United States, Rockville MD, Aug. 04, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The U.S and Canada travel market is anticipated to secure US$ 952 Million in 2022 and is likely to exhibit a CAGR of 10.14% from 2022 to 2032. Expansion of the market can be attributed to the growing number of millennial and middle-income traveler groups.

According to the World Tourism Organization, the economic contribution of tourism in 2021 is likely to have garnered US$ 1.9 trillion, against US$ 1.6 trillion in 2020. The growing trend of transformational travel focusing on wellness journeys to rejuvenate the mind, spirit, and body is likely to drive the market positively.

The travel and tourism exhibitions in the USA is a salient factor that is likely to augment the market size during the forecast period. For instance, World Deer Expo 2022 would feature a weekend for people who are fond of outdoor activities. Another such exhibition is Scuba Show 20223, which would feature displays related to areas like marine, adventure, underwater photography, seafood preparation, and marine conservation. Such factors are expected to encourage people to travel, which will eventually benefit the US and Canada travel industry during the forecast period.

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Additionally, the launch of other traveling apps, such as the Una Travel App from startup XOKind curates collaborative itineraries for individual travelers and groups majorly based on interests. Another such example is, Out of Office, which allows users to browse travel recommendations from trusted sources and then book them via OpenTable, and the new TPG App from travel website The Points Guy, which aims to enhance the power of users accumulates loyalty rewards points.

On the contrary, factors such as U.Ss withdrawal from Afghanistan and issues between France and the U.S over AUKUS trilateral submarine deal have affected USAs image as a superpower and has also affected other travel industry. Besides, the number of visas issued by American embassies across Europe has dropped dramatically compared to pre-COVID times.

Key Takeaways from the U.S and Canada Travel Market

Competition Analysis

Key players in the US and Canada travel market include Expedia, Inc., Booking Holdings Inc., American Express Global Business Travel (GBT), TCS World Travel, Abercrombie & Kent USA, LLC, Exodus Travels Ltd., BCD Travel, Intrepid Travel, Topdeck Travel Ltd., and Trafalgar.

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What is the Contribution of Startups in Developing the U.S and Canada Travel Market?

Airalo, Ditto, Amenitiz, Troop, Yoti, The Hotels Network, Smooss, Blueboard, Port, Hopin, and Butler Hospitality are some of the emerging entities in the US and Canada travel market. Startups are likely to make a significant contribution to the market.

Key Segments Profiled in the US and Canada Travel Market

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My favourite Black-owned spots in London are a mixture of food places and also art spots as that has become a recent interest of mine.

Black Cultural Archives This community space in Brixton is known as the home of Black British Culture. They have informative exhibitions about the Windrush generation as well as other ways Black people came to live in the UK in history and important events that have happened since.

Tafeta An art gallery which displays the works of modern artists of African descent. They usually have one main exhibition on at a time.

Institute of International Visual Arts (INIVA) They offer residencies for artists of British born African (and Asian) descent, often with free workshops and talks.

Prince of Peckham A vibrant Black-owned pub in South London which is fun for everything brunches, watching football games, weekend DJ events and even hosting your own party.

Peckham Palms An Afro hair, beauty and wellness space in Peckham which has many talented resident Black hairdressers. They also hosts events and community theatre shows.

Dark Sugars This incredible chocolate franchise is inspired by the owners West African roots and also travels to South America. They also do amazing ice cream!

Uncle Johns Bakery This family-owned Ghanaian bakery sells iconic baked goods -I think the bread here is the best!

Theres always fun events and pop ups around London to enjoy the culture and other Black-owned businesses.

Two great examples are DLT brunch (whose next event in August celebrates Lewisham, the London borough of culture at Horniman Museum an incredible museum which always has black exhibitions on) and Black Culture Market where many Black-owned businesses will be on display in Brixton.

Keep up with Jess on Instagram.

Related:Pelumi Is The Solo Traveling Nigerian Woman Doing World Travel Her Way

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Traveler Story: Travel And Culture With Doctor And World Traveler Road2Culturedom - Travel Noire

BATON ROUGE, La. This Friday, Gov. John Bel Edwards will lead a delegation of business and state leaders on an economic development, water management and resiliency mission to the Netherlands and France. The delegation includes representatives from Louisiana Economic Development, the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority, The Water Institute of the Gulf, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicines Gulf Research Program, the Port of New Orleans, New Orleans & Company, Shell and the Baton Rouge Area Foundation. They will explore flood control challenges facing France and the Netherlands and examine solutions those nations have implemented that could be applied to risk reduction strategies in our state, while also sharing our expertise and experiences from Louisiana.

The trip is the result of an invitation from the Kingdom of the Netherlands Special Envoy for International Water Affairs, Ambassador Henk Ovink, who will travel with Governor Edwards and the delegation between Amsterdam and Delft to discuss the latest advancements the country has made in the areas of flood control and water management. Ovink, one of the worlds pre-eminent water policymakers, will engage Louisianas team to discuss ways the state can leverage resiliency projects to drive business investments in a growing water management sector, anchored by the Baton Rouge Water Campus.

Gov. Edwards will see firsthand one of the Netherlands' most ambitious and innovative flood control infrastructure innovations, the Room for the River Programmes Noordwaard polder project. The delegation will also visit the water research campus in Delft which is home to Deltares, an international applied research group that collaborates with the Water Institute of the Gulf on flood risk reduction projects. They will get an up-close look at the Deltares Delta Flume project, which is the most advanced wave test facility in the world.

Gov. Edwards will also pay tribute to Louisianas military veterans while visiting Normandy in northern France, where he will raise awareness about a $400 million capital campaign for the National World War II Museum. That capital campaign is culminating in the recent dedication of the Bollinger Canopy of Peace, the opening of the post-war focused Liberation Pavilion later this year, and the brick-and-mortar museum campus expansion scheduled for completion in spring 2023. The National WWII Museum in New Orleans is an important economic driver for the state, with annual revenue of more than $70 million in 2021 and support for more than 400 direct and indirect jobs.

The delegation will leave Friday, August 5, and return Sunday, August 14.

