I'm an American who visited Hagkaup, the one-stop shop known as the 'Walmart of Iceland,' and I wish we had one in the US

I've spent years writing about women traveling solo around the world, but I'd never taken a trip abroad on my own until this summer, when I spent five days in Iceland.

Soho House is a brand with bona fide British celebrity and royal bragging rights: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle had their first date at one in London. Soho Farmhouse, the brand's countryside inn a two-hour drive outside London, has hosted everyone from former U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron to Princess Eugenie and (my personal favorite) top-selling U.K. band Girls Aloud.

The world is a big place, but it becomes happily smaller when you experience true connection with other people, places and ways of life. 

US and UK saw respective deal volume reducing to almost half; China emerges as notable exception.

The ‘Arctic Circle Crossing’ inspired by 10th Century explorers includes four maiden calls in Greenland, a trip to the North Cape and extensive scenic cruising 

Holland America Line’s 2025 European season is open for booking, offering diverse, destination-focused itineraries. With extended cruises, more Iceland sailings, and 62 overnight calls or late departures in leading European cities, travelers are encouraged to immerse in culture and landscapes. Rotterdam reemerges as a homeport, including voyages to Northern Europe and the Baltic.

Hagkaup (pronounced HOW-kup), an Icelandic retailer with a wide-ranging selection of food, housewares, clothes, cosmetics, crafts, toys, and other items, is often compared to Walmart because it has a little bit of everything at low prices.

Here are some excerpts from Daily Lodging Report from the past week. If you’re not a subscriber, you should be. Get news on hotel deals, development, stocks, and career moves. Sign up here, now.

Airlines around the world are ripping up schedules and bringing in new flights to cope with a COVID-triggered trend in corporate travel for executives like Jerome Harris – the scrapping of one-day business trips in favour of longer stays.

Southeast Asia’s tourist economies are set to be leading beneficiaries of China‘s scrapping of travel bans as they have steered clear of the COVID-19 tests before entry that Europe, Japan and the United States have imposed on Chinese visitors.

Airbnb Mulls Removing Cleaning Fees as a Separate Charge: Hosts may be sabotaging their own bookings by levying excessively high cleaning fees. It is turning off many people to Airbnb, which is a concern for the company.

Ireland is taking the next step in its comeback as the country’s tourism board recently unveiled a new $84 million marketing campaign with the goal of boosting visitor revenue beyond pre-pandemic levels.