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

Fox Organization Flash leading headlines are here. Test out what is clicking on FoxBusiness.com.

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.

GET FOX Business enterprise ON THE GO BY CLICKING Here

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.

UNITED Airlines BETS ON FLORIDA, Including DOZENS OF FLIGHTS ON NOV. 6

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.

Click on Right here TO Browse Far more ON FOX Organization

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.

Original post:

Rolls-Royce closing Virginia jet elements plant exactly where 280 do the job - SwordsToday.ie

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?

Here is the original post:

Travelling along the long and winding road - Telegraph India

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.

Read more:

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

In the blissful days before coronavirus, Lisa Gardner-Springer of Minneapolis hatched a plan for a summer vacation. While their oldest daughter would be exploring Europe with friends, she, her husband, Colin, and their younger daughter would head to Quebec.

Then the pandemic changed everything for the Gardner-Springer family and the entire travel industry.

With stay-at-home orders in place and a novel coronavirus sweeping across the nation, planes stopped flying. Hotels emptied. Rental cars sat in undisturbed rows. Cruise ships eventually, mercifully, docked. Amid a global health crisis, tourism has tanked. The World Travel and Tourism Council estimated in April that the tourism sector worldwide lost more than 100 million jobs due to the coronavirus pandemic, the result of would-be travelers holed up at home.

But eventually, people began exploring again, slowly and carefully.

In September, Gardner-Springer will embark on her first vacation since the pandemic was declared. Her family will relish a long weekend in a cabin at Sleeping Fawn Resort near Park Rapids, Minn. They will kayak, bike and enjoy a view of a quiet lake and woods instead of their own backyard.

In that small family trip lies a larger reality: As travel returns, vacations look different.

Travelers now engage in more outdoor activities, head to destinations that can be reached by car, keep it brief and book shortly before departure.

These new trends derive from the obvious motivation to stay healthy. Other forces are also at play. Leaders and health experts have admonished travelers to avoid unnecessary trips or at least stay close to home. The European Union, Canada, Mexico, Japan and other countries have rolled up their welcome mats for Americans. Some states also began requiring quarantines for visitors from states with high numbers of coronavirus infections, adding uncertainty even within the U.S. Meanwhile, we have learned that outdoors is safer than indoors when it comes to the virus.

A recent poll from Morning Consult for the U.S. Travel Association found that only 44% of Americans plan to travel in 2020, the majority via short car trips. The same poll found that travelers are dipping their toes rather than plunging into the experience, as 78% are planning trips of four nights or fewer.

According to a webinar hosted by Angie Briggs of the U.S. Travel Association, 60% of Americans consider outdoor recreational activities safe. The groups online tool that monitors national park attendance shows visits have been rising through the summer.

Once the coronavirus is mostly in the rearview mirror, avid travelers will likely act on delayed plans and pent-up desires to see the world. According to the U.S. Travel Association and Oxford Economics, travel spending in the U.S. will fall from $1.13 trillion in 2019 to a projected $622 billion in 2020. But spending is expected to rebound to $855 billion in 2021 and $976 billion in 2022.

As Gardner-Springer said, Were all itching for the day, making our fantasy plans.

See the article here:

The future of travel: How tourism slowly recovers from the coronavirus pandemic - Minneapolis Star Tribune

As Dubai continues to reopen to international guests in the wake of the Covid-19 shutdown, Breaking Travel News is taking a virtual tour of the iconic Palm Jumeirah to see what is on offer.

Joining with our sister website at Virtual World, we here showcase some of the leading properties on the manmade island in the Arabian Gulf.

Take a look below as we offer detailed tours of the fabulous locations.

Perched on the eastern crescent of the iconic Palm Jumeirah, an archipelago of islands connected to the mainland, Anantara the Palm Dubai Resort is a remarkable resort inspired by traditional Thai architecture in an Arabian setting.

A 45-minute drive from Dubai International Airport and within easy reach of a plethora of exciting attractions including Aquaventure Water Park, Mall of the Emirates, Ski Dubai and Dubai Marina, this resort is where one can savour moments of bliss surrounded in unimaginable magnificence.

Anantara the Palm Dubai Resort is also considered the Middle Easts Leading Villa Resort by the World Travel Awards.

Take a 3D tour of the property here.

Next up, One&Only the Palm offers luxurious beach-front accommodation on the Palm Jumeirah peninsula.

Guests can enjoy panoramic views, a private beach and cuisine by Michelin-starred chef Yannick Allno.

Or, for the more adventurous, step aboard the One&Only boat and immerse yourself in our cosmopolitan city, just minutes away.

Considered as offering the Worlds Leading Hotel Beach Villas, guests can take a spectacular tour of the hotel with Virtual World here.

A haven within the vibrant city of Dubai, the Waldorf Astoria Dubai Palm Jumeirah boasts a private soft-sanded beach, six distinct restaurants and lounges and elegant sea-facing guest rooms and suites.

The hotel also offers a supervised Kids Club and numerous leisure activities for the whole family to enjoy.

From snorkelling and paddle-boarding to wind-sailing and deep-sea fishing, your assigned personal concierge will arrange excursions to suit your preferences for an unforgettable experience.

Investigate further before you visit with a virtual tour here.

A Dubai icon, Atlantis, the Palm is the most Instagrammed hotel in the Middle East and an icon of hospitality in Dubai.

The ultimate holiday destination, it offers unforgettable experiences for all ages from thrill-seekers to food lovers and fitness freaks.

Nestled between the calm turquoise waters of the Arabian Gulf and the majestic Dubai skyline, Atlantis is the crown of the world-famous Palm.

Whether staying in the world-renowned resort, dining in one of the award-winning restaurants or feeling the rush at Aquaventure Waterpark, the hotel offers an experience a world away from your everyday.

Considered the Worlds Leading Landmark Resort, guests can take a virtual tour here.

Situated at the tip of the Palm Jumeirah crescent, Rixos the Palm Dubai Hotel & Suites is the only luxury multi-concept resort in the United Arab Emirates.

Enjoying the most spectacular location in the city, its 360 panoramic view spans the azure waters of the Arabian Gulf, iconic landmarks including Burj Khalifa and Burj Al Arab as well as the glittering skyline of the Dubai Marina and the remarkable lagoons and architecture of the Palm Jumeirah itself.

Honoured with the title Worlds Leading Lifestyle Resort, guests can take a look here for a virtual showcase.

Inspired by the imperial palaces of the Ottoman era, Jumeirah Zabeel Saray is a five-star luxury hotel that does absolutely everything in superb style.

From its exclusive location on the west crescent of the iconic Palm Jumeirah to the truly spectacular lobby entrance, every detail inspires awe and delight.

This success has been recognised, with the hotel acknowledged with the title of Middle Easts Leading Resort Residences last year.

Potential visitors are invited to get to know more here.

Sofitel Dubai the Palm Resort & Spa promises a luxury beach location like no other.

Situated opposite Dubai Marina, the Polynesian-themed resort beckons with 360 deluxe rooms and 182 serviced apartments, from classic rooms to expansive beach villas with private pools and butler service.

Guests can spend fun-filled days playing tennis or doing water sports off the private beach or relax with a massage and visit.

Sofitel brings five-star French touch to Dubai hospitality for all the family.

Offering the Worlds Leading Luxury Hotel Apartments, guests are invited to take a tour with Virtual World here.

Finally, Kempinski Hotel & Residences Palm Jumeirah is a property synonymous with success - a stay here means being immersed in luxury.

Enjoy a stay in one of our 244 luxurious suites, villas and penthouses, and escape from the bustling city streets into a place of complete, five-star relaxation before heading back to enjoy the best attractions, activities and hangouts this global city has to offer.

