In Time For Summer, Europe Sees Dramatic Fall In Virus Cases

ROME (AP) — When Italy won the Eurovision Song Contest with an over-the-top glam-rock performance, the victory signaled more than just a psychological boost for one of the countries hardest hit by COVID-19: Held before a live, indoor audience of 3,500, the annual kitsch fest confirmed that Europe was returning to a semblance of normalcy that was unthinkable even a few weeks ago.

Coronavirus infections, hospitalizations and deaths are plummeting across the continent, after Europe led the world in new cases last fall and winter in waves that cost hundreds of thousands of lives, forced more rolling lockdowns and overwhelmed intensive care units.

Now, vaccination rates are accelerating across Europe, and with them, the promise of summer vacations on Ibiza, Crete or Corsica. There are hopes for a rebirth of a tourism industry that in Spain and Italy alone accounts for 13% of gross domestic product but was wiped out by the pandemic.

“We don’t speak of 2020. We speak of from today onward,” said Guglielmo Miani, president of Milan’s Montenapoleone luxury shopping district, where European and American tourists have started trickling back, wooed in part by in-person meetups with design teams and free breakfasts at iconic cafes. The hope is that Asian tourists will follow next year.

Europe saw the largest decline in new COVID-19 infections and deaths this week compared with any other region, while also reporting about 44% of adults had received at least one dose of vaccine, according to the World Health Organization and European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.

Europe’s seven-day rolling average for new cases per 100,000 people had been higher than any other region from mid-October through the beginning of December, ceding the unwanted top spot to the Americas over the new year before reclaiming it from early February through April, according to an Associated Press analysis of data from Johns Hopkins University.

Coronavirus infections plummet across Europe

Now, no European country is among the top 10 for new cases per 100,000 people. And only Georgia, Lithuania and Sweden are in the top 20.

But the virus is spiking in Southeast Asia and much of Latin America and hitting the Maldives and Seychelles particularly hard this week. Dr. Michael Ryan, WHO’s chief of emergencies, warned that with the global situation still “fragile and volatile,” Europe is by no means out of the woods.

“Relaxing measures prematurely has contributed to the surge we have seen throughout 2020 and during the first quarter of 2021,” he warned. “We must stay the course while striving to increase vaccination coverage.”
By NICOLE WINFIELD, FRANK JORDANS and COLLEEN BARRY

Egypt Bets On Ancient Finds To Pull Tourism Out Of Pandemic

CAIRO (AP) — Workers dig and ferry wheelbarrows laden with sand to open a new shaft at a bustling archaeological site outside of Cairo, while a handful of Egyptian archaeologists supervise from garden chairs. The dig is at the foot of the Step Pyramid of Djoser, arguably the world’s oldest pyramid, and is one of many recent excavations that are yielding troves of ancient artifacts from the country’s largest archaeological site.

As some European countries re-open to international tourists, Egypt has already been trying for months to attract them to its archaeological sites and museums. Officials are betting that the new ancient discoveries will set it apart on the mid- and post-pandemic tourism market. They need visitors to come back in force to inject cash into the tourism industry, a pillar of the economy.

But like countries elsewhere, Egypt continues to battle the coronavirus, and is struggling to get its people vaccinated. The country has, up until now, received only 5 million vaccines for its population of 100 million people, according to its Health Ministry. In early May, the government announced that 1 million people had been vaccinated, though that number is believed to be higher now.

In the meantime, authorities have kept the publicity machine running, focused on the new discoveries.

In November, archaeologists announced the discovery of at least 100 ancient coffins dating back to the Pharaonic Late Period and Greco-Ptolemaic era, along with 40 gilded statues found 2,500 years after they were first buried. That came a month after the discovery of 57 other coffins at the same site, the necropolis of Saqqara that includes the step pyramid.

“Saqqara is a treasure,” said Tourism and Antiquities Minister Khaled el-Anany while announcing the November discovery, estimating that only 1% of what the site contains has been unearthed so far.

“Our problem now is that we don’t know how we can possibly wow the world after this,” he said.

If they don’t, it certainly won’t be for lack of trying.

In April, Zahi Hawass, Egypt’s best-known archaeologist, announced the discovery of a 3,000-year-old lost city in southern Luxor, complete with mud brick houses, artifacts and tools from pharaonic times. It dates back to Amenhotep III of the 18th dynasty, whose reign (1390–1353 B.C.) is considered a golden era for ancient Egypt.

That discovery was followed by a made-for-TV parade celebrating the transport of 22 of the country’s prized royal mummies from central Cairo to their new resting place in a massive facility farther south in the capital, the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization.

The Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh is now home to an archaeological museum, as is Cairo’s International Airport, both opened in recent months. And officials have also said they still plan to open the massive new Grand Egyptian Museum next to the Giza Pyramids by January, after years of delays. Entrance fees for archeological sites have been lowered, as has the cost of tourist visas.

The government has for years played up its ancient history as a selling point, as part of a yearslong effort to revive the country’s battered tourism industry. It was badly hit during and after the popular uprising that toppled longtime autocrat Hosni Mubarak and the ensuring unrest. The coronavirus dealt it a similar blow, just as it was getting back on its feet.

In 2019, foreign tourism’s revenue stood at $13 billion. Egypt received some 13.1 million foreign tourists — reaching pre-2011 levels for the first time. But in 2020, it greeted only 3.5 million foreign tourists, according to the minister el-Anany.

At the newly opened National Museum of Egyptian Civilization, Mahmoud el-Rays, a tour guide, was leading a small group of European tourists at the hall housing the royal mummies.

“2019 was a fantastic year,” he said. “But corona reversed everything. It is a massive blow.”

Tourism traffic strengthened in the first months of 2021, el-Anany, the minister, told The Associated Press in a recent interview, though he did not give specific figures. He was optimistic that more would continue to come year-round.

“Egypt is a perfect destination for post-COVID in that our tourism is really an open-air tourism,” he said.

But it remains to be seen if the country truly has the virus under control. It has recorded a total of 14,950 deaths from the virus and is still seeing more than a thousand new cases daily. Like other countries, the real numbers are believed to be much higher. In Egypt, though, authorities have arrested doctors and silenced critics who questioned the government’s response, so there are fears that information on the true cost of the virus may have been suppressed from the beginning.

Egypt also had a trying experience early on in the pandemic, when it saw a coronavirus outbreak on one of its Nile River cruise boats. It first closed its borders completely until the summer of 2020, but later welcomed tourists back, first to Red-Sea resort towns and now to the heart of the country — Cairo and the Nile River Valley that hosts most of its famous archaeological sites. Visitors still require a negative COVID-19 test result to enter the country.

In a further cause for optimism, Russia said in April that it plans to resume direct flights to Egypt’s Red Sea resort towns. Moscow stopped the flights after the local Islamic State affiliate bombed a Russian airliner over the Sinai Peninsula in October 2015, killing all on board.

Amanda, a 36-year-old engineer from Austria, returned to Egypt in May. It was her second visit in four years. She visited the Egyptian Museum, the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization and Islamic Cairo, in the capital’s historic center.

She had planned to come last year, but the pandemic interfered.

“Once they opened, I came,” she said. “It was my dream to see the Pyramids again.”

El-Rays, the tour guide, says that while he’s seeing tourists starting to come in larger numbers, he knows a full recovery will not happen overnight.

“It will take some time to return to before corona,” he said.

One Of Paris's Oldest Museums Is Reopening After A 5-year Closure And Major Renovations

The Musée Carnavalet in Paris is dedicated to documenting the city's history with an eclectic mixture of artifacts.

A trip to Paris is incomplete without a stop at the Louvre, but this iconic museum isn't the only one worth visiting in the City of Lights. After a five-year closure and €58 million renovation, the Musée Carnavalet is finally set to welcome visitors again starting May 29 — just in time for France's reopening to international tourists on June 9.

