Coronavirus Vaccine Trials Advance in Race for Covid-19 Protection

The global push to develop and secure coronavirus vaccines is accelerating, with researchers reporting positive developments in early studies and countries signing deals to lock up supplies. More than 160 vaccines are under development globally, spurred by the U.S. government's Operation Warp Speed program and other fast-track initiatives.  There are also numerous efforts to develop treatment for those already infected. That is a lot to take in and follow.  Lucky Bloomberg has done all the work for you.  Here is a webpage that tracks the current state of play on vaccines and treatments all in one place.

Comparing Paycheck Protection Program Reform Proposals

With negotiations between the two houses of Congress and the White House on the next COVID-19 relief package, it can be confusing what is in each side’s proposal.  One of the most important issues for Destination Organizations is the expansion of the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Adding to the confusion is the competing proposals within each bill introduced - the House-passed Heroes Act and the HEALS Act introduced in the Senate.

Robert Mangas at Greenberg Traurig, LLP has put together a simple table that outlines the primary differences in approach of the two bills for extending the PPP the their Hot of the Hill blog.

When Will International Travel Return? A Country-By-Country Guide to Coronavirus Recovery

Coronavirus has us all frozen in place and dreaming of when we can start booking international travel again. The bad news is very few countries are open to tourism right now. The good news is that some countries are slowly opening again and more are providing timelines on when travel might again be possible. The Points Guy gives you a continent by continent break out of where things stand.

Reimagining the $9 trillion tourism economy—what will it take?

McKinsey & Company looks at reopening tourism-related businesses and managing their recovery in a way that is safe, attractive for tourists, and economically viable. They argue that this will require coordination at a level not seen before and that government may be the best positioned to take this on. In this article, McKinsey suggests four ways in which governments can reimagine their role in the tourism sector in the context of COVID-19. These are 1) Streamlining public–private interfaces through a tourism nerve center; 2) Experimenting with new financing mechanisms; 3) Ensuring transparent, consistent communication on protocols; and 4) Enabling a digital and analytics transformation within the tourism sector. Some interesting ideas and worth a read.

Tourism Talent & Opportunity in the Time of COVID-19 featuring Mike Gamble

David Peacock is a well-regarded thought leader in the tourism industry and not too long ago joined forces with Simpleview to lead the Future Tourism Group. David brings extensive experience in the industry, including almost a decade as the CEO of Regional Tourism Organization Four (RTO4), where he worked with key industry partners to develop programs, initiatives, and methodologies to drive the tourism industry forward. He is one of my favorite people and has a very podcast series on our industry.  In his latest podcast David talks with Mike Gamble of SearchWide and talks about Mike’s view that the near future is an opportunity for individuals and enterprises alike. This is worth a listen.