Tourism

New York edges closer to ending iconic Central Park carriage after 165 years

New York City is moving closer to ending horse-drawn carriage rides in Central Park, with the City Council preparing to approve legislation that would ban the practice from 2028, potentially…

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Greek islands face drought as tourist season hits

Seven Greek islands in the Aegean Sea have declared drought emergencies this year to preserve water as climate change makes summers hotter and rainfall more erratic. Now, authorities are wondering…

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Spain and Portugal see surge in tourist bookings amid Middle East travel concerns

Spain and Portugal are experiencing a surge in late spring and summer flight and hotel bookings as millions of travellers steer away from ‌war-affected destinations and hubs in and around…

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Israel and UK lead Cyprus tourism surge in December

Cyprus record a sharp rise in tourist arrivals in December 2025, driven primarily by visitors from Israel and the United Kingdom, according to data released on Monday by the Cyprus…

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Spain to tighten rental rules with room rent caps, seasonal lease curbs

Spain's leftist government will further tighten rental rules and restrict medium-term leases to contain soaring rents and prevent price abuse under a decree to be approved in the coming weeks,…

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Less New York, more Nashville: Europeans head to smaller US cities

European travelers, nearly a year into President Donald Trump's administration, are popping up in less-heralded - and often more affordable - destinations in the U.S. like Tennessee, Montana and Idaho,…

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Europe cracks down on badly behaved tourists

While cost-hiking measures serve a dual purpose of cutting visitor numbers and raising funds, other new rules are aimed more squarely at curbing undesirable tourist behaviour. San Sebastián is the…

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Italy Braces for Surge in Winter Visitors as International Demand Climbs

Italy’s tourism sector is preparing for a buoyant winter season as foreign arrivals surge. A Demoskopika study previewed by ANSA estimates that 14 to 14.4 million international travellers will visit…

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Tourist tax expected to be introduced for London

The mayor of London has cautiously welcomed reports that he is to impose a tourist levy on visitors staying overnight in the capital. Chancellor Rachel Reeves is expected to give…

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From Carbonara to Tiramisu: Italy Seeks UNESCO Recognition to Boost Tourism

Italy is projecting a significant surge in international tourism if its national cuisine secures UNESCO intangible World Heritage status, with industry groups estimating up to 18 million additional visitors over…

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Majorca, Ibiza and Menorca Visitors Could Face Steep Tourist Tax Increase Under New Union Proposal

One of Spain’s largest trade unions is calling for a sharp increase in the taxes paid by visitors to the Balearic Islands, arguing that current measures have failed to ease…

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Tourists to Greece Spend Less on Restaurants, More on Supermarkets

Greece’s restaurant sector is seeing weaker sales this summer despite record arrivals of foreign visitors, as more tourists opt for supermarket meals and cooking at short-term rentals, industry officials said.…

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Travel firm Jet2 forecasts lower profit as later bookings trend worsens

British low-cost airline and travel firm Jet2 tempered its profit outlook this week as visibility was muddled by travellers booking tickets closer to departure, sending its shares plummeting and dragging…

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Tourists Arrivals in Italy Rose 9.3% in August

Tourist arrivals in Italy increased by 9.3% in the first half of August compared with the same period last year, the Interior Ministry said Wednesday. Between Aug. 1 and Aug.…

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Berlin courts tourists as Paris and Barcelona tire of the crowds

As many southern European cities grow tired of tourists, Berlin is pitching itself as an antidote to the crowds, blistering heatwaves and anti-tourism protests causing problems elsewhere. The German capital…

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Cyprus Hotels Experience Peak Summer Occupancy

Cyprus hotels will be at their busiest from the following weekend until August 18, with occupancy rates between 90 and 95 per cent, according to Thanos Michaelides, president of the…

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Santorini Stumbles as Lesser-Known Greek Islands Rise and Demand Greater Control

The summer tourism landscape in Greece is showing signs of a notable shift, as interest in some of the country's most iconic destinations wanes while lesser-known islands gain ground. Foreign…

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Aberdeen to introduce 7% ‘tourist tax’ on visitors

Councillors have given the green light for the introduction of a 7% visitor levy for Aberdeen, Scotland. The "tourist tax" will not come into force until at least April 2027,…

