ASTA and Travefy partner on new award for advisors
ASTA and Travefy have partnered to create the ASTA Emerging Leaders Award Program, Presented by Travefy.
ASTA members under 45 who have been working in the industry for two or more years are eligible for the new award. It was designed to recognize the industry's future, the Society said in a release.
"At Travefy, we've always been committed to empowering travel professionals," said Travefy founder and CEO David Chait. "Whether it's through our itinerary management tools or helping agency scale, our mission is to make the business of travel better, smarter and stronger than when Travefy launched 13 years ago. That's why we wanted to partner with ASTA to help further elevate the travel advisor profession through a new signature award."
More new award categories are coming, ASTA said. The Society will host an awards gala on Jan. 22 at Chicago's Palmer House Hotel, where suppliers and advisors will be recognized.
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Travel + Leisure
26 minutes ago
- Travel + Leisure
Disney Has Asian American Culture Hidden in Plain Sight—How to Find the Best Eats, Experiences, and More
While some kids grow up hearing fairy tales about faraway lands, I grew up with stories about a magical place that's about a five-hour drive from my California hometown of San José: Disneyland. We had a children's book about the 'It's a Small World" ride and my mom always likes to muse on how the attraction is 'just so peaceful,' like 'heaven on earth.' As the daughter of Taiwanese immigrants, I often felt like I was jumping rope between the two sides of my Asian American identity. But our visits to Disney always felt like the prototypical all-American experience. We may not have been outwardly cognizant of it at the time, but perhaps we felt a connection since it was the one place where we saw characters that looked like us being represented. Decades later, we embarked on a multigenerational family trip to the park in 2017 with my parents and two young nieces. This trip just happened to take place days before Lunar New Year, and I was shocked to see an archway reading 'Lunar New Year' near Disney California Adventure decked out in traditional red-and-gold lanterns and tassels under an Asian-inspired, Mickey-shaped logo. Turns out, it was part of the park's annual Lunar New Year festivities, which initially started in 2012 as a week-long event, but has since expanded into a nearly month-long celebration. We saw menu items from Korean, Vietnamese, and Chinese cuisines, and there were even Mickey and Minnie characters dressed in traditional outfits. To see a park that felt so 'American' embrace Asian traditions went beyond just feeling seen, but like really being embraced and understood. It felt especially poignant during my nieces' first visit—knowing they'll grow up in a more inclusive society. The entrance to San Fransokyo Square in Disney's California Adventure Park. Richard Harbaugh/Disneyland Resort It wasn't until last month that I was lured back to a Disney again, visiting Walt Disney World in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, to participate in the Run Disney Springtime Surprise Weekend's 5K run. And I I began spotting Asian American influences all over the park: first a mahjong table in the lobby of The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, and I later saw collectible pins of characters on Asian-style fans and boba drinks. Early this month, I visited Disneyland for its 70th Anniversary Celebration. And instead of hunting for hidden Mickeys, I went on a hunt for Asian American influences at the park. I began my search in Disney California Adventure in San Fransokyo Square, a hybrid of San Francisco and Tokyo inspired by the movie "Big Hero 6." This section used to be known as Pacific Wharf, and I was immediately blown away by the redressing. There were signs written with Japanese and Chinese characters, and tons of traditional Asian motifs, like gold coins, dragons, lucky cats, and lanterns. It was all definitive proof that Disneyland is making a meaningful investment in diversity. It especially makes sense in California, where 7.1 million people (that's about 18 percent) identify as Asian, according to data from the Pew