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Το νέο Πρόγραμμα  «Τουρισμός για όλους 2024»  στοχεύει στην άμεση ενίσχυση της εγχώριας τουριστικής δραστηριότητας και εντάσσεται στο πλαίσιο της ευρύτερης στρατηγικής της Κυβέρνησης για τη στήριξη των ελληνικών νοικοκυριών και επιχειρήσεων απέναντι στις επιπτώσεις της παγκόσμιας πληθωριστικής κρίσης.

Το Rodos Week αποτελεί μέτρο για την παροχή οικονομικής διευκόλυνσης των φυσικών προσώπων, ανεξαρτήτως υπηκοότητας, που διέμεναν σε ξενοδοχεία που εκκενώθηκαν κατά την εκδήλωση των δασικών πυρκαγιών στη νήσο Ρόδο κατά τον Ιούλιο 2023.

Rodos Week is a week-long free stay initiative, aimed to provide financial assistance to individuals, regardless of nationality, who stayed in hotels that were evacuated during the wildfires on Rhodes island in July 2023.

Το Youth Pass αποτελεί μέτρο ενθάρρυνσης και εισαγωγής των νέων στις πολιτιστικές και τουριστικές δραστηριότητες, ενίσχυσης του εγχώριου πολιτιστικού και τουριστικού κλάδου, καθώς και εξοικείωσης των νέων με τη χρήση ηλεκτρονικών συναλλαγών.

Το Πρόγραμμα «Dentist Pass» αποτελεί μέτρο ενίσχυσης για τη διενέργεια πράξεων προληπτικής οδοντιατρικής φροντίδας σε παιδιά ηλικίας έξι έως δώδεκα (6-12) ετών.

Το Αμάλθεια αποτελεί έκτακτο μέτρο ενίσχυσης του Υπουργείου Ναυτιλίας και Νησιωτικής πολιτικής για τους νησιώτες κτηνοτρόφους με σκοπό την κάλυψη μέρους της αύξησης του κόστους της προμήθειας ζωοτροφών.

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Tourism for All: 200,000 Greeks to Get a Subsidy for a Domestic Vacation

The online platform for the annual “Tourism for All” subsidy program for domestic holidays launched on Saturday, according to an announcement by the Greek Tourism Ministry.

Fully revamped, the platform is available on vouchers.gov.gr and offers a subsidy for the holidays of 200,000 lower income Greeks and their families.

Through the revamped scheme, beneficiaries will be able to issue an e-voucher, which they can use for their stay at any hotel or accommodation in the country that they choose.

“In this difficult time, we are supporting the holidays of our fellow citizens until the end of the year, so that this year’s tourism success is felt by every provider (hotelier) who is struggling at this time and so Greeks can take a well-deserved break and enjoy the beauties of their country,” Tourism Minister Vassilis Kikilias said.

Beneficiaries of the “Tourism for All” program are citizens with an individual income of up to 16,000 euros and a family income of up to 28,000 euros , an amount that is increased for each child.

According to the ministry, the program is an upgraded version of the program compared to previous years, as for the first time it offers:

– an increased subsidy of 150 euros per beneficiary (from 120 euros last year) – a higher subsidy of 200 euros for people with a disability of more than 67 percent – contactless payment and redemption of the e-voucher at any accommodation provider (hotels, rooms to let, etc.) and at any destination in the country, without geographical restrictions

The upgraded program also gives beneficiaries the option to redeem their e-vouchers once or in installments until June 2023 , so people can also take a vacation outside the peak tourist season.

Moreover, providers (hoteliers) will immediately be reimbursed.

“This initiative is a response to our commitment to improve the old subsidy program, supporting our fellow citizens and society in practice, so as to strengthen domestic tourism as well, in a year where excellent performances are already recorded from the (international) tourist flows in Greece,” Deputy Tourism Minister Sofia Zacharaki said.

Eligible parties can sign up to the “Tourism for All” program through vouchers.gov.gr by using their Taxisnet codes until Thursday, July 21 . Applications can also be made through the KEP citizens’ service centers. An online draw will take place after the deadline and 200,000 “Tourism for All” vouchers will be distributed to Greek citizens.

The revamped “Tourism for All” subsidy program has been launched by the tourism ministry in collaboration with the ministries of digital governance, finance, development & investments and aims to strengthen domestic tourism , which is part of the government’s broader strategy to support Greek households and businesses against the effects of the global inflationary crisis.

The government’s budget for this year’s “Tourism for All” social tourism program is 31 million euros .

Further information on the “Tourism for All” program can be found here (in Greek).

