Ray Bloom Announces IMEX Cancellation

Ray Bloom Announces IMEX Cancellation

Frankfurt (Germany) – March 16, 2020 (travelindex.com) – IMEX has been cancelled this year but what makes the cancellation of the event so unique is that IMEX group chairman, Mr Ray Bloom, and Ms Carina Bauer, CEO, IMEX group, have managed to encapsulate the emotions and thoughts of many industry players in a personal note to their supporters.

“It is with deep sadness and heavy hearts that we announce the cancellation of this year’s IMEX in Frankfurt (due to take place 12-14 May). We know that this will come as an enormous disappointment, not only to the exhibitors, buyers and industry professionals who were due to attend the show, but also to the global business events community.

“This is not a decision we have taken lightly and there are two overriding concerns that have caused us to make this decision at this time. First is the uncertainty caused by the fact that the German health minister has recently called for the ban on events with over 1,000 people which some German states have already endorsed, including the state of Hesse where Frankfurt is located. This announcement makes the probability of factors outside our control forcing us to cancel the show at the last minute much higher.

“Second, our primary concern is always the responsibility we feel towards our exhibitors and partners, who fund the show – not only by purchasing stand space but also in the considerable additional investment they make in everything from the build of stunning stands to the hosting of buyer events.

“Whilst only a short time ago we felt optimistic that May was far enough away to confidently proceed with our plans, as it stands today [11 March] we cannot guarantee the one thing that our exhibitors trust us above all else to deliver – namely a large-scale, high quality hosted buyer programme.

“In an ideal world we would wait and see. But we are in the real world and we cannot, in all good conscience, ask our exhibitors to continue to invest money against which they may not get a return.

“Both of these factors – uncertainty around whether IMEX will be allowed to proceed, as well as doubts as to the number of buyers who will be able to attend – have led us to the conclusion that we now have no option but to cancel IMEX in Frankfurt.

A decision based on facts

“We want to make it very clear that we have made this decision based purely on the facts as we know them today and, importantly for the whole IMEX team, based on the responsibility and genuine care we feel for all our clients and the global business events community.

“IMEX is our family business and the business events community is the only community we serve.

“We have tried today to take the best decision for the industry and we are so thankful for the support that has already been shown to us. Quite rightly many of you see yourselves as friends and members of the extended IMEX family. This is precisely why we’ve thought long and hard in the past few days, consulting in depth with partners and stakeholders across the industry before making this announcement. Our strapline “We Are All Connected” has never felt more true, nor more important.

Committed to serving the industry

“Despite the disappointment and impact we know you will feel, we want you to know that we’re fully committed to serving this industry that we love. We’re already working hard in the background to deliver value and service above and beyond the trade show you were looking forward to and will announce these plans in the near future.

“We intend to keep morale high and, together with leaders around the world, to focus on collective efforts to rebuild confidence and advocate for the power of business events to aid economic recovery once this situation is over.

“The IMEX team will also be working hard to deliver a successful IMEX America (15-17 September) with plans to recognise the 10th Anniversary of the show already in full swing. We hope that the business events world will join us in Las Vegas to celebrate our great industry.

“Once again, we thank the whole industry for the support that has been shown to us and we are here to support others in the industry as we all work through these difficult times.”

Response

Several industry leaders responded to these comments, among whom was Mr Kai Hattendorf, UFI MD/ CEO and president of Joint Meetings Industry Council.

He said: “It is, of course, deeply regrettable that the IMEX team has to cancel their flagship trade show in Frankfurt this May. However, I want everyone in the business events and exhibition industry to know on behalf of JMIC that we fully understand and support the difficult decision that Carina and Ray have had to make.

“Market places and meeting places are the core driver of business. For our industry to bounce back from the corona slump, our own market places and meeting places will as well be our fastest fast track to recovery. We are a resilient industry. We have shown that in the past, we will show that again. We are all in this together.”

UNWTO: Be Part of the Solution

UNWTO: Be Part of the Solution

Madrid (Spain) – March 15, 2020 (travelindex.com) – Protect yourself and others when traveling. Follow prevention practices you also use in daily life. As we face up to #COVID19 the UNWTO conveys the importance of responsible behavior and international coordination.

Tourism has an active role in response and recovery. This is a shared challenge.

Be part of the solution! How you travel MATTERS.

For yourself and for others: stay safe, travel responsibly.

NO EXCEPTIONS. NO EXCUSES.

We are all part of the solution!

#ResponsibleTravel

To get the latest UNWTO News, in particular to read updates on the Covid-19 pandemic, click here…

Putting People First: All UNWTO Events Until 30 April Suspended

Putting People First: All UNWTO Events Until 30 April Suspended

Madrid (Spain) – March 15, 2020 (travelindex.com) – In response to the worldwide COVID-19 outbreak, UNWTO is implementing public health protocols based on the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Spanish authorities, as the host country of UNWTO.

Effective immediately, all UNWTO events planned until 30 April are suspended.

Due to the COVID-19 outbreak and with the purpose to support and contribute to the health prevention and regulation actions recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO), UNWTO decided to postpone all events organized by UNWTO and to not attend any event in which UNWTO personnel would participate from today until the end of April.

