Latest news with #culturalExperience
Yahoo
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Snapchat Launches Interactive Art Project at the Palace of Versailles
This story was originally published on Social Media Today. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Social Media Today newsletter. Snapchat has announced a new in-app art project, in partnership with the Palace of Versailles, which aims to provide an interactive historical experience in the grounds of the famous French building. As you can see in these example screens, Snap's new project includes AR activations within the grounds of the palace, providing additional visual elements to enhance the visiting experience. As explained by Snap: 'Snapchat and the Palace of Versailles are partnering to offer a unique cultural experience in augmented reality: Dansez Versailles. Thanks to Snapchat's cutting-edge technologies, visitors to the Palace gardens are invited to rediscover the baroque festivities and dances that enlivened the Royal Court through AR. Through an immersive, fun, and educational journey, history comes to life in the heart of the gardens.' Each station on the map will showcase a dance related to the location, which can be seen through the AR camera. 'With Dansez Versailles, the objective is to restore the gardens of the Palace to their original function: a space for life, pleasure, and spectacle. By leveraging the immersive possibilities of AR, four emblematic places in the gardens become scenes of artistic reconstruction, where each space reveals an iconic dance of the era, allowing visitors to the Palace to step into the shoes of a dancer of the time.' Snapchat has played host to various art installations, as part of its broader push to contribute to emerging culture. Snap has previously launched digital art projects with The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) and the Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco (FAMSF), while also working with renowned modern artists like Jeffrey Koons, Damien Hirst, KAWS and more, on various AR art activations. This new activation is another step on this front, while Snap is also looking to cement its place in French culture more broadly, in order to enhance its local footprint. France is Snap's biggest EU market, with 27 million users, and Snapchat recently opened a new office in Paris to capitalize on local opportunities. A local AR art activation is another step towards solidifying Snap as a key player in the local interactive landscape, and building more local connections. Sign in to access your portfolio
CBC
01-07-2025
- Business
- CBC
'Terrible setback': Indigenous tourism industry says it's suffering as U.S. bookings decline
Social Sharing Indigenous tourism operators in Canada say they're worried about their future as the number of American guests plummets amid political tensions between Canada and the U.S. Indigenous tourism has been booming in Canada in recent years as people look for unique travel experiences and seek to learn more about Indigenous culture. According to the Conference Board of Canada's latest report, the Indigenous tourism sector generated an estimated $3.7 billion in revenues in 2023, directly contributing $1.6 billion to Canada's gross domestic product. The industry is warning hundreds of jobs and millions of dollars are now at stake. Dean Werk, the Métis owner of Great River Fishing Adventures, which operates on the Fraser River in B.C., said his business has lost about $250,000 this season since U.S. President Donald Trump's trade war began. "It's a terrible setback," he said. "This is actually tragic and terribly impactful to all Indigenous tourism businesses in Canada." 'Such an important market' Werk is not alone. In April, the Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada surveyed about 100 Indigenous tourism operators that market to American clients. Nearly 70 per cent reported a drop in U.S. bookings. Association president and CEO Keith Henry said American tourists account for up to 35 per cent of overall revenue for Indigenous tourism operators. "Hundreds of jobs, if not thousands of jobs, are at stake here, if the season does continue to see declines," Henry said. He estimated the industry could lose as much as $500 million this summer. "We've been building Indigenous tourism and we've been focusing on the U.S. market … for many years," Henry said, adding that the U.S. is the sector's largest international market. "It's such an important market for us." WATCH | Indigenous businesses say they are losing U.S. clients: Indigenous tourism operators see drop in U.S. visitors 4 days ago Duration 2:00 Talaysay Campo, co-owner of Talaysay Tours, which offers nature walks, among other experiences around B.C., said U.S. corporate groups totalling about 1,000 guests have cancelled bookings for this summer. "We've been building these relationships for the past 21 years, and to see them go, it makes me sad," she said. She said total sales and revenue from Americans totalled about 33 per cent of the business last year — it's now dropped to 12 per cent. Ottawa monitoring situation In a statement to CBC News, the federal government said it "understands that the evolving dynamics in the Canada–U.S. relationship have direct and varying impacts on the tourism sector across the country, including Indigenous tourism operators." It said it's "monitoring developments in this important sector and remains engaged with all tourism partners, including Indigenous partners." Ottawa noted that more Americans visited Canada in the first quarter of 2025 compared to the same period last year, adding there has been an increase in bookings to Canada from overseas travellers from countries such as France, the U.K. and Mexico. The federal government said it has invested $20 million to support more than 330 Indigenous tourism businesses through the Indigenous Tourism Fund, and 15 per cent of the Tourism Growth program is set aside for Indigenous-led tourism programs. While many Indigenous tourism businesses say they are struggling, a smaller eco-resort in B.C. is making some gains. Klahoose Wilderness Resort, owned by the Klahoose First Nation on B.C.'s Desolation Sound, about 150 kilometres northwest of Vancouver, said its Canadian market has grown about 40 per cent over the last year. "I think with everything that's going on in the world, a lot of people are looking at what else can I do that's closer to home," said Chris Tait, tourism manager for Klahoose Wilderness Resort. The business hasn't seen any particular increase in cancellations, and American guests have increased by about 15 to 20 per cent. But Henry from the Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada said he's not optimistic that Canadian bookings will help the overall industry make up for the loss of American ones. "We're telling ourselves that domestic tourism is going to somehow mitigate all these problems. … I think it's going to help somewhat, but our U.S. customer base was spending a lot more per person than the average Canadian," he said. Henry said the industry is trying to pivot to focus on other international markets.
Wall Street Journal
25-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Wall Street Journal
The Perry Glass Studio's Practical Power
Norfolk, Va. You don't have to be old to know that the museum experience has changed. That phrase is itself the most radical change of all, for it assumes that a museum is not a storeroom of objects but a place where things happen, that its fundamental duty is to offer you an experience. This idea has already affected the internal balance of power of the contemporary museum, whose programming branch is coming to rival the curatorial in terms of prestige and clout.
Daily Mail
19-06-2025
- Climate
- Daily Mail
American tourist explains why the heat feels so much more intense in the UK than the U.S.
An American tourist visiting the UK has admitted that British weather 'feels different' and the heat is more severe. Content creator Kalani Ghost Hunter, from Tennessee, has spent months travelling around the UK in a bid to immerse himself in the culture - from sampling afternoon teas to attempting to find the best chippy (a fish-and-chip shop). The UK is currently experiencing a heatwave, with the nation this week set to reach temperatures of 86°F (30°C). Americans have been known to poke fun at Brits who complain about the weather with some calling them 'dramatic' and claiming they wouldn't 'survive in the U.S.' - where the temperatures are generally much hotter. Kalani admitted that although he had 'doubted' Brits at first, he now believes the heat in the UK 'feels different' - and he doesn't know how people 'survive' without air con. He told his TikTok page: 'I always thought British people were lying when they were saying how hot it gets here but for some reason, it feels like you're melting. 'It honestly feels like my b****cks are sweating out of my pants. Every time I walk somewhere I have sweaty balls. 'I know it gets hotter at home and the humidity is just as bad at home but for some reason walking in these streets and walking into my hotel room it feels like I'm in a f***ing sauna.' Kalani - who has 3.2 million followers on TikTok - said he simply does not know how Brits cope in the blistering temperatures without having air con their homes or at work - as is commonly in the U.S. He added: 'I know you don't need it all year around but let me tell you at home, I get that nice relief from going into some cold air. 'Here, it's just misery everywhere and you wonder why Brits complain about the weather so much, it's because it can be f***ing miserable.' Throughout his time in the UK, Kalani has found that it's easy to strike up a conversation with almost any Brit, simply by mentioning the weather. He gave some advice to tourists, adding: 'Honestly, if you want the best small talk with a Brit, just look around and start talking about the weather. It's the easiest way to start a conversation with someone here - it's a British pastime. 'I never knew why until I came over here and experienced how s*** this weather can actually be.' Kalani's clip racked up 1.7 million views on TikTok in less than a day with thousands of comments from Brits who felt validated. One wrote: 'Wait till you try and sleep with no ac on Thursday night when it hits 28.' Vindication: Kalani's clip led to thousands of comments from Brits who felt validated A third said: 'When we say "It's a different kind of heat", we mean it!'
