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Time to explore. Within and Without.

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Time to explore. Within and Without - Able Wanamakok Find Your VoicePhuket, Thailand, June 15, 2021 – Most of the people these days, keep on saying how much they want to travel after having being lockdown with stringent policies of travel restrictions.  It seems to me, our mind and soul almost physically screaming the need to be free and explore all the places that we only have been able to watch on YouTube and on Travel Shows. This digital travel lifestyle is getting past 16 months mark for many of us.

Should you be lucky and call a tropical island of Phuket your home, like my family and myself, you will enjoy the luxury of being able to head to a beach or a waterfall and immediately immerse into a vacation mood.  Sadly, lots of people have been feeling boxed in, restricted and limited, desperately hoping to regain vacation privileges.

Let’s stop here for a second and examine the situation. What if this desperation and need to travel is not simply traveling to a destination? What if this is a journey within to explore the more authentic part of yourself?

I was within and without, simultaneously enchanted and repelled by the inexhaustible variety of life.
F. Scott Fitzgerald

Hi, my name is Able and I am a Holistic Communications Coach based in Phuket, Thailand.  I have worked as a News Anchor, TV Show Host and International Presenter on stages all over Asia as well as on TEDx.  To top it off, I’m a wife to an amazing husband and a mother to two wonderful boys.  Today, I want to share with you what most of my clients comes to me for.  They want to be HEARD.

After being in lockdown state for over 1,5 years (it seems longer…), people feel like they are about to be released from prison!  They want to explore who they are within themselves and out in the world. While this is natural and exciting, many people are in need of guidance in communicating their emotions, intentions and desires more than ever.

A few scenarios that are very common, you have lost your job and now trying your hand at becoming an entrepreneur. This creates the need to present yourself properly over on-line meeting or in-person. Or, you are having relationship issues with people close to you and in need of a new perspective.

I am here to help.  You could also be a leader or mentor who wish to review and improve communications skills of your team, so they can truly present your values and themselves and grow your business. I am here to help them find their voice.

Having found my own voice through a long journey of understanding who I am alongside my mass communications background, I am the right person to help you!

Do visit my website below and see how my programs can help your team, business or yourself.  And if you’re not sure, no worries!  Email me and set up a 30-minute no-strings-attached meeting to see how we can journey together.

About Able:
Able Wanamakok is a professional communicator and the founder of “Find Your Voice Asia”. Her goal is to guide individuals of any age to communicate honestly, openly and from their hearts. With her own experiences and her clients’s success stories, she leads through the formative process of going beyond one’s ego to find true authentic self. To use one’s natural strengths and talents to nurture relationship with oneself and others.

Open and honest, Able herself has a lively personality, successfully balancing a family life with the glamorous world of celebrity.  Able is an award winning coach and she has been named an “Asia Women Leader 2019”.  With over 15 years experience as a News Anchor, TV show host, Stage Emcee (MC) and Voice-Over Artist, Able has worked all over the world taking on many stages including TEDx and motivational speaker engagements.

To put it into Able’s own words, in all her work her aim is, “To spread happiness and bring joy to others through my work and gift in communications”.

Be Heard. Be Able.

Contact:
Able Wanamakok
Holistic Communications Coach
FindYourVoiceAsia@gmail.com
www.findyourvoice.asia
www.fb.me/findyourvoiceasia
IG: www.instagram.com/findyourvoiceasia
Twitter: www.twitter.com/findvoiceasia
Support Group:

First published at TravelCommunication.net

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

THE CAVEMEN OF PASSETTO

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A few steps from the central streets of Ancona – one of the most beautiful and unique places in Italy, is something remarkable to behold. At the base of the white cliffs of Conero is Passetto, a gorgeous rocky beach that extends for about a kilometre. Rather surprisingly there’s also more than 100 caves. These caves were excavated in the late 1800s and dug deep into the cliff face, using only hand chisels, and provided shelter for small fishing boats and related on-board equipment.

It’s a special place, which began its life in a parallel world: here the fishermen of another era would gather and go to sea in a fleet of small fishing vessels. Their families would congregate on the beach and await the return with a catch that needed skinning and gutting.

With the passage of time, a fishing community developed, and deep caves were excavated into the cliff, enabling the fisherman to safely secure their boats and tools.

The coast, at this point, is dotted with colourful caves

The caves are still alive today and have been reimagined by the fishermen’s offspring, and the generations to follow.

While some of the caves are still used for their original purpose – the hereditary owners (known as Grottaroli) have changed the original purpose of these once ‘boat garages’.

They’ve made improvements, converting them into adorable and colourful little beach cabanas, complete with electricity, running water, kitchenettes, and colourful wooden entrance doors.

Now they are a refuge for the hot summer months, enlivened by eating fresh fish and napping in the sun.

Original boat houses have been converted into cabanas

In the evenings, the caves turn on their abundance of lights, which gives it fairy-tale ambience. All of which goes to making the Passetto Caves unique, magical, and utterly enchanting.

The various colourful wooden doors, at the entrance of Passetto’s artificial caves, are striking works of craftsmanship. Some are intricately carved, others look like large garden gates, painted white, some cobalt blue, other acid green and a few are barely holding onto life.

Picture postcard village are a dime a dozen in Italy, as are primeval churches and ancient buildings, but these caves are unique.

A few of the cave doors were open so I could see inside – some were furnished with an eclectic mix of salvaged material, majolica tiles for flooring, wooden sleepers that were at one point used to pull boats ashore, and salvaged furniture which have been bizarrely repurposed. Others were kitted out to eat and entertain, containing a selection of chairs and tables, a stove to cook on, a bar fridge for the vino, and an obligatory espresso machine. In all it’s a treasure trove of sea, wood, colours, and creativity.

