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Excellent in the past, but.... - GATE 1 TRAVEL

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Gate 1 offers the best hotels to stay in, unfortunately some of the guides they use are rude and... read more

I will give the travel part of the tour a 4 star and the shopping and meal a 1 star. We go with... read more

Excellent in the past, but....

We have been on 4 Gate 1 tours - all small group discovery tours. Loved them all. We had one booked in Africa in a couple weeks, but that one has been cancelled by Gate 1. We have fully paid for that one - nearly $10,000. (We booked our own airfare.) It appears that we have a choice - 75% refund or future tour credit. Since they cancelled, it really doesn't seem right that we cannot get all of our money back. (We booked our own flights.) Is there a chance that Gate1 will file for bankruptcy? If that could be on the horizon, maybe we should take the 75% and run....

I have done 3 previous European trips with Gate 1 and I have been very satisfied. You do see more of the world for less $$. I had a Danube River Cruise booked for May 2020 that was paid in full which was cancelled because of the coronavirus. Gate 1 was fantastic. They offered a future credit or refund. I was always able to get thru to a friendly and helpful agent and they refunded me my entire trip cost- cruise and air. They are a solid reliable company and I will book with them again when I feel comfortable to travel. Thank you gate 1. Highly recommend.

Americans denied entry to Germany on 3/15/2020 and Gate 1 did not inform us. Gate 1 dropped us off at the airport at 5am on 3/16/2020, where we were informed we could not board to Munich. Our only option was to purchase our returns flights to USA. Gate 1 local office in Turkey, emergency lines, local tour manager all washed their hands and left us stranded at the Istanbul airport. Our flights (including tour) were purchased thru Gate 1. No refund & no communications! They are not set up for any type of Crisis or do they care about their customers. Their only concern is their bottom line and keeping customers monies. Their insurance option is a hoax and does not cover this type of crisis. It's a shame that our trip ended in such a soar note and double the expense! 15 days after our return to the USA and still NO communication from Gate 1. We've left messages, call on a daily basis and no avail to reach a representative or any type of result ion and/or refund! Be prepared if you travel with Gate 1 that you are on your own should any crisis arise...

Travezoo listed a 7 Day Egypt's Pyramids offered by Gate 1 Travel. Egypt was on our bucket list and Gate 1 offered the trip at a good price. The base trip included round-trip airfare, hotel with daily breakfast, hotel transfers, and one excursion to the pyramids and sphinx. All other excursions were optional, but available to book on their website for, what I felt, were reasonable prices. We booked every excursion except for one because we wanted one by ourselves to explore Cairo on our own. We liked being able to book these excursion separately, and you can add them at a later time if you change your mind. Visa: Gate 1 does not provide visa service for the Egypt Visa, However, a visa can be easily obtained online or upon arrival at the Cairo airport. We chose to get our visa in advance. Simply complete the online application no more than 90 days before your departure. We received the visas via email the next day after completing the online form and payment of $25.00 USD each. Note that we were never asked to see our visa upon entering or leaving the country. Upon arrival, a Gate 1 representative was holding a Gate 1 sign before reaching the Immigration desks. We followed the representative’s instructions and had no problems. Note that Gate 1 warned us in advance of the trip to not accept a ride from any driver who will not accept the Gate 1 voucher as payment. A couple on the same flight and travel package chose to get their visas at the airport. They completed the forms and paid the representative $27.00 USD each (in cash). The representative obtained the visas for this couple in about 10 minutes while we all waited for bags at baggage claim. Hotel transfers: Arrival: Once through customs at the Cairo airport, our representative took us to a comfortable air conditioned van, provided bottle water, and drove us to the hotel. Departure: Our guide, during our stay in Cairo, told us what time to meet in the hotel lobby. We went to lobby ahead of the scheduled time and had free coffee at bar and box breakfast because the hotel restaurant was not open yet. Excursions: We had the same guide for all of our excursions. Depending on how many people went on the excursions, we had either a full-size bus or a smaller bus. In either case, the buses were newer, clean, comfortable, and air conditioned. The full-size bus had a toilet. Our tour guide was licensed as an Egyptologist (whatever that means) as required for tour guides. He was friendly, had a great sense of humor, spoke English fluently, and very knowledgeable about all things in Egypt. In addition, he was well organized and all excursions occurred without problems. Along with our guide we had the driver and an armed, plain-clothed Tourist Police Officer. We were told that the Tourist Police are everywhere to help ensure tourists remain safe. Apparently, an office may be randomly assigned to a tour company and accompanies them. In our case, we had the same officer every day. He was friendly, would take pictures for you, and, most importantly, intervene when there was trouble with a street vendor or one of the many locals trying to get money in return for some “service” such as taking photos of you. Tipping: I tipped the driver and Tourist Police Officer everyday on behalf of myself and my wife. You should definitely tip the driver daily because you may have different drivers on different days.. You don’t really need to tip the officer, but I felt he was doing a great job as a ‘body guard’ and was very personable. I generally tipped the driver and the officer EGP 100 (about $6.00 USD) each every day on behalf my wife and I. I felt that both the driver and officer did not expect a tip, but were grateful for the tips. I tipped our tour guide at the completion of our last excursion for the entire time – about EGP 160 ($10.00 USD) per day. Our guide was grateful for the tip, and never felt pressured to tip. Nile Dinner Cruise: I don’t know the name of the dinner cruise company, so am placing the info in this Gate 1 review. The dinner cruise was along the iconic Nile river in Cairo. The meal was very good, the evening/night views were great, and the entertainment was wonderful!

