Europe’s largest airline by passenger numbers has reduced its traffic forecast for the financial year ending 31 March 2027 from 216 million to 214 million passengers. The decision is intended to limit Ryanair’s exposure to expensive unhedged fuel during the winter season, when airlines traditionally face weaker demand and profitability.

Jet fuel has recently been trading at around $140 (€120) per barrel, approximately double the price at which Ryanair secured most of its fuel requirements for the current financial year.

The airline has hedged 80% of its fuel at $67 per barrel, providing significant protection from current market prices. Hedging allows carriers to agree fuel prices in advance, protecting them from sudden fluctuations in energy markets.

However, Ryanair said it was “prudent to strategically limit exposure to unhedged aircraft fuel during the unprofitable winter season”, which runs from November to March.

Two million fewer passengers

As a result, Ryanair expects its passenger numbers during the winter to remain broadly unchanged compared with the previous year rather than continuing the growth recorded during the summer.

The airline expects to carry around 145 million passengers between April and October, up more than 5% from approximately 138 million during the same period last year. In August alone, Ryanair carried 22.2 million passengers, an increase of 6% year-on-year.

The reduction in winter capacity is expected to cut seasonal losses by between €70 million and €100 million.

Ryanair nevertheless expects to remain profitable for the full financial year, although profits are likely to fall below the record levels achieved during the previous 12 months.

European air fares could rise in 2027

The airline has also warned that persistently high energy prices could have wider consequences for European aviation next year.

“If high oil prices continue through to summer 2027, Ryanair believes short-haul air fares in Europe will increase materially to reflect higher oil prices, as some less well-hedged competitors will struggle to maintain capacity or even survive this coming winter season,” the carrier said.

The warning echoes concerns raised earlier this year by the wider aviation industry. IATA Director General Willie Walsh had already warned that higher fuel costs would inevitably feed through to ticket prices as geopolitical tensions disrupted energy markets and increased costs for airlines.

The pressure on Ryanair itself has also been building for months. In April, the low-cost carrier revealed additional fuel costs of $50 million (€42.6 million) in a single month, with CEO Michael O’Leary warning about the consequences of persistently elevated fuel prices for less financially resilient European airlines.

Fuel represents one of the largest operating expenses for airlines, but the impact of rising prices varies significantly depending on how much fuel each carrier has hedged and at what price.

Ryanair’s relatively high level of hedging gives it substantial protection against current market prices, but its decision to reduce capacity illustrates the scale of the pressure even for carriers that secured much of their fuel in advance.

If elevated prices persist into 2027, airlines will progressively have to purchase a larger proportion of their fuel at higher rates as existing hedging contracts expire. That could force carriers to reduce capacity, increase fares or find savings elsewhere.

Network cuts

Ryanair has already made adjustments to parts of its network amid wider geopolitical disruption. The carrier suspended 17 routes to Amman, Jordan, during the summer. When services return, the airline is expected to initially connect the Jordanian capital with only four airports: Budapest, Bucharest, Madrid and Vienna.

For passengers, the immediate effect of Ryanair’s winter reductions will depend on which routes and frequencies are removed. But the airline’s broader warning is clear: if fuel prices remain close to current levels, European travellers could face fewer flights and higher fares in 2027.

L’article Ryanair cuts winter flights as fuel prices soar and warns of higher fares in 2027 est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Artificial intelligence illustrates the contradiction. Travellers are increasingly comfortable allowing AI to recommend destinations, compare hotels, monitor prices and build itineraries. Yet Expedia’s 2026 research found that 66% of consumers would not trust an AI assistant to make a purchase or reservation on their behalf, while only 8% were comfortable giving it full booking authority. That suggests the immediate future of travel is not the autonomous robot travel agent once imagined. It is something subtler: an intelligent assistant permanently sitting beside the traveller, reducing 40 hotels to five, watching fares around the clock, comparing loyalty points with cash prices and rebuilding an itinerary when something goes wrong. AI may increasingly influence the decision. Humans, for now, still want the final click.

But technology is only half the disruption. The economics of travel are changing just as quickly. Inflation and cost-of-living pressures have not eliminated the desire to travel; they have made travellers more calculating about how they do it. Consumers increasingly adjust the length of a trip, the distance travelled, the hotel category and the number of paid activities before abandoning the holiday altogether. That makes flexibility part of the price itself. Free cancellation, transparent total costs, currency conversion, price alerts and simple modification policies will increasingly compete with the headline room rate. The winning travel company of 2030 may therefore not be the one advertising the cheapest price, but the one offering the lowest perceived risk.