Seated outside their caves families were enjoying large seafood meals, caught straight from the peacock blue Adriatic just metres away. On rare occasions one of these caves come on the market for sale, but the price is steep, and comes with the warning that it’s exposed to the elements for half the year, and that they’re expensive to maintain. Yet it’s not difficult to see why they’re so highly sought after.

I stuck my head into the cave of Paolo Capici. He and his friend Stefano Ventrella, claim to live off the sea and off the grid and could think of no better way of life.

A little further along I meet Sauro Marinelli who descends from generations of fishermen and has been living off grid here most of his 73 years.

A few caves further along, directly across from “Rosa Dei Venti” (compass of the winds), painted on the pathway, a couple are opening their cabana, dragging chairs and tables out. My guide, Sergio, keen to introduce me to the locals got chatting.

Turns out Maurizio Bevilacqua is a television celebrity having starred in a famous Italian show for children. Now, he and his wife, Simonetta, spend most sunny days right here, sipping espressos, eating seafood, and contemplating life.

Sergio and I were invited to sit at Maurizio, whilst Simonetta prepared coffee then brought it to the table together with a plate of salted dark chocolate (which is catnip to me!). It’s always interesting to hear how people come to acquire prime real estate. Maurizio’s story was an interesting one. His football legend father convinced local workmen to dig him a cave when they’d finished erecting the cliff-top glass elevator they were contracted to do back in 1954.

“This is not normal, of course,” Maurizio announced, looking somewhat aggrieved. “This is what footballers could do back then. But in the late 1800s, it was all done by hand.” Whilst everyone at the table contemplated this vision, then sagely nodded in agreement, I laid into the chocolate and secured an open invitation for lunch any time I was next in the area.

• There are three groups of caves. Looking towards the Adriatic Sea, starting from the right, the first group of caves are located under the Piscina del Passetto, and is accessed by land via a small road next to the entrance to the pool.

• The central caves, just below the Monument to the Fallen of the Passetto, are accessed either by the monument’s staircase, or a panoramic glass lift, operational in the summer months. Alternatively, there is a steep path to the left of the elevator. On the beach, below the War Memorial and the lift, there is a bathhouse and a restaurant on stilts.

• The third group of caves are those on the left, and reachable via a small road off Via della Panoramica.

FESTIVALS

Festa del Mare – first Sunday of September
Hundreds of boats leave the port and go just a little way offshore, and honour the fallen of the sea, with a religious ceremony. Many related events are linked annually to this anniversary. The fair is held in the maritime district of Ancona and, as the grande finale, there’s a huge fireworks-show on the water.

The Coming – 8, 9, 10 December
This is celebrated in the evenings during which time large bonfires are lit in the city and suburbs, to light the way for fleeing gentiles (of 1200AD) to the Holy House in Loreto.


WHERE IS ANCONA

Ancona is the capital of the Le March region, which is bordered by Umbria and Tuscany. Le Marche has it all – seaside, rolling hills speckled with vines and olive groves, mountains, valleys, and glorious art towns. In fact, they say that all of Italy is encapsulated in this one region. It is also still relatively unknown, making it uncrowded, with an authentic feel. Here artisans and centuries-old crafts still prevail, and mystic-looking castles dot the landscape, where streets are bursting with flowering baskets.

Ancona is a sprawling city on the Adriatic Sea. It is the largest city in the Le Marche region with 103,000 inhabitants. Yet, when you’re in the historic centre, it feels like a small town.

ARTS & CULTURE

The Conero Riveria Riviera, with its noble cities and surrounding historic villages, are real-life masterpieces of Italian art. From the Romanesque to the Venetian art collections, to archaeology, they all jostle for your attention.

There are palaces showcasing farm wagons and discoveries made of past world explorers of distant lands; the Hill of Infinity which inspired the lyrics of L’Infinito; a 13th century bell-towered church, peppered with rare frescoes; the underground tunnels of Castlefidardo Castelfidardo; an Instagram’able flower-rich street named Costarella of Numana, which fishermen would use every day, descending the steep stairs to the port; and the Persiani Theater, also home to the Beniamino Gigli Civic Museum, defined as one of the greatest opera singers of the twentieth century.

Then there’s an abundance of parks – like the densely wooded Park of Villa Colloredo in Recanati (a town who also boasts a branch office of the WWF).

In the Biroccio Museum, in the hills of Filottrano, you’ll catch a glimpse of folklore, ox carts, and peasant life, of the early 1900s.

The jewel set in the rich centre of Ancona is the 11th century church of Santa Maria della Piazza. It’s one of Ancona’s most significant monuments to the history and art, (and regularly hosts concerts of sacred and classical music).

The classic La Rondinella Theatre in Montefano stands head-and-shoulders above them all. The white stoned 19th-century theatre is opulent and entirely incorporated into the city’s wall.
www.turismo.comune.montefano.mc.it/teatri-cms

FOOD & WINE

If nothing else you must sample just one tasty local dish – ‘Made in Conero’, known locally as Spaghetti Allo Scoglio. It’s claimed to be made by the nimble fingers of accordion makers of Castelfidardo, and by the sun-baked hands of the farmers who harvest the fruits of the earth.

Mid-price range: La Luna al Passetto for the best mussels in Le Marche.
Inexpensive but good: Street food typical in Ancona “Al chiosco da Morena”.
And then there’s the nectar of the Gods. Wines born in a restricted area within the province of Ancona – in particular the unmatched quality of a red wine named Rosso Conero. It’s high in tannin levels and perfectly enhance dishes based on meat, cold cuts and cheeses.

