Luxury safaris adapt as travelers push for meaningful experiences

Luxury safaris adapt as travelers push for meaningful experiences

Luxury safari-goers were once all about spotting lions, leopards, elephants, buffaloes and rhinos — albeit while staying in nicer tents and dining on gourmet food. But that’s changing. “Safaris are not just about the ‘Big Five’ anymore,” said Lori Cohen, a writer who covers luxury safaris. “People have got limited time off in their lives, … Read more

The world’s busiest flight routes in 2024

The world’s busiest flight routes in 2024

Hong Kong-Taipei is the busiest international flight route, according to a report released Tuesday by aviation intelligence company OAG. The route — which last held that position in 2019 — again tops the list despite seat capacity remaining 15% below pre-pandemic levels, according to OAG’s report. Seven of the 10 busiest international routes in the … Read more

Skiplagging can save on flights. What happens if you get caught

Skiplagging can save on flights. What happens if you get caught

Airlines may not be fans of “skiplagging,” but travelers who use it to save money on flights surely are. The practice involves buying a connecting flight, with no intention of taking the second leg of the journey. Flyers do this when they find a connecting flight — that stops at their intended destination — that’s … Read more

Ed Sheeran announces concert in Bhutan — with tickets starting at $10

Ed Sheeran announces concert in Bhutan — with tickets starting at

Ed Sheeran announced this week he’s taking his Mathematics Tour to Bhutan, India and the Middle East in early 2025. The tour, formally named the +–=÷x Tour, includes a notable stop in Bhutan’s capital of Thimphu on Jan. 24, 2025 — which will be the first major international concert to be held in the country, according … Read more

How mishaps become great memories

How mishaps become great memories

A trip to Egypt — the first my brother and I took as adults with our parents — quickly went off the rails. After spending Christmas in the Sinai Peninsula, we drove our rental car back to Cairo. At the hotel, a well-dressed man, whom my father mistook for a hotel valet, offered to move … Read more

Seeing them via a river cruise

Seeing them via a river cruise

Picture twinkling lights reflected on the Danube River as you sail into port, steps away from the merriment of a festive Christmas market. European Christmas markets have been a tradition since the Middle Ages. Market stalls decked in garland and ornaments beckon visitors with a cozy atmosphere and delicious food and drink. There are thousands of … Read more

Where does methanol poisoning happen? Most incidents are in Asia

Where does methanol poisoning happen? Most incidents are in Asia

Six travelers have died from suspected methanol poisoning after visiting the tourist town of Vang Vieng, Laos, this month. The travelers — two from Australia, two from Denmark, one from United Kingdom and one from United States — are believed to have consumed alcohol tainted with methanol, which is sometimes illegally added to regular or … Read more

Marriott CEO says business is solid amid corporate layoffs

Marriott CEO says business is solid amid corporate layoffs

Marriott International’s business operations and growth are solid, CEO Anthony Capuano told CNBC Monday, amid layoffs of more than 800 corporate employees and continued sluggishness in China’s tourism market. “We are firing on all cylinders in every geography,” he said. The company’s third-quarter earnings showed a 3% increase in worldwide RevPar — or revenue per … Read more

Same-sex marriage in Thailand expected to bring increase in tourists

Same-sex marriage in Thailand expected to bring increase in tourists

Thailand’s same-sex marriage legislation, scheduled to come into effect in January 2025, could attract an additional 4 million tourists to the country per year, according to a report commissioned by the travel company Agoda. The report published Thursday estimates the country’s marriage equality law may increase tourism arrivals by 10%, netting the country an extra … Read more

The top gift to give this season? Travel— if you can figure out how

The top gift to give this season? Travel— if you can figure out how

Forget the headphones, the fuzzy slippers and the espresso machine that cranks out a cold brew. Globally, three out of four Gen Zs and millennials said that rather than a physical gift, they want a fun experience or trip this holiday season, according to an Amex Trendex survey. Gift givers are listening too. Half of … Read more