This was my first "tour" experience. My husband had taken one Gate 1 tour last year and convinced me to do the Costa Rica 14-day tour with him and another couple. I guess we had a relatively small group... 34 but it was a great, cohesive group. We all became a family. Our tour guide, Jose, was phenomenal... the amount of knowledge he possesses was what made this tour so worthwhile. What we learned about the culture, flora, fauna, and history was something we would never learn on a self-guided tour of Costa Rica. The zip-line experience was SO MUCH FUN!!! Above and beyond any other zip-line experience I've had before. I regret not taking the optional natural hot spring/dinner trip because everyone who did it said it was the best steak they've ever eaten, and the views from the restaurant were gorgeous. We were able to complete the entire 14-day tour, flying out of San Jose the day before they closed the airport due to to the Corona virus. Jose made sure that everyone got home safely, tweaking flight changes for some. Such a great guy.

I titled my review above and beyond, because Gate 1 does just that. They give you V.I.P. treatment at very reasonable prices. I recently toured Egypt with Gate 1. Ahmed Samir our tour manager from Gate 1 was excellent. He treated everyone like family. He explained the sights and gave us inside information on Egyptian culture. Gate 1 also provides security for us so we would feel comfortable our entire vacation. He was very proud of Egypt and conveyed that pride to us. Gate 1 picked us up at the airport and made sure we boarded our plane with ease upon departure. I highly recommend them to everyone. I have traveled with them 3 times and would give them 10 stars if I could.

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Discovery tours by gate 1 reviews & ratings, the absolute worst.

THE ABSOLUTE WORST. Dishonest, incompetent, fraudulent. We booked a trip to Europe with them, and it was a mess from start to finish. The flight that we paid extra...

We had a wonderful time

We had a wonderful time. The guides and accommodations were exceptional. The guides were knowledgeable and professional. We couldn't have asked for a better vacation...

Our expectations were exceeded

I had high hopes & expectations for this trip. I've waited all my adult life to go to Africa & finally, my husband agreed to go. Our expectations were exceed...

Our trip was just great as usual with Gate 1

Our trip was just great as usual with Gate 1. Our tour director was excellent and the local guides at the various ruins we visited were very knowledgeable on the May...

We had a fantastic safari that gave us the chance to explore a whole new world in beautiful Tanzania

We had a fantastic safari that gave us the chance to explore a whole new world in beautiful Tanzania. We had the opportunity to see a large variety of animals indivi...

See all Discovery Tours by Gate 1 reviews

Editoral Review of Discovery Tours by Gate 1

A section of Gate 1 tours, Discovery Tours provides immersive cultural experiences for budget minded travelers.

What Makes Discovery Tours Gate 1 Stand Out?

They are dedicated to keeping their travel groups small (max 22) in order to provide a culturally rich experience that everyone on the tour can enjoy to the fullest. They stress the intimate and immersive nature of their itineraries which visit unique destinations around the globe.

