, and phosphorus. The fruit also contains abundant concentrations of Vitamin C, proteins, and their derivative amino acids.

There are a number of grafted cultivars of paw paw but their range of adaptation is very narrow, and many cultivars that produce heavy crops of large fruit in Kentucky, Indiana or West Virginia do not perform satisfactorily in Georgia, Florida, Carolina or Alabama. Consider buying improved seedling paw paw trees, which appear to be more adaptable universally. Try some of these trees in your orchard for a real tasty treat.

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Source by Patrick Malcolm

Where Can I Buy Medifast Locally? I'll Tell You

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The other day, I received an email from someone who had searched the phone listings and the Internet high and low for a Medifast clinic or store near her town so that she could buy some of the products. She wrote in part: "Maybe I'm not looking in the right places, but I just can not find a Medifast vendor or outlet near me anywhere." Her experience is not all that rare. I've gotten many similar emails from others. In the following article, I'll explain why, (unless you live in one of the few states that have these clinics), you're likely better off just ordering the foods directly from the company.

Folks In The Following States Are Able To Buy Medifast Locally: As I alluded to before, there are only a handful of states (that I can find) within the United States which have Medifast clinics. They are: Maryland; California; Texas; Florida; Arizona; Georgia; and South Carolina. Some of these states have quite a few centers (like Texas and California) and some have only a few (like Florida.)

Cities With Clinics Or Centers: For example , greater Texas has centers in Addison, Arlington, Allen, Bedford, Ft. Worth, Garland, Highland Village, Irving, North Richland Hills, and Plano. The Houston area itself has many stores too. Examples are Atascocita, Cinco Ranch, Spring, Sugarland, Pearland, Webster, and The Woodlands. In the Austin area, there are clinics in Cedar Park, Round Rock, and Sunset Valley.

California has centers in San Ramon, Carmel Mountain Ranch, El Cajon, Encinitas, and San Marcus. Arizona is probably the next highest state in terms of center presence with three. They are located in Phoenix, Gilbert, and Glendale.

Maryland (Bel Air, Pikesville), Florida (Orlando and Altamone Springs), South Carolina (Greenville, Easley) and Georgia (Warner Robins, Albany) have two clinics each, as best as I can tell.

Ordering Medifast Online: If you're like the many folks who do not have a local center, it's very easy to order the products on the Internet. The company's website is very user friendly. Each type of food is separated out individually with a list of the choices, prices, flavors, and nutritional information. The company sells the products both individually or as part of a monthly package. Going with the package is far cheaper in the long run because the costs per meal comes down by a lot. And, it's tedious to figure out how many packages of individual foods you would need if you were going to be on the diet full time (they want you to eat five of the company's meals per day for the best results.)

In exchange for buying a monthly package, they will often offer you some very generous coupons, specials, or incentives like some weeks worth of free food. Also, they'll often throw in free shipping and it only takes a few days to get your order, so it just does not make sense to waste a lot of gas and potentially a lot of your weekend and free time driving to a one of the few and far between centers.

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Source by Lindsey Price

BioSignature for Fat Loss

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Biotyping is gaining popularity amongst health care professionals, personal trainers and nutritionists. It is a concept whereby nutrition recommendations are individualised to your metabolism and biochemical individuality to help you lose weight or improve your health. One particular biotyping concept that is gaining popularity is BioSignature Modulation developed by Charles Poliquin. It is a very quick and non-invasive way to establish body composition (body fat percentage compared to muscle mass), regional fat distribution and hormone profiles.

Poliquin believes we accumulate fat in certain areas because certain hormones are too high, too low or just out of balance and is based on 30 years of his own data. There is research to suggest that higher body fat levels disrupt hormones causing diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and cancer and there is also evidence to support some of Poliquin's assertions of hormones causing regional fat distribution.

