After reshaping Las Vegas, The Mirage to be reinvented as part of a massive Hard Rock makeover

After reshaping Las Vegas, The Mirage to be reinvented as part of a massive Hard Rock makeover

LAS VEGAS — The Mirage is about to vanish from the Las Vegas Strip. Gambling ends and the doors close Wednesday at the iconic tropical island-themed hotel-casino that opened in 1989 with a fire-spewing volcano outside, and Siegfried & Roy’s lions and dolphins inside. Frenzied final days have seen standing-room crowds wagering to win $1.6 … Read more

Protests will spread if European cities don’t address overtourism

Protests will spread if European cities don’t address overtourism

Protests in Spain will spread if European officials fail to address mass tourism’s negative effect on the lives of residents, UNESCO’s Peter Debrine told “Squawk Box Asia” on Monday. “It’s turning into a very volatile situation,” said UNESCO’s senior project officer for sustainable tourism. “Civil society coming and trying to make change is very important, … Read more

In beachy Galveston, locals buckle down without power after Beryl’s blow during peak tourist season

In beachy Galveston, locals buckle down without power after Beryl’s blow during peak tourist season

GALVESTON, Texas — Vacuums sucked the water out of the seaside inn run by Nick Gaido’s family in Galveston since 1911 as power was still spotty nearly one week after a resurgent Hurricane Beryl swept into Texas. Blue tarp covered much of the torn off roof. Gaido scheduled cleanup shifts for the hotel and restaurant … Read more

Barcelona residents squirt travelers with water to protest overtourism

Barcelona residents squirt travelers with water to protest overtourism

Mass tourism troubles hit fever pitch in Barcelona on Saturday as protesters threw items and sprayed travelers with water guns while shouting “tourists go home.” The protesters — angry about the city’s long-standing problems with overtourism — used thick police-style tape to block hotel entrances and sidewalk cafes in the small neighborhood of Barceloneta in … Read more

Why did Airbnb host reject me? Hosts are looking up travelers online

Why did Airbnb host reject me? Hosts are looking up travelers online

When a woman in her early twenties requested to book Vicky Borman’s one-bedroom Heritage-listed cottage in the English village of St Neots last summer, something didn’t feel right. The user had no reviews on her Airbnb profile, so Borman, who has ‘Superhost’ status on the platform, took to social media to investigate. There it was … Read more

An Alaska tourist spot will vote on whether to ban cruise ships on Saturdays

An Alaska tourist spot will vote on whether to ban cruise ships on Saturdays

JUNEAU, Alaska — Each year, a crush of tourists arrives in Alaska’s capital city on cruise ships to see wonders like the fast-diminishing Mendenhall Glacier. Now, long-simmering tensions over Juneau’s tourism boom are coming to a head over a new voter initiative aimed at giving residents a respite from the influx. A measure that would … Read more

Six Marriott hotels are providing free helicopter transfers into NYC

Six Marriott hotels are providing free helicopter transfers into NYC

With New York’s congestion pricing plan indefinitely delayed, traffic into Manhattan this summer is set to be gridlocked as usual. But travelers staying in some of the city’s top luxury hotels can avoid the highways altogether. Announced Tuesday, Marriott International Luxury Group is providing free helicopter transfers from John F. Kennedy International Airport and Newark … Read more

Americans take less time off but Europeans are more vacation deprived

Americans take less time off but Europeans are more vacation deprived

Nearly two in three workers around the world are “vacation deprived,” according to a new report published by Expedia. However, the report shows the feeling is highest among cultures that take the most days off. Some 84% of Germans and 69% of French respondents said they feel they don’t have enough time off, according to … Read more

What to know about Asia’s first Disney cruise

What to know about Asia’s first Disney cruise

Enchanted valleys, vibrant street markets and fantastical forests. Those are just some of what fans of Disney cruises can expect on board the upcoming Disney Adventure, according to details announced Tuesday by Disney Cruise Line. The ship — the sixth cruise liner from Disney — is the company’s first to homeport in Asia. Its maiden … Read more

Expanded Kentucky Bourbon Trail to feature both age-old distilleries and relative newcomers

Expanded Kentucky Bourbon Trail to feature both age-old distilleries and relative newcomers

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The Kentucky Bourbon Trail is maturing, like the fine whiskeys it showcases. A new-look Bourbon Trail unveiled Thursday will lead visitors to large and small distilleries alike, linking relative newcomers and age-old brands in a collective strategy to build on bourbon tourism’s popularity. It began with seven participating distilleries welcoming visitors 25 … Read more