January 2024 - WE TRAVELLER

State Department warning travelers about this popular vacation destination | The Daily Courier

Particularly for sailors and those who take regular cruises, the Bahamas have always been a very popular travel destination. The capital, Nassau, is often both the only international location on a short cruise from Florida and the first stop on a wider tour of the Caribbean islands.

To serve the large number of travelers passing through the port, Royal Caribbean (RCL) – Get Free Report is currently in the process of building a new 17-acre development that will essentially function as a private beach club and is slated to open in 2025.

But while almost everything about Nassau is tailored to sun-seeking tourists, the U.S. State Department recently raised the advisory level for those coming into the country after a string of murders in the capital at the start of the year.

State Department raises Bahamas advisory level, tells travelers to ‘be vigilant’

“Murders have occurred at all hours including in broad daylight on the streets,” the U.S. Embassy in Nassau said in a Jan. 26 alert. “Retaliatory gang violence has been the primary motive in 2024 murders.”

More Travel:

While the level was only raised from “take normal precautions” to “exercise increased caution” (the highest level is a “do not travel” advisory that is reserved for active war zones and authoritarian governments) and most of the violence has been between local gangs, the advisory is meant to draw attention to the fact that crime has been on the rise. Since the start of 2024, there has been a total of 18 murders in Nassau.

“The majority of crime occurs on New Providence (Nassau) and Grand Bahama (Freeport) islands,” reads the advisory. “[…] Violent crime,

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Top 24 Destinations For 2024, The Ultimate Super Bowl Guide To Las Vegas And More Travel News

Forbes Travel Guide’s Top Destinations for 2024

ISTOCK-JODI JACOBSON

The editors of Forbes Travel Guide predict that 2024 will be a year filled with “meaningful travel.” Of course, the meaning of meaningful is entirely in the eye of the frequent flier. FTG’s list of 24 top destinations for 2024 covers it all, whether you enjoy sports, art, food or history. From Portugal to Peru, these places promise to make a lasting impression.

Chase Sapphire Opens Two Lounges at New York Airports

Chase Sapphire

Last year, to compete with American Express’ extensive Centurion Lounge network, Chase opened its first Sapphire lounge at Boston’s Logan International Airport. This month, Chase opened two new Sapphire Lounges (for Sapphire Reserve cardholders) in New York—one at LaGuardia Airport (LGA) and another at John F. Kennedy (JFK) airport. The LaGuardia lounge spans two floors and features a bar, a game room and an extensive art collection. The JFK lounge will have an emphasis on local food and wellness elements. New Chase Sapphire lounges will also be coming to Las Vegas, Philadelphia and Phoenix.

Super Bowl LVIII: A Guide to Las Vegas’ Big Weekend

LAS VEGAS SUPER BOWL LHC

On February 11, less than three months after Las Vegas held its inaugural F1 event, the city will play host to its first Super Bowl. While the teams have not been decided yet, the hotels, restaurants and clubs in Sin City already have winning packages worthy of the Big Game, and the editors of Forbes Travel Guide have compiled the ultimate guide to Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas.

TravelWise

getty

Most travelers use dedicated credit cards to increase elite status at a hotel chain or on a cruise line, but one of the least known methods is buying stock in a travel

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Morrison Hotel Gallery Rocks With New Wave Surf Exhibit

Adam Block (left) and Timothy White at opening of The New Wave exhibit, Morrison Hotel Gallery, … [+] January 13, 2024.

Andy Keilen, Morrison Hotel Gallery

When you think of the Morrison Hotel Gallery in Los Angeles, California, you probably think hardcore rock and roll. Featured in the gallery are images of some of the 1960s biggest rock stars including Jim Morrison, Janis Joplin and Keith Richards.

So, on January 13, what were 500 surf enthusiasts doing at an opening there called The New Wave collection? The show is certainly not music-related, rather a collection of images of giant waves and pro surfers riding them.

Image by Tom Servais, The New Wave exhibit opening, Morrison Hotel Gallery, January 13, 2024.

Tom Servais, Morrison Hotel Gallery

Adam Block, MHG’s chief executive, says the exhibit is just part of a new effort to broaden the definition of the gallery’s brand – and of rock stardom. “The athletes captured in these works are, in my opinion, rock stars in their own right, as are the artists who photographed them,” says Block. “The energy, attitude and spirit of The New Wave is as rock and roll as it gets.”

Many of the images were taken during filming of the critically acclaimed Emmy Award-winning HBO documentary series, “The 100 Foot Wave,” filming its third season. Joe Lewis, founder of Amplify Pictures, executive produces the series, which follows big wave surfers and their families as they search for the mythical 100-foot wave at well-known surf locales around the world.

Attendees at The New Wave surf exhibit opening, Morrison Hotel Gallery, January 13, 2024.

Andy Keilen, Morrison Hotel Gallery

Says Lewis, “The exhibit shows energy being transferred from creativity to an audience. Something about big wave surfing when you see it on your phone or computer

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Dwarf Fortress’s Adventure mode getting tutorials and more direction in the sandbox

Adventure mode was one of my favourite things about Dwarf Fortress, mainly because it made the infamously complex management game more approachable by letting you play it like a more traditional roguelike. I’m excited, therefore, that Adventure mode is coming soon to the Steam version of the game, and excited even more so that it’s aiming to make it even more accessible.