As a base to explore what makes Dubai so special, Kempinski Hotel & Residences Palm Jumeirah is a perfect choice.

Home to the Middle Easts Leading Hotel Residences, guests can take a tour of this one of a kind hotel here.

More Information

Take a tour of the whole Palm Jumeriah with Virtual World, here.

More:

Breaking Travel News investigates: A virtual tour of the Palm Jumeirah - Breaking Travel News

Organisers of Berlin consumer electronics show IFA cancelled the Global Markets segment of its already pared-down trade event, but remain convinced they will be able to host the remaining three strands planned for early September.

The B2B supply chain-focused Global Markets part of the show, which had a capacity of 1,000 visitors per day, was cut due to persistent travel restrictions preventing exhibitors from many of its core Asian markets from attending.

It was expected to contribute a quarter of the attendees expected across the entire event, in addition to a significant number of exhibitors.

In a statement IFA executive director Jens Heithecker said: The decision to postpone this event section of IFA 2020 Special Edition to 2021 was not an easy one for us. Especially since almost 600 companies were eager to present themselves in Berlin this year. Yet we have to accept that, with ongoing travel restrictions, for many of our partners it is simply impossible to plan and prepare for this years IFA Global Markets.

Major exhibitor Samsung had already dropped out of attending IFA 2020 citing Covid-19 (coronavirus) concerns. Companies confirming their attendances include Huawei, JVC Kenwood, LG, Qualcomm and Schneider Electric.

Despite the cancellation of the Global Markets section, organisers intend to press-on with the three remaining parts of the physical event which include media launches, keynote sessions, start-up networking event and meeting lounges.

When it announced full details of the rearranged event (having postponed the original in April), it outlined four standalone parts of the event with a maximum attendance of 1,000 per day in each strand. This was already a vastly reduced scale to its usual annual event, with the 2019 edition hosting 240,000 attendees and 2,000 exhibitors.

It also plans a virtual event for those not able to attend the physical version.

See more here:

Travel restrictions force further IFA cutbacks - Mobile World Live

Dianne Newcomer(Photo: courtesy)

I found a baby frog swimming in our pool today. It was frantically kicking, just trying to get somewhere. My heart went out to the little fellow, but, unfortunately, the minute he hopped into that clear blue water, his fate was sealed. Either I must help him out or the skimmer's sucking action would take care of the situation.

I am betting a lot of us are feeling a whole lot like that little frog and, for those of us in the travel business, the hits just keep coming! Why only last week, the 27 countries in the European Union voted again to not allow Americans into their countries. Ok, ok. I am a travel agent at Monroe Travel Service, and, of course, I know we can get travelers to Paris or Rome if we send them via Croatia, Serbia, or Turkey, but who wants that hassle?

Canada, Japan, South Korea and China made the EU' s cut, but the United States can't? How does that make any sense?It seems we certainly should be intelligent and caring enough of our fellow man to at least take the advice of science and wear a mask. It is such a simple effort. Why not at least gamble on it working?

I just don't get all of this obstinance when it comes to our health, especially when the proof is in the pudding, right?Once again, must I repeat:the Canadians, Japanese, South Koreans, and Chinese are free to go, do, and travel the world again, but not us! Mask wearing, immediate isolation, and social distancing obviously is working for them, while we, the citizens of one of the most advanced countries in the world, have been banned by nations all over the world.

What an embarrassment! We've dropped the ball, and now we are being sidelined from the games we love to play. Like that little frog in my pool, so many of us are kicking as hard as possible to stay afloat, but, unless we all care enough to change our ways, we, too, mightbe circling that drain soon!

Honestly, I sometimes shake my head in total dismay, but, then, I read about the little Caribbean island of St Maarten and St. Martin. Deep in the Carribbean, about 200 miles south of Puerto Rico, this tiny island is one of the most popular getaways we sell at Monroe Travel Service, simply because it is like a 2-for-1 deal: a 37 square mile island owned by both the Dutch and the French!

Not only do our travelers get to enjoy two very different governments, languages, cuisines, currency, and cultures in one place, but they can do it surrounded by pristine turquoise waters and white sandy beaches.Plus, the night and day difference between the Dutch and French owned sides of the island makes it really cool.

The French side of St. Martin is much larger than the Dutch owned St. Maarten. Travelers who like to eat well, party hard, and shop duty-free French products between trips to the nude beaches often favor St. Martin, butSt. Maarten, which also has its share of casinos, bars and clubs, is known for its more relaxed fun vibe and excellent shopping. This shopping is why so many cruise ships include it as a port of call on their eastern Caribbean itineraries.

St. Maarten St. Martin has long been recognized as the smallest and most peaceful undisputed jointly owned landmass on the planet. Even though vastly different, the islanders co-exist easily, and, in fact, it was they not their governments who decided how their island would be divided some 350 years ago.

According to legend, to determine who got what, a race was held. The French racer followed the coastline to the north and the Dutchman had the southern route. Once they had covered the entire island and met up again, a line would be drawn between the starting point and the next meeting point between the French and Dutch runner. Whoever had covered the greatest distance would claim the land for their respective country and, thus, define where the border would be.

To keep themselves hydrated during the race, each man was allowed a beverage of choice. The French runner took a bottle of red wine; the Dutch racer carried a bottle of Dutch gin. Needless to say, this proved to be an error of judgement, because, when he finally met up with his very sober French competitor again, it was too late to rectify his costly mistake for his government.So, for this reason, the French enjoy 2/3's of the island's 37 square mile land mass.

I have no idea the historical accuracy of this story, but it does explain how this island was divided, so, imagine my surprise, when this past Saturday, St. Maarten, the Dutch side, announced it would now be opening its borders to American tourists. I was astounded. Not because the Canadians and Europeans have been enjoying the crystal white sandy beaches and cute little stores on both sides of the island since early July, but because St. Martin or the French side of the island is not!

Now, folks, do not for one minute think we are talking a Trump-South Texas-Mexico style wall that is separating the Dutch from the French side of this tiny dot of land in the Caribbean. There is literally only a sign by the side of the road announcing your departure from St. Maarten into St. Martin, so what's the deal? Does anyone really believe a declared "do not enter" warning is a COVID-19 game changer? What ever are they thinking?

If we are not following the mandates and protocols in our every day life in our own country, why ever would Americans follow rules on vacation and just stay put on the Dutch side especially if there is a party or a nude beach to check out in St. Martin and it's just up the road?

How I do love the fact that we are being invited to the party, but I so wish we could just get our heads in the game, figure out a plan with some hard-fast rules that we all understand, and unite behind them. Sadly though I figure if this tiny Caribbean island cannot agree on a unified COVID-19 policy, there is certainly little hope for us as a nation!

Certainly makes me wonder if our world will ever be well again. Suppose all we can do for right now is wear a mask and just keep on kicking!

Dianne Newcomer is a travel agent at Monroe Travel Service, 1908 Glenmar, Monroe. Per Covid rules, we are working from home, so for all your travel needs, please call 318 323 3465 or email INFO@monroetravel.com. We look forward to sending you away!

Read or Share this story: https://www.thenewsstar.com/story/life/2020/08/08/only-way-travel-world-do-our-duty-home/3317325001/

Original post:

The only way to travel the world is to do our duty at home - The News Star

Virtuoso Chairman and CEO Matthew Upchurch and Gloria Guevara, President & CEO of the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC)

TORONTO Virtuosos July travel consumer research shows that while only one-quarter to one-third of Baby Boomer and older clients are ready to travel in these unprecedented times, a strong majority of Millennial, Generation Z and Generation X clients are ready to travel post-pandemic.

