Wayne Hall is a travel journalist for The Traveler, specializing in travel news, aviation updates, and destination impacts.
Elmina Castle in Ghana is entering a sensitive tourism revival, blending UNESCO backed conservation, digital upgrades and community led projects to turn this former slave fortress into a sustainable heritage travel hub.
AIDA Cruises unveils immersive, high-tech trade show booths for 2026, showcasing cabin mockups, sustainable innovations and exclusive rewards to convert pent-up European cruise demand into earlier, higher-value bookings.
Deadly Val d’Isère avalanche in Vallée Perdue kills two French off piste skiers on January 10, 2026, highlighting high avalanche risk, terrain traps and the life saving importance of proper safety gear.
Central Greece’s 4.4 earthquake near Xyniada briefly disrupted rail and road links on January 10, 2026, but inspections confirm infrastructure and key travel routes remain safe for most visitors.
From 2026, nearly all non‑British and non‑Irish visitors must secure a UK Electronic Travel Authorisation or eVisa before departure, reshaping spontaneous trips and demanding earlier digital trip planning.
Albay Province in the Philippines stays open and largely safe for tourists despite Mayon Volcano’s Alert Level 3, with risks confined to a strict six kilometer danger zone and nearby evacuated communities.
Galápagos expedition cruises are transforming from niche science trips into coveted luxury adventures, offering small-ship wildlife encounters, strict sustainability standards and limited-capacity itineraries that reward early planners with rare, immersive experiences.
As Europe’s biometric Entry/Exit System ramps up, ABTA warns of longer queues ahead and urges EU border guards to use emergency suspension powers early to protect Easter and summer holiday travel.
Indian Railways extends New Delhi–Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra special trains into early January 2026, offering extra reserved holiday and pilgrimage capacity amid near full occupancies and Vande Bharat disruption.
U.S. quietly expands a controversial visa bond program requiring up to 15,000 dollar deposits from select countries, reshaping 2026 travel plans, adding hefty upfront costs and sparking tourism, equity and diplomacy concerns.
Istanbul airport suffered 7 cancellations and 359 delays on January 9, 2026, stranding thousands of Royal Jordanian, Iran National, Tunisair, and Turkish Airlines passengers and exposing hub capacity vulnerabilities.
Heavy snow has shut all Stagecoach Bluebird buses in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire, stranding commuters, disrupting airport links and exposing how fragile northeast Scotland’s rural transport network remains in winter storms.