A new update on development which outlines exactly how the new premium version of Adventure mode differs from the original, including its plan for tutorials to guide new players.

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Rubenstein Hotel opens on New Orleans’ Canal Street | Business News

After more than five years of planning and 18 months of construction, the Rubenstein Hotel is open for business atop the Rubenstein family’s century-old clothing store at the intersection of Canal Street and St. Charles Avenue.

The hotel is carved out of the second and third floors of five interconnected buildings that previously housed offices and storage space for Rubensteins. Now, those spaces have been converted into 40 boutique rooms with big picture windows, a contemporary décor and vintage Rubensteins newspaper ads hanging from the walls.

Brothers David and Andre Rubenstein, who continue to run the family retail business, partnered on the project with Joe Jaeger, who will operate the hotel as part of his J Collection of boutique hotels.

NO.rubensteins.adv.457.JPG — The Rubenstein Hotel is open for business atop the Rubenstein familyÕs century-old clothing store at the intersection of Canal Street and St. Charles Avenue on Wednesday, January 24, 2024. (Staff photo by Brett Duke, The Times-Picayune)

STAFF PHOTO BY BRETT DUKE

The Rubenstein Hotel, which opened at the beginning of the year, joins a growing number of boutique hotels around New Orleans aimed at travelers looking for unique properties with local touches. Many, including the 71-room Hotel Peter and Paul in the Bywater and the 75-room Hotel St. Vincent on Magazine Street, are renovations of historic buildings.

Hotel occupancy rates downtown remain well below its pre-COVID levels of around 75%. In 2023, 61.5% of downtown and French Quarter hotel rooms were occupied, up from 60% the year before, according to New Orleans and Co. But David Rubenstein, a tireless advocate of Canal Street, said he believes the numbers are trending in the right direction and that his hotel’s location is a strategic advantage.

NO.rubensteins.adv.283.JPG — Brothers David and Andre Rubenstein are seen at the Rubenstein Hotel in New Orleans on Wednesday, January

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Flooded-Earth Adventure Game ‘Highwater’ Announced

Meet Highwater, a new adventure game featuring a turn-based puzzle combat system set in a flooded region outside of the dry land of Alphaville where the wealthy have literally walled themselves in. You’ll make friends, laugh a little, and ultimately try to escape to Mars as life on Earth becomes increasingly unsustainable. Highwater is in development at Demagog Studio and publisher Rogue Games for PC, PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch after being originally released through Netflix via their iPhone or iPad app last year.

Demagog says, “Amid the Great Climate Catastrophe, the flooded region of Hightower has become a kind of safe zone between the two dry regions: the nearly global ravaged land of the War Zone, and the fortified city of Alphaville, where the ultra-rich live behind giant walls.” Check out the announcement trailer above and the first screenshots in the gallery below.

Highwater – First Screenshots

Playing as Nikos, you’ll listen to tunes on Highwater Pirate Radio, visit many islands, gather resources, and “take on your enemies in a classic turn-based combat system where careful tactics and puzzle solving will help you come out alive.” Demagog also says that environment interactivity, such as pushing a shopping cart into an enemy, will help add a layer of unpredictability and player freedom to its turn-based puzzle-combat strategy gameplay.

Finally, in an intriguing twist, a representative for Rogue Games says that Highwater is “one of three games set in a singular universe. The others are Golf Club Wasteland (Nostalgia now) and The Cub,” the latter of which shipped earlier this month. Wishlist Highwater on Steam if you’re interested.

Ryan McCaffrey is IGN’s executive editor of previews and host of both IGN’s weekly Xbox show, Podcast Unlocked, as well as our monthly(-ish) interview show, IGN Unfiltered. He’s

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The Best Red And Pink Travel Accessories

Travel gear but make it red and pink.

getty

As Valentine’s Day approaches, the air is not just filled with love but also the anticipation of the perfect gift for those bitten by the travel bug. If your significant other dreams in hues of wanderlust, then you’re in the right place. This curated guide that celebrates love through the lens of travel, features the best red and pink travel accessories that are as practical as they are passionate.

Red, the color of passion and adventure, ignites a sense of excitement and boldness in your travels. Pink, with its soft and dreamy hues, adds a touch of whimsy and romance to your journey. Together, they’re a dynamic duo, perfectly embodying the spirit of Valentine’s Day.

So, what should you get? Well, these are the 10 best red and pink travel accessories.

It comes in this unique pink hue.

July

The brand’s signature case is designed to hold the maximum amount that’s allowed as a carry-on making it an extremely practical gift for the frequent traveler. It also has an ejectable battery that is approved for flying across all major airlines. And it comes in a chic pink hue that’s perfect for Valentine’s Day. Available at july.com for $295.

Pretty in pink.

Moral Code

Need something smaller for when your loved one gets to a destination? This crossbody bag in pink is the perfect blend of useful and chic as it easily transitions from day to night. Plus, it’s made with earth-friendly vegan apple leather. So, you’re doing good too. Available on moralcode.com for $145.

