WTM Global Report: tourists abandon sun loungers in favour of new experiences

A scattering of palm trees was my first clue that I was close to Rock-A-Hoola Waterpark.

From lobster mac and cheese to beef bourguignon, first-class Amtrak passengers traveling on the Acela along the Northeast Corridor will be treated to new menu offerings.

You’re headed home for the holidays—and hopefully, barring any flight delays, you make it before the turkey hits the table or the holiday festivities get underway. A new report from Upgraded Points, a points and miles website, reveals the airports where travelers are most likely to be delayed during the winter holiday season.

From January up until the end of September 2023, Spain received 66.5 million international arrivals, up 18.8% year-on-year, and 0.6% below pre-pandemic levels in 2019. The main inbound tourism markets were the United Kingdom, representing around 13.8 million arrivals, France with almost 9.4 million arrivals and Germany, with almost 8.5 million arrivals.

Happy 25th BRICK-day! What kid wouldn’t want a parade and dinosaurs for their birthday? Last week, LEGOLAND® California Resort announced that 2024 – the Park’s 25th birthday – will include the opening of a new land, Dino Valley, and the debut of North America’s first-ever LEGO® World Parade. “As the first LEGOLAND Park in North America, it’s remarkable to see how LEGOLAND California’s legacy of play has inspired generations of families over the last 25 years,” says President of LEGOLAND California Resort Kurt Stocks. “It’s a privilege for us to debut North America’s first-ever LEGO World Parade in 2024, alongside our newest land, Dino Valley, where the past comes roaring to life in LEGO form. I can’t wait to see what families discover, build, imagine and create with us in the year ahead.”

Safety is a top concern for many when choosing where to travel — a consideration that carries even more importance given the current landscape in the Middle East with the Israel-Hamas war and the U.S. State Department’s worldwide caution travel advisory. To help pinpoint safe countries for travel in 2024, Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection has published its “Safest Destinations” report for the ninth year in a row. The report ranks both the top safety countries and the top safest cities globally.

When I first moved to New York City from the Midwest as a freshman in college, I quickly learned to stop myself from talking to strangers.

Acqualina Resort & Residences is my favorite hotel in Miami for the perfect family vacation. My two children love staying there and always beg to go back.

Demand for unique experiences is an unstoppable trend that will continue to shape how travel businesses operate and engage with their customers in 2024 and beyond.

From Elvis and Frank Sinatra to Sia and Leonardo DiCaprio, Palm Springs has been a chic escape for decades and the desert resort area in Southern California is always reinventing itself for a new generation. (As anyone who has attended Coachella knows.) For a sneak peek at what’s ahead for Palm Springs in 2024, veteran Forbes travel writer Jim Dobson reveals the hot hotels, spas and restaurants to check out next year.

Belfast City Airport has announced it will expand its portfolio of sunshine routes with flights to Alicante taking off with easyJet in summer 2024.

Global Entry, which gives preapproved, low-risk travelers expedited clearance upon arrival in the U.S. from abroad, is among the five expedited security programs the U.S. government offers.