Is the street name ‘Uncle Tom’ racist? – DW (English)

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The ride on the subway line 3 runs straight through the heart of Berlin and ends in the village of Zehlendorf. Out here, the air is cooler than in the hectic city center. There's a fresh breeze, and lakes to swim in are not far away. Roaming the neighborhood around the subway station, you discover stylish residential areas with Bauhaus designs. A Tesla is parked in front of one of the mansions.

"Uncle Tom's Cabin" is the name of the subwaystation in thisdignified southwest area of Berlin, a moniker that professional basketball player Moses Plking has called attention to. "I feel insulted by this. When I drive past here, I always have an uncomfortable feeling," says the 22-year-old Afro-German. That uncomfortable feeling has accompanied the native Berliner all his life. "How much time do you have?" he asks me sarcastically, wanting to know how much detail he should go into when talking about the racismthat he the son of a Cameroonian and a German has experienced in his lifetime.

Professional basketball player Moses Plking opposes name "Uncle Tom" for shops and a subway station

Plking talks about how he was offered a piece of chocolate foam-filled candy as a child, which at that time in Germany had the racist name "N.... Kuss" (N-Kiss). He talks about how he was "welcomed" with monkey calls and bananas waved at him at an away game when he was 16 years old. "That was tough," he recalls. "When I play basketball, I forget all my problems. But atthat moment, the basketball game was part of the problem."

Read more:Harper Lee's 'To Kill a Mockingbird' still resonates 60 years on

The name of the Berlin subway station refers to the US-American novel Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe, published in 1852. The protagonist is an African American slave, good-natured, submissive and Christian, whom the children call "Uncle Tom." Sold several times from one slave owner to the next, he never protests. Yet when asked to reveal the location of two female slaves who are hiding from their master who raped them, he remains silent and is beaten to death.

"An 'Uncle Tom' was a slave who deliberately dehumanized himself in order not to be perceived as a threat [to] his slave owner," writes Moses Plking in his online petition, which at the time of this publication, has been signed by nearly 13,000 people.

Many Black people associate the term "Uncle Tom" with painful experiences; it is akin to "traitor" and an insult in the Black community, he said.

"Nowadays, it's used for African Americans or Black people who stand against their own to the benefit of others, mainly white people," he writes.

Read more:Uncle Ben's and Aunt Jemima logos: How Germany dealt with a similar problem

But to Heinz Ickstadt, German professor emeritus of North American literature, Uncle Tom's Cabin is a "very impressive book" that takes a clear stance against slavery. "The novel contains an amazing analysis of slavery as a profit-making system, with analogies to wage slavery in the industrial North of the US," says Ickstadt. Soon after its publication, it was the best-selling book in the United States, second only to the Bible. Translated into many languages, it became a bestseller worldwide.

Subway station "Uncle Tom's Cabin" in Berlin: Unimaginable in the US

"When the novel was published, there was virtually no black readership; Beecher Stowe was aiming to appeal to white consciousness," says Ickstadt. Her book is a "sentimental novel that tries to impart a change in consciousness by means of emotion." Slavery is depicted as an instrument that tears families apart, separates mothers from their children and turns the helpless into victims. "Neither that style nor that context would be fitting in the present day; that must be taken into consideration in today's reception of the book," he says.

"In the end, he is murdered, but instead of defending himself, he forgives the slave owners while he is dying," says Moses Plking, outraged at the submissive attitude of the book's protagonist. Of course, the book was important for the abolition of slavery. But: "One can be against slavery and still be racist. There are many racist stereotypes in the book."

The renaming of the subway station is long overdue, says Marianne Bechhaus-Gerst, professor of African Studies at the University of Cologne. "For centuries, no one has listened to what Black people have to say about how offensive certain designations are." Up to now, the white majority population has decided what is racist and what is not, she said.

Also a riding club named "Uncle Tom's Cabin" in Berlin-Zehlendorf

In the US, the term is highly perjorative; it would be impossible today to name anything after "Uncle Tom." Rather than seeing Uncle Tom as an icon of passive resistance and the book as a catalyst for the abolition of slavery, the character came to be negatively defined in theater adaptations of the story over the decades to follow that reinforced racial stereotypes.

The term has even entered clinical psychology: The"Uncle Tom syndrome" describes a minority-member person who negates his innate qualities in order to conform to the majority, most often pertaining toBlackand white people.

Yet nearly everything surrounding the Berlin subway station is named after him. There's an Uncle Tom residential area, a hamburger shop, a florist, a coffee roaster, a travel agency. And then there's Uncle Tom Street, about four kilometers (around 2.5 miles) long. "As far as I'm concerned, it can stay that way," says one elderly resident cautiously. "The name is closely linked to the atmosphere here; I'm very attached to the area."

The subway station opened in 1929. Both the station and street were named after a former Berlin restaurant, built in 1884 and demolished in 1978. The original inn named "Wirsthaus am Riemeister" was also popularly called "Uncle Tom's Cabin," as the owner is said to have been an admirer of the eponymous book.

Today, also nearby, is the "Uncle Tom's Cabin" riding club. On this summer evening, several riders are out with their horses. What do they think about the requested renaming? "It's a difficult subject," one woman says, vaguely.

"The name should stay," a 23-year-old woman says, as she changes from her riding boots into her sneakers, demonstratively rolling her eyes as she does so. "I find all of this totally over-the-top. It hasn't bothered anyone before! Even my Black friends haven't complained."

"I think it's great that history is suddenly awakened from its slumber concerning public spaces and that an important discussion is taking place," says Professor Aleida Assmann. "Suddenly, symbols like street names and monuments are no longer boring. Rather, they have become a symbolic weapon in this current situation of reorientation."

Assmann's research concerns collective memory and historical places. "Uncle Tom's Cabin" is a place of remembrance for the residents of area, recalling the inn where people would go during their outings in the woods. "If I imagine that it is to be renamed, then a historical 'cluster' would be eliminated. The previous name would be wiped out; it would disappear from history."

Debate about symbols: Who decides what is racist?

But beyond local history, in her view, the memory of global history is also important: The author Harriet Beecher Stowe was part of the abolitionist movement to abolish slavery founded at the end of the 18th century. "Today, this movement no longer has a good reputation, partly because it was a Christian movement then and we live in a secular world today, and partly because it was the whites who spoke for Black people," Assmann adds. Though it was very important for human rights worldwide at that time, in the current context of the Black Lives Mattermovement, it is outdated.

Moses Plking's petition reflects contemporary issues, Assmann believes. Yet instead of a renaming, Assmann argues for an extension and explanation of the name, by way of information boards, for instance. "It is not a matter of muzzling the movement, but of allowing society to learn about its common history."

Dialogue is also important to basketball player Plking. He knows how connected many residents of the area feel with the name. He would also like to exchange ideas with local politicians and hold public discussions. But he will not be deterred from his wish for it to be renamed.

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Is the street name 'Uncle Tom' racist? - DW (English)

‘Life In the Iron Mills’ Told of the Suffering of Americas Working Classes – Teen Vogue

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Teen Vogue labor columnist Kim Kelly wrote the forward for the new release of Rebecca Harding Davis 1861 novel, Life in the Iron Mills. An abridged version of Kellys excerpt is below.

A cloudy day; do you know what that is in a town of iron-works? asks Rebecca Harding Davis in the very first line of her groundbreaking novel, Life in the Iron Mills. 159 years after she penned those words, one can still picture how that day must have looked and felt, with the black industrial smoke hanging heavily in the air, ash staining every surface it touches, grey lines carved into the haggard faces of passers-by. It must have been hard to breathe, even in younger cities upon whose poisoned earth farmland and forests had once stood. There are places like that now, too, cursed with the legacy of humanitys ravenous thirst: vast manufacturing cities in China where everyone wears masks to breathe; polluted air creeping across heavy industry sites in India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh; deforestation fumes choking Cameroon; wildfires in Australia and the U.S. West Coast strangling whole towns.

The white-hot wave of industrialization and urbanization that swept the globe in the 19th century revolutionized the way that human beings work, live, consume, and die, permanently altered how society functioned, and unwittingly set the stage for the ravages of late capitalism, as well as the current climate crisis. Before the Industrial Revolution, agriculture was the primary industry; pollution was minimal, and most people lived in rural areas and worked outside. After the great change, laborers flooded into cities in search of work. They found work, alright but as Davis illustrates, all too often, these workers ended up paying a heavy price.

Class divisions were redrawn like battle lines, with wealthy capitalists and industrialists indulging their whims for gorgeous mansions while the poor and working classes were squeezed into rickety boarding houses, stinking tenements, and dank cellars. When new immigrants came in hopes of building better lives for themselves and their families, they were swept up into the labor pool by greedy bosses who saw a chance to extract as much value from their bodies as possible. It was a miserable time to be alive without the benefit of also being rich. Whether they were native born or came from elsewhere, a 19th century factory workers living conditions were utterly grim; diseases ran rampant, sewage pooled in the streets, and people of all ages starved physically, intellectually, and spiritually. Wage slavery was a death sentence. Some workers paid the cost of urban living with their blood, sweat, and tears, and managed to carve out something resembling a decent existence; others struggled, living hand to mouth, their bodies and spirits broken as soon as they could walk. An unfathomable number paid with their lives.

And for a very long time, their stories were left untold. In a time before public school was both free and compulsory (a feat the U.S. did not achieve until the 1920s), most members of the laboring class were illiterate, and many immigrant workers were without a firm grasp on the English language. But more importantly and shamefully their day-to-day lives were left undocumented and unexamined because no one in the middle and upper classes was listening to what to the faceless masses had to say. Those who enjoyed higher social and economic privilege knew that those workers they saw trudging through the streets to and from the mills were doomed to lives that were poor, nasty, brutish, and short, but, then as now, didnt necessarily see it as their problem. This is part of what makes Life in the Iron Mills and its smoke-smudged take on literary realism so extraordinary. Rebecca Harding Davis was born into a life of relative ease and had next to nothing in common with the workers in her story, and yet she writes about them and the proletarian struggle with such compassion and depth of insight that its hard to believe she was merely watching from the window.

The novel provokes questions that were still grappling with today. What are roses to a worker whose only thought is bread? What are dreams to someone who barely has time to sleep? How many people are there out there now, working dangerous, soul-sucking jobs instead of following their passions? How many more will have to suffer before this wretched capitalist system finally breaks down and sets us all free?

-Kim Kelly, Philadelphia, 2020

Want more from Teen Vogue? Check this out: Emma Goldman, One of Historys Best-Known Anarchists, Left an Outsized Legacy

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'Life In the Iron Mills' Told of the Suffering of Americas Working Classes - Teen Vogue

John Oliver Examines Whitewashed U.S. History in the Wake of George Floyd – Rolling Stone

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John Oliver spends much of his time on the Last Week Tonight discussing the inequalities currently present in American systems. But on Sunday night with the country still reeling from the killing of George Floyd he devoted an entire segment to U.S. history and how whitewashed the teaching of it has remained in most American schools.

Kicking off with a discussion of Juneteenth and the Tulsa, Oklahoma, race riots both of which received renewed attention from white Americans after they were featured in an episode of Watchmen Oliver highlighted how many non-black Americans still have trouble reckoning with the full scope of the countrys history of slavery and subsequent discrimination of black people. The idea that George Washington freed his slaves, for example, is exaggerated; the founding father specified in his will that his slaves could only be freed after his wifes death, meaning that, in the end, only one enslaved person was freed from his ownership.

Oliver emphasized that there are no national social studies standards in the U.S. to determine which historical figures or topics are discussed in the classroom, resulting in wildly varying state requirements. According to a CBS report, seven states do not directly mention slavery in their state education standards, while 16 mention states rights as a cause for the Civil War. Much of that is thanks to organizations like the Daughters of the Confederacy, who advocated for states in the South to present the Confederacy as made up of just rebels, rather than slave owners. As a result, the inaccuracies presented in those mid-century textbooks have reverberated for generations of American education.

Some slaves were good workers and very obedient, one Alabama textbook reads. Many took pride in what they did and loved their captains and the plantationOthers were lazy, disobedient and vicious.

White supremacy has not been fully reckoned with in American history lessons, Oliver said, and that reckoning process will be an uphill battle as long as Fox News anchors and other right-wing pundits spin any discussion of anti-racism into cannon fodder. But slavery is embedded within the foundation of America, right down to the Constitution, with the Three-Fifths Clause and the Fugitive Slave Clause.

The fact that the Constitution is infused with racism does not mean its canceled, Oliver said. Its not a YouTuber which was just now realizing it was wrong to do blackface for 14 years, and it definitely doesnt mean that kids shouldnt learn about it. But they should be taught to see it as an imperfect document with imperfect authors who both extolled the ideals of freedom for all while at the same time codifying slavery.

Moreover, Americans cannot keep viewing their historys progress as constant and inevitable. The century between the end of the Civil War and the start of the Civil Rights movement often glossed over in U.S. history classes was marked by a backlash from white Southerners toward successful black progress during Reconstruction. The Ku Klux Klan was founded during this era, at least 2,000 black people were lynched, and by 1877, Reconstruction was deemed a failure as Southern states took local control of racial divides.

