Monthly Archives: August 2021

CDC issues warning to not cruise to those at high-risk whether vaccinated or not – The Detroit News

Posted: August 28, 2021 at 11:55 am

Richard Tribou| Orlando Sentinel

Orlando, Fla.The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated is guidance Friday to warn those at high risk of severe illness from COVID-19 to avoid cruise ships, whether theyve had the vaccine or not.

It is a shift from the previous warning that only targeted unvaccinated travelers.

Severe illness means that a person with COVID-19 may need: hospitalization, intensive care, a ventilator to help them breathe or they may even die, according to the CDC.

The updated guidance specifically warns those at high risk including older adults, people with certain medical conditions and people who are pregnant or recently pregnant.

The CDCs update comes during the recent wave of the delta variant of COVID-19, which can prove deadly to even vaccinated people with underlying conditions.

Cruise ships returned to sailing from the U.S. for the first time in June, now with more than two dozen vessels departing from Florida, Texas, California, Washington and soon New York.

Most sail with a vaccine requirement for any passenger 12 and older. Children 11 and under do not have a vaccine option. In Florida, though, a state law that went into effect July 1 threatens to fine businesses $5,000 per instance if they require proof of vaccination, so most cruise lines have shifted their stance in the state to allow unvaccinated passengers.

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, the parent company of NCL, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas, filed a lawsuit over the law and federal judge this month granted an injunction against the state from enforcing it. That opened the door for NCL to begin sailing from Florida with its vaccine-only policy.

Even with Floridas law shifting cruise lines stance on vaccination status, some of the destinations cruise lines most often go to have begun to require vaccinations of cruise line passengers. The Bahamas updated an emergency order this week with just such a requirement, forcing lines like Royal Caribbean, Celebrity and MSC Cruises to limit sailings to only vaccinated passengers 12 and older from Florida when headed to the Bahamas. Carnival and Disney have announce any changes for their Bahamas cruises.

Most cruise lines have focused on the Bahamas as their main destination as they attempt to restart business after more than a year and half of shutdown. That includes stops at private islands such as Disneys Castaway Cay and Royal Caribbeans Coco Cay.

Cruise lines were at the epicenter of several outbreaks in early 2020 when the coronavirus pandemic expanded. The industry shut itself down in March 2020 and was then under a CDC no-sail order. Sailings only began after the CDC shifted to a conditional sail followed by months of shifting guidance before it allowed any cruise ship to sail from U.S. ports.

The chance of getting COVID-19 on cruise ships is high since the virus appears to spread more easily between people in close quarters aboard ships, the CDC states.

Several cruise lines have increased safety policies including more mask wearing and pre-cruise COVID-19 testing as the delta variant has taken hold.

Despite the COVID-19 health protocols in place on board ships now up and running with the CDCs approval, there have been several sailings in which passengers tested positive. Most cases were limited to just a few passengers, and in several cases involved unvaccinated children, who then also infected their vaccinated parents.

The lines, though, enacted their quarantine policies and have been able to continue sailing without any major outbreak.

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Around the Circle This Week: August 27, 2021 – lakesuperior.com

Posted: at 11:55 am

Where There's Smoke: Fires continue to sprout and spread in our greater Big Lake neighborhood. As this photo of downtown Duluth by Sara Blanck shows, the smoke from the north definitely affected the city this week, looking more like a usual foggy day than a day obscured by drifting wildfire smoke. Air quality alerts were issued for northeastern Minnesota this week.Several closures along the boundary waters and forest lands have resulted from fires in the Superior National Forest and across the border in Ontario. The U.S. Forest Service on Wednesday closed lands and roads along the upper portion of the Gunflint Trail. On Wednesday, the firefighting crews took advantage of weather conditions and a shift in wind direction to initiate some tactical fires to reduce fuel for the wildfires (like this tactical burn along Highway 1). The Greenwood fire covered nearly 26,000 acres by Thursday and already destroyed at least 12 primary and 57 outbuilding structures near McDougal Lake. All of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness was closed, at least until Saturday, "due to active and increasing fire activity, extreme drought, limited resources," according to the Forest Service, citing "Canadian fires and John Elk Lake, Whelp Lake, and other fires." On the Ontario side of

the BWCAW, the interior of Quetico Provincial Park is closed through Sept. 4. Isle Royale National Park rangers and others also are battling a fire on the island. By Thursday, the 230-acre Horne fire was about 15% contained. All campfires are banned there and several areas of the park are closed. The island fire started in near the Duncan Bay/Tobin Harbor Portage Trail on Aug. 10, likely from lightning. Meanwhile, up north of the Big Lake region, 82 active wildfires continue in Northwestern Ontario, shown on the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources & Forestry's interactive map.

A Bushplane's BFF: Bob Parr says he's been involved with airplanes and model-airplane building "since before sales tax, some people might remember that." Now the volunteer at the Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre in Sault Ste. Marie is putting his knowledge and skills to good use on a real aircraft. He's helping to repair and refinish a 1929 Fairchild KR-34, an all purpose bi-plane built in Maryland and used for spotting poachers in Algonquin Provincial Park. SooToday produced a great video conversation with Bob about his passion for planes. "It's just a great hobby, it's something to do and it's interesting," says Bob, whose work will be done in about a year and official unveiled in 2024. The heritage centre is a particularly good topic for these times, since it preserves the history of planes that water bombed wildfires and of the firefighters who battled those blazes.

