travel inside fti

Tour Operating

Destination Management Companies

Hotels owned by FTI

About FTI GROUP

• 11,000 employees worldwide
• 6 source markets
• 120 destinations

2022/23 business year

FTI GROUP News

Investitionsvereinbarung unterzeichnet

The FTI GROUP is pleased to announce its partnership with a consortium led by Certares.

FTI GROUP destination agencies honored as Travelife partners

Meeting Point International and its destination agencies in Morocco, Spain, Asia, Turkey,…

FTI GROUP supports campaign for tolerance and openness

With hashtag #Reisenverbindet, the DRV called for the tourism industry to take a stand…

FTI Touristik (Germany)

Part of the FTI GROUP, the orange brand FTI Touristik offers holidays in over 120 countries. Offers include hotel-only deals, beach holidays, individual trips, cruises, city breaks and long-distance trips – both package and building block deals. Across Germany, the tour operator sells its extensive product portfolio through more than 10,000 partner agencies as well as through the leading online portals.

5vorFlug covers the last-minute travel segment within the FTI GROUP and is one of the largest last-minute tour operators in the German-speaking market. The focus of its the worldwide travel range is on bookings made up to 42 days before departure. Thanks to its modern cash & carry concept, the tour operator offers the best time-to-market services and is therefore always attractively priced.

Meeting Point International

The umbrella brand Meeting Point International operates as FTI GROUP's own destination management company but also represents third-party operators. It operates at more than 55 locations in 18 countries. With its "Operations 24h" department, it is available to guests and travel agencies around the clock and organizes immediate support in emergencies. Meeting Point Rent-a-car and Meeting Point Global are the brands and subsidiaries.

BigXtra is the largest specialist tour operator in the German-speaking market and focuses on special offers. The distribution takes place via sonnenklar.TV, strong retail partners such as Lidl and Tchibo as well as travel agencies in Germany, Austria and Switzerland and the Netherlands. BigXtra offers mainly longer trips during the low season as well as added-value products.

sonnenklar.TV

sonnenklar.TV is the leading travel shopping channel on European television. The channel broadcasts 24 hours a day over cable and satellite, has a technical range of 34.07 million households and has up to 650,000 viewers a day, and up to 2 million at peak times. sonnenklar.TV is also one of Germany's most-visited travel websites with 31.5 million visits per month.

Since 1973, WINDROSE has been a provider of exclusive holidays in the luxury segment with exceptional quality and a very high level of individualisation. Its core business is to identify travel trends and the best hotels worldwide and to create innovative group and individual travel at the highest level. The luxury tour operator is the perfect port of call for the discerning guest.

The FTI History

Cornerstone of the FTI GROUP

The language travel specialist, founded in 1980 by Dietmar Gunz and Partners, is the cornerstone of FTI GROUP

1983 marks the beginning of Frosch Touristik, selling Malta as its first destination

Acquisition of CA Ferntouristik GmbH as a specialist for long haul destinations

Foundation of the Swiss tour operator CA Fernreisen AG (todays FTI Touristik AG)

Frosch Touristik becomes FTI

After 15 years of growth the business is consolidated under the umbrella brand FTI Touristik with over 15 brands. At the same time the company enters the Austrian market

Environment & Sustainability

Climate and environmental protection initiatives and social projects

It is very important for the FTI GROUP to integrate sustainability issues into its actions as well as to get involved in the social field. That is why the group participates in numerous initiatives and projects.

With our headquarters in Munich and the further location in Berlin the FTI GROUP set standards in sustainability. When the group moved into the Green Building in 2010, it was the first LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) certified "Gold" office building in Munich.

GROUP Management

Karl Markgraf

Chief Executive Officer & Chief Information Officer

Karl Markgraf has been Group CEO as well as a member of the Management Board of the FTI GROUP since July 2023. Since July 2022 he has been Group CIO…

Lars Creutzmann

Chief Financial Officer

With Lars Creutzmann as CFO, the Group is restructuring its finance organization. He was previously Group CFO and Managing Director at the Europcar…

Casper Urhammer

Chief Executive Officer Tour Operating

Casper Urhammer leads the tour operator business of the group as CEO Tour Operating. This includes end to end ownership of all Distribution,…

Sabine Dorn

Chief Executive Officer Hotels & DMCs

The hotel segment of the FTI GROUP is managed by Sabine Dorn in her function as CEO Hotels. The portfolio includes around 60 hotels with six brands,…

Maria Escobar

Chief Talent & Culture Officer

As CTCO, a position that was newly created in May 2022, Maria Escobar manages Talents & Culture across the whole group. Previously, she was Global…

Chief Strategy & Transformation Officer

James has been with the FTI Group since April 2021, and as Chief Strategy & Transformation Officer he is accountable for planning, delivering and…

International Locations

 38 Providence Rd, Linwood, MA 01525

Planning transportation for your event?

FTI Coach delivers experienced, courteous drivers, intimate knowledge of Boston and New England, and a recent, well maintained fleet of MCI Motorcoaches

School and Sport Activities

FTI Coach is able to provide safe and economical transportation for class trips, team activities and sporting events

FTI Coach would be honored to be a part of your "Big Day" by providing convenient and comfortable trasnportation for you and your guests

Our Clients

FTI Coach is blessed with exceptional clientele. We are a preferred company for Boston Coach, Collette Tours, Providence Bruins, and many more. 

Company Outings

FTI Coach can make traveling to your next corporate retreat/function both comfotable and easy.

508-234-4585

38 Providence Road, Linwood, MA 01525

[email protected]

FTI Coach - Luxury Motorcoaches in the Blackstone Valley

FTI Coach owns top of the line equipment, employs only Experienced Drivers, and always strives to provide you with the Finest in Coach Service. FTI Coach is a small family owned business located in the Blackstone Valley. We have owned and operated Motorcoaches for over 25 years and pride ourselves on having the best drivers on the road who have a passion for customer service. We operate only MCI Coaches and our equipment is meticulously maintained. Providing you with one of the youngest fleets available is only one way we provide you with the best service in New Eng​​land. FTI Coach Lines employs drivers with clean records, and a long track record of customer service.

Key Features

See why we're the Finest in Motorcoach Service

Premier Clientele

FTI Coach is blessed with exceptional clientele. We are a preferred company for Boston Coach, Collette Tours, Notre Dame Athletics, and many more. Famous passengers have included; Ted Kennedy, US Olympic Skating team, Rolling Stones, the US Women’s Soccer Team, the Providence Bruins, and many professional and Collegiate sports teams

Cleanlieness

We are known throughout the industry as having the cleanest motorcoaches around.  Our dedicated cleaning staff thoroughly cleans every motorcoach when it arrives, whether it be 3pm, or 3am, our motorcoaches never leave until they look as good as the day we bought them.

Full Service

Our parent company is Foxy Travel, Inc., a full service independent travel agency operating for over 30 years. This enables us to give you full service for all of your travel arrangements. By boat, train, plane, or motorcoach we will get you there. We also offer pre-planned motorcoach tours.

Responsiveness

Our emergency phone number is staffed by a live person 24/7. We are here to serve you.

Young Fleet

We provide the newest, feature-rich busses possible.

UMA AssurClean

Certified clean by the United Motorcoach Association.

Planning A Trip?

created with

Cookies & Privacy

This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website.

Certares to Fuel FTI Tech Overhaul with Takeover, $130 Million Investment

Jesse Chase-Lubitz , Skift

April 16th, 2024 at 1:59 PM EDT

A leading travel and tourism investment firm acquires the third-largest tour operator in Europe.

Jesse Chase-Lubitz

Certares , a travel and tourism investment firm, led a consortium that acquired FTI Group , the third-largest tour operator in Europe.

This deal ends a restructuring begun in September to strengthen FTI’s finances.

The consortium will own all of the share capital, and FTI will get about $130 million (€125 million) to funnel into its digital transformation and growth.

“Certares’ extensive industry experience and the new capital funding position FTI for exceptional growth,” said Karl Markgraf, CEO of the FTI Group.

Certares holds stakes in a range of travel companies like G Adventures, AmaWaterways and American Express Global Business Travel. The company and another private equity firm also own a majority stake in Hertz and it acquired several hotels in the last year. Certares founder and senior managing director Greg O’Hara became the chair of the World Travel & Tourism Council in November.

Munich-based FTI Group has 120 subsidiaries in German speaking markets, the Netherlands, UK, France, and other destinations.

The group had 6 million customers as of 2022, the latest figures available. The company has also signed a memorandum of understanding to be a launch partner with Saudi Arabia for increased multi-day tours in the Middle East.

