Welcome to the weekly installment of Travel News, where we look back at this week’s articles and essays and what’s going on in the world of trips and tours.
‘Tis the Season
Thanksgiving is fast approaching—how will YOU survive the holidays? Here are 8 Things to do NOW to make your Thanksgiving flights go more smoothly.
Heading to London this Christmas? Here are the best ways to celebrate the holiday season in one of the world’s most cosmopolitan cities.
Train lovers will likely find some joy in the gorgeous and diverse photos of train travel on CNN Travel.
Contrary to what most might think, camping is not just a summer activity — Hawaii has just been named the #1 best glamping (luxury camping) destination in the US this winter. Glamping is a growing trend and headed by 60% millennials or younger.
Time to pack up your Glamp Tent! and head to one of the Top 10 Destinations for Glamping in 2020:
- The Big Island, Hawaii,
- Austin, TX,
- The Oregon Coast, OR,
- Albuquerque, NM,
- Green Mountains, VT,
- White Mountain National Forest, NH,
- Yosemite, California,
- Denver, Colorado,
- San Diego, California,
- Albany, NY.
Flights & Flying
Travel + Leisure came out with a report cautioning the use of water on airplanes. According to one study, some airlines are riskier than others in terms of contamination–so bad that you may not even want to wash your hands in it! The safest water was found on Alaska and Hawaiian Airlines.
People who are nervous of flying may have a new ally on their hands. ASMR, or Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response, is a tingling sensation in the scalp and may ease your flight anxiety. The rise of ASMR audio recordings designed to soothe listeners means that the practice has almost become mainstream – characterized by low frequency sounds, hypnotic sensations, calming voices, and white noise – and now it might just soothe your travel anxiety.
Environmental News
In environmental news, the world’s first hybrid electric-powered cruise ship made its sustainable debut. Of course, heralded by none other than one of our most popular vendors, Norwegian-owned Hurtigruten.
Read about Hurtigruten in Antarctica.
In the same vein, the Association of Arctic Expedition Cruise Operators in the Arctic has announced a self-imposed ban on the use and carriage of heavy fuel oil on their expedition voyages! Fantastic. “By formalizing this ban, the expedition cruise industry is sending a message to decision-makers that it is time to act to protect the Arctic from the risk of HFO pollution,” said Executive Director Frigg Jørgensen. Members of AAECO include Hurtigruten, Adventure Canada, G Adventures, Quark, Silversea, Seabourn and many others.
Speaking of exceptional cruises, Tauck has unveiled its newest riverboat, set to launch on Portugal’s Douro River in March 2020. With only 84 guests, it’s quite the exclusive cruise.
Finally, we all love animals, but wildlife travel has always been a tricky issue. You need to make sure you book with a tour operator who can make sure the animals you see are treated with respect. Destinations known for their wildlife tourism like Costa Rica and Australia are urging visitors to stay mindful of the animals and their environment. Visitors to Maria Island, off of Tasmania in Australia, are asked to sign pledges promising that they will not “chase you with my selfie stick, or get too close to your babies. I will not surround you, or try and pick you up. I will make sure I don’t leave rubbish or food from my morning tea.”