For the events that will take place in May, UNWTO will review the situation around the COVID-19 outbreak in due course.

Rescheduling to later dates will be evaluated depending on the further development the current situation.

To get the latest UNWTO News, in particular to read updates on the Covid-19 pandemic, click here…

Centara Grand at Central Plaza Ladprao Bangkok Launches 37th Anniversary Celebration

Centara Grand at Central Plaza Ladprao Bangkok Launches 37th Anniversary Celebration

Bangkok (Thailand) – March 14, 2020 (travelindex.com) – Centara Grand at Central Plaza Ladprao Bangkok is celebrating its 37th hotel anniversary on April 23, 2020 and is offering a ‘Stay 2 Pay 1’ promotion exclusively available to residents of Thailand who plan to stay in Bangkok on both leisure and business.

Guests can book and stay from now until July 31, 2020 for Deluxe room at only THB 3,700 net per room per night excluding breakfast and get the second night as complimentary. The special rate is available exclusively for Thai residents and expatriates holding Thai working permits only and I.D. is required upon arrival.

Bangkok is one of the intriguing cities of Asia; a place of glittering temples, a diverse cultural heritage, a majestic river, a myriad of exquisite dining opportunities and fabulous shopping options, and an energy that makes everything possible 24 hours a day. Located on the northern side of Bangkok, within the Ladprao business district and moments away from Chatuchak Park, a walking distance from BTS Ha Yaek Ladphrao station (N9) and the MRT Underground Phahon Yothin station (BL14), the hotel is one of the city’s timeless landmarks.

Rate is inclusive of tax and service charge. Blackout dates may apply and the offer is not available to groups of 10 or more rooms and cannot be combined with any other special offer. Other terms and conditions apply.

To take advantage of this attractive promotion, guests can call +66(0) 2541 1234 ext. 4116-9

For more information, please contact Marketing department
Centara Grand at Central Plaza Ladprao Bangkok
Sunday Treamprom Klinhom, Assistant Director of Marketing
M: 081 717 1494 | T: 02 541 1234 ext. 4202

Introducing Newton a New Competitively Priced Swiss Watch Movement

Introducing Newton a New Competitively Priced Swiss Watch Movement

Les Reussilles (Switzerland) – March 14, 2020 (travelindex) – Mechanical movements embody a philosophy testifying both to the history of the first artisans and to the most innovative mechanisms ever invented by humankind. Enter the Newton® movement from Manufacture SOPROD, stemming from three years of development and industrialisation. The first examples have rolled off the production lines, their reliability has been successfully tested and they are ready to be delivered to the renowned Swiss brands who ordered them from us.

Since 2008, SOPROD has been part of the Festina industrial group which, through its various companies, masters the essential components for the complete manufacture of mechanisms from mechanical calibres to quartz connected movements. At the heart of its six Swiss production sites, the entirely independent Manufacture produces all its components including its assortments – escape-wheels, pallets and rollers – as well balances and even balance springs – while its entity in the French Jura region produces mainplates only. SOPROD is thus offering a 100% Jura calibre, at a competitive price, in perfect harmony with the origin of its components. An entry-level industrial ‘engine’, entirely from the Jura and almost exclusively Swiss, that only the Manufacture SOPROD can currently offer and guarantee to Swiss watch brands upholding Swiss Made expertise and values.

A calibre that took several years to develop

The challenge for Jura engineers, watchmakers, developers, movement makers and micro-mechanical engineers was ambitious: to develop, fine-tune, industrially produce and ensure the reliability a new, simple and contemporary mechanical movement. After three years of hard work, the teams at SOPROD have succeeded and the Newton® movement has come of age. It can now be offered to Swiss watch brands looking for a reliable, high-performance, aesthetically pleasing ‘engine’ that can be customised in accordance with each company’s requirements.

The objective set by the owner, Miguel Rodriguez, owner and boss of the Festina Group, was simple to understand, yet not easy to achieve. This new movement had to be of irreproachable quality and reliability, but also meet the requirements of a 100% Swiss Made self-winding calibre. It also had to stand out from the competition and bring real added value to entry-level movement segments, while at the same time offering a contemporary design.

Reliability as the driving force

SOPROD is offering an industrial calibre that is resolutely reliability driven. To guarantee this decisive point in the development of a new ‘engine’ even in the event of shocks or vibrations, Newton® has the best shock absorber, the double-cone Incabloc®, while the cross-through bridge provides increased protection for the balance itself. Finally, to provide ultimate confirmation of its dependability, this Newton® movement has been tested by the Dubois Laboratory and earned the Chronofiable® Certificate, involving a battery of tests covering accelerated ageing cycles, shocks of all kinds and resistance to magnetic fields.

An intrinsic design, yet fully adaptable as the client chooses

The design of the bridges was to be particularly pared-back, in order to create a contemporary overall look. Contrary to competing calibres, the aim was to magnify the balance, ensuring 360° visibility. This aesthetic choice implied aiming for a movement that is as symmetrical as possible along the 6 o’clock-12 o’clock axis. To ensure that the heart of the movement takes pride of place, the balance is elegantly positioned at 6 o’clock, an infinite source of inspiration for brands that will opt to create «Open Heart» models.

