TOURISM’S IMPORTANCE FOR GROWTH HIGHLIGHTED IN WORLD ECONOMIC OUTLOOK REPORT

Over the last few years, space tourism has come to life, challenging the final frontier of travel. After years of testing, commercial outfits like Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin and Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic have already delivered on their promise to take paying customers into the stratosphere, albeit with no little controversy surrounding their motives and ecological footprints.

United Airlines is betting big on Spain: On December 6, the carrier announced that for the first time, it is launching new nonstop service between San Francisco and Barcelona for summer 2024. Together with its other Spain routes, that marks a 30 percent increase in flights to Spain in 2024 compared to 2023.

Sri Lanka has finally announced its plans to roll out its global tourism marketing campaign urging tourists “You’ll Come Back For More,” marking the first such campaign since 2007.  

In 2021, I gave up on major airlines for my regular flights between Paris and New York—despite being a frequent flyer club member with a cache of points. I had purchased economy tickets for my toddler, my husband, and myself, and called the airline to double-check that we could sit together. The customer service rep said seat selection was a privilege for the half-step above economy, but they would let one of us sit next to our daughter—as an exception. Or what? I wondered. Have a stranger tend to our two-year-old?

Turkish Airlines flies to 345 destinations in more different nations than any other carrier in the world, with one of the newest and most acclaimed airports as its hub. It also consistently ranks among the very best airlines and just won–again–Best Airline in Europe in the 2023 Skytrax World Airline Awards, the industry’s most influential, beating out the likes of Air France, Swiss, Lufthansa, British Airways and Virgin Atlantic. It also took home four other Number Ones in the awards, including Best Economy Class Seat in Europe and Best Business Class Cuisine worldwide. (I recently wrote in detail here at Forbes about another award-winning carrier, Qatar Airways, which has won World’s Best Airline and World’s Best Business Class among other titles).

British Airways Executive Club Members can now collect Avios when spending at London Heathrow’s World Duty Free shops.

The meetings industry in Poland is witnessing rapid growth, with an anticipated value surpassing $4.5 billion in 2023, contributing up to 3-4% of the country’s GDP. Positioned strategically in the heart of Europe, Poland offers a range of advantages that extend beyond its renowned history, culture, and natural beauty.

In Britain, the Sunday roast is sacrosanct. Gathering together around a beautifully cooked joint of meat, with lashings of gravy, vegetables and billowing Yorkshire puddings, is, for many, the weekend’s social highlight. And where better to do to this than the pub? Not only do you avoid the washing-up but, centuries after the French dubbed Brits les rosbifs, you get to enjoy the roast at its most modern. In recent decades, Britain’s best pub chefs have, by focusing on seasonal ingredients, rare-breed meats and painstaking preparations of roast potatoes or root vegetables, brought a fresh glamour to this Sunday afternoon ritual.

What are the world’s most expensive cities to live? Singapore and Zurich, Switzerland have tied to secure the top spot, according to the Economist Intelligence Unit’s Worldwide Cost of Living survey.

In a high-profile showdown, Rome, Busan and Riyadh are the top contenders to become the host city of the 2030 World Expo, with the organizing body choosing the winner on Tuesday.

The results follow a year-long search for the world’s leading culinary brands. Votes were cast by culinary industry professionals and the general public, with the nominee gaining the most votes in a category named as the winner.

Valencia, hosting this exceptional event for the third consecutive year, reaffirmed its position as a leading force in innovative tourism.