Holiday & Travel

According to Tokyo media reports, the number of domestic tourists who visited Japan’s capital in 2022 has bounced back to pre-pandemic levels.

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government estimated that about 542.67 million Japanese tourists visited Tokyo last year, down only 0.1 percent compared with the number in 2019, the year before the COVID-19 pandemic, local media reports. Japanese domestic tourists are estimated to have spent about 4.62 trillion yen (about 32.7 billion US dollars), which is also back to pre-pandemic levels, said the report.

Corfu has become the latest Greek island to issue an evacuation order, as the country grapples with wildfires. Photos uploaded to social media show flames engulfing Corfu. A fire broke out on the northern part of the island which is popular with British tourists.

It is the second island to evacuate due to rampant wildfires after around 19,000 people had to leave Rhodes. Many were forced to flee their hotels as the flames continued to spread from the centre of the Greek island.

Millennial travellers, also known as Generation Y travellers, are individuals born roughly between the early 1980s and the mid-1990s. As a large demographic group, they have had a significant impact on the travel industry and have unique preferences and characteristics when it comes to exploring the world.

Jamaica will host the 42nd edition of the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association’s (CHTA) Caribbean Travel Marketplace, May 20-22, 2024.

CHTA President Nicola Madden-Greig thanked the Jamaican government, particularly Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett and the Jamaica Hotel & Tourist Association (JHTA), for generously partnering with CHTA to host the association’s most important event, which brings together buyers and sellers of the region’s tourism products and services.

Monday 17 July marked the start of Coral Awareness Week, a global celebration of coral reefs, their wildlife, and their protection. An ocean cruise with Scenic Luxury Cruises and Tours offers opportunities to join on board teams of naturalists, guides, and professional divers to safely explore the world’s most exceptional reefs.

Scenic’s 2024 Pacific cruises will be onboard the 6-star luxury Scenic Eclipse II yacht

UK passport holders will now be able to enter Vietnam without a visa for up to 45 days, a threefold increase on the previous limit of 15 days, effective 15 August 2023. Currently, British Nationals can enter Vietnam for up to 15 days for tourism, transit, and business (but not paid or voluntary work) without needing to apply for a visa.

Continuing to expand ease of access to the island for US travellers, Jamaica will welcome new air service from Denver International Airport (DEN) to Sangster International Airport (MBJ) in Montego Bay (MoBay) starting on November 4, 2023, by United Airlines. Operating weekly on Saturdays, it will be the only carrier serving Jamaica non-stop from the Denver gateway.

“We are very pleased to expand our partnership with United with the launch of this new non-stop flight from the legacy carrier’s Denver hub,” said the Hon. Edmund Bartlett, Minister of Tourism, Jamaica.

From January 2024 travellers from more than 60 countries who currently able to travel through the EU’s Schengen travel area without a visa will now need to apply for an EU Travel Information & Authorization System – or ‘ETIAS’ – travel authorisation ahead of travel.

This will include countries whose passport holders are not used to applying for permission to travel to many counties, such as Canada, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, Singapore and the United States. Whilst the requirements are relatively simple and the plans is that approvals should be quick, nonetheless those who don’t have the necessary ETIAS approval in place will face not being able to board their flights or rejection at the EU borders.

As the 2023 Atlantic hurricane season got off to a busy start, key stakeholders in the Caribbean tourism sector convened a virtual forum, placing a spotlight on the pivotal role of effective, strategic crisis communications when responding to, and recovering from, natural and manmade disasters.

During the forum, hosted by the Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO) and the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA), the consensus was clear: collaboration across regional, national and community levels, paired with efficient, proactive communications, forms the backbone of successful crisis management and resilience in the tourism sector.

With soaring temperatures hitting the UK and the holiday season approaching, travel is hot on the horizon. Over half of people (52 percent) will take a summer holiday this year and despite the cost-of-living crisis and the heatwave set to continue in the UK, 42 percent will travel overseas, taking their summer break at international destinations this year.

From January 2024 travellers from more than 60 countries who currently able to travel through the EU’s Schengen travel area without a visa will now need to apply for an EU Travel Information & Authorization System – or ‘ETIAS’ – travel authorisation ahead of travel.

This will include countries whose passport holders are not used to applying for permission to travel to many counties, such as Canada, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, Singapore and the United States. Whilst the requirements are relatively simple and the plans is that approvals should be quick, nonetheless those who don’t have the necessary ETIAS approval in place will face not being able to board their flights or rejection at the EU borders.

From yoga and meditation sessions to unique Extraordinary Experiences, this renowned resort of The Lux Collective – LUX* South Ari Atoll knows how to turn a couple getaway, a family vacation, or a solo retreat into a life-changing adventure.

Landing in secluded tropics amidst the Indian Ocean is a perfect opportunity to slow down. Take a deep breath. Sink the toes in the warm white sand. Enjoy a bike ride along LUX* South Ari Atoll’s 1.8 kilometres long island with lush gardens.

As the 2023 Atlantic hurricane season got off to a busy start, key stakeholders in the Caribbean tourism sector convened a virtual forum last week, placing a spotlight on the pivotal role of effective, strategic crisis communications when responding to, and recovering from, natural and manmade disasters.

During the forum, hosted by the Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO) and the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA), the consensus was clear: collaboration across regional, national and community levels, paired with efficient, proactive communications, forms the backbone of successful crisis management and resilience in the tourism sector.

The Ministry of Tourism and the St. Kitts Tourism Authority has announced the inclusion of Caribbean Airlines to its airlift roster as it continues to strengthen its position as a premier tourism destination. This development will amplify the accessibility of St. Kitts for travellers within the region, firmly positioning the island as a premier Caribbean vacation spot.

The Premier Partnership announcement comes as Morocco experiences growth in its tourism activity, aiming to double the number of incoming tourists to 26 million by 2030, elevating Morocco as a leading leisure destination to the world’s travel trade.

It is already known that Morocco’s presence at World Travel Market London will focus on the “Morocco, Kingdom of Light” international campaign of the Moroccan National Tourism Office.

A new national study on friendship reveals mates win over dates, with more than a quarter of Brits (28%) aged 40 to 65 in relationships confessing they would rather holiday with friends than their partners. Almost half (48%) of women polled admit to having more fun with friends and nearly a third of men (32%) prefer the quality one-on-one time with mates that holidays offer.