With some states and provinces starting to open up after long spring lockdowns, and with some countries loosening travel restrictions, there’s no shortage of travel news for my regular FUTURE OF TRAVEL series. Today I look at everything from re-opening plans for Las Vegas to Hawaii hotel renovations, California tourism and cruise restrictions.
VIVA LAS VEGAS
MGM Resorts is talking about when they can safely re-open. Officials say they’ll likely start their re-openings with New York-New York in Las Vegas as it’s a good size (2,000 rooms). The Bellagio also is on their list, but they say they’ll consult health authorities in the states they operate in (not just Nevada, of course) and that it will be a gradual process. Makes sense to me. I don’t know how many folks will want to jam themselves into a crowded casino, or how many guests can sit in on a Cirque du Soleil show, but I guess we’ll find out. Here’s a story from my colleagues at TravelPulse in the U.S. https://www.travelpulse.com/news/hotels-and-resorts/mgm-resorts-preparing-to-reopen-properties-in-phases.html
CANADIANS HEADING TO CANCUN? NOT YET
There were reports the other day that the Mexican state of Quintana Roo was ready to accept flights as of June 1. A tourism official in the state, which includes Cancun and the Riviera Maya, told the Riviera Maya News that several Canadian airlines had told him they would start flights to the area. He listed AIr Canada, Sunwing, and Transat.
But it’s not true, said Sunwing President and COO Andrew Dawson.
“We have not spoken to them,” Dawson told me in an email. “We’re continually reviewing our future operations, based on the government restrictions both in Canada and each of our destinations. Whilst Mexico does not have any airport entry restrictions, the last update we had showed that the Mexican government had the state of Quintana Roo on its ‘Level 3,’ which means Canadians currently cannot enter for leisure.”
The Ka’anapali Beach Hotel has been called the most Hawai’ian hotel in the state. KBH PHOTO
HAWAII RENOVATIONS
With its free evening shows (open to everyone, not just hotel guests) and strong cultural programs (including lei making, ukelele lessons and more) The Ka’anapali Beach Hotel is consistently voted one of Hawaii’s “Most Hawaiian” Hotels. It’s a great property, with expansive grounds, a fab tiki bar, a whale-shaped swimming pool and more. It’s also smack dab in the middle of one of Maui’s best beaches, Ka’anapali Beach, and a few steps from the fun/casual/tasty Whalers’ Village outdoor shopping centre. TravelPulse has a good item here on the renovations they’re doing in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. he property’s transformation, meanwhile, includes a significant redesign to the 180-room Kaua’i Wing; enhancements to the courtyard, including the addition of native Hawaiian plants; and the addition of Huihui, an oceanfront restaurant (outstanding idea). The folks who own KBH also own the Plantation Inn in Lahaina, a terrific town a few miles south of Ka’anapali. It’s not fancy but it’s steps from some of the best shopping and dining in the state. They also have a wonderful French restaurant called Gerard’s. https://www.travelpulse.com/news/hotels-and-resorts/kaanapali-beach-hotel-undertakes-major-renovation-amid-pandemic.html
ONTARIO NOT QUITE OPEN
CTV News has an interesting item about how folks from Manitoba, which has been opening up at a faster pace than Ontario, have been wandering over the border to see what’s happening in the province next door. This, of course, is not quite what Premier Doug Ford has said he wants. Ford has been adamant that Ontario’s borders need to stay closed a while longer, and good for him. https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/coronavirus/cottage-communities-eye-summer-season-constrained-by-covid-19-measures-1.4920939
MASKS ON A PLANE – THE NEW REALITY
The Daily Hive has a good roundup here on face mask requirements by airlines. Starting on May 4, Delta Airlines, JetBlue, and United will make face masks mandatory for employees and passengers. This applies to club areas, boarding gate areas, jet bridges, and the duration of the flight. https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/airlines-mandatory-face-masks-flight-passengers
A SLIVER OF CALIFORNIA OPENS UP FOR TOURISM
A remote county in Northern California, which borders Oregon and Nevada, has become the first in the state to defy California Governor Gavin Newsom’s statewide COVID-19 shutdown orders on Friday. E Turbo News reports the rural California Modoc County, which has fewer than 9,000 residents and is one of four California counties with zero COVID-19 cases reported, allowed diners to eat in restaurants and all nonessential businesses to reopen today. https://www.eturbonews.com/571527/part-of-california-opens-again-for-tourism-and-business/
AGE RESTRICTIONS ON CRUISING? LIKELY NOT
When the COVID-19 crisis hit, some cruise lines said they wouldn’t take passengers over the age of 70 unless they had medical clearance of some kind. Another item at TravelPulse in the U.S. refers to a recent item posted on The Points Guy website and suggests this will NOT be the case once cruising begins again. Of course, given the popularity of cruising with the older set, any rules that would limit seniors from boarding a cruise ship would be a terrible economic decision, so I can’t see how this is a surprise. https://www.travelpulse.com/news/cruise/older-travelers-reportedly-wont-be-barred-from-cruise-ships-post-coronavirus.html