OUTDOOR PURSUITS

As you can well imagine, with a seaside location, Ancona offers all the sports imaginable – from horse riding along the beach, windsurfing, sailing kitesurfing, diving, hiking, cycling and a few lesser active pursuits like merely sitting in the sun, people watching. Going inland there are nature reserves that preserve indigenous flora and fauna, as is the case at Selva di Castelfidardo.

WHERE TO STAY

Along Ancona’s Conero Riviera you’re spoilt for choice between trendy hotels and B&Bs. Here I urge you to step away from the touristy places and look for a country house in an adjacent ancient village, or an agritourism stays immersed in greenery. This is where you’ll discovered the gentle hospitality of Italy – interesting people with stories to tell.

Put Florence on the backburner and leave Rome to the tourists, instead explore Ancona and the Le March region. Here you’ll discover sweet hills, ancient mountain-top villages and genuinely welcoming locals. The romance of it all is profound, you will lose your heart here. And don’t be surprised when your mind’s eye starts imagining valiant ladies, brave knights and stoic soldiers walking the same cobbled paths you’re treading, because they did and probably still do, if you lend your ear to the folklore.

www.anconatourism.it

 

First published at Travel Industry Today

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

Dusit Expands Food Business with Flagship KAUAI Branch at Asoke Towers

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Dusit Expands Food Business with Flagship KAUAI Branch at Asoke Towers

Bangkok, Thailand, June 15, 2021 / TRAVELINDEX / Dusit International, one of Thailand’s leading hotel and property development companies, has expanded its food business in Bangkok with the soft opening of its new flagship KAUAI dining outlet at Asoke Towers in the heart of the city’s busy Sukhumvit district. It is the fifth KAUAI branch in Bangkok, and the first store in the capital to operate outside of a Virgin Active Fitness Centre.

• Discover Bangkok’s Best Fine Dining Restaurants at Top25Restaurants.com

Kauai was first brought to Thailand in 2019 under a joint venture agreement between Dusit International and Real Foods Group (the parent company of South Africa’s KAUAI healthy food restaurant brand). Globally, KAUAI has built a reputation for healthy food innovation and a slick, fast casual restaurant experience over its 25 years of operating. The brand was first launched in Cape Town, South Africa in 1996, and today serves smoothies, salads, wraps, warm bowls, breakfasts and organic coffee in more than 160 stores across Africa, Europe and Asia.

Located on the ground floor of Asoke Towers, a busy office and residential building just 10 minutes by foot from Sukhumvit MRT (Underground) and Asok BTS (Skytrain) stations, and five minutes by foot from Phetchaburi MRT station, the new Bangkok branch occupies 130 sq m of space and is easily accessible from the main Asoke Road.

Like other flagship KAUAI branches worldwide, the brand offers customisable menu items that appeal to a broad range of tastes, from vegans and vegetarians to paleo and keto eaters, at affordable prices. Kauai’s focus on high-quality ingredients and sustainable sourcing ensures that these healthy meals strike a good balance between optimal nutrition and value for money.

Despite highly challenging market conditions in Bangkok, Dusit International wants to capitalise on the major shift globally to healthier, more natural food that is affordable and convenient. In fact, healthy food is seeing higher growth than traditional fast food. By opening the store now, the company also hopes to positively serve the community by providing easy access to wholesome meals and drinks that can support and boost immune health to help people stay healthy.

Serving as a centralised delivery hub for the highly populated districts of Asoke, Sukhumvit, Ratchada and Phetchaburi, the store will also expand KAUAI’s reach into Thailand’s booming online food delivery market.

“Opening a new restaurant in the current environment may seem counterproductive, but KAUAI’s distinctive offerings ensure it is well placed to succeed now, and in the future, by leveraging a gap in the market for healthy, sustainable and natural healthy food in Bangkok,” said Ms Suphajee Suthumpun, Group CEO, Dusit International. “Globally, we have seen how the COVID-19 pandemic has led to surging demand for clean, healthy and sustainable food as consumers have become more aware of the relationship between nutrition and health. We have also seen how consumers are willing to pay a little more for something they recognize as healthy, which, in turn, has led to the continued growth of nutrition-forward chains worldwide. While demand for healthy fast food exists in Thailand, this market is relatively unserved here. The new flagship KAUAI branch directly addresses this in Bangkok by offering convenient access to wholesome foods that can be enjoyed on-site, at home, or on the move in the heart of the city.”

Bright, airy, and comfortable-yet-minimal, the new flagship store’s stylish interior features a monochrome design that accentuates the vibrant colours of KAUAI’s natural food. Diners can eat inside in air-conditioned comfort, enjoy home delivery via apps such as LINE, Food Panda, Grab Food or RobinHood, or choose from a selection of grab-and-go options made fresh to order.

Among the highly nutritious options are internationally inspired meals such as the Butta Chicken warm rice bowl (THB 270) and Spicy Burrito wrap (THB 220). Exclusive to Thailand, there are also dishes designed to cater to local tastes. These include, amongst others, Red Chicken Curry and Quinoa Bowl (THB 200) and Wrap (Mai) Mun Gai (THB 210). The latter is a healthy take on boiled chicken with glutinous rice – a traditional Thai street food favourite – which comes without the rice, or the oil, in a healthy wholewheat wrap. A rich and earthy sauce, developed specially by KAUAI’s culinary team, adds authenticity to every bite. These localised dishes have proved especially popular at KAUAI’s existing outlets in Bangkok.

