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GOOD AS GOLD: Belize ready to come out of its shell

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With Canadians planning and, indeed, actually edging closer to their next vacations, Belize is rolling out the welcome mat for citizens of this country, touting industry-leading health and safety protocols and well-known natural attributes that are high on sustainability.

Belize minister of tourism Anthony Mahler emphasizes the importance of the Canadian market, telling Travel Industry Today that this country makes up about 10% of visitors – about 50,000 per year – to the Central American nation, but also, importantly produces a higher spend than most during an average stay of 10 days. Moreover, Mahler points out that there is a large Canadian ex-pat community in Belize, including snowbirds, and that many more typically visit via cruise ships.

With travel searching and planning a priority for many as the pandemic protocols start to ease and “a light at the end of the tunnel” begins to shine, the Belize Tourism Board (BTB) has also unveiled a new travelbelize website. Designed to be the country’s official resource centre for travellers, it includes immersive videos and imagery, a virtual interactive map, and a modified flight map to help travellers, and those who book them, plan their stay, and discover a myriad of adventure opportunities, natural attractions, and the cultural diversity.

Additionally, it details the country’s acclaimed Tourism Gold Standard program and WTTC Safe Travels status, the former based on a nine-step process that hotels, tour operators, attractions, and other tourism-related businesses (such as taxis) must implement to be allowed to operate.

Visitors – who are required to show proof of vaccination at least 14 days before arrivals or negative results of a PRC test taken within 96 hours of travel (otherwise will be tested at cost upon arrival) – are required to stay in a gold-standard hotel and must show proof upon arrival that they are. Notably, visitors are no longer required to download the Belize Travel Health App as before.

Mahler says Belize takes the pandemic “seriously,” adding, “It is vital that we are adequately prepared for the return of our guests, and the key to our success lies in developing a strategic framework to ensure a safe and secure experience…”

As such, and with a current COVID-19 case count of just over 300 people in the entire country (as of July 5), he maintains, “We are one of the safest destinations in the world.”

Belize is also one of the most sustainable, he continues, not least because of the destination’s reliance on nature and eco-adventures as the basis of its tourism product.

Canoeing is just one of many nature-based activities for guests at Belize’s Tourism Gold-certified Chaa Creek Lodge.

Adorned with undisturbed flora and fauna, Belize is a sprawling green oasis, featuring tropical rainforest, nature reserves, and ‘no-take’ marine zones that position the region as a largely unspoiled natural wonderland that uniquely links North and South America.

At the same time, the country’s top attraction is its 300-km long barrier reef, making the country’s coast a mecca for divers and snorkelers, with Maher noting, “If you’re a diver, Belize should be on your list of places you want to visit.”

Here is a brief look at Belize’s seven distinct regions:

• Northern Belize: An ideal destination for the ‘off-the-beaten-path’ adventurer, where visitors can have an unspoiled adventure and explore historical sites like Lamanai, one of the largest Maya Sites in the country.

• North Islands: Home to numerous cayes, including Ambergris Caye (the largest island in Belize), the islands are water adventurer’s dream, with stellar snorkeling and diving along the Belize Barrier Reef, the Great Blue Hole, Shark Ray Alleym and Hol Chan Marine Reserve.

• Belize City: A laidback getaway on the central coast with great fishing and rich Creole culture, history and colonial structures, the Belize zoo, and canoeing in the Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary.

• Western Belize: Adventure-land, with activities ranging from tree-top ziplining to caving and river tubing. Home to Belmopan, the capital city, which boasts lively and vibrant markets and is a gateway to eco-activities for any level of adventurer.

• Southeast Coast: Defined by adventure and beaches, the “Coast with the Most” boasts Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Reserve, the first jaguar sanctuary, ziplining in Mayflower Bocawina National Park, plus more than 25 kilometres of palm tree lined beaches.

• Southern Belize: Ideal for family vacations, visitors can explore Toledo District and Punta Gorda town, and stroll through many colourful markets. Southern Belize is laden with culture, which is celebrated every Nov. 19 by the Garifuna with the Battle of the Drums and Food Fete.

• Belize Reef: A UNESCO World Heritage Site comprised of 400 cayes and three atolls (coral islands), including renowned Lighthouse Reef Atoll, Great Blue Hole and Half Moon Caye. Each atoll offers a completely different kind of diving experience and for non-diving adventures, Glover’s Reef is a remote area where visitors can stand-up paddleboard, kayak, try fly-fishing and more.

A former British colony that achieved independence in 1981, Belize’s official language is English, though “over the years, we’ve been Latinized,” says Mahler, with creole widely spoken (as well as Spanish).

The country, which has the lowest population and population density in Central America, is also politically and socially stable in an otherwise often troubled neighbourhood.

Mahler notes that Canadians can generally reach Belize easily with typically steady lift from this country. Post-pandemic, WestJet will begin service on Nov. 3 (from YYZ) through to April 30, 2022, while Air Canada is expected to fly again in 2022.

 

 

First published at Travel Industry Today

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

A BREATH OF FRESH AIR: New all-inclusive bound for Barbados

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Set to open in October, Ocean Hotels’ new O2 Beach Club & Spa in Barbados bases its philosophy, and name, from the symbol for oxygen – “the element as natural and life essential as the act of breathing.”

Located on the island’s south coast, the new five-star all-inclusive luxury boutique hotel is set on a uncluttered stretch of powder white sand along Dover Beach and comes to life after an extensive transformation of the former Ocean Two Resort & Residences.

