Last December, Jordan Hurt swam in the Pacific Ocean after skydiving from 10,000 feet above Manuel Antonio, a rugged national park in Costa Rica.

Mid-swim, the 32-year-old realized he needed a break from the Big Apple a long break.

After nearly 10 years in New York and more than five working as an assistant to Million Dollar Listing New York real estate broker Ryan Serhant, Hurt questioned whether the hustle made him happy.

The answer was no, Hurt said. As I was in the ocean I just looked around and I was like, Oh, its this. This is what I want.

When he returned to the city in January, he started plotting out a yearlong backpacking trip around the world. By the time his planned July departure rolled around, however, Hurt had to contend with myriad obstacles due to the coronavirus, which began its major US outbreak in March. Not only did the Centers for Disease Control recommend avoiding all nonessential travel, but the bulk of the worlds nearly 200 countries shut their borders to US travelers and remain that way.

There was maybe one moment within that first stretch of quarantine that I thought, Oh, Im not going to be able to do this, said the Ohio native. I knew I had to stay hopeful and figure out a way for it to be possible.

Clinging to a now-or-never mentality, Hurt had already budgeted the time and money for the trip.

If I would have waited another year, my life could be completely different, said Hurt. I didnt own [my] apartment, I didnt have a partner, I didnt have a dog I was like, Pull the cord, lets go.

So, on July 5 a day after receiving negative COVID-19 test results he set off on his adventure. In his bag, he packed a stack of bandanas to wear over surgical masks.

First came a 14-day quarantine in a London Airbnb, where he watched Netflix and ordered fish and chips via Uber Eats. He chose the United Kingdom as a starting point, he said, because it allows US citizens to enter with the requisite two weeks isolation.

After the mandatory quarantine ended, he boarded a train for Gare du Nord station in Paris. Coming from the UK, he was able to enter France regardless of his own citizenship.

Hurt did have to reroute his itinerary three times to accommodate destinations that allow travelers. Initially, at the onset of the outbreak in the US in March, he figured he could begin in Guatemala and work his way down into South America. But the coronavirus soon spread to that region, with countries including Brazil, Chile and Peru continuing to battle major outbreaks. (Latin America has since recorded more than 5.4 million infections and more than 210,000 deaths.) So he switched tack and set his sights on Europe.

Hurt stayed with friends in Paris, then took a bus to Bordeaux and traveled the Atlantic coast, where he climbed Dune Du Pilat, Europes tallest sand dune. From there, he took a long-distance rideshare to Madrid and has since driven through southern Spain, hitting Seville, Cadiz, Tarifa, Malaga and Granada, chronicling his stops on social media.

Coronavirus cases in Spain, however, have risen throughout July and August and on Tuesday, national health authorities announced 8,618 new cases arose over the previous four days. Hurt is keeping his eyes on cases in Barcelona, which he wants to visit before making his way to Italy via France.

There is a huge lack of tourism, he said, adding that visits to tourist hot spots like Buckingham Palace in London and the Plaza de Espaa in Seville have been blissfully empty. Im just going with the flow and its different.

There are other Americans around Europe though not nearly as many as during any typical summer. One traveler from Miami told Politico he also reached Spain via the United Kingdom, where authorities didnt require him to isolate during a layover at Londons Heathrow airport. When he arrived in Barcelona, he was treated as a UK citizen and allowed to enter.

Even while forging ahead with his grand adventure, Hurt added, hes being responsible.

Every single place I go, I wear a mask and I wear a mask every day on the streets, he said adding that he also frequently uses publicly accessible hand sanitizer and stays 6 feet from others.

At the end of the day, I come in peace, he said. Im coming to experience different cultures and experience different beautiful landmarks Im not coming to be some fool out here.

When hes not sightseeing, hes eating at restaurants, where hes been able to dine inside as long as he wears a mask until reaching the table. And staying in hostels, hes made some friends, including a man from London with a similar backpacking route with whom Hurt has been traveling in Spain. Otherwise, he said, there is a certain amount of time Im spending alone, though he added that doesnt bother him.

Unlike in New York, museums and other attractions are open in Europe with social-distancing measures and timed tickets. Hurt hasnt encountered a site hes wanted to see but couldnt due to COVID-19.

For now, hes in Europe for a couple more months before trekking to Turkey, where Americans can enter with a visa after being checked for COVID-19 symptoms. He aims to head to Israel in October, but since March 18, Israels government has barred all foreigners from entering its borders.

[Coronavirus] has presented me with challenges and obstacles along the way, but in a way it kind of adds to the adventure, said Hurt. In the meantime, Im out seeing the world.

Whats more: He also hopes to reach Australia and previously COVID-free New Zealand, both of which have also sealed their borders to new arrivals. Other target destinations for 2021 include India and southeast Asia.

This is going to be one of those opportunities to really grow, he said. Its great to be alive and its great to be experiencing this time in my life.

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Coronavirus hasn't stopped me from quitting my job to backpack around the world - New York Post

KYIV, Ukraine Tears streamed down Yevhenia Troyans face as her flight took off from Northern Cyprus, one of the odd corners of Europe where Ukrainian surrogacy agencies have set up shop.

The flight in February was her last chance to return home to Ukraine before its borders slammed shut with coronavirus travel bans. But she had to leave abandon, she felt the baby girl she had just given birth to on behalf of a lesbian couple in London.

I had the feeling I was leaving my own baby behind, she said.

In one of the more bizarre consequences of coronavirus travel restrictions, biological parents, babies and surrogate mothers have become scattered and sometimes stranded in multiple countries for months this year.

Ukraine, with its relatively permissive reproductive health laws and an abundance of willing mothers among a poor population, is a hub of the international business, executives in the industry and womens rights advocates say.

But Ukrainian law bans surrogacy for same-sex couples or for clients who wish to select the sex of the child. In response, a branch of the Ukrainian industry began moving women to other jurisdictions for impregnation and birth, often to legal gray zones like the largely unrecognized, Turkish-backed, splinter state of Northern Cyprus.

An ideal destination for all family models, one company offering the service, Surrogacy 365, says on its website.

The women travel to have an embryo implanted, return to Ukraine for seven months of pregnancy, then travel again to give birth.

Virus travel restrictions drew attention earlier this year for blocking heterosexual parents from retrieving their babies inside Ukraine. At one point, 79 babies were stacked up in Kyiv, cared for by nurses, in cribs at a hotel.

In neighboring Russia, where surrogacy is also legal, a member of the Kremlins advisory council on human rights said that as many as 1,000 babies born in surrogacy are stranded, the Guardian reported. Virus travel bans also stranded babies born by Ukrainian surrogate mothers in third countries.

It is a very common illegal business in such countries as Northern Cyprus, Transnistria, Abkhazia and other unrecognized statelets, said Sergii Antonov, a lawyer and authority on reproductive law in Ukraine.

In Northern Cyprus, the Ukrainian mothers give birth without a legal surrogacy contract. Instead, they renounce custody after birth, which allows the genetic parents to adopt the children. It is a legal process that can stretch for several weeks.

In February and March, 14 Ukrainian mothers, fearful of being stranded by virus travel bans, left Northern Cyprus after giving birth but before completing the transfer to the genetic parents, leaving behind a crop of babies in legal limbo.

An ensuing dispute between agents and the mothers has spilled into the news media in Ukraine and shed light on what is usually a secretive business. The women say they endured shoddy medical care and mandatory C-sections, assertions supported by medical records of postpartum treatment. One baby died.

These illegal programs became visible only because the virus travel bans disrupted their business model, said Svitlana Burkovska, director of Mothers Force, a nongovernmental group.

Ms. Burkovska estimated that last year, before the virus travel bans, about 3,000 Ukrainian women traveled abroad for surrogacy births and another 30,000 traveled to donate eggs, mostly out of public view. It is very risky for the women giving birth, she said.

Her group is now investigating an underground maternity ward in an apartment in the town of Famagusta in Northern Cyprus. The mothers described it as a clandestine hospital. They said the nurses spoke only Turkish, and the doctors didnt know their medical histories.

When I came to the hospital a doctor was surprised to hear I had a C-section before, said one of the women, who offered only her first name, Ira, because she does not want family and friends to know of her work as a surrogate mother.