Customers can also select from a range of raw juices, immunity boosting shots, and nutrient-dense smoothies which blend whole, functional ingredients to make for a healthy snack or drinkable meal on the go. Prices range from THB 50 to THB 200.

“The rising global demand for wholesome, natural food is not a trend, but a movement, and we are delighted to cater directly for this movement here in Bangkok,” said Ms Manisa Mitpaibul, Managing Director, Dusit Real Foods Company Limited. “Dusit’s mission for its food business includes investing in proven and profitable businesses, expanding into high growth spaces, and responding to consumer trends while positively serving our community. Couple this with KAUAI’s strong commitment to bringing naturally delicious foods to consumers, and we are confident the new KAUAI flagship branch will only go from strength to strength, enhancing local brand awareness to bring long-term value to our stakeholders while supporting the health and well-being of our customers.”

The new Asoke Towers store, opening on 14 June 2021, will operate daily from 6:30 am – 9:00 pm. Various special promotions will be available in store.

• Discover Bangkok’s Best Fine Dining Restaurants at Top25Restaurants.com

Alongside the new flagship branch, Dusit International also operates a KAUAI dining outlet at Virgin Active Fitness Club 101 (Sukhumvit 101), and three ‘grab and go’ outlets at Virgin Active Fitness Clubs in Siam Discovery, Empire Tower, and EmQuartier.

Customised healthy catering services and on-demand nutrition workshops are available for special events and business gatherings, with specialist speakers on hand to share tips for how to eat well.

Dusit International owns territory rights for KAUAI in Southeast Asia and Australia and is currently exploring further opportunities for the brand in these markets.

About Real Foods Group and KAUAI
Real Foods (Pty) Ltd is a multi-brand food group with unmatched dedication to natural food, innovation, social responsibility and integrity. It is at the forefront of the global trend towards health and wellness, and aims to be the leader in natural food. It builds strong, natural food brands that are leaders in their categories.

The group was founded by Dean Kowarski in 2013 in partnership with Antony Ball, the ex-founder of Brait and Kleoss Capital. The company lists KAUAI, NÜ Health Café, Schoon Bakery & Bread Cafés, and Highveld Honey in its portfolio.

The KAUAI brand was first launched in Cape Town, South Africa in 1996, and today serves smoothies, salads, wraps, warm bowls, breakfasts and organic coffee in more than 160 stores across Africa, Europe and Asia.

The KAUAI menu boasts over 100 responsibly sourced superfoods that include free range chicken and eggs, whey protein, vegan protein powder and trending collagen. The brand’s success has largely been driven by its accessible approach to health – the menu, pricing and fast casual format are all designed to make healthy eating appetizing, easy, affordable and convenient.

First published at TravelCommunication.net

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

Abandon Failed Traffic Light System to Save UK Tourism Sector

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Abandon Failed Traffic Light System to Save UK Tourism Sector

London, United Kingdom, June 15, 2021 / TRAVELINDEX / The UK government must abandon the ‘failed and damaging’ traffic light system now if it is to save the stricken Travel & Tourism sector from total collapse, says the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC).

The controversial system, which has wreaked havoc among consumers and Travel & Tourism businesses, needs to be scrapped if there is any hope of saving hundreds of thousands of jobs throughout the UK.

• Read all the latest WTTC News and Updates here.

WTTC, which represents the global Travel & Tourism private sector, says if this doesn’t happen urgently the more businesses will collapse, and more jobs will be lost.

The global tourism body also warned that the UK will lose out on crucial funding, investment, and spending, and that conference investment in the UK is already being pulled and moved to neighbouring European countries.

Furthermore, it says the UK will squander its competitive advantage generated by the successful vaccine rollout.

WTTC advocates enabling fully vaccinated holidaymakers and travellers, and those with proof of a negative test to travel once more to countries with similar, or higher vaccination levels to the UK, and to destinations with proven low-infection rates.

The move to a more transparent and easier to understand approach would restore consumer confidence and provide a much-needed boost to Travel & Tourism businesses which have suffered severe setbacks due to the traffic light system.

Virginia Messina, World Travel & Tourism Council Senior Vice President and Acting CEO, said: “It’s time the government abandoned the hugely damaging traffic lights system. 

“Consumers, airlines and the wider travel sector were promised a watchlist and three weeks’ notice of any changes from green to amber, and not just four days. It has been incredibly disruptive and costly for both Travel & Tourism businesses and consumers. It simply hasn’t worked.

“What’s needed now is a watertight government policy enabling those who’ve been fully jabbed to travel freely, and not have to self-isolate on their return.

“Those who are not fully vaccinated should be able to travel with proof of a negative test, like what we are seeing in the EU. The travel sector needs this now if it is to survive this summer as domestic travel alone will not save the day.”

The restoration of free mobility is essential to help drive the economic recovery from the pandemic, with a further 218,000 jobs at serious risk, if international travel continues to be off limits for most of the summer. This is in addition to the 307,000 jobs which were lost in the UK sector last year.

• Read all the latest WTTC News and Updates here.

However, WTTC recognises the paramount importance of protecting public health and the need to avoid travelling to countries or destinations with a demonstrably higher COVID-19 rate.

The global tourism body has long advocated that a combination of vaccines, testing, digital health passes and health and safety protocols, can safely unlock international travel.

