Chinas initial response to the coronavirus epidemic was marred by policy stumbles that fueled public anger, the nations leader, Xi Jinping, said in published speech excerpts that laid out his ideas for strengthening the countrys defenses against such outbreaks.

Mr. Xis comments, drawn from two internal speeches that he made in February, were published on Saturday in Qiushi, or Seeking Truth, the ruling Communist Partys leading journal. They seemed intended to highlight the policy and legal changes that Mr. Xi intends to push to confront the epidemic.

Those include banning the trade in wildlife that scientists believe may have let the coronavirus jump from animals into the human population; more effective monitoring of potential epidemics; and stronger coordination to direct emergency medical supplies when an outbreak happens.

While praising the Chinese governments response to the crisis, Mr. Xi also acknowledged problems, using blunter language than he had in previous public comments on the epidemic.

Some localities and departments were at a loss in how to react to this sudden epidemic, Mr. Xi said. Some protective measures went through abrupt changes, and in some areas there was even lawless and criminal conduct that seriously impeded containing the epidemic, and there was public dissatisfaction about this.

Mr. Xi did not elaborate on what he meant by criminal conduct. Chinese news media outlets have reported cases of officials neglecting stricken families, as well as crude, unhygienic efforts to transfer patients.

Reporting was contributed by Sheri Fink, Choe Sang-hun, Motoko Rich, Knvul Sheikh, Alissa J. Rubin, Mike Baker, Michael Crowley, Keith Bradsher, Raymond Zhong, Iliana Magra, Tess Felder, Norimitsu Onishi, Noah Weiland, Mihir Zaveri, Mitch Smith, Aimee Ortiz, Clifford Krauss, Julie Turkewitz, Mike Isaac, Karen Weise and Kimiko de Freytas-Tamura.

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Second Death From Virus Is Reported in the U.S. - The New York Times

(CNN) At the forefront of the photo, a diver leaps into azure Spanish skies, arching her body into a streamlined curve.

In the background, a panoramic Barcelona skyline stretches out, punctuated by La Sagrada Familia, Gaudi's half-finished masterpiece of a cathedral, and fringed by distant hills.

Over the course of the Olympics' two-week stint in Barcelona, variations on this eye-catching scene were broadcast on television screens around the world, cementing a spectacular image of the Spanish city in the memories of millions.

The result? Barcelona arrived squarely on the tourism map, transforming from an undiscovered gem to a must-visit European destination: in 1990, there were just 1.7 million overnight visitors, by 2016, there were over 8 million.

Sure, during that time the Spanish city also benefited from the growth of budget flights, a booming cruise industry and increasing word of mouth reports of its many cultural highlights -- but many reckon the successful Olympic stint is what kickstarted the uptake.

But while tourists still flock to Barcelona's Montjuc area to see the view that the Olympics made famous, across the Mediterranean in Greece, many of the venues that were once the glory of Athens 2004 lie seemingly semi-abandoned and forgotten.

They're not alone: In China, some of Beijing's 2008 Olympic venues have been absorbed by nature, weeds growing inside what was once the BMX track.

With a new Olympic city in the spotlight every couple of years, the short-term tourism opportunity and long-term tourism legacy promised by hosting the Games is alluring.

So why do Olympic venues sometimes get abandoned? And how do cities ensure a positive Olympic legacy for both tourists and locals?

Building an Olympic city

The new National Stadium will host the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

Behrouz Mehri/AFP/Getty Images

The Summer Olympics are one of the world's biggest sporting events, and, unsurprisingly, building an Olympic city is no easy feat.

It all starts with a would-be host submitting a bid, outlining how they intend to get their Games off the ground, and how they'll transform their city into a sporting playground.

"These days you need somewhere between 35 and 40 athletic venues to just host the required games for the Olympics," explains Andrew Zimbalist, Robert A. Woods professor of economics at Smith College in Massachusetts, and the author of several studies on the economics of the Olympic Games.

Some of the Olympic venues from Athens 2004 have not fared well.

Milos Bicanski/Getty Images

"On top of that, you need an Olympic village that will house somewhere in the neighborhood of 18,000 people, you need a media village that also requires beds for several thousand people."

In short, it takes a lot of space and a lot of venues.

In that sense, says Zimbalist, a city getting saddled with white elephants post-Olympics is perhaps more likely than not.

The BMX track used for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games is now abandoned.

GREG BAKER/AFP/Getty Images

In recent years, bidding cities have tried to circumnavigate this issue by planning ahead, devising ways to successfully transform into an Olympic city, and successfully transform back again, whether via temporary venues, or converting pre-existing apparatus.

This isn't just cities being inventive -- nowadays it's pretty much mandated by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), who oversee the Games and the bidding process.

"Image building is extremely powerful," says Christophe Dubi, executive director of the IOC. "But you need a plan. That's what we gauge now, in the dialogue [with host cities.]"

Making the bid

An American tourist presents a ticket at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

JACQUES DEMARTHON/AFP via Getty Images

Why a destination bids to host an Olympics Games is dependent upon its individual economic, social, cultural and historical factors.

"Cities bid for the Olympics for geopolitics reasons, for media branding reasons, for sponsorship, to track foreign direct investment and talent and so on," says Tony Johnston, head of Tourism at Althone Institute of Technology in Ireland.

While tourism might not be the motivating factor for bidding, hosting a mega event puts your city on show, on a global scale. And such high stakes have, for a long while, come hand-in-hand with high prices.

Andrew Zimbalist, Robert A. Woods professor of economics at Smith College

Some city populations have expressed concerns about the mounting costs. Boston, in the US, and Hamburg, in Germany, withdrew their respective bids for the 2024 games. Boston made the decision after polls indicated a lack of support, while Hamburg pulled out of its bid following a citywide referendum in which 51.6% of residents said they were against the idea.

"We are encouraging the organizing committees to find solutions that are cheaper if they do exist," Dubi tells CNN Travel. "And we really embrace that spirit of creativity, innovation in order to contain the costs."

Dubi says he's confident prices are becoming more restrained.

He also adds that the importance of planning for legacy is true of any major sporting event.

"We are permanently dialoguing with future hosts for 2030, 32, 34 etc," adds Dubi. "What is your long term plan in terms of development for the city and the region? And how can the Games contribute? You have to have a strong plan and the Games as a contributor to make it a success."

London as a case study

The Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in London was built for the Summer Olympic Games in 2012.

Courtesy The London Legacy Development Corporation

In 2012, right before the Olympic Agenda 2020 was adopted, London hosted the Summer Olympic Games. This Olympic stint didn't offer Barcelona levels of tourism transformation -- perhaps because, as economics and environmental studies expert Victor A. Matheson jokingly put it: "The Olympics aren't going to put London on the map because if London isn't already on your map, you really need to get yourself a new map."

But London's Games did try and prepare for a post-Olympics future. How successfully the city did so depends on who you ask.

The London Legacy Development Corporation was formed a couple months before the 2012 Olympics, with the aim of using "the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity of the London 2012 Games and the creation of Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park to develop a dynamic new heart for east London, creating opportunities for local people and driving innovation and growth in London and the UK."

Peter Tudor, the corporation's director of visitor services, recently showed CNN Travel around the London Aquatics Centre, the swanky water palace purpose-built for the London Olympics' swimming, diving and synchronized swimming events.

It's been a public pool since 2014. On a rainy winter weekday, it was teeming with activity -- from school kids crowding the entryways to serious swimmers doing laps beneath the undulating roof.

"The London Olympics was probably one of the first times people were really thinking about what happens after the Games, lots of cities got to the end of their Games and then asked the question," says Tudor.

The Aquatics Centre cost 269 million to build, and underwent a lengthy, pricey, transformation process to become a public space.

It still hosts official events from time to time: the FINA Diving World Series is scheduled to take place here in March 2020, followed shortly after by the British Swimming Championships.

But for some east Londoners, it's just their local gym -- even if UK Olympian Tom Daley can occasionally be seen catapulting off the diving board.

The London Aquatic Centre is now a public pool.

Courtesy The London Legacy Development Corporation

London's Olympic Park is based in Stratford, in the east of the city, a historically poorer, industrial area. Part of the London Olympic bid was a promise to regenerate this part of the British capital.

Still, this transformation didn't come cheap. The London Stadium was originally pitched at 280 million ($358 million at today's exchange rates) -- its final construction cost was 486 million, and converting it into a venue suitable for West Ham cost an additional 272 million.

And naysayers question whether there was a need for a super fancy helter-skelter, or huge new stadium. Plus, they say, the East End area of the city had been pegged for regeneration whether or not the Olympics came to town.

"If the [British] government had simply provided incentives to encourage that development, then you would have would have gotten much more authentic and organic and deep economic development in that area then anything that you might have gotten from the Olympic construction," says economist Zimbalist.

London's ArcelorMittal Orbit tower -- a piece of public art that doubles up as a slide and viewing platform.

