THE ZEPPELIN TIMES 4CRB Travel Show, The Armchair TravellerSaturday 15 February 2020 10am on 89.3FM

www.zt.com.au •1300 786 888

Conservation heavyweights lock in protection for outback fossil siteA $1 billion nature fund has been used to buy a vast tract of outback South Australia containing the oldest animal fossils on Earth.

The 60,000-hectare (150,000 acre) Nilpena West property is 600km north of the South Australian capital Adelaide and was previously part of Nilpena Pastoral Station. The property includes the Ediacara Fossil Site – Nilpena – which is listed on Australia’s National Heritage List.

Global non-profit The Nature Conservancy sourced funding from an anonymous donor in October to allow the purchase and protection to go ahead after the South Australian Government announced in March 2019 it had reached an agreement with the land’s owners to buy the site.

The acquisition abuts the Ediacara Conservation Park and will increase the size of the protected area ten-fold.

The sale has now been finalised with The Nature Conservancy announcing this week that funding from the Wyss Campaign for Nature – the once anonymous donor – had helped secure the deal.

The Wyss Campaign for Nature was launched in 2018 by Hansjörg Wyss – founder and chairman of the Wyss Foundation – with a $US1 billion, 10-year philanthropic commitment to protect at least 30 per cent of the planet’s lands and oceans by 2030.

Hansjörg Wyss is a Swiss-born American entrepreneur who made his fortune in 2012 following the sale of the medical device company he founded, Synthes, to Johnson & Johnson for $20.2 billion.

The Wyss Campaign for Nature also partnered with The Nature Conservancy last year to help establish the Thaidene Nene National Park Reserve and Territorial Protected Area in Northwest Canada.

The South Australian property is now permanently protected and managed

for conservation by the South Australian Government. It will be added to the Ediacara Conservation Park later this year.

The first fossil imprints were found in the area in 1946. Since then, paleontologists have been able to excavate a series of 40 fossiliferous beds that preserve snapshots of the seafloor as animal life first unfolded around 550 million years ago. There is no other place on the Earth where this has occurred for fossils of any age.

What is even more extraordinary is that the Nilpena fossil beds preserve marine communities with scores of species. They include evidence of the Earth’s first animals, and the earliest movement and sexual reproduction. NASA has funded research at the site to learn how life could evolve on other planets.

The Nature Conservancy’s Australian Director of Conservation Dr James Fitzsimons said the protection of the 60,000ha former pastoral property was a huge win for conservation in South Australia.

“The property contains significant biodiversity values including two threatened ecological communities and a number of threatened species. Most critically, the property also covers extremely important

sites that contain the oldest fossilised animals on Earth,” he said.

Shearers’ quarters, a blacksmith’s shop and a woolshed on the property will be developed as research and visitor facilities, and an immersive interpretive centre.

The site is on the edge of the 540 million-year-old Flinders Ranges, one of the oldest landscapes on earth.

South Australian Environment and Water Minister David Speirs said Nilpena West would soon be added to the South Australian public protected area estate and managed by the Department for Environment and Water.

“Its inclusion in the conservation estate will link the Ediacara Conservation Park to the Lake Torrens National Park and will support our nomination for the listing of areas of the Flinders Ranges as a World Heritage Site,” he said.

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American Airlines and British Airways to begin redevelopment of JFK Terminal

American Airlines and its Atlantic joint-business partner, British Airways, announced the start of construction for a redesigned Terminal 8 at JFK this week. This expansion is only one part of a massive redevelopment strategy originally proposed in 2018 as part of Gov. Cuomo’s Vision Plan, designed to modernize JFK and transform it into a world-class airport.

“This is an exciting development in our move to Terminal 8, alongside American Airlines, our Atlantic joint-business partner,” said Alex Cruz, chairman and CEO of British Airways. “We are one step closer to offering an even better customer experience for passengers traveling to, from and through JFK. We look forward to our continued work with the Port Authority and American Airlines in order to build a world-class transatlantic travel experience.”

The $344 million development project will bring with it a host of new upgrades and additions at Terminal 8, including five new widebody gates, an enhanced baggage system, new lounges, premium check-in space, and upgraded concessions and retail locations.

“As we progress with the JFK modernization project, we are giving

Terminal 8 a new look and layout in line with the modern, world-class standards that will define the airport’s ultimate transformation,” Cuomo said. “When this work is completed, Terminal 8 will accommodate more passengers who will be able to enjoy a better travel experience and will make the work of airport staff more efficient and more seamless.”

The plan also calls for British Airways to relocate from Terminal 7 to the new Terminal 8, providing added convenience by consolidating the 14 daily London-bound flights departing from the same terminal. Construction is scheduled to be completed in 2022.

“Our investment will put the 14 daily flights from JFK to London that we offer in partnership with British Airways in the same terminal and give customers premium check-in space, new joint lounges, and a larger variety of retail and dining options,” said Robert Isom, president of American Airlines. “We will be adding more than 70,000 square feet to customer and operational spaces to create a truly world-class experience at JFK.”

THE ZEPPELIN TIMES 4CRB Travel Show, The Armchair TravellerSaturday 15 February 2020 10am on 89.3FM

www.zt.com.au •1300 786 888

MGM Resorts to sell Las Vegas Properties, MGM Grand and Mandalay BayMGM Resorts International announced Monday that it is selling the MGM Grand and Mandalay Bay resorts and casinos on the Las Vegas strip, to a joint venture between real estate company Blackstone Group and MGM Growth Properties, for about $2.5 billion.

MGM Growth Properties LLC will own 50.1% of the joint venture, with 49.9% to be owned by Blackstone. The deal will allow both properties to be leased by MGM Resorts for an initial annual rent of $292 million.

