Dawit Habtemariam travel tips

Young budget tourists are putting off trips to New York City. Maybe it’s because they are finding it harder to find affordable rooms.

The Middle East lost its tourism growth momentum once the Israel-Gaza War started in October. Before the conflict, the region was a star performer in the global tourism industry. Here are seven facts about Middle East tourism:

Good morning from Skift. It’s Wednesday, December 6. Here’s what you need to know about the business of travel today.

Maui locals voiced their frustration with tourism promotion at a community meeting held by the Hawaiia Tourism Authority on Monday. Participants were upset about accommodating tourists as wildfire survivors are still in need of housing.

Peru is expected to raise the daily visitor cap for Machu Picchu, the country’s most popular tourist attraction, according to a government statement provided to Intrepid Travel and seen by Skift.

Telsa’s new cybertruck will be pricey and look weird – but also cool and futuristic. And if you go camping with it, you can use a microwave in silence.

The Middle East exceeded its pre-pandemic international tourist arrival numbers by over 20% through September this year, according to the UN World Tourism Organization’s latest data. That’s before the Israel-Hamas conflict started in early October.

The European Commission has proposed revisions that would bolster traveler rights and protections.

Amsterdam’s “Stay Away“ campaign hasn’t discouraged reckless tourists, according to a letter on Tuesday from the Mayor to the city council.

Wait times for first-time visitor visas in Colombia, Mexico and India stretching to hundreds of days will continue to be a headache for the U.S. travel industry. 

Malaysia will grant visa-free entry to citizens of China and India for stays of up to 30 days starting on Dec. 1, according to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.

Standard International is launching a new hospitality brand, The StandardX, centered around its younger roots.

Authorities suspended international flights at one airport and closed four bridges between the U.S. and Canada in the Niagara Falls area following an incident where a vehicle crashed and exploded on impact on the Rainbow Bridge.

Only 8% of U.S. tourism boards strongly prioritize addressing climate change and reducing greenhouse gas emissions to zero. In contrast, 62% of European tourism boards and 29% of Canadian tourism boards have made it a top priority. That’s according to Sojern’s “State of Destination Marketing 2024.”

The U.S. and China will improve air connectivity and streamline visa processing, said Chinese President Xi Jinping in public remarks on Wednesday. Xi made the remarks at a dinner hosted by the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations and US-China Business Council. 

Visit Orlando may see a cut to its $100 million budget – one of the largest destination marketing budgets in the United States.

Britain won’t see a full recovery in Chinese tourism next year – it won’t be until 2025 when Chinese tourists return to their pre-pandemic levels, VisitBritain CEO Patricia Yates told the UK Parliament’s Culture, Media and Sport Committee on Tuesday.

About 7 million international travelers came to the U.S in August, which was 86% of their pre-pandemic level, according to the National Travel and Tourism Office’s latest data. About 3.3 million of international travelers came from outside North America.

Tourists have stopped booking new trips to Turkey. The war in Gaza is deterring Turkey’s tourism bookings.

Tourists won’t be allowed to relax in Iceland’s iconic Blue Lagoon for the next few days. A volcano near the geothermal spa is very likely to erupt soon, according to the Icelandic Meteorological Office. 

Americans can expect busy roads and airports when they visit family and friends this Thanksgiving holiday.