Courtesy The London Legacy Development Corporation

Londoner Julian Cheyne used to live in a housing estate called Clays Lane, knocked down in 2007 to make way for the Olympic Park. Cheyne is the co-founder of a site called GamesMonitor, that views the Olympic project through a critical lens.

"If you are a part of the property industry, then you can make a lot of money out of projects associated with the Olympics," Cheyne tells CNN Travel. "And it means that you get the opportunity to remove people from areas of land which you might have your eye on."

Cheyne was rehoused and received monetary compensation, but he says he had "no desire to move."

He is, in fact, skeptical that the Olympics have any sort of positive impact on tourism.

"It's very difficult to think of any particular benefits that London has had as a result of the Olympics. It was a well known city. It didn't need this boost in order to get tourists to come to it."

"I'm not really a fan of the Olympics at all, I don't think that these major events contribute anything to the cities, apart from a degree of destruction to largely poor neighborhoods," says Cheyne.

The London Legacy Corporation, however, argues the city's Olympics, and ongoing legacy has largely boosted the lives of locals and tourists.

Peter Tudor points to a series of recent high profile sporting events as one example: in 2019, the London Stadium played host to two Major League Baseball (MLB) games between the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox. The matches were part of a two year arrangement for MLB to play season matches at the city's stadium -- this year will see the St. Louis Cardinals take on the Chicago Cubs.

The IOC, says Tudor, likes to recommend prospective bidders come and visit the London venues -- to see how legacy building is done.

"We show other nations delegations round on a fairly frequent basis," he explains.

Unexpected tourism

When it comes to an Olympic tourism uptake, almost three decades after divers were filmed catapulting through Barcelona's skyline, the Spanish city's still most often held up as an example of the Olympics' power to transform a city's tourism fortunes for the better.

It's not the only one, though. Turin, which hosted the Winter Olympics in 2006, also saw a boost: Visitor numbers in Piedmont increased from 3.3 million in 2016 to 4.3 million in 2012.

Another Winter Olympics success story is Salt Lake City, Utah, which hosted in 2002.

Utah, once second-fiddle to Colorado as a ski destination, had its profile raised thanks to the Olympics, explains economist Victor Matheson. The exposure led to an increase in the number of skier visits in Salt Lake City (and surrounding area), and more rapid growth than neighboring Colorado, Matheson says.

These success stories might have staying power in the public consciousness, but so too do the abandoned venues; stories on these spots make headlines, populate Instagram and Flickr and inspire think pieces.

While on paper abandoned Olympic infrastructure might seem like a waste, a failure to capitalize on Olympic legacy, oddly, such venues can become a tourist attraction of their own -- albeit a niche, and possibly even illegal-to-visit one.

Sarajevo hosted the Winter Olympics in 1984 and many of the venues are now abandoned.

ELVIS BARUKCIC/AFP via Getty Images

The popularity of "ruin porn" -- artsy photographs of abandoned venues -- can send photographers flocking to the graffiti-strewn bobsled tracks of Sarajevo, or Athens' disused venues.

The IOC, meanwhile, is keen to stress that the venues which appear abandoned sometimes have more to them than meets the eye.

"We are conscious that some venues from past Games are not utilized as fully as they could be," says Bernardo Domingues, media relations manager at the IOC.

"However, too often we see outdated or out of context reports or images of venues from past Games that do not represent the current situation or account for the full picture."

Christophe Dubi, executive director, International Olympic Committee

The IOC points to Beijing's often-photographed BMX track, saying it was always intended as a temporary facility, and photos of the cities Canoeing and Rowing Park, which it says do not demonstrate the facility's full use.

In Rio, the issue, says Dubi, is that temporary venues haven't been dismantled.

Domingues says the IOC is currently conducting a research study looking at the post-Games use of all existing Olympic venues, with results due in early 2021.

Not everything's been perfect in the past, the organization admits, and it says it's learning from this -- pointing to the new Olympic Agenda 2020 reform program.

"The one message that I really insist upon is that we have turned the page. Games bidding and Games organization has been really totally revamped," says Dubi.

Olympic future

The IOC is currently planning for future Olympic Games.

Richard Heathcote/Getty Images

The mission of the modern Olympic Games is to build bridges between countries and celebrate connections -- and offer a stellar fortnight of sporting greatness.

This mission is predicated on the idea that the Olympics sets up shop in a different city every couple of years, opening the world's eyes to the wonders of that particular destination.

Still, some experts suggest that to eradicate fears of disused venues, and as a way of addressing the increasingly fervent question of sustainability, the IOC should abandon the bidding system altogether.

The proposed alternative? A few cities alternate hosting duties at purpose-built, permanent venues. Andrew Zimbalist calls this concept, "the only sensible plan," while Matheson, while admitting that it's not 100% in the spirit of the Olympics, says he would "vote in favor of that -- and in a heartbeat."

Tokyo is hosting the Olympics this summer.

Matt Roberts/Getty Images

The IOC, however, is more interested in an alternative idea that's already being put into practice: giving the Olympic Games a larger footprint -- that is, a region, or even entire country hosting, rather than one city.

The 2026 Winter Olympics, for example, is due to be hosted by Italian cities Milan and Cortina.

And while Tokyo's initial plan for 2020 was to construct new venues on the islands surrounding Tokyo Bay, this idea was rejigged to instead reuse venues from the Games in 1964, build temporary structures that will be dismantled post-Games, and utilize existing structures further afield.

There are 12 venues that are located over five miles from the Olympic village HQ.

This plan comes with an added tourism bonus, as more of the country will be spotlighted.

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The tourism legacy of the Olympic Games - CNN

The World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) announced it will hold the annual Global Summit in Cancun, Mexico in April 2020 amid coronavirus outbreak.

WTTC said they hope to host travel and tourism leaders from across the globe from April 21 to 23.

The organization said it decided to move the travel and tourism summit from San Juan, Peurto Rico to Cancun, Mexico with Puerto Rico's best interest in mind.

"WTTC remains strongly committed to supporting Puerto Rico's amazing comeback story as seen in their record-breaking year in tourism last year. Although the Island was ready to welcome us with open arms this April, despite the recent seismic activity in the southern region, reallocating resources to continue this great momentum is the right thing to do to further boost tourism," WTTC President and CEO Gloria Guevara said.

The entity said the switch to Cancun will allow them to focus on the opportunities and challenges that will contribute to the growth of tourism of Mexico, US regions, Latin America, and the Caribbean.

Guevara also said financial resources will be allocated on campaigns that promote Puerto Rico's 'open for tourism' message with hopes it will drive more visitors to the island.

WTTC said they will hold a "major event" in San Juan sometime this year.

WTTC warned countries against closing borders and blanket travel bans, saying it won't stop the spread of COVID-19

Guevara, who was formerly Tourism Minister of Mexico, said she had first-hand experience of containing a major health threat after she dealt with the H1N1 influenza virus in Mexico.

The CEO urged governments and authorities not to turn to "disproportionate measures" in hopes of controlling coronavirus. She cited her experience where extreme actions were proven ineffective in the containment of diseases.

Furthermore, she called for governments to look for fact-based measures that won't affect businesses that consider traveling essential.

Guevarra also emphasized the value of staying calm, saying the fatality rate of the virus remains low. She said observing hygiene measures will lessen the chances of contracting the virus.

The council hopes the community will "join forces to get through this difficult time and support a response to the outbreak."

They also encourage public and private sectors to combat the spread of "erroneous" information about coronavirus and to urge their citizens to avoid unnecessary panic.

According to the World Travel and Tourism Council's website, WTTC is an organization that represents the travel and tourism private sector globally.

The organization has over 200 members that are CEOs, Chairpersons, and Presidents of leading travel and tourism companies across the globe.

WTTC aims to raise awareness about the 319 million jobs travel and tourism create worldwide. Travel and tourism also generate 10.4% of global gross domestic product (GDP), making it one of the world's largest economic sectors.

Research conducted by the organization showed the economic impact of Travel and Tourism in 185 countries for the past 30 years.

The sector outpaced the growth of the global economy (3.2%) by 0.7% for the eighth consecutive year in 2018. The sector also makes one in every five jobs.

The WTTC Global Summit 2020 will take place in Cancun, Mexico from April 21 to April 23, 2020. The event is expected to have a range of CEOs and senior leaders speak from within the industry.

TagsCoronavirus, Tourism summit, Cancun Mexico

2015 Latin Post. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.

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Mexico to Host Travel and Tourism Summit Amid Coronavirus Outbreak - Latin Post

Confusingly named, enticingly remote and increasingly popular, the chilly island of Greenland is fast becoming the dark horse of 2020 travel destinations.

Before planning their trips, most visitors know little about the Arctic destination beyond vague ideas about its misleading nomenclature "Greenland is icy whereas Iceland is green, right?" or its link to popular culture, namely: "It's the one singer Bjork isn't from."

It's true that Greenland is a land of icebergs and glaciers and the Greenland ice sheet, the second largest continental glacier in the world.