I am very grateful to the Netherlands Special Envoy for International Water Affairs Henk Ovink for inviting me and our delegation to his country to continue our work together on water management, said Gov. Edwards. This is a tremendous opportunity to learn from international leaders in flooding prevention, and to grow our economy while were at it. I also look forward to furthering Louisianas cultural and economic ties to France. It will be a privilege to visit Normandy to honor those who fought in World War II and raise international awareness of the world-class WWII Museum in New Orleans.

Gov. Edwards will use the trip to advance Louisianas broader economic interests in meetings with major international companies. Executives from Shell will join the governor and state and local economic development officials to discuss the energy industrys transition and potential future investments in the state. Terminal Investments Limited, one of the worlds leading container terminal developers, will engage the delegation in a discussion of supply chain challenges as the Port of New Orleans looks to expand Louisiana's infrastructure.

The Governor will also work to advance progress on the establishment of a technical advisor position with the French Government. This position has been preliminarily approved by the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs and will be based in Louisiana. In a first for this type of position, the advisor will be dedicated to identifying and exploring future partnerships on issues pertaining to the economic implications of the energy transition, climate change, and related environmental issues.

This is Gov. Edwards second international trip of his second term, and the fifth of his governorship. His most recent international trip was to Scotland for the International Climate Change Summit in October of 2021.

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Now that the world has started to move on from Covid, and more countries have reopened following two years of harsh rules, the first tourism statistics are in with some surprising results. The trendiest destination for 2022 is not Cancun, and definitely not former tourism leader Paris: Montego Bay, Jamaica, has claimed the top spot.

During the pandemic, most of the world came to a standstill as a majority of national governments resorted to lockdowns and travel curbs in a bid to slow down the virus. Consequently, the tourism industry was hit the hardest, namely in overly conservative places like Canada, where arrival figures have hit historical lows.

Interestingly, some countries are recovering much faster than others, and we may have found something in common between them:

According to the Outlook Report published by the World Travel Market (WTM), Jamaicas Montego Bay is the top city in terms of post-Covid recovery. The study, conducted by ForwardKeys, a company specializing in travel data, noted that the hub has experienced a positive growth of 23 per cent this summer, comprising the third yearly quarter, more than any other on the list.

This means Jamaicas once-secondary destination, after the metropolitan Kingston, is now perhaps the most sought-after vacation spot in the world, out of the twenty cities that appeared on this specific ranking. The studys conclusion should come as no surprise to some, seeing that, as soon as late 2021, Jamaica already outpaced other countries in arrival figures.

At the time, more specifically in November, demand for Jamaica stood at 38 per cent of 2019 levels still far lower than the pre-pandemic years, but much higher than the global average of 24 per cent. When this data came out, the Caribbean country still required incoming tourists to present a negative test for entry.

As of April 14, however, all mandates barring the entry of tourists have been fully scrapped, including that of testing, suggesting this new growth may be attributed to the lack of health regulations. While the latest report does not provide a precise comparison, it does assert that Montego Bay is one of the most resilient cities in the post-pandemic world, based on tourist numbers for summer 2022, and the pre-Covid 2019.

So now that Jamaica is open, and it has cemented its status as a freedom haven, why are so many travelers flocking into Montego Bay specifically, and not Kingston or Ocho Rios? Part of that may be attributed to a unique mix of busy city life and a picturesque seaside, making it a place where visitors can get the best of both worlds.

A majority of Montego Bay-bound vacationers are heading to all-inclusive resorts as well, and there are plenty of them to choose from, such as Sandals Montego Bay, Secrets St. James, and the phenomenal Jewel Grande Montego Bay Resort & Spa. In sum, the city simply has one of the best developed hospitality sectors in all of the Caribbean.

What about the other top destinations for 2022, though? The 3 best performing cities are:

Other cities in the top 5 include Cairo, the capital of Egypt, and Dehli, the number one city in India. The one thing all of these destinations, no matter how far from each other, have in common? They have removed all, or most of their Covid curbs, including mandatory vaccination for travel, pre-departure testing and quarantine.

With the exception of India, the one country on this list that continues to enforce stricter entry rules for non-vaccinated tourists, the remaining four have already reinstated their 2019 normal entry guidelines. This is further indication that travelers are opting for destinations where they will not face bureaucratic hurdles upon landing.

Jamaicas Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett sounded extremely pleased with the news, as he noted Jamaica is bouncing forward following the devastating impact of Covid. In the Ministers words, Jamaica is one of the most tourism dependent economies in the world, making the positive tourism trend very important for the island.

Airlines have been carefully watching Jamaicas booming travel market, also: just last month, Frontier added its fifth flight to the country and flash flight deals keep popping up, despite the ongoing aviation crisis. Perhaps unfortunately for some, the trendy Montego Bay is bound to be jampacked, especially now that the U.S. dropped its own testing rule for returning Americans.

If youre planning on visiting soon, you may want to secure those bookings in time before it sells out.

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Home Some UAE tourists are looking for alternatives

 Wednesday, August 3, 2022 

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Maira Omer in March had an itinerary for summer vacation for what she defined as half of the world. However, with continuous impediments in getting visas, she turned hopeless with nowhere to explore in 2022.

On her mind, this Dubai-based Pakistani book editor had Europe however experienced many weeks of waiting to get the date for visa appointment for some countries as others had no appointments left in 2022.

Finally, she took a decision to take matters seriously and made a customized route for her family and took in Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Croatia.

For Schengen visas, in the face of long waiting queue, several residents of UAE, mainly the ones from Pakistan and India, have set their sights on Armenia, Georgia, and Azerbaijan. Each of these countries provides visas on arrival to Emirates residents.

In March, Maira said that they were applying to visit many countries due to the fact that constraints had settled down a bit at that time and this year, it there is an explosion, the world opened. In March, everyone was travelling and they did try to apply to explore half of the world.

It first, in May or June, they wanted to travel because that is the time when summer starts here and the heat gets atrocious. They wanted to travel around Europe, however, could not find any visa appointments whatsoever.

The family were told to keep an eye on the websites on a regular basis in case appointments became available.

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Home MCEC supports social housing

 Wednesday, August 3, 2022 

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MCEC is proud to acknowledge their long-standing relationship with Launch Housing this National Homelessness Week taking place from August 1-7, aiming to raise awareness of homelessness in Australia and the importance of social housing as a long-term solution.

