How to See Lionel Messi Play – Affordably

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By Eric Hanson

Foreign Bureau

Soccer superstar Lionel Messi even affects travel. 

When Messi decided to play in Miami for Major League Soccer, it created a fever pitch like nothing ever seen before in this country. But in a classic case of supply and demand, ticket prices are through the roof. 

If you want to plan a road trip, here are the most affordable cities according to car rental company SIXT. 

The most affordable, of course, is his new home city of Miami-Fort Lauderdale. The lowest ticket price, according to StubHub, is $135.

If you want to plan a road trip, here are the most affordable cities according to car rental company SIXT. 

The most affordable, of course, is his new home city of Miami-Fort Lauderdale. The lowest ticket price, according to StubHub, is $135.

By Suzanne Edgewater

West Coast Bureau

While the leisure segment has been the first to really bounce back from the massive blow the travel industry suffered at the hands of COVID-19, business travel, it seems, is slowly climbing back also. Yet, this type of travel today faces new and different obstacles to complete recovery, mainly caused by global economic conditions, Business Travel News reported.

According to a new survey conducted by the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA), in which the organization polled a group of 594 members—consisting of travel buyers and suppliers—the recovery of international business travel has hit the halfway mark, but now economic concerns have replaced COVID-19 as the segment’s main roadblock.

Travel managers who participated in the survey, which GBTA conducted September 20 – 26, reported that domestic business travel has regained 63 percent of 2019 volumes, while international business travel has reached 50 percent of its 2019 levels.

Roughly one-quarter of the buyers polled said that international travel has reattained over 70 percent of pre-pandemic volumes. The majority of buyers reported that their companies again allow non-essential business travel, policies which 86 percent of respondents said now apply to domestic and 74 percent said apply to international trips.

"We continue to see progress as business travel makes its way back to being a $1.4 trillion global industry, pre-pandemic," GBTA CEO Suzanne Neufang, said in a statement. "It is also important to understand the context of global business travel's recovery. Asia is still opening its borders, international business travel, in general, started picking up only earlier this year across the globe, and the U.S. has only permitted unrestricted travel since June."

When it came to expressing their expectations for the coming year, just four percent of travel suppliers surveyed said they believe COVID-19 will be the most likely cause of reduced business travel bookings. By comparison, 80 percent of suppliers felt that the greatest threat to bookings is posed by travel budgets being frozen or reduced due to record-high inflation or an impending recession.

Nevertheless, both suppliers and buyers at this point believe that business travel will fare better in 2023 than it has in 2022. Almost 80 percent of travel managers indicated that their employees are set to take more business trips next year than did this, and roughly two-thirds thought that 2023 would see both internal and external travel increase year-over-year. Among suppliers, 80 percent expected that their corporate clients’ travel spending will rise next year, and 85 percent predicted that year-over-year bookings will increase in 2023.

By Suzanne Edgewater

West Coast Bureau

The MGM Resorts Foundation (the "Foundation") has awarded more than $2.7 million in grants to nonprofit organizations located in communities in which MGM Resorts operates, including Southern Nevada, Michigan, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York, Northeast Ohio, the DC Metropolitan area and Western Massachusetts. 

107 nonprofit organizations received funding from the Foundation's Community Grant Fund. The organizations provide services around affordable housing, economic opportunity and workforce development, K-12 education, family services, food insecurity, health and wellness, homelessness, services for seniors and services for veterans and military families. 

An Employee-Led Effort 

MGM Resorts employees are at the heart of the Foundation, donating to the Community Grand Fund throughout the year. Grant decisions are made by Community Grant Councils, committees of employee volunteers who represent their respective regions and determine which local nonprofit agencies will receive funding.

The MGM Resorts Foundation was established in 2002 as an opportunity for MGM Resorts employees to contribute to important charitable causes. Since inception, the Foundation has raised more than $100 million and supported more than 1,500 charitable organizations. Guests are also able to contribute to the MGM Resorts Foundation.