Daily Mail
19-06-2025
- Climate
- Daily Mail
I'm an American visiting the UK - the heat DOES feel different here and I don't know how Brits survive
An American tourist visiting the UK has admitted that British weather 'feels different' and the heat is more severe. Content creator Kalani Ghost Hunter, real name Kalani Smith, from Tennessee, has spent months travelling around the UK in a bid to immerse himself in the culture - from sampling afternoon teas to attempting to find the best chippy. The UK is currently experiencing a heatwave, with the nation this week set to reach scorching temperatures of 30 degrees. Americans have been known to poke fun at Brits who complain about the weather with some calling them 'dramatic' and claiming they wouldn't 'survive in the US' - where the temperatures are generally much hotter. Kalani admitted that though he had 'doubted' Brits at first, he now believes that the heat in the UK 'feels different' - and he doesn't know how people 'survive' without aircon. He told his TikTok page: 'I always thought British people were lying when they were saying how hot it gets here but for some reason, it feels like you're melting. 'It honestly feels like my b******s are sweating out of my pants every time I walk somewhere I have sweaty b***s. 'I know it gets hotter at home and the humidity is just as bad at home but for some reason walking in these streets and walking into my hotel room it feels like I'm in a f***ing sauna.' Kalani - who has 3.2 million followers on TikTok - said he simply does not know how Britons cope in the blistering temperatures without having air con their homes or at work - as is commonly seen in the United States. He added: 'I know you don't need it all year around but let me tell you at home, I get that nice relief from going into some cold air. 'Here, it's just misery everywhere and you wonder why Brits complain about the weather so much, it's because it can be f***ing miserable.' Throughout his time in the UK, Kalani has found that it's easy to strike up a conversation with almost any Brit, simply by mentioning the weather. He gave some advice to tourists, adding: 'Honestly, if you want the best small talk with a Brit, just look around and start talking about the weather. It's the easiest way to start a conversation with someone here - it's a British pastime. 'I never knew why until I came over here and experienced how s*** this weather can actually be.' Kalani's clip racked up 1.7 million views on TikTok in less than a day with thousands of comments from Brits who felt validated. One wrote: 'Wait till you try and sleep with no ac on Thursday night when it hits 28.' Kalani's clip racked up 1.7million views on TikTok in less than a day and thousands of comments from Brits who felt validated Another penned: 'Every American that comes over and experiences our weather has an "Ahhhh I get it now" moment.' A third said: 'When we say "It's a different kind of heat", we mean it!' A fourth commented: 'Well - for someone from the Philippines, I cannot handle summer in the UK. I have been here since 2009.' In another video, Kalani visited a local supermarket and even put his head in the fridges to cool down. He also revealed the three culture shocks he experienced when he moved to the UK. One thing that surprised him was the different portion sizes, admitting when he first ordered a large drink in the UK, he mistook it for a small. Kalani said, 'My mind was like "this is a small". If you're not familiar with drink sizes in the US, you can get a small state-sized cup for like a dollar 50. It's absolutely mind-blowing. Taken aback by UK standards, he added, 'When you travel out of the US, you realise that it's not the norm.' He also hadn't realised how different the tipping culture is. 'When you get your check at the end of dinner, and they don't ask for a tip, and they don't even give you an option to tip, it's really weird,' he said. 'For example, when you go out in the USA and you get dinner, let's say it's $60, it's customary to leave an extra 20 per cent on top of that for your service staff.' The content creator continued, 'But in the UK, it's not the norm to leave anything extra on top.' The internet personality said that he sometimes still tips waiters and waitresses, but he no longer 'feels the same pressure' to splash out the cash. The third adjustment Kalani had to learn to adapt to was the British humour, which he described as 'very dry, very dark and very passive aggressive'. However, once the social media star started to understand the British sarcasm, he admitted that it became 'really funny'. He said: 'They have so many different ways to insult you and so many different ways to say things that it's almost like translating another language at times.' The clip racked up almost 800,000 views and over one thousand comments - and some Britons ranted about having to tip staff when holidaying in the States Kalani described British comedy as 'elite' and said he was first exposed to it when reading comments on his posts. 'I have grown to call a lot of people "melts" and really enjoy it,' he added. The clip racked up almost 800,000 views after two days and over one thousand comments, with Britons ranting about having to tip staff when holidaying in the States. One wrote, 'The reason you're not expected to tip in the UK is because service staff actually get paid a wage and tips are extra, not like in the US where servers only survive on tips.' Another penned, 'Been to America and hated the fact that I had to tip for someone that literally just sat me down and took my order.'