It was too late to follow safe practice and deliver her next child by Cesarean, as her cervix was opening, she said. An anesthesiologist arrived wearing a down jacket, rather than scrubs, inside the makeshift hospital, and she gave birth.

Several hours later, she watched the baby die on a table nearby while medical workers were trying to save her own life, she said. She was bleeding internally and vomiting.

They obviously did not have enough staff, Ira said. They put the baby aside, it was a nice healthy-looking girl. She did not breathe but I saw her moving, Ira said, crying while recalling the ordeal, which took place in February.

After the death, the Turkish doctors demanded the women give birth by C-section, though one was allowed a vaginal birth.

Updated August 12, 2020

I begged to give birth naturally, Ms. Troyan said. They promised me I could, but the doctor suddenly came and said I am having a C-section, right now.

An agent sent a text message to her phone: We dont need more deaths.

Another surrogate mother in the group, who offered only her first name, Yana, who is 22, carried a baby girl for a gay couple from England. The baby was born in the 36th week by C-section. I could have easily carried the baby full term, she said.

As the virus spread in February, the surrogacy agency asked the mothers to remain in Famagusta and feign parenthood of the children until paperwork was completed, but they left instead.

I was told to pretend, if the police came to check, that the biological father is my common-law husband, said one of the mothers, Yulia, 40, who carried twin girls for a gay couple from England.

Yulia is in touch with the couple, who paid more than 100,000 euros, or $118,000. But the couple has been unable to pick up the twins, she said. The babies are temporarily in foster care, Yulia said.

When she left, Ms. Troyan feared for the uncertain legal future of the girl she had given birth to, and she cried. In her case, however, the gay parents from Britain managed to retrieve the infant from Northern Cyprus.

Not all Ukrainian women who travel abroad to provide surrogacy services endured such ordeals.

Lyudmyla Medvedchuk, 40, had an embryo transfer in Ukraine and gave birth in Poland in mid-February, without incident. Ms. Medvedchuk, in an interview, said she enjoyed the experience of being a surrogate mother and planned to do so again.

But back in Ukraine, the group who gave birth in Northern Cyprus struggled even to receive reimbursements for postpartum treatments.

Two agents who arranged the births blamed the mothers for abandoning the babies and lashed out publicly. The agents published the mothers names online to intimidate them, and posted on social media disparaging comments calling them cattle. Reached by phone, one of the agents declined to comment.

Carlos Alberto Leiva Signes, a case manager with Surrogacy 365, declined to discuss the companys operations, writing you are requesting confidential information. Two gay couples in Britain, contacted through the mothers, declined to comment.

Back in Ukraine, the womens lack of documents showing renunciation of custody leaves them fearful that child welfare officials will investigate them after they request postpartum care without infants to show for the births.

I am afraid I can be arrested, said Yana.

Doctors, she said, have started asking her a question she cannot answer: Where is your baby?

Andrew E. Kramer contributed reporting from Moscow.

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Mothers, Babies Stranded in Ukraine Surrogacy Industry - The New York Times

The sun is setting in Indio, California, and Dan Cross and wife, Colleen, are driving a golf cart along a palm tree-fringed path.

They're heading to their friends' home for dinner, where dinner is served on a private outdoor patio near the pool. Mountains loom in the distance and the blazing sun fades away as the friends talk in Desert Shores Motorcoach Resort, the luxury RV resort the Crosses have called part-time home for the past 12 years and where a lot costs an average of $400,000.

Welcome to Desert Shores, where an RV lot will cost you $400,000. Courtesy Desert Shores

The Crosses have been RVing for nearly 35 years, and they've been in the high-end RV market for most of that time. Their primary residence is in Iowa, and they chose California to escape the cold Midwestern winters. They stay at Desert Shores from November through April, and to live there is to have a social existence.

"There's an awful lot of socializing going on within the park," Cross told Business Insider. "During a typical week, you find people inviting their friends and neighbors over and having dinner on their patios."

RVing has long been a popular travel option, but as the coronavirus pandemic led to border shutdowns around the world, many Americans have turned to old-fashioned domestic road travel to satiate their cabin fever. RVshare, a peer-to-peer rental marketplace, reported a 650% increase in bookings since early April.

RVs are hotels, cars, and offices in one with the added perk of bathrooms and WiFi. For families on the go, the sights and national parks in Western states like South Dakota, Wyoming, Arizona, and California remain top RV destinations. But for travelers who appreciate the finer things in life, luxury RV resorts, which are similar to five-star hotels, prove to be extremely popular.

Not just a place to park your RVs, RV resorts have spacious lots and operate essentially like country clubs, with monthly dues in exchange for access to a wide array of amenities.

Just 30 minutes from Palm Springs and Joshua Tree National Park and one hour from Big Bear Lake, Desert Shores has 141 lots.

All guests at Desert Shores sleep in their motorhomes, but each of those lots also has a villa. They're aptly named "villas": Each measures between 1,200 and 1,800 square feet and is replete with its own pool, hot tub, and patio. Indoors, space opens up to a kitchen, a great room, a bathroom, and a garage. Owners can put their lots into a rental pool and renters must stay for a minimum of 31 days.

Courtesy Desert Shores

Guests also have access to a 10,000-square-foot clubhouse, pool, spa, kitchen, ballroom, fitness center, tennis courts, a dog park and enhanced security.

Darren Leigh Smith, Desert Shores' Broker, says the resort attracts buyers seeking an upscale experience.

"Our guests are primarily snowbirds from colder states, and most are self-made husband-and-wife duos who have built small businesses together," Smith said. "All of the hard work they put in affords them the time to enjoy life away from work more. They come to Desert Shores because of the extra space we provide with our large lots and casitas, which allows them to invite their kids and grandkids to visit, which can be hard to do with typical RV resorts."

These specific restrictions match most of those who own Class A motorhomes. Like many of the luxury RV resort offerings, Desert Shores requires guests to have Class A motorhomes (also referred to as bus conversions and motorcoaches), which typically measure 36- to 45-feet long. They're the largest on the market, sleeping eight to 10 people.

These are also considered the most luxurious RVs out there and cost anywhere from $50,000 and to $3 million.

A Featherlite Coach. Courtesy Featherlite

Among the many companies that create Class A motorhomes are Monarch, Marathon Coaches, Prevost, and Anderson Mobile Estates. These motorhomes are often regarded as "land yachts" for their expensive fabrics and flooring, top-notch appliances, and even rooftop hot tubs.

Featherlite Coaches, a luxury motorcoach manufacturer, creates conversion motorhomes on the Prevost bus chassis with floor plans that can include multiple bathrooms, bunk beds that convert to closets, and dinettes that convert to coffee tables for entertaining. Many are even installed with Amazon Alexa voice controls, Apple TV, HDTV satellite antennas, and cellular routers to stay connected even in the most remote locations.

Mark Eisenhart, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Featherlite Coaches, told Business Insider the company has seen a marked increase in sales and deliveries of coaches since mid-May. Compared to the same months last year, sales and deliveries have more than doubled, Eisenhart said.

"As more executives need to travel, and more families search for a safer way to travel and vacation, coaches offer a method to satisfy both needs," Eisenhart said.

The camaraderie and like-minded community is what draws people to RV resorts.

"RV people are different. They like being outdoors, and they like being with their spouse," said Kyle McCain, an RVer and President of the Board of Directors at Mountain Falls Motorcoach Resort in Lake Toxaway, North Carolina. "Any one of us can get on an airplane and fly to the Ritz-Carlton. But if you're at an RV resort, you like being with similar people."

Mountain Falls attracts an affluent clientele that includes Fortune 500 business executives, developers, oil company executives, hoteliers, and wine connoisseurs. McCain says COVID-19 has positively impacted sales at Mountain Falls, reporting a 127% increase in revenue and 102% increase in rentals over the last year.

Courtesy Mountain Falls

There are 230 lots, most of which come with a cottage and can set you back $1.2 million to $3 million. There's no lack of activities to partake in on-site: the RV park has tennis courts, pickleball courts, a fitness center and spa, a nine-hole golf course, and two pools. That's in addition to a concierge who organizes off-property activities like hiking, and a chic clubhouse with stately stone fireplaces and a dining room.