The expanded property will include 42 new ocean view and oceanfront suites for a total of 130 rooms and suites classed into three distinct “Collections”: Club, Luxury and Concierge.

The Club Collection will feature elegant and modern rooms offering king or twin beds with ensuite bathrooms complete with rainfall showers, while the Luxury Collection will be comprised of adult-only suites that offer chic contemporary design and private balconies with views of the Caribbean Sea. Options in the Luxury Collection include ocean view or ocean front suites, as well as swim-up rooms offering direct access to the adult-only river pool, where guests can also easily access a swim-up bar.

Meanwhile, the Concierge Collection is designed to offer the ultimate indulgence, providing the luxury of space with one or two-bedroom suites with fully equipped designer kitchens. These unique residence-style suites also lend themselves to the resort’s “your stay, your way” personalization concept.

“We are confident that O2 Beach Club and Spa will take centre stage in Barbados’ luxury hotel offerings, combining authentic personalized service with upscale accommodations and world class dining to create unforgettable experiences,” says Patricia Affonso-Dass, Group General Manager, Ocean Hotels Group Barbados.

Luxury Collection ocean front queen room

Amenities

Among the hotel amenities are three pools, including one of the only rooftop pools on the island; six dining experiences; seven bars; the 520-sq.-m., full service Acqua spa; fully equipped fitness centre; and a lounge for teens.

Activities: Included are complimentary non-motorized watersports, a full activities program, and daily signature “how-to” classes exploring island culture, such how to prepare local recipes, learning to play the steel pan drum, and how to play dominoes like a local.

F&B: The culinary heart of O2 is Elements, where breakfast, lunch and dinner will be served in an open-air space with a unique crescent-shaped bar overlooking the beach. Other notable venues include the rooftop tapas lounge Brisas, and 9th-floor Oro fine dining restaurant, offering modern fusion European cuisine with a Caribbean twist and 360-degree views of the south coast. Guests will also have access to all five restaurants at Sea Breeze Beach House, O2’s neighbouring sister hotel.

Spa: The resort’s Acqua spa features the only Hammam treatment room on the island and breathtaking ocean views from its eighth-floor location. Signature treatments are inspired by healing through water and guests can experience personalized wellness journeys. All treatments will utilize seaweed-infused oSea products.

Travel agents

As part of the resort’s new “Loyal Treatment” program for travel advisors, O2 is offering 12 to 14% commission to travel advisors who book directly with the hotel, as well as a host of added amenities. Advisors are also recommended to sign up for the Ocean Hotels Rewards program, where they can earn points which can be put towards free nights. Advisors who sign up prior to July 15 have the chance to win a seven-night, five-star all-inclusive stay for two.

O2 is represented in Canada by CanLink and is available through Air Canada Vacations and Westjet Vacations.

Poolside

Barbados

Fully vaccinated adults are asked to present proof of a COVID-19 standard PCR test three days prior to arrival in Barbados. Upon arrival at the airport, they will be given a free PCR test, and then can await the results of their on-island test at the resort, with results back in eight to 24 hours. With a negative result, they are able to travel freely around the island. Children follow the protocols of their parents.

Further details can be found HERE.

 

First published at Travel Industry Today

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMALS: A definite distinction

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In a policy change effective March 1, this year Air Canada implemented a ban on emotional support animals in its cabins. The airline continues to allow customers to board with a service dog at no charge and passengers with a small pet cat or dog are allowed to bring the pet in the cabin for a fee, so long as it stays inside its carrier under a seat. This thankfully will help prevent the flagrant abuse by some pet owners of cabin privileges for their less than supportive pets.

Air Canada defines “service dog” as “a dog that has been individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of a person with a disability.” Obviously, it is appropriate that such an animal is necessary for the comfort and safety of its owner. They are professional carers and they behave as such.

If an emotional support animal does not fit the definition of a “service dog” then it is treated as a pet under the company’s policy. That seems eminently reasonable but is causing some antipathy from a highly vocal and burgeoning industry selling support documentation, apparel, gear and anything else you can think of, for pets whose owners choose to deem emotionally supportive.

Air Canada’s decision came as a result of the US Department of Transportation’s revised regulations which no longer require airlines to permit emotional support animals in cabins. The ban is also intended to improve passenger safety and comfort, as Air Canada reported incidents of staff and customers being harmed by emotional support animals.

Air Canada’s new rules are consistent with the Accessible Transportation for Persons with Disabilities Regulations under the Canada Transportation Act, which apply to airlines and other transportation bodies.

Under these regulations, a carrier (which includes an airline) is required to accommodate a person with a disability who needs to travel with their service dog by allowing the service dog to accompany the person on board. However, the person who requests the accommodation must confirm the animal has been specially trained by an organization specializing in service dog training.

As the regulations only require carriers to provide accommodations for service dogs, airlines are left to make their own decisions about whether they will allow emotional support animals, or any other animals who don’t meet the definition of a service dog, on board.

However, the policy change does highlight the inconsistent frameworks of federal and Ontario regulations relating to service animals.

Peacock checking in and small horse in weird outfit.

Emotional support animals apparently provide comfort and companionship to people diagnosed with a disability. While a service dog will receive formal disability‑related training by specialized organizations, emotional support animals are often not formally trained to assist a person with a disability. Service dogs usually receive certification, but there is no recognized certification for emotional support animals, though dubious documentation is widely available on the internet.