SOPROD, the independent Manufacture that makes its own movements from A to Z

Representing a rare phenomenon among Swiss movement manufac- turers, SOPROD is also totally independent in terms of its sourcing of assortments (escape-wheels, pallets and rollers), balances and balance springs – to mention only the most sensitive elements. These are manufactured by MSE (Manufacture de spiraux et d’échappements), an entity of the group, based in Muriaux in the Franches-Montagnes. Thanks to the high quality of its components, the SOPROD collection of M100 movements and variations achieves a success rate of 90 to 95% at first attempt in the chronometer certification process.

SOPROD, the alternative Swiss movement Manufacture that is establishing itself

Since 1966, SOPROD SA has been developing and manufacturing mechanical, quartz and connected (via smartphone) movements featuring high added value, reliability and performance. A key player in the world of Swiss Made movements, SOPROD has many customers, most of them from renowned Swiss watch Maisons. The Manufacture has six production sites in Switzerland and one in the French Jura. Those in the Jura region handle the mechanical movement segment, while connected quartz movements are designed and developed in Sion (Canton of Valais.) Since 2008, SOPROD has belonged to the Festina industrial group which, through its various companies, masters the components essential to A to Z movement production, making it a 100% independent Manufacture. In Muriaux in the Jura, MSE (Manufacture de spiraux et d’échappements) produces the assortments (es- cape-wheels, pallets and rollers), along with balances and balance springs. At the six other sites, SOPROD manufactures all the other components: plates, bridges, pinions, screws, ball bearings, etc. SOPROD has its own collection of calibres: M100 and now Newton®. These lines naturally comply with the sizes of standard Swiss movements, which are constantly being enlarged due to the development of horological complications.

UNWTO Update: Tourism and Coronavirus Disease COVID-19

UNWTO Update: Tourism and Coronavirus Disease COVID-19

Madrid (Spain) – March 13, 2020 (travelindex.com) – The tourism sector, like no other economic activity with social impact, is based on interaction among people. Against a backdrop of travel restrictions being introduced, UNWTO underscores the importance of international dialogue and cooperation and emphasizes the COVID-19 challenge also represents an opportunity to show how solidarity can go beyond borders.

– The outbreak of Coronavirus COVID-19 presents the tourism sector with a major and evolving challenge.
– The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has strengthened its collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO).
The two UN agencies met in Geneva to further advance a coordinated response to COVID-19.
– UNWTO calls for solid international leadership and for tourism to be included as a priority in future recovery efforts.
– UNWTO also calls upon the sector and travelers to address this challenge with sound judgment and proportionate measures.
– Tourism is currently one of the most affected sectors and UNWTO has revised its 2020 forecast for international arrivals and receipts, though emphasizes that such any predictions are likely to be further revised.

UNWTO has been guiding the tourism sector’s response on several levels:

– By cooperating closely with the World Health Organization (WHO), the lead UN agency for the management of this outbreak;
– by ensuring with WHO that health measures are implemented in ways that minimize unnecessary impact on international travel and trade;
– by standing in solidarity with affected countries; and
– by emphasizing tourism’s proven resilience and by standing ready to support recovery.

UNWTO continues to coordinate closely with WHO and other United Nations agencies, and UNWTO’s Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili maintains regular contact with governments and tourism sector leaders.

Putting People First

The tourism sector is committed to putting people and their wellbeing first.

As the United Nations agency leading tourism’s contribution to sustainable development, UNWTO issued a joint statement with WHO, the lead UN agency for the global response to COVID-19.

Both organizations call for responsibility and heightened coordination to ensure that health measures are implemented in ways that minimize unnecessary interference with international travel. Furthermore, tourism’s response needs to be measured and consistent, proportionate to the public health threat and based on local risk assessment.

Responsible Travel

Personal responsibility is the most important step that people can take to protect themselves and others. Travelers should familiarize themselves with the basic prevention practices that apply while travelling and in daily life (WHO advice for public). These include:

– regular hand-washing,
– normal cough etiquette,
– postponing travel plans in cases of illness, and
– avoiding contact with people suffering from acute respiratory infections.

It is essential to stay informed as the situation evolves, especially while travelling. Travelers should check regularly with WHO and other reliable resources for the latest updates and information issued by health and travel professionals.

Travelers are responsible not only for their own well-being but for the well-being of those around them. They should be aware of the symptoms and take all the recommended steps for personal hygiene.

Impact on Tourism

The tourism sector is currently one of the hardest-hit by the outbreak of COVID-19, with impacts on both travel supply and demand. This represents an added downside risk in the context of a weaker world economy, geopolitical, social and trade tensions, as well as uneven performance among major outbound travel markets.

Considering the evolving nature of the situation, it is too early to estimate the full impact of the COVID-19 on international tourism. For its initial assessment, UNWTO takes the SARS scenario of 2003 as a benchmark, factoring in the size and dynamics of global travel and current disruptions, the geographic spread of COVID-19 and its potential economic impact:

– As of today, UNWTO estimates that in 2020 global international tourist arrivals could decline between 1% to 3%, down from an estimated growth of 3% to 4% forecast in early January 2020.
– This could translate into a loss of US$ 30 to 50 billion in spending by international visitors (international tourism receipts).
– So far, the Asia and the Pacific region is expected to be the most affected (a decrease of 9% to 12% in international tourist arrivals, down from growth of 5% to 6% forecast in early January 2020).
Estimates for other world regions are currently premature in view of the rapidly evolving situation.

