Mexico’s State Of Nayarit Is One Of The Best Destinations For LGBTQ+ Travel

The recipe for a world-class LGBTQ+ destination is simple: All you need are fabulous hotels, beautiful beaches, exquisite dining, electric nightlife, gorgeous scenery and, of course, an inclusive energy. Enter Mexico’s State of Nayarit, a destination that exceeds in these areas and beyond. It’s a place practically tailor-made for LGBTQ+ travel.

In fact, Nayarit has been catching the eyes of LGBTQ+ travelers for a while now. It is one of the many states in Mexico that recognize same-sex marriage and has always been a champion for inclusivity, including a unique Huichol (indigenous) ceremony, with a Marakame (a person who is an intermediate between the living the spirit world) who “unites the souls”.

In 2022, the state's beaches –also known as the Riviera Nayarit –took home the award for top Beach Destination at the LGBT+ Travel Awards Mexico. The organization recognized Riviera Nayarit for its diversity, inclusion and respect for all.

Nayarit is home to many wonderful cities, beach towns and small villages, all of which are ready to welcome and host LGBTQ+ travelers. From the gorgeous oceanfront resorts and restaurants of Nuevo Nayarit to boutique-heavy bohemian beach towns like Sayulita, the luxury hotspots of Punta Mita, like Thierry Blouet’s Tuna Blanca, and the rugged nature and beautiful wildlife of San Blas, Nayarit has a vibe to fit every style of traveler.

Of course, the LGBTQ+ community is welcome beyond just the beaches in the state of Nayarit. The state capital, Tepic, for example, has a small but active gay scene, with several gay bars, as well as an annual Pride march held every June.

Among the top draws to Nayarit for LGBTQ+travelers is a lengthy list of luxury hotels, resorts and villas.Punta Mita is one of the top luxury enclaves within the state of Nayarit.

It is home to five-star resorts like St. Regis Punta Mita Resort, the newly opened Naviva by Four Seasons Resort PuntaMita, the new adults-only, 15 glamping suites; and the Susurros del Corazon, part of the Auberge Resorts Collection.

Travelers will also find other resorts along northern Punta de Mita, as well as one of the most robust villa rental portfolios in the country.

More boutique hotel options can be found in between, from the village of Bucerias up through Sayulita, San Pancho, Chacala known for its wellness offering, and San Blas for bird watching.

Nayarit is perfect for the active LGBTQ+ travelers who want to experience more than just sun and sand — though the beaches along the Riviera Nayarit are among the most pristine in Mexico, particularly for surfers. Wildlife enthusiasts can spot thousands of migratory birds in the seaside village of San Blas and Islas Marias, San Pancho, Islas Marietas National Park, a protected park known for its marine life, as well as its birds. Hiking, mountain biking and yoga are also all part of the Nayarit experience.

Visitors can also take their time learning about history and culture. Nayarit has four of Mexico's famous Pueblos Magicos, or “Magic Towns,” that are recognized for their preserved history, culture and traditions.

Sayulita is arguably the most famous Pueblo Magico in not only Nayarit but all of Mexico, and the state is also home to Compostela, Jala andMexcaltitan. Compostela boasts splendid churches and gorgeous colonial architecture, as well as one of Mexico's largest bird sanctuaries. The town of Jala sits in the shadow of the Ceboruco volcano, which is a beautiful spot for hiking or watching the sunset. Mexcaltitan is known as the Venice of Mexico, thanks to the canals that form within the streets during the rainy season. The car-free island is splashed with brightly colored houses and features some of the best seafood in Mexico.

The beauty of the state of Nayarit is that it offers a little bit of something for everyone. Every type of traveler, regardless of sexual orientation, has their own style and vibe – and the state of Nayarit has a resort, community and experience to match.

Travelore Tips: Puerto Rico Implements New Pet Entry Rules—Effective Immediately

Puerto Rico has implemented several significant changes to its pet import rules. Pet parents should carefully review the new rules because they apply to all dogs and cats. Pet parents will be charged to return dogs and cats to the U.S. that have not met regulations, advised Air Animal Pet Movers®.

Under the new rules, pet owners must arrange for a U.S. accredited veterinarian to examine their pets and issue an interstate health certificate. According to Walter M. Woolf, founding veterinarian of Air Animal Pet Movers, "Not all veterinarians hold USDA accreditation. Setting up a veterinary appointment for a pet can be tough without guidance from the pet's regular veterinarian or an experienced pet shipper."

Air Animal Pet Movers has updated its Puerto Rico Resource page on airanimal.com to assist pet parents. Air Animal Pet Movers specializes in dealing with the details of transporting dogs or cats between the United States and Puerto Rico.

Steps for entry:

1. Microchip the pet for identification.

2. Ensure the rabies vaccination was administered no more than 6 months before entry. This rabies certificate must accompany the pet.

3. Book an appointment with an accredited United States veterinarian to obtain the interstate health certificate. The appointment must take place no more than 72 hours before arrival in Puerto Rico. USDA endorsement is not required.

4. Ensure the pet has received an external parasite treatment no more than 72 hours before entry. The veterinarian must record the treatment on the health certificate.

5. Dogs should receive the following vaccinations: DA2PPL/DAPPL (distemper, hepatitis, parvovirus, parainfluenza and leptospirosis). Cats should receive FVRCP (feline rhinotracheitis, calcivirus, and panleukopenia) vaccinations.

6. Different regulations apply for birds, exotic pets and all pets from other countries.

"Pet parents should always register with a local veterinarian in their new locale to keep their pets' rabies vaccinations up to date. Veterinarians typically send reminder notices when vaccinations are due. If another move is in their future, they will be ready," Woolf added.

About Air Animal

Air Animal has helped more than 55,000 families move their 135,000 furry, feathered and scaly pets around the globe since 1977. They welcome pet move authorizations and referrals from major corporations, relocation management agencies, household goods movers, veterinarians, families, U.S. military and government transferees. Get the best in animal care and transportation. Air Animal is an appointed and endorsed IATA air cargo sales agency working with all airlines that move animals. They are an Indirect Air Carrier cleared for tendering live animals to airlines by the U.S. Transportation Security Administration.

For more information on Pet Moving Made Easy®, visit airanimal.com.

Travelore's Recommendations For Personal Cooling And Hydration

The Yoga Sirocco Fan is a personal high velocity fan with thin plate-like blades are attached in a stylish cylindrical shape that does not look like a fan.

A completely new type of double fan was born, with features that are less susceptible to the effects of outdoor winds and have a strong ability to push air out.

The small neckline fits your neck without feeling heavy, and the fan cover is designed to prevent fingers and hair from getting caught. The arm can be bent 180 degrees in any direction, so you can reliably send the air to the place you want to hit. It is also possible to put it on the table and use it.

For more details and how to order, please visit: https://w-fan.jp/347/

CIRCULAIRE : All-in-one portable fan & light with remote control

When preparing for a camping trip, packing light is essential. Minimize the gear you have to carry, just bring the CIRCULAIRE. Weighing less than one pound, CIRCULAIRE is a rechargeable & portable fan surrounded by an LED ring light. The CIRCULAIRE will keep you cool in a tent, at the picnic table, when cooking, or in an RV. The LED ring light will illuminate the night and poorly lit environments. Each CIRCULAIRE comes with a remote control that operates the fan, light and auto shut-off timer. The remote magnetically attaches to the front of the fan so you'll always know where it is.

Internal battery: Lithium ion 3.7v, 4000mAh Charging time: approx. 6 hours

Operating time:
LED Light: Low 39lm 20 hrs; High 114lm 6 hrs; Flash 18 hrs Fan: Low 13 hrs; Med 7 hrs; High 5 hrs

For more details and how to order, please visit: https://spiceoflifeusa.com/


Electrolit Zero Calorie, Zero Sugar Hydration Beverage; Great To Have On Hand For Exercise & Social Occasions.

Many people have been seeking lower sugar, lower calorie options for foods and beverages with no artificial flavors or sweetners. Just about any food product you want to enjoy has the ability to use better ingredients. Electrolit Hydration Beverage has launched their Zero line and it comes with 3 flavors – Berry Blast, Lemon Breeze and Fruit Punch Splash.