As two organisations that are proudly Melbourne, MCECs collaboration with Launch Housing provides opportunity for people experiencing homelessness through workplace giving, in kind support, fundraising initiatives and an At-Risk Youth Employment Program.

Although MCEC has been a long-term supporter of Launch Housing, last year MCEC signed a formal three-year partnership, marking MCECs official and ongoing commitment to their vital work. Were already seen the benefits of this partnership with MCEC employing three people in 2022 as part of the Launch Housing Youth Foyers Program.

There is a longstanding history between MCEC and Launch Housing. The land that our buildings stand on today was home to Hanovers New Gordon House from 1976-1994 (a proud precursor to Launch Housing.)

This year, Launch Housings theme for National Homelessness Week is a safe home for every child, as sadly there over 19,000 children aged 0-14 who are homeless in Australia on any given night.

Launch Housing is pioneering early interventions to build brighter futures for children, giving them the safety and security of a home, access to support services, and removing barriers to education.

Over 18,000 children aged 0-14 were assisted by Launch Housing and other Specialist Homelessness Organisations in Victoria in 2020-21, and this week, they are launching an Australian-first supportive housing initiative, providing 60 permanent homes for women and children at risk of homelessness.

MCEC acting CEO, Helen Fairclough said the partnership between Launch Housing and MCEC is one of crucial importance.

Homelessness is an issue we cant ignore in Melbourne, and being in the heart of the city, MCEC is passionate about playing its part in helping.

MCEC is committed to assisting with funds and resources to help Launch Housing reach those who need help the most in our community.

Chief Executive Launch Housing, Bevan Warner said Launch Housing is an independent community organisation passionately committed to ending homelessness in Melbourne.

By combining direct action with advocacy, research, and innovation, theyre driving meaningful and widespread change and creating achievable solutions to end Melbournes homelessness crisis.

They provide life-changing housing, support, education and employment services to thousands of vulnerable Victorians experiencing the trauma of homelessness.

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Home Spain sees 7.5 million visitors arrival in June

 Tuesday, August 2, 2022 

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There are more than twice as many tourists visited Spain in June than in the same month last year and they spent almost three times as much during their stay, National Statistics Institute in Spain data showed on Tuesday.

Spain is noted for its tourism, attracting millions of travellers throughout the world. This nation is not just known for its beaches, but also its snowy mountains and deserts.

The country is historically rich with the third rank in the number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the world. It is also famous for the numerous festivals taking place. Spain is also architecturally marvellous with Islamic, Catholic and Renaissance architectural designs.

The 7.5 million visitors in June spent close to 9 billion euros ($9.2 billion), as Spain edges closer to pre-pandemic levels in its biggest and most important economic sector. Before the COVID-19 pandemic put a halt to travel in 2020, Spain received a total of 38.2 million tourists in 2019, with 8.8 million visiting in June.

Tourism Minister Reyes Maroto says that in these six months (of 2022) we have already exceeded 30 million international tourists, which represents 80% of the pre-pandemic volume, but in terms of expenses we are already at 90% of pre-pandemic levels. If the trend continues, we will clearly be at pre-pandemic levels (at the end of the year.

Spanish government expects tourist arrivals to reach 90% of pre-pandemic volumes during the summer season, as northern Europeans shrug off concerns over inflation and book even more trips than in 2019.

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SINGAPORE. China Duty Free Group President Charles Chen heads a powerful programme for The Trinity Forum 2022, to be held in Singapore on 1-2 November.

In related news LOral Travel Retail has become the latest Platinum Partner for the event. The French beauty powerhouse has long been a prime supportor of the collaborative principles that underpin the Trinity concept.

This years event marks the return of the most influential travel retail and airport commercial revenues conference after a three-year gap due to the pandemic.

The Trinity Forum is co-organised by The Moodie Davitt Report, ACI World and ACI Asia-Pacific and hosted by Changi Airport Group. Changi Airport Group is providing a dazzling Gala Dinner venue at Jewel Changi Airport on 2 November.

Charles Chen has always provided compelling insights during his attendance at previous Trinity Forums. He is shown above and below in conversation with The Moodie Davitt Report Chairman Martin Moodie during earlier events.

The Moodie Davitt Reports Trinity Forum is traditionally a key moment for innovative discourse and outlook towards the future of our industry with all its stakeholders, said LOreal Travel Retail Worldwide President and Member of the LOreal Groupe Executive Committee Vincent Boinay.

As LOral Travel Retail, we are proud to take our part as a Platinum Partner of the event. We are looking forward to being together physically, to review furthermore the bounceback of the 6th continent with a collaborative spirit.

Click on the image to register for The Trinity Forum 2022

China Duty Free Group was last month named the worlds top travel retailer by sales for the second successive year in The Moodie Davitt Reports annual rankings. Charles Chen, who has worked with the group since 1987 and driven its heady ascent to world leadership since being named President in late 2016, is joined by a stellar line-up of executives from across the travel retail and airport commercial revenues sectors to be fully revealed over coming days.

Click to open The Moodie Davitt eZine and to learn more about China Duty Free Groups reinforced sector leadership

They include Todd Handcock, President Asia Pacific and Global Board Member of Collinson, the UK airport and travel hospitality and services specialist which has been one of the most progressive voices during the pandemic.

Patrick Coveney, CEO of powerful global travel food & beverage specialist SSP andSverine Lanthier, Lagardre Travel Retail Chief Strategy and Development Officer, Chief Operating Officer for Asia and member of the Global Executive Committee add further leadership lustre.

The airport community will be particularly well-represented, including several CEOs. Additionally, Mathieu Daubert, Chief Customer Officer and AudeFerrand, Chief Retail Officer from Groupe ADP; Fraser Brown, Retail & Property Director, Heathrow Airport; and Dubai Airports EVP Commercial Eugene Barry will all bring their consumer-centric, forward-thinking philosophies to the Forum. More names to follow right across the industry Trinity.

Several of the worlds leading brand companies will also address the audience see separate story coming soon.

