Search alerts

The U.S. luxury hospitality brand has announced that from 21 August it will suspend operations at two Universal Orlando resorts - the Loews Sapphire Falls Resort and Universal's Aventura Hotel. In a statement, Loews said that in the current climate they have decided to consolidate their hotel operations. It is currently unclear when the resorts may be set to re-open.

The country's government is advising citizens to avoid holidaying abroad from the start of next month, and is planning to tighten restrictions, due to a rising number of COVID-19 cases in Europe. Under current regulations, those returning from countries with higher infection rates need to self-quarantine for 14 days unless they produce two negative COVID-19 test results.

Airlink has announced that it has now re-introduced five flight routes and increased its frequency on services between Cape Town and both George and Port Elizabeth, following the easing of COVID-19 restrictions in South Africa to level two. Re-Introduced routes include those between Johannesburg and Pietermaritzburg, Mthatha, Hoedspruit and Skukuza; also included are services from Cape Town to Upington.

The airline has said that select Middle East flights from 20-28 August will transit at Cebu's Mactan-Cebu International Airport rather than Manila's Ninoy Aquino International Airport. This will include departures from Dubai, Qatar's Doha and Dammam in Saudi Arabia. Information on what these means for passengers, and requirements for pre-registering with Cebu Airport for those on affected flights, can be found on the airline's website.

The middle eastern airline has published its latest schedule updates, whereby it’s been announced that its network will now be re-built to more than 550 weekly flights to over 85 destinations; this includes the increasing of frequencies to a number of destinations across Asia and the resumption of routes to the U.S., Australia, New Zealand, Kenya and the UK.

Slovenia's government is urging its citizens to return from Croatia by the end of this week or face an obligatory two-week quarantine, after the number of COVID-19 cases has continued to rise there. Slovenian holidaymakers already in Croatia will be able to return freely until the end of this week, while those travelling to the neighbouring country from 21 August onwards will have to go into quarantine when they come back.

The UK government has announced that from 04.00 (local time) on 22 August, both arrivals and returning passengers from Croatia, Austria and Trinidad and Tobago will be required to self-quarantine for 14 days due to the countries being removed from the UK's travel corridor exemption list. In addition, the UK's Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has also advised British nationals against all but essential travel to these destinations, based on the risk currently presented due to their levels of COVID-19. Arrivals from Portugal, however, will no longer be required to self-quarantine.

The Star Alliance member and flag carrying airline of Panama has resumed operations this month after a five month suspension of operations due to the effects of COVID-19; on 15 August this began with what will for now be a weekly flight between Panama City and New York. Copa has indicated that it plans to further expand in September to about 10% of the capacity it operated a year prior, and by the end of the year, it could be operating 30% to 40% of its usual capacity.

The U.S. department of transportation has announced that it is reached an agreement with China meaning that each country will allow airlines to double the number of currently permitted flights between them to eight per week. Following the announcement, both United Airlines and Delta Air Lines have said that they'll increase their current flight schedules, from 4 September and 24 August onwards respectively.

The government of Austria announced on 18 August that the country is expanding its travel warning for the Spanish mainland to also include the Balearic Islands, which includes Mallorca and Ibiza, due to a rise in COVID-19 cases in the holiday destinations. The warning for the popular islands will take effect on 24 August, meaning that people arriving in Austria from that day will have to present a negative COVID-19 test or alternatively go into quarantine until they are tested.

The country's government has announced that from 1 September it will make the wearing of face masks mandatory in work places nationwide, as the country grapples with a surge in COVID-19 cases. The new rule is likely to apply to all shared spaces within offices and factories where there is more than one employee present.

The country's government has from 18 August significant tightened its nationwide COVID-19 response in an attempt to rein in a surge in new cases. Citizens have been urged to restrict any visitors within their homes, avoid public transport and avoid making contact with older people. Outdoor gatherings have also been restricted to 15 people from the previous limit of 200, and all crowds have been banned from sporting events.

Guests staying at any Accor-branded hotel, resort or apartment property in Australia, New Zealand and French Polynesia now have free in-room access to a network of thousands of accredited medical professionals 24/7 via a tele-medical consultation. The free-of-charge medical service can apply to any non-urgent medical need and is suitable for, but not limited to, concerns related to COVID-19. According to Accor, the consultations can relate to any non-urgent medical need, and are not just limited to COVID-19 concerns

The country's government has temporarily banned public and religious gatherings and most transportation in its capital Kathmandu, and surrounding areas today, asking residents to stay home to control the spread of COVID-19 as cases surge. The curbs will apply to Kathmandu Valley for a week, but could be extended.

U.S. managed operator Victoria Cruise Lines has launched its first sailing on China's Yangtze River since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, with the renovated 'Victoria Katarina' having set sail on 17 August; two further vessels are also set to depart in September on weekly sailings between Chongqing and Yichang. The ships will be sailing at 50% capacity, and included among a number of adaptive measures installed are hospital grade particle filtration units in the air conditioning.

The country's government has announced today, 19 August, that it will bring back restrictions for several countries which had previously been considered safe, due to rises in cases of COVID-19. Travel to Iceland, Greece, Malta, Germany, Norway, Denmark, Ireland, Cyprus, San Marino and Japan for citizens will be limited to essential trips starting on 24 August, with people returning or visiting from those countries required to self-quarantine for two weeks.

The country's government has announced that from 21 August it will order a two week shutdown across the country and enforce an overnight curfew, after a rise in COVID-19 infections. The decision will also allow provision for the clearing of rubble, making repairs and distributing aid in neighbourhoods that were damaged in the 4 August explosion in Beirut. The airport will though remain open, with travellers still required to take a COVID-19 PCR test before boarding.

The U.S. Virgin Islands have announced that it is closing its doors for a second time to visitors for the purposed of tourism from 19 August due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As of 17 August, all non-essential businesses and churches have already been ordered to cease operations and all accommodation providers have been ordered to not accept new bookings for a period of 30 days.

Low-cost airline easyJet has confirmed that it will close its base at London Stansted Airport from 1 September; easyJet will also close bases at the UK's Southend and Newcastle Airports. In-bound flights from Stansted and Newcastle will continue, but all flights departing and arriving in Southend will stop. The decisions have been cited as being due to the unprecedented impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The South African hotel and entertainment brand has announced that with inter-provincial borders within the country now open and restrictions on alcohol now lifted, its hotels will also begin to-reopen for guests; Sun International has accordingly published the re-opening dates of each property along with the answers to many frequently asked questions. All hotels now bear the World Travel and Tourism Council’s (WTTC) safe stamp of approval, verifying that the COVID-19 health and safety protocols they have in place meet international benchmarks.