Eliana Willis

Yesterday SeaWorld Orlando opened its first and all new Coral Rescue Center to park guests following a VIP ribbon cutting ceremony with esteemed members from Florida’s conservation and rescue communities and local, state, and national lawmakers. It is one of the largest public-facing facilities dedicated to coral conservation in the country. The state-of-the-art rescue facility provides the public with a unique opportunity to observe and interact with coral biologists as they carry out daily husbandry for “at risk” Florida corals. The center provides an important way to view living corals up close, learn more about conservation, and understand the steps everyone can take to make a difference in ocean health. Park guests to the new center marveled today at the hundreds of living coral colonies and 15 different species – many of which are listed as threatened under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. The center is part of SeaWorld’s ongoing commitment to coral conservation as the private and public sector come together to help save the Florida coral reef. The Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida is the partner of the coral rescue center initiative.
The center’s corals were selected and transferred from the Florida Coral Rescue Center (FCRC) to the SeaWorld Coral Rescue Center for world-class care with the goal of being returned to the Florida reef as part of state and national restoration efforts. The reef is suffering from the devastating effects of stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD) – a highly lethal disease with a mortality rate of up to 100 percent.
“The new SeaWorld Coral Rescue Center represents another significant commitment to protect and conserve coral reefs and the Center enables the public to get a close up look at our work as we provide exceptional care in a safe haven for vulnerable corals as the conservation community works together to restore our vital coral reef system,” said Jim Kinsler, Zoological Curator at SeaWorld Orlando and Manager of the Florida Coral Rescue Center in Orlando. “By raising awareness about the importance of corals and their role in the environment, we hope to ignite a passion for conservation in our visitors, empowering them to become ambassadors for the protection and preservation of Florida’s corals.”
SeaWorld Coral Rescue Center Serves as a Vital Hub for Coral Preservation and Education
Building on the success of the FCRC, the Coral Rescue Center at SeaWorld Orlando serves as an additional holding facility for these vulnerable corals. The Center is a 3,750 gallon fully functional, guest-facing coral facility housing 350 coral colonies and 15 species of at-risk coral, several of which are listed as threatened under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. Moreover, it will act as a crucial platform to educate and engage guests about the significance of coral reefs to sustaining healthy oceans.ADVERTISEMENTExperienced coral biologists at the Center provide the rescued corals with expert care. This involves meticulous attention to water chemistry, flow, filtration, and lighting to ensure the corals thrive. The Center also aims to preserve a natural environment by introducing reef cleaners such as fish, snails, crabs, and sea urchins. These helpful creatures play a crucial role in cleaning algae from the corals and their surroundings, allowing for continued coral growth. To supplement their nutrient requirements, the SeaWorld biologists provide the corals with supplemental nutrients that they process for energy. Through these comprehensive care practices, the SeaWorld Coral Rescue Center contributes to the long-term conservation of corals.
SeaWorld has a longstanding relationship with the Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida. The SeaWorld Coral Rescue Center is an extension of the partnership on the FCRC, providing funds towards the coral housing units that allow SeaWorld to house and care for the rescued corals. “Corals are the rainforests of the ocean,” said Andrew Walker, Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida President & CEO. “In addition to providing a home for a quarter of all marine life, corals buffer our coastline from damaging storms and fuel our state’s economy. We’re grateful to SeaWorld for providing a space for these rescued corals to thrive and for the public to learn more about our partnership to restore Florida’s Coral Reef.”
Bringing Together the Public and Private Sector to Save the Reef
Critical to the recovery of the coral reef system is the partnership between the private conservation community and public sector lawmakers. Legislation aimed at safeguarding coral reefs along Florida’s coast, such as the Florida Coral Reef Protection Act and the Coral Reef Conservation Program, are instrumental in enacting protective measures and providing critical funding for restoration projects.
“The Florida coral reef is in trouble which poses both an ecological and economic threat to the state of Florida and the country. It’s the largest coral reef ecosystem in the continental United States and vital to maintaining healthy oceans. It also supports over 71,000 jobs and generates over $6.3 billion in tourism revenue every year,” said Congressman Soto. “I am proud to have worked across the aisle to pass the Restoring Resilient Reefs Act. Alongside our legislative efforts, partnering with world-class conservation and animal care organizations like SeaWorld will allow us to make a real difference in preserving our reefs for future generations.”
SeaWorld’s commitment to the Florida Reef Tract Rescue Program began in 2019 with the establishment of the FCRC. Selected due to its decades of extensive knowledge and expertise in coral, SeaWorld is one of 22 AZA-partners that has been chosen to facilitate and safekeep coral. In addition to maintaining rescued, healthy coral at the new SeaWorld Coral Rescue Center, SeaWorld is involved at the FCRC – the largest coral nursery in the country – providing world-class care for at-risk corals with the eventual goal of repopulating Florida’s Coral Reef.
For more information, park hours and to purchase tickets, visit SeaWorldOrlando.com. Follow SeaWorld Orlando on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for the latest news from SeaWorld.