"At Mountain Falls, ownership is inspired by the absolute beauty we're surrounded by a state park wilderness on one side and the Blue Ridge Mountains on the other side," McCain said. "That, combined with the best amenities and social events that we, as 38-year RVers, have ever experienced."

Lisa Proctor and her husband, both of whom are retired, have been traveling to Mountain Falls for four years. They head there for the summer months to escape the sweltering Tennessee heat. Their small dog Roxy has been a trusty companion on their travels.

"RV living is, more than anything else, about being outside and away from the noise, confinement and complexity of urban life," she told Business Insider.

An aerial shot of Mountain Falls. Courtesy Mountain Falls

While some love the seclusion, others choose resorts for their proximity to the ocean and world-class golfing. Enter: Naples Motorcoach Resort in Naples, Florida.

Many RVers love Naples Motorcoach Resort because they can bring their boats for day trips or fishing in the Gulf of Mexico, to which the resort offers direct access. The 184-lot luxury resort's grounds feature manicured gardens, palm trees, and tidy green lawns. Among its amenities are three pools, fitness center, poker room, private theater, billiards room, and a ballroom.

Chad Geffert, General Manager of Naples Motorcoach Resort, told Business Insider that owners typically build custom casitas with amenities like tiki huts, outdoor kitchens, and fire pits. Lots range from $129,900 to $289,000, excluding the cost of the customizations.

Courtesy Naples Motorcoach

"RV ownership has gone up in the industry, and I think it's related to the fact that RVs are probably the safest way to travel for the next few years," Geffert said. Of Naples Motorcoach's clientele, he noted, "It's all large-scale, Class A motorhomes. When people come down from the north, they'll spend the whole season down here. It's more of a long-term resort with the option to buy and have a piece of paradise forever."

At Hearthside Grove Motorcoach Resort in Petoskey, Michigan, vacationers are able to access the outdoors in complete luxury. Lots have cottages with chic amenities and contemporary interiors, but they do not come cheap: Purchasing a lot can cost up to $1 million.

The resort is ensconced in lush woodlands and is just minutes from the lake with easy access to golfing, sailing, fishing trips, and cooking classes with local chefs. It's the perfect family-friendly resort.

The living is easy at Hearthside Grove in Michigan. Courtesy Hearthside Grove

The ease of having an RV, especially during COVID-19, is paying off for several travelers. Cross and his wife will return to Desert Shores for their usual November to April season, but in the meantime, they're hoping to take a trip up to Michigan with the lifelong friends they've met at Desert Shores resort.

"We've built probably the best friends of our lives there," he said. "Like family."

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Inside the exclusive world of luxury RV travel in America - Business Insider - Business Insider

At the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, with travel restrictions in place worldwide, we launched a series The World Through a Lens in which photojournalists help transport you, virtually, to some of our planets most beautiful and intriguing places. This week, Randy Harris shares a collection of images from the shores of Cape Cod.

When I first met Chris Crobar, he was a half mile from the shore, on the tidal flats that stretch far out into Cape Cod Bay. It was 5 a.m., and I was out for a walk at low tide. From a distance, I saw what looked like little black sails in the water.

Chris was a spectacle: alone with his boat and table in the middle of the bay like an artist with his easel, painting a fiery sunrise. He stood there fastidiously scraping the barnacles off his oysters, then tossing them back into the cages where theyll sit for a couple of years on the floor of the bay.

Before the arrival of the Europeans, the native people of Cape Cod, the Nauset tribe, had an abundant supply of oysters. Crassostrea virginica, known as the American oyster (or the eastern, Wellfleet, Atlantic or Virginia oyster), was naturally flush in coastal areas and estuaries, where the rivers meet the sea. Oyster reefs were Americas coral reefs; oysters filtered the water some adult oysters can filter 50 gallons a day and fed a range of other sea life.

In the 18th and 19th centuries, disease, overharvesting and new technologies including developments in dredging, canning and transportation transformed Americas oyster industry. The native oyster population in Wellfleet, Mass., for example, was nearly depleted. To cope, locals began seeding the waters with young oysters imported from the Chesapeake.

In his 1881 report, Ernest Ingersoll wrote that a hundred thousand bushels of the bivalves once grew fat along the Wellfleet waterfront. Now, a little experimental propagation, of the value of a few hundred dollars, and about 6,000 bushels of bedded oysters from Virginia, worth perhaps $5,000 when sold, form the total active business.

Modern-day aquaculture has changed the game. A company called Aquacultural Research Corporation, founded around 1960, produces shellfish seed tiny juvenile oysters, also called spat and sells it to local shellfish farmers. Chris Crobar is one of those farmers. A native of Eastham, Mass., he grew up working on his fathers clam boat. Today, he sets his hours not by the clock, but by the tide. He has been raising oysters for five years on his two-acre farm in the Cape Cod Bay just beyond First Encounter Beach, the location of the first meeting between the Nauset people and the Pilgrims.

Cape Cod is as unique as its oysters. Depending on the location, the high tidal waters flush the oysters with a varying mix of freshwater and saltwater. This helps create nuanced flavors.

Wellfleet, which juts farther out into the bay, is famous throughout the world for its briny oyster. In Barnstable, Chatham and Orleans, the fresh tidal water and sweet marsh algae combine to create a sweet and earthy flavor profile. Eastham oysters are known for being both mildly briny and earthy.

Paul Wittenstein, the general manager of A.R.C., explained how the hatchery produces its seed: In midwinter, the hatchery places adult shellfish in warm water thats rich with algae, which causes the shellfish to spawn. The hatchery then catches the eggs, hatches them and grows them in their tanks until spring, when theyre moved into the A.R.C.s nursery system. From there, they continue to grow before being measured, counted and sold to farmers.

After obtaining his oyster seeds from A.R.C., Chris initially grows them in mesh bags, using the French rack-and-bag system. Later, the oysters are transferred into metal grow-out cages, where they sit on the bottom of the bay from one-and-a-half to two yearsuntil they reach 2.5 to 3 inches, to be marketed as petite or cocktail oysters, or 3 inches or more to be marketed as select oysters. (He also digs for wild razor clams and quahogs.)

Lately there has been a surge in aquaculture farming, especially with oysters. But yields can vary significantly from year to year. This past winter was mild, with little to no ice. Seed did well. Many farmers were expecting a good year. But with water temperatures increasing to over 80 degrees at high tide, both algae blooms and crashes can result, leaving the oysters with nothing to eat.

Oyster farming, in other words, has always been an unpredictable business. And the coronavirus pandemic has hit the industry hard: With fewer people dining out, farmers are sitting on their inventory. Some have feared a collapse of the market.

But Chris is more hopeful. Its important to me to be optimistic about the future, he said. For now we have to keep planting and raising shellfish, hoping that things will eventually get back to normal.

Fishermen adapt, he added, and always find a way to keep moving forward.

Randy Harris is a photographer based in New York. You can follow his work on Instagram.

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On the Shores of Cape Cod, Where the Oyster Is Their World - The New York Times

Teandra Taylor said she believes it's important for her son to learn about other people and cultures. Hes already been to 11 countries and 18 states.

A lot of parents want to give their children the world, but Teandra Taylor of Mansfield, would rather show them.

Life is too short to wait, so I believe in accomplishing what you want to accomplish now, your dreams now, she said.

Taylors dad was in the Army. Growing up, they moved around a lot. She says seeing so many different cultures made her a better person.

Thats why I knew that when I had kids I had to be able to show them different things outside of our zip code, outside of our state, outside of our country even, she explained.

Thats why she has spent the past three years traveling the world with her son, Carson.

From posing in front the Eiffel Tower to mud bathing with elephants in Indonesia, Taylor has taken Carson, her only child, on adventures all over the globe.

During their travels, he often dons a pilots hat and goes by the nickname "Captain Carson." Taylor said traveling has made Carson more personable. Every time he boards a flight, he tries to say hi to everyone on the plane.

Hes just 3 years old, but has already been to 11 countries and 18 states.

Theyve been grounded most of this year due to COVID-19, although they have taken a few short road trips, but Carson always has his bags packed and ready.

