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1. Russia Bans 36 Airlines, Including From All European Union Members
Amid tensions during the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, Russia has cut off its airspace from 36 countries, which includes all 27 European Union members, Reuters reports.
"The flight bans are expected to hurt airlines that fly over the world's biggest country to get from Europe to Asia. They are likely to force them to find new routes," the news outlet reports.
Other countries are also moving to ban Russian flights from their airspace as well, CNN reports. Canada's Transport Minister Omar Alghabra said on Sunday his country's airspace is closed to all Russian aircraft.
"We will hold Russia accountable for its unprovoked attacks against Ukraine," he said in a tweet.
The Russian ruble fell roughly 30% against the U.S. dollar on Monday.
2. Hospitality Industry Helps Ukraine
The hospitality industry is stepping in to help those affected by the invasion in Ukraine.
San Francisco-based short-term rental company Airbnb announced this week it will house up to 100,000 Ukrainian refugees through funding by Airbnb, donors and hosts of the properties, Bloomberg reports.
Boots on the ground efforts include Spanish-American Chef José Andrés — who has several hotel restaurants — setting up mobile kitchens at the Ukraine-Poland border cooking soup, hot chicken stew and apple pie. He estimates his not-for-profit organization World Central Kitchen had served more than 8,000 meals as of Sunday, NBC News reports.
3. Group Travel Expected To Boom in 2022
Highlights of commentary from the fourth quarter and full-year 2021 earnings season indicate hoteliers believe group demand will experience a "robust comeback this year," reports HNN's Sean McCracken.
Sourav Ghosh, executive vice president, chief financial officer and treasurer of Host Hotels & Resorts, said the group segment has continued its upward trajectory.
“Looking forward to our expectations for group in 2022, we currently have 2.8 million definite group room nights on the books, which compares favorably to the 2.5 million group room nights we would have had on the books as of the third quarter, after adjusting for recent acquisitions and dispositions. Group rates in 2022 remains up 1% to 2019 and group demand is currently front-loaded with roughly 60% of definite group rooms booked in the first half of the year," he said.
4. New York City To Lift Vaccine Mandate for Indoor Spaces
Beginning March 7, New York City will expire its mandate that requires proof of vaccination for indoor events, dining and businesses as long as COVID-19 cases continue to decline, NBC News reports. New York City was the first U.S. metropolis to enact such a mandate in August 2021.
The indoor mask mandate will also lift in public schools.
“New York City’s numbers continue to go down day after day, so, as long as COVID indicators show a low level of risk and we see no surprises this week, on Monday, March 7 we will also lift Key2NYC requirements," Mayor Eric Adams announced Sunday. "This will give business owners the time to adapt and will allow us to ensure we are making the best public health decisions for the people of New York."
5. World's Tallest Hotel Reaches Halfway Stage of Construction
Dubai is set to debut the "world's tallest stand alone hotel" in the first half of 2024, The National News Reports. The Ciel Tower will be 365 meters tall.
The hotel's developer, The First Group, announced construction had reached the halfway point of 52 stories and is set to meet the completion date in the back half of 2023. It will exceed the height of the Gevora Hotel, the current tallest hotel also in Dubai at 356 meters tall.