Author: Tuhin Sarkar

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European Travel News News Pick TTW APP NEWS

Cyprus sets to join Schengen Information System (SIS)

Cyprus will join the Schengen Information System (SIS) on July 25, an important instrument for safeguarding safe travel and freedom inside the EU’s Schengen Area. The move is anticipated to improve coordination among security agencies, including police, customs, and immigration, and to assist in the battle against both domestic and cross-border crime.

Dora Nikandrou, the director of Cyprus’s SIRENE (Supplemental Information Requested at National Entries) department, expressed confidence that the country’s connection to the SIS will considerably aid to fighting crime on both the national and European levels. With criminal actions growing more complex and seamless as a result of contemporary facilities, the SIS acts as a check by supplying security services with timely and reliable information.

Cyprus applied for membership in the Schengen Area in September 2019 and is currently undergoing the Schengen evaluation process to assess its readiness for inclusion in the visa-free zone. Last December, Cypriot authorities urged EU countries to grant them access to the Schengen Information System, highlighting the benefits it would bring in terms of strengthening public security, border controls, police cooperation, and return procedures.

Cyprus has satisfied the standards in five of the six Schengen categories so far, including data protection, police cooperation with other Schengen members, external borders, returns, and visas and consulates.

The Schengen Information System is a critical instrument for issuing warnings on individuals or things in the Schengen Zone, assisting in the location of missing people, lost papers, victims of human trafficking, and probable suspects in different crimes. It also aids in the detection and prevention of illegal entry into Schengen Zone nations. The addition of Cyprus to the SIS is anticipated to boost security measures and facilitate collaboration among European states.

Inputs: SchengenVisa News

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AIRLINE NEWS News Pick TTW APP NEWS

United Airlines flight makes emergency landing at Austin airport

Due to pressurisation concerns, a United Airlines flight, UA 1186, was forced to make an emergency landing at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport on July 24. The event generated an Alert 2 alert, and the Boeing 747, carrying 112 people, was forced to return to the gate shortly after departure.

Flight Aware data revealed that the jet took off but was forced to return to the airfield due to a pressurisation fault. The airport officials issued the notice as a preventive step to resolve the problem as soon as possible.

The warning was cancelled about 3:45 p.m., and regular airport operations resumed. Fortunately, no injuries were reported among the passengers or crew.

In reaction to the event, United Airlines reported that the flight returned to Austin from its route to Denver owing to a probable mechanical issue. The airline told clients that they are arranging for an alternate aircraft to deliver them to their final destinations as soon as possible.

The precise source of the pressurisation problem has not been revealed, and future investigations are anticipated to reveal the true cause of the occurrence. The airline and aviation authorities will work hard to resolve the issue and assure the safety and comfort of future flights.

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AIRLINE NEWS News Pick TTW APP NEWS

New York bound Delta Airlines flight makes emergency landing in Rome

Delta

After facing a destructive hail storm and strong turbulence shortly after takeoff, a Delta aircraft from Milan to New York was forced to make an emergency landing in Rome.

The passenger jet’s nose and fuselage near the wings were damaged by hail, with photographs released online showing substantial holes in the nose cone and wings.

Delta Airlines diverted the aircraft to Rome in reaction to the severe weather. All 215 passengers, eight flight attendants, and three pilots on board were uninjured, according to reports.

A Delta representative confirmed that the aircraft will be thoroughly inspected by maintenance workers in Rome. The event demonstrates the problems and hazards that airlines may encounter while flying in severe weather, and the flight crew’s quick measures guaranteed the safe landing of the impacted flight.

Inputs: New York Post

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News Pick TRAVEL DESTINATION NEWS TTW APP NEWS

Typhoon Doksuri approaching Northern Philippines

Typhoon Doksuri is fast reaching the Northern Philippines, bringing heavy rainfall and tidal surges of up to 3 metres (almost 10 feet). Although the storm’s centre is anticipated to linger offshore, outlying islands may still be impacted. Because to the typhoon’s 680-kilometer-wide rainband, the country’s meteorology agency has warned of probable flash floods and landslides in the country’s northern regions.

Doksuri was situated 310 kilometres east of Tuguegarao city in Cagayan province as of the most recent report, with sustained winds of 185 kilometres per hour and gusts of up to 230 kilometres per hour. The typhoon is travelling northwest and is expected to hit China later this week.

Cagayan Governor Manuel Mamba has ceased work in the province to allow inhabitants to prepare for the oncoming storm and has ordered the evacuation of thousands of people in 11 coastal towns as a precautionary measure. The biggest fear is the possibility of storm surges, with weather forecasters warning that tidal surges might exceed 3 metres in height.

