‘The oyster shucking is a riot’: readers’ favourite UK food events in autumn

From the Highlands to Cornwall, from porridge to pakoras, enjoy the full harvest of our readers’ foodie tips

Every October, I find myself drawn to the Falmouth oyster festival, where fresh oysters, pulled straight from the boats, are shucked before your eyes. As you wander, the streets of Falmouth are buzzing with lively music, bursts of laughter, and the salty scent of the sea. Everywhere there’s a palpable energy – folks clinking glasses of chilled local ale, traders calling out their fresh catches and kids dancing to impromptu tunes. And oh, those oyster-shucking contests? An absolute riot. You’ll be cheering, laughing, and maybe even joining in. From 12 to 15 October.
Hamish Lister Continue reading...

Rail route of the month: Slovenia’s ‘garden of Eden’ from Sežana to Jesenice

Our slow travel expert takes in the undiscovered charms of the Soča valley and Julian Alps … in a country where train tickets have just got cheaper

James Bond slept until Sežana. In From Russia with Love, Ian Fleming writes that in Sežana “the hard-faced Yugoslav plain-clothes men came on board”. The Simplon-Orient-Express used by James Bond hasn’t run since 1962, and the border antics on the frontier between erstwhile Yugoslavia and Italy disappeared with the accession of Slovenia to the Schengen zone in 2007. The railway station in the Slovenian town of Sežana is nowadays a sleepy outpost. The most exotic departure of the day is the early-afternoon Eurocity train that rumbles east along the main line to Ljubljana, eventually reaching Vienna in the evening. It’s a fine ride, but closer to hand is a remarkable rural railway which deserves to be far better known. And the good news is that train fares in Slovenia were reduced in August. Continue reading...

Delta Air Lines on the Vision for AI

The airline industry operates largely on decades-old systems. Without those being updated, integrating AI will be a challenge. -Justin Dawes

Hyatt Pulls Off a Business Travel Comeback

Hyatt CEO Mark Hoplamazian is finally seeing his valuable corporate guests returning. He says bookings everywhere but Asia are "booming." -Josh Corder

Why the Indian Travel Industry Should Be More Accessible and Inclusive

Tune in to hear from an accessible travel advocate about why the industry shouldn't overlook customers with disabilities. But looks like it’s a long road ahead for players to become truly inclusive.
-Amrita Ghosh

Tell us about a great eco skiing trip in Europe – you could win a holiday voucher

Have you been on a skiing trip that minimised impact on the environment? Please share your experiences – the best tip wins £200 towards a Coolstays break

There are ways to cut down on your carbon footprint on a ski trip in the mountains. We’d like to hear about your best no-fly, eco-friendly ski holidays in Europe with recommendations of sustainably run resorts, accommodation and eco initiatives.

If you have a relevant photo, do send it in – but it’s your words that will be judged for the competition. Continue reading...

Government Shutdown: The Impact on Key Travel Sectors

Brief government shutdowns haven’t typically had a big impact on the travel industry. But the longer they go on, the greater the chance for staffing issues and other service disruptions. -Kristin Majcher

Regional Airline Accused Qantas of Poaching Its Pilots

The competition for pilots is intense although Regional Express didn't provide proof to back up its allegations. -Dennis Schaal

‘Something magical happens’: can you really take kids on a 630-mile hike?

Tackling the South West Coast Path (in chunks) with my husband and two young children gave us a chance to enjoy true freedom as a family It’s late. The sun is setting. I’m sitting on a clifftop on the Jurassic Coast with my family. I can hear the clatter of forks against enamel, the slurp of camp-stove noodles, the distant draw of the sea below. Our tent is pitched on a rough patch of long grass, sleeping bags laid out, a bar of chocolate and pack of cards waiting for us. We are tired and dusty after a long day of hiking, when Tommy, my eight-year-old, suddenly says, “Look!” A lone deer stands on the cliff edge, head lifted, dark eyes on us. Separated from its herd, it looks almost ethereal, the sea washed gold behind it. I wonder what the deer thinks of us – four humans huddled on a remote cliff top, miles from the nearest building or road. Continue reading...