“These announcements represent a key milestone in executing the company’s previously communicated asset-light strategy, one that enables a best-in-class balance sheet and strong free cash flow generation to provide MGM Resorts with meaningful

strategic flexibility to create continued value for our shareholders,” said Jim Murren, chairman and CEO of MGM Resorts.

The move comes on the heels of a couple of other notable real estate transactions, where MGM Resorts announced it was selling the Bellagio to a joint venture with Blackstone for about $4.25 billion, back in October; and MGM Resorts closed a deal just last month, selling its Circus Circus Las Vegas property for $825 million to an affiliate of Treasure Island owner Phil Ruffin.

“Our corporate objective remains crystal clear. We will continue to monetize our owned real estate assets, which facilitates our strong focus on returning capital to our shareholders, while also retaining significant

flexibility to pursue our visible growth initiatives,” said Murren.

The deal is expected to be completed within the first quarter of 2020.

Qantas takes off from Golden Gate to Sunshine stateSan Franciscans flew direct from San Francisco to Brisbane for the first time, with Qantas operating a new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner on a brand-new route. The 13-hour 45 minute, 11,367km service marks the first time the Bay City and the River City have been linked by non-stop flights.

It currently operates daily direct flights from San Francisco to Sydney and four times a week from San Francisco to Melbourne. The new Brisbane flight will operate three days a week on a Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday.

In April, the airline will start flying from Chicago to Brisbane as it adds another unique route to its network using the Dreamliner. Tino La Spina, CEO of Qantas said: “These new services will link Australian corporate and leisure travellers with two lynchpin capitals of commerce and culture in the US. Customers will save around four hours travel time compared to the one-stop options currently on offer. These direct routes put some of Australia’s most popular destinations like the Whitsundays just a one-stop flight away from a foggy San Francisco

morning or a chilly Chicago day, and that’s great news for Queensland and Australian tourism.”

The carrier will continue to promote Queensland destinations in the US market throughout the year to encourage American visitors to Australia, highlighting many iconic

Aussie destinations like the Great Barrier Reef, the famous Gold Coast beaches, and the Daintree Rainforest which were not impacted by the heavily reported bushfires. The timing of the new Qantas flights is complemented by both American and Alaska Airlines’ domestic network feeding in Chicago and San Francisco from across the US.

The Professional Centre, Suite 1, 189 Ashmore Road, Benowa, Gold Coast QLD 4217Phone: (07) 555 79 888 | Free Call: 1300 786 888 Email: info@zt.com.au | Website: www.zt.com.au Facebook: www.facebook.com/zeppelintravel

The future of travel in 2040: Faster, easier and ecologically sustainable

Authored by futurologist Ray Hammond, ‘The World in 2040’ futurology series has predicted developments and trends that will impact international travel and the traveller experience over the next 20 years.

According to the report by renowned futurologist Ray Hammond, commissioned by Allianz Partners, international travel will be a faster, easier and more ecologically sustainable than ever before. The report identifies key trends which will, collectively, revolutionise the travel landscape by 2040.

Allianz Partners is a B2B2C assistance and insurance solutions provider which offers dedicated travel insurance services through the Allianz Travel brand.

Virtual and augmented realityMulti-sensory virtual reality technology will allow armchair travel planners to ‘step into’ virtual hotel rooms, visit street carnivals, explore museums or walk into restaurants, from the comfort of their own living room.This trend is expected to fuel an appetite for more real-life travel, rather than hinder it.

Instant check-insFacial pattern recognition systems are already in experimental use at airports and within 20 years, computer systems that can reliably identify your face will be in widespread use to check-in seamlessly.

Hotel software assistantsWhile some luxury hotels will greet their guests with a human face, many business and budget hotels will use automated check-in and guidance to rooms provided by software assistants. Some hotels will even provide robotic baggage carriers to move luggage.

Super-fast trainsCross-border train journeys will be smoother and much improved in many parts of the world. Computer networks and the ‘Internet of Things’ (IoT) will manage national and international rail networks, allowing trains to run faster and closer together. Train speed will also increase on most rail networks, with most high-speed trains running at speeds above 125 mph.

On-site 3D clothes printingIn 2040, it will be possible to send your measurements to your hotel in advance of your arrival and heavy or bulky clothes (eg raincoats or shoes) will have been printed out to await your arrival, reducing the amount of luggage the tourist of 2040 will have to transport. The low cost of 3D printed garments means travellers will be able to leave the clothes behind for local recycling.

Sustainable cruisesCruise ships will be far more environmentally friendly than today’s giant ocean liners. Vessels will be powered by Liquified Natural Gas (LNG), a light fossil fuel with almost no

greenhouse gas emissions, transforming cruise vacations into one of the greenest ways to travel the world. The range of cruise destinations will also continue to grow, with Asia proving particularly fertile ground.

Space as a regular destinationFor some travellers in 2040, the world may not be enough as it may not offer a sufficiently large choice of destinations. By that time, it’s likely that tourists will be flying to and from the Moon on a regular basis as they seek the experience of seeing the Earth from space.

“The face of travel as we know it will change dramatically”Commenting on the transformation expected for travellers by 2040, Ray Hammond said: “The face of travel as we know it will change dramatically over the next 20 years. Airline passenger numbers are forecast to double by that time and the travel industry is coming under increasing pressure from travellers for faster and more efficient travel experiences.

“By 2040, personal software assistants will be sufficiently intelligent to help travellers book their trips online and they will be able to cope with all the complexities of multi-destination travel planning in order to meet the needs of the traveller. Travel will also become more about rejuvenation, adventure, fulfilment and learning new skills rather than just ticking off places to see from a list.”