In NYC, the pandemic “decimates” small businesses relying on tourism
By AFP
20 November 2020 |
7:00 am
Stores are closed on New York's iconic Fifth Avenue, as the coronavirus pandemic keeps tourists at bay. Souvenir shop manager Mukhtar Ahmed only stays afloat thanks to the generosity of his landlord, as he has not been able to pay the rent since March. Tourist numbers have dropped by 66 percent in 2020 according to NYC & Company. Its vice president, Christopher Heywood, reckons that the crisis "has been decimating all facets of our industry," which currently employs 403,000 people.
In this article
Related
23 Oct 2021
Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE) has started hosting its five-day dance music festival after the Dutch government lifted restrictions on the entertainment sector, as well as clubs and bars. The event has been scaled down compared to previous years, while measures are in place to prevent the spread of Covid-19, including on-site testing.
21 Oct 2021
Romania is getting crushed by one of the worst coronavirus waves in Europe. Vaccine skepticism and inaction on the part of the president, the administration and authorities are largely to blame.
21 Oct 2021
In a square in central Fez, the steady beat of hammers on copper has returned - a welcome signal for the ancient Moroccan city's thousands of artisans that trade is slowly picking up after a brutal COVID-induced slump.
Activity is still some way below pre-pandemic levels, and master coppersmith Mohammed Kobbi says the high cost of the metal has hit profit margins.
"The situation is starting to improve," he told Reuters as he hurried past Seffarine Square to deliver an order of eight large pans to a local restaurant.
28 Oct 2021
Hospitals in Germany risk seeing ICU beds as full as they were at the height of the pandemic. Coronavirus infections and hospitalizations have spiked in recent days.
1 Nov 2021
While some are fleeing the erupting volcano on the small Spanish Canary Island of La Palma, others are flying there precisely because of it. Stefanie Claudia Müller reports on an island torn between hardship and tourism.
2 Nov 2021
Australia reopened its borders Monday, permitting citizens to return and exit the country. Foreign workers in Australia remain unable to do so though.
5 Nov 2021
After a dramatic drop during the pandemic lockdowns, carbon dioxide emissions are near record levels again, with China's share increasing to nearly a third of the total, researchers say.
8 Nov 2021
Olympic champion Peres Jepchirchir won the 50th running of the New York City Marathon on Sunday, surviving a thrilling three-way battle before sprinting for the finish line, and fellow Kenyan Albert Korir won the men's race.
19 Nov 2021
In response to a surge in infections, the Bundestag has approved new legislation. Acting Chancellor Angela Merkel is set to meet state leaders to debate further action as the pandemic threatens to spiral out of control.
29 Nov
International travel picked up over the summer, but Covid-19 is still expected to cost the global tourism industry some €1.8 trillion in 2021. Also, French finance minister Bruno Le Maire remains optimistic about the recovery despite concerns over the Omicron variant, and farmers in India continue their protest movement despite concessions from the government.
29 Nov
As Covid-19 infections rise around the EU and some member states impose new restrictions, FRANCE 24 speaks to Greece’s Tourism Minister about the continent’s next steps. We also discuss irregular migration on the European Union's external borders - including those of France and of Greece.
Latest
2 mins ago
Olaf Scholz signed deals that will see Germany help African nations build their infrastructure to extract and export oil and gas to Europe. He also promised to keep German troops in the Sahel.
2 mins ago
Poland has long been the poster boy among EU economies, but behind its remarkable growth story is a widening inequality gap. This may help explain why Poles vote for parties that promise redistribution.
2 hours ago
"Senior leadership" in the UK should bear responsibility for the culture which led to officials partying during COVID-19 lockdowns, according to an internal report.
2 hours ago
An Italian factory that works in conjunction with the Ukrainian steelworks Azovstal is currently at a standstill, as steel from Ukraine is no longer arriving. But just down the road, a factory partially owned by a Russian oligarch is operating at full capacity, using Russian steel. Our correspondents report from northern Italy. But first, the United States has cut off the last remaining financial route for Russia to pay off its debts to US bondholders by allowing a waiver to expire.
2 hours ago
According to a recent report by CDC News, a Canadian news channel, some of the cars that go missing in Canada end up in Nigeria, Lagos precisely. GuardianTV picked up the report and unveils steps to know you are buying none stollen cars.
1 day ago
Find these stories and much more when you grab a copy of The Guardian on Thursday.