Spain’s ‘Tomatina’ Battle Returns After Pandemic Hiatus

BUNOL, Spain (AP) — People from around the world pasted each other with tomatoes Wednesday as Spain’s famous “Tomatina” street tomato fight took place once again Wednesday following a two-year suspension because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Workers on trucks unloaded 130 tons of over-ripe tomatoes along the main street of the eastern town of Bunol for participants to throw, leaving the area drenched in red pulp.

Up to 20,000 people were to take part in the festival, paying 12 euros ($12) a ticket for the privilege. The town’s streets are hosed down and the revelers showered off within minutes of the hour-long noon battle ending.

The event, held on the last Wednesday of August, was inspired by a food fight between local children in 1945 in the town, located in a tomato-producing region.

Media attention in the 1980s turned it into a national and international event, drawing participants from every corner of the world.

Local officials said they expected fewer foreign visitors this year mainly because of continuing fears over COVID-19 in Asian countries.

Participants don swimming goggles to protect their eyes while their clothes, typically T-shirts and shorts, are left covered in pulp.

Besides being the first battle since before the pandemic started in 2020 in Spain, this year’s celebration had the added incentive of being the event’s 75th anniversary and 20 years since the festival was declared by Spain as an international tourism attraction.

Viking Cruises Announces 136-Day World Cruise To 56 ports, Starting At $50,000

While coroanvirus continues to spread around the globe and cruising remains at a standstill in many areas of the world including the United States, Viking Cruises is looking to the future. 

The cruise line, which provides river, ocean and expedition journeys, announced a 136-day cruise aboard the Viking Star to visit 27 different countries with stops at 56 ports on Wednesday.

“This has been an unusual year for all travelers, but we remain focused on the future and are pleased to offer our guests a new destination-focused World Cruise that allows for extensive exploration in 2021-2022,"  said Torstein Hagen, the cruise line's chairman, in a statement.

The journey is scheduled to begin from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on Dec. 24, 2021, though passengers have the option to embark in Los Angeles on Jan. 10, 2022, for a 119-day journey to 22 countries and 49 ports.

The ship, which can carry 930 passengers, will head to Central America and transit the Panama Canal before traveling up North America's West Coast. It will then cross the Pacific Ocean and stop in Hawaii, New Zealand and Australia before sailing through Asia, the Middle East and the Mediterranean and ending in London, according to a release on the cruise line's website.

Some prospective passengers might experience a bit of sticker shock. The 136-day world cruise starts at $49,995 per person; those who opt to board in L.A. for the 119-day leg will see prices starting at $45,995. But both itineraries include business class international airfare to and from the ship, gratuities and service fees, visas, a beverage package and free luggage shipping. 

Those who book by Sept. 30 can get $2,000 toward shore excursions and $1,000 in onboard credit.

Source: www.ustoday.com 

Marriott To Require Guests To Wear Masks In Public Spaces Starting July 27th

Marriott hotels will require guests to wear masks in lobbies and other public spaces starting July 27.

The Bethesda, Maryland-based hotel giant — which has more than 7,300 hotels worldwide — has been requiring employees to wear masks for several months. But in a video message released Monday, CEO Arne Sorenson said the mandate is being extended to guests.

“Health experts have made it clear that wearing face coverings in public spaces is one of the easiest steps that we can all take to protect one another and reduce the spread of COVID-19,” Sorenson said in the video, after removing his own cloth mask.

Marriott’s announcement follows guidelines for travelers issued last week by the American Hotel and Lodging Association, a trade group. Those guidelines call on guests to wear masks and practice social distancing in hotel common areas. They also ask guests to go without housekeeping during their stays and use contact-less check-in and checkout when possible.

The association also applauded states that require masks in indoor public spaces.

Marriott is the largest hotel chain to issue a mask requirement. Hyatt Hotels already require guests to wear masks in public areas in U.S. and Canadian hotels. Hilton said Monday it plans to require guests to wear masks, but it hasn’t released a start date.

6 Vacation Ideas With Easy Access To Some Of America's Greatest National Parks

National parks across the country are in the process of reopening, with iconic destinations like the Grand Canyon and Old Faithful already accessible to visitors. In 2019, the National Park Service system received more than 327.5 million visits, and based on recent travel data, the parks could be even more desirable this summer as people look to get away after spending weeks under stay-at-home orders. Travelers are pivoting away from urban destinations to outdoor locations that they can road trip to and camp in. Below are 6 vacation ideas that include easy access to some of America's greatest national parks.

 

 

Hike & Bike North Rim of the Grand Canyon: Providing gently rolling terrain of lung-expanding dimensions, the North Rim of the Grand Canyon has been long-held as sacred ground to hikers and cyclists. Escape Adventures offers an amazing 5-day tour of the North Rim that includes mountain biking, trekking and camping. Trails brimming with wildflowers lead guests to exhilarating hikes along the rim. Crossing over to the west side of the plateau, guests camp alongside one of the most scenic mountain bike paths in the world, the Rainbow Rim Trail. https://escapeadventures.com/tour/grand-canyon-north-rim-mountain-bike-tour/

Play Cowboy at Luxury Ranch: Red Reflet Ranch is a 28,000-acre luxury resort and working ranch on the west slope of the Bighorn Mountains, just minutes from the Bighorn National Forest. It is a scenic three hour drive from Yellowstone National Park. The closest sign of civilization is Ten Sleep, Wyoming, with a population of about 260. Guests stay in their own private chalets, and family-friendly activities include horseback riding, ATVing, ziplining, swimming, fishing, shooting, and indulging in gourmet farm-to-table cuisine. The ranch is open for business now. http://redrefletranch. com/  

Grand Teton Tiny House Retreat:  Just minutes from Jackson Hole, Wyoming, Fireside Resort capitalizes on the tiny house craze and the classic appeal of rustic cottages by offering 25 pint-size, luxuriously outfitted tiny house rental units designed by Wheelhaus. The resort is located a stone's throw from Grand Teton National Park and the Jackson Hole ski slopes. It is a great place to post up for a ski trip or a summer getaway.  https://www. firesidejacksonhole.com
Big Sky Base Camp: If outdoor adventures like hiking, mountain biking, and fly fishing are your style, look to visit Big Sky, Montana and stay at The Wilson Hotel. Located on the edge of Yellowstone National Park, the town is home to Big Sky Resort and its 5,850 acres of ski terrain, as well as shaded forests, wildflower-filled meadows, rocky mountaintops and clear, cool rivers and streams. https:// thewilsonhotel.com/

Bryce & Zion by MTB: Soaring red stone spires and ancient citadels of rich Navajo sandstone give way to haunting hoodoos and curving arches of rock — a geologist’s dream and a mountain biker’s paradise. The rides on this 6-day Escape Adventures tour offer swift lines that wind and wend through deep Alpine meadows and Aspen forests only to spill out onto yawning mesas and buttes. The world-famous trails of Red Canyon’s Thunder Mountain, Cassidy, and Casto Canyon, symbolize but a few of this tour’s many highlights. https://escapeadventures.com/tour/bryce-and-zion-mountain-bike-tour/


Great Parks North: Join the Adventure Cycling Association on its Great Parks North Route. This tour follows the Rocky Mountains from Missoula, Montana, to Jasper, Alberta, exploring some the most spectacular national parks the U.S. and Canada has to offer. Great Parks North will highlight Glacier NP, Waterton NP, Banff NP, and Jasper NP, and jaw-dropping scenery will not be lacking on this once-in-a-lifetime adventure. https://www.adventurecycling.org/guided-tours/self-contained-tours/2020-great-parks-north/

Disney World’s Last Two Theme Parks Reopened To Visitors On July 15

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Days after reopening two theme parks amid a spike in coronavirus cases in Florida, Walt Disney World on Wednesday welcomed back visitors to two more theme parks that had been shuttered since March because of the new coronavirus.

The Florida theme park resort reopened Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios, completing a rolling opening of Disney World’s theme parks that started last weekend with Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom welcoming back visitors.

The parks were the last of Orlando’s major theme parks to reopen after being shuttered since March. Both Universal Orlando and SeaWorld Orlando opened their doors last month.

All of the parks have new restrictions.

The number of visitors being allowed in has been capped to allow for social distancing. All visitors and employees must wear masks and get their temperature checked upon entering.

Disney is requiring reservations, and Disney employees won’t be allowed to take photos of visitors in front of Cinderella’s Castle since it involves touching the tourists’ cameras. Disney World posted on its website that “an inherent risk of exposure to COVID-19 exists in any public place where people are present.”

There will be no live shows at Disney World since the reopening has caused a labor dispute between Disney and its actors and singers.

The union that represents Disney World actors and singers has filed a grievance against Disney, saying their members faced retaliation for demanding coronavirus tests. The actors and singers initially were called back to work, but that invitation was rescinded after the union made public their concerns about the lack of testing for the actors and singers who can’t wear masks while performing, according to Actors’ Equity Association.

Despite the parks being reopened, not all of Disney World’s 77,000-member workforce has been called back to work because of the limits on attendance. A coalition of unions that represents about 43,000 workers says only about 20,000 members have been called back to work.

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Follow Mike Schneider on Twitter at https://twitter.com/MikeSchneiderAP.

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Follow AP coverage of the pandemic at https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak.

Bali Island Begins To Reopen After 3-Month Virus Lock-Down

DENPASAR, Indonesia (AP) — Indonesia’s resort island of Bali partially reopened after a three-month virus lock down Thursday, allowing local people and stranded foreign tourists to resume public activities before overseas arrivals resume in September.

Normally bustling beaches and streets on the idyllic Southeast Asian island emptied in early April except for special patrols to ensure health protocols were observed. Authorities restricted public activities, closed the airport and shuttered all shops, bars, sit-down restaurants, public swimming pools and many other places on the island that’s home to more than 4 million people.

The local government began lifting the limits Thursday, but tourists will face stringent rules in hotels, restaurants and on beaches, Bali Gov. I Wayan Koster said.

Koster told a news conference that the island will gradually reopen shuttered places to locals and stranded foreigners. Bali will open to Indonesians from other parts of the country on July 31 and new foreign arrivals on Sept. 11.

The government established guidelines for reopening tourist spots and may close certain areas again if infections spike, he said.

“The pandemic has hit tourism sector so badly while there is no certainty when it will end,” Koster said. “We have to revive economic activity to prevent Bali from new social problems due to increasing economic pressures.”

Tourism is the main source of income for the island that is mainly Hindu in the mostly Muslim archipelago nation.

The famed white-sand beaches and popular shopping areas on the “island of the gods” were deserted almost two decades ago when visitors were scared off by terrorism. The dark cloud of the suicide bombings that killed 202 mostly foreign tourists in 2002 lingered for years, but the island has worked to overcome that image.

More than 5 million foreigners arrived in Bali each year prior to the pandemic, which caused the numbers to dive.

Bali’s immigration office data showed the local government has granted automatic visa extensions to more than 7,000 stranded tourists in Bali. Nearly 16,000 others hold temporary residence permits and about 1,300 live as permanent residents.

The data show the occupancy rate at Bali’s starred hotels plunged to 2.07% in May from 62.5% in December.

Businessman Gede Wirata, who runs hotels, restaurants, clubs and a cruise ship with about 4,000 employees, said he managed to save his staff from layoffs despite having suffered a loss of 500 billion rupiah ($35 million) because of travel restrictions.

“This outbreak has hammered the local economy,” he said. “We have to move on but be safe by observing health protocols to protect Bali from the second wave of coronavirus spread.”

Bali has recorded more than 1,900 cases of COVID-19, including 25 deaths. Indonesia has confirmed more than 68,000 cases and 3,359 fatalities, the most in Southeast Asia.

By FIRDIA LISNAWATI

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Associated Press writer Niniek Karmini in Jakarta, Indonesia, contributed to this report.

Parades, Close-Ups With Mickey Out As Disney World Reopens

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Forget about up-close “meet-and-greet” sessions with Mickey Mouse or Donald Duck when Walt Disney World parks reopen. There will be no firework shows or parades — those would draw too many people together — and both visitors and employees will be getting temperature checks when they enter.

Despite a huge surge of Floridians testing positive for the new coronavirus in recent weeks, two of Disney World’s four parks are reopening Saturday. When they do, visitors to “The Most Magical Place on Earth” will find new rules in place.

Everyone has to wear a mask and maintain social distance. No hopping between parks is allowed, for the time being, and visitors will need reservations to enter.

Disney employees won’t be allowed to take photos of visitors in front of Cinderella’s Castle since it involves touching the tourists’ cameras. There will be no live shows since the reopening has caused a labor dispute between Disney World and its actors and singers.

“That is a very different Disney World than the one you worked at back in March, and that is because of the need for safety,” Eric Clinton, president of Unite Here! Local 362, told his members in a recent Facebook discussion.

Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom will reopen Saturday. Disney World’s other two parks, Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios, will welcome back guests four days later. All of the parks closed in mid-March in an effort to stop the virus’s spread. Disney World’s crosstown rivals, Universal Orlando and SeaWorld Orlando, also closed in March but have been back open for several weeks after instituting similar rules to protect employees and customers from the virus.

Also this month, the NBA and MLS are restarting their seasons at Disney World, which has a massive sports complex featuring multiple playing arenas.

Disney has been opening back up its parks around the globe for the past two months. In May, the company opened Disney Springs, a complex of shops, restaurants and entertainment venues in Lake Buena Vista. Only Disneyland in California delayed its plans to reopen in mid-July, saying it was awaiting guidelines from the state.

The union that represents Disney World actors and singers wishes the Florida resort would do the same until workers can be tested on a regular basis. Florida and other Sunbelt states have seen recent surges in coronavirus cases, and unlike other Disney workers, the singers and actors can’t wear face masks when they perform.

On Thursday, Actors’ Equity Association filed a labor grievance against Disney World, saying their members faced retaliation for demanding the coronavirus tests. The actors and singers initially were called back to work, but that invitation was rescinded last week after the union made public their concerns about the lack of testing, according to Actors’ Equity Association.

For the parks to reopen, “the epidemic must be under control with contact tracing ... and that is not the case in Florida,” said Brandon Lorenz, a spokesman for Actors’ Equity Association. “We don’t believe the workplace plan is safe. It has risks not just for the workers but for the guests.”

Full Coverage: Virus Outbreak

In a statement, Disney on Thursday said, “We are exercising our right to open without Equity performers.”

Other union leaders are confident in the new safety measures. Clinton, whose members are custodians, housekeepers and park greeters, said a visit to Disney World is now safer than going to the grocery store.

“Will I be safe at work? The short answer to that is, ‘Yes,’” Clinton told his members.

Firefighters and paramedics for Disney World’s private government are expecting to see more heat-related calls from visitors due to the mandatory mask-wearing.

“With the masks and summer in Florida, that’s going to be interesting,” said Tim Stromsnes, an official with the Reedy Creek Professional Firefighters, Local 2117. “A lot of people aren’t used to our heat and humidity.”

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said earlier this week that he believe Disney is well-prepared for the reopening.

“I have no doubt it is going to be a safe environment,” DeSantis said. “I am really impressed with what Universal has done and I have looked at Disney’s plan and it is very, very thorough.”

Disney spokeswoman Andrea M. Finger said in a statement Wednesday that the company is “moving forward carefully and methodically.” She said seven unions representing thousands of staff have signed agreements to return to work.

Because of the limits on attendance, new ticket sales and hotel reservations are temporarily on hold so people already with tickets and reservations get first dibs. Even some who already had reservations ran into problems. Shortly after the shutdown, Disney fan Lloyd Stevens and his partner, Andy Rogow, booked a room at the budget Pop Century Resort for next week. But when they called recently to confirm, they were told the only availability was in a much more expensive resort.

“We had to cancel everything,” Stevens said. “I was hoping to get there in midweek and have it not crowded. But with cases rising anyway, I guess we’re kind of glad it didn’t work out.”

Disney World workers have been at the parks already for several weeks, going over hygiene protocols to stop the spread of the virus, sanitizing handrails and consoles and reviewing other changes such as new break rooms that now only accommodate four people at at time.

In addition to a thermometer, workers were given three face masks and a plastic face shield, equipment that made it difficult for some of them to recognize their colleagues without checking their name tags, said Hollywood Studios worker Scott Dudas.

In a Facebook discussion with colleagues, Dudas said he was reassured by the face shields, which can be used when a worker needs to get in close contact with guests, such as making sure children are the proper height for rides.

“I think from a safety aspect, everyone should be on board to feel comfortable with everything in place,” Dudas said. “I feel super safe.”

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Follow Mike Schneider on Twitter at https://twitter.com/MikeSchneiderAP.

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Follow AP coverage of the pandemic at https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak.

Travel + Leisure Readers Give San Miguel De Allende A Reason To Celebrate

 

‘The Heart of Mexico’ on track for a July 15 reopening under strict local health guidelines

San Miguel de Allende, located in the state of Guanajuato, ranks in Travel + Leisure magazine’s 2020 World’s Best Awards as the second Best City in the World, this is the fourth year in a row that the city has placed in the list. The city also placed in the second spot in the Best City in Mexico for the fifth year as announced by the publication this morning. The annual awards honor the top travel destinations and companies around the globe, as rated by readers. In addition, three local accommodations properties find their place in the Top 5 City Hotels in Mexico — Hotel Amparo (1), Hotel Matilda (3),  Rosewood San Miguel de Allende (4)— were named top hotels in Mexico, with the latter also ranking in the top hotels worldwide list. Hotel Amparo also comes in at the second spot in the Top Hotels in the World list.

“Our annual inclusion in a list as respected as the Travel + Leisure World’s Best is of great importance to us in San Miguel de Allende,” said San Miguel de Allende Mayor Luis Alberto Villarreal Garcia. “It’s a recognition of great past experiences in our town, and we take our place on the world’s stage seriously.

“These past few months have tested our commitment to the health and safety of our residents and guests, and we are proud to have taken an exemplary leadership, not only in Mexico, but as an international destination,” he added. “Today, the results are there and, although we remain conscious in our reopening, we are confident in our work.”

“As we look forward to renewing San Miguel de Allende to the needs of today’s travelers, we are eager to show angles of the destination that some may not have experienced before,” said Laura Torres-Septien, President of the San Miguel de Allende Tourism Board. “People know us for our architecture and romantic escapes, but we have multiple outdoor activities, from hot-air balloon rides and open eatery food tours to visits to our wine country and thermal water parks”.

“One of my favorite things to do in SMA is dining al fresco in one of our many outdoor patios or rooftops — ideal for the new normal,” she added.

Guanajuato’s governor, Diego Sinhue Rodríguez Vallejo, affirmed that “for the state of Guanajuato it is exciting that San Miguel de Allende continues to be a benchmark as a worldwide tourist destination, where our cultural heritage, extraordinary gastronomy and hotels are managed in a sustainable manner. The quality of its tourist services and the warmth of its inhabitants stand out in the world. The efforts and commitment by all, make the work done through this noble economic activity the greatness of Mexico”.

Arguably Mexico’s most well-known colonial destination, San Miguel de Allende is a UNESCO World Heritage city and one of a select few cities worldwide to be so honored for multiple years running in the T+L World’s Best Awards. The city’s central location and rich history — as well as its culture, gastronomy, art and people — are a part of what contributes to its nickname as ‘The Heart of Mexico.’ San Miguel de Allende is home to more than 80 hotels, including 30 boutique properties, two hotels approved by the Virtuoso network of travel advisors and two Design Hotels properties. The city also boasts 70 restaurants, three golf courses and dozens of spas and art galleries. San Miguel de Allende is truly a cultural destination, with something to offer for everyone.

San Miguel de Allende has been closed to non-residents since March as the entire city went under quarantine. However, on June 27 Mayor Villarreal Garcia announced that hotels could start accepting bookings for July 15 arrivals.

San Miguel de Allende was endorsed with the World Travel & Tourism Council's (WTTC) "Safe Travels" seal of approval recognizing the implementation of global standardized health and hygiene protocols in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. The international seal augments San Miguel de Allende’s own municipal “Health First” certification and reaffirms its place as a leading destination.

Premium Passports Lose Their Shine In A Post-Pandemic World

As parts of the globe cautiously begin to open up, the focus is on what travel freedom and global mobility will look like in a post–Covid-19 world. Last week the EU released a list of countries whose residents would be allowed entry into the bloc from 1 July based on coronavirus-related health and safety criteria. Included on the welcome list are countries such as Australia, Canada, Japan, and South Korea that traditionally score highly on the Henley Passport Index — the original ranking of all the world’s passports according to the number of destinations their holders can access without a prior visa. However, in a move perceived as a stinging rebuke for its poor handling of the pandemic, the US was notably excluded from the list, as were Brazil and Russia.

Although not reflected in the latest ranking, which does not take temporary travel bans into account, it is eye-opening to consider what travel freedom currently looks like for the holders of once-prestigious passports. For instance, before Covid-19 the US passport usually ranked within the top 10 on the Henley Passport Index in 6^th or 7^th place, with its citizens able to access 185 destinations around the world without requiring a visa in advance. However, under the current EU ban, the picture looks starkly different. US nationals now have roughly the same level of travel freedom as citizens of Uruguay (included on the EU’s list of welcome countries), which ranks 28^th on the index, with a visa-free/visa-on-arrival score of 153. In another striking inversion, the US’s dramatic decline in passport power means that Americans find themselves with a similar level of travel freedom usually available to citizens of Mexico (25^th on the index, with a score of 159), current travel bans notwithstanding, albeit temporarily.

This is one of many extraordinary shifts in passport power caused by the temporary pandemic-related bans. Brazilian passport holders, for example, find their passport strength greatly diminished. The country usually ranks highly on the index ¾ most recently placed 19^th, with a visa-free/visa-on-arrival score of 170 ¾ but the loss of access to the EU means Brazilians currently have roughly the same extent of travel freedom as citizens of Paraguay (36^th on the index, with a score of 142).

Without taking the various travel bans and restrictions into account, Japan continues to hold the number one spot on the Henley Passport Index with a score of 191. Singapore remains in 2^nd place with a score of 190, while Germany and South Korea are in joint-3^rd place, each with a score of 189. Both Japan and South Korea have been included on the EU’s list of ‘safe’ countries, while Singapore has been excluded, which means Singaporean passport holders currently have far less travel freedom than their closest competitors on the index, which is based on exclusive data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA). 

Dr. Christian H. Kaelin, Chairman of investment migration firm Henley & Partners and the inventor of the passport index concept, says the EU’s recent decision will have far reaching effects. “As we have already seen, the pandemic’s impact on travel freedom has been more drastic and long lasting than initially anticipated. This latest decision by the EU indicates that there is more upheaval to come. Look at the US passport, for example ¾ in 2014, it held the number one spot in the world on our index, but US nationals currently have far less travel freedom than most citizens of other wealthy, industrialized nations and even of some less developed nations, being effectively locked out of Europe. We see an emergence of a new global hierarchy in terms of mobility, with countries that have effectively managed the pandemic taking the lead, and countries that have handled it poorly falling behind.”

Immigration controls in US and UK tighten amid calls for co-operation

While the US looks set to be significantly affected by the EU’s latest decision, it has issued stringent immigration controls of its own over the past few months. Greg Lindsay, Director of Applied Research at NewCities, says that the Trump administration’s temporary suspension of all work visas will have far-reaching effects. “The executive order, signed on the 22 June, will bar as many as 525,000 foreign workers from entering the country for the rest of the year.” As Lindsay points out, this decision is only the latest salvo in White House aide Stephen Miller’s years-long campaign to curtail worker visas, arguing that they harm employment prospects for Americans.

In the UK, the pandemic’s effect on mobility has also been severe. Robert McNeil, Deputy Director of the Migration Observatory at the University of Oxford, says that the almost complete cessation of international arrivals into the country has generated serious challenges for industries that have become dependent on seasonal migrant workers from the EU. McNeil says that despite public attitudes around immigration softening, the Brexit process has not slowed down. “In May, the government pushed through the new Immigration Bill, paving the way for a new ‘points-based’ immigration system. The new restrictions would prevent many people from becoming key workers in the UK in future. Around half of the EU citizens currently in key worker positions in the UK would not meet the new salary and skills thresholds required to move to the country from 2021.”

Changing priorities in a transformed world

As premium passports lose their shine in a post-Covid world, experts suggest that the crisis is likely to make international mobility more restricted and unpredictable in the longer term. “Even as countries open their borders, it is expected that numerous governments will use epidemiological concerns as a justification for imposing new immigration restrictions and nationality-targeted travel bans that will mainly be aimed at citizens of developing countries,” says Prof. Dr. Yossi Harpaz, Assistant Professor of Sociology at Tel Aviv University. Noting the recent decision by the EU with respect to the US and other countries, Harpaz says, “The passports of both developing and developed nations stand to decrease in value, at least temporarily. In such uncertain times, global demand for dual citizenship and investor visas is expected to increase.”

Discussing the impact of the pandemic on global migration trends, Charles Phillips, researcher and consultant for Oxford Business Group, suggests that environmental health concerns could become a priority for those seeking alternative residence or citizenship. “We can expect places that are governed well and better equipped to deal with pandemics to become destinations people will seek to move to. Just as travel choices will likely be more strongly influenced by health considerations, we may see those acquiring alternative residence or citizenship placing a greater emphasis on a country’s health policies when deciding where to reside.”

Dr. Juerg Steffen, CEO of Henley & Partners, says the growing demand for additional residence and citizenship options comes as no surprise. “We have seen extraordinary upheaval over the past few months, with many certainties falling away. For investors and their families, having a second citizenship or an alternative residence is an even more precious asset than ever before, as concerns over access to first-rate healthcare, global mobility, and quality of life take on a new urgency. In turn, investment migration programs provide invaluable economic security to the countries that offer them. As we enter the worst recession since the Great Depression, a small country like Montenegro, for instance, is better equipped to weather the storm. The recently launched Montenegro Citizenship-by-Investment Program provides permanent access and the right to stay in this beautiful and safe European country. It also provides the country with an immediate liquidity injection of much needed debt-free foreign capital that can be used to buffer the impact of the pandemic and create significant societal value.”

The Franklin Institute In Philadelphia Reopens July 8th.

OPENING WEDNESDAY, JULY 8 Welcome back!

Open for Fun. Open for Science. Open for You! We can’t wait to welcome you back to The Franklin Institute! Our world has changed, but our mission and purpose have not. Doors will open again on Wednesday, July 8, unveiling a modified museum experience designed to celebrate science in a safe and welcoming environment. Advance tickets are required for ALL guests, including members, with no online fees. Read more about the important changes below to help plan your visit. BUY TICKETS NOW New Safety Guidelines. Same Science Fun! Our new temporary hours are Wednesday through Sunday, from 10:00 am–6:00 pm. We are closed Mondays and Tuesdays for deep cleaning and sanitizing. Face coverings and no-touch temperature checks are required for everyone ages 3 and up. Anyone registering a temperature of 100.4 or higher upon entry will not be admitted. Advance tickets are required for ALL guests, including Members, with no online fees. We are opening with reduced capacity and hourly timed tickets for both General Admission and Special Exhibition entry to allow for proper social distancing. We have implemented enhanced daily protocols on top of our standard cleanliness procedures that involve adding additional hand sanitization stations in public areas, the placement of antimicrobial films and protective coating on high-touch surfaces where possible, and the removal of unnecessary touchpoints for ease of visitor flow. LEARN MORE TICKETS NOW ON SALE  NEW Special Exhibit! Opens Wednesday, July 8! A famously-fun exhibit that puts you up close and personal with incredibly lifelike, finely detailed wax figures of every American president, as well as significant historical figures like Ben Franklin, Rosa Parks, and Malcolm X. Pose with all 56 wax figures set in iconic settings that bring photos vividly to life, and learn how science and technology have shaped and been shaped by American culture and the leaders throughout our country’s history. No online ticket fees! Reserve your preferred time slot today! BUY TICKETS

The Franklin Institute 222 N 20th St Philadelphia, PA, 19103, US 215.448.1200

In the spirit of inquiry and discovery embodied by Benjamin Franklin, the mission of The Franklin Institute is to inspire a passion for learning about science and technology.