Their focus on small groups allows them to offer interesting and off the beaten path activities and accommodations, as well as a high level of personalized attention from the guides.

Who Will Enjoy Traveling with Discovery Tours Gate 1?

Groups are international, typically attended by the 35-50+ age range. This is quintessential small group travel. You’ll have a dedicated professional guide - often a local - and an expert in the country.

If you enjoy a well rounded tour that focuses just as much on meeting locals and visiting off the beaten path spots as on the tourist highlights, then a Discovery Gate 1 tour would suit you nicely.

The balance of sightseeing to more unique experiences means their a great option for first time travelers or a repeat visit to a country you want to see again.

Tours are budget conscious - many activities are included with some optional excursions available for an extra fee allowing you to somewhat cater your own experience.

Top Destinations

Discovery Tours travel to multiple countries around the world in the Americas, Europe, Asia & the South Pacific, the Mediterranean, and Africa.

Discovery Tours Gate 1 Travel Style

Gate 1’s Discovery Tours brand, combines the budget mindfulness of Gate 1 with the exclusivity of their Signature Collection to provide an immersive, culturally rich small group travel experience.

Group size is no larger than 22, and typically the average is more like 12-15 people. This allows for much more intimate and unique experiences when it comes to meals, accommodations, and activities.

It also means there is more room for spontaneity, such as stopping the bus to hop out and enjoy a local market before continuing on to your next destination.

Many activities and excursions are already included in the itinerary, which is relatively unusual for these more budget minded travel options. That said, not all excursions are included - which gives you the flexibility to pick and choose how you’d like to spend your time.

A lot of activities during the tour are designed to be hands on, providing a real glimpse into the culture. Ample free time is provided as well, where you can spend some time exploring on your own.

While you will hit the major sites, the balance is definitely more heavily weighted on off the beaten path experiences - meeting locals and enjoying a more authentic view of the destination.

Why Choose a Tour with Discovery Tours Gate 1?

This is a group tour experience for people who have an adventurous spirit but are looking for a nice balance of being taken care of and independence. Each trip offers a number of optional sightseeing tours for purchase, to further provide context to your destination.

Or you can choose to explore on your own. If a small group tour experience almost anywhere in the world is what you’re looking for, give their extensive list of itineraries a browse.

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14 Day Discover Sicily & Malta 2020 Itinerary

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Gate 1 Travel Review: Are Their Organized Tours Worth It?

Have you ever wanted to take a trip where everything is planned for you? I was in the same boat when I found Gate 1 Travel, which offers escorted coach tours all over the world. If you're wondering whether this is the route for you, I did all the work to give you the inside scoop!

One of the best parts of traveling is getting to decide where you want to go and what you want to see. However, it can also be the most stressful part of traveling.

How do you make sure you see everything you want to see, get the right hotels, and eat at the right restaurants, all while staying on budget? One option I often think about to help alleviate that stress is to book a tour that covers all the nitty-gritty details!

When you're thinking about organized travel, you'll come across so many tours and guides that'll it'll hurt your brain.

One of those is Gate 1 Travel. So, the real question is does it beat out other options when booking tours?

I wanted to find out so that you'll have the essential info on its tours, prices, destinations, and more! This way you'll be making a decision with lots of valuable knowledge.

What Is Gate 1 Travel?

If you're not a fan of traveling with strangers, my advice is to go with a travel agency or plan your own trip. Don't go with Gate 1 Travel or other travel groups. Plan and go discover on your own instead with Pilot!

That's because you will definitely be exploring with a group if you book with with Gate 1 Travel.

Numbers fluctuate, but if you're keen on staying in a smaller group, be sure to check out Gate 1's Small Group tours . Also known as Discovery Tours, there are no more than 22 travelers on these trips, so you won't have to worry about there being too many people with you.

‍ Discovery Tours also allow you to get up close and personal with the country you're visiting in a way that often isn't possible in larger, escorted tours.

How Large Are Gate 1 Travel Groups?

If you're not a fan of traveling with strangers, my advice is to go with a travel agency or plan your own trip. Don't go with Gate 1 Travel.

Numbers fluctuate, but if you're keen on staying in a smaller group, be sure to check out Gate 1's  Small Group tours . Also known as Discovery Tours, there are no more than 22 travelers on these trips, so you won't have to worry about there being too many people with you. 

