Travel industry demonstrates it has compassion during these tough times:
Ian Stalker
Those in the travel industry can be forgiven for believing that the worst in travel industry times brings out the best in travel industry personnel.
There are a seemingly unlimited number of reports of industry generosity during these days of the coronavirus pandemic, as industry staffers here and abroad reach out to help make the world a better place.
Here are some of the heartwarming stories:
Celestyal Cruises
Greek cruise company Celestyal Cruises, which is based at the port of Piraeus, Athens, has distributed some 5.5 tons of non-perishable food, as well as first aid kits and personal hygiene products to an estimated 7,500 residents in need in the municipalities of the metropolitan region of Piraeus as well as the Piraeus Nursing Home.
Celestyal has also joined forces with Greece’s Ministry of Health, supporting the National Health System with a contribution of health supplies. The donation includes 12,000 surgical masks and 1,100 litres of liquid disinfectants to be distributed to the Health Centres dedicated to COVID-19 patients.
In addition, Celestyal Cruises, as a gesture of gratitude to the country’s health staff, which is at the forefront of the fight against the pandemic and acts selflessly for the welfare of the whole community, offered 50 three-day cruises for two people to first responders. The three-night Mediterranean cruises will take place during 2020 and 2021, and include stateroom accommodation, standard beverages, entertainment, gratuities and two excursions to ancient Ephesus, Kusadasi and the Palace of Knossos in Crete.
In addition, Celestyal Cruises will soon launch globally a special discount for frontline healthcare workers.
“Going through one of the most difficult times in modern history, our goal is to both support and offer relief to the socially vulnerable groups from the effects of the pandemic, but also to demonstrate our gratitude to those who are at the front lines of this fight. In these extremely difficult and unpredictable times worldwide, it is values such as humanity and solidarity that matter most,” said Chris Theophilides, CEO of Celestyal Cruises.
Ethiopian Airlines
Ethiopian Airlines is doing its part to help ensure medical personnel in this country have the equipment they need as they do battle against coronavirus.
The carrier has delivered over 40 tonnes of medical equipment from China to Toronto, including much-needed face masks for health care professionals.
“This is another milestone for Ethiopian Airlines. We have brought our first medical equipment to Canada,” said Samson Arega, Ethiopian Airlines’ Canada country manager.
“This is an extraordinary time for all medical professionals who are on the frontlines, fighting this global pandemic. We are helping them and delivering personal protective equipment to help them fight this global pandemic. We are proud that we can contribute to this.”
Ethiopian Airlines also distributed urgently needed medical equipment to over 54 African countries in six days.
AmaWaterways
Luxury river cruise company AmaWaterways believes the efforts of those in the forefront of the fight against coronavirus shouldn’t go unrewarded.
“As a gesture of the company’s heartfelt appreciation, all medical professionals, first responders and employees of essential services are eligible to receive a complimentary Future Cruise Certificate, which can be used with one paying guest in the same stateroom,” AmaWaterways says. The certificate may be redeemed for any AmaWaterways Europe or Asia sailing through Dec. 31, 2021 for reservations made within 90 days of the sailing date.
“There are none more deserving of a river cruise vacation than today’s frontline heroes — the doctors, nurses, paramedics, police officers, firefighters and many other frontline professionals who are diligently helping others and inspiring hope during these challenging times,” said Kristin Karst, executive vice president and co-founder of AmaWaterways. “To express our deepest gratitude, we hope to welcome these very special individuals and their loved ones on an unforgettable river cruise as soon as we resume sailing.”
In tandem with the complimentary cruise-only offer, AmaWaterways is also extending a book-now option to those eager to reconnect with family and friends and reserve their 2021 journey, with savings of up to $2,000 per stateroom, plus complimentary pre-paid gratuities. This offer can be applied to any destination for travel in 2021, including Egypt’s Nile River, where the new AmaDahlia is scheduled to set sail beginning in September.
AmaWaterways’ offer allows travel agents to connect with and pay tribute to their local frontline heroes. Travel partners can apply for a Future Cruise Certificate on their clients’ behalf by calling 1.800.626.0126 or by visiting AmaWaterways.com/Hero. (The offers are only applicable to medical, professionals, first responders and employees of essential services with valid identification.)
The Royal Mansour Marrakech
The Royal Mansour Marrakech wanted to make sure that health care staff at CHU Hospital in Marrekech were quickly able to have food after sunset during the month of Ramadan, during which Muslims are expected to fast between sunrise and sunset.
The upscale resort’s chefs and food and beverage team decided to create “delicious and comforting break-fasting meals” for hospital staff and others working to contain coronavirus.
“We are ever so grateful to the frontline teams and first responders around the globe who have bravely tackled the pandemic whilst we all shelter in place,” the Royal Mansour Marrakech said. “Ramadan is a month to give and share with communities.”
Food making, packaging and delivery are processed under strict health safety measures prescribed in the context of protection against COVID-19, added the hotel, which is slated to reopen July 31.
Blue Mountain Village Foundation
The problems that coronavirus is creating for Ontario’s South Georgian Bay area haven’t gone unnoticed by the region’s Blue Mountain Village Foundation (BMVF).