He plays TSA in our living room, Taylor said.

Before each trip, Taylor tries to teach Carson about the places theyll visit, but childrens travel literature isnt exactly on the bestsellers list.

So I thought, 'Ive been to enough places, why not just start my own?' to be able to reach kids, Taylor said.

They wrote their first book earlier this year and plan to release more, hoping their adventures will inspire people, especially African American families, to travel.

Its important to note that Taylor isnt wealthy. She works as a project officer for the government and believes giving a child such a life experience is worth the investment.

It doesnt have to always be big, expensive, luxurious trips for you to travel with your children, she said. Traveling is more about the exposure and the experiences youre providing to your kids.

Those experiences have taught Carson to appreciate people from all walks of life.

Taylor explained that leaving our comfort zone can tear down walls that often divide us and open our hearts to a love outside ourselves.

Its showing him to accept people regardless of what theyre going through, regardless of who they are, she said. Even if he doesnt remember, this is shaping him into being an amazing man that hes going to grow into in the future.

He's 3 years old and already filled with love. Clearly, this kid is going places.

Continued here:

3-year-old 'Captain Carson' learning about life while traveling world with mom - WFAA.com

The Dallas-Fort Worth airport has suddenly come under the spotlight, as it has now become the busiest airport in the world during the COVID-19 times. The airport has reached this momentous stage in its existence now by operating more flights than anywhere else in the world. The airport located in Texas, United States, is now an airport that has the most number of takeoffs, and landings in the world for the past few months.

It has been on the top spot since the month of May, when it completed 22831 takeoffs and landings, more than any other airport in the world. Of course, it was during a time when most countries were under a lockdown and air travel was seemingly impossible. The Dallas-Fort Worth airport beat other busy airports in the country, including the Chicago OHare and the Charlotte Douglas International Airport in North Carolina.

During the lockdown period, there was a low demand for flights, and hence the number of flights were also reduced. Then passengers had to reroute through airports such as Dallas-Fort Worth, and hence their traffic increased exponentially. Charlotte, on the other hand, is also another busy hub close to Dallas-Fort Worth. Both of these airports have an increased number of passengers, and increased number of flights. These two are factors that determine which airport is the busiest.

Airports in cities such as London, Tokyo, Dubai, and Chicago are usually the busiest airports year-round. But, due to the ongoing pandemic, most airports are seeing reduced passenger traffic. Amidst all of this, the Dallas-Fort Worth has come right on top as the airport that is most in demand.

Read the original here:

Why is Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport the busiest in the world right now? - Happytrips

Your call is important to us. All our representatives are currently assisting other customers. Your estimated wait time is two to three hours.

That was a message a lot of travelers heard in March as they called into online booking sites attempting to rebook their travel plans or get a refund. When they finally were able to speak to a live person, in many cases, they werent offered much help.

Michelle Fee heard these horror stories too often.

We heard of some people waiting on hold for over seven hours only to be told there was nothing they could do to help them, Fee says. Unfortunately, a lot of these online booking travel agencies were designed for high volume, not a high level of service.

Fee is the CEO and founder of Cruise Planners, a home-based travel agency franchise company. A former travel agent herself, Fee has always believed in the value of having a professional travel advisor help plan your vacations. She says the pandemic has only made their value more apparent.

When travel restrictions went into effect, travel agents sprang into action and worked around the clock to get their clients home safely, apply for refunds or credits for future travel and help them rebook a future trip. They truly served as an advocate for their clients and did everything they could to help protect their travel investment.

Navigating a Quickly Changing Landscape

Where many online travel booking sites fell short, travel advisors stepped up. They were on the phones constantly with travel suppliers, working to navigate complex and quickly changing policies, and ultimately do right by their clients, whether that meant canceling a trip entirely or rescheduling for a later date.

It required long, tedious hours, and Cruise Planners franchise owner Scott Murphy admits its been challenging, but he feels a sense of obligation to take as much worry away from his clients as possible.

As much as I wish I was making sales instead of refunding trips, I had to do the right thing for my clients, Murphy says. I focused on walking them through all their options to postpone versus cancel outright so they could make the best decision for themselves.

Travel is Resilient

Despite the impact the coronavirus has had on the travel industry, travel agents remain optimistic about the future of their business.

The travel industry is incredibly resilient, Cruise Planners franchise owner Karen Holmes says. This isnt the first time weve been hit with a difficult situation, but people love to travel and want to get back out there as soon as possible. Im focused on prepping for the surge in travel I know is coming.

Fee is already starting to see that pent-up demand.

She notes that although cruises remain docked, Cruise Planners is a full-service travel agency and has a steady stream of bookings for all-inclusive resorts, luxury properties and villas and local attractions that have started to welcome guests back. Bookings for 2021 also continue to rise.

We know many travelers are still waiting for a time they feel its safer to travel, Fee acknowledges, but we also know there is huge pent-up demand for travel. We are seeing strong bookings already for 2021 and we expect there to be an even bigger surge once a vaccine is announced.

Cruise Planners franchise owner Anoop Mittra echoes that sentiment.

Humans are wanderers, he says. They want to go and see the world.

Travel Agents Will be Key to the Travel Rebirth

Fee admits it will take some time for the travel industry to fully recover and that travel might look a little different, but she knows travel agents will play a huge role in the industrys resurgence.

Travelers are going to want to know they will be safe, she says. But with guidelines and policies varying by destination and supplier, it can be a lot to process by yourself. Travel agents will be key to helping travelers navigate this new world and provide guidance on safe destinations and activities.

She also thinks many travelers who opted to use online booking sites in the past will not want to relive the poor experiences they endured.

For many people, they only get to take one trip a year, Fee says. You never think something is going to go wrong, but if it does, you want to have someone advocating on your behalf to protect your travel investment.

Why Now is the Right Time to Get Into Travel

Even though the travel industry continues to feel the effects of the coronavirus, Fee believes this is actually one of the best times to get into the travel advisor business.

No new business is going to get up and running overnight, she says. Now is a good time to startyou can even do it part timeso you can establish the foundation of your business, learn about the industry and be in a position to capitalize on the pent-up demand for travel in 2021.

Looking to take your travel advisor business to the next level? See how Cruise Planners gives you the tools and resources you need to be successful. Significant discounts are available to existing travel agents. Learn more at http://www.cruiseplannersfranchise.com.

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As the World Shut Down, Travel Agents Went to Work - TravelPulse

Dublin, Aug. 14, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Global Online Travel Booking Platform Market 2020-2024" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The global online travel booking platform market is poised to grow by $204.81 billion during 2020-2024, progressing at a CAGR of 5% during the forecast period.

This report provides a holistic analysis, market size and forecast, trends, growth drivers, and challenges, as well as vendor analysis covering around 25 vendors. The report offers an up-to-date analysis regarding the current global market scenario, latest trends and drivers, and the overall market environment.

The market is driven by the increasing internet and smartphone penetration and differential packaging methods used by vendors. The study identifies the increasing consolidation of online travel agencies as one of the prime reasons driving the online travel booking platform market growth during the next few years.

The global online travel booking platform market is segmented as below:

By Type

By Geography

The robust vendor analysis is designed to help clients improve their market position, and in line with this, this report provides a detailed analysis of several leading online travel booking platform market vendors that include:

Also, the online travel booking platform market analysis report includes information on upcoming trends and challenges that will influence market growth. This is to help companies strategize and leverage on all forthcoming growth opportunities.

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/e8vfbr

Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research.

Original post:

World Online Travel Booking Platform Market 2020-2024: Increasing Consolidation of Online Travel Agencies a Key Driver - Benzinga

Tokyo (CNN) We can all agree that screaming is a pivotal part of a great haunted house experience.

"With the virus, I knew there would be no way we could have a traditional haunted house, with all that screaming in a small confined space," Kenta Iwana, Kowagarasetai's founder, tells CNN Travel.

"When I read that drive-through theaters were making a comeback, it was my 'aha' moment."

Stuck in a pitch-black, zombie-infested garage

The haunted house drive-in, located in a covered parking garage in a non-descript building in downtown Tokyo, gives visitors a 360-degree, front-row experience that simulates being stuck in a car during a zombie outbreak.

