Canada To Quarantine Travelers, Suspend Flights To The Caribbean And Mexico.

TORONTO (AP) — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Friday announced stricter restrictions on travelers in response to new, likely more contagious variants of the novel coronavirus — including making it mandatory for travelers to quarantine in a hotel at their own expense when they arrive in Canada and suspending airline service to Mexico and all Caribbean destinations until April 30.

Trudeau said in addition to the pre-boarding test Canada already requires, the government will be introducing mandatory PCR testing at the airport for people returning to Canada.

“Travelers will then have to wait for up to three days at an approved hotel for their test results, at their own expense, which is expected to be more than $2,000,” Trudeau said.

“Those with negative test results will then be able to quarantine at home under significantly increased surveillance and enforcement.”

He said the measure will be take effect “in the coming weeks.”

The steep cost for the hotel stay includes the cost for a private PCR test, security, food and the cost of measures the designated hotels will have to take to keep their workers safe.

“The cost is a ballparking. This isn’t like any other facility. This is one where there has to be infection prevention control measures, security and other costs as well. It’s not just a regular stay at a hotel,” said Dr. Theresa Tam, Canada’s chief public health officer.

Tam also said a test will be required on the 10th day after people return.

The prime minister said those with positive tests will be immediately required to quarantine in designated government facilities to make sure they’re not carrying variants of particular concern.

Trudeau also said the government and Canada’s main airlines have agreed to suspend service to sun destinations right away. He said Air Canada, WestJet, Sunwing, and Air Transat are cancelling air service to all Caribbean destinations and Mexico starting Sunday until April 30.

“They will be making arrangements with their customers who are currently on a trip in these regions to organize their return flights,” Trudeau said.

Mexico’s Foreign Relations Department said in a statement that “the government of Mexico expresses its hope that the measure recently announced by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau can be withdrawn as soon as possible, in order to avoid a deep economic crisis in the North American Region.”

Trudeau said starting next week, all international passenger flights to Canada must land at four airports: Vancouver, Toronto, Calgary and Montreal.

“We will also, in the coming weeks, be requiring nonessential travelers to show a negative test before entry at the land border with the US, and we are working to stand up additional testing requirements for land travel,” Trudeau said.

Canada already requires those entering the country to self-isolate for 14 days and to present a negative COVID-19 test taken within three days before arrival.

Tam, Canada’s top health official, said that security contractors will be going door-to-door to check on returnees who are isolating at home.

The move to require a hotel stay upon return would discourage vacations as people would not want to have to quarantine at a hotel at their own expense upon return.

“It’s excellent. It’s a shame it’s this late. This is something they could have done ages ago,” said Dr. Andrew Morris, a professor of infectious diseases at the University of Toronto and the medical director of the Antimicrobial Stewardship Program at Sinai-University Health Network.

“This is definitely a step in the right direction.”

More and more governments are thinking about ways to be more aggressive because of the new variants, delays in vaccines, the challenges with getting the population vaccinated and the strains on health care systems.

Public Safety Minister Bill Blair said officials have been urging Canadians to cancel all nonessential travel and are trying to eliminate it.

“Unfortunately, some are making the choice to engage in nonessential travel. If they are going to make that choice, they should bear the full cost,” Blair said.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford said his province will begin testing at Toronto’s Pearson International Airport on Monday as a stop gap until federal measures are in place.

Trudeau also announced there will be a delay in part of the next shipment of the Moderna vaccine, which arrives next week. He said Canada will receive 78% of the expected amount, translating to 180,000 doses.

The Visit Philly Overnight Hotel Package Returns For 2021 For Much-Needed Winter & Spring Getaways

PHILADELPHIA – According to the U.S. Travel Association, 69% of travelers are focused on finding a change of scenery in 2021, and Philadelphia provides an easy escape for them thanks to its iconic sites, vast outdoor spaces, delicious food and 38 hotels offering the Visit Philly Overnight Hotel Package, a perks-packed deal that includes hotel parking and a buy-one-get-one-free ticket offer. Available Through June 1, Package Includes Buy-One-Get-One-Free Tickets & Hotel Parking

Booked more than 175,000 times since 2001, the Visit Philly Overnight Hotel Package is available for one- and two-night stays through June 1, 2021. In addition to free hotel parking (worth up to $100 in Center City Philadelphia), package buyers can purchase buy-one-get-one-free tickets (highest ticket price is $32) at the Independence Visitor Center for nearly 20 of Philly’s iconic museums and attractions (see list below). The package is bookable at visitphilly.com/overnight.

“The Visit Philly Overnight Hotel Package is an easy and affordable way to explore a city that travel and lifestyle media are raving about right now. Condé Nast Traveler even named Philadelphia one of the eight destinations in the world to visit in 2021,” said Jeff Guaracino, president and CEO, VISIT PHILADELPHIA®. “This hotel package is a classic. It’s one that people love. And I’m hopeful that this iteration of it with the buy-one-get-one-free ticket offer will help more people experience Philadelphia’s awesome museums and attractions, which are ready to welcome back visitors with fun, safe offerings.”

Attractions Participating In Buy-One-Get-One-Free Ticket Offers:

Package buyers head to the Independence Visitor Center to take advantage of the buy-one-get-one-free ticket offer, available for the following attractions:

The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University Adventure Aquarium Betsy Ross House Big Bus Tour, reopening in spring 2021 Christ Church Burial Ground, reopening in spring 2021 Eastern State Penitentiary, reopening March 12, 2021 The Franklin Institute Franklin Square Independence Seaport Museum, reopening March 20, 2021 LEGOLAND Discovery Center Philadelphia Museum of the American Revolution The Mütter Museum of The College of Physicians of Philadelphia National Constitution Center, reopening February 12, 2021 National Museum of American Jewish History, reopening date to be announced Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts Penn Museum Philadelphia Museum of Art Philadelphia Zoo, reopening February 11, 2021 The Barnes Foundation

VISIT PHILADELPHIA® is our name and our mission. As the region’s official tourism marketing agency, we build Greater Philadelphia’s image, drive visitation and boost the economy.

On Greater Philadelphia’s official visitor website and blog, visitphilly.com and uwishunu.com, visitors can explore things to do, upcoming events, themed itineraries and hotel packages. Compelling photography and videos, interactive maps and detailed visitor information make the sites effective trip-planning tools. Along with Visit Philly social media channels, the online platforms communicate directly with consumers. Travelers can also call and stop into the Independence Visitor Center for additional information and tickets. 6th & Market Streets, (800) 537-7676

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European Aviation Agency Clears Boeing 737 Max To Fly Again

BERLIN (AP) — A modified version of the Boeing 737 Max, incorporating multiple safety upgrades, has been approved to resume flights in Europe, following nearly two years of reviews after the aircraft was involved in two deadly crashes that saw the planes grounded worldwide, the European aviation safety agency said Wednesday.

Changes mandated by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency, or EASA, include a package of software upgrades, a reworking of the electrical system, maintenance checks, operations manual updates and new crew training.

“We have reached a significant milestone on a long road,” said EASA executive director Patrick Ky.

“Following extensive analysis by EASA, we have determined that the 737 MAX can safely return to service. This assessment was carried out in full independence of Boeing or the Federal Aviation Administration and without any economic or political pressure – we asked difficult questions until we got answers and pushed for solutions which satisfied our exacting safety requirements. We carried out our own flight tests and simulator sessions and did not rely on others to do this for us.”