Ontario human rights and accessibility law (which does not apply to airlines in Canada) recognizes a wider range of animals as “service animals.”

Case law from the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario recognizes that “service animals” include animals who are not trained or certified by a recognized disability‑related organization and who assist people with mental disabilities. However, the person claiming the accommodation must be able to show evidence (such as a letter from a medical professional) that they have a disability and that the animal assists with their disability‑related needs.

That’s all well and good, but unscrupulous travellers are attempting to claim they require “emotional support” from a wide array of animals (and birds) including, among the more unusual, pigs – large, small and incontinent, kangaroos, horses (small), parrots, peacocks, alligators and snakes. Untrained dogs have pooped in the aisles (why should that be confined to pigs), bitten other passengers and otherwise misbehaved. Frankly, some of these animals appear to need – rather than offer – “emotional support.”

And really, especially in the current climate of social distancing and masking and agitated travellers, if you are so emotionally fraught that you cannot fly without the pooping pig, or the distressed dog, perhaps you should drive and save everyone – especially the poor flight attendants the emotional stress of dealing with you and all the other complaining passengers.

Prairie Conlon, who utilizes animal assisted interventions in her mental health practice in the US slammed the airline ESA ban: “We know that service animals and emotional support animals are very different and they serve different purposes. But how can they say that someone with a physical disability, or certain mental disabilities like PTSD can have a service dog when they have a legitimate need for them, but someone who has been diagnosed by a clinician with a mental health disorder and has a legitimate need for them can’t have their animal with them anymore? That is textbook discrimination. To put it more simply, the airlines are saying that if you have a physical or medical disability you can have an assistance animal, but if you have a mental disability, you can’t.”

Actually, that’s not what the airlines are saying. What the airlines are quite correctly trying to prevent, is the flagrant abuse of untrained “emotional support animals” travelling in the aircraft cabin and disrupting other passengers and cabin crew.

Just take a look at the emotional pet support site.

Emotionally supportive kangaroo, crocodile and/or alligator, duck.

 

 

First published at Travel Industry Today

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

WILL THIS CITY BREAK BREAK YOU:

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New research from Bounce has analyzed popular city break destinations on the average price of five common city break costs to reveal the most affordable and the most expensive city breaks around the world. Here are the top ten in each category.

The 10 most affordable

The number one most affordable city break on our list was the Argentinian capital of Buenos Aires, which was the cheapest country for both a bottle of wine ($3.10) and a one-way ticket on local transport ($0.27). Not only is it a seriously affordable city, but this vast, bustling city has plenty to see and do, including the stately presidential palace, Casa Rosada, the Teatro Colón opera house, and the MALBA museum.

Istanbul is the second cheapest city, with cheap prices across the board, including $0.40 for a travel ticket or a rate of $0.41 per kilometre for a taxi. Followed by Rio de Janeiro in Brazil in third place, which holds the prestigious title of the cheapest city on our list for a draught beer, at $1.34, perfect for relaxing on the Copacabana or Ipanema beaches!

h ten most expensive
Switzerland is well known for being an expensive country, even more so in major cities such as Zürich, which was revealed to be the most expensive city to visit. Zurich also has the least affordable taxis and public transport, so you might want to stretch your legs and walk if you visit!

The top ten least affordable cities are all located in either Europe or the USA, with New York being the most expensive US city to spend the weekend. Hotels in New York are extremely expensive, averaging at $301 a night, the second most expensive hotel price of all cities following Las Vegas.

You can view the research in full HERE.

 

First published at Travel Industry Today

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

CRYSTAL CHRISTENING: Cruise line introduces luxury yacht ‘Endeavour’

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Crystal Expedition Cruises officially welcomed its new luxury expedition yacht ‘Crystal Endeavor’ to its fleet on Saturday in Germany as the ship was christened by Manuela Schwesig, Prime Minister of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, who is also the vessel’s godmother.

Almost 100 people attended the ceremony at the Stralsund shipyard, which was also livestreamed on the Crystal Cruises Facebook page so that friends and fans of the cruise line could attend.

Executives hailed the state-of-the-art Polar Class Six vessel, which features “unmatched technical capabilities, including the most installed power per gross ton for any cruise ship at over 13 MW.”

The ship was also heralded as the most expensive ship ever built at US$20,000 per gross tons and includes the largest space ratio, at over 100 gross tons per guest, and highest staff to guest ratio in the industry at one-to-one, as well as 100% additional lifeboat capacity to handle extreme polar conditions.

Amenities

Designed to offer travellers elegantly expansive private and public spaces, Crystal Endeavor accommodates just 200 guests in 100 all-verandah, all-butler serviced suites.

Other amenities include Michelin-inspired dining options such as Umi Uma, the first and only Japanese restaurant on an expedition ship; fine Italian cuisine at Prego; 24-hour room service; and optional Vintage Room experience; plus the only casino on an expedition yacht, a glass-covered, two-story solarium – housing the Seahorse Pool and Jacuzzi – providing panoramic views from sea to sky, and the full-service Crystal Life Salon & Spa with a state-of-the-art fitness centre. There is also a wrap-around Promenade Deck.

