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The carrier, which operates direct flights to Guangzhou, said it’s monitoring the situation with Kenya’s health and foreign ministries. In a statement, officials with the airline said, “The safety of our customers and staff remains our highest priority.”Many Kenyans had expressed concerns about the carrier’s flights to the Asian country when a passenger who had arrived from Guangzhou was quarantined after showing symptoms of coronavirus Tuesday.The passenger was a student who had traveled from Wuhan, the Chinese city at the center of the outbreak. The test result was negative, according to the Kenya health ministry on Friday.The country’s government had advised its citizens against non-essential travel to China, where authorities are battling a coronavirus outbreak that has killed more than 200 people.Four suspected cases in Ethiopia and one in Ivory Coast tested negative. Botswana also put a passenger who arrived from China under isolation on Thursday.Rwanda Air and Morocco’s Royal Air Maroc are among some African airlines that have suspended flights to China. In a statement on Friday, Rwanda Air said the decision was made after the World Health Organization declared coronavirus a public health emergency of international concern.Ethiopia Airlines, however, tweeted it will keep operating its flights to five Chinese destinations while adhering to international standards to ensure the safety of their passengers.Several other carriers based outside of Africa, including British Airways, have suspended flights to China as conoravirus continues to spread globally.Kenya Airways did not say when flights to China will resume.

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(CNN) — It’s an alluring trend that’s captivated the world: the promise of a place of your own, nestled deep in the Italian countryside — for the astonishingly cheap price of just one euro, or a little over a dollar.Now the first city has joined the club.Taranto, a port on the coast of Puglia in the heel of Italy, has seen its population dwindle in recent years, and city officials want to reverse its fortunes.Taranto’s heritage councilor, Francesca Viggiano, tells CNN Travel that the city will start offering up council-owned buildings in the city’s Old Town for the tempting price of just one euro. As with previous offers, buyers must commit to renovating the properties, a process likely to cost thousands more dollars. The hope is to save dilapidated buildings and build up the population. There are currently 15 buildings ready to be snapped up — with the listings due to go live in a couple of weeks. There’s the potential for more buildings to be put on the market.The appeal of TarantoThe coastal city of Taranto, Italy, home to the impressive Castello Aragonese, pictures, is offering up homes for a little over $1Paolo Manzo/NurPhoto/Getty ImagesThe southern Italian region of Puglia is celebrated for its culinary delights, stone architecture and dramatic coastal towns, but the area is much poorer than tourist magnet Tuscany.Taranto is known for its large steelworks, which has come under scrutiny due to polluting emissions and a controversial fight over the plant’s future — if it were to close, it would likely have a significant impact on the economy of the city.Viggiano says the one euro home campaign is just one aspect of the city’s tourism-led revivial.”We have a big port and the cruises are coming back to our city, so it’s a big transition plan that takes in everything — investment, tourism. It’s kind of a new life for the city.”Plus, she says, the balmy “always spring” weather is very appealing. Taranto is located in Puglia, in southern Italy.ShutterstockTaranto’s most striking building is the Castello Aragonese, an imposing fortification built in the 15th century. Also worth checking out is the Temple of Poseidon, dating from the 6th century BCE, which provides an intriguing glimpse into Taranto’s former life as an ancient Greek colony. Viggiano says Taranto wasn’t directly inspired by the other €1 villages — but the campaign definitely seems to be in the same vein. Restoration, for example, must take into account the architectural style and aesthetic of existing buildings.”In Italy we have very strict rules about architecture and historical places from the central government,” says Viggiano.Guihot says she and her husband were “lured by the attractive bargain prices” and fell under the spell of the Sicilian village’s charm.So far, there’s been widespread interest in the Taranto properties. Viggiano says there have been inquiries from eager would-be buyers in South America, North America and all over Europe. And is she surprised by the response?”We would say yes and no,” says Viggiano. “We knew that the idea was a revolutionary idea and, of course, we would have multiple interest. We couldn’t imagine all over the world.”Silvia Marchetti contributed to this story.