‍ Discovery Tours  also allow you to get up close and personal with the country you're visiting in a way that often isn't possible in larger, escorted tours. 

How Do I Book a Tour?

If you're interested in booking a tour with Gate 1 Travel, you'll first need to make an account.

You can head to the login page to do this. Once you've done that, you can start booking!

You'll select your tour region, followed by the country you want to visit and the tour that appeals most to you.

Choose your departure date, and decide whether you want flights included. You can then select those flights and any optional tours you may want to do during your trip.

What's Included in Gate 1 Travel Tours?

When booking a tour with Gate 1, you want to know what's included.

Something I liked to see is that every trip offers a "land only" and "air & land" price, so you can decide whether to have your flights included. Flights do only go to and from select cities, depending on your tour dates.

Escorted tours will include the following:

• Accommodation for the nights of the tour
• Hotel taxes and service charges 
• Transport between cities
• Certain meals (what's included will be outlined in the tour details)
• Sightseeing per the itinerary in an air-conditioned coach with a guide!

Not included is airfare for land-only trips, any visa-related fees, and optional extras you may decide to add to your tour.

Gate 1 Deals

Every traveler loves a good deal, and Gate 1 offers some great affordable vacations. It's actually one of the best bundle travel deal sites out there!

By heading to the company's Featured Specials page, you'll get to see Gate 1's flash deals, as well as any last-minute deals for upcoming departure dates. They also have a featured destination sale which will change from time to time.

To access the deals, you'll need to use the promo code listed on these pages, and then you're on your way to saving on your next trip!

From its website, you can also sign up to receive weekly deals via email. You never know what you'll get in your inbox!

How Do I Contact Gate 1 Travel Customer Service?

Whether you have a question or a complaint, it's never a bad idea to know how to contact customer service.

Gate 1 Travel is currently experiencing a high volume of inquiries, but you can still fill out a  form  via the website to send an online inquiry. 

If you're traveling soon, you can get ahold of the team by phone. The company has 24-hour assistance line can be reached in the US by calling 215-572-7676. 

Cancellation Policy

If you find you can no longer join your Gate 1 Travel tour, how can you cancel your trip?

Once you've made at least a partial payment on your trip, you have to submit a cancellation request in writing via the contact us page.

Cancellation fees will then be applied based on how much time remains before your trip and will be applied as a percentage of what has already been paid. 

Customer Reviews

Overall, travelers seem to be satisfied with Gate 1's services and its tours.

Many of the complaints speak to packages booked with flights and how flight cancellations or changes have upheaved entire trips. Others have also mentioned the mismatch of travel credits promised versus ones they actually offer.

Other travelers have complained about Gate 1's customer service as being difficult to reach and not entirely helpful. It sounds like quite a few individuals had a tough time getting a full refund for their trip, even with travel insurance, when booking with them.

Whether it's that explanations can't be given, refunds are not fully issued, or travelers are sent in circles, it sounds like customer service is a hit or miss.

Other complaints have also touched on the itineraries being too packed to truly enjoy what you're seeing or to feel rested enough for them. 

Is Gate 1 Travel Worth It?

After all my reading, my advice is to proceed with caution. Here's why.

My first impression when I got onto the website is that this is mainly targeting an older audience, with their branding outdated to the 2000s. That's not a judging criteria, but just a red flag in my opinion.

While Gate 1 Travel offers a lot of packaged tours, the volume of travelers who have had their trips impacted by flights booked through Gate 1 is concerning.

Instead, I would avoid the flight risks by opting for land-only tours. If you go this route, Gate 1 does offer tours all over the world, so it's a good place to at least browse through when you're trying to make a decision.

They also offer other kind of tours like independent vacations, European river cruises, and customized international vacation packages, but it's honestly not for me. The price is way too expensive and I can frankly plan it myself.

They also seem to charge a bit more than the actual ticket for many attractions, which to me seems like a dealbreaker unless it is actually hard for me to get the travel reservations myself.

In Gate 1 Travel's benefit, they sure do have tons of locations. From Paris to Peru, From Ecuador to Budapest, their tour packages extend to many destinations around the world. They also offer discount travel packages there and here, so that's something to consider for all you deal-seekers.

