Tag: travel

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How one can weblog about journey? How one can host a television present about journey?

How to blog about travel? How to host a tv show about travel?

From waiting tables to living in a basement apartment, three travel hosts tell CNBC about how they got to where they are.

Here are their stories.

Samantha Brown

Job: Emmy-award winning TV host of “Samantha Brown’s Places to Love”
Started in: Comedy

“I went to Syracuse University for musical theater because I so desperately wanted to move to New York City and become a thespian. I wanted to do Shakespeare and be on Broadway.

That didn’t pan out. I waited on tables for a good eight years. But I loved improv, and I was a part of an improv comedy troupe. So I just kept auditioning for jobs.

Samantha Brown said the best part of her job isn’t “that I get to travel to all these free places — it’s that I get to spend time with people in their everyday lives.”

Source: Samantha Brown Media Inc.

A writer recommended me to a production company that was … looking for a host. But my audition for it had to be totally improvised. That’s how I got the job.

When you are a travel host, there’s no script. Yet it is still up to you to define the scene, to understand the trajectory of a story and how to end it. so inside improv, the golden rule is to never say no, it’s always yes — to keep things going.

Waiting on tables in New York City for eight years, you start to be really humbled, [but] those were the tools that I had that got me a job that I never thought in my wildest dreams I would ever have.”

Mike Chen

Job: Creator of “Strictly Dumpling” and other YouTube channels (total: about 8 million subscribers)
Started in: Accounting and wedding videography

“I moved to the US from China when I was 8 years old. My parents started working in restaurants, and eventually started their own very Americanized Chinese restaurant. So I grew up on a steady diet of General Tso’s chicken and crab rangoon.

There wasn’t a lot of diversity where I’m from, but it helped that my parents sent me back to China when I was 13. Most people got grounded and sent to their room as a punishment — I got sent to China for two years. That’s when I was like: Wow, it’s so amazing — the people, the history — I want to know more.

After college, I went to New York and worked on Wall Street for a year. Then I became a wedding videographer because I wanted to be flexible. I was living in a small basement apartment in Brooklyn with no air conditioning, making about $400 — on a good week.

But this was the first time I was eating something that wasn’t Red Lobster and Olive Garden. I got a taste of diverse ethnic food in Chinatown, and I started to discover a lot of my heritage that I never really saw as important before.

I started recording food videos on YouTube as a food diary for myself. I remember having a conversation with a friend that food content will never amount to anything. There wasn’t anybody online doing it. I had like 10 subscribers. Somehow it grew to this, which was never expected.

I never really had much money growing up — or throughout most of my adulthood. So I was always looking for things that were inexpensive but also really filling and delicious. And that’s pretty much what I do around the world now.”

Colleen Kelly

Job: Television host of “Family Travel with Colleen Kelly”
Started in: Sales

“I tried out for the broadcast school at the University of Texas. The school gave you one chance to be accepted into the program. I was never satisfied at an anchor desk with a camera pointed at me. I failed miserably.

Several years later, I graduated and got my first job in sales, eventually moving to Chicago and working in the pharmaceutical industry. The money was amazing, and I had a company car. But I wasn’t living my dream, and this started to really bother me.

In my early 30s, I got married and eventually quit my job to be a stay-at-home mom. One day, when my two little girls were in school, I went to our town hall’s cable TV station and asked if, in exchange for teaching me how to edit, I could host the local entertainment show about our village — something like “Access Hollywood ” for our 50,000-resident town.

Because they had no other offers, they said yes. I acted confident, but I was as green as they came. every time I did an interview and read voice-over, but I was gaining experience and knowledge.

Colleen Kelly with her family at Mirabell Gardens in Salzburg, Austria (left); and filming “Family Travel with Colleen Kelly” at Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland (right).

Source: Kelly Media Productions LLC

I confided in another mom that my dream was to host a national travel show, and, surprisingly, she agreed to produce it with me. We wrote a script, found a local camera guy for a few dollars and made a pilot.

I took meetings with two major companies — both said no. I was told by one network that women don’t watch travel shows, so the concept of family travel didn’t appeal to them. I then sent thousands of emails to television stations. Nothing worked. Finally, my mother suggested I call the local PBS station. I googled the head of programming, called him (no emails) and got a meeting.

After more meetings, we learned PBS was picking two shows to go national, and “Family Travel with Colleen Kelly” was one of them.

We scraped by for a year, producing 13 episodes that first season. Now the show has been on for more than 10 years. And, the best part is that I can bring my family with me.

It’s been a long and arduous journey, but I hope this story inspires others to believe in themselves, ignore the naysayers, and never give up on their dream.”

Editor’s note: These interviews have been edited for length and clarity.

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Health

Journey searches for Germany after Singapore’s vaccine journey lane

Singapore to lift quarantines for some travelers from Germany, Hong Kong

A Singapore Airlines aircraft is parked next to Scoots passenger aircraft on the tarmac of the Changi International Airport terminal in Singapore on March 15, 2021.

Facebook Facebook logo Sign up on Facebook to connect with Roslan Rahman AFP | Getty Images

Interest in traveling between Singapore and Germany skyrocketed after the announcement of a so-called vaccinated itinerary between the two countries, which means vaccinated travelers can skip the quarantine.

Popular online travel booking site Expedia said that Friday afternoon searches for trips from Singapore to destinations in Germany increased almost ten times the average for the past seven days.

There is also great interest in traveling from Germany to Singapore, it said. “While Singapore was never among the top 10 travel destinations for German travelers, it was interesting to see that interest in traveling from Frankfurt and Munich to Singapore has increased by 70% in the past 24 hours,” said Lavinia Rajaram, APAC -Communication manager at Expedia, in a Friday statement.

“With the launch of the Vaccinated Itinerary Program, it will certainly bode well for those who are already vaccinated and have the desire to travel, and will give the travel industry a welcome boost,” added Rajaram.

Singapore’s vaccinated travel route with Germany was announced on Thursday by the city-state, which extended the initiative to Brunei as well.

Applications for quarantine-free travel to Singapore from Germany or Brunei will be open from September, but are subject to certain conditions. Fully vaccinated people traveling to Singapore are required to take four Covid tests – one two days before departure, one on arrival, one on the third day, and another on the seventh day.

