brady bunch house

Brady Bunch House Declared Official Historical Los Angeles Landmark 

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The legacy of the classic TV show “The Brady Bunch” is continuing to live on, as the Los Angeles City Council voted to designate the famous house from the sitcom as a historic-cultural monument. The Studio City Midcentury property is now officially a piece of the city’s history. 

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“Long before it became a pop‑culture pilgrimage site and backdrop for countless photo ops, the Brady Bunch House helped shape America’s vision of family life in the late 1960s and early ’70s — especially the idea of a blended family,” said Adrian Scott Fine, president of the L.A. Conservancy. 

“We’re thrilled to see it now designated as a Historic-Cultural Monument, ensuring the Brady Bunch — and their iconic home — remain part of Los Angeles’ story.”

The Los Angeles Cultural Heritage Commission unanimously voted to recommend the house as a landmark on January 15th. The Planning and Land Use Commission then approved the designation a month later, and sent the final decision to the City Council, according to the LA Times. 

“I look forward to seeing this memorialized in the appropriate way as part of San Fernando Valley television history,” Council member Adrin Nazarian said.

The landmark status protects the home, located at 11222 Dilling Street in Studio City, from demolition. If the owner ever wants to destroy the home, the Cultural Heritage Commission can delay the process for up to a year in order to find preservation solutions. 

The commission also will now be more heavily involved when it comes to making alterations to the property. 

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“The Brady Bunch” was actually filmed entirely in a studio, with the Studio City home working just for the exterior shots. However, its legacy was almost immediately cemented through the iconic sitcom’s popularity. 

Initially built in 1959 by architect Harry M. Londelius, the home is the perfect symbol for Southern California’s suburban, single-family charm. 

The home was owned by Violet and George McCallister for decades. The couple bought it for $61,000 in 1973, and when they passed away, their children sold it for $3.5 million in 2018. The major increase in sale price was due to an intense bidding war for the property, in which HGTV came out as the winner. 

The channel then announced a $1.9 million remodel to recreate the interiors exactly as they appeared in the show. The entire process was documented and premiered as a four-part miniseries called “A Very Brady Renovation.”

The end result was a near exact replica of the Brady home, including a floating staircase, orange kitchen counters, and so much more. The crew also added 2,000 square feet to the back of the home to make room for the bedrooms, and added a second story which is hidden from the street by lowering the foundation a foot, LA Times reports. 

Now, the home and show will live on in its legacy as a historical monument.

mbta

NYC Subways Testing Out AI Technology To Track Fare Evaders 

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New York City’s MTA has consistently blamed the design of the subway system and its turnstiles for rampant fare evasion. Now, three companies are fighting to take control over a $1.1 billion contract to redesign the turnstiles.

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These firms have already installed new fare gates with tall doors as opposed to the more well-known waist-high turnstiles. These doors have been installed at 10 subway stations throughout the last two months as part of a testing period for a pilot program. 

The program is also currently set to expand to 20 different subway stations within the next coming weeks, according to MTA Chair Janno Lieber while she testified at a state budget hearing in Albany this week. 

At least two of the three companies have stated that their designs utilize some level of artificial intelligence technology to track fare evaders. 

Cubic is the company that constructed most of the modern fare gates that are currently installed in the subway, as well as the now-retired MetroCard system. The company, however, has come under fire from MTA officials for delays and bugs with the rollout of the MTA’s new OMNY tap-to-pay system, according to the Gothamist. 

MTA Chair Janno Lieber stated during the hearing: 

“Cubic has not been a perfect partner and software developer and we ride them every day, all day. So we think most of it has been worked out, but there’s a couple of kinks we’re still working through, to be honest.”

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Anthony Louh, Cibic’s director of business development, stated that the “hiccups” with the OMNY rollout have better prepared the company for taking on the new redesign contract. 

Cubic’s new gates are also currently being tested at busy stations like Atlantic Terminal and Port Authority. They stated their intentions to add them to 125th Street station on the A, B, C, and D lines. 