Use your own car for JPY8,000 ($75), or if you're like many Tokyoites and don't own one, they will provide a vehicle for JPY9,000, or $85.

Given you're just sitting in the garage, no driver's license is needed.

Visitors turn off the engine and the garage shutter closes, plunging the vehicle into total darkness.

Drivers receive a set of Bluetooth speakers and the spooky tale begins.

"Around these parts, there's a legend that the ghosts attack humans. Honk your horn three times if you want to hear more," says the voice from the speaker, in Japanese.

For the next 17 minutes, blood-soaked ghouls and zombies press up against the windows and rock the car.

Fear not, somehow you will live through it.

Afterwards, the car is wiped clean of blood.

Kowagarasetai

Extra-blood and cleaning services

With Tokyo battling another wave of Covid-19 infections, the company says it's taking every precaution to protect both its actors and customers. Each car is wiped down with alcohol to minimize risks for the ghost actors. Rental cars are lined in plastic, which is changed for every customer.

Afterward, the car is wiped clean of the fake blood (and potential viruses from the hands of the ghosts). There is fine print on the website that says, "We cannot remove every drop of blood. It will be clean enough to drive on the road."

There's also an extra-bloody package available for an additional JPY1,000 ($9).

Summer is traditionally peak season for ghost stories in Japan, a popular way to chill out on a hot night. Iwana says scary films and games have always been a part of his life.

"My parents rented horror movies and let me watch them play 'Biohazard' ('Resident Evil 7') since I was three," says Iwana.

"Ghosts are like Pokemon to me."

He dropped out of university six years ago to turn his passion into a business, staging haunted houses and creating bespoke thrillers "anywhere anyone asks me" -- including amusements parks, arcades and private homes.

Founded on Halloween Day in 2018, Kowagarasetai roughly translates to "the Scaredy Squad" in Japanese.

With all the self-restraint permeating in society due to Covid-19, he wanted to show that it was OK for people to have some fun.

The drive-in haunted house experience started out as a summer-only attraction in July, with tickets selling out the day they went on sale. Now, there's a waiting list of more than 1,000 people, says Iwana.

Given its immense popularity, he says they're bringing it back when temperatures cool, as August is too hot to run the haunted drive-in.

Read the original here:

Tokyo has a drive-in haunted house. And it's terrifying - CNN

WTTC calls for leadership from Australian Government to save the Travel & Tourism sector

The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has urgently called on the Australian government for strong leadership and unprecedented international collaboration, to save the struggling Travel & Tourism sector and recover the millions of jobs already impacted.

Over 100 of the worlds major travel and global business leaders, from major airlines, airports, hotels, tour operators and travel companies, have backed the unprecedented move.

The industry leaders signed and sent the letter, which called for urgent coordinated action, to Australias Prime Minister Scott Morrison, the seven Heads of State of the G7* group of countries, as well as South Korea and Spain, the worlds major source markets.

The letter called on Australias leadership during these critical times and was also sent to Marise Payne, Simon Birmingham, Anthony Albanese, and other such international opposition leaders, highlighting the non-partisan nature of the crisis.

A copy of the letter was also sent to Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission.

WTTC, which represents the global Travel & Tourism private sector, says political leaders of these major powers must step forward to save the global economy, and support the recovery of the hundreds of millions of jobs already impacted.

If the global leaders fail to come together, WTTC anticipates irreversible damage to the Travel & Tourism sector. Furthermore, as the crippling travel restrictions remain in place, the number of jobs losses around the world will continue to increase.

According to WTTCs 2020 Economic Impact Report, during 2019, Travel & Tourism was responsible for one in 10 jobs (330 million total), making a 10.3% contribution to global GDP and generating one in four of all new jobs. Moreover, it is one of the most diverse sectors, employing people from all socio-economic backgrounds regardless of age, gender or ethnicity, and includes 53% women and 30% youth employed across the sector.

Despite Travel & Tourisms crucial importance to the local and global economies, WTTC is gravely concerned there is no clear or internationally coordinated effort to protect this uniquely exposed sector.

WTTC President and Chief Executive, Gloria Guevara highlights as the Travel & Tourism sector buckles under mounting pressure, and the global economy struggles to survive, we have to ask who is in charge of getting us out of this crisis and will lead the world to save the jobs and secure the futures of the many millions of people globally?

We have reached a stage where critical action is urgently needed. While we recognise each country must protect their own citizens and the priority to date has been domestic matters, any measures taken in silos moving forward will only worsen the plight of millions of ordinary people.

We need to transcend politics and put the millions of livelihoods, which have been affected by COVID-19, front and centre. From cabin crew to hotel staff, travel agents to call centre agents, waiters to housekeepers, receptionists to drivers, hotel managers to chefs, and the many more unsung heroes who depend on a thriving Travel & Tourism sector.

Guevara adds the voices of ordinary people must be heard, and we are calling on them to let world leaders know, in no uncertain terms, that the time for action is now.

This is not a binary solution or a choice between health on the one hand, and jobs, the economy and travel on the other. We can make strong progress on all these fronts if we follow the expert advice from science and learn from the past and positive experiences of others.

WTTC and the other signatories of the letter, sent to the leaders of the world, are committed to working together to help resolve the worst crisis of our generation, and bring back the millions of jobs impacted. However, the private sector cannot do this alone.

History teaches us the road the recovery can be either long and painful, or shorter and less devastating. During the 2008 financial crisis, strong global leadership, and public-private collaboration, enabled us to recover in shorter timeframe. We cannot see the same collaboration amongst todays leaders. We must restore the confidence to travel and put our people back to work to rebuild the global economy.

It is vital that the leaders of these countries come together and prioritise rescuing the world from this unprecedented crisis, by acting in an effective and coordinated way to bring back more than 120 million jobs and livelihoods affected.

Among those backing the WTTC call were the business leaders of major airlines, such as Virgin Atlantic, WestJet, British Airways, Emirates and Etihad.

Business leaders from top international hotel groups, such as Accor, Best Western, Hilton, Hyatt, InterContinental, Mandarin Oriental, Marriott, Melia Hotels and Radisson have also supported the initiative.

Endorsement has also come from major tour operators and travel companies, such as American Express, Carlson Wagonlit, Expedia, Travelport, TUI and Uber.

In this letter, WTTC has identified four measures which need concerted international framework and leadership to combat the coronavirus:

1.Wearing a mask: This should be mandatory on all modes of transport throughout the entire traveller journey, as well as when visiting any interior venue and in locations where there is restricted movement which results in close personal contact and required physical distancing cannot be maintained. According to medical evidence, such measures can reduce the risk of the spread by up to 92%.

2.Testing and contact tracing We need governments to invest and agree on extensive, rapid, and reliable testing, ideally with results available in as quick as 90 minutes, and at a low cost, before departure and/ or after arrival (symptomatic and asymptomatic would-be travellers), supported by effective and agreed contact tracing tools. The application of one or multiple tests, with the second after five days, will help to isolate infected people.

3.Quarantine for positive tests only: Quarantine for healthy travellers, which only serves to damage the economy, should not be necessary if testing is in place before departure and/or on arrival, and effective containment measures are taken five days later. This can replace blanket quarantine in a more targeted and effective way significantly reducing the negative impact on jobs and the economy.

4. Reinforcing global protocols and standardise measures: The adoption of global health and safety protocols will help rebuild traveller confidence and ensure a consistent, coordinated and aligned approach of the travel experience in addition to significantly reducing the risk of infection. We also support the Public Health Corridor Concept which promotes a clean and safe end-to-end journey.

WTTC research has shown that even a modest resumption of travelling can have massive economic benefits and bring thousands of desperately needed jobs back; providing a critical boost for the struggling Travel & Tourism sector and generating desperately needed GDP for economies left floundering after being struck by the pandemic.

