Industry voices call for global effort to bring about climate-ready travel

Slava Sambu and his wife, Ozge, were looking for more than fine dining and five-star accommodations when they found the Mashpi Lodge, an ecolodge deep in the Ecuadorian rainforest. "It looked like a great opportunity to explore a part of the world we've never seen," says Sambu, a marketing consultant from Fort Lauderdale.

Nothing says “happy holidays” like an extravagant Christmas display. Hoteliers know this. That’s why every winter hotels across the country get dressed in their holiday best, with twinkly lights and holly wreaths and maybe a reindeer lawn ornament or two. But only a handful of hotels truly go all out. From stories-high Christmas trees to beachfront ice skating rinks, these nine US holiday hotels take seasonal cheer to a whole new level.

South Florida’s Gold Coast is renowned for its blue skies, pristine beaches, and ritzy lifestyle. Anchored by Miami to the south and Palm Beach to the north, this stretch of Atlantic coastline has long been a playground for the rich and famous. Smack dab in the middle of the Gold Coast is Fort Lauderdale. The tropical metropolis is sometimes overlooked for its glitzier neighbors when it comes to vacation locales — the city was once best known as the capital of spring break pilgrimages and, in more recent years, as a popular cruise ship port — but thanks to recent development, a thriving arts and culture community, an evolving culinary scene, and its laid-back vibe, Fort Lauderdale is now one of the state’s must-visit destinations.

Jamaica’s Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness has challenged the Ministry of Tourism to work closely with tourism partners to significantly boost tourist arrivals and strengthen linkages with other sectors, in particular agriculture. “The impact of tourism goes beyond the confines of the industry itself; it ripples through various sectors creating a web of opportunities for people. Jobs created by tourism extend into agriculture, entertainment, attractions, communications and transportation, to name a few,” noted Prime Minister Holness.

Good morning from Skift. It’s Thursday, December 14. Here’s what you need to know about the business of travel today.

Virtuoso, the global network specializing in luxury and experiential travel, recently published the findings from its 2024 Luxe Reports, a survey that found 46 percent of the network’s travel advisors found their travelers are concerned about climate change during their travel planning process. 

President Joe Biden is a self-described train fan, commuting between Washington, D.C. and Delaware on Amtrak for decades as a Senator. Now to beef up U.S. passenger rail, his administration is doling out more than $8 billion, including funds for two high-speed trains in California and Nevada.

Just two years ago, the head of the Federal Aviation Administration, Steve Dickson, encouraged pilots to seek mental health treatment if needed, but also referred to the risk to their careers of doing so as “perceived.”

America’s national parks are some of the most beautiful spots in the entire country, and next year travelers will be able to visit them all for free on six different days. 

New Year, new national park to check off your must-visit list? Mark your calendars: The park system just announced a half dozen “free days” for 2024 that are spread throughout the year, beginning with Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Jan. 15, 2024.

As you begin holiday shopping for all of your loved ones, you might be stumped on what to get the hardest person to shop for on your list—a teenager. Finding the best gift for the teen traveler in your life can be quite the challenge—no one stays up to date on the latest trends quite like them. But don’t worry, we have plenty of gift ideas that your teenage daughter, grandson, or niece will appreciate.

Smaller airlines that operate in the shadow of the nation’s four dominant air carriers are increasingly feeling pressure to merge with each other to gain access to more planes and airport gates.