Other stand-outs include a major session dubbed The new wonders of the airport world, which will focus on some of the most exciting airport developments around the globe. Kiran Jain, Chief Operating Officer at Noida International Airport, will unveil details of the hugely exciting greenfield airport currently being constructed in Uttar Pradesh, India, which will rank as Indias largest once completed. The airport is being developed through a public-private partnership with Zrich Airport. We will bring you news of the other speakers in coming days.

LOral Travel Retail joins Nestl International Travel Retail and Diageo as Platinum Partners with others to be revealed soon. Diageo is also the Opening Cocktail Sponsor for a glamorous evening set to take place at Chijmes on 1 November.

Mondelez International is Innovation Partner and host of The Trinity Challenge, full details of which will be published next week. Dubai Duty Free this week signed as a Silver Partner, while Amarula, Hershey World Travel Retail, Travel Food Services (TFS), Haribo and Lilys are also key partners of the event.

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It was the middle of July, peak summer travel season, and the news from Europe wasnt looking good: A heat-induced surface defect briefly closed the runway at Londons Luton Airport. Trains were delayed or canceled across Britain because of overheated tracks. More than two dozen weather stations in France recorded their highest-ever temperatures. And wildfires blazed in tourist regions of France, Spain, Portugal, Italy and Greece, including just outside of Athens.

If you were in the center of town, you could look out and see the Acropolis, and in the distance you could see the red haze, said Peter Vlitas, an executive vice president at Internova Travel Group, who was in Athens during the wildfires, which firefighters have since brought under control.

Mr. Vlitas added that he could smell the smoke from his hotel and sometimes had to close his door to prevent fine ash from blowing into his room. But life in Athens, he said, went on pretty much as usual.

The taverns are full at night and the cabbies are busy, which is always a great barometer, said Mr. Vlitas, still in Athens. Greece is experiencing what the rest of Europe has a record number of tourists.

After more than two years of putting off their vacations, travelers are loath to cancel their trips, even in the face of headline-making weather. But several people in the industry described a growing number of travelers who are adjusting their plans to account for high temperatures, whether by swapping out destinations, reworking their daytime schedules, or delaying their trips by a month or two.

Given the pace and trajectory of climate change, such shifts are likely to become more common and more necessary in the years ahead. Thats especially true for travel to Europe, a region that climate researchers have described as a hot spot for severe summer heat, and where they predict that future heat waves will be longer, more frequent and more intense.

Even with this summers high tourist numbers, there are already subtle signs that the heat is driving changes that could become the future norm. Europes summer travel calendar has begun to stretch into the quieter (and cooler) months of April, May, September and October, while many travelers are starting to shift their itineraries northward and toward the coasts.

Karen Magee, a senior vice president and general manager at In the Know Experiences, said that, beginning in mid-July, her travel agency started getting calls from clients asking if they could adjust their travel plans to account for the heat.

That was new, Ms. Magee said. I cant remember the last time we had people calling and saying, Maybe were going to skip Rome and opt for a more beach-accessible city. Or maybe they shortened their itinerary in the city and opted to go into the country a little sooner than they had planned.

Dolev Azaria, the founder of Azaria Travel, helped one family make the last-minute choice to spend the first five days of their vacation in Amsterdam instead of Rome, just to avoid the heat. Other clients scrapped their plans for Tuscany and rebooked for Sicily, where at least they would have a Mediterranean breeze.

The goal is to move a client from any heat-trapped city to a waterfront vicinity, Ms. Azaria said. So places like Copenhagen and Amsterdam have come up, places that maybe our clients wouldnt have originally chosen to go to.

But Ms. Azaria said that, so far, she hasnt had any complete cancellations: Theres been so much pent-up demand. Were basically condensing two years of travel into this summer.

Looking ahead to next year, Ms. Azaria is planning for an elongated summer travel season: Were already seeing that summer really extends through the end of September, even until mid-October, she said.

Any travelers who might consider bailing on a trip because of extreme heat may discover that their cancellation policies leave little opportunity for a refund. Clients of Jude Vargas, a travel adviser and founder of Pyxis Guides, were worried about the heat on an upcoming family trip to Portugal, but they ended up sticking with it.

They were concerned about their kids being outside, Ms. Vargas said. But because of the cancellation policies, they just realized, OK, were committed.

Even travel insurance is unlikely to cover travelers who cancel a trip because of a heat wave, said Dan Drennen, director of sales and marketing at Travel Insurance Center. The only policy that would apply in such a scenario is cancel for any reason insurance, Mr. Drennen said. He added that this kind of insurance is typically about 40 percent more expensive than normal coverage, and it generally refunds a maximum of 75 percent of the total trip cost. He advised travelers to do their research and speak to a broker before they buy insurance, so they understand whats covered and what isnt.

People assume that these policies do everything, and they dont, Mr. Drennen said.

Those who are committed to traveling can take a number of practical steps to manage the heat. Ms. Vargas has been helping her clients shift their afternoon tours to the cooler evening hours, but because this travel season is so busy, last-minute spots can be hard to find. She also recommends traveling with a spray bottle with a fan attached, a portable device that she described as a saving grace, especially if youve got kids. Having an umbrella to use as a sunshade can also help. She added that, looking ahead to travel next year, shes focusing on months like May and October.

Hctor Coronel Gutierrez, the director of tourism at the Madrid City Council, advised visitors who travel to his city in high summer to seek out green spaces, including the Madrid Ro Park, which has many shady areas as well as a fountain area where children can splash in the water. He added that, while July and August are hot, the city tends to be quieter than in May and June, so its easy to avoid crowds.

Its also easy to find air conditioning in Spain, although American visitors might find buildings warmer than theyre used to. Earlier this week, in a bid to reduce energy consumption, the Spanish government announced that shopping centers, movie theaters, airports and other venues would no longer be allowed to set their thermostats below 27 degrees Celsius, or 80.6 degrees Fahrenheit.

Still, the travel writer and tour operator Rick Steves, who recently returned from Spain, said that summer travelers may actually find themselves more comfortable in Madrid than in a city like London, Paris or Frankfurt, where high temperatures and air conditioning arent the norm.

Places that are accustomed to crazy heat, like Spain, well, they have a lifestyle that accommodates that they have a siesta, they have canvas awnings over the walkways so people can have shade while they walk around, they have restaurants that are designed to let people eat in breezy spots, Mr. Steves said.