Expedition-specific amenities include high-tech enrichment spaces, designated mud rooms, an Expedition Lounge, and a Helicopter Lounge. The ship’s marina will feature the “toys” found aboard a private yacht for further explorations, including a fleet of Zodiacs, kayaks, snorkel gear, and a six-guest submersible and two helicopters in select regions of the world.

Sustainability

Crystal Endeavor has been designed with a host of ecologically minded features, such as dynamic positioning capability that enables the ship to remain in one place utilizing GPS and its thrusters, rather than dropping anchor, avoiding any potential damage to delicate reefs.

Additionally, the company has equipped the ship to connect to shore power while in port, installed several water treatment systems, and will clean exhaust emissions through a Selective Catalytic Reductant system.

Inaugural voyages

Crystal Endeavor will set sail beginning July 17 with five 10-night voyages circumnavigating Iceland from the ship’s homeport of Reykjavík, followed by the 10-night “Journey of Vikings: Iceland & Norway” from Reykjavík to Tromsø, Norway, departing Sept. 5.

First published at Travel Industry Today

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

UMBRIA, ITALY’S GOURMET GOLDMINE: A land of shepherds, wild landscapes and ancient forests.

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Leave Rome its Pantheon and Venice its canals. Let Tuscany have its art, and hoards of visitors. Where you want to be is camera-shy Umbria – Italy’s authentic slow-food capital. Pastoral rolling hills and broad, sunny valleys dominate its western reaches, with high mountains, gorges and fast-flowing rivers in its eastern margins. It’s one of the country’s most fertile corners, a region of ancient traditions where fine ingredients proliferate.

Castello di Monticelli, near Peruga

In its former life, dating back to the 6th century, Castello di Monticelli has been a fortress, a monastery, a hunting lodge and a prison during both World Wars. Owners Ellen Krauser and Prof Giuseppe Tullio bought the estate in 1992 and spent 18 years restoring it, preserving the medieval characteristics in each of its 26 suites – fireplaces, terra-cotta floors, oak ceiling beams (many original), chestnut windows which frame views of the valley and Perugia in the distance. It’s surrounded by two acres of gardens and terraces, six acres of forest, and a large patch of land where organic produce is grown.

Dinning al fresco is a communal four-course affair, starting with Orzo salad, fried sage and zucchini. Ellen explains Orzo to be a spelt bean with strong Umbrian connections. “It’s used in bread-making but in Umbria it’s popular in ‘zuppa di farro’ soup.” Then comes Pasta Umricelli – thick spaghetti-like strands dressed in a spicy tomato sauce, followed by Guinea Fowl, a white-meat speciality dish of Umbria, with rabbit, white fennel and Erba Cotta. Dessert is a cream-cheese mousse with strawberries.

Breakfast, taken in a glass fronted cabin overlooking the valley, is a rich continental feast with typical local produce – cured meats, cheese, organic fruits and home-made bread (Ellen’s cheese bread is something else). www.castellomonticelli.com

Majolica Ceramics, Deruta

In the hill town of Deruta I visit the world’s oldest ceramic factory, Grazia Maioliche Ceramics. Although official records show majolica being manufactured in Deruta during the second half of the 13th century, evidence suggests that it actually began a century earlier.

I’m speaking with Dr Ubaldo Grazia of his family’s history in ceramics: “In the early 1500s Giuseppe Grazia moved his factory to Deruta and with this found a succession of master painters whose creations where highly sought after. In 1921 my father moved the factory to where it now stands,” says Ubaldo. “Nothing has changed since then and the craft remains what it’s been since the 12th century, handed down from father to son uninterrupted.”

Beyond the conscious commitment to keeping this ancient art alive, the present Grazia generation pursue a vigorous policy of innovation in their ceramic classes, workshops, museum and factory. www.ubaldograzia.com

Lungarotti Winery, Torgiano

Umbria’s mild climate makes it particularly suitable for wine growing, and produces top-quality white and red wines, including those found on the Lungarotti Estate, first planted by Giorgio Lungarotti in 1962. A cellar tour demonstrates a state-of-the-art vinification process, and culminates with a tasting of some of the best Italian wines I’ve yet sampled.

“We have two estates,” says CEO, Chiara Lungarotti, “570 acres here in Torgiano and 50 acres in Montefalco. Together they produce 2.5-million bottles a year, exported mostly to Germany, the USA and Canada.”

Chiara treats to me to lunch at L’U Winebar where understated gourmet cuisine is standard. We share a bottle of Rubesco, over beef carpaccio with red beet mayo, then finish with Tozzetti almond biscuits and a small glass of Lungarotti vin Santo. Later I take a wander around the fascinating Wine Museum, created by Chiara’s mother, Maria Grazia. www.lungarotti.it

Umbrian Beer, Torgiano

Continuing on the artisan food trail, I head to Fabbrica della Birra Perugia, a small brewery where Antonio Boco introduces me to his Umbrian ales, telling me about the craft beer revolution which kicked off in 1996. A group of beer-loving friends planned the rebirth of the historic Fabbrica della Birra Perugia, which ceased trading in 1927. Their aim: resurrect the city’s beer and bring a prestigious part of its history to the 21st century. After years of study, research and trials, the Fabbrica della Birra Perugia is once again a working reality.

“Craft beers are unpasteurised, unfiltered, without preservatives or additives,” says Antonio. “These beers speak of the relationship between the most natural of raw materials, Umbrian spring water, coupled to the skill and know-how of the brewer.”

