Adventure Awaits, But First…

Here’s some of the latest

• The Lunar New Year kicked off on February 10th with over a billion people from around the globe celebrating. The Lunar New Year is meant to usher in the spring season where families manifest luck and prosperity. Each year is represented by a Chinese zodiac sign (a total of 12). The Rabbit represented last year and this year the powerful Dragon takes center stage. Those born in the year of the Dragon are said to be energetic and determined (find out your zodiac sign here). 

• Brazil is implementing an e-tourism visa requirement for American, Canadian, and Australian travelers starting April 10, 2024. This e-visa will cost $81 per person and can be purchased on the government website. This e-visa is valid for 10 years for American tourists and 5 years for Canadian and Australian tourists. The Brazilian government made this move in response to these three respective countries not matching their energy. For the past five years, Brazil did not require an e-visa but all three countries still required Brazilian nationals to pay a fee to enter their country. Meanwhile, Japan and Brazil have worked out a deal to keep tourism between each other open. 

• The travel analytics company, Cirium released their stats for 2023’s most punctual airlines and airports. Can you take a guess which ones will be at the top of this list? I was actually quite surprised myself. In Cirium’s global category, Avianca Airlines (Colombia), Azul Airlines (Brazil), Qatar Airlines (Qatar), Delta Airlines (US), and Iberia (Spain) topped the charts for most punctual airlines. Meanwhile, Minneapolis Airport (US), Rajiv Ghandi Airport (India), Kempegowda Airport (India), El Dorado Airport (Colombia), and Salt Lake City Airport (US) were ranked the most efficient airports.

Global Trivia!

Which Country has the most Islands?

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

Phuket, Thailand

Phuket was actually crowned the most overcrowded tourist destination in 2023 where it is said that for every resident there are 118 tourists. Phuket has some gorgeous beaches but they won’t last long unless there are some major changes.

If you are looking for a destination that has a similar “look” to Phuket, check out Palawan in the Philippines which offers lush green coastal views overlooking crystal blue waters. Here, many can find seafaring adventures and low-key beaches. If you are looking for a destination within Thailand, consider visiting Chiang Mai. This city offers true Thai cultural experiences and tons of landmarks. For more options check out this article.

Love Around the World ❤️

Wales celebrates St. Dwynwen’s day every January 25th which has many similarities to Valentine’s day. Except, it’s purely a Welsh tradition tied to their very own story of love. Oh, and Welsh couples gift each other “Lovespoons”

Finland celebrates Ystävänpäivä which translates to “Friends Day” on February 14th. The Finns include everyone on this day not just romantic couples. People will gift each other gifts and cards to show appreciation of their friendship.

The Philippines celebrate Valentine’s Day or Araw ng mga Puso like most that recognize this day of love. They gift flowers and chocolates to show their significant other how much they mean to them. More uniquely, government organizations here will hold mass weddings so that couples won’t have to worry about wedding expenses.

Travel Trends

Sports Tourism is one of the fastest growing sectors of tourism with an estimated growth rate of 17.5% between 2023-2030.

Travel is here to stay and only growing. 94% of Americans are planning to travel as much as, if not more than they did last year.

56% of American adults own a valid passport with higher percentages of adults that have a passport located in urban suburbs and big cities.

Trivia Answer:

D) Sweden 🇸🇪 

This Nordic country leads the pack easily with 267,570 islands. Norway and Finland follow far behind with 239,057 and 178,947. Canada comes in at fourth with 52,455.

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