Daily Archives: June 2, 2021

This New Resort in the Maldivian Archipelago Welcomes Guests into a World of Breathtaking Natural Beauty, Legendary Service and Memorable Cultural Experiences

NORTH MAL ATOLL, Maldives, June 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C today announced its debut in the Maldives, with the opening of The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands. Located on the Fari Islands, an archipelago on the north-eastern tip of North Mal Atoll, the area is famous for its untouched white-sand beaches and brilliant azure waters teeming with marine life. Featuring stunning minimalist architecture, the resort invites guests to embrace the beru, or circle of island life, and welcomes them into a world of exceptional luxury and memorable experiences.

L-R_ Aerial View of The Ritz-Carlton Spa, Two Bedroom Beach Pool Villa, and Arrival Pontoon at The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands

Marriott International, Inc. logo (PRNewsfoto/Marriott International)

"Following much anticipation surrounding its debut, we are thrilled to finally open The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands, and set a new standard for luxury hospitality in the Maldives, an internationally desired destination," said Rajeev Menon, President, Asia Pacific (excluding China), Marriott International. "This latest addition perfectly complements the Marriott International luxury portfolio, as we continually strive to meet the increasing demand for luxury offerings and experiences from affluent international travelers. This is an extremely monumental day for us, and is set to renew confidence in international travel."

Easily accessible via a scenic ten-minute seaplane ride, or a 45-minute luxury boat ride from Velana International Airport, the resort is part of the picturesque Fari Marina with its vibrant Beach Club, charming boutiques and tempting eateries forming the archipelago's communal heart. The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands is ideal for guests seeking a holiday of discovery or exploration for the whole family.

Elemental Design Born from the Sun and the Sea

Designed by the multi-award winning Kerry Hill Architects, The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands is inspired by its natural surroundings, including the elements of swirling water and ocean breezes, which are incorporated into a design narrative that is rooted in the shape of a circle that also represents the flow of island life. The resort features 100 luxurious one- to three-bedroom villas, either set over crystal clear waters, or nestled along pristine beach coves, each offering spacious living spaces that blur the line between indoors and outdoors with panoramic sliding doors, a sun deck with a private infinity pool and breathtaking views. The resort's minimalist design is respectful of its visual impact on the environment and draws much of its natural surroundings into the guest experience. As part of the legendary, highly personalized service of The Ritz-Carlton, and inspired by the ancient royal customs of the Maldivian royal courts, each room is assigned an 'Aris Meeha' or island butler to fulfil a guest's every wish.

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Distinct Dining Delivers the Best in Beachfront Luxury

With seven distinct culinary venues, The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands strikes the perfect balance between high-end dining, beachfront luxury, and wellness-centered menus. Within a beautiful lantern-inspired overwater space, Summer Pavilion takes inspiration from The Ritz-Carlton Millenia, Singapore's Michelin-starred restaurant, showcasing contemporary Cantonese cuisine. Iwau, or 'celebrate' in Japanese, is an open-air restaurant with two teppanyaki grills for a multi-sensory dining experience. La Locanda serves rich espressos in the morning, while aperitifs in the setting sun preludes an evening of delightful southern Italian cuisine. The family-friendly Beach Shack is inspired by the carefree spirit and relaxed cuisines of the Mediterranean, featuring shared plates and grilled seafoods. Eau Bar welcomes guests to a laid-back glamourous setting, where guests can indulge in fresh oysters and caviar while sipping on tableside crafted cocktails, while afternoon tea gets a Maldivian twist and sunset is celebrated each evening with a captivating drums and fire ritual.

Two of the resort's venues are located at Fari Marina, a pleasant eight-minute journey in a dhoni, a traditional wooden fishing boat, from the resort island to Fari Marina Village. Arabesque is an eye-catching tribute to a traditional Bedouin tent, inviting diners on a culinary journey from Lebanon to North India. Tum Tum is a food truck serving light Asian delights; the perfect welcome stop in the middle of a day of shopping and exploration.