First published at TravelCommunication.net – Global Travel News

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

SHA Plus Certificate Awarded to 300 Tourism Businesses in Phuket

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SHA Plus Certificate Awarded to 300 Tourism Businesses in Phuket

Phuket, Thailand, June 14, 2021 / TRAVELINDEX / The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) recently presented the Amazing Thailand Safety and Health Administration (SHA) Plus Certificate to more than 300 tourism businesses in Phuket, as the island is preparing to welcome back fully vaccinated visitors under the ‘Phuket Sandbox’ model from 1 July, 2021.

The presentation of the SHA Plus logo by Ms. Thapanee Kiatphaiboon, TAT Deputy Governor of Tourism Products and Business, was held on 12 June, 2021, in the presence of Phuket Governor Mr. Narong Woonchiew and other local dignitaries.

Ms. Thapanee said “The ‘SHA Plus’ standard symbolises Phuket’s readiness to reopen the island, which local stakeholders have worked together to create as part of the pilot scheme.”

The ‘SHA’ logo certifies that venues and businesses have public health measures in place for COVID-19, while the ‘Plus’ sign confirms that more than 70% of employees in the organisation are fully vaccinated under the ‘Phuket Must Win’ vaccination programme.

Under the ‘Phuket Sandbox’ model, foreign visitors who arrive from 1 July, 2021, onwards will be required to book hotels, which are ‘SHA Plus’ certified for their first 14 days before being able to leave the province to other destinations in Thailand.

Currently, there are 1,389 venues and businesses across Phuket that have received the Amazing Thailand SHA certificate, and of these, more than 300 are SHA Plus-certified. The number is continuing to rise as all SHA-certified businesses in Phuket, where at least 70% of staff are inoculated, are encouraged to register for the ‘SHA Plus’ Certificate.

Meanwhile, TAT together with the Phuket Tourist Association, Thai Hotels Association – Southern Chapter, and the Southern Digital Economy Promotion Agency – Northern Southern Region are currently developing a ‘SHA Plus Booking Authentication System’ (SHABA) to be used as a confirmation mechanism for visitors joining the ‘Phuket Sandbox’, who have booked ‘SHA Plus’ hotels.

Under the ‘Phuket Sandbox’ conditions, visitors will be able to book their accommodation via OTA’s, travel agencies or directly to the ‘SHA Plus’ hotels under the conditions of the ‘Phuket Sandbox’. Hotel Reservation teams will be required to enter their guests’ bookings into the ‘SHABA’ platform, which will generate an official confirmation number and QR code.

First published at TravelCommunication.net

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

IN THE LINE OF FIRE: Florida law threatens Caribbean

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Florida legislation preventing cruise lines operating in the state from barring non-vaccinated passengers puts Caribbean islands in the “direct line of fire” by threatening the health and wellbeing of millions of residents when cruises to the region resume, says the governor of the US Virgin Islands.

Albert Bryan Jr. is urging Florida governor Ron DeSantis to reconsider the state’s legislation and honour the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines requiring cruise ships operating this summer from US ports to sail with 95% of passengers and crew members vaccinated.

USVI governor Albert Bryan, Jr.

“The bill you signed into law (which goes into effect July 1, 2021) may negatively impact the United States Virgin Islands and other port of call destinations in the Caribbean region,” Bryan said in a communiqué, adding that ensuring the cruise industry reopens with vaccinated passengers is essential to the tourism economies of the US Virgin Islands and the wider Caribbean.

With Florida serving as the nucleus and biggest embarkation point for cruises in the United States that dock in the US Virgin Islands and throughout the Caribbean, the governor warned that “our ports… are in direct line of fire,” noting that while the two hospitals in the US Virgin Islands are equipped to care for the Territory’s residents, they lack the resources to address a potentially larger public health crisis.

“The lack of infrastructure puts us at a disadvantage for any crisis – health or mother nature. This is true of not only the Virgin Islands but most of the countries in the region,” Bryan said, adding, “This is why I implore you to reconsider with a lens to the negative impact that your legislation may have on residents in the Caribbean… Please consider the exemption proposed above so… Caribbean (destinations) can feel safe on arrival and disembarkation of cruise passengers and crew.

“This will be a big win for the people of the Caribbean and the Caribbean expatriates that live in your state. It is my hope that you can assist us in moving in the same direction while respecting regional health liberties,” he affirmed.

Bryan has also shared a communiqué with the leadership of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) inviting support from regional leaders to work with the USVI in finding an agreeable path forward to welcoming cruise ships and their passengers back to the islands in as safe a way as possible.

First published at Travel Industry Today

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

ROUND-UP:June 7-11, 2021

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Feds signal end to quarantine measures for vax pax; Transat announces new fly date; Air Canada extends refund deadline; and Carnival readies to resume sailing July, along with the rest of last week’s news.

NEWS

The federal government says it intends to lift some quarantine measures for fully vaccinated Canadians returning to the country beginning in early July. Arrivals would not have to spend three days in a government-sanctioned hotel (at their own expense) but would still be subject to a COVID test upon arrival and self-quarantine until receiving a negative result. Industry groups welcomed the news but said it was lacking in detail and did not yet constitute a “clear plan” for a restarting travel.

Notwithstanding that Americans cannot travel to Canada (on a non-essential basis), the US government has adjusted its travel rating for this country from a level 4 “do not travel” to level 3 – “reconsider.”

European Union lawmakers endorsed a new travel certificate that will allow people to move between European countries without having to quarantine or undergo extra coronavirus tests, paving the way for the pass to start in time for summer. Several EU countries have already begun using the system, including Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Greece, and Poland.

Effective June 8, the Megabus stop location in Toronto relocated to the new Union Station Bus Terminal located at the corner of Bay St. and Lakeshore Blvd. next to the train station. The location at 610 Bay St. is no longer in use.

