Three cities in England's north perfect for a microgap escape

After a pandemic slump, quality of life is again on the rise in many of the world's cities. In fact, overall liveability has reached a 15-year high, according to the Economist Intelligence Unit's annual Global Liveability Index, which rates 173 cities on factors including stability, healthcare, culture & environment, education and infrastructure.

In much of Europe, summer 2023 will be remembered as a season of bad news for the travel industry. Wildfires have brought a new kind of danger to many southern resorts already suffering from a heatwave, forcing the British government amongst others to issue travel warnings at the height of the summer vacation period.

With its white-sand beaches and sparkling turquoise seas framed by palm trees, lush greenery and soaring mountains, there could hardly be a more romantic destination than the Caribbean. Whether you want to snorkel with spectacular sea life, indulge in a moonlit dinner á deux, have your cares massaged away or lounge together in a private cabana, the Caribbean offers the ultimate idyllic couples’ escape.

Alaska Airlines is justly lauded for its Mileage Plan loyalty program, which among other features boasts 17 airline partners, allowing program members to earn and redeem miles for flights throughout the world.

Americans use 500 million of them a day without thinking about it, and now, a growing number of countries, cities, airlines, and restaurants are banning this popular item. Plastic straws—we use them to sip our cold brew coffee, they come unasked for in our cocktails and sodas, and they are killing our environment.

You may not be familiar with PyeongChang, the host city for the 2018 Winter Olympic Games, but it has been a popular holiday destination for South Korean tourists seeking clean air and green pastures for years—even before it gained worldwide attention. With rugged mountains, ornate temples, and delectable local cuisine, this South Korean city has much to offer.

In a single lifetime, no traveler could ever be done exploring America. Even if you relegated yourself to just roaming the nation’s cities—setting aside the 50 states’ vast open, unincorporated spaces—there would still always be more to see.

Toni Ko’s journey from a first-generation immigrant to a self-made beauty mogul has been nothing short of remarkable. When she moved to the U.S. at age 13, she knew no English. A dozen years later at age 25, she launched her first cosmetics empire, NYX Cosmetics, eventually selling the company to L’Oreal for a staggering $500 million.

As holidaymakers were evacuated from wildfires raging across the Greek island of Rhodes and Corfu this week, some still in swimsuits, travel analysts are taking bets that the U.K. and northern European destinations will be the travel winners in the short-term. As Bloomberg notes, with thousands of tourists evacuated under the scorching European heat at the height of peak season, can the southern European tourist industry, worth $2 trillion, survive the impacts of climate change?

It may be hard to believe, but there’s a place in England where the sand is fine and white, the sea is turquoise blue, and the sun shines more than just about anywhere else in the country. In this dream-like place, you can surf, you can sunbathe (and even get a tan), you can hike coastal paths, valleys, and moors, and you can stuff you face with cream teas and pasties. You guess it, Cornwall, England, is a must-see when in Britain. Lucky for you, it’s only a direct train ride away from London.

Modern Bangkok, historical Hanoi and tourism-boom town Siem Reap — home to the world-famous Angkor Wat temples — are some of Southeast Asia's best drawcards, and see thousands of visitors every year.