tourism

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Kim Jong Un Makes a Beachy Tourism Bet

The Wonsan Kalma resort had originally been due to open in 2019

(Newser) - North Korea has unveiled its latest attempt to boost its struggling economy: the Wonsan Kalma beach resort, a sprawling location on its eastern coast that opened Tuesday. The move highlights Kim Jong Un's ongoing bet on tourism as an economic lifeline amid strict international sanctions—though with a...

Tourists Find Little Left at Jonestown

New $750 tour, resented by some locals, takes visitors to site largely swallowed by jungle

(Newser) - Nearly 50 years after the Jonestown massacre shocked the world, the site of one of history's deadliest cult tragedies is now open to tourists , sparking debate over whether confronting the past is educational or exploitative. A new $750 tour operated by Wanderlust Adventures GY—including a flight from...

Leo Brings Back the Papal Summer Vacation

He'll spend 2 weeks in Castel Gandolfo, which is hoping for a tourism boost

(Newser) - Pope Leo XIV is reviving a 400-year-old tradition this July, becoming the first pontiff in over a decade to summer in Castel Gandolfo, a small community about an hour south of Rome. The move, confirmed by the Vatican, has locals eager for a surge of tourists to the hillside...

North Korea Takes Step Toward 'Tourist Culture'

Wonsan Kalma beach resort to welcome domestic tourists starting next month

(Newser) - North Korea is rolling out a new beach resort on its east coast, hoping to draw tourists—and much-needed revenue—into one of the world's most secretive nations. Leader Kim Jong Un hailed the Wonsan Kalma resort as one of the country's "greatest feats" of the...

Tunnels That Inspired Bond Films to Become Tourist Site

London officials OK plans for new destination, set to have one of world's deepest underground bars

(Newser) - There's a history-rich part of London that few people have seen, where the city braced for the Blitz, James Bond's creator got inspiration, and secret Cold War messages passed between Washington and Moscow. It's a network of tunnels 100 feet below the streets that was secret for...

Protesters Spritz Tourists
Spaniards Turn
Water Pistols
on Tourists
photos
Jun 15, 2025 11:32 AM CDT

Spaniards Turn Water Pistols on Tourists

Barcelona and Mallorca protest mass tourism

(Newser) - Protesters used water pistols against unsuspecting tourists in Barcelona on Sunday as demonstrators marched to demand a rethink of an economic model they say is fueling a housing crunch and erasing the character of the Spanish city. "The squirt guns are to bother the tourists a bit," Andreu...

Manga Artist's Prediction Has Travelers Avoiding Japan

After warning of disaster in March 2011, Ryo Tatsuki's manga predicts new upheaval in July

(Newser) - Fears of a major earthquake, stoked by a mix of pop culture, social media, and self-proclaimed psychics, are prompting some would-be travelers to Japan to rethink their plans. Travelers, especially from East Asia, have been spooked into cancelling trips to the country amid a wave of anxiety that appears...

LA Hotel, Airport Workers Win Vote on $30 Minimum Wage

Opponents warn increase will cost jobs, workers say they can't keep up with inflation

(Newser) - In time for the Olympic and Paralympic Games, arriving in 2028, the Los Angeles City Council has voted in favor of raising the minimum wage for tourism industry workers, with pay rising to $30 per hour. That's a 48% increase over three years for employees of hotels with more...

Tourists to Pay Nearly 20% 'Lodging Tax' in Hawaii

State approves legislation for funds to climate resilience, beach restoration, and wildfire prevention

(Newser) - Hawaii lawmakers have approved a new measure to raise the state's lodging tax, marking what experts say is the nation's first state-level tax of its kind designed explicitly to fund environmental protection and climate change adaptation. The legislation, which Gov. Josh Green is expected to sign, adds...

Hawaii Set to Introduce a Novel Hotel Tax

The money would be earmarked for efforts to combat global warming

(Newser) - In a first-of-its kind move, Hawaii lawmakers are ready to hike a tax imposed on travelers staying in hotels, vacation rentals, and other short-term accommodations and earmark the new money for programs to cope with a warming planet. State leaders say they'll use the funds for projects like replenishing...