Electrolit is known for its pharmaceutical quality grade ingredients that give you proper hydration and helps aid in recovery. They have created an optimal balance of electrolytes to prevent and treat dehydration, ideal for exercise and recovery after drinking alcohol. It is the Magnesium, Sodium, Potassium and Calcium that work together to help treat your body to recover faster.

For more details, where to find in stores and order online, please visit: https://electrolit.com/

See All Of Taylor Swift’s Eras On Display At The Museum Of Arts and Design In New York, Through September 4th

Taylor Swift has been breaking records and delighting fans on the U.S. leg of her Eras Tour, a splashy celebration of her career and new releases since the pandemic.

It’s become a notoriously tough ticket to get.

But on the second floor of the Museum of Arts and Design (MAD) in New York City, fans can catch glimpses of Swift’s “eras” for much cheaper. “Taylor Swift: Storyteller,” features dozens of costumes and objects spanning her music videos, tours and awards show performances — from the lace gown she wore when performing “All Too Well” on the Red Tour to the “key to the castle” featured in the video for “Bejeweled.”

The goal, museum director Tim Rodgers said, was to explore how Swift uses clothing and props to tell stories — almost as much as she does lyrics. “It’s different than stars that use costumes or fashion in order to enhance themselves,” Rodgers said. “Taylor Swift is using costumes and props like a vocabulary.”

Rodgers said Swift’s team came to MAD with the idea because of another exhibit they hosted — “Queer Maximalism X Machine Dazzle” — featuring the work of artist, performer and costume designer Matthew Flower, also known as Machine Dazzle. “It was totally unexpected,” Rodgers said.

“Taylor Swift: Storyteller” opened ahead of Swift’s three-night stop nearby at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium. Like her concerts, the collection walks visitors through her genre- and decade-spanning career. There’s the crystal-encrusted guitar she used when performing her 2010 album “Speak Now,” a hooded bodysuit she wore during her Reputation Stadium Tour, the striped T-shirt she wore in a 2020 photoshoot for “folklore.”

“She’s a visual storyteller. Everything she does ... it feels very intentional,” said Teresa Bocalan, a fan visiting the museum. “So it’s really cool to see those outfits up close.”

The exhibit, on display through Sept. 4, is accompanied by a playlist of Swift’s music videos — including her short film for the 10 minute version of “All Too Well” — which are projected on screens around the room. Lyrics scrawled in Swift’s handwriting adorn key walls in the space.

But perhaps the centerpiece of it all is a more recent piece of Swift’s lore: the flowing red wedding dress she wore in the 2021 video for “I Bet You Think About Me (Taylor’s Version) (From the Vault),” directed by Blake Lively and co-starring Miles Teller. The song, featuring Chris Stapleton, was an addition to the re-released version of her 2012 album “Red.” Adorned with tulle roses, the dress was custom made for Swift by Nicole + Felicia Couture.

In the video, the red gown is a showstopper — or, more literally, a wedding stopper.

In the exhibit, it seems to hold the same power.

“We had people come in and look at that red wedding dress over there and literally start to cry,” Rodgers said of the exhibit’s opening weekend. “It is, for a lot of people, almost like a religious experience to see this clothing that Taylor once wore.”

“I’m also super excited to see the ‘I Bet You Think About Me’ dress over there,” said Greta Myers, a student at the Fashion Institute of Technology. “We haven’t looked at it yet. I’m saving it.”

By ELISE RYAN

Travelore Tips: The TSA Has New Rules For Fliers.

As summer travel begins this Memorial Day weekend and continues through Labor Day, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is preparing airport security checkpoints nationwide to screen high volumes of passengers.

About 2.6 million passengers are expected to be screened on Friday, May 26, the busiest day of the long weekend.

Many of those passengers may not have flown in a while and the TSA suggests they get caught up on all the changes. Even those who have flown in the last few months may be in for a couple of nuances as well.

Update on TSA PreCheck

Any parent or guardian already enrolled in TSAPrecheck can now accompany teens aged 13-17 to a TSA PreCheck screening when the TSA PreCheck indicator appears on the teen's boarding pass. Children 12 and under may accompany an enrolled parent or guardian without restriction at any time.

“Passengers can help as well by being prepared, by having their identification ready when they begin screening and checking to make sure they aren’t bringing firearms, oversized liquids or any other prohibited item into the checkpoint,” said TSA Administrator David Pekoske. “One person’s actions can delay screening for everyone else.”

Are you who you say you are?

TSA is deploying new technology solutions nationwide to modernize airport checkpoints, enhance security effectiveness, and improve the passenger experience. Credential Authentication Technology (CAT) units now verify a passenger's identification credentials, flight details, and pre-screening status, such as TSA PreCheck, without a boarding pass. With CAT, passengers only need to provide their acceptable photo identification to the officer.

But, heads up – TSA officers may perform additional passenger verification if they think it’s needed.

If anyone is worried about their images being scanned, the agency said that those travelers may opt out in favor of an alternative identity verification process without losing their place in line.

More scrutiny of carry-ons

TSA recently installed new state-of-the-art Computed Tomography (CT) units nationwide, which the agency says greatly improves scanning and threat detection capabilities for carry-on bags.

The upside is that the new CT units give TSA officers the ability to review a 3-D image of passengers’ bags while reducing the need to physically search the contents of those bags. That means that travelers screened in security lanes with CT units no longer have to remove their 3-1-1 liquids or laptops, but they must place every carry-on item, including bags, into a bin for screening.

Pack an empty bag

The TSA says that it’s been monitoring what trends are happening at U.S. airports and recommends that travelers start with a completely empty bag and take a minute to know what items can be carried on before they go.

“When airline passengers begin packing for travel with an empty bag, they are less likely to be stopped at the security checkpoint for having prohibited items. Prior to packing that empty bag, check TSA’s What Can I Bring? tool to know what is prohibited,” the agency noted.

Check And Declare Firearms

One huge concern is the number of firearms that passengers have tried to get through security checkpoints in the last few months. TSA officers intercepted 1,508 firearms at airport security checkpoints during the first quarter of 2023 – more than 93% of them loaded.

If you try to get a firearm through security, you will get stopped, maybe fined, and the government will confiscate your gun and you won't get it back.

And that fine isn’t cheap, either. Trying to bring a loaded firearm or unloaded firearm with accessible ammunition in a carry-on could cost you $3,000 - $10,700, plus a criminal referral. Unloaded firearms carry a potential fine of $1,500 - $5,370 + criminal referral for anyone who tries to bring one through a TSA checkpoint.

For anyone who wants to travel with a firearm, the rule is simple: “You may still travel with a firearm – it just must be properly packed in your checked baggage and you must declare it to the airline,” Pekoske said.

Source: https://www.consumeraffairs.com/, Gary Guthrie

Velas Resorts Named Among Best Of The Best Resorts In The World In TripAdvisor’s 2023 Travelers’ Choice Awards

Continuing to surpass travelers’ expectations, Velas Resorts in Mexico were once again recognized among the top hotels in the world in TripAdvisor’s 2023 Travelers’ Choice Awards. The Grand Velas resorts in Riviera Maya, Riviera Nayarit, and Los Cabos were honored among the Best Luxury Hotels and All-inclusive Resorts in Mexico. In the former category, Grand Velas Los Cabos was #1 and also included among the Top Luxury Hotels and Top All Inclusive Resorts in the World. Casa Velas, the collection’s adults only property, was also noted among the Top All-Inclusive Resorts in Mexico. Achieving TripAdvisor’s highest honor among the top 1% of hotels worldwide, Grand Velas and Casa Velas were certified 2023 Travelers’ Choice Best of the Best.

The ongoing success of Velas Resorts can be attributed to its quality driven approach. The resorts are dedicated to offering unparalleled experiences and exclusive access to innovative amenities, services, and facilities.

“Our goal is always to exceed guests’ expectations,” said Eduardo Vela, president of Velas Resorts. “By delivering high-quality, memorable experiences, we aim to always keep our guests first. It is an honor to receive these awards knowing our guests value our service and quality.”