Culturally Immersive Activities Inspire Wonder and Discovery

At the resort, guests can enjoy an array of experiences designed to immerse them in the best of Maldivian island life and culture, including exciting adventures with Jean-Michel Cousteau's Ambassadors of the Environment Program. Activated for the first time in Asia-Pacific, this unique brand program inspires guests to connect with nature and ocean life, and to safeguard it for future generations. The programming available at The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands highlights the rich culture and unique ecosystem of the destination through immersive experiences designed for children, adults and local residents, including a family cooking class, a bike safari around the resort and a "Wonders of Water" ocean mystery program facilitated by one of the program's resident naturalists.

The resort's Ritz Kids program offers a total of 30 activities aimed at inspiring wonder and discovery, including a signature Ritz Kids treasure hunt, as well as a fun program for teens that includes lessons with expert drone cinematographers. The resort also caters to all levels of scuba enthusiasts and snorkelers with a dedicated dive center in partnership with Dive Butler International. Guests can also choose leisurely cruises on traditional dhonis for a chance to encounter dolphins, or swim with turtles and manta rays.

In addition to curated fitness retreats, the resort also features a comprehensive tennis program with coaching, as well as visiting professionals and in-resort tournaments. Guests looking to find their rhythm can take part in a boduberu drumming class, the heart of traditional Maldivian music and an integral part of island culture. By a campfire at the Beach Shack, the resort's resident expert on the sea, or Moodhu Edhuru, evokes ancient traditions with traditional tales of life on the Maldivian archipelagos.

Natural-Sourced Serenity and Relaxation at The Ritz-Carlton Spa

For a complete luxury wellness experience, The Ritz-Carlton Spa, in partnership with renowned sustainable and holistic wellness brand Bamford, is a sanctuary of tranquil relaxation over the turquoise lagoon. The iconic spa offers nine treatment rooms including a spa suite with its own relaxation lounge, a salon and a boutique. Cardinal directions of each treatment room exude powerful energy, and a menu of bespoke spa treatments and healing massages also features a botanical and artisanal body and skincare collection by Bamford.

"The Ritz-Carlton brand creates exceptional experiences inspired by the surrounding locales, with encounters that leave lasting impressions and meaningful memories," said Jennie Toh, Vice President of Brand Marketing and Brand Management, Asia Pacific, Marriott International. "Through the impeccable hospitality of our Ladies and Gentlemen of The Ritz-Carlton, we look forward to sharing the breathtaking beauty of the Maldivian archipelago, and providing enriching experiences that truly embraces the local culture and traditions with all our guests."

For more information on The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands and reservations inquiries, please visit http://www.ritzcarlton.com/Maldives.

About Marriott International, Inc.

Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAR) is based in Bethesda, Maryland, USA, and encompasses a portfolio of more than 7,600 properties under 30 leading brands spanning 133 countries and territories. Marriott operates and franchises hotels and licenses vacation ownership resorts all around the world. The company offers Marriott Bonvoy, its highly-awarded travel program. For more information, please visit our website at http://www.marriott.com, and for the latest company news, visit http://www.marriottnewscenter.com. In addition, connect with us on Facebook and @MarriottIntl on Twitter and Instagram.

About The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, LLC

The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C., of Bethesda, MD, part of Marriott International, Inc., currently operates more than 100 hotels in 32 countries and territories. For more information or reservations, visit the company web site at http://www.ritzcarlton.com, for the latest company updates, visit news.marriott.com and to join the live conversation, use #RCMemories and follow along on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ:MAR). The Ritz-Carlton is proud to participate in Marriott Bonvoy, the global travel program from Marriott International. The program offers members an extraordinary portfolio of global brands, exclusive experiences on Marriott Bonvoy Moments and unparalleled benefits including free nights and Elite status recognition. To enroll for free or for more information about the program, visit MarriottBonvoy.marriott.com.

SOURCE Marriott International Inc.

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Unparalleled Luxury Embraces the Circle of Island Life with the Debut of the Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands - Yahoo Finance

Watching the sun set over the ocean from a busy restaurant, listening to a soundtrack of excited chatter in several different languages as translucent waters lap at a white sand beach below a holiday in the Seychelles in 2021 seems no different than it ever was.

The only reminders of the COVID-19 pandemic are the face masks folded on the tables next to drinks, and the hand sanitizer replacing salt and pepper shakers.

Because tourism has returned here in full force. Since the island archipelago reopened on March 25, travellers currently mostly Arab and eastern European rather than German and British due to current lockdowns have arrived in droves. Hotel operators report occupancy levels rocketing from around 20 percent to 90 percent in a week.

