Check out Brian Applegarth's 15th issue of Cannabis Travel Weekly, republished here with his permission.
EUROPE - EU Leadership Signals Movement Toward Recreational Cannabis Legalization
Summary: Germany received a significant boost...the nation’s health minister has received “very good feedback” from the European Commission regarding his plan to legalize cannabis for adult use in Germany and to launch regulated adult-use sales. “We will soon present a proposal that works, that is, that conforms to European law,” Lauterbach stated according to NTV. Minister Lauterbach’s comments come after months of discussions with the European Union. Minister Lauterbach has indicated throughout the lobbying process that the goal and focus of his efforts are to improve public health in Germany via regulating adult-use cannabis. #leisuretravel #adultusecannabis #wellbeingtravel
Travel Lens Commentary: I spoke on cannabis and hemp in the visitor economy at an industry conference in Prague a few years back - the EuroAm Cannabis Business Conference. At this conference, leaders gathered and discussed the state of the global hemp and cannabis industries. During this conference, I learned about the patchwork CBD landscape across Europe and the challenges that were being navigated. Today, with this announcement, the EU is at the doorstep of a whole new era of cannabis legalization and Germany is leading the way. Europe unlocking adult use recreational cannabis will intensify the global industry race, taking things to a whole other level. The cannabis market in Europe is expected to reach US$10.29 Billion by 2027, according to Statista. From Greece to Spain to the Netherlands, Europe has a long history of cannabis use in culture. Integrating these stories and experiences into the travel experiences of today will be something special to watch evolve. CannafestCannabis Europa
Global - Luxury Travel, Does Cannabis Have a Place?
Summary: The global luxury sector in vacation rentals is expected to be valued at $82 billion by 2031, registering a growth of 13.1 percent this decade (2021-2031). “We see both supply and demand are increasing in the luxury segment,” said Marcus Rader, co-founder and CEO of Hostaway. “People who have the means for luxury travel and can work remotely have more money available for it.” And Dustin Abney, CEO of Portoro, a property management company for premium vacation rentals, thinks this is just the beginning. He sees a lot of investors interested in buying second homes to serve exclusively as luxury rentals. “...people are interested in having private spaces. They don’t want to pay a lot of money for small rooms, and shared amenities.” #cannabistravelaudience#luxurytravel
Travel Lens Commentary: Luxury cannabis experiences are evolving and weaving into the travel story of destinations and lodging. As luxury lodging evolves, how is cannabis, hemp, and CBD integrating to serve cannabis-interested travel audiences? Recent research shows that active leisure cannabis-motived travel audience leans affluent with disposable income. They are a travel audience that stays longer and spends more while in a destination, and self-describe as foodies, wine enthusiasts, and nature lovers. Another sophisticated evolution is the rise of the Ganjier - a certified and well-trained cannabis sommelier. The cannabis sommelier experiences of today are wide ranging, offering beverage options, topical wellness spa-centric options, as well as smoking award-winning cannabis flower with unique effects that compliment specific settings from an enhanced sensory perspective. Its a whole new world, and cannabis has a anchor in luxury travel that will continue to expand. #luxurytravel#effectpairingcannabisGanjier
GLOBAL - Ancient Methods of Communal Cannabis Consumption, Reimagined
Summary In 2015, researchers at John Hopkins University conducted a study on secondhand cannabis smoke. Six nonsmokers were placed in a small, enclosed, unventilated space, with six smokers. Hotboxing refers to the act of smoking in a small, unventilated or minimally ventilated space. As smoke is exhaled, it gets trapped in the space and fills the air. Smokers inside the space inhale that secondhand smoke in addition to the smoke from their device. Hotboxing may also occur simply because you don’t want smoke to leave a certain room, so the space fills up with smoke whether you want to or not.
Travel Lens Commentary: Cannabis lounges are opening their doors and welcoming visitors in multiple destinations. In my cannabis travel visitor economy world, cannabis lounges double as destination attractions and lounge operators are considered experiences creators that serve the travel economy and visitor journey - different from a resident customer. Thinking in terms of mindset and setting and taking the cannabis shop and lounge experience above and beyond a simple transaction is vital. So why is the ancient form of 'hot boxing' compelling today? Well, the history of this consumption approach is interesting and worth understanding. In cultures around the world, humans have a history of gathering together within closed walls (or tents or teepee like structures) and burning cannabis in ceremony in a communal way. Second hand smoke was a shared experience. I see this as yet another way to share a cannabis consumption experience, creating a unique atmosphere and environment. In this form, it comes down to experience and even ceremony curation. #cannabislounges #cannabisconsumption #ancientcannabisculture
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