Further conditions for traveling to Singapore from Germany or Brunei are:

  • Travel on designated non-stop flights for the vaccinated itinerary (VTL);
  • Stay in Germany or Brunei for 21 consecutive days before the flight;
  • Download a contact tracking app in Singapore.

On ticket prices, Expedia’s Rajaram added that airlines offering flights under the program have announced “competitive prices”.

Still, Rajaram said, “It is too early to say if prices will rise in the next few days – but we can expect demand to grow closer to Christmas time.”

The search queries for trips from Hong Kong and Macau are also increasing

Singapore had also announced that travelers from Hong Kong and Macau can now apply for a flight pass to travel to Singapore regardless of their vaccination status.

They don’t have to be in quarantine either, they have to take a Covid test upon arrival in Singapore and self-isolate until they get a negative test result, Singapore authorities said.

Search queries for trips to Singapore from the two Chinese territories also increased after the announcement – by almost 450%, according to Expedia.

“This comes as no surprise to us as travelers in Hong Kong (HK) have been eagerly hoping for this first vacation trip. Singapore is still a top destination for Hong Kong travelers in the second half of the year, ”said Expedia.

– Abigail Ng of CNBC contributed to this report.

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Health

Covid vaccines required for journey, unvaccinated folks do not prefer it

Covid vaccines required for travel, unvaccinated people don't like it

Unvaccinated people are eager to travel again. But more and more, the rules make that harder.

Travelers are increasingly required to show proof of vaccination before they can cruise, book group tours, avoid quarantines, or vacation to tropical islands. Beyond that, vaccines are needed for everyday activities including attending some universities, returning to the workplace or eating in restaurants.

More cities and companies — from Paris to New York, from Disney to Fox Corp. — are issuing vaccine requirements of one sort or another, paving the way for others to follow.

The new rules fall short of true mandates, since people can often avoid them by submitting to rigorous testing and safety protocols. But the “near-mandates,” as they are being called, have the practical effect of making life logistically difficult for some unvaccinated people.

Vaccine-based rules have more support in Europe, but Americans are divided over them. The latest CNBC All-America Economic Survey found 49% favoring mandates and 46% opposing them. Views were sharply divided by age and political affiliation, with nearly 80% of unvaccinated people against them.

CNBC interviewed nearly a dozen unvaccinated travelers. A complex picture of their views emerged, highlighting fears, frustrations and an indifference toward vaccines and the restrictions that require them.

Waiting it out

Several people who oppose mandatory vaccines said they resent being grouped with so-called “anti-vaxxers.” Among them was a mental health counselor from the U.S. South, who asked not to be named due to her occupation.  

She said she is vaccinated against other diseases, and her children are as well. “I’m not anti-vaccine at all,” she said.

But she’s “against these rushed vaccines,” referring to the ones designed to combat Covid.

A mental health counselor from the Deep South was one of several people CNBC interviewed who expressed concern that the vaccines were not yet approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Wolfgang Kumm | picture alliance | Getty Images

She travels monthly and fears catching the virus. Vaccine-based restrictions haven’t impeded her ability to travel, but she’s concerned they could, especially since her spouse is European. She said Covid tests “make more sense” — an argument which gained traction in The Atlantic last week — and are more equitable for those who can’t or won’t vaccinate.

“I will continue to wait it out and hope that over time a less desperate and more logical approach will arise,” she said. “When and if these vaccines are proven safe, I will get one.”

Singaporean Ng Syn Jae agrees. Singapore is on target to have 80% of its population vaccinated by next month, but the 27-year-old said he won’t be among them.

From Aug. 10, vaccinated people in Singapore can dine in restaurants again, while most unvaccinated adults and teenagers cannot.

Suhaimi Abdullah | NurPhoto | NurPhoto | Getty Images

Ng said he feels the vaccines being administered in Singapore — from Pfizer BioNTech and Moderna — are still in “an experimental stage.” He said he’s worried about possible long-term negative side effects, a fear expressed by others who spoke to CNBC.

The World Health Organization, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and other health agencies around the world do not share those worries. They’ve said repeatedly that approved vaccines, including those from Pfizer BioNTech and Moderna, are safe and effective against Covid-19 and existing variants.

Covid vaccines have been administered in 199 countries around the world with 30% of the global population having received at least one shot, according to the Our World in Data project at The University of Oxford.

Travel mandates likely would encourage Ng to get vaccinated, he said, though he feels they are unethical. He said he would likely opt for the Chinese-made Sinovac vaccine because “the technology the vaccine uses is older” than the newer mRNA vaccines.

He said he will vaccinate “when the vaccine companies show they have done all the proper safety tests —and then, I might wait even longer.”

Frustrated, but not angry

Bert Valdez, a professional surfer living in Hawaii, isn’t vaccinated and doesn’t plan to be.

“It’s a drug, and we were always told not to do drugs,” he said.

His travel experience is wide — coastal locations including Tahiti, Fiji, Taiwan, Mexico and Costa Rica. He acknowledged that his decision not to get vaccinated will probably limit his ability to compete and earn money in the future.

This is not going to kill me.

Valdez said he’s frustrated, but not angry, about vaccine-based travel restrictions, which he said will be short-lived because the “people in power won’t be much longer,” both in the United States and abroad. He did not elaborate on how or why this global transition of power would occur.

Despite scientific evidence to the contrary, he said he believes vaccinated people are spreading the Covid variants while unvaccinated people take the blame.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, unvaccinated people are much more likely to contract and transmit the virus that causes Covid-19, including the highly contagious delta variant.

As for the pandemic itself, Valdez said he laments how anger is dividing families and friends. He’s less worried about himself, but more for his three daughters.

“I’ve been through a lot in my life,” he said. “This is not going to kill me.”

Fearing the vaccine more than the virus

Beegy Morter lives in Dallas and described herself as a practitioner of “energy medicine.” She isn’t happy about vaccine-based travel restrictions. She said she can’t take vaccines because she’s allergic to a preservative they contain.

“I do feel discriminated” against, the 77-year-old told CNBC. “I’m not anti-vaxx — I’ve just done the research.”