The update came as part of Virtuoso Travel Week 2020, taking place virtually this week in place of the popular in-person event normally held at the Bellagio in Las Vegas.

Presiding over the opening ceremony for Virtuoso Travel Week 2020 this morning were Virtuosos Chairman and CEO, Matthew D. Upchurch, and David Kolner, Senior VP, Strategy.

An original song and performance by Virtuoso agents helped open the virtually streamed Virtuoso Travel Week 2020, taking place this week with training sessions and plenty of networking opportunities. More than 78,000 virtual networking appointments have been booked so far for the week, says Virtuosos Chairman and CEO, Matthew D. Upchurch

Kolner presented the latest stats from Virtuosos research, conducted just last month.

Major travel trends include, not surprisingly, clients looking to stay close to home for their next vacation. Virtuosos client poll shows that 32.5% will opt for a domestic destination a short flight away, 23.4% will choose a multi-day road trip and 13.8% are considering a day trip within a couple hours of home.

That said, almost a third of respondents (30.3%) said their next vacation will be an international destination. Another bright spot? While cruising for 2020 is understandably down, Virtuosos cruise bookings for 2021 are just 6% under historical levels.

Virtuoso Travel Week 2020 continues all this week, complete with opening and closing ceremonies, training sessions and of course, networking. Participants this year can take advantage of up to 106 sessions, 10 minutes each, with industry partners theyre looking to connect with.

While many of the usual highlights at Virtuoso Travel Week will be present in a virtual format, the luxury retail travel group wont be handing out awards this year. We are pausing awards this year. Instead we want to thank all of you for your hard work, with everything youre doing to survive, said Jennifer Campbell, Virtuosos Product Manager, Network Engagements,

Campbell, who was instrumental in making this years virtual event happen, joked with participants this morning: I know were all experiencing more change this year than we planned. Sometimes theres a good side to change. At least were not all freezing in the ballroom at the Bellagio.

This mornings opening ceremony also included a discussion between Upchurch and Gloria Guevara, President & CEO of the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC).

The pandemic arrived just as travel and tourism was heading into an incredibly strong 10th year, says Guevara. Over the past nine years the growth of travel and tourism has outpaced the growth of the world economy, she told Upchurch.

In the wake of the pandemics devastation on the travel industry, she said governments are finally starting to understand the impact on this industry.

Travellers are grappling not just with fears of the virus, but also with concerns about getting stranded in destination, and mandatory and unexpected quarantines. The worlds travellers are losing confidence in travel, and what can the industry do about it?

Four things, says Guevara. We need to have a coordinated approach with countries opening their borders. We need coordinated protocols thats something we learned after 9/11. From SARS, MERS and Ebola we learned the importance of testing and contact tracing. And we need support for the travel sector.

Guevara adds: We need to be together to get out of this. Otherwise its going to be very painful and take a lot longer.

Watch for more coverage from Virtuoso Travel Week in tomorrows edition of Travelweek Daily.

Editor at Travelweek

Kathryn is Editor at Travelweek and has worked for the company since 1995. She has travelled to more than 50 countries and counts Hong Kong, Jerusalem, the Swiss Alps and the Galapagos Islands among her favourite destinations.

Continued here:

Younger clients ready to travel, and more from Virtuoso's Travel Week virtual event - Travelweek

France is on the cliff-edge of being removed from the UKs travel corridor list, according to an industry figure, with a decision expected by the end of the week that could mean hundreds of thousands of Britons holidaying there would have to quarantine on their return.

The country, which is the second most popular overseas holiday destination for Britons, recorded its highest Covid-19 surge since May on Friday, with 2,288 new cases. UK ministers are said to be closely monitoring the situation.

Should data from the next two days confirm a continued rise in cases, Frances current exemption from quarantine restrictions is likely to end, meaning UK arrivals who have been there recently would again have to self-isolate for 14 days.

The list of approved countries is typically reviewed at the end of each week with a decision announced on Thursday or Friday but Downing Street warned it would act very rapidly to impose fresh restrictions on countries if necessary.

Travel firms were bracing for a further shockwave, according to Paul Charles, a consultant and spokesman for the Quash Quarantine campaign, who urged consumers to continue making plans to travel regardless of the uncertainty.

Charles said that on a key benchmark, infection rates published by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, France had already surpassed the level he claimed Whitehall deemed safe.

He said France appeared on a similar trajectory to Spain which was abruptly removed from the Department for Transports safe list last month. As of Monday, the 14-day cumulative number of Covid-19 cases in France was 26 per 100,000 people.

Charles said: They are seeing it in France; the surge wasnt strong enough last week, but it is on a cliff-edge at the moment. Unless they can demonstrate they can keep a lid on the numbers, based on the latest data its not looking good at all nor in Malta, Netherlands or Switzerland.

He added that he hoped that ministers had learned their lesson from Spain and would give people notice, following the 30-hour grace period when 14-day quarantine restrictions were imposed on returnees from Belgium last week.

Asked whether quarantine restrictions would be imposed on arrivals from France later this week, the prime ministers official spokesman said on Monday: We keep the data for all countries and territories under constant review. Any decisions to update the exemption list will be informed by the latest health data, and we can and will act rapidly if we judge that the public health risk not requiring travellers to self-isolate increases beyond an acceptable level.

He said the exemptions list had been updated on a weekly basis to reflect the international health picture, but added: If there is a need to act very rapidly in order to protect public health, then we wouldnt hesitate to do so.

Speaking during a visit to a school on Monday, Boris Johnson echoed the chancellor Rishi Sunaks message last week that the government would not hesitate to impose quarantine restrictions.

Government decisions on which countries are removed from the travel corridor list are informed by a risk assessment from the Joint Biosecurity Centre, which looks not only at infection rates but other factors including testing capacity, assessment of the quality of data available, trends in incidence and deaths, as well as transmission status.

Labour called for more transparency over how quarantine decisions were made, including publishing all the scientific background. The shadow home secretary, Nick Thomas-Symonds, said: This transparency is vital if people are to have faith over how decisions are being made. Ministers also need to bring forward sector-specific support for those industries most impacted.

Here is the original post:

France 'on the cliff-edge' of removal from UK safe travel list - The Guardian

Does it seem as though youve had virtually no fun this summer? No flights to exotic locales? No luxuriating aboard a cruise ship? Are you sick and tired of your own backyard?

Take heart. With an electronic device and a little imagination, you can take a virtual trip to almost anywhere in the world from the safety of your own home. Castles or cruise ships. Train rides or tigers at the zoo. The Great Wall or a glass art museum.

It may take some time to sort through the myriad choices available. In coming up with a few examples, I passed over videos with too much chatter, too much commercial promotion and some that just took too much time to get rolling.

A virtual trip to the Eiffel Tower spent minutes focusing on crowds and walking up to the tower. A trip to one European castle featured several minutes of the backsides of horses pulling a cart which, I assume, eventually arrived at the castle. A visit to the Louvre spent too much time on crowd shots, followed by silent glimpses of art. (Hmmm. I wonder what that is?) I almost included a kids photo safari in South Africa, until the final scene featured a spitting contest with (I sincerely hope) sterilized animal droppings. In short, before you view a virtual tour with others, you might want to preview it!

Of the options available, youll find varying quality and length. Some are elaborate with sweeping aerial shots and glorious interiors. Others are basic, requiring you to click or touch arrows to follow a path through a site. You may want to skip past ads from sponsors.

Ditto sites which include cookies or registration.