In addition to practical steps like wearing sunscreen and drinking plenty of water, Mr. Steves advised travelers to book their museum tickets in advance to avoid standing in line in the heat. When planning future trips, he echoed Ms. Vargas in recommending that people consider traveling during the shoulder season, which his tour company now defines as April and October no longer May and September.

This is an adjustment period as we regear to live through worsening impacts of climate change, said Mr. Steves, who pointed out the irony of travelers complaining about the higher temperatures even as they hopped on their carbon-heavy flights to Europe. He suggested that tour companies should invest in climate advocacy, climate-smart agriculture and similar initiatives to mitigate the emissions of their travel to Europe. Carbon offsets are another option, but experts generally agree that those programs alone cannot cover the full carbon cost of our flights.

Even if we stopped all greenhouse gas emissions today, a certain amount of additional warming is already baked into the system, said Dr. Rebecca Carter, who leads climate adaptation work at the World Resources Institute, a think tank based in Washington, D.C. But we havent stopped spewing climate-warming gases: Carbon dioxide emissions are on the rise, and the planet is warming faster than ever.

This summers intense heat is not a fluke, Dr. Carter said, but rather the beginning of a trend that were going to see more of.

The evidence on the ground in Europe is clear: In Britain, the 10 hottest years in the record books (which go back to 1884) have all occurred in this century. In Germany, the average annual number of hot days (those with temperatures reaching 30 degrees Celsius 86 degrees Fahrenheit or higher) has trended significantly higher since the 1950s. And in France, scientists have calculated that average temperatures in the northeastern city of Strasbourg are now roughly equivalent to those seen in Lyon, which lies about 240 miles to the south-southwest, in the 1970s.

Dr. Carter added that climate change will continue to come in the form of heat waves and other extreme weather events, many of which will disrupt travel logistics. (She pointed out that planes arent certified to fly above certain temperatures, a limit that has already grounded flights in the past.) But when it comes to individual travel decisions, a lot of it will come down to personal tolerance.

In the long list of factors that we all go through when were deciding where to go, when to go, whether to go, Dr. Carter said, the weather and climate change should be part of the calculus.

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How Heat Waves are Changing Tourism in Europe - The New York Times

Home Series of flight cancellations, but why at all?

 Tuesday, August 2, 2022 

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In the last couple of months, UK and America have seen a series of flight cancellations. The entire summer travel season has been disrupted with the gravest of problems to date. The post-pandemic era has seen some of the most difficult times with flight cancellations.

While the recovery from the damage done in the pandemic era might be difficult, having the tourism industry support the economy is an emergency in most countries.

Flight delays

There are 7499 flights delayed in the US today 2nd of August, 2022. The total cancellations today are 1577 and the total cancellations today are 78. This huge number is not an exception but a summation of the total.

The reason for this nightmarish condition underlies somewhere from infrastructural failure to labour unrest to staff shortages. Lesser number of flights scheduled has disrupted the travel decision much more. All of these indicators at a single point, that the infrastructure of airlines has been affected more than one could have imagined.

Pay cuts and employee strike

Months of job cuts and pay cuts have been a continual reality during and after the pandemic. A majority of employees working in the airline industry have continually asked for better working conditions and pay rises. Norwegian Air has agreed to give its pilots a 3.7% pay rise. But, not all the airlines could provide the pay rise. Hence, they had to reduce the working pressure and get them in the right department in order to make the working conditions better.

In July, both Ryanair and SAS decided to abide by the demands of the pilots union. British Airways and Air France-KLM also reached wage deals with ground staff. These deals were made during the busy holiday season.

On July 31. the Lufthansa pilots have voted for going on a strike. The union, Vereinigung Cockpit, is demanding a 5.5% pay rise this year and automatic inflation compensation thereafter.

Airlines are on a hiring spree

Another important element of the scandal is Airlines are on a spree of hiring. However, most Airlines have faced an immense amount of problems in finding the right people for several jobs. The candidates have demanded more salary than most of the airlines could pay.

Amsterdams Schiphol has agreed to hire 15,000 workers for the summer season. Additionally, they will hire 500 more security staff to maintain their current 58,000 employees. Paris Orly and Charles de Gaulle airports that laid off 20, 000 people during the pandemic need to hire 4,000 workers for various jobs.

The issues are diverse. An economic drawback and a total disruption in the funding possibilities have created a confused state in most Airlines. The travellers have suffered the most. Unless some of the issues are settled among the many, peace is a distant possibility.

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Series of flight cancellations, but why at all? - Travel And Tour World

Home MATTA announces Penang as MATTA online official partner

 Tuesday, August 2, 2022 

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The Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) is pleased to announce Penang as our 1st MATTA Online Official Partner. This is one of the initiatives from the Penang State Tourism on reactivating the tourism industry and also part of the Penang Tourism Master Plans digitalization initiative.

MATTA Online that has launched on 22 June 2022 was officiated by YB Dato Sri Hajah Nancy Shukri, Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Malaysia, a new AI-powered cutting-edge 24/7 online travel marketplace and platform for MATTA members comprising travel agents and tour operators for hotels, airlines, attractions, theme parks and other tourism providers.

We are optimistic with the collaboration with MATTA Online, Penangs tourism industry will not only offer travellers alternative ways to book a memorable staycation, but it will also further develop our promotional activities via varied e-commerce platforms, which has become increasingly important since the Covid-19 outbreak. The value-for-money deals on accommodations, attractions, tours coupled with Penangs fantastic diversity in culture, heritage, arts, food as well as its natural surroundings of lovely sandy beaches and breathtaking hills are certainly not to be missed, said YB Yeoh Soon Hin, Penang State EXCO for Tourism and Creative Economy (PETACE) at the Press Conference today.

MATTAs pioneering efforts for this online platform is to support small and medium travel agents in terms of marketing and contracting with the consumers. In line with government initiative of the digital economy, it is set to improve business opportunities, increase occupancy, bolster revenue generation and boost travel trade profitability. MATTA Online also provides an alternative for consumers to buy from a licensed platform to eliminate scammers, internet fraud and unlicensed travel agents.

