Wine tourism is making a big splash in Uruguay

In the same drawer where I keep my travel adapters and portable charger, I have a foreign currency graveyard of sorts. A $5 bill from New Zealand. A £10 note from Scotland. Dozens of Canadian loonies and toonies.

I meet Donald Macauley, the 37-year-old founder of Sierra Leone's first surf school, along a sunny swath of silky yellow sand at Bureh Beach, a surfing destination on the Western Peninsula where he’s been catching waves for more than 20 years. Macauley learned how to surf from a British soldier; before he had access to a proper board, he and other local teens would ride wooden surfboards shaped from busted fishing boats. In 2012, he launched Bureh Beach Surf Club—whose slogan, “Di waves dem go mak u feel fine,” says it all—and today he leads a handful of instructors, mentors street kids, and rallies behind some of Sierra Leone’s most promising young talents. Among them, I meet 25-year-old Kadiatu “KK” Kamara, the country’s preeminent female surfer. “My dream is to teach more girls in Sierra Leone how to surf,” says Kamara, who herself learned at Bureh Beach eight years ago and hopes to someday open her own school. When girls sign up for lessons, she refuses their money. “It’s my responsibility,” she says solemnly. “I want to motivate them not to be afraid of the water.”

Europe recently announced that it will change its entry requirements for U.S. travelers beginning in 2024.

It has the same chalky soil as the Champagne region and its wine has the same protected status – and often beats French fizz in blind tastings. Now Sussex has launched a plan to attract many more visitors to its 138 vineyards, aiming to increase the value of wine tourism from £25m today to £283m by 2040.

Walk into almost any newly opened restaurant or wine bar these days and you’ll find natural wines on the wine list. Even if they’re not actually described as natural, the chances are many on the list will be. If you’re wondering what exactly natural wine is, you’re not alone. 

Hilton announced early this year that there were significant changes coming to the Honors program, set to take effect on April 3. This is a reminder of what’s coming, and how it’s likely to affect you.

Enter the Clos Du Bois “Spring in Sonoma” sweepstakes by April 26, 2016, for a chance to win one of the two grand prizes: trips for two to Sonoma, including air, three nights’ hotel, and $700 spending money.

In the airline’s first major initiative since replacing CEO Jeff Smisek with Oscar Munoz, United today announced details of a major upgrade to its international business-class product.

I’ve been thinking a lot about the people I met in Egypt.

Enter the General Assembly Space “Go Places: Burgundy” sweepstakes by October 2, 2016, for a chance to win the grand prize: a 10-day trip for two people to Burgundy, France, including air, hotel, market and vineyard tours, and wine tastings.

Sorry to ruin your vacation daydreams of sparkling hotel pool swims and romantic hot tub soaks, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) just reported that hotel pools and hot tubs can cause infectious diseases. Public pools don’t have the best reputation for cleanliness, but according to the CDC’s study, hotel pools and hot tubs are even worse for your health than other shared pools.

Dreaming of a trip to sunny Florida? You’re definitely not alone. The first nine months of this year (from January to September 2018) saw the highest number of visitors to the state ever.