Puerto Vallarta Named One Of The Best Cities In The World In Condé Nast Traveler's 2024 Readers' Choice Awards

Puerto Vallarta, where the wild beauty of the Pacific coast meets the vibrant spirit of Mexico, has once again been named one of the Best Cities in the World in Condé Nast Traveler's annual Readers' Choice Awards. Celebrated for its breathtaking natural landscape, where the Pacific Ocean meets the Sierra Madre mountains, along with its rich heritage and warm hospitality, Puerto Vallarta earned the #9 spot in the Small Cities category, as voted by over 575,000 Condé Nast Traveler readers. This accolade crowns a year of record-breaking international arrivals and all-time high hotel occupancy rates this summer, making Puerto Vallarta a must-visit destination for the upcoming holiday season.

Photo by Allen Barkus

The Readers' Choice Awards, revered as the longest-running and most prestigious accolades in the travel industry, showcase destinations travelers eagerly anticipate revisiting. The full list of winners can be found here.

"We're incredibly honored to be recognized by Condé Nast Traveler readers once again," said Luis Villaseñor, Managing Director of Puerto Vallarta's Tourism Board. "Puerto Vallarta invites travelers to embrace the unexpected, whether through breathtaking adventures in our jungles, tranquil moments on our beaches, or the deep cultural connections they experience throughout the city. We're grateful to everyone who voted—it's a testament to why so many visitors fall in love with our destination and keep returning."

Puerto Vallarta welcomed 2.97 million international visitors from January to September 2024, marking a 3.7% increase compared to the same period last year. This summer also saw record-high hotel occupancy rates, further emphasizing the city's growing appeal as travelers seek out its unique landscapes, authentic experiences, and world-class hospitality.

The city continues to expand its array of accommodations, catering to every type of traveler. This fall, Tryst Puerto Vallarta, a luxurious new hotel, will open in late October in the heart of the lively Romantic Zone, adding to the city's inclusive and inviting atmosphere as a renowned destination for LGBTQ+ travelers. Visitors can also choose from a variety of resort options, from all-inclusive stays at Hilton Vallarta Riviera All-Inclusive Resort, Velas Vallarta, Marriott Puerto Vallarta Resort and Spa, and Hyatt Ziva, to charming boutique hotels such as Casa Kimberly, BellView Boutique Hotel, and Hacienda San Angel. For those looking to reconnect with nature and themselves, Xinalani and the adults-only Villa Lala offer eco-friendly retreats off the beaten path.

Puerto Vallarta's Pacific & Wild spirit shines this fall and winter, inviting visitors to explore the region's diverse landscapes and wildlife. Whale-watching season runs from December through March, while the tail end of sea turtle nesting offers unforgettable wildlife encounters. Adventure seekers can enjoy thrilling activities with Canopy Rivers and Vallarta Adventures, from zip-lining through the jungle to river tours. Athletes can test their endurance at the Puerto Vallarta Mexico by UTMB on November 7-9, an ultra-trail running event with races ranging from 10K to 147K that traverse the Sierra Madre Occidental mountains, the jungle, and down to the Pacific coastline. While outdoor adventures are plentiful, Puerto Vallarta's cultural traditions also remain a highlight, with Día de los Muertos November 1-2 providing a meaningful way to honor and remember departed loved ones, followed by the Festival Gourmet International November 7-17 for food and wine lovers, and concluding with the Our Lady of Guadalupe Festival December 1-12, which brings lively processions and folkloric dancers to the streets.

The 2024 Readers' Choice Awards are published on Condé Nast Traveler's website at cntraveler.com/rca and celebrated in the November issue.

For more information on Puerto Vallarta, visit https://visitpuertovallarta.com.

SWISS First Lounge Named World’s Best Airline Lounge For Dining For 2024

Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) has earned first place in the World’s Best Airline Lounge for Dining category for its First Class Lounge in Terminal E at Zurich Airport in the 2024 World Culinary Awards. The distinction was presented at this year’s award ceremony in Dubai on 2 October.
SWISS guests enjoy freshly prepared à la carte dining in the company’s airport lounges. Switzerland’s leading airline also puts a particular accent on regional and seasonal ingredients in its culinary offerings. And, in addition to such Swiss classics as Zürcher Geschnetzeltes and fondue, SWISS Lounge guests are further treated to international dishes such as Thai curry or burgers. The range of offerings is also changed every three months.