Keep in mind that some comments were made about the itineraries being a bit packed. So, if you're more of a relaxed traveler, I would be very careful going with Gate 1 Travel.

That being said, if you want to do and see as much as humanly possibly, Gate 1 could be the tour company for you!

If you like the idea of booking a tour but still aren't convinced that Gate 1 Travel is right for you, make sure to also check out companies like EF and Intrepid !

Our Rating: 3.1/5 

• Tours all over the world
• Small group options for more immersive experiences
• Includes accommodation, and guided coach tours
• Options for smaller group tours
• Flight cancellations can result in trip cancellation
• Poor customer service
• Some feedback of packed schedules

Gate 1 Travel FAQs:

Is gate 1 travel still in business.

Yes, very much so. They've been operating for over 40 years and continue to maintain its operations despite its outdated website design.

Is Gate 1 Travel better than Trafalgar Tours?

They both offer the same comparable luxury comfort tours, so it's hard to say. I'd give Trafalgar the edge since they have more experience under their belt, but individual experiences will vary. Read our Trafalgar Tours Review for more detail!

Is Gate 1 Travel an American Company?

Yes, they're an American owned and run company based in Fort Washington, PA!

Who is the founder of Gate 1?

Dani Pipano is Gate 1 Travel's founder.

Ready to Get Traveling?

Whether you opt for a Gate 1 Travel tour, use another company, or decide to freestyle your next adventure, we want to make sure that you have the best time.

Use Pilot so you can keep all the different elements of your travels in one place and easily access them all. Plan your dream vacation today with Pilot!

Disclosure : Pilot is supported by our community. We may earn a small commission fee with affiliate links on our website. All reviews and recommendations are independent and do not reflect the official view of Pilot.

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Born in November 2001, Gulf Circle Tours – UAE is a member of the Discovery Global Holdings Legacy. Operating with a current team of around 20 enthusiastic and professional permanent staff, GCT- UAE has penetrated the UAE market with great force by providing un-matched services to top clients from around the world.

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Largest Batch of Earth-size Habitable Zone Planets Found Orbiting TRAPPIST-1

TRAPPIST-1: Largest Batch of Earth-sized Exoplanets

The most studied planetary system, aside from our own solar system, lies about 40 light-years away. We've looked at the seven rocky exoplanets orbiting the TRAPPIST-1 star with ground and space telescopes like Spitzer, Kepler, Hubble, and, now, the James Webb Space Telescope.

In March 2023, the first science from the Webb telescope was released. An analysis of TRAPPIST-1b, the innermost planet, revealed its dayside temperature and found little evidence of an atmosphere .

In a press release on February 22, 2017, NASA announced the discovery of the most Earth-sized planets found in the habitable zone of a single star, called TRAPPIST-1. This system of seven rocky worlds–all of them with the potential for water on their surface – is an exciting discovery in the search for life on other worlds. There is the possibility that future study of this unique planetary system could reveal conditions suitable for life.

In February 2018, closer study of the seven planets suggested that some could harbor far more water than the oceans of Earth, in the form of atmospheric water vapor for the planets closest to their star, liquid water for others, and ice for those farthest away. The study pinned down the density of each planet more precisely, making TRAPPIST-1 the most thoroughly known planetary system apart from our own.

A 2021 study revealed more about TRAPPIST-1 planets. They are likely made of similar stuff, but they are different from Earth. That could mean they all contain about the same ratio of materials thought to compose most rocky planets, like iron, oxygen, magnesium, and silicon. But if this is the case, that ratio must be notably different than Earth's: The TRAPPIST-1 planets are about 8% less dense than they would be if they had the same makeup as our home planet.

Exoplanet surface in 360 VR

An artist's illustration of TRAPPIST-1d takes you to the surface of the third planet from the red TRAPPIST-1 star. From here, the star looms larger than our Sun and its light casts a red glow across the sky. Look up, and you may catch a glimpse of its six sister planets, as visible as our Moon is from Earth. View on YouTube

Planet hop from TRAPPIST-1 e

Take a trip with the Exoplanet Travel Bureau to the fourth planet in the TRAPPIST-1 system, TRAPPIST-1 e, a world swimming in water in perpetual twilight. Its sister planets gracefully light up the sky, promising another adventure just a hop away.