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The northern reaches of Kerala, one of India’s greenest and most beautiful states, is a peaceful place where local people live and work closely with their natural environment.

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Everyone knows Miami offers great food and salsa dancing, but it’s also home to an incredibly unique ecosystem.

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Hong Kong (CNN) — While multiple airlines have temporarily suspended all flights to China due to the coronavirus outbreak, those that are still flying to the country are adopting a series of measures to prevent the spread of the deadly disease. Hong Kong flag carrier Cathay Pacific announced it will no longer offer hot towels, pillows, blankets and magazines to passengers on Cathay Pacific and subsidiary Cathay Dragon flights to and from mainland China.Trolley services and in-flight sales will also be suspended.Passengers traveling in premium economy and economy classes will receive hot hand-held snacks served in a disposable bag as opposed to the usual hot tray meals. Instead of getting each dish served individually, passengers in business and first class will receive multi-course meals served in one tray.”These changes will enable us to provide enhanced protection for our customers and crew while at the same time continuing to deliver a satisfactory inflight experience for passengers,” says the official statement from Cathay Pacific. According to Hong Kong Airport flight data, on January 30 Cathay Pacific/Cathay Dragon operated 55 scheduled flights to mainland China.Other airlines are taking similar measures to reduce the contact between their crew members and travelers.Passengers won’t be offered mixed nuts, bread or hot drinks on the flights either. Inflight entertainment will be limited to the newspapers and reading materials inside the seat pocket. Cabin crew wear masks and glovesThai Airways says it will disinfectant all planes returning from high-risk areas.Patipat Janthong/Barcroft Media via Getty ImagesThailand has reported 14 cases of the disease — the highest number outside of China. Thai Airways — together with subsidiary THAI Smile — said in a media briefing on Tuesday that its cabin crew will wear masks and gloves on flights when flying to high-risk areas. All aircraft, including the cockpit, will undergo a 45-minute disinfection period after returning from mainland China. Some parts of the planes, including the passenger seats, pockets and inflight entertainment systems, will go through a deep cleaning. Other measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus include screening passengers for symptoms both on the ground and during flights. Japan’s All Nippon Airways, the largest airline in the country, has also notified passengers on its website that staff on flights to Chinese cities including Beijing and Shanghai will be wearing masks. “In light of the large numbers of people wearing them, cabin attendants working on the flights have been wearing masks on board to reassure passengers who are using our services,” says the notice.Flights canceled, reducedMcDonald’s closed restaurants in five Chinese cities, Disney shut down its Shanghai theme park, and airlines have suspended flights as the coronavirus spreads.Though all airlines have canceled flights to and from Wuhan, which is under lockdown, some airlines have taken things a step further by canceling or reducing flights to other major cities in China.  US carrier United Airlines announced Tuesday that it has canceled flights from February 1 through February 8 between US hubs and Beijing, Hong Kong and Shanghai.British Airways suspended all direct flights between Britain and China from Wednesday.Other airlines that have temporarily suspended flights to China include Lufthansa, Air France, Turkish Airlines, Lion Air, EgyptAir and Air Canada. Meanwhile, airlines such as AirAsia, Singapore Airlines, Finnair, China Airlines, EVA Airways and Silk Air have announced that they will reduce capacity on selected routes to China. Many airlines have offered waivers on change fees or the option to cancel for credit on a future flight.Travelers with upcoming flights should check with their airlines and look for advisories posted on carriers’ websites.CNN’s Marnie Hunter and Kocha Olarn contributed to the report.