Opened in 1880, Musée Carnavalet is one of the oldest in Paris and an often-overlooked gem dedicated to recording the city's history. Set inside two neighboring mansions, the museum takes visitors through time with an eclectic mix of artifacts, including paintings, sculptures, and some of Marie Antoinette's belongings. From the Mesolithic period (9600-6000 BCE) to the 21st century, everything in Musée Carnavalet is presented in chronological order — a welcome change that came with the renovations, Lonely Planet reports.

Musée Carnavalet closed in 2016 after the collection had grown so large that curators could not find a way to present all of the information in a layout that would make sense for visitors. But with the renovations, which were completed in part with the help of François Châtillon, chief architect for France's historical monuments, the museum is reopening with a reimagined, more modern experience.

Other updates include the addition of ramps and lifts that make the space more accessible, as well as the lowering of over 10% of the museum's exhibits — including paintings, sculptures, posters, photos, and artifacts — so children can easily enjoy them, too. Digital displays have also been introduced for a touch of modernity, while the basement — the oldest part of the museum — has been fully renovated and now houses the Mesolithic and Renaissance exhibits.

Visitors can also expect to start their experience in the two new introductory rooms, and when they find themselves in need of refreshments, they can head to the new restaurant overlooking the gardens.

Entrance to the permanent collection of the Musée Carnavalet is free. Admission will be charged for temporary exhibitions. The museum opens on May 29, and booking a time-stamped ticket is mandatory.

For more information, please visit: https://www.carnavalet.paris.fr/musee-carnavalet

BY JESSICA POITEVIEN

Source: https://www.travelandleisure.com/

Summer Travel Forecast Calls For Longer Waits, Fewer Choices

After a year of coronavirus lockdowns, the start of summer beckons with vacation plans made possible by relaxed COVID-19 restrictions. But a severe worker shortage brings a warning for travelers: Expect delays and pack a little patience.

Lifeguards and hotel housekeepers are in short supply. So are rental cars. And don’t count on having a fruity cocktail at the hotel Tiki bar.

The labor shortage is hitting the nation’s tourist destinations just as they try to rebound from a year lost to the pandemic, where periodic surges in cases and lockdowns had Americans sticking close to home. Now, with more than half of adults vaccinated, Americans are ready to venture out with the traditional start of summer travel.

But the staffing issues threaten to derail the travel industry’s recovery. Travelers can expect fewer menu choices at restaurants, lengthy check-in lines at hotels and airports, and fewer rides and food stands at theme parks.

Some hotels aren’t filling all of their rooms or changing the sheets as often because they don’t have enough housekeepers. Six of the most popular national parks — including Yosemite, Rocky Mountain, Acadia and Zion — will require advance reservations for many visitors to allow for social distancing.

“This is nothing like we’ve ever seen before,” said Michelle Woodhull, president of Charming Inns, which includes four small hotels and a fine dining restaurant in Charleston, South Carolina.

The company has limited room reservations by 20 percent during some weeks and reduced seating at the restaurant, said Woodhull, who recently fielded a complaint from a customer who couldn’t get a table for four weeks.

“Unfortunately, that is a reality,” she said, adding that it’s better than delivering poor service. “What business wants to turn away business, especially after the year we’ve had?”

Still, the tourism industry is showing signs of coming back. Airline executives say domestic leisure travel is at pre-pandemic levels, and the number of people passing through U.S. airports daily is likely to top 2 million before the week is over — the first time that has happened since early March 2020.

Air travelers planning to rent a car during the Memorial Day weekend might be out of luck. Rental cars are scarce, and they are pricey — the average cost has roughly doubled from a year ago, according to government figures.

The AAA auto club forecasts that 37 million Americans will travel at least 50 miles from home over the upcoming holiday, a 60% increase over last year. But if AAA is right about this weekend, that will mean 6 million fewer people traveling than over the same holiday in 2019.

The reasons behind the worker shortage are hotly debated. Many employers blame the federal government’s extra $300-per-week in unemployment aid. But plenty of hospitality workers who abruptly lost their jobs a year ago have moved on to new careers and aren’t coming back.

Some employers in the hospitality industry want to hire new workers at lower wages instead of recalling laid-off employees, said D. Taylor, president of the hotel, gaming and airport workers union Unite Here.

Big hotel chains are considering eliminating housekeeping and guest-services jobs, and casinos are moving to cut jobs in food and beverage, he told a congressional subcommittee this week.

“That’s bad for customers, but it’s also bad for workers and communities because housekeepers, cooks, servers — that’s the backbone of the service economy,” Taylor said.

A survey of 4,000 travel and tourism workers earlier this year showed that many found jobs with higher pay and predictable schedules and more plan on leaving the industry soon, said Peter Ricci, director of Florida Atlantic University’s hospitality and tourism management program.

The travel sector as a whole, he said, faces a moment of change and will need to offer better wages and benefits and rethink how it treats employees.

“It’s time for our industry to wake up and see that’s an important thing. We have a shortage for a reason,” said Cathy Balestriere, general manager of Crane’s Beach House, a boutique hotel in Delray Beach, Florida.

She has managed to keep most of her staff and brought in outside workers to provide massages and yoga, but the hotel is not offering breakfast, and the poolside Tiki bar is closed because there’s no one to serve drinks. Managers and maintenance staff have pitched in with housekeeping duties.

Maine’s biggest amusement park, Funtown Splashtown USA, which opens Memorial Day weekend, is scaling back hours and operating only five days a week because it cannot find enough workers.

The park in Saco, Maine, still needs lifeguards, ride operators and cleanup crews despite offering wage increases and four season passes for summer hires. The reduced number of international students is another problem for the largest seasonal employer in the state.

Raj Kapoor, who manages a popular food court on the Belmar, New Jersey, oceanfront, has hired 14 people for the summer, but he could still use eight to 10 more to scoop ice cream, roll burritos and sell sodas, milkshakes and candy.

The labor shortage has affected his business in other, less obvious ways. A shipment of soda that was promised the next day took a week and a half to arrive because the distributor did not have enough delivery drivers.

Diners in tourist hot spots shouldn’t be surprised when they find restaurants with limited hours, streamlined menus and some seating sections closed, even when there’s a wait for tables, said Barry Gutin, co-owner of the Cuba Libre restaurant chain on the East Coast.

To attract workers and help them get ahead, they’ve raised wages and gone as far as offering English and Spanish language courses and personal finance training. But hiring has still been a challenge. Their location in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, is only open for dinner right now — not even for takeout or delivery.

“We’re protecting the guest experience by not over-seating,” he said. “We’re hoping they understand things are a little different than pre-pandemic.”

Regardless of destination, travelers should make sure to call ahead and be ready to change plans at a moment’s notice.

Jamie Goble had been set to fly to Ohio from her home in Waco, Texas, to join her family for three days next week at Cedar Point amusement park, where they planned to celebrate her nephew’s high school graduation.

But nine days before her flight, the park announced last week that it would be closed two days a week for most of the month because of staffing shortages.

“Not just the park, the hotel too,” she said. “So we were out of a place to stay. It’s all understandable, but we thought they had things figured out.”

Instead, they quickly shifted plans to ride roller coasters at Dollywood in Tennessee and go hiking at Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
___
By JOHN SEEWER

Associated Press writers David Koenig in Dallas, Wayne Parry in Belmar, New Jersey, and David Sharp in Portland, Maine, contributed to this report.

UAE And Israel Press Ahead With Ties After Gaza Cease-Fire

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Israel’s top diplomat to the United Arab Emirates attended a ceremony in Dubai on the grounds of the Arabian Peninsula’s first permanent exhibition to commemorate the Holocaust. Hours earlier, he’d attended an event establishing a joint venture between an Israeli and Emirati company.

