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Why the coronovirus won’t ruin our travel dreams

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(CNN) — We live to travel. It’s our passion, our hobby, our vocation and our job. So the increasing restrictions on movement that are being put in place to combat the spread of the coronavirus hit us right in our hearts. But while many of us may be canceling some of our immediate plans to jump on an airplane, this won’t stop us thinking, talking, writing and dreaming about travel in the tough days and weeks to come. It may seem incongruous, even wrong, to be publishing stories and videos aimed at inspiring travel at a time when entire countries or regions are under lock down and thousands, if not millions, of people are coming to terms with the impact of the virus. It won’t stop us though. And CNN Travel intends to continue to encourage people to consider their next adventure, looking ahead to the days — hopefully in the near future — when the situation is under control and we can once again head over the horizon. Or, indeed, to head to the places close to home that, now denied the influx of visitors from abroad, are wide open for local appreciation.So many people, places and businesses rely on tourism to survive. Coronavirus has already had a profound impact on the industry that CNN Travel has long supported and considers itself an integral part of.Beyond the crisisNow you may not weep for the big airlines that don’t give you enough room to recline your seat, or the hotel chains that don’t offer free drinking water other than from the bathroom sink, but take a moment to consider the flight crew, the door staff, the barbacks, custodians and bussers — all of the tourism-related workers whose livelihoods are now at risk.Those at the lower income end of the industry will be hit particularly hard. Their incomes will go, and they and their families will suffer.This makes it all the more imperative to look to the future beyond this crisis. Once the affected areas are cleared, they will desperately need us to come back.We all need something to look forward to. It’s essential to create personal experiences that give life meaning. Without it, we’re just not living. We should be out in the world, celebrating its glorious natural beauty, swimming in the oceans, skiing down mountains, visiting friends and family, eating at restaurants, booking tours, visiting museums. So, for the time being, whether in spirit or in person, we intend to keep calm and travel on.

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Dubai unveils plans for electric sky pod network