There is one area, however, where consumers remain remarkably willing to spend: experiences. Between 2023 and 2025, McKinsey estimates the global experience market grew by 2.6%, compared with just 0.8% for discretionary physical goods, while travel experiences expanded by 4.4%. The generational divide makes the direction even clearer: 52% of Gen Z travellers say they are willing to spend extra on experiences, compared with 29% of Baby Boomers. This is quietly rewriting tourism economics. The traveller of 2030 may economise on the flight, compare ten hotels and wait for a better room rate, then willingly spend on gastronomy, wellness, sport, culture or an experience available nowhere else. Tourism is moving from selling things to selling moments worth remembering and, increasingly, worth sharing.

That leaves governments, destinations and tourism companies with a different race to win before 2030. More advertising will not be enough. They will need simpler booking, transparent pricing, credible sustainability claims, climate-resilient destinations and digital infrastructure that both humans and AI systems can understand. The global traveller is becoming simultaneously more sophisticated and more sceptical: digitally empowered, environmentally aware, financially cautious and still determined to experience the world.

The great tourism battle of the next decade will therefore not be fought over who can generate the most attention. It will be fought over who can turn attention into trust, and trust into a booking.

L’article The tourist of 2030 will travel more, but trust less est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Tourism Minister Khadakraj Paudel appealed directly to foreign travellers on Tuesday, stressing that much of the Himalayan country remains accessible despite the destruction caused by the 26 August disaster.

“Our mountain trails and trekking routes are still waiting for you,” Paudel said in a video message.

“Your coming to Nepal this time does not mean only a holiday. It’s a big support to the country fighting this catastrophic tragedy of flash floods.”

The minister said only some areas of Nepal had been affected and that airports, hotels and tourist destinations elsewhere in the country remained operational.

“Please do not take Nepal off your travel list if you have already planned a trip,” he added. “Your visit will help sustain our tourism industry. It’ll help our guides, hoteliers and all the workers whose livelihoods depend on tourism.”

More than 1,100 dead

The appeal comes as Nepal continues to deal with the enormous human and economic consequences of the floods.

A massive deluge triggered by a mountain and glacier collapse near the Nepal-China border swept through communities on 26 August, destroying buildings, roads and bridges. At least 1,114 people had been confirmed dead in Nepal by Wednesday, while nearly 4,000 remained missing.

Among those unaccounted for were 583 foreign nationals from 38 countries, including almost 250 Indians, 85 Americans and 36 British citizens.

On the other side of the border, Chinese authorities had confirmed 16 deaths and 546 people missing in Tibet.

As Travel Tomorrow previously reported, scientists have warned that the Himalayan region is becoming increasingly vulnerable to floods, landslides, avalanches and other disasters as rising temperatures transform glaciers and destabilise mountain environments.

Research by the Global Mountain Safeguard Research programme (GLOMOS), part of the United Nations University Institute for Environment and Human Security, has found that floods in the region have become five times more frequent since 1950.

Tourism sector suffers heavy losses

Beyond the immediate human tragedy, the floods have dealt a severe blow to Nepal’s economy and particularly its tourism industry.

Losses to the sector have been estimated at more than 50 billion Nepalese rupees, equivalent to approximately €300 million.

Paudel told a parliamentary committee that 142 hotels, 57 restaurants, 141 vehicles linked to tourism businesses and 27 heritage sites had been lost or damaged. Tourism businesses have been asked to submit detailed assessments of the damage they suffered.

Across the economy, total losses from the disaster have been estimated at around $5 billion, equivalent to approximately one-tenth of Nepal’s annual economic output. Hydropower infrastructure, another major area of investment for the country, has also suffered extensive damage.

Nepal has been deeply affected by the recent natural calamity. And at this difficult moment, we have a simple message for the world:

NEPAL IS NOT CLOSED.

This is a time to stand with Nepal.
This is a time to visit Nepal.
Nepal is calling.

Read more: https://t.co/ca5vadT3CM pic.twitter.com/eFOMjMcN0T

— Nepal Tourism Board (@nepaltourismb) September 1, 2026

That economic impact helps explain the government’s determination to prevent the disaster from triggering a nationwide collapse in international visitor numbers.

Tourism is one of Nepal’s most important sources of income and employment, supporting guides, porters, accommodation providers, restaurants, transport companies and communities across the country.

More than one million international tourists visited Nepal in 2025, attracted by its Himalayan landscapes, cultural heritage and some of the world’s most famous trekking and mountaineering routes, including Mount Everest.

Travelling as a form of support

Paudel’s message effectively presents continued tourism as part of Nepal’s recovery effort, asking visitors to distinguish between areas directly affected by the disaster and destinations elsewhere in the country that remain open.