We received more than 1M impressions and more than 600K reached from our social media promotion of MATTA Online. Through the platform, we have generated more than half a million of total sales since the platform launched less than a month ago.

With the governments latest announcement for the resumption of international travel, its efforts to promote Malaysia especially Penang as a safe travel destination and MATTAs launch of this new platform, the travel and tourism players have responded positively and are eager to promote their products and attractions. This is a timely shot in the arm for the Malaysian travel and tourism industry, said Datuk Tan Kok Liang, President of MATTA.

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Home Cannabis cafe welcomes tourists in Thailand

 Wednesday, August 3, 2022 

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A cannabis cafe was opened a couple of days ago in Khao San and is attracting thousands of tourists. Khao San, which is a popular area for tourists and backpackers is filled will enthusiastic tourists. The cafe is dedicated to customers with various products of cannabis. No wonder it is already crammed with new customers.

Thailand decriminalised cannabis in June. Several outlets of the same likelihood are popping up across the country. The country has dropped the protocols to help develop the economy of Thailand and recover fast from the pandemic-caused damage.

Foreign arrivals in the country has shrunk to 2 million in the first half of 2022. previously it was about 40 million at the beginning of 2019. RG420 owner Ongard Panyachatiraksa said that he is receiving an immense amount of support from his co-workers. The customers and the market leaders are praising his motive as this is bringing large chunks of tourists and economic stability following this.

In Thailand tourism contributes about 12% to the entire GDP count. Thailand became the first country to legalise cannabis in Southeast Asian countries. This has led to an explosion in research on the recreational usage of the drug.

The parliamentary committee is now debating on passing bills legalising recreational usage of the drug. Till now government officials have only witnessed the negative side of the drug. the national tourism authoritys Deputy Governor, Siripakorn Cheawsamoot said that the law does not focus on recreational cannabis use. With the promotion of tourism, it might move towards acceptance of the drug for medical treatment as well.

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Home Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre welcomes the first ever Australian DragExpo

 Thursday, August 4, 2022 

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Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC) is excited to welcome an expected crowd of 5,000 this weekend to the very first Australian DragExpo. Set over three days, Australian fans will catch up with local and international drag artists, with a VIP Opening Gala on Friday 5th August followed by two days of everything drag, beauty and pop-culture.

Following the pandemic postponement of the inaugural DragExpo in 2020, it promises to be one of Australias most lively gatherings. As a venue, Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC) which prides itself on welcoming everyone, no matter their gender, race or sexual orientation, Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centres (MCEC) thrilled to throw open its doors to the drag community and see the venue celebrate the diversity across their community.

Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC) Chief Commercial Officer, Melissa Sweetland said she is proud to see Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC) welcoming new and exciting events. Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC) is so thrilled to welcome the first ever Australian DragExpo which promsies to be a bright and animated weekend across the building. This is such a positive for Melbourne to be welcoming back the creative businesses after the pandemic saw them take such a significant hit.

Stephen Craddock, Director of ITDEVENTS said that they have been passionately involved with the drag scene for over 10 years and love the artistry, colour, positive message and fun that it brings to their country. This is our first-ever Drag Expo and it is already shaping up to be an epic, super flamboyant, jam-packed event. DragExpo will truly shine a light on our colourful world.

The visitors to DragExpo can see the local and international stars of RuPauls Drag Race, meet Australias own drag legends and learn their inspiring stories, explore the wonderful world of drag and marvel at the very latest in pop culture amongst Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCECs) world renowned venue.

They will also enjoy a plethora of panels, tutorials, chill-out spaces, fabulous shopping stores, runways with Q&A sessions, meet and greets, official merchandise, a drag market and much more.

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Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre welcomes the first ever Australian DragExpo - Travel And Tour World

(Image by William Thompson from Pixabay)

ATLANTA - When it comes to cities, Atlanta has a lot to offer, and now a global travel organization has named the city one of the best places to travel to in the world.

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Lonely Planet, a travel guidebook company that has been recommending places to go for decades, included the Peach State's capital in its Best in Travel list for 2022. It's the only U.S. city on the list.

The list is created annually with nominations from Lonely Planet's staff, writers, bloggers, partners, and more. A panel of experts then narrows down the selections to just 10 countries, regions, and cities.

For 2022, Lonely Planet said Atlanta ranked No. 4 in its Top 10 Cities list, coming just behind Auckland, New Zealand, Taipei, Taiwan, and Freiburg, Germany.

"Charismatic and lush, Atlanta is a feverish, easy-on-the-eyes cavalcade of culture, cuisine, and Southern hospitality," Lonely Planet writes in its description of the city.

In part, the group says it chose Atlanta for its lush greenspaces, numerous walking and biking paths, its diverse community appeal, connection to history and civil rights, and its thriving arts and music scenes.

"We are thrilled with Atlantas recognition as a world-class city for travelers to visit and explore our history and culture," said Andrew Wilson, executive vice president and chief marketing officer of Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau. "Visitors will learn why Atlanta makes headlines as a dynamic city that continues to evolve and inspire travel for everyone."

Three places Lonely Planet suggests visitors definitely check out is the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site, High Museum of Art, and the city's expansive breweries.

You can read the full list of Best in Travel here.

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Atlanta named one of the best travel destinations in the world for 2022 - FOX 5 Atlanta

Hilton Doha has been crowned Qatars Leading City Hotel by the global ceremony platform, World Travel Awards.

The international awards brand is recognised as the ultimate hallmark of industry excellence, each year rewarding and celebrating global brands from all sectors of the travel and tourism industry.

Hilton Doha triumphed among the pool of five-star hotels nominated for the same category by providing a unique lifestyle for well-travelled guests.

The property offers a diverse and exciting experience, including a variety of food and beverage outlets, relaxing pool amenities and an unapparelled beach experience.

The hotel truly captures the essence of a perfect escape from the everyday hustle and bustle in a form of a resort, located at the heart of the business district of Doha.

We pride ourselves, here at Hilton Doha, in providing unforgettable experiences for every guest we welcome, and gifting new memories to create, for when they return.

Our hotel will always be here, as the resort of the busy life of Doha needs, said Elias Moukarzel, general manager Hilton Doha Hotel.

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Find out more about Hilton Doha on the official website.