In 1898, the only coup dtat to ever take place on American soil occurred in Wilmington, North Carolina, where a mob of 2,000 armed white men killed over 60 black residents and replaced the citys multiracial government with white supremacists. And if this is the first time youre hearing about the only coup on American soil, youre not alone, Oliver said.

The March on Washington, as it is often taught in school, was known fully as the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, and its economic aims were front and center; it was a fight that Martin Luther King Jr. would become passionate about in the final years of his life. It didnt cost the nation one penny to integrate lunch counters, he would say in a speech from 1968. It didnt cost the nation one penny to guarantee the right to vote. But now, we are dealing with issues that cannot be solved without the nation spending billions of dollars and undergoing a radical distribution of economic power.

The truth is, Oliver noted, the Civil Rights Movement was longer, messier, and more complicated than Kings I Have a Dream speech, and was thwarted in more of its aims than many of us were taught in school.

Most egregiously, U.S. history lessons often dont connect the historical dots to the present day, such as the wage and wealth gaps between white and black Americans, which are larger now than when King advocated for wealth distribution. If you dont teach history properly, all you see are those effects, and not the causes, Oliver said.

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John Oliver Examines Whitewashed U.S. History in the Wake of George Floyd - Rolling Stone

NOTABLE WOMEN OF SAN DIEGO Commemorating 100 years of the 19th Amendment when women took the vote – The right of citizens of the United States to…

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NOTABLE WOMEN OF SAN DIEGO Commemorating 100 years of the 19th Amendment when women took the vote

Professor Iris Engstrand at a Chargers game with granddaughter Madison. (Courtesy of Iris Engstrand.)

Newspaper clipping of Celia Sweet and her speed boat, Relue. (Courtesy James Sweet and Janet Sweet Corey.)

The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex so goes the text of this celebrated passage.

Womens suffrage ended on Aug. 18, 1920, culminating nearly a century of protest. Though she took the vote, other rights granted continued to evolve to live free from violence, slavery, and discrimination. The right to be educated, own property, and earn an equitable wage.

Interestingly, German-Jewish immigrant Louis Rose, who settled the community of Roseville in Point Loma some 150 years ago, showed himself to be an early feminist in that he deeded property to women. How startling!

A number of well-known women of San Diego began to assert themselves beyond the kitchen. For example, in the late 1880s, humanitarian visionary Kathryn Tingley created an international community of free thinkers, known as Raja Yoga Academy, or Lomaland. It became a highly regarded educational institution.

At about the same time, American horticulturalist Kate Sessions was cultivating plants. In 1892, she leased 30 acres of land in City Park and planted 100 trees a year. She would become known as Mother of Balboa Park, and was connected to the philanthropic generosity of businessman, George Marston.

But there are other women whose contributions to San Diego ought to be remembered.

THE FIRST FEMALE HARBOR PILOT

Celia Sweet of Ballast Point was the lightkeepers wife. James, and often Celia, tended the bay beacons and lamp in the tower. He also built boats known as Sweet Craft. In 1907, Sweet christened Pilot, San Diegos first motorized harbor-pilot vessel, Celia bursting the champagne bottle against its bow.

While raising two children, Celia became the first federally licensed woman harbor pilot in San Diego, and also ferried passengers across the bay to Coronados Tent City. When she could solicit no female competition, Celia raced the Relue against her male equals of San Diego Yacht Club. Sweets 28-foot Relue set a Pacific coast speed record of 22 knots.

SOUTHERN BELLE SAVES SURFING IN SAN DIEGO

An extrovert known as Miss Billy Riley of Oklahoma burst onto Shelter Islands entertainment scene when tourism efforts were flailing. Through evolving monikers of the 1960s Windsong, LEscale, Half Moon, and Humphreys Miss Billy became the first woman manager of a major hotel and eventually part owner. She served as the first female president of the San Diego Hotel-Motel Association, director of San Diego Chamber of Commerce, and strongly advocated the construction of Ocean Beach Fishing Pier.

Miss Billy will be remembered for defending the 1966 World Surfing Championships when city officials uttered disdain for the whole affair. Five years earlier, surfers had misbehaved during a similar event, she said, and the city was forced to consider the future of surfing in San Diego generally.

I gathered a bunch of those 200 surfers in the parking lot of Bali Hai and told them youre going to have a rough time in our city people think youre a crummy bunch. We expect you to conduct yourselves honorably to represent the surfing industry. As it was, surfing greats Kimo McVay, Nat Young, and the Duke Kahanomoku took to the waves in Ocean Beach, while spectators crowded the new pier.

In downtowns Gaslamp District, Billys name appears on the outside bronze plaque of the Horton Grand Hotel. Wed heard that the old Horton Hotel and Kahles Saddlery were being torn down and felt the urgency to preserve what we could, she said. Some of us moved sections of those buildings into storage in an old garage on Island Avenue, brick-by-brick, windows, and everything. And when the time came, we, and other investors, recreated a hotel. The Horton Grand is a testament to Miss Billys tenacity and goodwill.

THE CITYS HISTORY PROFESSOR EMERITA

Iris Engstrand, Ph.D., has taught thousands of students at University of San Diego over 49 years as a professor of American history. In turn, she says, These students have themselves become teachers and authors. They serve as politicians, city planners, national and state park employees, mayors, and in other positions of leadership. Teaching others is truly a gift that keeps on giving.

Of relevance is Engstrands pictorial history of San Diego, first published in 1980 and reprinted three times in revised editions. This factual account, she says, tells a complete story of San Diego beginning with the indigenous population and continuing through the Spanish, Mexican, and American periods.

Other notable women were to be recognized at this years Congress of History of San Diego and Imperial Counties, an annual two-day conference. But Remarkable Women 1920-2020 fell by the pandemic wayside. The Congress is scheduled to reconvene, fingers crossed, on Feb. 26-27, 2021, when the contributions by women over the past 100 years will be celebrated.

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Space Tourism: 5 Space Companies That Will Make You An …

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The concept of space tourism is one of the most exciting emerging features of the wider tourism industry, and companies like Virgin Galactic and SpaceX are already making waves by outlining plans to deliver various forms of commercial spaceflight in the near future. In this article, you will find out more about the space tourism industry, its history, the companies that are most likely to deliver on it, and what the future has in store.

Put simply, space tourism refers to the activity of travelling into space for recreational purposes. It is sometimes referred to as citizen space exploration, personal spaceflight, or commercial human spaceflight, and it covers spaceflights which are sub-orbital, orbital, and even beyond Earth orbit.

Some definitions also include hypothetical future spaceflights that are undertaken for business purposes.

While the concept of space tourism still sounds futuristic, it actually already has an established history. So far, however, the Russian Space Agency is the only company that has successfully facilitated orbital space tourism. This primarily took place in the early 2000s, during which time seven space tourists were taken into space.

The Russian Space Agency ceased its space tourism operations in 2010. Since then, a number of private enterprises have started to pursue space tourism, resulting in various proposals in this area.

The concept of space tourism is growing in popularity all the time, and there are a growing number of businesses engaging in activities within the space tourism industry. For those who are hoping to one day visit space as a private astronaut, the following five companies may offer the best chance of achieving that dream.

Part of the wider Virgin Group, the Virgin Galactic space tourism company is aiming to provide regular suborbital spaceflights for paying customers. Its current spaceplane, VSS Unity, entered outer space in December 2018 as part of its testing process, bringing the possibility of regular commercial spaceflights closer.

The company already has an extensive waiting list of people wishing to become space tourists, with an initial deposit of 200,000 required to secure a place on this list. However, Virgin Galactic has not been entirely without issues, including multiple delays and the in-flight loss of its VSS Enterprise spaceplane in 2014.

More detailed information about Virgin Galactic, you can read in the article Virgin Galactic: Information About Virgin Space Flights.

SpaceX are already hugely experienced when it comes to launching space-bound flights and the company is also hoping to get on board the space tourism bandwagon. However, unlike with most other companies operating in this field, they are prioritising lunar tourism and other forms of space tourism extending beyond Earth orbit.

In 2017, the companys founder, Elon Musk, announced his intentions to send two paying customers on a trip around the moon on an inaugural lunar tourism mission. The mission was initially planned for 2018, but has since been delayed. SpaceX have not yet revealed any pricing strategy or waiting list for lunar trips.

More detailed information about SpaceX, you can read in the article SpaceX Information: Rockets, Spacecrafts and Spaceflights.

To date, Blue Origin has been the main competitor for Virgin Galactic in terms of sub-orbital space travel tourism. However, their offering is based around a more traditional rocket, known as the New Shepard, which takes off and lands vertically, and their objectives are to build towards orbital spaceflight.

As with Virgin Galactic, the space tourism company has performed several test flights and is planning to put paying passengers into space soon. However, unlike Virgin Galactic, they have not started taking money for tickets. Their plans involve placing up to six passengers on each flight, with room to perform weightless somersaults.

More detailed information about Blue Origin, you can read in the article Blue Origin: Information About Blue Origin Space Flights.

Finally, Orion Span is a space tourism company in the United States, which announced plans for a private commercial space station, called the Aurora Space Station. This would be placed in low Earth orbit and would effectively function as a space hotel, which would be able to host up to six space tourists at a time.

While the plans are still in the provisional stages, the company has already sold out several months worth of hotel reservations. The total cost of a space hotel reservation currently stands at more than 7 million. At present, Orion Span says it is hoping to host its first paying guests at the Aurora Space Station in the year 2022.

More detailed information about Origin Span, you can read in the article Orion Span: Information About Orion Span Space Hotel.

The Boeing Company emerged as a major player in the space tourism industry when it signed an agreement with NASA as part of their Commercial Crew Development programme. This programme was designed to increase involvement from private sector companies in the production of crew vehicles to be launched into orbit.

As part of the agreement, Boeing started work on the development of a crew capsule, called the Boeing CST-100 Starliner. Crucially, the companys contract with NASA provides them with the opportunity to sell seats to space tourists, with the idea being that at least one space tourist would participate in each future space mission.

While the five companies above all have interesting proposals and most have produced promising results through early testing it is worth remembering that these are not the only companies that have made such plans. Indeed, below, you will find out about several space tourism companies that did not achieve their goals.

Founded in 2007, the Galactic Suite Space Resort was a concept that was originally devised by the Barcelona-based space tourism company, Galactic Suite Design. Much like the aforementioned Aurora Space Station project from Orion Span, it was intended to be a space station that would function as a hotel for space tourists.

The company initially set a goal of 2012 for the first launch, but that was met with widespread scepticism from within the space tourism industry. Ultimately, the company failed to even acquire a rocket system capable of transporting passengers, and the project slowly faded away before being permanently cancelled.

Established in 2010, the Golden Spike Company was a space tourism company set up to provide commercial space travel to the surface of the moon. It originally made the extent of these ambitions known at a press conference in 2012, and the company even had connections with various former NASA employees.

Response to its early announcements was mixed, with some sources claiming they were credible, while others criticised their unrealistic budget estimates. Ultimately, the company failed to gain traction and ceased all serious operations in 2013. The main Golden Spike website was then taken offline two years later.

Finally, XCOR Aerospace was one of the first space tourism companies to gain widespread media attention. It had a number of different projects and proposals, but its most famous was the proposed Lynx spacecraft, announced in 2008. This was to be a horizontal take-off spacecraft, which was hoped to be capable of sub-orbital spaceflights.

The company initially expected to roll out a prototype of the spacecraft in 2015, but ran into financial difficulties and began laying off staff the following year. Prototype development of the Lynx vehicle was never completed and XCOR Aerospace eventually filed for bankruptcy in 2017.

In the short-term, it is likely that space travel tourism will continue to grow in popularity, and that companies like Virgin Galactic and Blue Origin will deliver sub-orbital spaceflight for paying customers. Meanwhile, orbital spaceflight will also be pursued by several enterprises, with Boeing among them.

Looking further ahead, however, interest in the space tourism industry is likely to really take off when space tourism extends beyond Earth orbit, especially if lunar missions become financially and logistically feasible.

With that being said, it is worth pointing out that space tourism is likely to remain extremely expensive for the foreseeable future. It is also physically demanding, which will mean it will only be available to people who pass fitness tests and undergo training programmes in preparation for their flight.

For most people space tourism is still out of reach. Fortunately, you can already admire the earth from space through the live feeds from Nasa ;).

Over the course of the next decade, space tourism is likely to become a reality, thanks to companies like Virgin Galactic, SpaceX and Blue Origin, which are all set to offer their own ways for paying customers to travel into space. That, in turn, could eventually lead to further developments, such as lunar tourism and even Mars tourism.

The hospitality industry is part of the travel industry and the hotel industry is part of the hospitality industry. All of these industries have in common that they are large service industries in the world and increasingly important in the modern age. But what is the difference between the travel and tourism industry? And what are all hospitality sectors within the hospitality industry? In the following articles you learn more about related industries.