The approach reflects a challenge faced repeatedly by tourism-dependent destinations after natural disasters. While safety concerns can understandably lead travellers to stay away, a prolonged fall in visitors can compound the economic consequences for communities that have escaped the physical destruction but depend heavily on tourism income.

For Nepal, that balance is particularly delicate given the magnitude of the disaster and the number of foreign tourists still missing.

Meanwhile, international assistance continues to arrive. China is preparing to send another team of DNA identification specialists and further emergency supplies to Nepal, including temporary bridges, communications equipment and mortuary refrigerators.

A second flight has just taken off, carrying 37.5 tonnes of HADR material, medicines & food packets for Nepal.

India remains in close and continuous touch with the Nepalese authorities. We will continue to strongly support the ongoing relief efforts.

pic.twitter.com/4m46leqfkC

— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) August 27, 2026

Beijing has also been coordinating with foreign embassies over missing international visitors, while evacuations of stranded residents and pilgrims continue.

Nepal’s appeal is therefore not a declaration that the crisis is over. Rescue, recovery and reconstruction efforts are continuing across affected areas. Instead, the government is asking travellers not to treat the disaster as a reason to abandon the entire country.

For the millions of Nepalese whose livelihoods depend directly or indirectly on visitors, the tourism minister’s message is simple: coming to Nepal now is not just a holiday, but a contribution to the country’s recovery.

L’article Nepal urges tourists to keep visiting after deadly Himalayan floods est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

A new study by researchers at the University of Southampton has found a small but consistent association between social jet lag and anxiety among adolescents, raising questions about whether school schedules sufficiently reflect teenagers’ biological sleep needs.

Published in Sleep Medicine Reviews, the research examined the relationship between social jet lag and anxiety among young people aged between 12 and 18. The researchers conducted a systematic review of 18 studies and combined the results of 12 comparable studies involving more than 230,000 participants in a meta-analysis.

The results showed that teenagers experiencing greater social jet lag were more likely to report higher levels of anxiety, and vice versa.

Although the researchers stress that the findings demonstrate an association rather than proving that irregular sleep causes anxiety, the pattern was consistent across the studies analysed.

What is ‘social jet lag’?

Social jet lag describes the mismatch between a person’s biological body clock and the schedule imposed by school, work or other social obligations.

For teenagers, this can mean waking up early throughout the school week despite naturally wanting to go to sleep and wake up later, before shifting their schedule at weekends to compensate for lost sleep.

“During puberty, the body’s internal clock usually shifts back by a few hours, meaning teenagers naturally don’t start feeling sleepy until later and would ideally wake up later too,” explained Dr Sarah Chellappa, co-author of the study at the University of Southampton.

At the same time, teenagers face competing demands ranging from early school starts to spending time online in the evening, potentially reducing the amount of sleep they get during the week.

Many consequently sleep longer at weekends in an attempt to catch up. But researchers warn that repeatedly switching between weekday and weekend schedules can further disrupt the body’s internal clock.

The phenomenon is comparable to travelling between time zones, except that instead of boarding a plane, teenagers are effectively moving their sleeping patterns backwards and forwards every week.

Anxiety and sleep may reinforce each other

The findings are particularly significant given the prevalence of anxiety among young people.

According to the World Health Organization, around 4.4% of 10 to 14-year-olds and 5.5% of 15 to 19-year-olds worldwide experience an anxiety disorder.

The Southampton research suggests that sleep patterns could be one of several factors associated with those difficulties. Importantly, however, the relationship may work in both directions: greater social jet lag was associated with higher anxiety, while higher anxiety was also associated with greater social jet lag.

Another meta-analysis published earlier in 2026 similarly found an association between social jet lag and both anxiety and depression among adolescents and young people. However, its authors rated the certainty of the available evidence as very low and called for further high-quality longitudinal research.

Together, the findings add to growing research examining how the timing of sleep, rather than simply the number of hours spent in bed, could affect young people’s wellbeing.

Should schools start later?

The researchers argue that addressing the problem should not be reduced to simply telling teenagers to go to bed earlier.

“The findings highlight the importance of maintaining regular bedtimes and wake times throughout the week, even at weekends,” said Dr Hannah Ravenhall, lead author of the Southampton study.

But individual habits are only part of the equation.

“It’s important to look beyond what individuals can do alone and recognise how broader societal systems can influence sleep,” Ravenhall added.

That includes considering whether secondary schools should start later to better accommodate the biological changes that take place during adolescence.

The combination of teenagers naturally becoming more inclined towards later sleeping hours and institutions requiring them to wake early can create a mismatch between biological and social time.