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Tourism For All

The overarching goal of the yearlong Tourism for All campaign is to instil a sense of national pride and widespread participation in visiting and benefitting from Sierra Leone’s wealth of natural and cultural heritage assets. Increasing travel and tourism around Sierra Leone will be achieved through inter-ministerial, multi-stakeholder collaboration. Through collective action, we will make our country even more affordable and attractive to visit for locals and international travellers alike. This will increase GDP, drive local economic benefits including job creation, and help protect our most valuable environmental assets.

Recognizing this reality, the Ministry of Tourism & Cultural Affairs (MTCA) and National Tourist Board (NTB) have launched a year long Tourism Campaign for 2024 that includes a wide range of events, initiatives, and programs aimed at showcasing Sierra Leone’s cultural heritage attractions and natural wonders and making it possible for everyone to visit and benefit from them.

Statement from the Hon. President

The overarching goal of instituting a robust culture of domestic tourism in Sierra Leone is to build the bedrock on which tourism in Sierra Leone can flourish and deliver its benefits of economic diversification, prosperity, social cohesion and tolerance. The prioritization of the tourism sector as a key enabler in the 2024 – 2030 National Development Agenda has escalated the pressure for the sector to deliver. Tailoring tourism into the BIG FIVE: Feed Salone, Human capital Development, Youth employment scheme, revamping the public service architecture and tech and infrastructure is a pathway to achieve sustainable and radical socio-economic transformation.

– President Julius Maada Bio

Statement from the Hon. Minister

The potential for the tourism sector in Sierra Leone to become a fundamental pillar of the country’s transformation and economic prosperity is huge. Sierra Leone is now being recognized as one of the “World’s Greatest Places to Visit” in the global marketplace. It is now high time for Sierra Leoneans to gain an understanding of the value of tourism and the tangible benefits they can derive from the sector. The Tourism for All campaign is centred on making it possible for all Sierra Leoneans to benefit from tourism.

– Minister Nabeela Farida Tunis

Tourism For All: Campaign Snapshot - March

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Secretary raimondo announces new national strategy to reenergize u.s. travel and tourism, office of public affairs.

Commerce Secretary Gina M. Raimondo today announced a new National Travel and Tourism Strategy that focuses federal government efforts to support the U.S. travel and tourism industry and sets an ambitious five-year goal of attracting 90 million international visitors to the United States each year. It is estimated these visitors would spend $279 billion annually—expenditures that will support job creation in communities across the United States, its territories, and the District of Columbia.

The Tourism Policy Council , a federal interagency council created by Congress, was charged by Secretary Raimondo with creating the strategy to focus U.S. government efforts in support of the travel and tourism sector which has been deeply and disproportionally affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The strategy follows a four-point approach to reduce the industry’s carbon footprint, create safe and secure checkpoints, and bolster travel and tourism in underserved and underrepresented communities across the country.

Specifically, the strategy aims to: promote the United States as a premier travel destination, including broadening marketing efforts to encourage visitation to underserved and underrepresented communities; facilitate safe and efficient travel to and within the United States and its territories; ensure diverse and accessible tourism experiences with a focus on showcasing the nation’s federal lands and waters while also protecting them for future generations; and foster resilient and sustainable travel and tourism with goals to reduce the sectors’ contributions to climate change while rebuilding sectors that protect natural resources, support the tourism economy and ensure equitable development. Read the strategy and the fact sheet .

“Across all 50 states, U.S. territories and the District of Columbia, communities are safely welcoming back visitors. From the crown jewels of our national parks and forests, to the historic and diverse sites that tell the story of our people and culture, the United States offers destinations for international travelers like no other,” said Secretary Raimondo. “The impact of COVID-19 has taken a toll on our national and local economies, but it also has presented us with a unique opportunity to mold a more inclusive, equitable, sustainable and resilient travel and tourism industry than ever before. Our new strategy leverages the best of what the U.S. public and private sectors offer, which will promote jobs, recover lost revenues, and inspire unforgettable experiences.”

The travel and tourism sector has historically been a critical force in economic growth and employment in the United States. When non-U.S. residents purchase goods and services while in the United States, it counts as export income for the U.S. economy.

In 2020, the Department’s  National Travel and Tourism Office  reported that the decline in travel and tourism to and within the United States accounted for 56% of the decline in U.S. gross domestic product (GDP), and travel exports dropped 65% in 2020 when compared to 2019, or pre-pandemic levels.

However, throughout 2021, as the Biden-Harris Administration implemented a robust vaccine rollout and effective travel policies centered around health and safety, along with lifting travel restrictions when it was safe to do so, monthly overseas arrivals to the United States increased from roughly 775,000 in October 2021 to more than 2 million in April 2022. As a result, international travel to the United States has generated a trade surplus in each of the past five months indicating a positive trend toward recovery even as international travel remains below pre-pandemic levels.