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(CNN) — Britain’s departure from the European Union is finally upon us, but after all the warnings of chaos for inbound tourists and problems for UK travelers heading to the continent, what will situations will travelers actually face after January 31? The arrival of Brexit comes three and a half years after the country held a referendum that set it in motion and follows a series of missed deadlines, each one carrying the threat of the UK leaving with “no deal” — a scenario that raised the prospect of a shortage of medical supplies and food, as well as long border queues.What will change?Travel between the UK and the EU will stay the same during the 11-month transition period.Tolga Akmen/AFP via Getty ImagesAlthough the UK exits the EU on January 31, it will remain part of the single market and customs union under the terms of the implementation period or transition. This lasts until December 31, 2020, when it’s hoped a new trade deal, security arrangements and immigration laws will be enacted. Failure to reach an agreement could lead to “no deal” becoming a live prospect once more. For now, that remains an issue for another day. In April 2019, the European Parliament confirmed it had agreed a deal for UK citizens to travel visa-free on a short stay (90 days in any 180 days) within the borderless Schengen Area that covers most of western Europe.”The transition period, which kicks off from February 1, will mean that travel between the UK and Europe will stay exactly the same until December 31, 2020. “According to the FCO (Foreign and Commonwealth Office), UK nationals can continue to travel to the EU exactly as they do now,” says Tom Jenkins, chief executive of the European Tourism Association. “You won’t need a visa or six months left on your passport or evidence of a return ticket.”Frank Marr, Travel and Tourism Chairman for the PRCA and MD of AM+A, a travel marketing company based in the UK, agrees.”Based on current agreements we expect a large chunk of things to stay the same — access to EU countries should not change for visitors looking to stay in Europe for less than a month,” he says.However, as the UK and EU cannot legally start negotiations over their future relationship until February, it’s unclear how travelers will be treated come 2021. Priti Patel, the UK Home Secretary, has said that whatever happens, freedom of movement, and the ability to work in the UK without a visa for EU citizens, will end.There are currently plans for the UK to be part of the new European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS) from next year (although there remains a chance ETIAS may not be up and running by then). Similar to the ESTA visa waiver used by UK tourists traveling to the United States, this will allow UK citizens to travel into the Schengen Area without a visa, as long as they pay €7. The waiver will last three years and can be bought online. However, the UK’s participation in ETIAS is dependent on the UK Parliament ensuring EU citizens can travel on holiday without a visa to the UK using a similar, electronic system.Jonathan Smith, from the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA), says people were receptive to the idea when the travel association conducted research into what was known about ETIAS. “The majority of people we spoke with were quite happy with it, as long as it wasn’t too expensive or wouldn’t take them too long to do,” says Smith.One exception to ETIAS will be the Republic of Ireland. Since 1923, the Common Travel Area has meant people from the UK and Ireland have been able to travel between the two countries without a visa.”Brexit doesn’t change the ease of getting to Ireland or the warmth of the welcome,” says Niall Gibbons, CEO of Tourism Ireland.However, the very real chance of the UK and EU not reaching an agreement by the end of 2020 means that frictionless travel across the English Channel could be over for good in 11 months’ time. “It could well be that we’re back communicating on the issues we were talking about at previous deadlines,” adds Smith.”Such as the need for passports to have extra validity, what would happen with changes to driving rules and the validity of European Health Insurance Cards.”What will airports and ferry terminals be like?Travelers may have to use different queues when arriving at airports and ferry terminals.Oli Scarff/Getty Images”In the initial transition period visitors traveling in the UK and the southeast of England are unlikely to see much of a change, with flights continuing to run smoothly, European visitors continuing to travel on ID cards and e-passport gates still permitted for all international visitors,” explains Fran Downton, chief executive of Tourism South East, which promotes the English region that’s geographically closest to continental Europe. However, even if an agreement on the future relationship is reached by the end of the year, there’s a chance travelers will have to use different lines on arrival at airports and ferry terminals, with additional checks in place. This could cause major delays, especially at already clogged airports such as Heathrow, with major concerns about traffic at busy ports like Dover in the UK and Calais in France. Issues could arise around EU citizens traveling to the UK on ID cards rather than passports, something they can currently do but may be banned from