Competitors to FTI include the giant TUI Group, DER Touristik, Kuoni, and Hotelplan.

Correction: This article has been updated to note that Certares owns a majority stake in Hertz with another private equity firm. An earlier version of this article also said that Certares owns a stake in Tripadvisor – its stake is in Liberty Tripadvisor.

The Daily Newsletter

Our daily coverage of the global travel industry. Written by editors and analysts from across Skift’s brands.

Have a confidential tip for Skift? Get in touch

Tags: acquisitions , certares , europe , investment

Photo credit: Casper Urhammer, CEO of tour operator FTI Group, on stage with Skift Corporate Travel Editor Matthew Parsons at Skift Global Forum East in Dubai Skift

TheInspireTalks

FTI Website Review: Unlocking a World of Convenience in Hotel and Flight Reservations

• Post author: The Inspire Talks
• Post published: January 17, 2024
• Post category: Hotel / Travel

Introduction to FTI Website

Welcome to the world of convenience! In today’s fast-paced digital era, planning a trip can often feel like navigating through a labyrinth of options and websites. But fear not, because FTI is here to make your hotel and flight reservations a breeze. With their user-friendly website and extensive range of accommodations and flights, FTI is your go-to travel companion for unlocking a world of convenience. Say goodbye to endless hours spent scrolling through countless booking sites – let’s dive into what makes the FTI website stand out from the rest!

Wide Range of Hotels and Flights Offered

When it comes to planning a trip, one of the most crucial aspects is finding the perfect accommodation and flights. FTI website understands this need and offers a wide range of hotels and flights to choose from. Whether you’re looking for a luxurious stay or a budget-friendly option, FTI has got you covered. With their extensive database, FTI provides options in various destinations around the world. From popular tourist spots to hidden gems, you can easily find accommodations that suit your preferences and budget. Whether it’s a beachfront resort or a cozy boutique hotel, there’s something for everyone. Not only does FTI offer an impressive selection of hotels, but they also provide an array of flight options. Whether you prefer direct flights or connecting ones, economy class or business class, FTI ensures that you have plenty of choices when booking your flights. The website features user-friendly filters that allow you to narrow down your search based on specific criteria such as price range, star rating, amenities offered, and more. This makes it incredibly convenient to find exactly what you’re looking for without wasting time scrolling through irrelevant options. Another great feature of the FTI website is their detailed descriptions and customer reviews for each hotel and flight option. This gives travelers valuable insights into what they can expect during their stay or journey.

How FTI Plays Important Role In Hotel Booking

FTI plays a significant role in hotel booking by offering unparalleled convenience and an extensive selection of options. With their user-friendly website, finding the perfect accommodation has never been easier. One of the key advantages of using FTI is the wide range of hotels they offer. Whether you’re looking for a luxurious resort or a budget-friendly stay, FTI has got you covered. Their platform allows you to filter your search based on various criteria such as price, location, amenities, and customer reviews. Moreover, FTI ensures that their customers get the best deals available. They negotiate with hotels to secure competitive rates and exclusive offers that are not always available elsewhere. This means that when booking through FTI, you can often enjoy discounted prices and added perks like complimentary breakfast or spa treatments. Another way in which FTI enhances the hotel booking experience is through their seamless integration with other travel services. Not only can you book your accommodation but also conveniently reserve flights, transfers, and even excursions all in one place. This eliminates the need to juggle multiple websites or contact different providers separately.

Why Choose FTI

When it comes to booking your hotel or flight, there are countless options available. So why choose FTI? Let me give you a few reasons. First and foremost, convenience. With FTI’s user-friendly website, the whole process of searching for and booking your accommodation or flights becomes incredibly easy. No more wasting hours scrolling through endless pages – with just a few clicks, you can find the perfect hotel or flight that suits your needs. Another reason to choose FTI is their wide range of options. Whether you’re looking for budget-friendly hotels or luxurious resorts, FTI has got you covered. Their extensive selection ensures that there’s something for every traveler’s taste and budget. Not only does FTI offer a wide range of choices, but they also provide great deals and discounts. By choosing to book with them, you can save money without compromising on quality. It’s like getting the best of both worlds! Moreover, customer satisfaction is at the core of what they do. The dedicated team at FTI goes above and beyond to ensure that all your queries are answered promptly and any issues are resolved efficiently. Trustworthiness is key when it comes to online bookings. With years of experience in the industry, FTI has built a solid reputation as a reliable travel partner who puts their customers first.

Choose Bookings With FTI Website

With its user-friendly interface, wide range of hotels and flights, and commitment to customer satisfaction, the FTI website proves to be a reliable platform for all your travel needs. Whether you’re planning a family vacation or a business trip, FTI offers convenience at your fingertips. By choosing FTI for your hotel reservations, you gain access to an extensive selection of accommodations across various destinations. From budget-friendly options to luxurious resorts, there is something for every traveler’s preference and budget. The detailed descriptions and photos provided on the website allow you to make informed decisions about where you will stay during your trip. When it comes to flight bookings, FTI ensures that you have access to competitive prices from different airlines. By comparing multiple options side by side, finding the most convenient flight schedule becomes effortless. Plus, with their secure payment system and reliable customer support team available 24/7, booking your flights through FTI gives you peace of mind throughout the entire process. In addition to these features, what sets FTI apart is its dedication to providing exceptional customer service. Their team of travel experts are always ready to assist you in any way possible – whether it’s answering queries about hotel amenities or helping with changes in flight plans – ensuring that your experience with them is smooth and hassle-free. So why choose anything other than FTI? Unlock a world of convenience in hotel and flight reservations by utilizing their easy-to-navigate website and taking advantage of their comprehensive offerings. Start planning your next getaway today with confidence knowing that when it comes time for booking accommodation or flights – there’s no better choice than trusting in the expertise offered by this reputable company!

You Might Also Like

Alamo Website Review: A Seamless Experience in Renting a Car

The Hostel Experience: How Staying in Shared Accommodations Enhances Your Travels

How Agoda Revolutionizes the Way We Book Flights and Hotels: A Comprehensive Guide

• Çerez Politikası
• Gizlilik İlkeleri

Europe's giant travel group FTI on the brink of bankruptcy

Faced with financial difficulties, FTI, Europe's third largest travel group, is on the verge of bankruptcy.

Faced with financial difficulties, FTI, Europe's third largest travel group, reported an operating loss of EUR 91.5 million, despite an annual turnover of EUR 3.7 billion, and its equity ratio fell to 2.4 percent.

Although FTI's continuity is described as secured, it is under a high debt burden and at risk of bankruptcy. According to the Association of German Travel Agents (DRV), FTI is protected against bankruptcy by the German Travel Guarantee Fund. However, the risk of not being able to pay the high debts and the company's inability to pay the maximum nine per cent security deposit required to be deposited into the fund show the seriousness of the situation.

The German Consumer Advice Centre North Rhine-Westphalia has stated that payments for purchased package holidays will usually be refunded in the event of the tour operator's bankruptcy, while the German Federal Association of Independent Travel Agents (VUSR) has requested more transparency about FTI's financial situation and booking development.

However, Angela Winter, spokesperson for FTI, Europe's third largest travel group, said in a statement that the sales growth achieved in the past fiscal year and the double-digit increase in summer bookings are promising for the future of the company.

FTI, which employs more than 11,000 people in total in tour operators, incoming travel agencies and its own hotels operating to 120 destinations worldwide, also had problems in repaying the 595 million Euros loan provided by the government in Germany during the pandemic period, and held talks with groups that could buy the company in order to repay these debts, and in that context, it also met with the DER group.

• ALTERNATIVE TOURISM
• COMPANY NEWS
• TOURISM DESTINATION
• Biographies
• News of the Day
• Newspapers Archive

Sitemizde bulunan yazı , video, fotoğraf ve haberlerin her hakkı Turizm Medya Yayın Grubu'na aitttir. İzinsiz veya kaynak gösterilmeden kullanılamaz.

Activity Options

Sample Itineraries

Custom itineraries built for your program.

Accomplish your vision by collaborating with FTI to build a custom faculty-led program that engages students through academic, cultural & interactive activities. FTI works with educational institutions across the country to develop academically-enriched itineraries for J-term, Maymester & summer study abroad; alternative spring breaks; service-learning projects; & grad programs.

International Study Programs

Offer a global perspective on your curriculum by adding components that help students expand their knowledge of the subject area & enhance their problem solving, critical thinking & communication skills (interpersonal, foreign language & non-verbal).

Together, we can build academically-enriched itineraries that include: lectures & professional networking events, business site visits, round table discussions, interviews with locals & behind-the-scenes access to a variety of venues. Send us your course proposal to start building your international program.