"MGM Resorts employees continue to amaze us with their generosity and commitment to our local communities," said Maria Gatti, Vice President of Philanthropy and Community Engagement. "On behalf of our 107 grant recipients, thank you for your donations and even more importantly, for enlivening our company's belief in investing in our communities through giving as well as volunteerism."

MGM Resorts' Commitment to the Community

MGM Resorts is committed to strengthening the livelihood, capacity and resiliency of communities, developing sustainable institutions, supporting good jobs, promoting next generation skill development and collaborating with the public sector, policymakers, educators and nonprofit organizations. MGM Resorts holds a bold vision for social impact and sustainability through its "Focused on What Matters: Embracing Humanity and Protecting the Planet" philosophy. Guided by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, the Company set concrete goals that are woven into the business' strategic plans. Click here to learn more about Focused on What Matters.

For a full list of grant recipients and to learn more about the MGM Resorts Foundation, visit www.mgmresortsfoundation.org.

SOURCE: MGM Resorts International press release.

By Michael Sinclair

Foreign Bureau

Disney's announcement on Sunday that Bob Iger has returned as CEO likely means that Disney wants Iger to address the company's growing but unprofitable streaming business.

The CEO change, however, likely won't mean price drops in Disney parks, where Disney implemented paid line-skipping services Genie Plus and Lightning Lanes under the leadership of Bob Chapek, Disney's ousted CEO. Those products have padded the bottom line of Disney's theme parks, but they have been a sore subject for many Disney guests.

Addressing the streaming business, J.P. Morgan analyst Christian Crosby said in a note to investors, "Remember that Iger has always been a content and broadcast guy." Iger's tenure at Disney was highlighted by acquisitions of big-name franchises Pixar, Marvel and Lucasfilm. "We imagine that Iger's first order of business will be to address [streaming]."

In August, Disney lowered its forecast for Disney Plus streaming subscribers, pointed out Barclays analyst Kannan Venkat in a note to investors. Streaming's unprofitability has hurt Disney's stock price, and earlier this month Chapek announced that Disney would implement cost-cutting measures that would likely include layoffs and a hiring freeze.

Disney's primary streaming product is Disney Plus, which features original programming plus a library of Disney, Star Wars, Marvel and Pixar films. It is not Disney's only streaming product, as the company operates Hulu and ESPN Plus.

Despite streaming's struggles, Chapek's ouster was surprising because Disney gave Chapek a three-year extension in June, Venkat said.

While Iger will likely initially focus on Disney's streaming strategy, many are wondering what the change means for the theme parks. 

Crosby said that a "common investor gripe" about Chapek was "squeezing parks customers." 

"We have to admit that many of the issues currently facing the firm -- specifically the soft ad market, parks inflation and the bloodbath that is the  [streaming] space -- were in some ways unavoidable for Chapek," he said. "Those are all largely industry/macro driven, and it will be interesting to see what Iger can and does do to address these items."

J.P. Morgan analyst Philip Cusick said the pace of increases in theme park prices "could slow." But he said the theme park price increase that will go into effect on Dec. 8 is likely to stick. He didn't specifically address Genie Plus and Lightning Lanes, but those products likely aren't going away because they've been big revenue generators despite their unpopularity with many guests.

"The fact is that Disney still has too much demand for its limited supply, and driving prices higher may be the best way to manage that," Cusick said.

Disney stock was up more than 5% on Monday.

By Jane Pearson

East Coast Bureau

Based on results from the Global Rescue Fall 2022 Traveler Sentiment and Safety Survey, travelers are waving off inflation and working around anticipated flight disruptions for the holidays. In addition, business travelers are overwhelmingly planning for ‘bleisure’ travel.

Despite inflation and the increasing cost of travel, the majority of travelers (77 percent) have not canceled or postponed a domestic or international trip. To overcome airline staff shortages during the fall and winter holidays, more than half of travelers are booking nonstop flights.

