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The Discovery Princess at sea.

Always pack this item on an Alaskan cruise

While a good puffer jacket is essential on an Alaska cruise, so too is pair of boardies.

Cruise ship, Sydney Harbour. Picture: Destination NSW

World’s most beautiful ports to cruise into

Arriving into port only to find you need a  long bus ride to reach the big attractions probably isn’t what you pictured when you booked that dream cruise. But some ports deliver instant  wow  factor. At these stunning destinations, you can sail right up to the action and launch into unforgettable adventures.

Scenic Opal cruise ship, Passau Germany

9 epic new river cruises set to stun the world

Unexpected destinations, new itineraries and upgraded ships are elevating river cruises to one of the world’s favourite ways to travel.

Editor's Picks

Win a Royal Caribbean cruise worth over $10k

Win a Royal Caribbean cruise worth over $10k

Escape and Royal Caribbean are giving two lucky readers the chance to win a Royal Caribbean cruise worth over $10k.

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7 things to pack for an Antarctica cruise

You don’t want to miss out on any experiences because your gear let you down.

There's a patch of sand at your local waiting for you right now.

23 best beach towels of 2024

Dry off with these beauties this summer.

10 best free things to do in Paris

10 best free things to do in Paris

We all adore Paris, but it’s not exactly a budget destination. Here’s how to enjoy it on the cheap.

Two word secret to getting treated like a local in Spain

Two word secret to getting treated like a local in Spain

Daniel Rioli fishing in the Tiwi Islands. Picture: Helen Orr / Tourism NT

Daniel Rioli’s top Aussie spots to connect with culture

Waterpark on Icon of Seas with Perfect Day at CocoCay

12 cruise ships families can’t get enough of

Two sides of the river, a million stories to tell in Istanbul.

12 best things to do in Istanbul

Why I’ll never to go Europe in summer ever again

Why I’ll never to go Europe in summer ever again

Dining at Antica Bottega Del Vino in Verona, Italy.

These are the 5 most delicious places in Italy

The harbour of Marina Corta on Lipari Island, Italy.

8 destinations that keep travel experts coming back

Pumphouse Point, Tasmania

12 incredibly beautiful spots to stay in Tasmania

The best travel movies ever

The best travel movies ever

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Best things to do on the Gold Coast on a budget

Trending topics.

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Escape Shorts

Here are 5 reasons to visit the magical Lord Howe Island

Here are 5 reasons to visit the magical Lord Howe Island

You can't visit Singapore without trying these 3 experiences

You can’t visit Singapore without trying these 3 experiences

4 things to expect from luxury hotel, Capella Sydney

4 things to expect from luxury hotel, Capella Sydney

3 experiences you must try in Nice, France

3 experiences you must try in Nice, France

Your guide to Athens Nightlife in 3 exciting experiences

Your guide to Athens Nightlife in 3 exciting experiences

Take a look inside Kyaninga Lodge in Uganda, Africa

Take a look inside Kyaninga Lodge in Uganda, Africa

These are our top tips for travelling through The Kimberley in Western Australia

These are our top tips for travelling through The Kimberley in Western Australia

Discover the ultimate American summer getaways: 8 must-visit destinations

Discover the ultimate American summer getaways: 8 must-visit destinations

Embark on an Italian odyssey: Discover the 10 most thrilling destinations to explore

Embark on an Italian odyssey: Discover the 10 most thrilling destinations to explore

Explore the 7 most magnificent destinations in the South of France

Explore the 7 most magnificent destinations in the South of France

7 of the best Australian islands

7 of the best Australian islands

Discover 7 of the best Australian islands to explore on your next trip.

5 most underrated Greek islands

5 most underrated Greek islands

9 Incredible beaches in Western Australia

9 Incredible beaches in Western Australia

Canada’s top 6 natural attractions

Canada's top 6  natural attractions

Desert locations to see in your lifetime

Desert locations to see in your lifetime

Queensland blogger and TV host Tyson Mayr swapped his suit and tie for a backpack in 2009 and has been travelling ever since. He’s crossed the globe, appearing with the likes of Bear Grylls and on I’m a Celebrity …,but it’s his favourite Aussie adventures that he will share with Escape readers each week.

