A tram is pictured at an empty street as the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues in downtown Lisbon, Portugal, on March 20, 2020.

'Don't cancel, postpone': Portugal urges tourists in voucher scheme

Portugal will give vouchers to tourists forced to cancel their holiday plans in Portugal because of the coronavirus pandemic, allowing them to reschedule trips until the end of 2021.

5 years ago

News

Dubai welcomes unwanted cruise liners at sea amid virus fears

Dubai has welcomed thirteen foreign cruise ships that were at sea while most countries had closed maritime borders due to the coronavirus pandemic. ...

5 years ago

News

European tourism scrambles to salvage summer as lockdowns ease

Portugal's second-largest hotel chain plans to reopen its hotels from June, joining a scramble by Europe's tourism industry to salvage what business it can from this summer season as coronavirus lockdowns begin to ease. ...

5 years ago

The Latest

Hyatt Regency Bali in Sanur, Bali, produces face masks from upcycled batik fabric that are donated to communities in need.

News

[UPDATED] Art of giving back: Indonesian hotels launch charity programs amid pandemic

Hotels in Indonesia wish to help during the COVID-19 pandemic through various programs.

5 years ago

Singapore Airlines to launch blockchain-based digital wallet in the near future.

News

Most Singapore Airlines flights to remain canceled in May, Jetstar to resume few flights

The vast majority of Singapore Airlines planes will stay grounded in May as it extends cancellation of its flights in response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

5 years ago

A view of an empty Bondi Beach after authorities closed Sydney's most popular beach on March 22, 2020.

Destination

Bondi Beach to reopen for surfing as Australia virus cases slow

Swimmers and surfers will return to Sydney's famed Bondi Beach next week, almost six weeks after it was closed amid a spike in coronavirus cases, officials announced Wednesday.

5 years ago

Young traveler walks towards temple of heaven in Beijing, China.

News

Kayak launches virtual travel planning hub during quarantine

Online travel site Kayak has created a virtual escape guide aimed at helping restless travelers plan for their next getaway, when the travel industry eventually gets back on its feet.

5 years ago

The WTTC has also launched a dedicated microsite Togetherintravel.com where user-generated content, photos and stories will be collected.

News

International social media campaign aims to keep travel spark alive

The WTTC has launched a social media campaign with the hashtag #TogetherInTravel.

5 years ago

A boy looks at an AirAsia plane preparing for take-off at an airport terminal in Surabaya, East Java, in June 2016.

News

AirAsia extends suspension of domestic operations until early May

Low-cost carrier AirAsia Group has extended the suspension of flight operations in Indonesia until May 7, following approval from the authorities.

5 years ago

A waiter carries glasses of beer during the opening day of the 184th Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany, September 16, 2017.

News

Munich’s famed Oktoberfest beer fair canceled over virus fears

Munich’s famed Oktoberfest folk and beer festival is being canceled this year, the latest major event to fall victim to the coronavirus outbreak.

5 years ago

A general view shows a near-empty beach in Kuta on Indonesia's resort island of Bali on March 22, 2020, amid concerns of the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak.

News

96 percent of travel destinations off-limits to tourists: UNWTO

A new UNWTO report shows that 96 percent of destinations have imposed travel restrictions.

5 years ago

Destination

Glimpses of the past at Arundel

Time seemed to stand still in Arundel, as the River Arun flowed on its stately path through this quaint town.

5 years ago

The resumption of services will initially start with key selected domestic routes, which will increase gradually to include international destinations once the situation improves and governments lift border and travel restrictions.

News

AirAsia set to resume domestic flights in Thailand on May 1

AirAsia is set to resume domestic flights in various Asian countries, commencing with Malaysia on April 29, followed by Thailand (May 1), the Philippines (May 1), India (May 4) and Indonesia (May 7), subject to government approval.

5 years ago

The normally crowded 'Welcome to Las Vegas' sign is shown during the shutdown of all casinos and nonessential businesses, an effort to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus, in Las Vegas, Nevada, US April 3, 2020.

News

Wynn Resorts CEO calls for Las Vegas Strip to conditionally reopen in mid- to late May

Wynn Resorts Chief Executive Officer Matt Maddox on Sunday called on the Nevada governor to begin to reopen the Las Vegas Strip in mid- to late May with extensive safety measures in place, assuming the state is in line with certain benchmarks around the spread of the coronavirus.

5 years ago

A general view shows the area outside the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building, mostly deserted, after a curfew was imposed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Dubai, United Arab Emirates March 25, 2020.

News

Middle East tourism fair in Dubai cancelled over coronavirus

Dubai's Arabian Travel Market, one of the Middle East's biggest travel and tourism fairs, has been cancelled this year due to the new coronavirus outbreak, organizers said on Sunday.

5 years ago

Staff play badminton outside their restaurant in the Qianmen district, one of the top tourist destinations in Beijing, as the spread of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues in China April 8, 2020.