Global Awareness

Create a tour that engages students from multiple disciplines & cultivates tolerance toward cultural differences. Incorporate a cross-disciplinary view of a region with topics such as: history, art, cuisine, health, politics, culture, economics & of the process of globalization itself.

Groups can choose to take the path less travelled to develop students’ cultural competency by exploring local neighborhoods to connect with their people. Enjoy hands-on experiences with regional cooking, dance or music classes, or learn to make local products (such as: perfume, paper lanterns, or artwork).

Service-Learning Projects

Partner with us to turn students' classroom knowledge into real-world, hands-on experience while offering the opportunity to give back to communities in need.

Design a unique service-learning program that will enhance their leadership, communication & professional skills. Students work side-by-side with local NGOs, gaining an appreciation for new problem-solving approaches & learning to collaborate with people from other cultures in an atmosphere of respect, open-mindedness & understanding.

Start planning your custom faculty-led program today!

Let us know if you need more ideas or if you have an itinerary ready to go.

Custom Itinerary Options

 Whether you have an approved program, a dream for the future, or are somewhere in the middle, FTI is here to help get your study tour off the ground. A travel advisor will partner with you to create a custom package that can include: group flights, guided experiences, accommodations, transfers, coach/rail, meals & travel insurance. Let us know if you need help brainstorming activities to compliment your curriculum.

Our custom itineraries provide a blend of education, exploration, and unforgettable experiences.

Explore fascinating museums, iconic landmarks, and historical sites. See the beauty of natural wonders and engage in meaningful experiences through service-learning or volunteer activities, connecting with local communities. Immerse your students in local culture by securing tickets to exciting events, whether it's cheering at sports matches or enjoying live music.

Engage your students with a variety of interactive components. Let them try their hands at cooking local dishes, ziplining in the rainforest, trying a local dance, taking a photo safari, making local products (such as: perfume, paper lanterns, or grass mats) & more.

Students can gain a global perspective on their coursework by attending lectures & professional networking events; conducting interviews with local people for use as primary sources; engaging with local students; or visiting an organization's headquarters to meet with professionals in their field.

We can also arrange all kinds of exclusive, behind-the-scenes activities such as: spending the night in the prison on South Africa's Robbin Island, hosted by Nelson Mandela's warden; participating in an archeological dig-for-a-day in Israel; or learning about a geisha's life from an insider in Japan.

Ready to take the next step?

Take a look at some ideas for your field of study or contact us to start the planning process.

Fellowship Travel International

Connect with Us

Privacy Policy

Get a Quote

Inside the Literary Travel Boom

Book butlers! Curated libraries! Custom cruises! Literary-themed vacations are the hot new trend in tourism.

In January, when packing my bags for a “reading retreat” in the Dominican Republic, I agonized about which books to bring. A few days later, bellied up to the beachside bar at the all-inclusive Dreams Macao Beach Punta Cana resort (where, in place of barstools, swings are suspended from the thatched ceiling), I sipped a mojito, cracked open James Salter’s Light Years, a novel I reread annually, and knew that I’d chosen well.

But if I’d had any regrets, summoning a new paperback would’ve been as easy as ringing for a book butler. I was down in the DR to experience Pages in Paradise, a collaboration between the publisher Penguin Random House, Belletrist Book Club (the brainchild of actress Emma Roberts), and Apple Vacations (no relation to the iPhone maker). For readers who like to beach, the retreat left no page unturned. The programming kicked off even before check-in: Ahead of arrival, guests could log in to the resort’s app to reserve beach reads from an on-site library curated by Belletrist. Housed in the airy hotel lobby, the collection included buzzy contemporary fiction by the likes of Zadie Smith and Curtis Sittenfeld. Guests could also order books via room service (or personal butler) anytime or select one from the chic library carts located at the adults-only pool. The property’s various bars featured the “Pages Pour,” a specialty cocktail themed to the program’s inaugural book-of-the-month selection, Jenny Xie’s debut novel, Holding Pattern . They called the drink a gin-fashioned—a fruit-forward riff on the old-fashioned, zippy with pineapple-cinnamon syrup.

Exotic as this tropical gathering of book lovers might have been, it’s just one example of a fast-growing business trend: literary-themed travel. We have the pandemic to thank. Reading surged in the early days of Covid, and the habit stuck as lockdowns eased: The biggest two years on record for print book sales in the U.S. were 2021 and 2022. Hotels and tourism companies, eager to lure back travelers, seized on the surge and began featuring books in their marketing. What began as a travel perk has become a full-blown movement to cater to readers with an explosion of new programming, from big-ticket experiences promising author access to solitary retreats. I know, I know—planning a trip around your reading list may never replace your annual golf weekend, but when else will you get the time to actually enjoy that stack on your nightstand? And if it all sounds like giving yourself homework, don’t worry—there definitely won’t be a quiz, and did I mention the drinks?

As a professional book recommender, the question I’m asked most often is “What book should I bring on my vacation?” ​But now there’s a new question to consider: What kind of literary vacation should I plan?

Not every reader is content to lie by the pool and read for days on end. Some are looking for a more kinetic experience—one that lets them interact with fellow readers, and even their favorite writers. Enter the “ Gone Girl cruise.” In fall 2022, author Gillian Flynn set sail down the Danube with some of her biggest (and most well-heeled) fans as part of Avalon Waterways’ Storyteller Series, cruises that offer literary travelers a chance to voyage in close quarters with authors and other storytellers. When Flynn tweeted about the cruise, it quickly became a viral sensation. On-board accounts detailed a true-crime extravaganza, with guests returning to their rooms each night to discover blood-spattered notes, themed to Flynn’s novels, on their pillows. Sure, it’s a little dorky—but we’re all fans of something, and if crime novels are your thing, what could be better?

For readers who can’t splash out for getaways abroad, there are literary destinations closer to home, too. In the artsy hamlet of New Hope, Pennsylvania, the historic luxury hotel River House at Odette’s offers Riverside Reading, a program that pairs complimentary access to a curated library (via digital app or hard copies throughout the hotel) with intimate author experiences. With bookshelves stationed on each floor and authors rolling through seasonally, guests can dip in and out of the programming as they please.

When I visited River House deep in the grips of a harsh Pennsylvania winter, I discovered a reader’s paradise: My room boasted a fireplace, a private balcony, and serene views of the rushing Delaware River. After turndown service, I found a keepsake leather bookmark on my pillow. That evening, a few dozen guests gathered for a talkback with the novelist Jean Hanff Korelitz. In a ballroom festooned with red carnations (a nod to the cover of her latest book, The Latecomers ), Korelitz fielded rapid-fire questions about her inspiration, her writing process, and her hit novel The Plot . After the formal conversation concluded, starstruck guests crowded around her at the bar. “When people come up to you and say, ‘I loved your book,’ that really means something to writers,” Korelitz told me. As the owner of BookTheWriter, a service connecting authors and readers through pop-up book clubs hosted in New York City apartments, Korelitz knows a thing or two about making connections. In the recent boom of literary travel experiences, she sees a broader post-pandemic trend of readers craving the chance to get up close and personal with their favorite writers. “The ways of access to authors have multiplied exponentially,” she said. “I find it to be very inspiring.”

For an early-career author like Xie, who was at Pages in Paradise, seeing her novel highlighted was both exciting and transformative. That’s the thing about literary travel—it allows us to transcend our ordinary lives in more ways than one. “There’s a certain sense that we don’t have the space to read unless we’re traveling or living outside of our day-to-day,” said Xie. “A book takes you outside of your physical environment and your lived experience. Travel does that, too, so they join together in this really beautiful way to truly transport you.” That’s a journey worth taking.

HOW TO PLAN YOUR OWN LITERARY VACATION

Ready to take off on a bookish getaway? Literary travel isn’t “one size fits all,” so whatever type of reader you are, we’ve got a prescription for it. Choose your own adventure below.

For the fan

The Gone Girl cruise is over, but Avalon Waterways isn’t slowing down anytime soon: Its upcoming slate of Storyteller Cruises includes actor Graham McTavish (sailing down the Rhine River) and Outlander phenom Diana Gabaldon (voyaging down the Danube).

For the R&R chaser

Looking for a more relaxed experience? At the Reeds at Shelter Haven, an upscale resort on the Jersey shore, guests can participate in Reeds’ Reads, a seasonal book club featuring guided discussions, with authors sometimes joining via Zoom for Q&A sessions.