Below is the full list of award categories and acclamations:

Top 25 Luxury Hotels in Mexico

Grand Velas Los Cabos – #1 Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit – #6 Grand Velas Riviera Maya – #19

Top 25 Hotels in Mexico

Grand Velas Los Cabos – #3 Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit – #11 Grand Velas Riviera Maya – #23

Top 25 All-Inclusive Resorts in Mexico

Grand Velas Los Cabos – #4 Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit – #8 Grand Velas Riviera Maya – #13 Casa Velas - #17

Top 25 All-Inclusive Resorts in the World

Grand Velas Los Cabos – #11

Top 25 Luxury Hotels in the World

Grand Velas Los Cabos – #15

For reservations or more information, call 1-888-407-4869, email reservations@velasresorts.com or visit https://www.velasresorts.com

Travelore News: France Bans Short Domestic Flights In Favor Of High-Speed Train Service

City hopping within France is grounded.

Travelers looking to fly within the European country will no longer be able to take a short domestic flight when there’s alternative high-speed rail service, according to a new ban signed into law on Tuesday.

“As we fight relentlessly to decarbonize our lifestyles, how can we justify the use of the plane between the big cities which benefit from regular, fast and efficient connections by train?” Clément Beaune, Minister Delegate for Transport, said in a statement.

The move is part of the country’s larger commitment to decarbonize transport, which accounts for 30% of emissions, according to the statement.

The decree bans short-haul flights when the train journey takes less than two and a half hours.

Which flights are affected?

So far, only three routes, not including connecting flights, have been affected: Paris-Orly airport between Nantes, Bordeaux and Lyon.

In three years the country will evaluate the decree’s success and possibly ban more routes.

Some question the actual impact of the ban. According to Europe-based nonprofit organization Transport & Environment, the three banned routes only represent 3% of France’s mainland domestic flight emissions.

Europe has been working on improving its transport infrastructure as part of the recent TEN-T project, including faster, more efficient rail service.

In 2019, French President Emmanuel Macron suggested domestic flights of less than four hours to be banned if someone could just take the train. The current two-and-a-half-hour ban was introduced in 2021 after pushback from groups such as airline Air France-KLM.

By Kathleen Wong for USA TODAY

Demi Lovato And Ludacris To Headline Wawa Welcome America Concert On July 4 In Philadelphia

The free concert will conclude with fireworks over the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, capping 16 days of programming across Philly.

The vibe at this year’s Wawa Welcome America concert: pop punk meets Atlanta hip-hop.

Singer Demi Lovato and musician-actor hyphenate Ludacris will headline the free July 4 concert, which will conclude with fireworks over the Benjamin Franklin Parkway.

The Welcome America concert has been a Philadelphia mainstay since 1993, with Wawa taking over the sponsorship mantle in 2010. Since then, the Delaware County-based convenience store chain has helped bring acts like Pitbull, Nicki Minaj, Jason Derulo, and Philly natives the Roots to the parkway.

Wawa Welcome America has also added the two-day Hispanic Fiesta to its lineup, thanks to a partnership with organizer Concilio, a Latino family services nonprofit. That event, set at the Great Plaza at Penn’s Landing on June 24 and 25, will feature headliners Manny Manuel and Jose Alberto.

Lovato, who came up through the Disney Channel industrial complex, is a Grammy-nominated musician, author, and mental health advocate.

Her career spans eight albums and a cluster of genres, from pop to touches of R&B, to, more recently, rock. Lovato’s most recent release is a 16-track punk-adjacent album that she teased by hosting a funeral for her pop era on Instagram.

Lovato has been open about her yearslong addiction journey and bipolar diagnosis, detailing both in the self-produced docuseries Demi Lovato: Dancing with the Devil. Her candor has won several awards, including the Vanguard Award from LGBTQ-advocacy organization GLAAD, which celebrated Lovato in 2017 for her anti-bullying work.

Generation Z might know Chris “Ludacris” Bridges as the guy from seven Fast & Furious movies and a one-time Justin Bieber collaborator, but the rapper is perhaps most famous for taking southern rap mainstream with songs like “Area Codes,” “Money Maker,” and, of course, “Southern Hospitality.”

Though the elder statesman of rap hasn’t dropped an album since 2015, Ludacris has been teasing new music — and potentially an album — while on the press tour for the latest Fast & Furious film, Fast X.

On the acting side, Ludacris has also starred in two Academy Award-nominated films: Crash, alongside Sandra Bullock and Brendan Fraser, and Hustle & Flow, which launched the career of Memphis-based rap group Three 6 Mafia.

by Beatrice Forman and Nick Vadala

Skeletons Found In Pompeii Ruins Reveal Deaths By Earthquake, Not Just Vesuvius’ Ancient Eruption

MILAN (AP) — The discovery of two skeletons buried beneath a collapsed wall in the Pompeii archaeological site point to deaths by powerful earthquakes that accompanied the devastating eruption of Mount Vesuvius in the first century, experts said Tuesday, in addition to the victims of volcanic ash and gas.

The two skeletons believed to be men at least 55 years old were found in the Casti Amanti, or House of Chaste Lovers, beneath a wall that collapsed before the area was covered in volcanic material. The area was likely undergoing reconstruction work at the time of the eruption in A.D. 79, following an earthquake a few days earlier.

“In recent years, we have realized there were violent, powerful seismic events that were happening at the time of the eruption,″ said Gabriel Zuchtriegel, director of the Pompeii Archaeological Park.

New archaeological techniques and methodology “allow us to understand better the inferno that in two days completely destroyed the city of Pompeii, killing many inhabitants,″ he added, making it possible to determine the dynamic of deaths down to the final seconds.

More than 1,300 victims have been found in the archaeological site south of Naples over the last 250 years.

Travelore News: New Madrid Museum Set To Unveil Five Centuries Of Spain’s Royal Collections

It’s not as if Madrid was short on world-ranking galleries with the likes of the Prado Museum, the Thyssen-Bornemisza and the Reina Sofía, among others.

But next month, Spain is set to unveil what is touted as one of Europe’s cultural highlights of the year with the opening in the Spanish capital of The Royal Collections Gallery. The swanky new museum will feature master paintings, tapestries, sculptures, decorative art pieces, armory and sumptuous royal furniture collected by Spanish monarchs over five centuries, spanning the empire’s Hapsburg and Bourbon dynasties.

“This is the biggest museum project in Spain in decades, and also in Europe”, says Ana de la Cueva, President of the Patrimonio Nacional, a government body that runs the Gallery.

Unlike many other monarchies, Spain’s Royal Collections do not belong to the crown but to the public, thanks to a historical twist nearly a century ago. Now, Patrimonio Nacional oversees palaces, monasteries, convents, and royal gardens across the country.

For Gallery director Leticia Ruiz, bringing together such a variety of extraordinary pieces makes it something of “a museum of museums.”

The inaugural exhibition will feature 650 of the more than 150,000 pieces Patrimonio Nacional manages, including works from Velázquez, Goya, Caravaggio, Titian and Tintoretto. Also featured will be some pieces from the world’s best tapestries collection as well as ancient carriages and royal furniture. A third of the works will be replaced with new exhibitions each year.

Ruiz says the Gallery will offer visitors a unique vantage point of “the history of the Royal Palaces that are fundamental to the history of Spain and the world.”

One standout piece is Velázquez’s “White Horse,” rearing up and without a rider, suggesting the court painter was just waiting to be told which king to put in the saddle.

Nearby, the light and facial expressions in Caravaggio’s 1607 “Salome with the Head of John the Baptist” are equally captivating. The painting is one of the just four Caravaggios in Spain.

Then there is the multicolored cedar wood sculpture of Saint Michael slaying the Devil, a 1692 work by Spain’s first female court sculptor Luisa Roldán. It is known that she carved the devil in the likeness of her husband and that she, herself may have been the model for Michael.

On the same floor is the first edition of Cervantes’ “Don Quijote.”

“For many centuries, the Spanish monarchs were the best collectors in history,” said De la Cueva. Being able to buy and order from the best artists in the world “was a way of showing their power.”

Built on the steep hillside opposite the Madrid’s Royal palace and the Almudena Cathedral, the Gallery building itself is an impressive work of art.

Designed by Luis Mansilla and Emilio Tuñón, its unimposing vertical linear structure has won 10 architectural awards, including the 2017 American Architecture Prize.