RE-OPENING/RE-START

An official restart of operations in Europe and Africa for Tauck will begin with selected departures of its “Iceland” and “Treasures of the Aegean” small ship ocean cruises this month and in July. Also scheduled for July are the resumption of the company’s cruises in the Galapagos Islands as well as its Tauck Bridges family adventure in Costa Rica. Tauck’s guided safaris in eastern and southern Africa will resume in August, as will its land tours in Spain, France, and Portugal. August will also mark the resumption of Tauck’s European river cruises, with yet-to-be-determined departure dates for sailings on the Rhône and Seine in France and the Douro River in Portugal.

DELAYED/ CANCELLED

Holland America is cancelling the remainder of the summer 2021 European sailings aboard two ships, Nieuw Statendam and Volendam. This affects cruises that were scheduled to depart from September through November, along with the Collectors’ Voyages (combined cruises) associated with those departures. Guests automatically will be moved to a 2021 cruise on Eurodam in the Mediterranean, beginning with the Aug. 15 cruise through the Oct. 30 transatlantic crossing or they may choose to move to an equivalent cruise in 2022 at the 2021 fare or receive a Future Cruise Credit of 110% of any cash paid.

BY THE NUMBERS

The US Transportation Security Administration (TSA) surpassed the two-million threshold for travellers screened in one day on Friday 11, when 2,028,961 people were screened at airport security checkpoints. It marked the first time that more than two million individuals were screened since March 2020. The milestone represents 74% of travel volume versus the same day in 2019 and 1.5 million more travellers than the same day in 2020.

AIR

Air Canada has extended its COVID-19 refund window for 30 days until July 12. The policy allows eligible customers who purchased a non-refundable ticket before April 13, 2021, for travel on or after Feb. 1, 2020, but who did not fly for any reason, to submit their request for a refund online or with their travel agent. The airline also said it is calling back 2,600 workers as it prepares for an increase in demand for flights.

Transat AT Inc. says it is planning to resume flying starting July 30. The travel company suspended operations on Jan. 29 after Ottawa’s request to not travel to Mexico and the Caribbean as well as new quarantine measures and testing requirements.

More Dreamliner flight options from Western Canada to Maui and new non-stop service from Calgary to Kona and Lihue will highlight WestJet’s winter program to Hawaii. The carrier will offer 57 weekly roundtrip flights on 10 non-stop routes, more than any other airline.

DEALS

More than 300 trips worldwide from G Adventures are being discounted by 15 or 20% (including all Sailing adventures) when booked by June 30 and departing before June 30, 2022. All Summer Sale bookings feature G’s ‘Book With Confidence’ policy, which enables travellers to change their tour dates free-of-charge up to 30 days before the trip departs.

Through June 30, Collette is offering $500 off p.p. on new bookings for any travel beginning in May of 2022, through to September, and including itineraries featuring the Oberammergau Passion Play in Germany. Use the offer code JUNESAVINGS.

TOURS

Aurora Village

Dates and prices have been released for 50 Degrees North’s 2022 and ‘23 ‘Chase the Northern Lights’ and ‘Follow the Northern Lights’ small group tours in Norway and Finland, as well as four more shorter escorted tours. The former tours will now continue with scheduled departures from October, 2022 and March, 2023 respectively.

Starting July 15, the Globus family of brands – Globus, Cosmos, Avalon Waterways and Monograms – will require guests on its upcoming international tours, river cruises, and independent vacation packages to provide proof of vaccination to join. The requirement will last until Oct. 31, after which the company plans to revert to its policy of proof of vaccination, negative COVID-19 test, or immunity for travel.

CRUISE

Carnival Cruise Line says it plans to return to guest operations from Port of Galveston on July 3 with Carnival Vista, followed by the return of operations on Carnival Breeze on July 15. Only vaccinated passengers (14 days before) are eligible. Carnival Horizon is also expected to cruise again from PortMiami, pending negotiations with the state over proof of vaccine.

Six new departures have been added to Crystal Cruises Luxury Bahamas Escapes program aboard the Crystal Serenity. The seven-night all-Bahamas itineraries include three cruises round-trip from Nassau on Oct. 23, 30 and Nov. 6, and three from Bimini on Oct. 24, 31 and Nov. 7.

HOTELS

All 42 properties that RIU Hotels & Resorts has on the American continent are now operational, says the company. That includes Mexico (20), Jamaica (6), the Dominican Republic (6), the United States (3), Aruba (2), Costa Rica (2), Panama (2) and the Bahamas (1).

Symbolizing the post-pandemic resurgence of Chicago and the US, the Sheraton Grand Chicago, which has been in hibernation since last March, has re-opened with updated accommodation, new amenities and a one-of-kind safety “Pointes” program demonstrated with ballet movements by Ballet Chicago and Deeply Routed Dance Theatre. “Performed around the hotel, each graceful act reveals changes made inside the Sheraton Grand and manifests Chicago’s cultural experiences returning back to life,” says GM Mark Lauer.

RESORTS

The St. Regis Bermuda Resort

Now open, The St. Regis Bermuda Resort blends the timelessness of a bygone era with avant-garde Bermudian design and cultural influences. Set on St. Catherine’s Beach and overlooking the fort in historic St. George, the resort is the first Marriott International luxury brand property to debut on the island. Features include 120 elegant guest rooms and 21 suites, top-rate amenities, signature butler service, plus spa, golf course, fitness centre, kids club, and the brand’s first casino, due to open later in the year.