Hilton Promises Clarity on Mandatory Fees

Today's edition of Skift's daily podcast looks closer at Hilton's fee promise, U.S. tourism leaders' thoughts on outbound China travel, Morocco tourism returning. -Rashaad Jorden

‘The place was so relaxing I almost missed my train’: readers’ favourite European railway hotels

From a converted monastery in Venice to a former post office in Ghent, our tipsters share their most memorable places to stay handy for the train Venice is a brilliant place to arrive in – the moment you walk down the steps and out of Santa Lucia station you’ll see bobbing gondolas on the city’s famous canals. Last year, I stayed at the Hotel Abbazia, a lovely traditional building in a restored ancient monastery. It’s two minutes from the station and has comfortable rooms for two or three from €125. You can have breakfast in the shady courtyard garden, almost imagining the monks strolling around as they said their prayers. In fact, the whole place was so relaxing, I almost missed my train as the friendly hosts served me more croissants and cappuccinos. Nigel Continue reading...

Dubai to Surpass Las Vegas in Number of Hotel Rooms

Dubai shows no signs of slowing down when it comes to building new hotels. Even if the emirate runs out of prime plots along the beach, it can simply resurrect man-made projects previously brought down in the '08 financial crash. -Josh Corder

Europe’s New Ideas to Reign in Short-Term Rentals

Today's edition of Skift's daily podcast looks closer at short-term rentals in Europe, global tourism investment, and Dubai’s hot Russian summer. -Rashaad Jorden

The London look: 10 fashion exhibitions in the capital

Autumn shows covering everything from the Georgians to the Kardashians, and from East End sweatshops to Chanel’s Paris The V&A’s new blockbuster exhibition is the first in the UK dedicated to the French couturier Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel – and it is selling out fast. The show is fully booked until Christmas, but at the time of writing there was still plenty of availability in January and February. The exhibition charts the history of the House of Chanel, from the opening of Coco’s first millinery shop in Paris in 1910 to her final collection in 1971, and her legacy today. There are almost 200 looks on show, including a piece from 1916 and outfits designed for Lauren Bacall and Marlene Dietrich, plus accessories, jewellery and perfume. Until 25 February, £24 adults/£16 children/under-12s free, vam.ac.uk Continue reading...

Tell us about a great city break in Europe – you could win a holiday voucher

Share a tip on a break in a less well known European city – the best tip wins £200 towards a Coolstays break Paris, Rome, Berlin, Amsterdam – Europe’s major capital cities get a lot of fanfare, and rightly so. But they can become victims of their own popularity with inflated prices and over-tourism. With lively cultural and food scenes, friendly locals and a strong sense of identity, the less obvious secondary cities can sometimes offer a more rewarding experience to travellers. From Trieste to Trondheim, Coimbra to Kraków, we’d like to hear about your favourite small European cities. If you have a relevant photo, do send it in – but it’s your words that will be judged for the competition. Continue reading...

Brooklyn for all budgets: 10 places to stay in New York’s coolest borough

New York City can be costly, but these hotels mean you can still afford to visit With an array of dormitories and private rooms, this unpretentious and popular, budget-friendly hostel makes a visit to one of the most expensive cities on the planet feel affordable. On the edge of East Williamsburg and trendy, industrial Bushwick, it has high ceilings, hardwood floors and eclectic furnishings rather than piled-high bunk beds. There’s a fully equipped guest kitchen, complimentary tea and coffee, and parking, too. Brooklyn institution Roberta’s dishes up pizza and drinks just around the corner. Or walk half an hour down the road to LunÀtico to dance the night away to folk and jazz until the early hours. Dorm rooms from £44, nymoorehostel.com Continue reading...

Witches, DJs and dancing in the aisles: on board the Culture Train from Berlin to Poland

Musicians, dancers and a tarot-card reading artist animate the nearly five-hour journey to Wrocław from the German capital Madame Ziemowit the witch nods and scratches her beard as I flip a tarot card, revealing the chariot symbol. Picking the chariot seems fitting, as the turban-clad sorcerer and I are on a train, having just crossed the border from Germany into Poland. Multicoloured lightbulbs adorn carriage windows, framing a green-blue blur of fields and rivers. Next to us a toddler, sitting in a mini-library by the loo, draws squiggles on an Etch A Sketch. A jaunty brass fanfare plays through the carriage speakers. This is the Culture Train, which makes the four-and-a-half-hour journey between Berlin and the Polish city of Wrocław each weekend, and is surely one of the most creative and quirky railway services in Europe. Musicians, authors, DJs, teachers – and indeed performance artists adopting tarot card-reading witch personas – provide entertainment to passengers, who range from bum bag-strapped weekend trippers to Berghain clubbers on comedowns. Continue reading...

