Can’t escape your emails? A hotel chain has the answer
With new emoji available for iPhone users as of this week, it’s interesting to see how travel brands are incorporating these functions into their everyday services. Aloft Hotels has launched a specialised Text it, Get it (TiGi), emoji room service menu for tech-savvy guests. The fun activity offers a range of options from "The Sightseer" where guests ca text a Statue of Liberty emoji to receive a $10 Metro Card, city map and two drinks at a local bar; to the "The Hangover" where guests text a drop of water, tablet and banana emoji for two bottles of vitamin water, Advil and two bananas.
Ever wanted to see a real birds-eye view of London? Tourists now have the chance to see the capital from the perspective of an eagle. At first glance, viewers may think the video was produced by a tourist board in attempt to show visitors London’s best sights. However, the two-minute video was filmed by the creators of the video game Assassin’s Creed Syndicate. To shoot the short video, a camera was strapped to an eagle as it soared throughout the city. Gamers all over the UK shared their praise using the hashtag #EagleVision.
For those that can’t get away from their emails while on holiday, Westin Hotels & Resorts has created a new microsite to generate fun and quirky ‘out-of-office’ messages for users to download, and it even produces a video version to share on social media.
A two-year-old, four-legged feline has gained an Instagram following that many humans work tirelessly for. Burma the cat has spent his short life exploring some of America’s most iconic peaks with his owner, Stephen Simmons and his dog, Puppi. Burma has accumulated over 26,000 followers on his Instagram page where he proudly displays his mountaineering expeditions in California and Oregon and across the East Coast.
And finally, speaking of animal social media stars, a chicken named Betty has been taken on as the official tweeter for an Australian barbecue chain, Chicken Treat. Betty shares live updates throughout the day which can be followed on her twitter feed, or through the hashtag #chickentweet.
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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