About the National Travel and Tourism Office The National Travel and Tourism Office, housed within the Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration, and led by the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Industry and Analysis, is the federal government’s official source for U.S. travel and tourism statistics. For more information on the National Travel and Tourism Office statistics and research programs, including interactive data monitors, factsheets, and comprehensive downloads, please visit:   https://www.trade.gov/national-travel-and-tourism-office .

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USAID Tourism For All Project

Facing a fragmented tourism sector, USAID’s investment promotes Timor-Leste’s vision of becoming a competitive international tourism destination while preserving the country’s unique environmental and cultural heritage. The project focuses on two main objectives to achieve that vision. The first is to ensure that institutions, policies and laws are in place to fully implement the national tourism policy launched in 2017. The second objective is to promote sustainable private sector tourism investments and participation by Timorese communities, local and international NGOs, associations, and others, and create replicable models of sustainability and best practice.

Major Achievements:

• Organizing for Conservation : Improving conservation for future generations, USAID helped to register three tourism- based associations, including: The Tourism Partnership of Atauro on Atauro island, one of the most marine biodiverse sites in the world; Mt. Ramelau Tourism Partnership (AST-RABEKA) in Ainaro, location of Timor-Leste’s highest mountain; and the Marine Tourism Association that serves to promote best practices for conservation of all Timor-Leste’s marine resources. The Government of Timor-Leste will be increasingly responsive to the tourism industry as these associations speak through one voice.
• Training the Next Generation of Tourism Actors : Addressing the limitations in human capital in the tourism sector, USAID delivered over 11,615 hours of training to more than 611 private and public sector participants in hospitality and tourism, food safety.  The majority of the project’s participants were female (52 percent) and under the age of 30 – helping to ensure a sustainable future and secured employment for diverse tourism industry actors.
• COVID Pivot Keeps Tourism Alive : Due to USAID’s pivot to supporting domestic tourism during the global pandemic, many tourism-based businesses saw an uptick in tourism from Timorese travelers. The #HauNiaTimorLeste Domestic Tourism Campaign is a lifeline in otherwise extremely difficult times.
• Connecting Timorese to Marine Resources: Working through two local SCUBA dive companies, USAID introduced 40 National University of Timor-Leste marine biology students to industry best practices in whale watching, snorkeling, discovery scuba dives, and marine conservation through multiple six-day trips to Atauro island.  USAID also trained the first ever Timorese Dive Instructor – who can now train and certify Timorese SCUBA divers in their own language-- and certified the first female Dive Master.

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National Travel and Tourism Office

National travel and tourism office (ntto).

In addition to providing statistics, the National Travel and Tourism Office (NTTO) creates a positive climate for growth in travel and tourism by reducing institutional barriers to tourism, administers joint marketing efforts, provides official travel and tourism statistics , and coordinates efforts across federal agencies through the Tourism Policy Council. The Office works to enhance the international competitiveness of the U.S. travel and tourism industry and increase its exports, thereby creating U.S. employment and economic growth. 

What Guides Our Work: The National Travel and Tourism Strategy

The Department of Commerce, on behalf of the federal interagency Tourism Policy Council, is launching the new National Travel and Tourism Strategy (Strategy) to recover and rebuild a U.S. travel and tourism industry that is more inclusive, equitable, sustainable, and resilient, positioning the sector to drive economic development and export revenue. The Strategy seeks to utilize the full efforts of the federal government to promote the United States as a premiere destination that is representative of the breadth and diversity of its communities, and to foster a sector that creates good jobs for more Americans and is a positive force for sustainability.  

2022 National Travel and Tourism Strategy

FACT SHEET: 2022 National Travel and Tourism Strategy

Our Engagement with the Private Sector: Travel and Tourism Advisory Board (TTAB)

The United States Travel and Tourism Advisory Board (TTAB) serves as the advisory body to the Secretary of Commerce on matters relating to the travel and tourism industry in the United States. The Board advises the Secretary on government policies and programs that affect the U.S. travel and tourism industry, offers counsel on current and emerging issues, and provides a forum for discussing and proposing solutions to industry-related problems. Visit the TTAB page

Our Work Fostering Diverse, Inclusive, and Sustainable Tourism:

As is laid out in the National Travel and Tourism Strategy, the U.S. government is working to increase not only the volume, but the value of travel and tourism to the United States. Across all of our work, we are striving to make sure tourism is accessible to communities, diverse across cultures and geographies, and a positive driver for economic growth and environmental protection. 

APEC Project “Assessing the Impact of Rising Sea Levels on Travel and Tourism in APEC Economies” : Our report looks at how rising sea levels and extreme weather events pose an increasing threat to tourism businesses and destinations, and how those businesses can prepare. It also examines best practices for governments and destinations to incorporate climate change into their tourism planning.  Access the Full Report Here.