The BioSignature system works around 6 different hormones causing regional fat distribution:

The androgens – bingo wings and man boobs
Insulin – muffin top
Oestrogens – saddlebags
Cortisol – pooch belly
Growth hormone – chubby knees and calves
Thyroid hormones – fat over the ribs

Androgen type

In obese men a decline in testosterone is observed, whereas in obese women there are higher levels of testosterone such as those seen in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). However the BioSignature system suggests excess fat on the triceps (back of the upper arm) indicates low androgen levels (male sex hormones) including testosterone.

Research from California on healthy young men found that lowering their circulating testosterone lead to increased fat storage on the appendices and abdomen, whereas elevating testosterone concentrations above normal levels caused fat loss in these areas. Similarly, in male adolescents with lower DHEA – a precursor to androgens – there were significantly lower levels of mid arm muscle mass compared to boys with normal levels of DHEA. Research from the Netherlands reported that free testosterone levels were correlated with the shoulder blade to triceps skin fold ratio in females.

Excess fat on the chest indicates the conversion of male sex hormones to female sex hormones. Research from Canada demonstrated this conversion of hormones was between 6 and 30 times greater on the torso than on the abdomen.The Department of Paediatric Endocrinology at Süleyman Demirel University in Turkey suggested circulating leptin – a hormone released from fat cells – stimulates the conversion of male sex hormones to female sex hormones causing breast tissue to grow in boys. The more body fat you have, the more leptin you release which changes your hormones and tells your body to grow man boobs.

If you have this regional fat distribution on the arms and chest boost your testosterone naturally by consuming more protein, magnesium, zinc and B vitamins and eat foods containing flavonoids that naturally reduce the conversion of male hormones to female hormones. These nutrients include quercetin, naringenin, chrysin, daidzein and genistein found in flax seeds, apples, berries, onions and green tea. Resveratrol, a polyphenol found in red wine has also been found to help.

Insulin type

A regional fat distribution on the shoulder blade and top of the hips – the muffin top – reflects insulin resistance. Research from The Medical College of Wisconsin suggests that the shoulder blade skinfold may help identify pre-menopausal women at risk for type 2 diabetes. Additionally research from Spain reported that both obese pre-pubescent boys and girls had significantly elevated values of insulin and glucose that were correlated with the muffin top and shoulder blade skin fold thickness. Research from the Department of Human Biology at Maastricht University reported that shoulder blade skinfold thickness remained significantly associated with persistent impaired glucose tolerance.

Consume more fish oil and eat a higher protein, lower carbohydrate diet as well as eating regular meals with additional fibre to stabilise blood sugar. The prestigious Journal of the American Medical Associationreported that a low GL diet helps to reduce insulin, triglycerides and aids weight loss in overweight and obese people.

Various herbs such as fenugreek, bitter gourd and gymnema silvestra lower blood sugar, inhibit glucose uptake in the small intestine and have adaptogenic properties on insulin production. The spice cinnamon has been shown to improve insulin function and possess blood sugar lowering properties says a scientific review from Thames Valley. Cambridge University demonstrated that a diet rich in vitamin C lowered the risk of developing diabetes by 62% and chromium deficiency is associated with insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. Chromium supplementation improves insulin sensitivity, reduces blood pressure and reduces free radical damage to DNA.

Thyroid type
Fat stored on the ribs cage midway between the armpit and the top of the hips reflects levels of thyroid hormones with a low body fat score here indicating a healthy thyroid. There is research to suggest that as waist circumference (generally measured at the narrowest part between the ribs and the hips) and BMI increased T3 and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) levels increased whereas T4 levels decreased suggesting a change in thyroid function. However at present more research is needed to support the claims of the rib cage site reflecting thyroid function.

Nutrition recommendations for this site include eating fish, onions, asparagus for iodine and poultry, fish, almonds, pumpkin seeds and sesame seeds for tyrosine as these nutrients make the thyroid hormones. Foods containing selenium, zinc, vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E and vitamin B6 help the conversion of the inactive form of thyroid hormone (T4) to the active form (T3).

Cortisol type

Fat on the tummy region reflects excess exposure to the stress hormone cortisol. Research from the University of California demonstrated that women with a higher waist to hip ratio and central obesity reported more chronic stress and secreted significantly more cortisol during a stress test than women with a low waist to hip ratio. Similarly research from Spain demonstrated that disrupted cortisol levels lead to a distribution of fat on the abdominals.