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Hilton Doha honoured by World Travel Awards - Breaking Travel News

Nov 8th 2021

by Simon Wright: Industry editor, The Economist

THE START of the pandemic was characterised by empty supermarket shelves, as global supply chains creaked under the strain of panic buying and the disruption caused by covid-19. The system soon adjusted. But one shortage that has not been alleviated is that of international travellers. Planes are still often half-full at best and many of the worlds airports remain sparsely populated. International arrivals fell by nearly 75% in 2020, according to the UNs World Travel Organisation, with 1bn fewer people taking trips abroad. The figures for 2021 are not expected to be much better. But the prospects for 2022 look less gloomy.

More people will rediscover the pleasures of jumping on a plane to go on a spontaneous city break, attend a long-planned family wedding or take the holiday of a lifetime. And while executives will continue to spend a lot of time sitting bolt upright in video calls, more will also recline in business-class seats. In the decades before the pandemic, international travel grew rapidly, with the number of visitors to foreign countries tripling between 1990 and 2019. Budget airlines, growing prosperity and more leisure time underpinned this growth. These forces will eventually reassert themselves.

Early in the pandemic, most forecasters reckoned that international travel would not recover to the levels of 2019 before 2023 at the earliest, and more likely in 2024. That still seems a reasonable bet. Restrictions on international jaunts are still tight and are lifting only slowly. Even now only three countriesColombia, Costa Rica and Mexicoimpose no restrictions on visitors, while 88 countries are still closed completely and many more have draconian policies in place. But as vaccination rates climb and infections fall, rules will be relaxed and routes will reopen. Much of the worlds population was barred from entering the United States until its rules changed in November.

Cross-border travel will not recover to pre-covid levels until 2023 at the earliest, and more likely 2024

The recovery will be uneven. Domestic travel in large countries has already bounced backAmerica is getting closer to pre-covid levels and China has surpassed them already. Regional travel is picking up. IATA, an airline-industry body, reckons Europe could be back to nearly four-fifths of pre-pandemic levels in 2022. But Asias recovery has been slow and may continue to lag the rest of the world. Long-haul travel will remain at low levels until vaccinations are more widespread and the plethora of rules and regulations become easier to navigate.

Leisure bookings surge whenever countries lift restrictions on foreign travel, and unless a new, more dangerous mutation of covid-19 emerges, that huge pent-up demand will help fill planes again on short-haul routes. Businesses, however, plan to spend less on travel. Surveys suggest that budgets are typically being cut by 20-40%. The gloomiest prognosticators reckon half of all business travel could be gone for good. Many meetings and conferences will remain virtual, or at least take place in hybrid form with far fewer people attending in person.

Even if a more virulent mutation of the virus emerges, potentially putting everything into reverse again, one type of globetrotter will fly above the lingering dark cloudsthe rich. Soaring demand for seats on private jets is likely to continue as the wealthy sidestep many of the barriers facing the masses. The first eight months of 2021 saw 2.9m flights by business jets, 70% more than in 2020 and a tad higher than in 2019, while commercial flights still languish around 40% below pre-pandemic levels, according to WingX, a private-aviation data firm.

If that is not exclusive enough, a new covid-free destination took off in 2021 and is expected to welcome many more visitors in the coming years. If you have several hundred thousand dollars to spare, you can book a ticket for a flight to outer space.

Simon Wright: Industry editor, The Economist

This article appeared in the Business section of the print edition of The World Ahead 2022 under the headline Fasten your seat belts

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International travel will get easier, but restrictions will remain - The Economist

NEW YORK/LONDON/TIJUANA, Nov 8 (Reuters) - Paul Campbell had waited nearly two years to reunite with his German fiance at Boston's Logan airport on Monday, the day the United States eased travel restrictions imposed on much of the world since the COVID-19 pandemic began.

"I'm just ecstatic that she's here, I'm happy," said Campbell, 63, a retired firefighter from Vermont who greeted her with a heart-shaped balloon. "Our relationship is still thriving even though we've been apart for two years."

At John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, a child held a sign reading, "Do I look bigger?" as he waited for the first British Airways flight from London's Heathrow. "730 days missed u! Aunty Jill + Uncle Mark," his sign said.

The travel ban, imposed since early 2020, barred access to non-U.S. citizens travelling from 33 countries - including China, India and much of Europe - and had also restricted overland entry from Mexico and Canada.

While travel continued for residents of other countries and visitors falling under exceptions, the ban eliminated the sources of more than half the visitors to the United States in 2019, according to trade group U.S. Travel, primarily tourists and other non-essential travellers to the United States.

"Today America is open for business. That is our message to the world," U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo told Reuters in an interview at Chicago's O'Hare airport.

For many arriving on packed flights from Europe or lining up at border crossings in Canada and Mexico, Monday's was an emotional journey that ended in the arms of joyful relatives clutching flowers, balloons and homemade signs.

Months of pent-up demand triggered a major spike in bookings on Monday, with travellers only required to show official proof of vaccination and a recent, negative viral test. Travel bookings for the holiday season in the United States continue to rise rapidly, according to airlines and industry data.

No major issues at airports were flagged in an early morning call among airlines and U.S. government officials although authorities have warned about possible long queues and delays.

Earlier, long-term rivals British Airways and Virgin Atlantic carried out simultaneous take-offs from Heathrow's parallel runways, a stunt aimed at highlighting the importance of transatlantic business to the UK's aviation sector.

"It's a major day of celebration," Weiss said, adding that planes were "filling up nicely," in what he called a significant tipping point for an industry brought to its knees by the pandemic.

LAND BORDER CROSSINGS

U.S. land borders also reopened to non-essential travel on Monday.

People wait for their relatives after the arrival of the British Airways flight at JFK International Airport in New York, U.S., November 8, 2021. REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz

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Canadian travellers, particularly retirees headed to U.S. sun spots, flocked to the U.S. land border to drive across for the first time in 20 months, although testing requirements could dampen short-stay travel.

Janet Simoni, who lives in London, Ontario crossed the U.S.-Canada border just after midnight and drove to the house near Detroit where her husband lives.

"This whole half of my life has been missing for almost two years," said Simoni.