The receptions on Wednesday were the clearest indication since a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip came into effect last week that the devastating 11-day war between Hamas and Israel and the violence that gripped Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa Mosque in the days preceding it have had no visible impact on the UAE’s commitment to establishing deep ties with the state of Israel.

“What we see here is the exact opposite of what we see in Gaza... What we see here in the whole normalization process is a departure from the past,” Israeli Ambassador Eitan Na’eh said.

The violence, which erupted in the final days of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, angered citizens across Gulf Arab states, some of whom expressed support for Palestinians and opposition to Israel on social media or in limited street protests.

The UAE government and its top officials publicly expressed concern over the violence in east Jerusalem and condemned the storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque compound by Israeli security forces, as well as Jewish settler efforts to evict Palestinian families from their homes in the city’s Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood.

It signaled a rare rebuke of Israel by the UAE since the two countries agreed to normalize relations last year. Some questioned whether the UAE would pause or halt the momentum of its strategic relationship with Israel, which included launching direct flights, cooperating on intelligence sharing, welcoming tens of thousands of Israeli tourists, investing in the Israeli gas sector and announcing a $10 billion investment fund for a range of Israeli sectors.

After the violence in Jerusalem escalated into a war between Israel and Hamas on May 10 with Gaza’s ruling militant Hamas group firing rockets on Israel, the UAE muted its direct criticism of Israel and instead issued a statement calling on “all parties” to cease fighting. Hamas is an offshoot of the Muslim Brotherhood movement, which the UAE views as a threat.

When asked about the nature of conversations with Emirati officials during the entirety of the recent conflict, Ambassador Na’eh — who is posted in Abu Dhabi — said the people he’d spoken with “showed a lot of understanding and curiosity.”

There “was no tension” in the conversations, he said. “To our ears, the UAE has called for the cessation of killing on both sides. They were mourning the death on both sides.”

Na’eh spoke to The Associated Press from an open-air courtyard of the “Crossroads of Civilization,” a privately-funded museum in Dubai that was hosting an event showcasing its Holocaust exhibition. The museum’s founder is Ahmed Almansoori, a prominent Emirati figure who said the museum grounds were bestowed by Dubai ruler and UAE Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

The event, attended by Jews, Israelis, the German ambassador to the UAE and others, included a solemn hymn of a Jewish prayer in Arabic for those departed. Young Jewish children took part in a candle lighting.

The event focused on remembrance of the horrors of the Holocaust, the lessons to be learned from it and the importance of recognizing attempts at ethnic cleansing can happen and have happened since.

As guests exited, joint Israeli-Emirati flag lapel pins were being sold for 20 dirhams (around $5). A large piece of artwork in the courtyard depicted an Emirati man in traditional garb with his arm on the shoulder of an Israeli as they laughed and shared coffee under the word “cousins” written in Arabic and Hebrew.

How Vaccine Passports For Global Travel Will Work

LONDON (AP) — Boarding pass, suitcase, passport and ... digital vaccination certificate?

Keen to avoid losing another summer of holiday revenue to the coronavirus pandemic, the European Union, some Asian governments and the airline industry are scrambling to develop so-called COVID-19 vaccine passports to help kickstart international travel.

They’re working on systems that would allow travelers to use mobile phone apps to prove they’ve been vaccinated, which could help them avoid onerous quarantine requirements at their destinations.

But the multiple efforts underscore the lack of one central international system to electronically verify vaccination status. The projects also face technical challenges in working together, while questions about privacy and vaccine inequality linger.

Vaccination passports would add another digital layer to the multitude of existing coronavirus health and contact tracing apps many countries and U.S. states have rolled out. Their use domestically to reopen local economies has been hotly debated, with many opposed to requiring them for pubs, concerts and sporting events. However, there’s more momentum to use them for international travel, especially as countries like Iceland open their borders to vaccinated visitors and others like Saudi Arabia start allowing vaccinated citizens to travel abroad. The EU’s decision last week to open its borders to fully vaccinated travelers adds even more urgency.

Here’s a look at how vaccine passports work:

OFFICIAL EFFORTS

The first part of a vaccination passport is the user’s official or approved electronic immunization record.

The European Union, China and Japan are all working on their own digital vaccination certificates for cross-border travel. The U.K., meanwhile, updated its National Health Service app last week to let fully vaccinated users prove their status when traveling abroad, coinciding with an easing of travel rules.

Testing is under way for the EU’s digital certificate, which will also confirm COVID-19 test results or recovery from the virus and is set to go live by the end of June, allowing residents to reunite with friends and relatives living across 30 European countries. It’s still unclear where and how exactly travelers in the EU, which doesn’t have internal border checkpoints, will have their certificates checked. Officials in Brussels say that will be up to individual countries. The idea is that travelers will flash a QR code on their phones so it can be scanned at, say, an airport or train station, using an official verification app that checks with national databases, via an EU technical “gateway.”

The World Health Organization doesn’t recommend vaccination proof as a requirement for international travel, citing unequal distribution of vaccines, even as it consults on interim guidance for developing a “Smart Vaccination Certificate.”

TRAVEL APPS

Travelers also need a smartphone app to carry any eventual official vaccination certificates.

The EU’s project includes open source technology European countries can use to build their own official mobile wallets.

The International Air Transport Association, an airline industry group, has its smartphone IATA Travel Pass, which airlines including Qantas, Japan Airlines, Emirates, British Airways and Virgin Atlantic have signed up to. A rival effort, the nonprofit CommonPass, has gained traction with carriers like Cathay Pacific, JetBlue, United and Lufthansa.

Travelers can already use the apps to verify that their COVID-19 test results are accepted at their destination. Travel Pass and CommonPass are so far only available to travelers on airlines that are using them. Both can also be integrated into airline travel apps so users can verify their vaccine status when they check in online. Both are also expected to work with the EU certificates. CommonPass says users will be able to import vaccine credentials by mid-June.

Amid a pandemic-dimmed travel outlook, CommonPass CEO Paul Meyer said vaccine passports will only become more widespread. “Our expectation is it will remain a requirement for international travel.”

WHAT TRAVELERS WANT

Business travelers like British public relations executive Richard Fogg welcome vaccine passports. Fogg’s firm scaled back plans to attend a major telecom trade show in Barcelona next month, given quarantine rules for people returning to the U.K.

“Those 10 days of quarantine will have negative business implications – there’s no way around it,” Fogg said, while acknowledging tradeoffs including concerns about data privacy.

Eymeric Segard, CEO of Geneva-based private jet broker Lunajets, noted travelers already hand over passports with personal data on arrival.

“Personally, you know, I would be happy to tell anybody, yes, I am vaccinated or no I’m not vaccinated,” he said, adding that vaccine passports would help avoid the “logistical nightmare” of multiple COVID-19 tests Europeans face when visiting other EU countries.

WHAT ABOUT FAKES?

Phony paper COVID-19 document s sold by fraudsters have been a problem during the pandemic but developers say digital versions have safeguards that make them hard to fake.

IATA says it doesn’t verify test results or vaccination status but acts as the conduit for registered labs to securely send those details to travelers whose identity the app can match to the person who took the test or vaccination. The app scans a traveler’s face using the phone camera and matches it to passport biometric details, and there are checks to prevent someone else using their identity.

SECURITY AND PRIVACY

Vaccination passports are a polarizing topic, with online discussion highlighting unfounded fears that they’ll be used to control people, restrict freedom and erode privacy. Developers stress that minimal personal data is kept on phones, and the only thing that gets transmitted are encryption keys allowing information to be exchanged securely.

“If done correctly, this doesn’t bring an additional level of privacy risk because you’re just putting in a credential status of yes or no,” said Kevin Trilli, chief product officer at ID verification company Onfido, which is working on vaccination cards technology.