UNWTO underscores that any estimate must be treated with caution due to the volatile and uncertain evolution of the outbreak which might lead to further revisions.

Supporting Recovery

Small and medium sized enterprises (which make up around 80% of the tourism sector) are expected to be particularly impacted. This might affect millions of livelihoods across the world, including vulnerable communities who rely on tourism as a vehicle to spur their development and economic inclusion.

Due to its cross-cutting economic nature and deep social footprint, tourism is uniquely positioned to help societies and communities affected return to growth and stability. Over the years, the sector has consistently proven its resilience and its ability not only to bounce back as a sector but to lead the wider economic and social recovery. This depends on adequate political support and recognition.

Against this backdrop, UNWTO calls for:

– financial and political support for recovery measures targeting the tourism sector in the most affected countries;
– recovery measures and incentives to be planned and implemented in coordination with international development and donor organizations; and
– tourism support to be included in the wider recovery plans and actions of affected economies.

As in the past, UNWTO will provide guidance and support for recovery measures of its members, the private and public tourism sector, including organizers of tourism events and fairs.

IATA Welcomes EU Suspension of Slot Use Rules

IATA Welcomes EU Suspension of Slot Use Rules

Geneva (Switzerland) . March 13, 2020 (travelindex.com) – The International Air Transport Association (IATA) welcomed the announcement by the European Commission (EC) granting the temporary suspension until June 2020 of the 80-20 “use it or lose it” rule for airport slots.

The decision reflects the unprecedented situation facing the airline industry. However, granting the suspension only until June is the very minimum the industry needs, and a decision on a full suspension until October will be needed within the next month to allow airlines to plan their schedules.

The COVID-19 virus has caused a collapse in global air travel demand. Owing to the requirement to continue to operate an airport slot for at least 80% of the time, airlines have been unable to respond by adjusting their capacity. The suspension of the slot use rules until June will allow airlines to begin putting in place measures to cope with the unprecedented fall in traffic, but it is a shorter period than airlines had requested. Airlines need the suspension to be extended to cover the whole season (to October), as other regulators worldwide have already agreed. The EC will therefore need to review the extension request by April 15.

“Airlines are in crisis. The collapse in demand is unprecedented. And airlines are struggling to match capacity to the fast-changing situation. The Commission’s decision to suspend slot use rules until June means that airlines can make these critical decisions immediately—without worrying about the impact on future availability of slots. This is much needed and most welcome. However, given all the uncertainties, it is disappointing that the decision does not cover the full season,” said Rafael Schvartzman, IATA’s Regional Vice President for Europe.

The Commission’s decision will benefit airlines, airports and passengers in numerous ways including;
– Allowing airlines to plan schedules and redeploy aircraft and crew to where demand is highest
– Improve economic and environmental sustainability by ensuring that flights for which there is no demand can be cancelled
– Enable airlines more flexibility to plan for the recovery phase and re-introduce capacity where and when needed
– Ensure that the industry can return to normal as quickly as possible once the crisis is over

Airlines have been among the hardest-hit by the COVID-19 outbreak. IATA estimates that airline revenues could fall by $113 billion (19%) if the virus is not contained (this estimate was made before the announcement of the restrictions to travelers inbound to the United States from the Schengen area). And the aviation industry will be crucial for the global economy to recover as quickly as possible once COVID-19 is brought under control.

“Airlines are implementing emergency measures under severe cashflow conditions. Along with relaxing slot rules, governments must also consider other forms of emergency relief,” said Schvartzman.

Confrérie du Sabre d’Or Celebrates Old Napoleonic Tradition in Singapore

Confrérie du Sabre d’Or Celebrates Old Napoleonic Tradition in Singapore

Singapore (Singapore) – March 13, 2020 (travelindex.com) – This is no royal event or a procession at church. But it is solemn, and to be frank, rather peculiar. In pairs, council members of the Confrérie du Sabre d’Or, Singapore file into The Fullerton Hotel’s basement ballroom, all of them in elaborate emerald robes and with a sabre held in their white-gloved hands.

In a few moments, Grand Maître Jean-Claude Jalloux will induct new members into the international champagne order whose literal translation means “The Brotherhood of The Golden Sabre”. It may be a brotherhood, but as today’s 12 tables soon witness, the bubbly-enthusiasts do welcome women into its ranks: One stroke of a sabre against the neck of an Ayala Brut Majeur jeroboam (3L) bottle saw Motomi Imaseki, in a pale turquoise gown to match her ribbon and medals, elevated to the rank of Commandeur — the top promotion of the evening.

The ceremony “gives an air of history and heritage, a sense of drama and grandeur, and a feeling of being part of a brotherhood that stretches back centuries to when champagne was created,” Vice Ambassadeur Eugene Yang, a private banker known also for his love of music, explains.

The art of sabrage is said to have started during the Napoleonic era with the mounted French Dragoons, who, in victory, would grab a bottle of champagne in one hand, and with the other, slice it open with a sword.