Melissa Leong

Melissa Leong

Melissa Leong travels the world as a food and travel journalist, writing for publications such as delicious. Magazine, SBS Food and The Guardian, and has been involved in co-authoring, editing and producing 6 cookbooks. She was co-host and judge on SBS’ The Chefs Line and is the first permanent female judge on MasterChef Australia. Whether it’s MCing, radio or sneaking in one more snack on the road, Melissa Leong will eat anything at least once.

Alison Kubler

Alison Kubler

Alison Kubler has a double major in Art History from the University of Queensland, Australia, and a Masters in Post-war and Contemporary Art History from Manchester University, England. She has over 20 years experience working as a curator in museums and galleries in Australia.

Things to do

Alice Springs Telegraph Station.

15 road trip stops every Aussie needs to make

There’s nothing like a good old fashioned driving holiday – and these country towns are worth leaving the city for.

Kefi Koolewong, Central Coast NSW

14 coolest restaurants in Australia right now

The Australian summer means dotting your days with waterfront lunches, alfresco evening drinks, rooftop hangs and casual catch-ups at the pub. We’ve rounded up Australia’s newest and coolest plus the trusty classic spots where you can do all those things and more.

Florence Falls, Litchfield National Park. Picture: Tourism Australia / Nicholas Kavo

10 most beautiful national parks in Australia

Australia has way more national parks than any other country in the world – around 680 compared to next-in-line China, with about 225.       Take to the air, take to the sky or take to the water but whatever you do, take some time to visit these national treasures. Here are 10 of the best worth travelling for.

Where To Stay

Aqua Dome - Tirol Therme Längenfeld Austria

15 of the world’s most insane hotel pools

W Sydney. Picture: Elise Hassey

20 spectacular new Australian hotels

The Havannah, Vanuatu.

10 hottest adults-only resorts in the South Pacific

Impression Isla Mujeres by Secrets, Mexico

20 best new hotels you need to know about

The Royal Mail, Dunkeld. Wickens dining

12 Aussie hotels every foodie needs to visit

Kingfisher Bay Resort, K'gari (Fraser Island).

10 tropical family resorts to blow your mind

Zannier Hotels Sonop, Namibia

9 of the world’s most luxurious desert resorts

The next total solar eclipse is in April and people already have travel plans

After april 8, the next cosmic super show in the continental 48 won’t be until 2045, and then only areas of the dakotas and montana will experience daytime darkness..

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Next month, Rick Kupfer will travel to Texas Hill Country for the first time. He’ll set up some lawn chairs about an hour northwest of Austin near a place where the Buchanan Dam holds back the Colorado River and where for more than four minutes on April 8 the afternoon sun will turn coal black .

It’s the second trip for the Boynton Beach resident into the shadow of a total solar eclipse after a 2017 experience near Casper, Wyoming where the daytime twinkle of stars and pearly corona behind Earth’s only natural satellite were on display for two and a half minutes.  

“It looks like there is a big hole in the sky, like a big black hole in the sky,” Kupfer said. “We are so lucky that this is happening in our lifetime. It’s so rare, it’s exhilarating.”

Before 2017, the last total solar eclipse to be seen by a portion of the United States was a cloud-plagued event in 1979. After April 8, the next cosmic super show in the continental 48 won’t be until 2045, and then only areas of the Dakotas and Montana will experience daytime darkness.

Reserving a spot to watch solar eclipse a tricky business, and expensive one

In Palm Beach County, which is more than 1,000 miles from the eastern edge of the April 8th path of totality, about 50% of the sun will be covered by the moon.

