Cuisine to Caftans: Latest Cultural Heritage of Humanity Listings Inspire Travel
For the first time, a country’s entire cuisine has been recognized as part of the “Intangible Cultural Heritage” of humanity. It was an astonishing moment at the announcement of UNESCO’s 2025 listings that annually celebrate living cultural traditions – and highlight them for support to ensure they remain alive. You may be most familiar with UNESCO World Heritage sites: famous monuments or natural wonders. But intangible cultural heritage designations are different. From foodways to festivals, music to fashion, endangered crafts to...
Jamaica Asking Visitors to Return as Island Reopens Following Hurricane Melissa
Visitors are crucial to local communities as they recover following October’s Hurricane Melissa, the strongest ever recorded storm to hit the country, with devastating results. The focus now is rebuilding Jamaica’s tourism-based economy and getting people back to work. That’s where we come in. Jamaica is back open for business this winter. So you can plan a tropical, Caribbean escape to the island just when you need it most - and Jamaica needs us most. Maybe even give the gift of travel this...
Christmas Quirk: Global Holiday Traditions Worth Traveling For
Christmas has traveled around the world – and along the way, it’s picked up local flavors, traditions and folklore. You may have traveled to sip gluhwein at Germany’s Christmas markets, attend midnight Mass at the Vatican, or even been to Bethlehem at Christmas, but you haven’t really experienced Christmas as a global phenomenon until you’ve explored some of the twists and turns the holiday has taken as it's traveled far and wide. There may be no place like home for the...
This Year’s European Christmas Capital is…
Rekindle your love of Christmas traveling to the official – yes, official! - European Christmas capital. Each year, the Christmas Cities Network, with support from the European Parliament, designates a different European Christmas capital, recognizing how that destination brings the local essence of the celebration to life for residents and visitors. In 2025, the European Christmas Capital is Vilnius, the capital city of Lithuania, one of the Baltic countries in north-eastern Europe. You may think of some of the more famous Christmas destinations...
Longest, Tallest and One-of-a-Kind: Royal Caribbean’s Newest ‘Perfect Day’ Plus New Beach Resorts
“Bigger and bolder than anything” Royal Caribbean has done yet. That’s how the cruise line is describing Perfect Day Mexico, with never-seen-before attractions. Plus, Royal Caribbean has revealed more destination experiences on the way as it doubles down on Perfect Day and Royal Beach Club private island and beach resort cruise destinations. They’ll let cruise vacationers experience the best of Royal Caribbean's newest ships alongside shoreside adventures in Mexico, the Bahamas and the South Pacific. Perfect Day Mexico The mega-ship family cruise line...
Disney Announces New Theme Park
Disney fans collecting theme park visits will soon have a new and spectacular destination to compare cherished characters, memorable experiences and new thrills. The Walt Disney company has announced plans for its 7th park. The uniquely waterfront resort will be located on an island in futuristic Abu Dhabi. The Yas Island Disney park will combine Disney’s iconic stories, characters and attractions with Abu Dhabi’s vibrant culture, stunning shorelines, and breathtaking architecture. Yas Island Located on the shores of Abu Dhabi – just 20...
RIU Resort-Supported Eco Project Reports Triumph for Turtles
Over 150,000 hatchlings of endangered loggerhead sea turtles were released during the latest nesting season from hatcheries in the Atlantic archipelago of Cape Verde, including one in front of RIU’s hotels. What’s more, local eco organizations also reported successes in helping mitigate the negative effects of climate change on the critical turtle population. The country of Cape Verde (also called Cabo Verde) is made up of 10 volcanic islands in the central Atlantic Ocean, about 500 miles west of the coast...
Cruise to the Total Solar Eclipse in 2026!
On August 12, 2026, we are in for a rare and remarkable celestial event – a total solar eclipse - and a cruise may be the best place for you to experience it. This will be the first total solar eclipse visible from Europe this millennium! When you combine an extraordinary natural spectacle that may be best viewed at sea, with the popularity of European holidays, in the warm summer months… that’s a recipe for a must-book vacation of a...
Slainte! This City in Scotland Celebrates 850th Anniversary
Scotland’s so-called ‘Second City’ takes center stage in 2025 as it celebrates its 850th birthday. If you’ve only been to Edinburgh, it’s time to put Glasgow on the top of your Scottish travel list and discover its history and the thriving, vivid, cultural hub of modern Scotland on the River Clyde that’s even a UNESCO City of Music. Far bigger than Edinburgh, Glasgow’s size exploded during the Industrial Revolution, which led to its reputation being compared negatively to Edinburgh’s perennial medieval...
Top Souvenirs to Bring Home from a Trip to Ireland
St. Patrick’s Day may be the day when we are all just a little bit Irish, but anytime we visit Ireland, we can bring home a little bit of Ireland – for our own memories, or to share an Irish blessing with our friends and loved ones. The Emerald Isle is known for its vivid landscapes, love of life and literature, horse flesh and history, and perhaps above all, the embracing warmth of its people. Ireland is also a treasure trove...