The planes were grounded in March 2019 following the crashes of a Lion Air flight near Jakarta on Oct. 29, 2018, and an Ethiopian Airlines flight on March 10, 2019, killing a total of 346 people. Investigators determined that the cause of the crashes was a faulty computer system that pushed the plane’s nose downward in flight and couldn’t be overridden by pilots.

Changes mandated by EASA, based in Cologne, Germany, include a recertification of the plane’s flight-control system, called the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System, or MCAS, which was not a part of previous 737 models.

“While the investigations assessed that the behavior of the MCAS and related alerting systems were the clear main cause of the two crashes, EASA rapidly realized that a far wider review of the 737 MAX was needed,” the agency said.

EASA extended its analysis to the entire flight control system, with a particular focus on human factors — “the actual experience for a pilot of flying the plane.”

To that end, all 737 Max pilots will now need to undergo one-off special training, including on a simulator, to ensure they are fully familiar with the redesigned plane and able to handle specific scenarios that might arise during flight.

The European pilots’ association ECA welcomed the new airworthiness directive, saying it was important that “European pilots continuously engaged with EASA to make sure the operational perspective of the line pilots are well reflected in the review process.”

“One fundamentally wrong – and eventually fatal – idea had influenced the initial aircraft design and certification process: that pilot training is a burden, a cost, instead of being seen as an investment,” said ECA technical affairs director Tanja Harter. “It was important that the re-certification corrects this.”

Ky said EASA will continue to monitor 737 Max operations closely as the aircraft resumes service.

“Let me be quite clear that this journey does not end here,” he said.

Despite the green-light from EASA, the actual return of the aircraft to the skies of Europe may still take some time.

Airlines will still need to ensure their pilots have received the training needed to fly the plane, and that the maintenance and changes necessary have been carried out after the long grounding. Some EU states will have to lift their own individual grounding notices as well and the U.K., which has left the bloc, will have to make its own ruling.

The pandemic, meanwhile, has caused severe travel restrictions. Many airlines are flying a fraction of their usual routes, which EASA said could affect the pace of the aircraft’s return to commercial operations.

The 737 Max returned to the skies in the United States last month, after the Federal Aviation Administration approved changes that Boeing made to the automated flight control system.

It has also been allowed by Brazil to resume flights, and has been cleared by Transport Canada.

Auschwitz Survivors Mark Anniversary Online Amid Pandemic

By VANESSA GERA,

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — A Jewish prayer for the souls of people murdered in the Holocaust echoed Wednesday over where the Warsaw ghetto stood during World War II as a world paused by the coronavirus pandemic observed the 76th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz.

Most International Holocaust Remembrance Day commemorations were being held online this year due to the virus, including the annual ceremony at the site of the former Auschwitz death camp, where Nazi German forces killed 1.1 million people in occupied Poland. The memorial site is closed to visitors because of the pandemic.

In one of the few live events, mourners gathered in Poland’s capital to pay their respects at a memorial in the former Warsaw ghetto, the largest of all the ghettos where European Jews were held in cruel and deadly conditions before being sent to die in mass extermination camps.

From the Vatican, Pope Francis spoke of the need to remember the genocide carried out in World War II, saying it was a sign of humanity and a condition for a peaceful future.

Francis also warned that distorted ideologies could lead to a repeat of mass murder on a horrific scale. Remembering the Holocaust, he said, “also means to be aware that these things can happen again, starting with ideological proposals that claim to save a people and end up destroying a people and humanity.”

Among those commemorating from home Wednesday will be Polish-born Auschwitz survivor Tova Friedman, who arrived at the camp when she was 5 years old and was 6 when she found herself among thousands of survivors liberated by Soviet troops on Jan. 27, 2020.

Friedman, who is now 82, attended last year’s event at Auschwitz and had hoped to take her her eight grandchildren there this year to help them better understand her experiences. But the pandemic prevented that.

From her home in Highland Park, New Jersey, she recorded a message of warning about the rise of hatred which will be part of a virtual observance organized by the World Jewish Congress.

Across Europe, the victims were remembered and honored in various ways.

In Austria and Slovakia, hundreds of survivors were offered their first doses of a vaccine against the coronavirus in a gesture both symbolic and truly lifesaving given the threat of the virus to older adults. In Israel, some 900 Holocaust survivors died from COVID-19 out of the 5,300 who were infected last year.

Israel, which counts 197,000 Holocaust survivors, officially marks its Holocaust remembrance day in the spring. But events were also being held by remembrance and survivors’ groups across the country, mostly virtually or without members of the public in attendance.

Meanwhile, Luxembourg signed a deal Wednesday agreeing to pay reparations and to restitute dormant bank accounts, insurance policies and looted art to Holocaust survivors.

Politicians and regular people alike were joining a World Jewish Congress campaign which involved people posting photos of themselves and #WeRemember. Those will be shown later Wednesday on a screen at Auschwitz next to the gate and a cattle car, the way victims were transported there.

The online nature of this year’s commemorations is a sharp contrast to events marking the 75th anniversary of Auschwitz’s liberation last year, when some 200 survivors and dozens of European leaders and royalty gathered at the site of the former camp. It was one of the last large international gatherings before the pandemic forced the cancellation of most large gatherings.

More than 1.1 million people were murdered by the German Nazis and their henchmen at Auschwitz, the most notorious in a network of killing sites set up across occupied Europe. The vast majority of those killed at Auschwitz were Jews, but others, including Poles, Roma, homosexuals and Soviet prisoners of war, were also murdered.

In all, about 6 million European Jews and millions of other people were killed by the Germans and their collaborators. In 2005, the United Nations designated Jan. 27 as International Holocaust Remembrance Day.

While commemorations have moved online for the first time, one constant is the drive of survivors to tell their stories as words of caution.

Rose Schindler, a 91-year-old survivor of Auschwitz who was originally from Czechoslovakia but now lives in San Diego, California, has been speaking to school groups about her experience for 50 years. Her story, and that of her late husband, Max, also a survivor, is also told in a book, “Two Who Survived: Keeping Hope Alive While Surviving the Holocaust.”

After Schindler was transported to Auschwitz in 1944, she was selected more than once for immediate death in the gas chambers. She survived by escaping each time and joining work details.

The horrors she experienced — the mass murder of her parents and four of her seven siblings, the hunger, being shaven, lice infestations — are difficult to convey, but she keeps speaking to groups, over past months only by Zoom.

“We have to tell our stories so it doesn’t happen again,” Schindler said in a Zoom call from her home this week. “It is unbelievable what we went through, and the whole world was silent as this was going on.”

Friedman says she believes it is her role to “sound the alarm” about rising anti-Semitism and other hatred in the world, otherwise “another tragedy may happen.”

That hatred, she said, was on clear view when a mob inspired by former President Donald Trump attacked the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. Some insurrectionists wore clothes with anti-Semitic messages like “Camp Auschwitz.”

“It was utterly shocking and I couldn’t believe it. And I don’t know what part of America feels like that. I hope it’s a very small and isolated group and not a pervasive feeling,” Friedman said Monday.

In her recorded message that will be broadcast Wednesday, Friedman said she compares the virus of hatred in the world to COVID-19. She said the world today is witnessing “a virus of anti-Semitism, of racism, and if you don’t stop the virus, it’s going to kill humanity.”
___
Nicole Winfield in Rome contributed to this report.