Unseen from street level, it descends seven floors. In the Hapsburg rooms you are greeted by four gigantic baroque Solomonic faux marble wooden columns with gilded vines that once belonged to a Madrid church.

What makes the Gallery particularly special is its incorporation of Madrid’s ninth century Islamic foundation after archeologists came across part of the city’s Moorish wall during construction.

Madrid was originally called Mayrit in Arabic and its Islamic rulers built a fortress to protect the nearby center of power, Toledo. Following the reconquest of Spain by the Catholic monarchs, Madrid was converted into Spain’s royal court and capital in 1561 by Felipe II.

Álvaro Soler Del Campo, archaeologist and Chief Curator of the Royal Armory, says Madrid “is the only current capital of the European Union that preserves a fragment of its first (founding) walls” as well as being the only European capital city that has Islamic origins.

The initial idea of building a museum to house the Crown’s collections arose during Spain’s anti-monarchy Second Republic between 1931 and 1939. The leftist government seized the royal properties but protected them under a new agency that preceded the Patrimonio Nacional.

The republic was flattened during a rebellion by late dictator Gen. Francisco Franco and other Catholic Nationalist officers that started the three-year Spanish Civil War and heralded in some four decades of dictatorship at its end in 1939.

Two decades after Franco’s death and the return to democracy, the initiative for a museum was taken up again in 1998. But it took another 25 years, 172 million euros ($186 million) and several government changes before the ambitious project could be finished.

Ruiz says the novelty of seeing such artistic beauty in such a modernist building will appeal to visitors.

“What we want to do is capture them as soon as they enter, and I think we are going to do that,” she said.

King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia will inaugurate the Gallery June 28, after which it will be open to the public, free of charge for the first few days.

By CIARÁN GILES

Pent-Up Demand Promises Record Tourist Season For Southern Europe

After three years of pandemic travel restrictions and rocketing energy costs, tourism is back with a vengeance to boost the economies of southern Europe as sun-seekers make up for lost time.

Early bookings suggest Italy, Spain, Greece and Portugal could receive record tourism revenues this year, helping replenish state coffers depleted by rising debt interest payments and the cost of living crisis.

What's more, there appears to be growing demand for the luxury end of the spectrum.

"Today in Italy, we have this boom in terms of tourism that is unbelievable," Carlo Messina, CEO of Italy's biggest bank Intesa SanPaolo told investment analysts in a call.

"It is impossible to find a place in a 5-star hotel if you want to make a vacation."

Tourism is vital to southern Europe's economies.

The travel industry was worth 100 billion euros ($110.08 billion) or 6.2% of Italian output in 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic brought the sector into its knees. Add the wider income generated by tourist-related business and the figure more than doubles to 13%.

In Greece, tourism accounts for no less than one-fifth of gross domestic product.

The number of foreign tourists visiting Italy was up 70.5% in the first two months of the year compared to the same period in 2022, according to the national statistics agency. It added that if the trend continues, Italy could match or surpass pre-pandemic levels.

In April, Greek Tourism Minister Vassilis Kikilias said summer bookings already pointed to a new record.

Portugal registered more than 2.8 million of foreign visitors from January to March, the best first quarter on record, according to official data.

In Spain, the flow of international tourists in the first quarter increased by 41.2% over the same period in 2022 and exceeded 13.7 million visitors, albeit still 3.5% below the same quarter in 2019.

The tourist industry is already benefiting. Airlines such as Lufthansa, easyJet and Ryanair have confirmed robust summer bookings while Ryanair, in anticipation of strong demand, has just ordered 150 new 737 Max-10s and optioned another 150.
German travel firm TUI expects strong revenue and higher profit in 2023. Italian travel and tourism company Alpitour forecasts turnover 30% higher this year.

"We already see a very strong demand to book Christmas holidays in 2023. We do 30 to 35,000 quotations a day, numbers never seen before," Alpitour CEO Gabriele Burgio said.

Against a background of stubbornly high inflation and interest rate hikes from the European Central Bank, the tourism boom could not come at a better time.

While manufacturers are seeing demand declining, in Italy and Spain the service sectors grew respectively for the fourth and sixth month running in April driven also by tourism, HCOB Global's Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) showed.

Fitch cited the "strong rebound" in tourism last week as it maintained its credit rating on Italy.

Portugal's central bank meanwhile raised its 2023 economic growth forecast to 1.8% from 1.5% mainly due to expected "favourable developments" in the tourism sector and despite a near-stagnation in private consumption expected this year.

The Bank of Greece predicts the local economy will grow by 2.2% in 2023 - far above the euro area average - backed by the "favourable" tourism outlook.

The boost in tourism comes despite headwinds ranging from strikes that have disrupted travel to concern about extreme weather events, such as last year's heat-wave in southwest Europe and the current flooding in parts of Italy.

"Travel is the only discretionary expense people are prepared to maintain or increase," easyJet CEO Johan Lundgren said last month.

Consumers who had little choice but to buy goods rather than services during the pandemic are now keen to catch up on lost time, some in the industry say.

"There seems to be a significant shift in consumer behaviour, with holidays taking centre stage in consumption priorities, surpassing traditional purchases such as cars, mobile phones and watches," Alpitour’s Burgio told a hotel trade event in Milan.

As China lifts restrictions on travel, some 6 million Chinese tourists are expected to head to Europe by the end of the year, according to projections by the China Outbound Tourism Research Institute released by the European Travel Commission.

Moreover, Italian tourist agency ENIT is confident that a new, younger profile of Chinese tourist is emerging who wants "in-depth travel experiences" that go beyond the quick tour of urban cultural centres.

"The Chinese are now looking at previously overlooked destinations such as Sicily, the Cinque Terre (Italian Riviera) and seaside destinations that were previously neglected," it said.

($1 = 0.9084 euros)

By Giselda Vagnoni

Travelore News: American Airlines And JetBlue Must Abandon Their Partnership In The Northeast, Federal Judge Rules

American Airlines and JetBlue Airways must abandon their partnership in the northeast United States, a federal judge in Boston ruled Friday, saying that the government proved the deal reduces competition in the airline industry.

The ruling is a major victory for the Biden administration, which has used aggressive enforcement of antitrust laws to fight against mergers and other arrangements between large corporations.

The Justice Department argued during a trial last fall that the deal would eventually cost consumers hundreds of millions of dollars a year.

U.S. District Judge Leo Sorokin wrote in his decision that American and JetBlue violated antitrust law as they carved up Northeast markets between them, “replacing full-throated competition with broad cooperation.”

The judge said the airlines offered only minimal evidence that the partnership, called the Northeast Alliance, helped consumers.

The airlines said they were considering whether to appeal.

“We believe the decision is wrong and are considering next steps,” said American spokesman Matt Miller. “The court’s legal analysis is plainly incorrect and unprecedented for a joint venture like the Northeast Alliance. There was no evidence in the record of any consumer harm from the partnership.”

JetBlue spokeswoman Emily Martin said her airline was disappointed, adding, “We made it clear at trial that the Northeast Alliance has been a huge win for customers.”

The Justice Department, meanwhile, hailed the ruling.

“Today’s decision is a win for Americans who rely on competition between airlines to travel affordably,” Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement.

The partnership had the blessing of the Trump administration when it took effect in early 2021. It let the airlines sell seats on each other’s flights and share revenue from them. It covered many of their flights to and from Boston’s Logan Airport and three airports in the New York City area: John F. Kennedy, LaGuardia and Newark Liberty in New Jersey.

But soon after President Joe Biden took office, the Justice Department took another look. It found an economist who predicted that consumers would spend more than $700 million a year extra because of reduced competition.

American is the largest U.S. airline and JetBlue is the sixth-biggest overall. But in Boston, they hold down two of the top three spots, alongside Delta Air Lines, and two of the top four positions in New York.

The Justice Department sued to kill the deal in 2021, and was joined by six states and the District of Columbia.
“It is a very important case to us ... because of those families that need to travel and want affordable tickets and good service,” Justice Department lawyer Bill Jones said during closing arguments.

The trial featured testimony by current and former airline CEOs and economists who gave wildly different opinions on how the deal would affect competition and ticket prices.

