The guidelines include directing federal employees to rent electric vehicles while traveling on government business when the cost is less than or equal to the most affordable nonelectric option. Similarly, employees should use electric vehicle options for taxis and rideshares when the cost is competitive, according to the guidelines.

Additionally, the guidelines instruct federal employees to use rail instead of air for trips less than 250 miles when it is cost-effective and to use public transit for local travel when possible.

Both the Office of Management and Budget and the U.S. General Services Administration have issued memos directing federal agencies to ensure employees are able to book sustainable options easily when making travel arrangements, according to Biden’s announcement. Agencies have 120 days to report on their plans to carry out that policy.

The White House announced the guidelines as part of a list of “new public and private commitments to boost access to electric vehicles, save taxpayer dollars and tackle the climate crisis.”

Among the private commitments listed are new software by American Express Global Business Travel to prioritize electric vehicle booking and help find hotels near EV charging stations. The travel management company on LinkedIn confirmed it had launched a “new software solution enabling companies to increase the adoption of electric vehicles by prioritizing them over gasoline cars when travelers are booking trips.” 

The White House additionally cited Delta Air Lines’ commitment to electrify its ground service equipment and IHG’s and Marriott’s commitments to make more charging stations available at their properties, as well as Enterprise’s and Hertz’s commitments to increase EV availability. 

It also cited the Global Business Travel Association’s commitment to releasing new global procurement criteria for sustainable travel by the end of 2024.

Source: Business Travel News

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The concert by the five-time Grammy Award winner will launch the resort’s 2024 Music Making Waves concert
series. In the past 20-plus years, Atlantis Paradise Island has
hosted such A-list artists as Taylor Swift, Justin Bieber, Bruno Mars,
Ricky Martin, the Jonas Brothers, Pitbull, Doja Cat, Kesha and Lizzo.

Jackson will perform songs from her musical catalog of 11 studio albums, which includes hits like “All For You,” “Got Til It’s Gone,” “That’s The Way Love Goes” and “What Have You Done for Me Lately.”

Preshow festivities at the Music Making Waves Concert Village include pop-up experiences, activity zones and food trucks.

Tickets start at $149 for bronze seating to $349 for diamond seating. A portion of concert proceeds will support the nonprofit Atlantis Blue Project Foundation, dedicated to saving sea species and their habitats throughout the Bahamas and surrounding Caribbean seas.

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The bill, passed by unanimous consent, is identical to an extension bill that passed in the House last week. It will become law once signed by President Biden. 

Congress had originally been scheduled to complete a five-year FAA reauthorization bill by Sept. 30. Instead, a short-term reauthorization that passed at that time had been slated to expire at the end of the year.

The House passed its version of the five-year reauthorization in July with bipartisan support. But the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation has yet to take vote on a long-term bill. 

Had the FAA’s funding been allowed to lapse, it would have led to a suspension of airport construction projects funded by FAA grants. It also would have prevented the FAA from assessing taxes on passenger tickets and general aviation fuel purchases, among other additional consequences. Those taxes are used to fund capital improvements at airports and within the broader aviation system. 

In a statement last week, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), who is the top Republican on the transportation committee, said that Democrats and Republicans on the committee still must reach agreement on numerous provisions before moving a long-term authorization forward. He expressed concern that the disputes won’t be settled in 2024, which would force the process to begin anew after a new Congress takes office at the beginning of 2025. 

Among many other measures, the House version of FAA reauthorization would increase funding for aviation infrastructure improvements, address the shortage of U.S. air traffic controllers, provide new consumer protections to air travelers, address ASTA’s travel advisor-related issues of concern and raise the mandatory retirement age for airline pilots.

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The much-anticipated Tulum Airport saw its first domestic flights on Dec. 1, with international flights expected at the end of March. This news comes in tandem with the launch of the first portion of the Maya Train project, which debuted on Dec. 15.

The first phase of airport operations includes daily Aeromexico and Viva Aerobus flights originating from Guadalajara, Mexico City, Monterrey, Tijuana and Toluca. It is expected that the airport will welcome 700,000 arrivals in its first month of operation. 

Future airlines that will begin operations in 2024 into Felipe Carrillo Puerto Airport (TQO) or Aeropuerto Internacional de Tulum, include Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, United Airlines and, most recently, JetBlue. Delta is expected to begin service between Atlanta and Tulum on March 28. American Airlines will fly twice daily from Dallas/Fort Worth and daily from Charlotte and Miami in March, as well. United Airlines has announced routes from Newark, Los Angeles, Chicago O’Hare and Houston. JetBlue will begin service from JFK on June 13. Spirit will fly from Fort Lauderdale and Orlando. 

Part of the airport facilities include a runway that is longer than two miles as well as a terminal with a capacity for 5.5 million annual passengers. The airport is 15 miles from downtown Tulum, connected by road to Highway 307, the main artery that runs from Cancun south toward Chetumal. This access to the highway gives the airport easy access to the Tulum station that will be part of the Maya Train.

Maya Train starts chugging

The nearly $30 billion passenger railroad has been a passion project for President Manuel Lopez Obrador since he took office at the end of 2018. It was the cornerstone of his larger vision to stimulate the economy of Southern Quinana Roo. The train has been the topic of controversy since before ground was broken, calling into question the environmental effects, its imppact on remote villages that will soon be exposed to tourism at unprecedented volumes and the unprecedented cost for an infrastructure project.

Still, the first leg of the 1,500-kilometer route launched, connecting Cancun to the city of Campeche. Tickets for this leg cost $68, and the journey takes six hours, which is roughly how long it takes to drive the same route by car. It is expected that the entire train route will be in operation by February.

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Right now, the current number of visitors allowed to visit the Incan citadel everyday is 3,800. 

Starting Jan. 1, Peru will allow up to 4,500 visitors on most days and will go as high as 5,600 on specific dates, according Peru’s ministry of tourism.

Peru tourism continues to recover from not only the pandemic but a tumultuous start to the year. The country had civil unrest in January and February amid political turmoil after protests had broken out in the country in December 2022. 

The protests resulted in the temporary closure of airports, railways and tourist sites, including the nearly month-long closure of Machu Picchu and the Inca Trail in late January. 

Those sites reopened by March but demand had been slow to recover, showing signs of improvement in the fall. 

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The Mirage volcano’s days are numbered as the property transitions into Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Las Vegas. But it’s anyone’s guess what that number is.

After being out of action in the ramp-up to the inaugural Formula 1 Heineken Silver Las Vegas Grand Prix last month, the volcano is set to go off nightly, as it has since 1989. But it will transform into “Paramount Mountain” for four days during Super Bowl weekend, Feb. 8 to 11, according to Paramount Global, the broadcasting and streaming home of the NFL’s big game.

“We expect the volcano to operate through January and are working on the current timeline now regarding the Paramount activation and how that affects the volcano display,” Mirage president Joe Lupo said in a statement to Travel Weekly. Paramount officials did not indicate when preparation for Paramount Mountain would begin.

The blocklong structure along the Strip will feature interactive fan experiences built around popular Paramount films and series such as “Transformers,” “Yellowstone,” “Star Trek,” “Dora the Explorer,” “Ghosts” and “Sistas.”

Guests will be able to reach the mountain’s peak in the FUNicular Experience, what’s billed as a “hyper-realistic gondola ride and ascend in a thrilling simulation, accentuated by frigid winds and harrowing heights, with their favorite Paramount characters and brands to guide them.”

The Paramount+ Lodge will include “various realms that embody Paramount’s flagship streaming service” and sneak peeks of Paramount Pictures’ films.

“Paramount’s ‘Mountain of Entertainment’ in Las Vegas is an exciting, fan-focused physical manifestation of the expansive and popular content from across our portfolio of brands,” said Josh Line, executive vice president and chief brand officer for Paramount Global. The brand includes CBS, CBS Sports, Paramount+, Paramount Pictures, Nickelodeon, MTV, Comedy Central, BET, Pluto TV and Paramount Home Entertainment.

Hard Rock International took control of the Mirage in December 2022 after completing its $1.1 billion acquisition from MGM Resorts International. A 660-foot-tall, guitar-shaped tower with 600 rooms is expected to rise from the site of the volcano, which prompted an online petition to save it earlier that year.

Hard Rock representative Jennifer Lazovich told Clark County Commissioners that the company plans to “modernize and theme” the rest of the property to match the guitar tower. The tower will resemble back-to-back guitars with brightly lit strings and floor-to-ceiling glass panes. It will include 48,000 square feet of gaming area and 96,000 square feet of retail and restaurants at ground level, according to planning documents.

Like its counterpart the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Fla., lasers are expected to shoot from the roof, and an LED show will be projected on the facade.

But until then the volcano remains.

While the timeline for its permanent deactivation is still unclear, another Vegas institution will continue for another year: Cirque du Soleil confirmed in June that “The Beatles Love” will be staged at least through 2024 in partnership with Hard Rock.

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Located on the banks of the Kafue River, the camp will feature 12 spacious tents, including a 600-square-meter Presidential Villa. Suspended 3.5 meters above the ground, this location offers guests an immersive experience in the wilderness with unobstructed access to the bush and river for wildlife.

Anantara Kafue River Tented Camp is located between two islands, featuring a spa and wellness area, a swimming pool, a restaurant and bar, a lounge and a traditional African boma. The camp aims to provide an intimate and exclusive retreat, embodying luxury in the wild.

