Lopburi, Thailand (CNN) — It’s a Friday afternoon on a Thai public holiday in September, and local tourists are out in force in the small city of Lopburi. The attraction? Some 4,500 crab-eating macaques that roam this ancient capital’s streets, many of which occupy the crumbling Khmer-style Phra Prang Sam Yod — aka Monkey Temple
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(CNN) — Walk into almost any fine dining kitchen and the chances are its chefs would say there’s only one holy grail of achievement in their profession: to be awarded a Michelin star. Since 1926 in France, and more recently around the world, these accolades have come to represent the pinnacle of cuisine and also
(CNN) — Since the dawn of aviation, birds have been an inspiration for visionaries of flight. And now, engineers are once again looking to feathered friends to inspire the next generation of aircraft wings. Last year European manufacturer Airbus unveiled a small-scale aircraft with flapping wing tips — a concept drawn from the flight of
Can preflight testing get people flying again? The International Air Transport Association (IATA) thinks so. Last month, the trade association, which represents some 290 airlines around the world, called for the “development and deployment of rapid, accurate, affordable, easy-to-operate, scalable and systematic” Covid-19 testing for all passengers as a way to restore passenger confidence, bypass
(CNN) — After months of working almost nonstop during the coronavirus pandemic, doctor Fiona Downes says stepping on board Qantas’ seven-hour round-trip to nowhere was “like being home again.” A Qantas frequent flier, Downes spent unused points to treat herself to a Business Class ticket on board the Australian airline’s scenic Great Southern Land flight.
(CNN) — Many of us have been forced to rethink travel plans in the wake of Covid-19, but if you’re soothing your canceled-vacation-blues by daydreaming about future adventures, Lonely Planet’s new “Ultimate Travel List” might be just what you need. The new list, collated by Lonely Planet’s team of experts, spotlights must-see and must-do experiences,
Southeast Asia, home to some of the most tourism-reliant countries in the world, is reeling from the coronavirus-induced global lockdowns — and many of the region’s travel industries are struggling to survive. Even though other regions like Europe have seen travel-related activities lifted, Southeast Asia’s borders have remained largely closed. The World Tourism Organization, a
(CNN) — Slotted into the underbelly of Africa’s northwestern huddle, Ghana is a country that’s steadily reinventing itself. Known for its colorful culture, wildlife and natural beauty, the West African nation had one of Sub-Saharan Africa’s fastest-growing economies in the past few years, thanks to cocoa and a relatively recent discovery of oil. The economic
SINGAPORE — Singapore has no domestic air travel market and “can’t wait around for a vaccine” before allowing more visitors to enter through international flights, the country’s transport minister said on Monday. The coronavirus pandemic has hit the global aviation industry hard, as many countries shut their borders and restricted travel to slow the virus
A fleet of Airbus SE A380 passenger aircraft, operated by British Airways, a unit of International Consolidated Airlines Group SA, sit parked near other grounded jets at Chateauroux airport in Chateauroux, France, on Thursday, Aug. 27, 2020. Nathan Laine | Bloomberg | Getty Images SINGAPORE — Strong government support has stopped some airlines from going bankrupt — but more
Busch Gardens With caps on attendance and new coronavirus safety guidelines, including mandatory mask wearing and social distancing, theme parks have had to reimagine their Halloween festivities this year. The fall holiday has morphed into the single most important event for theme parks, Dennis Speigel, president of International Theme Parks Services, said. “A down Halloween
Jet skis pass by residential skyscrapers on the waterside in the Dubai Marina district in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on Monday, June 8, 2020. Christopher Pike | Bloomberg | Getty Images DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Ratings agency S&P forecasts an 11% contraction for the Dubai economy in 2020, with an already high debt load
A Qatar Airways Boeing 777 In New York. Leslie Josephs | CNBC DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — The outlook for the airline industry continues to be bleak, and one CEO has issued a particularly devastating warning on its future as fears mount over a potential second wave of coronavirus infections this fall and winter. “The
More than 637 million people traveled within China over the past week in celebration of the country’s annual “Golden Week,” the country’s government said on Friday. The government estimates domestic travelers generated around 466 billion yuan ($68.6 billion) in tourism revenue during the holiday period. Two holidays converged this year: National Day, which celebrates the founding
SINGAPORE — First there were flights to nowhere, now there are cruises to nowhere. This week, Singapore announced a pilot program where cruises will make round trips to the city-state with no port of call in between. Capacity would be limited to 50% and passengers must be Singapore residents. The move is a fresh attempt to
An aerial picture showing the Red Sea cost in Saudi Arabia. Franck Fife | AFP | Getty Images SINGAPORE — There’s no better time than now for Saudi Arabia to build its new tourist attractions, the kingdom’s tourism minister told CNBC this week. “It is absolutely the right time … because as we all know, the
It’s been a wild week for airlines. United Airlines and Delta were among the airline stocks that rallied Wednesday after President Trump urged $25 billion in relief for the industry. Trump’s statement late Tuesday was a surprise turn for the president after he tweeted earlier in the day that all stimulus talks should be pushed
Booking Holdings CEO Glenn Fogel on Wednesday urged Congress to provide support to the airline industry, suggesting failure to act soon would prevent a swift recovery in travel after the coronavirus situation improves. “I do believe the travel industry will come back. As soon as it’s safe to travel, people will start traveling,” Fogel said