Welcome to Smart Travel, our weekly column where we share our latest tips and tricks to stay up to date on the can’t-miss news in travel. Today, we explore top travel apps and services, can’t-miss pricing for those planning a South American getaway, new international airline routes and more.
American Airlines Launches Massive Fare Sale to South American Destinations
Have you been dreaming of a sunny incentive program in Colombia, Chile, Peru or another top destination in South America? Now might be the time to lock in that flight. American Airlines has just announced a huge fare sale on those destinations, plus Brazil and Argentina, with first-come, first-served offers.
The most affordable and flexible travel dates are from September through December 2024, so you can ring in the new year with some new stamps on your passport. Sample round-trip prices include Miami to Bogota for $255 and Chicago to Lima for $513.
Sri Lanka Offers Tourists Free Visas
Recently announced by Sri Lanka Transport Minister Bandula Gunawardana is the waiver of visa fees to visitors from 35 countries, as part of a wider effort to “transform Sri Lanka into a free visa country, much like Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, to tap into the benefits of a rapidly growing tourism industry,” as Gunawardana says.
The Central Bank of Sri Lanka documented 1.2 million tourists who visited the country from January through July of this year, versus 720,000 visitors during all of 2022—so this latest policy is part of an ongoing (and successful) strategy to further bolster Sri Lanka’s status as an international travel destination.
8 New International Airline Routes Coming This Fall to America
For seasoned travelers, fall is the prime time to add a trip or two to the calendar. Fewer tourists and off-peak pricing are top advantages, and this year will offer new direct routes to destinations in Northern Africa, the Caribbean and more. Here are the most notable:
- United Airlines: Newark to Marrakech, launches October 24
- American Airlines: Dallas to Brisbane, launches October 26
- KLM: Portland, OR to Amsterdam, launches October 27
- Delta Airlines: Minneapolis to St. Maarten, launches December 19
- JetBlue: Providence, RI to San Juan, Puerto Rico, launches October 27
- Fiji Airways: Dallas to Nadi, Fiji, launches December 10
- Delta Airlines: Los Angeles to Mazatlán, Mexico, launches December 21
- JetBlue: New York (JFX) to St. Vincent, launches November 5
Read More: New and Renovated: Meetings in International Cities
The Top 3 Travel Startups Breaking the Charts
With global travel making impressive gains since the height of the Covid pandemic in 2020, some startups in the industry are seeing a boom in funding and sales. We’ve reviewed the latest numbers, and the most searched-for startups in the sector are all centered on simplifying different elements of travel for users:
- Holisto: This platform streamlines and personalizes the online hotel booking process by using AI and machine learning to gather a massive number of options and filter through the noise for what is best suited to individual users. Holisto’s 5-year search growth is currently at 9,445%.
- Roame Travel: A free service, this startup combs through thousands of airfares to pull a curated list of those that qualify for rewards programs, including credit card points and miles redemptions. A paid version of Roame includes access to SkyView, which offers a wider range of search options. The company’s 5-year search growth is currently at 7,200%.
- Holafly: This startup is an eSIM service that features international, unlimited data plans for those traveling abroad for a fixed period of time, thanks to partnerships with local providers. Holafly’s 5-year search growth is currently at 2,400%.
Global Wellness Tourism Rapidly Rising
From its 2020 low of $801.6 billion to an expected valuation of $1.59 trillion by 2030, global wellness tourism has been steadily performing with record gains. Several key elements found in a study by Allied Market Research are a growing global middle class, an increased international focus on health and wellness, and a growing appreciation of experiential travel. North America currently stands as the top destination in the wellness travel industry, with the Asia-Pacific region coming in second.
Read More: Elevating Meetings Through Wellness
Key players in the market include Accor S.A., Canyon Ranch, Four Seasons Hotels Ltd., Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc., Hyatt Hotels Corporation, Marriott International Inc. and Omni Hotels & Resorts. Allied Market Research recommends industry pros leverage opportunities through personalized, enhanced options for travelers, as well as investing in both growing and established markets.