Morter also said she has trouble wearing masks. They make her dizzy, so she avoids stores that require them.

“I would rather take my chances…”

She’s been given the “cold shoulder” by people who discover she’s unvaccinated, she said. She described encounters which mirror reports of rising resentment and hostility toward the unvaccinated.

Even without her allergy, Morter said she still wouldn’t get vaccinated. For one thing, she doesn’t fear getting Covid, she said.

“The survival rate of catching Covid is so good,” she said. “I would rather take my chances … than take the vaccine.”

U.S. officials have repeatedly contradicted views like hers about the risk Covid poses toward the unvaccinated. The vast majority of Covid-related hospitalizations and deaths in the United States are now occurring among unvaccinated people.

How Americans are responding to Covid variants

Likely to wear masks     Likely to avoid large gatherings
Vaccinated 62% 61%
Unvaccinated 37% 40%
Source: KFF Covid-19 Vaccine Monitor

Yet Morter isn’t alone. A new report by the Kaiser Family Foundation shows 53% of unvaccinated adults in the United States fear the vaccines more than the disease itself.

Unvaccinated people are also less worried about getting “seriously sick” from Covid (73%) than vaccinated people (61%), according to the report.

‘Stubborn’

Dan Morris of Dunedin, Florida, said his plans to visit Australia this year are looking “extremely unlikely.”

He understands not getting vaccinated won’t help, since “there’s talk of [Australian authorities] not being willing to take unvaccinated people in the future” too.

Morris said he has “a range of reasons” for his decision, including having “a messed-up immune system” due to Crohn’s Disease, and concerns that mutations are making the vaccines less effective.

When asked if that was a circular argument — i.e., refusing vaccines because they may not be as effective against variants which, in turn, are more likely to develop if people refuse the vaccines — Morris said:

“Yes, if it is true that mutations are more likely or mostly occurring in the unvaccinated, then ‘the vaccines are continuing to mutate’ is not a great argument … I would be contributing to the problem. However, I think the mutations are going to come whether I vax or not.”

I’m really not bothered at all by the various restrictions…

The WHO has repeatedly said that Covid-19 vaccines are safe and life-saving. “One of the best ways of guarding against new variants is to continue… rolling out vaccines,” according to the WHO’s website.

In the meantime, Morris said he’s fine to wait years for long-term studies to be published. As to whether he would vaccinate to visit Australia, he isn’t budging.

“Tougher enforcement and restrictions make me less likely to be vaccinated in the future,” he said. “I’m stubborn!”

‘Not bothered’

Bryan Hale, a 54-year-old self-employed coach from Phoenix, isn’t vaccinated. But he isn’t averse to the idea either.

“I’m more than willing to get vaccinated if it becomes a serious issue or need,” he said. “I’ve just been busy.”

His vaccination status has resulted in backlash from his family, some of whom have refused to see him until he is immunized, he said.

Though studies indicate that unvaccinated people are less likely to wear masks or practice social distancing, Hale said he does both, especially since he travels weekly by car in the U.S. Southwest and Mexico.

Bryan Hale said he has experienced “zero” Covid-related delays at the U.S.-Mexico border — though news reports show others haven’t been as lucky.

Erin Clark | Boston Globe | Getty Images

“I’m really not bothered at all by the various restrictions and protocols that have been put in place for travelers,” he said, adding that he feels the government and society at large are “doing the best they can to deal with an unpredictable, complex and serious challenge.”

Hale said he respects the rights of individuals to choose to vaccinate, as well as businesses to implement rules for their organizations.

Deciding to vaccinate

Travel restrictions are coaxing people like Lois Lindsey over the line. The retired accountant from Houston got vaccinated last week solely to safeguard her upcoming vacation plans, she said.  

“I don’t want to take the vaccine but feel forced to do so since I will be taking a trip to Kentucky in October and a cruise in January,” she said. “I don’t want to … pay more or be delayed at the airport if I’m not vaccinated.”

If I could make my own decision, I would put my life in God’s hands.

According to a Time/Harris poll conducted in March, more than half (52%) of vaccinated respondents indicated their decision was influenced at least in part by the desire to travel.   

Lindsey’s cruise on Carnival Cruise Line requires all passengers aged 12 and older to be vaccinated. Exemptions are available, but unvaccinated travelers have to pay a $150 surcharge, submit to additional Covid tests, buy travel insurance (if leaving from Florida or Texas) and forgo “independent sightseeing in ports of call,” according to the company’s website.  

Lois Lindsey said she, her daughter and eldest grandchild decided to get vaccinated to go on a cruise departing this winter from Galveston, Texas.

Thomas Shea | Getty Images News | Getty Images

Lindsey says she feels there’s “conflicting information floating around” about who is spreading Covid, the effectiveness of masks, and whether vaccines protect against variants. She gets her news from CNN, Fox News, NBC News and talk radio, she said.

“If I could make my own decision, I would put my life in God’s hands,” said Lindsey.

A 50-year-old woman who works in New York’s financial sector and who did not wish to be identified told CNBC she’s considering getting vaccinated due to an upcoming trip to Hawaii.

Vaccinations aren’t required to enter the state, but she wants to avoid “any surprises” during the trip. Her travel companion is also pressing her to get vaccinated, which she feels she will likely do “for travel and for my parents … to feel safer.”   

She is currently working virtually from New Jersey, which lets her take a wait-and-see approach on vaccines. If called back into her New York office, “I would go forward with the vaccine,” she said.

‘Incredibly stubborn and foolish’

After a mild bout with Covid left her with a lingering cough for 10 months, Monica McLary, 45, decided to get vaccinated. She was initially hesitant, but the desire to travel with fewer restrictions spurred her to act.

“I want freedom to travel, I don’t want to get Covid again and I want to know that others cannot get the virus from me,” she told CNBC. “I feel like it’s everyone’s civic duty and find myself angered by those that continue to refuse based on misinformation.”

I am a conservative, voted for Trump, but these people are incredibly stubborn and foolish.

Since the pandemic started, the part-time Pilates instructor and real estate agent from Atlanta has traveled to Missouri’s Lake of the Ozarks (“oblivious to the pandemic with no rules or regulations”), Boston and Nantucket, Massachusetts (“so many restrictions”); Jackson Hole, Wyoming (“no masks required”); and Louisville to watch the Kentucky Derby (“we flew privately so that was the best”), among other places.