Removing and reducing your exposure to stressors thus reducing cortisol is called for to reduce abdominal fat accumulation. Poliquin suggests one of the most common stressors to our system is the consumption of foods that we are intolerant to. These include wheat, dairy, soy, eggs, nuts, yeast and corn. Simply reducing exposure to these foods may reduce the stress on the gastrointestinal and immune system lowering stress hormone output. Another important stress reducer is controlling blood sugar by eating regular meals that have a well-balanced protein, fat and carbohydrate ratio to support good insulin function.
There are various herbs that are known to help reduce stress, one of the more well known being rhodiola. Vitamin C, B5 and magnesium are also traditionally used to help with stress as they are used up by the adrenal glands to make stress hormones. Supplementing with these nutrients may be of benefit.

Oestrogen type
Fat on the bum and thighs reflects a higher exposure to oestrogen (both self made and environmental) and poor oestrogen metabolism. Research from Denmark has shown that both men and women have oestrogen receptors on fat cells; men having more receptors on fat underneath the skin whereas women have equal numbers of oestrogen receptors on fat around the organs as well as fat beneath the skin, women have also been shown to have a higher number of fat cells on the bum and thighs and have higher enzyme activity that causes absorption of fat from the circulation in this area.

Research studies have also shown that leg fat such as on the bum and thighs increased in response to hormone treatment such as with oestrogen, whereas research conducted on drugs that suppressed the body's oestrogen production showed there were significant increases of trunk but not leg fat. Oestrogen administered by a drip also demonstrated that the breakdown of fat decreased in fat underneath the skin, particularly on the thighs. These studies support the role played by oestrogen in fat accumulation on the bum and thighs.

Supporting oestrogen metabolism and elimination helps people to lose fat on the bum and thighs. Consuming foods such as broccoli, cabbage and other cruciferous vegetables containing sulphurophane and indoles have been shown to up regulate enzymes in the liver that metabolise oestrogen to the safe 2 hydroxyoestrogen.Other nutrients that are beneficial to oestrogen metabolism are phytoestrogens such as some soy products and flax seeds, omega 3 fats the supplement DIM. Oestrogens are also metabolised by the process of methylation in the liver so consuming foods rich in methyl donors such as B12, B6 and folic acid may also be useful.

Growth hormone type
Excess fat on the knee and calf reflects low levels of growth hormone. Research has found that growth hormone deficient adults had more body fat that normalised after growth hormone replacement therapy, however these sites are not yet well enough researched to provide conclusive answers and we rely on Poliquin's own data for this association. Growth hormone can be boosted by the use of both glutamine and arginine supplements.

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Source by Steve M Hines

The Impacts and Effects of Specified Laws and Regulations on a Given Firm

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Every country has its own regulations, laws and regulatory bodies or agencies governing the manufacturing, sales, marketing and distribution of products within the country. Laws and regulations are purposely made for human beings and other institutions as a guide to bring order and sanity into the society. Because of this, it is likely that their application will impact upon the plans of firms; their effects on a given firm are also inevitable.

An attempt would be made to discuss specified regulations and laws with particular reference to aviation and airline, environmental regulations, stock market regulations, banking regulations, research (and development) co-operation regulations, stock options regulations, labour regulations, intellectual property and social security regulations industry by industry and effects on the plans of firms where necessary.

For example, the Airport High Density Rule (HDR) in the aviation industry was considered as controversial. This rule requires that no more than 155 flights take off and land at O'Hare Airport and at three other major airports in the country between 6.45am and 9.15pmThat restriction was expected to keep number of airline operations at O'Hare during that timeframe and also to keep the amount of noise generated by aircraft. When this failed, a law was proposed to abolish the rule.