The airlines and their expert witnesses argued that the government couldn’t show that the alliance, which had been in place for about 18 months at the time, had led to higher fares. They said it helped them start new routes from New York and Boston. And most importantly, they said, the deal benefitted consumers by creating more competition against Delta and United Airlines.

The judge was not persuaded.

“Though the defendants claim their bigger-is-better collaboration will benefit the flying public, they produced minimal objectively credible proof to support that claim,” he wrote. “Whatever the benefits to American and JetBlue of becoming more powerful — in the northeast generally or in their shared rivalry with Delta — such benefits arise from a naked agreement not to compete with one another.”

Hanging over the trial was JetBlue’s proposed $3.8 billion purchase of Spirit Airlines, the nation’s largest discount carrier. In March, while Sorokin was mulling his decision, the Justice Department sued to block that deal too, arguing that it would reduce competition and be especially harmful to consumers who depend on Spirit to save money.

JetBlue has countered that acquiring Spirit will make it a bigger, stronger low-cost competitor to Delta, United, Southwest — and American — which together control about 80% of the domestic U.S. air-travel market.

The government’s lawsuit against the JetBlue-Spirit deal is pending before a different judge in the same Boston courthouse.

By DAVID KOENIG

Dubai’s Next Big Thing? Perhaps A $5 Billion Man-Made ‘Moon’ As The City’s Real Estate Market Booms

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Who says you cannot reach for the moon? A proposed $5 billion real estate project wants to take skyscraper-studded Dubai to new heights — by bringing a symbol of the heavens down to Earth.

Canadian entrepreneur Michael Henderson envisions building a 274-meter (900-foot) replica of the moon atop a 30-meter (100-foot) building in Dubai, already home to the world’s tallest building and other architectural wonders.

Henderson’s project, dubbed MOON, may sound out of this world, but it could easily fit in this futuristic city-state. Dubai already has a red-hot real estate market, fueled by the wealthy who fled restrictions imposed in their home countries during the coronavirus pandemic and Russians seeking refuge amid Moscow’s war on Ukraine.

And even though a previous booms-and-bust cycle saw many grand projects collapse, Henderson and others suggest his vision, funded by Moon World Resorts Inc., where he is the co-founder, might not be that far-fetched.

“We have the biggest ‘brand’ in the world,” Henderson told The Associated Press, alluding that the moon itself — the heavenly body — was his brand. “Eight billion people know our brand, and we haven’t even started yet.”

The project Henderson proposes includes a destination resort inside the spherical structure, complete with a 4,000-room hotel, an arena capable of hosting 10,000 people and a “lunar colony” that would give guests the sensation of actually walking on the moon.

The MOON would sit on a pedestal-like circular building beneath it and would glow at night. Henderson discussed the project at the Arabian Travel Market earlier in May in Dubai.

Already, artist renderings commissioned by Moon World Resorts have played with the location for his MOON — including at the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building at a height of 828 meters (2,710 feet). Others have placed it at the Dubai Pearl, a long-dormant project now being destroyed near the man-made Palm Jumeirah archipelago, and on its unfinished sister, the Palm Jebel Ali.

The Pearl and the Palm Jebel Ali represent two “white elephant” projects left over from the 2009 financial crisis that rocked the sheikhdom and forced Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, to provide Dubai with a $20 billion bailout.

Now nearly 15 years later, Dubai largely has turned around. Rents on average across Dubai are up 26.9% year-on-year, even with anti-price-gouging protections. Dubai saw 86,849 residential sales last year, beating a previous record of 80,831 from 2009.

“Dubai is in a completely different world compared to” 2009, said Lewis Allsopp, the CEO of the prominent Dubai real estate agency Allsopp & Allsopp. Launched products are “selling out on the spot.”

Inflation and interest rate hikes around the world have led to fears of a global recession. The UAE’s currency, the dirham, is pegged to the dollar, meaning it has followed lock-step the hikes imposed by the Federal Reserve.

But cash still remains king for Dubai buyers, with fourth-fifths of transactions paid in currency without financing in 2022, said Faisal Durrani, the head of Middle East research at real estate agency Knight Frank.

“You could argue that the interest rate hikes that are taking place, to an extent the market is a little bit shielded from that given the fact that so much of the transactional activity has been driven by cash,” Durrani said.

Other major projects are moving ahead.

Nakheel, the state-owned developer behind the Palm Jebel Ali, has relaunched development plans for it. The developer also unveiled a multibillion-dollar plan to build 80 resorts and hotels on the man-made Dubai Islands, though it remains largely empty and under the flight path of the nearby Dubai International Airport, the world’s busiest for international travel.

The MOON project also includes space for a possible casino as well. Gambling remains illegal in the UAE, a federation of seven hereditarily ruled sheikhdoms on the Arabian Peninsula. However, major brands like Caesar’s Palace already exist or hope to build in Dubai. Wynn Resorts plans to build a $3.9 resort in Ras al-Khaimah north of Dubai with gambling to open in 2027 — meaning a change to the law is likely to come.

Like other high-profile, eye-catching marvels, the MOON could fit well into “the legitimacy formula of Dubai’s ruling elite,” said Christopher Davidson, a Middle East expert who wrote the recent book “From Sheikhs to Sultanism.” Dubai also hosts the UAE’s space center, which has sent a probe to Mars and unsuccessfully tried to put a rover on the moon.

“They can be seen as a non-democratic elite but nonetheless believe strongly in science and progress — and that’s ultimately very legitimizing and a megaproject like this would seem to tick all of those boxes,” Davidson said.

Henderson’s plan would go a step further than other globe-shaped projects, such as the MSG Sphere, a $2.3 billion dome blanketed by LED screens, that is set to open in Las Vegas later this year.

His structure would be fully spherical, and could be illuminated alternatively as a full, half or crescent moon.

The brightness may not go down well with potential neighbors — plans to build another MSG Sphere in London were halted after residents protested the significant light pollution and disruption the structure would cause.

“It’s hard to please everybody,” Henderson acknowledged. “You might need dark curtains.”

One Of Paris’ Most Popular Attractions, The Centre Pompidou, Is Closing For Five Years

The third most visited cultural site in Paris needs a makeover. After enchanting art and architecture fans for 50 years with its inside-out construction, the Centre Pompidou is to close for five years for an overhaul.

The center, which contains galleries, a library and a restaurant within its groundbreaking exterior of pipes and conduits, will be shuttered from 2025 to 2030 to undergo repairs and construction work that officials say are needed to ensure the unusual building’s future.

France’s minister of culture, Rima Abdul Malak, announced the work earlier this month saying that the modernization and asbestos removal project, estimated to cost 260 million euros ($282 million), will “perpetuate its survival.”

The closure was initially expected to take place from September 2023, but has been postponed until after the Summer Olympics to be staged in Paris in 2024.

Located in the heart of Paris, the Pompidou – named after former French President Georges Pompidou – attracts several millions of visitors a year. The Pompidou also offers one of the best views of the city.

The refurbishment aims to reinvent the “original utopia” of the Centre Pompidou while responding to the cultural, societal and environmental challenges of the coming years, Laurent Le Bon, the landmark’s president, told CNN.

One of the highlights of the renovation will be a brand new 1,500-square-meter terrace with vistas over the west of the city. The work will also help reduce the center’s energy bill by 60%. “We are probably one of the most energy-consuming buildings in France so this is rather good news,” Le Bon said.

In the meantime, visitors will still be able to access some of the Centre Pompidou’s highlights. The 400,000 books of its public library will move to Le Lumière, a temporary site in Paris’s Bercy district, while artworks from its National Modern Art Museum, will be exhibited across Paris, wider France and abroad.

Designed by architects Renzo Piano and Richard Rogers – who both went on to create some of the most famous buildings of the past 50 years – the Centre Pompidou was built on a former parking lot. Pompidou himself was inspired by art museums across the Atlantic.

“I would like, passionately, for Paris to have a cultural center such as they have tried to create in the United States with unequal success so far, which would be both a museum and a center of creation,” he said in an interview with Le Monde newspaper in 1972.

But when architectural plans featuring external tubes and pipes were drawn up, the president was faced with skepticism. Critics said its blue, red and green pipes and nautical architecture would clash with the classic Haussmannian look of the City of Lights.