Of their eight beers, the four most unique are Chocolate Porter: a full bodied, deep-brown beer with delicious hints of cocoa; L’Isterica: a perfect combination of a continental beer and an English ale with just enough gas to lift it; Insolita: an authentic Italian grape ale that’s rich in personality; and their flagship Fabbrica Birra Peruga, which is smooth, fruity and long, with a bitter finish.

“We ferment some of beers in Lungorotti wine vats,” Antonio states. “They’re then bottled in ceramic flagons from Deruta.” www.birraperugia.it

Hotel Le Silve, near Assisi

At the end of a winding mountain road with 700m-high vistas across wooded hills, is Hotel Le Silve di Armenzano. It has grown from the ruins of a 10th century mountain inn, making the most of its sublime setting. The central hotel, outlying buildings, 19 air-conditioned double rooms and 13 mini-apartments, retain their medieval features with rough-hewn stone walls and terracotta floors. Aside the myriad of outdoor activities, the big draw is their restaurant with superb views and an extra-ordinary menu, bursting with Umbrian tradition and supplies from their organic farm. Their Tortelli pasta stuffed with ricotta and thyme, dressed with asparagus and truffle shavings, is out of this world. www.lesilve.it

The best pasta restaurant in Europe

Scheggino is one of those picture-postcard hill villages where time and space have stopped. A flight of narrow stone steps delivers me to Osteria Baciafemmine and a demonstration in pasta making.

“Our typical pasta is umbrici, made from flour and water,” says Elisa Valentini, whislt slapping around a ball of pasta.

“After kneading the dough, it is rolled out like this, then hand-cut into a cord-like spaghetti strips. The ideal condiment for umbricelli is truffles.” And as if by magic a plate of it appears before me. www.osteriabaciafemmine.it

Food producers, Norcia

Founded 600 years before Rome, Norcia is filled with tales of magicians and chiromancers who bewitched the caves and forests. It’s also a town that has, over the centuries, been damaged by frequent earthquakes – the most recent in 2016.

The old town, with many ancient buildings lying in ruins, is all but cordoned off, some areas inaccessible. I eventually found Catia Ulivucci, a 30+ year old Norcia farmer and owner of the famed cured meat shop ‘Norcineria Ercole Ulivucci’. She lost her farmhouse and her ‘old town’ shop in the 2016 earthquake. She and her husband Claudio Funari now run their business from a temporary stand in a car park which they attend twice a week. Ten years is what she recons it will take to reinstate their business and her home. For now, she smiles.

“There’s little more I can do,” she says, “there are no more tears to cry.” But of course she is one of Umbria’s super-farmers. She cultivates her fields and she gets her hands dirty, her aim is to develop innovative ecotourist projects like a cooking school.

We speak about her meats and she introduces me to her herd of Apennine sheep, telling me of her seasonal favourite cheese – Giuncata, which is curdled slowly in baskets made of rush, then eaten with sugar and cinnamon. But the one to look out for is the caciotta ai tartufo, flavoured with black truffles. https://vendita.norcineriaulivucci.it/negozio/

The specialist farm shop, ‘Il Casale De Li Tappi’, is a third-generation family run deli/butcher, who encourage visitors to their breeding farm and meet the free-range Black Belted pigs and Wild Boar.

“Our most popular sausage is Corallina di Norcia,” says butcher, Mario Salvatori. “It’s seasoned with pepper and garlic then macerated in wine, then left to rest in an airy room, heated by log-fire and smoked using charcoalled juniper berries. www.norcineriadinorcia.it

Castello di Gallano, Valtopina

The castle, once a fortified Benedictine monastery dating back to 1085, was left abandoned for near 40 years then privately acquired in 2008. A five-year, €15-m renovation project delivered 32 two-bedroom, self contained apartments, two swimming pools, a grocery shop and two chapels.

In the central part of this UNESCO World Heritage Site is a restaurant where guests and locals come together to savour traditional Umbrian cuisine. All the ingredients are local, almost zero miles travelled.

A bottle of Montefalco Rosso and a plate of lamb ‘cooked-two-ways’ is put before me – one fried in herby bread crumbs, the other grilled with herby salt, followed by Tagliolini with shavings of black truffle. Everything is drizzled with locally produced golden olive oil, which enhances any dish without upstaging the flavor.

In hues of blue and lavender, I stood at the precipice of Castello di Gallano watching Umbrian farmers in the act of creating food, tilling the warm-smelling soil with hoes. The branches around me hung heavy with birds who sought a suitable vantage point from which to sing out the sunset. www.castellodigallano.com

www.umbriatourism.it

First published at Travel Industry Today

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

ROUND-UP: June 21-25, 2021

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More and more borders (including Canada’s) edge open, Sunwing is set to offer refunds, and MSC Cruises revealed the name of its newest ship. These items and more in last week’s round-up…

NEWS

Effective July 5, fully vaccinated eligible Canadians returning to Canada will be able to avoid a mandatory quarantine as long as they still test negative for COVID-19 before and after arrival. Falsifying vaccination documents can result in a $750,000 fine, up to six months in jail, or both. Children who aren’t fully vaccinated, arriving by air with fully vaccinated parents, won’t have to go to quarantine hotels but will have to quarantine at home for two weeks.

Following the government’s news (above), Sunwing reports it will resume partial service to select sun destinations from Toronto and Montréal starting on July 30, 2021. The initial flight schedule from both gateways will include Cancun (July 30), Punta Cana (July 31), and Varadero (Aug. 2), with additional Montego Bay flights from YYZ starting Aug. 22.