Maui Tourism’s Path to Recovery

Today's edition of Skift's daily podcast looks closer at Maui’s recovery, Marriott’s carbon footprint, and Spirit’s dispiriting forecast. -Rashaad Jorden

From Brief Encounter to Trainspotting: readers’ favourite station bars, restaurants and cafes

Enjoy a giant omelette, a local pint or a glass of lion’s milk … readers share their favourite places to kick back and wait for the train in Europe and the UK Visit platform one at Carnforth railway station, where Brief Encounter was filmed, and enjoy great food and drinks at the Refreshment Room. The venue, restored to its 1940s period glory, is a step back in time. As an added bonus, there is a volunteer-run small museum full of railway memorabilia. It’s a special place, and the trains rolling by just add to the atmosphere. Helen Continue reading...

Meet the UAE’s First Gaming Authority

Today's edition of Skift's daily podcast looks closer at AI at major travel brands, youth-focused African tours, and gaming in the UAE. -Rashaad Jorden

How Payment Innovations Will Power the Connected Trip of the Future

As blended travel comes of age, tokenized payment innovations using artificial intelligence and augmented reality are paving new ways to create seamless travel experiences that span the entire customer lifecycle. -Visa

Middle East Gaming Authority Paves Way For ‘Arabian Strip’ Gambling Zone

Testing the waters with the announcement of the Wynn Al Marjan Island, the UAE government has gone to the deep end, announcing a federal level gaming authority. Chaired by the former CEO of MGM, this new authority sets the stage for a full-blown gambling industry. -Josh Corder

Kayak Tries Side Hustle in Corporate Travel for Large Enterprises Like PwC

The American Express GBTs of the world won't lose sleep over this. But Kayak's effort should be a wake-up call to the sector. Technologies like blockchain may be seeding more competition at last. -Sean O'Neill

France port of La Ciotat is a little-known beauty

Less frenetic than neighbouring Marseille, this beautiful coastal resort quietly celebrates its pioneering heritage in shipbuilding, cinematography and … pétanque So impressive were the shipyards at La Ciotat, halfway between Marseille and Toulon, that French emperors, dignitaries and scientists would flock there to witness the launch of an ocean liner. The swell overflowed the port, flooding cafes and carrying diners and motorcars out to sea. It all seemed calm when I visited this summer. Shipbuilding ended in La Ciotat in 1987 but the yard was turned into a hub for refitting luxury ships and superyachts, keeping a huge workforce active while the town turned its attention to tourism. I wander along the seafront past a giant 3D #ILoveLaCiotat sign, brightly painted pointu boats, a ferry going to Île Verte, barrels of fishing nets, some great-looking restaurants and a restored hammerhead crane. Continue reading...

Tell us about your favourite UK autumn food or drink event and you could win a £200 holiday voucher

Share details of a lovely food festival, ale trail or seafood discovery – the best tip wins a Coolstays break The “season of mists and mellow fruitfulness” is almost upon us, so it’s time to celebrate food, glorious food at places such as the Abergavenny food festival, or go on a cider tour in Herefordshire, where they have themed events showcasing the county’s orchards. In the Scottish Highlands, the Golden Spurtle world porridge-making championship draws oat-loving competitors from around the world, and a real ale trail takes beer guzzlers by bus on a tour of Cheshire’s country pubs. We’d like to hear about your favourite food festival, ale trail or seafood celebration. If you have a relevant photo, do send it in – but it’s your words that will be judged for the competition. Continue reading...

Put yourself first: the top 15 solo trips in the UK

Being on your own is a chance to really savour the world around you - at your own pace. Here are 15 places to visit and eat. Plus, five great spa breaks for number one There’s something wonderfully liberating about travelling alone and the following trips fulfil all the best aspects of being solo. No compromises to be made, no itineraries discussed; get up when you want, eat what you fancy, do nothing or everything, talk to the friendly person next to you at breakfast, or pop in your headphones and ignore them completely. When I’m travelling alone, I become the best version of myself; the most decisive, the most charming, the most curious. I see more, go further, strike up conversations with people I’ll never meet again, yet always remember. And even after 25 years of travelling, I still get the same feeling of satisfaction when I’m home – a quiet sense of pleasure that I did it all on my own. Continue reading...