“In the face of airline disruptions and the rising cost of travel, travelers are sticking with plans to travel," said Dan Richars, CEO of Global Rescue, the world’s leading provider of medical, security, evacuation and travel risk management services and a member of the U.S. Travel and Tourism Advisory Board at the U.S. Department of Commerce.

“Travel is back to pre-pandemic levels and that means heavy crowds at airports. Travelers should book nonstop flights whenever possible to avoid delays or cancellations due to airline staff shortages. They should join a trusted traveler program like TSA PreCheck to move through security faster,” explained Harding Bush, a former Navy SEAL and manager of security operations for Global Rescue.

According to the survey of more than 1,000 of its current and former members, two-thirds of travelers have planned domestic Thanksgiving or similar holiday travel at the end of November, and 59 percent will travel domestically during December.

The survey also revealed a growth in business travel, though not quite back to pre-pandemic levels. The growing trend of bleisure travel —business travelers tacking leisure days onto a work-related trip may increase growth numbers as the majority of business travelers (73%) plan to use bleisure travel and take a few extra days for personal enjoyment following a business trip.

By John Stutz

East Coast Bureau

According to a new Bankrate study released on November 17, 2022, a majority of U.S. adults have opted out of certain events due to the state of the economy.

The study reports that not just major financial milestones are being delayed, but 58 percent of Americans have opted out of certain activities or events in the past year due to concerns about the economy like taking a vacation (37 percent) and dining out with friends or family (28 percent).

Greg McBride, CFA, Bankrate’s Chief Financial Analyst said in a statement “whether it be inflation, rising interest rates, recession fears, market volatility, or something similar, concerns about the economy are high, with the majority of Americans delaying financial milestones and opting out of certain activities or events because of it. The overwhelming sentiment is that the state of the economy has had a negative impact on Americans’ quality of life over the past year, with just one in eight saying the impact has been positive."

McBride goes on to say that “revenge spending in travel has been particularly robust, with full flights and sold-out hotels. But just how much stronger could it have been? Over one in three (37 percent) of Americans have skipped taking a vacation in the past year due to the state of the economy. This tends to be the first discretionary expense to get cut when households are queasy about the economic path ahead.”

Key highlights of the Bankrate study include:

–Those negatively impacted by the economy are more likely to delay a major financial milestone than those either positively or not at all impacted.

–Millennials (ages 26-41) are the most likely generation to make delays in financial milestones.

–Many are opting out of activities. About two-thirds of millennials and Gen Zers (ages 18-25) are opting out of activities due to the economy compared to 59 percent of Gen Xers (42-57) and 50 percent of Baby Boomers.

–Women and middle-income earners are more negatively impacted.

By Suze Miller

West Coast Bureau

Southwest Airlines announced the addition of a new travel portal that makes it easier to manage business travel, dubbed Southwest Business Assist.

The self-service tool will enable corporate travel buyers, travel decision makers and travel management companies to better manage their Southwest business travel using unique dashboards, reports, automated processing of contractual benefits, receiving or requesting customer service and more.

The new portal will be available to current business partners starting on August 24.

“Southwest Business Assist is a transformational one-stop shop for our Southwest Business customers as we deliver industry-leading capabilities on one of the most advanced platforms available today,” Southwest Business Vice President Dave Harvey said.

“The on-demand self-service tool will provide easy access to real-time information, reporting, and benefits designed to improve efficiencies and communication for our business travel Partners and continues our journey of making it easy to manage business travel on Southwest,” Harvey continued.

As part of the first phase of Southwest Business Assist’s unveiling, customers will have a variety of new options, including travel funds management, enhanced insight into contractual benefits, expanded sustainability reporting and increased automation with real-time capabilities.

More features are planned as additional phases of the portal are released, including duty of care reporting, the ability for travel managers to manage eligible flight credits, and additional automated functions.

Several other carriers have made similar changes in recent weeks. Delta Air Lines announced it would rebrand its business travel tools, products and services under one, all-encompassing travel solution name: Delta Business.