So why such a verdant name?

Many people know the old Nordic saga. After being exiled from Iceland, Norse explorer Erik Thorvaldsson better known as Erik the Red named his new home "Greenland" to attract more visitors. After all, "green" sounds more attractive than "ice-filled" for many holidaymakers.

Kulusuk, a remote island in southeast Greenland.

Westend61

However, few know that Greenland actually was significantly greener around A.D. 1000, when the Vikings followed Norse custom of naming something as they saw it.

Sadly, that's a situation that is rapidly becoming true again. Due to global warming, Greenland's icebergs are melting at a worrying rate. As images of a remote Arctic wonderland emerging from the ice are splashed across international media, travelers are beginning to see Greenland in a new light.

Melting icebergs calved from Jakobshavn Glacier floating in Disko Bay near Ilulissat, Greenland.

Paul Souders

Others are finding the popularity of nearby Iceland to be too much and rightfully view Greenland as a slower, quieter option.

U.S. President Donald Trump's statement about buying Greenland in August 2019 didn't hurt either. Greenland which isn't for sale experienced a worldwide surge in Google searches because of it.

A country the native Inuits know as Kalaallit Nunaat, Greenland is an "accessible Arctic" country of just 56,000 inhabitants. Tourism numbers outstripped the resident population in 2019.

CEO and co-founder of Nordic travel specialist 50 Degrees North, Tietse Stelma, said the company is experiencing 400% growth in travel bookings this year.

"Greenland is a great alternative to Iceland, with far fewer tourists and therefore, much more authentic experiences," he said.

The colorful architecture of Greenland.

Elizabeth M. Ruggiero | iStock | Getty Images

Still, it's not a budget holiday.

"It's a considerable cost to visit Greenland, and flights can be expensive," Stelma said.

For travel author, journalist and polar expedition guide David McGonigal, who has visited Greenland over 20 times in the past two decades, the Danish protectorate has always been surprisingly peaceful.

"There are shops and supermarkets, but the prices are expensive; people are friendly while naturally reserved," McGonigal said. "It's the landscape and the wildlife that (are) most intriguing."

Two humpback whales swim near a small iceberg (showing signs of melting) near Ilulissat, Greenland.

Monica Bertolazzi

While McGonigal likens neighboring Iceland to Scotland or northern Scandinavia "a northern European country full of beautiful people and dramatic volcanic landscapes" he spends his visits to Greenland hiking and sailing the deep fjords, taking macro photographs of wildflowers or exploring villages dotted across barren foreshores and rocky islands.

"I once asked a Greenlander why they paint their houses in bright colors," he laughed. "The answer was: So we can find our own homes on Saturday night."

Unsurprisingly, most visits to Greenland are spent in the wild. Intrepid visitors hike onto the otherworldly environs of the Greenland ice sheet, kayak to spot one of 15 species of whales, watch icebergs calve (or split) at Eqi Glacier and fish for Arctic char in the rivers of the Kangia fjord.

Getting around isn't easy, given there are few roads between towns. Only one in 20 residents owns a car, with many using the Sarfaq Ittuk ferry to get around (the ship is also popular with tourists who want to wake up in front of an iceberg). Air Greenland flights are another option; they fly at low altitudes and afford excellent views.

Rafting around the icebergs of Ittoqqortoormiit, Greenland.

Arctic-Images

Of Greenland's 70 inhabited towns, only 13 have runways, which makes helicopters another popular form of transportation.

"Every visitor to Ilulissat should grit their teeth and pay for the helicopter flight over the icebergs," McGonigal said.

A polar bear mother and two cubs in northeast Greenland.

Raimund Linke

While most visitors stick to the west coast, the wilder east coast is home to Scoresby, the world's largest fjord. The east is also the most likely location to see a polar bear, a fact McGonigal said makes hiking in Greenland more relaxed than elsewhere in the Arctic.

"In my experience, it's only along the east coast and other very remote areas that you have any chance of finding polar bears," he said.

The short travel season means visitation peaks around the Northern Hemisphere's summer months, when the midnight sun offers endless daylight (late April to late August, depending on the latitude).

Summer temperatures can reach 50 degrees Fahrenheit, while the Northern Lights can been seen as early as September.

A winter night in Nuuk, Greenland's capital.

Carlo Lukassen

Whatever time of year, the "sila" (a Greenlandic concept meaning weather or state of mind) plays a key role during trips to Greenland.

"This is the Arctic ... so where you go, even in midsummer, can be dictated by where the ice isn't," said McGonigal. "And as you head north, it's more of an issue, of course."

As the country prepares to handle an influx of tourists who want to see what Stelma described as a destination "unplagued by overtourism," the interest hasn't yet translated to an equally big boost in accommodations.

Airbnb options are few and far between, and many hotels are booked six months in advance.

Igloo cabins at Hotel Artic.

Courtesy of Hotel Artic

Those planning a visit might try the igloo-shaped cabins at Ilulissat's four-star Hotel Arctic, a luxury hut overlooking the icebergs off the coast of Ilimanaq in the north, or an adventure usually reserved for researchers camping on Greenland's ice sheet.

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The world's largest island is finally drawing tourists - CNBC

The leader of the worlds top travel and tourism industry association has hailed Chinas performance in its uphill battle against the novel coronavirus but warned of overreaction and panic as the world is busy containing the outbreak.

In her recent exclusive interview with Xinhua, Gloria Guevara, president and CEO of the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), said that she was very impressed with some measures taken by the Chinese government, especially the amount of hospitals built in a very short time frame, in the ongoing virus fight.

I think they reacted the way that it should have reacted, she said. They have managed the crisis well in our opinion.

She believed that now is the time to help restore the economic activity of the worlds second largest economy and work out a plan for speedy recovery of the hard-hit tourism sector.

According to a preliminary WTTC calculation, the outbreak of COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus, is expected to cost world tourism at least 22 billion U.S. dollars because of a drop in spending by Chinese tourists.

The remarks of the head of WTTC, which represents the global travel and tourism private sector, came at a time when fears of the COVID-19 illness outbreak grip the world.

The number of the confirmed cases has been rising, with the figure outside China now growing faster than that inside China. A lot of countries are stepping up their measures against the virus.

But Guevara stressed that choking travel will not stop the virus from spreading but on the contrary inflict damages, warning against closing borders, blanket travel bans and more extreme government policies.

When you talk to World Health Organization (WHO) officials, theyll tell you that 90 percent of the economic and financial impact of outbreaks is driven for panic or overreactions, said Guevara.

They will also share with you that in many cases you will see that closing borders or just canceling flights has a very significant impact.

She quoted WHO statistics as saying that more people died because of the impact of the crisis than from Ebola the virus itself, which is a lesson that must be learned.

If you just cancel flights and activities, the consequences are significant, she said. Were against travel bans and travel cancellations to entire countries.

Guevara suggested that more media exposure should be given to the fact that a large number of people had recovered from the disease so that the panic could be effectively reduced.

Though describing travel and tourism as the most resilience sector that has proven always recover, she said it is still too early to tell how long the post-crisis recovery would take.

Guevara, also the former tourism minister of Mexico where she gained first-hand experience in handling H1N1 pandemic years ago, said that it is critical to keep the population very well informed with the most recent developments in the coronavirus outbreak.

It was under her leadership that Mexico was able to turn around the situation from a loss of millions of international and domestic tourists to a growth path that broke new records with the highest numbers in 2011 and 2012 with more than 200 million travelers domestic and international.

Guevara confirmed that the WTTCs global summit, scheduled to take place in Cancun, Mexico in April, will not be postponed despite the virus threat.

We hope that by then the panic has been reduced, she said.

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World's leading tourism expert warns of overreaction in coronavirus battle - Famagusta Gazette

"If they advise for strong action we will take that action," he said.

Internally the government has received advice that Iran is "the new Hubei" the centre of China's outbreak raising fears up to 50,000 people could have been infected and spread the flu-like disease around the world before travel restrictions were imposed. Only 2336 cases have been confirmed so far, including 23 members of Iran's Parliament.

A ban or quarantine requirement on travellers from Italy would imperil Melbourne's Formula One grand prix, as fears mount over the future of the year's largest sporting event: the Tokyo Olympics.

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Ferrari would face restrictions under the proposals being considered, which include a travel ban on Italy where the world's oldest Formula One team is based or a 14-day quarantine requirement for its pit crew and drivers after entering Australia. Italy has recorded more than 2500 infections over the past fortnight.

A quarantine or ban on people travelling from the country would eliminate the team from the race on March 15. Grand prix organisers said one team's omission would result in the first race of the season and Australia's largest motorsport event being cancelled. Up to 320,000 spectators are expected to attend the race in Melbourne over three days.

The threat of increased human-to-human transmission has thrown the future of events with large crowds in Australia into doubt. Attorney-General Christian Porter has begun activating laws under the Biosecurity Act that can prevent matches and concerts from going ahead.

