The Small Businesses Beating Tripadvisor and GetYourGuide

Ever wondered how Yorkie bars got their name? Among York’s various claims to fame — which include the cobbled Shambles lane and a two-mile ring of medieval walls, both key elements of the city’s latest bid for UNESCO World Heritage status — it also bills itself as the Chocolate City.

Queenstown, New Zealand, is known for many things. To start, it’s one of the world’s foremost adventure capitals, famous for both alpine recreation and adrenaline thrills. It’s also an excellent place to relax, from its delicious restaurants and rejuvenating wellness centers to the Central Otago wine region located beyond the downtown core. In a place as naturally blessed as Queenstown, it’s hard to pick a bad accommodation — as long as you have access to windows, you’re bound to fall in love with the lakeside, mountain-ringed town. But many of the Airbnbs in Queenstown go above and beyond, whether located in woodsy surrounds, scenic suburbs, or within walking distance of the main drag. Here are nine of the finest Queenstown Airbnbs.

In the northern reaches of Lake Michigan, the Emerald Isle ferry—departing from Charlevoix at the northern tip of the Lower Peninsula—takes about two hours to reach the lake’s largest island. As it approaches, homes, a lighthouse, and a red-roofed research center pop into focus amid dense forest. Docked boats herald the ferry with honks, and dogs bark from ship to shore. Upon arrival on Beaver Island, a lively community center and welcoming crowd beckon family and visitors ashore. On the island it’s customary to wave, or at least lift a finger, for each passing vehicle—every single one.

The best time to visit Thailand is from December to March—though, as with any tropical destination, a short and ridiculously torrential burst of rain is unpredictably possible, even on the sunniest of days.

The luxury travel network Virtuoso® has revealed the winners for its 2023 Best of the Best awards announced at this year’s Virtuoso Travel Week held in Las Vegas at Bellagio Resort & Casino, ARIA Resort & Casino, and Vdara Hotel & Spa. The 35th annual gala spotlighted the network’s most esteemed travel agencies, advisors, and preferred partners.

Just when travelers thought that travel disruptions seen earlier this year may be easing, in May 2023 the European Union plans to introduce new fingerprint and biometric checks at external borders for third-country nationals that could lead to significantly longer wait times.

One of the best definitions of high-end hospitality I saw this year suggested: “Luxury is when the standard operating procedure isn’t showing.” This hit the nail on the head for the products and experiences that transcend good into great. The guest feels a sense of detail, thoughtful anticipation, and comfort but the gears and machinations to deliver it remains hidden.

Google made changes to Google Flights and Hotels related to transparency in hotel reviews and pricing under pressure from the European Commission — but stopped short of making those modifications elsewhere in the world.

Creators of self-guided audio tours, targeting independent travelers who prefer to explore on their own steam without paying private tour prices, are upping their unique storytelling game to differentiate beyond generic facts spat out in a destination.

Airbnb is removing listings that haven’t received a permit from the government of Quebec following a fatal fire in Montreal in a building that was located in a section of the city where authorities barred short-term rentals.

Accurately measuring the climate impact of individual flights has been a thorny issue because the science is inexact. For example, Google Flights last year controversially dropped the inclusion of contrails, the streaking ice clouds that trap heat as they trail aircraft in the sky. They don’t contain CO2, but are believed to have a large effect on a flight’s contribution to global warming.

The ground transport sector is behind the times: Many bus and train companies operate without a modern ticketing or operations system, sometimes tracking sales on spreadsheets and often forcing customers to carry paper tickets.