There’s also the question of how well various vaccine credential systems will work together and whether countries will recognize each others’ certificates. The U.K. government has warned that not many countries currently accept proof of vaccination from travelers.

“You can’t have an interoperable system on day zero,” but over time the kinks will be worked out, which helps lay the groundwork for the next pandemic, Trilli said.

What about people who don’t have smartphones? Or families that don’t have a device for each member? IATA and EU officials say they’re are working on solutions, including paper-based options.

New $1.7B Los Angeles International Airport Concourse Opens

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A massive new $1.73 billion concourse with 15 gates opened Monday at Los Angeles International Airport.

Known as West Gates, it will serve both international and domestic flights.

“This is a big day in a big city that’s building out a big new infrastructure,” Mayor Eric Garcetti said during an opening ceremony.

The 4½-year construction project was part of a $14.5 billion airport modernization project.

Located just west of the Tom Bradley International Terminal, the five-level, 750,000-square-foot (69,677-square-meter) West Gates concourse is 1,700 feet (518 meters) long.

Officials said it is based around a digitally based travel experience, including biometric boarding gates, thousands of places to plug in and access wireless internet — with 5G later this year — and touchscreen kiosks.

There are two nursing rooms, three play areas for children and a relief area for service animals.

The airport described the West Gates’ baggage handling and boarding system as the most advanced in the U.S.

The airport improvement project involves all of the airport’s passenger terminals. New facilities include an automated people mover train, a consolidated rental car facility and a parking structure for 4,300 vehicles.

And a new metro station will at long last connect the airport to Los Angeles County’s light rail system.

American Airlines Customers Can Now Choose Vaccine Verification Option in VeriFLY

VeriFLY expands app’s capabilities to include COVID-19 vaccination verification, starting with the Bahamas, El Salvador and Guatemala

Customers using VeriFLY can use expedited check-in lanes at most U.S. hub airports

As more countries and destinations move to require proof of a coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccination for travelers, American Airlines is working with mobile health partner Daon and its app VeriFLY to help customers verify they are vaccinated and ready to fly before they even step foot in an airport. Customers using the VeriFLY app now have the option to securely upload their vaccine documentation for travel to the Bahamas, El Salvador and Guatemala.

“VeriFLY gives customers peace of mind that they can meet their destination’s travel requirements and save significant time at the airport,” said Julie Rath, Vice President of Customer Experience at American. “As countries reopen to those who have been vaccinated, we are ready with VeriFLY to help our customers travel with confidence.”

For travel to the Bahamas, El Salvador and Guatemala, customers can upload a photo of both sides of their COVID-19 vaccine record into the app. The VeriFLY team will review that all documentation meets the destination requirements.

The VeriFLY app simplifies travel by allowing customers to enter their origin and destination and guiding them through the necessary travel requirements. Customers can upload documentation of their fulfilled requirements directly to the app, which then validates that the documents match a country’s requirements, and displays a simple pass or fail message. This simple message streamlines the check-in and document verification process at the airport before departure. The app also provides travelers with reminders when their travel window is coming to a close or once their pass credential has expired.

As countries continue to set standards for COVID-19 vaccination requirements, VeriFLY will integrate those standards into its verification processes to simplify the customer’s journey and provide peace of mind that they met their destination’s requirements. Customers can download the app for free from the iOS App Store or Google Play Store. VeriFLY is the airline industry’s most widely adopted mobile health passport, helping customers flying on American and its partners — Aer Lingus, Alaska Airlines British Airways, Iberia, Japan Air Lines, and Qantas — travel to more than 60 countries and 280 destinations.

American Airlines does not require vaccination for travel. In some cases, as with required visas or other immunizations, a customer may be required by a local destination to have proof of a COVID-19 immunization. American will confirm the customer has documents required by their destination’s local government before they board the plane.

Viking Announces July 2021 Restart Of European River Sailings

“Welcome Back” Collection Now Includes Select River Itineraries in Portugal, France and Along the Rhine

Viking® (www.viking.com) announced today that it will restart its European river operations in July 2021 with select itineraries in Portugal, France and along the Rhine. Offered exclusively for vaccinated guests as part of Viking’s Welcome Back collection, the first five European river itineraries now available in July are among the company’s most popular: Rhine Getaway (8 days; Amsterdam to Basel), Portugal’s River of Gold (10 days; Lisbon to Porto), Paris & the Heart of Normandy (8 days; Paris roundtrip), Lyon & Provence (8 days; Avignon to Lyon) and France’s Finest, a 15-day journey that combines the northern and southern France itineraries in one seamless experience. This announcement comes immediately after the European Union agreed today to reopen its borders to vaccinated Americans and other travelers.

“The response to our initial Welcome Back ocean voyages has been overwhelmingly positive. It is clear that many people are eager to get back out into the world, and I would like to thank all of our destination partners for their support as we plan our return to service,” said Torstein Hagen, Chairman of Viking. “We have been delighted to greet our first guests back on board in England this week—and we are looking forward to welcoming travelers back on board some of our European river vessels in July.”

The announcement of Viking’s restart of European river cruise operations follows the launch of Welcome Back voyages exclusively for vaccinated guests in England, Iceland, Bermuda and the Mediterranean. Earlier this week Viking also named its newest ocean ship, Viking Venus®, in England—and the ship is currently sailing her maiden voyage along the coast of England with Chairman Torstein Hagen on board. The company is actively working on developing additional Welcome Back itineraries in a variety of other destinations, with the goal of announcing further 2021 sailings as soon as possible.

Those who sail these new voyages will also experience Viking’s industry-leading health and safety program. Grounded in scientific research, the Viking Health & Safety Program was developed in partnership with an international team of medical advisors, including Raquel C. Bono, M.D., Viking’s Chief Health Officer. Dr. Bono is a board-certified trauma surgeon and retired Vice Admiral of the United States Navy Medical Corps—and most recently led Washington State’s medical and healthcare systems response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Utilizing a full-scale laboratory installed on every Viking ocean ship—and a strong network of dedicated shoreside labs for Viking river ships in Europe—all guests and crew will receive frequent quick and easy non-invasive saliva PCR tests. New air purification technology has also been installed on all Viking ships, which have always featured independent air handling units for all guest staterooms. And additional health checks, sanitization and physical distancing measures will provide further protection for Viking guests and crew at all points of the journey. A complete overview of the Viking Health & Safety Program can be found at: www.viking.com/health-safety.

US Airlines Resuming Flights To Israel After Cease-Fire

United, Delta and American said Friday they are resuming flights to Tel Aviv after Israel and Hamas agreed to a cease-fire in violence that had included rockets fired at Ben Gurion International Airport.

Delta Air Lines plans to operate its first flight from New York to Tel Aviv since early last week on Friday night, with the first return trip on Sunday. Delta will “closely monitor the security situation and will make adjustments to our flight schedules as necessary,” spokesman Morgan Durrant said.

United Airlines also said it expects to resume service Friday night, with a flight from Newark, New Jersey, to Tel Aviv. A spokeswoman said the airline plans to also resume flights from Chicago and San Francisco over the weekend. United halted flights from all three U.S. cities to Israel on May 12.

American Airlines said it plans to restart New York-Tel Aviv flights on Monday.

Spain Gears Up For Summer, Lifts Restrictions On UK Tourists

MADRID (AP) — Spain is revving up for a return of summer tourists, with Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez on Friday offering an upbeat outlook after his government lifted travel restrictions on British visitors and the European Union moved a step closer to allowing cross-border travel.

Sánchez said those two developments will bring “a very much better summer” than last year, when the tourist industry in one of the world’s most popular vacation destinations was crushed by limits on travel and gatherings due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We are hugely thrilled at the prospect of our tourism industry recovering, of the streets of our towns and cities filling up once more,” he told an annual tourism congress in Madrid.