On Wednesday health authorities revealed they had issued their first warning to a couple who had been asked to self-isolate and were failing to comply with a quarantine order after returning from a coronavirus zone.

"The powers are there," said Mr Hunt. "We will not hesitate either through the states or if required the Commonwealth."

In NSW 11 residents of the Dorothy Henderson Lodge, an aged care centre, have been isolated after a worker tested positive for coronavirus. Paramedics have offered to make home visits to help diagnose coronavirus across the state.

In Victoria a 10th person has been confirmed to have contracted coronavirus.

In a significant shift in rhetoric in Japan, the Health Ministry argued it still had a right to host the Olympic Games even if they were postponed due to the coronavirus. It has previously said only that the Games would continue in July as planned.

Japan's Olympics Minister Seiko Hashimoto said the host city contract "could be interpreted as allowing a postponement" before the end of the year.

"The International Olympic Committee has the right to cancel the games only if they are not held during 2020," she said.

The World Health Organisation said the world was in "uncharted territory" and that it was "monitoring the situation" in Tokyo.

US President Donald Trump said he did not know what Japan "was going to do" about the Olympics. The White House is considering imposing travel restrictions on the country that has recorded more than 1000 infections, including on the Diamond Princess Cruise Ship.

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Japan, like Australia, has been gripped by panic buying as fears of a shortage of pantry, medical items and toilet paper swirl around the world, forcing supermarkets to shore up their supply chains and implement product limits.

The US followed Australia to strip stores of toilet rolls on Wednesday. In the US the death toll has risen to nine, with 125 infected.

South Korea has mobilised troops to disinfect areas affected as the number of cases surged past 5000.

The country has the largest number of any area outside China, where the spread of the epidemic has begun to slow after more than two months of draconian lockdown measures.

The Chinese Communist Party has urged work to restart in less affected areas in Shanghai and Beijing. A key measure of economic activity fell to contractionary levels for the first time in 15 years on Wednesday.

The Caixin/Markit composite purchasing managers' index, which measures the confidence and buying intentions of private businesses, halved from 51.9 in January to 27.5 in February, its lowest level on record.

The expected extension of the Australian travel ban on China until March 15 is likely to fuel anxiety among the 100,000 international students that have been locked out from attending Australia's universities since the beginning of February.

Eryk Bagshaw is an economics correspondent for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, based at Parliament House in Canberra

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Travel ban set to be extended as fears grow over the 'new Hubei' - The Sydney Morning Herald

HOLIDAY plans have been left in chaos as Brits fear for trips abroad due to the outbreak of coronavirus, which has infected over 93,000 globally.

With Italy reporting more than 2,500 cases, and many European and Asian countries facing rising numbers of infections, we reveal the popular travel destinations that haven't yet reported coronavirus.

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There are still a number of destinations Brits can travel to which currently have no reported cases of the infectious virus.

However, this could still change at short notice, so it is advised to be up to date with local travel advice, as countries remain on high alert.

Destinations in Europe close to the UK which remain unaffected include Malta, Bulgaria and Cyprus, all of which have no reported cases.

Lanzarote is also one of the few islands in Spain to be unaffected along with Ibiza and Gran Canaria, while Hungary is yet to report cases.

But two Hungarians, one in Vienna and one in Japan, have been diagnosed with coronavirus.

Until then, the countries are currently monitoring the situation but the travel advice states the countries are safe to travel with no restrictions.

Despite this, it is worth taking out travel insurance and checking you are covered in case of a coronavirus outbreak.

An outbreak could result in flights being cancelled or hotels being closed, as well as additional expenses when booking new flights.

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3

Holidays further afield to the Maldives or Cape Verde can go ahead without any travel updates, as coronavirus has not spread to these regions.

Turkey has also not reported any cases of coronavirus, while Laos and Myanmar in Southeast Asia remain unaffected, although caution is advised due to their close proximity to countries reporting high cases of the virus.

Despite facing no coronavirus cases, the countries are still struggling as tourism plummets.

Other destinations which have cases are struggling too - Indonesia is planning on spending more than 500,000, on a tourism drive due to a drop in numbers, while the finance minister of New Zealand said the country faces "serious impact" from the virus.

Italy has seen 90 per cent of bookings cancelled, while hotel bookings in Thailand are down 10 per cent.

TRAVEL ADVICESpain travel advice following first coronavirus death as cases increase

TRAVEL ADVICEItaly travel advice as coronavirus cases exceed 2,500 and 79 are killed

TRAVEL ADVICEIs Tenerife safe as British tourist gets coronavirus at quarantined hotel

WATCH YOUR BACKPassenger's pricey laptop is destroyed by person reclining seat on plane

TRAVEL ADVICEThailand travel advice as coronavirus cases hit 43 and one person dies

It is advised against travelling to the north of Italy after more than 2,000 cases of coronavirus were reported across Lombardy and Veneto.

Here is the latest travel advice for Greece, Austria and Thailand.

More here:

The holiday destinations around the world which have no cases of coronavirus - The Sun

The following essay contains descriptions of domestic abuse that may be troubling for some readers.

When I first tried to leave him, he held me down and covered my nose and mouth. I couldnt breathe for what felt like ages, but I fought like hell to free myself. Once I did, I begged and bargained for my life, assuring him that I wouldnt leave him. So he let me live, but my life felt like it was no longer my own.

I had left dear friends and a well-established life in Los Angeles to run away with this man who professed to love me. Wed been in an on-and-off relationship for years since meeting in school, and I finally took the plunge to commit to him despite many red flags.

The relationship turned sour on the first day of our new life together when he began abusing me, and things only got worse. If he was mean to me, he would convince me that I deserved it. When he got aggressive or said things that cut my spirit down, I felt like I deserved it. I remember once taking a photo of my bleeding face with a throwaway camera, but I never bothered to develop it because my spirit was so broken. The strength I had inside seemed to be fading with each passing day.

Its easy to push around an already wounded person, and he made me feel unworthy of anything better than the miserable days I spent with him.

Although I stayed for two years, being the victim of his cruelty felt like spending decades in a house of horrors. My saving grace was finding comfort in music. I listened to songs like Olivia Newton-Johns Learn to Love Yourself and Janet Jacksons Control. I discovered Taylor Swifts music and felt emboldened by the hope in her songs that I realized I hadnt yet lost.

With empowering songs as my soundtrack, I built up the courage to once again risk my life by trying to leave. I would buy plane tickets to get far away, then Id be too scared to use them. One time I got all the way to the airport, then called him sobbing, and he came to pick me up. I was so traumatized that I didnt know what to do.

When I finally had the courage to leave, he let me go because, as he told me later, he was certain I would change my mind and come right back. But this time was different: I simply chose to take my life back, and that was that.

After I left him, I couldnt leave the pain behind. I was depressed. I battled post-traumatic stress disorder, and I didnt want to experience anything else in the world in which Id found such immense pain.

However, the rainbow of hope my sorrow had been concealing cracked open when I met a caring friend whose kind support helped me start loving myself. He gently suggested I start therapy. I followed the advice, and therapy changed my world. It helped me start the long process of truly healing. I also journaled.

I learned from reading books likeSomeone To Talk To: What Really Happens in Therapy and How It Can Work for Youby Joyce Houser and made myself comfortable in the personal development section of any bookstore. I started to express my pain through my writing and took steps to heal from the enormous wounds that left inner bruises long after the outer ones had faded. I didnt know it then, but I was starting to prepare for what would become my greatest career adventure.

Even as I healed, though, I found that I didnt want to leave my home.

While I had once been restless and eager to be on the go every single day, I now went long periods of time without leaving the house. Since I worked from home, I didnt have to deal with the world beyond the love seat where I worked. I went to the store in the middle of the night when I knew I wouldnt see many others. Fear and dread kept me reclusive. If I didnt leave my home, I didnt have to face the possibility of encountering another guy like my ex.

Then one day, while hiding behind my computer screen in the home I had barely left in the few years since Id broken free from my ex, I received a travel writing assignment. A great editor Id done a little work for offered me the chance to travel to Branson, Missouri, and report on what I found there.

I was over-the-moon thrilled, but I also felt conflicted. I had been longing to travel, but I was afraid to go around the block, let alone to another state. What if I encountered violence again? Nothing felt safe in my world any more.

Despite the fear, to the very depths of my spirit, I wanted to live. I didnt want to just keep breathing, eating and sleeping in my sad stupor. Sure, I could continue to descend into my self-destruction, or there was another option. I could get up, live my dream and start doing what was necessary to take better care of myself.

I chose to live, and I was determined to live well. I said yes and got on a plane to Missouri.

When the plane finally landed in Branson, I felt grounded on an emotional level. Sure, I was nervous, but I was even more excited to start my first adventure as a travel writer.

As I met new people during my trip, fears would surface. I worried that people would not want to be around me or would see that I was somehow damaged from my trauma. Nevertheless, none of the fears seemed to materialize. Instead, I enjoyed dining on vegan meals and seeing plays and concerts.