McLary persuaded her two teenage sons to get vaccinated so they could avoid masks and travel restrictions. Problems began, she said, when unvaccinated people stopped wearing masks too. Now Covid hospitalizations are rising again in Georgia and other U.S. states with low vaccination rates.  

“I am a conservative, voted for Trump,” she said, “but these people are incredibly stubborn and foolish.”

An article in the Economist last week indicated that the single greatest predictor of whether an American has been vaccinated is who they voted for in the last U.S. presidential election.

“I hope [Trump] doesn’t run again, and I hope more businesses — airlines included — and schools mandate vaccines,” McLary said.  

“It is not about politics, but about public safety,” she said. “We are all in this together.”

Read more from CNBC about travel and vaccinations

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Health

Australia’s commerce minister on vaccination charges and journey bubbles

Australia's trade minister on vaccination rates and travel bubbles

Police officers patrol the Sydney Opera House on July 11, 2021.

James D. Morgan | Getty Images

More Australians need to be vaccinated before the country builds travel bubbles and lets international students in.

Australia has closed its doors to the outside world since March 2020 and even banned its own citizens from returning from India last May.

Australia’s Trade Minister Dan Tehan told CNBC that the easing of border restrictions and the return of foreign students to the country are still “a big part of the roadmap if we get out of this virus”.

“Of course we have to increase the vaccination rates. And as soon as we increase the vaccination rates further, we will check quarantine precautions, “he said on Tuesday in the” Squawk Box Asia “.

Tehan added that South Australia will begin implementing a domestic quarantine process. That trial is slated to take place for two weeks in September and Prime Minister Scott Morrison said it could pave the way for Australians to leave and return, local media reported.

Australia has been criticized for its slow adoption of vaccines. According to Our World in Data, only 15.3% of the population was fully vaccinated as of August 1. Last week, local media reported that Morrison said the country must vaccinate 80% of its population before borders are reopened.

As soon as vaccination rates rise, Australia will try to let in more groups of people in, according to Tehan.

“So we’re going to try to lift the caps so more Australians can return home and then look for ways we can bring in international student business people who want to do business here in Australia,” he said.

Travel bubble plans

Largest city Sydney is battling a virus resurgence as cases hit record highs last week and the military was called in to enforce restrictions. Sydney last week extended its lockdown – which began in late June – for another four weeks as the Delta variant continued to spread.

Still, Tehan said Australia was “very interested” in building travel bubbles with countries that have handled the virus well, such as Singapore, Japan and South Korea.

“That’s still the plan. Obviously we are in a pandemic. So the plan can be adjusted and changed further, but … that’s what we see. We want to be able to open up and open up” with these countries Contact the basis of the medical advice when we know it is safe, “he said.

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World News

Renewable hydrogen can journey by means of present pipelines, CEO says

Renewable hydrogen can travel through existing pipelines, CEO says

The CEO of Italian infrastructure giant Snam outlined a vision for the future of hydrogen on Friday, saying the “beauty” of it is that it can be easily stored and transported.

Speaking to CNBC’s Squawk Box Europe, Marco Alverà spoke about how current systems would be used to facilitate the delivery of hydrogen from renewable sources as well as biofuels.

“If you turn up your heating in Italy now, the gas will flow in pipelines from Russia to Siberia,” he said.

“Tomorrow we will have hydrogen produced in North Africa, in the North Sea, with solar and wind resources,” said Alverà. “And this hydrogen can travel through the existing pipeline.”

Alvera said Snam tested various mixing percentages – including up to 100% hydrogen – in existing pipes and it worked.

“So this is an energy transition that uses the infrastructure we have,” he said. “And the very good news is that this new renewable energy will cost less than the existing fossil fuel, namely [a] real breakthrough. “

Read more about clean energy from CNBC Pro

Described by the International Energy Agency as a “versatile energy carrier”, hydrogen has a wide range of possible uses and can be used in sectors such as industry and transport.

It can be made in a number of ways. One method involves the use of electrolysis, where an electrical current breaks water into oxygen and hydrogen.

When the electricity used comes from a renewable source such as wind or sun, some call it green or renewable hydrogen.

Currently, the vast majority of hydrogen production is fossil fuel based and green hydrogen is expensive to produce.

Future challenges

In an interview with CNBC on Friday, Francesco Starace, CEO of Enel, said that “there is no competition for capital between hydrogen and renewables”.

“Hydrogen is a niche today, and it’s a niche that needs to evolve into a commercial standard and … a large, competitively-priced industry,” Starace said, signaling that such a shift would likely take 10 years.

“So it’s a big expense in research and development, it’s a big expense in prototypes, a big expense in pilot plants, but nothing compared to what’s going on today on the very large and competitive battlefield of renewable energies.”

While the potential role of hydrogen in the future is excited, there are still challenges.

A World Energy Council briefing earlier this week said low-carbon hydrogen “is not cost-competitive with other energy sources in most applications and in most locations.”

It is unlikely that the situation will change unless there is “significant support to bridge the price gap”.

The analysis, which was carried out in collaboration with PwC and the US Electric Power Research Institute, raised the question of where the funding for such support should come from, but also pointed to the increasing awareness of the industry and the associated positive effects.

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World News

Europe’s journey trade determined as Covid surges

Europe's travel industry desperate as Covid surges

In 2020, workers will carry scaffolding on the beach “Paradise” on the Greek Cycladic island of Mykonos. The island has traditionally been overcrowded with wealthy foreigners, but it turned into a ghost island last year.

ARIS MESSINIS | AFP | Getty Images

During the Covid-19 pandemic, perhaps no other industry was hit harder than the global travel and tourism sector, as planes grounded, resorts closed, and carefree vacations are a distant memory for most of us.

Some countries in Europe – Greece, Spain, and Portugal, for example – rely on tourism to fuel economic growth, with the prosperity of thousands of businesses, livelihoods, and communities tied to the success or failure of the season.

With Covid vaccinations rolled out across the region since late 2020, there were high hopes that Europe could look forward to a recovery in summer tourism this year.