Are You My Mother?: A team of U.S. and Canadian researchers has assembled a "reference genome" for lake trout, cutting-edge research that was a vital missing link in efforts to restore the fish within the Great Lakes, according to the Great Lakes Fishery Commission. "For the first time, a map of the lake trout genome has been assembled and is available publicly. The genome assembly was recently published in the journal Molecular Ecology Resources in a paper titled 'A chromosome-anchored genome assembly for Lake Trout (Salvelinus namaycush),' the commission posted. "A reference genome is a standardized digital sequence or map of nucleic acids, which code the building blocks of life, assembled into a set of genes. With this completed genome assembly, scientists will now have the tools to reveal the genetic foundation for traits that have allowed lake trout to take advantage of the myriad habitats and conditions across the species North American range. Moreover, the assembly will help scientists understand why different types of lake trout (called morphotypes) survive and reproduce in the various ways they do. With this knowledge, fishery managers will be better equipped to take steps that will support lake trout conservation and restoration, in the wild and through the help of hatcheries." Lake Superior has its own examples of "morphotypes," we believe the siscowet (fatty) and lean versions of the lake trout. Lake trout, the population of which collapsed in the late 1950s, have again been reproducing in the Big Lake for a number of years. Just last week, WKBW in Buffalo, N.Y., did a story about the first documented lake trout reproduction in Lake Erie for more than 60 years.

Downed Dock: A portion of the concrete dock alongside the Lakeshore Center at Michigan Technological University in Houghton crumbled into Portage Canal this week. The deterioration was not unexpected, according to a release from Michigan Tech. "The dock had been under surveillance due to cracking and shifting, and foot traffic on the dock was restricted two weeks ago while its condition was under assessment. Michigan Tech Public Safety and Police Services, as well as UP Engineers and Architects, were on the scene immediately after the dock portion fell. Initial reports indicate the Lakeshore Center was not damaged and is not at risk. Out of an abundance of caution, access to the building is currently restricted, with only those who are helping assess and repair the damage allowed on-site. Employees have been asked to work remotely for approximately 10-14 days until repairs are complete." The center, located off the main campus, houses some administrative offices and has had commercial tenants.

New Paint on the Walls: Marquette and Manistique in the Upper Peninsula got to celebrate new murals this week. Both public artworks are part of the Power of Words Project, "a mural campaign that brings words to life with transformative works of public art," according to a press release from the city of Marquette. For the Marquette murla, award-winning artist Mia Tavonatti, formerly of Iron Mountain, and professional mural team member Sharon Maldonadol worked with local artists Emmalene Oysti, Sabrina Langdon, Michele Tuccini, Michelle Earle, plus Shannon Taylor and Sari Nomura, both students at Northern Michigan University. The "Natural" mural is at the corner of Ohio and Third streets downtown. It was officially unveiled on Wednesday. In Manistique, Mia also did the "Harmony" mural unveiled on Thursday as the third Power of Words production in the town.

Nice Rice: Wild ricing is under way on the reservation of the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Ojibwe in Minnesota, reports the Great Lakes Indian Fish & Wildlife Commission. GLIFWC's manoomin (wild rice) database shows which areas around the broad region are open for harvesting. GLIFWC, based in Odanah on the Bad River Ojibwe reservation in Wisconsin, represents 11 Ojibwe tribes in Minnesota, Michigan and Wisconsin. Peter David, a wildlife biologist with GLIFWC, told Katie Thoresen of WXPR that central Wisconsin appears to have low production of wild rice. "It may be one of the very worst years Ive seen in 35 years," he said. In Northwestern Wisconsin, the harvest appears to be good and in Minnesota very good, according to aerial images taken. In some places, though, smoke from fire inhibited the view.

Turnkey Paradise: Thats how Private Islands Inc. describes Gitchie Manitou Island on Lake Michigamme about one hour west of Marquette. The island can be reached by a 15-minute boat ride out of Champion and is up for sale by owner/author Jeffrey L. Rodengen, known for dozens of legend books from The Legend of Chris-Craft to NRA: An American Legend to one most appropriate for these times perhaps, The Legend of Pfizer. Along with 10 wooded acres and a 30-foot waterfall, a new owner gets a master log cabin and three guest cabins plus Jeffrey has done a lot of upgrades while hes owned the island, including electricity thanks to an underwater cable and five-bar cell service. When I came here 30 years ago, there was nothing on the island. It had been untouched since the glacier receded 12,000 years ago, he told Edward Pevos of MLive. Theres a lot of things that go with the island. Seven pages of stuff. Furniture, dishes... everything. Someone can literally just show up on the island and not have to do anything but just put food in the refrigerators and freezers. That seven pages includes check this out a 30-foot customized three-log Lowe Pontoon Boat with custom trailer, 18-foot Chris-Craft Runabout with trailer, 18-foot Hobie Cat with trailer, Aluminum Grumman Canoe with sailing rig, two Yamaha Waverunners with tandem trailer, and a small flotilla of inflatables and a selection of water skis and other watersports inventory. Asking price: $850,000. Bragging rights: Were guessing priceless.