ATTRACTIONS & THEME PARKS

Universal Orlando Resort’s Islands of Adventure theme park has unleashed what it says is a “game-changer for the industry – Florida’s fastest, tallest, and most intense launch coaster ever created.” The Jurassic World VeliciCoaster catapults riders 47 m. into the air at extreme speeds up to 112 kph while racing alongside a ferocious Velociraptor pack, inspired by the blockbuster “Jurassic World” films. The thrill ride propels guests into an immersive dinosaur habitat complete with 360-degree inversions, an 80-degree drop, and a dynamic inverted stall that alone spans more than 30 m.

FAMS & INCENTIVES

AmaWaterways has announced a series of executive-hosted FAM sailings for travel advisors this summer in Europe. Agents making three new FIT bookings on the same sailing qualify for the “Sail with Me” promotion, which allows agents to earn back the cost of their stateroom. Check out Ama’s travel agent portal for full details and dates.

EVENTS

June 23: Brand USA is preparing for the resumption of cross-border travel by planning a special virtual training day for Canadian travel agents, hosted on the Brand USA Global Marketplace on Wednesday June 23 from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. EDT. Through live training sessions and pre-recorded segments, agents will learn about the latest products, protocols, and information on what’s new in the US travel and hospitality industry (including a keynote address from US National Parks), ensuring they are equipped with the tools necessary to promote and sell the US. All pre-recorded content will also be translated into French. Register – deadline is June 21.

PEOPLE/APPOINTMENTS

WestJet president and CEO Ed Sims has announced that he will retire at the end of the year, though he will stay on in a senior advisory role with Onex Partners.

The Globus family of brands has hired Fiona Schonewille for a contract role as Business Development Manager (BDM) in British Columbia to cover a parental leave. Based in Vancouver, Schonewille is responsible for building and maintaining travel partner relationships and regional sales goals for Globus, Cosmos, Monograms and Avalon Waterways.

DESTINATIONS

Miami is ready, willing, and almost able to able to welcome Canadians to south Florida pending the potentially imminent easing of border restrictions in early July. City tourism representatives and partners hosted a virtual travel agent networking event last week, at which counsellors were updated on the latest news in the city and reminded of the ongoing “Miamiland” campaign, which promotes the many activities and opportunities beyond the city limits, such as nearby Everglades National Park. It was also pointed out that research into the Canadian market has identified three key demographics suited to the city: Experience Seekers under the age of 30; Affluent Wanderers who earn $200,000-plus a year and want to stay longer; and Sun Season Baby Boomers, who tend to book with travel agents. Agents were also advised to check out a recently introduced travel agent specialist program offered by the Greater Miami CVB and to head to its website for more INFO.

www.miamiandbeaches.com

Send info to baginski@travelindustrytoday.com

First published at Travel Industry Today

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

Phuket TAT Workshop Prepares for 1 July 2021 Reopening

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Phuket TAT Workshop Prepares for 1 July 2021 Reopening - TOP25RESTAURANTS.com - TRAVELINDEXPhuket, Thailand, June 13, 2021 / TRAVELINDEX / The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) in collaboration with Phuket Province today hosted a ‘Phuket Sandbox Workshop’ to prepare Thailand’s most popular beach destination to safely reopen to local and international visitors from 1 July, 2021.

The comprehensive workshop brought together key decision-makers from TAT and Phuket Province, including TAT Governor Mr. Yuthasak Supasorn and three of Phuket’s Vice Governors – Mr. Piyapong Chuwong, Mr. Pichet Panapong and Mr.Vikrom Jakthee – as well as TAT Deputy Governors.

• Discover Phuket’s Best Fine Dining Restaurants at Top25Restaurants.com

Also presenting at the workshop were President of the Phuket Tourist Association Mr. Bhummikitti Ruktaengam, along with representatives and figures from Phuket’s tourism-related public and private sectors.

The Phuket Sandbox Workshop is a vital opportunity for government officials, business operators, and community leaders to address in detail on all points concerning the reopening of Phuket as a pilot destination to welcome fully vaccinated foreign visitors from 1 July, 2021, onwards.

The workshop consisted of four key discussions: marketing strategy and communications plan to promote Phuket in Q3/2021; standard operating procedures and specified routes for vaccinated foreign visitors during their stay in Phuket; COVID-19 restrictions, entry/exit measures and contract tracing guidelines on traveller’s journey, and the importance of the SHA Plus certification.

• Discover Phuket’s Best Fine Dining Restaurants at Top25Restaurants.com

While the final official details of the Phuket Sandbox model are currently under review by the Royal Thai Government, the initial information is available here.

First published at TravelCommunication.net

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

WTTC Calls on Boris Johnson and G7 Leaders to Recover Jobs in Tourism

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WTTC Calls on Boris Johnson and G7 Leaders to Recover Jobs in Tourism - TRAVELINDEXLondon, United Kingdom, June 13, 2021 / TRAVELINDEX / The World Travel & Tourism Council has called on Boris Johnson and the G7 Heads of State, to lead a coordinated response to restart international travel safely, which it says will be critical to the global economic and social recovery.

WTTC, which represents the global private sector, made the plea in an open letter to UK Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, Chair of the G7 group of nations in 2021, just days before leaders are due to meet at Carbis Bay in Cornwall.

The letter laid out the critical role the G7 must play to drive real change and save the global Travel & Tourism sector by safely restoring international travel and mobility through three key measures.

The first is to put Travel & Tourism at the heart of all governmental decision making globally, recognising its economic and social importance and committing to stronger global public-private collaboration.

Secondly, to commit to implementing a consistent framework to safely reopen international travel, through the use of testing, health & hygiene protocols, and digital health travel passes to ensure the safe and seamless flow of people.

