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Condé Nast Traveler announced the results of its annual Readers' Choice Awards with S Hotel Jamaica being recognized as the Top 10 Hotels in the Caribbean & Central America category. Jamaica also ranked number seven among islands in the Caribbean and the Atlantic. More than 240,000 Condé Nast Traveler readers submitted responses rating their travel experiences across the globe to provide a full snapshot of the top places they enjoyed this year and can't wait to return to next. The Readers' Choice Awards are the longest-running and most prestigious recognition of excellence in the travel industry and the full list of winners can be found here. "It is an honour for our team to have made this prestigious list for the fourth time since we opened in 2019," said Christopher Issa, owne...

More than 320 employees of Sun Country Airlines working at Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport filed this month to join Teamsters Local 970 to secure better wages, seniority, and respect on the job. "Employees deserve to have a voice, and it is our honor to help them be heard," said Chad Reichow, President of Local 970. "Our goal is to help members secure a contract that benefits their families and reflects their worth." Currently, ramp and related workers at Sun Country Airlines receive a 50-cent raise after 90 days of employment. But wages are subsequently frozen until specific promotions can be realized. In the best-case scenarios, such efforts only typically amount to an extra dollar per hour for any given worker. In addition to frozen wages and limited opportunities...

Following a full season of 107 cruises and Cruisetours aboard six ships, Holland America Line set sail from Alaska for the last time this year with Eurodam and Koningsdam completing a final port visit at Ketchikan yesterday, Thursday, Oct. 6, before ending at Seattle, Washington, and Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, respectively on Saturday. As summer Alaska cruise season ends, travelers showing greater interest in exploring Alaska by ship in 2023. "As this successful season winds down, we're pleased to see growing interest in Alaska 2023," said Gus Antorcha, president, Holland America Line. "Alaska is a bucket-list destination and people are excited to travel more. We're seeing bookings well above levels from similar periods in the seasons prior to the industry pause." The 2...

In a further easing of Covid-19 restrictions for inbound travellers, South Korea has announced that it will remove the Covid-19 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing requirement for visitors on the first day of their arrival, Yonhap news agency reported on Friday. Currently, a PCR test is mandatory for inbound travellers within the first 24 hours of their arrival. Since Sept 3, all inbound travellers are no longer required to present a negative Covid-19 test result before departure. With the removal of the PCR testing requirement on the first day of arrival, all border controls for visitors have been effectively lifted. South Korea reported 28,497 new Covid-19 cases as of midnight Thursday compared to 24 hours earlier, Xinhua news agency reported on Friday, quoting the healt...

For the seventh year, Qatar Airways was named "World's Best Airline" by international air transport rating organisation, Skytrax at the 2022 World Airline Awards held on September 26 at the venerable Langham Hotel in London, United Kingdom. The World Airline Awards, sometimes referred to as "the Oscars of the aviation industry," were established in 1999 and continue to be entirely unbiased and independent with all expenses associated with the customer survey and awards ceremony being covered by the event's organizers, Skytrax. Singapore Airlines takes second position in the world, with Emirates placing third, ANA All Nippon Airways fourth, and Qantas Airways in fifth position, out of more than 350 airlines included in the survey results. Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His E...

Jess and JoJo Siwa announced today the launch of their first XOMG POP! themed cruise aboard Royal Caribbean's Allure of the Seas. The cruise sails from Port Canaveral in Florida November 10-13, 2023. For more information or to book the XOMG POP! cruise, please visit www.xomgpopcruise.com The XOMG POP! cruise will allow fans to interact with their favorite group members aboard the Royal Caribbean "Allure of the Seas." The package also includes a concert at sea, dance party, meet & greet, and numerous other XOMG POP! themed activities. https://youtu.be/MMkIzELjkpo The Royal Caribbean "Allure of the Seas" is part of the Oasis class of ships which are the largest passenger vessel ever built. The ship features over 100 activities including: a zip line, merry-go-round, ice skatin...

Flightsfinder.com has launched a new global flight search platform that enables consumers to search the world's best flight aggregators from one dashboard and save consumers up to 20% off of flight prices. CEO Shahab Siddiqui explains "Not many people are aware that you can have vastly different prices between the flight aggregators for exactly the same flight route. To be sure of the best deal you must compare multiple flight aggregators, which the new FlightsFinder platform allows consumers to do effortlessly." The new site (previously known as cheapflightsfinder.com) now 'flashes' the cheapest options in the upgraded dashboard making it very convenient to see the cheapest flight prices at a glance. Vast price differences can exist on a single flight route - For example, a week...

Hong Kong will abandon its strict hotel quarantine policy for arriving travelers, which has damaged the city's reputation as a financial center, hurt its economy, and caused a resident exodus. The rule had been in existence for two and a half years, essentially isolating the city from the rest of the world as well as from mainland China, at one time requiring visitors and residents to quarantine at a hotel for as long as three weeks. The quarantine requirement will be lifted starting on Monday, according to John Lee, the city's top executive, although travelers will still be tested and monitored for three days after arrival. “We must allow the maximum room to allow connectivity with the world so that we can have economic momentum, and to reduce inconvenience to arriving traveller...

FUJI Sports (FUJI), the outfitter and equipment provider for more than 18 million martial arts competitors and academies worldwide since 1969, and FUJI Mats, the worldwide leading supplier of premium mats, facility equipment, and design services, have announced a partnership with Princess Cruises that will now make FUJI the exclusive cruise partner to stage seminars, events and competitions spanning the globe. "Martial Arts is one of my life's passions and I share this bond across friends, families and professional engagements," said Jimmy Pedro, a two-time Olympic Bronze Medalist, judo world champion and co-owner of FUJI Sports and FUJI Mats. "This partnership with Princess recognizes the significance and multi-generational reach of the martial arts community and elevates our ability ...