In terms of the use of AI, the gates have surveillance technology that are automatically meant to issue an alert whenever a fare is evaded. The officials for Cubic said that the equipment has cameras that record a five-second clip when someone doesn’t pay. The AI mechanism writes a physical description of the individual and then sends it to the MTA.

Conduent and STraffic are the other two companies fighting for the contract, and have also installed modern fare gates in subway stations that are currently being used. 

Conduent specifically has its own form of AI technology as well that utilizes sensors to collect data on people who evade fares, according to reports. 

“The pilot program continues and results will be reviewed at the appropriate time, with the vendors selected to supply fare gates for the future,” MTA spokesperson Eugene Resnick wrote. 

The MTA is hoping to install new entry points at 150 of the subway’s 472 stations.

airport

Tourists Left Stranded Across Caribbean After Venezuela Attacks

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Following the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro by US forces, tourists have found themselves stranded across the Caribbean. Even though the Federal Aviation Administration has reopened Eastern Caribbean airspace, many are struggling for answers regarding coming home or to their next destination. 

Airlines have been scrambling since Sunday in order to add flights and get people back home from the Caribbean. 

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Nydia Han, an anchor and reporter for ABC News Philadelphia station WPVI, stated that her and her family were supposed to fly from San Juan, Puerto Rico to Philadelphia on Sunday night. Now, however, she’s been told by multiple airlines that she won’t be able to get a flight home until Friday. 

“Unfortunately, because of Maduro’s capture and airspace being closed, we are stuck here in Vieques,” Han said in a video with ABC News. 

The FAA issued a notice to airmen (NOTAM) to airlines early on Saturday that they would be banning flights from entering the Eastern Caribbean airspace “due to safety-of-flight risk associated with ongoing military activity.”

U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said that “the Caribbean airspace ban would expire at midnight Eastern time on Sunday.”

Major US air carriers such as JetBlue, American, Delta, and Southwest all canceled hundreds of flights during the airspace ban and some are struggling to add additional flights to the Caribbean region to accommodate impacted travelers. 

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On Monday, Delta stated that they added 2,600 seats through extra flights and that they’re working to re-accommodate all customers by Tuesday. 

Delta also said that delays could occur in the Caribbean on Monday due to the increased airline capacity and has recommended that customers with confirmed/rebooked tickets on Monday arrive at least three hours early to allow for crowded airports. Customers who don’t have rebooked tickets should not go to the airport until they’ve officially rebooked in order to avoid overcrowding, the airline said. 

American Airlines added 7,000 more seats and 43 extra flights, and for the first time in over a decade, the airline will be operating interisland flights in the Eastern Caribbean with two flights connecting Anguilla Wallblake, Anguilla and Beef Island, BVI to San Juan, Puerto Rico. 

Flights throughout the Caribbean including popular destinations such as Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao, St. Martin and St. Thomas in the US Virgin Islands were also canceled. Some airports are now getting back to normal as of Monday. 

plane

New WTTC Data Shows America’s Travel Sector Is Expanding While Getting Cleaner

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New findings from the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) suggest the United States may be entering a new era of cleaner growth in its travel sector, as the industry’s environmental footprint shrinks even while economic output rises.

The organization’s newest installment of its Environmental & Social Research (ESR) series indicates that the U.S. travel and tourism economy is showing early signs of decoupling its expansion from its emissions, a milestone sustainability experts have argued is essential for long-term climate goals.

According to the report, travel and tourism’s GDP in the U.S. grew an average of 1.8 percent each year from 2019 to 2024. Over that same period, greenhouse gas emissions from the sector fell by 1.7 percent annually. In other words, the industry is managing to do something that has historically proven difficult by producing more economic value while generating fewer environmental harms.

“This is a very positive sign, and clear proof that U.S. Travel & Tourism can decouple growth from environmental impact,” said Gloria Guevara, WTTC Interim President & CEO.

“This positive trajectory matters both nationally and globally. As the world’s largest Travel & Tourism market, the U.S. has a unique opportunity to lead the global transition to a cleaner, more competitive future.”

