Japan's Mount Fuji to Implement Visitor Cap, Fees for Climbers

Tour operators are adjusting their operations amid Japan’s tourism boom during the popular cherry blossom season.

Spring awakens in Westchester County, New York, with vibrant blooms and outdoor adventures. It’s a perfect time of year to escape the city bustle for a refreshing day trip and explore parks, gardens, and scenic landscapes.

It was 8:55 p.m., a week before my trip to Tokyo and I was hovering over my laptop with a steady hand on the mouse. The website I was on clearly stated: "Reservations may be booked from 9 p.m., 7 days in advance at the earliest."

While tourist taxes are not new—Bhutan has been charging visitors since it opened up to tourists in 1974—and many countries and cities around the world already charge visitors a nightly fee.

Following the release of the PATA Executive Summary Forecasts Report for the years 2024 to 2026 released earlier last month, the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) released a more comprehensive Asia Pacific Visitor Forecasts 2024-2026 report, taking a deeper dive into growth projections, focusing on the source market-destination pairs from 2024 to 2026 for each of the three Asia Pacific destination sub-regions. This report covers 39 destinations within Asia Pacific forecasting from 2024 up to 2026 in a series of three possible scenarios.

Hoshino Resorts is small but punches above its weight. It only has 68 hotels, but several of them regularly top the most-recommended lists of Conde Nast Traveler and Travel + Leisure.

If you’re a sakura - or cherry blossom - lover, you’ll likely have Japan and Washington DC on your travel bucket lists. But did you know there are countless places across Europe with equally impressive pink blooms to take in this spring?

Step aside, Hollywood, there's a new nepo baby in town.

As the sun peeked out from the cloudy sky in Kyoto, Japan, monks wearing vests trimmed with pompoms and the black box-like headdresses known as tokin were being quizzed in front of Mibu Dera, one of the oldest temples in the city. These were the Yamabushi (mountain hermits), part of a Buddhist sect known as the Shugendō.

WHY IT RATES: The introduction of Tauck's new journeys in Colombia and Japan in 2025 will offer travelers unique opportunities to explore two culturally rich destinations with expertly curated itineraries, providing immersive experiences and enriching encounters. — Laurie Baratti, TravelPulse Associate Writer

Any visit to Bangkok presents an overwhelming selection of activities for visitors, from dining and shopping to spas and temples—but sitting in traffic should not be one of them. There are numerous ways to experience the Thai culture—this is a two-day itinerary that includes the famed floating markets, cocktail classes, Michelin-starred dining, where to find Thai wines, and swanky hotel digs with rooftop pool—all without the traffic.

The Japanese city of Kyoto is banning tourists from some private alleys in its geisha district.