Researchers therefore suggest that public health guidance should place greater emphasis on regular sleep timing, while schools, families and policymakers could consider structural measures that make healthier sleep patterns easier to maintain.

With the new school year getting underway across Europe, the findings provide another reminder that catching up on sleep at the weekend may not fully compensate for disrupted routines during the week. When it comes to teenagers’ sleep, consistency could matter almost as much as quantity. 

L’article ‘Social jet lag’ linked to higher anxiety levels among teenagers, study finds est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

The listing was created by Which? Travel researchers on 18 June and presented 10 Downing Street as a “1 bedroom apartment in the heart of London”. It used the exact address of the UK prime minister’s official residence and a photograph of its recognisable black front door. The property description claimed it was in a “prime city-centre location” and just a four-minute walk to the Houses of Parliament.

The researchers deliberately set the property so that guests had to request a stay rather than being able to book automatically. They then briefly opened the booking window for around 20 minutes so a Which? representative could make a test reservation.

During that short period, 14 people reportedly contacted the listing asking whether they could stay at the property. The Which? researcher’s booking for a week-long stay was accepted, and Booking.com processed a payment. According to Which?, the money had still not been refunded more than six weeks after the listing was created.

The experiment also tested the platform’s review and messaging systems. On 11 August, Which? added a fake 10/10 review describing the supposed stay as “exceptional” and referring to “hanging out with Larry the cat”, the cat associated with 10 Downing Street. Although Booking.com indicated that the review would be checked by moderators, Which? said it appeared almost immediately. 

Researchers also used Booking.com’s internal messaging system to send an external link asking the supposed guest to enter credit card details to confirm the booking. Which? said the link was not blocked, despite Booking.com having told the watchdog that it could restrict URLs in messages when fraudulent activity was suspected. 

The fake listing remained online until 27 August, around six weeks after it was created. Which? said the investigation had uncovered “systemic security failures” and called on Ofcom to investigate Booking.com’s compliance with its obligations under the Online Safety Act. 

According to Which?, under Booking.com’s policies, hosts are not required to provide photo ID or proof of ownership until three months after a listing goes live.

Rory Boland, editor of Which? Travel, said: “If Booking.com’s so-called sophisticated AI systems can’t spot that 10 Downing Street is not a holiday rental, then it’s no wonder scammers can exploit the platform so easily.” He added that the consequences for holidaymakers could be serious, with travellers potentially losing thousands of pounds to fake listings and phishing links.

“Booking.com’s checks are clearly unfit for purpose, and the Prime Minister must now urge Ofcom to use the Online Safety Act to crack down on irresponsible online platforms that leave consumers wide open to fraud,” Boland added.

Booking.com disputed the significance of the test, saying it was “not a true reflection of the experience of millions of listings on our platform. The property added by Which? was not visible to customers or ‘live’ for the time period referenced.” The company said it uses verification measures and artificial intelligence to detect and remove most fraudulent listings within 24 hours, but argued that some automatic controls were not triggered because the fake property was not continuously open and bookable.

Ofcom said platforms have existing legal duties to swiftly remove illegal user-generated content once they become aware of it, adding that “Booking.com is not in scope of future rules that will apply to paid-for fraudulent advertising, and any change to that would be a matter for Government.”

L’article Fake 10 Downing Street Booking.com listing exposes major security flaws est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Since 1 September 2026, tourists visiting the Belgian city of Ghent will be able to stay at a newly opened boutique hotel. Hospitality brand 1898, which previously renovated the listed Neo-Gothic post office building by architect Louis Cloquet and turned it into a hotel called The Post, has now turned the former porter’s lodges into the Porter’s House.

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“Once the porter’s lodge of this historic building, Porter’s House was a place of arrival, watchfulness, and welcome where guests were received, and the rhythm of the house was quietly guarded. Today, it carries that same spirit of hospitality, reimagined with refined comfort and understated elegance. Set in the heart of Ghent, heritage and contemporary design come together to create a calm and inviting retreat. A place to slow down, feel at home and become part of the city’s story,” 1898 writes.

Just like The Post, Porter’s House is a great example of the Belgian Neo-Gothic movement. Its stone façade and tall arched windows are reminiscent of medieval buildings, even though the building only dates back to 1898 when it was built on the ruins of a former storehouse.

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Inside Porter’s House, Ghent-based architects Vertongen and Jan Van Loock and interior architect Geraldine Dohogne have managed to maintain the historical charm of the listed building while ensuring guests can benefit from all mod cons. High ceilings, beautifully carved wooden doors, and stunning fireplaces now shine next to marble bathrooms, cosy lounges, and even an outdoor copper bathtub. A mix of artisanal modern furniture and antiques gives each room its own personal identity, making sure no two stays will be the same.