The 'End of the World' Is Overrun With Tourists

Antarctic tourism industry is disrupting environment, taxing locals in Ushuaia, Argentina

(Newser) - In 2024, more than 110,000 tourists set sail from Ushuaia, Argentina, aka "the end of the world," on cruises bound for Antarctica—a nearly 215% increase from a decade earlier. Tourism has become a lucrative business for the 83,000 locals who live in the capital of...

German Teens Try to Visit Hawaii, End Up Deported
German Teens Try to Visit
Hawaii, End Up Deported
in case you missed it
Apr 26, 2025 4:05 PM CDT

German Teens Try to Visit Hawaii, End Up Deported

Border guards thought their lack of plans for a 5-week trip was a little suspicious

(Newser) - The US has been seeing a sharp decline in the number of foreigners booking trips this year, and the experience of two German teenagers trying to visit Hawaii probably won't help much. The two females ended up strip-searched, detained, and deported, reports the UK Times . Charlotte Pohl, 19, and...

In Canadian Travel Circles, 'Near-Total Collapse of US Business'

Neighbors to the north are hedging on travel to the US amid Trump's verbal attacks, tariffs

(Newser) - Trump's attacks on Canada's economy via his tariffs-driven trade war and threats to make it the 51st state have infuriated Canadians, who are canceling trips to the United States in big numbers. They also seem to have flipped the narrative heading into Canada's parliamentary elections on Monday,...

US Sees Sharp Decline in Foreign Tourists

Number is down 11% in March from previous year

(Newser) - The US tourism industry expected 2025 to be another good year in terms of foreign travelers. After all, the number of international visitors to the United States jumped in 2024, and some forecasts predicted arrivals from abroad this year would reach pre-COVID levels. But three months into the year, international...

UK, Germany Issue US Travel Warnings
UK, Germany Issue
US Travel Warnings
Mar 21, 2025 10:45 AM CDT

UK, Germany Issue US Travel Warnings

Nations are wary of their citizens visiting US amid Trump administration moves

(Newser) - Two US allies have adjusted their travel recommendations for the United States, and not in an encouraging direction. The Hill reports that on Thursday, the United Kingdom updated its guidance for travel to the US, with the government warning its citizens to "comply with all entry, visa, and other...

The Most, and Least, Visited National Parks in America

Great Smoky Mountains National Park saw 12.2M visitors in 2024, making it No. 1, per NPS data

(Newser) - Our country's national parks saw their biggest visitor influx ever last year, collectively logging nearly 332 million visitors in 2024, according to the National Park Service . That busts the almost 331 million guests who descended upon the parks in 2016. Of the 400-plus parks, national monuments, and other protected...

The Most Dangerous National Parks in America

Lake Mead has garnered quite the reputation for deadly happenings, per a new analysis

(Newser) - A peaceful hike can be a panacea for daily stressors—but maybe not if you're exploring America's most dangerous landscapes. Per the Manual , Malloy Law Offices took a look at data on deaths in our nation's national parks, compiled from 2014 to 2023, and found that Lake...

Owners of Volcano That Killed 22: Safety Isn't Our Thing
Owners of Volcano
That Killed 22 Absolved
UPDATED
Feb 28, 2025 12:55 AM CST

Owners of Volcano That Killed 22 Absolved

Whakaari Management won appeal of its conviction in 2019 tragedy

(Newser) - The owners of a New Zealand island volcano that erupted and killed 22 people in 2019 are no longer being held responsible for the tragedy. A judge on Friday threw out the conviction against Whakaari Management Limited, the company run by three brothers who own the volcano, ruling that the...

NZ's Use of Word 'Go' in Tourism Campaign Riles Locals

Kiwis mock their nation's own ad blitz targeted toward Aussies

(Newser) - Every once in a while, a destination's tourism campaign raises eyebrows or otherwise falls flat—and it's now New Zealand's turn for an ad blitz aimed at neighboring Australia, its biggest tourism market. On the surface, the nearly $300,000 "Everyone must go!" campaign, launched...

Goodbye Ghost Tour, Hello True Crime

The popularity in true crime has created a niche industry for touring crime scenes

(Newser) - The ever-growing true crime genre has now tipped into another industry: tourism. As the Washington Post reports, walking and bus tours that visit crime scenes are a growing trend in cities, giving aficionados a glimpse into the history of famous cases. A sampling of these include a mob boss walking...

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