Here’s a brief round-up of what is happening when it comes to coronavirus and travel. The US Travel Association which just last week cancelled its annual trade show for this year, has announced that next year’s IPW, originally scheduled to be held in Chicago, will be held instead, May 10-14, 2021, in this year’s scheduled host city – Las Vegas.

Chicago, agreed to step aside for next year and has been rescheduled for 2025.

US Travel Association President and CEO Roger Dow said, “As we look to recover from this health emergency and the resulting economic crisis, it is fitting that we will be able to hold IPW in Las Vegas, a city that epitomizes the economic power of travel and tourism. We are deeply grateful to Chicago, which had one of the most successful IPWs in recent memory as a first-time host in 2014, for their flexibility, generosity and collaborative spirit.”

Las Vegas will undoubtedly do a great job, it always does, but many delegates looking forward to visiting the wonderful city of Chicago next year, were disappointed at the change.

Other future host sites—Orlando in 2022, San Antonio in 2023, and Los Angeles in 2024—remain unchanged.

Canadian festivals and event cancellations

COVID-19 restrictions have already cancelled all city-led major events, conferences and cultural programs in Toronto through June 30, including the Pride parade and Toronto Caribbean Carnival – massive street parties that typically draw thousands of revellers. Calgary Stampede organizers have nixed this year’s edition of the annual rodeo and exhibition, and Ottawa says its bombastic Canada Day celebrations will be transformed into a virtual show.

Meanwhile, popular folk festivals in Edmonton and Winnipeg have been axed, and it’s looking increasingly likely that family-friendly fairs including Vancouver’s Pacific National Exhibition and Toronto’s Canadian National Exhibition will be put on ice.

Drop in demand

The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) says the Covid-19 pandemic could see air travel demand drop by 1.2 billion travelers by this summer.

The United Nations’ aviation group estimates demand may fall by as much as two-thirds for the first nine months of 2020. That could see global airline revenues fall by as much as US $250 billion.

The ICAO report says most of the revenue loss will be in Asia Pacific and Europe. Global passenger capacity is down 91% so far this month, it says.

The ICAO is still unsure when a recovery will begin and how long it will take.

Delta

Delta Air Lines lost US $534 million in the first quarter, and forecast a revenue drop of 90% for the second quarter compared to a year ago.

“These are truly unprecedented times for all of us,” CEO Ed Bastian said., as it was predicted that a full recovery will likely take years. Passenger traffic is at approximately 5% of normal for this time of year, and according to trade group Airlines for America domestic flights in the past week were carrying an average of just 12 passengers.

Delta is currently paying out more in refunds than it is taking in for new bookings.

IATA warns of European job loss

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) released further evidence of the risk to jobs from the mounting financial crisis threatening European airlines, and called for urgent government action to preserve air services.

IATA’s analysis shows that the potential revenue loss by European carriers in 2020 has grown to US $89 billion and passenger demand (measured in Revenue Passenger Kilometers) is projected to be 55% below 2019 levels. This is an increase over the previous estimates, released 24 March, of $76 billion and 46% respectively. Overall, IATA estimates that the present 90% collapse in air traffic puts around 6.7 million jobs at risk and could lead to a negative GDP impact of US $452 billion across Europe. This equates to an additional 1.1 million jobs and $74 billion in GDP over the March estimates of 5.6 million jobs and $378 billion.

The increasing risk to jobs and GDP is due to a greater impact than previously expected. IATA’s new analysis is based on a scenario of severe travel restrictions lasting for three months, with a gradual lifting of restrictions in domestic markets, followed by regional and intercontinental travel.

Disney must do better says Disney

Heiress Abigail Disney, the granddaughter of company co-founder Roy Disney, slammed Disney for furloughing more than 100,000 workers while maintaining some executive bonuses and shareholder dividends.

“Disney faces a rough couple of years, to be sure but that does not constitute permission to continue pillaging and rampaging by management,” she tweeted, calling out the expected US$1.5 billion in bonuses and dividends to shareholders as unjust in the current climate.

“That’d pay for three months’ salary to front line workers and it’s going to people who have already been collecting egregious bonuses for years.”

“Eighty percent of shares are owned by the wealthiest 10%. Pay the people who make the magic happen with respect and dignity they have more than earned from you.” She tweeted.

“This company must do better.”

Abigail Disney said of Disney executives who have taken a pay cut or are foregoing their salaries until the pandemic ends, “Salary is a drop in the bucket for these guys. The real payday is in the rest of the package.”

Complete recovery says Saint Lucia

As of April 22, Saint Lucia has a total of 15 confirmed cases of COVID-19. All the positive cases of COVID-19 in Saint Lucia have recovered, with the remaining two cases who were in isolation receiving negative COVID-19 test results and discharged from hospital. This now places Saint Lucia at a 100 percent recovery of all COVID-19 cases.

Among the 15 cases Saint Lucia recorded were individuals who fell within the category of high risk by virtue of some being elderly as well as living with chronic illness. They too recovered well with no complications or needed critical care.

Return of the dugong

It’s rare to see a threatened species of sea mammal in shallow waters in southern Thailand but thanks to travel restrictions that have stripped popular destinations of crowds of tourists, a large group of dugongs has made their presence known.

Drone video footage released by the Department of National Parks showed a 30-strong herd of dugongs on Wednesday off Libong island in Trang province. They were feeding on sea grass and occasionally surfaced to breathe.

Naturalists report other marine animals are also taking advantage of the tourism slump that is leaving coastal regions tranquil and undisturbed. Human intrusion and marine pollution have made dugong sightings in southern Thailand rare in recent years.

“It’s quite unusual,” marine scientist Thon Thamrongnawasawat told The Associated Press on Thursday when asked about the dugongs. “This species of mammal is very sensitive to speed boats and people. When they are gone, they feel free to gather in a large group and come close to shore.”

Dugongs – closely related to the manatee or sea cow – are officially classified as vulnerable. They can grow up to 3.4 metres (11 feet) in length. Thailand’s population is put at around 250. Last year a record number of dead dugongs were found in Thai waters.

Their fate captured attention last June after images circulated of Thai veterinarians cuddling an ailing baby dugong and hand-feeding her with milk and sea grass.

Despite the care, she died two months later. An autopsy found a large amount of plastic waste in her intestines that had caused gastritis and blood infection.

Video from park rangers on Phi Phi island shows 70-100 blacktip sharks in the shallow waters of the Maya Bay, made famous in the Leonardo DiCaprio movie “The Beach.” The bay was closed to tourists in June 2018 for ecological recovery, and the island’s entire national park has been shut since March to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Park rangers also counted 10-15 false killer whales, another protected species, near the popular tourist island of Koh Lanta, the first time they have been seen in that area.