Some young women are spending up to $175 for a girls night in

Source : Marketwatch

JOMO, the joy of missing out, can be an expensive pastime

The ‘Girls Night In’ newsletter promotes JOMO.
The ‘Girls Night In’ newsletter promotes JOMO.

Los Angeles-based entrepreneur Jillian Wilson, 28, uses her “me time” to shop for mundane household items she doesn’t get around to buying during the busy work week. “I get so much satisfaction from staying in, listening to music, enjoying glass of wine, and just spending time with me,” she said.

That doesn’t always come cheap. A recent iteration of her own Girls Night In included spending $40 on wine, browsing Amazon.com, AMZN  where she racked up a $100 bill on wine stoppers, chip clips and a space heater. She spent $100 on new shoes at Revolve.com.

Companies are now eyeing the “girls night in” market. “Girls Night In,” an online newsletter withmore than 100,000 subscribers that caters to millennial women ages 25 to 34, has found a sweet spot in the saturated self-care space.

The editorial platform offers readers — who would rather watch Netflix NFLX  than hit up a rowdy bar or club — advice for things to do at home. Those pricey hobbies range from cooking and baking to reading and expensive beauty regimes.

It’s a way to make people pay for JOMO, the joy of missing out, not to be confused with the opposite, anxiety-inducing acronym FOMO, the fear of missing out, which can be made worse by scrolling through your Instagram FB  feed.

Girls Night In founder Alisha Ramos. (Courtesy of GNI/Alisha Ramos).
Girls Night In founder Alisha Ramos. (Courtesy of GNI/Alisha Ramos).

Girls Night In relies heavily on brand partnerships with advertisers like Netflix, custom furniture company Burrow and fashion brand Everlane. The self-care industry alone in the U.S. is worth approximately $11 billion. And the wellness market grew 6.4% from $3.72 billion in 2015 to $4.22 billion in 2017, according to the most recent statistics from the Global Wellness Institute.

Girls Night In founder Alisha Ramos shared her own suggestions for a lavish Girls Night In: A scented candle ($38), toner ($6.59), clay mask ($12), face wash ($9), Netflix ($15.99), a recipe for shrimp stir-fry a la Bon Appétit magazine ($16), wine ($34), Saint Germain ($33) and Prosecco ($10). Total: Just shy of $175.

Although staying in on a Saturday night may seem cheaper than going out, businesses like Girls Night In, which arrives in subscribers’ inboxes every Friday, have found a way to get consumers to shell out in the name of laying low.

Take luxury candle subscription box service Wickbox ($26.95 a month), which delivers a high-end candle tailored to a subscriber’s specific scent preferences. MiniBar, an app that delivers wine, liquor or beer in 30 minutes, makes it easy for those looking to imbibe in their pajamas, or host a dinner party at home.

Hygge Box (starting at $25 a month), another subscription company, capitalizes on the Danish and Norwegian word for coziness and comfort while promoting wellness through monthly boxes filled with items like organic teas and cocoa, cookies, bath accessories and home decor.

The trend of staying at home isn’t just for ladies’ nights. Companies like BirchboxMan (starting at $20 per month), a grooming kit that ships men’s skin-care products, promotes similar self-care rituals. Loot Crate (starting at $14.99) sends subscribers new video games and related merchandise like T-shirts and collectibles.

The “Girls Night In” newsletter recommends products that the company’s staffers have tried themselves and it receives a commission for any items that are purchased through affiliate links.

Founder Alisha Ramos, 29, told MarketWatch that she wanted to not feel guilty about staying home on a weekend. “Yes, you do save money, but for me, as an introvert, it’s a great way to nurture my relationships with friends rather than being in a loud club atmosphere,” she said.

The D.C.-based platform launched in February 2017, Ramos said, with a few hundred subscribers and a simple mission: Helping women navigate how to take care of themselves without spending a ton of money between work and personal obligations.

They’ve since grown their Instagram account to more than 63,000 followers. Last week, Girls Night In announced it raised $500,000 from SV Angel, Third Kind Capital, and Combine VC.

GNI plans to use the new funding to host live events — arguably a strategically delicate task given that the company is focused on celebrating (and selling products to) women who want to stay home. The money will allow the company to build out the newsletter’s “holistic wellness category” to include mental health content, Ramos said.

The newsletter typically includes an interview with a high profile author, entrepreneur, activist or celebrity. Previous interviewees include Celeste Ng, author of “Little Fires Everywhere,” and Sophia Amoruso, founder of fashion retailer Nasty Gal UK:BOO

Similar to Gwyneth Paltrow’s GOOP website, the weekly online newsletter also promotes eccentric trends, like “cacti are the new succulents,” plus tips on how to get more organized, skin-care routines, binge-worthy series to stream and cooking hacks.

Some 39% of adults in the U.S. reporting they feel more anxious than they did a year ago, according to the American Psychiatric Association. Mental health experts and fitness instructors recommend yoga, free meditation and even sleep apps to help create more work-life balance.