State of Yucatán To Offer Rapid Covid-19 Testing At Airport For Travelers Flying To U.S. From Mérida's International Airport

MÉRIDA, Yucatán — In accordance with measures recently imposed by the U.S. government in its strategic plan to combat Covid-19, the government of the state of Yucatán, led by Governor Mauricio Vila Dosal, has prepared to facilitate the transit of passengers bound for the U.S. with the installation in Mérida International Airport of a module for rapid antigen tests that meet requirements set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

With the support of the Ministry of Tourism Development (Sefotur) and the Ministry of Health of Yucatán (SSY), as well as Grupo Asur and in coordination with various airlines that operate international flights, this initiative is carried out to provide facilities to all those travelers who, after visiting our state, plan a flight with a final destination or transit point in the U.S., since it will allow travelers to undergo a rapid antigen test for the detection of Covid-19, thus complying with U.S. entry requirements.

On Jan. 21, President Joe Biden signed an executive order called "National Strategy for the COVID-19 Response and Pandemic Preparedness,” which stipulates that all those who wish to enter the U.S. must present a negative test for Covid-19, in addition to the mandatory use of a mask, among other measures. More info can be found at: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/01/21/ executive- order-promoting-covid-19-safety-in-domestic-and-international-travel /

This module at the Mérida International Airport is an additional option for travelers who have a final destination in the U.S. and who have not been able to take their test previously. It will be operated by a private laboratory that meets the requirements demanded by the health authorities of both countries and will be providing service from Jan. 26, the date the CDC decree comes into effect.

In addition to the operation of this module, some hotels will be offering information and service with different laboratories that meet the necessary requirements for taking tests at their facilities, as well as other facilities for those tourists who prove positive. These services vary from one establishment to another, and travelers should consult with their hotel.

Test will be available at the Mérida airport and in the state’s hotels and laboratories. There is a cost to them, to be covered by travelers. Passengers must present their boarding pass for travel into the U.S.

Travelers should note that travel requirements are unique to each government and they should check with official sources to have the most up-to-date information.

These actions help us to continue consolidating Yucatán as a benchmark for Good Sanitary Practices and the construction of sanitary bubbles that provide reliable alternatives to our travelers and protect the health of Yucatecans.

To date, Yucatán has implemented its Sanitary Certification protocol for tourism service providers throughout the value chain, with more than 1,200 companies, establishments and providers certified with the same biosafety standards, including guides, tour operators, agencies, carriers, venues, restaurants, hotels, the cruise port terminal, bus stations, airport and airlines, among others.

The Certificate of Good Sanitary Practices is one of the most robust programs of its kind, allowing for the Yucatán to be the second state in Mexico to obtain the endorsement of the international Safe Travels seal awarded by the World Travel & Tourism Council.

Travelore News: Biden To Reinstate COVID-19 Travel Rules, Add South Africa

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Monday will formally reinstate COVID-19 travel restrictions on non-U.S. travelers from Brazil, Ireland, the United Kingdom and 26 other European countries that allow travel across open borders, according to two White House officials.

The officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the order, also confirmed Sunday that South Africa would be added to the restricted list because of concerns about a variant of the virus that has spread beyond that nation.

Top U.S. infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci called Biden’s decision “prudent” Monday in a round of television interviews.

“We have concern about the mutation that’s in South Africa,” Fauci told “CBS This Morning.” “We’re looking at it very actively. It is clearly a different and more ominous than the one in the U.K., and I think it’s very prudent to restrict travel of noncitizens.”

Biden is reversing an order from President Donald Trump in his final days in office that called for the relaxation of the travel restrictions as of Tuesday. Trump’s move was made in conjunction with a new requirement from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that all international travelers to the U.S. obtain a negative test for COVID-19 within three days of boarding their flight.

Biden’s team had announced that he would reimpose the travel restrictions, but the addition of South Africa to the restricted travel list highlights the new administration’s concern about mutations in the virus.

The South Africa variant has not been discovered in the United States, but another variant — originating in the United Kingdom — has been detected in several states.

Fauci said there is “a very slight, modest diminution” of the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines against those variants but “there’s enough cushion with the vaccines that we have that we still consider them to be effective against both the UK strain and the South Africa strain.”

But he warned that more mutations are possible and said scientists are preparing to adapt the vaccines if necessary.

“We really need to make sure that we begin, and we already have, to prepare if it’s necessary to upgrade the vaccines,” Fauci said. “We’re already taking steps in that direction despite the fact that the vaccines we have now do work.” Fauci spoke on NBC’s “Today” show and “CBS This Morning.”

Reuters was first to report Biden’s decision to add South Africa to the list.

Last week, Biden moved to expand on the CDC requirement and direct that federal agencies require international travelers to quarantine upon arrival in the U.S. and obtain another negative test to slow the spread of the virus.

Dubai Halts Live Entertainment Amid Surge In Virus Cases

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Dubai’s tourism department Thursday announced an immediate halt to all live entertainment at hotels and restaurants, a day after suspending non-urgent surgeries at hospitals to deal with an influx of COVID-19 patients.

Both decisions come after months of Dubai promoting itself as the ideal pandemic-friendly vacation spot while coronavirus infections skyrocketed. Now, the sheikhdom is showing signs of strain.

Even as cases surged to previously unseen heights in the United Arab Emirates, the city-state of Dubai had sought to be a glimmering desert oasis for tourists fleeing tough lockdowns back home. Since reopening in the spring, the commercial hub has resisted more restrictions that would pummel its economy, built largely on aviation, hospitality and retail.

Beyond the ubiquitous masks outdoors, a sense of pre-pandemic normalcy has prevailed in the city. Bands, dancers and DJs had been performing in bars and clubs for socially-distanced crowds. Hotel occupancy rates surged over 70% in December, nearing 2019 holiday levels. The city’s airport welcomed over 70,000 travelers for New Year’s weekend alone.

Soon countries like the United Kingdom and Israel that had sent droves to Dubai over the winter holidays closed their travel corridors, citing alarm over the UAE’s spike in infections. As late as Tuesday, the sheikhdom’s government-run media office was vigorously insisting that things were under control. In a statement, the emirate said it “continues to maintain the highest levels of protection against the pandemic and compliance with preventive measures.”

But on Thursday, Dubai’s tourism department announced it had “observed, through field inspection, an increase in the number of violations during entertainment activities.”

Although bars and restaurants would remain open for the time being, Dubai’s media office said it would pause the issuance of new entertainment permits to venues effective immediately to ensure “public health and safety.” The office said it issued more than 200 violations for “non-compliance” with COVID-19 guidelines and shuttered 20 establishments over the last few weeks.

In a circular sent to business partners, Dubai’s tourism department said the ban only applies to live bands at restaurants, bars and beach clubs and that private events and wedding parties, currently capped at 200 people, could continue as normal. The statement said that failure to comply with health measures would result in “serious actions,” without elaborating. It gave no time frame for the resumption of entertainment activities.

The pandemic shows no signs of abating. The UAE on Thursday shattered its infection record for the 10th consecutive day, with 3,529 cases reported. The country does not release location data for infections, making it difficult to determine where in the federation of seven sheikhdoms has been hardest hit by the virus.

With its health centers well-staffed and 90% of its population comprised of relatively young and healthy expatriates, the UAE has so far avoided the chaotic scenes of overwhelmed hospitals seen elsewhere. The country has recorded over 267,000 infections and 766 deaths.

