LSN : News : Scents of Ancient Egypt exhibition brings history to life with VR experiences

Miami unveils floating padel court for ultra-luxurians

Yntegra Miami Floating Padel Court, US

US – Miami Harbour has welcomed its first-ever floating padel court, a transportable venue that redefines sports and luxury. Created by Felipe MacLean and Yntegra Group and strategically anchored near Fisher Island, this sleek court blends innovative design with the natural beauty of Miami’s waterfront.

The court also exemplifies Yntegra Group’s flair for combining sustainability with ultra-luxury experiences, catering for the growing demand for bespoke, high-end recreational offerings.

Beyond Miami, the floating padel court also offers a preview of Felipe MacLean’s ambitious vision for Yntegra’s development in the Exumas in The Bahamas. The project spans 365 acres across two private islands and features the forthcoming Rosewood Exuma (opening in 2028), branded residences and two full-service super-yacht marinas.

As demand for curated experiences soars, concepts such as the floating padel court are setting new standards for the luxury leisure market.

In our Game-Changers: The Future of Sports Fandom macrotrend report we analysed the transformation the sports industry is now undergoing, combining entertainment, enjoyment and innovative tech to create truly unique sporting experiences.

Strategic opportunity

Tap into the rising sporting getaway trend by developing experiential luxury health and wellness experiences for high-end hospitality venues such as floating sports tennis or padel courts, forest bathing pavilions or sound healing domes

Cotton Inc and DS & Durga launch lavender-infused linen blanket

Cool Calm Cotton Set by Cotton Inc and DS & Durga

Cool Calm Cotton Set by Cotton Incorporated and D.S. & DURGA

US – Cotton Inc and fragrance house DS & Durga have launched a limited-edition Cool Calm Cotton Set, a premium £157 ($200, €190) blanket infused with DS & Durga’s Wild Brooklyn Lavender scent.

Woven with 100% breathable cotton and designed in soothing Art Deco-inspired patterns, the collaboration delivers a multi-sensory moment to ease holiday stress.

The blanket’s fragrance blends spike lavender, vetiver grass and herbs, promoting relaxation. A thoughtfully designed cotton textile tag features the mantra ‘Savor soft cotton. Let lavender soothe. Take care.’

In our Wellbeing Wear report, we highlighted a shift in the fashion market towards functional garments such as acupuncture vests and weighted hoodies that support mental wellbeing. By incorporating mood-enhancing scents into a blanket, this innovation addresses the same consumer demand for calming, restorative experiences amid hectic lifestyles.

For more on Spirit-stimulating Scents, head to the Beauty section of Future Forecast 2025.

Strategic opportunity

Consider how you can use scent or texture to create functional garments that provide sensory regulation and stress relief

Scents of Ancient Egypt exhibition brings history to life with VR experiences

Mamajuju by Vyrao, UK

Egypt – The Egyptian Museum in Tahrir has unveiled a captivating new exhibition, Scents of Ancient Egypt Through the Ages. Running for three months, the exhibition is a collaboration with French institutions including the University of Paul-Valéry Montpellier 3, the LabEx Archimèd laboratory and the Hierollexic Foundation for the Hieroglyphic Language.

The exhibition delves into the historical significance of perfumes in ancient Egyptian culture, exploring their roles in daily life, religious rituals and even political ceremonies such as mummification. Featured artefacts include statues of Queen Hatshepsut and the god Amun Ra, alongside perfume utensils, dried flowers and manuscripts detailing ancient recipes.

Visitors can immerse themselves in history through virtual reality technology, exploring perfume’s use across various aspects of ancient Egyptian life. The VR journey also highlights Queen Hatshepsut’s famed expedition to Punt, where ingredients for these prized scents were sourced.

In a unique sensory experience, several perfumes have been reconstructed based on ancient papyri, allowing visitors to smell the fragrances that once defined an empire. The exhibit offers a rich blend of history, innovation and cultural storytelling.

In our Scent Retail Futures report, we discuss how luxury fragrance houses are integrating AI and immersive technologies to offer in-store customers personalised and curated scent discovery experiences.

Strategic opportunity

Consider how you can use virtual or augmented reality to create immersive retail experiences for your customers that showcase product origins and create an immersive, traceable supply chain, fostering a greater understanding of your products and the craftsmanship that goes into them

Stat: Harbin leads the way in China’s winter tourism boom

Photography by Dynamic Wang, Hainan, China

China – China’s winter tourism sector is flourishing, with more than 400m people participating in seasonal activities in 2023–2024, according to the China Tourism Academy.

Harbin, dubbed China’s ‘ice box’, is leading the trend. Jing Daily reports that hotel bookings in the city surged 50% year on year in November 2024, according to Qunar Big Data Research Institute, driven by its famed Harbin Ice and Snow World, which expands to one million square metres in mid-December, and the Sun Island International Snow Sculpture Art Expo, which showcases over 260 artworks.

Ski destinations such as Changbai Mountain and Altay are also gaining in popularity, celebrated for premium slopes and facilities. Jilin province has reported a 47% year-on-year pre-season snow revenue increase, hitting £8.6m (Rmb80m, $11m, €10.4m), bolstered by early openings and innovative experiences like night skiing.

On Xiaohongshu, winter travel-related content has topped 1.6m posts, underlining Gen Z’s influence in amplifying travel trends. In our Skiing’s New Frontiers report, we analysed how, amid changing snowfall patterns, the next generation of global ski destinations are emerging in unexpected locations, challenging traditional alpine resorts.

Strategic opportunity

China’s expanding winter destinations – such as Harbin, Changbai Mountain and Altay – represent significant opportunities, particularly in hospitality, luxury lodges and ski facilities. Could you identify and collaborate with regional tourism boards or developers to position premium offerings for global and domestic tourists?