On the tobacco industry, for example, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), an agency of the US government published a rule on tobacco in the federal register to regulate the sale and distribution of cigarettes and smokeless tobacco to children and adolescents based on the health consequences of tobacco use. The rule specifies that anyone younger than 18years of age should not be sold cigarette and smokeless tobacco. The rule further requires manufacturers, distributors, and retailers to comply with certain conditions regarding the sale, distribution and promotion of tobacco products. Thus, vending machines and self-service displays were banned; billboards within 1,000feet of schools and playgrounds were also prohibited. This might have adversely affected firms who engage in such businesses.

In financial terms, however, the rule is expected to produce significant health-related benefits, ranging between $ 28 billion to $ 43 billion each year based on the premise that many adolescents would not start smoking because of the rule; with the FDA estimating that the rule will impose one-time costs of around $ 187 million.

With firms of all sizes, access to capital is of great importance especially when it comes to start-ups.Laws and regulations may affect the amount of investment available either from foreign or local investors or financial institutions. The most important regulations on capital are usually set by governments. These rules or regulations mainly affect the development of venture capital even though they are meant to guard against defaults. In the UK for example, the introduction of the business angel networks by the government to co-ordinate the flow of SME investment capital is proving successful-a positive effect. Also due to lack of access to pension fund capital in the European Union there is a limited institutional investment. In the case of the United States, most capital venture firms prefer to make investments larger than $ 3 million, while most entrepreneurs are unable to obtain more than $ 250 000 from own source and close relations.

The impact of regulations on plans of firms especially those who are technology-based limits the venture capital funding for these firms and affect what they can or intend to do and eventually limiting their capabilities to employ new hands thereby affecting the socio-economic fibre of the society. For example, some government regulations even specifies the type of investors eligible to fund venture capital because of the high risks for certain classes of investors.

In some countries, most firms' source of financing is through the stock markets. In the UK for example apart from the London Stock Exchange, there is Alternative Investment market (AIM); purposely established to assist SMEs. Quite often, the rules on the registration, listing and IPO in terms of size, age, profit and management set up are too costly and unnecessarily complicated for small and start-ups. This is known to hamper access to finance for most firms and invariably making it impossible for certain firms to pursue their plans and invariably their growth needs. Ghana Sugar Estate is an epitome of firms which are denied needed funding as a result of controversial restrictions on listing to the Ghana Stock Exchange. The effects of this is seen in the overgrown plantations of the newly formed sugarcane company in the Eastern Region of Ghana, loss of about £ 2,000 a day in revenue to the company and loss of jobs, and raw materials for most industries which depend on processed sugarcane for their work. The impact on the firms planning process is that funds will not be available to pay and maintain most of its qualified personnel.

With technology-based firms like which need constant innovations, source of financing is key to their planning and so any regulations or laws meant to provide adequate source (s) of finance is welcomed.

The NYSE has come under intense scrutiny to reform as there had been spates of irregularities in the exchange in terms of trading practices. Up till 2001, stocks traded in fractions of eighths and sixteenths ie 12.5 cents and 6.25cents respectively enabling a specialist buying a stock to sell to make at least 12.5cents.That has narrowed to a mere penny. This is as a result of decimalisation; a rule set up to change trading from fractions to decimals.Decimalisation reduces spread. The largest specialist firm LaBranche & Co., has been affected with a reduction of its market capitalization being halved to $ 474million in the past year. The effect of this regulation on LaBranche's plans could be felt in its budget as funds might not be available. It will also have effect on its investors.

Notwithstanding this, the impact of this decimalization rule is felt on NYSE which in the long term can tear the Exchange apart thereby affecting the very people the rule seeks to eliminate that is the brokers and specialists on the floor. The effect on NYSE's plan is to start perform its 1.4b shares daily electronically. It is believed that if NYSE does not match its rivals like NASDAQ on automatic trading, investors can take their trades elsewhere and that means a lost of huge annual fees in revenue to NYSE and possibly lost of jobs.

Until recently when it was announced on the TV a proposed credit regulation to improve transparency, the credit or loans market has been shrouded with secrecy that most firms were paying too much interest which affects their operations. Even though to the large firms the unavailability of the transparent credit regulation seem to benefit them ie their profit, on the whole it costs the SMEs to the extent that the US government has introduced new types of regulations that requires banks to report their lending to SMEs which are ranked and publicised by the government as a guide for potential lenders. In addition, in the United States, reforms to reduce paperwork, speed up loan approval and reduce costs have led a number of commercial banks to create new departments specialising in the origination and sale of small business advice and other guaranteed loans. At the moment some 60% of SMEs now rely on some form of bank credit.