The UAE has rolled out the second-fastest coronavirus vaccination campaign in the world, trailing only Israel. The country, which offers the vaccine made by Chinese state-backed firm Sinopharm to everyone over the age of 16, says it seeks to vaccinate more than half the population of 9 million by the end of March.

On Thursday the UAE also approved Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine for emergency use, citing “results of its effectiveness,” without elaborating. Other countries have been reluctant to approve the Chinese and Russian vaccines, saying their efficacy announcements lack reliable data and other critical details.

Dubai also offers the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, which has been approved by Western regulators with an efficacy rate of about 95%. But given supply constraints, it’s available only to residents over 60 and those with chronic health conditions.

Dozens of residents hoping to get the Pfizer-BioNtech jab descended on Dubai’s World Trade Center on Thursday after a state-linked newspaper published a report saying the center accepted walk-ins regardless of age and other priority criteria. Some appeared ready to wait for hours even as Emirati health authorities in traditional dress tried to get them to leave.

Why Philadelphia Is The Must-Visit Destination For 2021

2021 Brings An Outdoor Version Of The Philadelphia Flower Show, Major Jasper Johns Exhibit, New Independence Mall Attraction & An Upgrade To Valley Forge National Historical Park Visitor Center

PHILADELPHIA – Good things happen in Philadelphia, according to Condé Nast Traveler, recently naming Philadelphia one of eight must-visit destinations in the world for 2021. The popular magazine joined Travel + Leisure, Esquire, Frommer’s and others in raving about Philadelphia recently. The takeaway? Philadelphia should be on travelers’ 2021 must-visit lists thanks to a slate of openings, expansions and first-ever happenings, along with its iconic history, vast open spaces, resilient restaurant scene, cool neighborhoods and diverse hotel offerings.

In 2021, Philadelphia will emerge from the pandemic with so much to look forward to. In May, Independence Mall will welcome its newest attraction: the Faith and Liberty Discovery Center. In June, the PHS Philadelphia Flower Show will move outdoors for the first time in its 192-year history. And in the fall, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, fresh off the unveiling of its Frank Gehry-designed renovation, will mount an exhibition of works by Jasper Johns, which will occur alongside a mirror exhibition at the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York City. Hotel openings include the city’s first W Hotel and a boutique property in a National Historic Landmark building, the Guild House Hotel.

“In 2021, there are potentially 120 million domestic trips up for grabs, and 10% of these trips are from residents who live in northeast drive markets*,” says Jeff Guaracino, president & CEO, VISIT PHILADELPHIA®. “Philadelphia is the perfect destination for first-time and repeat visitors eager to dip their toes back into travel. First off, it’s a town that’s easy to get to and easy to get around. Beyond that, it’s a classic but modern city filled with walkable neighborhoods, iconic attractions, green spaces galore, fun events, acclaimed hotels and some of the best chefs and restaurants in the U.S., many of which are James Beard Award winners.”

To make trips as easy as possible, visitors can book the Visit Philly Overnight Hotel Package, including free hotel parking and a buy-one-get-one offer on attraction tickets sold at the Independence Visitor Center. The package is available at more than 35 hotels through June 1, 2021. It is bookable at visitphilly.com/overnight.

Here’s a look at some of the major events, exhibits and openings taking place in Philadelphia in 2021. Find more information about these happenings and the latest on food, drink, retail and culture at visitphilly.com:

Attraction News:

Philadelphia’s attractions are as iconic as they come — think the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, the Rocky Statute and cheesesteaks, among others — making it a bucket-list destination for families, history buffs, movie fans, foodies and others. While a classic destination in every way, Philadelphia happily welcomes invention and reinvention, new and renewed, and that’s what these attractions will deliver in 2021.

The Franklin Institute – Philadelphia’s beloved science museum begins the year with a world-premiere exhibit: Crayola IDEAworks: The Creativity Exhibition, a state-of-the-art experience that helps guests hone problem-solving skills and fosters creativity. Visitors will put their creative skills to action by testing solutions to problems based on current scientific research, including designing a ball that works for astronauts in low gravity, building a sustainable neighborhood and restoring sea life to coral reefs. February 13-July 18, 2021.

Faith and Liberty Discovery Center – This $60 million, 40,000-square-foot immersive experience is the latest development in a decades-long transformation of Independence Mall. It will explore the nation’s founding tenets shared in the U.S. Constitution, Declaration of Independence and the Bible. The space will include interactive galleries, a 3-D theater and an education center. Among the highlighted Americans: civil rights and Baptist leader Dr. MartinLuther King Jr., Catholic anti-war activist Dorothy Day and Quaker William Penn, founder of colonial Philadelphia. The Center will also direct visitors to explore the Faith and Liberty Heritage Trail, including some of the nation’s early religious institutions such as Mother Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church, home to the denomination’s founding congregation, and Mikveh Israel, home to Philadelphia’s oldest and the nation’s second oldest Jewish congregation. May 1, 2021.

Please Touch Museum – This year, the Please Touch Museum debuts an all-new, 5,000-square-foot permanent gallery that seeks to inspire creativity by telling the story of innovation at the Centennial of 1876, which took place in Fairmount Park right outside of the museum. The gallery’s centerpiece will be a scale model of the Centennial exposition created by dozens of artisans in 1889 that depicts exactly how it looked on July 4, 1876. Spring 2021.

Valley Forge National Historical Park Visitor Center Renovation – The site of the 1777-78 winter encampment of the Continental Army under General George Washington, Valley Forge National Historical Park welcomes 2 million-plus visitors annually to explore its 3,600 acres of historic structures, objects and sprawling grounds. A gateway to Montgomery County, the welcome center hasn’t seen a significant upgrade since opening in 1976. In 2021, a four-year, $14 million upgrade project is expected to be complete with a full renovation of the official Visitor Center for Valley Forge and Montgomery County; a new five-part museum exhibit and film; and an expanded trail system with interpretive signage, a new shelter and overlook. Summer 2021. Philadelphia Museum of Art – In 2021, the Philadelphia Museum of Art’s much-anticipated Frank Gehry-designed master plan comes to fruition. Dramatic changes taking place inside the iconic building include the opening up of spaces not seen by the public for decades. Among the highlights: a soaring forum, with its inaugural installation of Terecita Fernandez’s Fire (United States of the Americas) (2017); 20,000 square feet of new gallery space to be filled with art that rethinks the story of Philadelphia and the nation; a renovated Lenfest Hall; views that show off the city skyline from inside the building; and an outdoor portico overlooking the Schuylkill River. Later in the year, the museum will partner with the Whitney Museum of American Art on simultaneous exhibitions of the work of Jasper Johns: Mind/Mirror, considered the country’s most significant living artist. Originally scheduled to show in 2020, the unprecedented collaboration will chronologically show paintings, sculpture, drawings, prints, books and costumes that mirror the other’s display, creating an immersive exhibition that itself, is a study in Johns’ fascination with reflections. Exhibit: September 29, 2021–February 13, 2022.

Popular Events Return:

Every year, the region’s events provide irresistible reasons for visitors to come to Philadelphia. That couldn’t be the case in 2020, but Philadelphia’s popular events, pro sports and live entertainment will return in 2021 — some with a new twist and some just as they’ve always been: awesome. Among them: Wawa Welcome America, the Penn Relays, Head of the Schuylkill Regatta and Philly Tech Week.