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British tourist billed for Italian mountain rescue

A British hiker has been charged more than €14,000 (£12,000) by the Italian mountain rescue service after ignoring danger warnings in the Dolomites. The man, aged 60, had to be…

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Gulf countries to issue new Schengen-style tourist visa

A new tourist visa will be launching soon that will make travelling between countries in the Gulf easier. The GCC Grand Tours Visa - also known as the Unified Tourist…

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Portofino tightens tourist rules with dress code and alcohol ban in summer crackdown

Authorities in the exclusive Italian Ligurian resort town of Portofino have extended a sweeping summer ordinance that imposes restrictions on tourist behavior, including a ban on public drinking and a…

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Short-term rentals in Greece grow the fastest in Southern Europe in Q1

Overnight stays in domestic short-term rental accommodation recorded a significant annual increase of 15.2% in the first quarter of this year. According to data Eurostat published this week on the…

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Gift shops and fast food banned in Bergamo Alta in Italy

Fast-food outlets and sex shops are among the commercial activities banned from Bergamo Alta in an ordinance from the local government in the Lombardy town concerning its historic and picturesque…

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Cruise passenger fees in Greece set to rise

Reports in the Greek media indicate that cruise ship passenger fees will increase from July 1. The fee will be imposed per passenger and per port and its amount will…

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International tourist spending in Europe seen up 11% this year, report says

International travel spending in Europe is expected to rise by 11% to $838 billion this year, with France and Spain among the countries set to receive record numbers of tourists,…

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Some 66 million people to holiday in Italy this summer

This summer, 65.8 million people are expected to holiday in Italy, generating an estimated 267.4 million overnight stays, according to a study by the Demoskopika Institute, obtained in advance by…

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Greece Bans Caravan Parking in Public Spaces

Greece has approved a law that will dramatically change the handling of motorhomes and caravans in the country, as it broadly bans parking of any type of caravan or trailer…

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European Travel Trends Shift Amid Climate and Economic Concerns

The European Travel Commission's (ETC) recent survey reveals a nuanced shift in travel intentions among Europeans for the spring and summer of 2025. While 72% of Europeans plan to travel…

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Greece is Europe’s cheapest, Malta most expensive, for luxury holidays

Greece has recently been building a name for luxury holidays, away from the traditional, low-cost sea-and-sun pattern of last century, offering greater value for money than its regional rivals. A…

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Italy Leads Europe in Tourism Reputation for the Second Consecutive Year

As Milan hosts the annual BIT travel exhibition, Italy has once again secured the top spot in the European Tourism Reputation Index (Etr Index) compiled by the Demoskopika Institute. With…

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Spain probes holiday home platform in crackdown on tourism rentals

Spain has opened an investigation into an unidentified holiday apartment renting platform for failing to delete thousands of rental offers in another attempt to curb a business blamed by many…

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Tallinn looking to introduce tourist tax

Deputy Mayor of Tallinn Margot Roose (Eesti 200) made the suggestion in response to a document from the Ministry of Economic Affairs. It forecasts an increase in tourist flows over…

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Italian Authorities Crack Down on Keyboxes for Short-Term Rentals Amid Safety Concerns

The Italian government has taken decisive action to regulate the use of keyboxes and automated check-in systems in short-term rental properties, citing safety and compliance concerns. These measures, outlined in…

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EU sees bigger share of tourists from outside Europe

In 2023, the EU registered a total of 2.9 billion nights spent in tourist accommodation establishments, up from 2.8 billion in 2022. Almost 1.6 billion nights were spent by domestic…

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A Love for Pasta: Foreign Tourists and Their Favorite Food in Italy

In celebration of World Pasta Day on Friday, October 25, a survey conducted by Touring Club Italia for Unione Italiana Food explored the relationship between foreign tourists visiting Italy and…

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Venice to double number of days tourists must pay entry fee

Venice is to double the number of days it charges tourists an entrance fee in 2025, following a "successful" trial last year, the city's mayor said. Luigi Brugnaro said the…

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Thousands protest in Spain’s Canary Islands against over tourism

Thousands of people protested in holiday resorts in Spain's Canary Islands on Sunday against over tourism which they say prices local people out of the housing market. Under the slogan…

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Prague bans night-time pub crawls in bid to attract ‘more cultured, wealthier’ tourists

Prague city councillors have banned night-time pub crawls organised by travel agencies because the city wanted to target “more cultured” tourists. The Czech capital of 1.3 million people has for…

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More Indians than ever are going on holiday abroad – so where are they heading and why?