United Airlines also recently announced a new platform to allow corporate customers to fully customize their business travel program contracts with the carrier.

By Richard Alexander

West Coast Bureau

Mexico's Yucatan region is a romantic destination by nature, nestled amid an atmosphere of mysticism, magic, color, and history. With places taken as if from a romantic movie, and, in addition, one of the most exquisite cuisines in Mexico, it is the ideal place to live and celebrate love.

In 2021, the state of Yucatan passed laws that made same-sex weddings legal in the state. Earlier this year, those laws went into effect, making the millennia-rich destination an alternative to set the scene for this important occasion.

Yucatan is home to many professional wedding planners who can coordinate all of the necessary details of a same-sex couple's special day. The capital city, Merida's international airport offers nonstop flights from Miami, Houston, Dallas, San Diego and California's Bay Area.

Same-Sex Weddings are now legal in 30 countries, including Mexico.

In the Yucatan, you will find some locations ready to help visitors to find their best wedding destination:

Chable Resort & Spa is a magical backdrop for destination weddings. Surrounded by beautiful gardens, the luxury complex radiates romance and sophistication. Tropical gardens boast a marvelous view of the original 19th-century walls of the former Hacienda, while the exquisite cenote deck is situated in the heart of the Wellness Spa. The property can accommodate weddings of up to 100 people.

Hacienda Xcanatun by Angsana is surrounded by four acres of private gardens filled with lush vegetation and bright tropical flowers that highlight the beauty that made it one of the most important haciendas in the Yucatan.

Just 15 minutes away from downtown Merida the property was restored to its 18th-century grandeur as one of the most iconic henequen (sisal) haciendas in the Yucatan. The resort features 18 historic suites that fuse contemporary details with local touches and 36 brand new, exquisitely designed suites, offering the effortless harmony between nature and modern spaces.

Zazil Tunich is a 65 feet deep Cavern-Cenote located in Valladolid and features more than 500 thousand years of stone formations, Zazil Tunich has been appointed one of the most spectacular cenotes in the region, with thousands of stalagmites and stalactites. It is the biggest cenote in Yucatan.

For those not looking to do a western wedding ceremony, the location offers the opportunity to have a Maya commitment ceremony or a purification ceremony in the sacred water of Xibalba inside the Zazil Tunich Cavern-Cenote. The cenote is surrounded by Hacienda Selva Maya, which can hold large wedding celebrations.

By Carla Martilotti

Foreign Bureau

Flying over the busy Thanksgiving travel period is bound to be stressful, but passengers aboard one flight earlier this week had a particularly nerve-wracking time of it, thanks to a seemingly unhinged man brandishing a straight-edge razor blade.

Traveling aboard JetBlue Flight 871 from New York’s JFK Airport to Salt Lake City on Monday, an inebriated male passenger allegedly threatened the woman seated next to him, holding a straight razor he had somehow smuggled onboard inches away from her throat.

The man—41-year-old Merrill Darrell Fackrell of Syracuse, Utah—was arrested upon arriving at Salt Lake City International Airport and was charged Tuesday in a criminal federal complaint on counts of Carrying a Weapon on an Aircraft and Assault with a Dangerous Weapon, according to the U.S. attorney’s office in Utah.

Authorities have yet to determine how Fackrell snuck the concealed weapon—a wood-handled straight-edge razor blade measuring between one and two inches long—through standard TSA security screenings at JFK.

Per Transportation Security Administration (TSA) regulations, air passengers are prohibited from bringing straight razors aboard aircraft in their carry-on luggage, allowing them to fly only in checked bags. The TSA did not immediately respond to The Washington Post’s emailed inquiry about the incident this morning.

After settling into window seat 6A, Fackrell evidently struck up a conversation with the woman in the middle seat next to him, whose husband was seated next to her on the opposite side. Fackrell engaged her in a “long and varied” conversation while consuming several alcoholic drinks, according to an affidavit filed Tuesday in a Utah federal court.

