Hyatt rolls out Mr & Mrs Smith gift card promotion amid uncertain timeline on loyalty integration

For the last several years, one of the very best Black Friday deals has been when Saks Fifth Avenue allows you to receive a $75 bonus promotional gift card with a $150 order when you buy eligible items and use a code. This year's code is HELLOBFSF.

I fell in love with Jeju Island without ever stepping foot on it. My Korean-American wife and I became addicted to a K-drama called Our Blues. Instead of the usual tales about the machinations of wealthy Seoul families or one particularly famous show about various deadly games with squids, Our Blues features decidedly working-class, semi-rural characters who spend half their time onscreen cursing each other out, if not outright resorting to fisticuffs. All this strife is set against a beguiling backdrop of an island brimming with abalone and dormant volcanoes. As someone who has visited Seoul on several occasions and who appreciates Korean food and culture more than almost any other in the world, I felt Jeju exercising a mysterious, nearly mythical pull on me. I had to go.

Its translucent teal waters, neatly terraced rice fields and ancient Shinto shrines make Iki Island an unforgettable place. But like so many resorts in Asia, it's easy to overlook this out-of-the-way destination — and a five-star hotel like the Iki Retreat by Onko Chishin.

Southampton, with its centuries-long history as a maritime hub for England, is often referred to locally as the ‘Gateway to the World’. Its strategic position on the southern coast of England boasts a deep-water harbor that has served as a crucial departure point for a vast range of ships, from historic trading vessels to the Titanic in 1912.

Google teamed up with South Africa’s tourism department Monday to boost travel marketing efforts after a government inquiry concluded in July that Google’s practices impede competition.

In late September, Hyatt Hotels announced that it was exiting its vacation rental management business while launching an online short-term rental platform soon. Its Destination Residences Management unit was sold to a real estate investor called Lowe, which, through an affiliate, will run it under Lowe and Coral Tree, though no price was disclosed at the time of the announcement.

Trevor Noah, world-renowned comedian and 2024 Grammy nominee for best comedy album, has taken on a new title: ‘chief tourism comedian for South Africa.’ 

In the next iteration of Clear, the expedited security program, Clear Plus users and verified members will be able to identify themselves via their face, eliminating the need to provide additional biometrics or stop at a Clear Pod, a Clear spokesperson confirmed to TPG.

Brazil and South Africa have signed an agreement to foster collaboration between the two countries in their tourism initiatives.

Breeze Airways' route map is set for a major overhaul.

As revivals of quintessential Old West towns go, that of Deadwoood, South Dakota has been as robust as they get, with the Black Hills star buzzing with activity today. Some of what attracts 2.5 million visitors a year surely comes through the recent popularity of a period TV series, but the important key is that city leaders several decades ago decided to rescue a rich architectural heritage from decline.

This as-told-to story is based on a conversation with Christina Hazel, a 23-year-old American woman who was born in France and grew up in Tunisia. She shares her experience moving back to the US for college. It's been edited for length and clarity.