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- USA TODAY’s high journey tales explored themes of id, overtourism, fandom, and environmental limits.
- Travel journalism highlighted how journeys replicate problems with energy, belonging, and humanity.
- Stories coated subjects from passport challenges for trans performers to the environmental affect of cruises in Alaska.
From battles over id and mobility to questions on overtourism, fandom, religion and environmental limits, this 12 months’s most compelling USA TODAY Travel tales went far past bucket lists.
Our crew reported on how journey displays who we’re – and who will get to maneuver freely – whereas additionally exploring the enjoyment, neighborhood, and connection that journeys can spark. These 10 standout reads spotlighted vacationers, performers, locals, and followers navigating a quickly altering world, proving that journey journalism isn’t nearly the place we go, however what it reveals about energy, belonging and humanity.
Click the headlines to learn the total tales, and please contemplate sharing any that resonate along with your community.
From Kathleen Wong, Travel Reporter: This 12 months marked a change in worldwide journey following a January government order from the Trump administration to reinforce nationwide safety, which bolstered vetting at U.S. borders. The results rippled rapidly, from worldwide college students being warned to not go away the nation to even U.S. residents being afraid that they wouldn’t be let again in. Suddenly, it felt like our telephones and social media may get us in hassle with border brokers. I adopted the information carefully and spoke to an array of vacationers to study the affect these insurance policies had on actual individuals.
From Zach Wichter, Air Travel Reporter: Travelers who take a significant journey typically describe the expertise as non secular, and a few vacationers take journeys deliberately to attach with their faiths. My (former) colleague Bailey Shulz and I (we miss you Bailey!) had an opportunity to talk to vacationers of various religion backgrounds about how their very own journeys replicate on their non secular wants and practices. The widespread thread by way of all of the tales was that each journey and faith are finally meant to deliver individuals collectively.
From Josh Rivera, Travel Editor: This 12 months, trans and nonbinary vacationers confronted delays and outright denials from the U.S. State Department when attempting to replace gender markers on their passports, even when their different authorized paperwork had been so as. I spoke with the trans solid members of RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 10 to higher perceive how these insurance policies have an effect on a career that depends closely on journey.
How cruise tourism may assist and damage Alaska’s surroundings
Although Alaskans depend on income tourism cruise ships usher in, some locals are elevating issues on the affect of tourism on Alaska’s surroundings.
From Nathan Diller, Cruises Reporter: Alaska is a bucket-list vacation spot for a lot of vacationers due to its glaciers, wildlife and seaside communities – and is particularly standard to go to by cruise ship. However, some locals say the cruise business’s rising presence there has strained the very surroundings vacationers come to see. I spoke with residents – together with those that work in and profit from tourism – and environmental specialists concerning the challenges Alaska is dealing with amid a cruise visitation growth.
From Eve Chen, Parks Reporter: Beloved WWE wrestler Bray Wyatt (Windham Rotunda) unexpectedly handed away in 2023. This 12 months, Universal Halloween Horror Nights gave his followers another probability to attach with him by way of the haunted home WWE Presents: The Horrors of the Wyatt Sicks. Hearing from Wyatt’s brother, members of the Wyatt Sicks wrestling steady, and the home’s creators, who’re longtime followers themselves, it was apparent how a lot the expertise meant to all of them.
From Kathleen Wong, Travel Reporter: It’s not day-after-day I get to jot down about somebody’s love story. On an Oceania cruise in July, I met a person on his 133rd crusing – a powerful reality in itself – however quickly discovered the motivation behind his prolific touring. It was in honor of his late spouse, with whom he shared a ardour for journey. Returning to cruising wasn’t simple whereas navigating his grief, however the Oceania Cruises employees stepped in to help him, not as a result of it was their job however as a result of they cared about him. His story was not solely touching but in addition a reminder of the highly effective human connection that comes from journey.
Flying might be even safer after the DCA crash
Lessons discovered from tragic airplane crashes helps the aviation business as a complete grow to be even safer.
From Zach Wichter, Air Travel Reporter: I do know it’s counterintuitive to be pleased with a column I wrote within the wake of one of many greatest tragedies in aviation in years, however I feel it’s vital to remind readers each time I can that flying stays protected and that accidents finally lead the business to get even safer. After a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter collided with an American Airlines regional jet over the Potomac River in January, it was extra vital than ever to assist vacationers really feel comfy getting on their subsequent flights and to know what to anticipate out of the accident investigation.
From Josh Rivera, Travel Editor: My homeland was on the map for thousands and thousands of vacationers this 12 months because of Bad Bunny’s live performance residency. But is the island poised to deal with that inflow? Many locations all over the world are grappling with the consequences of overtourism. Some European nations have added vacationer charges to standard spots, cruise strains are choosing smaller ports of name, and even Hawaiians have referred to as for limits on guests. Where does Puerto Rico go from the boon in notoriety?
From Nathan Diller, Cruises Reporter: Theme cruises deliver fandoms collectively on the excessive seas, serving to to foster a neighborhood constructed on shared pursuits. I spent every week seeing that up shut on Star Trek: The Cruise in February. The crusing – coming into its ninth 12 months in 2026 – celebrates the beloved franchise with actions starting from actor panels to Klingon karaoke and science seminars. There are costumes galore, too. Turns out that going the place nobody has gone earlier than could be as simple as boarding a cruise ship.
From Eve Chen, Parks Reporter: Disneyland is celebrating its 70th anniversary, however for theme park lovers, it’s not only a celebration of this one vacation spot. Disneyland was the beginning of many themed experiences we now take with no consideration, and it’s nonetheless shaping the immersive experiences we’ve not but imagined for tomorrow. I spoke with two key Imagineers and different park specialists about how.
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