Chinese Women Hold Up Most of the Travel Industry

Women are a growing majority of China’s domestic and outbound travel markets, according to online travel agencies Ctrip and Lvmama. Photo: Shutterstock

Chinese women don’t just hold up half the sky, they’re holding up entire industries. A growing proportion of travel consumers and decision-makers in China are now women. And social media is playing a pivotal role in their travel decisions, with short video platforms like Douyin and vlogs expanding their influence in the lucrative sector.

China’s most popular online travel agency, Ctrip.com International, released a report just ahead of International Women’s Day (Friday, March 8th), stating that women travel more than their male counterparts, while also spending more as well. This data is backed up by the family travel site Lvmama’s report showing that women make up 60 percent of all bookings on the platform. Lvmama added that women do a great deal more research on destinations than men. Li Qiuqi, head of brand development at Lvmama, said in an interview with the Chinese travel media Pinchain that women focus more on quality when booking tours and experiences. Li added that they are more willing to pay more for travel products that viewed as higher quality.

Both platforms, however, also noted the increase in women planning independent trips. Most importantly, Ctrip notes that in the case of girlfriends’ trips, 62 percent of customers book hotels near shopping centers, indicating that travel retail is not falling out of favor among Chinese tourists.

These recent reports support the data released by Ctrip and MasterCard in November 2018 emphasizing Chinese women free independent travelers (FITs) — tourists who self-book itineraries and travel in group of fewer than 10 — spend about 14 percent more on their trips than their male counterparts. Meanwhile, younger travelers — those born in the 1990s and early 2000s — outspend their elders; this may be due to the simple fact that this younger travel segment is only increasing. Here are some more of the most important findings in the two platforms’ reports:

  • 70 percent of hotel bookings are made by women; whether for solo, couples, friends, or family travel (Ctrip)
  • 75 percent of women book four- or five-star hotels for family vacations (Ctrip)
  • 57 percent of solo travelers in 2018 were women (Ctrip)
  • 65 percent of FITs were women (Lvmama)
  • 35 percent of women choose to travel with friends (Lvmama)
  • 21 percent of women choose to travel alone (Lvmama)
  • Female users on Lvmama travel an average of twice per year
  • 10 percent of women book their trips about three months in advance, with 30 percent booking a month in advance (Lvmama)
  • Women spent an average of $35 (RMB 235.3) per meal while traveling, compared $30.60 (RMB 205.8) for men (Ctrip)
  • Only 9 percent of female travelers made reservations at Western-style restaurants through Ctrip
  • Bookings for activities like zip lining, rafting, skydiving, and bungee jumping increased 12 percent year-on-year (Lvmama)

Top 20 Places Women Are Traveling In 2019

Source : Forbes

A new report from Airbnb says that Los Angeles is the top place U.S. women are traveling right now.GETTY

Solo travel is on the rise — especially among female travelers. An estimated 32 million American women travel alone every year, according to the Travel Industry Association. And a new Global Solo Travel Study conducted by British Airways reports that almost 50% of women around the world have taken a vacation by themselves, while 75% are planning a solo trip in the next few years. So where are women going? In honor of International Women’s Day, Airbnb has released its first-ever report on the top places women are traveling right now. This 2019 report was shared exclusively with the Transformative Travel column on Forbes.com.

Solo travel is continuing to grow in popularity, with research that shows more women are prone to travel alone over men and are more apt to try new things and veer off the beaten path when they get to where they’re going,” says Ali Killam, Consumer Trends Spokesperson at Airbnb.

Airbnb broke the report into two lists: the top 20 places its female guests from the U.S. are traveling and the top 20 places women from around the world are going. The lists were based on bookings by travelers across Airbnb platforms, from Homes to Experiences.

According to Airbnb, Los Angeles is popular due to its range of experiences. Here, a solo traveler is pictured enjoying Santa Monica beach.GETTY

When it comes to destinations for U.S. women, Los Angeles ranks number one. “Los Angeles has been a popular market throughout the years for travelers, especially for those booking with Airbnb,” says Killam, who attributes the city’s popularity to its range of experiences and accommodations in places like the seaside enclave of Venice and the iconic Hollywood Hills. In 2018, Airbnb Experiences also expanded significantly throughout California, offering handcrafted activities led by local experts. “Experiences is creating new economic opportunities for California residents by allowing them to unlock their talents and interests and make money from them,” says Killam.

Paris is at the top of the list for global travelers and second in popularity with U.S. travelers. “Paris is one of those cities that’s on most people’s bucket list or one that people can go to time and time again and never get bored,” says Killam. What has people buzzing about the destination this year, according to Killam: “The FIFA Women’s World Cup kicks off in France and Paris will be one of the host cities. Plus the Palais Galliera, the Fashion Museum of the City of Paris, will become the first permanent fashion museum in France in 2019 thanks to the support of the House of Chanel.”

Paris is the top place for solo female travelers from around the world and the second highest rated destination for U.S. women.GETTY

In addition to the data on where women are traveling, Airbnb found that solo female travelers are booking twice as many Airbnb Experiences over solo male travelers year over year, as a way to meet locals and fellow travelers, learn new skills, enjoy a meal and partake in unique cultural experiences. “Looking at bookings by solo female travelers, we found that women flying solo are more drawn to modern history and mindful movement with activities like shopping with a fashion anthropologist, learning how to box with a world champion or weaving a tapestry with mindful zen arts,” says Killam.