Travel is on the rise again. According to the UN’s tourism agency, international travel for all purposes reached 97% of its pre-pandemic level in the first quarter of 2024. In…

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Bali to ban building of some hotels to tackle over-development

Indonesia has agreed to set a moratorium on the construction of hotels, villas and nightclubs in some areas on the tourist resort island of Bali, as it grapples with the…

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New Zealand nearly triples levy on international tourists

New Zealand will nearly triple entry fees for tourists, the government said on Tuesday, spurring criticism from the key tourism sector the higher levy will deter visitors. The government said…

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Sardinia Among Italy’s Top Five Destinations for Extended Holidays in 2023

According to a study published this week by the Sardinian branch of the artisans association Confartigianato, based on ISTAT data, Sardinia was one of Italy's top five regions selected for…

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Montenegro’s Adriatic gem of Kotor struggles with tourist influx

A UNESCO World Heritage Site nestled on the edge of a picturesque Adriatic bay, the town of Kotor in Montenegro is struggling to cope with a surge in tourism that…

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Italy faces beach umbrella protest as licence row resurfaces

Italy's balneari -- or beach managers -- closed their umbrellas for a few hours on Friday in a symbolic protest against the government's failure to resolve a dispute with the…

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New tourist limits get warm welcome in Venice

Venetians and visitors alike welcomed new rules introduced on Thursday to limit the size of tourist groups in the latest effort to reduce overcrowding. Tourist parties will be capped at…

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Venice to limit tourist groups to maximum of 25 people

Venice will limit the size of tourist parties to 25 people from Thursday in the latest attempt to reduce the impact of crowds on the lagoon city. Local authorities will…

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Santorini authorities concerned about overtourism

The debate in Greece over the impact of overtourism on Santorini intensified on Tuesday when 11,000 cruise passengers arrived on the island in a single day. A social media post…

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Barcelona cannot absorb infinite tourism growth, needs curbs, mayor says

Barcelona cannot absorb an ongoing, unbridled growth in the number of tourists and has to impose restrictions so as not to become a "theme park" without residents, the mayor of…

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Thousands protest in Spain’s Mallorca against mass tourism

Thousands of anti-tourism activists protested in Spain's Palma de Mallorca on Sunday in the latest demonstration against a key industry for the Iberian nation. Carrying makeshift models of planes and…

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Buckingham Palace opens room with famous balcony to visitors

Visitors to Buckingham Palace in London this summer will get to stand behind the famous balcony that the British royal family often poses on. For the first time, the palace…

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Spain to crack down on holiday rentals

Spain's government announced a crackdown on Wednesday on short-term and seasonal holiday lettings amid rising anger from locals who feel priced out of the housing market. The government will investigate…

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Japan imposes new fees on Mount Fuji climbers to limit tourists

Park rangers on Japan's sacred Mount Fuji officially started this year's climbing season about 90 minutes before sunrise on Monday, levying new trail fees and limiting hiker numbers to curb…

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Capri lifts ban on tourists after resolving problems with water supply

The Italian island of Capri has lifted a ban on tourists after problems with the water supply to the holiday hotspot were resolved. The ban had been announced early on…

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Barcelona plans to shut all holiday apartments by 2028

Barcelona, a top Spanish holiday destination, announced on Friday that it will bar apartment rentals to tourists by 2028, an unexpectedly drastic move as it seeks to rein in soaring…

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Euro 2024 tourism to bring $1 billion to Germany

Germany, the host of Euro 2024, can expect a 1 billion euro ($1.07 billion) boost to its economy thanks to foreign tourists travelling to the country for the soccer games,…

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Italian tourism set for bumper summer

Tourism in Italy hit a record high last year and foreigners made up the majority for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic, national statistic bureau ISTAT said this week.…

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Europe’s third-largest tour operator FTI files for insolvency

Europe's third-largest tour operator FTI Group filed for insolvency in the Munich regional court, the German company said in a statement, as bookings continued to fall even after a recent…

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