“We are very proud to earn such a prestigious award,” said Julia Hillenbrand, Head of SWISS Brand Experience. “It’s the result and the reflection of our continual commitment to offering our customers an exceptional culinary experience that we combine with top-notch service and optimum comfort and convenience. It will inspire us to continue to set the highest possible standards to deliver on our premium promise.”

Hubertus Henning, General Manager Airport Lounges Switzerland at gategroup, commented: "We are immensely proud of our strong collaboration and the success we have achieved with SWISS. This prestigious accolade is a testament to our exceptional partnership and our team's unwavering dedication to delivering outstanding service and unforgettable dining experiences. We look forward to continuing to inspire culinary excellence and achieving even greater milestones together."

Sustainability also on the menu

SWISS attaches great importance to sustainability in all its procurement activities. Its meats are selected by gategourmet in accordance with rigorous animal welfare standards, and its fish and seafood are also obtained solely from certificated sources. In pursuing what is known as the ‘nose to tail’ approach, SWISS also offers more unusual cuts of meat to make optimum use of resources while also promoting culinary diversity.

A lounge with a view

In addition to the award-winning culinary offerings of its top-calibre à la carte restaurant, the SWISS First Class Lounge in Zurich Airport’s Terminal E features a host of further standout amenities, such as two hotel rooms, a conference room, mini-suites and a champagne bar. Its wine humidor is home to over 700 fine bottles from all over the world. And its 3,789-square-foot terrace is a wonderful place for guests to relax and enjoy the panoramic views of the airport’s activities and beyond.

Further information on the World Culinary Awards will be found at www.worldculinaryawards.com.

Delta Air Lines Is Adding More Flights to Aruba, Grand Cayman, St Maarten

It’s not just New York and Miami anymore. The surge in demand for Caribbean travel has seen more airlines look to connect source cities like Milwaukee, Providence, Detroit, Austin and Los Angeles with the region.

One airport that’s been seeing more and more growth? Minneapolis-St Paul, which has quietly added a wave of flights to top Caribbean destinations from Turks and Caicos to Punta Cana.

Now, another carrier is planning a big island expansion out of MSP airport: Delta, which is set to kick off a trio of new flights to the Caribbean beginning in December (after adding Minneapolis-Turks and Caicos flights earlier this year.)

So where is Delta headed? Two top Dutch Caribbean islands: St Maarten, with flights twice each week on Thursday and Saturday; and Aruba, with service every Friday and Sunday.

One of two beaches at the Grand Case Beach Club in St Martin.

But that’s not the only addition. Delta is also expanding service from Minneapolis to Grand Cayman (with one more flight every week) and San Juan, Puerto Rico, where it’s set to increase service with two more flights every week.

Are you planning a getaway to St Maarten or Aruba? For the former, it’s the French side of the island that’s hotter than ever, from new hotels like The Forest to the buzzing food scene in the beloved town of Grand Case. Even better? The island’s signature place to stay, the Grand Case Beach Club, is adding a brand-new rooftop poolscape.

In Aruba, the story is about diversity; from the growing movement of chef’s table concepts that have been popping up all over the island to a pair of major new resorts set to open before the end of this year: the first-ever St. Regis in the Dutch Caribbean, and a sleek new adults-only resort opening up soon under the Joia Aruba by Iberostar brand.

The new Joia Beach by Iberostar.

If you’re headed to Grand Cayman, you’ll find a destination that’s better than ever. Yes, Seven Mile Beach is still a magnificent stretch of sand; but there’s so much more, whether you’re shopping and noshing your way through Camana Bay or checking into one of the area’s brand-new resorts like the Hotel Indigo (a hotel we fell in love with on our last stay in Grand Cayman) or the boutique, wellness-focused Vida Cayman.

As for San Juan, there’s not much to say other than that Puerto Rico continues to post record-breaking visitor numbers, with travelers drawn to its combo of cheap flights, affordable hotel prices and mix of culture and entertainment.

So what about the prices on these new Delta flights?

Right now, a basic Minneapolis-St Maarten fare starts as low as $892 round trip in a late December itinerary, according to a sample booking on Delta. That number goes up to $1,012 in the main cabin. For Aruba flights, prices start at $980 round trip in the main cabin.

https://www.caribjournal.com/

Travelore News: Irish Privacy Regulator Probes Ryanair's Use Of Facial Recognition

Ireland's Data Protection Commissioner (DPC) opened an EU-wide probe on Friday into whether Ryanair's use of facial recognition technology to verify the identity of customers booking through some third party websites violates the bloc's privacy laws.

