Anyone planning to travel to Chicago is in for a shock. Chicago’s City Council unanimously voted to create a Tourism Improvement District and raise hotel the hotel tax on rooms within that district to 19% — the highest in the nation, the Chicago Sun-Times reported. For comparison, Los Angeles hotel taxes are 14%, and the … Read more
St. Maarten’s government is warning travelers about a scam that charges tourists to process an immigration form that should be free. The fake third-party website is charging a fee to help visitors complete the island’s embarkation/disembarkation form, a form that’s required for entry. However, there are no fees associated with the real form, the St. … Read more
Even as cartel carnage continues to cast a shadow, Californians’ favorite Mexican escape is turning up the heat on its tourism tax. A fee that has already pushed this vacation paradise out of “bargain” territory isn’t just sticking around — it’s skyrocketing. The government of Baja California Sur, which includes popular destinations like Los Cabos, … Read more
New Airbnb hosts could score big this summer. With the FIFA World Cup coming up in June, millions of people from all over the world will be making plans to attend the biggest sporting event. New data from Airbnb shows that the demand for stays during the World Cup is surging, with searches for host … Read more
A recent report is shining a light on popular destinations considered the “worst” for tourists to visit because they fall short of the hype they’ve received over the years. Analysts looked at more than 100 tourist attractions around the world and came up with a list of the “worst” destinations that “underwhelm visitors despite their global … Read more
As tensions increase between Thailand and Cambodia, the United States government is warning Americans about traveling to the border area of the two countries. The U.S. Embassy in Thailand issued a security alert to American tourists Dec. 16, warning of an “escalation of armed conflict” at the popular Asian destination. “U.S. citizens should avoid all travel within 50 … Read more
Say buongiorno to a new life. If you’ve ever dreamt of spending your days drinking wine, snacking on cheese and relaxing under the Tuscan sun, you can get paid to do so. One small Tuscan town is offering cash to potential residents willing to relocate there. Radicondoli, a small medieval town in the hills of … Read more
The Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) confirmed the presence of a fungus linked to white-nose syndrome in bats. The fungus, Pseudogymnoascus destructans (Pd), was discovered by officials during routine monitoring of the Lake Mead National Recreation Area, according to an NDOW press release. Pd was confirmed in the sample by officials. But they stated that no bats … Read more
The Big Apple may not be the best place to paint the town red. The WalletHub end-of-year consensus has come out on which cities in America boast the “most fun” to be had in America — and NYC barely makes the grade. The report — titled Most Fun Cities in America — lists Las Vegas, … Read more
London is weighing whether to implement a new tourist tax targeting overnight guests. Mayor Sadiq Khan is reportedly looking into charging overnight visitors a tax on stays at hotels and short-term rentals. “The mayor has been clear [about considering] a modest tourist levy, similar to other international cities,” a spokesperson for the mayor of London told the … Read more
At the Rockefeller Center rink, people’s patience is skating on thin ice. New York’s most beloved holiday destination is also the world’s most overcrowded, according to a new study sure to bother Big Apple natives notoriously defensive of their city. Holafly, an e-SIM provider, analyzed TripAdvisor reviews across November, December and January, scouring reviews for … Read more
A disbanded court in Las Vegas may come back to life as lawmakers look to attract visitors to revive Sin City tourism. Vegas tourism has continued to decline, with just over 3 million visitors in September, an 8.8% decrease from the same time last year, according to the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCA). A specialized court was … Read more
That little piggy went to market, but this one … took a selfie? A “picture problem” has popped up in the New Forest National Park in southern England, where villagers are complaining that an increasing number of overeager tourists have gotten too friendly with the over 600 pigs who roam the park. Visitors are vying … Read more
Barcelona’s skyline just got a divine upgrade. The iconic Sagrada Familia basilica — the unfinished masterpiece of architect Antoni Gaudí — officially became the world’s tallest church on Thursday, after a section of its central tower was lifted into place. This week a section of its central tower was lifted into place. REUTERS With the … Read more
Barcelona’s infamous bar-hopping tours are now officially off the menu. The Spanish party hotspot has forbidden pub crawls citywide, banning the promotion, organization, or running of any kind of guided drinking tour — all day, every day for at least the next four years. City officials say the move aims to “ensure peaceful coexistence, safeguard … Read more
If safety is at the top of your vacation checklist, one tiny Caribbean island just earned top honors for peace, calm beaches and a world-class food scene. Anguilla, a British overseas territory just north of St. Maarten and east of the Virgin Islands, was named the safest destination in the Caribbean, according to a 2025 ranking from … Read more
By now, parents like Tarah Chieffi are used to the news delivered each year in October, sure as the changing leaves but not nearly so welcome: Disney is raising prices on tickets to its beloved theme parks for 2026, in some cases to more than $200 per day, per park. A mother of three, Chieffi, … Read more
The international spotlight recently turned to crime in Egypt when a pharaoh’s priceless bracelet was stolen from a Cairo museum and melted down – forever lost to history. The artifact once belonged to Pharaoh Usermaatre Amenemope, a ruler from the Third Intermediate Period. Dating back 3,000 years, the bracelet was stolen by a specialist at the Egyptian … Read more
Is he a slumdog millionaire? An Australian influencer has been accused of engaging in “poverty tourism” after filming himself “surviving” in an Indian slum, as seen in a viral Instagram video. “I Tried Surviving India’s ‘Deadliest Slum,’” the content creator, known as Pete Z, captioned the controversial clip. The neighborhood in question is Dharavi in … Read more
They view it as a plague of Egypt. For centuries, Mount Sinai has been a mecca for worshippers and tourists hoping to experience traditional Bedouin culture. Now, the sacred holy site — revered among Jews, Christians and Muslims alike — is under threat from a new luxury development that locals fear “disfigures” the region. Dubbed … Read more