Now welcoming around 500 visitors per day, the nation is seeing a glimmer of hope after a tough year that battered its tourism-reliant economy. Even now, during a surge in COVID cases despite operating one of the worlds fastest vaccination campaigns, tourism authorities are insisting the Seychelles is a safe place to vacation. While the Ministry of Health has said about one third of the positive cases are among people who are fully vaccinated, most are those who have received only one dose of the vaccine or none at all.

Which is why safety has become paramount here. Masks are worn even outdoors by the Seychellois and social distancing is strictly enforced.

Security patrols roam the beaches, restaurants and hotels on the nations three main islands Mahe, Praslin and La Digue ensuring the rules are followed at all times. A new COVID-hotel certification has approved 500 of the countrys 700 hotels to operate. But despite the rapid return of tourism, isolation isnt hard to find.

On Mahe, the most populous of the countrys 115 islands, seclusion is found in the south. The Four Seasons Resort Seychelles, for instance, is a welcoming fortress the private-access road winding through thick foliage until you reach the propertys 67 villas spread across an expansive 180-hectare bay atop the picturesque Petite Anse beach.

Privacy abounds here, and despite it now almost running at full capacity, the site is so vast it never seems crowded. Sun loungers by the beach are socially distant, and given that each of the villas has its own private pool, its become a popular choice for safety-conscious travellers. On-site restaurants Kannel and Zez offer some of the best food on Mahe, so theres really no reason to ever leave the enclave.

But the real draw of a trip to the Seychelles is a spot of island-hopping, and the countrys private islands have been quick to position themselves as the ultimate COVID-friendly place to holiday.

If youre willing to splurge, head for Six Senses Zil Pasyon, located on the private Felicite Island. The traditional-style, ocean-front villas are roomy and come with their own private pools and huge outdoor deck, perfect for social distancing. The spa, which Six Senses is famous for, is back in operation too and is the best place to spend a rainy afternoon indoors.

The waters around Felicite are protected, so the snorkeling here is excellent, and short walks around the island lead you to isoloated white-sand beaches which youll likely be alone to enjoy.

But if its rugged nature and proper hiking youre looking for, head straight for Silhouette Island. Hilton Seychelles Labriz Resort & Spa operates on one of the few flat areas of the island, which is mostly made up of towering peaks and overgrown jungle. Hikes here are something else entirely steep climbs through native flora that deposit you at a private beach, sometimes featuring free-roaming giant Aldabra tortoises, sometimes with a coral reef prime for snorkeling. These are exclusive experiences, since the island is a protected national park and the hotel offers just 111 rooms. Youll need to opt for a higher end Sanctuary Villa for a private pool, but the lengthy main beach provides ample room for swimming in almost-complete isolation. The local settlement nearby, inhabited by about 30 Seychellois, means theres a far more authentic experience to be had here, too. To spend a few days on Silhouette is to be transported to another world.

While the rest of the world tentatively reopens, and travellers venture overseas once again, the Seychelles has had a head start and time to fine-tune a tourism industry operating in the new normal. So it currently offers a safety-conscious, low-key experience for travellers returning to seeing the world.

This article has been adapted from its original source.

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Tourism is Back and it Starts in The Seychelles With a Boom! - Al-Bawaba

For over a year, we've heard whispers and rumours that Australia could potentially open up a travel bubble with neighbouring countries like New Zealand, Singapore, Fiji and the rest of the Pacific Islands.

Finally, that pipe dream is becoming a reality the New Zealand travel bubble is in full swing, and the Australian government is in talks to open one with Singapore in the coming months.

But what about the Pacific Islands? After all, we could all use an idyllic beach holiday right about now, especially as it's getting colder here in Australia.

Here's everything to know about the potential Fiji and South Pacific travel bubble.

Now that the trans-Tasman travel bubble has opened between Australia and New Zealand, our government is in talks to open similar bubbles with other countries.

Singapore is reportedly top of the list, and there has been much speculation that the Pacific Islands will be open to Australians relatively soon.

Fiji has only reported 67 COVID-19 cases since the beginning of the pandemic, so it's likely that Australian authorities will deem it a safe country to open borders with.