In Mexico's Ciudad Juarez, across from the Texan city of El Paso, a line of about 20 people formed early. They crossed and embraced family on the other side of the border, a Reuters witness said.

"We thought they were going to tell us again that they had decided not to open it," said Lorena Hernandez, stroking her grown-up daughter's hair and smiling broadly after they were reunited in El Paso. "I said, if they don't reopen, Im going to take a plane."

Hundreds of migrants have arrived at Mexican border cities such as Tijuana in recent days, hoping the reset will make it easier to cross and seek U.S. asylum, despite warnings from advocates that the re-opening is for people who have papers.

'SO SURREAL'

Aysha Mathew struggled to hold back tears after her mother and sister arrived at New York's JFK airport on Monday, fresh off the first British Airways flight from London's Heathrow.

Mathew was holding her toddler, Adam, and pushing a stroller with her infant, Aaron, whom her mother and sister were meeting for the first time.

"It's so surreal to finally be here and see them meet in person," Mathew said. "I'm really, really happy."

U.S. allies had heavily lobbied the Biden administration to lift the rules.

While cheering the resumption of the two-way transatlantic traffic, airline officials stressed that tourism and family trips alone will not be enough forcarriers whose profits depend on filling the most expensive seats. L1N2RZ0LF

According to U.S. Travel, declines in international visitation since the start of the pandemic resulted in nearly $300 billion in lost export income and a loss of more than one million U.S. jobs.

Reporting David Shepardson in Chicago, Julia Harte in New York, Tara Oakes, Stuart McDill, Sarah Young in London, Antony Paone in Paris, Jose Luis Gonzalez in Ciudad Juarez, Amran Abocar and Anna Mehler Paperny in Toronto, Brian Snyder in Boston; Writing by Ingrid Melander and Maria Caspani; Editing by Gareth Jones, Nick Macfie, Philippa Fletcher and Cynthia Osterman

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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An emotional journey: Families reunite in U.S. with tears, balloons as COVID travel ban ends - Reuters

The global travel insurance market is expected to be worth US$35 billion by the year 2027, with a forecast rise in value of around eight per cent in the US market alone, according to a research study by Global Market Insights Inc.

Demand for travel insurance is forecast to be driven primarily by growing demand in the tourist industry for high-risk sports activities and adventure tourism. Participants in such activities are expected to be more likely to take out travel insurance to safeguard themselves against potential mishaps.

Global Market Insight also credits the rise in more customisable policies as a key driving factor in the markets projected growth, with interest and awareness in such policies being fuelled in part by the popularity of travel blogs and social media influencers.

This includes:

Other factors which Global Market Insights note will contribute to the growth of the regions tourist industry include:

The projected growth also reflects the expanding tourism sector in places such as North America, which remains buoyant despite the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

According to a report by the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) in October, the regions tourist industry represented approximately $2.2 trillion, but later fell to $1.25 trillion in 2020 as international travel ground to a halt.

Despite this, the WTTC says that the sector is on track to recoup more than a third of that loss this year, with a projected value of $1.7 trillion for 2021 a recovery which the WTTC credits to the successful rollout of Covid vaccines in the US and Canada, coupled with relaxed travel restrictions on the continent.

This is expected to continue next year, with a potential year-on-year rise of 26.4 per cent projected for 2022 which will bring the regions tourist industry back to pre-pandemic levels at a value of $2.2 trillion.

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Global travel insurance market could be worth $35 billion by 2027 - ITIJ

Armchair travellers have always loved books that take them to new destinations. In lockdown, with closed borders, they were a consolation: there was no other way to travel except in your head. But now we are beginning a very cautious opening up to the world, travel books can whet our appetite for new experiences far from home.

By travel books, I mean more than travel guides, useful as these are. If youre looking for something comprehensive, you cant go past Lonely Planets The Travel Book, which showcases the best of 230 nations every United Nations-approved country in the world.

Geoff Dyers novel Jeff in Venice, Death in Varanasi is sexy, horrifying and hilarious.Credit:

If youre nervous about going overseas and would prefer to travel within Australia, youll appreciate your journey more with some understanding of the oldest culture in the world. Marcia Langtons Welcome to Country is a guide book with a difference: it explores Indigenous languages and customs, history, native title, art and dance, storytelling and cultural awareness and etiquette for visitors.

But sometimes the most enjoyable way to choose or prepare for a possible trip is to read about what writers got up to in those places, allowing for fictional licence. My best preparation for the unlikely combination of Venice and Varanasi, for example, was Geoff Dyers sexy, horrifying and hilarious novel Jeff in Venice, Death in Varanasi. Just dont do what his narrator did, or youll end up deranged and starving.

We love intrepid narrators, even when few of us would be daring enough to follow in their footsteps or in the case of Ken Haley, wheelchair tracks. This crazy-brave Australian wont let a little disability cramp his style as he travels around the world and records his adventures. His latest book, The One that Got Away, sees him rolling around the Caribbean in the time of COVID, encountering the odd robbery, health problem, hurricane and unexpectedly active volcano. Haley is sharply observant, funny and gutsy.

Intrepid heroes are all the go in The Independents list of best travel books that explore more than just a destination, with recommendations for Jon Krakauers Into Thin Air, about disaster on Mount Everest; two African journeys, Levison Woods Walking the Nile and Waypoints: A Journey on Foot by Robert Martineau; and for women travellers, Mia Kankimakis The Women I Think About at Night.

Marcia Langtons Welcome to Country is a guide book with a difference.Credit:Arsineh Houspian

The Independent also recommends Bill Brysons classic 2000 book Down Under: Travels in a Sunburned Country. Its a hugely entertaining read that is also a little annoying for Australians, because Bryson made such a brief visit and sometimes seems content to trot out the clichs, though he always puts his own humorous stamp on them.

Travel can be an invitation to wild and improbable travellers tales, which feature in Antoni Jachs Travelling Companions, a novel based very loosely on his solo explorations in Europe in the 1990s and the travellers he met along the way. The realistic problems of travel delays, strikes, terrible weather sit alongside philosophical confessions and brilliantly surreal contemporary fairytales with enticing titles, such as The Tale of the Corporate Raider, the Glamorous Stockbroker & the Talking Parrot.

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Reading your way around the world with a difference - Sydney Morning Herald