Plenty to do

Activities at the camp include nature-centric experiences such as canoeing, fishing, bird-watching and boat safaris. Each luxury tent will feature a plunge pool and a boat with a skipper, strategically positioned to maximize privacy and immersion in the surrounding landscapes.

Kafue National Park, one of Africa’s largest reserves, spans nearly 9,000 square miles and boasts a diverse range of wildlife and birdlife. The camp will be easily accessible, located approximately three hours from Victoria Falls or Lusaka, and is also reachable by helicopter.

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Those words hit my inbox after booking a stay at 1 Hotel South Beach. The Miami hotel’s nature-inspired mission began during the booking process and was evident throughout my recent stay.

Though luxury and sustainability don’t always seem compatible, the resort serves as a model for blending Earth-friendly initiatives with indulgent amenities. 

First impressions 

Looming over an entire block on Collins Avenue, the hotel is impossible to miss, but it’s also tucked away from South Beach’s famous — infamous? — clubs and crowds.

One of the first things I noticed pulling up to the hotel was the exterior living wall made up of over 12,000 plants that are both decorative and functional, working to absorb toxins and impurities. 

The lobby is also impressive: White linen drapes hang from soaring ceilings, and matching white couches are positioned around recycled driftwood coffee tables. The hotel has its own scent (fresh eucalyptus leaves mingled with an earthy cedar), which is palpable but not overwhelming. 

During check-in, I was handed a round chip of recycled wood a bit larger than a poker chip, which served as my room key. One of the only downsides to my stay, the hotel key was easy to misplace, but the front desk was gracious in providing replacements. 

Miami Beach hotels are notoriously small, but here standard rooms start at 500 square feet with the palatial presidential suite topping out at 3,500 square feet. I stayed in a king-size guestroom, and even without a beach view, it felt airy and bright. 

Everywhere I looked there was an homage to nature: The towel hooks were recycled rocks, and the “do not disturb” sign and closet coat hangers were made of recycled cardboard. Plants dotted the room, and the hotel minibar was stocked with fair-trade beauty products and organic snacks.

The guestrooms and hallways are carpeted, which seemed like an odd choice for a beachfront hotel, but the floors were immaculate, and it gave the minimalist rooms a warmer feel. 

Thoughtful amenities

The hotel stands out from Miami’s crowded hospitality scene with creative on-property events and amenities.

I spent my time alternating between the hotel’s beach club and the hotel pools, including a gorgeous rooftop pool 18 stories up. 

The hotel’s popular rooftop pool deck is also home to Watr at The Rooftop, a newly updated restaurant that serves shareable Asian dishes. On my first night, I ordered the wagyu skirt steak and chicken gyoza from the restaurant’s new dinner menu, which continues to source ingredients locally. 

The hotel’s commitment to the community extends to the on-site activities. During my stay, the hotel offered personalized poems from a local poet typed out on an antique typewriter and an animal spirit reading from a local card reader. 

Other creative initiatives include a farm stand in the lobby featuring local fruit and vegetables and a fleet of electric Audi e-trons available for a test drive or for drop-off service.

One of the resort’s most impressive features is the beachside outdoor dining venue Tala Beach. The restaurant, formerly known as 1 Beach Club, is a 50,000-square-foot, Tulumesque outdoor oasis that winds around the hotel’s perimeter, complete with daybeds, hammocks and dining tables tucked away under towering palm trees.

The restaurant’s October reopening was accompanied by a new menu of Mediterranean-influenced shared bites and cocktails, and standout brunch dishes include crispy lobster and shakshuka made with local farm eggs.

A green ethos

Though the hotel is located on one of Miami’s busiest streets, inside it felt like a quiet hideaway from the overstimulating party scene on South Beach.

While the resort’s vision of luxury paired with environmentalism is lofty, the execution is in the small details like the complimentary organic sunscreen, tiki huts topped by solar panels and drinkware made from recycled glass.

The hotel’s green ethos will especially appeal to anyone who wants to walk away feeling good about their environmental impact and making a connection with the local community. 

I walked away from my stay satiated and well-rested, convinced that a luxury resort can embrace sustainability and community and still provide an exceptional experience for its guests. 

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The granite islands of Seychelles harbor natural riches, including roughly 75 endemic plant species. Visitors can see curiosities like the tiny Seychelles frog (about the size of a pinky finger) and the giant tenebrionid beetle, the world’s biggest flying insect. About 335,000 visitors come to Seychelles yearly, attracted specifically by these extraordinary ecological treasures, which the Seychelles government is working hard to protect and preserve.

• Related: Tribute Portfolio resort opens in the Seychelles

In August, the government introduced an environmental sustainability levy for travelers that will help safeguard the destination’s natural beauty for future generations. The levy is part of a broader strategy by the Seychelles government to promote responsible travel. With this approach, the Seychelles is not only preserving its rich environmental heritage but also offering travelers a chance to be part of a larger, global conservation effort.