After saying yes and choosing to embrace life, I found myself heading all over the country to pursue great travel stories. It got easier with each new adventure. In Fredericksburg, Texas, I ate sweet peaches and savored the beauty of the orchards. I got the first and best massage of my life in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. I met the cutest prairie dogs in Lubbock, Texas. Then, in the Highland Lakes area of the state, deer would come right up to where I was staying at the Painted Sky Inn, and I was in heaven watching them.

International travel was a blast, too. I had a corn massage at the Grand Velas Riviera Maya and dared to take a cooking class at the Hacienda Encantada in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. I savored the company of a rescued cat and the azure waters of the pristine beach at Breezes Bahamas. I trekked all over central Portugal, where I delved into its rich history, explored castles and churches and stayed at a boutique hotel where my room had a Willy Wonka theme.

I savored healthy vegan fare and felt delighted by the fairy doors in Ann Arbor, Michigan. I marveled at the sight of fall foliage in Virginias Blue Ridge Mountains and Knoxville, Tennessee. I stood onstage at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville. I saw spring splendor in Hot Springs, Arkansas. I had an unforgettable olive oil tasting in Fairfield, California, and while exploring the citys natural beauty, I remembered why Ill always be a California girl at heart.

I watched a rainbow form near the sunrise at Makapuu Beach on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, as I sat on a black rock. I reveled in the natural splendor until I felt beautiful simply being a part of it. My jaw dropped the first time I saw Denali. As I flew in a small plane over wildlife, fauna and mountains, I felt so alive and this on-fire sense of gratitude that I had never given up.

All along the way, in each destination I visited, I continued to work on myself. When I visited Peru, I was in awe as I watched the creation of a breathtaking mural by artist Kelsey Montague and got to know the girls of Peruvian Hearts, an organization that educates and inspires young women. As part of the program, Peruvian Hearts is providing their young scholars with travel experiences. Since travel had changed my life so dramatically, I was thrilled to see these girls get the chance to be empowered by it.

Although it was a gradual process of realizing I had the freedom to break away from the trauma that held me back, travel helped me see that the freedom was in my hands.

I felt like I had fully let go of my fears of the world when I flew to see two Taylor Swift Reputation concerts in Dallas. It was her music that helped me find the strength to leave the abuse, and now her songs were the soundtrack to my more joyful life. Watching Taylor perform was a profound experience. One of the concerts I went to was recorded for her Netflix special, and its fun to relive that night when I celebrated my freedom from my fears.

As I continue to progress in my career as a travel writer, Ive learned the beauty of self-love. I am no longer the girl I was when I let an abuser violate my life. I know how to protect myself now. Im a strong, independent woman who wont accept mistreatment in my life. No person or destination is intimidating when you embrace who you are.

One thing I relearn sometimes during my travels is that I still have so much to learn from others, and its a pure joy to explore the world and be open to what it has yet to show us.

Its never too late to turn a single moment or your entire life around.

Do you have a personal story youd like to see published on HuffPost?Find out what were looking forhereand send us a pitch!

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After My Abusive Relationship, I Couldn't Leave The House. Travel Opened My World Up Again. - HuffPost

Summer holidays are nearing and Coronavirus is definitely on a rampage. The virus has touched 60 countries, which is almost half of the world. What started at the end of December 2019 has reached March 2020 and will soon reach summer. And now, with summers just a few weeks away, people across half of the globe are worried about their summer holidays. Is it still on the cards? How long will the virus last? These are a few questions bothering millions right now.

According to experts, summer vacations could just be off the table with the Coronavirus scare this year. Even ardent travellers are being asked to put off travelling to avoid catching the new virus as nowhere is safe.

With more than 60 countries affected by the virus, the demand for international travel has decreased drastically since the outbreak. As per data from travel analytics firms, the number of flights booked from the US and the UK has fallen significantly for the five-week period ending February 23 amidst the fear of Coronavirus.

The travel experts say that the longer the situation lasts, the more likely it is that this will convert into no travel at all year. This being a large-scale crisis, people might look at short domestic trips over long-haul. The demand for domestic travel might go up as people are safer in their home destinations.

The experts also believe that the majority of people, especially in the western world, give much importance to their holidays. However, if Coronavirus continues affecting people and places by the end of April 2020, the number of cancellations of holidays might increase at a rapid rate because, of course, health is more important than a holiday.

It is to be noted that Coronavirus has already affected airlines. The International Air Transport Association has said that they have lost nearly $30 billion to the Coronavirus outbreak.

So this year, be cautious where you travel to and do your homework thoroughly.

Original post:

Planning summer holidays? Think about coronavirus - Times of India

New South Wales Health is alerting passengers who were on five separate flights from Asia in the past week after a number of people tested positive for coronavirus.

Six more people have tested positive to the coronavirus in NSW, bringing the total number of those infected in the state to 15 since the outbreak began.

NSW Health is alerting passengers who were on five separate flights from Asia in the past week after two men in their 30s, a man in his 50s and two women in their 60s tested positive following their arrival in NSW.

The men in their 30s travelled from Iran, the two women flew from Japan and South Korea respectively, and the man in his 50s was returning from Singapore.

Meanwhile a woman in her 50s who hasnt been out of Australia recently has also tested positive to the coronavirus.

And health authorities are advising passengers who sat near a coronavirus-infected woman on a Doha-to-Sydney flight to immediately isolate themselves at home.

The woman in her 50s who flew into Australia from Iran on 23 February aboard Qatar Airways flight 908 from Doha was in seat 43H.

Meanwhile, a 53-year-old male doctor is in a stable condition at Westmead hospital and going quite well, NSW health minister Brad Hazzard told the Nine Network on Tuesday.

NSW chief health officer Dr Kerry Chant said the doctor had worked at Ryde hospital and had been in contact with a diverse range of patients.

Thirteen doctors, 23 nurses and four other health workers have been identified as close contacts of the doctor and are in home isolation.

A further eight patients of the doctor are showing no symptoms, while 29 other patients identified as casual contacts are being chased up.

We are making sure we get in contact with them and make sure they dont have symptoms, Hazzard said. Its a bit of a worry.

Another locally acquired case in Sydney is a 41-year-old sister of an infected man who recently returned from Iran where the virus is rampant.

The prime minister, Scott Morrison, has called for Australians to use common sense, with escalation of the virus around the world prompting panic buying. Consumers reported supermarket shelves stripped of items like paper towels and toilet paper, along with nonperishable food items.

But health experts and Morrison said extensive stockpiling was not necessary. By Tuesday evening, #toiletpaper was trending on Twitter as Australians shared photos of empty shelves.

Both Coles and Woolworths reassured customers that they had increased deliveries and expected to replenish stock. Toilet paper producer Kimberly-Clark said it had opened up its manufacturing line in South Australia to help replenish stock.

The commonsense response is to go about your business as normal. That is exactly what you heard from the chief medical officer, Morrison said. I can understand the anxiety out there in the community. That is why it is important to get information from the trusted official sources, rather than wildly speculative reports out there.

He urged people to regularly visit the federal department of health website, to contact the coronavirus health information hotline, and to listen to the commonwealth chief medical officer, Prof Brendan Murphy.

Murphy said people in the community did not need to change their activities. Only high-risk people that is, people who had returned from mainland China and Iran, those with the virus, and those who had been in close contact with infected people needed to self-isolate and report symptoms to their doctors. The rest of the community did not need to avoid shaking hands or crowds, he said.

So if you have come from an area where you might be at risk or you have been in contact with someone, isolate yourself, ring up your GP or your local hospital, tell them about your travel history and get advice about being tested, Murphy said. We do have a very advanced pandemic plan, we are working across every part of the health system to make sure that we are prepared for any eventuality. But at this stage, we have small numbers of cases that are controlled and the community can be reassured that there is no reason to change normal behaviours, no reason to go and panic buy and do things that are unnecessary.

Morrison praised Australians for heeding advice to self-isolate if they had travelled to affected countries and identify themselves if they became sick, saying we will continue to put in place the sensible measures.

However, the attorney general, Christian Porter, said it was not inconceivable that control orders might be used under the Biosecurity Act to detain people or force them into treatment to halt the virus spread. A human biosecurity control order requires people to comply with certain orders including staying at home, handing over contact details and providing body samples for diagnosis.

On Friday, health ministers will meet with aged care home providers to discuss advice and ensure the sector is prepared. Meanwhile, doctors will be briefed in coming days on how to respond to any sustained community transmission, including through establishing dedicated coronavirus clinics where patients could be triaged. The NSW chief medical officer, Dr Kerry Chant, said hospitals were planning to increase the number of beds and staff in intensive care units to accommodate severe cases.

We will increase ICU capacity and work is being undertaken with our districts to do that, she said. We can redeploy staff. Im not saying its not a challenge but weve done a lot of extensive planning.

State and territory education departments, too, have been issuing notices to school principals. Public schools in NSW have been told to stop overseas excursions, while in Western Australia, education officials have told students to stay home if they have been in close contact with a confirmed case of coronavirus irrespective of whether they have developed symptoms.