When the woman decided to put on her headphones and start streaming in-flight entertainment, Fackrell reportedly continued talking to himself, though she ignored him. He then, allegedly, put his hand in front of her screen and demanded that she pause the movie.

It was then that she realized he was holding a blade (what she perceived to be a knife) just “inches” from her skin, authorities said. Fackrell told the woman’s husband—who had been wearing his own headphones all the while—to leave, as he ran to alert the flight crew.

"He was going to get help because he knew something was really off," the woman, who chose to withhold her name, told local NBC affiliate KSL. "(My husband) was only a few steps ahead of me when I lunged into the aisle. He didn't knowingly leave me to handle a man with a weapon all by myself."

According to the affidavit, Fackrell then stood up and shouted, “She’s going to be okay” and “No one needs to worry.” She lunged toward the aisle as Fackrell allegedly attempted to prevent her escape, but she managed to fight him off and ran for the front of the plane.

At that point, a man seated across the aisle intervened and managed to persuade Fackrell to put down the blade, which he grabbed and turned over to the flight crew. This unnamed Good Samaritan then sat next to Fackrell for the rest of the flight.

Fackrell remained in a Utah jail after a judge denied his request to be released on bail Wednesday. According to court documents, the alleged victims are seeking a no-contact order. The case is also being investigated by Salt Lake City Police Department and an FBI Task Force Officer.

By Alex Johnson

West Coast Bureau

Disneyland Resort announced that two limited-time festivals—the Lunar New Year celebration and the Disney California Food & Wine Festival—will return to the California Adventure Park in early 2023.

The Lunar New Year celebration will take place from January 20 through February 15, 2023, and honor the Year of the Rabbit, as well as the Year of the Cat (in recognition of the Vietnamese zodiac calendar).

Highlights of the New Year’s festivities include the return of the vibrant Mulan’s Lunar New Year Procession, the addition of two new Lunar New Year Marketplaces, the nighttime water show Hurry Home - Lunar New Year Celebration, festival arts and crafts and Disney characters such as Mulan, Mushu, Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse in festive attire.

As for the Disney California Food & Wine Festival, the party will run between March 3 and April 25, 2023. The foodie celebration features the best of what California offers across 12 festival marketplaces, family-friendly entertainment and more festival-inspired dishes at select restaurants in the Downtown Disney District.

Travelers of all ages will also enjoy crafts, complimentary weekend culinary demonstrations, artist events and signings. In addition, Soarin’ Over California will return for a limited time during the festival.

On November 11, Disneyland officially kicked off the holiday season with festive foods, sparkling decor, new musical performances, Christmas parades and fireworks featuring magical snowfall. The events will run through January 8.

Earlier this month, Disneyland revealed its popular Mickey’s Toontown area would reopen to the public on March 8, 2023. The ‘Adventureland Treehouse Inspired by Walt Disney’s Swiss Family Robinson’ attraction is also slated to reopen next year.

By Carla Martilotti

Foreign Bureau

As Universal Orlando Resort prepares for the 2023 edition of Halloween Horror Nights, the theme park revealed a dark presence would be felt throughout The Wizarding World of Harry Potter this fall.

Running on select dates between September 1 and November 4, Death Eaters from the popular film and literature franchise will appear for the first time ever in Diagon Alley, bringing fear to the hearts of visitors.

Guests visiting Universal Orlando’s Wizarding World of Harry Potter will encounter the villainous Death Eaters, a group of devoted followers of Lord Voldemort who do not shy away from the practice of the Dark Arts.

The interactive live entertainment experience puts travelers face-to-face with these fanatic witches and wizards as they roam through London, lurk their way through the cobbled streets of Knockturn Alley and challenge guests to join the Dark Lord.

To honor the presence of the Death Eaters during the Halloween festivities, the theme park is offering a variety of themed merchandise and treats that will allow visitors to embrace their sinister side.

From dining at the Leaky Cauldron to taking home a unique wand from Ollivanders or even experiencing the multi-dimensional thrill ride—Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts—there are many ways for travelers to immerse themselves in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Diagon Alley.

