Take a peek at just about any global survey on tipping, and U.S. Americans are invariably at the top of the list. But when TripAdvisor shared the results of its tipping poll in June last year, they reported that even this varies dramatically among U.S. American tourists, with 97% saying they tipped for restaurant service, [...]
In Part One of this blog post on the wonderful Mexico City I outlined five things to think about before you leave for your business trip. In this second part, here are five practical and intercultural etiquette tips that will help smooth your visit after you have arrived: Getting There: Benito Juarez Airport is Mexico [...]
Entrepreneur-in-residence at The University of Texas at Austin’s School of Information and CEO/Founder of Bigwig Games, Gary Hoover, recently offered “10 Reasons You Should Jump On the Next Flight to Mexico City.” Mr. Hoover is absolutely right; Mexico City is a wonderful destination for business travelers and tourists alike! What I particularly loved was his [...]
One of the most exotic holiday celebrations I experienced was India’s Hindu festival Holi. We were in Rajasthan and were humbled to receive an invitation from Maharana Arvind Singh Mewar to attend the HOLIKA DAHAN, a regal festival. The HOLIKA DAHAN ceremony was held at the Zenana Mahal, City Palace Complex, in Udaipur, complete [...]
Earlier this week, I introduced readers to the incredible author Barry Tomalin, and explored through an interview what influenced and fascinated him most in writing his latest book, The World's Business Cultures: How to Unlock Them. Now, some additional insights from Barry: What is the single most fascinating thing you discovered when writing the book? I [...]
Recently I was fortunate enough to “pick the brain” of the wonderful author, trainer, public speaker and global business consultant Barry Tomalin. Barry has authored several useful books and guides, including the groundbreaking The World’s Business Cultures: How to Unlock Them, which is now in its 3rd edition. Below are some questions I asked Barry, [...]
The global consulting firm McKinsey calls Myanmar “one of the few remaining largely untapped markets in the world.” But for those of us who simply love mysterious Myanmar (formerly Burma) for being one of the most fascinating nations worldwide, it is “the land of the pagodas.” The past year was significant for Myanmar as the [...]
The SIETAR-USA 2014 annual conference “Pioneering Intercultural Leadership: From Awareness to Action” was held in the beautiful city of Portland, Oregon recently. “Learning and awareness are never enough; action is what makes a difference in our world.” One of the most fascinating speakers was Joseph Shaules of Japan Intercultural. His new book is The Intercultural [...]
It is Austin’s third year to host Formula 1 and the Austin Grand Prix at the Circuit of the Americas. We have learned much as business owners about intercultural awareness over these past few years since F1 came our way, and have improved our international visitor hosting skills considerably. 300,000 visitors are expected from Friday, [...]
Our experience in Cuba was unique and inspiring. The settings were diverse – from Old Havana to colonial Cienfuegos -- and we experienced it all through the Cuban people themselves. We visited with Cuban artists, musicians, historians and more about their lives, work, culture and traditions. 1. Old Havana: A true highlight of Cuba was our guided [...]
