After nearly four years, the Eastern & Oriental Express is back on the rails. The train, which is operated by the luxury travel company Belmond, this week welcomed its first set of passengers since it stopped running as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. The luxury train has been operating in Southeast Asia … Read more
For many Chinese, Harbin conjures images of ice and steel, a city both cold and tough. But this winter, the heavily industrialized city morphed into a warmly welcoming host, drawing in a record-breaking number of visitors, mainly from China’s south. During the three-day New Year period from Dec. 30 to Jan. 1, Harbin received more … Read more
Nearly one in five Americans said they plan to travel less in 2024, with most citing costs as the reason , according to Intrepid Travel’s 2024 Outlook Survey. But many travelers are pressing forward, seeking ways to save without compromising their trips. And for some 70% of respondents of Intrepid’s survey, that means avoiding peak … Read more
India’s tourism sector is set for a boom as more travelers take trips around the country for religious purposes. The South Asian country with the world’s largest Hindu population could see an additional 50 million to 100 million tourists a year on account of the new Ram Mandir — a temple in the northern city … Read more
Hidden cameras are being found in hotel rooms, house rentals, cruise ships, and even airplane bathrooms, leaving many travelers to wonder: “Could a hidden camera be watching me?” Spycams, as they’re called, are getting smaller, harder to find and easier to buy. From alarm clocks to air fresheners, water bottles and toothbrush holders, cameras come … Read more
The Israel-Hamas war is affecting travel across the Middle East and beyond. International arrivals to the region grew in the fourth quarter of 2023 — mainly owing to an increase in visitors to Saudi Arabia — to a level that matched 2019 numbers, according to the travel data company ForwardKeys. But it’s a far cry … Read more
The tropical beaches of the tiny archipelagic Maldives may lose one of their biggest tourist groups amid a bizarre diplomatic spat. Here’s everything to know about Indian tourists’ boycott of the Maldives. Why are Indians boycotting? The row started with a visit Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi made to promote domestic tourism to Lakshadweep, an … Read more
Social media posts by Maldivian officials may cost the country millions in tourism revenue, as calls by Indian travelers to boycott the island nation intensify. “We are seeing a 40% drop in bookings over the last two days,” Ankit Chaturvedi, vice president and global head of marketing at the India-based travel software company Rategain, … Read more
A post-pandemic surge in international travelers, coupled with weak exchange rates, may have indirectly ended one of Japan’s most beloved travel deals: the Japan Rail Pass. Prices for the JR Pass, as it’s known, increased roughly 65%-75%, in October 2023. But there are still rail deals to be found — especially for those going beyond … Read more
The airline industry’s dramatic climb from the depths of the pandemic may be ending soon. A review of multiple reports shows stabilization across several key metrics, as rapid growth ends and a new era of normalcy begins. “2024 is expected to mark the end of the dramatic year-on-year increases that have been characteristic of the … Read more