I moved to Spain, got divorced, and was feeling lonely — until I found a new way to make friends

The global economic juggernaut that is Taylor Swift's "The Eras Tour" is finally coming to an end later this year after a final leg that features stops in Miami, New Orleans and Indianapolis before concluding in Canada with performances in Toronto and, finally, Vancouver, British Columbia.

For a U.S. state with just over 4.5 million people, Louisiana punches above its weight when it comes to tourism. In 2023, the state brought in 43 million visitors. 

Good morning from Skift. It’s Friday, September 27, and here’s what you need to know about the business of travel today.

As astrotourism continues to take off, more travelers are planning trips on Earth based on night sky events—from solar eclipses and rare supermoons to the annual Perseid meteor shower. And while many of us mourn the early sunsets that fall brings, the extra hours of darkness offer an opportunity to tune into the celestial movements above.

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Good morning from Skift. It’s Thursday, September 26, and here’s what you need to know about the business of travel today.

There are two types of train trip: The long, slow, and often luxurious train journey that takes you through beautiful scenery that you book specifically to spend time on the rails; and the speedy, no-nonsense, cheap train ride you take to get from point A to point B as quickly as possible. In the first category, you’ll find grand trips like Australia’s The Ghan, South Africa’s Blue Train, and Britain’s Caledonian Sleeper. In the second, there are trips from London to Brussels in just two hours, from Rome to Venice in four hours, and from Miami to Orlando in three hours. And if you’re a train traveler who belongs to the second category and likes getting places fast without flying, there are plenty of trains in this world that do just that at speeds previously unimaginable on land, including the fastest train in the world and its closest competitors.

You have a phantom ship named Caleuche to thank for the haze obscuring Chiloé from sight as you sail from mainland Chile. Chilotes say this enchanted galleon travels underwater at breakneck speeds, shapeshifts to avoid detection, and rewards local merchants with booty when they dare strike a deal with its crew of wizards. Even if you don’t believe in sorcery and superstition, this mysterious archipelago will disarm you with its rugged wilderness and charming fishing villages.

If you’re one of the lucky ones with tickets to the Oasis reunion tour, all that remains is finding rock star-worthy digs. With the concerts coinciding with summer in the United Kingdom and Ireland, the best vacation rentals come with outdoor space or proximity to urban parks and beer gardens. These Guest Favorite Airbnbs in Manchester, London, Edinburgh, Dublin, and Cardiff are pitch perfect for the Oasis Live ’25 Tour.

A new nonstop flight from Dallas Fort Worth straddles three days. On Wednesday, Cathay Pacific announced it will launch services from Hong Kong to and from the Texan hub.

The Malta Tourism Authority (MTA) is planning to increase its staff presence in the North American market and will open an official MTA office in New York in 2025, according to Carlo Micallef, CEO, speaking at an event in New York for the travel industry and travel media. The eventual objective, he said,  is to have a nonstop flight to Malta from the U.S.  

Strikes are a regular occurrence in Europe, as employees withhold their labour to fight for better pay and conditions.