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The ESR data illustrates what that challenge looks like in practice. Transportation, spanning everything from long-haul flights to regional rail lines and buses, continues to dominate the industry’s emissions profile, accounting for 54 percent of total greenhouse gas emissions from U.S. travel and tourism.

Utilities account for another 14 percent, largely because the domestic power grid still leans heavily on fossil fuels. The remainder comes from a mix of industrial sources, including manufacturing, agriculture, and fuel production, all of which indirectly support travel operations.

Despite encouraging trends in emissions, the report also underscores how far the sector must go, particularly in adopting clean energy. Low-carbon energy usage across U.S. travel and tourism has hovered around 5.2 percent since 2022. That rate trails the global average and signals that the United States, despite having the world’s largest travel economy, is behind many other countries in shifting its travel sector toward renewable power.

But the WTTC’s research doesn’t stop at environmental metrics. The ESR also takes stock of the travel industry’s social footprint, highlighting who is being employed, how the labor landscape is shifting, and where gaps remain. One of the most notable findings concerns gender representation. In 2024, 9.5 million women were directly employed in U.S. travel and tourism, making up 47.4 percent of the sector’s workforce. That share surpasses the national labor-force average for women, which stands at 45.6 percent.

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Young workers also hold a significant presence in the industry. Employment among Americans aged 15 to 24 grew by more than 1.1 percent this year, with 3.54 million young people now working across hotels, attractions, transportation companies, restaurants, and related businesses. Altogether, they make up 23.7 percent of the industry, far above the national average of 13.1 percent, suggesting the sector remains a major entry point into the U.S. workforce.

However, the report highlights one area where the industry is struggling—high-wage employment. Only 25.5 percent of workers in U.S. travel and tourism earn high incomes, well below the broader national rate of 50.7 percent. Even within the travel and tourism field across the region, the U.S. trails the average of 29.5 percent, pointing to persistent wage stratification in an industry that relies heavily on service roles.

Together, the WTTC’s environmental and social findings paint a picture of a sector in transition, one that is beginning to make progress on emissions and continues to play a crucial role in employing women and young workers, yet still grapples with energy adoption challenges and wage inequality. For now, the organization argues, the trajectory is promising. Whether the momentum can continue may depend on the U.S.’s willingness to ramp up renewable energy investments and address structural gaps in its workforce.

park

National Parks Will Raise Fees For International Tourists To Popular US Parks 

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The National Park Service stated this week that they will begin charging the millions of international tourists who visit US parks annually an extra $100 to enter some of the most popular destinations, and will be leaving them out of “fee-free” days that are now reserved for Americans, according to reports from the Associated Press. 

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The service declared “America-first entry fee policies” in response to the national parks dealing with staff reduction and major budget cuts that are causing major strains throughout the system. 

The National Park Service is also still recovering from the recent government shutdown which caused them to have a significant loss in revenue with no fees being collected. 

According to the US Department of the Interior, the fee change will be implemented into 11 national parks including the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, and Yosemite; some of the most popular destinations. 

These new fee changes will begin to take effect on January 1st.

Foreign tourists will also have their annual parks pass jump in price to $250 with US residents continuing to be charged $80, according to the department’s statement. 

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said in a social media post that “the changes make sure U.S. taxpayers who support the park service continue to enjoy affordable access, while international visitors contribute their fair share to maintaining and improving our parks for future generations!”

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These changes also come following an executive order made in July where President Donald Trump directed the parks to increase entry fees for foreign tourists. 

“There’s a lot to unpack in this announcement, including many questions on its implementation – all which NPCA will raise with the Department of Interior,” Kati Schmidt, a spokesperson for National Parks Conservation Association, said.

In 2018, the US Travel Association estimated that national parks and monuments had over 14 million international visitors. Yellowstone specifically reported that in 2024, about 15% of their visitors were from outside of the country; this marks a 30% decline from 2018. 

This increase in pricing and fees is cited to help support the national parks so that they can upgrade facilities for visitors and maintenance, according to the official statement. 

The “resident-only patriotic fee-free days” that will begin next year includes Veterans Day, which was actually one of the parks’ eight free days open for everyone in 2025.