Instead, the season looks very uncertain, as the delta variant is increasing in Europe and stipulating a multitude of different rules and restrictions, traffic light systems, country risk profiles as well as possible quarantines and entry requirements for vaccines.

Fourth wave?

Traveling within Europe these days is in many ways not for the faint of heart. The Covid infection rate has increased across the region as the highly contagious Delta variant has conquered the globe.

As with the previous Alpha variant (which Delta has now usurped), the UK was something of a harbinger of doom when it came to what the rest of Europe could expect. The UK saw another wave of Covid caused by the alpha variant earlier this year and is now seeing another wave with Delta.

Despite efforts on the continent to contain the variant, the inevitable spread has occurred, with the strain now accounting for the majority of new infections from country to country.

The Netherlands and Spain have seen large spikes in cases, largely due to the night sector, after both countries reopened their nightclubs in late June, only to reverse course two weeks later. Meanwhile, France announced earlier this week that it was entering a fourth wave of the pandemic, with government spokesman Gabriel Attal sounding the alarm:

“We have entered a fourth wave. The epidemic dynamics are extremely strong. We are seeing a faster wave and a bigger surge than any previous … the incidence rate continues to explode … So big, so sudden, we have that not seen since the beginning of the pandemic, “said Attal on Monday.

Tourism and airline stocks took a hit earlier this week as global markets slumped on renewed fears about the global recovery. EasyJet and Ryanair, well-known low-cost airlines in Europe, were among the stocks that posted significant price losses. EasyJet’s shares, for example, traded at 842.20 pence on Friday but fell to 758.20 pence early Monday afternoon.

Easyjet CEO Johan Lundgren told CNBC on Tuesday that the travel sector was facing an “extremely challenging” situation, but that vaccination programs in Europe were key to reopening. The data shows that two doses from Pfizer-BioNTech or AstraZeneca-Oxford University are effective against the Delta variant, reducing the risk of hospitalization and death.

“We always knew that [the recovery] shouldn’t be a straight line … But we see the restrictions lifted. But it is absolutely right that when you open up societies and communities, infections also increase. The question is whether the vaccinations make the link between [infection and] severe hospitalization and death, and luckily it looks like it, “Lundgren told CNBC’s Squawk Box Europe.

Complex trips

Anyone planning a last-minute European vacation this year should expect an often confusing, complex, and quite stressful experience – even before you get off the plane.

As a general example of the complexities of vacationing in these troubled times, let’s take traveling from the UK to Greece – a vacation that 3.4 million Britons took in 2019, as official statistics show:

Greece allows UK visitors if they can provide evidence of a negative Covid-19 PCR test performed within 72 hours of arriving in the country or evidence of a negative rapid antigen test performed by an authorized laboratory within the 48 hour before the scheduled flight; or proof of two doses of a Covid vaccine completed at least 14 days prior to travel.

Before entering Greece, however, you must fill out a passenger search form with your vaccination status, your vacation address and the next of kin no later than 11:59 p.m. (local time) the previous day. Then vacationers must take a PCR test and fill out another passenger locator form before returning to the UK, and then have another PCR test or 10 day quarantine within two days of their return to the UK.

All of that, and Greece is actually one of the easier places to vacation this year.

Like its fellow Europeans, Greece has not escaped the somewhat inevitable spike in Covid cases as the economy (especially the island’s night economy) has opened up. Still, the daily number of cases seems small compared to France or the UK. On Wednesday, Greece reported 2,972 new cases, 19 of which were located after controls at the country’s borders.

Busier times in Paliouri Beach, Greece: this picture was taken in 2017 which was considered one of the busiest summers in terms of visitor arrivals.

NurPhoto | NurPhoto | Getty Images

Wolfango Piccoli, co-president of the Teneo Intelligence risk advisory service, stated on Wednesday that the resurgence of Covid-19 in Greece “brings with it new challenges, particularly with regard to another lean tourist season and the following economic consequences”, circumstances that Put pressure on Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

“Mitsotakis had hoped to leave the pandemic behind this summer when his center-right government reached the middle of its four-year return to growth. However, the Covid-19 numbers have risen significantly in recent weeks and the important tourism sector is already pushing for more government support in the fall, fearing that visitor numbers will be even more disappointing this year, “said Piccoli.

As the Delta variant gradually became more dominant, Piccoli noted that Greece was puzzled as “the number of daily vaccinations has fallen below 100,000 this month, despite the government incentivizing Greeks between the ages of 18 and 25 150 euros (177 US dollars) offers vaccinated. “

So far, only about 120,000 of an estimated 980,000 Greeks in this age group have been vaccinated.

Immunization rates in the general population have reached nearly 52% for at least one dose of the vaccine and nearly 44% for full vaccination, Piccoli noted, adding that “the recent slower uptake has cast doubt on the government’s ability to meet its vaccination goal.” 70-75% of the adult population by the end of summer. “

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Health

Who can journey to Phuket? Vaccinated vacationers who comply with guidelines

Who can travel to Phuket? Vaccinated tourists who follow rules

From July 1, tourists can visit Phuket without quarantine for the first time since March 2020.

In Thailand’s much-discussed “sandbox” pilot, the largest island has reopened to vaccinated travelers willing to stick to a laundry list of rules designed to safely resume tourism amid the pandemic.

The plan depends on a concerted vaccination campaign to vaccinate 70% of Phuket’s population, a goal local authorities achieved earlier this month as 74% of the population were vaccinated.

Local media has questioned this number, which is in stark contrast to Thailand’s nationwide immunization rate of around 4%. But confirmed Covid cases have dropped dramatically in Phuket. The island saw single-digit daily cases this week, while Thailand reported its third highest daily case count – 5,406 infections – overall on June 27.

The “sandbox” plan makes Phuket a testing ground for protocols which, if successful, are likely to roll out in other parts of Thailand – and possibly other destinations in Southeast Asia – later this year.

A test of the tourists’ appetite for rules

But Phuket, like most of Southeast Asia, doesn’t make it easy for tourists to enter.