Upon booking, guests can choose between a variety of rooms. From the Porter’s Room to the Porter’s Junior Suite and from the Porter’s Graslei Suite to the Porter’s Family Suite, the hotel has something to offer all kinds of travellers. And those looking for more can always book a room at The Post next door.

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The Post and Porter’s House also feature two culinary options: The Kitchen and The Cobbler. At The Kitchen, both guests and those simply passing by can indulge in a homemade breakfast. An open kitchen concept guarantees the best views and smells.

At the in-house cocktail bar The Cobbler, everyone is welcome to unwind after a long day visiting the city. The cocktail team was trained by Ruben Patoor, whose bar, Fugazi, was named Cocktail Bar of the Year 2025 by Gault&Millau.

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“Our bartender reinvented traditional cocktails with a touch of ancestral alchemy to create a whole new range of tastes and subtle flavours, mixing top-quality spirits with fruit juices, spices and other secret ingredients. Choose from our signature Cobbler cocktails, aperitifs, classic cocktails, after-dinner cocktails and mocktails. You name it, we shake it…”, 1898 explains.

Rates for the Porter’s Room start from approximately €250 per night for a double room, while rates for the Porter’s Family Suite with Terrace start from €550.

L’article Ghent welcomes new Porter’s House boutique hotel est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

At more than 500 metres above sea level, the Domaine de Bérizenne and neighbouring Fagne de Malchamps reveal another side of the region. Peat bogs, wet and dry heathlands, acidic marshes and forests replace the architecture of the thermal town below, while water remains almost as important here as it is in Spa itself.

I explored the area with guide Philippe Calonne, starting from the Domaine de Bérizenne before heading into the Fagne de Malchamps. The protected area covers around 365 hectares and forms part of the Natura 2000 network. Despite its relatively compact size, it contains an unusually diverse collection of habitats, including peatlands, wet heath, dry heath and acidic forests, supporting plants and wildlife that are increasingly difficult to find elsewhere. 

What makes the excursion particularly attractive for visitors to Spa is its proximity. The town sits at a little over 300 metres above sea level, while within just four kilometres the landscape climbs by almost 200 metres to the plateau. 

It is close enough for a morning excursion, yet sufficiently different to feel like another destination.

A landscape built centimetre by centimetre

The word fagne itself gives a clue to the landscape underfoot. These are wet, marshy environments, and the Fagne de Malchamps has developed on highly acidic soils where conventional agriculture was historically difficult.

Its name, Malchamps, literally evokes a “bad field”, an appropriate description of land that proved poorly suited to intensive cultivation. What was once a disadvantage has ultimately helped preserve an ecosystem that is now extremely valuable.

As we walked, the landscape changed constantly. Open heathland gave way to patches of forest, boggy ground and expanses of heather. Philippe pointed out blueberries, sedges, birches and different varieties of heather, as well as the habitats of carnivorous sundews, small plants that compensate for the nutrient-poor soil by trapping insects.

At one point, he bent down and picked up what looked, at first sight, like an unremarkable handful of bright green moss.

“This is sphagnum,” he explained, holding it up against the surrounding fagne.

Unlike most plants, sphagnum has no roots or vascular system. It thrives in this wet environment and grows extraordinarily slowly, Philippe explained, at a maximum of around one centimetre per year. When it dies, rather than decomposing completely, it accumulates beneath new growth. Layer after layer, over very long periods of time, this process creates peat. 

It is difficult to reconcile something so small and delicate in your hand with the enormous ecological role it plays. Sphagnum helps retain water and creates the acidic conditions characteristic of the fagne, while peatlands are also important carbon stores.

And here, that handful of moss is part of an even bigger story.

Protecting the landscape means protecting Spa’s water

The Domaine de Bérizenne belongs to Spadel, the Belgian family-owned group behind Spa mineral water. Philippe explained that the company acquired the estate in 1972 for a very particular reason: to protect the water.

“It’s simply to make sure that the water they collect for bottling remains pure,” he explained during our walk. Preventing potentially polluting industrial activity in and around the catchment area is therefore essential to safeguarding the resource. 

This protection goes far beyond the 365 hectares of the Fagne de Malchamps. The protected Spa aquifer area has expanded over generations and today covers 13,177 hectares, making it one of the largest areas of its kind in Europe. Agriculture and industry are prohibited in the protected catchment zone, as is the use of pesticides, fertilisers and chemical soil improvers. 

Walking across the fagne makes the reason for that protection much easier to understand.