The regulator said it had received a number of complaints from Ryanair opens new tab customers across the European Union over the airline's practice of requesting additional verification when they booked travel tickets from third party sites or online travel agents (OTAs), as opposed to directly with Ryanair.

The Irish carrier, Europe's largest by passenger numbers, welcomed the inquiry into a process it said was designed to protect customers from OTAs not affiliated with the airline that might provide incorrect customer contact and payment details.

Ryanair says on its website that the additional verification is required for these customers in order to comply with safety and security requirements.

Passengers can avoid verifying through facial recognition by showing up at the airport at least two hours before departure or submitting a form and picture of their passport or national ID card in advance, a process Ryanair said can take seven days to complete.

A similar process is not required when booking on Ryanair's website or mobile phone app, or through an OTA that has signed a commercial agreement with Ryanair that guarantees tickets are booked directly with the airline.

Ryanair has signed 14 such agreements since the start of the year.

Ryanair said in the statement that its biometric and non-biometric processes were both fully compliant with all the EU's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

Reporting by Padraic Halpin Editing by Mark Potter, Reuters.

Flooding From Seasonal Rains Threatens Residents In Northern Thailand, Including Elephants

Flooding in northern Thailand forced many residents of the city of Chiang Mai and its outskirts to seek safety on higher ground on Friday, with members of the animal world under similar threat.

Evacuations were underway at the Elephant Nature Park, which houses around 3,000 rescued animals, including 125 elephants, 800 dogs, 2,500 cats, 200 rabbits and 200 cows.

Flood waters caused by heavy rainfall swept through the park on Thursday.

Heavy seasonal monsoon rains and the effects of Typhoon Yagi combined to cause serious flooding in many parts of Thailand, with the northern region particularly badly hit.

Video posted online by the park vividly illustrated that care and compassion are not solely human traits.

The video shows several of the park’s resident elephants fleeing through rising, muddy water to ground less inundated.

Three of them dash through the deluge with some ease but, according to the park, a fourth one is blind and was falling behind. It showed greater difficulty passing through wrecked fencing.

Its fellows appear to call out to it, to guide it to their sides.

Efforts to evacuate more animals were hampered by the high water, while more rain is forecast.

AP

United Airlines Is Adding Flights To A New Caribbean Island: Dominica

The beach at the InterContinental Dominica resort.

For years, getting to Dominica and its small airport hidden behind mountaintops was not an easy feat. You could fly through San Juan. Or Martinique. Or St Maarten. A nonstop flight from the United States was just a dream.

Everything changed in 2021, when American Airlines launched the first-ever nonstop flights from the US to Dominica, with regular service out of Miami.

It’s been a game-changer for the island, connecting travelers with the many natural wonders of Dominica, from its waterfalls, hiking trails and volcanos to its growing collection of top-level luxury resorts like Secret Bay and the InterContinental Dominica.

Recently, Dominica made another push for international flights, expanding the runway at its Douglas Charles airport – efforts that have now paid off.

The sky hot tub at the Fort Young, one of the property’s signature amenities.

United Airlines has officially launched bookings for the first-ever nonstop flight between Newark and Dominica, which will begin operating on Feb. 15, Caribbean Journal has confirmed.

The new nonstop service on Boeing 737-700 aircraft will connect the Northeastern market with Dominica on a four-and-a-half hour flight, with service once weekly on Saturdays.

The choice is aircraft is notable; American’s Miami service has been running on smaller Embraer aircraft. With the 6,351-foot runway expansion, it can now accommodate traditional 737s.

The new flight is a “major step forward” for Dominica Tourism Minister Denise Charles-Pemberton said in a statement provided to Caribbean Journal. “This route will help alleviate the access constraints faced by the destination over the years.”

Secret Bay has become one of the most celebrated hotels in the Caribbean.

Are you planning a trip to Dominica? In recent years, the destination has carved out a unique niche as an eco-luxury hotspot — combining access to the kinds of natural attractions like the Emerald Pool and the Boiling Lake that are unique in the region — with fantastic luxury resorts.

The two best places to stay on the island? The boutique Secret Bay luxury resort, home to spectacular, high-design villas with private plunge pools; and the larger InterContinental Dominica Cabrits Resort and Spa.

If you want to stay in the capital, there’s one outstanding option: the recently-transformed Fort Young hotel, which also doubles as the island’s top dive resort.

What about prices?