For more information, visitwww.wttc.org

25th July 2020 - Dubai and Indonesia are latest recipients of WTTC Safe Travels stamp

9th June 2020 - Global tourist destinations sign up to the WTTC global safety and hygiene stamp

28th May 2020 - WTTC launches worlds first global safety stamp

13th May 2020 - Trip.com Group to oversee WTTC initiative to help revive tourism sector

1st May 2020 - WTTC outlines the new normal when travelling resumes

23rd April 2020 - WTTC calls on G20 leaders to coordinate recovery for the tourism industry

17th April 2020 - WTTC commends global tourism industry for helping during COVID-19

20th September 2019 - WTTC and Deloitte unveil initiative to ensure tourism success during the digital revolution

10th April 2019 - WTTC launches tourism best practices toolkit to inform governments

9th April 2019 - Cambodian sustainable tourism initiative congratulates WTTC award winners

8th April 2019 - WTTC recognises sustainable tourism excellence with 2019 Awards

17th January 2019 - CambodianCamp chosen as a finalist in WTTC Tourism Awards

12th December 2018 - WTTC highlights role of tourism in attaining a carbon neutral world by 2050

4th September 2018 - Entries open for 15th edition of WTTC Tourism for Tomorrow Awards

14th August 2018 - WTTC research shows tourism generated 18% of New Zealands GDP in 2017

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WTTC calls for leadership from Australian Government to save the Travel & Tourism sector - Australasian Leisure Management

As countries all over the world implemented a strict lockdown to contain the spread of Covid-19, international travel, unfortunately, became the first casualty.

Many wondered, what impact this loss of mobility will have? Would we all stay cooped up in our houses indefinitely? More importantly, will we ever be able to travel again?

But with more people increasingly stressed about the virus, potentially losing jobs and a worldwide travel ban still in place, Queenie Shaikh a travel journalist with an Instagram handle and a YouTube channel under the moniker The Poor Londoner started racking her brain for ideas thatll help everyone destress. And so, the concept for Visit Us was born.

She asked people on social media to email her a 5-10 second video clip giving one specific reason why people around the globe should visit their hometowns, starting with the phrase Visit Us.

This was to serve as motivation for future travel bucket lists, once normality returned.

With an overwhelming response, Shaikh wished to deliver content that represented diversity, unique cultures, beautiful accents and unheard-of travel spots.

"The idea behind the film was to portray my obvious dismay at the international travel ban, but in the form of a dream sequence. I wanted to depict the power of creative imagination and filmed myself accordingly. Theres a line in the video that says, how cool would it be if I could just disappear into a map and travel the world?

Read the rest here:

Want to travel the world? Here's how to do that without leaving your homes - DAWN.com

A few words of orientation first: I am fully aware of the context and the self-awareness from which I have arrived at the following realisation. For years I too have been part of the growth system mentioned in this text. Consequently, I must also accept criticism for having benefited from this system. I completely stand by that. When growth tempts you, it is difficult to look beyond what lies directly in front of you. But I would like to at least have the chance to exercise constructive self-criticism from my current, most certainly privileged, position. After all, I am also starting to observe a change of heart among many current and former colleagues. And this change of heart, I believe, comes at the right time.

An unprecedented rescue parachute at high speed, and just like that?

Around the world, airlines have received more than US$85 billion in rescue funds. Otherwise, Covid-19 would have wiped them out. This way, jobs at the directly impacted airlines as well as within the entire ecosystem around airports will be saved. Connections to places and markets will remain secured. In our closely interlinked world, flight connections that provide these access points for people and goods are essential, especially in times of crisis.

On the other hand, $85 billion is by no means a petty little matter. Such significant sums are certainly linked to far-reaching conditions arent they? Not really. The conditions attached to the rescue packages have been minimal at both national and international level. Depending on how you look at it, this is either a fortunate or a rather strange development. Remember how banks and financial institutions in many countries were given tough requirements in connection to the money they had received during the financial crisis?

Is this correct? Shouldnt states and regulators take a different approach and a harder line with aviation? More precisely, shouldnt they demand a greater resistance to future crises, in other words, a more sustainable handling of the national wealth they have accumulated?

One thing is certain: the next assertion of systemic relevance in an exceptional situation will, as much as we would prefer it not to, come back to haunt us much sooner than expected. The time to act and to use the crisis as an opportunity for change is now. This way, the lead time until the next event might be long enough so that the begging bowl held out for state aid will not be quite as big. A big pro-active liberating blow, one might say. But how to go about it?

Higher equity ratios, improved risk coverage, new principles for liquidity management: in Switzerland, the Basel III framework, the BIS regulations on banking regulation, has become much more restrictive in the wake of the financial crisis. At the time, there was a relatively broad consensus that people and people in these cases always means all of us did not want to bail out the banks again with billions of dollars in government money. In most international financial centres similar systematic measures could be observed. I would also like to point out that a number of systemically important banks subjected themselves to even more far-reaching security requirements. And these have taken effect, not least in the current crisis.

The various payments that Greece, as a nation state, received from the EU from 2010 onwards to save the country from bankruptcy were also linked to the implementation of numerous reforms and budget consolidation measures. In many other places, the EU Commission, the IMF and the ECB also imposed tough conditions for financial aid.

However, in the case of airlines which in the past have already been dependent on government support on more than one occasion the terms imposed are minimal. Although, depending on who you talk to, opinions do differ: for the Swiss confederation, for example, it is chiefly important that the funds that are spoken do not go to Germany. Strict is different. Airline-related businesses are also supposed to make sure that any of the funds received will not flow abroad. In other countries, the conditions for bailout money are even less stringent. I fully sympathise with taxpayers who are surprised about this.

A little bit of the misery is self-inflicted

In recent years, many airlines have invested massively in their growth, buying (not leasing) aircraft, expanding connections and launching price wars not just in the short-haul segment. In doing so, we have become highly dependent on a very volatile mass segment, and, as a matter of fact, in the past ten years even used this segment as our growth-engine. The result: the golden decade of aviation. This, however, had one side effect: we all exposed ourselves, fully unprotected, to the risk of straining the supply-and-demand principle to such an extent that the enormous growth in demand was driven by an oversupply of capacity. This has further reduced the already low margins. Provisions were made only very cautiously, if at all. In recent years, US airlines have spent more than 90 per cent of their profits to buy back shares and thus made short-term investors happy. All of us could work out that this fixation on growth and low margins make the industry dependent on precisely this highly volatile demand. Unlike any other sector, the airline business is thus highly sensitive to economic and social developments. And it is so on a global level.

Of course, it cannot be denied that in times of crisis even large cash reserves will not last for a long period of time. The airline business is capital-intensive. And it is of course a little unfair to make these observations during a global pandemic. After all, Lufthansa chief executive, Carsten Spohr, is right when he recently stated in Neue Zrcher Zeitung: It is almost impossible to prepare for a crisis of this dimension, in which 99% of the business disappears over months. The necessary buffer would be so immense that no globally operating airline could cope with it.

A little restraint and common goals would be win-win

Nevertheless, now is the time to stop turning a blind eye: airlines must better secure their business. They need to ensure stability as best they can and draw up future-oriented, sustainable financial plans. Solid risk management and business continuity strategies are the tools of the trade now more than ever. Lufthansa and United Airlines are already more consistently leasing aircraft rather than buying them and have started adapting their route networks.

The same applies to business planning and cash, health and safety and climate and security standards. Here too, I have long been convinced that the industry would be better off regulating itself. Individual airlines are making a major effort to contribute to climate protection. Swiss, for example, is investing in a particularly fuel-efficient fleet. Singapore Airlines has modified the Trent 900 engines of its A380 aircraft to reduce CO2 emissions. KLM saves weight. Etihad is experimenting with flights without the use of single-use plastic. But demands are high, and the road is long.

The challenge, whether it is about environmental, safety or accounting issues, is as follows: if the industry does not develop uniform standards or at least sets uniform goals , then others will do it for them. And they certainly will not do it in a coordinated way. This should be clear to the chief executive as well as to the chief financial officer and the head of corporate social responsibility.

If different rules of the game apply in every country, they become incredibly demanding and complex to comply with. And it potentially distorts competition even more. States that support airlines are the only ones that could introduce particularly loose regulations. I fail to understand why there is no greater momentum behind industry-wide efforts to regulate this once and for all, and on a large scale. That would certainly be beneficial for everyone.