Here are a few selections to begin your virtual travels. To help locate the tours, you may need to add the words virtual tour when you search, and then compare the length of choices listed to the following:

The Great Wall of China.

There are numerous virtual tours for this famous site. China Tours The Great Wall of China (World Spree) on YouTube is a concise, three-minute overview, with a short history, aerial views and closeup shots. The Great Wall of China Walking Tour on YouTube is a 30-minute, up-close and personal walk which almost made me feel as though I was there.

The videographer says nothing, merely walks along showing what you would actually see on the Wall. You pass by other tourists, look out over the wall to surrounding hillsides, climb staircases and enter watchtowers. As the tour progresses, you can hear the more labored breathing of the videographer and I actually began to have the sense of, Oh no, not another staircase!

Cruise Ships and Ports.

Many cruise ship tours are blatant ads for cruise companies.

However, I did find one 16-minute tour that combines a look at liners from numerous companies, along with various Caribbean ports. Cruise From Home 6 Cruise Ships and 5 Ports (Talking Cruise) on YouTube wanders through ships from Royal Caribbean, Disney, Carnival, MSC and Princess lines.

Designed perhaps for a younger, trendier crowd, there are glimpses of elaborate onboard atria, stage shows, pools, water slides, putting greens and an occasional zip line plus one juggling bartender. No cabins, dining rooms or libraries in evidence. Onshore settings are primarily private islands owned by cruise companies, with a heavy emphasis on surf and sand.

Neuschwanstein Castle.

Of the many castles of the world, Germanys Neuschwanstein is sometimes described as the most beautiful. This fairytale-like structure was reportedly the inspiration for Sleeping Beautys Castle at Disneyland. A nine-minute World Sites Guide.com Neuschwanstein Germany virtual tour includes historical commentary, with aerial and closeup outdoor shots, plus a few inside views. Another nine-and-a half-minute Schloss Neuschwanstein (Germany) Vacation Travel Video Guide also includes history, and exterior shots of the castle, plus extensive indoor shots of ornate gold detail, mosaics, wall paintings, wood carvings and angel images.

Inside shots tend to be dark. Yet another, three-and-a half-minute Neuschwanstein Castle GERMANY condensed virtual tour shows both sweeping aerial views and a few interiors. (Note: Tours may include a brief glimpse of mural figures in limited attire.)

The Orient Express.

Have you ever wondered what a ride on this famous train would be like? Two YouTube offerings offer very different perspectives.

Venice Simplon Orient Express Full Experience from Venice to London is a 30-minute tour, beginning with canal travel in Venice through boarding the train and travel on to England. You can view private compartments, white-linen table service in dining cars, grand piano music in a lounge, and then tea service on a Pullman train transfer from Calais. This offers a taste of what actual travel on the Orient Express would be like.

A more commercialized two-and-a-half minute YouTube summary, Luxury Trains The Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, includes still photos of the interior of the train plus a few landscapes, all with a musical backdrop.

San Diego Zoo.

The whole family can enjoy the YouTube San Diego Zoo American Treasure Earth Day 2020. Here, youll have a quick, 10-minute glimpse of pink flamingos, a cute koala, hippos, peacock, monkeys, camel, giraffes, bears and big cats. You may want to mute the sound to eliminate crowd noise and comments, and just focus on the animals.

Chihuly Glass Art.

Want to travel in the Northwest instead? Take a virtual tour through some of glass artist Dale Chihulys latest designs. In YouTubes Chihuly Garden and Glass Seattle, Washington by David Ellis, viewers take a stroll past both indoor and outdoor glass creations, many with a botanical theme, all set under a backdrop of the Seattle Space Needle.

Pyramids of Giza.

Take a virtual walk through the sands of Egypt to visit thegreat pyramids on the YouTube Pyramids of Giza Walking Tour (Prowalk Tours). This is a no-frills walk, complete with the sound of crunching sand, that lets you know what such a walk would really be like (minus the heat and sore muscles).

Although the entire video runs about an hour and a half, you can jump in on the parts that interest you most, selecting a certain pyramid, for example. A companion piece, The Sphinx at 8 a.m. Walking Tour (Prowalk Tours), only lasts about 23 minutes and offers a much better view of the sphinx.

This eclectic assortment barely scratches the surface of possibilities. So, where in the world would you like to go?

More here:

Travel virtually anywhere in the world pandemic style - Yakima Herald-Republic

01

What people wear tells a lot about them; their culture, geographical location, weather condition and even their socio-political status. Similarly, headdresses and hats too have been a crucial part of a traditional dress; in some places, these have become icons of the countries. The world is home to some interesting headdresses; from fur caps to conical hats, here are some fascinating headdresses from around the world, with equally interesting stories around them.

02

If you see a person in a fur hat with earflaps, he/she must be a Russian in all probability. The country is known for its extreme and harsh winters, which is why Ushanka hats, with earflaps are extremely useful here. The name of the hat is derived from a Russian word Ushi meaning ears. These headgears keep the wearer warm by offering near-total head and face coverage.

03

Dont get into the pronunciation as we are talking pure Scottish here. These headgear belongs to Scottish men, who have been wearing Tam o shanters since the 16th century. Until the 1920s, these floppy hats were worn strictly by the men of Scotland; but later, a design for females was introduced in Europe and America.

04

These hats belong to the British men. Designed in the 19th century, the bowler hats are said to have been made as an alternative to the top hat. Soon, it became popular among the working-class men across the UK and America. These hats have also been a crucial part of Bolivian womens traditional dress since they came to South America in the 1920s.

05

Hijab, also known as batula and niqab, is unique to women of Islam religion living in the middle east countries and the Indian subcontinent. It is a kind of head covering worn by Muslim women to meet the Islamic standards of modesty. The hijabs are made using breathable material to keep the wearer comfortable.

06

Sombreros are Mexicos signature hats. These wide-brimmed headgears were designed to save people from the sun. The name of the hat is derived from a Spanish word for shadow or shade. No one knows the exact origin of this hat, but a theory traces its history back to the Mestizo cowboys of Mexico. A sombrero also tells a lot about the status of the wearer; decorative elements, wider brims, and the materials used indicate wealth.

07

These are probably the most stylish hats and have been rocked by eminent people like John Lennon, Bob Dylan and Vladimir Lenin. Made using traditional wool, the history of these fishermans caps date back to the early 19th century. Soon, navy sailors and coastal Mediterranean villagers were seen donning these caps.

08

The kufi is a fitting cap worn by Muslim men throughout the world and is a part of their traditional dress. In the world of Islam, crocheted kufi hats are immensely popular while patterned caps are preferred by Jews and African Christians. However, a kufi can represent a plethora of faiths in the US.

09

These conical hats are not unique to any particular country in Asia but can be seen in certain regions. These hats are extremely practical for everyday use and are worn by men and women in East and South Asia. Designed to shield people from sun and rain, these are perfect for farmers, be it in Japan or Vietnam.

{{:comment}}

See more here:

Around the world in traditional headdresses - Happytrips

Do you remember back in March when rumors began spreading about the possibility of having to stay home for two weeks? And then when we finally wrapped our brains around that, the safer at home orders went into effect for a month, then two months.

Here we are approaching the end of summer with what sometimes feels like no end in sight. The travel industry is struggling. Some destinations are suspending reopening plans; the No Sail Order was once again extended, and some travel companies are beginning to go out of business.

ASTA President and CEO Zane Kerby continues to stress the need for relief in the travel industry. According to Kerby, more than 70 percent of agencies will be out of business in six months or less without federal relief.

Although its important to prepare for a post-coronavirus world, travel advisors also need to deal with the current situation they are in.

