Laurie Baratti travel tips

According to online travel agency Trip.com, China is broadening its unilateral visa-free policy for ordinary passport holders from six nations—France, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, Spain and Malaysia—in an effort to bolster the recovery of the East Asian giant’s tourism sector industry. For now, the program is being implemented on a trial basis, with plans to keep it in effect from December 1, 2023, to November 30, 2024.

WHY IT RATES: The resort is an homage to the Mexican culture, history, and gastronomy and offers the top-notch All-Fun Inclusive® concept. --Janeen Christoff, TravelPulse Managing Editor

A new report from travel intelligence company Airlines Reporting Corp. (ARC) revealed that total air ticket sales by U.S. travel agencies hit $7.2 billion in October, a two-percent dip when compared with sales in October 2022. Despite this nominal reduction, the total number of passenger trips taken last month rose four percent to to 21.7 million, supported by a five percent uptick in U.S. domestic air travel.

This week, guests from around the world attended a special ceremony celebrating the imminent grand opening of Hong Kong Disneyland’s brand-new ‘World of Frozen’ themed land, which opens its gates to the public on November 20.

The common perception of Bali as a tropical paradise for tourists belies the silent suffering of many of its wildlife inhabitants, according to a damning new investigation conducted by World Animal Protection.

Southwest Airlines has just announced that it’s charting a bold new course towards environmental sustainability. Its newly unveiled strategy, called ‘Nonstop to Net Zero’, maps out the airline's trajectory toward its goal of achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, underscoring its commitment to a greener future for air travel. Embracing a more holistic approach toward sustainability efforts, the carrier is targeting carbon emissions, waste reduction and collaboration as strategic pillars that to guide its ongoing climate protection actions.

The hotel industry is gearing up for a robust holiday season and enjoying an optimistic outlook amid the final months of 2023. This rosy picture can be largely attributed to a recent boost in business travel, as well as a persistent preference among both corporate and leisure travelers to opt for hotel accommodations.

Frontier Airlines is strengthening its existing service from a major Midwest city early next year. This week, the ultra-low-cost carrier revealed plans to establish a new crew base at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (CLE) in March of 2024. To celebrate, it’s offering discounted fares, priced as low as $29, to the 17 destinations to which it now flies from CLE.

The Jimmy Buffett-inspired cruise line that’s synonymous with carefree vibes and island-style living, Margaritaville at Sea is set to make waves with its new offering of three-night weekend voyages for August through December 2024.

It may not seem like it amid the inflated costs of living these days, but the median price of a gallon of gas in the U.S. has actually gone down since this time last year. According to AAA’s analysis, last week’s national average price at the pump fell nine cents from the week prior to hit $3.44 a gallon. That makes it 37 cents cheaper than last month and 32 cents less than it was during same week a year ago.

Luxury hotel barge cruise company European Waterways has just introduced some new special itineraries visiting Christmas Markets Cruises in Alsace-Lorraine, France.

Daylight savings time has ended, marking the inescapable approach of the winter months. Some look forward to snowy days and a chill in the air, while others start searching for a way to wait them out in sunnier climes. 

This week marked a significant development for The Islands of The Bahamas and JetBlue, as they celebrated the airline’s first nonstop flight connecting Los AngelesNassau, the vibrant Caribbean nation’s capital city.

The European Union (E.U.) has just officially announced another postponement to the planned launch of its new pre-arrival authorization system, which it had previously planned to launch in 2024.

While The Walt Disney Company is celebrating its Centennial all year long, Orlando’s Walt Disney World Resort commemorated the actual date of its 100-year anniversary (October 16) with the opening of an enchanting new experience: “Journey of Water, Inspired by Moana” at EPCOT.  

Premier custom tour operator Avanti Destinations has exciting news for independent travelers looking to journey to Japan. The company has recently added two captivating Japanese destinations, Shizuoka and Tohoku, to its already impressive portfolio. 

Italy’s iconic “Floating City” is famous for many things, including its historic network of canals, stunning architectural landscape, and rich artistic and cultural heritage. But one abiding feature that isn’t always advertised are her avian residents and abundance of seagulls in particular.

Innovative host agency Avoya Travel recently wrapped up its inaugural ‘Million Dollar Showcase’ for independent agencies (IAs) of the Avoya Network that have logged $1 million or more in sales this year. This new event was created to not only celebrate some of its high-earning agencies by rolling out the VIP treatment, but also to better cater to the needs of its high-earning IAs through one-on-one engagement with supplier reps, and personal and professional development workshops.

Now that the peak summer travel period is over, we normally assume that people will slow down in terms vacation-going and trip-taking. While the autumn and winter months may typically be considered the “off-season”, this year is breaking the mould, according to new research from Forbes Advisor, which examined Americans’ travel plans between now and the end of 2023.

Leading luxury line Regent Seven Seas Cruises (RSSC) just announced the rollout of a comprehensive new co-branding tool called Regent Connect as an investment in its travel agency partners to help bolster their businesses.

The leading global innovator in providing polar explorations, Quark Expeditions is challenging adventuresome travelers to boldly remake their bucket lists, looking beyond the larger public’s most common and overly-popular travel destinations.