Research Center . But nothing impressed me more than the menus. Lucky Fortune Cookery served up honey walnut shrimp wraps, potstickers, karaage-inspired chicken sandwiches, yaki udon, and its buzzed-about beef birria ramen. Aunt Cass Café had soba noodle salad, California roll sandwich, and—my obsession—San Fransokyo Clam Chowder in a sourdough bread bowl. Flavored with white miso, it was all a far cry from the burgers and hot dogs I had expected as theme park fare. But the Asian American-inspired offerings weren't limited to San Fransokyo Square. While watching the Better Together: A Pixar Pals Celebration parade (which is returning to Disney California Adventure through next summer), I was surprised that the opening float featured Red Panda Mei, along with other characters from "Turning Red." Later, I stood with a honey lemonade with popping bubbles from Aunt Cass' at the Disneyland Celebrate Happy Cavalcade, bemused by the fact I was watching a Disney parade with a boba drink in hand, something I never could have imagined during my childhood visits. Wandering down Disneyland's Main Street U.S.A., I noticed that one of the window displays at Emporium, was dedicated to Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month. But that wasn't the only homage to AAPI month. I also saw signs for special menu items around the park, including passion fruit-orange-guava punch and green tea lager at Lucky Fortune Cookery. During May, the park's Disney PhotoPass featured themed MagicShots, with images superimposed with Asian Disney characters including Russell from "Up," Panda Mei from "Turning Red," and the rings from "Shang-Chi and the Ten Rings." There was even a sketch pad prop option showcasing work by Tyrus Wong, a Chinese American animator who was the lead artist behind "Bambi." There were also special events in May including autograph signings with Asian Disney artists Stacy Aoyama and Eric Tan, drawing lessons with Russell and Mei, movie nights showings of "Moana" and "Turning Red," and dance lessons with Tahitian, Polynesian, Japanese, Indian, and Filipino instructors. But perhaps the most significant permanent Asian addition is the new Din Tai Fung, which opened July 2024 at Downtown Disney. Visiting the restaurant's original location in Taipei was always a major part of my trips to Taiwan, and it was absolutely mind-boggling that it was now the anchor restaurant at a major American theme park. As I enjoyed my favorite spicy wontons and sesame xiao long baos, I was tickled to learn the restaurant even had a limited pin set to celebrate the park's 70th anniversary. Mural in San Fransokyo Square in Disney California Adventure. Christian Thompson/Disneyland Resort Stumbling upon all these meaningful Asian American elements sprinkled throughout the part was no accident, but the work of Compass, the park's Asian American Pacific Islander employee group. Compass 'strives to educate our Cast with a greater understanding and appreciation of our AAPI culture' and 'helps advise on culture awareness for Disneyland Resort offerings,' the group's co-chair Allie Kawamoto, hotel experience integration manager at Disneyland Resort, tells Travel + Leisure . Kawamoto was born in Anaheim and has always loved Disney. But now she's paying it forward to the next generation, and was behind the Emporium's AAPI display. 'Seeing this window come to life and being able to share the window with my son was a moment I was very proud of," she says. Like my own family, she adds that she's always been a fan of 'It's a Small World,' which has been updated through the years to include "Lilo and Stitch" in its Pacific Islands section, and most recently, "Coco'"s Miguel and Dante in the Mexico portion. 'I just feel happy as I ride through and see countless cultures represented,' Kawamoto says. 'We have guests that visit from around the world, and I think just about everyone can see a reflection of their culture."
Wall Street Journal
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May Jobs Report: WSJ's Chief Economics Correspondent Breaks Down the Data
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Yahoo
28 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Washington Bridge rebuild to cost up to $427M. Expect to drive on it by late 2028.
