BTN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEWS from State of the Tourism Industry Conference (SOTIC) 2023

“My favorite state has not yet been invented. It will be called Montana, and it will be perfect.” Abraham Lincoln said this shortly after Montana became a United States territory, but about 25 years before it became a state. It is also one of the things that stayed with Senior Video Producer Matt Paco well after his weeklong trip to Montana to film the video for this year’s Best in Travel. 

I consider myself a foodie. Apart from beautiful scenery, food is what excites me the most when I travel. After I visited the 48 contiguous United States, one of the most frequent questions my friends and family asked me was how the food was. America's large portion sizes are well-known in the UK, but I was happy to tell them that every state has its own unique food culture and dishes.

Even though the leaves are just starting to turn, airline network planners are already getting excited for next summer.

Is Artificial Intelligence, commonly known as AI, the long-awaited savior of the human race, or is it the bane of today’s fast-paced, always-looking-for-a-shortcut society?

In 2021, I reached my goal of visiting all 50 states.

Chicago is a place of culture, history, and artistic expression. This vibrant metropolis is home to a flourishing art scene, with numerous museums and galleries offering a diverse array of exhibitions and events. From exploring the works of Black American writers in the American Writers Museum to delving into the revolutionary art of Camille Claudel, and from celebrating the legacy of Pablo Picasso to witnessing the fascinating world of the Jewish deli, Chicago's art world is alive and thriving. Here is a closer look at the latest happenings in Chicago's art scene.

Picture it: After years of fantasizing and months of planning, you finally arrive at the destination you've always dreamed about. Except, it's just not how you pictured it.

There are plenty of hotels around the world that the royal family have frequented—but there’s something special about staying in an actual home or estate that the monarchy has vacationed at. It feels more regal; more like leaning into the royal life than checking into a hotel room.

If you've visited Phoenix or Scottsdale, Arizona, you already know that the area is flush with luxury hotels and resorts. Big names like Marriott, Hilton and Hyatt operate many of the resort properties, which, depending on your points or elite status in those chains, can help make the getaways more affordable or attainable.

Lisa Lutoff-Perlo made headlines as the first woman president and CEO of Celebrity Cruises when she took the helm of the line in 2014. In her new memoir, Making Waves, she offers hard-won wisdom she has gathered over her nearly 40-year career in the industry, climbing her way from door-to-door cruise salesperson all the way to the C-suite.

Organised by IFEMA MADRID, the 44th edition of FITUR is set to take place from 24 to 28 January 2024 at Madrid’s trade fair centre. According to FITUR’s director, María Valcarce, the outlook for the next edition is looking bright and everything points to the trade fair expanding to occupy more than 140,000 m2 of space across 9 halls, bringing together more than 9,000 companies and over 150,000 professional visitors from the world tourism industry from 145 countries. It is also estimated that around 100,000 people will visit FITUR over the weekend. Figures that already placed FITUR at the forefront of the major international tourism fairs at the last edition.

To celebrate their 20th anniversary this year, Atlanta residents Jessica and David Goldberg booked an Oceania Cruise. The voyage started in Greece and dropped them off in Israel on October 4, where they planned to spend the next week exploring.