Spain, Sánchez said, will be “delighted, extremely delighted” to receive British tourists again.

Spain is lifting its restrictions on travelers from the United Kingdom beginning Monday. In 2019, Britain sent 18 million people to Spain, the most of any country.

However, Sánchez didn’t mention that Spain is on the U.K. government’s amber list, meaning people traveling back to the U.K. from Spain still need to go into quarantine for 10 days and get multiple COVID-19 tests — a consideration that is likely to dampen enthusiasm for a Spanish holiday. Britons who can’t work from home likely will not be going to Spain until the rules change.

Sánchez said it was “extraordinary news” that the EU is poised to introduce by July 1 a system of COVID-19 travel certificates for EU citizens, allowing them to travel freely across the bloc.

Tourism is a mainstay of the Spanish economy and Sánchez expressed hope that it can be “the engine that hauls the economy forward” after the economic devastation of the pandemic.

The tourism sector accounted for 12% of Spanish GDP in 2019, but that plummeted to just under 6% in 2020.

Grand Day For The French: Cafe And Bistro Terraces Reopen

PARIS (AP) — It’s a grand day for the French. Cafe and restaurant terraces reopened Wednesday after a six-month coronavirus shutdown deprived residents of the essence of French “joie de vivre” — sipping coffee and red wine with friends.

The French government is lifting restrictions incrementally to stave off a resurgence of COVID-19 and to give citizens back some of their world famous lifestyle. As part of the plan’s first stage, France’s 7 p.m. nightly curfew was pushed back to 9 p.m. and museums, theaters and cinemas reopened along with outdoor cafe terraces.

President Emmanuel Macron took a seat at a café terrace, chatting with customers. Prime Minister Jean Castex, who planned to attend a cinema later Wednesday, projected a mood of measured optimism.

“Let’s get used to try and live together,” Macron told reporters. “If we manage to get well organized collectively and continue vaccinating, have a common discipline as citizens, there’s no reason why we can’t continue moving forward.”

Actor Emmanuelle Beart went to a movie theater opening in Paris where her latest film “L’Etreinte” (“The Embrace”) was showing. The appetite for seeing movies was such that many in Paris lined up at breakfast to see a movie instead of getting their morning croissant.

Moviegoer Michael Souhaite, who works in the industry, set his alarm clock to make sure he would make a 9 a.m. showing of “Drunk.”

“I really need to go to the movies,” he said. “I go to movies maybe twice a week, minimum. So for me, it was really, really, really important... Today, it’s almost emotional to be here.”

France is not the first European country to start getting back a semblance of social and cultural life. Italy, Belgium, Hungary and other nations already allow outdoor dining while drinking and eating indoors began Monday in Britain.

Eateries in France have been closed since the end of October, the longest time of any European country except Poland, where bars and restaurants reopened Saturday for outdoor service after being closed for seven months.

Still, the French government has put limits on how much fun can be had. Movie theaters can only seat 35% of capacity, while museums must restrict entries to allow space between visitors. Restaurants can fill only 50% of their outdoor seating and have no more than six people at a table.

Top figures in France’s restaurant industry were frustrated over the government’s perceived failure to protect their prized gastronomy from the worst. Yet many, like Michelin-starred chef Alain Ducasse, have chosen to hold their ire over the crippling six-month closures to imagine instead the future of buzzing dining areas and swilled bottles of wine.

“Has (the government) done enough? The answer is ‘No’... (But) optimism is a decision. We have decided to be optimistic. French gastronomy will continue,” he said.

Starting on June 9, the French government plans to move the curfew back to 11 p.m. and to permit indoor dining. Also on that date, France will begin to welcome tourists from non-EU destinations provided they have some sort of coronavirus passport or health pass. The final phase of the three-stage reopening plan is scheduled for June 30, when the curfew will end and all other restrictions will be lifted, if pandemic conditions allow.

Macron’s plans to bring France out of the pandemic aren’t just about bringing long-closed restaurants, boutiques and museums back to life, but also about preparing his possible campaign for a second term. Before next year’s presidential election, Macron is focusing on saving jobs and reviving the pandemic-battered French economy.

France has recorded more than 108,000 deaths due to COVID-19, among the highest tolls in Europe. But virus deaths, admissions to critical care units and the coronavirus infection rate are now on the decline.

Dr. Michel Slama, chief of the intensive care unit at Amiens Hospital, said his stance, like Macron’s, was “optimistic but prudent.”

“We are attentive about the reopening but worried is not the word,” he told The Associated Press. “There has been a significant drop in emergency hospital admissions for the virus in France. That’s good news. The high vaccine rate now, we hope, will help us avoid a new wave.”

About 40% of France’s adult population has received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose — but that rate is still well behind Britain’s 70% and behind several other EU nations.

Tourists waited with excitement and palpable emotion as the cordon around the world’s most visited museum and home of the “Mona Lisa,” the Louvre, was finally lifted.

“I am extremely moved. In fact, just as I entered the Louvre, really just in the gallery, I immediately started crying. Real tears of joy,” said Pauline Lacroix, a psychotherapist.

“It means a lot, you know. It means COVID-19 is starting to finish, when it’s the opening of all museums and public areas,” said another visitor, Walid Hneini.

Paris resident Benoit Puez was more understated about the opening up, giving it a Gallic shrug.

“Maybe I didn’t really miss it, but we are happy it’s reopening. It’s a stage,” he said.
___
Thomas Adamson reported from Leeds, England. Masha Macpherson, John Leicester and Jeffrey Schaeffer in Paris contributed.

Miami To Get A $300 Million Eco-Adventure Park

Opening in 2022, the $300 million re-imagined “Jungle Island” will feature a thrilling aerial adventure course with zip lines, up-close animal encounters, water attractions, one-of-a-kind entertainment and nightlife, and a new hotel, just minutes from downtown Miami and Miami Beach

Miami- ESJ Capital Partners (hereinafter: ‘ESJ”), an Aventura, Florida-based commercial real estate firm and a registered Investment Advisor, has secured the final approvals necessary to move forward with developing a one-of-a-kind eco-adventure destination and hotel on 18.5 acres of prime waterfront in Miami.

The $300 million project is an ambitious re-imagining of the historic “Jungle Island,” a zoological theme park and botanical gardens built in 1936 that once boasted the largest and rarest collection of exotic animals and birds. It is located on Watson Island, roughly five minutes from both downtown Miami and the world-renowned South Beach neighborhood of Miami Beach, surrounded by the crystal blue waters of Biscayne Bay.

Inspired by some of the world’s most successful eco-adventure destinations and conceived by a team of the top hospitality/nature attraction experts, ESJ’s master-plan for redevelopment of the park caters to the 21st-century guest, while still preserving historic elements that has made the Jungle Island experience a favorite landmark for nearly a century – including an unparalleled collection of over 50 parrot species in its multi-story aviary.

Set to re-open in mid-2022 as “Jungle Island: Miami's Adventure Oasis,” the redesigned park will include the only aerial adventure course in South Florida featuring zip lines, ropes courses, bridges, and climbing nets suspended up to 60-feet in the treetops; a 19,000-square-foot trampoline park; interactive and hands-on animal nature tours that allow guests to get up-close and personal with over 100 species of wild animals, such as swimming with capybaras; a 1,200-seat outdoor amphitheater with new and unique, family- friendly entertainment featuring aerialists and acrobats; elevated dining and nightlife experiences; a Mediterranean-style beach club and cocktail lounge on Miami’s only private beach; and several water features including a new 900-foot “lazy river” that meanders through the park’s lush green and animal habitats.

A key component of the park will be a new 300-key, family-friendly eco-resort, scheduled to open in late 2024 or early 2025.

Based on market research, ESJ expects to draw more than 500,000 guests during its first year of operation, comprising a 50-50 mix of both local/domestic visitors and out-of-market travelers.

