Greece Opens To Tourists, Anxious To Move On From Crisis

Greece began opening to tourists on April 19th with few bookings but hopes for a better season to help make up for a 2020 devastated by the coronavirus pandemic.

On Rhodes island, where most visitors are from abroad, hoteliers are scrubbing, polishing and painting in anticipation of a make-or-break year.

"We're preparing the hotel in order to start as soon as the government gives us the green light," said George Tselios, general manager of Sun Beach Hotel, whose customers are from Scandinavia, Germany, Austria and Britain.

Greece will formally open on May 14 but starting Monday, tourists from the European Union, the United States, Britain, Serbia, Israel and the United Arab Emirates will not quarantine if they are vaccinated or test negative for COVID-19.

Tourism, which generates a fifth of Greece's GDP and one in five jobs, is vital for an economy which had climbed out of a decade-long slump only to slip back into recession last year as COVID-19 struck.

In a normal year, Rhodes would have already laid out the umbrellas for a season that runs from March through October. In mid-April, it resembled a ghost city.

Shuttered luxury resorts towered over a long, sandy, empty coastline. Beach towns normally bursting with crowds of British tourists were silent, with boarded up shops, tavernas and bars.

Many have been closed since 2020, when just 7.4 million people visited Greece, fewer than any year in its decade-long economic crisis and down from a record 31.3 million in 2019.

From hotels to restaurants and daily cruise boats, the many businesses surviving on state aid cannot afford another lost summer.

"Most of them feel the country cannot survive another crisis," Rhodes's deputy mayor for tourism, Konstantinos Taraslias, said.

Nearly 600,000 tourists visited Rhodes last year, down from 2.3 million in 2019. Just over half its 650 hotels opened, the hoteliers' association said.

WIDESPREAD TESTING

Greece says it is better placed this summer thanks to widespread testing, quarantine hotels and plans to vaccinate islanders and tourism workers.

"We've done everything within our power to have a better season," said George Hatzimarkos, governor of Greece's most popular region, the south Aegean islands, which besides Rhodes includes Mykonos and Santorini.

"We'll be absolutely ready," by mid-May, Hatzimarkos said.

But bookings are few and most for August to October, said the president of Rhodes' hoteliers, Manolis Markopoulos, forecasting a year of last-minute reservations.

"We can understand it because guests really want to be sure that they will fly," he said. "But that does not mean that we will not get bookings later."

While Greece fared better than much of Europe in containing the first wave of the pandemic, a continuous rise in infections has forced it to impose several lockdowns to protect its strained health service.

Tourists will be subject to lockdown restrictions, which include night-time curfews. Restaurants and bars have been closed since November.

Giannis Chalikias, who manages nine businesses on Rhodes, said only one is open and struggling to meet the obligations of the remaining eight.

"We're going through an unprecedented situation," he said. "We're waiting day by day for people to get vaccinated... so that we can open and have a normal season."

By Karolina Tagaris

New Digital Exhibition Of The SS United States Explores America's Flagship As Iconic Symbol Of The Ad Age

(PHILADELPHIA, PA) – Today the SS United States Conservancy, the national nonprofit organization that owns the SS United States and is dedicated to saving the historic ocean liner, launched its first digital exhibition, “Advertising the United States: Discovering America’s Flagship through Prints, Posters, and Advertisements.” Available now to the public at https://www.ssusc.org/advertising-the-united-states, the exhibition features a collection of more than two dozen advertisements and other promotional products, featuring both the iconic ship and major American brands, including Alcoa, Goodyear, IBM, and Socony-Mobil.

Viewed through the lens of the nation’s post-World War II economic boom and subsequent social upheavals of the 1960s, the Conservancy’s digital exhibition offers visitors a look at the intricate, exciting, and beautiful visualizations of the SS United States in print advertising at the height of the “Ad Age.” The Conservancy’s curatorial team also explores how the depictions of the historic ocean liner, from her debut in 1952 to her withdrawal from service in 1969, have shaped our understanding, experience, and memories of this iconic American symbol as well as her namesake nation.

“The SS United States is famous for its groundbreaking design, speed, and style, but she also played a key role as a global ambassador for the nation’s ideals – and its expanding economy,” said Susan Gibbs, President of the SS United States Conservancy and granddaughter of the ship’s famed designer, William Francis Gibbs. “In the post-war era, many marquee brands were eager to associate themselves with America’s Flagship. Advertisers understood and leveraged the ship’s deep, emotional appeal and the connection between the SS United States and the ‘American Dream.’”

Exhibition curator Sydney Sheehan said, “While she was built as a convertible troop transport vessel, America’s Flagship was truly a symbol of the country’s new, outsized role as a global superpower. She portrayed the very best of her country and advertisers understood how to capitalize on those feelings of patriotism and national pride. Even later in her career, when she became eclipsed by jet liners as the preferred form of transatlantic travel, the men and women behind the scenes found a way to recast America’s Flagship as the ‘Unrushable’ option for a more glamorous, immersive travel experience.”

Set to run through August 15, 2021, “Advertising the United States” will include special events and expanded online content.