According to the Thai Tourism Authority (TAT), to avoid quarantine in Phuket, visitors must provide:

  • A vaccination card with a vaccine approved by the World Health Organization or Thai Health Authorities issued at least 14 days prior to arrival; Children traveling with you are allowed
  • A negative RT-PCR test (performed within 72 hours of departure)
  • A minimum of $ 100,000 in health insurance to cover the stay
  • An admission known as a certificate of entry to enter
  • Proof of payment for a 14-day stay and necessary Covid tests or for a stay of less than two weeks, travelers must also present confirmed departures from Thailand
  • Evidence that travelers have spent the past 21 days in a low or medium risk country on a list on the Thai Department of Disease Control website that is mainly in Thai

A selection of countries and territories on Thailand’s list

Australia, Cambodia, Canada, Chile, China, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Israel, Italy, Myanmar, New Zealand, Norway, Russia, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States

Source: TAT; updated June 29; List not exhaustive

Upon arrival, travelers must undergo a health screening and download a monitoring application called ThailandPlus. They also have to do and pay for a Covid-19 test and wait for the results at their hotel. Additional tests are required on travel day 6 or 7, for longer stays again on day 12 or 13.

Those who tested negative can travel freely around Phuket and other parts of Thailand after 14 days, as long as they practice social distancing, undergo temperature checks and wear masks, according to the tourism authority’s website.

Masks are required in public areas such as the beach and in cars.

Authorities recommend tourists to use SHA + restaurants and taxis in Phuket, but do not have to.

Pakin Songmor | Moment | Getty Images

Tourists are required to pay in advance and stay in hotels or host families that are “SHA +” certified, which means they have met safety and health agency measures and vaccinated more than 70% of the staff.

Anyone who tests positive “will be referred to specific health facilities at their own expense for medical treatment,” according to the TAT website.

More visitors than Rome in happier times

With almost 11 million arrivals, Phuket was the 15th most visited city in the world in 2019, according to a report by consultancy Euromonitor International entitled “Top 100 City Destinations”.

Wedged between Mumbai (No. 14) and Rome (No. 16), the island, with its estimated 420,000 inhabitants, towered above the list of international travelers but no domestic visitors, day-trippers and cruise passengers.

The entire travel industry awaits the reopening of Phuket.

Jade Chandhakant

Regional Director of Trip.com

Despite the island’s popularity, Phuket reopening is expected to be subdued. Spring Covid outbreaks in Thailand, combined with meandering schedules, rule changes, and late government approval for the “sandbox” program last week, may have put off summer tourists who have likely made other plans by now.

There is a preference for domestic travel and a persistent aversion to flying among countries returning summer, especially the types of long-haul flights required to reach Thailand from the United States or Europe.

Thailand’s neighbors are unlikely to pack their bags either. Tourism has not started in earnest again anywhere in Southeast Asia, where strict quarantines and sluggish vaccination campaigns have nearly ended the summer tourist prospects.

Unvaccinated tourists can visit Phuket but must be quarantined for 14 nights in designated hotels.

Pone-Pluck | Moment | Getty Images

That’s not good news for Thailand, as almost 72% of its overnight guests were from Asia in 2019, according to the United Nations World Tourism Organization. Almost a quarter of all tourists to Thailand come from China, which does not yet allow residents to travel freely for leisure tourism.

According to the Bangkok Post, 1,500 people are expected to arrive in Phuket, which would be a long way from the daily average of 25,000 tourists it received before the pandemic.

But it’s a start, and Thai officials hope to replicate it elsewhere soon.

What’s next?

With its sugar-sweet beaches and lively nightlife, Phuket isn’t the only “sandpit” Thailand has in the making.

The islands of Koh Samui, Koh Pha Ngan and Koh Tao were reopened to vaccinated travelers on July 15 following a similar scheme. The cultural enclave of Chiang Mai, a city in the north of the country, could soon follow suit.

If Thailand’s sandbox program proves successful, other countries could take similar action, said Jade Chandhakant, Trip.com’s regional director for Thailand and Vietnam.

According to the Thai Tourism Authority, direct flights to Phuket are operated by British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Emirates, Etihad Airways, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines and Thai Airways.

Pakin Songmor | Moment | Getty Images

“The entire travel industry is expecting Phuket to reopen,” he said. “We hope that the reopening of Phuket will mark the beginning of more ‘sandboxes’ and that this is a surefire way to resume recreational tourism in Southeast Asia.”

As for Thailand, whatever the outcome, the country may push for a reopening. Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha indicated in a speech on June 16 that his goal was to open all of Thailand by mid-October.

He said Thailand “cannot wait for a time when everyone is fully vaccinated with two vaccinations to open the country or when the world is free of the virus”.

“I know there is some risk involved in making this decision because if we open up the country there will be an increase in infections no matter how good our precautions are,” he said. “Now is the time to take this calculated risk.”

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South Korea on Covid-19 herd immunity and journey bubble packages

South Korea on Covid-19 herd immunity and travel bubble programs

Customers wearing protective masks pay for their purchase at a vegetable stall in Mangwon Market in Seoul, South Korea on Tuesday, February 9, 2021.

Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images

South Korea wants to open up its economy and work on travel bubble programs as it has been relatively successful in controlling the spread of Covid-19, its deputy prime minister told CNBC in an exclusive interview.

The government plans to boost consumption and further boost the economy in the second half of this year – and steps are being taken to achieve that goal, said Hong Nam-ki, who is also South Korea’s economy and finance minister.

“I would say the current government has been relatively successful at both infection control and vaccination,” he told CNBC’s Chery Kang on Friday, according to a CNBC translation of his Korean remarks. “Based on the achievements, the current government now wants to promote economic growth while maintaining such health measures.”

In fact, he said that South Korea is aiming for herd immunity by November, which means the virus will no longer be able to spread rapidly as most of the population is either fully vaccinated or has become immune from infection.

By last week, 30% of the South Korean population had received their vaccinations and Hong says the country can reach 70% by September.

Our plan now is to achieve herd immunity by November – but in my personal opinion we will be able to move the schedule forward.

Hong Nam-ki

South Korea’s Deputy Prime Minister

The country has reported more than 155,500 cases and at least 2,015 deaths as of Monday, according to Johns Hopkins University – numbers that are relatively controlled compared to most Asian countries.