A travel bubble is an agreement between two or more countries that have had relative success in suppressing the spread of the coronavirus over the past year. People will be allowed to travel freely between these zones without needing to quarantine or self-isolate.

READ MORE: These are the world's top hotels for 2021, according to Tripadvisor

There's not yet a set date that Australians will be able to travel to Fiji. However, it may be sooner than you think.

With the reopening of borders for quarantine-free leisure travel between New Zealand and the Cook Islands, experts are optimistic about Australia entering into a similar agreement with Pacific Island nations within the year.

Health experts are speculating that once we're all vaccinated the coronavirus may be treated like a simple cold. Infectious disease expert, Professor Robert Booy, told Today in early May that he believes more travel bubbles will open between Australia and other countries in the coming months.

He said one country after the other would say yes if all agreed they had good control of the virus.

Fiji has only recorded 206 cases of COVID-19 during the entire pandemic at the time of writing, with long stretches of no daily infections. So long as a travel bubble is established, with COVID-free "green zone" flights, it will be safe for Australians to fly to Fiji.

READ MORE: What it's really like to fly internationally for the travel bubble

It's almost a certainty that travellers wanting to take advantage of a Fiji or Pacific Islands travel bubble will need to be fully vaccinated. Once vaccinated, you will receive a certificate that will allow you to travel.

Travellers heading from Australia to New Zealand have to fill out declaration cards before arriving in each country and it's likely a similar system will be implemented if a travel bubble opens with the Pacific Islands.

The Pacific Islands are home to arguably some of the most beautiful places on the planet. From private island resorts to low-key beach bungalows, there's truly something for every vacation style. The only hard thing is deciding where to go the South Pacific region stretches all the way from Australia to Hawaii so there are a lot of options.

Here are a couple of guidelines to get you started.

The Cook Islands

This group of 15 islands is a blend of Polynesian and New Zealand culture, just three-and-a-half hours from Auckland. It's a super laid-back and welcoming destination, and is a favourite spot for families thanks to its modern infrastructure. Here, you can chill out in high-end resorts, or get adventurous with hiking, kayaking, and sailing.

You absolutely have to try the traditional 'Island Night' Polynesian feast on Rarotonga's main beach. Pork and local vegetables are slow-cooked in an earthen oven for one of the most delicious meals you'll ever taste.

Fiji

Far and away the most popular spot in the South Pacific, Fiji has a reputation for being an island paradise. Despite this, it's still wild and natural, with lush tropical forest and endless stretches of white beaches.

Snorkellers and divers should definitely visit Fiji, which is surrounded by coral reefs abundant with marine life. There's really no shortage of things to do here, from splurging on five-star resorts to zip-lining and waterskiing.

Tahiti

Want to visit France without having to travel to Europe? Tahiti and her islands are the perfect mix of French culture and island living. This is the place to travel if you want a luxury island holiday. Think overwater bungalows, private residences, and helicopter trips to remote beaches. Cheeky trip to Bora Bora, anyone?

But it's not just about chilling in your resort. There are also some great wineries on the islands, and quad-biking tours for any thrill-seekers out there.

Samoa

Despite being a rugged slice of paradise, Samoa has been largely untouched by mass tourism. That makes it the perfect place to go for a chill holiday, especially if you want to get out and about in nature. Its rainforests are filled with lush waterfalls and blowholes, while its beaches put even the most stunning desktop backgrounds to shame.

Stay in a basic beach hut (fale) for the full experience, and take a trip to the local markets to stock up on fresh fruit and produce for your stay.

Tonga

Much like Samoa, Tonga is a more untouched island a place to visit if you're happy to rough it a little. One of the least developed islands in the Pacific, this is the place to come if you really want to log off and disconnect. Forget any concept of time, here it's all about chilling out and letting go of organised holiday schedules.

New Caledonia

Another country that's a mash-up of French and Island culture, New Caledonia has long been a favourite holiday spot for Aussies. You can get from Sydney to the capital city of Noumea in under three hours faster than New Zealand!

Here you won't have to compromise on creature comforts, as there are plenty of modern bars, cafes and restaurants serving up delicious food that you won't ever want to stop eating. The beaches are, of course, idyllic, and it's home to the world's second-largest great barrier reef, with incredible marine biodiversity.