Since acquiring title to the SS United States a decade ago, the SS United States Conservancy has raised resources to keep the ship safely afloat and advance prospects for her redevelopment as a stationary mixed-use destination. The group has also built a world-class curatorial collection, which will serve as the foundation for an exciting museum and center for innovation on board the redeveloped vessel. Today, the Conservancy has grown a global community of supporters from every state and more than 40 countries to help protect the fastest ocean liner in history and the largest built in the United States.

Those wishing to support the Conservancy’s curatorial work or help save the ship can learn more at www.SSUSC.org.

ABOUT THE SS UNITED STATES CONSERVANCY A national nonprofit organization, the SS United States Conservancy leads the global effort to save and repurpose America’s Flagship, the SS United States. The Conservancy raises public awareness and financial resources for the maintenance, restoration and ultimate reuse of this iconic vessel and works to ensure that the fastest ocean liner ever to cross the Atlantic remains an inspiration for generations to come. For more information about the SS United States Conservancy and America's Flagship, visit www.ssusc.org or the Conservancy's Facebook page.

French President Foresees Some Summer Tourists In Paris

PARIS (AP) — French President Emmanuel Macron says he foresees at least some tourists returning to Paris this summer if they have gotten vaccinated or have proof of testing negative for the coronavirus as France moves to progressively lift infection-control restrictions.

“We are building a certificate to facilitate travel after these restrictions between the different European countries with testing and vaccination,” Macron said in an interview that aired Sunday on the CBS News show “Face the Nation.”

Macron spoke as the French government is preparing to impose tough, new entry restrictions on travelers from four countries — Argentina, Chile, South Africa and Brazil — in hopes of keeping out especially contagious virus variants. The number of countries on the list could grow, France’s foreign minister said Saturday.

The restrictions include mandatory 10-day quarantines with police checks to ensure people arriving in France observe the requirement. Travelers from all four countries will be restricted to French nationals and their families, EU citizens and others with a permanent home in France.

France previously suspended all flights from Brazil. The suspension will be lifted next Saturday, after 10 days, and the new restrictions “progressively” put in place by then, the government said. The flight suspension for Brazil will be lifted followed by the “drastic measures” for entering France from all four countries, plus the French territory of Guiana, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said.

Macron, summarizing the French approach, said “the plan is always to control the virus, to maximize the vaccination and to progressively lift the restrictions.”

France has been among the hardest hit European countries and is now guarding against highly contageous variants, notably deciding to target four countries at present.

The four countries “are the most dangerous in terms of the number of variants that exist and in the evolution of the pandemic in these countries,” Le Drian said Saturday on the France 3 television station.

The list of countries subject to tougher border checks could be extended, he said.

Under the new restrictions, travelers must provide an address for where they plan to observe the 10-day confinement period and police will make visits and fine those who are found in violation, the government said.

Along with the mandatory quarantine, France is requiring more stringent testing for the coronavirus. Travelers must show proof of a negative PCR test taken less than 36 hours instead of 72 hours before they boarded a flight, or a negative antigen test less than 24 hours

France has reported the deaths of 100,00 people in the COVID-19 pandemic.

A variant first identified in England spread to continental Europe and is now responsible for about 80% of the virus cases in France, while the variants first seen in Brazil and South Africa make up less than 4% of French infections, Health Minister Olivier Veran said last week.

Alaska To Offer Tourists COVID-19 Vaccines Starting June 1

JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy said Friday that COVID-19 vaccines would be made available at key airports in the state starting June 1, in unveiling plans aimed at bolstering the state’s pandemic-battered tourist industry.

Dunleavy, a Republican, outlined plans for a national marketing campaign aimed at luring tourists using federal aid money and said the vaccine offering is “probably another good reason to come to the state of Alaska in the summer.”

Dunleavy and other state leaders have been pushing to allow large cruise ships to return to Alaska after COVID-19 restrictions kept them away last year, hitting hard businesses and communities, particularly in southeast Alaska, that rely heavily on summer tourism.

He said the state has not ruled out suing the federal government, as Florida has, over the issue.

About 40% of those eligible for a vaccine in Alaska, who are 16 or older, are fully vaccinated, according to the state health department, and health officials have been looking for new ways to encourage more people to get vaccinated.

Alaska was the first state to drop restrictions on who could get a COVID-19 vaccine when last month it opened eligibility to anyone 16 or older who lives or works in the state.

Heidi Hedberg, the state health department’s Division of Public Health director, said there is an ample supply of vaccine. She said the airport program will offer the two-dose Pfizer or Moderna vaccines.

Hedberg said officials are hearing from other states that there is “a lot of vaccine availability,” so if travelers are not still in Alaska when it’s time for their second dose, they can follow-up at a clinic or with their provider when they return home, she said. They would need to make sure that if their first dose was with Pfizer, for example, that their second dose is also a Pfizer shot, Hedberg said.

state plans to offer vaccines at airports in Anchorage, Fairbanks, Juneau and Ketchikan, with the clinics outside the security area, she said. Details released Friday differed from a department solicitation in March that included interest in using a one-dose vaccine subject to availability.