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Space Tourism: 5 Space Companies That Will Make You An ...

The 12 Greatest Challenges for Space Exploration | WIRED

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Humanity began in Africa. But we didnt stay there, not all of usover thousands of years our ancestors walked all over the continent, then out of it. And when they came to the sea, they built boats and sailed tremendous distances to islands they could not have known were there. Why?

Probably for the same reason we look up at the moon and the stars and say, Whats up there? Could we go there? Maybe we could go there. Because its something human beings do.

Photograph by Dan Winters; Nebula by Ash Thorp

Space is, of course, infinitely more hostile to human life than the surface of the sea; escaping Earths gravity entails a good deal more work and expense than shoving off from the shore. But those boats were the cutting-edge technology of their time. Voyagers carefully planned their expensive, dangerous journeys, and many of them died trying to find out what was beyond the horizon. So why keep doing it?

I could tell you about spin-off technologies, ranging from small products of convenience to discoveries that might feed millions or prevent deadly accidents or save the lives of the sick and injured.

I could tell you that we shouldnt keep all our eggs in this increasingly fragile basketone good meteor strike and we all join the non-avian dinosaurs. And have you noticed the weather lately?

I could tell you that it might be good for us to unite behind a project that doesnt involve killing one another, that does involve understanding our home planet and the ways we survive on it and what things are crucial to our continuing to survive on it.

I could tell you that moving farther out into the solar system might be a good plan, if humanity is lucky enough to survive the next 5.5 billion years and the sun expands enough to fry the Earth.

I could tell you all those things: all the reasons we should find some way to live away from this planet, to build space stations and moon bases and cities on Mars and habitats on the moons of Jupiter. All the reasons we should, if we manage that, look out at the stars beyond our sun and say, Could we go there? Maybe we could go there.

Its a huge, dangerous, maybe impossible project. But thats never stopped humans from bloody-mindedly trying anyway.

Humanity was born on Earth. Are we going to stay here? I suspectI hopethe answer is no. Ann Leckie

Ann Leckie is the Hugo- and Nebula-award-winning author of Ancillary Justice.

problem: takeoff

Getting off Earth is a little like getting divorced: You want to do it quickly, with as little baggage as possible. But powerful forces conspire against youspecifically, gravity. If an object on Earths surface wants to fly free, it needs to shoot up and out at speeds exceeding 25,000 mph.

That takes serious oomphread: dollars. It cost nearly $200 million just to launch the Mars Curiosity rover, about a tenth of the missions budget, and any crewed mission would be weighed down by the stuff needed to sustain life. Composite materials like exotic-metal alloys and fibered sheets could reduce the weight; combine that with more efficient, more powerful fuel mixtures and you get a bigger bang for your booster.

But the ultimate money saver will be reusability. As the number of flights increases, economies of scale kick in, says Les Johnson, a technical assistant at NASAs Advanced Concepts Office. Thats the key to getting the cost to drop dramatically. SpaceXs Falcon 9, for example, was designed to relaunch time and again. The more you go to space, the cheaper it gets. Nick Stockton

problem: propulsion

Hurtling through space is easy. Its a vacuum, after all; nothing to slow you down. But getting started? Thats a bear. The larger an objects mass, the more force it takes to move itand rockets are kind of massive. Chemical propellants are great for an initial push, but your precious kerosene will burn up in a matter of minutes. After that, expect to reach the moons of Jupiter in, oh, five to seven years. Thats a heck of a lot of in-flight movies. Propulsion needs a radical new method. Heres a look at what rocket scientists now have, or are working on, or wish they had. Nick Stockton

problem: space junk

Congratulations! Youve successfully launched a rocket into orbit. But before you break into outer space, a rogue bit of broke-ass satellite comes from out of nowhere and caps your second-stage fuel tank. No more rocket.

This is the problem of space debris, and its very real. The US Space Surveillance Network has eyes on 17,000 objectseach at least the size of a softballhurtling around Earth at speeds of more than 17,500 mph; if you count pieces under 10 centimeters, its closer to 500,000 objects. Launch adapters, lens covers, even a fleck of paint can punch a crater in critical systems.

Whipple shieldslayers of metal and Kevlarcan protect against the bitsy pieces, but nothing can save you from a whole satellite. Some 4,000 orbit Earth, most dead in the air. Mission control avoids dangerous paths, but tracking isnt perfect.

Pulling the sats out of orbit isnt realisticit would take a whole mission to capture just one. So starting now, all satellites will have to fall out of orbit on their own. Theyll jettison extra fuel, then use rocket boosters or solar sails to angle down and burn up on reentry. Put decommissioning programs in 90 percent of new launches or youll get the Kessler syndrome: One collision leads to more collisions until theres so much crap up there, no one can fly at all. That might be a century henceor a lot sooner if space war breaks out. If someone (like China?) starts blowing up enemy satellites, it would be a disaster, says Holger Krag, head of the Space Debris Office at the European Space Agency. Essential to the future of space travel: world peace. Jason Kehe

problem: navigation

The Deep Space Network, a collection of antenna arrays in California, Australia, and Spain, is the only navigation tool for space. Everything from student-project satellites to the New Horizons probe meandering through the Kuiper Belt depends on it to stay oriented. An ultraprecise atomic clock on Earth times how long it takes for a signal to get from the network to a spacecraft and back, and navigators use that to determine the crafts position.

But as more and more missions take flight, the network is getting congested. The switchboard is often busy. So in the near term, NASA is working to lighten the load. Atomic clocks on the crafts themselves will cut transmission time in half, allowing distance calculations with a single downlink. And higher-bandwidth lasers will handle big data packages, like photos or video messages.

The farther rockets go from Earth, however, the less reliable this method becomes. Sure, radio waves travel at light speed, but transmissions to deep space still take hours. And the stars can tell you where to go, but theyre too distant to tell you where you are. For future missions, deep-space navigation expert Joseph Guinn wants to design an autonomous system that would collect images of targets and nearby objects and use their relative location to triangulate a spaceships coordinatesno ground control required. Itll be like GPS on Earth, Guinn says. You put a GPS receiver on your car and problem solved. He calls it a deep-space positioning systemDPS for short. Katie M. Palmer

problem: radiation

Outside the safe cocoon of Earths atmosphere and magnetic field, subatomic particles zip around at close to the speed of light. This is space radiation, and its deadly. Aside from cancer, it can also cause cataracts and possibly Alzheimers.

When these particles knock into the atoms of aluminum that make up a spacecraft hull, their nuclei blow up, emitting yet more superfast particles called secondary radiation. Youre actually making the problem worse, says Nasser Barghouty, a physicist at NASAs Marshall Space Flight Center.

A better solution? One word: plastics. Theyre light and strong, and theyre full of hydrogen atoms, whose small nuclei dont produce much secondary radiation. NASA is testing plastics that can mitigate radiation in spaceships or space suits.

Or how about this word: magnets. Scientists on the Space Radiation Superconducting Shield project are working on a magnesium diboride superconductor that would deflect charged particles away from a ship. It works at 263 degrees Celsius, which is balmy for superconductors, but it helps that space is already so damn cold. Sarah Zhang

problem: food and water

Lettuce got to be a hero last August. Thats when astronauts on the ISS ate a few leaves theyd grown in space for the first time. But large-scale gardening in zero g is tricky. Water wants to float around in bubbles instead of trickling through soil, so engineers have devised ceramic tubes that wick it down to the plants roots. Its like a Chia pet, says Raymond Wheeler, a botanist at Kennedy Space Center. Also, existing vehicles are cramped. Some veggies are already pretty space-efficient (ha!), but scientists are working on a genetically modified dwarf plum tree thats just 2 feet tall. Proteins, fats, and carbs could come from a more diverse harvestlike potatoes and peanuts.

All thats for naught, though, if you run out of water. (On the ISS, the pee-and-water recycling system needs periodic fixing, and interplanetary crews wont be able to rely on a resupply of new parts.) GMOs could help here too. Michael Flynn, an engineer at NASA Ames Research Center, is working on a water filter made of genetically modified bacteria. He likens it to how your small intestine recycles what you drink. Basically you are a water recycling system, he says. with a useful life of 75 or 80 years. This filter would continually replenish itself, just like your innards do. Sarah Zhang

problem: bone and muscle wasting

Weightlessness wrecks the body: It makes certain immune cells unable to do their jobs, and red blood cells explode. It gives you kidney stones and makes your heart lazy. Astronauts on the ISS exercise to combat muscle wasting and bone loss, but they still lose bone mass in space, and those zero-g spin cycles dont help the other problems. Artificial gravity would fix all that.

In his lab at MIT, former astronaut Laurence Young is testing a human centrifuge: Victims lie on their side on a platform and pedal a stationary wheel as the whole contraption spins around. The resulting force tugs their feetjust like gravity, but awkward.

Youngs machine is too cramped to use for more than an hour or two a day, though, so for 24/7 gravity, the whole spacecraft will have to become a centrifuge. A spinning spaceship could be shaped like a dumbbell, with two chambers connected by a truss. As it gets easier to send more mass into space, designers could become more ambitiousbut they dont have to reinvent the wheel. Remember the station in 2001: A Space Odyssey? The design has been around since 1903. Sarah Zhang

problem: mental health

When physicians treat stroke or heart attack, they sometimes bring the patients temperature way down, slowing their metabolism to reduce the damage from lack of oxygen. Its a trick that might work for astronauts too. Which is good, because to sign up for interplanetary travel is to sign up for a year (at least) of living in a cramped spacecraft with bad food and zero privacya recipe for space madness. Thats why John Bradford says we should sleep through it. President of the engineering firm SpaceWorks and coauthor of a report for NASA on long missions, Bradford says cold storage would be a twofer: It cuts down on the amount of food, water, and air a crew would need and keeps them sane. If were going to become a multiplanet species, he says, well need a capability like human stasis. Sleep tight, voyagers. Sarah Zhang

problem: touchdown

Planet, ho! Youve been in space for months. Years, maybe. Now a formerly distant world is finally filling up your viewport. All you have to do is land. But youre careening through frictionless space at, oh, call it 200,000 mph (assuming youve cracked fusion). Oh yeah, and theres the planets gravity to worry about. If you dont want your touchdown to be remembered as one small leap for a human and one giant splat for humankind, follow these simple steps. Nick Stockton

problem: resources

When space caravans embark from Earth, theyll leave full of supplies. But you cant take everything with you. Seeds, oxygen generators, maybe a few machines for building infrastructure. But settlers will have to harvest or make everything else.

Luckily, space is far from barren. Every planet has every chemical element in it, says Ian Crawford, a planetary scientist at Birbeck, University of London, though concentrations differ. The moon has lots of aluminum. Mars has silica and iron oxide. Nearby asteroids are a great source of carbon and platinum oresand water, once pioneers figure out how to mine the stuff. If blasters and drillers are too heavy to ship, theyll have to extract those riches with gentler techniques: melting, magnets, or metal-digesting microbes. And NASA is looking into a process that can 3-D-print whole buildingsno need to import special equipment.

In the end, a destinations resources will shape settlements, which makes surveying the drop zone critical. Just think of the moons far side. Its been pummeled by asteroids for billions of years, says Anita Gale, a space shuttle engineer. Whole new materials could be out there. Before humanity books a one-way ticket to Kepler-438b, itll have to study up. Chelsea Leu

problem: EXPLORATION

Dogs helped humans colonize Earth, but theyd survive on Mars about as well as we would. To spread out on a new world, well need a new best friend: a robot.

See, settling takes a lot of grunt work, and robots can dig all day without having to eat or breathe. Theoretically, at least. Current prototypes bulky, bipedal bots that mimic human physiognomycan barely walk on Earth. So automatons will have to be everything we arentlike, say, a lightweight tracked bot with backhoe claws for arms. Thats the shape of one NASA machine designed to dig for ice on Mars: Its two appendages spin in opposite directions, keeping it from flipping over as it works.

Still, humans have a big leg up when it comes to fingers. If a job requires dexterity and precision, you want people doing itprovided they have the right duds. Todays space suit is designed for weightlessness, not hiking on exoplanets. NASAs prototype Z-2 model has flexible joints and a helmet that gives a clear view of whatever delicate wiring needs fixing. When the jobs done, just hop on an autonomous transporter to get home. Attaboy, Rover. Matt Simon

problem: space is big

The fastest thing humans have ever built is a probe called Helios 2. Its dead now, but if sound traveled in space, youd hear it screaming as it whips around the sun at speeds of more than 157,000 miles per hour. Thats almost 100 times faster than a bullet, but even at that velocity it would take some 19,000 years to reach Earths first stellar neighbor, Alpha Centauri. Itd be a multigenerational ship, and nobody dreams of going to space because its a nice place to die of old age.

To beat the clock, you need powerand lots of it. Maybe you could mine Jupiter for enough helium-3 to fuel nuclear fusionafter youve figured out fusion engines. Matter-antimatter annihilation is more scalable, but smashing those pugilistic particles together is dangerous. Youd never want to do that on Earth, says Les Johnson, technical assistant for NASAs Advanced Concepts Office, which works on crazy starship ideas. You do that in deep space, so if you have an accident, you dont destroy a continent. Too intense? How about solar power? All youd need is a sail the size of Texas.