Though established in 2011, the Singapore Chapter languished for some years until its revival in early 2018. It now has some 65 members and stages champagne dinners almost monthly. Worldwide, the brotherhood has 33,000 members.

There is only one other champagne society in Singapore — The Ordre des Coteaux de Champagne, the official fraternity of the major champagne houses. The Confrérie differentiates itself by its practice and promotion of sabrage and its freedom to explore all of Champagne’s liquid assets, including boutique grower champagnes, which unrestrained by big bucks house-style, often take a more terroir-based approach to winemaking.

But beyond all that geekery and pomp, what the Confrérie really offers is camaraderie.

As chapter head, Ambassadeur David Jen, a noted gynaecologist with a fondness for eye-catching eyewear, tells me, “having a brotherhood of friends, bonded by shared interests and love cannot simply be described but must be felt and enjoyed with every encounter, and measured by the happiness felt by each member and the improvement in the health and longevity which many studies have proven. Loneliness is the ultimate poverty, but with champagne — you’re never alone.”

With constant chatter and mingling, the evening certainly had a convivial air. Something you might expect especially when the master of ceremonies for the evening — Confrérie member Mike Gray — reminds all in attendance that “1.2 bottles of champagne per person” had been prepared.

At the ready to complement The Fullerton Hotel’s individually-plated Chinese menu were bottles of Ayala, Delamotte, Perrier-Jouët, Pierre Gimmonnet and Krug. And just as Gray had also predicted, “the noise level goes up exponentially with the amount of champagne drunk.”

By 11pm, I found myself wondering: Does the world need another members-only society where regalia and rank medallions are the rage? No. But was it a splendid evening among friends? Certainly. And fellowship is what the Confrérie is about. Santé!

Coronavirus – Testing Times for Leaders

Coronavirus – Testing Times for Leaders

Bangkok/Milan/Seoul – March 13, 2020 (travelindex.com) – Delays in testing set back the coronavirus response. Independent research projects in several countries concluded that early and wide testing makes containment of the virus much easier.

The small city-state of Singapore has shown the world how to respond to an unprecedented global health crisis like coronavirus by taking exemplary measures to (a) contain the virus, (b) handle efficiently the economic impact and (c) to minimize the psychological effect on its population.

Mr. Deepak Ohri, CEO of lebua hotels and resorts, a small hospitality private sector company in Bangkok (Thailand) took exceptional measures within its organization to retain all employees in their jobs and still guarantee the survival of the company. Lebua started “Super Friday”, weekly events for all its staff to keep them happy and motivated while assuring their psychological well-being.

Deepak said “these are extraordinary times requiring extraordinary measures but not measures to the disadvantage of employees”.

Mr. Ohri was recognized, in November 2019 as the World’s Leading Travel Personality by voters of the World Travel Awards, urges Governments, Local Authorities and Destination Marketing Organizations to do more and work together to fight and contain the deadly coronavirus.

Deepak said “we can’t stop the virus but if we all work together to coordinate our efforts and urge authorities to make swift decisions we can prevent the spread of this virus. China and South Korea have demonstrated that the coronavirus can be suppressed and controlled.”

And echoing Dr. Tedros, WHO Director-General, he said “let’s all look out for each other, because we’re in this together to do the right thing, the COVID-19 pandemic can still be contained if countries act fast.”

In Italy, millions are locked down and more than 1,000 people have died from the coronavirus. In South Korea, hit by the disease at about the same time, only a few thousand are quarantined and 67 people have died. As the virus courses through the world, the story of two outbreaks illustrates a coming problem for countries now grappling with an explosion in cases.

It’s impractical to test every potential patient, but unless the authorities can find a way to see how widespread infection is, their best answer is lockdown.

Italy started out testing widely, then narrowed the focus so that now, the authorities don’t have to process hundreds of thousands of tests. But there’s a trade-off: They can’t see what’s coming and are trying to curb the movements of the country’s entire population of 60 million people to contain the disease. Even Pope Francis, who has a cold and delivered his Sunday blessing over the internet from inside the Vatican, said he felt “caged in the library.”

Thousands of miles away in South Korea, authorities have a different response to a similar-sized outbreak. They are testing hundreds of thousands of people for infections and tracking potential carriers like detectives, using cell phone and satellite technology.

Both countries saw their first cases of the disease called COVID-19 in late January. South Korea has since reported 67 deaths out of nearly 8,000 confirmed cases, after testing more than 222,000 people. In contrast, Italy has had 1,016 deaths and identified more than 15,000 cases after carrying out more than 73,000 tests on an unspecified number of people.

Epidemiologists say it is not possible to compare the numbers directly. But some say the dramatically different outcomes point to an important insight: Aggressive and sustained testing is a powerful tool for fighting the virus.

Jeremy Konyndyk, a senior policy fellow at the Center for Global Development in Washington, said extensive testing can give countries a better picture of the extent of an outbreak. When testing in a country is limited, he said, the authorities have to take bolder actions to limit movement of people.

“I’m uncomfortable with enforced lockdown-type movement restrictions,” he said. “China did that, but China is able to do that. China has a population that will comply with that.”