Rates for the February flights start at $714 in basic economy, with that number going up to $804 roundtrip in economy. Roundtrip Newark-Dominica in business class will run you $1,449, according to United.

Alexander Britell, https://www.caribjournal.com/

Construction Of World’s Tallest Skyscraper Resumes After Years-Long Hiatus

Construction of Saudi Arabia’s kilometer-high Jeddah Tower, which will become the world’s tallest skyscraper upon completion, has resumed almost seven years after work ground to a halt amid a kingdom-wide anti-corruption purge.

An architectural render of the Jeddah Tower. After construction was halted in 2018, building work has officially resumed. Jeddah Economic Company/Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture

At a ceremony held on the site Wednesday, the development consortium behind the project, Jeddah Economic Company (JEC), announced that the tower is now scheduled to finish in 2028.

The 1,000-meter-tall (3,280-foot) skyscraper was around a third complete when, in 2017, several key figures — including the chairmen of both the main contractor and a conglomerate that co-financed the project — were detained in Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s anti-graft campaign, which saw hundreds questioned on accusations of corruption.

Work continued after the arrests, though it came to a standstill in early 2018. In January of that year, with growing concern about the purge’s economic fallout, JEC told CNN that construction would still go ahead, but a years-long hiatus ensued. Disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic also reportedly delayed plans to resume work.

This week’s ceremony was attended by one of the previously detained officials, Saudi Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, who is the chairman of Kingdom Holding Company, one the project’s main backers. Alwaleed, the Crown Prince’s cousin, was freed nearly three months after his arrest, though it is not known why and under what circumstances he was released.

Following yesterday’s ceremony, Alwaleed posted a video to X showing a digital rendering of the gleaming tower with the caption: “We’re back.”

At a ceremony held on the site Wednesday, the development consortium behind the project, Jeddah Economic Company (JEC), announced that the tower is now scheduled to finish in 2028. Kingdom Holding Company

Another key figure embroiled in the anti-corruption drive was Bakr bin Laden, chairman of the skyscraper’s main contractor, Saudi Binladen Group. The construction mogul, who is the half-brother of Osama bin Laden, was reportedly released in 2021, three years after his arrest. His family’s firm, which also owns a stake in the Jeddah Tower project, has been rehired to complete the construction work.

According to an announcement published via the Saudi stock exchange, Saudi Binladen Group’s new contract is worth 7.2 billion riyal ($1.9 billion), of which around 1.1 billion riyal ($290 million) has been already paid for completed work. At present, 63 of the tower’s 157 stories have been built.

While Wednesday’s ceremony marked the first official announcement that construction is resuming, satellite images provided to Newsweek by US firm Maxar Technologies two months ago suggested that work was already taking place on the site. In September 2023, Dubai-based magazine MEED reported that JEC had invited contractors to bid for the project, though the developer declined to confirm plans to CNN at the time.

Designed for extremes

Formerly known as Kingdom Tower, the skyscraper broke ground in 2013 and was initially expected to be completed by 2020. It will stand more than 500 feet above Dubai’s Burj Khalifa, currently the world’s tallest building.

Overlooking the Red Sea in Saudi Arabia’s commercial capital, Jeddah, the skyscraper is expected to contain office, retail and residential space. Original plans, first unveiled in 2011, included a hotel, shopping mall and the world’s highest observation deck.

The Kingdom Holding Company did not respond to CNN’s request for confirmation that the design and building specifications had remained unchanged throughout the hiatus.

The tower was designed by US architect Adrian Smith, who used the building’s “three-petal” footprint and tapered aerodynamic shape to overcome the huge technical challenges of building at such heights. The architect’s Chicago-based practice, Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill, has said the tower’s shape “evokes a bundle of leaves shooting up from the ground.”

Work halted on the unfinished Jeddah Tower in 2018. Amel Pain/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

Plans also include 59 different elevators, in what the firm called “one of the world’s most sophisticated elevator systems.”

Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill did not respond to CNN’s request for comment on the resumption of work.

Jeddah Tower will be the crown jewel of a wider 57-million-square-foot, $20-billion development dubbed Jeddah Economic City. Speaking to CNN in 2018, JEC’s then chief development officer Hisham Jomah said the project was “changing the mindset” of Jeddah, which has traditionally acted as a gateway to the holy cities of Medina and Mecca.

“Before (the tower) was here, this was not considered a place that people would live,” said Jomah, who has since passed away. “We are creating an independent city… so that you don’t have to leave here.”

By Oscar Holland, CNN