The Department of the Interior announced they wanted to “ensure that everyone, no matter their zip code, can access and enjoy the benefits of green spaces and our public lands.”

air traffic

Air Traffic Staffing Shortages Worsen Amid Government Shutdown, Leaving Travelers Uncertain

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Air traffic controller staffing shortages throughout the US have worsened over the past couple of weeks as the nation’s government shutdown officially hits one month. These shortages have led to a multitude of delays, cancellations, and traveler tension/anxiety. Experts are warning that air travel throughout the US will not improve until air traffic controllers get their proper payments.  

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Since Friday morning, more than 50 staffing shortages have been reported. This has caused delays in major cities such as Los Angeles and Washington DC. Controllers are considered to be essential workers, which means they have to work during the shutdown regardless of not getting paid. 

In LA specifically, flights were temporarily halted on Sunday due to staffing shortages. Since the beginning of October there have been at least 264 instances of staffing problems reported at FAA facilities, according to CNN. These rates are four times the 60 shortages reported this time last year. 

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said: “Just yesterday … We had 22 staffing triggers. That’s one of the highest that we have seen in the system since the shutdown began.”

Chad Mourning, assistant professor of computer science at Ohio University who specializes in aviation safety, told CNN he: “expects the shortage to continue and get worse as the shutdown goes on, because people can only work so much over time before they burn out.”

Air traffic controllers can route flights to airspace where more people are working, however, flights need to be slowed down regardless so that the controllers that do show up can maintain optimal levels of safety. 

This Sunday, the US experienced more than 6,000 flight delays due to the shortages and weather, according to FlightAware. American Airlines reported 27% of their flights were delayed. 

Since the beginning of the shutdown, on the worst days more than 50% of flight delays due to staffing shortages have occurred.       

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“The role of air traffic controllers is crucial because of how many flights take off every day in the United States,” Mourning said.

“There’s just too many airplanes, so we need someone else to sort of keep an eye out for if two planes are trying to land on the same runway. It is a heightened, hyper-vigilant job.” 

Controllers are required to retire in their 50s.

“We have a lot of pent-up grievances on the part of air traffic controllers, and now you’re adding to the mix the fact that they’re not getting paid and that there’s no real end in sight for the shutdown,” said Jake Rosenfeld, a professor who studies labor organizing. 

“[Calling in sick is a workaround] that we do see when there’s friction between employees and employers,” Rosenfeld said.

“Air traffic controllers are a real linchpin in the economy and actions, even by a really small number of them, can cause real pain,” he said.

The National Air Traffic Controllers Association said in a statement: “[We do] not endorse, support, or condone any federal employees participating in or endorsing a coordinated activity that negatively affects the capacity of the NAS, or any other activities that undermine the professional image and reputation of the people we represent. Participating in a job action could result in removal from federal service.”

passport

U.S. Passport Falls Out of Global Top 10 for the First Time in 20 Years

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For the first time in two decades, the U.S. passport no longer ranks among the world’s ten most powerful, according to the Henley Passport Index, which measures how freely citizens can travel without a visa.

The 2025 ranking crowns Singapore, South Korea, and Japan as the most travel-friendly passports, offering their holders visa-free entry to 193, 190, and 189 destinations, respectively. The United States, by contrast, has fallen to 12th place, tied with Malaysia, granting visa-free access to 180 of the 227 destinations tracked by Henley & Partners.

The London-based firm compiles the index using data from the International Air Transport Association, and because countries with equal scores share a single rank, the U.S. passport technically trails 36 other nations this year.

Back in 2014, the U.S. topped the chart. Even as recently as mid-2025, it managed to cling to the top 10. But a series of shifting visa policies worldwide has changed the landscape dramatically.

Brazil’s decision in April to revoke visa-free access for Americans, Canadians, and Australians, citing a lack of reciprocity, dealt an early blow. Meanwhile, China has been opening its doors wider, granting visa exemptions to European nations like Germany and France, but not to the United States. Papua New Guinea and Myanmar have also made entry rule changes that improved their own standings while pushing the U.S. further down.

