Jamaican independence
On Aug. 6, Jamaica celebrated 60 years of independence. To mark the occasion, yearlong events have been launched in both Jamaica and Canada to encourage Jamaican Canadians to “come home.” Special deals (visitjamaica.com/deals) are available at resorts, hotels and attractions across the Caribbean island nation, including Montego Bay’s celebrity-favoured Round Hill Hotel and Villas, where the “Reconnect This Fall” rate includes a $100 U.S. resort credit per stay and a complimentary fifth night. Meanwhile, in Toronto, the Bob Marley One Love Experience, which features rare photographs and memorabilia, has been extended until Sept. 25 at Lighthouse ArtSpace.
Remote working
Costa Rica has finalized details of its digital nomad visa, which allows travellers to work remotely from the Central American country for up to two years. Individual applicants must have a minimum monthly income of $3,000 U.S. but aren’t required to pay income tax; applications can be submitted through an online portal. It joins a slew of countries that have launched similar schemes in the past two years to attract remote workers, including Estonia, Malta, Barbados, Panama, Brazil and the Seychelles. Prior to the development of these special work permits, digital nomads typically operated within a grey zone of immigration law, often entering countries on tourist visas.
Attention, sports fans
Fourteen years in the making, New York City’s Jackie Robinson Museum will finally open its doors to the public Sept. 8. Dedicated to Major League Baseball’s first Black player in the modern era — Robinson joined the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947 — the 20,000-square-foot museum focuses on his athletic career and civil rights activism. Highlights include an interactive model of Ebbets Field (where the Dodgers played), 40,000 historical images and around 4,500 pieces of memorabilia.
Ancient pilgrimage
After a 60-year hiatus, the Trans Bhutan Trail will reopen to tourists in late September, just as the country begins welcoming back its first international visitors since the pandemic started. Dating back to the 16th century, the route was originally used by Buddhist monks travelling between Bhutan and Tibet, but fell into disrepair with the construction of roads in the 1960s. Now, it’s been reimagined for hikers and cyclists, running for 403 kilometres, from Haa to Trashigang, and passing 400 historic sites, including ancient fortresses. Small-group tour operators offering trips on sections of the newly restored trail include G Adventures and Intrepid Travel, while Responsible Travel will be running an end-to-end trek.
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