Rain falling on the plateau does not simply run immediately into streams. Water moves slowly through layers of vegetation, peat and soil. Sphagnum plays an important role in this environment, while beneath the peat lie geological layers including clay and ancient rock.

Philippe described how some of that rainwater is naturally filtered through the upper layers before eventually re-emerging at springs with very low mineralisation. Other water penetrates much deeper through geological faults, interacting with mineral-rich layers before returning towards the surface. That deeper journey produces the more heavily mineralised and naturally carbonated waters associated with springs such as Marie-Henriette. 

The connection between the wild landscape above and Spa’s famous waters below suddenly becomes tangible. Protecting this landscape is not separate from protecting the water. It is part of the same process.

Three ways to discover the fagne

You do not need to be an experienced hiker to explore the Fagne de Malchamps. At the Maison de la Nature, a large map presents three marked walks starting from the Domaine de Bérizenne, allowing visitors to choose according to how much time and energy they have.

The easiest is SPA 15 – Les Caillebotis de Malchamps, a 4.1-km route indicated as taking around one hour. That is the route I chose. Walking with Philippe and stopping regularly to understand the plants, peat, geology and history around us extended the experience to approximately an hour and a half.

For those wanting to go further, SPA 11 – Petite boucle de Malchamps covers 5.1 km and takes approximately 1h15, while SPA 17 – La Fagne de Malchamps par la Vecquée extends to 9.5 km and around 2h30. All three are currently listed as open by the Domaine de Bérizenne. 

The routes also make it possible to explore this fragile environment without walking directly across the peatland. Boardwalks and designated paths cross sections where the ground can be extremely wet and unstable, while keeping visitors away from sensitive vegetation. The boardwalk sections are not accessible to wheelchairs or pushchairs. 

For me, the advantage of taking a guide quickly became obvious. A 4.1-km walk becomes something entirely different when someone can explain why the ground beneath your feet is acidic, pick up sphagnum and show you how peat begins, identify the heather or point out a carnivorous plant that you would otherwise walk straight past.

Climbing above the fagne

One of the highlights of the Domaine de Bérizenne is its wooden observation tower. Built in the 1990s from larch, the structure rises 22 metres above the landscape and requires 88 steps to reach the top. It is worth the climb.

From above, the fragmented landscape seen at ground level suddenly comes together. Heathland stretches towards the forests; wetlands interrupt the vegetation and, on a clear day, the horizon continues eastwards towards the wider Hautes Fagnes and eventually Germany.

The tower also makes the vulnerability of the landscape easier to understand. What looks like an expanse of hardy vegetation is dependent on a delicate balance of water, temperature and soil conditions.

Philippe has been guiding in the area for more than ten years, long enough to notice the changes himself. “In recent years, I have noticed considerable drought,” he told me, explaining its impact on the peatlands, ponds, fauna and flora. During our walk, one small pond that he would normally expect to contain water was completely dry. 

After the fires, a territory that still needs visitors

That vulnerability acquired a much more dramatic dimension this summer.

The devastating wildfires in the Hautes Fagnes provided a stark reminder that landscapes associated with water and wetlands can become extraordinarily combustible after prolonged periods of heat and drought. Peat is particularly problematic because fire can continue beneath the surface, making it extremely difficult to extinguish.

The ecological consequences extend far beyond the vegetation visible above ground. Peat accumulates extraordinarily slowly, while rare plants and wildlife depend on habitats that cannot simply be recreated once destroyed.

But the fires should not give travellers the impression that the wider region is inaccessible or that nature tourism around Spa should be avoided. The Fagne de Malchamps is a reminder that there are still extraordinary landscapes to discover, provided visitors respect restrictions, remain on designated paths and follow local guidance.

Continuing to visit responsibly can also help the territory recover. Spa and its surrounding communities depend on tourism, and supporting local guides, accommodation, restaurants and visitor attractions matters particularly after an environmental disaster has placed the region in the headlines for all the wrong reasons.

The answer is not to stay away, but to visit responsibly.

More than a hike

Back at the Domaine de Bérizenne, the experience does not necessarily end with the walk. The Musée de la Forêt et des Eaux explores the forests, water and ecosystems of the region, while the site also serves as an educational centre for schools and families. 

There are traces of human history across the landscape too. An old route crossing the fagne follows the path of an ancient Roman road, later used during the Middle Ages to connect territories under the influence of the Prince-Bishops of Liège. Elsewhere, an old elm linked to the history of the Bérizenne estate has survived for centuries, while the remains of a Second World War aircraft crash add another, darker layer to the walk.