PHS Philadelphia Flower Show – The nation’s longest-running horticultural event is making history in 2021 by moving its show outdoors for the first time in its 192-year history. The 2021 show, themed “Habitat: Nature’s Masterpiece,” will use South Philadelphia’s expansive FDR Park as the setting for displays by the world’s premier floral and landscape designers. As always, the annual gardening celebration will feature top-of-the-line horticulture and landscape design, demonstrations, entertainment, themed nights and a marketplace. June 5-13, 2021. The Great Outdoors:

Philadelphia is a big city with easy access to sprawling parks, magnificent gardens and well-traversed trails, and never have these assets been more important than they were in 2020. Here’s a look at some upgrades coming to Philly’s great outdoors this year:

Indego Expansion – Philadelphia’s bike-share system recently announced a five-year expansion plan that will increase its fleet of bikes, expand its neighborhood reach and introduce electric bikes to the mix. The first part of the expansion comes in 2021, when Indego will add about 30 new stations, largely in West Philadelphia and South Philadelphia, and welcome 300 electric bikes to its offerings.

Delaware River Trail – Once completed in 2021, the central portion of the Delaware River Trail will run between Washington Avenue and Spring Garden Street on the east side of Columbus Boulevard. The multi-use trail will provide a protected lane for walkers, joggers and cyclists, as well as a link between waterfront destinations like Race Street Pier, Blue Cross RiverRink Summerfest and Winterfest, Spruce Street Harbor Park Sustained by Univest and Washington Avenue Pier. Key design features include a curb-separated, bi-directional asphalt bicycle path and separate pedestrian sidewalk, as well as new landscaping, pedestrian lighting and street furnishings. Fall 2021. Food & Drink:

Philadelphia’s restaurants showed serious resilience in 2020, pivoting to take-out food and drink, erecting elaborate pop-up spaces for outdoor dining and collaborating with friends in the business to thrive amid the pandemic. While several beloved restaurants closed both temporarily and permanently, others emerged onto the scene — a trend that will continue into 2021.

New Brewery Openings – Greater Philadelphia’s lengthy craft beer trail will soon grow even bigger with new breweries and expansions debuting in and beyond the city. Each drinking destination offers an experience that’s wholly different from the next. In 2021, look for Victory Brewing Company to open on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway; Cartesian Brewing to come to East Passyunk; Mystic Ways Brewing in Perkasie; and Aristaeus Craft Brewing Co. in Langhorne.

New Restaurant Openings – The Philly restaurant scene just keeps getting better and better — despite the toughest year on record for restaurants in 2020. Noteworthy additions on the way in 2021 include: Honeysuckle from chef and artist Omar Tate (Esquire magazine’s Chef of the Year); The Landing Kitchen and the Lark in Bala Cynwyd from chefs Nicholas Elmi (Laurel) and Fia Berisha (Aether); Lost Bread Cafe in Rittenhouse; Grace and Proper in the Italian Market from the team behind Hawthorne’s and The Cambridge; Lamberti Pizza & Market in Washington Square West; Bagels & Co. at the Piazza in Northern Liberties; and Lola’s Garden at Suburban Square in Ardmore from FCM Hospitality. Plus, watch for new locations of spots like DiBruno Bros. (Wayne) and Stove and Tap (West Chester), with much more in the works from Philadelphia’s intrepid restaurateurs later this year.

New Hotels:

From 2018 through 2020, the region added 25 hotels and nearly 4,000 rooms to its supply. The new additions are a mix of big-name brands, luxury properties, budget accommodations and small boutique hotels. Despite a rocky 2020, that growth will continue into 2021 as Philadelphia welcomes four new hotels to the scene.

Live! Casino & Hotel Philadelphia – A brand-new, 1.5 million-square-foot hotel and casino opens in South Philadelphia in early 2021. Conveniently located within walking distance to Lincoln Financial Field, Wells Fargo Center and Citizens Bank Park, Live! Casino & Hotel Philadelphia houses more than 200 upscale hotel rooms, plus more than 2,100 slots and electronic table games, a FanDuel® Sportsbook, and dining and entertainment venues. February 11, 2021.

Guild House Hotel – Just in time for Women’s History Month comes the grand opening of a boutique property in a National Historic Landmark building that belonged to — and will honor — a 19th-century working women’s advocacy and support group known as the New Century Guild. The rooms and suites — 12 in total — in the Midtown Village hotel are named after members of the Guild, which included notable abolitionists, suffragists, activists, poets and artists. Among them: Eliza Sproat Turner, a teacher, writer and New Century Guild founder; Florence Kelley, a founding member of the NAACP; and Emily Sartain, artist and director of the Philadelphia School of Design for Women (now Moore College of Art and Design). Amenities at the invisible service hotel include luxury bath and body products; specialty coffees, teas and chocolates; and customized itineraries, airport pickup and curated experiences upon request. March 2021.

W Philadelphia – Less than one block from iconic City Hall, this 295-room hotel will bring modern luxury with a stylish dose of Philly vibrancy and artistry. Among the amenities, including the FIT gym, the Living Room cocktail lounge and bar terrace, is a year-round heated pool — outdoor pool, that is. Sping 2021.

Element Philadelphia Hotel – Element’s largest global property opens in the very center of Center City, next door to its dual-branded property, the W Hotel Philadelphia. Element guests will enjoy a kitchen in every guest room or suite, a signature Westin Heavenly® bed, onsite Italian restaurant Dolce and both complimentary breakfast each morning and glass of wine or beer each evening. Spring 2021. *Source: Tourism Economics

On Greater Philadelphia’s official visitor website and blog, visitphilly.com and uwishunu.com, visitors can explore things to do, upcoming events, themed itineraries and hotel packages. Compelling photography and videos, interactive maps and detailed visitor information make the sites effective trip-planning tools. Along with Visit Philly social media channels, the online platforms communicate directly with consumers. Travelers can also call and stop into the Independence Visitor Center for additional information and tickets. 6th & Market Streets, (800) 537-7676

This Colorful Island Was Just Named Italy's Next Capital Of Culture

Procida, a colorful island off the coast of Naples, just became Italy’s Capital of Culture for 2022.

BY JESSICA POITEVIEN

Located in the Gulf of Naples, the tiny, stunningly colorful island of Procida has officially earned the title as Italy's Capital of Culture for 2022. Procida is the first island to win this designation since the award was started in 2014, Lonely Planet reports.

Italian Minister of Cultural Heritage Dario Franceschini made the announcement on Monday and congratulated Porcida for the achievement, saying, "It will accompany Italy in the year of its rebirth." Among the 10 finalists, Procida was the only island, Lonely Planet reports. Parma was Italy's Capital of Culture in 2020 and will continue its term throughout 2021. After Porcida takes over in 2022, it will hand off the honor to Bergamo and Brescia — two cities particularly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

When applying to become Italy's Capital of Culture, Procida's vision was titled la cultura non isola (culture doesn't isolate). It was this idea that played a major role in earning the island this coveted designation. According to a statement from the Capital of Culture Commission, Procida's vision "is capable of conveying a poetic message, a vision of culture that reaches out from the tiny reality of an island as a well-wish for all of us, for the country, in the months to come."

Procida's mayor, Raimondo Ambrosino, agrees, adding, "Procida can be considered a metaphor of many places, many administrations, many communities who have rediscovered the enthusiasm and pride for their territory."