The democracies of Italy and South Korea are useful case studies for countries such as America, which have had problems setting up testing systems and are weeks behind on the infection curve. So far, in Japan and the United States particularly, the full scale of the problem is not yet visible. Germany has not experienced significant testing constraints, but Chancellor Angela Merkel warned her people on Wednesday that since 60% to 70% of the populace is likely to be infected, the only option is containment.

South Korea, which has a slightly smaller population than Italy at about 50 million people, has around 29,000 people in self-quarantine. It has imposed lockdowns on some facilities and at least one apartment complex hit hardest by outbreaks. But so far no entire regions have been cut off.

Seoul says it is building on lessons learned from an outbreak of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) in 2015 and working to make as much information available as possible to the public. It has embarked on a massive testing program, including people who have very mild illness, or perhaps don’t even have symptoms, but who may be able to infect others.

This includes enforcing a law that grants the government wide authority to access data: CCTV footage, GPS tracking data from phones and cars, credit card transactions, immigration entry information, and other personal details of people confirmed to have an infectious disease. The authorities can then make some of this public, so anyone who may have been exposed can get themselves – or their friends and family members – tested.

In addition to helping work out who to test, South Korea’s data-driven system helps hospitals manage their pipeline of cases. People found positive are placed in self-quarantine and monitored remotely through a smartphone app, or checked regularly in telephone calls, until a hospital bed becomes available. When a bed is available, an ambulance picks the person up and takes the patient to a hospital with air-sealed isolation rooms. All of this, including hospitalization, is free of charge.

South Korea’s response is not perfect. While more than 209,000 people have tested negative there, results are still pending on about 18,000 others – an information gap that means there are likely more cases in the pipeline. The rate of newly confirmed cases has dropped since a peak in mid-February, but the system’s greatest test may still be ahead as authorities try to track and contain new clusters. South Korea does not have enough protective masks – it has started rationing them – and it is trying to hire more trained staff to process tests and map cases.

And the approach comes at the cost of some privacy. South Korea’s system is an intrusive mandatory measure that depends on people surrendering what, for many in Europe and America, would be a fundamental right of privacy. Unlike China and the island-state of Singapore, which have used similar methods, South Korea is a large democracy with a population that is quick to protest policies it does not like.

“Disclosing information about patients always comes with privacy infringement issues,” said Choi Jaewook, a preventive medicine professor at Korea University and a senior official at the Korean Medical Association. Disclosures “should be strictly limited” to patients’ movements, and “it shouldn’t be about their age, their sex, or their employers.”

Traditional responses such as locking down affected areas and isolating patients can be only modestly effective, and may cause problems in open societies, says South Korea’s Deputy Minister for Health and Welfare Kim Gang-lip. In South Korea’s experience, he told reporters on Monday, lockdowns mean people participate less in tracing contacts they may have had. “Such an approach,” he said, “is close-minded, coercive, and inflexible.”

ITALY “AT THE LIMIT”

Italy and South Korea are more than 5,000 miles apart, but there are several similarities when it comes to coronavirus. Both countries’ main outbreaks were initially clustered in smaller cities or towns, rather than in a major metropolis – which meant the disease quickly threatened local health services. And both involved doctors who decided to ignore testing guidelines.

Italy’s epidemic kicked off last month. A local man with flu symptoms was diagnosed after he had told medical staff he had not been to China and discharged himself, said Massimo Lombardo, head of local hospital services in Lodi.

The diagnosis was only made after the 38-year-old, whose name has only been given as Mattia, returned to the hospital. Testing guidelines at the time said it was not necessary to test people who had no link to China or other affected areas. But an anaesthetist pushed the protocols and decided to go ahead and test for COVID-19 anyway, Lombardo said. Now, some experts in Italy believe Mattia may have been infected through Germany, rather than China.

Decisions about testing hinge partly on what can be done with people who test positive, at a time when the healthcare system is already under stress. In Italy at first, regional authorities tested widely and counted all positive results in the published total, even if people did not have symptoms.

Then, a few days after the patient known as Mattia was found to have COVID-19, Italy changed tack, only testing and announcing cases of people with symptoms. The authorities said this was the most effective use of resources: The risk of contagion seemed lower from patients with no symptoms, and limited tests help produce reliable results more quickly. The approach carried risks: People with no symptoms still can be infected and spread the virus.

On the other hand, the more you test the more you find, so testing in large numbers can put hospital systems under strain, said Massimo Antonelli, director of intensive care at the Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS in Rome. Testing involves elaborate medical processes and follow-up. “The problem is actively searching for cases,” he said. “It means simply the numbers are big.”

Italy has a generally efficient health system, according to international studies. Its universal healthcare receives funding below the European Union average but is comparable with South Korea’s, at 8.9% of GDP against 7.3% in South Korea, according to the World Health Organization.

Now, that system has been knocked off balance. Staff are being brought into accident and emergency departments, holidays have been canceled and doctors say they are delaying non-urgent operations to free up intensive care beds.

Pier Luigi Viale, head of the infectious disease unit at Sant’ Orsola-Malpighi hospital in Bologna, is working around the clock – in three jobs. His hospital is handling multiple coronavirus cases. His doctors are shuttling to other hospitals and clinics in the area to lend their expertise and help out with cases. In addition, his doctors also have to deal with patients with other contagious diseases who are struggling to survive.

“If it drags on for weeks or months we’ll need more reinforcements,” he told Reuters.