Interact with the TRAPPIST-1 system in 3D

You can fly through the TRAPPIST-1 planets and see an artist's concept of the surfaces on your phone or with a desktop app. Compare each planet to Earth or Jupiter, compare the TRAPPIST-1 system to our solar system, and see how far the habitable zone extends. With the touch of a screen or the click of a mouse, you can visit the newly discovered TRAPPIST-1 system in the our Exoplanet Catalog. It contains every exoplanet discovery, powered by NASA's Exoplanet Archive, the official database used by professional astronomers engaged in exploring new worlds.

TRAPPIST-1 System in 3D

Latest images and videos

More TRAPPIST-1 images

Before and After

Trappist-1 system Spitzer findings

Before and after the discovery of four new planets

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Not so strange new worlds

Since 2017, we knew the TRAPPIST-1 system had seven Earth-sized planets. Now in 2018, a study using new data – including extensive observations by NASA's Spitzer and Kepler space telescopes – has provided more information about this amazing system.

Hubble probes atmospheres of exoplanets in TRAPPIST-1 habitable zone

Astronomers using the Hubble Space Telescope have conducted the first spectroscopic survey of Earth-sized planets in the TRAPPIST-1 system’s habitable zone.

News conference images and videos

See the TRAPPIST-1 gallery of art and animations at Caltech's Spitzer telescope site, as of Feb 2017.

NASA news conference

Archived footage of the NASA news conference announcing the discovery of the seven TRAPPIST-1 planets on February 22, 2017.

Treasure trove of planets

This video features interviews with the scientists who discovered the system of seven planets orbiting TRAPPIST-1, an ultra-cool dwarf star.

Weirdest habitable worlds

How would life be different around a red star? While we don’t know if there is life on the TRAPPIST-1 planets, we do know that any life discovered there would likely be very different from life on Earth.

Seven wonders of TRAPPIST-1

This video details a system of seven planets orbiting TRAPPIST-1, a discovery of the Spitzer Space Telescope, operated by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California.

This animation visualizes the change in light as each planet passes in front of its star. The study established the planets' size, distance from their sun and, for some of them, their approximate mass and density.

How do we know what air is like on other planets?

How do we know what the air is like on planets we haven't visited? This James Webb Space Telescope video explains how to see air from 150 light-years away.

Animation: Planetary orbits and transits

An animation of the seven TRAPPIST-1 planets transiting in front of their red dwarf star.

Animation: TRAPPIST-1 planets flyaround

This video depicts artist's concepts of each of the seven planets orbiting TRAPPIST-1, an ultra-cool dwarf star. The planets appear in the order of innermost to outermost planets.

Animation: Spitzer Space Telescope

This animation portrays NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope in space.

Related Articles

Can life survive on a trappist-1 planet.

A bumper crop of Earth-sized planets huddled around a red dwarf star could be little more than chunks of rock blasted by radiation. Or they could harbor exotic lifeforms, thriving under orange twilight skies.

NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope news

The extraordinary TRAPPIST-1 finding was made possible with over 21 days of near-contiguous Spitzer Space Telescope observations of the ultra-cool M-dwarf.

Ultracool Dwarf and the Seven Planets

The European Southern Observatory's news release describes the temperate Earth-sized worlds found in an extraordinarily rich planetary system.

Discover More Topics From NASA

Search for Life

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How to watch the pga tour’s cj cup byron nelson.

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The PGA Tour heads to the CJ Cup Byron Nelson at TPC Craig Ranch in McKinney, Texas.

Here’s a look at the TV schedule for this week’s events around the golf world (all times EDT; stream links added when available).

• 5-8PM (GC): PGA Professional Championship, Round 2 (PGA of America)
• 5-8PM (GC): PGA Professional Championship, Round 3 (PGA of America)
• 4-7PM (GC): PGA Professional Championship, final round (PGA of America)
• 1-6AM (GC): Volvo China Open, Round 1 (DP World Tour)
• 4-7PM (GC/Peacock): CJ Cup Byron Nelson, Round 1 (PGA Tour)
• 1-6AM (GC): Volvo China Open, Round 2 (DP World Tour)
• 12:30-3:30PM (GC/Peacock): Insperity Invitational, Round 1 (PGA Tour Champions)
• 4-7PM (GC/Peacock): CJ Cup Byron Nelson, Round 2 (PGA Tour)
• 1:30-6AM (GC): Volvo China Open, Round 3 (DP World Tour)
• 1-3PM (GC/Peacock): CJ Cup Byron Nelson, Round 3 (PGA Tour)
• 3-6PM (CBS): CJ Cup Byron Nelson, Round 3 (PGA Tour)
• 3-6PM (GC/Peacock): Insperity Invitational, Round 2 (PGA Tour Champions)
• Midnight-5AM (GC): Volvo China Open, final round (DP World Tour)
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Xaira, an AI drug discovery startup, launches with a massive $1B, says it’s ‘ready’ to start developing drugs