Far more elegant would be hacking the universes source codewith physics. The theoretical Alcubierre drive would compress space in front of your craft and expand space behind it so the stuff in betweenwhere your ship iseffectively moves faster than light. Tweaking the Alcubierre equations gets you a Krasnikov tube, an interstellar subway that shortens your return trip.

All aboard? Not quite. Humanity will need a few more Einsteins working at places like the Large Hadron Collider to untangle all the theoretical knots. Its entirely possible that well make some discovery that changes everything, Johnson says. But you cant count on that breakthrough to save the day. If you want eureka moments, you need to budget for them. That means more cash for NASA and the particle physicists. Until then, Earths space ambitions will look a lot like Helios 2: stuck in a futile race around the same old star. Nick Stockton

problem: THERES ONLY ONE EARTH

A couple decades back, sci-fi author Kim Stanley Robinson sketched out a future utopia on Mars built by scientists from an overpopulated, overextended Earth. His Mars trilogy made a forceful case for colonization of the solar system. But, really, other than science, why should we go to space?

The need to explore is built into our souls, goes one argumentthe pioneer spirit and manifest destiny. But scientists dont talk about pioneers anymore. You did hear that frontier language 20, 30 years ago, says Heidi Hammel, who helps set exploration priorities at NASA. But since the New Horizons probe passed by Pluto last July, weve explored every type of environment in the solar system at least once, she says. Humans could still go dig in the dirt to study distant geologybut when robots can do it, well, maybe not.

As for manifest destiny? Historians know better. Western expansion was a vicious land grab, and the great explorers were mostly in it for resources or treasure. Human wanderlust expresses itself only in the service of political or economic will.

Of course, Earths impending destruction could provide some incentive. Deplete the planets resources and asteroid-belt mining suddenly seems reasonable. Change the climate and space provides room for humanity (and everything else).

But thats a dangerous line of thinking. It creates a moral hazard, Robinson says. People think if we fuck up here on Earth we can always go to Mars or the stars. Its pernicious. His latest book, Aurora, again makes a forceful case about settlement beyond the solar system: You probably cant. As far as anyone knows, Earth is the only habitable place in the universe. If were going to leave this planet, lets go because we want tonot because we have to. Adam Rogers

This article appears in the March 2016 issue.

Illustrations by 520 Design; Nebula by Ash Thorp

Continued here:

The 12 Greatest Challenges for Space Exploration | WIRED

SpaceX return: How Nasa astronauts’ splashdown has changed the future of space travel – The Independent

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That's one quick drop for man; one giant splash for mankind.

The safe return of SpaceX's Crew Dragon is not on the scale of the moon landings, of course, but it could certainly be a step towards space travel successes of similarly soaring heights.

The capsule left Earth some two months ago, carrying two astronauts who were to visit the International Space Station but also carry out one of the most high-stakes tests possible: the final assessment of the capsule itself, conducting the mission it was built to do, and ensuring that it could go on to be approved for more regular Nasa missions.

Sharing the full story, not just the headlines

It was not only a test of the capsule itself, but of Nasa's overarching Commercial Crew Programme. That has seen it turn to private companies Elon Musk's SpaceX most famously, but others too in an attempt to restore its former success in space travel.

In all, the mission marks a historic success: it is the first time that astronauts were sent from US soil since the Space Shuttle programme ended in 2011, and the first successful splashdown in 45 years, since the Apollo programme.

Nasa hopes that it will return the space agency and its space flight capabilities to those historic heights. It hopes that it will now be able to reliably and routinely fly astronauts to space from home, as it did with the Space Shuttle, and use that to explore more of the solar system, as with Apollo.

The collaboration between SpaceX and Nasa where the private company builds the rocket and capsule, and the space agency directs and funds the mission as well as providing the astronauts is its aim for doing that. It hopes that will allow for the full ingenuity and risk to be taken on by the private sector, while it gets to benefit from American-made spacecraft carrying US astronauts from its own facilities.

The space agency is already hailing the mission as proof that it works.

"Welcome home, Bob and Doug! Congratulations to the NASA and SpaceX teams for the incredible work to make this test flight possible, said NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine in a statement released after the successful splashdown.

Its a testament to what we can accomplish when we work together to do something once thought impossible. Partners are key to how we go farther than ever before and take the next steps on daring missions to the Moon and Mars."

Of course, nothing this big happens in one moment. The mission was hailed as a success as soon as the rocket successfully launched, and the test while very high-stakes was just the end of an extensive assessment process that has been ongoing since 2015.

Before that, Nasa's Commercial Program had been running for years, in the hope that such a breakthrough was possible. It was started 10 years ago and has included other companies, too including Boeing, which plans crewed tests of its own soon.

Mystic Mountain, a pillar of gas and dust standing at three-light-years tall, bursting with jets of gas from fledgling stars buried within, was captured by Nasa's Hubble Space Telescope in February 2010

Nasa/ESA/STScI

The first ever selfie taken on an alien planet, captured by Nasa's Curiosity Rover in the early days of its mission to explore Mars in 2012

Nasa/JPL-Caltech/MSSS

Death of a star: This image from Nasa's Chandra X-ray telescope shows the supernova of Tycho, a star in our Milky Way galaxy

Nasa

Arrokoth, the most distant object ever explored, pictured here on 1 January 2019 by a camera on Nasa's New Horizons spaceraft at a distance of 4.1 billion miles from Earth

Getty

An image of the Large Magellanic Cloud galaxy seen in infrared light by the Herschel Space Observatory in January 2012. Regions of space such as this are where new stars are born from a mixture of elements and cosmic dust

Nasa

The first ever image of a black hole, captured by the Event Horizon telescope, as part of a global collaboration involving Nasa, and released on 10 April 2019. The image reveals the black hole at the centre of Messier 87, a massive galaxy in the nearby Virgo galaxy cluster. This black hole resides about 54 million light-years from Earth

Getty

Pluto, as pictured by Nasa's New Horizons spacecraft as it flew over the dwarf planet for the first time ever in July 2015

Nasa/APL/SwRI

A coronal mass ejection as seen by the Chandra Observatory in 2019. This is the first time that Chandra has detected this phenomenon from a star other than the Sun

Nasa

Dark, narrow, 100 meter-long streaks running downhill on the surface Mars were believed to be evidence of contemporary flowing water. It has since been suggested that they may instead be formed by flowing sand

Nasa/JPL/University of Arizona

Morning Aurora: Nasa astronaut Scott Kelly captured this photograph of the green lights of the aurora from the International Space Station in October 2015

Nasa/Scott Kelly

Mystic Mountain, a pillar of gas and dust standing at three-light-years tall, bursting with jets of gas from fledgling stars buried within, was captured by Nasa's Hubble Space Telescope in February 2010

Nasa/ESA/STScI

The first ever selfie taken on an alien planet, captured by Nasa's Curiosity Rover in the early days of its mission to explore Mars in 2012

Nasa/JPL-Caltech/MSSS

Death of a star: This image from Nasa's Chandra X-ray telescope shows the supernova of Tycho, a star in our Milky Way galaxy

Nasa

Arrokoth, the most distant object ever explored, pictured here on 1 January 2019 by a camera on Nasa's New Horizons spaceraft at a distance of 4.1 billion miles from Earth

Getty

An image of the Large Magellanic Cloud galaxy seen in infrared light by the Herschel Space Observatory in January 2012. Regions of space such as this are where new stars are born from a mixture of elements and cosmic dust

Nasa

The first ever image of a black hole, captured by the Event Horizon telescope, as part of a global collaboration involving Nasa, and released on 10 April 2019. The image reveals the black hole at the centre of Messier 87, a massive galaxy in the nearby Virgo galaxy cluster. This black hole resides about 54 million light-years from Earth

Getty

Pluto, as pictured by Nasa's New Horizons spacecraft as it flew over the dwarf planet for the first time ever in July 2015

Nasa/APL/SwRI

A coronal mass ejection as seen by the Chandra Observatory in 2019. This is the first time that Chandra has detected this phenomenon from a star other than the Sun

Nasa

Dark, narrow, 100 meter-long streaks running downhill on the surface Mars were believed to be evidence of contemporary flowing water. It has since been suggested that they may instead be formed by flowing sand

Nasa/JPL/University of Arizona

Morning Aurora: Nasa astronaut Scott Kelly captured this photograph of the green lights of the aurora from the International Space Station in October 2015

Nasa/Scott Kelly

The philosophical underpinnings of that programme run even further than that. They arguably began in failure, when Nasa and the US banked on the Space Shuttle being the future of space travel and when that programme came to an end without the promised replacement, the space agency was forced to rely on buying tickets on Russian spacecraft to get its astronauts to the International Space Station.

There is of course nothing to say that the new programmes could end in similar disappointment. The space shuttle looked like the future until it did not, and public space agencies have still achieved far more success than any private company when it comes to travelling in space.

But they are much more likely, of course, to have great success. According to both Nasa and SpaceX, that success could lead to humans going to the Moon to live, and from there heading on to Mars; landing in the sea could be one little part of the grand path to explore further in our solar system than many ever dreamed possible.

The rest is here:

SpaceX return: How Nasa astronauts' splashdown has changed the future of space travel - The Independent

Virgin Galactic reveals new supersonic jet design that would fly three times speed of sound – CNN

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(CNN) Virgin Galactic is still aiming to send tourists to space, but the space tourism company is also looking at how to whiz people across our planet as quickly as possible.

The super-fast jet will travel at Mach 3 -- three times faster than the speed of sound.

Virgin Galactic has released images of a supersonic jet design.

Courtesy Virgin Galactic

Virgin Galactic also announced this supersonic jet concept recently passed a mission concept review, which confirmed that the concept "can meet the high-level requirements and objectives of the mission."

"We are excited to complete the Mission Concept Review and unveil this initial design concept of a high speed aircraft, which we envision as blending safe and reliable commercial travel with an unrivaled customer experience," said George Whitesides, Virgin Galactic's chief space officer.

Ready for next phase

The Virgin Galactic aircraft is one of a few supersonic jet ideas currently in the design stages.

Courtesy Virgin Galactic

Virgin Galactic envisages the jet ferrying passengers on long-distance commercial air routes -- and the idea is its interior could accommodate custom cabin layouts, including business or first class seating.

The jet would take off and land in the regular way.

The concept is now ready to progress to the next phase of design, which Virgin Galactic says will involve defining the specifics of how the aircraft will operate, not to mention looking at potential challenges including maintenance, noise, emissions and economics.

"We have made great progress so far, and we look forward to opening up a new frontier in high speed travel," added Whitesides.

Other jets in the works

This isn't the only supersonic jet in creation.

Another concept in development is AS2. The brainchild of US company Aerion Corporation, the AS2 would travel at Mach 1.4.

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Virgin Galactic reveals new supersonic jet design that would fly three times speed of sound - CNN

56 Countries Gather Online In Their Quest To Fix Climate Change – CleanTechnica

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Sponsored

Published on August 8th, 2020 | by Sponsored Content

August 8th, 2020 by Sponsored Content

Despite the current crisis, green entrepreneurs across the globe continue to create positive climate impact and economic opportunities. A record number of 3,000 startups from 56 countries entered this years edition of ClimateLaunchpad*, the global green business ideas competition. The 7th edition of its Global Grand Final will be an entirely digital 3-day event (September 30 October 2).

ClimateLaunchpad is part of the entrepreneurship offerings by EIT Climate-KIC, the EUs main climate innovation initiative. Its mission is to unlock global cleantech potential and to accelerate innovations that address climate change.

Due to COVID-19, the 2020 competition is now digitally available. Boot Camps, coaching sessions, and national and regional finals have all been brought to virtual environments. ClimateLaunchpad is now preparing to do the same for its annual Global Grand Final, which is no small feat as it is the largest green business event around. There will be 65 cleantech startups pitching, live keynotes, interactive masterclasses, networking, fun sessions, inspirational talks, and live discussions.

The fully virtual event will be accessible to all and is unconstrained by time, space, travel, or CO2. An interactive event platform is being set up to facilitate the three days. More information about the program will be made available shortly on the dedicated event website.

The competition is experiencing its most successful year to date. Over 3,000 ideas across the globe were submitted. In 56 countries, selected teams with promising cleantech potential are currently competing in national and regional finals. The 65 best teams will pitch and compete in the Global Grand Final. There are money prizes, with the Top-16 getting accepted into the renowned EIT Climate-KIC Accelerator, and all teams usually receive a lot of media exposure.

Seeing these startups pitch during the Global Grand Final is like stepping into the future where big data eliminates crop failure, clean water is cheaply available to all, and livestock agriculture is obsolete. ClimateLaunchpad offers all its participants the knowledge, tools, and experience to grow and scale their businesses, and to achieve real positive climate impact on a global scale.