The perks start in the bedroom at this Sydney hotel

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Everything you need to know about a Fiji and Pacific Islands travel bubble, and which islands to visit - Nine

Over the course of his life, Ray McDonald has taken 154 cruises. Sometimes they are back-to-back, other times they are back-to-back-to-back. When COVID-19 hit, he was on the last boat to dock. They had to drag me off the ship, he said. But as he gets ready to board one of the first ships planned to set sail from the U.S. on July 5, hes worried about what a post-pandemic cruise will look like.

While experts and lifelong cruisers expect buffets to be suspended and a general reduction in social events onboard, they say the more than $55 billion industry is likely to survive relatively unscathed. The wild card at this point is where those cruise ships will go and what passengers will be able to do once they get there, because some ports are saying they dont want the cruises back at all.

When the pandemic hit more than a year ago, the news was flooded with cruising horror stories: outbreaks on ships, stranded passengers and crew, countries unwilling to allow COVID-stricken boats to anchor in their ports. The U.S. issued a no-sail order on March 14, 2020, followed by a conditional sailing order on Oct. 30, which outlined a rigorous phased return to cruising. Over the last couple of months, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has begun allowing trial voyages to take place, and on June 26, Royal Caribbeans Celebrity Edge is scheduled to be the first passenger cruise ship to set sail from the United States.

The Grand Princess cruise ship, seen in San Francisco on March 9, 2020, carrying passengers who tested positive for the coronavirus. (Kate Munsch/Reuters)

As cruises prepare to set back out to sea, and companies try to lure customers back onboard, the ships will still be facing potential limits on where they are allowed to stop and what passengers will be able to do at those destinations if they are even allowed to disembark.

Alexis Papathanassis, a professor of tourism management at the Bremerhaven University of Applied Sciences in Germany and co-director of the Institute of Maritime Tourism, said the post-pandemic reality for cruises will be a shift to private islands. The destination experience will presumably change, at least for the medium term, he said, adding that there will be a trend toward any stops becoming an extension of the onboard experience.

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Even ports that do allow cruise passengers to disembark may still place restrictions on their excursions. This is already happening in Singapore, one of the only countries that are currently allowing cruises. When [passengers] go ashore, they keep them in a bubble and have organized tours to cities that have been certified as COVID-free, said Andrew Coggins, a professor of management at the Lubin School of Business at Pace University and a cruise industry analyst. If they go out of the group, they cant get back on the ship.

These changes would affect more than just the cruisers, however. The local destinations, some of which rely on cruise tourism for their economies, would lose out on the financial gain while still bearing the economic and environmental consequences of crowds.

In Juneau, Alaska, most of the economic benefit of cruises comes from local tours. Visitors take helicopters and planes to go ice fishing, dog mushing and hiking. In 2019, Alaska got about 60 percent of its visitors from cruise ships, but if passengers are restricted to cruise-organized excursions, the benefit to the city disappears.

A cruise ship docked near downtown Juneau, Alaska, in 2017. (Becky Bohrer/AP)

While cities like Juneau could struggle, cruise lines may benefit from the change. Ultimately, increasing the control over guest consumption and the holiday experience as a whole has long been a key economic driver for the cruise sector and will become more so in a post-pandemic cruising reality, Papathanassis said.

Arlo Haskell, the treasurer of the grassroots organization Safer, Cleaner Ships, which advocates for health and environmental issues in Key West, Fla., echoed this sentiment. Cruises have gotten so much better at keeping all customer spending on the ship and not the ports, said Haskell, a native of Key West.

The yearlong cruise hiatus has given locals in popular port destinations like Key West, Juneau and Bar Harbor, Maine, the chance to see what the actual benefits of cruise ships are to their cities, and contrary to popular belief, they are finding them to be negligible.

Key West, one of the most popular cruise ship ports in the United States, saw an increasing number of boats in recent years, until the pandemic hit. A port that saw just 17 ships per year in 1969 now sees 400. But when cruise ships stopped and local residents saw what things were like without the constant barrage of huge ships, they found that life flourished.

Every cloud has a silver lining, and the silver lining of the pandemic for Key West is getting to see what this place is like without the daily onslaught of mega cruise ships, said Haskell. Nature can heal.