Like many Mediterranean islands and coastal Italian towns, Procida is known for its colorful buildings and impressive sea views. The island has a population of only about 10,000 inhabitants, but its history dates all the way back to approximately the 15th century B.C.E.

For more information about the Italian Capital of Culture award and Procida, check out the Italy's Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities and Tourism: https://www.beniculturali.it/procida2022

Source: https://www.travelandleisure.com/culture-design/procida-island-italy-capital-culture-award

Volaris Connects Yucatán State And California With Four Weekly Mérida-Oakland Flights

Volaris Connects Yucatán State and California With Four Weekly Mérida-Oakland Flights Mérida’s International Airport Prepares to Offer On-site Covid-19 Testing as of Jan. 26

The state of Yucatán added a new international route on Jan. 18, when Volaris started operations of its Mérida, Yucatán (MID), to Oakland, California (OAK), route which will connect the two destinations four times a week. The carrier will fly Airbus A320 planes on the route, with arrivals in Mérida every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.

"We are very happy to be able to materialize what we announced at the end of last year with a new route to Oakland that now connects us with northern California and which, added to the route with Tijuana, will give us an outstanding presence in that important market,” said Michelle Fridman Hirsch, Minister of Tourism for the state of Yucatán. “Moreover, we are pleased that we were able to confirm the new route while maintaining the strict health and wellness standard we have set for all of our industry partners.”

Volaris is the first airline to apply for and receive the Ministry’s Certificate of Good Sanitary Practices, as well as the World Travel Council (WTTC) “Safe Travels” seal, aligning itself closely to the proactive work done by the state of Yucatan in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. Currently the Ministry of Tourism is working with local authorities to operate a testing facility at the Mérida airport which will be available by Jan. 26 to fulfill the testing requirements of the U.S. and Canada.

To date, Yucatán maintains a recovery of 70% in domestic routes and 81% with respect to the recovery of international seats. The flight to Oakland is a new international route to the destination and a firm step in the recovery of air connectivity, after the declaration of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020.

California is one of the most populous states in the U.S. and with one of the strongest economies in North America. According to reports from the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI), there are an estimated 180,000 Yucatecan migrants abroad, of which 87% are in the U.S. The three U.S. cities with the most Yucatecan residents — San Francisco, Los Angeles and Oakland — are all in California. Additionally, San Francisco and Oakland offer immense tourism and commercial potential for Yucatán in the medium and long term.

Travelore News: Concerns Grow Over Eurostar Rail Service Linking UK, EU

PARIS (AP) — The head of France’s state rail company has sounded the alarm over the future of the Eurostar train service, which connects the U.K. with continental Europe and has been hurt badly by the halt to travel during the pandemic as well as Brexit.

Jean-Pierre Farandou, the CEO of SNCF, which owns 55% of Eurostar, told France Inter radio on Tuesday that “the situation is very critical for Eurostar.”

Passenger numbers on the cross-Channel train service - which reaches U.K., France, Belgium and Holland - have been down 95% since March and are currently believed to be less than 1% of pre-pandemic levels.

It comes days after U.K. business leaders called for a British government rescue of the Channel Tunnel rail operator as border closures enforced to stop a highly contagious virus variant threatened to push the service toward the brink of collapse.

Farandou noted that “today, there is one round trip that runs between London and Paris, and one other that runs between London and Brussels-Amsterdam. And these trains are 10% full.”

Farandou is counting on government aid, as was provided for airlines, but is all too aware of how difficult it will be as there are multiple governments involved.

“We have to see how we manage to help this company in the way that airlines have been helped. It would not be unusual for Eurostar to receive aid to get through this bad patch.”

He said that SNCF has “already put money back into Eurostar’s capital to help,” and the company is in discussions with the French and British governments.

Eurostar has asked for access to the same secured loans as airlines, and a temporary reduction on track access charges it pays to use the U.K.’s only stretch of high-speed rail line.

It said in a statement that its situation was “very serious. Without additional funding from government there is a real risk to the survival of Eurostar, the green gateway to Europe.”

Eurostar CEO Jacques Damas has also said the company hopes the four countries it serves will coordinate regarding virus-linked restrictions on travel.

In November, Damas wrote to British Chancellor Rishi Sunak asking for assistance after the U.K. Treasury announced it would help struggling airports.

Businesses in Britain have appealed to the U.K. government to prop up Eurostar.

London First, which represents scores of large property, retail and tourism businesses in the capital, wrote to the government over the weekend urging the U.K. government not to let Eurostar “fall between the cracks of support” offered to airlines and domestic railways.

“Maintaining this international high-speed rail connection into the heart of London has never been more important,” the letter said. “Having left the European Union, we need to actively set out our stall as an attractive destination for people to live, work and play.

“Safeguarding the future of this connection to the continent should be a symbol of both our desire to build back better and our new cooperative relationship with our European neighbours.”

Britain’s Department for Transport said it recognized “the significant financial challenges” Eurostar faced because of the pandemic.

“We will continue to work closely with them as we support the safe restart and recovery of international travel,” it said.

What's New In The Dominican Republic For January 2021.

Dominican Republic’s Central Bank Reports Tourism Recovery Numbers | The Central Bank of the Dominican Republic reported a total of 1,011,224 tourist arrivals during the July-December period, of which 348,464 arrived in December, 100,000 more tourists than the country had initially estimated for the holiday season. These figures reflect significant improvement as well as a continuous trend towards the gradual recovery of the sector. www.mitur.gob.do

Punta Cana Property Officially Reopens | After temporarily closing due to COVID-19, Dreams Palm Beach Punta Cana resort officially reopened in December, completing AMResorts’ reopening of all of the company’s 11 resorts in the Dominican Republic. The all-inclusive, family-friendly resort features 500 rooms and suites in the heart of Bávaro in Punta Cana. The resort has reopened under AMResorts’ new CleanComplete Verification program of health and safety protocols. www.dreamsresorts.com

Whale Watching Season Begins | From January through Marchl in the Silver Bank and in Samaná Bay, wildlife and thrill-seeking enthusiasts can visit Dominican Republic to observe 2,000+ humpback whales that migrate to the Caribbean coast. Dominican Republic’s Silver Bank Sanctuary, situated one hour off the shores of Puerto Plata, is one of only two areas in the entire world where nature lovers can experience an in-water encounter with humpback whales. Tours are available in both Samaná Bay and Puerto Plata. www.godominicanrepublic.com

San Miguel De Allende Maintains Its ‘Health First’ Approach To Covid-19, 100% Hotel Occupancy During Holidays

SAN MIGUEL DE ALLENDE, Mexico — The Mexican colonial city of San Miguel de Allende had a highly successful holiday season, reporting 100% occupancy of the current 50% of existing hotel rooms available for booking. With more than 200,000 inhabitants, the city has recorded 1,800 total cases of Covid-19, one of the lowest number of cases in the country, with its government officials sticking to a “Health First” stance.

Access to San Miguel de Allende was closed from March to June 2020 to non-residents, sacrificing the local economy for the health and wellness of its residents. On May 25, the city launched its “Health First” certification, which is granted after local health and safety officials evaluate each location and certify compliance with sanitary protocols for reopening.

