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Netscape Navigator 2.0
Netscape Navigator played a big part in the "Internet Revolution" and helped introduce many to the Worldwide Web; version 2.0 allowed for animated GIFs, Java, JavaScript, plugins, etc. More info: http://www.networkworld.com/article/2833526/software/a-visual-history-of-netscape-navigator.html#slide4 -
It's Here: Windows 95
As the internet is starting to emerge, Microsoft releases its operating system Windows 95. People can more easily connect to the worldwide web (a large network of computers), fax, email, and the computer has many more uses (ex. games and education). More info: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/history#T1=era4 -
ValuJet Flight 592 Crashes
Ten minutes into a regularly scheduled flight from Miami International Airport to the William B. Hartsfield International Airport, Atlanta, Georgia, the DC-9-32 aircraft carrying 105 passengers and 5 crew members crashes into the Florida Everglades. There were no survivors from the incident. More info: http://www.cnn.com/US/valujet.592/ -
First Female Secretary of State
Former U.S. Representative to the United Nations Madeleine Albright is selected as the first female Secretary of State, making her the highest ranking woman in U.S. government history. Video: http://www.biography.com/people/madeleine-albright-9179300 -
Heaven's Gate Cult Mass Suicide
A mass suicide in California occurred in which 39 members of a cult called "Heaven's Gate", including cult leader Marshall Applewhite, killed themselves thinking they would be sent up to a spaceship behind the passing Hale-Bopp comet. More info: http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/heavens-gate-cult-members-found-dead -
Bombing of XXVI Summer Olympics
Two people were killed and nearly 200 injured when a bomb exploded in a crowded pavilion at the Atlanta XXVI Summer Olympics. Police would later arrest Eric Rudolph for the criminal act in late May of 2003. More info: http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/bombing-at-centennial-olympic-park -
Princess Diana Killed in Car Accident
The night before her return to London from a holiday on the French Riviera with Emad Mohammed al-Fayed, Princess Diana of Wales was killed in a car accident in Paris, France.
Millions of mourners gathered outside a London cathedral for the funeral of Princess Diana. More info: http://www.nytimes.com/learning/general/onthisday/big/0831.html -
Peace in Northern Ireland
Problems in Northern Ireland had existed throughout history as both the English and Irish occupied the area. Troubles and disagreements continued and in 1916, the Easter Rising brought things to another level. Curfews were imposed, prisoners participated in hunger strikes, and violence persisted. A solution was finally reached in 1998 with the Good Friday Agreement (Belfast Agreement) and Northern Ireland remains a part of the UK. http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/events/good_friday_agreement -
Swissair Flight 111 Crashes
Swissair flight 111 took off from New York bound to Geneva. All 229 people on board were killed when the plane crashed off the coast of Peggy's Cove, Nova Scotia. The mystery still remains of what caused the plane to crash, or who caused the plane to crash. -
Columbine Shooting
Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold commit a mass shooting at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado. The two wounded 20 people, killed 13 and finally turned the guns on themselves. This was marked as the worst high school shooting in U.S. history and sparked debate about our firearms policies and safety. http://www.history.com/topics/columbine-high-school-shootings -
EgyptAir Flight 990 Crash
Flying from John F. Kennedy International Airport to Cairo International Airport, EgyptAir Flight 990 crashes into the Atlantic Ocean near Nantucket Island. All 217 aboard the plane died. The crash was of unusual circumstances and cause a bit of tension between the U.S. and Egypt. More info: http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2012/01/the-mysterious-plane-crash-that-explains-us-egypt-mistrust/251544/ -
Y2K Scare
At the closing of the millennium, many feared that instead of continuing on to year 2000, computers would roll back 100 years to the year 1900, affecting everything from bank interest rates, safety checks for technology centers, and transportation as airline schedules were on computers. http://education.nationalgeographic.com/encyclopedia/Y2K-bug/ -
TripAdvisor is Founded
The largest travel site, TripAdvisor, gives travelers the option to research, plan, and book their trip based on the opinions and advice of millions of fellow travelers. The site operates out of 47 countries in 28 different languages with 300 million reviews covering millions of accommodations, restaurants, and attractions. Source: TripAdvisor.com -
Vladimir Putin Elected as Russian President
President Boris Yeltsin resigns as president and chooses KGB Officer Vladimir Putin to temporarily fill his vacated position until March 2000 when Putin was elected as the President of Russia. He served from 2000-2008 but could not run again for presidency until 2012; he was re-elected and is currently Russia's President. More info: http://www.biography.com/people/vladimir-putin-9448807#synopsis -
Terrorist Attacks on the U.S.