“Fifty percent of our landmass and 30% of our sea territory is protected, because we are not just safeguarding the islands for future generations but also making sure we are taking care of our bread and butter,” said principal secretary of tourism Sherin Francis. “Our strategy going forward is to build a better kind of tourism for Seychelles. Higher value, lower impact.”

It’s not only the government that understands the importance of investing in sustainability” the country’s hotels and other stakeholders are actively contributing, too.

Committed to community, conservation

At the Hilton Seychelles Labriz Resort and Spa, located on Silhouette Island, the aim is not just to provide spectacular beaches and unforgettable luxury experiences but also to empower local island communities. The on-site hospitality training college enables Seychellois youth to develop careers in tourism, with placements at Hilton resorts worldwide. By investing in local talent, Hilton fosters economic mobility and pride in the tourism industry, which it says is critical to preserving the islands.

When Hilton built its resort on Silhouette, it decided to leave the original homesteads on the land untouched. The hotel maintains those homesteads for the original owners, who tend to work on the main island of Mahe, so that they can return for weekend stays or vacations.

Rebuilding reefs

Club Med Seychelles has an enviable location on Saint Anne Island, which is the first island in Seychelles that settlers put down roots. It became a marine national park in 1973 and was the first of its kind in the Indian Ocean to offer protection for wildlife.

Club Med has taken significant steps toward environmental conservation. Recognizing the critical state of the coral reefs surrounding the islands, Club Med has launched a program to rehabilitate the fragile ecosystems, partnering with marine biologists and local experts to restore damaged reefs and protect the marine life that relies on them.

The rehabilitation of coral reefs not only contributes to Seychelles’ ecosystem health but also ensures the long-term sustainability of snorkeling and diving experiences, which are integral to the tourism industry.

Another ecofriendly decision: You won’t see personal watercraft roaring through the waters at Club Med. Only nonmotorized sports are on the activity menu.

Choosing nature reserve over resorts

At the Cap Lazare Nature Reserve, sustainability shapes everything. The 150-acre, family-owned refuge is found in the wilderness of Baie Lazare, Mahe. Despite substantial resort interest (there have been many offers to buy the land), the Albert family instead invested in more land. They acquired neighboring plots to establish a nature reserve focused on preserving biodiversity and celebrating Seychellois culture.

Cap Lazare now provides a sanctuary for giant Seychelles tortoises to roam freely. It also hosts events, from private launches to yoga retreats to weddings, where the Unesco-listed Moutya dance and Creole restaurant enable visitors to experience conservation and culture in one location.

A sustainable success story

Seychelles has struck an innovative balance of conservation and business through sustainable harvesting of the iconic coco de mer nut. This rare palm tree nut, weighing up to 80 pounds, is native only to two protected islands in Seychelles. Local lore traces the curious shape of the male and female nut to the forbidden love between ancient gods immortalized in the palms. Following strict governmental oversight, a small harvest ensures future yields are unaffected. Selected female nuts are replanted or left undisturbed, while only certified nuts can be sold, supporting regeneration processes critical to this endemic species’ survival.

Nothing is wasted. The kernels are processed for cooking and health products, while artisans craft perfumes at an on-site factory that subtly capture the nut’s essence. This creative enterprise spotlights Seychelles’ pioneering green models linking tourism to heritage and ecology. It also enables locals’ incomes while respecting biodiversity.

Widespread efforts to support these sorts of conservation efforts, empower local communities, and promote cultural heritage will no doubt help preserve the unparalleled beauty of Seychelles.

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Carnival World Buffet, once the city’s most famous buffet, closed during the pandemic and never reopened.

“When we started planning the revitalization of the resort, one of the first things we wanted to deliver was an approachable yet exciting dining destination that appealed to a wide variety of people, much like the Carnival World Buffet did back in its heyday,” said Trevor Scherrer, president and CEO of Rio Las Vegas.

Among the first-to-market concepts planned:

• Southland Burrito Co., which will honor the culinary history of coastal towns of the Southwest, Baja and northern Mexico.
• Shogun Ramen, a partnership of master ramen chef Foo Kanegae and restaurateur Takashi Segawa.
• Tony Luke’s, South Philadelphia’s popular cheesesteak chain.
• Tender Crush, by Chris Barish and Julie Mulligan, founders of Black Tap Craft Burgers & Beer, with fried and grilled chicken tenders, sandwiches, sides and sauces.
• Nama Nama, a street food-style sushi in a setting reminiscent of Tokyo’s streets and alleys.
• Attaboy Burger, with chef Alex Resnick’s “less is more” menu.

The Rio Hotel & Casino Las Vegas, which recently completed its ownership transition from Caesars Entertainment to Dreamscape Cos., is renovating 1,427 guestrooms and suites in the Ipanema Tower in a project that will be completed in the first quarter of 2024.

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