That’s why for so-called “shadow chasers,” plans to reach next month’s 115-mile-wide path of totality from the sandy beaches of Mazatlan through the valleys of Newfoundland have been months, even years, in the making.

Where were you?: Pilgrims flock to path of totality for Great American Eclipse of 2017

Kupfer, 71, said he made reservations nearly a year in advance at a short-term rental in Austin, only to have the owner cancel several months ago because, he believes, they realized they could charge more for a stay during the eclipse. Kupfer booked a second rental for a “very good price,” then was canceled again.

“The one we’re in now is priced more toward what it should probably be for the eclipse,” Kupfer said.

The area in the Texas Hill Country where Kupfer and his wife are headed was strategically chosen. It will experience four minutes and 25 seconds of totality and has low chances of rain and clouds in early April, according to Astronomy.com.

Meteorologist Orlando Bermudez with the National Weather Service in New Braunfels, Texas, said many people are traveling west of Austin to Kerrville where NASA is hosting an eclipse festival on April 8. Although rainy season begins in April, Bermudez said it doesn’t ramp up until May, and while prevailing southerly winds can increase morning clouds in spring, they usually clear by afternoon.

The website Eclipsophile.com considered this year’s El Niño in making weather predictions for April 8, looking at satellite measurements of cloud cover and focusing on Aprils that follow an El Niño winter.

It found Texas was the most likely to benefit from the current El Niño with clearer April skies than other areas in the eclipse path.

“It would be a real bummer to get clouded out,” Kupfer said.  

Then something amazing happened: “Dear God, go away!” someone yelled at the cloud covering the eclipse

Kerrville is where Boynton Beach resident and retired astronomy professor Sam Storch, 75, is headed with a group of fellow shadow chasers. In 2017, he went to Driggs, Idaho, west of Grand Teton National Park, to watch the eclipse, which was the first in 100 years to cross the entire country.

“I can think of only one other experience that was personally as intense as seeing totality and that would be actually seeing my first child literally emerge from the womb and be placed in my arms,” Storch said. “That was the only thing as intense as totality.”

North of Austin in Bell County, Texas, officials issued a state of emergency in February to prepare for a crush of eclipse seekers that could double the county’s population of 400,000. The issuance, in part, requires landowners who plan to lease space or host parties of 50 or more people to register the event with the county and provide site plans and designate routes for emergency vehicles.

Florida's last full solar eclipse and forecast for the one to come

Total solar eclipse of 1918: What was Palm Beach County like then?

Florida's closest recent recorded brush with a full solar eclipse occurred in 1970 when North Florida fell within the moon's shadow.

Next month, Pensacola will see about 76% of the sun covered by the moon.

The coverage decreases the farther south you go so that West Palm Beach will see about half of the sun covered beginning at 1:48 p.m. Maximum coverage will occur at 3:03 p.m.

Several South Florida observatories will be open for the eclipse, including the Marmot Observatory at the Cox Science Center and Aquarium in West Palm Beach, Florida Atlantic University’s observatory in Boca Raton and the Fox Astronomical Observatory in Sunrise.

Save your eyes: Take precautions when watching solar eclipse

There will be a limited amount of solar eclipse glasses available at each event. It is important never to look at the sun during an eclipse without appropriate eye protection except during the few moments of totality when the moon completely blocks the sun's face. Normal sunglasses — even those with the darkest lenses — aren’t enough to protect your eyes from damaging rays.

It’s not that the sun is any stronger during an eclipse, but where you would squint, blink and turn away from the full sun, it can be more comfortable to look at the sun as the moon moves over the bright disk.

The next total solar eclipse that crosses the entire continental United States is Aug. 12, 2045. Its path will go from Northern California through Florida with most of the Sunshine State in the path of totality.

“Nowhere else in our solar system has anything like this,” said FAU astronomer Eric Vandernoot, noting the unique sun, moon and Earth configuration that allows for a total solar eclipse. “We have so much perfection set up for us.”