David DiGregorio, a consultant to several destination tourism offices, recently moderated a virtual webinar sponsored by USTOA. He explained that the travel industry needs to start dealing more with todays reality instead of only looking to the future.

We do not want to look at the post-COVID world, but how to deal with the ongoing impacts of the virus, DiGregorio stated.

So how can you shift your focus to deal with today instead of only setting sights on the future?

Some agents are thinking outside the box to adapt to the new normal or travel. From learning more about how to sell domestic destinations to providing new accommodation options such as villas, you need to find ways to adjust your clients' current travel plans. The good thing is, Americans are still interested in traveling, even now.

Airlines, tour operators and resorts, among other companies, have been quick to keep up with the changing demand. Airlines are leaving middle seats empty; some hotels and resorts are purposely keeping occupancy low, and tour companies are creating new private tour options.

Select hotels and resorts have even started to offer extended stay packages, allowing travelers to book a reservation for a longer period of time with the comforts of home in order to work remotely, keep the kids active and be able to safely enjoy scenery other than what they see from their homes.

This is the type of information you need to be relaying to your clients who are interested in travel but are still a bit leery. If someone wants to travel, there are plenty of options for them to do so safely. Make sure you know what they are.

If your agency is in need of relief, that is another thing you can be focusing on at this time. ASTA is encouraging travel advisors to call on Congress to act. As Congress works on the next round of COVID-19 relief legislation, Kerby points out that it is critical that the travel industry receives additional aid. ASTA has created a form for travel agents to fill out.

Focusing on the future is just as important, but there are also several actions travel agents can be taking right now in order to keep their businesses above waterand keep in mind these actions may differ from business to business.

More here:

Codie's Corner: Navigating the Ongoing Impact of Coronavirus - TravelPulse

You've been locked inside your home for weeks on end, have had to wield your ID just to get a breath of fresh air and have shelved you travel plans for the foreseeable future. No more airplanes, faraway lands, exotic destinations and changes of scenery. Our right to journey, and some plain rights too, have been sort of crushed of late. But do not despair, for there's an alternative, a diminutive, plain as day solution that can take you to a land far, far away. Behold the travel agencies you didn't know existed : watch shops.

Timepieces are small worlds unto themselves, doors leading to imaginary places, dream spaces and graphic utopias. Their dials, inspirations, design, extravagance and that of their creators have the power to take us to lands that do not always exist, yet where one can go by merely conjuring them.

First, one can find oneself in the midst of landscapes and settings lying thousands of miles away. In Lisbon with the series of Patek Philippe Azulejos unique pieces.

At the door of a Japanese temple with Blancpain's Villeret Mtiers d'Art Binchtan / Travel to Lisbon with a Calatrava Azulejos by Patek Philippe David Chokron/WorldTempus

Deep in a forest, in the dead of night, surrounded by howling wolves with the Arceau Awoooo from Herms. At the gates of a Shinto temple, in front of a Torii with the Blancpain Villeret Mtiers d'Art Binchtan.

Hear the call of the wild with the Arceau Awoooo by Herms David Chokron/Worldtempus

One can also travel beyond what's possible. Arnold&Son offer a trip to the times of their founder, as the Tourbillon Chronometer No. 36 reminds of that era when chronometers were helping rule the world. Mimic a James Bond scene with Urwerk's AMC, a great suitcase-like master clock that looks like it can trigger the impending nuclear strike the hero will fend off at the last minute. Travel to the heart of Paris, rue Cambon, inside Coco Chanel's home with the Mademoiselle Priv Coromandel, as their magnificent dials are reminiscent of Mme Gabrielle's lacquered folding screens.

Back to the future with the 18th century-like structures of Arnold & Son's Tourbillon Chronometer No. 36 / One minute into the life of Gabrielle Chanel with a Mademoiselle Priv Coromandel David Chokron/WorldTempus

You're swimming next to a giant pink jellyfish, somewhere along Australia's great coral reef thanks to MB&F x L'Epe's Medusa. You're taking it easy along the banks of a pond inside the Magic Lotus Automaton from Jaquet Droz, watching a Koi carp swim next to a dragonfly.

Dip your feet in the fresh waters of the Jaquet Droz pond with the Magic Lotus Automaton / Beware of the Medusa by MB&F x L'Epe David Chokron/WorldTempus

You're rising up with a hot air balloon from the Les Arostiers collection by Vacheron Constantin. A bit higher even when you're staring inside the small wrist planetarium that is Jacob & Co's Astronomia Clarity. Top that of with a lazy ride on the tail of a comet conjured by a diamond fairy, on the dial of the Lady Arpels Nuit Frique by Van Cleef & Arpels.

Behold the Astronomia Clarity from Jacob & Co, a small wrist-worn planetarium David Chokron/WorldTempus

Easy for me to say, I'll grant you. I have watches from all over coming to my wrist, shown to me in the hope I'll show them to you. I do travel for free, indeed. But the thing with watchmaking is that it allows you to become a stowaway and ride for free just like that. Just enter a watch dealer, try anything you bloody well want and become a fellow traveler. And who knows, you might just like what you see, buy the watch and become an expat...

Excerpt from:

Travel Watches - Watchmaking is motionless travel - Trends and style - WorldTempus

Here's what the parks could look like when they reopen their gates. USA TODAY

Disney World reopened nearly a month ago, and mostDisney theme parks around the globe have also reopened after closing amid the coronavirus pandemic.

One that hasn't: Disneyland.

And it's unlikely that the Anaheim, California, park will reopen anytime soon. California leads the nation in coronavirus cases more than 550,000 as of Sunday, according to Johns Hopkins data and state officials aren't ready to let theme parks reopen.

"Theme parks are not permitted to open in California at this time, under current public health orders," said Kate Folmar, a spokeswoman for California Health and Human Services. "We will continue to review health data to determine when and how theme parks may consider reopening at lower risk to staff and visitors."

Disneyland is waiting on guidance from state officials, and the company did not offer additional details.

The park was tentatively scheduled to reopen on July 17, but that was put on hold as coronavirus cases surged.

Anaheim and surrounding Orange County are in early Stage 3 (of four) of their reopening plan. The guidance posted on the city's website indicates that Disneyland Resort hotels, shopping, dining and theme parks will open in phases among Stages 2, 3 and 4, but no date has been set for the theme parks.

Still, a reopening may be possible this year. Cedar Fair, owner of Disneyland's rival in Orange County, Knott's Berry Farm, indicated Tuesday that it "will remain in a state of readiness as park teams continue their dialogue with authorities about the possibility of opening."

Autoplay

Show Thumbnails

Show Captions

Disney World in Florida reopened its Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom parks on July 11, followed by Epcot and Disney Hollywood Studios on July 15. Its resorts began reopening in June, though many remain closed.

The parks require visitors to wear face masks and respect social distancing requirements. They canceled events such as parades, fireworks displays and its big Halloween celebrationthat draw large crowds and closed attractions that involve person-to-person contact.

Disney executives conceded in a quarterlyearnings presentation Wednesday that Disney World hasn't drawn the attendance they expected, even accounting for the reduced capacity. They noted a drop-off in visitors coming from out of state. Air travel is nowhere close to what it was before the pandemic, and many states have imposed quarantine requirements on people traveling back from states that are coronavirus hot spots. AndDisney posted scaled-backoperating hours at the Magic Kingdom and several other Florida theme parks over the weekend.

Florida is catching up to California in coronavirus cases, with more than 525,000 COVID-19 cases as of Sunday, according to Johns Hopkins data.