Rhode Island Department of Transportation Director Peter Alviti Jr. goes over the timeline to rebuild the westbound Washington Bridge at a State House press conference on Friday, June 6, 2025. At left is Gov. Dan McKee. At right is Walsh Construction Company Program Manager Charles Parish. (Photo by Christopher Shea/Rhode Island Current) The completion date and cost for a new westbound Washington Bridge is finally here. But it will take two more years and $59 million more than expected to resurrect a new thoroughfare connecting Providence and East Providence. Gov. Dan McKee unveiled the November 2028 target completion date and an up-to-$427 million contract cost at a State House press conference Friday. The long-awaited news comes nearly a year-and-a-half after state officials halted all traffic on the westbound highway after engineers discovered broken anchor rods that put the bridge spanning the Seekonk River at risk of collapse. State officials originally sought to rebuild the bridge by August 2026 at an estimated cost of $368 million. 'I understand that this has been a challenging time for those who rely on the Washington Bridge, especially in the early days before we were able to restore six lanes of traffic,' McKee said. 'We owe it to you to deliver a bridge that is safe and will ultimately make your lives easier.' Tasked with constructing the new bridge is Walsh Construction Company. The Chicago-based firm worked on the Pearl Harbor Memorial Bridge on Interstate 95 over the Quinnipiac River in New Haven, Connecticut, along with the Interstate 90 Westbound Innerbelt Bridge in Cleveland, Ohio. For this project, the firm will draw from its design of the Chain of Rocks Bridge in St. Louis, Walsh Program Manager Charles Parish told reporters. 'It's not often that you get to build the same project twice, or the same bridge twice,' Parish said. 'But our ability to do that on the new Washington Bridge gave us the confidence to commit to both the price and schedule that we're sure we can meet.' The state's plan calls for five lanes of travel over the new bridge, along with an onramp from Gano Street in Providence and a new offramp to Waterfront Drive in East Providence. The original bridge had four lanes. Construction is scheduled to begin next month, which overlaps with the ongoing demolition of the existing bridge. Demolition contractor Aetna Bridge Company is expected to complete its work by the end of 2025. During that time, Walsh will secure permitting, workers, and pre-fabricate material to rebuild the bridge, Parish said. Walsh will be paid at least $339 million to build the new bridge, with incentives and contingencies that could bring the total cost up to $427 million. The deal also has built-in daily penalties of $25,000 for exceeding the project deadline. With demolition and emergency repairs, the entire project adds up to $570 million, which is 'well within what we budget,' McKee said. McKee's administration has identified more than $713 million in financing available for the project over the last year. That includes $35 million in remaining pandemic relief aid, $107.6 million from the state's capital plan fund, and up to $334.6 million in Grant Anticipation Revenue Vehicles bonds, which allow the state to borrow against future allocations of federal transportation money. The state was also awarded nearly a pair of federal infrastructure grants worth roughly $221 million. The grants were temporarily frozen under President Donald Trump's initial flurry of executive orders, but released to Rhode Island in late March. However, Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha, in a lawsuit filed with 19 other states in May, warned that funding could still be at risk due to a federal directive tying infrastructure grants to compliance with the Trump administration's diversity and immigration policies. McKee said he does not believe federal funds will be taken away from the project. 'We have the sign off from [Transportation] Secretary (Sean) Duffy,' the governor said Friday. Also unclear: how the new price tag will impact the state's budget. House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi said in a statement that legislative leaders will review the governor's announcement as they shape a final fiscal 2026 budget. 'As the bridge project moves forward, the House of Representatives will continue its work ensuring the administration is accountable,' Shekarchi said. Walsh was one of two finalists vying to rebuild the bridge after the state issued its latest bidding window last December. The other proposal came from a joint venture by American Bridge and MLJ, firms based respectively in Pennsylvania and New York. Rhode Island Director of Transportation Peter Alviti Jr. said both companies were qualified and made similar technical proposals. Walsh's proposal projected around $340 million in hard construction costs, while American Construction and MLJ's bid estimated nearly $387 million. Because it did not win the state's tentative contract, the losing bidder will receive a $1.75 million consolation prize for participating, as set out in the state's solicitation. It took two rounds of requests or proposals to yield any firm bids, a sore spot that McKee's critics continue to seize on, including his potential 2026 Democratic gubernatorial rival, Helena Buonanno Foulkes. 'Governor McKee's catastrophic failure to manage the Washington Bridge has impacted countless Rhode Island families and businesses, forcing them to endure longer commutes, lost wages, and economic hardship,' Foulkes said in a statement Friday. But McKee said he has no regrets. 'As far as I'm concerned we're in a good spot,' he said. 'The people in the state of Rhode Island know that the funding is there, the time schedule is there, and we have a quality bridge-builder to actually execute the project.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
