If all the studies and polls I read are correct, it looks like it will be a very busy summer (in the northern hemisphere) for tourism. The price of flights and the jet fuel surcharges and bag fee hikes we’re seeing could slow things down, but people are travelling in near-record numbers these days. That means things could get pretty crowded in some of the world’s fave destinations. With that in mind, here’s one world traveller’s suggestions on great places to go in late April, May and into early June. I’ll have another, similar list in a week or so. Read more
Isle of Arran
Record-Breaking International Visits to Scotland Last Year + Lost Airline Bag Incidents Down Sharply
New figures show that Scotland experienced a record-breaking influx of international visitors in 2023, welcoming 3.9 million tourists, marking a 15% increase from 2019. The 2023 International Passenger Survey by the Office of National Statistics showed a significant 23% increase from 2022, which saw 3.2 million visitors, and the previous record was set in 2018 with 3.7 million visitors. Notably, Scotland was the only UK nation to surpass its 2019 international tourism levels. North American and European visits rose by 16% and 19%, respectively, while visits from other countries, including Australia and China, surged by 53% compared to 2022. The Read more
We’re on the first hole of the quirky, delightful, 12-hole Shiskine Golf Course on Scotland’s Isle of Arran. I’ve been set up to play a round with three members of this fiery green links course on the west side of the island, and I hit a slow putt that has absolutely zero chance of making it to the hole. “When we hit a putt that’s short of the hole, Canadians yell, ‘Skate, skate,” I tell them. “That’s great” one of my partners, Alice Anderson, says with a laugh. “When we hit a putt like that we yell, “Taxi!” For the Read more