Air France: Flights to and From all Moroccan Airports Operating Normally

Moroccans are recovering from an earthquake on Friday night that killed more than 1,300 people. -Justin Dawes

A family rail adventure in Sicily

A family heads to Sicily and takes in Palermo, Catania and the circular narrow gauge railway around Mount Etna It took the second thud to rouse me. Worried I’d slept through it, I slid up the blind to find our train pulling into the port city of Villa San Giovanni in Calabria, Italy. Not quite 6am, the last of the night’s sky was taking leave: navy clouds pulled apart before my eyes, a single neon-pink patch igniting the ridgeline of the Peloritani mountains in north-east Sicily. As I watched the waters of the Messina Strait turn silver in the dawn light, the train jerked and we began to roll the way we’d come. Shunted back and forth, I realised the carriages were uncoupling: this was the moment I’d waited years to witness. Little legs in pink pyjamas appeared on the ladder and my five-year-old daughter climbed down from her berth. “Are we riding on the ferry yet?” Continue reading...

‘Choose something you love, and go and do it’: readers on the joy of solo travel

From joining in a five-a-side football match in Lisbon to sharing a bird hide in Sweden, our tipsters find that going solo is enriching, not lonely Feeling tired and bruised by the end of a long-term relationship, I was unsure of my new life as a thirtysomething single woman in the world. I sought solace in outdoor swimming, and a friend told me about a holiday she’d taken with Swimtrek. I went online and impulsively bought a week-long trip to Ibiza. My tip: choose something you love, and go and do it with experts leading you and a bunch of strangers. I made new friends, explored the beautiful Ibizan coastline, and my confidence soared. Kathy Atkinson Continue reading...

Brora, the best British beach you’ve never heard of

With great water sports, coastal walks, wildlife and an ice-cream parlour, this idyllic spot in Sutherland is the perfect hangout – and no one seems to know about it I was weaving through an underwater forest, russet strands of seaweed billowing around me like mermaids’ hair. As we snorkelled, the water was at times shallow enough that my fins scraped the sand; at others, the kelp-smothered rocks seemed to drop away, leaving the seabed out of reach. A flicker of movement in the corner of my eye had me spinning around to find my guide, Rhionna, pointing to a small, crimson-red sea anemone on a dark rock, its tentacles quivering in the current. Afterwards, we sat in the shallows and peeled off our fins, moving back and forth with the motion of the waves. A cluster of bemused campervanners were watching from above. And who could blame them? Like them, I’d never associated the North Sea – least of all far northern Scotland – with snorkelling. “How was it?” one asked once I’d dripped my way up to the car park. “Absolutely brilliant,” I said, my cheeks strained from smiling. Continue reading...

New York City’s Short-Term Rental Verification System Fails to Launch

Today's edition of Skift's daily podcast looks closer at New York's short-term rental verification process and U.S. cities' tourism recovery. -Rashaad Jorden

Qantas CEO to Retire Early as Airline Looks to Rebuild Reputation

Alan Joyce's departure would enable Qantas to "expedite its rejuvenation," conveying the idea of the company yielding to public and political demands after enduring them for years. -Srividya Kalyanaraman

Open house days: 10 of the best UK architectural attractions to visit for free

In September, thousands of monuments, civic buildings and private homes throw open their doors to offer a rare glimpse of normally off-limits spaces. Here are some lesser-known treasures around the country England’s Heritage Open Days run from 8 to 17 September encompassing more than 5,000 volunteer-run events, tours and openings, all of which are free. For this year’s festival, Sound Leisure, which has been manufacturing classic jukeboxes since 1978, will be offering tours of its Leeds factory and showroom, with the chance to meet the team who hand-build these retro wonders. 14 September, 10am, booking required Continue reading...