Together into the future

Corona shows us again that it is not just the eleventh hour time is literally running out. The industry, preferably our entire ecosystem, must react now. That self-regulation can work in close cooperation with the authorities is shown by a recent example of the European Aircraft Associations and the European Aviation Safety Agency. Together with the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, they have compiled guidelines for airports, airlines, and operators to ensure that passengers can travel safely even in times of corona. Which will make life easier for all of us.

We can no longer close our eyes to the fact that the world with and after Corona is a different one. Let us face this challenge together and reposition the industry in a new and better way. We are better equipped than others to do this.

More Information

Aviation analyst Peter Baumgartner is the chairman of the board of directors and Metrocore Aviation Group.

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Breaking Travel News investigates: If you do not self-regulate, others will make the rules for you - Breaking Travel News

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World Market for Agritourism Set to Experience Moderate Growth to 2026: How COVID-19 Has Impacted the Industry - StartupNG

Birds are pictured flying over the Himalayan mountain Mount Everest and other mounts ranges from Namche Bazar in the Everest region, some 140 kms northeast of Kathmandu on March 26, 2020. Photo credit:PRAKASH MATHEMA / AFP

International flights are set to resume in Nepal next week but Lakpa Tamang, a 31-year-old tourist guide in Nepals capital, Kathmandu, doubts if it will be business as usual. Im not sure if I will go back to the city anytime soon, Tamang said.

Since April, he has been living in a remote village in Solukhumbu region, more than 200 kilometers from Kathmandu, where he has started a poultry farm. He used his savings of 15 years and took out a loan from a relative to start the farm. The Nepal government has announced a slew of measures to revive the tourism sector but Tamang said that he cannot afford a risk. They (government) can take a U-turn. You never know, he told VICE News. The industry has become uncertain after coronavirus.

Tamangs employer and president of Trekking Agencies Association of Nepal, Khum Bahadur Subedi, is distressed about his mounting losses. More than 80 groups he was supposed to receive this year, and take to places like Everest base camp, Annapurna base camp, Ghorepani village and Mera Peak, have cancelled or postponed their plans due to the coronavirus. I tried to help some of my staffers by arranging bank loans but this is not sustainable in the long run. If 2021 is not good, many of them might quit the industry.

Last month, the government announced that international flights will resume from August 17; trekking, mountaineering hotels and restaurants businesses were allowed to function from July 30; and travel agents could take bookings for the autumn season. However, travel entrepreneurs are unsure if the governments decision to open up the sector will inspire confidence, in the absence of a clear protocol and rising coronavirus cases. Then theres the dilemma that too strict rules could equally discourage tourists.

A senior official told Kathmandu Post that the government is in the process of drafting stringent norms purely aimed at discouraging travelers movement. These measures may include obtaining visas from Nepals diplomatic mission in the origin-country, 14 days of quarantine and a negative polymerase chain reaction test.

Previously, Nepal had a relatively liberal visa policy allowing tourist visas on arrival. Indians, who do not require visas to travel to Nepal, formed the biggest chunk of more than 1.1 million foreign tourists who visited last year.

Nepal is home to eight of the worlds fourteen highest peaks above 8,000 meters including Mount Everest, Kanchenjunga and Annapurna.

The spring season, considered best to scale Mount Everest, was lost to the lockdown. The autumn season is a favourite for trekkers who want to explore smaller peaks and far off valleys.

The nationwide lockdown, lasting 120 days, was lifted on July 20.Partial restrictions were enforced in 14 districts on August 5 against the backdrop of a surge in COVID-19 cases.

As of Monday, 22, 972 people in Nepal got infected by the coronavirus; 75 have died.

Nepals tourism industry is staring at $400 million in losses due to COVID-19, noted a study commissioned by the UN Development Programme.

Kul Bahadur Gurung, general secretary of Nepal Mountaineering Association, said that stakeholders in the tourism industry held interactions with the government as early as April to chalk out a survival, revival, arrival strategy. But it did not bear much fruit.

Unfortunately, even in August, not much has been done and we are still in the survival stage, Gurung told VICE News.

In 2019, the contribution of travel and tourism to employment in Nepal was around seven percent (1.03 million jobs), according to World Travel & Tourism Council data.

Out of 182.2 million jobs in the sector in the Asia Pacific region, 33 percent of jobs will be lost due to COVID-19, per the best case scenario projected by the Council.

Gurung said that the most vulnerable are those belonging to low-income groups including guides and porters. The majority of them dont have a backup plan. Relying on agriculture is not a sustainable option because they are not updated with the latest technology, he said. And the government has no relief package for them.

By December, Gurung normally starts getting inquiries for the coming spring season. Even in December 2019, he got 70 percent less booking for the 2020 spring season. I was confused, Gurung said. I was told that people were hesitant to visit as Nepal was close to China.

The latest edition of theUnited Nations World Tourism Organization Travel Restrictions Reportnotes that 115 destinations (53 percent of all destinations worldwide) continue to keep their borders completely closed for tourism. 87 destinations have now eased travel restrictions, whilejust four have completely lifted all restrictions.

But there is some optimism. Dawa Steven Sherpa, mountaineer and entrepreneur, told VICE News that if the country receives even just five to ten percent of tourists it got last year, it will be a good stepping stone for spring 2021.

There is a rare breed of mountaineers who have a high tolerance for risks. They will be the first ones to travel once the restrictions are eased, Sherpa said. They know that they will get discounts because the economy is in bad shape and they dont mind a short period of quarantine.

Sherpa said that after the 2015 earthquake, tourists were back by 2016, giving him hope that a similar trend will continue. Plus, he believes Nepal has an incomparable gem that will save the industry. Dont forget that Nepal is home to Everest, a unique destination, which will continue to attract tourists.

Continue reading here:

Nepal Is Reopening Everest for Tourists to Regain Lost Earnings. Will It Work? - VICE

Every journey begins with a single step; or so it was once believed. In the modern world, travel has become much simpler. With cheaper transport and a booming tourism industry this was the case at least until recently a journey in the 21st century usually begins with a single click an online booking and ends with another a post on social media. But for all the convenience technology affords to the traveller, is not the experience of the journey itself somewhat lost along the way?

Literary history would agree. After all, great many works of literature are based on the adventures of travellers. Imagine a Victor Frankenstein with modern-day technology, chasing his monster with only a couple of clicks on a gadget, liberated from the unsettling struggle to get to the Mediterranean Sea from Geneva south or from having to journey across the Black Sea to Russia to the Arctic Circle. Or Odysseus, for that matter his wife, Penelope, neednt have woven a handkerchief, let alone a shroud, by the time her husband returned from Troy. Where, then, would the richness of their storiescome from?

Over the years, travel writers, too, have emphasized the pleasure andpain of journeying. Dervla Murphy,for one, often sets out on a paltrybudget to get a taste of local travel she recounts her extraordinary experiences of staying in fishermens huts andtravelling in packed buses in South India in On A Shoestring to Coorg, while in Full Tilt, she chronicles her tripon a bicycle from Dunkirk to Delhi. Alexis Wright and Lindsey Hilsumthink that travel writing should accommodate other voices: the accounts ofmigrants and refugees and theirexperiences of searching for a new home.

An arduous journey need not be a solitary experience. Treading across changing terrains, the traveller develops an intimacy with both the pit-stops and the final destination. Consider the essays of Robert Macfarlane and thedepth to which he delves to learn about the history and geography of eachplace he writes about. This sense of proximity helps Macfarlane plot out new territories not just within thenatural world but also inside the human mind he travels from a known landscape to somewherewe feel and think significantly differently even when there are no bordersthat correspond to national boundaries.

However, journeying far and wide is not necessary to forge a deep bond with a place. James Joyce wrote volumes on his dear dirty Dublin, and Virginia Woolf mapped out her neighbourhood in London on foot for her, it was the greatest of adventures. Are these musings not travelogues, especially for readers in distant lands?The pandemic has brought to a halt the world and travel. The prospect of great journeys seems bleak for now. Yet, all hope is not lost for travel enthusiasts. Stuck at home for an indeterminate stretch of time, they may finally have the leisure to read the travel stories real or imagined of others, or even relive their own journeys in the past. Reminiscing is a journey as well, isnt it?

