Mia Taylor travel tips

The passport you hold is a powerful tool when it comes to effortlessly visiting countries around the world.And some passports provide far more access than others, according to the Henley Passport Index.The just-released 2024 index shows that for the first time in 19 years of producing the ranking, six countries are tied for the top spot of having the most powerful passports.The countries leading the ranking are France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Singapore, and Spain—meaning citizens from all of these countries are able to visit 194 destinations around the world either visa-free or by obtaining a visa-on-arrival.The Henley Passport Index is the only ranking of its kind and is developed based on exclusive data from the International Air Transport Authority (IATA). The index compares 199 different passports and 227 different travel destinations.While Japan and Singapore have made it into the number one slot for the past five years running, according to CNN, the European countries that are now also ranked number one on the list is a new development.

The number of women and young professionals employed by the travel and tourism industry has soared in recent years.

The Yucatan peninsula has welcomed the first part of a new tourist train that's being constructed to connect the region’s many resorts and archeological sites.Mexico’s President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador attended opening ceremonies on Friday for what will ultimately be a 950-mile train line, which has been named the Maya Train. The $20 billion project is expected to be complete by February, according to a report from Associated Press. Once finished, the train will operate a rough loop around the Yucatan peninsula.The rail segment opened right now runs between the colonial Gulf coast city of Campeche and the popular tourist destination of Cancun. It's a stretch of train line that amounts to about one-third of the entire project.The train journey between Campeche and Cancun will take about 5 1/2 hours. The train will travel at an average speed of 50 miles per hour, Associated Press reported.

While many reports this time of year are focused on looking at what lies ahead, Skyscanner is taking a different approach.The global travel marketplace has crunched its voluminous booking data from the past 12 months to provide an insider's review of the “Year in Travel” for 2023. All of the Skyscanner number crunching resulted in insights surrounding the most popular travel destinations of the past year among U.S. travelers, cheapest flights, biggest hotel bargains, and even the most budget-friendly car rental destinations. Let’s start with the most popular travel destinations, shall we?Drumroll please….Sin City aka Las Vegas, Nevada nabbed the top spot in the hearts of American travelers in 2023, attracting more visitors than any other location.“From visiting one of the many world-famous casinos or checking out world-renowned restaurants and shops on the Las Vegas strip, US travelers loved to visit and feel the vibes of Sin City,” says the Skyscanner report.  Coming in second place among Americans was the eternal favorite, London.

The travel and tourism industry has been busy the past few years acknowledging and coming to terms with the worsening effects of climate change and the environmental destruction that’s being laid bare the world over. From dramatic biodiversity loss to the scourge of plastic pollution, the planet is grappling with a long list of daunting challenges.Addressing these issues, as more than a few industry conversations have made clear, will take participation at every level—from the destination managers to the corporate offices of travel brands down to suppliers, transportation companies, and travel agents.But there’s yet another key player in the industry who also has a vital role to play in advancing sustainable travel and the proactive protection of the planet, as well. And these individuals are on the front lines of travel every day: Tour guides. Often overlooked in conversations surrounding the industry-wide transformation that needs to take place, tour guides are an essential part of realizing a better future.“Tour guides, through their direct interactions with tourists, have the power to influence behaviors and shape the tourism experience,” says Brian Raffio, senior adventure travel consultant for the travel company Climbing Kilimanjaro. “By embracing their role as ambassadors and change-makers, they can contribute significantly to the shift towards a more sustainable and responsible tourism industry.”Indeed, a tour guide’s actions, practices, and interactions with tourists can significantly impact the environmental, social, and economic well-being of a destination and ultimately the planet and its people.The good news is that many travel stakeholders have already been thinking about the increasingly important role that tour guides play. Including the tour guides themselves.TravelPulse talked with individuals from every level of travel and tourism about the role of tour guides as the industry attempts to shift toward more sustainable business models that will better protect nature, wildlife, and local communities for generations to come. Here are outtakes from those conversations and tips from these same individuals about how tour guides can actively advance sustainability and environmental stewardship on a daily basis.

With the budgets of Americans being pinched from nearly every direction these days, there’s good news in at least one category of spending: Travel.

If a cruise is on your bucket list, now is the time to book one at a bargain.Princess Cruises has just announced deep discounts as part of its Black Friday/Cyber Monday special. Between now and Thursday November 20, prices will be 50 percent off. The special offer includes all fare types even packages such as Princess Plus and Princess Premiere, which come with amenities like WiFi, beverages, desserts, fitness classes, crew gratuities, and more.In addition to the Black Friday/Cyber Monday deals, the cruise line is also offering a limited-time offer that will last until December 12 through which travelers get 50 percent off cruise fares and 50 percent off deposits on voyages of 45 days or less.Princess Cruises sails to a long list of popular destinations including the Mediterranean, Alaska, Japan, Australia and New Zealand, the Caribbean, Panama Canal, Mexico, Hawaiian Islands, Tahiti, California Coast, Northern Europe, British Isles, Greenland, South America. Princess also offers World Cruises.Here are the key details to know if you hope to score a Princess Cruise at a discount: