Travel in city Taipei

Asia is home to several of the world's greatest mega-cities, from Tokyo to Bangkok, Hong Kong to Shanghai. And while each of these is undoubtedly a fascinating, thrilling place to visit, sometimes it's nice to revert back to life on a more human scale. Here's six small cities in Asia well worth a visit.

The U.S. travel industry will see a full recovery in Chinese and Japanese tourism by 2026 — one year earlier than previously projected, according to the U.S. National and Travel Tourism Office’s latest annual forecast released Tuesday.

The strongest earthquake to hit Taiwan in almost 25 years shook the island of nearly 24 million people at 7:58 a.m. local time on Wednesday, causing buildings to crash, landmarks to crumble, and landslides to topple roadways and train tracks. As of press time, there are 10 reported deaths, as well as 1,099 people injured, 705 trapped, and 11 missing, according to an update from Taiwan’s Fire Agency posted Thursday morning.

THIS ARTICLE IS ADAPTED FROM THE MARCH 30, 2024, EDITION OF GASTRO OBSCURA’S FAVORITE THINGS NEWSLETTER. YOU CAN SIGN UP HERE.

Despite being hit with a 7.4 magnitude earthquake Wednesday morning, travel is largely operating normally throughout Taiwan at the time of publication.

Seattle becomes STARLUX’s third nonstop U.S. destination from Taipei with its world-class service and amenities; premier carrier is one of our newest global airline partners.

Taiwan's self-proclaimed "luxury" airline will touch down in its third U.S. gateway later this year.

The Asia-Pacific region is expected to play a key role in the travel industry’s growth this year. Skift Research projected the region would see travel revenue jump 20% in 2024 from the previous year as outbound travel from China is expected to increase substantially.

Paging Capt. Kirk to the starship lounge.

Taiwan, a series of small subtropical islands sat in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, is a destination known for its natural beauty. But these islands are also home to one of East Asia’s most exciting culinary scenes — one that has been influenced not only by the region's unique climate and lush landscapes, but also its rich, multi-faceted history. First inhabited by Austronesian-speaking Indigenous groups, Taiwan has acted as a cultural crossroads for over 500 years, having played host to Japanese, Dutch, Spanish and Chinese settlers. Now, Taiwan's streets sing with sizzling street food, are lined with world-class restaurants and boast dishes that cement the region's cuisine as a melting pot of ingredients and cooking techniques. 

With the holiday season over and budgets tight, January is traditionally one of the quietest months of the year for international flying. Corporate traffic can be slow and weather is often suboptimal (if not sub-zero) at many key vacation destinations. 

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Los Angeles in collaboration with STARLUX Airlines, is excited to announce the launch of flights from Los Angeles and San Francisco to Chiang Mai, a captivating cultural destination in Thailand. Starting January 16th, STARLUX Airlines, renowned for their premium service will provide convenient access to the vibrant region of Northern Thailand. In celebration of this new venture, TAT Los Angeles and STARLUX Airlines hosted a cultural event on January 16th at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). The event featured the unique traditions of Chiang Mai and highlight TAT’s dedication to fostering US-Thailand travel.

Debbie Owen assumed that the British Airways flight from the Ivory Coast to London Gatwick would be straightforward: seven hours non-stop, swapping the heat of Africa for the cozy pre-holiday glow of Britain. At seven months pregnant, Owen was traveling solo back to the UK with her four-year old daughter, Claire, in tow; husband Duncan was still at home in Africa, and would follow closer to the birth. But it wasn’t long after take-off that the twinges started, which soon turned into contractions. Owen knew her baby wasn’t due until Christmas, seven weeks later: She’d even visited her doctor for a check-up before the flight, and had a letter deeming her safe to travel. Still, it was clear that her second child was planning an early arrival.

The first major airline deal of the year has been formally confirmed. Taipei-based EVA Air has finalized terms with Airbus for a new fleet of widebody and narrowbody planes. A total of 33 new aircraft will be joining the Taiwanese carrier, comprising 18 A350-1000s and 15 A321neos. 

The airline network planners didn't simply fast forward to 2024.

Delta has all eyes on Austin next spring with a record flight schedule to the Texas capital.

This fall, international air traffic reached 98.2 percent of what it was prepandemic, according to the latest data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA). In other words, global citizens are traveling the world with almost the same fervor as they were in 2019.

Delta Air Lines will launch flights from Seattle to Taiwan next summer, flying direct from the United States to the island for the first time.

Seven years later, Delta Air Lines is officially returning to Taiwan.

United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby said on Thursday that he remains fully confident in his business plan for the airline despite some early concerns about the broader market.

MSC Cruises' is getting into the holiday spirit by extending its Cyber Monday all the way to Sunday.

Tours and activities operators in Asia expect at least another 6 to 12 months of pent-up travel demand. However, maximizing this opportunity depends on addressing capacity bottlenecks, especially in markets like Japan.