The monogram makes even more sentimental.

Paravel

Who doesn’t need packing cubes? Well, these ones are adorable and made of lightweight, water-resistant Negative Nylon. You get a set of four in a bold red and can

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How can some Vegas hotel rooms be so cheap?

There are days on the Las Vegas Strip where a visitor could spend as much on fast food as they did on a hotel room.

Las Vegas has long branded itself as a value-driven destination, and that’s apparent some days when properties advertise rooms for around $20, or just over the price of a cold brew coffee and breakfast sandwich at a Starbucks on the Strip.

As the tourism destination goes into winter, many hotel/casino operators are launching special seasonal pricing to entice visitors back. Caesars Entertainment is advertising rooms at the Flamingo as low as $21 during a “winter getaway” sale. Meanwhile, select early and midweek rooms at the Rio were $28 in January and February, according to its booking website. And MGM Resorts International promoted some $20 room nights at Excalibur in January.

Hotel room pricing is dynamic, meaning it changes in response to supply and demand in the market, said Mehmet Erdem, a hospitality professor at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Hotels in other markets may depend heavily on room revenue, but Las Vegas resorts’ other revenue streams can fill in the gaps.

“We look at the total revenue generated per guest,” Erdem said. “Maybe a customer is paying only $18 a night plus resort fees, but then he’s dropping $1,000 at the tables.”

If you see a room being advertised at an eyebrow-raising rate, it may not reflect the total cost of the stay. Though hotels and third-party vendors advertise the starting rates, a multi-night stay may not hold at that price. Some hotels will use a low rate on the first night to entice a longer stay in a strategy that revenue managers use called fencing, Erdem said. Attribute-based pricing, where amenities and views are commodified, can also add to the

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Travel stocks on rise over widely anticipated Lunar New Year holiday travel boom

Outbound travelers are seen at Incheon International Airport, Jan. 16. Yonhap

By Yi Whan-woo

Travel stocks are on course for a bull market rally, on the back of pent-up demand for overseas travel during the Lunar New Year holiday next month.

Industry sources speculate the average number of daily outbound tourists departing from Incheon International Airport during the holiday from Feb. 9 to 12 will surpass the current record of 207,829 set before the pandemic.

They noted that flights to popular overseas travel destinations and relevant travel packages are also getting booked quickly for other upcoming holidays, such as Independence Movement Day (March 1) and Children’s Day (May 5).

The trend is anticipated to boost the travel industry to recover fully to pre-pandemic era levels, and stocks are heading higher correspondingly.

Hana Tour, the largest travel company in Korea, closed at 60,100 won ($44.99) on the benchmark KOSPI, Thursday — a 15.35 percent gain from Dec. 28 when it finished 2023 at 52,100 won.

Its Thursday performance was especially noteworthy as it returned to the 60,000 won range for the first time in more than nine months.

Also a leading tour business, Modetour finished at 16,670 won on the junior Kosdaq bourse, Thursday — a 9.38 percent increase from last year’s closing.

Smaller competitors are also on an upward trajectory.

Of other smaller competitors on the Kosdaq, Yellow Balloon Tour improved by 17.65 percent over the aforementioned period, while Very Good Tour gained 16.3 percent.

Concerning Hana Tour, Hana Securities analyst Lee Ki-hoon said the company’s share price “has much room to climb faster.”

He noted the number of the firm’s travel package customers is expected to reach 2.18 million this year, up 60 percent from 2023. Its operating profit is accordingly anticipated to soar 83 percent year-on-year to reach

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The Augmented Reality Adventure: 3 Stocks to Buy for the Future of AR

InvestorPlace – Stock Market News, Stock Advice & Trading Tips

The virtual reality market is expected to grow at a compound annual rate approaching 25% during the period from 2024 to 2029. That rate of growth is very attractive and will drive investment into the sector.

2024 is poised to be an especially strong year for the augmented and virtual reality sector. Major firms release AR/VR headsets, for one. Additionally, the macroeconomic situation is improving. The Federal Reserve is expected to cut the FED funds rate three times in 2024.

Those rate cuts promise to incentivize greater lending activity overall which will serve to further prime the economic growth engine. The overall thrust is a positive one and it should serve to benefit augmented reality stocks.

Apple (AAPL)

Source: sylv1rob1 / Shutterstock.com

Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) began pre-orders for its Vision Pro headset on January 19. The device retails for $3,499 and is scheduled to launch February 2.

The device acts as both an augmented reality and a virtual reality headset depending upon the environment. Users can toggle a dial to switch between VR and AR. In augmented reality mode, the user’s eyes will be visible to those who look at the device wearer. Neither YouTube nor Netflix are currently building dedicated apps for the Vision Pro.

Regardless, Apple will soon have entered the augmented reality space. Investors shouldn’t expect the sales of the Vision Pro to substantially influence Apple’s share price. It’s likely that the Vision Pro will add as much as a few billion dollars to Apple’s top line results in 2024 at most.

While that is a substantial number for most firms, Apple is not most firms. Expect, instead, that Apple may again be able to build a cult following for the product as it has

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