For the aspiring writer

Chances are, your favorite author is side-hustling by leading retreats in pastoral Europe. To get in on the action, pay close attention to their social-media feeds, or search for guided trips through an experiential-tourism outlet like TrovaTrip.

@media(max-width: 73.75rem){.css-1ktbcds:before{margin-right:0.4375rem;color:#FF3A30;content:'_';display:inline-block;}}@media(min-width: 64rem){.css-1ktbcds:before{margin-right:0.5625rem;color:#FF3A30;content:'_';display:inline-block;}} Esquire Travels

The Best New Hotels in the World 2024

The Lafayette Is Our 2024 New Hotel of the Year

Why the Expensive Suitcase Reigns Supreme

The 6 Best New Hotels in Charleston

The Tiniest Town in Every State

Inside NYC's Most Expensive Hotel

Nine Orchard Is Our 2023 New Hotel of the Year

Las Ventanas al Paraíso, A Rosewood Resort Review

Our Favorite Hotels of All Time

The Best New Hotels in North America and Beyond

Welcome to Miami’s Most Non-Miami Bar

Las Vegas Sphere: Ultimate guide to seats, prices and how to see Dead Forever in 2024

Competing for attention in Las Vegas with neon signs, billboards and mega-resorts that resemble European palaces and Egyptian pyramids is no easy feat.

But an eight-month-old orb with a talent for shapeshifting is stealing a little of their thunder.

Sphere at The Venetian Resort , an entertainment venue that opened September 2023 just off the Las Vegas Strip , has garnered much attention since its debut for its immersive audio-visual experiences.

See the 366-foot-tall venue from the outside at night and it captivates people for its ability to project images from its exterior shell (also called the Exosphere) containing 580,000 square feet of LED lights, whether it's the Earth, the surface of Mars, a blinking eye, or an emoji. It developed a reputation for causing traffic gridlock since the projections began last year during the Fourth of July.

Inside, the venue's 160,000-square-foot display with 16K by 16K resolution displays immersive visuals, backed by the world's largest beamforming audio system, according to The Venetian .

If you're planning a trip to Las Vegas, check our guides on the best ways to get there from Phoenix , free things to do , which hotels offer free parking , and how to check for bedbugs in hotels .

If you can't get to Vegas just yet, the newly opened Caesars Republic Scottsdale hotel and upcoming VAI Resort in Glendale offer the luxury of Vegas in the Valley, though neither has a casino.

Here's everything to know about the Las Vegas Sphere.

What is the Sphere in Las Vegas?

Described on its website as "a next-generation entertainment medium that is redefining the future of live entertainment," Sphere is an immersive venue that uses haptics (seats that can move and vibrate), atmospheric simulations and visual effects to "transport audiences to places real and imagined."

The Sphere Experience, the main attraction inside the Sphere, is a two-part attraction. The first part, guided by a humanoid robot called Aura, includes a 360-degree avatar capture and a 50-foot-high holographic installation.

The second part is a viewing of an immersive film called "Postcard From Earth" by director Darren Aronofsky on Sphere's largest, highest-definition screen. "Postcard From Earth" is described as part nature documentary, part science fiction movie.

Sphere has also hosted concerts, with U2 inaugurating it with a 40-show residency that launched on Sept. 29, 2023. Sporting events are coming as well: UFC President Dana White said in February that he booked Sphere for UFC 306, scheduled for Sept. 14, 2024.

Where is the Sphere in Las Vegas?

Sphere is at the intersection of Sands Avenue and Koval Lane, just off the Las Vegas Strip and about 1 mile east of The Venetian.

Its address is 255 Sands Ave., Las Vegas.

Who owns the Sphere in Las Vegas?

Sphere is owned by Sphere Entertainment Co., which was spun off from Madison Square Garden Entertainment in April 2023.

Can you go inside the Vegas Sphere?

Yes, but it will cost you. Every guest must have a ticket for a show to enter the Sphere.

How many people does the Sphere hold? 

Sphere can seat 17,500 people and has a standing room capacity of 20,000, according to The Venetian .

Do the seats move in the Sphere? 

Of the Sphere's 17,500 seats, 10,000 of them are described as "haptic seats," or seats that are capable of moving and vibrating.

Where are the bad seats in the Sphere? 

Any seats with an overhang of upper levels will obstruct the view of the stage and/or screen.

USA Today's 10Best suggests avoiding certain seats in the far right and far left sections in the 100 level, where rows 30 and higher are completely obstructed by the overhang.

The 200, 300 and 400 levels offer the best seats.

How long does the Sphere Experience last? 

The Sphere Experience lasts just under two hours, with 60 minutes for the interactive experiences and 50 minutes for the "Postcard From Earth" film.

How long will U2 be at the Sphere?

U2 played the final show of its U2:UV Achtung Baby Live at Sphere residency on March 2, 2024.

Who is performing at the Sphere in 2024? 

After U2's residency ended, the jam band Phish became the second music act to play Sphere. Their four-show residency ran April 18-21.

Members of Dead & Company, a spinoff of the Grateful Dead featuring former members Bob Weir and Mickey Hart along with singer and guitarist John Mayer, will perform a 24-show Sphere residency called Dead Forever. The residency, which runs from May 16 to July 13, will begin a year after their final tour made a stop in Phoenix .

How much does it cost to go to Sphere Vegas?

It depends on the show and what day you plan to visit.

The Sphere Experience starts at $79 per person during the week and $99 per person on weekends.

Tickets for Dead & Company's Dead Forever residency start at $145 per person.

Is the Sphere worth going to?

Sphere has attracted an assortment of highly positive and highly negative reviews from travelers.

It has a user rating of 4.3 out of 5 stars on Google. One user, Phillipe Beaumier , called Sphere "a once in a lifetime experience" and described the immersive audio and visual as "so incredible, you feel like you are part of the travel!"

Tripadvisor users gave Sphere more mixed reviews, with an overall rating of 3 out of 5 stars. Most of its bad reviews were critical of the message of the "Postcard From Earth" film in the Sphere Experience.

A one-star review from a Tripadvisor user named Kathryn W. expressed disappointment with the Sphere Experience's humanoid robots and how "a couple of robots that are comparable to (Amazon's virtual assistant) Alexa can't answer a question." Kathryn added that the moving seats "could be mistaken for someone kicking the back of your chair."

Michael Salerno is an award-winning journalist who’s covered travel and tourism since 2014. His work as The Arizona Republic’s consumer travel reporter aims to help readers navigate the stresses of traveling and get the best value for their money on their vacations. He can be reached at  [email protected] . Follow him on X, formerly Twitter:  @salerno_phx .

Support local journalism.   Subscribe to  azcentral.com  today.

• Travel Guides

First Timer’s Travel Guide to Moscow & Saint Petersburg

Russia is this vast, diverse, and magnificent land that many international travellers dream of visiting. The capital city Moscow and the second largest city in the country St Petersburg are, in particular, one of the most magical and interesting cities in the world you can visit all year-round. That is why today we decided to focus yours and our attention to both cities. Learn how to explore them properly if you are a first-time visitor. How to ensure that you make the most of your visit. What to expect, etc.

The Kremlin, Moscow

Despite the fact that even a month or two will not be enough to explore Moscow or St Petersburg to the fullest and enjoy everything these amazing cities have to offer, not many of us have the luck to spend such a long time abroad. We would provide you with some recommendations and ideas you can totally make happen within a 4-day itinerary in Moscow and a 4-day itinerary in St Petersburg.

St Petersburg

In addition, please note that the majority of the international and continental flights are to the capital city Moscow that is a home to the biggest and most popular airport in the country. So Moscow will be the starting point of your over a week-long journey to Russia. Let’s discuss some of the basics you should know and prepare for!

The first thing you have to do when planning to visit Russia is applying for a visa. There are only a few countries in the world that are to require a visa when visiting the country. In the majority of the cases, you should have one in order to visit the country. Be prepared for your visa application by making sure you own and can provide a proof of arrival and departure dates, and an invitation letter from either a tour provider or an accommodation booked.

Make sure to check out the website of your country’s government for additional requirements and papers needed. The easiest way to get an invitation letter from an accommodation is by booking a major hotel chain. They are more used to dealing with international visitors and will assist and support you throughout the process, providing you with everything you need for entering the country. Please keep in mind that the application process can take up to a few weeks and you have to send your original passport away, so make sure you don’t need it during this time.

However, there is one way to visit St Petersburg for three days visa-free. This happens if you arrive by ferry or cruise ship when you will be allowed to arrive and stay in the city for 72 hours without applying for a visa. This is the only way and a great option to visit one of the most magnificent and impressive cities in Russia without going through the whole visa application process that can be pretty overwhelming, indeed.