Most ClimateLaunchpad alumni continue to be successful with their startups, and 85% of the previous participants are still in business. ClimateLaunchpad alumni that are leading the charge include Multus Media (enabling competitive prices for cultivated meat), Capricorn Power (turning waste heat into power), Rens (sneakers made from coffee grounds), and many more.

This first digital edition of the Global Grand Final promises to be the green business event of the year. It offers a global conversation on fixing climate change with leading minds, policy makers, and corporates attending. The 3-day event will be packed with the worlds best green startups pitching, thought provoking keynotes, and interactive master classes.

The full program and this years speakers will be confirmed as soon as possible. An impression of previous speakers can be found on the website.

This article was sponsored by ClimateLaunchpad; CleanTechnica is a media partner. All images from ClimateLaunchpad and used with permission.

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Tags: ClimateLaunchpad, ClimateLaunchpad 2020, events, Global Grand Final, green business, green business competition

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56 Countries Gather Online In Their Quest To Fix Climate Change - CleanTechnica

Wawa Soars to New Heights with Kids Meals Landing in All Stores this August – GlobeNewswire

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Adventures of Wally Goose Trading Cards

Enclosed in each Kids Meal is a trading card pack of 3 cards including Wally Gooses bio and two surprise cards of Wally sharing favorite activities that children can also enjoy, including: jumping rope, playing sports, coloring, fort-building, cooking, scavenger hunting, acting, experimenting, bike riding, dancing, reading, imagining, chalking and pretend playing. Special-edition hologram cards are also mixed into packs featuring facts about flying and space travel. Designed to spark new interests and entertain children, cards will be rotated throughout the year with the opportunity for kids to collect all 18 cards!

Adventures of Wally Goose Trading Cards

Enclosed in each Kids Meal is a trading card pack of 3 cards including Wally Gooses bio and two surprise cards of Wally sharing favorite activities that children can also enjoy, including: jumping rope, playing sports, coloring, fort-building, cooking, scavenger hunting, acting, experimenting, bike riding, dancing, reading, imagining, chalking and pretend playing. Special-edition hologram cards are also mixed into packs featuring facts about flying and space travel. Designed to spark new interests and entertain children, cards will be rotated throughout the year with the opportunity for kids to collect all 18 cards!

Adventures of Wally Goose Trading Cards

Enclosed in each Kids Meal is a trading card pack of 3 cards including Wally Gooses bio and two surprise cards of Wally sharing favorite activities that children can also enjoy, including: jumping rope, playing sports, coloring, fort-building, cooking, scavenger hunting, acting, experimenting, bike riding, dancing, reading, imagining, chalking and pretend playing. Special-edition hologram cards are also mixed into packs featuring facts about flying and space travel. Designed to spark new interests and entertain children, cards will be rotated throughout the year with the opportunity for kids to collect all 18 cards!

WAWA, Pa., Aug. 03, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Wawa, Inc. today announced the addition of Kids Meals at all 900 Wawa stores in Mid-Atlantic and Florida, with the purpose of providing convenience, value and accessibility for customers who are seeking a variety of food options for children. Wawa aims to offer mobile ordering and delivery service of Kids Meals in the near future.

As an extension of Wawas unique customization abilities, Kids Meals offer a choice of entre including Junior hoagies with turkey, ham, roast beef or cheese, small mac & cheese, cheese quesadilla, chicken strips, small meatballs, small chicken noodle soup, accompanied by one side of apple slices, yogurt,* mozzarella string cheese, 1 oz chips, or chocolate chip cookie and a choice of beverage including water, milk or chocolate milk.* Depending on selections, Kids Meals are competitively priced at $3.99, $4.99 and $5.99. *Yogurt is not available in FL stores and milk does not become available until 8/5 in Mid-Atlantic Stores and 8/10 in FL Stores.

Were excited to add Kids Meals to our menu as it now, more than ever, allows Wawa to become a lunch and dinner destination for the entire family, said Mike Sherlock, Chief Product Marketing Officer, Wawa. Parents or guardians can select their preferred menu items and order Kids Meals for children, all while preserving the experience of eating together as one family.

About Wally Goose Our Goose with a Heart of GoldWally is a symbol for Wawas commitment to the community and can often be seen volunteering at charity events, greeting customers at new store openings and brightening days of local friends and neighbors with his cheerfulness! He even has his very own masks to ensure safety while hes out and about!

About Adventures of Goose Trading CardsEnclosed in each Kids Meal is a trading card pack of 3 cards including Wally Gooses bio and two surprise cards of Wally sharing favorite activities that children can also enjoy, including: jumping rope, playing sports, coloring, fort-building, cooking, scavenger hunting, acting, experimenting, bike riding, dancing, reading, imagining, chalking and pretend playing. Special-edition hologram cards are also mixed into packs featuring facts about flying and space travel. Designed to spark new interests and entertain children, cards will be rotated throughout the year with the opportunity for kids to collect all 18 cards!

About Wawa, Inc. Wawa, Inc., a privately held company, began in 1803 as an iron foundry in New Jersey. Toward the end of the 19th Century, owner George Wood took an interest in dairy farming and the family began a small processing plant in Wawa, PA in 1902. The milk business was a huge success, due to its quality, cleanliness and certified process. As home delivery of milk declined in the early 1960s, Grahame Wood, Georges grandson, opened the first Wawa Food Market in 1964 as an outlet for dairy products. Today, Wawa is your all day, every day stop for freshly prepared foods, beverages, coffee, fuel services and surcharge-free ATMs. Wawa stores are located in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, Florida and Washington, D.C. The stores offer a large fresh foodservice selection, including Wawa brands such as custom prepared hoagies, freshly-brewed coffee, hot breakfast sandwiches, specialty beverages and an assortment of soups, sides and snacks.

CONTACT: public.relations@wawa.com

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/b6dcdc41-b054-4592-b2a1-0bb0aa7cc38e

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/8889954f-36ae-415b-af1c-b716c47be1a1

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/ab43d248-245e-451c-9105-f66867f28bd4

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Wawa Soars to New Heights with Kids Meals Landing in All Stores this August - GlobeNewswire

Don’t you wish you could fly free like this beautiful space butterfly? – Mashable

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These are hard days for the humans of planet Earth, especially those of us who despise inequity and fascism. Wouldn't it be nice, then, if you could flap your brilliantly colored wings and take off into the stars?

The below image, captured by the European Southern Observatory's "Very Large Telescope" (great name) in northern Chile, gives us a look at the vibrant planetary nebula known as NGC 2899. Yeah, I know, it's not a real butterfly. But imagine if. Then go further, and pretend the butterfly is you.

Gorgeous view, right?

The nebula, which was apparently first discovered in 1835, resides in the Vela constellation. It's not especially close to Earth, at 6,500 light-years away, but the prospect of human space travel carrying us even a single light-year isn't really an option at this point.

(A single light year, for those who might not know, is trillions of miles.)

The ESO points out that this newly captured photo is the clearest look we've ever gotten at NGC 2899, and oh how lucky we are. The Very Large Telescope captured the images with help from the FORS instrument, which is basically a very powerful visible light camera.

A nebula like NGC 2899 is an interstellar cloud comprised of various elements and ionized gases. That brilliant array of colors is just how all those little bits and particles look from our extreme distance. Many are formed out of the remnants of an exploding star. No one can say how or why it's shaped like a giant space butterfly, but we can all be thankful for that regardless.

Fly free, pretty space butterfly. Take us with you, please.

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Don't you wish you could fly free like this beautiful space butterfly? - Mashable

Global Cell & Gene Therapy Market Outlook and Forecast 2020-2025 – GlobeNewswire

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Dublin, Aug. 07, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Cell & Gene Therapy Market - Global Outlook and Forecast 2020-2025" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

In-depth Analysis and Data-driven Insights on the Impact of COVID-19 Included

The study considers the present scenario of the cell and gene therapy market and its market dynamics for the period 2019-2025. It covers a detailed overview of several market growth enablers, restraints, and trends. The report offers both the demand and supply aspects of the market. It profiles and examines leading companies and other prominent ones operating in the market.

Key Questions Answered

1. What is the cell and gene therapy market size and growth rate during the forecast period?2. What are the factors impacting the growth of the cell and gene therapy market share?3. How is the growth of the healthcare segment affecting the growth of the cell and gene therapy market?4. Who are the leading vendors in the cell and gene therapy market, and what are their market shares?5. Which product type/ end-user type/region is generating the largest revenue in the Asia-Pacific region?

The global cell and gene therapy market by revenue is expected to grow at a CAGR of over 30.9% during the period 2019-2025

The global cell and gene therapy market is one of the fastest-growing segments in the regenerative medicine market. The market is expected to grow at a faster pace during the forecast period. The demand can be attributed to the growing prevalence of several chronic diseases such as cancer, cartilage related problems, wounds, diabetic foot ulcer, genetic disorders, and other rare diseases across the globe.

The prevalence of cancer and diabetes is increasing in the global population, which is influencing the growth of the market. There is a large unmet need in the treatment available, which is filled by cell and gene therapies. The market is growing due to the increased availability of funding from various public and private institutions. Besides, there is increased support from regulatory bodies for product approval. Several governments are creating awareness of cell and gene therapies in the population.

Cell and Gene Therapy Market Segmentation

The global cell and gene therapy market research report includes a detailed segmentation by product, disease, end-user, and geography.

In 2019, the cell therapy segment accounted for a market share of over 53% in the global cell and gene therapy market. The segment is expected to grow at a steady rate during the forecast period due to the increase in the target population and the rise in the number of countries preferring cell therapies in their patients. Increased therapeutic benefits are attracting several countries to invest in this technology and conduct a high number of clinical trials. However, the lack of advanced infrastructure in developing countries is hindering the growth of the segment.

In 2019, the oncology segment accounted for a share of over 40% in the global cell and gene therapy market. Oncology has been one of the targets of intense research for the gene therapy procedures & approach. More than 60% of on-going gene therapy clinical trials are targeting cancer. The segment is expected to grow at a promising rate on account of the high prevalence of cancer diseases, especially in low and middle-come countries. The market is growing at a double-digit CAGR, which is expected to help the segment as many cell and gene therapy for cancer are commercially available.

The dermatology application segment in the cell and gene therapy includes wound care management among patients. Vendors are focusing on the development and commercialization of advanced wound care products for the treatment of chronic and acute wounds, thereby increasing the growth of the wound care market. The increased pervasiveness of diabetics is increasing acute and chronic wounds, including surgical wounds, pressure ulcers, diabetic foot ulcers, and other wounds.

In 2019, the oncology segment accounted for a share of over 40% in the global cell and gene therapy market. Oncology has been one of the targets of intense research for the gene therapy procedures & approach. More than 60% of on-going gene therapy clinical trials are targeting cancer. The segment is expected to grow at a promising rate on account of the high prevalence of cancer diseases, especially in low and middle-come countries. The market is growing at a double-digit CAGR, which is expected to help the segment as many cell and gene therapy for cancer are commercially available.

The dermatology application segment in the cell and gene therapy includes wound care management among patients. Vendors are focusing on the development and commercialization of advanced wound care products for the treatment of chronic and acute wounds, thereby increasing the growth of the wound care market. The increased pervasiveness of diabetics is increasing acute and chronic wounds, including surgical wounds, pressure ulcers, diabetic foot ulcers, and other wounds.

Segmentation by Product

Segmentation by Disease

Segmentation by End-user

Insights by Geography

In 2019, North America accounted for a share of over 60% of the global cell and gene therapy market. There are more than 530 regenerative medicine companies, including cell and gene therapy manufacturing developers. The number of products approved in North America grew significantly in 2019, with developers filed for marketing authorization for 10+ regenerative medicines, many of which we expect to be approved in 2020. Within the next 1-2 years, the number of approved gene therapies is expected to double.

The US and Canada are the major contributors to the cell and gene therapy market in North America. Regulatory bodies are supporting several investigational products, fast track approvals, RMAT designation for the faster approval of the product into the market. The alliance for regenerative medicine and Medicare and Medicaid is working together to bring the structured reimbursement channels for cell and gene therapies.

Segmentation by Geography

Insights by Vendors

The global cell and gene therapy market is highly dynamic and characterized by the presence of several global, regional, and local vendors offering a wide range of therapies. Dendreon, Gilead Sciences, Novartis, Organogenesis, Osiris Therapeutics, Vericel, Amgen, and Spark Therapeutics are the leading players in the market with significant shares.

Vendors such as NuVasive, APAC Biotech, Nipro, Orthocell, bluebird bio, J-TEC, and Terumo are the other prominent players in the market with a presence, especially in the cell therapy market. Most leading players are focusing on implementing strategies such as product launches and approvals, marketing and promotional activities, acquisitions, increased R&D investments, and strengthening their distribution networks to enhance their share and presence in the market.