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The museums in Quito have a lot to offer, combining learning with fun activities. For example, at the Interactive Science Museum (MIC), located in the traditional Chimbacalle neighbourhood, kids can learn about everything from the life of insects to the laws of physics. There’s also Yaku Park Water Museum in the El Placer neighbourhood, where exhibitions and educational programmes create a space to reflect on the relationship between human beings and water. Other museums with activities for the smallest members of the family are the Alberto Mena Caamaño wax museum, the City Museum (Museo de la Ciudad) or the Intiñán Museum.
Wildlife is always an attraction for children, therefore, the Guayllabamba Zoo, a shelter for wild animals and rescue centre for diverse non-domesticated species; or the Vivarium, the home of around 350 amphibians and reptiles, are ideal for learning about the importance of these living beings and the commitment we have in order to look after their habitat.

Experiences such as Quito Tour Bus route; the traditional games of La Ronda; chocolate making in museums, workshops and cocoa galleries; energy experiments in Mitad del Mundo; climbing to the heights in the TelefériQo cable car; or travelling through space at the Mundo Juvenil and Ciudad Mitad del Mundo planetariums, are ideal for letting your imagination run wild.The open spaces are also a good option when planning an outing with children. For example, Cerro La Luz in Puéllaro, the camping areas in Pululahua or Ilaló, visits to Antisana or Chocó Andino. The Piragua waterfall in Nanegal is another option, or the chain of metropolitan parks, together with a wide variety of estates, country houses and hotels which offer activities and meals for the family.
And when eating, the cuisine from Quito has an ample range of sweets which captivate the palates of all ages: almond sweets, meringue, fruit ice cream and other delicacies are some of the desserts that you can enjoy in Quito.ADVERTISEMENTVisit these magical places in the capital of the Middle of the World and relive childhood adventures, whilst you discover why your story begins in Quito.
For more detail visit https://visitquito.ec/

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Lights, Camera, Adventure: Set-Jetters Boost Bookings For Frontier Canada

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Proving the power of the set-jetting trend, tailor-made tour operator Frontier Canada is seeing a serious rebound in travel to Canada. With the country’s larger-than-life landscapes bursting onto our screens in two critically acclaimed TV series, including the BBC’s Race Across The World and HBO’s The Last of Us, the UK’s passion for travel to the Great White North appears to have been well and truly ignited.
And, there will soon be even more to look forward to, as the second series of The Last of Us is set to be filmed in British Columbia. Canada is also gracing the covers of top-tier publications, with British Vogue including Canada in its top 10 list of Trending Travel Destinations To Explore This Year and TIME magazine highlighting Churchill, Manitoba, as one of the World’s Greatest Places in its third annual roundup.
​Jeremy Timms, Managing Director of Frontier Canada, comments, “Last summer was our busiest yet for at least a decade. Once the country’s borders opened in October 2021, there was a dramatic surge in bookings. This summer is proving to be just as busy, and the cost-of-living crisis clearly hasn’t affected the demand for holidays to Canada. The provinces of British Columbia and Alberta are performing particularly well, and Canada has certainly benefited from the set-jet craze, with the BBC’s Race Across The World and HBO’s The Last of Us inspiring many of us to take a trip to the Great White North.”
​A likely contender for TV show of the year and filmed primarily in Alberta, The Last of Us took the UK by storm, with the finale of the nine-part series watched by over 3.1 million Sky UK viewers—Sky’s biggest finale audience ever for a US debut series. The largest film production in Alberta’s history and one of the biggest in Canada, season one featured 180 locations, from Grande Prairie to Waterton Lakes National Park. Stampede City made several appearances, with notable places like Inglewood (Calgary’s oldest and one of the city’s coolest neighbourhoods), the Heritage Park Historical Village (Canada’s largest living history museum) and the Calgary Zoo all making the final cut. The 10-night Hidden Treasures BC & Alberta fly-drive starts and ends in Calgary, with time spent in Waterton and Canmore—most of the filming taking place in the small mountain town. Where the Alberta prairies meet the majestic Canadian Rockies, Waterton Lake National Park (see the wilderness scenes in episode eight) borders Montana’s Glacier National Park and is renowned for its hiking and wildlife viewing. It is also the only spot in Alberta where you’ll find a UNESCO World Heritage Site, an international peace park, a dark sky preserve, and a biosphere reserve all rolled into one. A favourite of the lead actors (Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey) and a jumping off point for adventure including hiking, biking, and even golf, Canmore has its own Banff-esque Quarry Lake, the iconic Ha Ling Peak, and Mt. Rundle towering above it. British Columbia’s Fernie, Panorama, and Kicking Horse resorts also feature on the itinerary before crossing back over into Alberta to explore Banff. From £1,950pp (two sharing), including accommodation, car hire, and return flights. Frontier Canada is also able to create tailor-made fly-drives for die-hard fans of The Last of Us: the capital city of Edmonton and the smaller suburbs of Fort MacLeod and Bragg Creek, other locations from the hit series.
ADVERTISEMENT​British Vogue’s list of the top 10 trending travel destinations to visit in 2023 featured Canada. The publication touted the country’s abundance of national parks, wildlife, and energetic cities and highlighted several provinces, including Alberta and British Columbia. The 10-night Stunning fly-drive Circle Best of British Columbia & the Rockies starts and ends in Vancouver and includes two nights in Banff (episode three’s checkpoint) and the chance to take in the stunning coastal scenery and mountain splendour of the Sea-To-Sky Highway, both the national park and the legendary roadway, which runs from Vancouver to Whistler, mentioned in Vogue. The itinerary also includes stops in Whistler, Jasper, and Kelowna in the Okanagan Valley, one of BC’s many celebrated wine regions. From £1,995pp (two sharing) including accommodation, car hire and return flights.