“It was nicknamed the ocean liner, the refinery, Our Lady of the Pipes,” recalls Laurent Le Bon. “When it came out of the ground in the heart of Paris – we’re really in historic Paris, in the Marais – it caused an aesthetic shock.”

Yet, the building that French poet Francis Ponge described as “a heart, a muscle, a pump breathing in and out in continuous beats” became a national landmark in the span of half a century. A space meant to live and breathe with its time, “not so much a monument, more, to invent a word, a moviment,” he wrote in his booklet “L’Écrit Beaubourg” in 1977.

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

Travelore News: American Airlines Signs DFW Airport Lease Deal That Includes Money For A New, 6th Terminal

American Airlines has signed a new lease at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport that will include $4.8 billion to build a new terminal and renovate one of the five current terminals, airline and airport officials said Tuesday.

The $1.63 billion new Terminal F would include 15 gates. The deal also calls for $2.72 billion to renovate Terminal C and add nine gates in “piers” that will extend from terminals A and C. American will control those gates.

The work is designed to prepare Fort Worth-based American for the expected growth in air travel. DFW is the second-busiest airport in the world, behind only Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

The sixth terminal at DFW has long been planned but was delayed by the pandemic, which caused air travel to decline sharply for two years. Air travel has recently rebounded roughly to 2019 levels, and in some months, topped pre-pandemic traffic.

American’s new lease and airport-use agreement replaces one that expired in 2020.

American and its American Eagle partners control more than 80% of the airport’s traffic, with runner-ups Spirit Airlines and Delta Air Lines each carrying about 4% of DFW passengers, according to government figures through March.

Source: AP

Guaycura Boutique Hotel Is Mexico’s Newest Romantic Getaway In Todos Santos, Baja California Sur-Mexico

Todos Santos, a quaint town situated in Baja California Sur, Mexico, commonly known as a "Pueblo Mágico" due to its stunning natural beauty and cultural heritage, recently has emerged as a popular destination for couples seeking aromantic escape. The town's mesmerizing sunsets, relaxed ambiance, picturesque beaches, and delectable cuisine is home of Guaycura Boutique Hotel Beach Club& Spa, the new hotspot ideal for couples to indulge in romance, excitement, and exploration. As a booming destination, Todos Santos boasts a stunning natural landscape that is bound to leave visitors awestruck. Punta Lobos, in particular, is a must-visit for its tranquil atmosphere, crystal-clear waters, and pristine sand.

Here, couples can bask in the warmth of the sun, take a leisurely stroll along the shoreline, or even venture into the water for a refreshing swim.
For couples seeking a more adventurous experience, Playa Los Cerritos is an ideal destination. Known for its thrilling surf break, this beach draws surfers and beachgoers from all over. Whether you are an experienced surfer or just starting out, the waves at Playa Los Cerritos offer a thrilling challenge for all adventure enthusiasts. From riding the waves to simply watching the surfers in action, there's something for everyone.

Taking a leisurely stroll through town, hand-in-hand, is one of the most romantic activities that couples can indulge in while in Todos Santos.

The town's unique blend of art galleries, boutiques, cozy cafes, and local restaurants create the perfect ambiance for a romantic afternoon; be sure to visit the Besame Mucho Bazaar, a charming local store that sells exquisite handcrafted jewelry and souvenirs. Additionally, the 'La Banca del Beso', also known as the "Kissing Bench," provides the perfect spot for couples to share a memorable kiss.
T
o experience the local culture of Todos Santos, sampling the delicious cuisine is a must. The Guaycura Hotel's El Mirador restaurant is a popular choice, thanks to its panoramic ocean views and gourmet dining options.

The hotel itself is chic and stylish, offering spacious and comfortable rooms, stunning art collection, and an intimate ambiance perfect to escape from the world.

To complete the experience, the Aena Spa offers in-room services at the Guaycura Boutique Hotel, as well as a rooftop spa with a copper tub. At El Faro Beach Club & Spa, couples can book massage cabins and steam rooms and seaside massage on the private beach for a more intimate experience.

From beach weddings to romantic getaways, Guaycura Boutique Hotel andTodos Santos will make your stay here with your loved one a unique andunforgettable experience.
For more details, please visit: Facebook.com/GuaycuraHotel

Montreal Bike Festival Heralds Release From Grip Of COVID

If the 21-story Leonard Cohen mural that commands Montreal’s skyline could talk, it might tell you what this city’s crackling cultural life was like when the pandemic hit and everyone hunkered down. To borrow from his lyrics, it was a cold and a broken hallelujah.

The party’s back on.
The first weekend in June, Montrealers will line sidewalks and porches, toot horns and shout “bonne journee” or just plain “go!” as swarms of cyclists wend their way through the iconic urban spaces of this bicycle-mad city.

The Go Bike Montreal Festival is traditionally and once more the kickoff to a spring and summer season of music, outdoor pursuits, art extravaganzas and other joie de vivre exuberance.
This is no race of hotshots. Rather, the crowds turn out to cheer on neighbors and strangers, some 20,000 of them in each of two main rides, during a week-long festival that celebrates Montreal’s status as one of North America’s best bicycling cities.

This, in a province with a vast cycling network — Route Verte — that National Geographic rated first among the world’s top 10 cycling destinations.

Velo Quebec, the cycling organization that manages the network and puts on the festival, considers this year’s version to be the first full-blown one since COVID-19 at first crushed, then curtailed, the annual event and other large gatherings.

“We’re back to historical numbers,” said Jean-François Rheault, Velo Quebec’s CEO. “We’re back in celebration mode. Now the celebration is almost everywhere in the city.”

The festival opens May 28 with the Metropolitan Challenge, covering routes as long as 145 kilometers (90 miles) in the nearby Monteregie countryside.

The classic events with closed-off downtown streets are the following weekend. On June 2, the hordes head out at sunset on Tour la Nuit, many in oddball costumes with bikes bedecked in carnivalesque lights. On June 4 comes the longer Tour de l’ile de Montreal, covering 45 km, or 28 miles.

Both urban rides begin and end at Parc Maisonneuve, site of Olympic Stadium, the Biodome and the Montreal Botanical Gardens. Other landmarks are en route or close by.

Rheault said the pandemic spurred cities including Montreal to accelerate improvements to bikeways. While bicycle commuting shrank in the city’s protracted and strictly enforced lockdown, plenty more people took up cycling as a way to avoid going stir crazy. “Many who started biking realized they could safely and efficiently get around,” he said, and they’ve stuck with it.

In the 2019 Tour de l’Île a street corner in a forlorn warehouse district rang out with bracing songs in French from a Black choir as cyclists splashed through sheets of driving rain. Surprises like that are around one corner after another in the festival rides.

Quebec’s dedication to bicycle commuting and touring development is well known in the cycling and urban-policy worlds, with the more than 5,000-km (3,000-mile) Route Verte as the backbone. Over a quarter century, bikeways — bicycle paths, multipurpose trails, protected bike lanes and safe shoulders — have grown five-fold.

Velo Quebec counts 10,600 km or nearly 6,600 miles of bikeways in the province. For Montreal alone, its studies find that 2 in 3 adults used a bike for utility purposes — work commutes, shopping, errands — in 2020, up from 42% five years earlier.

The Colorado-based advocacy and research group PeopleforBikes, which produces worldwide ratings on urban biking, ranks Montreal No. 1 among large cities in North America for bike-friendly attributes.

Similarly, an MIT book on global cycling trends by urban planning researchers John Pucher of Rutgers University and Ralph Buehler of Virginia Tech named Montreal a world leader in establishing a safe network for bike commuting and recreation.

Pucher told the AP the city was “way ahead of the curve” in producing “the most comfortable, the least stressful bicycling infrastructure.”

Even before COVID got even more people on bikes, Montreal experienced a nearly two-thirds drop in the rate of serious cycling injuries since 2000 as the city’s bike network more than doubled, Buehler and Pucher found.

Cycling in the U.S. and Canada has been shaped by three waves, said Rheault, of Velo Quebec.

First came initial bike trails in the 1970s, many in existing parks. Then a surge in bike paths and the advent of urban bike-share from 2005 to 2010. The COVID era brought on the third wave as e-bike sales have surged and the next generation of bike lanes, wider and better protected than before, has taken shape.

By CALVIN WOODWARD

Saudi Arabia Is Building A $1.5 Billion High Speed Rail Line Connecting The Oxagon And The Line Regions Of Its Upcoming $1 trillion Neom City

When Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman announced the ultra-ambitious $1 trillion Neom City, cynics had a field day, doubting the man’s vision and viability. Neom City is taking shape excellently in only a few years, with the most prominent hospitality brands joining the team. Among the many questions posed by doubters, the one that seemed to make sense was how one travels in a vast city like Neom without cars. Prince MBS had shared the idea of a high-speed rail with an end-to-end transit of 20 minutes, making all daily needs reachable. Putting words into action is a contract worth $1.5 billion to design and build 57km of a high-speed railway in the Neom region along the north Red Sea coast of Saudi Arabia.

Webuild and Shibh Al Jazira Contracting (SAJCO) have been awarded a contract to construct a 57km, 230km/h passenger and freight line in Neom. The train will connect Oxagon, the region’s industrial center, and The Line, a 105-mile-long desert city. Webuild will spearhead the civil works for two high-speed and two freight railway tracks in a distinct destination after leading challenging industry projects, such as the Terzo Valico dei Giovi between Genoa and Milan.

Neom aims to be a futuristic city that incorporates advanced technologies and sustainable practices. One of the critical aspects of the development plan is establishing an efficient transportation system, including constructing a high-speed rail network. The ultimate goal is to connect Neom with other major cities in Saudi Arabia, such as Riyadh and Jeddah, and potentially extend into neighboring countries. The wealthy nation is also set to launch its first luxury train akin to the Orient Express, taking passengers on a 1300 km journey across the Kingdom.

by Neha Tandon Sharma

Travelore News: Pilots At United Picket For Higher Pay As Pressure Builds Before Summer Travel Season

Just ahead of what could be a record-breaking summer travel season, pilots from one of the nation’s biggest airlines marched in picket lines at major airports on Friday as they push for higher pay.

The United Airlines pilots have been working without a raise for more than four years while negotiating with airline management over a new contract.

The pilots are unlikely to strike anytime soon, however. Federal law makes it very difficult for unions to conduct strikes in the airline industry, and the last walkout at a U.S. carrier was more than a decade ago.

The coast-to-coast protests by United pilots come on the heels of overwhelming strike-authorization votes by pilots at American Airlines and Southwest Airlines. United pilots could be the next to vote, according to union officials.

Pilots at all three carriers are looking to match or beat the deal that Delta Air Lines reached with its pilots earlier this year, which raised pay rates by 34% over four years.

Top scale at United for a captain is $369 an hour on two-aisle planes, called “widebodies,” which are generally used on international flights, and $297 an hour on “narrowbodies” such as Boeing 737s. Airline pilots fly an average of 75 hours per month, according to the Labor Department.

United has proposed to match the Delta increase, but that might not be enough for a deal.

“We still have a long ways to go to resolve some of the issues at the table,” said Garth Thompson, chair of the United wing of the Air Line Pilots Association.

Thompson said discussion about wages has been held up while the two sides negotiate over scheduling, including the union’s wish to limit United’s ability to make pilots work on their days off.

United spokesman Joshua Freed said, “We’re continuing to work with the Air Line Pilots Association on the industry-leading deal we have put on the table for our world-class pilots.”

Pilots argue that United should reward them for helping the airline survive the coronavirus pandemic.

“We made quite a few sacrifices during the pandemic, and we feel it is now time for the company to step up to the plate and to give us a contract, acknowledging the sacrifices and the contributions that we have made,” said pilot Arzu Delp, as he picketed at San Francisco International Airport.

The Delta contract that United pilots are using as their starting point will cost Delta $7.2 billion over four years. All airlines are dealing with rising labor costs, which could show up in the price of a ticket, but fares are also set by supply and demand, notes Blaise Waguespack, who teaches airline management and marketing at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

Giselle Ascione, a United passenger in San Francisco, said the airlines are making a lot of money, and “the pilots as well as the attendants should be paid. It’s common sense.”

Even if the airlines and their unions fail to reach agreements quickly, strikes are unlikely in the next few months — when millions of Americans hope to fly over summer vacation. Under U.S. law, airline and railroad workers can’t legally strike, and companies can’t lock them out, until federal mediators determine that further negotiations are pointless.

The National Mediation Board rarely declares a dead end to bargaining, and even if it does, there is a no-strikes “cooling-off” period during which the White House and Congress can block a walkout. That’s what President Bill Clinton did minutes after pilots began striking against American in 1997. In December, President Joe Biden signed a bill that Congress passed to impose contract terms on freight railroad workers, ending a strike threat.

The last strike at a U.S. carrier occurred at Spirit Airlines in 2010.

Thompson, the union leader at United, said his pilots “will continue to work in 2023” despite challenges including an “aggressive” summer flight schedule.

Over the years, airline workers have conducted job actions that fell short of a strike but disrupted flights anyway. A federal judge fined the American Airlines pilots’ union $45 million for a 1999 sickout that crippled the airline’s operations, although the amount was later reduced. In 2019, a federal judge ordered unions representing American’s aircraft mechanics to stop what the airline termed an illegal work slowdown.

Arthur Wheaton, director of labor studies at Cornell University, said Congress would not permit an airline strike because of the economic harm it would cause, but unhappy pilots could still cause disruptions in other ways.

“They always have ‘work to rule.’ They could say, ‘We’re not working any overtime,’” Wheaton said. “I don’t anticipate the pilots trying to screw up travel for everybody intentionally, but bargaining is about leverage and power ... having the ability to do that can be a negotiating tactic.”

Airlines are vulnerable to work-to-rule protests because they depend on finding pilots and flight attendants to pick up extra shifts during peak travel periods.

Regardless of the legal hurdles to a walkout, unions believe that strike votes give them leverage during bargaining, and they have become more common. A shortage of pilots is also putting those unions in particularly strong bargaining position.

Chicago-based United has roughly 14,000 pilots, and the union expects at least 2,000 will picket Friday at 10 airports from Newark, New Jersey, to Los Angeles. The union is also distributing leaflets that highlight the pilots’ desire for better work-life balance in their scheduling but make no mention of pay.

Source: AP, DAVID KOENIG

Canada Unveils New Passport Design With State-Of-The-Art Security Features

The Canadian passport is one of the most powerful and respected travel documents in the world. For some, it is used to reconnect with loved ones, to explore, and have an adventure. For others, it marks the final step in their immigration journey, becoming Canadian citizens and joining a diverse and inclusive society that values democracy, freedom, and human rights.

The Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, and the Honourable Karina Gould, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, are proud today to unveil the new Canadian passport. The new passport has been redesigned from cover to cover with state-of-the-art security features and new artwork, maintaining its status as one of the most secure and universally accepted travel documents in the world for all Canadians.

The new passport includes state-of-the-art security features designed to keep Canadians' identities safe, such as a polycarbonate data page—a technology similar to Canada's driver's licences. Passport holders' personal information will now be laser engraved instead of being printed with ink, making the data page more durable and resistant to tampering and counterfeiting. Other features include a Kinegram over the main photo, a custom see-through window with a secondary image of the passport holder, a variable laser image, and a temperature sensitive ink feature.

The new passport celebrates Canada's heritage and identity with iconic images of Canada's natural beauty throughout the four seasons. It also includes a new cover design with an outline of a maple leaf—the first significant change in decades. The new passport will start rolling out in later this summer. Until then, the current passport remains secure and reliable, so Canadians with valid passports will only need to renew them when they are getting close to their normal renewal date. More details regarding the roll-out will be provided at a later date.

The Government of Canada has also been working to offer more online service options for Canadians. Starting later this fall, Canadians will be able to renew their passport, pay their fees, and upload their photograph securely and conveniently online.

Quick facts:

The Government of Canada awarded a 14-year contract in 2019 to the Canadian Bank Note Company to design, develop, and deploy the next generation of Canadian passports and travel documents. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada has worked with the Canadian Bank Note Company for the better part of the last century.

The Passport Index ranks the Canadian passport fourth globally, offering holders visa-free access or visa on arrival to over 170 countries (as of April 2023).

The current version of the passport was released in 2013.

With the new polycarbonate data page, we have imbedded the electronic passport chip in a transparent window on page one to better detect tampering attempts.

Canada is among the first in the Commonwealth to introduce a travel document series with reference to His Majesty King Charles III.

The new passport contains the former Coat of Arms. The design and manufacturing of the new passport is a multi-year process that began well before the new Coat of Arms was approved by His Majesty King Charles III in April 2023.

On March 21, 2023, the new online Passport Application Status Checker was launched, https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/news/2023/03/service-canada-works-to-improve-client-experience-for-passport-applicants.html, allowing Canadians to check the status of their passport application online.

SOURCE Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada

The Queen Mary Will Reopen To The Public In June

After millions of dollars in repairs, reports, and drama surrounding a company who didn’t quite know what to do with it, the iconic Queen Mary ship is finally reopening to the public next month. But as the Long Beach Post reports, that reopening is coming with a price.

While the ship will technically open on May 12th, that will only be for hotel guests who are staying aboard. The full reopening will take place in June with weekend brunch starting again the following month. And while the reopening will see the addition of a new bar and two new restaurants to the ship, there’s repair work to be done. To complete it, the city of Long Beach went to the Port of Long Beach for help.

The city and the port came to an agreement that seems to benefit both sides. The port gained control of 14 acres around the ship in exchange for giving the city $12 million for the ship’s reopening. While the city says it’ll release details of just how the $12 million will be spent later this year, they’re receiving a $7 million advance from it, presumably for the long list of repairs still needed. The city estimates that it will use the $12 million over three years, but the port won’t see its money repaid for over a decade.

But it finally looks as if Long Beach is totally behind making the ship profitable this time around. While some residents were calling for the city to get rid of the Queen Mary, reports found that it would take too much time and money to do it. But this time around, the city is hopeful that the ship will generate enough revenue to make it profitable.

“We’re going to help grow tourism and hospitality. We’re going to look for things on the ship that generate revenue so we can use the revenue to create more revenue that can be reinvested in the ship,” said one city council member.

Source: https://jalopnik.com/

Travelore Update: Testing Phase For Maya Train Will Start In July

The first railcars for the Maya Train project will arrive on July 8, the director of the National Fund for Tourism Development (Fonatur), Javier May, said on Monday.

The first cars will arrive in the Yucatán peninsula, where they will first enter a static testing phase before beginning dynamic and rolling tests in August. The tests will be carried out on a 90-km stretch of track.

Maite Ramos, the director of railway company Alstom México, explained during President López Obrador’s morning press conference that the transfer of the first railway cars is already being organized.

“What do the tests consist of? They will have to be both static and dynamic, where absolutely everything is tested — the water, the light, the door, the cabin,” Ramos explained.

“First will be the whole part, let’s say the electromechanics and operations of the train. Then, you have to run it on the track. We have to run 15,000 km to test absolutely everything.”

He added that the train will be equipped with a system called HealthHub, which will allow the unit’s performance to be monitored every 30 seconds. The information will be monitored by specialized personnel.

“It is as if it were an electrocardiogram, and it will always operate — not only during the initial tests. It is as if the train were our patients. The sensors tell us how the sun rises, if something hurts, if there’s something to pay attention to,” said Ramos.

The new “X’trapolis” units, manufactured in Ciudad Sahagún, Hidalgo by French trainyard Alstom – who provided the first units for the Mexico City Metro system – are popular worldwide, including in France, Spain and Australia, where they form part of major suburban commuter networks.

Guadalupe Phillips, director of the Mexican construction company Empresas ICA, showed a video during the press conference that demonstrated the construction progress on the Cancún and Chichén Itzá stations, along section 4 of the railroad.

May confirmed that the Maya Train will begin operations in December, as the head of the train company, Tren Maya S.A. de C.V., promised in February. It will pass through 34 stations and stop in five states – Tabasco, Chiapas, Campeche, Yucatán and Quintana Roo.

The train, a key presidential infrastructure project, has proved controversial due to its environmental impact and harm to Indigenous communities and land.

In April, the environmental watchdog established by the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) recommended an investigation into the train’s environmental impact. Last year, a U.N. human rights working group warned that the railroad could threaten the rights of Indigenous communities in the region.

On Saturday, during the “El Sur Resiste” (The South Resists) conference, held in San Cristóbal de las Casas, Chiapas, the Zapatista National Liberation Army (EZLN) and the National Indigenous Congress (CNI) denounced the effects that they said the Maya Train project will have on the region’s Indigenous population.

The EZLN and the CNI have repeatedly stated that they oppose the López Obrador administration’s megaprojects in the country’s southeast, including the Maya Train and the Isthmus of Tehuantepec trade corridor project.

Source: https://mexiconewsdaily.com/

Biden To Propose New Rules For Airline Cancellations And Delays

President Joe Biden said Monday his administration will write new regulations that will require airlines to compensate air travelers and cover their meals and hotel rooms if they are stranded for reasons within the airline’s control.

The compensation would be in addition to ticket refunds when the airline is at fault for a flight being canceled or significantly delayed. It would give consumers in the United States protections similar to those in the European Union.

“I know how frustrated many of you are with the service you get from your U.S. airlines,” Biden said. “That’s why our top priority has been to get American air travelers a better deal.”

Biden added, “You deserve more than just getting the price of your ticket (refunded) — you deserve to be fully compensated. Your time matters, the impact on your life matters.”

Biden’s pledge comes just weeks before the start of the peak summer travel season, when air travel could exceed pre-coronavirus pandemic records.

Officials at the Transportation Department, which will write the new rules, said they didn’t have a precise date for when they expect to finish, but indicated they are working to quickly publish a notice that is required to get the process started.

As outlined at the White House by Biden and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, the rules would focus on cancellations and long delays caused by things such as mechanical issues with the plane or lack of a crew.

Airlines for America, which represents the biggest carriers, said in a statement that airlines have no incentive to delay or cancel flights. The trade group said more than half of cancellations in 2022 and 2023 have been caused by “extreme weather” or air traffic control outages.

“Carriers have taken responsibility for challenges within their control and continue working diligently to improve operational reliability,” including hiring more workers and reducing their schedules, the group said.

After the pandemic hit, airlines received $54 billion in federal aid that included a prohibition on layoffs, but that didn’t prevent them from paying tens of thousands of workers to quit or retire early.

Airlines have added about 118,000 workers since November 2020 and now have 5% more employees than before the pandemic, according to Transportation Department figures.

The rate of canceled flights has declined to 1.6% so far this year, compared with 2.1% in the same period last year. However, delays are slightly more common and a few minutes longer on average, according to data from tracking service FlightAware.

Currently, when an airline cancels a flight for any reason, consumers can demand a refund of the unused part of their ticket and certain extras that they might have paid to the airline, such as fees for checking a bag or getting a seat assignment. Airlines often try to persuade consumers to accept a travel voucher instead of a refund.

After widespread flight disruptions last summer, the Transportation Department posted an online dashboard to let consumers compare airline policies on refunds and compensation.

The Transportation Department is expanding the site to indicate when airlines offer cash, travel vouchers or frequent-flyer miles as compensation for flight disruptions under their control.

None of the major U.S. airlines offer cash for controllable cancellations or long delays, only Alaska Airlines offers frequent-flyer miles, and only Alaska and JetBlue provide travel credits, according to the dashboard.

Biden and Buttigieg credited the dashboard with pushing the 10 largest U.S. airlines to promise to provide cash or vouchers for meals when a carrier-caused cancellation forces passengers to wait at least three hours for another flight. Nine of the 10 — all but Frontier Airlines — also promise under those circumstances to pay for accommodations for passengers stranded overnight. Questions arose again around reimbursing consumers for out-of-pocket costs after Southwest Airlines canceled nearly 17,000 flights during a December meltdown in service. The Transportation and Justice departments are investigating whether Southwest scheduled more flights than it realistically could handle.

A report last month from the congressional Government Accountability Office blamed airlines for a surge in cancellations as air travel began to recover in 2021 and early 2022. The Federal Aviation Administration has also created disruptions due to technology outages and staffing shortages. The FAA recently encouraged airlines to reduce flights to and from major New York airports this summer because it doesn’t have enough air traffic controllers at a key facility.

By DAVID KOENIG