Photo & graphic credits: Sara Blanck; Superior National Forest; National Park Service; Great Lakes Fishery Commission; Mia TavonattiProductions; Great Lakes Indian Fish & Wildlife Commission; Jeffrey L. Rodengen

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Superb Seychelles where to stay in the diving, hiking and beach paradise – The Independent

Posted: at 11:55 am

Across the island of Mahe, several strange gashes scar the coastline wounds from unsuccessful treasure hunts carried out by local residents over the years.Left by 17th century pirates who cruised through these waters, legends of lost loot are so engrained in the national psyche even the government demands a 50% cut of any finds by law. But to date, no major hauls have been declared.

Whether theres any truth to the far-fetched fairy-tales is debatable, yet the Seychelles evidently sparkles with riches from diving with sharks in the outer islands, to hiking the slopes of soaring, jungle-wrapped peaks. And as travellers plan ahead for dream holidays to escape a period of non-stop nightmares, its not surprising the 115-island state is topping booking lists.

Granitic, volcanic or small, low coral cays each island has a different appeal and character, some thriving with communities and others occupied by only one resort. Whether youre seeking adventure or simply to zone out, heres our pick of the best places to stay.

STORY Hotel, Mahe

All walks of life stroll along the beach at Beau Vallon on main island Mahe (where all international flights arrive and depart), making it one of the best places to sample local living in the Seychelles. Perfectly placed to soak up the action, this fun and modern property is only metres from the rolling waves. Choose a villa with plunge pool and beach access to sink directly into the sand or opt for a garden room overlooking a tropical lagoon.

Scoring top points for sustainability, the hotel has made environmental protection a priority: measures have been taken to protect flora and fauna on its premises; an onsite water bottling site has reduced plastic consumption; and a rainwater harvesting system has been put in place. A gym and serene spa are tucked into the gardens and theres a choice of seven restaurants ranging from buffet to private, petal-strewn fine dining. Off site, theres a chance to hike through Morne National Park several trail heads leading to the emerald peaks are a short walk from the hotel.

How: Visit story-seychelles.com

LArchipel, Praslin

Given human habitation in the Seychelles only dates back a few hundred years, its easy to trace the roots of early settlers. Owned by descendants of the French dOffay family, this elegant beachfront resort one of the few high-end, family-owned properties in the Seychelles is a successful marriage of present and past; classic Creole architecture has been polished with a Riviera sheen.

Set on a gently sloping hillside of landscaped gardens overlooking one of the islands most secluded beaches, 32 rooms and larger suites occupy several plantation-era buildings with sunset-facing verandas, and a shore-side restaurant serves an excellent menu, served with French finesse. A one-hour ferry ride or 15-minute flight from Mahe, Praslin is more laidback than her sister island. Come to visit the UNESCO-listed Vallee de Mai, home to a forest of coco de mer trees, prized for their weighty 20kg nuts.

How: Visit larchipel.com/en

Six Senses Zil Pasyon, Felicite

Everywhere in the Seychelles is magical, but some places sparkle with an extra-special quality. At Zil Pasyon, the only resort occupying the private island of Felicite, accessible by a 20-minute private boat transfer from Praslin or helicopter from Mahe, the emphasis is on uninterrupted relaxation. Thirty pool villas are tucked into the palms and tropical forest, where fruit bats swoop overhead at dusk; a generous lap pool, sun deck, and playful swing above the bath justify spending an above average time in your room.

To do so, however, would mean missing out on so much: take a dawn kayak ride to nearby Coco island, where several seabird species nest; trek a trail to the islands highest point; dine beneath a native takamaka tree festooned with fairy lights; or enjoy private sundowners on beanbags at a secluded granite viewpoint. Built into the rocks, the spa is extraordinary; book a private slot at the saltwater pool and sundeck gazing out to the Indian Ocean

How: Visit sixsenses.com/en/resorts/zil-pasyon

Hilton Labriz, Silhouette

Boulder-strewn beaches attract visitors to this volcanic island, but the wild interior is just as captivating. Declared a national park, 93% of the land is protected, creating an adventure playground for anyone lucky enough to stay at this fantastic resort. Despite having 111 rooms and a choice of eight restaurants, it never feels busy, and there are plenty of opportunities for discovering secret patches of sand either by hiking or exploring on a boat.

Silhouettes history as a coconut plantation is detailed at the Grann Kaz, a Creole house once belonging to the Dauban family, where lively, traditional dinner dances are held. A trail regarded as the hardest in the country also follows a route once used by workers to cross the island. Underwater activities are taken care of by an excellent PADI dive centre, which offers open water courses, while the spa built sensitively between giant boulders is back-to-nature bliss.

How: Visit hilton.com/en/

How to plan your trip

Abercrombie & Kent (abercrombiekent.co.uk; 01242 547 760) offers seven night holidays in the Seychelles from 3,900pp based on two people sharing. Includes breakfast, flights, transfers and accommodation. Comes under A&Ks flexible booking policy.

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Superb Seychelles where to stay in the diving, hiking and beach paradise - The Independent

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Prince Andrew appointed trade envoy to Love Island – NewsBiscuit

Posted: at 11:55 am

Liz Truss insisted that Andrew could bring a wealth of experience about private islands, inappropriate love and pizza related alibis. One aide commented: They both seemed so excited, we didnt have the heart to tell them that Love Island is not a real country.

