Travel and tourism

Summer tourists flock to boardwalks and piers while sticking to their budgets

Small businesses along popular vacation destinations like boardwalks and piers in the U.S. say the number of tourists flocking to the waterfront is back to normal, meaning pre-2020 levels.

Spirit Airlines is going upscale. In a break from its history, it will offer fares with extra perks

Delta and an airline that doesn’t fly yet say they’ll run flights between the US and Saudi Arabia

Saipan, placid island setting for Assange’s last battle, is briefly mobbed — and bemused by the fuss

A new agreement would limit cruise passengers in Alaska’s capital. A critic says it falls short

Portuguese cities try to cope with rising influx of tourists

The rinflux of tourists presents a challenge for Portuguese cities as streets are congested and local residents are edged out by tourists occuping apartments that were once homes.

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Paris businesses experiencing pre-Olympic slump, as tourism dips ahead of games

North Korean leader visits new beach resort, but no tourists yet

Some visitors to Israel have a new stop on their tours: Hamas’ destruction in the south

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Kentucky tourism continues record-setting pace in 2023 with nearly $14 billion in economic impact

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear says the state’s tourism industry stayed on its record-setting pace in 2023.

The Taliban are working to woo tourists to Afghanistan

Foreigners are visiting the country, encouraged by the sharp drop in violence, increased flight connections, and the bragging rights that come with vacationing in an unusual destination.

As international travel grows, so does US use of technology. A look at how it’s used at airports

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is expanding the use of technology to process the ever-growing number of passengers as travel booms following coronavirus pandemic-related slumps.

Kyoto’s picturesque geisha district fights back against over-tourism with keep-out signs

Japan’s ancient capital of Kyoto has long been a popular destination for tourists, but visitors will no longer be able to venture into some private-property alleys in the city’s famous geisha district.

Hong Kong lifts curbs on property market, to spend more on tourism

Hong Kong’s government is lifting some curbs on property deals after home prices fell to a seven-year low.

Venice is limiting tourists to protect the city

The Italian city of Venice has announced new limits on the size of tourist groups starting in June.

Holiday travel is mostly nice, but with some naughty disruptions again on Southwest Airlines

Conditions have been mostly nice for travelers flying ahead of and on Christmas Day, but some naughty disruptions plagued those flying with Southwest Airlines again this year.

Busiest holiday travel season in years is off to a smooth start with few airport delays

The holiday travel rush is hitting its peak as mild weather and lower flight cancelation rates raise hopes for merrier drivers and airline passengers than last year.

Record Thanksgiving travel rush off to a smooth start despite snowy forecast

Holiday travelers are starting their final sprint. About 2.7 million people were expected to board flights on Wednesday, and Sunday is expected to set an all-time record of 2.9 million.

Today and tomorrow will be among the busiest travel days this Thanksgiving, with 2 million flying each day

Millions of people are expected to hit airports and highways in record numbers over the Thanksgiving holiday.

How to avoid the worst 4 hours of holiday travel

More than 55 million people are expected to travel at least 50 miles from home for Thanksgiving this year, and there’s no Butterball hotline to help them with any bumps along the way.

Acapulco races to restart its tourism engine after Hurricane Otis devastates its hotels, restaurants

Three weeks after Hurricane Otis smacked Acapulco, businesses of all types and sizes hum with activity as residents work with a singular purpose: restart as soon as possible the tourism engine of this city of 1 million people.

United Airlines rolling out plan that lets passengers in economy class with window seats board first

United Airlines says that it will start boarding passengers in economy class with window seats first starting next week, a move that will speed up boarding times for flights.

Delta Air Lines posts $1.11 billion profit for the third quarter and sees strong holiday bookings

Delta Air Lines says it made $1.11 billion in the third quarter, thanks to planes that were packed with travelers this summer.

China’s flagging economy gets a temporary boost as holiday travel returns to pre-pandemic levels

Tourism in China has bounced back to pre-pandemic levels during a recent eight-day national holiday, giving a temporary boost to the nation’s flagging economy.

Millions take to China’s railways, roads, air in 1st big autumn holiday since end of zero-COVID

Many millions of Chinese tourists are expected to travel within their country, splurging on hotels, tours, attractions and meals in a boost to the economy during the 8-day autumn holiday period that began Friday.

Thailand receives the first Chinese visitors under a new visa-free policy to boost tourism

Top Thai officials have welcomed hundreds of Chinese tourists at Bangkok’s international airport on the first day of a new visa-free entry program that officials say will boost tourism.

Squeezing in one last summer trip over Labor Day weekend? Expect crowded airports and full flights

If you’re squeezing in one last summer trip over the Labor Day weekend, expect lots of company. That means crowded airports and full flights.

As Maui rebuilds, residents reckon with tourism’s role in their recovery

Long before a wildfire blasted through the island of Maui last week, there was tension between Hawaii’s longtime residents and the visitors some islanders resent for turning their beaches, mountains and communities into playgrounds.

American Airlines sues a travel site to crack down on consumers who use this trick to save money

American Airlines is trying to crack down on a travel hack. This week, American sued a website that sells tickets that let people save money by exploiting a quirk in airline pricing.

Kentucky reports best year for tourism in 2022, with nearly $13 billion in economic impact

Kentucky’s tourism industry bounced back from the COVID-19 pandemic to post its best year on record in 2022. Gov.

Heat and wildfires put southern Europe’s vital tourism earnings at risk

Greece’s resort island of Rhodes is nursing its wounds after 11 days of devastating wildfires. The July blazes, fed by heat waves, forced 20,000 people to evacuate during the height of tourist season.

Spain says 37.5 million foreign tourists visited in the first half of 2023, up 24% from 2022

Spain says it received 37.5 million international tourists in the first half of the year. The Spanish government said Wednesday the figure is 24% higher than the same period for last year.

Legal dispute facing Texan ‘Sassy Trucker’ in Dubai shows the limits of speech in UAE

A Houston woman known online as the “Sassy Trucker” has been stuck in Dubai for weeks after an altercation at a car rental agency.

Amsterdam wants ships to moor less, votes to move terminal out of city in latest hit to tourism

Amsterdam wants to move a cruise liner terminal out of the heart of the historic capital city. The move is the latest step in the municipality’s ongoing battle against pollution and hordes of tourists clogging its narrow, cobbled streets.

Tourists are packing European hotspots, boosted by Americans

Crowds are packing the Colosseum, the Louvre, the Acropolis and other major attractions as tourism exceeds 2019 records in some of Europe’s most popular destinations.

Grand Isle State Park reopens nearly 2 years after Hurricane Ida

GRAND ISLE, La. (AP) — Grand Isle State Park has reopened, nearly two years after Hurricane Ida raked the barrier island and destroyed much of its infrastructure.

Expect big crowds for the summer travel season -- and big prices, too

The unofficial start of the summer travel season is here, with airlines hoping to avoid the chaos of last year and travelers scrounging for ways to save a few bucks on pricey airfares and hotel rooms.

Tourism booms in Jamaica after pandemic, overwhelms airport

KINGSTON, Jamaica (AP) — The number of tourists flocking to Jamaica’s sun-drenched beaches soared nearly 100% in the first three months of the year, causing long queues and hours-long waits for arriving passengers at the island’s main airport.

United Airlines says bank failures dinged corporate travel

After Silicon Valley Bank failed last month and raised fears about a wider banking crisis, bookings for last-minute business trips on United Airlines quickly dropped and remained depressed for about two weeks, underscoring how economic turmoil could choke off a strong run for the travel industry.