In contrast, India – with the highest number of cases in Asia – officially reported more than 30.2 million cases on Monday, according to Hopkins. Indonesia has 2.11 million cases while the Philippines has nearly 1.4 million case numbers, the data showed.

“Our plan now is to achieve herd immunity by November – but in my personal opinion we will be able to move the schedule forward,” said Hong.

“If the vaccination goes as planned, we believe the Covid-19 situation is under control. Then the measures to support consumption and economic recovery can be carried out without interruption from July onwards.

However, should the pandemic worsen, it would be difficult to push these growth-promoting measures, he warned.

Travel bubble?

The South Korean government plans to support travel bladder programs for fully vaccinated people, Hong said. A travel bubble is a pre-agreed agreement with another country that provides that travelers from both countries are allowed quarantine trips if certain conditions are met – such as negative Covid tests or full vaccinations.

However, whether the travel bubble will pop depends on vaccination progress and conversations with other countries, he said, declining to name those countries.

In early June, the Singaporean newspaper Straits Times reported that South Korea is exploring travel bladders with some countries, including Singapore and Taiwan, to enable quarantine-free travel for vaccinated people.

“I believe that depending on their health status, vaccination rates and the convenience of immigration, more countries will be on the list of countries in demand,” Hong told CNBC.

“I think we need to continue working with private tour operators to investigate the virus situation to decide exactly which countries,” he added.

One initiative that citizens can at least indulge in for the time being could be “flights to nowhere”, a target-free concept that some countries introduced during the pandemic.

“Even if you cannot travel abroad, no landing flights have been offered,” said Hong. “Passengers could fly all the way to Japan, hover over the Japanese sky, and then come back without landing. Lots of people showed interest in it and it was used a lot, ”he said, referring to such flights that were introduced in South Korea last year.

“So if the health situation improves and the vaccination campaign accelerates more strongly, we believe that we are going in (that) direction.”

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Delta Variant: What to Know For Summer season Journey

Delta Variant: What to Know For Summer Travel

With vaccinations on the rise and mortality rates related to Covid-19 going down in Europe and other parts of the world, many people are making plans to travel this summer and beyond. But experts say the quickly circulating Delta variant is a new concern for travelers, particularly those who are unvaccinated.

The European Union said on June 18 that the United States would be added to its “safe list” of countries, a decision that should allow even unvaccinated visitors from the U.S. (who can provide proof of a negative coronavirus test) to enter its 27 member states for nonessential travel. These countries, however, can impose their own restrictions and requirements for entry.

The E.U. decision comes the same week that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention elevated the Delta variant of the coronavirus to a “variant of concern” as it appears to spread more quickly and may affect people more severely than earlier forms of the virus.

If you’re wondering how the variant will affect your travel plans, here is everything you need to know before booking a flight.

So far, the variant, first identified in India, has spread to more than 80 countries as of June 16, according to the World Health Organization. In a news conference on June 10, Dr. Hans Kluge, W.H.O.’s regional director for Europe, said that the variant was “poised to take hold” in Europe.

Jennifer Nuzzo, an epidemiologist at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, said this will probably be the case in other countries, as well.

“If you’re out and about this summer, chances that you’re going to encounter the Delta variant, either in the U.S. or in Europe or other parts of the world, are pretty high,” she said.

The Delta variant currently makes up between six and 10 percent of cases in the United States, said Dr. Ashish Jha, the dean of Brown University’s School of Public Health, adding that it will probably will be the dominant strain in the United States by August.

If you are fully vaccinated, particularly with a two-dose vaccine, “don’t worry about the Delta variant,” Dr. Jha said.

Millions of Americans have received either Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccines; both are two-dose vaccines. Studies have shown their efficacy drops only slightly when encountering variants.

“People who have been vaccinated still do quite well against this variant,” Dr. Jha said, “but it is one where you need a high degree of immunity to ward off, so you really need to have both of your doses of your vaccine.”

The C.D.C. has a global variant map that shows the countries where different variants have been identified, though it does not list infection rates. It also lists the risk level by country.

Using information from government sources compiled by the Our World in Data project at the University of Oxford, The New York Times has been tracking global vaccinations, showing the percentage of people vaccinated in individual countries.

You may also look online to the national health department websites for the country you are planning to visit to get more specific data.

In Britain, for instance, where the Delta variant is already the most widespread strain, the National Health Service publishes information on the spread of the variant and vaccination rates in the country.

Unequal access to the vaccine across the world has meant that poorer countries are less adequately protected, with cases continuing to rise in parts of South America, Southeast Asia and Africa. According to the W.H.O., 75 percent of vaccine doses have gone to just 10 nations.

Updated 

June 18, 2021, 11:29 p.m. ET

Dr. Jha said it’s important to look at not just vaccination rates for the country, but also the vaccine that is being used there. Brazil, Turkey and other countries are relying on one or both of the two main vaccines manufactured by Chinese companies to inoculate their citizens.

“We don’t have data that the Chinese vaccines, for instance, are quite as good in general, and particularly around the Delta variant,” Dr. Jha said.

A recent study by the C.D.C. shows that the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccines reduce the risk of infection from any form of the virus by 91 percent for fully vaccinated people. The single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine is about 66 percent effective at preventing infection.

“Is it complete? No,” Dr. Nuzzo said. “But is it pretty darn good to the point that I personally would relax? Yes.”

It’s possible for vaccinated people to still be infected, she said, but the cases of this happening are quite low, and even if they get infected, they are unlikely to become ill. She added that those who have symptoms are more likely to spread the virus, so “if the vaccines did a good job at keeping you without symptoms, the likelihood that you’re going to spread it is quite low.”

If you want to further improve your odds of not getting infected, she recommends continuing to follow safety protocols like wearing a mask, social distancing and avoiding crowded, poorly ventilated indoor spaces.

If you are vaccinated but your immune system is compromised, because of a medical condition or because of certain medications you take, you should heed caution. You may not be fully protected, she said.

“If you’re an unvaccinated person, that, I think, makes your travel prospects much riskier,” Dr. Nuzzo said. “I really would not advise people traveling in an era of the increasing spread of these, not only more transmissible but possibly more severe, forms of the virus.”