Prince Andrew is said to have been ready to leave in an instant, having had his bags packed for a hasty exit months ago. He did insist that his new role would be covered by diplomatic immunity, anonymity on Tinder and an untraceable Search History.

Meanwhile, the International Trade Secretary has made her mark by appointing a string of inappropriate envoys; including Oliver Cromwell to Ireland, Henry V to France and Kate Hoey to anywhere. Many have sarcastically commented that Truss was just pulling names out of a hat, while her aide explained: Its not that that strategic.

Andrew will be solely responsible for the import and export of love to the UK, with his primary focus on emerging markets nothing too old he demanded. Unlike other Royals who have been accused of not working hard, Andrew promised to be very hands on.

Image byadamkontorfromPixabay

Posted: Aug 25th, 2021 by Wrenfoe

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Prince Andrew appointed trade envoy to Love Island - NewsBiscuit

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Hope And Optimism As Delta Threatens The Travel Industry’s Recovery – Forbes

Posted: at 11:55 am

In the final scene of The Perfect Storm, the fishing boat Andrea Gail's crew glimpse the sun breaking through the clouds just before being swallowed up by a rogue wave. For those in the travel industry, particularly the over 1,500 in Las Vegas earlier this month for Virtuoso Travel Week, optimism was tempered with trepidation as the covid-19 delta variant continues to spread.

In what is easily the industrys worst downturn since the Ice Age halted pre-historic mobility, the World Travel & Tourism Council reported an overall loss last year of $4.5 trillion in receipts with travels contribution to global GDP dropping 49.1%.

Australia is set to remain off-limits to American tourists until the middle of next year at the ... [+] earliest, says an official with Tourism Australia. (Photo by Scott Barbour/Getty Images)

For some, any new restrictions on international travel wont really change things. Australia has been closed to American visitors for over a year, although it is allowing movie production. Its not expected to reopen until the middle of 2022 at the earliest, says Chris Allison, head of commercial partnerships for the Americas at Tourism Australia.

For others, the spread of covid-delta is already having an impact. In his roundtable meetings with travel advisors and journalists, Israels tourism commissioner for North America, Eyal Carlin, had to switch gears. After the country reopened for small groups of tourists in May, an uptick of infections meant he was breaking the news borders were once again closing.

Most of the announcements, however, were about starting back up and new openings, as well as plenty of innovation, something the crisis-plagued travel industry has always been very good at.

Chris Austin, chief sales officer of new luxury cruise line Explora Journeys, says it garnered $1 million of pre-sales in the first week it opened its waitlist. The initial voyage isnt until 2023.

Anguilla, which only had 109 Covid cases and requires visitors to be vaccinated, will get nonstop ... [+] flights from Miami on American Airlines beginning in December. (Photo by Cedrick Isham CALVADOS / AFP)

American Airlines is beginning its first nonstop flights from Miami to Anguilla in December, shares an excited Kenroy Herbert, chairman of the tourist board. He says the island has been covid-free for six months.

While other destinations were closed, Los Cabos gained an influx of first-time visitors. Now, with more competition again, it is developing a strategy to lure them back, says Rodrigo Esponda, managing director of the tourist board.

After a 66% drop in international visitors last year, Pro Colombia took the opportunity to reassess its approach to the market. It created five new tourism regions rich with trendy experiences from private islands to local culture and gastronomy. Its new target is luxury travelers.

Atlantis, The Royal, is set to debut in Dubai in early 2022.

Despite the pandemic, Kerzners One&Only increased its portfolio by 30%, opening resorts in Mexico, Malaysia, and Montenegro. Greece is coming next summer.

Its sister brand will open Atlantis, The Royal, in Dubai early next year. The 43-story cantilevered skyscraper will have 231 luxury apartments, 693 hotel rooms and 102 suites.

Kerzner chief commercial officer Brett Armitage says the delay from Q4 is due to supply chain issues. Another issue for hotel owners, he says, is the cost of construction materials has gone up compared to budgets.

Jane Mackie, senior vice president, global marketing luxury brands for IHG Hotels & Resorts, runs through seemingly dozens of openings across its InterContinental, Regent, Six Senses, Kimpton, Indigo and Voco brands. There will also be a new soft brand. Like Marriotts Luxury Collection, the new, yet-to-be-named flag will target owners who want to benefit from IHGs advertising, sales, reservations and procurement, but wish their hotels to have an individual identity.

What pandemic? Six Senses Ibiza was one of a multitude of IHG Hotels & Resorts' openings across its ... [+] various brands, including Regent, Kimpton, Indigo, Voco and InterContinental.

Mackie agrees with Armitage - openings are more challenging than ever. Issues range from having enough linens and dishes to getting furniture delivered on time. Covid-induced changes in the local community provide even bigger hurdles. For example, many hotels outsource their laundry. In some cases, businesses that were there before the pandemic are not there now.

The Kempinski Palace Engelbergin Switzerland recently opened after covid-related delays.

Aside from supply chain issues and labor shortages, the pandemic has driven hotel groups to look beyond traditional business models. While Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts just opened in New Orleans, will debut in Napa later this year, and has properties set to open in Minneapolis and Nashville next year, it is expanding its presence in the villa rental market.