According to Henley’s report, the latest setback came when Somalia launched a new eVisa system and Vietnam excluded the U.S. from its latest batch of visa-free additions.

“The declining strength of the US passport over the past decade is more than just a reshuffle in rankings — it signals a fundamental shift in global mobility and soft power dynamics,” said Christian H. Kaelin, chair of Henley & Partners.

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“Nations that embrace openness and cooperation are surging ahead, while those resting on past privilege are being left behind.”

The United Kingdom, which topped the index in 2015, has also reached its lowest-ever position, falling from 6th to 8th since July. In contrast, several countries have made rapid climbs. China has jumped from 94th place in 2015 to 64th today, gaining visa-free access to 37 new destinations.

Henley attributes that rise to Beijing’s expanding diplomatic outreach, including visa-free deals with Russia, Gulf states, South America, and Europe. The United Arab Emirates is another success story, soaring 34 spots over the last decade—from No. 42 to No. 8—thanks to a slew of reciprocal agreements.

At the other end of the spectrum sits Afghanistan, holding last place at No. 106, with visa-free access to just 24 destinations, down two since the start of the year. Syria (26) and Iraq (29) follow just above it. That leaves a 169-country gap between the most and least mobile passports on earth.

Henley’s current top 12 are as follows:

  1. Singapore (193 destinations)
  2. South Korea (190)
  3. Japan (189)
  4. Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Spain, Switzerland (188)
  5. Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Ireland, Netherlands (187)
  6. Greece, Hungary, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Sweden (186)
  7. Australia, Czech Republic, Malta, Poland (185)
  8. Croatia, Estonia, Slovakia, Slovenia, UAE, UK (184)
  9. Canada (183)
  10. Latvia, Liechtenstein (182)
  11. Iceland, Lithuania (181)
  12. United States, Malaysia (180)

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Back in July, CNN Business editor-at-large Richard Quest noted that new entry requirements, such as ESTAs in the European Union and the UK, were further limiting Americans’ mobility.

“Can we make a linkage, if you will, to immigration policies of the Trump administration? Yes, you probably can, at some level, say there is a direct relation between one and the other.”

Still, he said, elite passports remain coveted assets. “There are certainly citizenships that give greater access and availability to travel,” Quest explained. Wealthy individuals often pursue such documents through investment schemes—like the $5 million “gold card” program once floated by Donald Trump.

“But for the average person, it’s not a jot of difference. You’ve got your passport, you’ve got where you are. Learn and live with it.”

The Henley Passport Index isn’t the only global mobility scoreboard. Financial consultancy Arton Capital publishes its own Global Passport Power Rank, updated in real time by tracking government portals. Arton’s 2025 ranking currently puts the United Arab Emirates in first place, with a visa-free/visa-on-arrival score of 179, followed by Singapore and Spain (each at 175).

travel

International Travel To The US Has Been On The Decline, And Will Continue

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The decline in international tourism to the US could persist, and likely increase, in the future, according to travel analysts. Major travel destinations around the nation like Las Vegas and Los Angeles, have reported hosting fewer foreign visitors this summer, according to the Associated Press. 

Experts and local travel officials have stated that this decline first began in February after President Donald Trump returned to the White House. Specifically, his tariffs, immigration crackdowns, and repeated claims that the US will acquire Canada and Greenland, has made a lot of international travelers feel alienated and less willing to come to the US. 

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Patrick Kaler, CEO of the local tourism organization Visit Buffalo Niagara, created a marketing campaign to greet Canadian drivers with a billboard that states “Buffalo Loves Canada.” 

“To see the traffic drop off so significantly, especially because of rhetoric that can be changed, is so disheartening,” Kaler said.

Earlier in the year, the World Travel & Tourism Council projected that the US would be the only nation, out of the 184 they studied, where foreign visitor spending would decline in 2025. 

“[These findings] are a clear indicator that the global appeal of the US is slipping,” the global industry association stated.

“The world’s biggest travel and tourism economy is heading in the wrong direction. While other nations are rolling out the welcome mat, the U.S. government is putting up the ‘closed’ sign,” said Julia Simpson, the council’s president and CEO.