Yet what stayed with me most was not a historical monument or even the panoramic view. Towards the end of our walk, surrounded by heather and the open landscape of the plateau, Philippe summed up his attachment to the place very simply: “When I come here, I am happy.” It is easy to understand why.

Just a few kilometres away, Spa is defined by the water that emerges from its springs, fills its thermal baths and leaves the town in millions of familiar bottles. Up here, at the Fagne de Malchamps, you begin to understand the landscape behind that water: the rain, moss, peat, rock and decades-long underground journey that precedes what eventually reaches the surface.

A hike that began as a 4.1-km walk through one of Wallonia’s most unusual natural landscapes ended up explaining another side of Spa altogether.

L’article Hiking the Fagne de Malchamps, where the famous Spa water begins est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Standby means that a passenger asks to travel on another flight without receiving a seat immediately. A seat is only assigned if one becomes available, for example, after another traveller cancels or changes their booking. With the new tool, passengers select up to three possible earlier flights through the app. United then monitors seat availability in the background instead of requiring customers to repeatedly check the app themselves.

The passenger’s replacement booking remains confirmed while they wait for an earlier option. If a seat becomes available, United sends a text message, and the customer can choose whether to switch flights. If they decide not to take it, they keep their existing confirmed reservation. This offers more flexibility for travellers who have been moved from an afternoon flight to a much later evening departure.

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“This feature reflects our commitment to making travel more seamless and less stressful for our customers,” Jennifer Schwierzke, United’s Vice President of Customer Operations, Strategy and Execution, said. “During disruptions, customers can keep their confirmed itinerary and stand by for three additional flights.” She added that United monitors availability and alerts customers when a seat opens up. The airline describes the combination of multi-flight standby and a protected confirmed reservation as an industry first.

The new option arrived ahead of the busy US Labour Day travel period. United expects more than 3.4 million passengers to fly with the airline between 3 and 8 September, around 300,000 more than during the same period last year. During crowded travel periods, a passenger may have several flights to choose from but few available seats. The tool cannot create an empty seat on a full aircraft, but it could save travellers time and reduce the need to keep refreshing their screen.

The feature may be particularly useful for passengers travelling through one of United’s large hubs, where several flights to the same destination may operate in a day. A missed connection can otherwise mean waiting many hours for the next available departure. Rather than joining a long queue at an airport service desk, travellers can see their options and make a request through their phone. Passengers should still ensure that their phone is charged and that they can receive the text message from United.

It is part of a wider effort by the airline to turn its app into a tool for managing disrupted journeys. United says customers can already use it to rebook flights, receive eligible meal or hotel vouchers and track checked baggage. The app also provides estimated security waiting times at United’s US hubs and shows where an inbound aircraft is coming from. Travellers using an Apple AirTag or another Find My network accessory can also share its location with United’s customer service team if their baggage is delayed or mishandled.

@jaeda_skye Basically airplane musical chairs #travel #travelhacks ♬ TASTE – Tom ᖭ༏ᖫ

United has also developed app functions for passengers with tight connections. Its ConnectionSaver technology assesses whether a departing aircraft can be held briefly for passengers arriving on a delayed flight, without causing wider operational problems. The app can show the next gate, estimated walking times and live updates about the connection. If the aircraft cannot wait, the new standby feature may offer another way for passengers to try to leave earlier after being rebooked.

Digital tools can make straightforward disruption cases easier to handle, but they do not replace airline staff in every situation. Travellers with complex itineraries, special assistance needs, or no further flights to their destination may still need help from an agent. Flight delays can also be caused by weather, crew shortages, air traffic control restrictions or aircraft issues, none of which an app can solve. The new feature mainly gives passengers more control over the options that remain available.

The update also fits within United’s broader focus on customer experience as the airline expands its network. In August, the carrier announced its largest international expansion to date, with 10 new destinations planned for 2027. As more passengers pass through its hubs and connect to international flights, quick access to rebooking information could become increasingly important. For now, the three-flight standby tool gives disrupted passengers a clearer way to look for an earlier route home without giving up the flight they already have.

L’article United Airlines app lets delayed passengers stand by for three earlier flights est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

The “significant flash flooding” struck the Bright Angel Canyon and Phantom Ranch areas on Saturday, 29 August, according to the National Park Service (NPS). Two people were confirmed dead, while more than 80 people were evacuated from the affected areas. At least one person remained unaccounted for in the days following the disaster, according to CBS News.

The flooding caused widespread damage to infrastructure in the inner canyon, including nearly every footbridge spanning Bright Angel Creek. More than 60 people were evacuated by helicopter from Phantom Ranch and the lower North Kaibab Trail as floodwaters swept through the area.