Prominent Vendors

Other Prominent Vendors

Market Dynamics

Opportunities & Trends

Growth Enablers

Growth Restraints

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/1tjzij

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

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Global Cell & Gene Therapy Market Outlook and Forecast 2020-2025 - GlobeNewswire

Coronavirus Impact Editon of Gene Therapy for Mucopolysaccharidosis Market Research Study 2020 Future Development, Top Manufacturers, Technological…

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Rising number of corona virus cases has impacted numerous lives and led to numerous fatalities, and has affected the overall economic structure globally. The Gene Therapy for Mucopolysaccharidosis has analyzed and published the latest report on the global Gene Therapy for Mucopolysaccharidosis market. Change in the market has affected the global platform. Along with the Gene Therapy for Mucopolysaccharidosis market, numerous other markets are also facing similar situations. This has led to the downfall of numerous businesses, because of the widespread increase of the number of cases across the globe.href=mailto:nicolas.shaw@cognitivemarketresearch.com>nicolas.shaw@cognitivemarketresearch.com or call us on +1-312-376-8303.

Request Free Sample Copy of Gene Therapy for Mucopolysaccharidosis Market Research Report@ https://cognitivemarketresearch.com/medical-devicesconsumables/gene-therapy-for-mucopolysaccharidosis-market-report

The major players in the Gene Therapy for Mucopolysaccharidosis market are Sangamo Therapeutics, Swedish Orphan Biovitrum, uniQure . Some of the players have adopted new strategies to sustain their position in the Gene Therapy for Mucopolysaccharidosis market. A detailed research study is done on the each of the segments, and is provided in Gene Therapy for Mucopolysaccharidosis market report. Based on the performance of the Gene Therapy for Mucopolysaccharidosis market in various regions, a detailed study of the Gene Therapy for Mucopolysaccharidosis market is also analyzed and covered in the study.

Report Scope:Some of the key types analyzed in this report are as follows: Intravenous, ICV, Intracerebral, Intracisternal

Some of the key applications as follow: Mucopolysaccharidosis I, Mucopolysaccharidosis II, Mucopolysaccharidosis III A, Mucopolysaccharidosis III B

Following are the major key players: Sangamo Therapeutics, Swedish Orphan Biovitrum, uniQure

An in-depth analysis of the Gene Therapy for Mucopolysaccharidosis market is covered and included in the research study. The study covers an updated and a detailed analysis of the Gene Therapy for Mucopolysaccharidosis market. It also provides the statistical information of the Gene Therapy for Mucopolysaccharidosis market. The study of the report consists of the detailed definition of the market or the overview of the Gene Therapy for Mucopolysaccharidosis market. Furthermore, it also provides detailed information for the target audience dealing with or operating in this market is explained in the next section of the report.

Read Detailed Index of full Research Study @: https://cognitivemarketresearch.com/medical-devicesconsumables/gene-therapy-for-mucopolysaccharidosis-market-report#download_report

The report also provides detailed information on the research methodologies, which are used for the analysis of the Gene Therapy for Mucopolysaccharidosis market. The methods are covered in detail in this section of the report. For the analysis of the market, several tools are used for the extraction of the market numbers. Among the several tools, primary and secondary research studies were also incorporated for the research study. These were further analyzed and validated by the market experts, to increase precision and make the data more reliable.

Moreover, the report also highlights and provides a detailed analysis of the drivers, restrains, opportunities, and challenges of the Gene Therapy for Mucopolysaccharidosis market. This section of Gene Therapy for Mucopolysaccharidosis market also covers the updated information, in accordance with the present situation of the market.

According to the estimation and the analysis of the market, the Gene Therapy for Mucopolysaccharidosis market is likely to have some major changes in the estimated forecasts period. Moreover, these changes can be attributed to the changes due to economic and trading conditions across the globe. Moreover, several market players operating in the Gene Therapy for Mucopolysaccharidosis market will have to strategically change their business strategies in order to survive in the market.

If Any Inquiry of Gene Therapy for Mucopolysaccharidosis Report @: https://cognitivemarketresearch.com/medical-devicesconsumables/gene-therapy-for-mucopolysaccharidosis-market-report#download_report

Reasons for Buying this Gene Therapy for Mucopolysaccharidosis Report1. Gene Therapy for Mucopolysaccharidosis market advertise report helps with understanding the Basic product segments alongside likewise their potential future.2. This global Gene Therapy for Mucopolysaccharidosis report offers pin-point evaluation for changing competitive dynamics.3. The Gene Therapy for Mucopolysaccharidosis market supplies pin point analysis of changing competition dynamics and keeps you in front of competitors4. Original images and illustrated a SWOT evaluation of large segments supplied by the Gene Therapy for Mucopolysaccharidosis market.5. This report supplies a forward-looking perspective on different driving factors or controlling Gene Therapy for Mucopolysaccharidosis market gain.6. This report assists to make wise business choices using whole insights of the Gene Therapy for Mucopolysaccharidosis and also from creating a comprehensive evaluation of market sections.Note In order to provide more accurate market forecast, all our reports will be updated before delivery by considering the impact of COVID-19.

*If you have any special requirements, please let us know and we will offer you the report as you want Click Here>Download Customized Sample Report of Gene Therapy for Mucopolysaccharidosis Market Report 2020 (COVID-19 Impact Analysis Updated Edition May 2020)

About Us: Cognitive Market Research is one of the finest and most efficient Market Research and Consulting firm. The company strives to provide research studies which include syndicate research, customized research, round the clock assistance service, monthly subscription services, and consulting services to our clients. We focus on making sure that based on our reports, our clients are enabled to make most vital business decisions in easiest and yet effective way. Hence, we are committed to delivering them outcomes from market intelligence studies which are based on relevant and fact-based research across the global market.

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Coronavirus Impact Editon of Gene Therapy for Mucopolysaccharidosis Market Research Study 2020 Future Development, Top Manufacturers, Technological...

The global cell and gene therapy market by revenue is expected to grow at a CAGR of over 30.90% during the period 20192025 – Press Release – Digital…

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New York, Aug. 04, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Cell & Gene Therapy Market - Global Outlook and Forecast 2020-2025" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p05827567/?utm_source=GNW 90% during the period 20192025.

The global cell and gene therapy market is one of the fastest-growing segments in the regenerative medicine market. The market is expected to grow at a faster pace during the forecast period. The demand can be attributed to the growing prevalence of several chronic diseases such as cancer, cartilage related problems, wounds, diabetic foot ulcer, genetic disorders, and other rare diseases across the globe. The prevalence of cancer and diabetes is increasing in the global population, which is influencing the growth of the market. There is a large unmet need in the treatment available, which is filled by cell and gene therapies. The market is growing due to the increased availability of funding from various public and private institutions. Besides, there is increased support from regulatory bodies for product approval. Several governments are creating awareness of cell and gene therapies in the population.

The following factors are likely to contribute to the growth of the cell and gene therapy market during the forecast period: Increase in Strategic Acquisition Activities Increased Funding for Cell & Gene Therapy Products Expanding Applications of Cell and Gene Therapies Increased in the Patient Pool

The study considers the present scenario of the cell and gene therapy market and its market dynamics for the period 2019?2025. It covers a detailed overview of several market growth enablers, restraints, and trends. The report offers both the demand and supply aspects of the market. It profiles and examines leading companies and other prominent ones operating in the market. Cell And Gene Therapy Market Segmentation The global cell and gene therapy market research report includes a detailed segmentation by product, disease, end-user, and geography. In 2019, the cell therapy segment accounted for a market share of over 53% in the global cell and gene therapy market. The segment is expected to grow at a steady rate during the forecast period due to the increase in the target population and the rise in the number of countries preferring cell therapies in their patients. Increased therapeutic benefits are attracting several countries to invest in this technology and conduct a high number of clinical trials. However, the lack of advanced infrastructure in developing countries is hindering the growth of the segment.

In 2019, the oncology segment accounted for a share of over 40% in the global cell and gene therapy market. Oncology has been one of the targets of intense research for the gene therapy procedures & approach. More than 60% of on-going gene therapy clinical trials are targeting cancer. The segment is expected to grow at a promising rate on account of the high prevalence of cancer diseases, especially in low and middle-come countries. The market is growing at a double-digit CAGR, which is expected to help the segment as many cell and gene therapy for cancer are commercially available.

The dermatology application segment in the cell and gene therapy includes wound care management among patients. Vendors are focusing on the development and commercialization of advanced wound care products for the treatment of chronic and acute wounds, thereby increasing the growth of the wound care market. The increased pervasiveness of diabetics is increasing acute and chronic wounds, including surgical wounds, pressure ulcers, diabetic foot ulcers, and other wounds.

In 2019, the oncology segment accounted for a share of over 40% in the global cell and gene therapy market. Oncology has been one of the targets of intense research for the gene therapy procedures & approach. More than 60% of on-going gene therapy clinical trials are targeting cancer. The segment is expected to grow at a promising rate on account of the high prevalence of cancer diseases, especially in low and middle-come countries. The market is growing at a double-digit CAGR, which is expected to help the segment as many cell and gene therapy for cancer are commercially available.

The dermatology application segment in the cell and gene therapy includes wound care management among patients. Vendors are focusing on the development and commercialization of advanced wound care products for the treatment of chronic and acute wounds, thereby increasing the growth of the wound care market. The increased pervasiveness of diabetics is increasing acute and chronic wounds, including surgical wounds, pressure ulcers, diabetic foot ulcers, and other wounds.

Segmentation by Product Cell Therapy Gene Therapy Segmentation by Disease Dermatology Musculoskeletal Oncology Genetic Disorders Others Segmentation by End-user Hospitality Cancer Care Centers Wound Care Centers Ambulatory Surgical Centers Others

INSIGHTS BY GEOGRAPHY In 2019, North America accounted for a share of over 60% of the global cell and gene therapy market. There are more than 530 regenerative medicine companies, including cell and gene therapy manufacturing developers. The number of products approved in North America grew significantly in 2019, with developers filed for marketing authorization for 10+ regenerative medicines, many of which we expect to be approved in 2020. Within the next 12 years, the number of approved gene therapies is expected to double. The US and Canada are the major contributors to the cell and gene therapy market in North America. Regulatory bodies are supporting several investigational products, fast track approvals, RMAT designation for the faster approval of the product into the market. The alliance for regenerative medicine and Medicare and Medicaid is working together to bring the structured reimbursement channels for cell and gene therapies.

Segmentation by Geography North America o US o Canada Europe o UK o Germany o France o Spain o Italy APAC o China o Japan o South Korea o Australia o India Latin America o Brazil o Mexico Middle East & Africa o Saudi Arabia o Turkey o South Africa o UAE

INSIGHTS BY VENDORS The global cell and gene therapy market is highly dynamic and characterized by the presence of several global, regional, and local vendors offering a wide range of therapies. Dendreon, Gilead Sciences, Novartis, Organogenesis, Osiris Therapeutics, Vericel, Amgen, and Spark Therapeutics are the leading players in the market with significant shares. Vendors such as NuVasive, APAC Biotech, Nipro, Orthocell, bluebird bio, J-TEC, and Terumo are the other prominent players in the market with a presence, especially in the cell therapy market. Most leading players are focusing on implementing strategies such as product launches and approvals, marketing and promotional activities, acquisitions, increased R&D investments, and strengthening their distribution networks to enhance their share and presence in the market.

Prominent Vendors Gilead Sciences Spark Therapeutics Novartis Organogenesis Amgen Osiris Therapeutics Dendreon Vericel

Other Prominent Vendors Anterogen Tego Sciences Japan Tissue Engineering JCR Pharmaceuticals Medipost MolMed AVITA Medical CollPlant Biosolution Stempeutics Research Kolon Tissue Gene Orchard Therapeutics Sibiono GeneTech NuVasive Corestem Pharmicell Shanghai Sunway Biotech RMS Regenerative Medical System Takeda Pharmaceutical Company CHIESI Farmaceutici CO.DON AnGes GC Pharma Human Stem Cells Institute JW CreaGene APAC Biotech Nipro Terumo Orthocell bluebird bio

Key Questions Answered 1. What is the cell and gene therapy market size and growth rate during the forecast period? 2. What are the factors impacting the growth of the cell and gene therapy market share? 3. How is the growth of the healthcare segment affecting the growth of the cell and gene therapy market? 4. Who are the leading vendors in the cell and gene therapy market, and what are their market shares? 5. Which product type/ end-user type/region is generating the largest revenue in the Asia Pacific region?Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05827567/?utm_source=GNW

About ReportlinkerReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place.

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The global cell and gene therapy market by revenue is expected to grow at a CAGR of over 30.90% during the period 20192025 - Press Release - Digital...

Orgenesis Second Quarter 2020 Revenue Increases 55% Reflecting Progress of POCare Platform – GlobeNewswire

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Provides update on COVID-19 therapeutic programs

Reports cash and cash equivalents of $97.5 million as of June 30, 2020

GERMANTOWN, Md., Aug. 07, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Orgenesis Inc. (NASDAQ: ORGS) (Orgenesis or the Company), a pioneering, global biotech company committed to accelerating commercialization and transforming the delivery of cell and gene therapies (CGTs), today provided a business update for the second quarter ended June 30, 2020.