doing next year.”The difficulty lies in the fact that EU countries have a binding obligation to treat non-EU/EEA visitors differently,” adds the European Tourism Association’s Tom Jenkins.”This could lead to delays at borders, as no country has yet built immigration capacity sufficient to cope with full scrutiny of big volumes of arrivals.”Kelly Cooke, leisure director at Advantage Travel Partnership, the UK’s largest independent travel agent consortium, expresses similar concern.”The government also needs to give clarity, as deals are finalized, that the process of entering the EU from the end of December 2020 will not lead to long queues on arrival as this will deter travelers.”What about driving in the EU?Travelers driving from the UK to the EU via the Channel Tunnel may need and International Driving Permit. Rudy and Peter Skitterians from PixabayWhile taking a car from the UK to the EU via the Channel Tunnel or on a ferry service will remain as simple after January 31, it’s likely that by 2021, things will have changed. Drivers may also need a special “green card” from their insurance company and a GB sticker on their bumper. This issue may be resolved during the upcoming negotiation, with an easier, EU-wide set of rules for UK drivers potentially being put in place.Will you need travel insurance?Holidaying in the EU could become more costly for those with long-term illnesses.Savo Prelevic/AFP/Getty ImagesThe European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), which guarantees carriers access to free medical care, will still be valid during the transition. As with so much else surrounding Brexit, the real conundrum comes in 2021. According to official UK guidance: “After Brexit your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) card may not be valid.”It’s doubtful the UK will remain part of the EHIC system, meaning UK travelers will need a comprehensive insurance policy to ensure they get healthcare in case of an emergency. As EHIC covers pre-existing conditions, this could make holidaying in the EU more costly for those with long-term illnesses. ABTA, however, says its guidance remains the same as ever. “ABTA has always advised holidaymakers and business travelers to make sure they have appropriate travel insurance, whether they have an EHIC card or not, as there are limitations to EHIC,” it says on its website.Will mobile phone bills soar?Mobile phone roaming charges are likely to soar for UK travelers to Europe.Sean Gallup/Getty ImagesAgreements, which came into force in 2017, outlawed punitive roaming charges for European citizens when using their mobile phone within the European Union. However, while these are set to stay in place during the implementation period, the lack of clarity over the UK’s future relationship means they could be back for British travelers in 2021.”Mobile roaming charges are likely to re-appear in Europe, so we’d advise travelers to check carefully with their providers, to avoid the potential for large unexpected bills,” says James Lynn from Currensea, a pre-paid travel card provider. While no network in the UK has said it will reintroduce roaming charges, a lack of EU regulation from 2021 means that divergence could lead to higher prices for travelers.”After Brexit, the guarantee of free mobile phone roaming throughout the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway will end,” says the official UK government website.A cheap bet for US travelers?The weakening of the pound against the dollar will benefit US visitors to the UK.ShutterstockSince the Brexit vote, the value of the pound has plunged considerably against both the euro and US dollar. UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s re-election in December 2019, and the prospect of stable government, saw a brief rebound, but as 2020 wears on and uncertainty over an agreement grows, that weakness is likely to remain a theme.”In the short term, we expect to see a continued recovery of the pound, but predict continued exchange rate volatility until the final withdrawal agreement is in place,” adds Lynn. “Going into 2021, we see far greater uncertainty about the pound at this stage. “A compromised withdrawal deal could lead to a far weaker pound, leading to a strong focus on cheaper destinations for holidaymakers as a result.”However, a weak pound does mean that inbound tourism to the UK from outside the EU could be boosted.Visit Britain forecasts that spending by inbound tourists will have grown by 9.1% in 2020, to £25 billion ($32 billion), with inbound visits topping 38 million. It seems that while Brexit will have a very real effect on travel from the UK, the weakening of sterling has had a positive on the at home tourism industry.”The US remains the top-ranking country for inbound visitors to the UK and southeast in terms of visits and spend, although it’s hard to predict the long-term strength of the pound,” says Downton.”It is unlikely that it will impact the position of US inbound visitors.”However, for UK travelers, higher prices for EU trips, especially after the transition period ends, are a growing concern. “The need for clarification on cross border movement will become a priority when companies launch their holidays for 2021,” explains Cooke. “Currently we know that there will be changes, but not what they will look like and this could impact pricing.”

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