Latest news with #JamesThornton
Euronews
21-04-2025
- Euronews
Coolcations: Why more people are flocking to destinations in Norway, Finland and Iceland this summer
ADVERTISEMENT Coolcations are growing in popularity as holidaymakers increasingly attempt to escape the soaring temperatures and crowds in major summer destinations such as Greece, Spain, Italy and Portugal. Rising incidents of extreme weather, including heat waves and wildfires in these Southern European destinations, have only served to bolster this trend. Recent analysis by Virtuoso, a global network of luxury and experiential travel agencies, reported a 44 per cent increase in travel to cooler destinations like Canada, Finland and Iceland in 2024. Travel perks provider Dragon Pass experienced more than a 100 per cent increase in bookings for Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland in the last year, with another 30 per cent growth expected for this year. James Thornton, CEO of Intrepid Travel, says that the company carries more than 40,000 people in Iceland. 'So you see exactly the same potential to do that across the countries here in Scandinavia,' he adds. 'We know there's real big demand for our style of travel here.' Related Is Norway introducing a visitor tax? Here's all we know about its proposal to tackle overtourism Set-jetting in Sicily: Where to find the lavish filming locations of Netflix's The Leopard Cooler destinations such as the Nordics, Canada and Scotland offer not only breathtaking scenery and a host of exciting outdoor and adventure activities but also champion sustainable tourism. Immersive experiences such as glacial dips, fjord hikes and midnight sun adventures make these holiday spots stand out even more. But will coolcations continue to be in demand this summer? Why are travellers choosing Nordic coolcations this summer? One of the biggest reasons for this shift towards Nordic destinations is the desire to escape from soaring temperatures and heat waves in Southern Europe. 'We have seen this multiple times for travellers who specifically went to Svalbard mid-summer to experience ice, glaciers and cool temperatures whilst the rest of southern Europe was in a heat wave,' says Andy Marsh, founder of Polar Escapes. Several Nordic regions and activities are much more accessible during the summer months, while offering a different range of spectacular landscapes, abundant wildlife and thrilling outdoor adventures from wintertime. Aldeyjarfoss Cascade in Iceland. Pixabay Longer daylight hours, sometimes up to 24 hours, mean that travellers get the most out of their trip, too. 'In Iceland, it can be extremely challenging to visit the remote, surreal landscapes of the far north like Lake Myvatn in winter months (as well as early spring and late fall),' Robert Miller, product manager at Goway Travel, points out. 'Want to snorkel between tectonic plates? Best to do so in the summer (yes, you'll still find it chilly, but not bone-chilling!).' ADVERTISEMENT Nordic coolcations also provide a sense of escapism, offering travellers the chance to venture off the beaten path, especially with increasing protests and measures against over tourism in Southern Europe. These places offer travellers the opportunity for more meaningful experiences through deeper connections with locals, which are harder to do in other overcrowded destinations. Related Give back while you travel: Fiji's 'Loloma Hour' invites visitors to help protect paradise Volunteering with wildlife on holiday? Here are some 'green flags' to look out for 'In the travel space, it's all about more connection than it's about trying to raise walls and create differences between people. And what we see during these geopolitically divided times is that people are looking for experiences where they can have connection and they can have community and they can step away from some of the isolation and the concerns they experience through social media,' says Thornton. Andrew Harrison-Chinn, the CMO of Dragon Pass, highlights that coolcations often support more mindful travel . ADVERTISEMENT 'Travellers are opting for trips that align with their values. Nordic destinations offer something increasingly valuable to modern travellers: space, serenity, and sustainability,' he adds. Stunning fjords in Bergen, Norway. Pexels 'In recent years, we've seen growing interest in travel that fosters a deeper connection with nature and prioritises personal wellbeing. From the origins of the Finnish sauna to trekking Norway's fjords, more travellers are turning to Scandinavia to embrace lagom (balance) and hygge (well-being).' Nordic destinations also focus on sustainability, with well-developed networks of green travel infrastructure, including electric public transport and eco-certified lodging. They can be incredibly family-friendly as well, with public transport being completely pushchair accessible, an abundance of playgrounds and parks, and easy-to-find changing tables. ADVERTISEMENT Upcoming destinations for coolcations this summer include Greenland, according to Marsh, who says it is the 'perfect place for a coolcation'. 'Picture icebergs the size of tower blocks, fjords that stretch on for an eternity, and pure wilderness in one of the least densely populated places on the planet.' Could the rise of coolcations cause overtourism in Nordic destinations? With the shift in tourism towards cooler destinations, concerns about potential overtourism in Nordic destinations are cropping up. Surging tourism could put more pressure on cities such as Reykjavik and Bergen, which are not as well-equipped to handle high-volume summer tourism as alternatives like Mykonos or Rome. ADVERTISEMENT 'Nordic countries are smaller in size and experience a shorter summer, resulting in a more condensed tourism season,' notes Megan Vila, innovation manager at Expat Explore. Related 'Safe and serene' Iceland is Europe's most relaxing destination as sunny hotspots judged too crowded 'Remote villages and national parks across the region may lack the infrastructure to support large crowds, and over tourism could put pressure on the pristine natural environments these destinations are known for.' However, several Nordic countries are already well aware of these risks and preserve sustainable tourism mainly through strong environmental and tourism policies. These include encouraging longer stays, promoting sustainable tourism and spreading visitor numbers across many regions. Are coolcations for you? Although coolcations can be a welcome escape from scorching temperatures, they can still have unpredictable weather, higher prices. Limited accommodation in most of these destinations means early planning is essential in order to avoid steep premiums. ADVERTISEMENT Olivier Heuchenne, co-founder at Insider Villas, explains that some places aren't as developed for tourism, so things like transport, language or dining options might be limited. 'Also, if you're looking for lively nightlife or lots of social energy, these destinations might feel a bit quiet.' A lack of connectivity to very remote destinations such as Svalbard and Arctic Sweden and Finland can mean several flight connections and longer travelling times, too. 'Coolcations can come with a higher price tag – especially for accommodation and transport in remote areas – and often require more advance planning,' Harrison-Chinn says. ADVERTISEMENT 'Transport connections to remote destinations can also be limited or more expensive, making travel logistics a little more challenging.' He adds that 'Smaller airports outside capital cities offer fewer alternative flight routes in case of disruptions, potentially leading to greater inconvenience for travellers.'