Tourism Economics, a travel research firm, predicted this month that the US will see 8.2% fewer international arrivals by the end of 2025, which is a significant drop in the number of foreign visitors to the US before the Covid-19 pandemic. 

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“The sentiment drag has proven to be severe, airline bookings indicate the sharp inbound travel slowdown” of the summer that will likely persist, the firm noted. 

Deborah Friedland, managing director at the financial services firm Eisner Advisory Group, said “the U.S. travel industry faced multiple headwinds — rising travel costs, political uncertainty and ongoing geopolitical tensions.”

Since returning to office, Trump has revived his travel ban that mainly targets African and Middle Eastern countries, and has tightened the rules around visa approvals while increasing mass immigration raids. 

His push for tariffs on foreign goods have also made citizens in multiple countries feel unwanted in the US. 

“Perception is reality,” Friedland said. 

Washington D.C. has also noticed an impact on the travel industry. Local tourism officials projected a 5.1% decrease in international visitors for the year, and marketing organization Destination DC said just last week they planned to “counter negative rhetoric” regarding the city. 

US government data confirmed a general decrease in international arrivals during the first seven months of the year. The number of foreign visitors, excluding Mexico and Canada, have decreased by 3 million (1.6%) compared to the same period last year, according to the National Travel and Tourism Office.

hot

Climate Change Is Making ‘Best Time To Visit’ Vacation Planning Obsolete 

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Planning the perfect vacation is dependent on a lot of specific factors. Besides the location, one must take into consideration the time of year, tourist opportunities, and weather conditions. Many people research the “best time to visit” their destination to ensure they get the most out of their travel experience. 

However, in today’s world, many people are facing climate-driven disruptions when it comes to planning their vacations. Summers are extremely hot, winters are extremely cold, and the seasons in between are just as unpredictable when it comes to weather events and how it will impact a multitude of destinations. 

Australia, for example, recorded the hottest March on record this year and Japan’s famous cherry blossom season saw the beautiful trees blooming earlier than ever this year. 

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“The planet’s warming since around 1980 is making heatwaves, droughts and floods more frequent and severe. All three of these are most common during summer, when travel peaks,” said Jonathan Erdman, senior meteorologist at The Weather Company‘s weather.com, to the BBC. 

“Extremely wet and dry periods can happen any time of year – including shoulder season – if the weather pattern gets stuck for a while.”

One of the most traditional ways that travelers plan their trips is looking into the “best time to visit” their destination. The term refers to the peak travel seasons of particular locations, and often will be the times where the weather is nice, there’s easy access to tourist experiences, and fewer crowds in more popular destinations. 

Travel agents have stated their struggle to help their clientele find these ideal times because of how unpredictable the world is now. For example, Juliana Shrestha, co-founder of Duluwa Outdoors, a female-led Nepal-based company that provides educational outdoor experiences, said inconsistency in weather is a major challenge. 

“Earlier, when clients asked for a snow trek in December, we could suggest options like Annapurna Base Camp, but now, it’s harder to say confidently whether conditions will be right. We just don’t know anymore,” she said to the BBC.

Reports also show that even short-term weather predictions are less dependable due to the current state of climate change, according to Stanford research.  

“When it comes to critical details like current weather conditions, or even basic advice like ‘bring a mask because of the pollution’, they either don’t know or don’t think it’s necessary to share,” Sherestha said.

Shrestha also discussed how within the industry, a lot of agencies omit climate realities which leave their clients unprepared for potential weather events and can ruin a lot of experiences. 

“There’s nothing wrong with wanting to make money, but are you treating customers like numbers, or are you guiding them into a thoughtfully curated experience, with transparency?”

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“[Some agencies] don’t build an idea of a place based on reality, but an idealized version, and it doesn’t get updated,” said Laura Hall, a travel writer and journalist.

Hall continued to explain that some of the “idealized versions” stem from an avoidance to accept that there are now travel experiences that aren’t the same as they used to be. Social media creates an even greater unrealistic picture of many of the world’s most famous sites, and since most people book their trips months, or even years, in advance, timing can also make it difficult. 