On September 11, 2001, suicide attacks against the United States were carried out by 19 militants with ties to the Islamic extremist group, al-Qaeda. Two of the planes were used to crash into the World Trade Center towers, the third plane hit the Pentagon and the fourth plane crashed in a field in Pennsylvania. Over 3,000 people were killed in the attacks. Source: History Channel -
Creation of the TSA
As a result of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the United States, the Aviation and Transportation Security Act was passed by Congress establishing the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). TSA was created to set up security measures to prevent future attacks in our transportation systems. Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHjlN5lzCjM
Source: TSA.gov -
SARS Affects Air Travel
SARS started as a severe, mystery illness with a short incubation period that prompted travel alerts around the world. The United States was introduced to it through air travel. During the outbreak, quarantine notices were distributed to thousands of passengers arriving in the United States from areas where SARS originated. Source: CDC.gov -
Airbus A380 Completes First Flight
The Airbus A380 was the largest passenger double-decker, 380 ton plane that could carry as many as 840 passengers on commercial flights. After 11 years of preparation and $13 billion dollars, the Airbus A380 completed a successful flight of nearly 4 hours with test equipment aboard. Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4JJ_0lWYRs
Source: Associated Press -
HomeAway, Inc. Jumpstarts the Vacation Rental Property Market
HomeAway, Inc. started the world’s largest online marketplace for vacation rental properties. Travelers are given the option and access to vacation homes that provide more room and privacy at a less expensive rate than traditional hotels. Owners and property managers offer over one million listings that can be found and booked in 190 countries. HomeAway, Inc. includes booking websites HomeAway.com, VRBO.com, and VacationRentals.com. Source: HomeAway.com -
Google Launches Street View
Google Street View is introduced as an application that allows users to explore different cities from, of course, the street view. Imagery is collected by a camera on top of a vehicle and today includes 360-degree views of cities in all seven continents of the world. More info: http://maps.google.com/intl/ALL/maps/about/behind-the-scenes/streetview/ -
Apple Launches the Original iPhone
CEO of Apple, Steve Jobs, introduces the original iPhone. The iPhone was one of the first mobile phones of its kind, blending a mobile device with a music player and an "internet communicator". Thanks to the iPhone, the web is now more accessible on-the-go and eventually opens the way for the creation of travel-related applications available on the App Store. https://youtu.be/Q3W58S29eSE?t=2m15s -
Economic Crisis: The Great Recession
Problems with subprime lenders lead to freezing of the interbank market and troubles in the American housing market lead to more and more issues, causing one of the biggest recessions since the Great Depression and it is felt worldwide. During a recession unemployment rates rise and sales fall, meaning that it was likely to hit the travel industry. About recessions: http://www.investopedia.com/terms/g/great-recession.asp -
Launch of Airbnb
Founded in San Fransisco, California, Airbnb is introduced as a network where users can list their extra space or properties to “rent out” for short term or to host travelers. By logging in online or from a mobile phone or tablet, users can book a "unique accommodation" in 34,000 cities and 190 countries all around the world. According to the website, there are currently more than 2 million listings available for booking worldwide. More info: https://www.airbnb.com/about/about-us -
Barack Obama Sworn in as U.S. President
Barack Obama becomes the 44th and first African American President of the United States. As president, he has faced issues related to the Great Recession, healthcare reform, and troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, among many others. More info: https://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/president-obama -
Burj Khalifa Opens
Located in Dubai, UAE, the Burj Khalifa is opened as the world's tallest skyscraper. Standing at 2,716.5 feet with 160 stories, the Burj Khalifa was built with the intention to broaden international interest in Dubai. Dubai was once a mostly trade-oriented city, but now begs to be a tourist destination, also home to many new luxury resorts and artificial islands that hold various new structures. -
Advanced Imaging Technology
The TSA sends out approximately 500 units of Advanced Imaging Technology to airports across the nation. This technology allows security to detect weapons, explosives etc. underneath the clothing of travelers with no physical contact involved. A full-body image is produced using millimeter wave units. Video: https://youtu.be/QgFHKF-pMrQ
More info: http://www.tsa.gov/data/guide/ait.html -
HotelTonight Launches
HotelTonight launches as a smartphone app where users can easily book hotel rooms last minute. They claim to provide amazing deals on rooms that can be booked in 10 seconds or 3 taps. Who uses HotelTonight?: http://visual.ly/hoteltonight-unlocks-secrets-same-day-hotel-bookers -
Google Acquires ITA Software
After the $700 million business deal, ITA Software (formerly of Cambridge, MA) is now owned by Google. This software allows users to easily find and compare flight information and is used by passengers and agencies alike. Companies like Delta, Southwest Airlines, United, and Orbitz (among others) use the software and it is also put to use in applications like Google Search, Maps, Now Cards, and Wallet.
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=UB606VwC-ik -
International Tourist Travel reaches $1 billion
International tourist travel reached 1$ billion, up from 2011. International travel demand continued to recover from the recession in the 2000's. -
China Travels
In 2012, China became the largest spending country for international travel spending $102 billion globally. -
Airline "Mega-Merger"
US Airways merges with American Airlines to form the American Airlines Group becoming the largest carrier in the world. More info: https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/the-last-days-of-us-airways/2015/09/25/f5530686-60a6-11e5-8e9e-dce8a2a2a679_story.html -
#1 Tourist Destination is....
....France! Followed by the United States, Spain, China, and Italy. -
25th Anniversary of Fall of the Berlin Wall
November 9th, 2014 marks the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall in Berlin, Germany. The fall of the wall meant that Berliners were finally allowed to travel freely between East and West Berlin. -
Germanwings Crash
A short flight from Barcelona to Dusseldorf takes a horrifying turn when a Germanwings co-pilot crashes the Airbus 320--carrying 150 people--into the French Alps. It is suspected that the co-pilot was suffering from depression and deliberately drove the airplane into the mountainside. More info: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-32604552 -
Terrorism in Paris
The night of November 13th was horryfing for many in Paris, and even for the rest of the world. Several seemingly related terrorist attacks (claimed by ISIS) took place across the city--bombings, shootings, and hostage situations at restaurants, a match at Stade de France, and a concert at the Bataclan Theatre. The world is still trying to understand what has happened and recover from it. http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/paris-terror-attacks/fathers-talk-son-about-paris-terror-attack-goes-vir