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Carrs-Safeway is closing its historic Gambell Street store near downtown Anchorage
Apr. 2—The oldest Carrs grocery store, a landmark near downtown Anchorage since the 1950s, will shut its doors in the coming weeks, a Carrs-Safeway official confirmed Tuesday. The planned closure of the store and pharmacy at 1340 Gambell St. will leave a hole in the neighborhood of Fairview as community advocates are trying to revitalize the area, said James Thornton, president of the Fairview Community Council. The shutdown also raises questions about access to a grocery store and pharmacy for a neighborhood where many people walk and don't own vehicles, he said. Fairview, a diverse neighborhood home to many low-income residents, was once the center of the Black community in Anchorage. "It's devastating," Thornton said. "The neighborhood needs this primary source of food, especially those that don't have vehicles. It's their only way to get food and medicine in a lot of cases." "It's a very sad day," said Richard Watts Jr., who began his decades-long career at Carrs working at the Gambell store in 1964 as a box boy — a bagger today — and later managed the store. The Gambell store is unique among other Carrs stores in Anchorage because it's so central to the people in the Fairview neighborhood, he said. "The Carrs-Safeway on Gambell is the heartbeat of Fairview, so it's almost like cutting the heart out of the community," Watts said. "I just hope another store opens there after it closes." The Gambell location will close by May 10, said Sara Osborne, a Carrs-Safeway spokeswoman, in an email. The 35 people employed by the store will have the option to transfer to surrounding stores, she said. The store's pharmacy will close on the same date as the overall operation, Osborne said. The pharmacists and prescriptions at the Gambell Carrs will transfer to the Carrs pharmacy in the Midtown Mall at 2920 Seward Highway, Osborne said. "Carrs-Safeway has been proudly serving Anchorage for decades, and the decision to close this store isn't one we made lightly," Osborne said. "With our focus on growth, we continuously evaluate the performance of our stores, and occasionally it's necessary to close locations that are not growing and are perpetually unable to meet financial expectations," she said. The Carrs-Safeway supermarket chain, a subsidiary of Albertsons, will continue to operate eight stores in Anchorage, Osborne said. Workers at the store Tuesday said they could not comment on the planned closure. Shoppers expressed shock and dismay. Some said they drive in from other areas of Anchorage in part because they love shopping there, even though it has a reputation for attracting sometimes unsavory loiterers outside its doors. They said the store is well-stocked with groceries compared to other Carrs locations, in part because it seems to draw fewer shoppers. They also praised the store's employees for their longevity and often knowing customers by name. "I just heard and it's like, 'What? Oh no!'" said shopper Christina Anowlic of the closure, her arms full of fruits, vegetables and other items. She said she grew up shopping at the store in the 1980s with her parents. She still returns to shop there occasionally, also from Government Hill where she lives. "It's kind of sad," she said. A historic grocery store The Carrs store at Gambell opened in the 1950s. It was located near the original Carrs that was opened by Laurence John "Larry" Carr in a Quonset hut in 1950, at 14th Avenue and Gambell Street. Within a couple of years, Carr moved the store to the current location at 13th and Gambell. The building suffered a fire and was rebuilt, Watts said. The current 30,000-square-foot building was constructed in 1957, Anchorage municipal records show. With the land it sits on, it's appraised by the municipality at $3.1 million. When the store hired Watts in 1964, he became the first Black person to work in retail in Anchorage, he said. He was hired at the store after he and others, including his late parents, picketed the Carrs for not hiring Black people in public-facing positions, at protests organized by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. Watts said his hiring opened the door for "other people of color" to be hired at other Anchorage stores. The Carrs at Gambell for many years served as the administrative headquarters for the Carrs chain as it began to grow around the state, said Watts. He moved up through the ranks at Carrs to eventually become one of two district operation managers in Alaska, overseeing 15 stores. He retired in 2017 at the age of 70. A blow to the store came in 2019, when Carrs opened in a new spot at the Midtown Mall, after closing at a different spot in the mall four years earlier, Watts said. "That probably drew some customers from the Carrs on Gambell, and added to the red ink that was already there," Watts said. Thornton, with the Fairview Community Council, said he hopes the closure can somehow be averted. "We're going to do everything we can to fight this, because I don't know how Fairview continues on without our Carrs store," he said. "There's a stigma associated with the store, but it's the original Carrs store in Anchorage and a lot of people love it. And the people that run it have done a great job supporting the community over the years."