One of the most significant consequences has been damage to the Transcanyon Waterline, the system that supplies water from the canyon for use throughout the park. The waterline is currently not operational, leaving the Grand Canyon with limited water reserves and forcing officials to introduce Stage 4 water restrictions on the South Rim.

Under the restrictions, all overnight guest accommodation operated by park concessionaires has been closed for the foreseeable future. This includes El Tovar, Bright Angel Lodge, Maswik Lodge, Phantom Ranch, Yavapai Lodge and Trailer Village RV Park. Hotels located outside the park in Tusayan are not affected by the restrictions.

“These measures are crucial for ensuring the safety and sustainability of water resources,” the NPS wrote in a statement. “We are asking residents and visitors to help conserve water by limiting showers to five minutes or less, turning off faucets while shaving or brushing teeth, flushing toilets selectively, washing laundry with full loads, and reporting leaks to the appropriate offices.”

Camping is also limited. Only dry camping is permitted on the South Rim, with campground water spigots turned off, although bathroom faucets remain operational. Fires are prohibited in the South Rim and inner canyon areas, including wood-burning and charcoal fires.

The park itself remains open for day use, with food and beverage services, the Grand Canyon Clinic and the Post Office continuing to operate, although some services may have reduced hours. 

The Colorado River has also been closed to river traffic until further notice because of metal structures and debris entering the river. Visitors with upcoming river trips have been advised to contact their commercial outfitter or the NPS River Permits office for information specific to their trip.

The flooding occurred during the region’s monsoon season, when intense rainfall can rapidly funnel through the Grand Canyon’s steep, rocky terrain. The Guardian reported that the storm also affected areas scarred by the 2025 Dragon Bravo wildfire, where reduced vegetation can increase runoff. Researchers cited by the newspaper also pointed to drought, warming temperatures and a potentially stronger El Niño as factors that may have contributed to the extreme rainfall.

With further thunderstorms and heavy rainfall possible, the NPS has warned that additional flash flooding, debris flows, rockfall and rapidly changing trail and river conditions could occur.

L’article Deadly Grand Canyon flash flood forces hotel closures and Stage 4 water restrictions est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

With 32.97 million international visitors in 2025, Thailand is heavily reliant on tourism. The industry which 13% of the country’s GDP, 12% of its jobs, and 1.54 trillion baht (€40 billion). In 2026, those numbers are likely to go up, as the government expects around 33.5 million foreign visitors.

However, as the number of tourists grows, so does the nuisance caused by them. On 28 August 2026, Thailand introduced the so-called Office Regulation on Deportation, a set of new regulations allowing authorities to deport foreign nationals who do not abide by the country’s laws or are deemed a threat to public order.

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Starting from 15 September, those new measures will be joined by a new regulation regarding visa-free stays. Passport holders from 93 nations around the globe have been enjoying a 60-day visa exemption since July 2024, but 60 of those will now see that period reduced to just 30 days.

The new visa-exemption measures and visa privileges were officially announced through a publication in The Royal Gazette signed by Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul on Monday, 31 August, after the idea was first floated in May 2026.

“The objective is to ensure that travel facilitation for foreign tourists reflects the current circumstances, prevents misuse of visa privileges, and adheres to the principle of ‘one country, one entitlement’. The revisions take into account economic and security considerations, international relations, and the principle of reciprocity. The Government expects this change to strengthen international relations, support negotiations for Schengen visa exemptions for Thai nationals, and facilitate bilateral economic agreements,” the Thai government previously said in a press release.

Full list of countries covered by the new 30-day visa exemption:

Visitors from the above-mentioned countries arriving by land will be able to enter visa-free twice a year, in order to prevent so-called visa runs by foreigners who want to extend their stays in Thailand. Some exceptions will apply, including for passport holders from Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia, and Singapore.

Moreover, visitors from the Seychelles and Mauritius will be able to enjoy 15-day visa-free stays, while Visa-on-Arrival (VoA) at designated checkpoints will be available for nationals of Azerbaijan, Belarus, and Serbia. India’s VoA will be removed to eliminate the overlapping visa privilege.

“Travellers who entered Thailand before the new measures come into force will continue to be allowed to remain in the country for the remainder of their stay permitted under the previous regulations,” the government specified.

Foreign nationals who wish to be able to stay longer still have the option to apply for a Destination Thailand Visa (DTV). The 5-year multiple-entry visa requires proof of a bank account containing at least €13,000 (500,000 baht), and remote workers must be able to provide proof of employment outside of Thailand. In return, DTV holders can stay for a maximum of 180 days per entry, which can be prolonged once for another 180 days.

L’article Thailand to reduce visa-free stays for travellers from 60 to 30 days est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.