Last week, the mayor of Castiglione d’Adda, a town of about 5,000 people in Lombardy’s “red zone” which was the first to be locked down, made an urgent online appeal for help. He said his small town had had to close its hospital and was left with one doctor to treat more than 100 coronavirus patients. Three of the town’s four doctors were sick or in self quarantine.

“Doctors and nurses are at the limit,” said a nurse from the hospital where Mattia was taken in. “If you have to manage people under artificial respiration you have to be watching them constantly, you can’t look after the new cases that come in.”

Studies so far suggest that every positive case of coronavirus can infect two other people, so local authorities in Lombardy have warned that the region’s hospitals face a serious crisis if the spread continues – not just for COVID-19 patients but also for others whose treatment has been delayed or disrupted. As the crisis spreads into Italy’s less prosperous south, the problems will be magnified.

Intensive care facilities face the most intense pressure. They require specialist staff and expensive equipment and are not set up for mass epidemics. In total, Italy has around 5,000 intensive care beds. In the winter months, some of these are already occupied by patients with respiratory problems. Lombardy and Veneto have just over 1,800 intensive care beds between public and private systems, only some of which can be set aside for COVID-19 patients.

The government has asked regional authorities to increase the number of intensive care places by 50% and to double the number of beds for respiratory and contagious diseases, while reorganizing staff rosters to ensure adequate staffing. Some 5,000 respirators have been acquired for intensive care stations, the first of which are due to arrive on Friday, deputy Economy Minister Laura Castelli said.

The region has already asked nursing institutes to allow students to bring forward their graduation to get more nurses into the system early. Pools of intensive care specialists and anaesthetists are to be set up, including staff from outside the worst affected regions.

To add to the burden, hospitals in Italy depend on medical personnel to try to trace the contacts that people who test positive have had with others. One doctor in Bologna, who asked not to be named, said he had spent a 12-hour day tracing people who had been in contact with just one positive patient, to ensure those who next need testing are found.

“You can do that if the number of cases remains two to three,” the doctor said. “But if they grow, something has to give. The system will implode if we continue to test everyone actively and then have to do all this.”

MAXIMUM POWER

In South Korea as in Italy, an early case of COVID-19 was identified when a medical officer followed their intuition, rather than the official guidelines, on testing.

The country’s first case was a 35-year-old Chinese woman who tested positive on Jan. 20. But the largest outbreak was detected after the 31st patient, a 61-year-old woman from South Korea’s southeastern city of Daegu, was diagnosed on Feb. 18.

Like the patient named Mattia in Italy, the woman had no known links to Wuhan, the Chinese province where the disease was first identified. And as in Italy, the doctors’ decision to recommend a test went against guidelines at the time to test people who had been to China or been in contact with a confirmed case, said Korea Medical Association’s Choi Jaewook.

“Patient 31,” as she became known, was a member of a secretive church which Deputy Minister for Health and Welfare Kim Gang-lip said has since linked to 61% of cases. Infections spread beyond the congregation after the funeral of a relative of the church’s founder was held at a nearby hospital, and there were several other smaller clusters around the country.

Once the church cluster was identified, South Korea opened around 50 drive-through testing facilities around the country.

In empty parking lots, medical staff in protective clothing lean into cars to check their passengers for fever or breathing difficulties, and if needed, collect samples. The process usually takes about 10 minutes, and people usually receive the results in a text reminding them to wash their hands regularly and wear face masks.

A total of 117 institutions in South Korea have equipment to conduct the tests, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC). The numbers fluctuate daily, but an average of 12,000 is possible, and maximum capacity is 20,000 tests a day. The government pays for tests of people with symptoms, if referred by a doctor. Otherwise, people who want to be tested can pay up to 170,000 won ($140), said an official at a company called Seegene Inc, which supplies 80% of the country’s kits and says it can test 96 samples at once.

There are also 130 quarantine officers like Kim Jeong-hwan, who focus on minute details to track potential patients. The 28-year-old public health doctor spends his whole working days remotely checking up on people who have tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus.

Kim, who is doing military service, is one of a small army of quarantine officers who track the movements of any potential carriers of the disease by phone, app or the signals sent by cell phones or the black boxes in automobiles. Their goal: To trace all the contacts people may have had, so they too can be tested.

“I haven’t seen anyone telling bad lies,” Kim said. “But lots of people generally don’t remember exactly what they did.”

Underlining their determination, quarantine officers told Reuters they located five cases after a worker in a small town caught the virus and went to work in a “coin karaoke,” a bar where a machine lets people sing a few songs for a dollar. At first, the woman, who was showing symptoms, did not tell the officers where she worked, local officials told Reuters. But they put the puzzle together after questioning her acquaintances and obtaining GPS locations on her mobile device.

“Now, quarantine officers have maximum power and authority,” said Kim Jun-geun, an official at Changnyeong County who collects information from quarantine officers.

South Korea’s government also uses location data to customize mass messages sent to cellphones, notifying every resident when and where a nearby case is confirmed.

Lee Hee-young, a preventative medicine expert who is also running the coronavirus response team in South Korea’s Gyeonggi province, said South Korea has gone some of the way after MERS to increase its infrastructure to respond to infectious diseases. But she said only 30% of the changes the country needs have happened. For instance, she said, maintaining a trained workforce and up-to-date infrastructure at smaller hospitals isn’t easy.