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Rolls-Royce will near its plane areas manufacturing facility in central Virginia by the center of following yr, throwing 280 folks out of do the job, the corporation verified on Saturday.

The closing is the result of the decline in world travel through the COVID-19 pandemic, the Richmond Situations-Dispatchdescribed. There had currently been 120 layoffs at the plant in June.

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The COVID-19 pandemic has induced a historic collapse in civil aviation which will choose a number of several years to recuperate. As a result, weve experienced to make hard, but necessary, conclusions to defend the upcoming of our enterprise, Rolls-Royce North The united states spokesman Don Campbell claimed in a statement. British-centered Rolls-Royce has its North American headquarters in northern Virginia.

The manufacturing facility opened in 2011 in an business park in Prince George County, about 40 miles (64 kilometers) southeast of Richmond. The plant would make precision aircraft parts these kinds of as rotative discs and turbine blades, the newspaper mentioned.

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Workers were being advised about the plant closing on Friday, which could have a ripple effect on the central Virginia financial system as manufacturing unit suppliers lose enterprise.

The plants construction was announced in 2007. The point out supplied an incentives package deal really worth $57 million, most of it joined to work and expenditure targets that the organization would have to fulfill about 16 a long time.

The plant originally was intended to examination and assemble factors for corporate jets, but the Terrific Economic downturn led Rolls-Royce to improve its programs.

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Then-President Barack Obama visited the plant in 2012 to speak up his proposal of a community of U.S. exploration centers to foster manufacturing competitiveness.

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Going to stay with family means exposing more than one household. Can testing in advance keep everyone safe? Noel Hendrickson/Getty Images hide caption

Going to stay with family means exposing more than one household. Can testing in advance keep everyone safe?

Let's face it, if you've been staying home a lot, you're probably pretty tired of looking at the same faces. Love them as we do, it feels like well past time to start seeing other people, to visit or host relatives and dear friends. So how can you do this without unknowingly spreading the virus or getting exposed?

Recently my husband and I debated this when our son, who lives in another state, said he'd like to come home for a visit. He lives with roommates in a city with a high rate of infection, and he works in a restaurant. We thought of having him get a diagnostic test to find out if he is infected. That way, if he got back a negative test, our problems would be solved, right?

Well, when I called up a few infectious disease specialists to ask if this all made sense, I discovered that using a diagnostic test for the coronavirus this way can be problematic. Here's what I learned.

First, which test are we talking about?

Currently the most commonly available test that can detect an active infection is the molecular or PCR test, typically collected via a swab in the nose or the back of the throat. These tests look for the virus's genetic material and are highly sensitive. Another kind of diagnostic test is an antigen test that can detect the coronavirus's proteins these are less sensitive, says Daniel Green, a pathologist at Columbia University Irving Medical Center, and can be less accurate. And finally there are tests that show if your body has developed antibodies because it fought an infection from the coronavirus. Those tell you about an infection you had in the past, not what you have right now.

If I get a negative result on a PCR diagnostic test, can I be certain I won't infect someone I want to spend time with?

Like everything with this pandemic, the answer is complicated. The infectious disease experts I spoke to told me there are two reasons why testing might not be very helpful. The first has to do with the length of time it takes to get your test results back these days up to a week or more in some places for PCR tests. By the time you get your results back, you could have unknowingly been exposed to the virus, making the original test irrelevant.

The next big reason has to do with accuracy. While the PCR test is highly accurate in a laboratory setting, out in the real world it can produce some false positives and a lot of false negatives. In fact studies show a negative diagnostic test result can be wrong between 5% and 40% of the time, depending on the circumstances.

Some of this variation has to do with how well the sample was collected whether an adequate amount of mucous made it onto the swab, for example. But it also has to do with timing. You see, the diagnostic test tells you whether or not you have the virus on the day you took it. It reflects a single "pinpoint in time," says Dr. Henry Anyimadu, an infectious disease specialist with Hartford HealthCare Medical Group at the Hospital of Central Connecticut.

"Suppose that I was exposed on the 1st of August and I didn't know it," says infectious disease specialist Dr. Aileen Marty of Florida International University. "And I took the test on the 2nd of August. My test result will probably be negative." That's because the virus typically has at least a four- to five-day incubation period, so in the first few days after exposure, there may not yet be "enough virus in the upper respiratory system to be detectable," Marty says.

Wait, up to 40% false negative sounds like a lot is there anything I can do to ensure my results are more reliable?

Yes, there are some things you can do. But first remember this, for many of us that false negative rate could be much lower than 40%, says Green, who was a coauthor on one of the studies about test reliability. He points out that many of the people in his study were sampled too early, before the diagnostic test could detect the presence of the virus. So if you want to make sure your test is as reliable as possible, wait several days from the last point you think you could have been exposed before getting the test and while you wait, self-quarantine to avoid further exposures.

Marty agrees, saying, before you take the test, "be in a bubble for at least four or five days." Don't go to bars and restaurants and scale back grocery story visits or have food delivered. Bottom line, limit your exposure as much as possible leading up to test day. And then, Marty adds, "Stay in the bubble until you get your results back." That's because if you aren't careful, you could be exposed to the virus while waiting for results, and if you do have the virus even if you don't have symptoms you could spread it to others.

So if negative results are iffy, is it ever worth getting a diagnostic test?

Yes. There are definitely times when one should get a test, Anyimadu says. "If you're worried you have COVID-19 based on symptoms, you should get a test." Or, if you think you might have been exposed for instance, if your roommate, housemate or someone close to you is infected get a test.

And you should consider a test if you've traveled to an area with a high rate of coronavirus infection, Anyimadu says. To find out if your county or one you've spent time in recently has a high rate of infection, check this county-level map. If the county has more than 10 new daily cases per 100,000 residents, that's considered high risk.

If I test positive, but I don't have any symptoms, what should I do?

If you get a positive test result, our experts say, this is not the time to expand your bubble! Even If you don't have any symptoms, you are possibly contagious, and you could still develop symptoms. Marty says you should isolate yourself for 14 days, learn the symptoms of COVID-19 and monitor yourself. If you do get sick and your symptoms are getting worse, call your health care provider. And don't forget all those folks who live with you. They too need to be tested whether they have symptoms or not, Marty says, and should self-quarantine.

Marty also suggests people "connect with their department of health to assist with contact tracing," and help health workers reach out to anyone else who might have been exposed to you.

If you develop any symptoms, keep track of when they kick in so that you will know when you're no longer contagious. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, you should isolate yourself for at least 10 days after your first symptom appears. At that point, as long as you haven't had a fever for at least 24 hours and you're feeling better, you should be able to mix with others.

If I can't rely on negative test results, what do I do instead to visit someone safely or merge social bubbles?

The safest and simplest thing to do if you want complete peace of mind is to quarantine yourself for 14 days before the visit this is especially important if you're hoping to visit someone who is older or has an underlying condition.

But short of that, experts say testing can play a role in your decision-making as long as you "don't treat a negative test as a get-out-of-jail free card," Green says.

Think of it as one more piece of imperfect information that you can add together with the most important factor, your own behavior. Have you been able to isolate as much as possible before the potential visit with a friend? If you have gone out, did you carefully socially distance and wear a mask? Have you been avoiding bars and restaurants and indoor gatherings?

If the answer to these questions is yes, and if you are certain you haven't been around someone with a possible or confirmed case of COVID-19, then a negative test could be helpful. "If you aren't sick or don't have any particular reason to believe you're infectious," says epidemiologist Justin Lessler from Johns Hopkins University, "then getting that negative test should increase your confidence."

And remember, before you head off on your trip or join friends for an indoor gathering, ask the people you're visiting about their own behaviors and whether or not they've also gotten a test. Remember, you can spread the virus, but you can receive it as well.

"There's no way to bring your risk down to zero," Anyimadu says. But the recommended measures of mask-wearing, social distancing and thorough hand washing are still the most important defense against the virus. And that is true whether you've had a negative test, a positive test or not even gotten a test at all.

Rob Stein and Carmel Wroth contributed to this report.

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Should You Get Tested For Coronavirus Before You Travel To Visit Family? : Shots - Health News - NPR