News

Newest National Park Service site is a stark reminder of the era of segregated schools in the US

At first glance, it’s a rather unmarkable, plain-looking, one-story building that sits in an unadorned lot in the dry West Texas town of Marfa. It has off-white adobe walls and a metal roof. On the front, it has two narrow vertical windows and a wooden door. A handful of utilitarian steps with no railings lead inside. And yet Blackwell School is the newest site in the US National Park system because of the remarkable story of what happened here. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland formally established the school as a National Historic Site on Wednesday, according to a news release from the National Park Service. It’s one of 76 sites with that designation. It joins the ranks of such historically important places as the Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site in New York, the Ford’s Theatre National Historic Site in Washington, DC, and the Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site in Alabama. The US National Park Service now has a total of 430 units, including 63 National Parks, under its wide umbrella. History of Blackwell School Built in 1909, the school “serves as a significant example of how racism and cultural disparity dominated education and social systems in the United States during this period of de facto segregation from 1889 to 1965,” the NPS release said. Unlike schools in much of the South that primarily focused on segregation of African Americans, Blackwell was established for Mexican and Mexican-American students. By receiving the designation, Blackwell School has permanent protection and can provide physical testimony that helps tell the history of Texas school districts that set up elementary schools for Mexican American children, the release said. “A complete history of America must include everyone’s story. The designation of the Blackwell School National Historic Site is an important step in telling a more diverse and inclusive history of the Mexican American experience in our country,” said Chuck Sams, director of the National Park Service. The site has the original 1909 adobe schoolhouse and a smaller 1927 classroom building known as the Band Hall. The buildings hold photographs, memorabilia and panels that display quotes and stories from students and teachers, NPS said. Marfa: Tourist attraction Marfa, population just over 1,700, is about 45 miles (72 kilometers) east of the U.S.-Mexico border and about 400 miles west of San Antonio on a lonely stretch of high-altitude highway. The town has become something of an essential stop for a West Texas road trip, especially for lovers of avant-garde art. Artist Donald Judd helped get things started in the 1970s with his installation of minimalist aluminum boxes inside buildings at the former Fort D.A. Russell military post. It’s now called The Chinati Foundation (La Fundación Chinati) and features permanent, large-scale works of art. The town is also home to Prada Marfa, a stocked faux boutique by artist duo Elmgreen & Dragset that comments on materialism. Various art galleries also dot the town, covering a range of styles from world tribal art to minimalist, contemporary works.

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North Korea announces opening of long-abandoned ‘Tourist City’ in May 2025

North Korea's long-delayed Wonsan-Kalma beach resort is set to welcome tourists in May 2025, as announced by leader Kim Jong Un during his visit to the site on the east coast. Initiated in early 2018, the development of this extensive coastal tourist city faced several setbacks, missing its initial 2019 opening dates. The project was further delayed and largely abandoned due to the pandemic. Spanning 605 acres (245 hectares) and featuring thousands of hotel rooms along a 3.5-mile (5.5-km) white-sand beach, the resort is a significant undertaking by the military. In recent months, some Russian tourists were given an exclusive preview of the resort. During Kim's first visit to Wonsan-Kalma in over five years, he noted that the construction had reached its final phase. He held a meeting with top officials, discussing the final preparations required for the resort's operation ahead of its opening in May 2025. He emphasised the need for high service standards and called for additional features like an amusement park, leisure activity areas, proper waste management, and training for service experts. Earlier state media reports indicated Kim's interest in inviting tourists, particularly from friendly nations such as Russia and China, to other tourist zones in the country, raising speculation about whether Western tourists would be allowed. The latest report suggested plans to expand foreign tourism at Wonsan after the borders, closed in January 2020 due to the pandemic, began reopening around a year ago. Kim highlighted the importance of developing sports-based, leisure-oriented, and sightseeing tourism along the coast to position Wonsan-Kalma as a premier global destination.

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Global Destinations partners with WOTF Group in India: Now tourists to unveil Greece’s wonders What you need to know?