Not just hotels. Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts has been building up its portfolio of managed ... [+] rental villas. Rates run up to $40,000 per night. (Photo by Vittorio Zunino Celotto/Getty Images)

Ben Trodd, senior vice president, sales and hotel marketing for the Toronto-based group, says it now offers 750 managed villas that rent from $2,000 to $40,000 per night. In some locations, villa rental revenues are 20% higher than before the pandemic.

For Accor, next month, it will reopen the Fairmont Century Plaza, having cut its inventory by a third to 400 rooms and suites. Like others, the pandemic is forcing innovation. And after working with the National Hockey League to create a covid-free environment for its playoff teams last year, Accor is launching a program called Bubbles & Buyouts. Your group will be able to take over all or part of select hotels with similar protection protocols.

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JUNE 11: Rachel McCord and AnnaLynne McCord attendlia Beach Club grand opening ... [+] celebration at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas on June 11, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Denise Truscello/Getty Images for lia Beach Club)

Virgin Hotels is an excellent example of the constant flow of good news and bad news industry executives face daily. Its CEO James Bermingham says for its hotels, which includes a new property in Las Vegas opened in June, the good news is very strong leisure bookings and a resurgence in meetings. The bad news is, as delta virus spreads, the groups end up reducing in size. Attendees decide at the last minute they dont want to go. On the bright side, The events arent cancelling, he notes.

Shadi Omeish, general manager of 1 Hotel West Hollywood, was nonplussed about new masking requirements for indoor activities. His hotel had already created several outdoor spaces, so he quickly shifted dining to those venues.

The mandate isnt hurting business, so far. The impact has been very, very small.People want to travel. People want to be with other people, he says.

There has been a surge of extended families and groups of friends booking safaris, says Sherwin ... [+] Banda, president of African Travel. (Robyn Preston / Barcroft Media via Getty Images)

Other suppliers backed up that theme. Sherwin Banda, president of African Travel, says 2022 bookings are running 200% ahead of 2019, the tour companys best year. Destinations like Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda and Botswana have emerged as top sellers. Group travel is up significantly with extended families and groups of friends buying out departures, creating their own bubbles.

Still, hes hoping when everything is said and done; hell end up at 90% of 2019 levels. People are still nervous. People book and then cancel.

Mark S. Conroy, managing director, the Americas for Silversea, echoed the bullish outlook of the cruise executives in attendance. Its 2023 world cruise, where fares run from $67,000 to $250,000 per person, sold out in weeks when it was put on sale last Fall. He says past clients are booking back-to-back cruises. A lot of our guests felt like they lost a year-and-a-half of their lives. Theyre ready to go.

Cruise line executives say guests are booking back-to-back voyages and world cruises priced up to ... [+] $250,000 per person sell out in weeks. Pictured, the Silver Wind passes under Tower Bridge on the way out of London on a balmy August evening, as the sun sets behind the city on August 25, 2019 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Chris Gorman/Getty Images)

Ellen Bettridge, CEO of Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection, says she sees the same trend. One customer has five booked this year, and hes already done three. It is expanding to include combinations of river cruises and rail journeys.

Celebrity Cruises is seeing a similar percentage of first-time cruisers as prior to the pandemic, a very positive data point, says Dondra Ritzenhaler, senior vice president of sales. We have been so diligent with protocols, and they work, and people want to cruise. She says having 100% of the crew vaccinated resonates with consumers.

Better known for escorted motor coach tours to Europe, Insight Vacations will launch its first ... [+] Hawaii itineraries next year. (Photo by Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images).

While travel industry suppliers generally eschew wading into politically charged issues, executives from Collette, Insight Vacations and Luxury Gold recently instituted vaccine mandates. For motor coach tours that cross multiple borders, its the only way they can ensure that their clients will be compliant with entry requirements that change daily.

Behind the scenes, there is more work and increased costs, says Guy Young, president of Insight and Luxury Gold. In addition to a driver and tour director, theres now a well-being officer on each departure. That person handles all of the covid-related paperwork and bureaucracy.

In some places, the company has had to find alternate locations or restaurants due to closures or staffing issues. Closed borders mean fewer foreign workers, a staple of the tourism industry in many places. In January, it will start something new, its first-ever itineraries to Hawaii.

Asked if the navigating through the pandemic felt a bit like The Perfect Storm movie, one industry executive told me, Well, it does seem that way some days. Hopefully, were not on the boat with George Clooney.

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Hope And Optimism As Delta Threatens The Travel Industry's Recovery - Forbes

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Students of all ages learn robotics, programming and communication skills at Elkhart’s E3 – South Bend Tribune

Posted: at 11:54 am

ELKHART You could say Killian Townsend is inquisitive.

"I remember when, I was like in the third or fourth grade, that I dragged this big tube TV from down the road into my room and tore it apart," the Elkhart High School freshman said.

Likewise, Weston Markham, a16-year-oldstudent at Northwood High School, said he loved playing with Legos as a kid and has enjoyed building things for as long as he can remember.

Eventually, Killian and Weston found their way to E3 Robotics Center, a nonprofit program that trains students inkindergarten through grade 12 in the STEM-related disciplines of robotics andcode writing.

More: Purdue Polytechnic High School coming to former Studebaker building in South Bend

Brian Boehler, president and executive director, said that the overarching goal of E3, which isfunded through grants, corporations andprivatedonors,is simply to get students of all grade levels involved in STEM.