Earlier this month, TravelPulse’s Brooke McDonald offered an inside look at Minion Land, a colorful addition to Universal Orlando. The area is a collaboration between Illumination and Universal’s creative team, with the land introducing a whimsical lineup of new family-friendly experiences and dining options to the park.

By Glenn Tune

West Coast Bureau

The robotics industry is expected to grow within the travel and tourism sector, but without harming human employment opportunities, according to a new “Robotics in Travel and Tourism” report by GlobalData.

The service robotics industry is expected to grow by a compound annual growth rate of over 21 percent in 2030, reaching $216 billion. Consumer and logistics robots are expected to grow by 29 percent and 21 percent between 2020 and 2030, as they are implemented as cleaning fleets, language translation check-in assistants and in other assistive roles to their human counterparts.

Cloud robotics is also expected to grow within the hospitality industry, with Huazhu Hotels Group and BTG Homeinns Hotels Group, which comprise approximately 7 and 5.5 percent of the global market share, investing in Shenzhen ExcelLand Technology, a robotics mobile platform provider.

“Robotics in travel and tourism was considered as a gimmick in the past, used as early as 2015 for guest experiences without improving efficiency for staff,” said Sarah Coop, Analyst at GlobalData. “But, as the technology improved, investment has started increasing, resulting in robots for room service deliveries, cleaning services using UV light, inspection services using drones, translation services, and customer service to improve operational efficiency.”

Additionally, the report noted the growth of robotics being mentioned within tourism and travel industry company filings from 2016 to 2022, which grew from 2018 to 2019 and remained stable throughout the pandemic as they were implemented in airports and hotels to disinfect on a higher level than human ability could.

By Cedric Johnson

West Coast Bureau

How she got through security with it is our first question.

A female passenger with a can of pepper spray had it accidentally discharge on a recent American Airlines flight from Miami to New York, causing it to be diverted to Jacksonville, Florida.

A fellow passenger made the claim on Reddit. After the flight eventually arrived in New York, all that American Airlines would say was that “there was a disruptive incident involving a customer.”

“It was incredibly scary not being able to breathe, having burning skin/eyes, having everyone panicking around, and being stuck in a small space," another passenger wrote on Reddit.

The female passenger apparently said that the pepper spray was discharged accidentally, but it still begs the question of how she got it on board in the first place. After an investigation, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) did say that the bottle was sprayed inadvertently.

“The aircraft was cleaned after diverting and continued to LaGuardia Airport in New York without further incident," the FAA wrote in a statement.

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) does allow pepper spray, but only in checked baggage and only if it has a security mechanism that prevents accidental discharge. The policy varies by airline.

American Airlines, by its own admission and guidelines, does not allow pepper spray on board.

By James Vital

East Coast Bureau

The feud between Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and Walt Disney World escalated beyond mere words.

As DeSantis and seven others prepared for the first Republican debate for the 2024 national election, he had more worries back home in Florida.

His handpicked board of supporters, known as the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District (CFTOD), to replace the Reedy Creek Improvement District to oversee the entertainment giant is apparently miffed that it received a $2.5 million bill from Disney to pay for the benefits for its theme park employees.

In a statement, the CFTOD said: "The former Disney-run RCID used taxpayer funds to provide season passes and amusement experiences to its employees and their family members, cover the cost of discounts on hotels, merchandise, food, and beverages, and give its own board members VIP Main Entrance passes."

In other words, they are not paying for the perks.

Benefits and discounted access to the parks are a perk of a job for theme park employees at Disney World, Universal, Sea World, and more.

The feud between the governor and the theme park began last year when Disney publicly objected to one of DeSantis’ policies. The governor accused the company of being “woke,” and decided to strip Disney of its autonomy to create its own fire department and bond structure, among other things.

He also created CFTOD.

Walt Disney World shot back with a 50-year-old document in which it claimed that its self-governance would not end until the British monarchy ended.