News

Beijing reopens 30 percent of its major tourist sites

Beijing has reopened 73 major tourist sites, or 30.7 percent of the total in the municipality, as the novel coronavirus epidemic wanes.

5 years ago

Destination

Time travel into Korea’s history

Only hundreds of meters away from the palace Gyeongbokgung in central Seoul, time travel into Korea’s history can begin in a temple enshrining Tangun, who founded the first kingdom of Korea in 2,333 BC.

5 years ago

The company partnered with No Kid Hungry and WhyHunger to add tens of thousands of emergency food distribution locations in the US to the map.

News

Waze maps now include COVID-19-related information

Waze adds new tools to its map software to help ease users' journeys during the COVID-19 outbreak.

5 years ago

A general view shows a deserted Piazza del Duomo in central Milan, Italy, on April 9, during the country's lockdown aimed at curbing the spread of the COVID-19 infection. Italy, a Schengen state, is among the countries worst-hit by the pandemic.

News

COVID-19 pandemic makes it harder to get Schengen visa: Report

Once a vaccine for COVID-19 exists and is available for all, travelers may also be required to include additional documents as proof that they have been vaccinated.

5 years ago

Monumental bronze statue of the Great Buddha in Kamakura, Japan.

News

Japan city asks tourists to stay away amid pandemic

A popular tourist city in Japan urged sightseers on Thursday to refrain from visiting for the time being, due to growing concerns from residents over the potential spread of the coronavirus.

5 years ago

Piloting the meeting? There's also a virtual background of an airplane cockpit.

News

United Airlines has created aviation-themed virtual backgrounds for your video conferences

Aviation buffs who want to shake up their Zoom meetings can now download new backgrounds that replicate aircraft cockpits and airplane seats, 35,000 feet in the air.

5 years ago

South Korea’s Jeju Volcanic Island and Lava Tubes became the first world heritage site to be featured on UNESCO’s online platform.

News

Jeju Island introduced to global audience via UNESCO media campaign

South Korea’s Jeju Volcanic Island and Lava Tubes became the first world heritage site to be featured on UNESCO’s online platform.

5 years ago

This photograph taken on February 18, 2020 shows people walking near commercial buildings in the central business district in Singapore.

News

Singapore has launched new hygiene certification program for hospitality industry

To be certified "SG Clean," businesses must pass a seven-point checklist that includes screening the health and temperature of employees and workplace hygiene practices.

5 years ago

The iconic Siak Palace is now closed as a result of the pandemic.

News

117 tourist destinations closed down in Riau due to pandemic

More than 100 tourist destinations in Riau province have been closed due to COVID-19.

5 years ago

Airlines across the world are battling to stay afloat at a time when lockdowns and travel bans have brought air travel to a near-halt and as deep uncertainty remains over the pace of an eventual recovery.

News

EasyJet CEO sees flying restarting with empty middle seats

The chief executive of easyJet said when flying restarts after the coronavirus crisis recedes planes are likely to operate with the middle seat empty due to social distancing regulations.

5 years ago

A member of cleaning staff wearing protective mask disinfects air vents of an Emirates Airbus A380, following the outbreak of the coronavirus, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates on March 5, 2020.

News

Emirates starts rapid-testing passengers for coronavirus before flights

Emirates has started testing passengers for COVID-19 before they fly out of Dubai, in an effort to contain the spread of the pandemic.

5 years ago

This file photo taken on Jan. 6, 2020 shows a crane near Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, which was partially destroyed when fire broke out beneath the roof on April 15, 2019. - One year ago a fire erupted in Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, partly destroying the nearly millenium old building and its precious artworks visited by millions of people a year.

News

Lone bell chime marks Notre-Dame fire anniversary

The bell dubbed "Emmanuel" in the cathedral's south tower rang out at 8:00 pm, the hour French people have become accustomed to gather at their windows and on balconies to applaud health workers on the frontlines of the battle against the virus that has killed over 17,000 people in France.

5 years ago

The Jacobite Stream train runs for 42 miles from Fort William to Mallaig, giving the passengers stunning views through mountains and glens. Among the landmarks passed are Ben Nevis and Loch Ness.

Activities

Most scenic train rides to enjoy from your couch

Here is a list of some of the most scenic train rides in the world.

5 years ago

Like many of the world's most famous parks and gardens which have been closed due to COVID-19, Keukenhof gardens 30 minutes outside Amsterdam, was forced to turn visitors away this season.

Destination

Take a virtual tour of world famous tulip gardens in the Netherlands

Overall, Keukenhof boasts more than 7 million flower bulbs and 800 varieties of flowering tulips which carpet 32 hectares of grounds.

5 years ago

Lonely Planet travel guidebooks on display in a book fair in Turin, Italy on May 9, 2019.

News

Lonely Planet to shutter magazine and non-destination guidebooks

According to the trade publication The Bookseller, Lonely Planet is looking at closing "almost entirely" its operations in London and Melbourne and shuttering its monthly Lonely Planet Magazine.

5 years ago

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