Global Destinations, a premier travel representation company, announces its partnership with WOTF Group in for Indian tourists to unveil Greece‘s wonders. This strategic collaboration is aimed at promoting Greece as a top travel destination for Indian tourists. With its rich history, stunning landscapes, and vibrant culture, Greece has long been a favorite among global travelers. Through this partnership, Global Destinations will leverage its extensive industry expertise and deep market knowledge to showcase the diverse and unique experiences that Greece has to offer to Indian tourists. “We are thrilled to be the chosen partner for WOTF Group in India,” said Pranav Kapadia, Founder and Director of Global Destinations. “Greece is a destination that perfectly aligns with the evolving travel aspirations of Indian tourists, who are increasingly seeking rich architectural and archaeological treasures, pristine natural beauty, and unforgettable memories. Our mission will be to elevate Greece’s presence in the Indian market and inspire more travelers to explore this incredible country.” WOTF Group, a leader in global travel and tourism management, is renowned for its innovative and comprehensive approach to destination marketing. This collaboration will focus on a range of strategic initiatives, including targeted marketing campaigns, trade partnerships, sales missions, and networking with travel agents across India, all designed to highlight Greece’s unique attractions and drive visitor growth from India. About the partnership, Nikolas Kavalieros, Managing Partner at WOTF Group, stated “India is a key market for us, and we believe that Global Destinations, with their proven track record and industry relationships, is the ideal partner to help us achieve our objectives. We are confident that this partnership will significantly boost Greece’s visibility and appeal among Indian travelers.” With international travel on the rise, Greece is making a strategic move to diversify its tourism by capitalizing on India’s growing travel enthusiasm. This new partnership between Global Destinations and WOTF Group fosters not only cultural exchange but also economic cooperation between the two nations. Together, they’re committed to showcasing the wonders of Greece for Indian travelers, from iconic landmarks like the Athenian Acropolis to the pristine beaches and picturesque villages. But they won’t stop there – they’ll also be highlighting Greece’s hidden gems, creating a comprehensive travel experience that caters to a wide range of interests and preferences.

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Train travel is making a comeback

Travelling by train in Europe is becoming more convenient and sustainable thanks to recent EU initiatives. New regulations for the trans-European transport network (TEN-T) to improve rail connectivity and make travel greener have recently entered into force. This means better and more efficient rail services across Europe. The EU's Action Plan to boost long-distance and cross-border passenger rail services is a key part of these efforts. It aims to double high-speed rail traffic by 2030 and triple it by 2050. Launched in 2021, this plan focuses on removing obstacles, improving interoperability, modernising passenger rail infrastructure, and enhancing the quality of services across EU countries. To further support cross-border travel, the European Commission has announced its support for 10 pilot projects to boost cross-border rail services. This will improve cross-border rail connections across the EU and make travel faster, easier and more affordable. Young travellers can particularly benefit from the DiscoverEU programme, which regularly offers free travel passes to 18-year-olds to explore Europe by train. This programme encourages cultural exchange and highlights the environmental advantages of rail travel. The next call for applications should be published in autumn 2024. Passenger rights are also a significant focus of the EU’s transport policy. Travellers in Europe are well-protected in case something goes wrong during their trip. EU passenger rights cover delays, cancellations, and accessibility issues. The EU is committed to making train travel a top choice by improving regulations, creating ambitious plans, and supporting special programmes. These efforts aim to make rail travel more sustainable, efficient, and well-connected across Europe.

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FlixBus partners with Paytm to enhance global travel tech distribution

Global travel tech firm FlixBus has partnered with fintech major Paytm to expand its distribution network, a joint statement said on Tuesday. With this, FlixBus tickets will now be available through the Paytm app. "This collaboration is poised to drive substantial growth for both companies, expanding Paytm's travel options and reinforcing its position in the travel industry while enabling FlixBus to tap into Paytm's vast customer base and technological expertise," the statement said. "By encouraging more people to choose bus travel, we can significantly reduce emissions and make a positive impact on the environment. Webelieve it will significantly enhance the travel experience for millions of users," Surya Khurana, Managing Director of FlixBus India, said. Shares of Paytm settled at Rs 459.75 a piece on the BSE, down 2 per cent from the previous close.

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Radisson partners with Hubli to enable real-time meetings bookings

Radisson Hotel Group and enterprise meetings booking platform Hubli have unwrapped a real-time integration to Radisson’s property management system that automates responses and the booking process for Hubli-facilitated requests for proposals. The entities are bridged by AI-powered pricing and revenue management engine Hivr.ai, which entered into partnership with Radisson in late 2023 to help the hotel group automate processes for meetings and events. According to the Hivr.ai website, the technology allows hotels to consolidate meeting and group booking requests “across all portals” and place them into context with one another with data visualisation dashboards. The AI-based tech automates availability and capacity checks, fills out the RFP forms, sends follow-up emails and overlays its pricing engine, which automatically submits bids for RFPs. If the RFP terms are met – and the meeting organiser accepts the pricing – the integrated systems automatically book the event and remove the meeting and sleeping rooms from the property’s available inventory. The Hubli announcement emphasised the technology was in place up and down the Radisson Hotel Group brand portfolio, providing meeting hosts of all types a fit-to-purpose hotel service category for each meeting. Once the meeting is booked, Hubli planning and management technology applies to the meeting specifics with in-built policy, savings and sustainability controls.

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