“Florida is finally getting its first true eco-adventure park, where nature and wildlife provide inspiration for guests to explore, play, challenge themselves physically, or simply relax,” said Arnaud Sitbon, CEO of ESJ. “Best of all, it’s going to be in a city that is one of the world’s top-rated travel destinations, just minutes from Miami’s top-rated beaches and attractions. It’s a privilege to have the honor of breathing new life into this much-beloved landmark, and our hope is that it will spark appreciation and respect for nature and our planet’s precious wildlife.”

“A nature-oriented destination of this magnitude in the heart of Miami’s urban core is truly remarkable,” said Micha Dubernard, Senior Vice President of ESJ Capital Partners. “In addition to providing a unique attraction that enhances Miami’s reputation for tourism and culture, Jungle Island’s lush habitat will also serve an important ecological role by helping absorb some of the city’s carbon emissions and serving as a natural preserve for Florida’s wading birds and other wildlife.”

According to the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau (GMCVB), there is substantial demand for this type of venue. “We are extremely pleased to add such a compelling attraction to our community,” said William D. Talbert III, President & CEO of the GMCVB. “We look forward to continue working with the Jungle Island team.”

In 2019, Greater Miami attracted a record-breaking 16.3 million overnight visitors and an additional 7.9 million day tripper, for a record number of 24.2 million total visitors with a total economic impact close to $18 billion, according to the GMCVB. Industry experts expect Miami’s hospitality and tourism industry to recover steadily over the next year, in conjunction with COVID-19 vaccine roll outs.

In addition to the adventure park and nature attractions, Jungle Island will also feature a strong corporate appeal, with more than 10 indoor and outdoor meeting and event spaces, catering to small or large groups, and ranging from small celebrations to 1000+-person gatherings.

ESJ acquired Jungle Island in April 2017, which involved the transfer of the existing land lease on the City of Miami-owned Watson Island to ESJ. In August 2018, Miami voters approved a city charter amendment to waive competitive bidding and allow ESJ to modify Jungle Island's lease and allow the construction of a 300-room hotel. In February 2021, the City of Miami provided final approval on a long-awaited land-use ordinance change and special area plan, both necessary to redevelop the 18-acre property with a hotel and additional recreation amenities. ESJ plans to begin construction on the new adventure park this summer, and will break ground on the new $100+ million hotel in 2022, pending a final building permit.

To lead Jungle Island’s transformation, ESJ has pulled in some of the world’s leading hospitality, attraction, entertainment and construction experts. These include IDEAS Brand & Experience Design, led by 25-year Disney executive Bob Allen; HKS Architects, an interdisciplinary global design firm which recently completed Royal Caribbean’s $250 million redevelopment of CocoCay Island; EoA, an award-winning design firm; Gardiner & Theobald, an independent construction and property consultancy noted for its development of Miami’s acclaimed Faena District and the $4 billion Baha Mar resort in the Bahamas, the largest resort development in the Western Hemisphere; and several additional specialists in the field of animal entertainment and education.

For more information about Jungle Island updates, bookings and hours of operations please visit www.jungleisland.com.

Boom Supersonic Aims To Fly 'Anywhere In The World In Four Hours For $100'

(CNN) — The aviation industry is in crisis, there's a global push to cut carbon emissions, and many of us haven't stepped on a plane or hugged far-flung loved ones in more than a year.

Reviving the supersonic dream that died with Concorde's retirment nearly two decades ago seems, at first, like an outrageous fantasy.

The British-French airliner Concorde, one of only two supersonic jets to have operated commercially, flew from 1969 to 2003 and was ludicrously expensive and an environmental disaster.

But now a fresh bunch of start-ups are working on supersonic and hypersonic projects. Last October frontrunner Boom Supersonic was the first to roll out an actual honest-to-goodness IRL demonstrator aircraft, the XB1.

CNN Travel caught up with its founder and CEO Blake Scholl to talk about Overture, the Mach 2.2 commercial airliner he wants to get in the air by 2026, and the company's ambitious long-term plans.

Breaking the time barrier

"Either we fail or we change the world," says Scholl over a video call from Denver, Colorado.

There hasn't been any major speed-up in travel times since the Jet Age of the '50s and '60s and his team hopes to change that.

"That barrier of time is what k eeps us apart. We believe it's deeply important to break the time barrier, more so than the sound barrier." Designed to seat between 65 and 88 people, Overture will focus on over 500 primarily transoceanic routes that will benefit from the aircraft's Mach-2.2 speeds -- more than twice as fast as today's subsonic commercial jets.

A journey from New York to London would take just three hours and 15 minutes while Los Angeles to Sydney would be cut down to eight and a half hours. Breaking the time barrier could be life-changing, says Scholl. "It changes where we can vacation, changes where we can do business, changes you can fall in love with or you can be close to."

Set the goal, then work backwards

Boom Supersonic's current timeline is to fly the 1:3 scale XB1 prototype aircraft "around the end of the year," break ground on a new US factory in 2022 (location TBD), and then start building the first Overture plane in 2023.

"We see ourselves as picking up where Concorde left off, and fixing the most important things which are economic and environmental sustainability," says Scholl. Accessibility is key. His aim is that airlines will be able to set fares at a price point similar to business class -- unlike Concorde, which by the '90s was charging around $12,000 for a round trip, or $20,000 in today's money.

"That's not travel, that's like a thing you might hope to do once in a lifetime," says Scholl, before adding, "Versus where we want to get, which is anywhere in the world in four hours for 100 bucks."

Yes, you heard that right.

"Now it's going to take us time to get there," says Scholl. The four hour, $100 dream is Boom's long-term aim, two or three generations of aircraft down the line. "Lots of people think like one or two steps ahead," he says. "I find it helpful to think much further out and say, 'where do we want to be in a decade or two? And what's possible at that time scale?' Then you work backwards and say, 'how do we get there?'."

Pandemic opportunity

How Boom plans to get there is by designing a new 100% carbon-neutral plane from the ground up. The current crazy state of the world has actually been an unintended bonus. "I wouldn't wish the pandemic on the world, but it's actually going to accelerate the adoption of supersonic," says Scholl.

Airlines have had to downsize their fleets and, in some cases, it's forced an early retirement for wide-body jets such as the Boeing 777 and Airbus A380.

"As things get back into growth mode," says Scholl, "There's an opportunity to build a new-generation fleet that's got supersonic baked into it. That actually makes it easier to adopt." Then's there's the plane's lean 199 feet (60 meters) of super-svelte lines, with no space inside for those undesirable middle seats -- an advantage post-pandemic.

"Physics does not let you design an ugly supersonic jet," says Scholl. But whizzy as its exterior may be, "It's about the same form factor as a 757, so it fits in narrow-body gates, which actually causes airlines to really love it."

Wide-body gates are at a premium in today's super-congested airports, so big fat airplanes can be hard to find space for -- but not so for a humble Boeing 557, 737 or, says, Scholl, a Boom Overture.

On-board experience

"Supersonic's got some inherent advantages," says Scholl. "Like if you don't want to be in an airplane because you're worried about the next pandemic, well it's better to be on the airplane for a shorter period of time."

Boom's first mission, he says, was to be fast enough to make a difference. While ultimately his team wants to be able to connect any point in the world in four hours, at this stage a key aim was to be able to turn a red-eye flight into a daytime flight.

"Instead of paying in business class for a flying bed, you get the best bed in the world, which is the one at your home the night before you have to leave," says Scholl. With less focus on those long-haul amenities, it means the team has been able to focus on making the on-board experience clean, uncluttered and as relaxed as possible. Carbon-neutral

For many it's hard to shake the idea that supersonic travel must be inherently expensive and wasteful. But says Scholl: "It helps to remember that we're talking literally about 1960s technology. So much has changed."