MSC Cruises’ has revealed the name of its newest ship, being built in Italy and due in November, 20220: MSC Seascape.

RE-OPENING/RE-START

Switzerland has begun to return to normality after the global pandemic, including welcoming international guests and the full opening of tourist infrastructures (restaurants, events, leisure facilities). Effective June 26, vaccinated travellers from Canada are eligible to visit without quarantine or PCR tests

Uniworld Boutique River Cruises has officially returned to the rivers of Europe, as its newly transformed Super Ship S.S. La Venezia departed on its inaugural sailing on June 20. The luxury river cruise company is the first North American river cruise line to resume operations in Europe since the pandemic began, departing from Venice. Uniworld president and CEO Ellen Bettridge joined the journey to mark the long-awaited occassion.

After an eight-month closure, the Eiffel Tower in Paris will reopen to the public on July 16, with an improved customer experience. Travel agents can book admission in advance, as well as tables at the Jules Verne restaurant and Thierry Marx’s new brasserie. Many other services are now available to visitors and may be booked ahead by advisors.

DELAYED/ CANCELLED

Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line announced it has delayed its June 28 closed group CDC test cruise and its previously planned July 2 cruise restart as one of its vaccinated crew members has tested positive for COVID-19.

The full reopening of Israel to vaccinated tourists on July 1 has been delayed due to concerns about the spread of the infectious delta variant of the coronavirus. It is anticipated that new re-opening date will be Aug. 1.

BY THE NUMBERS

Total demand for air travel in April 2021 (measured in revenue passenger kilometers or RPKs) was down 65.4% compared to April 2019, according to IATA. That was an improvement over the 66.9% decline recorded in March 2021 versus March 2019. The better performance was driven by gains in most domestic markets. International passenger demand in April was 87.3% below April 2019, little changed from the 87.8% decline recorded in March 2021 versus two years ago.

AIR

WestJet has started flights to London, Gatwick (LGW) from Calgary International Airport (YYC) and Toronto Pearson Airport (YYZ). Service from Calgary operates two-times weekly, while flights from Toronto depart three-times weekly.

An expanded schedule from Swoop this winter will include increased non-stop domestic service and the re-introduction of flights to the US, Mexico, and Caribbean. Citing daily bookings on par with pre-pandemic levels, the airline also announced it will proceed with planned fleet growth by adding a 10th Boeing 737-800 NG aircraft this winter. Nine planes will fly domestically during the summer, with winter flights across Canada, as well as Montego Bay; Las Vegas, Mesa/Phoenix, St. Pete/Clearwater, Orlando and San Diego; and Cancun, Puerto Vallarta and Mazatlán.

DEALS

An extensive list of value offers for visitors to Fort Lauderdale are now available courtesy of the south Florida’ city’s annual “LauderDeals” program. Available through Sept. 30, deals include discounted room rates, offers for third or fourth nights free, resort and dining credits, free or discounted parking, complimentary upgrades and more. “Things To Do Deals” also give 2-for-1 admission or discounted rates at attractions and in August, Dine Out Lauderdale offers will be added. More details at https://www.sunny.org/lauderdeals

TOURS

Starting in 2022, Adventures by Disney is more than doubling its recently introduced Private Adventures vacation portfolio with tours in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia; England and France; New Zealand; Australia; South Africa; and Ireland.

Tauck will resume its safaris in eastern and southern Africa with the Aug. 2 departure of “Mountain Gorilla Safari: Kenya, Tanzania & Rwanda” and the Aug. 4 departure of “Kenya & Tanzania: A Classic Safari” and “South Africa: An Elegant Adventure.” All of the company’s safaris are small-group journeys, with as few as 18 guests per departure to ensure an up-close immersion into the local culture, flora and fauna.

HOTELS

Following a completed investment of more than US$200 million, Harrah’s Las Vegas now features 2,542 redesigned guest rooms, a complete casino floor remodel and two new LED marquees at the north and south entrances.

A new accommodation option in the Swiss Alps is the Kempinski Palace Engelberg. Located in central Switzerland, the five-star-superior hotel is a re-imagined Belle Epoque-era property featuring 129 rooms and suites, elegant restaurant and bar, spa, and cigar lounge. The area is ideal for both summer and winter escapes.

RESORTS

Calling all Phishheads: Phish will return to Mexico for its fifth “Phish: Riviera Maya,” the band’s destination concert vacation, taking place Feb. 24-27, 2022. The all-inclusive event, to be held at Moon Palace Cancun, will feature concerts for four nights in a state-of-the-art concert venue on the beach. Packages, including show tickets are on sale at www.phishrivieramaya.com

CRUISE
May 20, 2023 will mark the departure of Uniworld Boutique River Cruises’ inaugural “Rivers of the World” cruise. The 46-night trip will treat travellers to nine countries aboard five luxury ships combining both cruise and land. The unique itinerary is the first of its kind for the brand, including exclusive experiences and special surprises throughout the journey. The journey begins on the Nile in Egypt, followed by cruises departing Italy, Hungary, France, and Portugal, all enhanced by stays in such towns at Lugano, Milan, and Lisbon.

