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
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
When Ricardo Schmitz’s brother was visiting him in Vilnius, Lithuania, the pair went for a wintertime walk at midnight — something he said they would never do back home in Brazil. “My brother hadn’t seen snow since he was a kid, so he was super excited. We walked from midnight to 3 a.m.,” Schmitz … Read more
I knew something was amiss when the taxi meter read 10.50 euros as we pulled away from the Roma Termini train station. While negotiating the evening rush hour traffic and typing into a translation app on his cell phone, the cab driver suggested the starting fare included a surcharge for all rides from Rome’s main … Read more
Few names exude “quiet luxury” like the ultra-luxe Aman Resorts. Its hotels bear its moniker: from Amanoi in Vietnam, to Aman Sveti Stefan in Montenegro and the hotel that started it all — Amanpuri in Phuket, Thailand. Fans of the brands — known as ‘Aman Junkies’ — are accustomed to paying its top-dollar rates, which … Read more
Vacations can be fabulously relaxing. But booking one is another story. The average traveler views 141 pages of travel content in the 45 days prior to booking a trip, according to an Expedia Group report. The most popular site to visit was an OTA — or “online travel agency” — which is an industry term … Read more
It’s been a stellar year for the travel industry, according to Morning Consult. The market research company, in a new report entitled “2023 Holiday Travel Trends,” summarized the year by stating: “leisure volume soared, airplanes were packed, and hotel bookings were high.” But heading into the year-end peak travel season, consumers are showing increased price … Read more
Modern aircraft, comfortable seats and unflappably pleasant flight attendants. These are factors many rankings consider in determining the world’s best airlines. But they overlook a crucial element, according to the passenger rights company AirHelp — how airlines treat customers when problems occur. “We believe that an airline should be assessed not just by how they … Read more
The resort hotel has 20 rooms which will be open for stays from Dec. 1, 2023. Source: The Bus Collective It only costs a dollar to ride a Singapore bus — but 398 Singapore dollars to sleep in one. The Bus Collective is Southeast Asia’s first resort hotel to repurpose decommissioned public buses into luxury … Read more