Adventure Awaits, But First…

Here’s some of the latest

• The White Lotus has officially confirmed their season three filming location. The local authorities are already preparing for a travel boost from the popular drama. The next group of pompous tourists will be adventuring to Thailand with filming taking place in Bangkok, Phuket, and Koh Samui. Unfortunately, our beloved Tanya McQuoid won’t be returning.

• Iceland’s famous Blue Lagoon is finally back! The tourist destination has had its doors closed since November of last year as there were major threats of volcanic activity. The spot attempted to reopen back in December but quickly closed back down due to the eruption on Reykjanes Peninsula. Before then, the Lagoon saw about 700,000 visitors a year so I’m sure the attraction is eager to open doors again.

• Turkey is making changes to their e-visa program which started in 2013. The country is now making it easier for American and Canadian travelers and will not require a visa either group. Representatives stated that 2023 was one of the best years for Americans traveling to Turkey and with this move they expect to build off this growth.

Global Trivia!

Where did the first airline originate?

Try this, Not that

Overtourism is really becoming a problem for many sites around the world. Here are some suggestions for sites that I think are worth visiting so we can give their counterpart a break

Santorini

About 2 million people visit Santorini every year, meanwhile the Greek Island only has about 16,000 permanent residents. Talk about being bombarded. But it’s hard to blame tourists, as this island is truly a spectacle. If you absolutely must visit Santorini try visiting in the quiet-ish season, September-October.

There are about 227 inhabited islands in the Greek Seas, so I promise you one of these one has something you’re looking for. Try looking into Hydra, Paros, or Naxos, all offering the idyllic Greek adventures.

Travel AI on the Rise

Instagram/Meta have most recently launched their AI “assistants” which can be accessed via your instagram DMs. There are about 28 profiles that you can interact with. One of them being Instagram’s Travel “pro” Lorena. Give it a try and maybe you will end up with ideas for your next trip. Lorena even has an instagram profile filled with travel related posts. Would you trust a travel AI account to help you plan your next trip?

Travel Trends

Creating memories! Travelers are increasingly prioritizing their travel budget around experiences with spending on experiences up 65%.

It’s estimated by 2027 travel into the United States will bring in about 279 billion annually. Tourism is quite the lucrative industry.

Electric air travel is on the rise as many predict by 2025 we will be able to hail an electric air taxi. These machines produce almost 90% less emissions than traditional airplanes scoring some points with many. Given this, how safe would you feel stepping into one of these?

Trivia Answer:

C) The answer is Saint Petersburg! Started in 1914, the St. Petersburg-Tampa Airboat Line would transport people from St. Petersburg to Tampa via airboat. A distance of about 23 miles. Cost of a passenger ticket was $5 each way.

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