Following numerous outspoken assertions during his remarkable political rise in recent months the American businessman and Republican candidate Donald Trump has personally called out Apple CEO Tim Cook and pushed for the American people to boycott Apple products.

Apple is one of the largest companies in the world and is a huge contributor to the American economy. However, Trump believes they should be boycotted after the firm refused to change security settings on their iPhone handsets.

Having recently traded blows with the Pope, Trump now has his sights set on Apple, which until recently was the world’s most valuable company, before Google announced bigger numbers in Q4 of 2015.

The issue at stake here is actually a serious one, even if Trump’s suggested approach to solving the dispute is somewhat clumsy. Apple is involved in a tangle with the U.S. Justice Department over an encrypted iPhone belonging to one of the accused participants in the San Bernardino massacre in December last year. The FBI demand that Apple develop technology to unlock the phone in question.

Apple and their CEO Cook assert that doing so is not a straightforward task and that unlocking the phone would set a dangerous precedent. It could essentially allow hackers and scammers easier access to unlock encrypted iPhones globally. Essentially Apple’s stance is that letting the good guys in makes it easier for the bad guys to get in too.

Apple will contest the FBI order in court, with an appeal against the order due to be heard on 26^th February, in a case which could rumble on for months.

Trump, stated at a rally in South Carolina “Boycott Apple until such time as they give that information.” He also added on Twitter “I use both iPhone & Samsung. If Apple doesn’t give info to authorities on the terrorists I’ll only be using Samsung until they give info. Boycott all Apple products until such time as Apple gives cellphone info to authorities regarding radical Islamic terrorist couple from Cal.”

He also said, “Tim Cook is looking to do a big number probably to show how liberal he is.”

Calling for a boycott on the company’s products is of course great publicity for the Republican. There are estimated to be somewhere in the region of a billion devices running Apple’s iOS software worldwide.

Apple say they are protecting civil liberties and consumer rights, whereas their critics feel they should comply with the FBI, as the privacy of a terrorist sympathetic to ISIS who murdered 14 civilians at an office party is of no consequence.

Trump has previously called for boycotts of large brands including Macy’s and Starbucks.

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A booming industry expanding across the world’s greatest oceans. That is an apt description for one of the fastest growing sectors of the global tourist industry, cruising.

This charming and relaxing way of passing an annual vacation – or the journey of a lifetime – is attracting increasing numbers tourists from across the globe every year.

The Europe’s Mediterranean sea and the Caribbean islands are amongst the most popular destinations for cruises, with more than 20 million passengers enjoying cruises globally each year. Around 50% of those passengers come from North America.

Despite the US being one of the countries hit hardest by the global economic crash of 2008 the number of people enjoying cruises worldwide has risen gradually from 17.8 million in 2009 to 23 million in 2015. This has in part been due to the intelligent marketing by the cruise lines and in part by the steady improvements to their services and tours.

Indeed, last year the worldwide cruise industry generated almost $40 billion (£26.71) in revenue and the growth in the sector is set to continue for years to come. With half of the world’s cruise passengers being from the US the upturn in the American economy over the past couple of years is good news for the industry.

In 2013, the passenger capacity of the global cruise industry was 415,000 and this figure is expected to rise to 521,000 by 2018.

That means within a couple of years more than half a million people could be cruising the world’s oceans at any one time as tourists, not including those traveling by ferry or private vessel.

Contrary to popular perception cruise passengers are spread fairly equally across the age spectrum, with a quarter falling equally in the 30-39, 50-59 and 60-74 age brackets. Unsurprisingly the vast majority of cruise travelers are employed, most are university educated and 84% of them are married, enjoying on average an annual household income of around £80,000.

A 2012 study by the Business Research & Economic Advisors group into the economic contribution of cruise tourism to destination economies showed that a single docking from an average cruise ship of 3,000 passengers and 500 crew members generates around £200,000 in passenger spending, £33,500 in crew spending and approximately £10,000 in port fees.

Today’s giant cruise ships offer a wealth of luxury and entertainment for passengers. Giant swimming pools and water slides, theatre shows, sky-diving simulators, robotic bartenders, celebrity chef kitchens and top of the range fitness facilities mean there is something on offer for every generation.

From major travel agencies worldwide to independent travel agents working with the likes of the-travel-franchise.com/ finding the right package to suite any individual’s taste is possible.

The Caribbean and the Bahamas remain as the number one cruise territory worldwide enjoying a huge 35.5% market share, followed by the Mediterranean (19.5%) and non-Mediterranean Europe (10.6%), Asia (6.0%), Australia, New Zealand & South Pacific (6.0%), Alaska (4.5%) and South America (2.9%).

Carnival Corporation (including the Princess brand and Costa Cruises), Royal Caribbean International and Norwegian Cruise Line are the market leaders but smaller companies also provide variety and ever evolving packages for passengers. Cruising the world’s beautiful seas has never been bigger business.

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