For kindergartners and their siblings or neighbors in elementary school, that involves doing activities with Lego blocks.

"The program starts at youngest levels with Duplo Lego and standard Lego, where kids are working at problem solving through engineering building challenges, and they are then tasked to come up with solutions in small groups," Boehler said.

The activities become more complex as the students get older.

Older elementary school kids work with Legos that include motors and sensors.

"These Legos are different than the onesyou hadgrowing up," Boehler said. "They can make their creations interact and move based on the world around them using thesesensorsand motors."

The older students like Killian and Weston work together to make robots that can perform tasks.

For example, last year, Weston's team made a robotthey programmed to drive around a field and gobble up rubber balls.

"The head part has a roller at the very front that will spin and bring balls into it," he said. "The entire head can lift and if we run the roller the other direction, it can spit the balls out."

The robotseems to move and perform each task as if by magic. But it is not magic. Instead, team members have planned every aspect of the robot's mission. Some team members wrote computer programs to instruct the robot. Other built the robot. But all had to work together.

So,while many people focus on hard skills like computer programming, the students also have to master skills like communication, working in groups and knowing how to organize tasks, Boehler said.

"You mix these things all together because some kids will know how to do different things," Weston said.

Killian agrees, noting he worked as one of the programmers for his team.

"Our main programmer did mostly autonomous stuff, which is where the robot does things on his own, and I mostly did the manual part where the drivers control it (usually with a joystick)," Killian said.

Boehler has a deep history with robotics in Elkhart and with the E3 Robotics program. He was a member of the state's first Lego League team when he was a student at Mary Feeser Elementary School.

He graduated from Memorial and then attended Ball State University, where he majored in urban planning and development.

"Unfortunately, I graduated in the middle of a recession, so not a lot of cities wanted to redesign or rebuild," Boehler said.

It was around that time that the Elkhart schools asked Boehler to help set up the system's robotics program. At that time he worked for another nonprofit STEM program in Elkhart County called the ETHOS Innovation Center. There, he helped to develop the district's STEM and robotics curriculum and soon, other schools, and homeschoolers came on board.

More: ETHOS center in Elkhart creates a new space for science futures to take root

In 2012, Boehler and co-director Brent Soper founded E3.

Boehler saidthere is enough interest in robotics and STEM in the area to accommodate more than one program.

"We really haven't seen a cap yet on (the number of students) that robotics is able to get," he said.

The E3 program had more than 120 students prior to the beginning of the pandemic and even managed to work with about 60 students last year. Boehler hopes to build the numbers back up this year.

Robotics programs statewide have grown as students and parents see the benefits of learning STEM skills such as programming, as well as the soft skills like communication, planning and team building that employers crave, said Chris Osborne, vice president of operations of First Indiana Robotics, which is the nonprofit that works with and oversees robotics programs in the state.

More: Ivy Tech to break ground on manufacturing training facility in Elkhart County

Osborne notedthere were 900 students from 42 high schools taking part in the First Robotics Competition in 2012. That number grew to 58 teams and about 1,600 students intending to participate in 2020.

The First Tech Challenge, which is for students in grades seven through 12 and the First Lego League, which is an introductory program for elementary school students, saw similar growth, Osborne said.

Weston, meanwhile, said he believeshe has benefited from being in the program.

"If I were not in theprogram,I never would have learned the hard skills," he said, "but secondly I would have not learned all the ways to communicate and plan things."

Email South Bend Tribune reporter Howard Dukes at hdukes@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter:@DukesHoward.

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Five women on a famed Afghan robotics team arrive in Mexico. – The New York Times

Posted: at 11:54 am

Five young women who are part of a famed Afghan robotics team which had been a symbol of opportunities for women and girls in a post-Taliban Afghanistan have arrived in Mexico as part of the first group of evacuees to land there.

They will be received with great affection by the people of Mexico, Marcelo Ebrard, Mexicos foreign minister, said at a news conference at Mexico Citys international airport late on Tuesday. They are bearers of a dream: to show that we can have an egalitarian, fraternal and gender-equal world.

Mr. Ebrard has led Mexicos efforts to evacuate people from Afghanistan after the Taliban takeover this month, cutting through a typically lengthy immigration process to provide immediate protection. A group of Afghans who worked for The New York Times, along with their families, also arrived safely in Mexico on Wednesday.

Images shared by the Foreign Ministry showed the group that included the robotics team arriving aboard a Lufthansa plane and being greeted by Mexican officials. Some of the young women, all wearing masks because of the pandemic, put their hands to their hearts and nodded their heads as they disembarked.

An institution based in Mexico, which was unnamed, has offered accommodations, food and basic services for the young women, according to a statement released by the Foreign Ministry.

Other team members had fled to Qatar earlier in the week, and some remained in Afghanistan, according to a statement issued by the teams founder, the Afghan tech entrepreneur Roya Mahboob.

Ms. Mahboob said that those who remained behind faced a worrying future under the Taliban, which banned education for girls when the group last ruled the country.

The young women were part of a robotics team that gained international attention in 2017 when they were denied visas to the United States for a competition in Washington.

Members of Congress signed a petition, and President Donald J. Trump intervened to get travel documents for them on humanitarian grounds. Once back in Afghanistan, they were received as icons of progress, though some accused them of dressing immodestly while abroad and said they had compromised their prospects for marriage.