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Editor’s Note — CNN’s series often carry sponsorship originating from the countries and regions we profile. However, CNN retains full editorial control over all of its reports. Our sponsorship policy.(CNN) — Travelers in Dubai could soon be enjoying more scenic routes with the addition of aerial vehicles to the public transport network. Dubai’s Roads & Transport Authority (RTA) has signed a memorandum of understanding with British company Beemcar to develop driverless pods that would operate above the city traffic. The system, described as “a cross between a monorail and a ski lift,” would see electric pods seating four passengers each traveling at 50 kilometers per hour along routes stretching almost 50 kilometers through the city’s busiest districts. The pods would be suspended from carbon composite beams a minimum 7.5 meters above ground and remain horizontal at all times to ensure “a calm stomach” for passengers. Beemcar claims the network could accommodate around 20,000 passengers per hour. Signing of the MOU between Beemcar and the RTA, represented by the CEO Robin Brownsell (L) and Rail Agency CEO Abdul Mohsen Ibrahim Younes (R) respectively. Dubai Media OfficeBeating the trafficThe venture fits into Dubai’s ambitious plans for 25% of journeys in the city to be made via driverless transport by 2030, as well as increasing the proportion of journeys made by public transport. Beemcar CEO Robin Brownsell claims the electric network would also offer benefits through sustainability and save space relative to ground-level transport infrastructure.”The significance is for dense urban environments,” the CEO says, suggesting the system could free up space for healthier modes of transport such as walking and cycling. No figures are currently available for the investment required but Beemcar claim the system would be sustainable through income from fares and Brownsell is confident it would be competitive with traditional public transport networks. He points to the case of Glasgow Airport, Scotland, where an elevated pod system has been proposed in preference to a more expensive rail link. No completion date has been given but it is hoped the Dubai system will be operative before the 2030 deadline for 25% driverless transport. Beemcar is to open a development center and will work with Dubai authorities over the next “three to four years” to earn a license to carry passengers. The company has worked to develop the system with support from the British government, which hopes the model could be scalable. “We welcome BeemCar’s ambitions to create a modern transport system that’s fit for the future,” UK Transport Minister Rachel Maclean told CNN. “Sky pods could help to manage traffic in some of the busiest cities, improve air quality and make cycling and walking even safer and more enjoyable.”Emerging fieldThe RTA is also working with two other “sky pod” companies, US firm SkyTran and Skyway of Belarus, which are also aiming to deliver aerial networks in Dubai.The field of Public Rapid Transit (PRT) vehicles — loosely defined as lightweight, driverless vehicles operating on segregated tracks along defined routes — has been in development since the 1950s without achieving widespread adoption. Just a handful of systems have achieved implementation, such as the “Urban Light Transit” network at Heathrow Airport in the UK. The field has been hamstrung by regulatory hurdles, says Nathan Koren of UK-based urban transport consultancy Podaris.”Regulators have traditionally had a difficult time accepting vehicles that are following each other at high speeds and close distances,” says Koren. “You need to be really robust in your safety techniques to prove it is acceptable.”Brownsell also points to the political will required to develop new infrastructure.”Most planning applications in the UK for large scale infrastructure projects take about 15 years,” he says. “(But) if you have a vision and it’s getting top level support, some of those obstacles are not necessarily there.”Explosive growthKoren believes we could be on the verge of an “explosion” of PRT systems.”There has been quite a proliferation in the last couple of years of more serious attempts to build these kinds of systems that has never happened before,” he says, adding that most are not yet public.Koren suggests the progress of driverless cars are benefiting PRT systems. “The first PRT systems had to use entirely custom hardware for their navigation and control,” he says. “All of the investment in autonomy has created things like cheap LIDAR sensors and vehicle-to-vehicle communication standards.”That means a lot of the technology you need to implement PRT systems that was previously strictly bespoke, you can now just buy off the shelf.”The UAE could be an ideal location for development, according to Steve Griffiths, senior vice president of research and development at Khalifa University in Abu Dhabi.”There is the funding and the ambition, and it’s also a climate where soft mobility — walking and cycling — is harder to push,” says Griffiths, who consulted on the Masdar City project, a purpose-built sustainable city in the UAE that featured a PRT system. “Most times of year people don’t want to be outdoors so a climate-controlled system with a few passengers together could be a solution.”But Griffiths cautions that as such systems vie to replace traditional road-based transport they could yet be rendered obsolete by new generation technologies. “Dubai and Abu Dhabi are tapping into a lot of different systems; vertical takeoff and landing vehicles, aerial taxis, autonomous electric vehicles,” he says. “They are facing a lot of competition.”

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Niue: World’s first country to receive Dark Sky designation

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(CNN) — The tiny Pacific island of Niue may just be the best place on Earth for stargazing.Niue, a Polynesian island about halfway between Fiji and the Cook Islands, has earned recognition from the International Dark-Sky Association (IDA), an organization that works to end light pollution and give people more opportunities to see the stars.While several spots around the world have been heralded by the IDA — including Grand Canyon National Park in the United States — this is the first time that an entire country has been recognized.”The stars and night sky have a huge significance to the Niuean way of life, from a cultural, environmental and health perspective,” Felicity Bollen, the CEO of Niue Tourism, said in a statement. “Being a dark sky nation will help protect Niue’s night skies for future generations of Niueans and visitors to the country.”The country’s commitment to reducing light pollution was evident during the Dark Sky application process. One major move was when Niue committed to replacing all its streetlights with lower-emitting, more energy-efficient bulbs. “Niue’s skies have been observed and appreciated for centuries,” says Misa Kalutea, a Niuean elder and cultural guardian. “The dark sky nation status adds new emphasis to the importance of our traditional knowledge, providing a reason for the retelling and sharing of this knowledge before it is lost.”The tiny Pacific island of Niue is located about halfway between Fiji and the Cook Islands. Kirill Polishchuk/Getty ImagesThe 101-square mile raised coral atoll is self-governing but has free association with New Zealand, meaning that all Niueans have Kiwi citizenship and that New Zealand represents the island in many diplomatic settings. Most travelers who come to Niue do so via New Zealand, as there are just two flights a week through Auckland. Tourists who do come to Niue to appreciate the night sky will be able to hire local guides, providing an economic boost to the community. During the day, they can also enjoy swimming, caving and diving.The IDA observes International Dark Sky Week from April 19-26, 2020.

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