FlixBus adds three new coach routes in Cornwall
'Supports tourism'
The travel company said more than 200 of its buses were on the roads across England, Scotland and Wales, linking more than 80 destinations.National Coach Week, which runs from 12-18 May, is organised by the Road Haulage Association.Managing director Richard Smit said the week was "a fantastic opportunity to shine a spotlight on the vital role the coach industry plays in our society"."Coaches provide essential transport links, connect communities, and support our tourism sector," he said.
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Time Out
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Japan Airlines is giving away free flights to American travelers—here's how to get one
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The Independent
6 hours ago
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The number of tourists heading to Antarctica has been skyrocketing. From fewer than 8,000 a year about three decades ago, nearly 125,000 tourists flocked to the icy continent in 2023–24. The trend is likely to continue in the long term. Unchecked tourism growth in Antarctica risks undermining the very environment that draws visitors. This would be bad for operators and tourists. It would also be bad for Antarctica – and the planet. Over the past two weeks, the nations that decide what human activities are permitted in Antarctica have convened in Italy. The meeting incorporates discussions by a special working group that aims to address tourism issues. It's not easy to manage tourist visitors to a continent beyond any one country's control. So, how do we stop Antarctica being loved to death? The answer may lie in economics. Future visitor trends We recently modelled future visitor trends in Antarctica. A conservative scenario shows by 2033–34, visitor numbers could reach around 285,000. Under the least conservative scenario, numbers could reach 450,000 – however, this figure incorporates pent-up demand from Covid shutdowns that will likely diminish. The vast majority of the Antarctic tourism industry comprises cruise-ship tourism in the Antarctic Peninsula. A small percentage of visitors travel to the Ross Sea region and parts of the continent's interior. Antarctic tourism is managed by an international set of agreements together known as the Antarctic Treaty System, as well as the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO). The Treaty System is notoriously slow-moving and riven by geopolitics, and IAATO does not have the power to cap visitor numbers. Pressure on a fragile continent About two-thirds of Antarctic tourists land on the continent. The visitors can threaten fragile ecosystems by: compacting soils trampling fragile vegetation introducing non-native microbes and plant species disturbing breeding colonies of birds and seals. Even when cruise ships don't dock, they can cause problems such as air, water and noise pollution – as well as anchoring that can damage the seabed. Then there's carbon emissions. Each cruise ship traveller to Antarctica typically produces between 3.2 and 4.1 tonnes of carbon, not including travel to the port of departure. This is similar to the carbon emissions an average person produces in a year. Global warming caused by carbon emissions is damaging Antarctica. At the Peninsula region, glaciers and ice shelves are retreating and sea ice is shrinking, affecting wildlife and vegetation. Of course, Antarctic tourism represents only a tiny fraction of overall emissions. However, the industry has a moral obligation to protect the place that maintains it. 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But while a tax might deter the budget-conscious, it probably wouldn't deter high income, experience-driven tourists. Alternatively, a cap-and-trade system would create a limited number of Antarctica visitor permits for a fixed period. The initial distribution of permits could be among tourism operators or countries, via negotiation, auction or lottery. Unused permits could then be sold, making them quite valuable. Caps have been successful at managing tourism impacts elsewhere, such as Lord Howe Island, although there are no trades allowed in that system. Any cap on tourist numbers in Antarctica, and rules for trading, must be based on evidence about what the environment can handle. But there is a lack of precise data on Antarctica's carrying capacity. And permit allocations amongst the operators and nations would need to be fair and inclusive. 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The authors would like to acknowledge Valeria Senigaglia, Natalie Stoeckl and Jing Tian and the rest of the team for their contributions to the research upon which this article was based.
BBC News
8 hours ago
- BBC News
Swindon sight loss charity chair on five-county bus pass trek
A woman who is registered blind is to embark on a charity challenge with her husband, crossing five counties in five days using just her disability bus pass and Harrison and husband Uan said the challenge, which starts on 26 August, was inspired by the BBC programme Race Across the World, where people travel within a strict budget. They are raising money for Swindon Bats a charity which helps visually impaired people in the town access sport and social events. The couple will travel to Penzance and then aim to walk and travel by bus to return to Swindon. They have not planned accommodation, so will find it along the way but are also taking a tent. They will take the train to Penzance before navigating back through Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, Bath and North East Somerset and Wiltshire in five Harrison has done other challenges before but said they wanted "up our games a bit".She was registered blind in 2021 and previously told the BBC Swindon Bats had helped her deal with her sight loss. She now is the charity's chairperson and in 2023 raised £2,000 with a coastal path walking challenge."It's literally blind as bats. It's our humour. We just love a bit of banter" she explained. The fan of Race Across the World added her challenge was also about showing how valuable bus passes were to those with visual impairments. "We're trying to show using your disabled bus pass to get as far as you possibly can," she said. "We hope we can show people what we're made of Harrison added: "When life throws you something as difficult and as challenging as sight loss you can go two ways about it. You can turn away from the world or you can try and embrace the change as best you can."