Kimberly Miller is a veteran journalist for The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA Today Network of Florida. She covers real estate and how growth affects South Florida's environment. Subscribe to The Dirt for a weekly real estate roundup. If you have news tips, please send them to [email protected].   Help support our local journalism: Subscribe today.

How to spend a perfect weekend in Moscow

Feb 11, 2020 • 5 min read

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Moscow enjoyed the status of capital for most of Russia’s history, except for a relatively brief period (about two hundred years), when the Tsar and the government relocated to St Petersburg . But the Bolsheviks moved the capital back to Moscow in 1918, and today it’s an extremely diverse city. It can easily take a couple of weeks to see all of its sights, but if you've only got a weekend to explore, here's how to have two perfect days in Moscow.

Exterior of St Basil's Cathedral at Red Square on a sunny autumn morning.

Start your weekend in Moscow by acquainting yourself with top-notch Russian cuisine at Grand Cafe Dr Zhivago . Located on the first floor of the historical hotel National and overlooking the Kremlin, it’s definitely one of the best breakfast spots in the city. Try millet porridge with crawfish, pearl barley porridge with oxtail or traditional cottage cheese with raisins and candied fruit.

Set aside at least half a day for Russian capital’s major attractions: the Red Square and the Kremlin . To reach the Kremlin, cross the street from Dr Zhivago and walk through the Alexander Garden to the main entrance at the Kutafya Tower . Check out all the cathedrals, including Archangel cathedral with all the tsars’ tombs and Uspensky cathedral with medieval icons. Pause to look at the famous Tsar Bell and climb Ivan the Great Bell Tower to enjoy some great views.

Zaryadye - a landscape and architectural park. Many people stroll over concrete walkways surrounding a rounded building in parkland.

Exit and walk to the Red Square through the Alexander Garden, where, if lucky, you can see the change of guard. If you’re feeling hungry, stop by the food court at Okhotny Ryad shopping complex to pick up a snack.

The Red square is dominated by four buildings of equal historical importance: the Kremlin's most famous Spasskaya (Saviour) Tower , with a clock and fourteen bells that chime national anthem four times a day (6am, noon, 6pm, midnight), St Basil's Cathedral , Moscow's best-known symbol with its multi-colored domes, Lenin’s Mausoleum , the resting place of the leader of the 1917 October revolution, and GUM , Moscow's oldest department store, topped with a glass roof, designed by one of Russia's most celebrated architects, Vladimir Shukhov. 

A guide to shopping in Moscow

Right behind the St Basil’s it is the relatively new Zaryadye Park , designed by Diller Scofidio + Renfro, famous for its work on the High Line in New York City. Zaryadye showcases flora from all the climate zones of Russia, which is the largest country in the world. The floating bridge at the edge of the park is one of the biggest selfie magnets in Moscow, providing spectacular views of the river and the city skyline as the background. 

Another Zaryadye attraction is a glass pavilion that hosts restaurant Voskhod  (Sunrise) – a perfect spot for your lunch or early dinner. Voskhod focuses on dishes from all fifteen former Soviet Union republics and its inside looks like a Soviet-made spaceship with great views of the Moscow river. Try Azeri home-made pasta or trout from Lake Sevan in Armenia.

After all that walking and exploring you need some quality downtime and what better way to spend it than relaxing for a couple of hours at the famous Sanduny  traditional Russian hot bath. Make sure to get a massage with birch sticks!

You might still have time to go to Winzavod Center – a creative cluster with galleries housed at a former wine factory. Galleries like XL , pop/off/art and Ovcharenko always have something on, most likely a cutting-edge Russian contemporary art exhibition. Finish the evening hanging out at one of the best Moscow bars – try socialites’ paradise Noor Electro , co-joined with one of Moscow’s avant-garde theatres or Powerhouse Moscow , located in a 19th-century mansion, which is famous for live indie and jazz band performances. Both serve great food, too. 

Young people sit on a bench looking at a large painting on the wall. It's by Russian artist Alexander Ivanov, called 'The appearance of Christ to the People' and is displayed in the Tretyakov gallery

Power up for a busy day ahead at one of Moscow’s trendiest coffee/breakfast spots,   Nude . Located in the upscale, well-heeled neighborhood of Patriarch’s Ponds, Nude offers a wide range of breakfast dishes, including scrambled eggs, toast, porridge and banana bread. Book ahead as it might be busy on a weekend morning.

After checking out the Patriarch's Ponds, which features prominently in Mikhail Bulgakov’s perennial novel The Master and Margarita , devote the rest of the morning and early afternoon to exploring Moscow’s best museums. Depending on your tastes, pick one of the following: Tretyakov Gallery for traditional Russian art, from medieval icons to the early 20th century;  New Tretyakov for 20th century and contemporary art as well as great temporary exhibitions;  Pushkin Museum for one of the greatest collections of Impressionist and post-Impressionist art in the world; and the Garage Museum for some eye-opening modern-art exhibitions. 

A blurred train travelling at speed through a station with a tiled wall and a station guide.

Whichever museum or gallery you choose, be sure to go to LavkaLavka for lunch, certainly one of the best places to try new Russian cuisine, which is a contemporary reading of centuries-old recipes. It’s one of the few places to try polugar , which is, allegedly, what Russians called vodka in the 19th century. 

When you talk about Russian culture, literary giants usually pop into mind: the likes of Leo Tolstoy, Fyodor Dostoevsky and Anton Chekhov. There are plenty of literary museums in Moscow, but if you had to pick one, visit Tolstoy Estate Museum , located just opposite the headquarters of Yandex, the Russian equivalent of Google. Every little detail has been restored just the way it looked when Tolstoy lived here in the 1880s–90s. 

Leave some time for exploring the Moscow Metro : every station is an architectural masterpiece in its own right. Our favorites include Mayakovskaya, Komsomolskaya and Kievskaya. Later, unwind at one of dozens of Moscow’s craft beer places . Try  Jawsspot , named after one of the leading breweries in Russia, Jaws from the Urals region, which also serves decent pizza and salads.  

You might also like:

Why food markets in Moscow are having a moment    Russia for first-timers: dos and don’ts    Russia's best drinks and where to try them   

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How to Think About Airline Elite Status in 2024

Sally French

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2023 was a turbulent year for airline elite status. A few major airlines announced significant loyalty program changes — many of which went into effect on Jan. 1, 2024. In most cases, it’s made a more challenging path with higher spending requirements to earn airline elite status.

Some of the most notable and drastic shifts happened to the Delta Air Lines SkyMiles loyalty program. In September, the airline announced it would award Medallion elite status solely based on spending and limit Delta Sky Club access for many customers starting in 2024. The updates were so drastic that Delta walked back some of its most controversial changes, including reducing the spending requirement to earn status.

Other airlines have made minor loyalty program modifications:

Frontier Airlines overhauled its loyalty program to align status earning with dollar spending rather than based on physical miles flown. This kicked in with the new year. 

Southwest Airlines made it easier to earn elite status in 2024 by reducing the number of flights needed to earn status.

As of March 2024, Alaska Airlines will simplify partner redemptions based on distance and cabin. According to Alaska Airlines, more than 60% of partner nonstop routes will start at a lower price point (but that implies others will become more expensive).

American Airlines made some changes in 2024, including adding new earning and redemption opportunities. It’ll also soon offer one-day lounge passes for sale.

In short, airline mileage programs widely vary. A mile with one airline is not worth the same as a mile in another, and status tiers differ among the airlines. NerdWallet compared the value of airline elite status programs to determine which ones offer the best value and ultimately find the best airline rewards program for 2024 .

Which airline program provides the most value?

NerdWallet’s analysis focuses on elite status perks that offer concrete value, such as bonus rewards, seat upgrades and free checked bags. We compared these values against the spending needed to earn each status level. That indicates which elite programs truly offer excellent value per dollar spent.