Principals are encouraged to consider the needs of students in self-imposed isolation, the WA directive states. The health-related needs of these students is primary, however, it is important to also consider the social-emotional needs of such students.

Maintaining contact with students via phone and/or the internet while they are in isolation will allow students to know the school cares about them and their well-being.

Because of the risk to the economy from the virus, the Reserve Bank of Australia cut interest rates to a record low of just 0.5%. The prime minister has called on the banks to pass on any rate cut in full.

See the rest here:

Coronavirus: six more test positive in NSW after travelling from Asia and Iran - The Guardian

Hostelworld warned the coronavirus outbreak has hurt 2020 bookings today and slashed its 2019 dividend as the virus ravages the travel sector.

That led to Hostelworld warning it will take a 3m (2.6m) to 4m (3.5m) hit to earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (Ebitda) in the first quarter of the year.

Read more: Coronavirus slows growth in the UK services sector

Read more: Eurozone PMI: Growth hits six-month high but coronavirus casts a shadow

The budget hotel booking site warned the Covid-19 virus has challenged trading since late January as the outbreak spreads across the world.

Bookings have faltered to a significant extent and more customers are cancelling trips in the wake of the coronavirus spreading across Europe, Hostelworld warned.

Given that the depth and duration of the virus outbreak is impossible to forecast at this time, we are unable to calibrate its effect for the balance of the year, Hostelworld said today.

However, if near term trends were to persist to the end of March we estimate the impact to Ebitda to be in the range 3m to 4m for the first quarter.

With continued tight cost control and our strong cash generative characteristics, the Group remains resilient in volatile market conditions.

Read more: Deloitte London employee tests positive for coronavirus

That sent Hostelworlds share price down 11.5 per cent to 92.9p in early trading.

Hostelworlds warning came as it revealed profit before tax more than halved in 2019, from 6.7m in 2018 to just 3.01m. Revenue also slipped 1.7 per cent to 80.7m.

While earnings per share jumped from 0.595 a year ago to 0.878, the company also halved its dividend. It will pay shareholders just 6.3 per share compared to 2018s 13.8 payout.

Hostelworld admitted its business is suffering as the coronavirus outbreak continues to devastate world travel. Countries have imposed restrictions on international flights and a slump in demand has forced airlines to cancel flights to destinations like China and Italy.

That has had a knock-on effect on the budget hotel booker, which said its Asian market and European market have suffered as a result.

Europe revenue slipped 4.2 per cent year on year to 46.9m in 2019. While Asia, Africa and Oceania revenue rose marginally to 18m, overall revenue dipped to 80.7m, from 82m in 2018.

And Hostelworld warned: Trading since late January has been challenged by the outbreak of the Covid-19 virus, which is having a significant impact on global travel demand, within Asian markets and more recently within the European market.

Marketing costs have also risen as a percentage of net revenue as bookings fell, it said.

Chief executive Gary Morrison said:

Overall, the group sees significant potential for the further deployment of capital to enhance future growth through both organic and inorganic investment opportunities. As a result, the Board has taken the decision to rebase the dividend policy.

A rebased progressive dividend with a pay-out of between 20 and 40 per cent of adjusted profit after tax will enable investment in organic and inorganic opportunities, which should see shareholder return increase in the medium to long term.

Main image credit: Hostelworld

View post:

Hostelworld shares fall as it warns of 3.5m coronavirus blow - City A.M.

recent survey of Travel Retail market numerous reputed companies, vendors, and top competitors who hold essential estimates in accordance to Travel Retail revenue share, end-user demands, product specifications, distinct tools, and noteworthy services that players included DFS Group, Dufry, LS Travel Retail.

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The report widely summarizes the worldwide Travel Retail market with respect to numerous reputed companies, vendors, and top competitors who hold essential estimates in accordance to revenue share, end-user demands, product specifications, distinct tools, and noteworthy services. Different futuristic trends, major capacity in emerging industries, regulation as well as environmental concerns, technological improvement are briefly explained in the global Travel Retail market report.

Report: emarketadvisor.us/travel-for_sample

The newly published research report on the world Travel Retail market 2020 is determined to a significant document for the clients and individuals to offer them an in-depth understanding about the important facets related to the industry and meanwhile, introduce them with the competitive Travel Retail market status that projected between 2020 to 2026. The given study on the Global Travel Retail industry has been segmented in terms of geographical zones, key manufacturers, product types and applications.

The worldwide Travel Retail market report is responsible to sheds light on the accurately analyzed and estimated information relating to the primitive industry vendors and their valuable scope in the Travel Retail industry by means of a set of analytical tools and techniques. In this report, we have used several analytical tools including Porters five forces analysis, SWOT analysis, and expenditure return analysis to investigates the growth of the major manufacturers operating in the international industry.

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DFS GroupDufryLS Travel RetailLotte Duty FreeAutogrill Travel Retail & Duty FreeGebr HeinemannThe Naunace GroupThe Shilla Duty FreeDubai Duty FreeEver Rich Group

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ConfectionersBakers ConfectionsSugar ConfectionsFine FoodsPackaged FoodBakeryMeat & Sea FoodBeveragesOthers

According to the recent survey, the global Travel Retail market growth is subjected at a rapid rate in the upcoming years, driven by the advanced industrial interest, profitability, innovative technologies and comprehensive participation of key Travel Retail market stakeholders. The world Travel Retail market research report 2020 is accountable to deliver a fundamental overview of the overall industry with respect to Travel Retail market chain structure, applications, definition, and detailed segregation.

Several factors such as development analysis, Travel Retail market trends, evaluation of competitive landscape, prime regions and manufacturing status are exclusively cited in the Travel Retail market report. The research document on the Travel Retail market also analyzes different manufacturing policies, as well as plans, cost structure, development processes, are also discussed in this study.

It also represents desirable supply and demand figures, import/ export consumption, gross margin, price, revenue, and cost.

Browse Full Travel Retail market report: emarketadvisor.us/travel-casts-2026

The Travel Retail market report has been designed after registering and analyzing various elements that regulate regional growth of the Travel Retail market in terms of the social, political, economic, the technological status of the specific region. The researchers have demonstrated the revenue share, production details and vital players of each region.

It also provides topological revenue and volume generation for the predicted period from 2020 to 2026. This information will help the readers to understand the potential valuation of investment in a specific region.

With primitive details on sales, strategical analysis, product portfolios, and the recent developments along with their decisions are expected to impact the Travel Retail market share during the predicted timeframe. Using these Travel Retail market insights, the report represents notable and all-inclusive strategies performed by emerging firms to remain in the topmost position of this worldwide competing industry.

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Travel Retail Market investigated in the latest research - WhaTech Technology and Markets News

With the coronavirus outbreak around the world showingno sign of slowing down, the travel industry has been one of the hardest affected.

Global airlines including British Airways, Cathay Pacific and United Airlineshave slashed routes to destinations including northern Italy and South East Asia as they face a softening of demand due to the spread of coronavirus, or Covid-19.

As a result, airports around the world have emptied outas they deal with a dramatic drop in air traffic.

Sharing the full story, not just the headlines

Passengers have taken tosocial media to share pictures of empty airports, particularly in Asia.

Hong Kong Airport, usually one of the busiest in the world, has cut hundreds of flights as it deals with a lack of passenger demand due to the coronavirus.

According to the aviation trade bodyIata, the coronavirus will cause a drop in global demand for air travel this year, marking the first overall contraction since the financial crisis of 2008-2009, according to the aviation trade body.

A forecast from Iata predicts a 4.7 per cent contraction in global demand for 2020, which represents a $29.3bn (22.6bn) slump in airline revenue.

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Iata reports that many carriers are reporting a 50 per cent no show rate, as passengers decide not to travel in the wake of the virus.

The trade body is asking airports to relax the usual use it or lose it rules on take-off and landing slots.

So far, more than 3,000 have died and almost 100,000 have been infected with the flu-like virus, which originated in the city of Wuhan, China, in December.

Read more from the original source:

Coronavirus: Airports around the world empty as travel industry suffers - The Independent

03 March 2020 08:55

Visit South Korea's most modern metropolis

Ever wondered about the future of city living? These five destinations are well worth a visit for some answers...

Songdo started life back in 2002 as a humble patch of land along the Yellow Sea. Fast-forward to today and $40 billion of innovative design work has transformed the area to an eco-friendly neighbourhood that produces a third fewer greenhouse gases compared to cities of the same size. Most impressive of all is Sangdo's waste system, a network of pneumatic tubes sucks rubbish from residential homes to a sorting facility in seconds.

The French capital takes smart seriously. The Grand Paris Express is the largest transport project in Europe and will feature 127 miles of fully-automated metro lines and 68 new stations, delivered by 2030. Parisians are promised even more innovation, as the city's bus network will rely on natural gas and electric by 2050. Around 4,500 vehicles will make way for the greener transport choice.