“It’s unlikely you’ll be scrolling through news articles while booking and stumble upon a warning that it’s going to be over 40C,” Hall said. 

Shrestha said that the industry needs to adopt empathy and the ability to adapt in order to give their clients the best vacation possible. Tour operators should prepare travelers of potential disruptions on their trips by recommending what to pack for unpredictable weather. 

Additionally, they need to set realistic expectations and encourage the purchase of travel insurance with backup plans should itineraries fall through. Shrestha also said that for Duluwa Outdoors specifically, they rely on the local’s expertise and ensure all of their guides have visited the sites they recommend at a recent time. 

“While we can’t predict exact conditions at the time of booking, this helps us give real-time updates closer to the trip. We don’t believe in blanket answers like, ‘September is the best time,'” says Shrestha. 

Susanne Etti, a global environmental impact manager at Inrepid Travel, told the BBC that with extreme weather on the rise more travelers are utilizing what’s known as “shoulder season trips.” 

“We’re seeing this trend really take off in Europe, with global bookings for some of our top summer spots, like Italy, Spain and Portugal, shifting to spring and autumn.” 

According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, extreme weather disruptions are only going to get worse as time goes on, even if “global warming stays within 1.5C.”

“This reality gives us a real chance to rethink how we design trips, stay agile and build a future for tourism that’s genuinely better,” Etti says. 

“A future where destinations can grow sustainably and actually offer travellers a richer, more meaningful experience than they do now.”

New Zealand

New Zealand To Begin Charging Foreign Tourists To Visit Famous Sites 

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New Zealand announced its plans to start charging international tourists fees in order to visit some of their countries most famous natural sites. With these transactions, New Zealand is hoping to make it easier for local businesses to operate on conservation land and allow room for ecological, cultural, and economic growth. 

Reports indicate the government is planning to charge visiting tourists NZ$20-40 ($12-24) per person in order to gain access to their famous sites. These sites will include spots such as Cathedral Cove/Te Whanganui-a-Hei, Tongariro Crossing, Milford Track and Aoraki Mount Cook.

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According to the plans, the fees will likely be implemented in 2027. 

Tama Potaka, the conservation minister, estimated that the new fees could generate up to NZ$62 million annually, “so we can keep investing in the sites that underpin so much of our tourism sector.” 

The implementation of these new fees is a part of a larger-scale plan to shift the nation’s conservation law regarding selling or exchanging conservation land so more activities can occur in these places without needing a permit. 

“In the spirit of saying yes to more jobs, more growth and higher wages, the government would unleash a fresh wave of concessions including in tourism, agriculture and infrastructure at some locations,” prime minister Christopher Luxon said on Saturday, according to the Guardian. 

Conservation land makes up one third of New Zealand territory and it is protected and publicly owned. It’s known for its biodiversity, historic, and cultural value. 

“Some businesses such as ski fields and grazing already operated on conservation land but many other businesses struggled to gain the same permission,” Luxon said. This is just one of many newer policies in New Zealand that is seeking to loosen regulation on natural sites in the name of economic growth. 

Last year, the government passed a law that will potentially allow for contentious mining and infrastructure projects to be fast-tracked for approval. There have also been proposed law changes to make it easier for companies to kill protected wildlife for infrastructure projects. 

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Conservation and climate initiatives are also experiencing budget cuts. 

Critics are speaking out against these new policies, stating its irresponsible to risk harming not only the environment but vulnerable and protected species. New Zealand is known for their biodiversity, but like the rest of the world, many species are threatened by endangerment and on the brink of extinction. 

Green party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick said “Luxon was putting profit above the protection of nature,” according to the Guardian. 

“That tells us everything we need to know about who he thinks he works for. It’s not regular people, future generations or a healthy environment,” she said in a statement to the Guardian.

“[The latest reforms] represent the most significant weakening of conservation law in a generation and would increase pressure on vulnerable species,” said Nicola Toki, the chief executive of New Zealand’s largest conservation organisation, Forest & Bird.

“They shift the focus from protection to exploitation, dismantling the very purpose of our national parks and conservation lands.”