To generate a single number to compare loyalty programs, we calculate an “effective rewards rate,” which accounts for the value of the benefits you receive relative to the amount you already spent with the airline.

There’s variation across airline loyalty programs, but the average return across all programs is 6.28% in value per dollar spent, meaning you’d get an average of a little over $6 per $100 spent.

Alaska’s rewards program stands out at the top end with its 9.7% rate — the equivalent of earning nearly $10 in value for every $100 spent. Hawaiian Airlines, which in December announced plans to merge with Alaska, isn't far behind with an 8.89% earning rate.

Frontier and Spirit Airlines trail far behind with paltry 3.92% and 3.45% rewards rates, respectively.

Understand what status is worth

Some programs slap labels like “Gold” and “Platinum” on benefits that hardly sparkle, so be skeptical of chasing titles that sound fancy but ultimately offer mediocre benefits.

A-List Preferred is the highest level of status with Southwest, but its value is low, with no option for premium class seats or airport lounges. You’d have to spend an estimated $14,400 to earn A-List Preferred (though you could get it for less if you fly a lot of low-cost flight segments), yet NerdWallet values its benefits at less than $1,400. Don’t try too hard to chase Southwest status.

Meanwhile, the top tiers at Alaska, Hawaiian, United Airlines and American Airlines mean something. With Alaska MVP Gold 100K , you’ll receive nearly $9,000 in value with the first-class upgrades, free checked bags and lounge passes. Earning it requires an estimated $12,000 in Alaska spending, translating to a roughly 73% rewards rate.

Earning United Premier 1K status is neither cheap nor easy, as you’ll have to spend an estimated $30,000 with United for the honor. But NerdWallet values the benefits (which include instant premium cabin upgrades and priority check-in) at nearly $19,000, offering a 64% return.

Look for promotions

You can sometimes find limited-time promotions with easier routes to earning elite status. For example, United MileagePlus is currently running a Premier Status Match Challenge through the end of 2024.

Leverage airline credit cards

Some airline credit cards help you qualify for elite status by earning points at a faster rate.

If you’re chasing elite status for benefits like free checked bags, Wi-Fi or early boarding, many airline credit cards offer those perks without awarding you elite status.

How to approach airline elite status in 2024

As more airlines tie elite status to spending, it can feel like the value of your loyalty has taken a nosedive, especially if you previously earned status through low-cost flights. On the other hand, some high rollers are rejoicing. After all, a higher threshold to earn status only makes it more valuable for folks who have it through reduced competition for seat upgrades or fewer people overcrowding airport lounges.

However, having elite status is only part of the reason to pick which airline to fly. Sometimes elite status can be more limiting than freeing, as you might be more inclined to fly at an inconvenient time or book a more expensive flight just to flex your benefits.

By leveraging credit card bonuses, seeking targeted promotions and being open-minded to the best flight rather than one operated by the brand you have status with, you can maximize the value of your travel.

Not to mention, airfares have dropped over the past year despite inflation affecting most other sectors. Some experts expect airfares to continue dropping. According to American Express Global Business Travel’s 2024 Air Monitor report, economy class flights from North America to Europe are expected to drop by 3.5% versus their 2023 prices, while those to Asia are expected to drop by 7.5%.

For price-conscious consumers, that might be a better trade anyway.

How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2024 , including those best for:

Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

No annual fee: Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Luxury perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express

Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

Chase Sapphire Preferred Credit Card

on Chase's website

1x-5x 5x on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases.

60,000 Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.

Chase Freedom Unlimited Credit Card

1.5%-6.5% Enjoy 6.5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel; 4.5% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 3% on all other purchases (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year). After your first year or $20,000 spent, enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.

$300 Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) - worth up to $300 cash back!

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

on Capital One's website

2x-5x Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day. Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options.

75,000 Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel.