J.D. O'Connor, an associate professor of cinematic artsat the University of Southern Californiaand a Disney expert,said Disney World relies more heavily on long-distance travelers who book flights and rental cars and stay in Disney resort hotels. Disneyland draws more people from Southern California, who drive there but don't stay overnight.

"Disney World takes in fewer people from within a three-hour drive than Disneyland," O'Connor said, which may give Disneyland an advantage over its Florida counterpart when it reopens.

O'Connor, who wrapped up a summer graduate course on Disney last week, said Disney's businesses are tightly interconnected.

When the company is working on all cylinders, he said, the movies drive people to the parks. The parks, in turn, are built on the content produced by the movie studios, which had to shut down for many of the same reasons.

Disney is watching what's happening in Florida closely, O'Connor said, in addition to its parks worldwide. He calls Disney World a "nice prototype for what its like to be open in a pandemic" and expects that the company will apply the lessons it learns in California.

It will also look to see what happens once schools in Orange County, California, reopen with students in the classroom. Orange County is on the state's monitoring list, meaning schools are not able to have in-person instruction immediately.

If coronavirus cases don't surge again after school starts, it might be a sign that Disneyland can reopen soon.

"That would be if everything goes right," O'Connor said.

Disney makes movies and television programs and operates cruise ships and resort hotels. Its theme parks though, make big profits.

On Wednesday, Disney reported its earnings for April, May and June. The numbers were not pretty. The company posted a nearly $5 billion loss for the quarter, including a $2 billion loss in its parks, experiences and products segment.

Disney World and Disneyland, the cruise lines and resort hotels were all shuttered for the entirety of the quarter. Its cruise operations remain shut down; the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has extended its March no-sail order through Sept. 30.

It may take a while to get the operation back in balance.

"It will be at least a year of very bad numbers," O'Connor said.

Autoplay

Show Thumbnails

Show Captions

Read or Share this story: https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/experience/america/theme-parks/2020/08/10/disneyland-california-theme-parks-left-limbo-covid-19-surge/3319886001/

Read more:

When will Disneyland reopen? COVID-19 surge keeps California theme parks in limbo - USA TODAY

Hays Travel, the holidays agency that took over Thomas Cook last year, has customer service centre staff working on the governments Covid-19 contact-tracing operation, the Observer and openDemocracy can reveal.

The Sunderland-based company, owned and run by the married couple John and Irene Hays, pitched for work on the coronavirus response in March, a spokeswoman confirmed, as the virus was spreading and the travel industry was plunged into crisis. The spokeswoman said that Hays Travel does not have a contract directly with the government, but has been subcontracted by two providers, whom she said the company could not name due to client confidentiality.

Serco, the logistics company believed to have the largest private contract with the government for Covid-19 contact tracing, confirmed that it has subcontracted Hays Travel to do some of the work, and more companies from the travel sector and other industries. A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social Care also confirmed that: Hays Travel has been subcontracted by Serco to provide support for NHS Test and Trace. Hays Travel was also subcontracted by Teleperformance [a French call centre customer experience corporation] to provide limited support for FCO travel advice at the height of the pandemic and also some support for the 119 [testing contact centre] service.

A Hays Travel internal memo telling staff the company had secured the contract to do contact tracing, seen by the Observer and openDemocracy, explained to employees:

This is to help to call people who may have been in contact with someone who has the coronavirus. We need to recruit a significant number of people really quickly.

Talking to people who may be carrying Covid-19 should be done by people with knowledge and experience of public health

The company told staff it would like to employ people who are recommended by you, friends, family or previous colleagues people who you think would do the job really well and look after the Hays Travel brand for us all.

The memo said people recruited to do contact tracing would undergo about four hours Webex training online, and be able to start work on the same day. The company spokeswoman said that, in fact, for tier 3 contact tracing, which involves initial calls to people who have tested positive and the contacts they give, nine hours training is provided.

Neither Serco nor Hays Travel gave details of the size or value of the subcontract for the contact-tracing operation. Hays this week announced almost 900 redundancies, saying that the governments requirement for returnees from Spain to go into 14-day quarantine had severely affected its holiday business.

There has been intense scrutiny and criticism of the national operation to trace and talk to people who may have had close contact with those who have tested positive for the coronavirus, particularly for the limited numbers of people it is reaching and encouraging to self-isolate. Experts, including David McCoy, professor of global public health at Queen Mary University of London, have criticised the outsourcing to private companies such as Serco and the limited training given to call centre staff, and called for experienced local public health teams to have greater responsibility for overseeing the management of contact tracing. Blackburn with Darwen council, the local authority with the countrys highest infection rate, has set up its own contact-tracing system due to frustrations with the national programme.

McCoy said it was ludicrous to have a travel agency tracing contacts of Covid-19 sufferers, and said the minimal training provided was hopelessly inadequate.

Talking to people who may be carrying Covid-19 and encouraging them to self-isolate is skilled work and should ideally be done by people with knowledge and experience of public health, and legitimacy to be listened to, he said. It makes no sense to have the work done by a travel agency in a call centre disconnected from the public health system. The private outsourcing is taking resources away from strengthening the public health front line, where capacity needs to be developed.

The Hays Travel spokeswoman responded to criticism about the limited training by saying: Training was provided as required by the client [Serco] by our highly skilled training academy.

She said that as a travel company, Hays is highly skilled in dealing with people with complex requirements, and that: Our call handlers meet the high standards required by our client at the level at which they operate.

She said the idea to seek contact-tracing work initially came from an employee, in response to the downturn in work at Hays as the virus spread and demand for holidays plummeted. Senior managers at the company approached a particular service centre that had been contracted to work on the response to the coronavirus but did not have enough skilled staff.

Back in March, in the early stages of the Covid-19 pandemic, we could see our industry facing crisis and we decided to be very proactive in trying to secure work for our people many of them did not qualify for the furlough scheme, the spokeswoman explained. They are quality people and we wanted to find work for them to do.

A Serco representative said the company does not disclose profits made on individual contracts but that the work that we are doing to support governments on Covid-related work is at lower margins than our normal work.

The DHSC spokesperson said: As the public would expect, we are doing everything we can to respond to this unprecedented global pandemic this includes working with public and private sector partners where necessary.

All contact tracers and call handlers receive appropriate training and follow detailed procedures and scripts.

See the rest here:

Hays Travel staff put to work on Covid contact-tracing operation - The Guardian

Felicity Long

A recent kerfuffle in a neighboring town in Massachusetts where my family and I spend our summers made the news when an ice-cream shop reported customers flouting Covid-19 protocols and abusing staff who attempted to enforce the state-mandated rules. The shop owner, who had just reopened after months of virus-imposed lockdown, promptly reclosed in protest.

While not uncommon in some parts of the country, this kind of aggressive noncompliance is relatively rare in the Commonwealth, where the battle against the pandemic has been successfully carried out without drama, thanks in part to an early shutdown, a slow reopening and resolute personal sacrifice on the part of the citizenry. As a result, most locals don't take kindly to the noise created by the anti-masker movement.

Does all this have anything to do with Europe?

Well, it might if we attempt to export that lack of unity about disease-fighting strategies to our vacation mindset.

Take Ireland, where so-called bad behavior by incoming American tourists has reportedly rankled locals. At issue has been the current two-week self-quarantine rule for visitors arriving from the U.S., which apparently is being regarded by some travelers as a suggestion, rather than a mandate.

Of course, you could argue whether it's realistic to even allow people to fly to a destination if they have to spend two weeks in their hotel. What's the point of going?

But it is likely that countries overseas are factoring our divisive pandemic response -- along with our infection-rate numbers -- into their decisions about whether to take us off the persona non grata list.