This was followed on July 2 with San Miguel de Allende receiving the World Travel and Tourism Council’s “Safe Travels” stamp. This was seen as an acknowledgement of the many sacrifices the city has made to contain the pandemic and ensure that all international requirements are met. Today, 245 hotels, 336 restaurants, seven spas and 20 tourist guides have been certified, reactivating the city’s tourism industry slowly and safely.

In August, restaurants, hotels and all establishments that operate a reservation system were required to complete an additional process to generate a QR code (square two-dimensional barcode) with which patrons were able to enter the city and thereby maintain a 50% occupancy in all establishments. Staff at every entry point to the city oversaw reading the codes and completion of a second questionnaire on the current health status of possible visitors before they were allowed into San Miguel de Allende.

Within city limits, disinfectant stations have placed along the streets and mask-wearing is mandatory. Those not complying are arrested. All city events in San Miguel de Allende have been suspended, including celebrations of the Day of the Dead, the Virgin of Guadalupe, Christmas and the New Year. Currently alcoholic beverages may only be sold within the hours of 8:00 p.m. to 10:30 p.m., and bars and restaurants are limited to 50% capacity. Hotels, too, continue to operate at 50% of potential capacity.

The city of San Miguel is also working with local medical facilities to be able to provide easy access to Covid-19 testing with hotels offering their own opportunities for guest. The following are the locations currently offering rapid testing.

HOSPITAL MAC SAN MIGUEL DE ALLENDE Address: Camino a Alcocer 12, Saltito de Guadalupe, 37745 San Miguel de Allende, Gto. Telephone: 415 150 3900 Web: https://hospitalesmac.com/unidadmedica/snmiguel.html

UNIMED SAN MIGUEL DE ALLENDE Located in: Plaza 4 Quince Address: Salida a Celaya No 3, Centro, 37700 San Miguel de Allende, Gto. Telephone: 415 120 0465 Web: https://unimedhs.negocio.site/

BIOTEC-LAB Address: Salida a Querétaro 187, Ignacio Ramirez, 37746 San Miguel de Allende, Gto. Telephone: 415 130 2144 Web: http://www.bioteclab.com.mx/

Laboratorio de análisis clínicos Bios-Lab Address: Hidalgo No.55, Centro. Telephone: 415 154 7322 Web: www.bios-lab.blogspot.mx/
Sedfar Address: Av. 1o. de Mayo No.110, Ignacio Ramirez Telephone: 415 688 2514 Web: www.sedfar.com.mx/english

Rodin Museum Sculpture Garden In Paris Reopens To Public

PARIS (AP) — There is a ray of light for Parisians who, like the rest of the French nation this weekend, begin to observe a tightened coronavirus curfew: The famous Rodin Museum sculpture gardens is reopening to visitors.

Though the rococo museum, showcasing the world’s largest collection of Rodin sculptures, remains closed, visitors are now able to enter the sculpture-filled surrounding gardens that overlooked the gold dome of Les Invalides monument. They had been shuttered since November and reopened Saturday.

Now, the pink viburnum is in bloom, and forsythia buds poke out between the bronze forms.

“It’s fantastic,” Matthew Cordell, an American resident of Paris, said Sunday. “It’s been a tough confinement ... We chose to live in Paris because we love the museums so it’s really nice to be able to get out and see some art.”

Others appreciated the setting, even if they were undecided by the artist himself.

“Coming back to culture is extremely important, even if I’m not exactly a Rodin fan,” visitor Philippe Boirel said Sunday.

Some of Rodin’s most famous sculptures like The Thinker, a towering contemplative bronze, can be seen there amid the greenery. Hidden in the thickets amid the strolling public, Orpheus tunes his lyre.

Tickets for the Musee Rodin at 77 rue de Varenne in Paris are six euros (about $7.25).

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Disneyland Ends Annual Passes 10 Months After Virus Closure

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Disneyland is ending its annual pass program 10 months after the theme park shut down because of the coronavirus pandemic, the theme park said Thursday.

The park in Anaheim, California, said it would begin issuing pro-rated refunds to eligible passholders.

“Due to the continued uncertainty of the pandemic and limitations around the reopening of our California theme parks, we will be issuing appropriate refunds for eligible Disneyland Resort Annual Passports and sunsetting the current program,” Ken Potrock, president of Disneyland Resort, said in a statement. He said the park will develop new membership offerings for when it can reopen.

Disney officials would not say how many people hold these passes or how much the move will cost the company.

The announcement comes the same week that Disneyland allowed county health officials to use its parking lot for a large-scale coronavirus vaccination site.

Disneyland closed in March and has not reopened since because coronavirus metrics in the county where the park is located have not declined to the levels required by the state.

California health officials have said large amusement parks like Disneyland can only reopen once transmission reaches minimal levels, and then park capacity will be limited to 25% and reservations required.

California has seen a surge in coronavirus cases in recent months that has prompted a shutdown of many businesses and nighttime curfews in much of the state.

2021 Philadelphia Flower Show Tickets Are On Sale Now!

PHILADELPHIA, PA – The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS) announced today that tickets to the 2021 Philadelphia Flower Show, June 5 – 13, are available for purchase at PHSonline.org. Attendees are asked to select their preferred date and session at the time of purchase. To allow for social distance protocols, a limited number of tickets will be available for each day and time segment. Early purchase is highly recommended.

The Philadelphia Flower Show, typically held each March at the Pennsylvania Convention Center, will be held outdoors for the first time in its history this summer at the historic Franklin Delano Roosevelt Park (FDR Park) in South Philadelphia. Given the pandemic, the move will allow PHS to present the Show safely, at the height of the gardening season and with the added health benefits of the outdoors. The central location, situated adjacent to the South Philadelphia Sports Complex, is accessible to major highways and mass transit. The Park features inspiring natural beauty and an expansive setting that also provides Show designers with an exciting new layout for creative expression and horticultural displays. Visitors will experience the Show through three distinct “Districts” that feature all manner of Plants, Design, and Gardening created for all skill levels.

The Flower Show "footprint” will span 15 acres of FDR Park’s 348 acres parallel to Pattison Avenue allowing the vast majority of FDR Park and its amenities to remain accessible to the public during the Flower Show dates. PHS is working closely with local community leaders and Philadelphia Parks and Recreation on Show planning.

“We are thrilled to be able to celebrate the outdoors and offer joy and beauty after a year that has been marked by so many challenges. This experience is a wonderful example of the enduring and combined power of green space, plants, and gardeners to create impact and inspiration,” said Sam Lemheney, PHS Chief of Shows & Events.

FDR Park, a registered historical district, was built to the design of Olmsted Brothers, the firm of Frederick Law Olmsted Jr. and John Charles Olmsted in the early 20th century. With walkable pathways, majestic trees and breathtaking views, FDR Park is an inspiring venue that contributes to the splendor that the Flower Show is known for.

2021 Philadelphia Flower Show Information

Public safety is a critical component for the upcoming Show and adherence to recommendations from the CDC and City/State health officials is paramount to Show planning. PHS will continue to work closely with health officials with updated guidance available at PHSonline.org.

Ticketing:

Attendees must reserve a date and time of visit for all tickets purchased. Tickets are limited. Early purchase is recommended.