Well, Russian language is not the most popular in the world, despite the fact it is spoken by a big number of people, who are citizens not only of the country but also of the ex-USSR. Chances are, you are not familiar with the language and with the Cyrillic alphabet used in the country, where you will find that the majority of the signs around the cities are in Cyrillic, which can make it harder for you to find your way around, but also a great bunch of the names of many international brands and companies. In addition, once you get to Russia you will find out that English is definitely not widely-spoken by the general population, even in big cities such as Moscow and St Petersburg, where most of the people, no matter their age, will speak little to no English.

However, don’t be afraid that you will get lost or in trouble. Let Google Translate, hand gestures, and a little common sense make all the hard work and you will be ok. Keep in mind that having an Internet connection on your phone all the time will be very helpful for finding your way around. In addition, many restaurants in the main tourist areas in both cities have an English menu you can ask for, while the same applies to the maps and brochures of the major tourist attractions.

Getting Around

Both Moscow and St Petersburg have an awful traffic, which means that taxis can cost you a lot. Buses and cars can take a long time when traffic is at its full potential and in order to save yourself some time and coins. We highly recommend you using the metro/underground systems in both cities. Moscow’s metro system is simply amazing. It has a huge network of interconnecting lines that will help you get around and across the city very efficiently.

Make sure to grab a map of the Moscow’s metro, which will make it very easy to navigate, plus the stations are announced in English. In addition, using the metro is incredibly cheap and it will get you anywhere in the city for less than $1. Moscow’s metro is also known for some of the most beautiful and spectacular metro stations in the world that are definitely worth visiting as amazing tourist attractions of their own.

The metro is St Petersburg isn’t nearly as extensive as the Moscow’s one and the stations are more spread out. In this case, you can take advantage of the Uber service in the city and explore St Petersburg by ordering an Uber driver that will cost you significantly cheaper than a taxi. Thanks to the big number of drivers available, you will be able to find a free car very quickly. However, considering the fact that St Petersburg is more touristy and most of the main sights are located in what is called the Golden Triangle, you can easily explore the main tourist attractions by foot. There are also sightseeing buses and canal transports that will take you all along and around the main sights in St Petersburg.

The Russian currency is Russian ruble and you can expect to spend a lot of it because both Moscow and St Petersburg are pretty expensive cities with a higher standard and cost of living. Knowing that both cities are generally pretty expensive will help you plan that fact into your budget and consider some way to spend money if you are not travelling with a limitless budget. For example, make sure to choose a hotel that is in the outskirts of the city and in a short walking distance from a metro station. This way you can save a huge amount of money compared to a hotel in the city centre and you can also save on travel time. If you are student do not forget to take your valid student ID with you since some attractions and museums are offering a student discount.

Tickets and Attractions

When it comes to tickets for shows, museums, and attractions, the best way is to buy them beforehand. This way you can save time and not wait in hours-long lines, you can even benefit from an online purchase discount, and most importantly – you can make sure that your place and visit is reserved since many attractions in Russia sell a limited amount of tickets per day. There are some places that are very popular and tickets can sell out weeks in advance. An online purchase will help you figure out what and when you can visit, and you can plan your tour better and more effectively.

The weather in Moscow and St Petersburg can be pretty unpredictable all year-round. Because of that make sure to pack a variety of clothes for all seasons, dress in layers, and don’t take the weather forecast for the day as a final promise. Make sure to always take an umbrella or a raincoat with you. For women, bringing a scarf can be very useful for a practical reason, but also because some churches and cathedrals in Russia expect you to cover your hair with a scarf.

If you are a foodie, you will be happy to know that Russia has its very own and unique cuisine and we highly recommend you trying out some of the most popular dishes in the country including the Russian dumplings pierogi, the infamous Russian salads such as Olivie, Mimoza, and Seliodka pod shuba, etc. However, if you are not willing to try out the local cuisine, there are many international restaurants and familiar fast food chains in both cities Moscow and St Petersburg.

Things to Do and Places to See

Both Moscow and St Petersburg are cities that offer a lot to be seen, explored, experienced, and enjoyed. Some of the most important, stunning, and exciting sights in Moscow: the Red Square, where you can visit the St. Basil’s Cathedral and the GUM Department Store. The Kremlin that contains the Great Bell Tower. The Tsar Bell, Tsar Cannon, several cathedrals, gardens, and the Armory Chamber. Arbat Street is the most touristic street in Moscow with a lot of places to eat, plenty of shops to buy, and all the souvenirs you can ever imagine and want to take home with you.

St. Basil’s Cathedral

The metro stations, despite the fact that they are one of the busiest in the world, are definitely very clean and beautifully constructed and ornamented. Izmaylovsky Flea Market is just a few metro stations away from the centre. It is a great place to get to know the Russian culture and everyday life while shopping for some more authentic and interesting souvenirs. Sparrow Hill is one of the highest spots in Moscow and offers some great views of the modern city, plus it is the location of the Lomonosov Moscow State University.

Saint Petersburg is often referred to as one of the most beautiful and stunning cities not only in Russia but in the whole world. It has plenty of unique sights and magnificent things to see in the city. If your time is limited you should make sure to cover at least the highlights. The Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood, since its exterior and interior, are equally breath-taking.

The Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood

Hop on a canal cruise to explore the city from a different perspective. Visit Kazan Cathedral and St. Isaac’s Cathedral, where you can go inside and also climb the stairs to the top and enjoy some stunning views of the city. The Palace Square, which is home to the Winter Palace, which was the lavish residence of the Russian monarchs and is nowadays a part of the Hermitage Museum.

Kazan Cathedral

Of course, visiting Saint Petersburg without visiting the Hermitage Museum is like going to Rome and not seeing the Pope. The Hermitage is one of the largest and most spectacular museums in the world and a day is not enough to explore each and every one of its nooks and corners. When in the city, you can also visit the Peter and Paul Fortress, the Peterhof Palace.

Despite the fact that media loves to sensationalise the negative stories in Russia and the fact that the country is often portrayed as a pretty unsafe place by the western media, the chances of you getting into a trouble, feel threatened, or in a danger are as minimal as possible. However, keep in mind that some things are rather recommended not to do, for example taking a picture of any government, military or security building. Despite not forbidden, you better use your camera for capturing some more exciting moments. In addition, always bring a photocopy of your passport and visa with you, since police can demand you to legitimize yourself anytime.

Tags: Russia Travel Guides

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published.

Current ye@r *

Leave this field empty

• Next story 6 Must-Visit Places in Wales
• Previous story Travelling the World with Electrical Devices

You may also like...

Paris – The Most Romantic City in The World

July 5, 2017

 by advancedholidays · Published July 5, 2017 · Last modified July 27, 2018

Solo Travel in Thailand

November 3, 2017

 by advancedholidays · Published November 3, 2017 · Last modified July 27, 2018

Cyprus Travel Guide

March 23, 2018

 by advancedholidays · Published March 23, 2018 · Last modified July 27, 2018

• Travel Deals
• Travel Destinations
• Travel Tips
• World Cuisine

I spent $2,000 for 7 nights in a 179-square-foot room on one of the world's largest cruise ships. Take a look inside my cabin.

• I booked a stateroom on Royal Caribbean's Wonder of the Seas, one of the biggest cruise ships.
• For $2,000 a week, the 179-square-foot cabin had a private bathroom, a king-size bed, and a view.
• I thought I'd feel cramped in the room, but it had everything I needed and left no space unused.

In April 2022, I cruised on board Royal Caribbean's Wonder of the Seas . At the time, it was the largest cruise ship in the world , but the title has since been replaced by Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas .

During my voyage, the ship sailed to Roatán, Honduras; Cozumel and Costa Maya in Mexico; and Royal Caribbean's private island in the Bahamas .

For $2,000, I spent seven nights in an ocean-view stateroom on deck eight. The cruise was on sale, as it was originally priced at $3,000. Take a look inside the 179-square-foot space.

My room was a mid-tier cabin at the front of deck eight.

I booked a mid-tier room — a step above interior staterooms , which have no window. It's a category below staterooms with a balcony , and two steps below a suite.

My cabin was on the same deck as Central Park, an outdoor space with 20,000 plants.

I thought it was the most relaxing area on the ship, so I enjoyed being close by.

When I stepped inside my stateroom, I was surprised at how big it felt.

Right away, I thought the cabin made great use of a small space.

To operate most of the electricity in the room, I had to insert my room key into a slot on the wall.

I appreciated the energy-saving system.

On one side of the room, I had a mirror and a desk with several outlets to charge electronics with USB, American, and European ports.