Certainly, the thought of truculent tourists creating incidents at European museums and attractions by refusing to comply with health and safety regulations could give them pause.

Ruth Moran, publicity and communications manager for Tourism Ireland, described her country's arrivals strategy diplomatically.

"We are renowned for the warmth of our welcome, and this will not change," she said. "When the time is right, the tourism industry, and the population in general, look forward to renewing the special bond that exists between the U.S. and Ireland."

In the meantime, Ireland is accessible for incoming tourists from the U.S., but with the two-week quarantine requirement. The arrivals restrictions, which are being monitored by local authorities, were renewed July 20, and as of this writing, there is no immediate, specific end date, Moran said.

One thing travel advisors can do to help prepare their clients for a rewarding travel experience in Europe is to alert them to the Covid protocols of the country they will be traveling to and reinforce the advisability of abiding by them.

Many hotels have stepped up their domestic marketing efforts to fill the void.

Unfortunately, this is easier said than done, because Europe is experiencing its own uneven virus-mitigation strategies, despite pleas from the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) to come up with unified guidelines. In fact, the WTTC Covid-19 siteincludes the language: "The global outbreak of Covid-19 has led many countries to introduce border closures and travel restrictions. Travelers should be prepared these could change suddenly and without warning."

While most European countries mandate the wearing of masks on public transportation, for example, the rules for shops and other indoor venues vary by country -- in some cases, by region.

In France, masks are mandatory in all enclosed public spaces, and noncompliers will be fined. Germany has a countrywide mask policy for shops, but in Switzerland, only the cantons of Jura, Vaud and Geneva require masks in shops.

Scotland, Ireland and England started mandating masks in shops this month, but, as of this writing, Wales has not.

Masks are not required at all in Norway and Denmark, although they are recommended, and Sweden -- famously at this point -- doesn't necessarily even recommend them.

I could go on, but you get the idea -- and we should point out that even these regulations are shifting under our feet.

Of course, all this is not only confusing for travelers, but negatively impacts Europe's GDP, which relies heavily on tourism for its jobs and economy, by chipping away at vacationer confidence. To bring some semblance of unity to its advice for travelers, WTTC unveiled a simple graphic designed to offer suggestions for best practices.

Bottom line, what's a travel advisor to do when preparing clients for European travel? In addition to trying to stay on top of evolving regulations, they can encourage would-be vacationers to abide by and be respectful of local protocols -- and when in doubt, in the words of the latest viral meme to hit social media, "wear the damn mask."

Read more:

Mask-wearing protocols and politics - Travel Weekly

TRBusiness and Bluedog Productions are pleased to announce that DF&TR stakeholders can now register in earnest for TRMarketplace [click below to register]. Registration will close on 24 August.

There are now less than eight weeks to go before the travel retail and duty free industrys first digital conference and networking forum takes place on 28 September 2 October. However, the platform opens a full month prior to the inaugural event on 28 August, to allow users to book meetings in advance.

A wave of visitors and brands have already pre-registered for the platform, which allows suppliers to connect, network and host meetings via intuitive Brands Hubs.

Attendees will benefit from a wealth of educational interaction and comprehensive knowledge & insights in the form of a daily e-learning programme in association with m1nd-set and the Institute of International Retail (IIR).

WIDENING PARTICIPATION

Those who do not qualify for the visitor and supplier/brand categories at TRMarketplace can meet brands and enjoy the e-learning programme for a one-off fee of UK GBP 350 [NB: The fee precludes access to TRMarketplace visitors ].

Nigel Hardy and Janice Hook, TRBusiness Owners and Joint Managing Directors said: After months of hard work by the teams at TRBusiness and Bluedog Productions, we are delighted to announce that registration is officially open for TRMarketplace.

Everyone recognises that the nature and scale of the devastation caused by coronavirus in the past few months has been and continues to be unparalleled. But adversity has bred strength, ingenuity and differentiation in decision making, the likes of which we havent experienced in our 30-plus years in the business. This has been made infinitely easier by advances in technology.

A new dawn for networking has surfaced and TRMarketplace is at the forefront of this step-change in the industry. This is a not-to-be-missed opportunity and we robustly encourage anyone with a vested interest in DF&TR to sign-up now and take full advantage of the innumerable opportunities available through the platform.

[For the latest list of visitors and Brand Hub partners, see footer.]

Earlier this month, TRMarketplace launched its standalone website http://www.travelretailmarketplace.com as anticipation builds ahead of the business networking event.

Nigel Hardy and Janice Hook, TRBusiness Owners and Joint Managing Directors.

As reported, Heineken, Ritter Sport, Dufre, Mondelez World Travel Retail and Nuwave Channel Partners are just a handful of the latest companies to have taken Brand Hubs [see below walkthrough video] or sponsorships or both.

They join countless high-profile visitors from the worlds leading travel retailers, airlines and major international airports keen to maximise business opportunities as the industry battles back to health after a hellish 2020.

More recent additions to the programme include Tokyo Narita, Amsterdam Schiphol, Groupe ADP, GMR Hyderabad and Manchester Airports Group.

Airlines such as KLM and flyDubai have also registered. To read more testimonials from suppliers/brands and visitors, click the respective links.

The new effective networking platform, TRMarketplace, gives an immense opportunity for retailers, airports and airlines buyers gain free access which was not available earlier, said Soumya Salvin, Inflight Product Development, flyDubai.

This is great for live events like product demos, customer training, and other technical sales topics. It will give the chance to create and deliver high-quality visual content that can have a positive impact on buyers visual platforms. Cost effectiveness to companies by reduced employee travel time and trip costs.

Having a wider audience base engagement ensures an increase in brand awareness and makes it really easy for lot of like-minded people to join & get connected. No doubt TRMarketplace is indeed a wonderful strategy to teach and sell at the same time. Great way to attract new eyes, generate new leads, and help speed up the processes.

BRAND HUBS: DEADLINE EXTENDED

Brand Hub owners will gain full disclosure of the visitors list and have the opportunity to book meetings up to four weeks prior to the event start date to maximise ROI.

All TRMarketplace content will be available for six months after the event has concluded.

Since TRMarketplace was launched earlier this year, the Brand Hubs have received a tremendous response and as a courtesy gesture TRBusiness has decided to extend the deadline to register for a Brand Hub until 14 August [*see footer for further information].

Brand Hub owner Carambar & Co. says TRMarketplace offers visibility to the companys brands and an opportunity to communicate its presence in travel retail.

Another Brand Hub owner, Multi Duty Free Department, highlights the potential to explore and develop new business ideas with customers, partners and friends.

Dagmar Berentzen, Managing Partner, Multi Duty Free Department says TRMarketplace permits connections with existing clients while fostering new ones.

We see a really good opportunity to reach out to people we dont know; a lot of important customers still missing. We think we have something interesting to propose to them as the market is changing every day and everybody is looking for something new. We definitely encourage our customers and partners to use TRMarketplace; its a very innovative idea.

In line with TRBusiness mission to help the industry grow, the company has also recently unveiled the TR Talent Pool initiative for those who have lost their jobs in DF&TR due to Covid-19.

TR Talent Pool allows free-of-charge entry to TRMarketplace to help job seekers book meetings with participants and discuss potential career opportunities. In this way, the initiative galvanises an abundance of skills in the industry and funnels critical experience and knowledge through the lens of a powerful networking platform.

The deadline to sign-up for a Brand Hub has been extended to 16 August.

Retail operators can enjoy complimentary access to TRMarketplace, while brands/suppliers can exhibit for a fixed price of GBP 4,495 (ex VAT), which represents tremendous value to stakeholders.