Airplane technology has "gone from aluminum to carbon fiber, from drafting paper and slide rules and wind tunnels to being able to optimize airplanes for computer simulation. We've completely changed how we build jet engines, so now they're quieter and they're more fuel efficient."

This means that the costs of supersonic flight has come way down, and at the same time, we are now able to build in support for alternative fuels. "What you're basically doing is sucking carbon out of the atmosphere, liquefying it into the jet fuel, then you put that in the airplane," says Scholl. "So when it goes out the back of the airplane. You're just moving carbon around in a circle."

'An audacious goal'

So how realistic is Boom Supersonic's long-term ambition of connecting anywhere in the world in four hours, at a price point of just $100 in today's money?

"It's an audacious goal!" says Professor Sean O'Keefe, an aviation industry expert at Syracuse University who served as former chairman of Airbus and secretary of the US Navy. "And sometimes that's what it takes: to get somebody who really believes in their capacity to do something like this, to actually make it come to be."

The major obstacle is that "beyond just accomplishing the speed, it generates a ferocious amount of heat. Any conventional engine that you put together would melt." What will be needed is further advances in material science -- and it's dependent on further invention or discovery.

While it's feasible, O'Keefe reckons "it's going to require two or three generations of technology, development and breakthrough -- which equates to about 20 years."

Interest in Boom's project has been high. A couple of weeks ago, Scholl addressed the US House of Representatives' Subcommittee on Aviation and in April American Express Ventures was the latest high-profile investor to open its wallet. Boom says it currently has $6 billion in pre-orders of Overture aircraft.

Boom's hottest competitor in the supersonic race is Florida-based Aerion, which in March 2021 unveiled its plans for a Mach 4+ commercial airliner called Aerion AS3 which would be capable of carrying 50 passengers.

Source: https://www.cnn.com/travel/

Travelore Update: US Officials Seek Big Fines Against More Airline Passengers

WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal regulators are continuing to pursue large penalties against a few airline passengers accused of disrupting flights.

The Federal Aviation Administration said Monday that it will seek fines totaling more than $100,000 against four passengers on recent flights, including a penalty of $52,500 against a man who was arrested after trying to open the cockpit door and striking a flight attendant in the face.

Airlines have reported a spate of troubling incidents in recent months, many of them involving passengers who appear intoxicated or refuse to wear face masks — that’s still a federal requirement even after health officials relaxed guidelines around mask wearing last week.

The FAA says it has received more than 1,300 complaints from airlines about disruptive passengers this year. The agency says it is taking a zero-tolerance stance against unruly passengers — instead of counseling them, it is going straight to enforcement actions including civil penalties.

In the most recent cases, the most egregious occurred on a Delta Air Lines flight in December from Honolulu to Seattle. The FAA said a man tried to open the cockpit door and assaulted a flight attendant, striking him twice — the second time after he broke free from plastic handcuffs. The FAA said police boarded the plane in Seattle and took him into custody.

The FAA proposed a $27,000 penalty against a man on a New Year’s Day flight aboard Southwest Airlines who yelled and said he had a bomb and would blow up the plane. The pilots made an unplanned landing in Oklahoma City, where the man was arrested.

Two passengers on other flights face potential fines for not covering their mouth and nose with a mask. The FAA has announced more than a dozen instances of large potentials for misbehaving passengers in recent weeks.

None of the passengers were identified. They have 30 days to protest to the FAA.

Greece Joins Mediterranean Race To Win Back Tourists

NAXOS, Greece (AP) — In her kitchen, Kyriaki Kapri has enough food to feed an army. Piles of squid for frying, lemons to be quartered, thumb-thick potato wedges to make oregano-sprinkled French fries, and seafood for the dishes famous on the Greek island of Naxos.

She’s done everything she can think of to prepare for tourists at her Naxos beachside restaurant Gorgona — Greek for Mermaid — but customers are still a rare sight.

Greece launched its tourism season Friday amid a competitive scramble across the Mediterranean to lure vacationers emerging from lockdowns.

“We’re all vaccinated, the tables are outside and spread out, with hand sanitizers on each one. We’re ready. Now we wait,” Kapri said, standing beside large display cabinets with fresh fish on beds of crushed ice. During a six-month lockdown, Gorgona closed for the first time in its 50-year history, a pattern seen across Greece including the nearby island of Mykonos and Santorini.

The European Union has yet to roll out its cellphone-friendly travel pass system. But southern member-states, driven deeper into debt by the pandemic and highly dependent on tourism revenues, are not waiting.

Croatia has already reopened, as has Cyprus, joined Friday by Greece where residents were allowed to leave home without an electronic permit for the first time in six months.

Last year, the number of visitors to Greece plummeted by 78.2% to 7.4 million — from a record 34 million in 2019 — according to official data, with a corresponding drop in tourism revenues.

Greece is hoping to claw back half the 2019 visitor level. It’s vowed to finish vaccinating its entire island population over the next six weeks and will even waive test requirements for tourists who have received vaccines made in Russia and China that are not approved for use domestically.

Other Mediterranean countries are also looking for an edge.

Malta is promising visitors vouchers to go diving and cash rebates to high-end hotel customers.

In Turkey, visitors from abroad have been exempt from stay-at-home orders applying to Turks, thus enjoying an empty Istanbul, and little-populated beach resorts. Starting Monday, travelers from China, Britain, Australia, and 13 other countries will be allowed in without even having to present a negative COVID-19 test.

Portugal is the only southern European country to so far make Britain’s so-called Green List of quarantine-free destinations. Travelers in the UK pounced on the news, according to Emma Coulthurst from holiday price comparison site TravelSupermarket.

“Week-on-week, if you compare all package holiday price comparison searches via TravelSupermarket, the site has seen an 865% increase in searches for package holidays to Portugal,” Coulthurst said.

Tourism industry officials in Portugal reported a surge in bookings and inquiries from Britain, and the government confirmed Friday that existing entry restrictions would be lifted before the updated U.K. travel list takes effect Monday, ending days of uncertainty.

In neighboring Spain, Trade and Tourism Minister Reyes Maroto said her government was in “constant” consultations with Britain to try to have its travel status upgraded. Some 18 million U.K. holidaymakers traveled to Spain in 2019.

Italy is dropping a five-day quarantine requirement for travelers from the EU, Britain and Israel starting Sunday, but many in the hospitality industry are still bracing for another tough year.

“I think (tourism) is going to increase but very slowly. For this year we have to accept whatever comes,” said Elisabetta Menardi, manager of the Ca’ Foscolo apartment hotel in Venice.

Just a short walk from the famed Rialto bridge, the hotel is usually fully booked year-round but is currently running at 20% occupancy.

“Normally in January we already get a lot of reservations for the summer. That has stopped. So we don’t know what’s coming now,” Menardi said. “People make reservations, then they cancel. It’s kind of a dance.” ___ Derek Gatopoulos reported from Athens, Greece. Zeynep Bilginsoy in Istanbul, Turkey, Barry Hatton in Lisbon, Portugal, Karl Ritter in Rome and Joe Wilson in Barcelona, Spain contributed.

Disney CEO Says Attendance Caps At Parks Being Raised

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Disney’s top executive says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s decision to ease up mask-wearing requirements for fully vaccinated people is “very big news for us.”

During an earnings call on Thursday, Disney CEO Bob Chapek hinted that there could be a change to the mandatory mask requirement at Disney parks in the near future after the CDC said people could stop wearing masks outdoors in crowds and in most indoor settings.

“Particularly, if anybody’s been in Florida in the middle of summer with a mask on. That could be quite daunting,” Chapek said. “So we think that’s going to make for an even more pleasant experience.”

Chapek said the parks had already started raising the number of people allowed in, as least in Florida, based on relaxed restrictions coming from Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ office. He didn’t say how many more people were being allowed in the parks compared to the previous restriction of a little more than a third of a park’s capacity.