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Considering a guided tour in 2024? Here are the biggest trends to know before you book

What’s on the horizon for guided tours in 2024? A lot, it turns out. Travel as a whole has been on the upswing for a few years now, but this year looks to be one of the busiest and most exciting yet for guided tours. 

I’ve asked tour companies and the USTOA (United States Tour Operators Association) for their predictions, trends, and advice for the year ahead. Here are the biggest tour industry trends to consider as you plan your 2024 travels.

PLAN A TRIP: 12 best hotel booking sites for cheap prices

1. More solo travelers are joining tours than ever before

Solo travelers, you’re in good company. Tour companies are reporting a significant increase in solo travelers on tours. In fact, Road Scholar recently did a deep dive into the solo travel trend , and according to the report, up to 30% of its tour participants are solo travelers. Among those solo travelers, 85% are women. EF Go Ahead Tours has seen a similar rise, with 83% more solo travelers at the end of 2023 compared to the year before.

SOLO TRAVEL TOGETHER: 10 best tour companies for solo travel

It turns out that solo travelers often have spouses or partners at home but still yearn to see the world even if their significant other doesn’t. Solo tour travelers report loving the independence, how easy it is to make friends on tours, and the chance to spend time the way they want to.

2. The desire for sustainable travel is growing, too

The USTOA has been tracking the number of tour companies with formal documented sustainability strategies, and says that there’s been “substantial growth” in the number of companies that have developed plans this year. 

BEST OF THE BEST: 11 guided tour companies that offer trips around the world

I’ve also noticed a heartening shift toward tour companies thinking about their role in sustainability as I’ve been updating our tour company reviews for 2024. Pretty much across the board, tour operators are dialing up their efforts to support cultural and environmental preservation efforts. 

This takes many forms: reducing or eliminating single-use plastics, supporting local economies through artisanal goods and tourism, offsetting carbon emissions, working with wildlife protection projects, and more.

3. The shoulder season travel trend is real

Whether you’re an independent traveler or going on a tour, there are a lot of benefits to traveling outside of peak seasons. In 2023, EF Go Ahead Tours saw a rise in the number of travelers on shoulder-season departure dates (October through April in Europe, for instance), and the company expects that trend to keep growing in 2024. 

MYSTERY SOLVED: How much should you tip on a guided tour? All your gratuity questions answered

During its Black Friday sale, it reported that April was the top booking month for tours. Backroads has also seen a shift to more people booking earlier in spring and later in fall to avoid the crowds, heat, and higher summer prices. The trend is so pronounced that the tour company has added more departure dates to the 2024 shoulder season.

4. People are booking earlier than ever

When I spoke with a representative from Backroads near the end of 2023, the company reported that nearly 40% of its 2024 spots were already booked. Curious to see if other tour operators are seeing similar trends, I asked around. Road Scholar said that for 2024, it’s seeing a continuation of the early booking trend compared to pre-COVID, with an average booking time of 238 days before the start of a tour. And Avalon Waterways reports it’s seeing its highest early bookings in history for 2024, with several cruises already nearing capacity or sold out for the year.

TRAVEL OVER 50: ‘I cried at the goodbye’: How my aging parents changed my whole perspective on travel  

5. More trends to watch in 2024

Here are a few more trends that have come up frequently in my research about what to expect on tours the year: 

  • Destinations: Far-flung destinations are looking increasingly popular. Across the board, bookings are up for 2024 tours to far-away spots including Thailand, Japan, and Norway.
  • Experiences: Immersive experiences like gastronomy tours , hut-to-hut hiking , and pilgrimage routes such as Spain and Portugal’s Camino de Santiago have renewed appeal as travelers look for unique vacations.
  • Private tours: This is an interesting one because after a big surge in 2021 in tour companies offering private tours , a few tour companies have retired the private tour option. However, in 2024, some tour operators are doubling down on private tour offerings, saying that more and more people are drawn to the relative affordability of being able to create their own tour group.