Brands can upload all relevant documentation for visitors to browse and download(access restricted). Brands will even be able to facilitate the launch of new products.

Each brand representative can schedule video conferences with retailers and other partners using the platforms secure integrated software, alleviating the need to install any third-party add-ons. The number of brand representatives is unlimited. The number of concurrent video conferences that can take place is also unlimited for each brand.

*To find out more about TRMarketplace and to invest in a Brand Hub, contact[emailprotected],[emailprotected]and[emailprotected]

See the rest here:

TRMarketplace registration now officially open - TRBusiness

After months of waiting, a stranded cruise ship workermay soon be going home.

A Royal Caribbean worker traveled to the United States in January to receive treatment for a back injury he reportedly sustained on the job. Since then, however, he has reportedlybeen stuck living in Florida hotels, unable to return home despite his constant pleas.

A cruise ship worker may finally return home in September after months of living in Florida hotels. (iStock)

Paul Cordova injured his back working on a Royal Caribbean cruise ship in 2017, the Tampa Bay Times reports. He underwent surgery in November 2018 and traveled to the U.S. from his home in Peru for follow-up treatment in January. Then, the coronavirus pandemic hit and Cordova has reportedly been unable to return home since.

OVER 12,000 CRUISE SHIP WORKERS STUCK AT SEA MONTHS AFTER SHUTTING DOWN: REPORT

According to the news outlet, the man requested to be placed on multiple repatriation flights over the last 95 days but has so far been unsuccessful. The cruise line reportedly told him that his repatriation was either impossible at the time, or didnt respond to the requests.

FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS

Things finally may havechanged, however.

In a statement shared with Fox News, a spokesperson for Royal Caribbean said, We have been working with Mr. Crdova to get him home in a challenging international travel environment and currently understand the next opportunity to do so is on Sept. 1. We all share the same goal of getting him home as quickly and safely as possible.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

According to the Tampa Bay Times, there are still more than 100,000 cruise ship workers stranded around the world, unable to return to their homes due to the coronavirus pandemic and the travel restrictions it has caused.

Cordova originally stayed at the Plaza Hotel in Fort Lauderdale and was later moved to the Clarion Inn and Suites in Miami Springs. He has reportedly passed the time by talking to his family through his laptop and studying plumbing schematics for cruise ships.

Link:

Royal Caribbean cruise worker may finally be sent home to Peru after 7 months of living in Florida hotels - Fox News

The travel industry has urged the government to rethink its 14-day quarantine policy for holidaymakers as rising coronavirus cases on the continent including France and Greece put more countries within the scope of the blunt approach.

Testing at airports and regional quarantine requirements are among alternatives put forward by tourism figures concerned by the impact the policy could have on an already battered sector.

France recorded its highest increase in cases since May on Friday, while countries emerging as preferred alternatives to Spain and France, such as Greece, have also experienced a steep rises in the number of cases.

There were 2,288 new cases in France in the 24 hours to Friday, leading many to presume it will be added to the governments quarantine list, which requires anyone entering the UK from selected countries to self-isolate for 14 days. Spain, Belgium and Andorra are currently among European countries on the list.

Meanwhile, Britains confirmed coronavirus cases rose by 1,062 on Sunday the first time the daily total has risen above 1,000 since late June up from 758 cases on Saturday. Eight people were confirmed to have died with Covid-19.

Emma Batchelor, the director of Discover Ferries, which represents the passenger ferry industry in the UK, said: We strongly advocate that any quarantine restrictions introduced by the UK government should be proportional and kept under close review in order to enable people to continue to travel to safe destinations and suggest adopting a regional rather than a country-based approach to quarantine.

We also call on the government to be transparent on its decision-making criteria and time frames so people can make an informed decision on where they can travel for their long-awaited holidays this summer.

It came amid signs that people were rebooking planned Spanish holidays for other countries, such as Greece. But late on Sunday Greece revealed it had recorded 203 new infections in the previous 24 hours, its highest daily tally since the start of the outbreak in the country, underlining the uncertainty across the continent. Greece has had just over 200 coronavirus deaths in total.

The Covid-19 pandemic is currently unfolding in one big wave with no evidence that it follows seasonal variations common to influenza and other coronaviruses, such as the common cold, theWorld Health Organizationhas warned.

Epidemics of infectious diseases behave in different ways but the1918 influenza pandemicthat killed more than 50 million people is regarded as a key example of a pandemic that occurred in multiple waves, with the latter more severe than the first. It has been replicated albeit more mildly in subsequent flu pandemics. Until now that had been what was expected from Covid-19.

How and why multiple-wave outbreaks occur, and how subsequent waves of infection can be prevented, has become a staple of epidemiological modelling studies and pandemic preparation, which have looked at everything from social behaviour and health policy to vaccination and the buildup of community immunity, also known as herd immunity.

Is there evidence of coronavirus coming back in a second wave?

This is being watched very carefully. Without a vaccine, and with no widespread immunity to the new disease, one alarm is being sounded by the experience of Singapore, which has seen a suddenresurgence in infectionsdespite being lauded for its early handling of the outbreak.

Although Singapore instituted a strong contact tracing system for its general population, the disease re-emerged incramped dormitory accommodationused by thousands of foreign workers with inadequate hygiene facilities and shared canteens.

Singapores experience, although very specific, has demonstrated the ability of the disease to come back strongly in places where people are in close proximity and its ability to exploit any weakness in public health regimes set up to counter it.

In June 2020, Beijing suffered from a new cluster of coronavirus cases which caused authorities to re-implement restrictions that China had previously been able to lift. In the UK, the city of Leicester was unable to come out of lockdown because of the development of a new spike of coronavirus cases. Clusters also emerged in Melbourne, requiring a re-imposition of lockdown conditions.

What are experts worried about?

Conventional wisdom among scientists suggests second waves of resistant infections occur after the capacity for treatment and isolation becomes exhausted. In this case the concern is that the social and political consensus supporting lockdowns is being overtaken by public frustration and the urgent need to reopen economies.

However Linda Bauld, professor of public health at the University of Edinburgh, says Second wave isnt a term that we would use at the current time, as the virus hasnt gone away, its in our population, it has spread to 188 countries so far, and what we are seeing now is essentially localised spikes or a localised return of a large number of cases.

The overall threat declines when susceptibility of the population to the disease falls below a certain threshold or when widespread vaccination becomes available.

In general terms the ratio of susceptible and immune individuals in a population at the end of one wave determines the potential magnitude of a subsequent wave. The worry is that witha vaccine still many months away, and the real rate of infection only being guessed at, populations worldwide remain highly vulnerable to both resurgence and subsequent waves.

Peter Beaumont,Emma Graham-Harrison and Martin Belam

Paul Charles, a travel consultant at the PC Agency and founder of the campaign group Quash Quarantine, which has paused a planned legal action against the restrictions, said it was crucial the government learned from its mistakes with Spain and gave holidaymakers and the industry significant notice to allow consumers to rethink their plans.

He said the blanket quarantine approach was wrong, adding: Much better to have another solution, which is a combination of temperature testing at airports, swab or saliva testing at airports and very effective test and trace, and then you have a very good alternative to quarantine, which doesnt have the same impact on the economy.

Tim Alderslade, the chief executive of Airlines UK, said: Extending the furlough scheme would help enormously, as would stimulus measures such as an air passenger duty waiver, which would save many of the routes that will otherwise be lost this winter.

View post:

Battered travel industry urges UK to rethink Covid-19 quarantine policy - The Guardian