Lawmakers urge leadership for travel industry relief (Travel Weekly)
The American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA) on Monday, applauded the efforts of a group of lawmakers who sent a letter to House and Senate leadership asking for additional small business relief, specifically for those who work in the travel industry.
The letter, signed by dozens of representatives, encourages Congress to prioritize small business relief with things like the Paycheck Protection Program, which provides small business with funds to pay up to 8 weeks of payroll costs.
ASTA has long been lobbying for more relief for the travel industry. In addition to Paycheck Protection, the agency also hopes for the reinstatement of the Employee Retention Tax Credit, which reduces employer Social Security liability, and the inclusion of travel agencies in the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant program.
48 test positive on Royal Caribbean Cruise (Travel Agent Central)
Last week, 48 out of the 6,091 guests and crew aboard the Symphony of the Seas’ tested positive for COVID-19, .78 percent of the total “onboard community.”
According to the cruise line, the cruise sailed with 95 percent of the onboard community fully vaccinated and 98 percent of those who tested positive were also fully vaccinated.
Everyone who tested positive was either asymptomatic or suffered only mild symptoms, but Royal Caribbean took swift action to contain the spread immediately. Each positive person quickly went into quarantine and their health was continuously monitored.
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17 beautiful hotel Christmas trees (forbes)
Hotels around the world deck the halls every year and dazzle guests with show-stopping arrangements. Forbes put together this list of 17 beautiful hotel Christmas displays to showcase some of the best. From London to Santa Barbara, these gorgeous trees are sure to spark your holiday cheer!
NTS NEWS
National Travel’s CEO, Ted Lawson, has petitioned the American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA) to allow storefront Travel Agencies to process TSA PreCheck Applications. National Travel feels that with our expertise in travel, it is only natural to have the ability to provide this service to our clients.
In the near future, National Travel hopes to obtain this capability that will allow us to grow in our commitment to being a full-service Travel Management Company with exceptional service to our clients.
Stay tuned for developments on this endeavor!
Lufthansa to add Frankfurt-St Louis service (BTN)
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Delta Airline adds new long-haul route from New York (Simple Flying)
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Travel Alerts |
The U.S. Department of State moves 9 countries to Level 4 Travel Advisory
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The CDC moves 8 countries to Level 4 COVID-19 Health Advisory
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- Cayman Islands change travel requirements ahead of the Holidays (Travel Market Report) – Click here to read more
- Thailand suspends Test and Go program (Live and Let’s Fly) – Click here to read more
- Argentina welcomes back visitors with a host of new accommodations and attractions (Wheels Up Network) – Click here to read more
Don’t forget to call us at least three days before your trip to request your iFLYSmart Travel Kit!
Editor: Kelsey Morgan, Lead International Gold Star Agent and Public Relations Liaison
