Thailand Bets on Blackpink’s Lisa to Power Next Tourism Boom
Thailand taps Blackpink star Lisa as “Amazing Thailand Ambassador” in a US$16 billion tourism push, aiming to harness her global fandom to boost high value travel through 2026.
Wayne Hall
Wayne Hall is a travel journalist for The Traveler, specializing in travel news, aviation updates, and destination impacts.
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Yellow Warnings for Heavy Rain Threaten Travel Across Southern England and South Wales
Met Office yellow warnings for heavy rain and strong winds threaten flooding, travel chaos and power cuts across southern England and south Wales, prompting urgent safety advice for tourists and residents.
Costa Serena Opens Vietnam’s 2026 Cruise Season With Landmark Nha Trang Call
Costa Serena’s January 4 Nha Trang call, Vietnam’s first cruise ship arrival of 2026, signals a confident cruise tourism rebound powered by upgraded ports, richer shore experiences and strong early season bookings.
AIDAdiva Puts Busan Center Stage as It Opens Korea’s 2026 Cruise Season
AIDAdiva’s landmark world cruise call in Busan opens South Korea’s 2026 global cruise season, spotlighting new East Asia routes, upgraded terminals and immersive temple, market and coastal excursions for international travelers.
Freezing Rain Shuts Airports and Rail From Vienna to Budapest and Prague
Freezing rain and black ice on January 13, 2026 severely disrupted flights and trains across Vienna, Budapest, Bratislava and Prague, stranding travelers and exposing the fragility of central Europe’s winter transport networks.
Heavy Rain Warnings Hit Scotland and Northern Ireland, Disrupting Winter Travel
Heavy rain and flood alerts for Scotland and Northern Ireland threaten road, rail and island travel, with visitors urged to monitor Met Office warnings, expect disruption and prepare flexible, weatherproof itineraries.
Canada Tightens Global Travel Warnings, Adding Iran, Venezuela and Somalia to ‘No-Go’ List
Canada’s expanded “avoid all travel” warnings for Iran, Venezuela, Somalia and more than fifteen other hotspots are reshaping winter trips, flight routes and insurance coverage for Canadians worldwide.
U.S. Pitches Friendlier Border to Win Back Canadian Travelers
United States eases border experience for Canadians with streamlined registration, softer screening and biometric fast lanes, aiming to revive cross border tourism as travelers tire of stricter, slower rules at home.
Airline Complaint Fees Stalled as Ottawa Leaves Taxpayers Funding Canada’s Passenger Rights System
Canada faces backlash as internal records reveal ministers slowed a plan to make airlines, not taxpayers, fund complaint handling, leaving nearly 100,000 passengers stuck in a costly backlog.
New Study Finds Airline Tap Water Often Unsafe; Experts Urge Fliers to Avoid It
New 2026 airline water study finds widespread contamination in U.S. inflight tap systems, calling out American and several regional carriers and urging travelers to avoid coffee, tea, ice and unsealed water.
Mass Flight Disruptions Snarl Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey, Stranding Thousands of Travelers
Mass cancellations and delays at Mexico City, Guadalajara, and Monterrey stranded thousands, exposing Aeroméxico Connect and VivaAerobus schedule weaknesses and warning travelers to expect ongoing disruption across Mexico’s busiest air hubs.
New Taxes and Tougher Rules Reshape Trips to Europe, Japan and Beyond
Planning Europe or Japan in 2026 now means higher departure taxes, steeper hotel levies and new behavior rules as governments tackle overtourism and shift toward sustainability focused tourism funding.