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Six travelers have died from suspected methanol poisoning after visiting the tourist town of Vang Vieng, Laos, this month. A lack of knowledge about methanol poisoning, from the public as well as the medical communities where outbreaks often occur, exacerbates the problem, according to the organization. Where incidents are the highestMost incidents of methanol poisoning occur in Asia, according to Doctors Without Borders. A website by Doctors Without Borders that monitors methanol poisoning says many foreign tourists have fallen victim to methanol poisoning after consuming incorrectly distilled "arak" in Bali, Lombok and Gili Islands. In September, several people were poisoned by methanol in Indonesia after consuming alcohol ordered off the internet, according to the website.

Persons: Colin Ahaern, it's Organizations: Doctors Locations: Vang Vieng, Laos, Australia, Denmark, United Kingdom, United States, New Zealand, Asia, arak, Bali, Lombok, Gili, Indonesia, Iran

☆ Travelers died from suspected methanol poisoning in Laos
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-25 | by ( Monica Pitrelli | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailSix travelers have died from suspected methanol poisoning in Laos, highlighting larger problem in AsiaSome fourteen people were reportedly sickened following a night out in Vang Vieng around Nov. 12, report CNBC's Monica Pitrelli. Methanol is cheaper than ethanol, which is the alcohol that's normally found in beer, wine and spirits. Odorless and colorless, drinking 30 milliliters of methanol — less than a standard shot — can be fatal. Most incidents occur in Asia, according to Doctors Without Borders.

Persons: CNBC's Monica Locations: Laos, Asia, Vang Vieng

In this article MAR Follow your favorite stocks CREATE FREE ACCOUNTMarriott International's business operations and growth are solid, CEO Anthony Capuano told CNBC Monday, amid layoffs of more than 800 corporate employees and continued sluggishness in China's tourism market. Marriott International reported net room growth of 6% year-on-year and room rate growth of 2.5%, driven by a strong return of group travel, which Capuano called the "bright, shining star" for the business today. The company raised its year-end guidance for net room growth, and added 9 million new Bonvoy members in the third quarter. That measure turned out to be corporate layoffs, first reported by the travel media company Skift on Nov. 14, which later linked to a notice of "mass layoffs" of 833 Marriott employees posted on a Maryland government labor website. watch nowCapuano denied that the company — which doubled in size during the past decade — grew too big, too fast, at least in terms of corporate employees, instead calling the move a much-needed "reorganization" of its global corporate structure.

Persons: Anthony Capuano, Capuano, Leeny Oberg, —, Rather Organizations: Marriott, CNBC, Marriott International, Uber, Starbucks Locations: RevPar, China, Greater China, Maryland, Bethesda , Maryland

☆ Marriott CEO Tony Capuano: 'We are firing on all cylinders in every geography'
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-19 | by ( Monica Pitrelli | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailMarriott CEO Tony Capuano: 'We are firing on all cylinders in every geography'Marriott International's business operations and growth are solid, CEO Anthony Capuano told CNBC Monday, amid corporate layoffs and sluggishness in China's domestic tourism market. Demand and high occupancy levels in Japan, the Middle East and Western Europe are driving global growth, he said.

Persons: Tony Capuano, Anthony Capuano Organizations: Marriott, CNBC Locations: Japan, East, Western Europe

☆ Marriott CEO Anthony Capuano: Modest-income households want to travel, but they want value too
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-19 | by ( Monica Pitrelli | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailMarriott CEO Anthony Capuano: Modest-income households want to travel, but they want value tooModest-income households have a strong appetite for travel and "a real desire to find a value alternative," said Marriott CEO Anthony Capuano, while in Japan following the debut opening of the company's midscale brand, Four Points Flex by Sheraton, in Asia-Pacific (excluding China).

