The Great Waimea Canyon in Kauai Hawaii

Waimea Canyon is one of the must see in the US state of Hawaii

It measures 10 miles long and 1 mile wide, this magnificent gorge on the Island of Kauai is impressively 3,500 feet deep and extends to Koke'e State Park. Waimea Canyon is relatively easy to spot, as it is located on State Road 550 near the town of the same name. Waimea is smaller and younger than the Grand Canyon in Arizona, but it can definitely compete the gorge most popular when it comes to pure beauty. Officially called West Kauai Waimea Canyon, the geological wonders of Koke'e State Park protected and is the largest of its kind in the Pacific region. It is believed, caused by rivers and floods from Wai'ale'ale thousands of years ago. Visit : http://beachtouristguide.com

There are two ways to experience the beauty of Waimea Canyon

The first is to go through it and make a few stops at viewpoints significantly. The second option, which migrate is physically demanding, but more adventurous and exciting. The trails around the canyon, about 45 miles, with a little "go all the way to the nearby Alakai Swamp. Ideally, the canyon should be visited on a clear and sunny day, when the visibility is best and you can actually the bright colors can as red, blue, gray see reflected through the canyon. Even from a distance, looks stunning Waimea as its unique geological formations are well supplemented by a variety of lavender, Siena and cloves. Early in the morning are usually the best time for viewing because of the favorable climate and less usual amount accumulation. Afternoons are more cloudy and overcrowded.

If you decide to go to the viewpoints, are the most popular along the Waimea Canyon Drive. A popular site is the aptly named Waimea Canyon Lookout, which has only exceeded the line of 10 miles on Highway 550. Other equally popular viewpoints are Puu Ka Pele hinahina and Pu'u. Be careful when driving a car, known as the urban canyons, be full of holes, which can potentially cause great inconvenience not to mention severe damage. Driving through Waimea requires an entry fee of $ 5 US dollars. Note that there are no gas stations along this path 40 miles, but the area's largest park has toilets.

The Waimea Canyon Drive winds through the mountains and leads to the wooded area of ​​Kokee State Park. If you wander decide which is the place where to find different paths that will take place in the canyon and his circle. The trails vary in order to accommodate both beginners and experienced hikers. The proportion of trips to the Waimea Canyon State Park is just USD $ 1 per person.

After hiking the Waimea Canyon, you can explore the park and the other fascinating attractions such as the Museum of Natural History Kokee. Do for maps and details about trips and attractions in the area of ​​the canyon, you can fall through the Ranger Station organized in the museum. If you want to have a look at a bird-s beautiful scenery, and the budget for it, book a tour look very scenic and unforgettable helicopter around Waimea Canyon!

Furano Japan and its spectacular lavender fields

Furan is a city in the heart of the Hokkaido region of Japan

Although it is a pleasant enough place to visit all year round, it is a destination even more special in the summer. The main reason for this - beautiful fields of lavender Furano that everyone can fascinate with its brilliant color and amazing fragrance.

Furano is part of the Natural Park of Furano-Ashibetsu and is along the Sorachi river. For some reason the city has been nicknamed "the navel of the city" deserves; and every summer a festival is celebrated here, showing thousands of people with funny faces on the belly, dancing their hearts. While in Furano in summer, you can set up outdoor activities such as rafting along the river. Taking a ride balloon ride from the Alpine Visitor Center is organized also a great way to view the seemingly endless fields of lavender to get a bird's eye.

And ', during the mild summer of Hokkaido, the lavender are in fact in bloom all around. And one of the best places to really admire her beauty is Furano. While here you can easily take a walk on the trails around the fields and smell the sweet scent of lavender. There are also a number of flower farms that you can visit to admire the beautiful models of flowers all around.

Some of the most popular are Saika Farm, which covers a large area of ​​the territory and Flower Land Kamifurano. Kamifurano, in particular, is ideally located on a hill, offering a magnificent view of the mountain range in the Tokachi their fields of spectacular flowers. While you can here from a cart being pulled by a tractor to drive to explore fields. You can also on a tour, the experience to blossom and cutting lavender to go allowed.

The wildflowers indisputably famous of the city is without doubt Farm Tomita

Located near the train station of lavender, which only shows passengers during the summer season is just 2.5 km from Saika Tomita Farm. To achieve Tomita from the capital, you can take a bus or train from JR Furano. The Tokachi Mountains serves as the background of lavender fields and flowers Farm Tomita, the journey picturesque hquite. Another good reason to drop by Tomita is that access to the farm is simple. On the whole, you are cafes and shops, a variety of products on lavender products, which perfectly found as souvenirs and gifts! A few years ago, the management Farm Tomita opened a second park named Lavender East, which is only four kilometers east of the first farm and covers an area of ​​about 14 hectares.

