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1. Chinese Cities Face New COVID Measures
Major Chinese cities are facing new waves of mass testing as infections continue to spread, with new rules hitting tourism hotspots and major cities such as Shanghai and Shenzhen, Reuters reports.
Government officials are hoping to avoid a repeat of "economically and psychically scarring" lockdowns from earlier in the year, but mass testing will be in place until Nov. 10, with closer scrutiny on hotels and inbound travelers, according to Reuters.
In Shenzhen, inbound travelers "will be subject to three tests over three days," and officials in Xian are closing public spaces including the Terracotta Warriors Museum.
2. Nonprofit Calls for Global Tax on Frequent Travelers
Due to what the organization calls an outsized impact on climate change, the nonprofit International Council on Clean Transportation is calling for a global tax on frequent fliers that would be used to "fund research and development into emissions-free aviation fuels," the Washington Post reports.
“We’re saying ‘If you want to fly more, that’s fine,’” Sola Zheng, a researcher at the International Council on Clean Transportation, said. “You’ve just got to pay a bit more.”
They believe the tax would be enough to "fully fund the transition from fossil fuels to sustainable aviation fuel."
3. $206 Million Hotel Expansion Part of $850 Million Las Vegas Development
Penn Entertainment's new $850 million development project in the Las Vegas suburb of Henderson, Nevada, will include a $206 million hotel tower, CoStar's Lou Hirsh reports. The property will be an expansion of the company's existing 390-room M Resort, which opened in 2009.
“At the M Resort, the addition of a second tower will benefit from the strong demand in the Henderson local market while providing additional capacity for the group business that is drawn to our market-leading resort and amenities,” CEO Jay Snowden said in a Monday statement.
Penn is also developing a $360 million, land-based casino and hotel in Aurora, Illinois.
4. Flight Bookings Boom Ahead of World Cup
Demand for flights to Qatar is spiking as the FIFA World Cup nears, and continued shortages for accommodations are driving a lot of flight demand between Doha and the United Arab Emirates, Reuters reports.
HNN's Terence Baker had previously reported many people were looking to air commute — particularly from Dubai — for the massive sporting event as hotel offerings remained unsettled.
Officials in Qatar recently announced the addition of a third cruise ship to serve as guest rooms in Doha Port during the event, according to the Associated Press.
5. Labor Department Proposes Rule To Classify Gig Workers as Employees
In a move expected by labor activists for some time, the U.S. Labor Department is proposing a new rule that would make it harder to classify millions of American workers — particularly gig workers, construction workers, people in home care and janitors — as independent contractors, the New York Times reports.
“While independent contractors have an important role in our economy, we have seen in many cases that employers misclassify their employees as independent contractors,” the labor secretary Martin J. Walsh said in a statement. “Misclassification deprives workers of their federal labor protections, including their right to be paid their full, legally earned wages.”