Finally, to reopen international borders between countries with similar successful vaccination rollouts and low levels of infection, such as the US and the UK. This move would unlock both inbound and outbound travel and provide a significant boost to both economies, based on clear, consistent metrics and following a data-driven approach.

Virginia Messina, WTTC Senior Vice President and Acting CEO, said:  “With the global Travel & Tourism sector hanging by a thread, Boris Johnson is in a unique position to lead the G7 response to restart international travel and save the millions of jobs and livelihoods that depend on a thriving sector.

“The situation is critical, so we must put Travel & Tourism at the heart of all governmental decision making globally and agree a consistent framework to reopen international borders. 

“The risks of not doing so are enormous. In the G7 countries alone, the sector accounts for 5.11% of the total economy and almost one in 10 of all jobs globally (9.07%). If we don’t save international travel, we simply won’t achieve global socio-economic recovery.

“However, we can and should harness the opportunity presented by the hugely successful vaccination rollout, to remove travel restrictions and build bridges not walls, which will allow the safe and free movement of people who are fully vaccinated or can show proof of a negative test.

“We urge Boris Johnson‘s government which led the world by administering the very first COVID-19 vaccination dose, and the other Leaders of the G7 to take this courageous step and save a sector which will be crucial in saving their economies.”

In the letter to Boris Johnson, WTTC said the Travel & Tourism sector will play a key role in achieving the G7 policy priorities set by his Presidency.

The global tourism body said we will not achieve global recovery unless international mobility resumes and helps bring back millions of jobs into the economy; enabling free & fair trade to flourish once again. Travel & Tourism will also play a key role in enhancing our preparedness and resilience against future pandemics, as well as tackling climate change.

According to WTTC’s latest Economic Impact Report (EIR), in 2019, Travel & Tourism contributed to 10.4% of global GDP and created more than 330 million jobs, that’s one in ten jobs across the world.

However, following a year of global lockdowns and closed borders, some 62 million jobs in Travel & Tourism have been lost around the world, with many more at risk, and the sector’s contribution to global GDP has slumped by US$4.5 trillion (-49.1%).

First published at TravelCommunication.net – Global Travel News

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

New Dates Announced for World Forum on Gastronomy Tourism

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New Dates Announced for World Forum on Gastronomy Tourism - TOP25RESTAURANTS.com - TRAVELINDEXBruges, Belgium, June 12, 2021 / TRAVELINDEX / The World Tourism Organization, Basque Culinary Center, VisitFlanders and the city of Bruges have announced new dates for the 6th UNWTO World Forum on Gastronomy Tourism.

Held under the theme ‘Gastronomy Tourism: Promoting Rural Tourism and Regional Development’, the Forum will take place 31 October – 2 November 2021 in Bruges, Belgium.

The event will focus on the contribution of gastronomy tourism to social and economic integration. It will also highlight its untapped potential for job creation, regional cohesion and sustainable growth. Building on UNWTO’s work on advancing innovation across the tourism sector, the Forum also represents a unique opportunity for experts from across the growing field of gastronomy tourism to share new ideas and best practices and place the two sectors at the center of plans for recovery.

Gastronomy continues to prove its ability to help destinations diversify and to stimulate economic development in destinations all around the world

In order to welcome and connect participants from around the world, the Forum will be held in a hybrid format. This way, delegates meeting in the Concertgebouw of Bruges will be joined virtually by participants from every global region via a special online platform.

UNWTO Secretary-General, Zurab Pololikashvili says: “There is no better time than now to re-shape the future for food and tourism. Gastronomy continues to prove its ability to help destinations diversify and to stimulate economic development in destinations all around the world. This is especially true for rural communities where it can help preserve the identity and authenticity of local traditions.”

Joxe Mari Aizega, Director of the Basque Culinary Center, remarked that “We are currently in a particularly challenging and unique time, and rural communities, innovation and creativity will be key to transition successfully towards a new scenario. That is the reason why it is necessary to increase the contribution of the entire value chain of gastronomy for the future, generating a suitable institutional framework through specific policies. This kind of forums are essential to encourage projects that generate and develop sustainable gastronomic initiatives that transform and have a positive impact on the sector”.

Flemish Minister of Tourism, Zuhal Demir says: “We are very much looking forward to welcome participants, both live and online, to explore culinary Bruges during the Forum in November. This is a great opportunity for destinations to exchange experiences facing challenging times and putting gastronomy and tourism at the centre of recovery plans. Flanders, as one of Europe’s gastronomic hubs, is ready to lead the way for a sustainable future of gastronomy tourism.”

The Forum has been co-organized by UNWTO and the BCC since 2015 with the aim of promoting the exchange of experiences between experts in tourism and gastronomy, identify good practices and promote gastronomy tourism as a driver of sustainable development.

About BCC

Basque Culinary Center represents a unique ecosystem where training, innovation, research and entrepreneurship coexist with the aim of developing and propelling gastronomy, which is understood as reasoned knowledge about what and how we eat.

Its mission is rooted in values such as passion, innovation, excellence and social commitment. Located in San Sebastian since September 2011, Basque Culinary Center is a pioneer institution conformed by the Faculty of Gastronomic Sciences, and the Centre for Research and Innovation in the field of gastronomy.

In 2021 Basque Culinary Center celebrates its 10th anniversary. Since its origin, the institution has developed its 360º vision of Gastronomy through different initiatives and projects. This year, we celebrate our achievements and the challenges to come, always rooted in our values: passion, orientation towards excellence, innovation and social commitment.

First published at TravelCommunication.net – Global Travel News

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News