Disney to lay off 28,000 employees
Prolonged closures at Disney’s California-based theme parks and limited attendance at its open parks has forced the company to lay off 28,000 employees across its parks, experiences and consumer products division, the company said in a recent memo to employees. Around 67% of that total were part-time; the company declined to break down layoffs by park location. The parks, experiences and consumer products segment last year accounted for 37% of the company’s US$69.6 billion in total revenue.
Spanish hotel company to offer free tests for guests
Madrid-based Room Mate Hotels will offer free COVID-19 tests to its guests. Starting in mid-October, the company will offer rapid antigen test for guests checking in at its hotels and provide them with a symptom-tracking service throughout their stay, using an app. The antigen tests will also be provided for company employees.
Amazon launches virtual tours and experience platform
Amazon launched a new service that allows customers to book live, virtual experiences led by local experts. The experiences may be focused on creativity, learning DIY skills, taking virtual tours of places or cultural landmarks, and even shopping local boutiques from around the world. The service, Amazon Explore, is currently offered on an invite-only basis for customers in the U.S. The virtual experiences themselves will be guided by local experts who are trained and supported by Amazon, the company says.
Vegas conventions may return. What will they look like?
Nevada has rolled back COVID-19 restrictions to allow the return of large meetings and conventions to The Las Vegas strip. But they’ll look much different. On Tuesday, Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak announced that gatherings of up to 250 people — as well as many live entertainment events, trade shows, concerts and conventions — can resume under strict rules.
Coalition demands U.S. Congress act before elections
A new coalition of nearly 200 major public and private sector groups across the U.S. recently started a proposal asking that the U.S. Congress to not leave town for the 2020 elections without passing additional COVID-19 economic relief. The coalition, Covid Relief Now, stated that if Congress fails to act, “millions of employees will be furloughed or terminated; millions of unemployed Americans will lose their unemployment insurance pandemic benefits; hundreds of thousands of companies will be at risk of closing their doors forever; and the vast majority of state and local governments will have to curtail critical services in order to balance budgets due to a decline in tax revenue.”