“One of the deadliest and most often committed - yet preventable - of crimes (impaired driving), has become a serious safety epidemic in our country.”
28.07.2023 - 11:22 / nationalgeographic.com
The number of people concerned about their health and wellbeing has rocketed since the pandemic began. The stats are legion but among them, 80% of those surveyed by Public Health England in 2020 — in the first year of Covid-19 — reported wanting to change their lifestyle in 2021 to become healthier. Meanwhile, an Ipsos study in 2021 noted that 62% of Americans believe health is more important to them than before the pandemic. And this has, as countless more reports will attest, changed the way many of us want to travel.
Just over a fifth (21%) of global travellers are currently travelling for health- and wellness-driven reasons according to the 2022 Travel Trends research by luxury travel network Virtuoso, conducted jointly with YouGov. And its findings suggest this is likely to grow in 2023, with 29% of global travellers stating interest in travelling for wellness reasons in the future. Trends include travel to reconnect — with friends, family, partners or children — and a growing focus on sleep wellness. The research notes ‘the rise in apps like Calm and Headspace permeating travel products, providing flyers the ability to plug in and meditate while in flight’ — not to mention the growing number of sleep retreats aimed at aiding insomniacs.
“Health and wellness technology is moving forward at a very fast pace and creating exciting new possibilities that we’re exploring, from sleep therapy and guided meditation to dynamic bathing, cryotherapy and infrared saunas,” says Emlyn Brown, vice president of wellbeing at Accor, Europe’s largest hospitality and hotels company, which released the Health to Wealth white paper earlier this year.
“Guests now come to us loaded with their own health data,” says Brown of the ubiquity of smartwatches and fitness apps. “We’re exploring ways that we can create bespoke wellness experiences for our guests in spa, nutrition, fitness and sleep.” Accor’s Fairmont Windsor Park hotel, for example, is home to the UK’s first spa multi-person cryotherapy chamber. Hotels Pullman Paris Centre-Bercy and Pullman San Francisco Bay, meanwhile, equip guests with Dreem, a technology wearable that monitors breathing, brain waves, heart rate and sleeping patterns.
Wellness travel is clearly no longer something that’s confined to the spa, but it’s travelled far beyond the hotel, too. “Wellness travel has evolved and expanded to encapsulate all manner of experiences that boost travellers’ mental and physical health,” says Paul Joseph, founder of Health and Fitness Travel, a specialist tour operator for wellness breaks. “Far from the ‘fly and flop’ wellness holidays of old, we’re able to send customers on a hand-picked retreat that includes a tailored wellness programme — from personalised
“One of the deadliest and most often committed - yet preventable - of crimes (impaired driving), has become a serious safety epidemic in our country.”
As the rescue and recovery effort continues in the aftermath of wildfires that swept portions of the island of Maui, the local tourism board and airlines are asking travelers to reconsider their travel to the island. “Vacation travel to West Maui is strongly discouraged for the near future. Visitors in West Maui have largely heeded the call to leave the island. About 46,000 people have flown out of Kahului Airport since Wednesday,” the Hawaii Tourism Authority shared in a news release.
There’s a reason “how to become a travel agent” has been a continuously trending search phrase on Google—it is a career path that offers a flexible work environment and schedule, ample travel opportunities, and an immersion into a supportive world-wide industry. It's a surprise to some in 2023: Once the internet became widely available, it was largely believed that needing a travel agent was obsolete. However, even though the brick-and-mortar agencies with punny names in strip malls have vanished, the career is on-the-rise.
Iraq's prime minister has launched an investigation after a bear being transported on a commercial airplane escaped from its crate in the cargo hold.
These days, Babba Rivera is practically synonymous with her haircare line Ceremonia. The brand's Instagram feed is filled with shots of her lush brown hair, drenched in guava-scented products; signature pops of hibiscus pink, lime, and tangerine, are both splashed across bottles of deep-conditioners and her envy-inducing wardrobe. In that way, the line between work and personal life is always blurry—something she was reminded of when she recently spent a month working from Mexico City.
When the new Tron coaster opened at Disney World's Magic Kingdom back in April, theme-park reporter Madison Blancafor, couldn't wait for her chance to ride the high-speed coaster, based on the popular sci-fi franchise.
Inspired to live life more fully following the death of a friend, New Jersey native Tom Turcich, set himself a goal to see and experience the world on foot.
Nestled in the north-west corner of Ireland, the city of Derry-Londonderry (Northern Ireland) and the county of Donegal (Republic of Ireland) sit snugly side by side. Taken together, this pair have every ingredient you could want from a short break: a dollop of history, a splash of culture and immeasurable quantities of nature and adventure. Better yet, it’s a combination that few have yet to put together.
Northern Ireland's second city and Ireland's northern-most county sit rather snug together in the corner of the island of Ireland. But many are yet to discover the two make a fantastic combination for a twin break. Blending thought-provoking history, striking landmarks and an incredible natural world, Derry~Londonderry and County Donegal's Inishowen Peninsula offer everything you could wish for in a short, action-packed getaway.
Chicago has enough cloud-poking towers, rockin’ live-music clubs and world-class museums to keep you occupied for weeks, but just beyond city limits, you can also scale sand dunes at a national park, rev a Harley and amble around wineries.
Royal Caribbean already operates the world’s largest cruise ship—Wonder of the Seas—but next January it will break that record with Icon of the Seas, which boasts 2,805 staterooms (including more than 1,800 with balconies) and 179 suites. Nearly 1,200 feet long, Icon of the Seas has 20 decks and features a 55-foot-waterfall, multiple pools and waterparks and a “chill island” and a “thrill island”—depending on a passenger’s vibe.
Seasoned American travelers often look to the Department of State for advisories about everything from natural disasters to labor strikes in unfamiliar places. But what hazards are foreign governments warning their own travelers about when it comes to visiting the States?