I thought the desk was useful for eating, as well as storing daily flyers about the day's events.

Next to the desk, a set of drawers included a cabinet with a minifridge inside.

The desk drawers were mostly empty aside from a hair dryer, which I didn't end up using.

Across from the desk, I had a couch positioned in between two closets.

Inside each closet, I found a rack of hangers, shelving, and a small safe. I thought it was plenty of space for a weeklong journey

Next to the couch and desk area, a small bathroom used clever storage hacks, like placing the trash can and toilet paper under the counter.

In the bathroom, there were two glasses, a bar of soap, and a two-in-one hair and body wash.

At the top of the shower, a pullout clothing line was useful for drying my bathing suits.

Each night, my stateroom attendant replenished towels and brought flyers and schedules for the next day.

Sometimes, the towels were folded creatively to look like animals.

I noticed that my king-size bed at the back of the room was actually two twin beds pushed together.

All Royal Caribbean cabins come with this configuration, according to its website , so they may be separated for additional guests. I often woke up in the crevice.

A large flat-screen TV was mounted across from the bed with storage hooks below.

Skinny nightstands on either side of the bed held lamps, charging ports, and a room phone on one side.

Because I booked an ocean-view room, I was able to look out over the front of the ship from a window above my bed.

The window was equipped with an electronic shade that could be opened during the day for grand views and closed when I was ready to sleep.

While I thought the room might have been a tight space for a couple with a lot of luggage or a family, it was just right for me.

And watching the sun rise over the Caribbean Sea from the comfort of my room was the best part.

• Main content

trending now

Ariana Biermann slams Kim Zolciak's clickbait post implying Kroy...

Kim Kardashian wants Taylor Swift to 'move on' from feud after...

Kyle Richards' daughter Farrah shaken after her home is...

Mary Cosby speaks out after allegedly calling Lisa Barlow's son...

'Breadwinner' Brittany Cartwright says she fought with Jax Taylor...

Jon Bon Jovi admits he hasn't 'been a saint' in 34-year marriage...

Travis Kelce hilariously reacts to Taylor Swift and Justin...

Kim Kardashian requires assistants to do this bizarre task before...

• Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
• Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
• Click to copy URL

Inside Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos’ ‘magical’ Morocco getaway

• View Author Archive
• Follow on Twitter
• Get author RSS feed

Thanks for contacting us. We've received your submission.

Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos are taking fans inside their luxurious getaway to Tangier, Morocco.

The “Live with Kelly and Mark” stars, both 53, took to social media over the weekend to share pics from their relaxing vacation and luxurious accommodations at the Villa Mabrouka .

“Scenes from a magical weekend,” Ripa wrote via her Instagram Stories, sharing a stunning view of the ocean, flowers and palm trees.

Ripa also included plenty of pics from the luxury hotel they stayed at, which starts at $530 per night . One of the snaps showcased the entryway with its black-and-white checkered floors and a gorgeous stained glass chandelier hanging from the grand white ceiling.

The longtime television personality was even able to sneak in a mirror selfie in the entryway that showed her smiling while wearing in a casual athleisure outfit.

Of course, Ripa’s posts also included plenty of pictures of her and her husband of 28 years enjoying their escape from reality.

When the duo weren’t staying at the hotel, they ventured to the Tangier American Legation –– America’s “oldest diplomatic property” and museum.

Consuelos appeared to also be taking photos while walking around the garden and taking in the stunning views.

After exploring during the day, the couple got all dolled up to attend a party at the hotel’s terrace restaurant, L’Orangerie.

Ripa wore an ivory blazer over a white dress, while Consuelos opted for a long white T-shirt under a tan blazer and tan pants.

For more Page Six you love…

• Listen to our weekly “We Hear” podcast
• Shop our exclusive merch

The long white dining table at the bash seemed to be set for around 50 guests and had small table lamps and vases with white flowers running down the center.

The Villa Mabrouka opened its doors last spring and has just 12 rooms in the entire property, which once belonged to famed fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent.

The hotel includes views of the Mediterranean Sea, two crystalline swimming pools, three restaurants and access to garden pavilions where you are “transported immediately into the feeling of paradise,” according to their website.

Ripa made it back in time for Monday’s live taping of “Live with Kelly and Mark.” However, Andy Cohen filled in for Consuelos, who hopped on a different flight to visit Italian soccer team Campobasso 1919 in Molise, Italy.

The co-hosts are no strangers to sharing social media posts from their extravagant vacations over the years. In September, the “All My Children” alums took their three children –– Michael, 26, Lola, 22, and Joaquin, 21 –– to a tropical destination to celebrate the end of summer.

Share this article:

Advertisement

2018 Primetime Emmy & James Beard Award Winner

R&K Insider

Join our newsletter to get exclusives on where our correspondents travel, what they eat, where they stay. Free to sign up.

A History of Moscow in 13 Dishes

Featured city guides.

Radiators fail once more: Moscow suburbs residents appeal to Putin

R esidents across the Moscow suburbs are besieged by a heating problem, for which they plead direct intervention from President Vladimir Putin. These individuals have yet to experience any semblance of home heating since winter started due to a dwindling supply of heating oil. The issue, one largely avoided by local authority communication, has left residents desperate to the point of directly appealing to the president.

While plots have been uncovered to disrupt Ukraine's infrastructure for a second consecutive winter, thus depriving civilians of heating, it seems Russians are now mired in their crisis. Irony drips from the fact that those under Putin's leadership are looking to cause turmoil in Ukraine, yet at home, they face a similar predicament.

Many dwellings within the Moscow agglomeration are presently without heat. The capital's residents are desperate, directly appealing to President Putin due to a perceived lack of alternate avenues for assistance. The absence of suitable heating functionality since winter commenced pushes them towards desperation with no relief in sight.

This seems improbable, but in Russia, it appears that anything can happen.

It remains uncertain if Vladimir Putin is actively addressing the heating crisis. Some experts suggest that Russia's heating oil reserves are depleting, which negatively affects residents' quality of life. Plagued by cold radiators and plummeting winter temperatures, these citizens have directly addressed their pleas to their head of state.

This heating crisis is happening in Elektrostal, a town approximately 71 miles from Moscow.

Ironically, Russia has constantly aimed to destroy the Ukrainian infrastructure since war broke out, deliberately trying to leave Ukrainians without heating during the harsh winters, aiming to break their strong will. It's an irony they now struggle with a domestic heating crisis, particularly near Moscow, their largest and most pivotal city.

Desperate individuals are reaching out to Vladimir Putin. They question his knowledge of the heating infrastructure conditions in the Moscow suburbs and the dire situations residents face there. Sundown brings no relief from the harsh Russian winter and without heating, their houses turn cold. With elections nearing, more and more residents find themselves reaching out directly to their president.

"Since winter's start, we've been without heating. This has been a yearly occurrence for the past three years. Despite paying for heating, we don't have enough. We implore you, help us!" - these are the desperate pleas from the heavily dressed populace dealing with the Russian winter conditions.

Experts attribute the heating oil shortage to international sanctions and surging demands for diesel fuel, pivotal to military operations. Russia now grapples with a dearth of raw materials essential for boiler and heating plant operation. As supplies dwindle, houses grow cold with little hope of any immediate corrective intervention.

It would be adequate if the war ceased, residents were prioritized, and attention accorded to their welfare.

Russians report Ukrainian drone shot down near Moscow

Putin faces strategic dilemma in prolonged Ukrainian war

Former Ukrainian deputy Kywa assassinated in Moscow amidst war tensions

• Share full article

Advertisement

Supported by

Inside the Late-Night Parties Where Hawaii Politicians Raked In Money

After the state passed a law barring government contractors from donating to politicians, fund-raising parties showed just how completely the reform effort failed.

By Blaze Lovell ,  Eric Sagara and Irene Casado Sanchez

The reporters examined campaign contributions and government contracts for this article, part of a series about loopholes in Hawaii’s pay-to-play laws, for The Times’s Local Investigations Fellowship .

For the better part of a decade, some of Hawaii’s most powerful people huddled together at late-night parties in a cramped second-floor office where lobbyists and executives seeking government contracts lined up to drop cash and checks into a metal lockbox.

That was the entry fee for these extraordinary political fund-raisers. Inside the office, just a short walk from the State Capitol in downtown Honolulu, dozens of guests were served sushi prepared by professional chefs and unlimited beer and liquor.

At the end of the night, Wesley Yonamine, the host and a high-ranking airport official, would, together with the politicians, pop open the box and dole out campaign contributions according to a list of pledges obtained before each event.

As described by attendees, a typical party could bring in thousands of dollars in donations, giving some elected officials almost half their annual campaign haul in a single night.