The foundation, affiliated with the popular Blue Mountain year-round resort, knows that coronavirus is increasing demands on families, heath care teams, essential workers, businesses and local charitable organizations.
“That is why we launched our Accelerated Spring Grant Program with streamlined criteria and a desire to donate funds to organizations that need support right now to help our community adapt to the crisis and help those most in need,” BMVF says. “We asked local organizations to send us one-page grant requests that included the issues they were mobilizing to address, creative approaches used to meet the challenges, and collaborations and partnerships they were implementing to magnify impact. As a result of applications received, we are proud to announce the granting of $17,000 split evenly among… 17 successful agencies.”
Those agencies include the Alzheimer Society Grey-Bruce, Blue Mountain Foundation for the Arts, Collingwood Hospital Foundation, Environment Network, Meaford Farmers Market, Meaford Hospital Foundation, and the Senior’s Care Meal Delivery Program.
“On behalf of our fundraising team and partners, our board of directors and staff and all members of the Blue Mountain Village Community, we extend a sincere thank you to all local service agencies, first responders and essential service teams who are going above and beyond to support our community,” the foundation says. “We are in this together, and together we are stronger!”
The Travel Corporation
Jeff Element knows he has plenty of colleagues across the pond for whom doing the right thing comes naturally.
Element, president of The Travel Corporation Canada, notes affiliated Red Carnation Hotels properties in Ireland and England routinely lend a helping hand to those in their communities.
For instance, The Duke of Richmond in Guernsey has delivered dinners to elderly people in its community for free, while London’s The Milestone Hotel has been sending cupcakes and hand creams to nearby ambulance crews. Also in London, Egerton House Hotel staff have been taking a dog belonging to an elderly community resident no longer able to leave home out for daily walks, and another London hotel — The Montague on the Gardens — has been providing toiletries to the homeless.
Evershot, England’s Summer Lodge Country House has handed out herbs and other edibles to residents of a community that has many senior citizens and Ashford Estate in Cong, Ireland, has been sending “comfort packages” containing snacks and other items to medical workers to “raise their spirits and show appreciation.”
“The Travel Corporation’s teams at our Red Carnation Hotel properties set the stage for corporate social responsibility and responsible tourism,” says Element. “Our dedicated team members are committed to lending a hand to community initiatives on a regular basis and it gives us great pride to know that our TTC family around the world is giving back in any way they can during this time of recovery.”
Hillary Cassel, left, of the Dolphins Plus Marine Mammal Rescue Team, Adam Keaton, center, of Dolphin Research Center and Blake Faucett, right, of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission examine an orphaned infant manatee in Islamorada, Fla. Courtesy: Mary Stella/Florida Keys News Bureau/HO
The Miami Seaquarium
The Miami Seaquarium is serving as a temporary foster parent for a manatee calf. The orphaned infant manatee was rescued May 2 by Florida Keys-based marine mammal rescue volunteers in oceanside waters off the island of Islamorada.
The lone calf was spotted beneath underwater rocks along a dock at a private residence, whose occupants reported the manatee sighting to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
Staff from Dolphin Research Center’s Manatee Rescue Team and volunteers with Dolphins Plus Marine Mammal Responder unit helped corral the calf with netting, allowing the rescuers to successfully scoop it from the water using a large hoop net.
The calf may have been without its mother for several days, an unusual amount of time for the pair to be separated, according to a Dolphin Research Centre spokesperson. She didn’t t know why the calf was separated from her mom.
After the successful rescue, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission staff transported the calf to Miami Seaquarium for treatment and rehabilitation. A Seaquarium veterinarian said in early May that the manatee was in “guarded condition.”
The small female is less than four feet long, considered underweight at 65.5 pounds and was diagnosed with a bacterial infection. After initial evaluation and treatment, she was placed in a pool with an older orphaned female manatee and is reported to be sticking close to the older orphan’s side.
While the Florida Keys remain closed to visitors during the coronavirus crisis, the area’s many nature and wildlife rehabilitation centres continue caring for rescued wildlife and helping animals in need.
Sunwing
The company’s Hero Vacations initiative will give away 100 week-long all-inclusive vacations to “frontline heroes” who have been helping their families or communities fight the pandemic.
Sunwing — which has released a video paying tribute to those it’s saluting — is inviting people to nominate those they think are deserving of one of the vacations.
Eligible nominees can be health care workers, emergency service providers or “anyone who has helped keep Canada safe during this difficult time.”
“As a Canadian family-owned business, we are tremendously grateful for everything our frontline workers are doing to keep Canadian families safe. We want to do our part to thank these frontline heroes who step up each and every day, putting their lives at risk, to save lives and ensure we have our essentials,” said Sunwing president Stephen Hunter. “With Sunwing’s Hero Vacations, we hope to highlight amazing stories of everyday Canadians courage and care and thank those workers by making their vacation dreams come true, giving them a week of much-deserved rest, relaxation and luxury.”
- Nominate a deserving frontline hero using the Sunwing form.
- Share a photo of a deserving frontline hero on Instagram using the #SunwingCelebratesHeroes hashtag and tagging @sunwingvacations in the caption with a brief description of why they deserve a vacation (must be posted from a public profile or the post will not be entered).