Carnival Cruise Line will grow its fleet by two additional ships by 2023, taking delivery of an Excel-class ship that had previously been assigned to sister line AIDA Cruises that will arrive in late 2023, as well as taking ownership of Costa Magica from another of its European sister lines, with that ship going through a dry dock, renaming, and brand conversion and joining the fleet by mid-2022.

ATTRACTIONS & THEME PARKS

SeaWorld Orlando’s first separate-ticketed, nighttime Halloween event, Howl-O-Scream, will premiere this fall, joining the daytime Halloween Spooktacular. Halloween celebrations, including haunted houses, scare zones, and “terrifying shows” will take place at the Florida theme park for 27 select nights from Sept. 10 to Oct. 31, from 7 p.m. to as late as 2 a.m.

FAMS & INCENTIVES

Visit Orlando has launched a new interactive website for travel advisors, providing on-demand video training about the destination and the opportunity to win prizes. ‘Love and Learn Orlando’ (loveandlearnorlando.com) provides travel advisors with easy access to a library of on-demand videos segmented into three channels – Accommodations, Attractions and Outdoor Adventure – providing an in-depth look into some of Orlando’s most popular experiences, along with selling tips. Travel agents who view all channels and submit their answers before July 29 have three chances of winning a hotel stay and attraction passes.

EVENTS

June 29: The Annual General Meeting of the members of the Travel Industry Council of Ontario (TICO) will be held tomorrow at 5 p.m. Anyone can attend the event virtually via a link that will be posted on TICO’s web site.

PEOPLE

At its online AGM on June 23, ACTA members voted on nine positions available to the Board of Directors. The newly elected board also appointed three positions. The 12-person board for 2021/22 consists of Mary Jane Hiebert CTC – Chair and Manitoba/Nunavut; Liz Fleming – Vice Chair and BC/Yukon; Louise Gardiner CTM, Treasurer, Director at Large; Peter Keyter, Alberta/NWT; Karen Schabel CTM, Saskatchewan; Mike Foster CTC, Ontario; Stéphane Corbeil, Québec; Glenda Hunter CTM, Atlantic; Richard Vanderlubbe, Director at Large; and Appointed – Patrick Doyle, Monica Johnstone CTC, and Brian Robertson.

DESTINATIONS

Darwin’s Arch. Before and after

A little off the top: The famed Darwin’s Arch in the Galapagos Islands has lost its top, and officials are blaming natural erosion of the stone. The rock structure – 43 m. high, 70 m. long and 23 m. wide – is less than 1 km from Darwin Island, and some 1,000 km off the coast of mainland Ecuador and it’s a popular spot for scuba divers. It’s not accessible by land.

Visit Tampa Bay has debuted its “Bay Crafted Pass,” a new mobile passport program that incentivizes beer and cocktail-lovers while generating economic impact for local breweries and distilleries in Tampa Bay. Visitors and locals can sign up for the free passport program, which includes 21 local breweries and distilleries showcasing the best of Tampa Bay in an easy, mobile-friendly way. Visitors can unlock prizes by checking in at participating partner locations throughout Hillsborough County.

Send info to baginski@travelindustrytoday.com

First published at Travel Industry Today

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

GROUND CONTROL TO MAJOR TOM: Are space tourists ‘astronauts’?

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As more companies start selling tickets to space, a question looms: Who gets to call themselves an astronaut? It’s already a complicated issue and about to get more so as the wealthy snap up spacecraft seats and even entire flights for themselves and their entourages.

Astronauts? Amateur astronauts? Space tourists? Space sightseers? Rocket riders? Or as the Russians have said for decades, spaceflight participants?

NASA’s new boss Bill Nelson doesn’t consider himself an astronaut even though he spent six days orbiting Earth in 1986 aboard space shuttle Columbia — as a congressman. “I reserve that term for my professional colleagues,” Nelson recently said.

Computer game developer Richard Garriott — who paid his way to the International Space Station in 2008 with the Russians — hates the space tourist label. “I am an astronaut,” he declared in an email, explaining that he trained for two years for the mission.

“If you go to space, you’re an astronaut,” said Axiom Space’s Michael Lopez-Alegria, a former NASA astronaut who will accompany three businessmen to the space station in January, flying SpaceX. His US$55 million-a-seat clients plan to conduct research up there, he stressed, and do not consider themselves space tourists.

Axiom Space has announced a second flight for next year that will be led by the company’s Peggy Whitson, a retired NASA astronaut who’s spent 665 days in space, more than any other American. Her No. 2 will be businessman-turned-race car driver John Shoffner, of Knoxville, Tenn., who’s also paying around $55 million. “I’ve asked Peggy to throw the book at me in training. Make me an astronaut,” he said.

There’s something enchanting about the word: Astronaut comes from the Greek words for star and sailor. And swashbuckling images of “The Right Stuff” and NASA’s original Mercury 7 astronauts make for great marketing.

Jeff Bezos’ rocket company, Blue Origin, is already calling its future clients “astronauts.” It’s auctioning off one seat on its first spaceflight with people on board, targeted for July. NASA even has a new acronym: PAM for Private Astronaut Mission.

Retired NASA astronaut Mike Mullane didn’t consider himself an astronaut until his first space shuttle flight in 1984, six years after his selection by NASA.

“It doesn’t matter if you buy a ride or you’re assigned to a ride,” said Mullane, whose 2006 autobiography is titled “Riding Rockets.” Until you strap into a rocket and reach a certain altitude, “you’re not an astronaut.”