Vered Caplan, CEO of Orgenesis, stated, We continue to implement our Point of Care (POCare) cell and gene therapy strategy, including the expansion of our network, as evidenced by the expected revenue growth. Revenue for the second quarter of 2020 increased 55% to $1.7 million compared to $1.1 million for the second quarter of 2019. We have also maintained a solid balance sheet with over $97.5 million of cash and cash equivalents as of June 30, 2020. Our true progress can be seen in the advancement of our POCare Therapeutics pipeline, including immuno-oncology, metabolic, and anti-viral therapies. Our mission is to make these therapies available to large numbers of patients at reduced costs using the point-of-care model. Our POCare Network also continues to grow via new partnerships with leading hospitals and research institutes around the world.

We have made progress towards our goal of adapting our cell-based and antiviral technologies to address the COVID-19 pandemic. First, we are focused on advancing our cell-based vaccine platform in order to target COVID-19, as well as other potential existing and emerging viral diseases. Second, we recently launched our BioShield Program, which is designed to potentially accelerate discovery and set up a first line of defense against the spread of viral pathogens, such as COVID-19. And finally, we are engaging with industry partners for the development of Ranpirnase for the potential treatment of COVID-19, as well as other viruses.

The Company remained active through the second quarter and into the third quarter of 2020, reporting the following recent advances:

The Companys complete financial results are available in the Companys Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on August 6, 2020, which is available at http://www.sec.gov and on the Companys website.

About Orgenesis

Orgenesis is a pioneering global biotech company that is working to unlock the full potential of personalized therapies and closed processing systems through its Cell & Gene Therapy Biotech Platform, with the ultimate aim of providing life changing treatments at the Point of Care to a large number of patients at lower costs. The Platform consists of: (a) POCare Therapeutics, a pipeline of licensed cell and gene therapies (CGTs), and proprietary scientific knowhow; (b) POCare Technologies, a suite of proprietary and in-licensed technologies which are engineered to create customized processing systems for affordable point of care therapies; and (c) POCare Network, a collaborative, international ecosystem of leading research institutes and hospitals committed to clinical development and supply of CGTs at the point of care. By combining science, technologies and a collaborative network, Orgenesis is able to identify the most promising new therapies and provide a pathway for them to reach patients more quickly, more efficiently and at scale, thereby unlocking the power of cell and gene therapy for all. Additional information is available at: http://www.orgenesis.com.

Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements which are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These forward-looking statements involve substantial uncertainties and risks and are based upon our current expectations, estimates and projections and reflect our beliefs and assumptions based upon information available to us at the date of this release. We caution readers that forward-looking statements are predictions based on our current expectations about future events. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Our actual results, performance or achievements could differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements as a result of a number of factors, including, but not limited to, the risk that the acquisition of Tamirs assets will not be successfully integrated with our technologies or that the potential benefits of the acquisition will not be realized; our ability to further develop ranpirnase; our reliance on, and our ability to grow, our point-of-care cell therapy platform; our ability to effectively use the net proceeds from the sale of Masthercell; our ability to achieve and maintain overall profitability; the development of our POCare strategy; the sufficiency of working capital to realize our business plans; the development of our transdifferentiation technology as therapeutic treatment for diabetes which could, if successful, be a cure for Type 1 Diabetes; our technology not functioning as expected; our ability to retain key employees; our ability to satisfy the rigorous regulatory requirements for new procedures; our competitors developing better or cheaper alternatives to our products and the risks and uncertainties discussed under the heading "RISK FACTORS" in Item 1A of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019, and in our other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We undertake no obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statement for any reason.

Contact for Orgenesis:David WaldmanCrescendo Communications, LLCTel: 212-671-1021ORGS@crescendo-ir.com

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Orgenesis Second Quarter 2020 Revenue Increases 55% Reflecting Progress of POCare Platform - GlobeNewswire

Gaming Industry Continues to Bear Coronavirus Brunt in Macau – Yahoo Finance

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Although casinos in Macau have resumed operations following the coronavirus-induced shutdown, casino tables still remain empty. This has resulted in a sharp decline in gross gaming revenues (GGR) in July. Notably, gaming revenues from the worlds largest gambling hub fell for the 10th consecutive month. Moreover, GGR declined more than 90% for the fourth straight month.

In July, gaming revenues from Macau plunged 94.5% to 1.3 billion patacas ($162.89 million) following a decline of 97% in June. The can primarily be attributed to a reduction in footfall as China continued to decline individual and group visas to Macau as a safety precaution. The government has also enforced body temperature check at casino entrances.

Moreover, in the first seven months of 2020, GGR fell 79.8%, year over year to $35.1 billion patacas. Notably, the casino operators in Macau were already grappling with a slowdown in China, the coronavirus pandemic has only aggravated their woes. Per Macau's Statistics and Census Bureau (DSEC) in the first half of 2020, the region witnessed a decline of 83.9% in visitation to the region.

Nevertheless, the worst seems to be over for the gaming industry in Macau as China is slowly easing certain restrictions. In mid-July, the Guangdong province lifted quarantine measures. Further, non-tourist visas will commence for the whole country from Aug 12. Analysts anticipate reissuing of visas to Macau in August or September.

However, Macau is likely to record revenue decline in the rest of the year as well. Moreover, gambling industry is suffering in Las Vegas, which is one of the hotspots for gamblers, due to coronavirus outbreak. Although casinos in Las Vegas have resumed operations, traffic is still very low due to the safety protocols and fears related to the pandemic.

The industry currently carries a Zacks Industry Rank #197, which places it at the bottom 22% of more than 250 Zacks industries. Year to date, the industry has declined 27.5%, against the S&P 500s growth of 1.7%.

Shares of Wynn Resorts, Limited WYNN are down 47.4% year to date. In the past 90 days, estimates for the current year have been revised downward to a loss of $11.82 from a loss of $2.74. The company currently has a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell).

Shares of MGM Resorts International MGM have declined 50.9% year to date. The companys performance in 2020 will be impacted by the coronavirus-induced crisis. In the past 90 days, estimates for the current year have been revised downward to a loss of $1.53 from a loss of 33 cents. The company currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).

Shares of Las Vegas Sands Corp. LVS have tanked 36.2% year to date. In the past 90 days, estimates for the current year have been revised downward to a loss of $1.49 from a loss of 27 cents. The company currently has a Zacks Rank #4.

Shares of Melco Resorts & Entertainment Limited MLCO have plunged 29.3% year to date. The company, which develops, owns, and operates casino gaming and entertainment casino resort facilities in Asia through its subsidiaries, has been impacted by the deadly virus. The Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell) companys earnings estimates for current year have declined to a loss of $1.42 from a loss of 30 cents in the past 90 days.

You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Story continues

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Gaming Industry Continues to Bear Coronavirus Brunt in Macau - Yahoo Finance

OPINION-Loose thoughts – Macau Business

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The reputation of this period as the silly season has always been a bit undeserved. Things keep happening; things always keep happening. What also happens is that we need to switch off, pay attention to something else, or nothing at all. Likewise, media outlets feel that pressure, not least because staff favors this season to take a break away from it all.

Unfortunately, as far as we, Macau residents (or, at least, most of us), are concerned, the period got a fancy new name staycation. For many, in fact, at-home-cation. So, as things keep happening, as usual, we are somehow bound to pay more attention to them, which is unusual. Still, the mood of authors, this one included, is also under the seasons spell. A few loose thoughts can come together, and no more.

Pick, for instance, the sempiternal topic of the Light Rail. Readers may remember that issues popped up when the company published the 2019 accounts (or whatever passed as such.)

In particular, among other things, it was not clear from where the declared profits could come. The company just operated for free less than three weeks at the end of the year. One of our legislators duly filed a written request for clarification. The government reply came back a couple of days ago. Should this be a normal silly season, we might not have noticed. As things stand, we could not avoid noticing.

Admittedly, we hoped to learn something new, even exciting:how to make profits without revenues. The answer was no need to hold your breath or roll the drums somewhat of an anticlimax. If full sense we can make from the media reports, the answer was that the declared profit is, in fact, a benefit that should not be understood a profit (QED?).

Let us put aside that accounting norms define well enough what a profit is and how it should be determined. Further, let us ignore that there are mandatory rules concerning the publication of financial results by companies. Ignore also, for another moment, that the CE published, on the first day of his mandate, specific legislation aiming to make the results and operations of companies such as this one more transparent and accountable.

Leave all that aside; the answer to this riddle is straightforward. Publish the accounts and other relevant information according to the applicable laws. Nothing could be easier.

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OPINION-Loose thoughts - Macau Business

Macau joins Organisation of World Heritage Cities – Macau Business

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Macau has become the third Chinese city to join the Organisation of World Heritage Cities (OWHC), following in the footsteps of Suzhou and Dujiangyan.

According to a note from the Cultural Affairs Bureau, the ceremony took place on Friday (August 7) via video-conference.

During the ceremony, the OWHC presented the certificate of membership to the Macau SAR, which was represented by the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture Elsie Ao Ieong U, who expressed her heartfelt positive feelings for having the opportunity to witness the official inclusion of Macau as a member city of the OWHC, adding that the Historic Centre of Macau is not only a testimony to the citys historical development, but also a crucial cultural resource that lays the cultural ground for and nurtures the citys future advancement.

The President of the OWHC and Mayor of Krakow, Poland, Jacek Majchrowski, said Macau is a rare example of a place where the aesthetic, cultural, architectural and technical influences of East and West have met for several centuries

OWHC is an international non-profit and non-governmental entity founded in 1993 aiming to facilitate the implementation of the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage.

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Macau joins Organisation of World Heritage Cities - Macau Business

OPINION – The new myth – Macau Business

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The diversification of Macaus economy, whose myth is still being spread by those who do not know what else to say, has long been dead and buried.

By Paulo A. Azevedo CEO, Global Asia Media

The different governments have had neither the wit nor the skill to turn political discourse into reality, and the consequences loom over the horizon. We were suddenly brought back to our senses by a virus that is changing the routine of our days.

Without tourists, without casino gamblers Macaus greatest sources of wealth times of austerity were to announced.

When casinos were flooding the city with cash, government officials tried to avoid those words like the plague. They appeared ashamed of the origin of the citys wealth, but they did not shy from congratulating themselves for the citys development made possible by that wealth.

Now, they say it is time to cut costs, expenses, and investments.

The decision would even be understandable, if it were studied rather than a sudden reaction. As historical records demonstrate, many of Macaus existing policies were born out of a Yam Tcha, and thats it.

These policies, which will have an impact on future generations, are made with as much forethought as when one goes to the supermarket and, while looking at the shelves, suddenly remembers: Ah! I also need cookies.

There are no strategies, not even a clear understanding of which expenditures are unnecessary and should therefore be cut because most of the spending is secret.

In the past five years, government agencies have spent nearly one billion patacas on studies and other consultancy services, but only 12 percent was made known to the public.

In other words, we know, more or less, how a little more than 100 million were spent. We can only guess about the rest, hidden behind a black curtain of opacity drawn by those who have the ostensible duty to foster transparency. Lets not even mention the need for such studies and the way they are done. Everything escapes us.

But the purpose of this article is to talk about cash, and to discuss which expenses should be cut in the first place.

As a legislator from the so-called democratic camp recently recalled, of the thousands, millions, hundreds of millions of patacas given to local associations, history does not tell. Government-subsidized association accounts are anything but transparent.

Now, if we consider the existence of so many associations many of them headed by members who are part of the consultative bodies of the various government structures we realize the need for greater transparency. Failure to do so only validates the voices who say, albeit in a whisper, that this opacity only fosters an eternal cycle of political and nepotistic patronage.

This money a lot of money goes into the pockets of associations managed by many people who operate within the governments consultation mechanisms, and thus wield great power and influence. Such people are appointed according to criteria defined by those who govern. They spend money without supervision.

Need I say more?

Expenses must be cut that is out of the question. These are difficult times. But we must make the first cuts where they can be most easily afforded, namely on the fabulous sums that are squandered annually through a maze of baseless and unaccountable decisions. Without transparency, spending cuts will only harm public services and citizens quality of life, while irresponsible spending continues to drain public coffers.

Result: the intention to save money will become another myth, as great as the diversification of Macaus economy.

Original post:

OPINION - The new myth - Macau Business

It’s a time to rethink the tourism industry as a whole – Macau Business

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From the peak to the valley.After reaching a record high of nearly 40 million visitors last year, the citys tourism industry has been feeling an unprecedented pinch due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Macau Government Tourism Office (MGTO) launched Macau Ready Go, a campaign initially planned for returning visitors that had to be adjusted to cater to local residents. MGTO Director Helena deSennaFernandessuggests the industry needs to undergoa soul-searching to find a way forward in the yet-to-be-known post-COVID-19 new normal. At this juncture, theres no way to predict visitation figures for the coming months, as uncertainty looms. The silver lining is that the city sits next to a massive source market, and Ms.Fernandesanticipates a gradual opening to tourists beyond Guangdong province to include Fujian and Hunan.