In Ghana, the government has put in place certain regulations which are believed to be in favour of small firms like First Allied Loans and Savings Bank. This company posted a profit before tax of about $ 2m, a lot of money for a new bank. The impact on the plans of this firm is the recruitment of the best human resources in the industry culminating in a position to compete favourably with old and big banks in the Ghanaian banking industry.

However, after deregulation in Britain, competition between banks and stock markets and among banks rose with loan increases to SMEs.Nationwide Building Society was one of such banks to benefit from deregulation. It can now compete favourably with other high street banks. Nationwide is creating more employment as a result of the deregulation law. The impact on the firm is that profit has increased and its members are satisfied and thus growth is imminent.

In a world nowadays with improved, challenging and competitive immense technology innovation and know-how, new businesses spring up in this sector as a result of its dynamism. It is also another sector that has a strong interest in research and development in co-operation. These technology-based firms or enterprises, however, are incapable to engage themselves for in-house research activities. To this end, therefore, there are as well numerous regulations most popularly the antitrust law. Known also as the Sherman Act, this is meant to prevent monopoly. Microsoft was accused of using its position in the software market to maintain its monopoly in operating systems. It was also accused also accused of using its operating system monopoly power to dominate the browser market and that Microsoft bundled its browser into its operating system to try to force Netscape out of the browser market. By antitrust standards, a judge gave an extraordinary ruling describing Microsoft's dominance of the PC operating system market as "applications barrier to entry" and by Microsoft that held its prices substantially above the competitive level. The effects of this law on the plans of Microsoft is that consumers will now have more choice and so Microsoft will have to come out with more innovations to attract more customers and maintain its position in the industry now that there seem to become a competitive market place where all kinds of innovation can thrive. Regulators now appear more powerful and Microsoft will have to reconsider other related laws when planning. The impact on Microsoft's plans in the long run will in my opinion be positive bringing about more improvements in the PC operating market.

Another area with regulations of concern is intellectual property laws or intellectual property rights (IPR) .The reader's digest word power dictionary defines intellectual property law or rights (IPR) as '' an intangible property that is the result of creativity, eg patents or copyrights . "Just as research findings are commercially traded by the owners or universities, patents and copyrights are also traded. Although, the filing of patents is generally known to be inefficient, slow and costly with the system usually in favour of larger firms, its absence could have brought about chaos in industry. for example a French court ruled against internet search powerhouse Google Inc.in an IPR case for linking a trade marked search terms and ordered Google to stop. The impact on Google is yet to become significant but it is obvious that it immediately sent a message to them to review their plans on their IPO which will in effect affect their business plans leading indirectly to a fall in profit as a result of the effect of the restriction on the search services they provide.

It is widely accepted amongst academics and executives in the business world that, the main assets of most firms is their personnel in other word their human resources. There are a number of employee-related regulations and laws in terms of labour, on recruitment and hiring of workers; social security with regard to retirements, pensions and health benefits; and the newly introduced stock options to compensate employee.

The costs and benefits of such regulations are enormous considering the fact that employee-related issues are somewhat at the fabric of the organisation.In many countries the regulations ranging from fee-charging recruitment services, working hours to social benefits limit the freedom of business executives and entrepreneurs to operate usually in terms of hiring and retaining qualified workers. Some regulations on labour also restrict the recruitment and dismissal of personnel, payment of overtime and use of part-time and temporary workers. Coyne (1998) writes that The European Union Directive on the Organization of Working Time which establishes a maximum 48-hour working week including overtime is considered by smaller firms to be interpreted in an inflexible way thereby restricting their ability to make best use of their labour resources. These really affect the firms because they are unable to recruit the best of personnel they might be looking for which could indirectly affect its operation (plans) as most banks choose to deal with firms with most well- qualified personnel. However, to those on the other end of the spectrum, the limitation on the maximum hour regulation is of great benefit and has had positive impact on the plans of the firm. London United Busways Ltd. for instance has recently recorded its lowest accident rates as a result of the ceiling of EU maximum driving hours a day (and week as well) thereby preventing tired but money-seeking drivers from driving. The company can now rely on the services of recruiting agencies to cover for the extra hours. The long-term benefit to LUB is that it can employ few workers, give them overtime to cover the needed hours and save some costs on pensions and sick pay to workers. The impact on the plans of LUB is that customers' confidence in the company will increase and enhances its corporate social responsibility stance.