It was not supposed to work this way. In 2005, in response to a series of scandals, Hawaii passed a law that barred government contractors from giving money to politicians. It was billed as one of the nation’s most ambitious efforts to end pay-to-play in contracting and designed to fundamentally change the political culture of a state steeped in corruption.

But legislators wrote a loophole into the law, effectively gutting it: The ban would apply only to donations from the actual corporate entities that got contracts, but not to their owners, employees or any related businesses.

Mr. Yonamine’s parties illustrated just how completely the reform effort failed.

Today, Hawaii is reeling from its latest government corruption scandal, with state officials accused of taking bribes from Milton Choy, a prominent businessman who wore a wire for at least a year as part of a deal with the federal government.

But that is just one glimpse of the role money plays in politics here.

An examination of Hawaii’s contracting system by The New York Times and Honolulu Civil Beat offers a detailed look at the workings of a state known for favoritism and patronage, a culture where big companies with ties to politicians have historically dominated.

“Pay-to-play is woven into the DNA of the statehood of Hawaii,” said Camron Hurt, director of Common Cause Hawaii, a watchdog group. He pointed to the 1893 overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom that led to an “oligarchy” of businessmen, sugar barons and large landowners lasting decades. The industries involved had close ties to the ruling political parties well into the 1960s and 1970s, when Hawaii’s campaign finance regulations were written.

A Times and Civil Beat analysis of campaign donations and contracts found that since 2006 — the year the pay-to-play law went into place — people tied to government contractors have provided a remarkable percentage of the money fueling state and local politics. They have given state and local Hawaii politicians more than $24 million: about one-fifth of all donations made. Of that total, $6 million has come from people tied to just 15 companies.

Most donors rarely mentioned their employers in public records designed to bring transparency to political donations. But The Times and Civil Beat, reviewing hundreds of thousands of campaign records, linked more than 28,000 of the donations to contractors.

The analysis almost certainly captured only some contributions, in part because the state could not provide a full list of contractors. In fact, record keeping is so poor that some vendor information is collected only on paper, while electronic records are riddled with errors. Several of the state’s biggest agencies did not respond to repeated requests for financial records or said they could not find them.

The examination found more than a dozen examples over the past six years of people tied to contractors donating to political campaigns in the months before key decisions led to deals.

Well-timed donations from people linked to contractors

When some companies were on the verge of winning big government contracts, people connected to them donated larger amounts of money to the relevant officials.

Some of the elected officials who could crack down on favoritism are themselves benefiting from the lack of oversight. At least a dozen legislators have worked for or co-owned companies that won state contracts, some profiting in ways that have not been previously reported.

The Times contacted every politician and campaign donor named in this article. Most of those who responded said there was no link between campaign donations and the contracts they won.

Mr. Yonamine acknowledged hosting the fund-raisers but declined requests for a detailed interview. In a brief statement, he denied influencing any contract awards and said he was “raised to give back to the community.”

“It’s what drove me to work in public service for 36 years,” he said. “Helping those seeking elected office by supporting their fund-raisers is an extension of these values and an important aspect of civic engagement afforded citizens under the law.”

Political donations are regulated by the Hawaii Campaign Spending Commission, which has a staff of just five people who are responsible for tracking tens of millions of dollars in campaign contributions.

Gary Kam, the commission’s general counsel, acknowledged that the law restricted only a small portion of donations. Executives can give freely, and if bundled together, in greater amounts than if their company donated on its own. Expanding the law to cover those people is the “key to it all,” he said.

Many people charged with campaign finance violations have been allowed to keep giving — and to keep getting contracts, The Times and Civil Beat found.

Michael Matsumoto, president of the engineering firm SSFM International, pleaded no contest to money laundering involving campaign funds in 2003. He has since contributed $130,000 to a range of politicians, and the company continues to win public work. He declined to comment.

Got a confidential news tip?

The New York Times would like to hear from readers who want to share messages and materials with our journalists.

People with ties to another major contributor are on trial for corruption. In 2022, federal prosecutors accused the chief executive of the engineering firm Mitsunaga & Associates and four of its employees of bribing Keith Kaneshiro, who was the top prosecutor in Honolulu, with campaign contributions to pursue a criminal case against a former employee. The defendants have pleaded not guilty.

Dennis Mitsunaga, the chief executive, encouraged others, including family members and people with ties to his company, to donate to candidates, his lawyers said in court. People linked to the firm have donated heavily to a range of politicians, and the firm has won at least $49 million in state contracts since 2011.

All contracts awarded to the firm “were based on merit,” said Nina Marino, a lawyer for Mr. Mitsunaga.

Mr. Kaneshiro’s lawyer argued that campaign contributions made to gain access to politicians were “perfectly legal.”

Other states have been more successful in curbing big campaign contributions from companies seeking government work. In Connecticut, for example, a ban on donations from corporate officers with contracts has wiped out a large swath of campaign funds, according to Joshua Foley, a lawyer for the State Elections Enforcement Commission.

While contractors in Hawaii account for about 20 percent of campaign donations, in Connecticut “the percentage is zero,” Mr. Foley said.

Following recent corruption scandals, the Hawaii Legislature convened a watchdog panel to recommend new laws to improve government transparency. But lawmakers have so far refused to adopt some of the panel’s most meaningful corrective measures.

Notably, bills that would have closed the loophole in the law by prohibiting campaign contributions from company owners, officers and their immediate family members have failed year after year, including in the current legislative session.

Government contractors linked to the most campaign donations

Since 2006, more than $6 million of the campaign money for state and local races in Hawaii has come from people associated with just 15 contractors.

Timely Donations

People tied to big contractors gave more than $1,000 on average — nearly twice as much as political donors who had no obvious government connections, the analysis found. They were also twice as likely to give the maximum for some offices.

Often, their campaign contributions seemed to go to the right people at the right time.

Take R.M. Towill Corporation, a large engineering firm where employees in 2003 were fined for illegal campaign contributions. In the months leading up to the 2022 legislative session, R.M. Towill executives donated to the campaigns of only two state senators — Stanley Chang and Donovan Dela Cruz. Later that year, the two senators were among the co-sponsors of a law that ultimately led to R.M. Towill getting a $500,000 surveying contract.

Mr. Chang said in a recent interview that, besides general discussions of policy, he never talked about legislation or contracts with employees of R.M. Towill. Mr. Dela Cruz did not respond to repeated requests for comment.

In a statement, R.M. Towill’s president, Greg Hiyakumoto, said that company employees supported candidates who pushed for new infrastructure and sustainable development, both of which were part of its mission.

A handful of powerful lawmakers who control vast sums of government money have been among the largest recipients of campaign donations from executives tied to big contractors and their families. Leaders of the influential House Finance and Senate Ways and Means committees, who direct billions of dollars in public works projects every year, have received more than $482,000 in such donations since 2018.

Representative Kyle Yamashita, the current finance chairman, who spent years overseeing the House’s capital improvements budget, has received more than $44,000 in political contributions from people tied to big contractors. Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke, who previously led the House Finance Committee, received more than $107,000, while former Representative Ty Cullen, the vice chairman until 2022, got $22,100.

Mr. Dela Cruz has received more than $239,000 in campaign donations from people tied to big contractors since he became Ways and Means chairman in 2018. Former Senator Gil Keith-Agaran, vice chairman until October, got $70,000 during the same time period.

Politicians who raised the most money from people tied to contractors

Some powerful politicians in Hawaii drew a fourth or more of their state and local campaign donations since 2006 from people with ties to government contractors.

In April 2023, the Senate Ways and Means Committee, led by Mr. Dela Cruz, budgeted for the purchase of a Maui hotel to convert into affordable housing and a school. That created a windfall for the law firm Starn O’Toole Marcus & Fisher, which got a $450,000 contract to do legal work on the deal. Two of the firm’s directors had recently donated a combined $3,000 to Mr. Dela Cruz and Gov. Josh Green’s campaigns.

One of the directors, Ivan M. Lui-Kwan, contributed another $2,000 to the governor’s campaign as the bill awaited his signature, and another $1,000 after he approved the budget. Mr. Lui-Kwan and Duane Fisher, a partner at the firm, each donated $1,000 to his campaign about two weeks before the contract was awarded.

Mr. Lui-Kwan said donations made by him and his colleagues had no bearing on state contracts. He said they made it a point to never bring up such work at political fund-raisers.

The governor said staff members involved with procurement didn’t communicate with him. “We adopted this approach to avoid any potential conflicts or concerns,” Mr. Green said in a statement.

People tied to big contractors have targeted local races, too.