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Five women on a famed Afghan robotics team arrive in Mexico. - The New York Times

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Reed City farmers use robotics to feed animals – The Pioneer

Posted: at 11:54 am

HERSEY Family farms are a staple of both Mecosta and Osceola counties, and residents and visitors can often spot construction and improvement projects at some farms.

One Reed City family, the Carmichaels, have started work on building a new state-of-the-art barn to improve processes and create more space on the farm.

Christina Carmichael, owner and operator of the familys farm, has been farming for years and said the family wanted to build the barn to improve daily operations.

Carmichael is a fifth-generation farmer on their family farm which has been farmed for over 100 years. She farms over 1,000 acres with the help of her parents, Jerry and Lynn Mitchell, and her husband of 11 years, Jeff.

The couple has three kids: Emmett, 9; Caden, 6; and Brianna, 4. The Carmichael kids have been raised on the farm and are the sixth generation.

I do most anything on the farm wherever I am needed. I mostly manage the dairy steer operation, Christina Carmichael said. We decided to build the facility to become more efficient and reduce the amount of labor that it takes to raise dairy steers. It will also allow more flexibility on labor.

We used to milk cows, but the struggles in the dairy industry forced us to change our business, she added. We sold our cows in 2019. I work a lot with MSU extension agents that helped me develop a plan to move the business from a dairy farm to a dairy steer farm. We now raise baby bull calves from one to two days old all the way up to market beef. We also sell freezer beef.

The new barn, at 814 190th Avenue in Hersey, is set to take around two to three months to complete construction and will serve as a new feeding location for the farms cow calves.

The family grows almost all of the feed for their steers directly on the farm, such as corn, wheat, rye, and hay. The farm has 600 head of steers.

Carmichael said the new barn will allow for new electronic systems to take over much of the work that she does normally hands-on with the cows.

The goal of the project is to reduce the amount of labor and time it takes to feed and manage so many baby calves, Carmichael said. We also hope to achieve better rates of gain on our calves because they will be able to eat more often than I have time in a day to feed them. It also allows for social development at an earlier age.

My goals for the upcoming year are to make this barn a success for our business and continue to become more profitable, she added. We hope to be more productive with less labor-intensive.

The barn is being built with the help of Welch Building LLC and Greenstone Farm Credit Services. It is being painted green as a nod to the familys dedication to and love for the Michigan State Spartans. Both Carmichael and her husband graduated from MSU.

Carmichael said she came back after college to take over the family business, and the new building will give her some much-needed free time, and make things a lot easier for the farm.

It will help with the management of the calves, Carmichael said. It also will allow for a better environment that will allow us to more efficiently handle and care for the calves.

"It will help me personally by giving me more flexibility in my time. I am currently tied down to this farm, and having to miss out on doing things with my family or showing up late after I have the chores done has been a challenge.

It will also allow me to help in other areas of the farm getting things done quicker because I wont be stuck feeding calves, she added.

Carmichael said life on the farm is hard work, but worth it in the long run.

My favorite part about life on the farm is that I get to raise my family on the farm just like I was raised, Carmichael said. I get to carry on my family legacy by keeping the family farm business going. I love this way of life. God has blessed us in so many ways. I also enjoy seeing the fruits of my labor make our family business a success.

Moving forward, Carmichael said she hopes the new barn will be completed sooner rather than later so that the family can begin using it as a fully functioning facility, and that the family will continue to look for ways to improve their farm and operations.

We are always looking for improvements or efficiencies to help make the farm better or more profitable, Carmichael said. If a technology comes along that we feel will be beneficial to our farm we will implement it.

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Reed City farmers use robotics to feed animals - The Pioneer

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Simbes robots will be deployed across midwestern grocery chain, Schnucks – TechCrunch

Posted: at 11:54 am

St. Louis-based grocery chain Schnucks (one of those With a name like Smuckers, it has to be good situations, one imagines) announced this week that it will be deploying technology from Simbe Robotics across its 111 U.S. locations.

The deal comes a year and a half into a global pandemic that has substantially increased interest in automation, particularly around essential businesses a qualifier that certainly applies to grocery stores.

Simbes mobile robots provide inventory scanning, offering a constantly updating picture of whats on the store shelves and what needs to be restocked. Anyone whos ever worked retail can almost certainly tell you that doing inventory is one of the biggest headaches in the industry, often requiring hours-long shutdowns or overnight marathons to complete.

The multi-year chain-wide rollout comes four years after Schnucks first began piloting the tech. Over the years, the partnership has gradually expanded. Simbe says its shelf-scanning Tally robot is capable of reducing out of stock items by 20-30% and can detect 14 times more missing inventory than traditional human scanning.

Schnuck Markets deploys Tally robot by Simbe Robotics to its stores bringing shelf insights for better shopping experience. Photographed on Friday, Aug. 13, 2021, in Des Peres, Mo. Image Credits: Simbe

By deploying Tally to all stores, we are fully operationalizing these insights into our supply chain and expanding our ability to leverage real-time data to make revenue impacting decisions, Schnucks VP Dave Steck said in a release. Tally has become an integral component of our stores, streamlining operations and ultimately creating a better store experience for our customers and teammates.