Interview | By Jos CarlosMatiasand NelsonMoura

Photos by Cheong Kam Ka

Just recently we had the newborder-crossingarrangements. How much of a light at the end of the tunnel is that, and where do we go from here?

Helena deSennaFernandes:Im sure this newmeasure,therelaxation of border measures,would help restore confidence particularly in the tourism industry. It will also give them hope.

The government has been givingsome subsidies we have been running some programs in order to bring people to spend money, but the issue is that without new visitation, without outside people coming in, its very difficult in the long run because wedo depend very much on tourismin order to sustain many different businesses in Macau.The new border arrangements arevery positive, but I would say that after such a big pandemic, its still a slow recovery.

We cant expect that tomorrow, millions of tourists would come, and that would not happen because on the one hand, people would still have that little bit of fear of travelling, so we need time to overcome that. Then alsoaccording to thenew measures,in order to cross the borderyou have to have your tests done, so that would still need some time for people to get used to, and to get used to travelling again.

They will notcome by the millionssurely.In any case,is there a realistic visitation figure for the whole year?

H.S.F.:Well, its very difficult to do any projections at this juncture because, for one, we have stopped forquite some months, ever sincetowardsendof January basically, tourism hascome very much to a standstill. And we have had very few tourist visitors coming into Macau for a prolonged period of time. We have seen numbers as low as 200 visitors a day, sometimes maybe a couple hundreds more. On a good day, maybe we hada little bit over 1000 visitors.

Wecant expect the visitor numbers to be growing very quickly. Because one, you would be very much conditioned by how many people can actually get their tests done, because that is a prerequisite in terms of crossing the border, and then secondly, with people having gone through such a serious pandemic, they would also think twice about where should I go. We need to give them confidence that Macau, well when we say Macau is ready Macau is also a safe place for people to come to, because we have a responsibility towards our own residents, and we also have a responsibility for the visitors coming in.So that they feel safe, and our local residents also feel safe.

You mentioned the impact the pandemic had on the local industries, obviously travel agencies,tour guides, and bus drivers. How have those efforts panned out so far, and what kind of concerns the sector has expressed to the government, in terms of how they can be assisted in this time?

H.S.F.:To be honest, when we conceived the idea of Macau Ready Go, the initial idea was for visitors, because we started with the Macau Ready Go platform. Why did we chooseMacau Ready Go?Wewould like to convey the message that Macau was ready to restart again, and I would say ready to retake the receiving of visitors again. So that was the whole idea behind why we used the tagline Macau Ready Go. We want to show that Macau has all the conditions, that we have everything in place, thatwe have a very safe environment. We also have very good facilities, and we want to make sure that people know about that.

So, thats why the focus then shifted a little bit to what we callStaycation Staying at home and having a vacation. So thats why the entire focus shifted toStaycationprograms, meaning to say we want to lure our own people, our local residents to tour around so that there is movement, and with those movements also come business, particularly for the SMEs.

Its timeto rethink the entire tourism industry as a whole

{Tourism visitation}will restart at a very slow pace at this point in time

How do you assess the results so far?

H.S.F.:I would say very promising.Travel agencies in Macau have never served local residents, in terms of touring around Macau. Or, they might have served (locals) but in a very limited way.

Many suppliers have opened new facilities for people to go to, say for example: we have never thought of bringing people to go to see Air Macaus operation center. We have never thought of bringing people to go to see for example: the electricity company, the back of the house programs for a lot of the big concessionaires. Theres a lot of interesting work that I believe finally has finally paid off.

Butrealisticallyspeaking, obviously the local sectorcantsurvive on local residents for the future. Are you worried about the impact to the sector in general, lets say next year, if the numbers of tourists continue to be reduced?

H.S.F.:I think that in a way, it is alsotimeto rethink the entire tourism industry as a whole. I think tourists will still continue to come,butit will restart at a very slow pace at this point in time, because obviously, there are no vaccines yet, so international travel has stopped for a long while. The airplanes are not flying very regularlynowadays;there are a lot of border controls in different parts of the world, so there is actually still some time until we actually can resume travelling. Besides that, insurance considerations are also another for international travel, because if insurance companies are not giving or are not covering them in terms of travelling it is very difficult for people to decide on travelling internationally.

So there are many considerations still that we need to overcome. But I think that for us, we have the big advantage due to the proximity we have with one of the biggest markets of the world in terms of tourism, and that is Mainland China. So withMainlandChina gradually opening up,I think we would get very good results. Idontthink it would be as many as before, and probably it would give us some breathing space to restart at a good but gradual pace. Also, it would give us the opportunity to rethink our entire strategy,so there is always a silver lining in any situation. We have to learn from what we call, the new normal, we have to re-program ourselves, and I guess we have to also send out new messages to the world.

You mentioned that our geographic location gives us a sort of competitive advantage in the way for the recovery.Regarding theGreater Bay Area puttingHK aside for nowhow much of a reciprocity do youanticipatein terms of the flow ofvisitors?

H.S.F.:Guangdong is a very important market, in terms of the number of visitors coming in to Macau. Last year, if we look at the numbers, last year we had about 22 million from the mainland, and about 42%, if Im not mistaken, actually come from Guangdong province. Many of the people from Guangdong province, particularly those who live just across the border from us Zhuhai orZhongshan,I think Macau for them, is a good getaway, where they can buy supplies, to buy daily stuff as well, so it is not just for a tourism environment, they are also coming here to get what they need. So Guangdong is also a very important part of this tourism mix, so to speak.

It is very difficult to have number projections for the timebeing, because wedontknow how or when the individual visitation scheme would resume, because obviously, some people may still hold valid visitation permits. But a lot or most of them have expired, or the new registrations or new application are not in place yet. So I think for this month at least, we have to take it slowly for the time being. And besides the permits being granted, they would also need to do the nucleic tests, which is also an issue because the availability for the tests are not infinite.

Macau is not considered to be in the interprovincial group of possibilities. So we still need the next step, but we hope eventually to have some possibilities to get some tourist visitation, from then onwards it can grow again, and not limited to the very small numbers that are crossing.

Thiscrisis, you mentioned, also offers opportunities for soul searching, with regards to the futureofMacaus tourism industry and the citys rebranding. Can you tell us a bit what has been discussed what has been brainstormed here in these sessions?

H.S.F.:I think one of the things we actually discussed internally, is how would tourism be different from now on. One of the answers, or the ideas, definitely is that we would need to work very closely with the health authorities from now onwards. For example, if we wanted to establish a travel bubble, its not because the tourism authorities feel good about it, or the tourism department feels that this would work. Definitely, we need to work with health authorities on the outbound and receiving end. They would have a very big say as to who are able come, who are not able to travel to a certain place,the travel conditions for them. So, going forward, working with health authorities is a must.

There is a lot of confidence building that we need to do for our residents as well, so the messages have to be crafted in a way to say how safe we are, not only that but, showing them what exactly has been done to safeguard their interests, besides giving them good experiences and services. This is something we need to learn as well.

WithMainlandChina gradually opening up I think we would get very good results

It is very difficult to have number projections for the timebeing

Talking about business tourism and events,what can we expect in this rest of the year?

H.S.F.:In terms of the events, speaking about MGTO, obviously we have the travel fair, which was supposed to beheldin April, but we moved that to September. We still have the Global Tourism Economy Forum, which will also need to be shifted a little later in the year. But we have hopes that we would still hold it this year.

For ourselves, we are not able to run the fireworks festival this year. We have decided to go ahead with the light festival, which is now announced to start on the 26 of September, and run until the end of October. We decided thatthereneeds to be something for an earlier time, to try to boost everybodys spirits, so the light festival has always been a veryanticipatedevent.

For the National Day, obviously we will have a fireworks event, and we are looking forward to working together withHengqin, in terms of a combination of drones as well as fireworks. Although we cant run the fireworks contest, we still would have some fireworks, some special events for our residents and eventually our visitors.

We will also run the film festival. But it will have to be probably a combination of physical film watching and also maybe, I wouldnt say virtual, butaonline segment in terms of the competition sections. Because we understand not everybody in the world would be able to come.

Asair travel to and from Macau isverylimited, with which countries and regions are thetourism and health authorities are trying to negotiatethe reestablishingroutes?

H.S.F.:I would be very conservative in that, in these kinds of pandemics, we need to be more on the safe side. For the rest of the year, I would only be looking very much within our immediate vicinity. Meaning to say, Guangdong definitely, hopefully we can have a little further afield in the mainland, traditionally, besides Guangdong, our next market would be Fujian, would be places like Hunan because of the rapid rail system.Then, we would definitely see HK be back in the scheme as well, because HK is, in terms of numbers, the second most important market apart from the mainland. Another one is Taiwan, who seems to have very good control over the pandemic.

At this pointitsstill not possible because of the travel restrictions, but hopefully, before the end of the year, we hope to see some form of development.With regards toother countriesitsvery difficultto guessat this point in time.

Obviously MGTOencountered unexpected situationsthis year.How challenging the past months were to undergo these tasks?

H.S.F.:I think the last few months, starting January, we were into a phase of almost daily or hourly rapid response.Because things are happening all the time, the situation changing from moment to moment.It was really a test of how quickly we can respond and how we can actually put together resources to tackle each task in a short period of time. We have learnt a lot, to be honest. Although we have the TourismCrisisManagement Office, we never would have thought or imagined we would have to do, for example repatriation of residents by vehicle, plane, or by ferry.

It was a steep learning curve, everybody had to learn to react very quickly, think out of the box, so as to invent ways to try to solve different situations. I must admit that we cannot serve everybody, and also we cannot find solutions for 100% of tasks. Sometimes it is not a perfect solution, more or less not the perfect way, but we have to make do with the limitations we are facing. The last few months have really been a big test for everybody, not just us,but alsoour partnersin theimmigrationservices, including health, including the ferry companies, travel agencies, everybody.

Besides Guangdong, our next market would be Fujian,andplaces like Hunan because of the rapid rail system

The last few months have really been a big test for everybody

In the meantime,MGTO is undergoing atransition of the Secretary for Social affairs and Culture to Economy and Finance. Where are we now in terms of that transition?

H.S.F.:I can say we are very close in terms of moving to the Economy and Finance portfolio.Doesntmean once we have moved there we dont work on theculture side, the other side.We do, we will still continue to work together with a lot of our partners. Because tourism entails many aspects, culture definitely is a very important tourism asset, the big events,sportsevents, also important for us. Besides that,we also worked together with the education departments, and other departments. We still have a lot of synergy together continuing into the future.

This transition does hint as a somewhat more business oriented approach to tourism. In terms of your mission would there be any sort of adjustment?

H.S.F.:I think the adjustment would come in terms of the income generating area.I guessthere will bea little bit more focus there. But adding the focus there doesnt mean diminishing the others. I would say for us, for sure, tourism for Macau definitely, is an important economic activity, so we need to make sure people understand that. We also need to work harder, especially after this pandemic, in order to get more income back into Macau.

We are commemorating 15 years on the listing ofMacaus Historic CentreasUNESCO.Some voices have expressed concerns on the impact ofurban developmenton the citysheritageprotection.How much does it concern you that heritage in Macau is being impacted?

H.S.F.:Heritage is very important for us in terms of our entire promotion. Its notjustbecause having Macau listed on UNESCO that we started working on promoting culture. We have actually even in the1990s,wehave always used culture as part of the promotion messages.Heritage and culture is not limited to just buildings. It is also in the environment itself, in the way we eat, the things we eat, the food culture, the way of life of people. It has always been a very important aspect in the ways we promote, if we look at our travel guides, our promotional messages that we have done, on social media, or traditional media. We always put an angle of culture in it. It has become hand in hand with tourism, we wouldnt imagine promoting Macau in terms of tourism without the cultural aspects. It has always been and will continue be a part of the tourism message.

You have been atworking at MGTO for over three decades and have been serving as director since December 2012.The current term ends come December.Whatare your futureplans? Will you continue as MGTO director?

H.S.F.:Itsnot me to decide that;my boss decides whether I continue or not. Well I would say over thesethreedecades, it has beena very interesting job. To be honest, when I joinedMGTO, I would not have imagined civil serviceto belike this. When we look at civil service, people sayitsvery slow, bureaucratic, that was the kind of image of civil service when I joined some 30 years ago. Forme it was a learning experience.I have hadvery good role models to follow.I have been working with CostaAntunes{previous director}for a longtime;hesa very good teacher. And also other colleagues of mine, my past department heads, our Deputy Directors, they have also taught me alot. Also Ive learnt alot from other governmentdepartments, whichwe have worked with very closely.

So everydaytheres somethingnew, you learn something different. Its just keeping our eyes open, our minds open, so that we can try to see something different everyday, to try to accumulate this experience for ourselves.

So are you eager,willing to continue?How do you regardyour career as a civil servant?

MHSF: Very difficult to say, I would always say that we do our part, but the one up there would decide. I do make some plans for myself but they are not set in stone.Plansdo change. Then personally, Im a Catholic, so I always keep a veryveryopen attitude that someone would always tell me exactly where he would want me to be.

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It's a time to rethink the tourism industry as a whole - Macau Business