In December 2021, Goodfellow Bros., one of Maui’s largest building firms, won a $4.6 million contract to expand a local landfill. It was the lowest bidder. The project was approved for funding in 2020 by the mayor at the time, Michael Victorino, and the County Council.

Afterward, executives and their family members gave around $34,000 in campaign contributions to the mayor and to council members, making them among the biggest donors in Maui County.

Goodfellow Bros. said in a statement that its employees could donate to campaigns so long as they did not give in the company’s name.

Alice Lee, chairwoman of the County Council, said that Maui-based companies like Goodfellow Bros. “generally support candidates who support a stable economy, public health and safety and affordable housing.”

Doing Double Duty

In Hawaii, legislators serve part time and can hold outside jobs, which can increase the risk that they will face conflicts of interest. Nevertheless, they are among the highest-paid part-time lawmakers in the country, earning an annual state salary of about $72,000.

An examination of their financial interests found that a dozen of them were employees, directors or co-owners of companies that had won contracts. Since 2006, those companies have gotten at least $56 million in state deals, according to Hawaii’s contract database.

Disclosure records show that Senate President Ron Kouchi earns between $50,000 and $100,000 annually working for his brother’s disposal company on Kauai, which is the only provider of trash services to agencies on that island.

Representative David Alcos III works as a subcontractor on state projects. Representative Micah Aiu is a lawyer at Nan Inc., one of the state’s biggest contractors, which won at least $39 million in projects last year. They have said they are not directly involved in their companies’ contracts.

Mr. Dela Cruz, the Ways and Means chairman, seems to have actually done hands-on work for a state contract: He was the project manager for a $224,000 State Health Department contract with DTL, a communications firm where he was co-owner and vice president.

The State Health Department, which awarded the contract in 2018 for work on a vaccine campaign, said it did not know Mr. Dela Cruz was an owner.

Jason Antonio, a principal at DTL, said in an email that Mr. Dela Cruz was not a project manager and was not involved in the immunization project. But in its proposal, which was submitted to the Health Department in 2017, DTL listed Mr. Dela Cruz as the project manager who would oversee the work on behalf of the firm.

Ronald Balajadia, the department’s immunization chief, said he mostly worked with two other DTL employees and did not recall interacting with Mr. Dela Cruz.

DTL was the only firm to bid on the contract. After selling his ownership interest in the company in late 2020, Mr. Dela Cruz continued receiving money from the firm for consulting services, according to his 2022 financial disclosure.

A Box Full of Campaign Donations

The clearest example of how contractors and politicians regularly circumvented the reforms were the parties hosted by Mr. Yonamine, the former head of visitor information for Hawaii’s airports.

Mr. Yonamine wasn’t directly involved in awarding contracts, but his gatherings provided a casual setting where executives could be introduced to lawmakers and state employees who selected winners, according to attendees.

The parties started as early as 2014 at Mr. Yonamine’s private office in Honolulu, according to campaign finance records, which lists dates and locations where political fund-raisers are held. They moved to the Pagoda Hotel there in 2019 and continued until at least 2020.

Lawmakers who benefited from the parties said Mr. Yonamine provided the venues while campaigns sometimes invited guests.

Attendees would stand chatting along the walls of the office, or later, on a spacious rooftop balcony at the hotel. The guests, sometimes more than 100 at the hotel, said they would discuss legislation, as well as contracts at the airports. Businesses seeking airport work frequently donated to a range of politicians around the time of those fund-raisers. They described the parties on the condition of anonymity because they work for the state or have business relationships with contractors they don’t want to jeopardize. No one, including Mr. Yonamine, denies they took place.

One of the most prominent guests was Mr. Choy, a major political donor and government contractor who would later be sentenced to more than three years in prison for bribing officials. He and his associates donated more than $28,000 to political campaigns around the time of the parties.

By 2020, Mr. Choy was wearing a wire and actively recording meetings to aid federal investigators.

No evidence has emerged that Mr. Choy’s contributions at the parties were illegal or connected to his bribery scheme.

Many guests did work at the airports, a constant source of multimillion dollar contracts.

At least 59 companies competed for airport contracts between 2014 and 2020. But nearly half the airports’ 153 professional services contracts went to just 14 companies. Executives from those firms all donated around the time of Mr. Yonamine’s parties.

Current and former heads of the division overseeing most of the airport design and engineering contracts did not respond to requests for comment.

The contracts were worth a combined total of more than $131 million, according to the state’s Department of Transportation.

These professional services contracts are for design or consulting jobs, and winners are selected based on their qualifications or proposals rather than just their price. The rules tend to give public officials more leeway to choose a company based on favoritism.

Executives at firms that won airport contracts donated a combined $101,000 around the time of the parties, according to campaign finance records, which show when checks were cashed and not when they were given. Candidates raised a total of more than $470,000.

When presented with The Times and Civil Beat’s findings, Ford Fuchigami, then transportation director and now head of the Airports Division, said he could not comment on the awarding of contracts because he was not in charge of selecting the winners. Mr. Fuchigami said he did not recall attending the parties, though records show he donated around the time of a party in 2019. He said he did not know what the state’s rules were for employees like Mr. Yonamine who were politically active or for officials who attended political gatherings.

“What you do on your personal time is what you do on your personal time,” he said.

The fund-raising parties do not appear to have violated the state’s ethics laws.

Robert Harris, director of the Hawaii State Ethics Commission, said there were generally no prohibitions on political activity during off-hours as long as state employees did not use any state resources.

Other lawmakers who received campaign money around the time of Mr. Yonamine’s parties were Ms. Luke, the lieutenant governor; former Gov. David Ige; Mr. Kouchi, the Hawaii Senate president; and former Mayor Kirk Caldwell of Honolulu, according to fund-raising documents.

Mr. Caldwell and Mr. Kouchi did not respond to repeated requests for comment.

Mr. Ige said he mostly remembered seeing Transportation Department employees at Mr. Yonamine’s office but did not recall recognizing contractors.

Mr. Yonamine — who has a certain renown because his uncle Wally Yonamine was a famous athlete — is a figure in local sports. In 2018, one year after he was named varsity baseball coach at Pearl City High School, state lawmakers, some of whom received campaign contributions from his parties, approved $3 million in funding to convert the field from grass to artificial turf.

As Mr. Yonamine spoke from the refurbished field at an opening ceremony in 2022, a Hawaiian priest sprinkled rainwater on home plate.

“Thank you to all who helped make our dreams come true,” Mr. Yonamine said.

This article was reported in partnership with Big Local News at Stanford University.

How the Numbers Were Calculated

The Times and Civil Beat examined hundreds of thousands of campaign contributions and more than 70,000 state contracts to draw connections between vendors and their donations to political races. The analysis revealed that nearly 20 percent of all campaign contributions since 2006 have come from people tied to companies doing business with the state and local governments.

This number is likely an underestimate because the data is incomplete. Records were obtained from the Hawaii Awards & Notices Data System , which tracks who won state contracts, but a 2021 audit found that only 40 percent of all state contracts awarded that year were posted. It’s not clear if the problem applies to other years.

Reporters requested and reviewed check registers to verify the total payments to vendors from departments. Some departments did not respond to public records requests, including those with large numbers of high-value contracts, such as the Education and Transportation Departments.

The gaps in state and county contracting data and check registers made it difficult to determine just how much money vendors actually received. Published amounts were confirmed with source documents or contracting departments.

Contractors were matched against the names of companies, their executives and employees in a database of campaign contributions maintained by the Hawaii Campaign Spending Commission. Donations from spouses and relatives of contractor executives were also included in the count when possible. Spouses and relatives were determined based on people who shared the same last name and address as the main contributor. In some cases spouses were jointly listed as contributors.

The analysis focused on vendors who provide legal, consulting, engineering and construction services. Contracts and contributions for subsidiaries were attributed to their parent companies. Universities and other public agencies with government contracts were excluded from the analysis. Organizations that may have other lobbying interests — such as the Hawaii Association of Realtors — were also excluded.

Contributions made at events hosted by Mr. Yonamine were identified by searching for all contributions made to participating candidates within one week of the parties. The Hawaii Campaign Spending Commission requires that contributions be deposited within seven days of receipt.

An earlier version of a picture caption with this article misstated the amount Milton Choy and his associates donated to political campaigns around the time of fund-raising parties hosted by Wesley Yonamine. As the article correctly noted, they donated more than $28,000, not more than $30,000.

How we handle corrections

Blaze Lovell , a reporter in The Times’s Local Investigations Fellowship , writes about government contracts in Hawaii. More about Blaze Lovell