A number of companies are working to automate the world of inventory scanning, including Brain Corp and Bossa Nova, though the latter was dealt a massive setback when Walmart ended a large contract at the end of 2020.

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Warehouse Robotics Market is Expected to Reach USD 6,653.32 Billion by 2027 at 11.8% CAGR – Report by Market Research Future (MRFR) – Yahoo Finance

Posted: at 11:54 am

New York, US, Aug. 27, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Market Overview: According to a comprehensive research report by Market Research Future (MRFR), Global Warehouse Robotics Market information by Type, Software, Function, End-User and Region forecast to 2027 the market is expected to grow to reach USD 6,653.32 billion by 2027 at a CAGR of 11.8%.

Dominant Key Players on Warehouse Robotics Market Covered Are:

ABB Ltd. (Switzerland)

Fanuc Corp. (Japan)

Kuka AG (Germany)

Yaskawa Electric Corp. (Japan)

Amazon.com, Inc. (U.S.)

Bleum (U.S)

Fetch Robotics (U.S)

BlueBotics SA (Switzerland)

SSI Schafer (Germany)

Daifuku Co., Ltd. (Japan)

Dematic Corp. (U.S)

Vanderlande Industries Inc. (U.S)

Intelligent Robots Ltd (London)

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Growing Need for Automation to Boost Market Growth The burgeoning need for automation owing to penetration of automation technologies in warehouses will boost the market growth over the forecast period. In an automated warehouse, the robots move around the pellets, stock on delivery, and reduce manual labour considerably.

Increasing Trend of Online Shopping to offer Robust Opportunities The rapid increase in customers buying online has led to the rapid growth of the e-commerce industry. Convenience of shopping and advanced mobile connectivity is the key factor for consumers in opting for online shopping. E-commerce players require in managing their inventory effectively to cater to the challenges of short time delivery and constantly changing consumer preferences. The surging need for quick order supply to customers in an undamaged and accurate form is boosting market growth.

High Initial Financial Investment to act as Market Restraint High initial financial investment for setup coupled with lack of skilled labour for employing such robots may act as market restraints over the forecast period.

Lack of Awareness to act as Market Challenge The lack of awareness and difficulty to interact with robots may act as market challenges over the forecast period.

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Segmentation of Market Covered in the Research:The global warehouse robotics market is segmented based on type, software, function, and end users.

By type, the mobile robots segment will lead the market over the forecast period. Mobile robots are mostly used by top e-commerce companies and implemented gradually in warehouses operated by manufacturing companies. The mobile robot adapts to changes in velocities and product types, order shipment accuracy, and order prioritization. Another key plus is the faster ROI as mobile robots are easier in setting up and cheaper to operate.

By software, the warehouse management system (WMS) segment will dominate the market over the forecast period. WMS is a specialized business application which controls the flow of inventory into, out, and within a companys warehouse or multiple warehouses.

By function, the pick and place segment will spearhead the market over the forecast period. Pick & place robots are commonly used by different industries as such robots are accurate and highly efficient and also reduce the related cost and order processing time.

By end user, the e-commerce segment will have the lions share in the market over the forecast period. The increasing trend of online shopping, increasing need for shorter delivery times, rapidly changing customer demands, and fierce competition among online retailing companies has increased the need for automated fulfillment centers that in turn has increased the demand for robots.

Browse In-depth Market Research Report (100 Pages) on Warehouse Robotics Market: https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/warehouse-robotics-market-5039

Regional AnalysisNorth America to Head Warehouse Robotics Market North America will head the market over the forecast period. Increasing demand & awareness towards quality & safety production, the market players emphasizing on modernizing their facilities and plants with advanced technologies, the growing emphasis on worker safety, the presence of significant number of established players, higher adoption of warehouse automation technologies, the strong presence of warehouse operatives, and the proliferation of latest technologies at a higher rate are adding to the global warehouse robotics market growth in the region.

APAC to Have Admirable Growth in Warehouse Robotics Market The APAC region will have admirable growth over the forecast period. China and Japan having largest automotive manufacturing base, increasing production facilities, increasing domestic demand for products, improved efficiency of warehouses, and continuous upgradation are adding to the global warehouse robotics market growth in the region.

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COVID-19 Analysis Following the spread of the COVID-19 outbreak, automation and robots are already playing a key role to manage the situation. This situation is likely to bring new opportunities to the market. Ocado for instance, a British online grocer is aiming to make its grocery home-delivery technology and warehouse robotics available to other supermarkets for a licensing fee. All these are adding market growth.

Industry Updates Zebra Technologies will acquire Fetch Robotics, a leading provider of on-demand automation which includes autonomous mobile robots. They are used for optimizing picking in distribution centers and fulfillment centers and just-in-time material delivery in manufacturing facilities and automating manual material movement in others.

About Market Research Future:Market Research Future (MRFR) is a global market research company that takes pride in its services, offering a complete and accurate analysis regarding diverse markets and consumers worldwide. Market Research Future has the distinguished objective of providing the optimal quality research and granular research to clients. Our market research studies by products, services, technologies, applications, end users, and market players for global, regional, and country level market segments, enable our clients to see more, know more, and do more, which help answer your most important questions.

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Warehouse Robotics Market is Expected to Reach USD 6,653.32 Billion by 2027 at 11.8% CAGR - Report by Market Research Future (MRFR) - Yahoo Finance

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