So much more than a Northern Lights hotspot, the most populated city in Iceland leads the world in environmental innovation. More than 99% of electricity production and almost 80% of total energy production relies on hydroelectric and geothermal energy. The northernmost city on the planet is well known for its renewable water supply and is well on track for meeting a target of zero carbon emissions by 2040.

Tokyo has embraced technology in its efforts to host the Olympic Games later this year. Face recognition systems will improve security around stadiums and automated taxis are set to ferry athletes between venues, but the innovation doesn't end there. The Olympic Village will run on pure hydrogen power and visitors will benefit from a small device that instantly translates Japanese into 10 languages.

Singapore prides itself on a transparent transport system. Citizens can access the One Monitoring portal for traffic information updated through a network of surveillance cameras found on roads and taxi vehicles. The city even uses 'smart' bins, designed with enough crushing power to take on five times as much rubbish as other bins their size. The waste management system is wirelessly connected to the authorities and sends an alert when bins need emptying.

At World First, we offer worldwide travel insurance so you can fly into the future without a worry.

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5 of the world's smartest cities - World First Travel Insurance

They're infamous for their hordes of tourists, but the likes of Rome, Venice and Disneyland are eerily quiet this week

The threat of coronavirus has achieved the impossible: it has emptied Venice's campi, banished Paris's crowds, and turned Bangkok into a ghost town. See the world's travel hotspots as you've never seen them before...

The usually-bustling streets of Rome were deathly quiet this week and the area around the Colosseum, one of the city's most popular attractions, was virtually deserted.

The Roman ruins are enjoying some respite from the regular queues.

Piazza Navona, another tourist hotspot, was spookily silent this week.

Italy is among the worst affected countries with more than 2,000 cases and 52 deaths, mostly in the country's northern Lombardy region.

Where is everyone? A handful of tourists sit outside the Colosseum.

The coronavirus outbreak in northern Italy has so overwhelmed the public health system that officials are seeking to bring doctors out of retirement and accelerate graduation dates for nursing students. Here's what Venice usually looks like:

Now there are empty tables in the usually-heaving Piazza San Marco.

For all who work in Venice's tourism industry including the famous gondoliers these quiet times are worrying.

Usually, up to 30 million tourists arrive in Venice each year. Murano island, pictured here, is one of the city's most visited attractions.

Milan is also ghostly quiet this week. At the weekend, the luxurious boutiques at Galleria Vittorio Emanuele IIshoppingmall were deserted.

Here's what the city usually looks like:

Now its restaurants are struggling to make ends meet.

Are you booked to visit Italy? For the latest travel advice following the coronavirus outbreak, see our guide.

In France, theLouvre Museumremains closed this week and officials are unsure when it will reopen. Amid concerns over the spread ofcoronavirus, staff voted to stand down at the weekend forcing the 227-year-old cultural institute to shut.

Usually, getting a glimpse of the Mona Lisa requires seriously sharp elbows.

It's currently impossible, while the rest of Paris is unusually quiet.

A spokesperson from the Louvre told Telegraph Travel on Monday that it is "still closed" and, in response to questioning over when it will reopen: "We don't know". Are Britain's museums next?

Usually overrun with22.7 million visitors every year, the city of Bangkok has been remarkably quiet this week. The Grand Palace and surrounding temples are top of every visitor's hitlist but the threat of coronavirus is keeping the crowds at bay.

Here's the usual appearance of the city:

Bangkok's public transport system like the riverboats pictured here are also much quieter than usual.

In Chinatown, Yaowarat Road is experiencing a moment of respite from its usual hordes.

Just outside Bangkok, the resort city of Pattaya is jam-packed with hotels, malls and restaurants but this week, a handful of tourists have the beach to themselves.

And Pattaya Water Park, popular with Chinese visitors, is deserted.

Japan's cherry blossom season sees tourists, both local and international, flock to its blooming parks and gardens. But this year, though it's still early in the season, the crowds are diminished and face masks are more prevalent than ever.

Here's Kyoto before the outbreak:

Now the country is struggling to attract tourists.

Tokyo train station isn't its usual bustling hub.

Many large-scale public events have been cancelled in Japan.Japan's professional baseball league announced it wouldplay its 72 remaining pre-season games in empty stadiums because of the threat of the virus.

In Tokyo, a horse race at Oi Racecourse was also held without spectators.

Is it safe to visit Japan? See our latest travel advice following the coronavirus outbreak.

Disney parks across Asia have closed temporarily in an effort to contain the virus like Shanghai Disneyland, which closed its doors on 25 January and is yet to reopen.

It usually looks like this:

Face masks and fancy dress: visitors to Tokyo Disneyland are taking extra precautions.

Meanwhile, the gates of Hong Kong Disneyland remain firmly shut.

Staff have been giving the park a scrub-down while it is closed to visitors. A reopening date has yet to be announced.

Read the rest here:

Then and now: How coronavirus turned the world's busiest cities into ghost towns - Telegraph.co.uk

Not as an alarmist post, but could 2020 become one of the hardest years for world travel in recent history, because we as motorcyclists cross at land borders?

Should you or will you cancel that big trip in 2020 you have been planning?

As of this morning, the Center For Disease Control (CDC) is showing 68 countries that have confirmed cases of the virus.

Certain borders and areas are closing, and adventure riders are out there looking for a way through, in some cases to a safe haven.

I literally just heard from friends who are riding down West Africa and were looking to go to Angola, they were told that if they have a Nigerian stamp in their passport they will be quarantined for 14 days. Nigeria is their next country to cross heading south.

Do they continue, riding, or maybe hop on a boat and try to get to Namibia or turn around and head back to Europe?

Another rider contacted me and was not allowed to leave a certain area of Italy. In Iran, all land borders are currently closed.

Kazakhstan has three different types of restrictions depending on where you have traveled in the recent past, and most likely others will follow suit with similar quarantine restrictions.

The ferry that a lot of riders use that travels between Vladivostock Russia, South Korea, and Japan was canceled at the end of November last year and due to restart February 29thit didnt. I asked a friend in South Korea to inquire to the ferry company when they expect to restart, the response

no plan when it will start again

This makes riding to Siberia a literal dead end unless you can arrange a freight shipment from Magadan or Vladivostok

Closer to home (US) I personally just crossed from Mexico to the US (Nogales crossing) on Sunday morning, March 1, and at the border expected to be asked exactly where I had been in Mexico, but wasnt, so no current restrictions there.

I am sure there are many more restrictions worldwide, if you hear of anything that is FACT please add it in the comment section just in case a rider is looking to ADVrider for information that they may struggle to find easily in other media

If you were riding internationally would you

Read more:

Traveling In 2020 And The Coronavirus (COVID-19) - ADVrider

International airports around the world have become increasingly empty as flights have been canceled and more travel warnings have been issued during the coronavirus outbreak.

The novel coronavirus which originated in Wuhan, China has now killed 2,810 people, with at least 60 deaths of those occurring outside of China. As of now, over 82,500 people have been infected globally, although 95% of the cases have been in China.

At least 47 countries outside of China have reported cases of coronavirus, and the fear of contracting and spreading COVID-19 has caused a significant drop in flights to and from Asia: 73 airlines have canceled flights to China. Flights that don't start or end in China are also being canceled, with Italy and the Middle East as major hotspots now.

Keep scrolling to see the effects that the novel coronavirus has had on airports around the world, from Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi, Vietnam to Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport in Anchorage, Alaska:

Read more from the original source:

Empty airports around the world show coronavirus affected air travel - Business Insider - Business Insider

Its one of the largest industries in the world, with $5.7 trillion in revenue. It is responsible for an estimated 319 million jobs, or roughly one in 10 people working on the planet. And no sector is more at risk from the novel coronavirus.

The travel industry has already taken a huge hit due to travel restrictions and canceled trips for both business and pleasure, but thats just the beginning.

It could be the worst crisis for the industry since the September 11 terrorist attacks on the United States, according to some experts.

Its on the front line of the fallout, said Mark Zandi, chief economist with Moodys Analytics. Its the most directly and immediately impacted.

The hit to the travel industry has the potential to become a major drag on the global economy if the coronavirus continues to spread around the world.

Its vital. If you measure the entirely of the impact of travel, it is bigger than any other industry around the world. No other industry can say it supports 1 in 10 jobs, said Adam Sacks, president of Travel Economics, a leading research firm that follows the industry. His firm produced the data on the industrys global revenue and employment, the latter for the World Travel and Tourism Council.

Its partly because its such a diverse industry. It includes a lot of things you dont think of, said Sacks. Besides airlines and hotels, its part of retail, part of restaurants, parts of technology.

The effect on travel is growing by the day.

There has been a sharp drop in travel across the Pacific, not just to and from China, the epicenter of the outbreak, but also to other Asian countries. This week United Airlines disclosed that it had seen a near total drop in demand to China and about a 75% decline in near-term demand on the rest of its trans-Pacific routes.