Dr. Jha adds that “the simple answer” for protecting yourself as a traveler is to get vaccinated. This, he said, makes the prospect of encountering the Delta virus much less risky.

“But if you are unvaccinated or with unvaccinated people, then it really does pose a substantial risk,” he said.

He adds that travelers can use other safety measures to protect themselves, like wearing masks or social distancing, “but if you’re going to be vacationing this summer, that’s a less fun way to vacation.”

Dr. Nuzzo suggests thinking about vaccination and safety measures as different layers of protection against the virus. “Each layer adds something,” she said. “Vaccination is the thickest layer of protection against all forms of the virus.”

If your kids are over 12, get them vaccinated, said Dr. Jha. But for children under 12, who cannot yet get vaccinated in the United States, he suggests continuing to follow mask-wearing and social distancing rules. He also said that getting vaccinated yourself can help protect your children.

“The single biggest thing we can do to protect kids under 12 is to make sure everybody around them, all the adults, are vaccinated,” he said. “There’s very good evidence that when adults are vaccinated, kid infection numbers go down.”

He said that he plans to travel with his children this summer, one of whom is too young to be vaccinated.

Dr. Nuzzo, who has two young unvaccinated children, said she will, as well. “We are in a phase where we have to gauge the risks and benefits of everything that we do,” she said. “Everybody’s going to make those calculations differently.”

When the initial version of the coronavirus swept the globe last spring, much of the world hunkered down, restricting domestic movement, and many countries shut their borders to nonessential travel.

Now, many nations are opening up, but concern remains about the virus, particularly about the Delta variant. Some countries are making specific changes to their entry decisions because of the variant, while others are ordering emergency lockdowns.

On June 18, Italy’s health minister said that the nation would require a mandatory five-day quarantine and testing for people coming from Britain, even if they are vaccinated, over concerns about the Delta variant. It also extended the ban on arrivals from India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

On the same day, Portugal ordered a weekend lockdown for the capital region of Lisbon, as a way to curb a surging number of virus cases. Roughly half of the reported cases stem from the Delta variant.

Rules around testing and requirements to enter another country are evolving and can change quickly from one day to the next. Make sure to check the requirements for your destination country before booking your flight, but also in the days before to you travel make sure you are following the most updated rules.

THE WORLD IS REOPENING. LET’S GO, SAFELY. Follow New York Times Travel on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. And sign up for our Travel Dispatch newsletter: Each week you’ll receive tips on traveling smarter, stories on hot destinations and access to photos from all over the world.

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CDC Journey Tips: What You Must Know

CDC Travel Guidelines: What You Need to Know

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated their guidelines for fully vaccinated Americans in April, saying that travel both domestically and internationally is a low risk.

The long-awaited recommendations were issued by federal health officials after a series of studies found that vaccines administered in the United States were robustly effective at preventing infection in real-world conditions.

One is considered fully vaccinated two weeks after receiving the single dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine or two weeks after receiving the second dose of the Pfizer BioNTech or Moderna shots.

When you decide to travel, you may still have a few questions. Here are the answers.

Yes. Federal law requires masks to be worn at airports in the United States, on board domestic flights, and at all transportation hubs. The CDC says that as long as coronavirus measures are in place in these scenarios, including wearing masks, fully vaccinated Americans can travel domestically without testing or quarantine, although the agency warns that some states and territories Maintain their local travel restrictions and local recommendations.

For those looking to travel internationally, a coronavirus test is not required prior to departing from the United States unless directed by the government of their destination country. Vaccinated travelers must get tested three days before flying to the United States and should have a test three to five days after their return, but do not need to quarantine themselves.

Yes, but only in countries that you have.

More than half of the world’s countries have reopened tourists from the United States, including some European Union countries that recently reopened their borders to vaccinated travelers in anticipation of the summer tourism season.

Other places like Turkey, Croatia, and Montenegro have already welcomed Americans with negative test results. Greece joined this growing list in May, ahead of most European countries, opening up to fully vaccinated tourists and other foreigners with a negative test.

Many Caribbean nations have reopened to American tourists, but each has its own coronavirus protocols and entry requirements.

Here is a full list of the countries Americans can currently travel to.

According to the CDC, when you are fully vaccinated, you can travel freely within the United States and do not need to have a test or self-quarantine before or after your trip. However, some states and local governments may choose to maintain travel restrictions, including testing, quarantine, and stay-at-home orders. Hawaii, for example, still has travel restrictions.

Before traveling across state borders, check the current rules at your destination.

For now, the best way to prove your vaccination is by showing your vaccination card.

Digital vaccination and health certificates showing that people have been vaccinated or tested are at various stages of development around the world and are expected to be used extensively to speed up travel.

The subject of “vaccine passports” is currently one of the most debated topics in the travel industry, with questions about their fair use and health and privacy concerns.

In early April Florida Governor Ron DeSantis issued an executive order that would prohibit local governments and state-owned companies from requiring proof of vaccination for services.

And in March the European Union approved its own vaccination certificate, but individual European countries are expected to set their own rules for travel requirements later this summer.

The CDC does not recommend traveling unless you have been vaccinated. If you do need to travel, the agency recommends testing one to three days before traveling and following all coronavirus guidelines in your destination.

In May, the FDA extended its emergency approval of the Pfizer BioNTech coronavirus vaccine to teenagers between the ages of 12 and 15.

All passengers aged two and over entering the United States, including those who are fully vaccinated, must have a negative Covid-19 test result no later than three days prior to boarding their flight.

The introduction of vaccinations in the US is among the fastest in the world, but there is a huge gap between their rapid introduction and vaccination programs in different countries. Some countries have not yet reported a single dose.

Many countries are currently seeing a surge in new cases and are implementing strict coronavirus protocols, including masking requirements in public spaces, capacity limits in restaurants and tourist attractions, and other lockdown restrictions.

It is important to check coronavirus case rates, measures, and medical infrastructure before traveling to your destination and not to let you down on arrival. Even if you are fully vaccinated, you may still be able to pass the disease on to local communities that have not yet been vaccinated.

Here you can follow the worldwide introduction of the coronavirus vaccination.

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