Persons: Anthony Capuano Organizations: Marriott, Sheraton Locations: Japan, Asia, China

Thailand's same-sex marriage legislation, scheduled to come into effect in January 2025, could attract an additional 4 million tourists to the country per year, according to a report commissioned by the travel company Agoda. The report published Thursday estimates the country's marriage equality law may increase tourism arrivals by 10%, netting the country an extra $2 billion in tourism revenue per year, within two years. Arrivals are expected to come, not only from same-sex couples and their wedding guests, but from the broader LGBTQ community and beyond. The new law will make Thailand the third place in Asia to allow same-same marriage, following Taiwan in 2019 and, on a more limited basis, Nepal in 2023. The law is also set to grant same-sex couples rights related to child adoption, health care and inheritance.

Organizations: Thailand's Tourism Industry, Partnership Locations: Thailand, Asia, Taiwan, Nepal

☆ Thailand's same-sex marriage law could bring billions in new tourism revenue
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-18 | by ( Monica Pitrelli | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailThailand's same-sex marriage law could bring billions in new tourism revenueThailand's same-sex marriage law could add 4 million tourists and $2 billion in tourism revenue per year, according to a report commissioned by Agoda.

Persons: Agoda

Delta Air Lines allows buyers to personalize gift cards with photos and is shipping gift cards for free through Dec. 13. Royal Caribbean sells gift cards that can be redeemed for a cruise booking, but not pre-cruise purchases such as shore excursions, beverage packages and internet. Intrepid Travel, which specializes in sustainable tours for small groups, lets gift buyers purchase specific tours for another person. Other websites offer gift cards that aren't tied to specific brands, but reviews are mixed on some of those companies. For example, Finnair gift cards expire in one year, while Airbnb gift cards aren't available in every region.

Persons: Zs, millennials, Reddit, Rick Steves, Hilton Organizations: American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Marriott, Royal, Intrepid Locations: Italy, Rick Steves Italy, Lyft, Royal Caribbean, U.S

LVMH-owned luxury hospitality company Belmond will launch a luxury sleeper train next year that will take travelers through the countryside of England and Wales. The Britannic Explorer will run three itineraries: one to the southwestern county of Cornwall and the other to the opposite end of England through the Lake District of Cumbria in the north, while the third will journey though the country of Wales. All trips will start from London and run for three nights, with the England routes operating during the weekends (Fridays to Mondays) and the Wales route during the week (Monday to Thursday), allowing travelers to combine two journeys into one trip. Belmond operates several luxury hotels around the globe, including the famed Venice Simplon-Orient-Express and Asia's Eastern & Oriental Express.

Organizations: Belmond, Orient, Oriental Express Locations: England, Wales, Cornwall, Lake District, Cumbria, London, Venice

Temperatures are cooling in Japan, but interest in visiting shows no signs of abating, as autumn arrivals continue to outpace pre-pandemic levels. Before the pandemic, China was Japan's largest tourism source market, representing 30% of all arrivals, according to Japanese authorities. Chinese visitors to Japan doubled last month, from 325,645 in September 2023 to 652,300 in September 2024, according to Japan's tourism statistics. From January to September this year, more than 5.2 million visitors from China visited Japan, a 228% increase from 2023, according to preliminary statistics. But that leaves plenty of space to grow to reach the 9.6 million that arrived in 2019.

Organizations: Japan National Tourism Organization Locations: Japan, China

☆ Tourist arrivals to Japan remain strong, even in fall shoulder season
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-11 | by ( Monica Pitrelli | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailTourist arrivals to Japan remain strong, even in fall shoulder seasonTemperatures are cooling in Japan, but interest in visiting shows little signs of slowing, as autumn arrivals continue to outpace pre-pandemic levels, reports CNBC's Monica Pitrelli.

Persons: CNBC's Monica Pitrelli Locations: Japan

☆ Japan to double tourist arrivals to 60 million by 2030: 'We are prepared' says Tourism Board CEO
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-11 | by ( Monica Pitrelli | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailJapan to double tourist arrivals to 60 million by 2030: 'We are prepared' says Tourism Board CEOTo move travelers beyond Tokyo and Kyoto, Japan's tourism board is promoting new destinations and new forms of tourism, from gastronomy to adventure tourism, to diversify interest in the country, CEO Eijiro Yamakita told "Squawk Box Asia" on Monday.