Tuguegarao City Mayor Maila Ting-Que has warned residents to be cautious and has implemented a liquor prohibition to safeguard public safety during the storm. Fishing is restricted, and inter-island ferry services, as well as several passenger and freight vessels, have been halted, stranding roughly 10,000 people and truck drivers in various ports.

In Taiwan, a portion of the annual Han Kuang military exercises have been cancelled due to the impending typhoon.

The authorities are closely watching the typhoon’s path and strength, taking precautions to safeguard residents and limit damage. Residents in the impacted regions are asked to remain up to date on the latest weather warnings and obey evacuation instructions for their own safety.

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TRAVEL NEWS

Job placement in travel industry rises

According to the most recent data from C&M Travel Recruitment, travel placements in the job market have improved for the second month in a row. While the number of applicants put in new travel positions increased by 3% in June, overall activity levels were lower than in prior years.

There was a large 52 percent drop from June 2022, while there was a 76 percent increase from June 2021, as well as a 30 percent drop from June 2019 and a 50 percent drop from June 2018.

On the other hand, the number of new candidates actively pursuing travel employment decreased by 11% in June, compared to the previous month. However, when compared to prior years, June 2023 values were just 1% lower than June 2022, but they represented an 11% increase over June 2021, a 21% increase over June 2019, and a 16% increase over June 2018.

The development of new employment possibilities in the tourism industry fell by 40% in June, compared to the previous month. Vacancy rates fell by 27% in compared to the same month in 2022. Despite numbers showed a reduction of 28 percent from June 2019 and 29 percent from June 2018, there was a 25 percent improvement from June 2021.

Barbara Kolosinska, the Managing Director at C&M Travel Recruitment, expressed her satisfaction with the rise in the number of candidates being placed in new travel roles.

While acknowledging the decrease in activity levels compared to the previous year, Kolosinska highlighted that it allows more time to focus on each role and find the perfect candidate for each company. She emphasized that salaries continue to rise, presenting many fantastic opportunities for quality applicants in the travel industry.

Barbara Kolosinska, Managing Director of C&M Travel Recruitment, expressed her delight at the increased number of applicants placed in new travel opportunities.

While noting the drop in activity levels compared to the previous year, Kolosinska emphasised that it gives her more time to focus on each post and locate the best applicant for each organisation. She emphasised that earnings are continuing to climb, creating several wonderful chances for qualified people in the tourism business.

Despite the obstacles provided by the pandemic and volatile market circumstances, the tourism sector is seeing promising trends, with hopes for a comeback in the coming months.

The growth in placements and the increase in people actively pursuing travel employment indicate a favourable trend in the labour market, providing promise for the industry’s future. Companies may embrace the chance and recruit the necessary personnel to satisfy the increased demand for travel services as the industry adapts to the changing landscape.

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HOTEL NEWS TRAVEL NEWS

Avana Retreat’s sustainability effort with the introduction of Bamboo Forest

Avana Retreat is broadening its sustainability efforts past flora to fauna with the introduction of the Bamboo Forest, a nature sanctuary for animals amid their verdant landscape.

The Bamboo Forest features a stone-lined stream, towering bamboo, lush grass, and, most importantly, a broad mix of animals living harmoniously within the space.

“The Bamboo Forest is one of the most promising projects to contribute to our vision of sustainability,” said Mr. Vu Huy, founder of Avana Retreat. “Making use of our abundant land, we are encouraging biodiversity, a healthy ecosystem, and positive conservation practices.

Avana Retreat worked with a specialist to integrate the current animals, which include deer, goats, rabbits, pigs, chickens, ducks and peacocks. In-house guests are invited to have hands-on experiences so they can learn about animal welfare, and be more aware of the environment, especially wildlife.

“We have our own animal ‘whisperer’ on-site,” said Huy. “He’s here first, leaves last, and has already built a strong connection with them – feeding them, communicating with them, learning their names, and showing them how to be around humans.”

While the animals are all free to roam and interact with each other during the day they also have their own shelters they can return to in the evening.

The Bamboo Forest is one of many long-term eco-projects at the property. The resort has a formidable ongoing tree planting project (10,000 trees and counting), cultural initiatives to maintain ethnic minority traditions, organic farming, neighborhood trash collecting partnerships with youth groups, and a no-plastic policy with water being purified and bottled on site.

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Travel Event News TRAVEL TRENDS AND FOCUS

International Temples Convention and Expo (ITCX) 2023 serves as platform for knowledge sharing

The ongoing International Temples Convention and Expo (ITCX) 2023, a mega knowledge-sharing meet that has converged temple stakeholders from 250 temples around the world, served as a launchpad for a line of innovative products, services and initiatives on its second day.

