The United Nations’ World Tourism Organization has issued a list of the countries with the most visitors for 2021. It was, admittedly, a difficult year for tourism. But the stats paint an interesting picture. Given the state of COVID and the restrictions around travel throughout most of Asia, you’ll notice that there are no Asian countries on the list. TOP TOURISM DESTINATIONS IN 2021 10. Hungary, 7.9 million visitors 9. Croatia, 10.6 million 8. Germany, 11.7 million 7. Austria, 12.7 million (I was in Vienna earlier this year and found it fantastic) 6. Greece, 14.7 million 5. United States, 22.1 Read more
United States
A new survey finds that roughly one-third of Canadians have cancelled travel plans due to the Omicron variant. The survey by Canadian-based redflagdeals.com found that 31% of respondents said they’ve cancelled flights because of the variant. Of course, that means nearly 70% plan to go ahead with travel plans. WestJet officials today told me they were very busy over the Christmas weekend. The survey also found that 63% of Canadians are hesitant about booking new flights right now. But Canadians also appear optimistic about the future. While only 22% of Canadians plan to fly in the next one to three Read more
Multiple reports out of the U.S. today suggest top officials in the Biden administration are considering a law that would require anyone who enters the country to be tested for COVID-19 the day before their flight. The U.S. also is considering forcing all travellers, including American citizens, to be tested again after they arrive, even if they ‘re fully vaccinated. CNN said top U.S. officials “were deliberating the potential changes Tuesday night and no final decisions have been made.” But the network also said the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed in a statement that the agency is Read more
Air Transat has unveiled its sun destinations for the coming (sorry to mention it) winter. Meanwhile, United is beefing up its Florida flights, and a business group is pushing for Canada to open its borders. Also, a top tourism expert looks at when San Francisco might recover. My Future of Travel blog for Aug. 13. Transat’s Sun Lineup for Winter To accompany its Here Comes the Sun Promo, currently in full swing, Transat is delighted to unveil its 2020-2021 South brochure. Vibrant and easy to consult, it features a total of 320 properties grouped under its four collections—Luxury, Distinction, Family and Solo—in over 30 destinations Read more
A report on over-tourism. Which is now under-tourism. Which isn’t good, either. Also, a note about the U.S. State Department lifting its four-month advisory against Americans travelling abroad. My Future of Travel blog for Aug. 7. Finding the Right Tourism Balance For years we’ve read headlines about too many tourists cramming the Champs Elysees and jamming the canals of Amsterdam. Locals on some popular Spanish islands got so fed up that they vandalized visitors’ cars. Petitions against over-tourism sprang up in overcrowded cities such as Barcelona and Venice, where they had to put limits on cruise ships. Now, what some Read more