Advances in generative AI have taken the tech world by storm. Biotech investors are making a big bet that similar computational methods could revolutionize drug discovery.

On Tuesday, ARCH Venture Partners and Foresite Labs , an affiliate of Foresite Capital, announced that they incubated Xaira Therapeutics and funded the AI biotech with $1 billion. Other investors in the new company, which has been operating in stealth mode for about six months, include F-Prime, NEA, Sequoia Capital, Lux Capital, Lightspeed Venture Partners, Menlo Ventures, Two Sigma Ventures and SV Angel.

Xaira’s CEO Marc Tessier-Lavigne, a former Stanford president and chief scientific officer at Genentech, says the company is ready to start developing drugs that were impossible to make without recent breakthroughs in AI. “We’ve done such a large capital raise because we believe the technology is at an inflection point where it can have a transformative effect on the field,” he said.

The advances in foundational models come from the University of Washington’s Institute of Protein Design, run by David Baker, one of Xaira’s co-founders. These models are similar to diffusion models that power image generators like OpenAI’s DALL-E and Midjourney. But rather than creating art, Baker’s models aim to design molecular structures that can be made in a three-dimensional, physical world. 

While Xaira’s investors are convinced that the company can revolutionize data design, they emphasized that generative AI applications in biology are still in the early innings.

Vik Bajaj, CEO of Foresite Labs and managing director of Foresite Capital, said that unlike in technology, where data that train AI models is created by consumers, biology and medicine are “data poor. You have to create the datasets that drive model development.”

Other biotech companies using generative AI to design drugs include Recursion , which went public in 2021, and Genesis Therapeutics, a startup that last year raised a $200 million Series B co-led by Andreessen Horowitz.

The company declined to say when it expects to have its first drug available for human trials. However, ARCH Venture Partners managing director Bob Nelsen underscored that Xaira and its investors are ready to play the long game.

“You need billions of dollars to be a real drug company and also think AI. Both of those are expensive disciplines,” he said.  

Xaira wants to position itself as a powerhouse of AI drug discovery. However, some view bringing on Tessier-Lavigne as CEO as an unexpected move. Tessier-Lavigne resigned just seven months ago from his position as Stanford president following explosive reports — including in the Stanford Daily —  that his laboratory at Genetech had manipulated research data. 

Tessier-Lavigne was not himself accused of manipulating any data and denied knowing there was falsified research being published by his colleagues.

Indeed, after a special committee of Stanford’s Board of Trustees initiated a review related to Tessier-Lavigne’s scientific research, he let it be known that the panel concluded he “did not engage in any fraud or falsification of scientific data.” Still, as he wrote in his last public communication from Stanford last summer, “[a]lthough the report clearly refutes the allegations of fraud and misconduct that were made against me,” the investigation itself had become so big a distraction that he decided to step down “for the good of the University.”

Investors don’t seem bothered by the events. They say they’re confident that Tessier-Lavigne — who left Genentech in 2011 to lead Rockefeller University, then joined Stanford in 2016 — is the right person for the job.

“I have known Marc for many years and know him to be a person of integrity and scientific vision who will be an exceptional CEO,” Nelsen said in an email. “Stanford exonerated him of any wrongdoing or scientific misconduct.”  

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Harry potter tour revenue surges past $1 billion.

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The Harry Potter tour in Leavesden is a big money spinner for Warner Bros.

Britain's Harry Potter movie tour has generated more than $1 billion of revenue since it opened 12 years ago according to its latest financial statements which show that sales doubled to a record $184.4 million (£149.1 million) in 2022 as the end of pandemic restrictions cast a powerful spell on the attraction.