The event that highlights best practices, learnings for temple ecosystems is being held  at Varanasi’s Rudraksh Convention Centre in Varanasi, in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Over three days, 1,000 delegates from 32 countries converged on equal footing to participate and present on the knowledge-sharing and networking platform that featured talks, sessions and case studies on organisation, management and administration of temple ecosystems.

Smart Temples Connect by Temple Connect

Taking a cue from the Smart City missions by governments to improve a city with technology systems, Giresh Kulkarni founder of ITCX 2023 and Temple Connect launched Smart Temples Connect by Temple Connect. “The mission aims to empower temple ecosystems with new-age technology, implementations for green temples and plastic-free temple ecosystems. The mission will also conduct audits for creating better SOPs (standard operating procedures).”

The initiative will serve as a point of interface, which will closely work with the temple ecosystems in various spaces of new-age media, solid waste management, water sanitisation, and sustainability, making the environment by setting up education courses, administration, and systems of SOPs for the benefit of temples. “While well-established temples possess a robust financial bandwidth to execute it, the mid and smaller temples lack guidance, leading to stagnant growth. The Smart Temple Mission seeks to support them in this ecosystem. It plans to conduct audits and initiatives to empower even the temple-dependent ecosystem – from phoolwalas, restaurants to transport or the tourism-dependent guide in those cities and support its growth to a new level,” Kulkarni said.

Social influencer’s Connect

Along with the Smart Temples Mission, he also launched Social influencer’s connect. “Social influencer’s connect initiative brings all social media influencers in the space of devotion, spiritual and CSR to support smaller temples and different causes by temples.”

Shivlings of Kashi

ITCX 2023 also witnessed the launch of the trailer of Shivlings of Kashi – a book inspired by Kashi Khand and Ling Puran by PS Venkataramanan and his wife Lalitha V. The book is essentially a compilation of Kashi’s Shivlings, various notable temples and the different elements related to it, providing a peek into Indian spirituality. Its trailer was in a documentary format, and eventually, a web series or a YouTube-based series about the Shivlings of Kashi will follow.

Annadan

Through Annadan.com, Temple Connect has connected about 1000 odd temple food distribution centres across India. On birthdays or other important occasions, devotees can visit the website, select the temple or the institution/place – assisted living facilities, schools, or orphanages, and the number of food plates to donate before clicking on ‘submit’ and making payments. This initiative aims to bridge the gap between donors be it individuals or corporates from a CSR POV – and the end beneficiary by ensuring that the food has been well-distributed.  “Annadan initiative by Temple Connect. The insight for this initiative came from the fact that while the ratio of annakshtras or temples to gurdwaras in a city is 1:100, there isn’t anyone taking care of food distribution as opposed to the consistent execution of langar in gurudwaras across the world,” said Kulkarni.

White paper from knowledge-sharing data

Lastly, the convention also served as a platform for a knowledge-sharing charcha or an open house in the evening where those at the helm of temple management participated and shared their insights into temple tourism and its improvement. The big picture was creating a white paper utilising the ideas and inputs generated at the discussion for publishing, which can be later presented to the higher authorities and key decision makers for execution for the benefit of the temple-dependent ecosystem and temple management and administration.

Giresh Kulkarni, the founder of Temple Connect and ITCX, mentioned, “As a devout temple-goer, I understand the importance of efficient and effective Temple Management for a positive experience. And by supporting temples in sharing knowledge while exploring innovative temple management techniques and tools to enhance operations and provide an overall positive experience to devotees, I believe ITCX will have a meaningful impact on the entire temple ecosystem at large.”

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American Travel News News Pick TTW APP NEWS

Intense heat and humidity continues to scorch in southwestern U.S.

As the scorching heatwave continues to scorch the southern United States, meteorologists forecast that the high heat and humidity will spread east, reaching cities in the country’s heartland during the final week of July.

While the trend is unlikely to result in widespread record high temperatures like those saw in the Southwest, many places in the Central states may suffer their longest prolonged stretch of heat and humidity this summer.

Temperatures in Chicago, St. Louis, Minneapolis, and Kansas City are expected to be 5-15 degrees Fahrenheit above historical averages. Denver, which has yet to reach triple digits this year, is anticipated to break the 100-degree mark, maybe tying the day record established in 2003. Throughout the week, the heat will spread eastward, resulting in extended periods of 90-degree days for some cities, perhaps recording the longest run of such heat this year.

The Southwest’s monsoon, which usually offers respite, has been noticeably absent, exacerbating the region’s scorching. Phoenix, which is experiencing one of the most extreme heat waves in recorded history, shows no indications of abating in the coming week. While temperatures in the interior Northwest have been in the high 90s to middle 100s, locations such as Boise may see a little relief from the excessive heat by the middle of the week.