Furano has four kinds of lavender, dark purple, Okamurasaki, Yotei and Hanamoiwa substantially. Most of lavender in bloom begins in late June. The best month to visit the farms of lavender is in July, when the weather is ideal. However, the season for the visualization of lavender extends until early August. There are also some varieties of lavender in full bloom, which remain until mid-August, if you are here late!

Lavender is not the only type of flower Furano is proud to grow. Other beautiful summer flowers that can easily pull the area, poppy, rapeseed flowers and French marigolds. The sight and smell of lavender Magic will forge unforgettable memories of your time in Furano, let them know that this part of Japan is worth a visit.

The Smart House - What Makes a Smart Home?

First of all, this will be an ongoing series of articles explaining the various aspects of a Smart House

In this first article, I'll review of what makes a Smart Home.It used to be you had the home automation devices to stores, not to buy. You are bound to your big-box stores, Lowes and Home Depot in home automation. Unfortunately, not all devices are compatible with each other. When you begin this process is better outline what you want to achieve. For example, you may want to wake up in the morning and have the coffee brewing, already tuned the TV to your favorite channel and on the east side of the house, around the sun was open tents. All this is very simple, but you might want the forecasts of temperature and time on the wall outside the bedroom appears, you might want turned on and warmed up for the shower water. If you leave the house, the temperature want to adjust in your house, and the doors closed. If you think about your routine around the house, most of which can be automated. Therefore, mapping your plan is very important before departure.

As you can see, as far as I am just about home automation speak, but the title of this article is the Smart House

We can not talk about a smart home really, unless you understand what it means, and home automation. In short, a house can not be intelligent if it is not automatically the first.
So let me give you a few examples to make a smart house. At work and at home if it is empty, it will use different methods to control the temperature. First, the thermostat is adjusted in dependence on the season. Later in the day the curtains are open or closed, as the sun moves. If it were to open before the sun to heat the house and in the summer the opposite would happen winter curtains. You would be able to see and control all of your smartphone, even when you are away. Before arriving home, the temperature would adjust and would open the curtains. The garage door opens as you are pulled into the driveway. The light illuminates how would your TV.

In future articles we will detail how to make your home intelligent

George Uliano is a security professional with years of law enforcement and security experience. He holds a degree in criminal justice and business honors degree. George holds three US patents on different principles locking. This combination gives George and his company closed Systems International Inc. the unique ability to provide its customers with the right security at an affordable price.

Destination Asia Pacific - Tourism Hub The 21st Century

Travel industry seems optimistic about the Asia-Pacific?

Is carried out according to a study in 2013, the year has been good for the international tourism and stronger for the objectives in the Asia-Pacific region - Asia six percent has grown. Moreover, the number of foreign tourists is around 14 million to reach 248 million. Southeast Asia (as part of the Asia-Pacific region) has increased by 10 percent. China has a record number of international tourist arrivals in 2013, 55.69 originated in the tourism industry employs 65 million people and million.Asia supports in 12 jobs - think about how financial services industries.

Needless to say, this growth has also led to the creation of 1 million jobs and represent the USD2 billion contribution to GDP, around nine percent of the gross domestic product of the region (GDP). This means that the industry currently employs around 65 million people and supports in 12 jobs - think about how financial services industries.

That Tourism Brings to The Table

With more tourists in cities across the Asia-Pacific region to explore as holiday destinations, benefits abound.

Economic growth

The contribution of travel and tourism to the GDP of this region is expected to increase by 5.4 percent annually since 2024. More employment opportunities continue to grow in sectors such as hospitality, airlines, transport services and forth restaurants, to name a few. By 2014, travel and tourism industry will account for 79 million jobs.

Social Benefits

As the tourism industry matures, social media platforms are making progress. Most of these online platforms, including online forums and travel blogs are increasingly used by companies to spread to the general public, information. Needless to say that social media is leading to a greater awareness of travel among Asians. This was one of the factors contributing to the resurgence of budget air travel in Southeast Asia.

Green

Sustainable tourism as one of the growth engines for the sector arise. Members of the group Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) are joint efforts for a sustainable future in tourism. Tourism Working Group of APEC is an initiative to promote growth in the travel and tourism industry in the region.

Where are the opportunities?

As the Asia-Pacific region gaining popularity as a tourist destination is gradually becoming a leader in the global tourism scene.

How does this change take place?

The emergence of new segments travelers

A marked change is underway in the preferences of travelers, where a personalized approach would be best to meet their travel needs. This has resulted in a number of categories of travelers under the business women, small business travelers, friends and family visiting travelers as well as older travelers, not to mention the gay and lesbian travelers or LGBT given. Create The growing awareness of the segmented demand opportunities for service providers to produce more targeted offers.