Show admission, membership, special events, tours and packages are available for purchase via the PHS website and early purchase is recommended: PHSonline.org

PHS members enjoy special entry privileges. Members provide needed funds to advance PHS’s impact year-round through a variety of efforts that create health and wellness throughout the region. Membership includes a variety of ticket offers, such as ticket discounts or complimentary admission during special preview hours. To become a PHS member, visit: PHSonline.org/support-phs/membership

Location:

Franklin Delano Roosevelt Park 1500 Pattison Avenue & South Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19145

Show Dates and Hours:

Saturday, June 5: 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.

AM Entry: 8 a.m. – 1 p.m. PM Entry: 1 p.m. – 5 p.m. Sunday, June 6 – Sunday, June 13: 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.

AM Entry: 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. PM Entry: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m. Entry is prohibited within 30 minutes of Show closing each day.

Hotel Accommodations:

Special hotel discounts are available for The Flower Show. Please visit: https://reservations.arestravel.com/hotel/list/7016

U.S. To Require Negative COVID-19 Tests For Arriving International Air Passengers

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Nearly all air travelers will need to present a negative coronavirus test to enter the United States under expanded test testing requirements announced on Tuesday.

Under the rules taking effect Jan. 26, nearly all travelers including U.S. citizens must show a negative test within three days of departure or documentation of recovery from COVID-19, under an order signed by U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Robert Redfield.

All travelers aged 2 and older must comply except passengers who are only transiting through the United States. The CDC will also consider waivers of testing requirements for airlines flying to countries with little or no testing capacity, including some places in the Caribbean.

The order dramatically broadens a requirement imposed on Dec. 28 for travelers arriving from the UK as a more transmissible variant of the virus circulated there.

In an interview, Marty Cetron, director of CDC’s global migration and quarantine division, said, “We to have really up the ante... We have to take these mutations seriously.”

Canada imposed similar rules for nearly all international arrivals starting Jan. 7, as have many other countries.

The CDC confirmed last week it had circulated a proposal to expand the testing requirement after discussing the idea for weeks. Some senior White House officials opposed it, and officials briefed on the matter said last week that U.S. public health officials had essentially given up winning approval until President-elect Joe Biden took office.

At a White House meeting on Monday, Redfield again made an urgent case to adopt the testing requirements, people briefed on the meeting said. He raised concerns that vaccines could potentially not be effective against virus variants.

Airlines for America, an industry trade group, praised the testing plan. Airlines had also wanted a ban to be dropped on most non-U.S. visitors who have recently been in Brazil and most of Europe, but the White House opted not to end it.

Cetron said the entry restrictions should “be actively reconsidered.”

Cetron confirmed the CDC has discussed the idea of expanding the testing requirement to domestic U.S. flights but emphasized the new order only applies to international flights.

Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Chris Reese, Dan Grebler and Cynthia Osterman

US Triples Daily Numbers Allowed At Southwest Hike The Wave

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Outdoor enthusiasts and landscape photographers hoping to land one of the elusive permits needed to explore the colorful, contoured landscape of a hike called The Wave in the U.S. Southwest will have a better chance under a federal plan announced Monday that allows more than three times the previous number of daily visitors.

The plan takes effect Feb. 1 and will allow 64 people per day to hike the popular rock formation near the Utah-Arizona border, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management said in a news release. That is up from the previous limit of 20 people per day, which had been in place for two decades.

Conservation groups decried the decision as a mistake that will damage the fragile desert landscape and cut into the solitude of hikers’ experience.

Fueled by a rise in selfies and pictures shared on social media, requests to do the hike more than doubled over the last seven years, to 215,500 through November 2020, when less than 4% who applied were approved for permits through online and in-person lotteries, government figures show.

Bureau of Land Management officials called it a balance between providing more access to the iconic trail while preserving the landscape.

Officials heard a steady chorus of complaints from people about how difficult it was to get chosen, leading the Bureau of Land Management to reexamine the limit, said Michael Herder, the bureau’s district manager in the Arizona strip. Their analysis determined more people may mean more trash but won’t notably accelerate erosion of the sandstone, Herder said.

The plan allows the agency to increase the daily number up to 96 if they determine the trail can handle it or decrease it below 64 if the new rule leads to negative effects, he said. Herder, who called the figure they chose a good place to start, and other government officials are excited more people will be able to experience the geological wonder.

The Wave’s wide, sloping basin of searing reds, oranges and yellows in the Vermilion Cliffs National Monument is one of the most photographed landscapes in North America. Visitors must make a 6-mile (9.5-kilometer) round-trip hike through tall sandstone buttes and sagebrush to get to the red rock formation.

“It is absolutely amazing,” Herder said. “It is absolutely gorgeous red rock formations. It is really incredible geologic formations. It’s all sculpted by erosive elements in the environment.”

The decision will mar the unique landscape for future generations as hikers damage the delicate sandstone, said Taylor McKinnon, a senior campaigner with the Center for Biological Diversity. Visitors also won’t enjoy the same solitude that the previous daily limit provided, he said.

“It is going to damage the unique geology there. There are going to be bigger crowds. It is going to be harder to get a picture without somebody else in it,” McKinnon said. “It really reflects the Trump administration’s general disdain for preserving the quality and ecological health of America’s public lands.”

President Donald Trump’s administration has removed protections for millions of miles of waterways and wetlands, narrowed protections for wildlife facing extinction and opened more of the hundreds of millions of acres of public land to oil and gas drilling.

The Center for Biological Diversity plans to consider a lawsuit to challenge the decision, McKinnon said. He is also hopeful President-elect Joe Biden’s administration will reverse course.

said solitude can still be found in surrounding areas near the hike and contended that many visitors feel more comfortable and safer with more people on the trail.

There was a trio of deaths at the Wave in 2013, after which the agency posted new trailhead signs and safety warnings. In 2019, a Belgian man died from heat exhaustion after getting lost on the trail.
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This story has been corrected to show that the federal government says there were 215,500 requests made through November 2020, not 191,000 in 2020 as it originally reported.

Saving Some Favorite NYC Places Through Online Campaigns

NEW YORK (AP) — The boarded up windows and For Rent signs are all over the place in Manhattan’s Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood, where restaurants are closed and businesses shuttered. Nearby, the Broadway theaters are all dark.

But the economic darkness brought on by the coronavirus pandemic has had a few bright spots: A couple of well-loved venues have received financial boosts to help them make it through, thanks to online fundraising campaigns and even a telethon.

Married couple Tom and Michael D’Angora, who live in Hell’s Kitchen, first started a GoFundMe campaign on behalf of the West Bank Cafe/Laurie Beechman Theater.

It raised more than $340,000 after a streaming telethon that included performances by many of the Broadway actors and singers who frequent the West Bank Cafe.

“I’ve spent some of my most delicious, my most insouciant, my most important times right here,” celebrated veteran actor Andre De Shields, who was performing in “Hadestown” before the virus hit, said during the telethon, before handing venue owner Steve Olsen a check. “We don’t want this lovely piece of heaven on earth to ever go away.”

“We were a couple of weeks from really running out of money, and going out of business,” Olsen said prior to the campaign.

But now, he’s optimistic the venue he opened in 1978 can stay open until indoor dining and live performances return to the city.

Since then, the D’Angoras have started another campaign for jazz club Birdland, raising over $180,000. Owner Gianni Valenti predicted he would be able to stay open until the pandemic is over.

It’s “very heartwarming to see the response we’ve had,” Valenti said.

“I read through the list of people and I just love the fact that they care about Birdland, about the music and about what it means to New York that we all keep it going and hopefully down the road we’re back to normal,” he said.