Haskell is referring to the environmental and economic impact of the hiatus. Not only were waters clearer and ocean life rejuvenated, but Key Wests economy thrived.

Royal Caribbeans Vision of the Seas docked in Key West, Fla., in 2014. (Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

Weve had 13 months of no cruise ships, 13 months of virtually no international visitors and 13 months of no major events in Key West, Mayor Teri Johnston told Yahoo News. And we ended 2020 with 90 percent of our sales tax revenue.

Though cruise lines heavily advertise the economic benefits of cruises for port cities, most visitors limit their spending to inexpensive souvenirs just off the boat and street-food snacks. These tourists, though plentiful, are not staying in the hotels or eating dinner at the restaurants. Many already choose to go on cruise ship excursions rather than book local tours.

A 2018 scientific study on the economic, social and environmental impacts of cruise tourism concluded that it does not provide benefits to the community in areas with low taxation and regulation. The researchers also found increased corruption and substantial negative environmental effects.

In March 2020, overwhelmed by the benefits gained from fewer cruise ships, the citizens of Key West attempted to permanently limit the size and number of cruise ships coming to their shore.

Through an effort led by Safer, Cleaner Ships, three questions were added to the November 2020 ballot that would limit the size and number of cruise ships, as well as give priority to cruise lines with the best environmental and health records. The proposal would effectively halve the numbers during high season. Despite a $250,000 targeted campaign from the cruise industry, all three reforms were approved by more than 60 percent of the citys voting population.

The permanence of the change is still in question, however. In January, two Republican state representatives introduced legislation to nullify the vote. The new legislation passed through the Florida state House and Senate, and Key West is waiting anxiously to see what Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis will do.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis at an April news conference in Miami. (Wilfredo Lee/AP)

In an email to Yahoo News, the governors office said that there are many bills still awaiting Gov. Desantis consideration. Any of these bills, including this one, would have to be signed by July 1 in order to become law. DeSantiss office did not provide any indication of his leanings on the issue.

Other port cities are weighing the benefits and drawbacks of allowing cruises to return. In Bar Harbor, Maine, cruises extended the tourist season, benefiting local businesses.

Alf Anderson, the executive director of the Bar Harbor Chamber of Commerce, said the city benefits from cruise tourism. Our downtown restaurants, shops and experience-based businesses thrive when cruise passengers meander along our streets and find the opportunities that best suit their tastes, he said.

However, as in Key West, some locals are questioning the benefit of cruise ships for the city.

COVID-19 has shown the town of Bar Harbor several things that life without cruise visitation was enjoyable, manageable and, for many people and businesses, better, said Renata Moise, a member of the board of Friends of Frenchman Bay, a coalition of people who advocate for protections against mega cruise ships in the Bar Harbor pier.

Moise said cruise passengers dont spend much money in Bar Harbor, adding that they are often seen bringing food off the ship into town to eat in the parks, while others buy just ice cream and T-shirts. In addition, Maine doesnt have local tax, only state tax.

Im not sure that state sales tax loss is worth the air quality of Bar Harbor and the quality of life, Moise said.

A cruise ship docked in Bar Harbor, Maine, in 2017. (John Tlumacki/Boston Globe via Getty Images)

Following the first six months of the pandemic, three of which were during Bar Harbors peak cruise ship season, Maine topped the Back-to-Normal Index compiled by CNN Business and Moodys Analytics. By September it was operating at 93 percent of its pre-pandemic economic activity. This puts Bar Harbor in a similar position to Key West and adds to the question of how economically beneficial cruise ships are to the ports.

Moise said the loss of revenue from reduced cruising will be made up for in the income generated by higher-end tourism: hotels, restaurants, bed-and-breakfasts, ecotourism to the national park, land-based tourism, which is now pushed away by the unpleasant situation the cruise ships bring to the town.

In March and April, Bar Harbor citizens lobbied the government to construct a survey that asked residents what they thought about the impact of land-based tourism and the impact of cruise-based tourism. The survey even laid out that cruise tourism contributes $20 million in annual revenue to local businesses, approximately 380 jobs and $5.4 million in labor income, and asked citizens to rate how important they feel those benefits are to the community.

The survey closed on April 26 and is being tallied. However, it came together too late to lead to anything appearing on the ballot in the June elections.

