China is addressing the bottlenecks that have restricted outbound travel from the country. But the enthusiasm among Chinese travelers to visit the U.S. is diminishing, according to the latest survey from China Trading Desk, a marketing technology company.
The Blue Mountains of Australia Are Ready to Welcome Tourists Back
29.12.2023 - 11:03 / cntraveler.com
While COVID-19 shuttered many global destinations, Australia's borders remained closed longer than most, for nearly two years. During this time, the country's Blue Mountains, less than two hours northwest of Sydney, also experienced devastating bushfires that destroyed 2.5 million acres of the region's UNESCO-listed National Park. The fires were followed by two years of cataclysmal flooding that wiped out farms, roads, and riverbeds, and killed two successive wine harvests. Until recently, the region felt impenetrable.
But these hardy azure-tinted mountains—a phenomenon that owes to the eucalyptus oil in the trees that cloak the landscape—are experiencing a rebirth. A new generation of transplants has arrived and injected the region with some much-needed freshness while the locals have continued to fine-tune their crafts.
House-cured salmon at Tempus Katoomba.
Megalong Creek Estate.
Too long defined by their stuffy old-school resort dining, the Blue Mountains used the downtime to develop a more independent food identity. Blazing the trail was Tempus Katoomba, which opened in 2021 under the watch of Welsh-born chef Jason Lee Cole. It draws diners with dishes like duck breast with chestnuts and Kanimbla Valley truffles and coconut rice pudding with caramelized figs. Kyah, a 1970s roadside motel turned stylish modernist lodge, also debuted during the closure. Its restaurant, Blaq, serves updated local fare, like light-as-air fennel pork rinds and blueberry cobbler with macadamia ice cream.
“I knew it was time to move here when I took my first breath of fresh air and saw I was surrounded by trees,” says 47-year-old Sydney transplant Maria Njari, of This Little Piggy Deli, which opened just before the pandemic in the small town of Blackheath. Having lived in Europe for years, Njari and her horologist partner Dan run the micro cafe inspired by the delicatessens of Europe. Its cases are stocked with a variety of cured meats, a wide selection of cheeses, cherry strudels, quiches, and soups, and shelves heave with jars of Australian truffle salt, local honey, and port-soaked prunes.
The restaurant Tempus Katoomba.
Tinned delights at This Little Piggy Deli.
The region had long been known for its wine and spirits, making the most of its access to high-quality fruit and long growing season. Megalong Creek Estate in the Megalong Valley, which cranks out top-notch Shiraz and rosé, is rebooting after the recent hardships. “Our 2019 crop was destroyed by fire and smoke, and our 2020, '21, and '22 harvests were impacted by flooding,” manager Kim Draguns says ruefully. “There are easier places to make wine.” If you see a tall blond guy in a cowboy hat at Hillbilly Cider in Bilpin, he's probably chief cider maker Shane
The website maxtravelz.com is an aggregator of news from open sources. The source is indicated at the beginning and at the end of the announcement. You can send a complaint on the news if you find it unreliable.
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