Oct 17, 2024 • 5 min read
16.10.2024 - 22:25 / skift.com / Dawit Habtemariam
Many travelers want to see eclipses, meteor showers, volcanic eruptions, penguin migrations, and other natural phenomena. That was one trend highlighted in Expedia’s Unpack’ 25 report, released Wednesday.
According to a survey of 25,000 travelers by Expedia Group, about 80% of travelers said it’s important that they will be able to stay in a place that offers a prime viewing spot for natural phenomena next year.
The most popular attraction, garnering interest from 61% of surveyed travelers? The Northern Lights.
Geological phenomena like volcanos, geysers, and hot springs came in second, at 30%.
Expedia credits the boom in interest to the Great North American Eclipse this year. On April 8, millions traveled to cities within the path of totality to become eclipse-chasers and stargazers. More than half of U.S. cities with short-term rentals on the path of totality were fully booked for the day before the eclipse.
Here’s how destinations can take advantage of the ‘phenomena’ opportunity.
These phenomena help destinations stand out from competitors. For example, the Northern Lights are only visible in Norway, Iceland, Finland, Sweden, Canada, Alaska, and some parts of Scotland.
The online travel agency Vrbo shared its “phenomena list” of destinations that travelers should check out:
Social media platforms like TikTok reward authentic content with virality and more engagement. Content creators exploring these attractions and combining them with their humor and fun can bring a big boost.
There’s a reason videos and images of Japan amid the seasonal cherry blossom season entice travelers from around the world every year.
People wanted as a background so here you go
Oct 17, 2024 • 5 min read
Oct 17, 2024 • 6 min read
There’s something special about Charleston, South Carolina. Spanish moss drips from the limbs of centuries-old oaks, and the ghosts of bygone eras wander the streets on cool evening breezes. As I step through the front doors of the historic Mills House hotel, I’m quickly reminded that all of the things that make Charleston special are perfectly captured within these walls. If only they could talk.
From the rooftop pool deck of the Kimpton Sawyer in Sacramento’s Downtown Commons (DOCO) mall, I gazed down at a crowd of hyped-up circus fans buzzing around Golden 1 Center. Home to the Sacramento Kings basketball team, the arena also hosts concerts and special events like the Greatest Show on Earth, which happened to be in town during my visit.
Pint-sized Carmel-by-the-Sea is packed with fairy-tale-like cottages, gorgeous Pacific Ocean scenery, delightfully dog-friendly dining, and oversized charm. Trees and flowers abound in this one-square-mile town in Central California whose quirks include no street addresses.
Good news: Disney just introduced another way to "skip the line." Bad news: It's going to cost you ... a lot.
Many families dream of traveling around Europe because it's a great continent for kids. I've been to every country in Europe (except Russia), and in my opinion, one of these countries provides the ideal destination for toddlers: Ireland. I recently went with my own 3-year-old, and we had an amazing time.
Hotels and resorts can now become wellness certified, thanks to the industry’s first program focusing on ways that accommodations amplify and offer ways for their guests to be well, launched by Wellness in Travel & Tourism (WITT).
My family of six recently visited both Disneyland and Universal Studios Hollywood.
It's 12 p.m. on Thursday and I am running through the streets of Brooklyn. I have to be out of New York City and on the highway north to reach Storm King Art Center by 3 p.m., when Charli XCX will be bumping her new album at a surprise listening party. Streaming in from directions unknown, hundreds of other fans have likewise shirked their responsibilities for the day—skipping work and school, canceling plans, ditching kids with partners—and booked it to this 500-acre sculpture park in New Windsor, New York, on the vague premise of exclusively hearing Charli XCX's latest music the day before the album's release. Some have taken four-hour trains; others, carpooled with strangers; the most die-hard brats are seeing her for the fourth or fifth time, after having followed her to California, Spain, and beyond. For her part, I know Charli herself will be on a plane the minute the show ends, given she's in the middle of her North America tour.
The next phase of Washington, D.C.’s global tourism promotion campaign, “There’s Only One DC,” will tie in upcoming major international events the city is set to host.
United Airlines just announced its largest-ever international route expansion for summer 2025—including increased flights to tourist-favorite countries like Spain, Italy, and France and brand new routes to lesser-visited destinations like Mongolia, Greenland, and Senegal.