A new study rates Canada as the second-best country on earth for 2023, behind only Switzerland. The study, conducted by global marketing and communications services company WPP and The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, looked at 73 country attributes; terms that can be used to describe a country and that are also relevant to the success of a modern nation. Various attributes and nations were presented in a survey of more than 17,000 people from across the globe from March 17 to June 12. Each country was then scored on each of the 73 country attributes based on Read more
U.S.A.
I had some wonderful visits in the U.S. and Canada this year, including a monumental train trip from Colorado to Utah, a wonderful six days in Prince Edward Island and great stays in Los Angeles, southwest Ontario, southern Florida and northern California. I also got to visit one of my fave islands, Molokai, and spent four nice but sobering days on Maui to see how they’re recovering from the devastating and still unfathomable wildfires. It wasn’t all pretty, but I had many a remarkable experience and more than a few great meals along the way. Thanks to everyone who helped Read more
There’s a new action plan to boost Maui’s economy following the deadly August wildfires. The Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority Board of Directors has furthered its ongoing commitment to mālama (care for) Maui and support the island’s recovery by approving an immediate six-month action plan for 2024 to help address major challenges confronting residents, small businesses, visitor industry providers, Maui’s economy, and families seeking housing. The action plan is designed to fulfill tourism’s responsibilities in alliance with the leadership established by Governor Josh Green, M.D. and within the broader scope of Maui’s recovery efforts being conducted by the State Department of Business, Read more
A new study by photo wall art creator StoryBoards revealed that Italy is the most popular destination for a Christmas trip for Americans. The study analyzed travel-related keywords such as “flights”, “restaurants”, “ski facilities”, and more next to 43 popular vacation destinations to discover where Americans are interested in spending their holidays the most. Italy takes the crown with almost 93,000 average searches from September to December 2023. One of the most popular destinations for Americans all year long, Italy can be especially magical during the winter months and Christmas, with markets scattered around the country, as well as offering Read more
New research has revealed the most picturesque beaches in America, with California’s La Jolla Cove coming out on top. Florida and Hawaii also cleaned up.M The study by hotel company Westgate Resorts analyzed the number of Instagram hashtags for the most visited beaches across the country. These hashtag numbers were then compared with each beach’s length to see which beaches had the highest number of hashtags per meter. California’s La Jolla Cove takes the crown as the most Instagrammable beach in America, with a whopping 4,257 hashtags per meter. The beach has had 366,068 hashtagged Instagram posts made about it, and Read more