The tour is set inside two cream-coloured cavernous soundstages at Leavesden Studios on the outskirts of London. Owned by media giant Warner Bros. Discovery WBD , Leavesden was originally an aircraft factory before it was converted into a movie studio in 1994 so that James Bond flick GoldenEye could film there.

Warner bought Leavesden in 2010 making it the first studio to have a permanent European base since Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in the 1940s. Leavesden re-opened in 2012 after Warner invested more than $123.7 million (£100 million) in the site. Since then it has been home to well over 50 productions including all eight Potter films, the three Fantastic Beasts spin-offs and last year's highest-grossing movie, Barbie .

The studio generates 39.7% of Leavesden's total revenue which rose by $87.5 million (£70.7 million) to a record $305.8 million (£247.2 million) in the year to 31 December 2022 as we revealed in Britain's Sunday Times newspaper. The increase was entirely driven by the tour as studio revenue dipped 2.9% to $121.3 million (£98.1 million).

Revenue is increasing at Warner Bros' Leavesden studios

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Over the past few years soaring inflation and the cost of living crisis has caused consumers to cut streaming subscriptions leading to studios scaling back the number of shows in production.

It didn't stop there as Leavesden faced the challenge of strikes in Hollywood when actors and writers downed their tools for more than six months last year in a bid to boost the royalties they receive. Warner is still counting the cost of this and on February 23 announced that revenue for the fourth quarter of 2023 was down 7% to $10.2 billion partly driven by strike-induced production delays. On the day of the announcement its shares closed 10% down at $8.61, almost the lowest price since the group was created by the merger of AT&T’s T WarnerMedia and Discovery Inc in April 2022.

The impact is being felt far beyond the studios as special effects firm Framestore, which created the spellbinding visuals in the Potter movies, said it expects margins "to be impacted" by the strikes in 2023.

In contrast, the tour behind the scenes of the Potter movies has been a dream ticket for Warner. Leavesden's net profit more than doubled last year to $87.8 million (£71 million) which was largely driven by the tour given that the studio's revenue reversed. Since 2012 Leavesden has generated total net profits of $589.6 million (£476.7 million) and paid $289.4 million (£234 million) of dividends to Warner.

Guests can wander through recreations of classic Harry Potter locations (photo by Andrew Aitchison / ... [+] In pictures via Getty Images)

Since it opened 12 years ago more than 18 million people have streamed through the tour's turnstiles generating a total of $1.2 billion (£935.8 million) of revenue – 67.5% more than the studio has made.

The tour is filled with props and sets from the movies with the latest addition being Professor Sprout's Greenhouse which opened in summer 2022. From the outside, the giant greenhouse appears to be in the grip of a giant vine which covers the walls inside. Its tendrils spread into flower boxes where plants seem to sprout from them. Visitors can uproot them to reveal a squealing shrub as Harry and his chums did in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets .

As we recently revealed , the tour has been so successful that Warner has invested more than $115 million in its first overseas outpost which opened in Tokyo last year and is 50% bigger than its British counterpart.

Leavesden operates the Japanese facility as well as the wildly popular chain of Potter shops and the Harry Potter and the Cursed Child stage show which premiered in London in 2016 to critical acclaim. Since then it has expanded to five other countries and is still growing as the financial statements reveal that "in 2022 the company invested in another production of the stage play Harry Potter and the Cursed Child ."

The company also produces the Harry Potter and the Cursed Child stage show (Photo by Sam ... [+] Tabone/WireImage)

Despite the logjam in Hollywood, Leavesden too is expanding. Last year it announced plans to build 11 new sound stages which will increase production capacity by more than 50% and will create 4,000 direct and indirect jobs. It is expanding to stay in the game in the face of increasing competition.

Britain has become a popular location for filming thanks to its generous fiscal benefits which give studios a reimbursement of up to 25.5% of the amount they spend in the country. It explains why Shepperton Studios, just outside London, is planning a 1.2 million square feet expansion which will make it the world's second-biggest studio.

Likewise, nearby Pinewood plans to spend $1.6 billion (£1.3 billion) on new facilities including a studio tour which will put it in even more direct competition with Leavesden. Over the past 80 years Pinewood has been home to everything from the Pink Panther and Paddington to Superman and Star Wars so it may take more than the wave of a magic wand to beat.

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