Persons: Eijiro Yamakita Organizations: Japan, Tourism Locations: Tokyo, Kyoto

Americans disappointed with the outcome of the U.S. election took their anguish online, with searches related to moving abroad surging following the results of the presidential race. Google Trends showed that searches related to "leaving the country" and "how to move to …" spiked following the news that Donald Trump would be returning to the White House. Searches for "how to move to Canada" peaked on Nov. 6, with Google Trends showing interest in the phrase highest among Democratic strongholds, like Vermont, Maine, Oregon and Washington. A survey conducted earlier this month found that 21% of Americans said they would consider moving abroad if their preferred candidate lost the race. Among those polled, nearly 60% said they would be "very unlikely" to move, while only 2.6% said they were "very likely" to uproot and leave.

Persons: Donald Trump Organizations: Google, Democratic, NBC, Trump —, Casino.org Locations: Canada, Vermont , Maine , Oregon, Washington, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Oregon, Minnesota, Indiana

From Friday, citizens of nine more countries can enter China without needing a visa to visit. South Korea is a major tourism source market for China. In 2019, some 4.3 million South Koreans visited China, according to The Korea Times. Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported less than 1.3 million visited in 2023. Share prices of prominent Chinese and Korean travel companies rose following Beijing's announcement of the expanded visa-free program on Friday.

Persons: Trip.com Organizations: Europe —, Liechtenstein —, The Korea Times, Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Jin Locations: China, Europe, Europe — Slovakia, Norway, Finland, Denmark, Iceland, Andorra, Monaco, South Korea

☆ Go inside 'the coolest hotel room — if you're a baseball fan'
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-05 | by ( Monica Pitrelli | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailGo inside 'the coolest hotel room — if you're a baseball fan'Take a walk through the "Fighter's Clubhouse," one of eight hotel rooms where travelers can watch baseball games at the attached stadium, the Es Con Field Hokkaido.

Organizations: Es, Es Con Field Hokkaido Locations: Es Con

Search interest for "Travel Tuesday" rose more than 500% from 2021 to 2023, according to a report published by McKinsey & Company on Thursday. Searches are highest among American and Canadian consumers, but interest is also rising in Australia, the United Kingdom, Netherlands and Spain, according to McKinsey. "European travel companies can anticipate the possibility that Travel Tuesday will become a growing phenomenon in their region," McKinsey's report notes. Searches for "Cyber Monday" are far greater than "Travel Tuesday," but interest in the former is declining, it showed. "But unlike some of the impulse purchases consumers make on Black Friday, travel bookings can require more planning."

Persons: —, Kristen Jennings, Ryan Mann, Mann Organizations: McKinsey & Company, McKinsey, Google, Bawah Reserve, McKinsey's, Logistics, Infrastructure Locations: Canadian, Australia, United Kingdom, Netherlands, Spain, North America, Western Europe, Singapore, Asia, Riau

☆ Is 'Travel Tuesday' a gimmick or a chance to save on your next trip?
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-04 | by ( Monica Pitrelli | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailIs 'Travel Tuesday' a gimmick or a chance to save on your next trip? Search interest for "Travel Tuesday" rose more than 500% over the last two years as more companies offer discounts on airfare, hotels, cruises and tour packages, reports CNBC's Monica Pitrelli.

Persons: CNBC's Monica Pitrelli

But some countries make motorists more nervous than others. A survey published in October shows drivers are most concerned about getting behind the wheel in India. With a score of 7.15 out of 10, India had the average highest score out of 49 countries in the survey. The survey is not based on statistical information, such as roadway safety or fatalities, but perceptions of drivability among non-locals. The top 10 list is a mix of countries across Asia, Africa and South America.

Locations: India, United Kingdom, United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Pune, Asia, Africa, South America

☆ Major airlines cancel services to China over lack of demand
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-28 | by ( Monica Pitrelli | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailMajor airlines cancel services to China over lack of demandMajor airlines are reducing services and, in some instances, withdrawing from China altogether as longer routes to Asia following the closure of Russian airspace have raised operational costs, while demand has been low, reports CNBC's Monica Pitrelli.