Technological progress in the region

Online transactions and mobile devices as a fundamental means for travel bookings occur. In countries such as Thailand and Indonesia, the phase of the Internet festival series with the use of mobile Internet device-centric has developed. So there was support for agents and providers of travel services to mobile solutions or have become obsolete.

Furthermore, social media is an emerging an effective tool of information and decision-making influence. 61% of Indonesians that the use of social media during the trip as a way to seek advice from friends and contacts to mention.

Automatic speed adjustment

Consumers aged 18-30 show great interest in cruises.

With the strongest interest of the 18-30 age group cited - many travelers have expressed a great interest in cruises. This represents a market opportunity for travel agencies. But infrastructure hinders the cruise industry. Many terminals in the region have the ability to accommodate larger vessels.

The growth of low-cost airlines

The global middle class is growing rapidly and is expected to 2.1 billion in 2030. The increase came walking from Indonesia, India and China. According to a survey in 2013, 47% of tourists have made at least one international flight with a low-cost airline in the last 12 months.

Future challenges

Tourism industry of the Asia-Pacific region seems to have a lot of business opportunities. The growth can be maintained?

Facilitating access to travel in the countries of Asia and the Pacific

While Asian governments to focus on economic integration through trade and investment liberalization to take between nations to travel. A strong indicator of the liberalization is the increase of the bilateral Free Trade Agreement (FTA). With only 53 in 2000, now there are 250 FTAs ​​in various stages of development from September 2012. Further liberalization is on the cards. Asian governments to bring trade barriers by the AEC, RCEP and multilateral TPP. One of the obstacles that trade agreements could help address is reducing visa restrictions. It is a huge obstacle for the industry, particularly with regard to the takeover of the demand from China and India, the Indian and Chinese travelers are usually required visas for most destinations in this area.

The lack of infrastructure

It required an improvement in infrastructure, particularly in the cruise industry. Although the construction of the cruise terminal port of origin, the region lacks terminal can accommodate vessels larger and more modern. In addition, to strengthen the potential of outbound tourism from China and India, the airline capacity to be improved airport infrastructure and meet less stringent visa policy must be addressed.

Improve customer experience

The technology to achieve and improve a target segment, the online experience of customers Hugging is becoming a decisive competitive factor in the success. Service providers need to understand that the web presence is absolutely necessary because travelers often use the Internet to book travel. The recommendations on social media (often on mobile devices) before you read a holiday destination also. Service faced pressure to improve their assessments of social media platforms and online forums, as travelers are increasingly looking for validation of the online community, and not information from traditional sources.

Human capital crisis

While there is a boom in the travel industry, investment in human capital seem to lag behind those in the like hotels and airports infrastructure. According to a report in 2014, an expected shortage of eight million jobs over the next 15-20 years is anticipated.

Coming Trends in Travel

Catering to different types of travelers is large on the agenda of the suppliers of travel services as a one-stop approach is no longer practical. Some of the upcoming trends are:

Focus on millennials

The growing influence of Millennials is undeniable in this region. Most of them fall into the age group of 18-30 years and are far more ethnically diverse than other generations. They are young and have the enthusiasm to explore the world. Some key features of Millennials have a preference for urban tourist destinations, the opportunity to travel in search of favorite hobbies and roaming with friends of the same age group in an organized manner.

Seniors

Contrary to popular belief, seniors are less likely to travel. They are not only enthusiastic, but very demanding as well. Customer service is an important part of their travel experience.

Taste for luxury

Since the number of millionaires continues to grow, so does the number of wealthy American families - with an increase of 10.5 million in 2012 to 20.5 million by 2020. This has fueled the rise of a luxury vacation. This particular sector will be dominated by the United States, Japan and Europe, but significant demand coming from China, India and the Middle East in the future.

On the other hand, luxury travelers are writing reviews of hotels, which take account for 52 percent of all hotel ratings worldwide 2012 to 2014. active - the addition of another target segment of interest.

Moving forward

Tourism industry of the Asia-Pacific region is growing at a fast pace and brings economic, social and environmental issues in its wake. Abundant have an opportunity for investors with the rise of new travel segments, technological advances and the underserved cruise industry gathering emerged next to the phenomenal growth of low-cost airlines have opened up destinations in Asia for budget travelers.

At the same time remain challenges. The infrastructure is underdeveloped and many suppliers of travel services are not differentiated their offerings enough to segment. Millennials, the elderly and luxury travelers, for example, have needs and wants when traveling quite different. And most operators have not yet fully exploited the incredible increase in the use of mobile Internet in the region.

For the future, the tourism industry in Asia is probably a phase of maturation, when rates begin differentiated and segmented to appear, enter both online and off-line. We can have multiple sections of the major tourist cities expect that more and more focus on different tourist segments. We can expect that the promotion of national tourist offices will always try to position their countries, to meet a wide range of entry as well as national tourist segments.