Why foreign workers are flocking to this 700-year-old European city

When Ricardo Schmitz’s brother was visiting him in Vilnius, Lithuania, the pair went for a wintertime walk at midnight — something he said they would never do back home in Brazil.   “My brother hadn’t seen snow since he was a kid, so he was super excited. We walked from midnight to 3 a.m.,” Schmitz … Read more

Cabbing in Italy can be a gnarly affair. Here’s how to navigate it

I knew something was amiss when the taxi meter read 10.50 euros as we pulled away from the Roma Termini train station. While negotiating the evening rush hour traffic and typing into a translation app on his cell phone, the cab driver suggested the starting fare included a surcharge for all rides from Rome’s main … Read more

How much does it cost to Aman’s new brand Janu hotels?

Few names exude “quiet luxury” like the ultra-luxe Aman Resorts. Its hotels bear its moniker: from Amanoi in Vietnam, to Aman Sveti Stefan in Montenegro and the hotel that started it all — Amanpuri in Phuket, Thailand. Fans of the brands — known as ‘Aman Junkies’ — are accustomed to paying its top-dollar rates, which … Read more

Booking, Agoda, Expedia or Priceline?

Vacations can be fabulously relaxing. But booking one is another story. The average traveler views 141 pages of travel content in the 45 days prior to booking a trip, according to an Expedia Group report. The most popular site to visit was an OTA — or “online travel agency” — which is an industry term … Read more

Fear driving Chinese travelers away from 2 of Asia’s most popular places

Japan and Thailand are two of the most popular places to visit in Asia. But both are losing ground with Chinese nationals as safety concerns rise among younger travelers. Both countries were the top choices for Chinese holidaymakers earlier this year but fell in the third quarter — Thailand to No. 6 and Japan to … Read more

Remote company rents apartment in Spain where workers stay for free

Some workers go to great lengths to hide hush trips from their bosses. But employees of the Polish company PhotoAid needn’t bother. The company, which helps travelers take their own passport photos at home, allows its employees to stay at an apartment in Spain for free — provided they work while they’re there. The apartment … Read more

Pack your jerseys. The era of ‘sports tourism’ is here

Start your engines. From Formula One races to the Summer Olympic Games, traveling to attend major sporting events is on the rise. Sports tourism, as it’s called, is one of the fastest-growing sectors in the travel industry, according to the United Nations World Tourism Organization.   The market is massive, and only stands to grow, … Read more

A new luxury hotel with rooms made from buses opens in Singapore

The resort hotel has 20 rooms which will be open for stays from Dec. 1, 2023. Source: The Bus Collective It only costs a dollar to ride a Singapore bus — but 398 Singapore dollars to sleep in one. The Bus Collective is Southeast Asia’s first resort hotel to repurpose decommissioned public buses into luxury … Read more

The best airlines in the world when flying goes wrong: See the list

Modern aircraft, comfortable seats and unflappably pleasant flight attendants. These are factors many rankings consider in determining the world’s best airlines. But they overlook a crucial element, according to the passenger rights company AirHelp — how airlines treat customers when problems occur. “We believe that an airline should be assessed not just by how they … Read more

Travelers want deals — here’s where to find them, says HotelPlanner CEO

It’s been a stellar year for the travel industry, according to Morning Consult. The market research company, in a new report entitled “2023 Holiday Travel Trends,” summarized the year by stating: “leisure volume soared, airplanes were packed, and hotel bookings were high.” But heading into the year-end peak travel season, consumers are showing increased price … Read more