Persons: CNBC's Monica Pitrelli Locations: China, Asia

A report from travel news site Skift shows that seven major airlines have retreated from the country in the past four months. Longer flights require more fuel, which make flights more expensive. "Indeed U.S. carriers are making hard but very commercial decisions to drop Chinese services and redeploy the aircraft elsewhere," he said. China airlines' struggleLow demand has also plagued domestic airlines in China. Collectively, Chinese airlines have increased capacity to Europe, compared to pre-pandemic, even though the market and trade flows were much stronger then, said Grant.

Persons: Nicola Economou, John Grant, Grant, It's, Finnair, bauer, haven't Organizations: FIA, FI, British Airlines, Qantas, Nurphoto, Getty, Virgin Atlantic, Scandinavian Airlines, Boeing, OAG, EU, Aaronp, Cape Town, U.S, CNBC, Air China Locations: China, Asia, Hong Kong, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Russia, — Tokyo, Shanghai, Seoul, Bangkok, Delhi, Singapore, Thailand, Beijing, Cape, Sydney, Australia's, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Hong Kong . U.S, Russian, U.S, Europe, Frankfurt

☆ Travelers are interested in visiting lesser-known destinations in 2025
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-21 | by ( Monica Pitrelli | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailTravelers are interested in visiting lesser-known destinations in 2025Trend reports from Expedia and Booking.com say around two-thirds of travelers say they want to visit off-the-beaten-track destinations that are less crowded in 2025, reports CNBC's Travel Editor Monica Pitrelli.

Persons: Monica Pitrelli Locations: Expedia

☆ Mongolia has attracted 700,000 visitors in 2024, says tourism minister
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-21 | by ( Monica Pitrelli | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailMongolia has attracted 700,000 visitors in 2024, says tourism ministerMongolia has attracted some 700,000 international visitors this year, Nomin Chinbat, Ministry of Culture, Sport, Tourism, and Youth, told "Squawk Box Asia." The country is looking to expand the tourism season into the winter to meet its goal to attract one million travelers, she said.

Persons: Nomin Chinbat Organizations: Mongolia, Ministry of Culture, Tourism Locations: Mongolia

The biggest travel trend of 2022 was to go big, spend big — with people eagerly booking bucket list-style trips to places like Bali, Rome, London and Paris. But two new reports show travelers are now in a very different headspace. Trend reports from Expedia and Booking.com show vacationers are forgoing splashy trips to global hot spots in favor of quieter trips to places that are lesser-known — and far less crowded. Some 63% of travelers said they are likely to visit an off-the-beaten-track destination on their next trip, according to Expedia's "Unpack '25," a travel trend report which surveyed 25,000 respondents from 19 countries. They want to move away and find equivalent destinations that haven't been discovered by that many people."

Persons: Japan Abu, James Marshall Organizations: France, United Locations: Bali, Rome, London, Paris, Expedia, Reims, France Brescia, Italy Cozumel, Mexico Santa Barbara , California Waikato , New Zealand Girona, Spain Fukuoka, Japan, Japan Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Thailand Canmore, Canada

When it comes to overtourism, don't blame the travelers, said Randy Durband, CEO of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council. Rather, it's "lack of management," he told "Squawk Box Asia" Monday. From marketing to managingDestination marketing organizations "must change the 'M' in DMO from marketing to management," Durband told CNBC before the interview. "This is the great awakening that needs to take place, that government needs to understand — tourism is a sector that needs management," he said. Managing tourism 'flows'Managing visitor flows is a strategy that is fast-gaining ground to mitigate overtourism.

Persons: Randy Durband, I've, Durband, Saint Guilhem, Désert Organizations: Sustainable Tourism, CNBC, CNBC Travel, Walt Disney, Sustainable Tourism Council Locations: Sustainable Tourism Council, Europe, North America, Asia, China, Saint, Barcelona

☆ Expect more protests against mass tourism in Spain, organizers say
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-14 | by ( Monica Pitrelli | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailExpect more protests against mass tourism in Spain, organizers sayTourist arrivals to Spain increased following anti-tourism protests this year. But Barcelona organizers say protests are one step in a larger plan to reduce tourism in the city, reports CNBC's Monica Pitrelli.

Persons: CNBC's Monica Pitrelli Locations: Spain, Barcelona

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