Tell us about your favourite European railway hotel and you could win a £200 holiday voucher

Share details of a lovely place you’ve stayed to break your rail journey – the best tip wins a Coolstays break An affordable hotel close to a railway hub can be just the ticket for a city break, or a convenient base for a fleeting exploration before embarking on the next leg of a rail adventure. For example, London has the Wesley hotel, a 15-minute walk from St Pancras station’s Eurostar terminal; Paris has the Terminus Nord hotel, opposite the Gare du Nord; and Brussels has the Urban Yard, a boutique hotel five minutes’ walk from the Gare du Midi. We’d like to hear about your best layover discoveries while hitting the rails in Europe. If you have a relevant photo, do send it in – but it’s your words that will be judged for the competition. Continue reading...

Train versus plane: with many domestic flights banned in France, we test its rail network

Visionary policy or pipe dream? An 18-day, 3,000km loop from Paris to the Atlantic and Mediterranean and back should tell us France could well be the perfect place to track the progress of the main battle over the future of travel: trains versus planes. In May 2021, France positioned itself as the frontrunner in a carbon-cutting train renaissance when its government enacted a ban on domestic flights where the journey could be done by train in less than two and a half hours. “We are the first to do it,” Emmanuel Macron said on Twitter, and it was hailed by minister Clément Beaune as a “powerful message” and a “strong symbol”. The European Commission designated 2021 as the “Year of European Rail” and billions of euros have since poured into railway infrastructure across central and eastern Europe. So as the summer holidays began, a heatwave rose and nationwide strikes loomed, I bought a “one country” Interrail pass for £201 and set off on a circular loop round France by train, to see whether Macron’s policy was visionary policy or a pipe dream that discounted the strain it would put on crumbling public infrastructure. The 18-day route I’d plotted used trains from high-speed TGVs to rickety regional TERs, blending major cities with small towns. Arriving on the Eurostar in Paris, I’d head west towards Nantes, down the Atlantic coast to Bordeaux and seaside resort Soulac-sur-Mer, across the south to Narbonne and Marseille, before heading across country to the ancient volcanic region of Chaîne des Puys, before returning to Paris. Continue reading...

Tranquil Turkey: soaking up the coast at a slower pace

Life moves at a gentler pace in the peaceful fishing villages of the spectacular Bozburun peninsula Early evening in the small Turkish village of Orhaniye, and the sun has just dipped below the mountains. Above the jagged peaks, the sky is streaked with vivid golds and pinks, a chorus of cicadas warming up in the olive and citrus trees. As I swim in the pool, the call to prayer echoes out from the mosque behind our villa. It’s a beautiful moment; the kind you want to bottle and keep – and which could be nowhere else but Turkey. Orhaniye is one of a clutch of sleepy fishing villages that dot the Bozburun peninsula, a jagged hook of land rolling south from the busy resorts of Marmaris and Icmeler. Favoured by the sailing crowd, its spectacular coastline and simple waterfront restaurants have remained relatively undiscovered by mainstream tourism. Most of the people who stay in the small, independently owned hotels or quiet villas are Turkish, giving the area an authentic, unspoilt feel that has been lost in some of the bigger, more mainstream resort. Continue reading...

U.S. Airlines, Travel Industry Prepare For Labor Day Weekend Surge

A strong dollar and more international travel has meant that airports and the travel industry is stretched thin. -Srividya Kalyanaraman

‘I took my Brompton on the train to Armenia’: readers’ favourite European rail journeys

Whether you’re after mountainous scenery, coastal views or historic gems, our tipsters will set you on the right track Take a trip from Oslo to Bergen on Vy, the Norwegian state railway (I was delighted to get a senior’s ticket – a usual Norwegian courtesy), a journey of scenic delight at any time of the year, and stop over at Myrdal. There, buy a return ticket for the Flåm Railway, for a 12-mile journey that takes you down the mountains, travelling through tunnels and behind waterfalls to the village of Flåm alongside the Aurlandsfjord. An overnight stay at the Fretheim hotel inclusive of dinner and breakfast will revive the most weary traveller. The next morning, head back to the mountain top at Myrdal to continue the train journey to Bergen. Paul Snazell Continue reading...

American Airlines Flight Attendants Vote to Strike

Ongoing travel demand and an airline industry grappling with staffing shortages adds leverage to contract negotiations for American Airlines flight attendants. -Selene Brophy