TIME magazine listed Churchill, Manitoba—episode four’s checkpoint—as one of the world’s greatest places to visit in 2023. From July to November, around a thousand polar bears migrate to Churchill, earning it the nickname of the “Polar Bear Capital Of The World.” Located at Polar Bear Point, home to the largest concentration of polar bears in this part of Canada, the Tundra Buggy Lodge offers 24/7 wildlife viewing and the chance to sleep alongside the bears themselves. Lucky travellers might even catch sight of the Northern Lights – visible here for 300 days of the year. Five night Polar Bears in Churchill Enthusiast from £5,889pp (two sharing), including Air Canada flights, 2 nights Winnipeg, 3 nights Churchill and 2 full days on the Tundra Buggy.

​In episode five, the teams headed from Manitoba to Ontario and made a roughly 1,864-mile journey to Lake Huron and Manitoulin Island—the heart of the Great Lakes (the Great Lakes holding 20% of the world’s freshwater) and the largest island in a freshwater lake on the planet. Canoeing, fishing and beachcombing are on offer, and home to one of Canada’s top hikes, the family-friendly Cup and Saucer Trail (part of the Niagara Escarpment, with 70-metre cliffs, over 2 km long) leads to Manitoulin’s highest point. The route features four lookout points, including the east lookout, a rock ledge with a panoramic view of the millions of trees that cover the island. Home to six Anishinaabe First Nations, the island’s Indigenous guides make the adventures here truly authentic. Starting in Toronto and ending at Niagara Falls, the 13-night Lakeside Adventures in Ontario fly-drive includes a stay on Manitoulin Island and stops in the Killarney and Algonquin provincial parks. From £2,595pp (two sharing) including accommodation, car hire and return flights.
​Canada’s first zero-emission hydrogen-powered train (only emitting water vapor) is set to launch this June in Québec. The Train de Charlevoix, will run from the Québec City (episode six) Terminal at Chute-Montmorency through to Baie-St-Paul—known for its mountains and art galleries—between June 17 and October 22, 2023. Throughout the summer an eco-agrotourism guided tour will be available in Baie-Saint-Paul, with stops at local sustainable breweries. Seven-night Quebec City Break | A Whale’s Tail and Two Cities from £1,440pp (two sharing) including accommodation, transfers, day tour to Tadoussac and return flights.
​A new activity, cage diving with great white sharks, will be available at Liverpool, Nova Scotia, from August 01—episode seven’s checkpoint. Described as “the ultimate life experience and adventure,” the excursions will include the opportunity to search for sharks while learning from experts and contributing to research. Starting and ending in Halifax, an eight-night tailor-made Nova Scotia fly-drive includes stops in Kejimkujik National Park and Cape Breton, and a night at White Point Beach Resort near Liverpool from £2,000pp (two sharing), including all accommodation , car hire, and return flights.
​Frontier Canada (020 8776 8709; [email protected]; Frontier-Canada.co.uk).

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NEOM has a new head of tourism. Niall Gibbons has joined the US$500bn project from Tourism Ireland and fills a role that has been empty for over two years, last filled by Andrew McEvoy, who has since returned to Australia.Gibbons takes on one of the most high-profile positions in the company, leading the giga-roject’s tourism vision, which spans developments such as Sindalah and The Line.
NEOM is expected to help turn tourism into one of KSA’s top economic drivers.
With a career spanning more than 35 years, Gibbons has been spent the entire time in his native Ireland.
His most recent role was CEO of Tourism Ireland, a position he held for 14 years. From 2002 to 2009, he was the company’s director of corporate services.
He announced his departure from Tourism Ireland in January 2023, saying: “I want to thank everyone for all the support I have received over the last 21 years. I look forward to seeing as many of you as possible over the next few months before I depart. I wish the staff of Tourism Ireland and the tourism industry well in 2023 and beyond.”ADVERTISEMENTHe is also an honorary fellow of the Irish Hospitality Institute
Source: Hotelier Middle East

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