“Until we fix this,” Lee said, “explosions like this can keep blowing up anywhere.”

The world will be a better place than what we are experiencing now if we all learn from Governments like Singapore, South Korea or the Kingdom of Bahrain and from leading private companies like lebua hotels & resorts, BTS Thailand, Changi Airport Singapore and Singapore Airlines.

Published first by Reuters as Special Report at />
Reporting for Reuters by Emilio Parodi, Stephen Jewkes, Angelo Amante, Sangmi Cha and Ju-min Park; Additional reporting by James Mackenzie in Milan and Josh Smith in Seoul, Julie Steenhuysen in New York; Edited by Sara Ledwith and Jason Szep.
Edited by the editorial team at
TravelCommunication.net for the Bangkok section.

And the Winner of the Climate smART Award 2020 is…

And the Winner of the Climate smART Award 2020 is…

Brussels (Belgium) – March 12, 2020 (travelindex.com) – In 2017, Leading Culture Destinations (LCD) and SUNx introduced the inaugural ‘Climate smART Award‘, which recognises a museum or large-scale public art project that has made a significant educational contribution to the fight against Climate Change. Its focus is on initiatives which transform public behaviour towards a more sustainable Climate Resilient future.

The award is given by a jury made up of Travel & Tourism thought-leaders, and Sustainability experts, and is led by Professor Geoffrey Lipman, President of SUNx Malta, former Exec. Director IATA, first President WTTC and Assistant Secretary General UNWTO.

This year Leading Culture Destinations (LCD) and visitBerlin joined forces to launch LCD Berlin, the first city-led initiative to build a sustainable ecosystem for culture and travel professionals from Berlin and beyond, bringing culture and travel together to create new opportunities for collaboration.

Shortlisted candidates for the award were:

• The Climate Museum (NYC, New York, USA)
• Jockey Club Museum of Climate Change (Hong Kong, China)
• Klimahaus Bremerhaven 8° Ost (Bremerhaven, Germany)
• Not An Alternative (NYC, New York, USA)

In the end the jury voted Klimahaus as the outright winner. The Klimahaus Bremerhaven 8° Ost is a mixture between a science centre and theme park. It shows a unique world of weather, climate and climate-change knowledge and experience, also making it a climate museum.

Accepting the award on behalf of Klimahaus, Holger Bockholt said:
“Protecting the climate from a drastic, man-made change is currently one of the largest political and social challenges worldwide. It is no coincidence that this theme has found its home in Bremerhaven, in the centre of a new category of recreational attractions. “

Geoffrey Lipman said:
“It is clear that the Climate Crisis poses an eXistential threat. We must act now and we must act fast if we are to avoid irreparable changes to the planet. Museums and public art play an essential role in raising public perception of the importance of Climate Action, which is why we are so proud to partner with LCD on this award, and so pleased that yet again a totally brilliant and imaginative museum as Klimahaus Bremerhaven has emerged as the 2020 winner.”

About Strong Universal Network SUNx
The Strong Universal Network SUNx is a program of the EU-based, not for profit Green Growth and Travelism Institute, and a legacy to the late Maurice Strong – Sustainable Development Pioneer. Its goal is to promote Climate Friendly Travel with good & bad effects measured and managed coherently: with Green Growth at the core and, 2050-proof in line with the Paris Accords, and the W.E.F. 4th Industrial Revolution.

The 2020 award saw nominations from all over the world ranging from public art installations to photography, film and climate education exhibitions in a wide range of museums.

The Climate smART Award was determined by a distinct jury of Travel & Tourism and Environmental policy thinkers from around the world including Dr. Tom Selanniemi, Director of the Finnish Nature Centre Haltia, Professor Geoffrey Lipman former President of WTTC and President SUNx Malta, Felix Dodds former Executive Director UN Stakeholder Forum, author and Co-founder SUNx, Ignace Schops Goldman Award Winner, President of Europarc Federation, Tom Goldberg MBE Chairman AWI Group, Richard Prosser, Chairman of Audley Travel, Rose Mukogo, former Director of Research at Zimbabwe Tourism Authority, Madan Bezbaruah, former Secretary of the Indian Ministry of Tourism, Paul Wilke former Global PR Manager for Visa and Jeanine Pires former President of the Brazilian Tourist Board.

Contact
Olly Wheatcroft, SUNx Programme Manager olly@thesunprogram.com

About LCD Berlin
LCD Berlin is the first city-led initiative to build a sustainable ecosystem for culture and travel professionals from Berlin and beyond. Taking place around Berlin’s cultural quarter of Kulturforum from 4-5 March, LCD Berlin 2020 comprises two key pillars: the 6th edition of the annual LCD Berlin Awards, presented outside London for the first time, and the LCD Berlin Academy, an afternoon of intimate ideas and knowledge-sharing sessions for experts across the fields of art, culture, travel, politics and economics. LCD Berlin is the result of a new partnership formed in 2019 between global culture travel network Leading Culture Destinations (LCD) and visitBerlin, the city of Berlin’s destination marketing and management arm. For more information, visit LCDBerlin.com.