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Today’s News:
The travel news continues to disappoint as surging rates of COVID infections rise again.
In the latest set-back, the Council of the European Union voted yesterday to reinstate its ban on non-essential travel from the U.S. — which in some places is experiencing record numbers of new infections. Along those lines, the OAG reports that expectations for airline recovery in 2021 are fading.
Not surprisingly, the U.S. Travel Association expressed its disappointment in the new restrictions, and urged both Europe and the United States to open its borders to vaccinated travelers. Page 1.
Some markets are showing healthy signs of recovering however. ForwardKeys, in its August 26th newsletter, reports positive flight bookings to Central America and the Caribbean, in some cases surpassing the 2019 numbers. See details on page 2.
Helping to shine a spotlight on the Caribbean, Porthole Cruise and Travel publisher Bill Panoff has launched a travel series exploring hidden gems in the islands. The series kicked off in August with a really entertaining and informative episode on St. Thomas and St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Page 3.
AIRPORTS
Servy, (formerly GRAB), the enterprise self-service platform for airports and hospitality, is now partnering with Fraport USA for its mobile ordering and delivery service, which has already launched in the Baltimore and Cleveland airports. Page 3.
SUPPLY SIDE
Despite the ups and downs in the travel picture, brands across all categories are preparing for a better future.
Miami-based wine and spirits distributor WEBB Banks announced that its new WB Canna Co. & Wellness subsidiary has added BioSteel, the top-rated sports hydration drink, to its wellness portfolio. Page 3.
Shiseido Americas has sold three of its prestige makeup brands — bareMinerals, BUXOM, and Laura Mercier — to a new company formed by Advent International. The sale will help Shiseido reach its stated goal of becoming the global leader in skin beauty by 2030, says the company. Details on page 4.
Iconic U.S. jeweler Tiffany & Co, which was acquired by LVMH Group in January, has unveiled a new creative direction, with a high profile campaign starring “powerhouse” couple Beyoncé and Jay-Z. The “About Love” campaign celebrates modern love and marks the first time the real-life couple have starred together. Page 4.
The Macallan is in the spotlight two-fold this week. Not only has the single malt Scotch whisky launched an extremely innovative digital activation for Concept. No. 3 – the third and final release in the travel retail exclusive series, but it has announced a collaboration with luxury British automobile manufacturer Bentley Motors to further their vision of a more sustainable future. Page 5.