In Juneau too, residents are hoping to keep the quality-of-life improvements gained by the reduction in cruise ships. For the first time in years, downtown Juneau is no longer bombarded with visitors. The seas are calm enough to go kayaking, and helicopter tours are no longer interrupting conversations every 15 minutes for at least five minutes.

Kayakers in Juneau, Alaska, approach Douglas Island, with Mendenhall Glacier in the background. (Becky Bohrer/AP)

If this were cruise season, we wouldnt be able to have this conversation, even with my insulation and with the windows closed, said Karla Hart, a resident of Juneau and an activist for limiting cruise ships in the area. They fly over my house, and it really fuels my activism.

Hart said the tours take passengers throughout Juneau, driving buses through residential areas and polluting remote hiking trails.

There is no neighborhood not impacted by the noise of helicopters, she said.

As part of a local initiative, a group of Juneau citizens took a page out of Key Wests book and developed three proposals to limit the size of the ships and the hours when passengers are allowed to be in the city. The effort is still in the early phases, but Hart feels there could be popular support for moderation.

Most of the people who live here now who are not old had never experienced a summer day without cruise ships, said Hart. But last summer was gloomy, and yet everywhere was packed.

Now people have an understanding of what it could be like here without cruise ships, she said.

With a number of ports looking to turn cruises away, at least for now, the alternative for the industry is private islands. Some ships have already integrated such islands into their stops. Disney, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, Princess and Holland America all own private islands in the Caribbean. However, the islands have always served more as a final stop after places like Belize or Panama, which provide a more cultural experience.

The Carnival Panorama cruise ship sits empty in Long Beach, Calif., in April 2020. (Lucy Nicholson/Reuters)

I think the number of calls to private islands will increase, said Coggins, the cruise industry analyst. The cruise line has more positive control of the environment.

For at least some cruisers, thats a less than ideal option and one that could make them rethink how they spend their vacations. We definitely cruise for the different cultures and experiences, said Peta-Gaye Daniel, an avid cruiser and blogger.

While the mandatory masks and vaccinations, lack of buffets and fewer social gatherings wouldnt sway her from going on a cruise, a private-island-only schedule would.

The private islands are really just another slice of the ship but on land, said Daniel. I welcome it, but not by itself.

Cover thumbnail photo: Daniel Bockwoldt/picture alliance via Getty Images

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Post-COVID cruising: The ships are back at sea, but where can they go? - Yahoo News

Submitted by Nancy Ewert, Lopez Island.

A few weeks ago, a longtime Lopez friend made the courageous decision to come out. As part of that intentional act, he placed two Pride flags at the bottom of his drive. The flags were stolen that same night.

This hurt me deeply on behalf of my friend, and for all of those who live in fear of being true to themselves in heart and soul.

My response was to place my own bright, beautiful Pride flag at the end of my driveway in solidarity. Two weeks later, Monday night, May 10, my flag was ripped off of the wooden pole attached to my mailbox. I had taken great care to place it high enough that it would not interfere or inconvenience anyone. My wooden flagpole was snapped in two. I was devastated.

What does this Pride flag mean to me?

The answer is a LOT. It signifies my commitment to love and acceptance for all human beings. We are all uniquely human and our hearts and souls are as individual as our bodies. It is important to me to show the love and acceptance I hold in my heart for all of our community, our country and our world. I know that those growing up gay/lesbian/transgender struggle to feel this kind of love and acceptance from those they live within the community. Sadly, this can be a lifelong struggle. My flying this bright flag is a public statement that my home and my presence is a safe and loving space for all.

I would like to think our community provides this same safe space and I firmly believe that in many ways we do, but there is apparently someone(s) who feels that it is their right to vandalize, show hatred and steal from private property. This is a cowardly act and one that our community needs to stand up against, and I intend to continue to do so.

When I see my brightly colored flag flowing in the breeze, it is a daily reminder to me of the values I hold dear. It is my hope that this flag may also be a reminder to others that we can celebrate our diversity and share love and acceptance for all.

Please join me by standing in solidarity with our LGBTQ+ neighbors this Pride Month. Secure your flagpoles and fly your Pride flags high!

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Open letter to the Lopez community | Guest... - Islands' Weekly