6 Things Locals Wish Tourists Wouldn’t Do When In Iceland

BY  Ankita Nov 17, 2023

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) predicts a historic holiday travel season, estimating a record-breaking 30 million passengers nationwide during the upcoming 12-day Thanksgiving travel period. This projection is based on the already set records in 2023, with seven of the best ten busiest travel days in the history of TSA. TSA Administrator David Pekoske assures preparedness for the expected surge, working closely with airline and airport partners to maintain efficient screening processes. Pekoske emphasized the commitment to keeping wait times under 30 minutes in the case of the standard screening lanes. When it comes to TSA PreCheck lanes, the wait time is under 10 minutes. Meanwhile, the aftermath of the devastating Maui wildfires has impacted tourism in Hawaii. Although the holiday travel period may not break records, improving visitor demand and local travel may contribute to a busier atmosphere at state airports. After immediate economic losses following the wildfires, Maui is gradually reopening to visitors, with a projected recovery to pre-fire levels not expected until 2028. Recent tourism data indicates a decrease in arrivals to the Hawaiian Islands, with Maui experiencing a 57% drop in visitors in September. Despite a slower Thanksgiving, Jerry Gibson, president of the Hawaii Hotel Alliance, notes a last-minute pickup for December. This is particularly true on Oahu, the Big Island, and Kauai. Room rates are higher for the festive season, offering travelers more value due to lower volumes. Hawaiian Airlines responds to increased travel demand by adding 20 neighbor island round trips during Thanksgiving. The carrier also enhances service between Honolulu and Las Vegas, with a daily schedule from November 17 to January 12, except on December 31. Additional flights are scheduled between December 21 and 29, and a round-trip third weekly flight between Pago Pago and Honolulu on December 13 and January 3. Read Also: November Trips In 2023: From London To The World Zanzibar Or Oman: Which Do The Hungarian Tourists Like?

BY  Abdul Aziz Oct 26, 2023

Montana is home to some of the most stunning natural beauty in the US. This western state has incredible, dramatic terrain. From the Rocky Mountain range to cold lakes, alpine forests, and vast swaths of wilderness, Montana is a state of diverse terrain and unique culture. With a population estimated at only 1.1 million in 2022, Montana is among the least-populated states in the U.S.! At an elevation of 12,807 feet, Granite Peak is the highest point in the Beartooth Mountains, the highest point in Montana, and the tenth-highest point in the United States. Montana leads the country in the production of organic wheat, flax, lentils, and dry peas.  In 1971, the Transportation Department made a video called “Montana, Land of the Big Sky.” This led to its unofficial nickname, “Big Sky State.” There are eight (8) National Parks in Montana that generate $618.9 million in tourism each year from about 3.6 million visitors. Its two most popular National Parks are Glacier National Park and Yellowstone National Park. In Montana, two-fifths of the state is in the Rocky Mountain region. It also covers states including Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, Utah, and Wyoming. The name “Montana” comes from a Spanish word. The Spanish “montaña,” roughly translates to “mountainous.” Montana’s official state flower, Lewisia redivivia, also known as bitterroot, is a perennial plant that grows at elevations from 2,500 to 10,000 feet. These plants produce pink, rose, and even white-colored flowers, which reach about 2 inches across. Montana’s state tree is the Ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa). The Ponderosa pine can live for hundreds of years, growing tall into the sky as large and beautiful evergreen trees. The Roe River in Great Falls, Montana, has the notable distinction of being the world’s shortest river. This super-short river flows only 200 feet, reaching between Giant Springs and the Missouri River. Gemstone mining in Montana has long had an important place in the state’s economy. Montana’s two state gemstones are agate and sapphire. Since 1969, these two gemstones have shared the unique recognition of being the official state gemstones. Read Also: Maldives And Bora Bora Among Top 10 Tourists Spots In The World Siam Paragon Mass Shooting Propels Thailand’s Proposed 300 Baht Tourism Fee To Get Fast-Tracked A Newly Launched Tool ‘Skyscanner’ Inspires Travelers To Book Travel Destinations With Ease And Confidence

BY  Abdul Aziz Dec 27, 2023

The holidays of Hanukkah, Christmas, and New Year's are all about happiness, family, and celebration. This entails engaging in festive customs and spending time with loved ones for the majority of people. However, these holidays have a whole new significance for cosmonauts and astronauts in space. Vacations in space were uncommon in the early years of space exploration. The first Christmas spent in space by astronauts was during the Apollo 8 mission in December 1968. Frank Borman, James A. Lovell, and William A. Anders read passages from the Bible's Book of Genesis while in orbit around the moon, broadcasting the scenes to an estimated billion viewers worldwide. Vacations in space increased in frequency and length as missions went on. Astronauts Gerald P. Carr, Edward G. Gibson, and William R. Pogue observed Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's in space during the 1973–1974 Skylab 4 mission. They watched a comet pass by, made a homemade Christmas tree out of food containers, and had a festive dinner that included fruitcake. For cosmonauts, the New Year's holiday was particularly important. Yuri V. Romanenko and Georgi M. Grechko were the first people to celebrate the new year while in orbit on the Salyut-6 space station in 1977 and 1978. In a broadcast on television, they raised a glass to the occasion. Astronaut Jeffrey A. Hoffman observed Hanukkah in 1993 while on the STS-61 mission aboard the space shuttle Endeavour. To celebrate the Festival of Lights, he spun a dreidel and carried a traveling menorah. Holidays were not only observed in space, but astronauts went above and beyond to make the occasion joyful. The 1999 STS-103 crew, who were entrusted with fixing the Hubble Space Telescope, celebrated Christmas with a special meal that included French specialties. Twelve Mir expedition crews, including NASA astronauts, spent their vacations on board the Russian space station between 1987 and 1998. Messages were exchanged and customs, like lighting Hanukkah candles and sending Christmas greetings, were demonstrated during these festivities. On board the International Space Station, holiday celebrations are still customarily observed. Whether it's through live broadcasts, symbolic decorations, or special food items, astronauts and cosmonauts find inventive ways to bring the joy of these festivities to the cosmic realm. Though they may be different, people who celebrate the holidays far above Earth still find great meaning and significance in them. Read Also: 6 Things Locals Wish Tourists Wouldn’t Do When In Iceland Juneau’s Mendenhall Glacier Recreation Area Is Expecting Big Changes Bora Bora Is Shifting Its Tourism Policy, Aims To Double Tourists By 2033