Tours and Activities Should Brace for Spike in AI-Generated Fake Reviews

This as-told-to story is based on a conversation with Samantha Meany, a TikTok content creator, and lifelong Taylor Swift fan from Raleigh, North Carolina. It's been edited for length and clarity. Meany's trip took place in the first week of August, shortly before the wildfires broke out on Maui.

When European low-cost Corendon Airlines announced on August 23 that it would reserve the front rows of its Amsterdam-Curação flights for passengers 16-years-old or older, the news resurfaced the age-old debate about how to balance the needs of traveling families with those who are flying without kids.

An Air China plane cabin was filled with smoke after its engine caught fire, forcing the plane to make an emergency landing in Singapore on Sunday.

Colorado is one of those places that appear on just about everyone’s bucket list, and for good reason.

Timesharing, as a concept, was conceived in Europe in the 1960s. There, it was originally presented as a contractual lodging arrangement featuring the right to make reservations in multiple properties owned by the offeror or even by third parties. The first timeshare in the United States was started in 1974 by Caribbean International Corporation (CIC), based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. It offered what it called a 25-year vacation license rather than ownership. The company owned two other resorts the vacation license holder could alternate their vacation weeks with: one in St. Croix and one in St. Thomas; both in the U.S. Virgin Islands. The Virgin Islands properties began their timeshare sales in 1973.

An American travel influencer who told her viewers to book a vacation to Asia was met with backlash as TikTokers pointed out it wasn't easily affordable for people who weren't wealthy, but the influencer hit back and said she wasn't born into privilege.

Air Canada is expanding its international flying schedule for the summer of 2024, especially to destinations across Europe, including a new year-round route between Montreal and Madrid. 

For adventurous summer hikers, spending time outside, where you can enjoy longer days of sunshine, fresh air, and a vibrant culture within outdoor communities, is a top priority. Autumn, however, is a brilliant period to get out on the trails. Exploring during the shoulder seasons, when kids are back in school and working professionals are returning to the grind, opens up all of the popular nature-y locales so that you can revel in the peace and solitude of wide open spaces and nature.

Options range from ultra-luxury expedition vessels and luxury yachts to European and Asian river cruises.

In our weekend roundup, we delve into the pros and cons of Google’s latest foray into the tours and activities industry, providing insights into how online travel agencies might stand to benefit. We also catch up with IHG’s new CEO Elie Maalouf and his ambitious plans for the brand’s future. From AI’s influence on the travel sector to the latest controversies in short-term rentals, keep reading for a comprehensive look at the most pressing issues in today’s travel landscape.

The New Zealand government said on Wednesday it would not require travelers from China to produce a negative Covid-19 test, bucking a trend that has seen a number of nations implement such measures as cases surge in China.

The potential of generative artificial intelligence (AI) to produce personalized travel recommendations and itineraries, as well as on-point content for travel companies, is setting the travel sector abuzz.