Hedberg said officials would do a “soft rollout” at the Anchorage airport for five days in late April, between 5 p.m. and 2 a.m., to work through logistics. The state will use an existing contractor for mobile clinics for the trial run, and it would be for Alaskans traveling in or through the airport, she said.

Vaccinations would open more widely, to anyone passing through, starting June 1, she said.

State health officials also have encouraged travelers to test for COVID-19, though the state no longer requires that.

Alert Level Raised For Aleutian Islands Volcano Emitting Ash

JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — A volcano in Alaska’s Aleutian Islands chain has continued to emit ash, the Alaska Volcano Observatory reported Thursday, prompting officials to raise the alert level.

Satellite views suggested ash emissions from the Semisopochnoi volcano that started in the morning are continuing with no decrease in intensity. The observatory listed the volcano being under a watch.

The ash cloud extends more than 217 miles (350 kilometers) southeast of the volcano and has reached heights of up to 20,000 feet (6 kilometers) above sea level, the observatory said.

Adak is about 160 miles (257 kilometers) east of the volcano.

Study Finds That Blocking Seats On Planes Reduces Virus Risk

A new study says leaving middle seats open could give airline passengers more protection from the virus that causes COVID-19.

Researchers said the risk of passengers being exposed to the virus from an infected person on the plane could be reduced by 23% to 57% if middle seats are empty, compared with a full flight.

The study released Wednesday supports the response of airlines that limited seating early in the pandemic. However, all U.S. airlines except Delta now sell every seat they can, and Delta will stop blocking middle seats on May 1.

The airlines argue that filters and air-flow systems on most planes make them safe when passengers wear face masks, as they are now required to do by federal regulation.

Researchers at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Kansas State University estimated how far airborne virus particles travel inside a plane. They used mannequins that emitted aerosol to measure the flow of virus particles through airline cabin mock-ups.

The study, however, did not take into account the wearing of face masks because it was based on a previous study done in 2017, before the pandemic.

Nor did it consider whether passengers are vaccinated against COVID-19. The CDC says vaccinated people can travel at low risk to themselves, although the agency still recommends against nonessential travel.

Airlines for America, a trade group for the largest U.S. carriers, said airlines use several layers of measures to prevent the spread of the virus on planes, including face masks, asking passengers about their health, and stepped-up cleaning of cabins. The group cited a Harvard University report funded by the airline industry as showing that the risk of transmitting the coronavirus on planes is very low.

Airlines were divided last year over filling middle seats. While Delta, Southwest, Alaska and JetBlue limited seating on planes, United Airlines never did and American Airlines only blocked seats for a short time. It was mostly an academic question, because relatively few flights last year were crowded. That is changing.

More than 1 million travelers have gone through U.S. airports each day for the past month. While that is still down more than one-third from the same period in 2019, more flights now are crowded. Around Easter weekend, Delta temporarily filled middle seats to accommodate passengers whose original flights were canceled because of staffing shortages.

France Suspends All Brazil Flights Due To Virus Variants

PARIS (AP) — France suspended all flights from Brazil on Tuesday amid mounting fears over the particularly contagious coronavirus variant that has been sweeping the South American country.

Prime Minister Jean Castex announced the suspension to parliament.

“We note that the situation is getting worse and so we have decided to suspend all flights between Brazil and France until further notice,” Castex said, drawing scattered applause from lawmakers.

Although France has seen comparatively few known cases of the P.1 variant striking Brazil, the ravages it is causing in Latin America’s largest nation are increasingly raising alarm bells in France.

Castex noted that travelers from Brazil already needed to test negative for the virus before their departure and upon arrival in France, and also quarantine for 10 days. But the government was also facing mounting calls from health experts for a flight suspension to further limit potential spread.

Boris Vallaud, a lawmaker for the opposition Socialists, called the flight suspension “necessary and a very good decision.”

The prime minister’s office said the suspension would start Wednesday, and concerns flights from Brazil to France. National carrier Air France cancelled all its flights both to and from Brazil on Wednesday and said its flight schedule beyond that would depend on government instructions.

France has had 5.1 million coronavirus cases since the pandemic began, the highest number in Europe, and has seen over 99,000 people die. The country is struggling with another wave of coronavirus infections and hospitalizations that is straining hospitals in Paris and elsewhere.

To curb France’s surge in cases, restrictions on travel and movement are enforced nationwide, on top of an overnight curfew. Schools are in the midst of a shutdown scheduled to last for at least three weeks.

French Health Minister Olivier Veran told parliament that a variant which first swept through Britain before spreading to continental Europe is now responsible for about 80% of infections in France and that the variants first seen in Brazil and South Africa make up less than 4% of French infections.

“Proportionally, we are seeing a retreat of these variants because they are less contagious than the English one,” Veran said.

Even before the flight suspension, passenger traffic from Brazil had already been drastically curtailed by pandemic travel limits. The transport minister said this week that as few as 50 people per day were flying into Paris’ main airport from Brazil, down from 50,000 per week before the health crisis.