Dawit Habtemariam travel tips

Lynn Osmond is stepping down as Choose Chicago CEO and president. The move comes as Chicago prepares to host the 2024 Democratic National Convention later this year.

Fans of The White Lotus are about to see a lot of Thailand in their favorite show. The kingdom will be the set of White Lotus’ third season, the Tourism Authority of Thailand said.

Greece has introduced a new tax for tourists this year. Called a “climate crisis resilience fee,” it replaces the previous hotel tax.

Iceland has reinstated the tax tourists pay for hotel and alternative accommodation rooms this year. In another change, the tax will also apply to cruises.

Blue Lagoon Iceland will partially reopen its spa on Saturday, January 6, it said in a statement Friday.

Brazil has pushed back the implementation of its tourist visa requirement for citizens from Australia, Canada and the U.S., according to Embratur, Brazil’s tourism board.

Travelers heading to Paris better be ready to pay higher tourist taxes on their hotel rooms and alternative accommodations this year.

Venice authorities are limiting the size of large guided tour groups. Over the weekend, the municipal government approved a measure to ban guided groups of more than 25 people starting June 1. Portable loudspeakers used by tour guides will also be banned.

Hawaii Visitors and Conventions Bureau CEO and President John Monahan is stepping down effective December 31, the bureau announced Thursday. Monahan has been at the helm for 20 years.

Amsterdam city officials are trying to push tourists away from the city center’s Red Light District.

The U.S. State Department will expand its policy of waiving in-person interviews for select visa applicants next year, a spokesperson confirmed to Skift. The policy was set to expire on December 31, and the travel industry had been pushing for an extension.

As Iceland’s volcano erupts, tour operators are using Sky Lagoon as an alternative to Blue Lagoon for group trips.

A volcano erupted in southwest Iceland on Monday. Despite the eruption, only the Blue Lagoon spa, Grindavik and areas close the volcano are off limits to the public.

A volcano in southwest Iceland has erupted on the Reykjanes peninsula, the country’s meteorological office said Monday.

TBO has acquired Jumbonline, an online booking system by Jump Tours Group. TBO Co-Founder Gaurav Bhatnagar made the announcement on LinkedIn on Monday. Based in India, TBO.com is a travel distribution platform.

The Hollywood Sign, a world-renowned tourist attraction, reached its 100th anniversary this month. Destination marketers everywhere can be inspired by how the landmark evolved from a generic real-estate ad in December 1923 to the quintessential symbol of Los Angeles.

Blue Lagoon Iceland will reopen its geothermal spa and some restaurants to guests on December 17, it said in an statement Friday.

Yosemite National Park is bringing back its reservation system. During peak times next year, travelers won’t be able to enter the park without a reservation, the National Park Service said Wednesday.

Canada won’t surpass its pre-pandemic international tourism level until 2025. One of the reasons is the lagging recovery of Asia, according to Destination Canada’s outlook report. That’s due in part to the Chinese government’s ban on group travel into Canada. 

Visitors to the U.S. aren’t spending as much as they used to on lodging, food, local transportation, and entertainment.

Chinese tourists won’t be coming back to New York City at their pre-pandemic levels next year. Affordability and limited flights are two issues holding back the rebound, say travel executives.