Paris is the top place for solo female travelers from around the world and the second highest rated destination for U.S. women.GETTY

Coincidentally, Airbnb hosting is also more popular among women — and growing. In the U.S., 55.87% of accommodations are run by women hosts — a growth of 12.40% year over year. Globally, women also represent the majority of hosts in places like Australia (61.33%), Europe (53.8%), Latin America (51.89%) and Asia (50.51%). And the numbers of women hosts are growing globally, too: up 33.32% in Asia, up 27.61% in Latin America, up 24.55% in Australia and up 12.16% in Europe.

“What the trends say about women right now is that we are not waiting on anyone to chase our dreams,” says Jessica Nabongo, a writer, entrepreneur and globetrotter who collaborates  with Airbnb on a variety of projects and is on a mission to become the first black woman to visit every country in the world.

Read on for the lists of where women are going right now.

Snapping a photo in Los Angeles, the top location for U.S. women travelers.GETTY

Top Destinations for Women from the U.S.

  1. Los Angeles
  2. Nashville, Tennessee
  3. New Orleans, Louisiana
  4. San Diego, California
  5. Austin, Texas
  6. New York City
  7. Paris, France
  8. Seattle, Washington
  9. Chicago, Illinois
  10. Portland, Oregon
  11. Brooklyn, New York
  12. Las Vegas, Nevada
  13. Denver, Colorado
  14. Rome, Italy
  15. Kissimmee, Florida
  16. Washington, D.C.
  17. Atlanta, Georgia
  18. London, England
  19. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
  20. Boston, Massachusetts
In Paris — the top travel destination for women around the globe.GETTY

Top Destinations for Women Worldwide

  1. Paris, France
  2. London, England
  3. Los Angeles, California
  4. Rome, Italy
  5. Barcelona, Spain
  6. Lisbon, Portugal
  7. Seoul, Korea
  8. Tokyo, Japan
  9. Madrid, Spain
  10. Ōsaka, Japan
  11. New York City
  12. Toronto, Canada
  13. Prague, Czech Republic
  14. Budapest, Hungary
  15. Nashville, Tennessee
  16. Brooklyn, New York
  17. Sydney, Australia
  18. Montréal, Quebec
  19. Taipei, Taiwan
  20. Edinburgh, Scotland

Flying Tips for Wheelchair Users, From Wheelchair Users

Source : Forbes

Air travel can cause a great deal of apprehension for both seasoned and novice travelers. If you’re taking that flight with a wheelchair — that’s an added level of stress.

CreditCreditLars Leetaru


People often say that traveling is all about the journey and not the destination, but for wheelchair users, navigating air travel is often more of an adventure than they would like.

Rolling through large crowded airports, hauling luggage, waiting in long lines, receiving a pat down, being strapped into a tiny aisle chair and then sitting for hours unable to move is exhausting. We’ve learned that the best way to circumvent some of the inevitable issues is to know what to expect, and prepare accordingly.

Before clicking the purchase button, even seasoned travelers should review the airline’s policies regarding passengers with disabilities. John Morris, a triple amputee who has flown more than 850,000 miles in the past five years, writes about accessibility for his website WheelchairTravel. He discovered, after reading AirAsia’s website, that he cannot fly with the airline because his battery-operated wheelchair weighs more than the airline allows.

When choosing a seat, Mr. Morris prefers a window to avoid being crawled over by other passengers. Other travelers, particularly those who cannot transfer from a wheelchair to their seat independently, may prefer the aisle seat. The roomier bulkhead seating might be an option for some, just be aware the armrests do not raise.

Also, keep in mind that wheelchair users exit the aircraft last. The deplaning process can easily take 25 minutes or more, so when booking a connecting flight, always allow ample time. Mr. Morris recommends a minimum of 90 minutes. Considering that quick layover might be your only opportunity to visit a restroom, those extra few minutes are precious.

After booking your flight, contact the airline at least 48 hours in advance of departure and let them know you will need special assistance. If you must change airlines, which can be common on international flights, be sure to notify them, too.

“The way the airlines treat our equipment causes some wheelchair users to not travel at all, and that breaks my heart,” said Sylvia Longmire, a former U.S. Air Force officer who travels the world solo on her small power wheelchair. Ms. Longmire also writes Spin the Globe, an accessible travel website.

You can help prevent wheelchair damage by attaching written instructions explaining how to operate your chair, as well as how it folds and tilts. Before turning a wheelchair over to airport personnel, take off any removable parts such as the seat cushion, removable wheels and footrests. These items may be carried on the plane and do not count as baggage.

For your own baggage, carry as little luggage as possible. The airline’s curbside baggage check can be helpful if available, or consider purchasing a rolling suitcase designed to attach to a wheelchair.

Finally, always carefully inspect your wheelchair for damage when it’s returned to you and immediately notify the airline if there is a problem. Document any damage you find with photos that you can send to the airline, as well to file a compensation claim.