Destinations

Category Archives for Destinations.

New York Replaces “List Of Bad States” With Universal 4 Day Quarantine And Testing Requirement

by Gary Leff on October 31, 2020

Oct 31 2020

New York State has had a challenging set of rules for travel. Anyone arriving from a state with more than 10 positive cases per 100,000 residents on a rolling average basis, or greater than 10% of Covid-19 tests coming back positive has had to quarantine for 14 days on arrival. Enforcement has been spotty.

With very few states left on the list of allowable travelers entering New York, the state is replacing that regime with mandatory pre-travel testing and shorter quarantine on arrival with a second test for everyone as an alternative to a 14 day quarantine.

Is This The End Of Visiting China, Even After Coronavirus?

by Gary Leff on October 24, 2020

Oct 24 2020

China has made clear they may detain Americans in retaliation for the U.S. prosecuting Chinese scholars.

Thailand’s Tourism Re-Opening Plan Includes Following Visitors 24/7, Banning Contact With Locals

by Gary Leff on October 13, 2020

Oct 13 2020

Remember Thailand’s ridiculous tourism visa scheme? Turns out that no one even applied. It’s been called off, and leadership is back developing a new plan: Assign someone to follow around each tourist, and make sure they don’t have contact with any Thai people.

Travel Restrictions Between New York and London May Be Relaxed Next Month, Other Places To Follow

by Gary Leff on October 10, 2020

Oct 10 2020

The U.S. is working with several governments to create ‘air bridges’ where people would be able to travel, at least between specific cities, with both pre-departure Covid testing along with testing on arrival. Talks with the U.K. are farthest along, and could allow travel next month or the month ago. The U.S. and Germany have also been in discussion about allowing reciprocal travel with double negative tests.

Hawaii’s Big Island Opts Out Of October 15 Tourist Re-Opening, While Maui Is Still Deciding

by Gary Leff on October 7, 2020

Oct 07 2020

We’re only a week away from Hawaii’s announced October 15 re-opening. The state has said they’d allow arriving passengers to skip 14-day quarantine with a negative Covid-19 test from the past 72 hours. Airlines including United, Hawaiian, Alaska and American have set up testing regimes to help open up travel to the islands.

Already Hawaii’s plan is partially unraveling and the pandemic yo-yo continues.

Kauai Rebels Against Hawaii’s Re-Opening Plan

by Gary Leff on October 3, 2020

Oct 03 2020

Hawaii has required everyone arriving in the state to quarantine for 14 days. They’ve put off plans to re-open tourism until October 15. At that point they’ll allow visitors with a negative Covid test within 3 days of arrival to skip quarantine.

The island of Kauai, though, isn’t satisfied and doesn’t want to participate.

Maldives Launches ‘Border Miles’ Rewards Program

by Gary Leff on September 30, 2020

Sep 30 2020

The principles of loyalty marketing can be applied across industries, and the basics are very much the same: recognition (elite benefits) and reward (redemption). While the most successful programs have been in travel – airlines have turned their marketing programs from a cost center into a profit engine – loyalty marketing is important to anywhere consumers make repeated choices.

The Maldives is trying something new with a destination rewards program with three elite levels. Here’s hoping they offer status matches!

In Thailand, Being An Awful Hotel Guest Is Now A Criminal Offense

by Gary Leff on September 27, 2020

Sep 27 2020

An American hotel guest was jailed for writing a bad hotel review. He had to wait a couple of days to make bail after the hotel pressed defamation charges.

Several readers have sent the defense of pressing these charges offered by the hotel. Some are even persuaded by it. That’s nuts.

Hotel Guest Jailed For Writing Bad Review On TripAdvisor

by Gary Leff on September 26, 2020

Sep 26 2020

An American working in Thailand, Wesley Barnes, was arrested at his job and jailed over a defamation lawsuit filed by the owner of the Sea View Resort & Spa, Kah Change in response to a negative TripAdvisor review.

The man posted a one star review in July and two months later he was picked up by Thai police. It was a Friday and he “ended up spending a couple of nights in jail” before bring able to post 100,000 Baht (~ US$3165) bail. He faces up to two years in prison if convicted.

British Airways Flight Attendants Held In Hong Kong 14 Day Forced Government Quarantine

by Gary Leff on September 24, 2020

Sep 24 2020

British Airways cabin crew who tested negative for Covid-19 on arrival were nonetheless rounded up from the SkyCity Marriott near the Hong Kong airport and taken to a forced 14 day quarantine in a government facility when one member of the crew tested positive. The airline’s pilots were allowed to return to London.