It must be emphasized here that, the introduction of stock options, which are a new and valuable approach to compensate employees, are prohibitive, excessively regulated or heavily taxed in a number of OECD countries.However, as a result of securities rules governing it, the issuance of stock incentives and fiscal rules for their taxation makes it popular with most US small or start-up firms. It is widely used by firms like Yahoo and Google in the early stages to recruit and or keep employees in the company. Even though research into this area is ongoing, it is claimed that they have helped in the high growth of the IT and software sector at the Silicon Valley with particular reference to Google which has managed to keep its best human resources over the years, the impact on the firm is even on the brand image and attributes that it has acquired for itself giving it a competitive advantage over the likes in the iT sector and also generating employment for a lot of new ambitious graduates.

Certainly health insurance market is another area which is of great concern to most governments as a result of sandals and fraud.Recent studies into health insurance regulations have concluded that state regulation of insurance issue, renewal and rating in general either reduces health insurance coverage or, on net, has no impact on coverage. Some of these regulations, however, presume that regulations may change the risk distribution of the insured population, raising coverage among high-risk groups and individuals but lowering coverage among low-risk groups and individuals, with no significant impact on overall coverage. The studies also assumed that insurance markets are competitive, and therefore, that higher price is an inevitable effect of regulation. Smaller insurers with increasing returns to scale may respond differently to regulation than larger insurers with relatively constant returns to scale.

The effects and impacts of laws and regulations on the plans of businesses can not be overemphasized as the above indicate. Recent insurance scandal in Britain's oldest insurance company, Equitable, nearly caused its demise.Equitable's crisis is alleged to have started as a result of loopholes in regulation governing British insurance industry when it emerged that it did not have sufficient funds to honour guaranteed annuity policies to a large group of policyholders. The immediate impact on the Equitable insurance was that a court ruled that it closes all new businesses meaning a fall in services leading to huge debts and also lost of trust and market position to the insurance community and public as a whole which will inevitably force the mutual company to change its business plans and operations.

Throwing more light on this article, a brief look of recent stories and reports might be appropriate.

An Oxfam report in Metro of February 9, 2004 edition, reports that some companies particularly Tesco, Taco Bell and Wal-mart were accused of exploiting workers especially women in the name of lower production costs with unpaid overtime, low wages and unhealthy conditions as a result of lack of regulations.

In the UK, the recent spate of financial scandals leading to loss of pensions for retired workers has prompted the government to put forward a bill in parliament to avoid future loss of pension funds to retired workers.

Another story filed by Georgina Littlejohn in Metro of February, 23, 2004, alleges that UK's crumbling infrastructure is holding back British businesses. It is claimed that new Government measures announced in July 2004 to help boost transport efficiency in the road and rail sectors have failed to be an effective solution resulting in loss of "man-hours" with 37% saying that lost time has a significant impact on their businesses. This costs the UK firms at least 15 billion pounds each year with each firm losing an average of 27,000 pounds.

This is a pointer to the fact that regulations could also be costly to businesses and firms and can negatively or otherwise affect their business plans in the long run.

Nevertheless, it is important to say here that the empirical results presented here, rest on few observations of laws and regulations and it is suggested that further studies must be conducted to confirm these findings and opinions.

As the interests of business do not always coincide with the broader interests of society, governments might still have to intervene with laws and regulations to achieve goals other than profits.

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Source by John Whonderr-Arthur, Ph.D.