Chinese nationals have become the most frequent global travelers in the world, with 180 million holding passports, compared to the 147 million Americans who have passports. And travel by the Chinese has been virtually halted due to the crisis.

The falloff in travel has expanded beyond the Chinese market.

Several major conferences expected to draw more than 100,000 visitors each were canceled even if their location has yet to experience an outbreak. Thats because people traveling from around the world could bring the virus to the event, and infected people are slow to show symptoms.

Canceled conferences include the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, the leading show for the mobile phone industry, the Geneva Motor Show, Facebooks F8 conference, and ironically enough, the ITB Berlin, the leading trade show for the travel industry itself. It was expected to draw 160,000 participants starting Wednesday.

The fact that the largest global travel show is being canceled right now is telling, said Sacks.

But its not just the big shows being canceled. All kinds of business trips are being canceled or put on hold because of companies concerns with exposing employees to unknown risks.

Major companies such as Amazon are on record discouraging non-essential travel for employees. According to a survey of 400 businesses by the Global Business Travel Association, nearly half of businesses have already canceled or postponed at least some meetings or travel. The group estimates that up to 37% of business travel is at risk of being lost.

The steep and immediate drop in willingness to travel is comparable to what happened following the 9/11 attacks, said Scott Solombrino, the trade groups executive director. Confidence started to improve as time passed after the attacks, he said. In the case of coronavirus, the concern about travel is growing each day amid new reports of outbreaks around the world.

It is fundamentally affecting the way many companies are now doing business, he said. If this turns into a global pandemic, the industry may well lose billions of dollars an impact that will have negative ramifications for the entire global economy.

Its not just business travel. Americans who were busy making plans for spring and summer trips are also thinking twice.

A survey of 1,200 US adults by the Kaiser Family Foundation found that one in eight have already changed their travel plans due to concerns about the virus.

The overall impact depends on how long the outbreak continues. Past health crises, such as SARS epidemic, indicate people will be willing to start traveling as normal again soon after there is a sense that is safe to do so, Sacks said.

Travel globally is incredibly resilient, he said. Peoples desire and need to travel outweigh their concerns fairly quickly.

But much of the travel that has been lost already, or will be canceled in weeks or months to come, is unlikely to be made up.

This is gone, lost forever, said Zandi. Its not like youll hold two conferences in the fall if the one this spring is canceled.

So far there has not been deep job cuts announced in the travel industry. But millions of workers could lose their jobs, or have their hours cut, if the demand for travel continues to be depressed. That is especially true for lower paid service jobs such as housekeeping at hotels and waiters and waitresses at restaurants.

And as those workers are forced to cut back their own spending, the impact of the slowdown will ripple through the broader economy.

Lower income workers will be hit harder, said Sung Won Sohn, professor of business at Loyola Marymount Unviersity. Theyll have to cut back their spending immediately. That has a significant multiplying effect throughout the world. He said the drop in economic activity globally could be as much as $1 trillion.

Experts dont believe that the hit to the travel industry is enough to spark a global recession by itself. But the virus is having a widespread effect on the global economy.

There has been a steep plunge in financial markets and the resulting wealth destruction, the disruption of global supply chains for manufacturers and retailers around the globe, the drop in energy prices and production due to reduced consumption All those things could combine with the hit to the travel industry to bring about a global recession.

I dont think the worst is behind us in terms of the economic impact. The worst is yet to come, said Sohn.

Read the rest here:

The travel industry is suffering its worst shock since 9/11 because of coronavirus - KTVZ

Updated at 9:05 a.m. ET, Feb. 29

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention regularly issues "Travel Health Notices" that address disease outbreaks and other health-related matters in international destinations. The newly discovered coronavirus is now a topic of concern.

The point of the warnings is to indicate countries where the CDC believes there is a risk of infection with COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus.

There are three levels of notices based on the risk presented by the outbreak and what precautions are needed to prevent infection.

On Friday, Italy and Iran were moved into the highest notice level "Warning Level 3" joining China and South Korea. CDC advises travelers to avoid all nonessential travel to these countries. As part of the warnings, which were issued in late February, the CDC also cites limited access for visitors to adequate medical care. If travel is necessary, CDC advises travelers to discuss with their health-care provider.

Hong Kong, Macau and the island of Taiwan are excluded from this notice.

The only other country with a Warning Level 3 notice is Venezuela; CDC cites "outbreaks of infectious diseases" as well as the breakdown of the country's health-care infrastructure.

During the Ebola outbreak in 2014, this warning level was issued to Sierra Leone, Guinea and Liberia.

The second notice level, "Alert Level 2," suggesting that potential travelers "practice enhanced precautions," has been issued for travel to Japan, which is experiencing person-to-person and community spread of COVID-19. This notice, according to CDC, is directed at older adults and those with "chronic medical conditions," who are at greater risk of developing a severe case of COVID-19 if infected. CDC advises them to consider postponing nonessential travel to any country with this alert level.

The third notice level is "Watch Level 1." At this level, the CDC does not recommend canceling or postponing travel but advises potential travelers to practice general precautions such as avoiding contact with sick people and washing hands for 20 seconds with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with 60% to 95% alcohol.

The CDC also currently has other travel health notices unrelated to COVID-19. For example, it has issued the Level 2 Alert for several countries in Africa and Asia because of polio and a Watch Level 1 for some parts of Central and South America for dengue.

Many countries with confirmed cases of COVID-19 do not currently have travel advisories from the CDC. Dr. Lin Chen, president of the International Society of Travel Medicine, said when deciding to go to these countries, travelers should look into the country's health-care system and make sure they have travel medical insurance that will provide coverage in their destination.

"I think it's important to identify what a traveler would do if they become sick," Chen said. "Having travel medical insurance is actually really important and gives you, perhaps, a peace of mind if you're going into a country that has some [confirmed] cases."

See more here:

Coronavirus Travel Advisories: Map Shows CDC's Areas Of Concern : Goats and Soda - NPR

By Jacob Passy

Published: Feb 29, 2020 6:13 am ET

It doesnt cost much to fly within China right now, but getting there is more expensive than usual.

Flights within China can cost as little as $4 as a result of the coronavirus.

A one-way flight between Shanghai and Chongqing, which takes three hours, costs 29 yuan ($4.10) on Chinas largest low-cost carrier Spring Airlines, the South China Morning Post reported. Thats less than the price of a tall caffe latte at a Starbucks in China 32 yuan, or $4.50.

For less than $10, travelers can take a Spring Airlines flight from Shanghai to Harbin, which is the capital of the Heilongjiang province in Northern China.

Other airlines are also offering cheap flights within China. Shenzhen Airlines, which is a subsidiary of Air China, is offering $14 flights between Chongqing and Shenzhen, as is Chengdu Airlines for its route between Shenzhen and Chengdu.

Airlines have slashed prices as they resume service after thousands of flights were cancelled across China in light of the COVID-19 outbreak, which had sickened nearly 84,000 people worldwide and caused over 2,800 deaths as of Friday. Most cases of the illness have occurred in China the virus first emerged in the city of Wuhan in Chinas Hubei province.

Read more: If the coronavirus spreads in America, food delivery companies could see a surge in demand are they ready?

Analysts told the South China Morning Post that prices could come down even lower because domestic airlines in China can receive government subsidies to offset potential losses.

Around the rest of the world, travel discounts wont be as easy to come by despite the infectious disease outbreak thats rattled markets and caused factories and shipping to slow down. Although demand for flights between the U.S. and China has fallen some 48% because of the coronavirus, according to travel company Hopper, its actually more expensive to make those trips. Airfare prices for U.S.-China flights have increased more than 14% since the beginning of January, largely due to the wide number of airlines that have cancelled flights between the two countries.

Airfares have dropped slightly for flights between the U.S. and some Asian destinations. The price of a trip between the U.S. and Vietnam has dropped 5.7% since early January. Airfare costs to Thailand and Japan have also fallen, in part because of lower demand, Hopper found.

Hopper recorded 38% fewer searches for flights to Vietnam between the beginning of January and end of February, for instance. The only country to see an increase in flight searches in South or East Asia in that time was Bangladesh.

Also see: One possible coronavirus side effect cheaper almonds for U.S. shoppers

The U.S. State Department has issued travel advisories advising caution in traveling to China, Japan and South Korea because of the high numbers of coronavirus cases in those countries.

Tourism to destinations in Vietnam, Philippines, Malaysia and much more of SE Asia is likely to be heavily impacted by the virus, as 30% or more of available flights from the US to these countries included a layover in China, Hopper economist Hayley Berg wrote in a report.

Outside of Asia, demand for flights between the U.S. and Italy fell sharply after the country reported a large number of cases. The State Department had also advised caution in traveling to Italy. However, Hopper found that prices remained stable in the days following the travel advisory announcement, at an average of $764 per ticket.

See original version of this story

The rest is here:

There are $4 flights in China but dont expect many other coronavirus airfare deals - MarketWatch