It remains a coveted assignment. More than 12,000 applied for NASA’s upcoming class of astronauts; a lucky dozen or so will be selected in December.

But what about passengers who are along for the ride, like the Russian actress and movie director who will fly to the space station in October? Or Japan’s moonstruck billionaire who will follow them from Kazakhstan in December with his production assistant tagging along to document everything? In each case, a professional cosmonaut will be in charge of the Soyuz capsule.

Training with SpaceX at the Kennedy Space Centre: Jared Isaacman, Hayley Arceneaux, Sian Proctor and Chris Sembroski.

SpaceX’s high tech capsules are completely automated, as are Blue Origin’s. So, should rich riders and their guests be called astronauts even if they learn the ropes in case they need to intervene in an emergency?

Perhaps even more important, where does space begin?

The US Federal Aviation Administration limits its commercial astronaut wings to flight crews. The minimum altitude is 80 km. It’s awarded seven so far; recipients include the two pilots for Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic who made another test flight of the company’s rocket ship Saturday.

Others define space as beginning at an even 100 km above sea level.

Blue Origin’s capsules are designed to reach that threshold and provide a few minutes of weightlessness before returning to Earth. By contrast, it takes 90 minutes to circle the world. The Association of Space Explorers requires at least one orbit of Earth – in a spacecraft – for membership.

The astronaut debate has been around since the 1960s, according to Garriott. His late father, Owen Garriott, was among the first so-called scientist-astronauts hired by NASA; the test pilots in the office resented sharing the job title.

It might be necessary to retire the term altogether once hundreds if not thousands reach space, noted Fordham University history professor Asif Siddiqi, the author of several space books. “Are we going to call each and every one of them astronauts?”

Mullane, the three-time space shuttle flier, suggests using astronaut first class, second class, third class, “depending on what your involvement is, whether you pull out a wallet and write a cheque.”

While a military-style pecking order might work, former NASA historian Roger Launius warned: “This gets really complicated really quickly.”

In the end, Mullane noted, “Astronaut is not a copyrighted word. So, anybody who wants to call themselves an astronaut can call themselves an astronaut, whether they’ve been in space or not.”

First published at Travel Industry Today

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

PUBS, PATIOS & BARS: Tea with a twist (of gin)

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There’s nothing wrong with a nice afternoon tea, but typically it’s not the purview of this column (let’s be honest, we’ve never, ever, never, talked about tea before). However, lest you think I’m soused (more likely than writing about tea), this time there is a twist: Tea at the Grand Central Hotel Belfast, Northern Ireland, is now paired with the world’s largest bottle of gin.

The luxury hotel, which lays claim to having Ireland’s tallest cocktail bar (an important feature as you will see), teamed up with local gin distiller Jawbox Spirits to unveil the huge Giant’s Edition bottle, which is the attraction of the playfully named “G & Tea” afternoon tea experience, also dubbed “tea with a twist,” and now served in The Observatory on the 23rd floor of the Grand.

Nearly 1,000 measures of gin are included in the huge Jawbox Giant’s Edition bottle, which takes its name and inspiration from Jonathan Swift’s famous novel Gulliver’s Travels, in which the writer was said to have been inspired by the sight of the Belfast Hills, which he felt resembled a sleeping giant safeguarding the city.

At 73 cm tall, the Jawbox Giant’s Edition holds almost 46 standard bottles of gin, with the huge flagon weighing more than 50 kg and containing a staggering 32 litres of the spirit.

The G & Tea menu includes a selection of delicate sandwiches, scones, and sweet treats inspired by the botanicals and flavours of the gin.

Guests can also sit back, relax, and take in the stunning views overlooking the Belfast Hills, where one of the spirit’s ingredients, Black Mountain Heather, is gathered, while enjoying a new, specially designed Jonathan’s Twist Cocktail.

The G & Tea experience is notably supported by Tourism Northern Ireland and the ‘Embrace a Giant Spirit’ campaign, which is evident everywhere one goes in the streets of Belfast.

The Tea is served daily from 1 to 5 p.m. and is priced at £40 (£50 with the Jonathan’s Twist Cocktail). The hotel is located in the heart of the city at 9-15 Bedford St. in the Linen Quarter.
With glass purposefully in hand, we at Travel Industry Today continue our series on some of the planet’s best bars, patios and rooftop venues. For more articles in the series, click here:

PREVIOUS ARTICLES: https://travelindustrytoday.com/pub-patio/

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CARNIVAL PLANS TO ADD TWO MORE SHIPS TO ITS FLEET

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Carnival Cruise Line has plans to grow its fleet by two additional ships by 2023. It’s taking over the delivery of an Excel-class ship that had previously been assigned to sister line AIDA Cruises that will arrive in late 2023, as well as taking ownership of Costa Magica from European sister line Costa Cruises. That 2,700-passenger ship, built in 2004, will go through a dry dock and be renamed to join the Carnival fleet by mid-2022.

These two ships are in addition to the new capacity growth represented by Mardi Gras, Carnival’s first Excel-class ship which starts sailing from Port Canaveral on July 31 and her sister ship, Carnival Celebration, which will be delivered and sail from Miami starting in late 2022, as part of Carnival’s 50th birthday festivities.

Read it all in The Cruisington Times

Carnival’s Mardi Gras is the first of four ships growing the fleet – Courtesy Carnival Cruise Line

 

 

 

 

First published at Travel Industry Today

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News