“So I think you’re going to see an immediate increase in the number of folks that we’re able to admit into our parks through our reservation systems that we recently implemented,” Chapek said.

The CDC guidance still calls for wearing masks in crowded indoor settings like buses, planes, hospitals, prisons and homeless shelters, but it will help clear the way for reopening workplaces, schools and other venues — even removing the need for social distancing for those who are fully vaccinated.

Travelore Update: Britain Lockdown Restrictions Easing Next Week

LONDON — Britain is saying goodbye to months of tough lockdown restrictions, thanks to an effective vaccine rollout program.

Starting Monday, all restaurants, bars and museums can largely reopen, and people can socialize indoors. It’s the biggest step yet to reopen the country following a sharp drop in new infections and deaths.

Many credit Britain’s universal public health system for getting hundreds of thousands vaccinated every day. Experts say that infrastructure was key, helped by the government’s early start in securing vaccine doses and its decision to delay the second dose.

Almost 38 million people, approximately 68% of the adult population, have received their first dose. Almost 19 million have had both doses. Experts say the National Health Service can target the population and easily identify those most at risk because almost everyone is registered with a local general practitioner.

Deaths in Britain have come down to single digits in recent days. In January, there were up to 1,477 deaths a day amid a second wave driven by a more infectious variant first found in Kent, in southeastern England.

New cases have plummeted to an average of 2,000 a day, compared with nearly 70,000 a day during the winter.

However, Prime Minister Boris Johnson expressed concerned this week about a resurgence because of variants of the virus, including one from India. Britain has totaled nearly 128,000 confirmed deaths, the highest toll in Europe.

Oceania Cruises Unveils New OceaniaNEXT Enhancements To The Guest Experience

Oceania Cruises, the world's leading culinary- and destination-focused cruise line, has announced the first in a series of inspired new product enhancements rolling out across its luxury fleet as part of its OceaniaNEXT program. With elevated dining experiences and service levels for guests, the Oceania Cruises experience will be better than ever from the first sailing on board Marina when the line resumes operations in August. OceaniaNEXT enhancements will debut aboard Regatta, Insignia, Nautica, Riviera, and Sirena as each vessel returns to sailing.

Chef Franck Garanger with Toscana Dishes

During the pause in sailing, the Oceania Cruises team has continued to invest in creative ways to evolve the onboard experience and to inspire its guests with a sweeping array of dramatic enhancements to the brand's already renowned Finest Cuisine at Sea® and acclaimed service. Whether guests are in the mood for an elaborate dinner at Toscana, or prefer to indulge in the line's exclusive Dom Pérignon Experience, or crave the casual comfort of tacos or fresh poke bowls, every meal on board is given the same thought, care and creativity to ensure it is as mouth-watering as it is memorable. This is just the first of many inspirational new OceaniaNEXT enhancements to be revealed over the coming months.

"These OceaniaNEXT enhancements not only elevate the guest experience, they showcase the creativity and passion our team has for crafting unique and memorable experiences for our guests," stated Bob Binder, President and CEO of Oceania Cruises. "We've undertaken this ambitious brand initiative to elevate every facet of the Oceania Cruises guest experience to new levels. From thoughtfully reimagined menus to enhanced service levels to the dramatic re-inspiration of our six ships, guests will find that the Oceania Cruises experience is better than ever," added Binder.

The Grand Dining Room Boasts New Appetizers, Main Courses & Diverse Sunday Brunch In The Grand Dining Room, more than two dozen inventive new dishes have made their way onto the dinner menu. New appetizers include caramelized duck foie gras accompanied by apricot infused with Loire Valley wine, and mozzarella fior di latte panna cotta with aubergines stiletto and fried focaccia. Meanwhile, main courses range from the deliciously tantalizing French monkfish with saffron-tomato-cognac-cream sauce and wild rice, to the hearty veal piccata with sweet and sour lemon sauce, glazed pearl onions and Parisian potatoes.

Other highlights from the updated menu include:

Porcini mushroom risotto Crispy Mediterranean vegetable tart with balsamic onion compote Braised black cod, seafood emulsion, stuffed calamari and green pea purée Grilled prime rib with bone marrow and rustic vegetable casserole Carnaroli truffled risotto with smoked ricotta Florida lobster tail with Rémy Martin cognac sauce and rice pilaf

Sunday Brunch is an elegant yet relaxed affair in The Grand Dining Room, and the new menu has been thoughtfully crafted to include a more diverse selection of international dishes as well as a wider range of healthy options. Highlights include a new Asian Noodle Bar, a gourmet Taco Corner, a prepared-to-order Pasta Station, a healthy Smoothie Bar and a Salad Bar with an extensive selection of starches, proteins, greens and raw and cooked vegetables for guests to create their own custom salad combination.

Toscana Dinner Menu Features 21 New Dishes Refined and romantic with a uniquely modern Italian flair, Toscana specializes in the rich and rustic regional flavors for which Italy is famous. Presented on elegant, custom-designed Versace china, masterfully prepared dishes exemplify the essence of Tuscany and celebrate Italy's culinary passion. As part of OceaniaNEXT, the line has reimagined Toscana's menu with 21 delectable new dishes including:

Sformatino di Peperoni – roasted bell pepper flan, creamy Parmesan sauce

Zuppa Fagioli – white bean soup with sausage and pasta Tagliolini Carbonara – tagliolini, pancetta, egg yolk-Parmesan sauce Agnello Arrosto – stuffed roasted lamb loin with spicy soppressata sausage Il Tiramisú ai Frutti di Bosco – red berry tiramisú with mascarpone cream Tortino di Cioccolata – molten chocolate fondant with Sicilian blood orange sauce

Greater Choice and Diversity in The Terrace Café and Waves Grill The ever-popular Terrace Café has also expanded its lunch offering to include locally sourced fish, sausages and marinated meats, including regional specialties from the ports and destinations visited.

For more laidback fare, Waves Grill has added a fresh, prepared-to-order poke bowl station inspired by flavors from around the world including Japan, India, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, the Mediterranean, North Africa, France, the United States, and Mexico.

New Evening Canapé Choices and Elevated Service Levels Canapés served in the lounges and bars after a day of exploring are a much-loved tradition on board Oceania Cruises. The experience now features a wider variety of selections, echoing the gourmet inspiration of the new dishes offered in The Grand Dining Room. The selections will also be presented individually to each table as part of the line's enhanced health and safety measures. Guests in Penthouse, Oceania, Vista, and Owner's Suites may choose from a canapé selection now including the addition of plant-based California rolls, a Mezze Platter and a Taco Trilogy.

Service levels have also been significantly enhanced through a combination of increased staffing and implementation of a new electronic ordering system which ensures that the taking of orders, food and beverage service and table re-setting is seamlessly streamlined. This will allow restaurant staff to focus on providing the exemplary service that guests have come to know and love.

For additional information on Oceania Cruises' small-ship luxury product, exquisitely crafted cuisine, and expertly curated travel experiences, visit OceaniaCruises.com, call 855-OCEANIA, or speak with a professional travel advisor.

Oceania Cruises is the world's leading culinary- and destination-focused cruise line. The line's six small, luxurious ships carry only 684 or 1,250 guests and feature the finest cuisine at sea and destination-rich itineraries that span the globe. Expertly curated travel experiences aboard the designer-inspired, small ships call on more than 450 marquee and boutique ports across Europe, Alaska, Asia, Africa, Australia, New Zealand, New England-Canada, Bermuda, the Caribbean, the Panama Canal, Tahiti and the South Pacific in addition to the epic 180-day Around the World Voyages. The brand has two 1,200-guest Allura Class ships on order. With headquarters in Miami, Oceania Cruises is owned by Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd., a diversified cruise operator of leading global cruise brands which include Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises.