2021 News And Travel Trends From Virgin Limited Edition

2020 has undoubtedly been a year like no other and sadly for many of us travel plans were squashed and much of the travel industry was put on hold. Through the global grounding of so many travellers we saw new trends emerge and as we start to look ahead to 2021, Virgin Limited Edition, the luxury collection of properties owned by Sir Richard Branson, has rounded up the trends it has spotted from around the collection. With new vaccines around the corner, we can only remain optimistic that 2021 will bring back some normality and we can finally make up for those lost holidays, making next year one to remember NEW OPENINGS Necker Island

After more than two years of construction, following the devastating effects of Hurricane Irma, Necker Island is now fully restored to its former glory and looking more beautiful than ever. With the BVI borders re-opening on 1 December, Necker is ready to welcome back guests. Those visiting in 2020 and 2021 will be amongst the first to experience the island following its incredible restoration that has included a brand new Bali Hi complex, two additional guest rooms and the installation of three giant new wind turbines, furthering the island’s commitment towards sustainability and renewable energy. Moskito Island

Early 2021 will see the much-anticipated launch of Moskito Island in the BVI’s, situated just two miles from sister island, Necker. Home to the Branson Estate which is newly available for rental, next year will see the full launch of Moskito Island in what has already been described as “the most exclusive homeowners association in the world”. As the island sets to launch with brand new uber luxury private Estates for rental, it is most certainly one to watch for 2021…. STAY LONGER AND WORK REMOTELY Son Bunyola

Another trend that has emerged from the pandemic is guests looking to stay away for longer and take advantage of a work life balance with new surroundings as their remote office location. In light of this the much-loved Son Bunyola estate, located in the beautiful UNESCO world heritage site of the Tramuntana mountains in Mallorca with its three individual secluded villas set across a stunning 700-acre private estate, has created a long stay offer for guests looking to stay longer. Offer - Guests booking a stay of four weeks or more, will receive two free nights each week; a total of eight free nights. This offer is valid on new bookings for arrivals from 10th April - 11th June and 11th September - 31st October 2021 in Sa Punta de S'Aguila, Sa Terra Rotja and Son Balagueret. Rates are from EUR 7,500 for a stay in Son Balagueret on a self-catering basis. Rates are priced per week and are calculated based on receiving two free nights, per week. A minimum stay of four weeks is applicable. https://www.virginlimitededition.com/en/son-bunyola/offers/lounge-for-longer-2021 SAFARI AND CONSERVATION Ulsabla Private Game Reserve

Today though safari isn’t just about the thrill of a game drive, it is very much about education and long-term conservation and nothing is more important to the Rangers and Guides at both Ulusaba and Mahali Mzuri. Guests on safari can expect to learn in abundance about endangered species and help in the work being done to protect them for our future generation. They will have the opportunity to immerse themselves in local culture, visit the local communities that both game reserves support and witness some of the hugely important work both camps are doing to educate, develop and protect the livelihoods of those communities. Offer – Ulusaba Private Game Reserve - Guests booking a stay of four nights or more will receive the final night for free. Valid for new bookings for arrivals from 2nd January - 30th June and 1st September - 21st December 2021. Stays at Safari and Rock Lodge start from ZAR 12,000 and Cliff Lodge from ZAR 22,200. Rates are quoted per person, per night, based on double occupancy and all rates include accommodation, all meals and drink (including a top quality wine list and champagne), twice daily game drives. https://www.virginlimitededition.com/en/ulusaba/offers/ulusaba-free-night-offer For bookings please call T: 0800 716 919 (UK toll free). Alternatively e-mail enquiries@virginlimitededition.com.

New Lift, Pathways To Open Acropolis To Disabled Visitors

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Greece’s prime minister has inaugurated new facilities at the Acropolis in Athens designed to make the historic site fully accessible to disabled visitors.

Kyriakos Mitsotakis chose Thursday, designated International Day of People with Disabilities, to visit the ancient citadel. The World Heritage site is closed to the public due to pandemic restrictions, but it’s expected to reopen when a national lockdown lifts on Dec.14. A new lift for people using wheelchairs has been built on the north face of the hill, while a badly eroded network of existing concrete walkways has been replaced with smooth artificial stone paths leading among the ruined 5th Century B.C. temples on the summit.

Mitsotakis said the project, which was funded by the private Onassis Foundation, will “make the Acropolis accessible to everyone ... without the difficulties associated with the classic route up to the Hill of Acropolis.” Some in Greece had criticized the new 500-meter (yard) network of 4-meter wide (13-foot) pathways, saying they made excessive use of concrete. The Culture Ministry countered that the previous network, which dates from the 1960s and had been worn down by the shoes of millions of visitors, made heavier use of concrete and was in such bad shape it endangered visitors. “I was saddened to realize that over the past months there has been cheap opposition rhetoric, even about this project,” Mitsotakis said. “This is a project for the whole world and, under normal circumstances, it should unite us all.” First inhabited about 6,000 years ago, the Acropolis hill was fortified from Mycenaean times and in the 5th century B.C. was heavily rebuilt with marble temples, including the Parthenon and the Erechtheion, and the monumental Propylaea gates. Until the early 19th century it served as a fortress.

Berlin Opens Long-Awaited 1.4-Mile Subway Extension

BERLIN (AP) — A long-awaited subway extension that tunnels under one of Berlin’s best-known boulevards and improves transport links from the German capital’s central railway station opened Friday. The 2.2-kilometer (1.4-mile) new section of the U5 line runs from its previous terminus at the Alexanderplatz, once communist East Berlin’s central square, to the Brandenburg Gate. There, it joins up with a short subway section opened in 2009 that runs to the central station; until now, the line had little practical use and was used sparsely and mainly by tourists. The new section tunnels under the Unter den Linden boulevard, where construction work has helped snarl traffic in recent years. There are three new stations, including stops at city hall and next to Berlin’s Museum Island complex, although the latter isn’t expected to open until next summer.

The opening of the subway extension was originally planned for 2017, but Berlin’s sandy soil complicated construction. Officials have put the cost at up to 540 million euros ($655 million). Plans to extend the U5, which connects the eastern suburbs with the city center and was one of only two East Berlin subway lines before German reunification, date back to the 1990s.

Provo Will Keep Bridal Veil Falls Tourist Spot Public Land

PROVO, Utah (AP) — The Provo Municipal Council has voted for a resolution to keep the Bridal Veil Falls, a popular tourist attraction, public land. The approval on Tuesday came as reports circulated indicating that developer Richard Losee was angling to privatize the land to build a drug treatment center, The Daily Herald reported. Losee is the owner of Cirque Lodge, an addiction recovery center in Orem.

“The preservation of Bridal Veil Falls in its natural state for its scenic beauty for the enjoyment of this and future generations is invaluable, and any loss to access by the public will have a detrimental effect on the quality of life enjoyed by those who use and visit the area,” the Provo council wrote in its resolution. The scenic views at the falls and its proximity to area parks and the Sundance Mountain Resort make it a common tourist destination. Utah County purchased the falls from a private owner for $2.4 million in July 2015. Since then, county officials have discussed whether the area would be better operated by public officials or private owners.

US Tightens Definition Of Service Animals Allowed On Planes

The days of pets flying with their owners in airplane cabins for free are coming to an end. The Transportation Department issued a final rule Wednesday covering animals on airlines. It decided that only dogs can fly as service animals, and companions that passengers use for emotional support don’t count. The rule aims to settle years of tension between airlines and passengers who bring their pets on board for free by saying they need them for emotional help. Under a longstanding department policy, all the passengers needed was a note from a health professional. Airlines argued that passengers abused the situation to bring a menagerie of animals on board including cats, turtles, pot-bellied pigs and, in one case, a peacock. The agency said Wednesday that it was rewriting the rules partly because passengers carrying unusual animals on board “eroded the public trust in legitimate service animals.” It also cited the increasing frequency of people “fraudulently representing their pets as service animals,” and a rise in misbehavior by emotional-support animals, ranging from peeing on the carpet to biting other passengers.

The Transportation Department proposed the new rule back in January and received more than 15,000 comments. While 3,000 commenters favored dropping protections for support animals, 6,000 spoke in favor of them, including people suffering from depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder, the department said. The Paralyzed Veterans of America said the mere presence of a dog, cat or rabbit — even if untrained — can help some travelers, and pet fees of up to $175 one-way are a hardship on low-income people. The new rule will force passengers with support animals to check them into the cargo hold — and pay a pet fee — or leave them at home. The agency estimated that airlines will gain up to $59.6 million a year in pet fees. The number of animals on planes took off several years ago, and a cottage industry grew around providing papers, doctor’s notes and even dog vests for support animals. Delta Air Lines says it carried about 250,000 animals including service dogs in 2017 and about 600,000 last year.

Under the final rule, which takes effect in 30 days, a service animal is a dog trained to help a person with a physical or psychiatric disability. Advocates for veterans and others had pushed for inclusion of psychiatric service dogs. Airlines will be able to require owners to vouch for the dog’s health, behavior and training. Airlines can require people with a service dog to turn in paperwork up to 48 hours before a flight, but they can’t bar those travelers from checking in online like other passengers. Airlines can require that service dogs to be leashed at all times, and they can bar dogs that show aggressive behavior. There have been incidents of support animals biting passengers and growling or barking at guide dogs for the blind. Airlines for America, a trade group for the biggest U.S. carriers, said the new rule will protect passengers and airline employees while helping people travel with trained service dogs. The Transportation Department stood by an earlier decision to prohibit airlines from banning entire dog breeds as service animals. That is a setback for Delta Air Lines, which banned “pit bull type dogs” in 2018, a move that was criticized by disability advocates. Delta, however, is giving no indication of backing down. In a statement, a Delta spokeswoman said the airline is reviewing the new rule but, “At this time, there are no changes to Delta’s current service and support animal policies.” ___ David Koenig can be reached at www.twitter.com/airlinewriter

State of Yucatán Gets 2 New ‘Magical Towns’With Designation Of Sisal And Maní By SECTUR

MÉRIDA, Yucatán — Dec. 1, 2020 — The state of Yucatán announced this afternoon that two of its municipalities, Sisal and Maní, have been awarded the designation “Pueblo Mágico,” or Magical Town, by Mexico’s Ministry of Tourism (SECTUR), a development Governor Mauricio Vila Dosal and his cabinet have been working towards, as the last Yucatecan town to win inclusion in the program was Valladolid, in 2012. The state’s only other city in the program is Izamal, which was designated a Magical Town in February 2002. “Yucatán adds two new municipalities under the name of Pueblos Mágicos, which will undoubtedly mean a greater economic benefit for its 42,000 inhabitants,” said Michelle Fridman, minister of tourism for the state of Yucatán. “The appointment will promote tourism with a social focus, by fostering fair and balanced progress in the communities, which will diversify the opportunities for marketing its tourism offer and sustainable development.”

Maní, located 62 miles southeast of Mérida, is home to a vibrant, living Maya culture. The town is noted for its architecture, exemplified by the church and convent of San Miguel Arcángel, built in the 16th century using the stones of pre-Hispanic Mayan buildings. In addition, Maní is renowned for its community of artisans dedicated to making and embroidering blouses, suits and traditional huipiles garments, as well as its gastronomy. Visitors must try poc chuc, a pork dish prepared in citrus marinade and cooked over a grill. Sisal, meanwhile, is a beautiful coastal town located within the municipality of Hunucmá, 30 minutes northwest of Mérida. It offers several ecotourism options, as it is located between two natural reserves. Sisal, as its name might suggest, was Yucatán’s main maritime port during the “Green Gold” boom era of henequen production. Like Maní, Sisal boasts unbeatable local cuisine.

The promotion of Maní, Sisal and other locations are part of the Sustainable Development Plan of the state of Yucatán’s Ministry of Tourism, which promotes the decentralization of tourism so that the benefits derived from the activity permeate across the state. A Magical Town is a town that, through time and in the face of modernity, has preserved its value and cultural and historical heritage and manifests it in various expressions through its irreplaceable tangible and intangible heritage, in addition to meeting the requirements of permanence in the program. It has allowed 121 destinations, in 31 states of Mexico, to work in the promotion and development of these within the tourism offering. Some of the benefits including the generation of new jobs; the national positioning of the destination through the Pueblos Mágicos brand; commercialization of local artisan products; integration of tourism development plans and strengthening of tourism infrastructure; generation of investment in the sector; revaluation of regional culture and customs; and the increase in the arrival of tourists and visitors that will generate greater economic income. To achieve this recognition, it is necessary to cover many requirements and carry out different processes required by SECTUR.

UN: Skiing May Not Spread Coronavirus But Slopes Still Risky

GENEVA (AP) — As several European countries have suspended access to the ski slopes to stop the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, the World Health Organization’s emergencies chief said the risk of catching COVID-19 while skiing is likely minimal. “I suspect many people won’t be infected barreling down the slopes on their skis,” said Dr. Michael Ryan said at a WHO news briefing on Monday. The U.N. health agency has previously said the coronavirus transmits much less easily outside because it is dispersed in the fresh air. Restrictions to slow the spread of COVID-19 have kept ski lifts closed in Italy, France, Germany, Austria and elsewhere. Ryan said the danger of coronavirus spread from skiing is from many of the other activities linked to the sport.

“The real issues are going to come at airports, tour buses taking people to and from ski resorts, ski lifts ... and places where people come together,” Ryan said. “We would advise that all countries look at the their ski season and other reasons for mass gathering,” he said, warning that indoor socializing after skiing might be particularly risky. Earlier this year, ski resorts in France, Italy and Austria were the sites of several superspreading events that helped seed COVID-19 outbreaks across the continent. Ryan said that rather than targeting any specific sport like skiing or hiking, governments should consider how best to reduce contact between people to prevent the spread of COVID-19. “The issue is any activity that involves large numbers of people moving into a concentrated space and then using public and other transport to get there and back needs to be managed carefully,” Ryan said. WHO noted that last week marked the first time global cases of COVID-19 have dropped since September, citing the effectiveness of recent lockdown measures across Europe. WHO’s director-general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, called it “welcome news,” but said the decrease should be “interpreted with extreme caution.” Tedros said that the upcoming holiday season should prompt people to think twice about how they might celebrate during the pandemic. “Being with family and friends is not worth putting them all (and) yourself at risk,” he said. “We all need to consider whose life we might be gambling with in the decisions we make.”