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NEWS
Disneyland reopens
Hong Kong Disneyland has reopened its doors for a third time in less than a year. The resort officially welcomed back guests on February 9. Hong Kong Disneyland said it will maintain a “measured approach” to health and safety measures. Guests will be asked to leave contact details prior to arrival and use the LeaveHomeSafe app during their visit. A range of new measures have also been implemented, including mandatory Covid-19 tests for cast members every 14 days.“Every
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Star ferry converted into luxury yacht Cathay Pacific cuts major flights
A classic Star Ferry, formerly known as Golden Star, has been converted into a luxury yacht. The yacht, now named Dot, took 18 months to convert with a full-time project manager on board. Dot’s owner is passionate about keeping Hong Kong’s heritage alive. He retained some of the original workmanship from the Star Ferry, including its original teak deck and upstairs deckhead. But added floor to ceiling windows and a mezzanine level. Larger than most Hong Kong apartments, Dot is 6,000 square foot and includes four cabins with en suite bathrooms, a cinema room, office, living room, kitchen and alfresco dining area. The yacht is currently for sale in Tai Tam for $21 million as its owners relocate to Europe. cast member has been putting tremendous effort in preparing our park reopening,” said Michael Moriarty, managing director of Hong Kong Disneyland Resort. Similar to operations prior to the recent closure, a five-day per week operation will remain in place, with the park closed on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Additionally, the park will control capacity as required by the government regulations. Operations for both guests and cast members will be reviewed on an ongoing basis. As of February 20, Cathay Pacific temporarily suspended a bulk of its flights to Australia, with Sydney now the last remaining destination for the Hong Kong carrier. Other international flights to be slashed include Auckland, San Francisco, Vancouver, Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Seoul, Kuala Lumpur and Ho Chi Minh City. Cathay said the Hong Kong SAR government’s latest announcement over hotel quarantine was behind the moves. “Our Hong Kong-based pilots and cabin crew are required to undergo 14 days of hotel quarantine, plus seven days of medical surveillance when they return to Hong Kong,” the airline said in a statement. “We are actively managing our crew resources to plan for our flight services for March 2021.”
Retykle goes global
Pioneering children’s designer clothing resale platform, Retykle, has announced plans to further expand into the Asia-Pacific region after successfully closing it’s latest round of seed funding. A consortium of high-profile investors have backed founder Sarah Garner’s vision as Asia-based consumers increasingly adopt more sustainable consumption habits. Retykle will utilise its investment to drive growth within Hong Kong, along with further planned expansion into both the Singapore and Australia markets. Garner and her team’s relentless focus on creating a user-first experience has ensured a high organic and viral adoption, something that Retykle aims to replicate in other markets. “We’ve focused on the customer experience to cultivate a love for and habit around using the platform to buy and sell”, says Garner, adding, “I created Retykle to offer parents the highest quality kids wear for a fraction of the price with a great customer experience, coupled with the clear and compelling environmental benefit. I couldn’t be more excited for our future ahead.”
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The Grounds at AIA Vitality Park return
The Central Harbourfront venue is a purposebuilt outdoor events area designed for the Covid era. Prior to the current restrictions being imposed, events including movie screenings, fitness classes and the Hong Kong Dining Awards were part of its offering. The outdoor entertainment hub offers 100 socially-distanced private pods, seating two to four people. A large LED screen and state-ofthe-art sound system is also in place to give guests a true outdoor cinema experience. “It is our intention to extend this run of The Grounds until after Easter,” said Simon Wilson, managing director of Greater Bay Media Entertainment and organiser of The Grounds. That means that events, film screenings and other events will likely run until April 6.