Considering a guided tour in 2024? Here are the biggest trends to know about before you book originally appeared on TourScoop.com .

More from TourScoop:

  • 9 best travel companies that specialize in women-only tours
  • 8 best senior travel tour companies in 2024
  • 10 best tour companies for family tours in 2024

The views and opinions expressed in this column are the author’s and do not necessarily reflect those of USA TODAY. FamilyVacationist.com and TourScoop.com are owned and operated by Vacationist Media LLC. Using the FamilyVacationist travel recommendation methodology , we review and select family vacation ideas , family vacation spots , all-inclusive family resorts , and classic family vacations for all ages. TourScoop covers guided group tours and tour operators , tour operator reviews , tour itinerary reviews and travel gear recommendations .

100 days and counting: it’s time to stand with Evan

Supporters of press freedom are being urged to show their support for Evan Gershkovich, as the American reporter clocks up 100 days in Russian detention.

U.S. journalist loses appeal in Moscow

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Supporters of press freedom are being urged to “stand with Evan” this Friday, when the Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich clocks up 100 days in Russian detention.

The 31-year-old Russian speaker, who had been accredited to work as a journalist by the Kremlin, was arrested in Yekaterinburg on March 29 and charged with espionage.

The Wall Street Journal and the US government have both denied the spying allegations, which carry a possible prison sentence of 20 years. Mr Gershkovich pleaded not guilty when he appeared in court in early April.

His arrest and detention marks the first time Russia has brought a spy case against an American reporter since the cold war.

TOPSHOT – US journalist Evan Gershkovich, arrested on espionage charges, stands inside a defendants' cage before a hearing to consider an appeal on his arrest at the Moscow City Court in Moscow on April 18, 2023. (Photo by NATALIA KOLESNIKOVA / AFP)

His arrest is “a vicious affront to a free press” and “should spur outrage in all free people and governments throughout the world,” Mr Gershkovich’s bosses at the Wall Street Journal said.

“No reporter should ever be detained for simply doing their job.”

US President Joe Biden also expressed his outrage, telling reporters: “It’s totally illegal, what’s happening.”

Mr Gershkovich is being held in Moscow’s infamous Lefortovo prison, a perma-lit hellhole designed to make prisoners feel isolated.

In a two-page letter to his family dated April 5, Mr Gershkovich said he was “not losing hope” and he was reading, exercising and trying to write.

“Maybe, finally, I am going to write something good,” he wrote.

US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken. Picture: Jim Watson/AFP

America’s ambassador to Russia, Lynne Tracy, visited Mr Gershkovich in prison on Monday, with the State Department later reporting he was “in good health and remains strong, despite his circumstances”.

Mr Gershkovich was initially set to be released by May 29, but in late June authorities announced he would remain in detention until at least August 30.

US journalist Evan Gershkovich stands inside a defendants' cage before a hearing to consider an appeal on his arrest at the Moscow City Court on April 18, 2023. Picture: Natalia Kolesnikova/AFP

The State Department said Mr Gershkovich was being “wrongfully detained”, and it was working on ways to bring him home, along with another American convicted of spying, businessman Paul Whelan.

“We’ve brought a lot of Americans home over the last two and a half years … and Evan is front and centre in our thinking,” Secretary of State Anthony Blinken told reporters last week.

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News Corp – which publishes the Wall Street Journal, as well as this masthead – and the reporter’s family have issued a worldwide appeal for readers to show their support for Mr Gershkovich by adding the hashtag #IStandWithEvan to their social media posts.

A page on the Journal’s website also includes assets social media users can download, to further show their support.

See www.wsj.com/news/evan-gershkovich for more.

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Donald Trump will be all smiles with the US Supreme Court ruling on a decision that could hugely effect his re-election campaign.

With a long list of states set to vote this week, a reputable poll has put Donald Trump way ahead in his rematch against Joe Biden.

The Malaysian government says it will reopen the search for the missing aircraft if one condition is met.

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