The prediction also forecasts that strong thunderstorms and flooding will be less frequent, offering some reprieve from the searing temperatures. As the heat spreads eastward, areas of the Northeast’s Interstate-95 corridor might be affected by the end of the week.

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AIRLINE NEWS EUROPE

Greece: Airlines and holiday firms mobilise to bring back stranded tourists

Following the horrific flames that have raged on the Greek island of Rhodes, British holidaymakers have been trapped and face a dreadful scenario. People have been forced to seek refuge in improvised lodgings, such as sports halls, conference centres, and even on the streets, while hotels have been evacuated. The situation has deteriorated to the point that many people are in need of basic goods and services.

Airlines and vacation companies are mobilising in reaction to the issue to bring back trapped British holidaymakers. EasyJet is running two repatriation flights on Monday and one on Tuesday, with a total of 421 seats available to remove visitors. Jet2, and TUI are sending planes to transport its passengers back to safety.

However, the evacuation procedure is proving difficult, with limited housing space and an increasing number of stranded visitors requesting aid. People are returning to the United Kingdom and reporting the turmoil they encountered while fleeing the fires. One traveller characterised the airport scene as “carnage,” emphasising the gravity of the situation.

In the midst of the chaos, the Foreign Office has sent a quick deployment team and Red Cross employees to help British citizens and travel operators on the ground. Their presence is intended to give much-needed assistance to individuals impacted by the wildfires, as well as to assure their safe return.

The Greek fire department has issued concerns that the situation might deteriorate as more settlements are evacuated. The flames have already resulted in the country’s worst wildfire evacuation in history, with about 19,000 people having to escape the impacted districts.

As planes continue to fly to the island, some incoming customers have been surprised to discover that their hotels have already been evacuated, putting them in a hazardous situation. Despite the current situation, British Airways flights to Rhodes continue to operate, with the company extending flexibility to clients who need to return early or desire to postpone their trip.

With EasyJet, Jet2, British Airways, Thomas Cook, and TUI attempting to handle the problem, the focus is now on securely repatriating stranded travellers and offering assistance to those affected. The evacuation procedure is definitely difficult, but the quick response of the travel firms tries to lessen the anxiety of British people caught up in this unfolding crisis.

The Greek authorities and emergency services are working around the clock to put out the flames and safeguard the affected populations. With the heatwave expected to persist, the situation remains unpredictable, and the focus remains maintaining the safety and well-being of people affected by the current natural catastrophe.

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European Travel News News Pick TTW APP NEWS

Unprecedented heatwave across Europe as Greece facing wildfire

Extreme weather is wreaking havoc across Europe, with Greece experiencing a historic heatwave and flames raging across numerous regions. The Greek Ministry of Civil Protection has issued a red alert for wildfires in 13 departments, including the Attica area, which includes Athens, the country’s capital city. This red alert denotes the greatest level of concern owing to the significant risk of fire. The wildfire also leads to flight cancellation.

As temperatures rise, viewing hours for renowned Athens monuments such as the Acropolis and other archaeological sites have been reduced to guarantee tourist safety. However, employees at several of these locations have gone on strike to protest their working conditions in the middle of the inclement weather.

Greece is projected to see an unprecedented 15 to 16 days of continuous heatwave, according to Kostas Lagouvardos, Director of Research at the National Observatory of Athens. This extended heatwave has the potential to break the previous record of 12 days set in July 1987. Lagouvardos goes on to say that temperatures in Athens may even beat the city’s all-time high of 44.8 degrees Celsius (112.64 degrees Fahrenheit), set in June 2007.

Extreme weather is not restricted to Greece; huge sections of the northern hemisphere are experiencing blistering temperatures and major swings in weather patterns. Tennis-ball-sized hail created havoc in Italy’s northern Veneto region, hurting at least 110 people and destroying property, while Rome achieved a record-breaking temperature of 41 degrees Celsius. Earlier this year, Italy saw severe floods, compounding the region’s weather troubles.

Severe thunderstorms have also claimed lives and caused major damage in the Balkans. Such episodes serve as a harsh warning that as the earth warms, extreme weather events may become more common and intense.

Scientists and geologists are warning that these catastrophic weather occurrences may only be a taste of what is to come if global warming is not tackled immediately. As catastrophic heatwaves, wildfires, floods, and other weather extremes continue to be a result of climate change, it is critical for governments and individuals to take proactive efforts to lessen the effect and strive towards a more sustainable and resilient future.

Image Credit: REUTERS/Costas Baltas