How We Market the United States: Brand USA

NTTO is the official liaison to  Brand USA for the U.S. federal government. The Corporation for Travel Promotion (Brand USA) has a multi-language consumer website available whose primary purpose is to provide international travelers with a “one-stop shop” for travel information about the United States. This public-private partnership allows thousands of U.S. travel and tourism industry organizations to be exposed to traveling consumers around the globe, providing them with additional export assistance resources. It covers all 50 states, the five U.S. territories and hundreds of U.S. destinations. Visit the Brand USA page. 

The United States and Japan Launch “U.S.- Japan Tourism Year”

How We Represent U.S. Tourism Globally: Intergovernmental Organizations

NTTO represents U.S. tourism interests in intergovernmental organizations to lead the global efforts for travel and tourism policy concerns and issues, including chairing the Tourism Committee for the  Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development  

It also serves as the USG official head delegate to the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Tourism Working Group and the official U.S. government observer and participant on committees and activities of the United Nations World Tourism Organization.

TI News is an information service from NTTO providing up to date Travel and Tourism Industry news.  Visit TI News.  

Fraudulent Email Alert

We are aware of an individual fraudulently claiming to represent ITA in order to solicit personal information. Individuals have reported receiving emails and phone calls “regarding a possible recent scam involving your vacation property.” The recipient is then instructed to complete a complaint form with personal information to receive support from ITA.

This is a scam and was not sent by ITA or any of its employees. If you receive such a communication, please do not respond or provide any personal information. 

If you believe that you have been a target to such a scam, please notify the Department of Commerce, Office of Inspector General, immediately and file a report.

Update April 12, 2024

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Travel and Tourism

Travel and tourism satellite account for 2018-2022.

The travel and tourism industry—as measured by the real output of goods and services sold directly to visitors—increased 21.0 percent in 2022 after increasing 53.6 percent in 2021, according to the most recent statistics from BEA’s Travel and Tourism Satellite Account.

Data & Articles

• U.S. Travel and Tourism Satellite Account for 2018–2022 By Hunter Arcand and Paul Kern - Survey of Current Business April 2024
• "U.S. Travel and Tourism Satellite Account for 2015–2019" By Sarah Osborne - Survey of Current Business December 2020
• "U.S. Travel and Tourism Satellite Account for 2015-2017" By Sarah Osborne and Seth Markowitz - Survey of Current Business June 2018
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• Tourism Satellite Accounts Data A complete set of detailed annual statistics for 2017-2021 is coming soon -->
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What is Travel and Tourism?

Measures how much tourists spend and the prices they pay for lodging, airfare, souvenirs, and other travel-related items. These statistics also provide a snapshot of employment in the travel and tourism industries.

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Travel, Tourism and Outdoor Recreation

Promoting america’s tourist communities.

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EDA Awards 185 Grants to Rebuild and Restrengthen American Travel, Tourism, and Outdoor Recreation

Travel, Tourism & Outdoor Recreation Fact Sheet  (PDF)

American Rescue Plan Fact Sheet  (PDF)

Click here to view the American Rescue Plan Map

The U.S. Economic Development Administration’s (EDA) Travel, Tourism, and Outdoor Recreation program invested $750 million in  American Rescue Plan  funding to support communities across the country whose economies were hard hit by damage to these sectors from the COVID-19 pandemic. With funding going to every state and territory across 185 awards, EDA’s investments are rebuilding the travel and tourism sector and creating a more equitable, competitive, and resilient industry.

Learn more about the Travel, Tourism, and Outdoor Recreation grantees by exploring the  American Rescue Plan Impact Map .

The Travel, Tourism, and Outdoor Recreation program is divided into two components:

• State Tourism Grants:  $510 million in direct awards to help states quickly invest in marketing, infrastructure, workforce and other projects to rejuvenate safe leisure, business and international travel.
• Competitive Grants:  $240 million to help communities that have been hardest hit by challenges facing the travel, tourism, and outdoor recreation sectors to invest in infrastructure, workforce, or other projects to support the recovery of the industry and economic resilience of the community in the future.

Each state or territory is utilizing its directly allocated funds to engage in activities that best support their travel, tourism, and outdoor recreation sectors. These activities include but are not limited to workforce training, new construction or upgrades to existing tourism infrastructure, tourism marketing and promotion, and tourism-related economic planning. The competitive grant program is distributed across 126 awards to support communities across the country as they rebuild and strengthen their travel, tourism, and outdoor recreation sectors. The competitive funding is expected to generate $1.1 billion in private investment and to create or save 10,291 jobs , according to grantee estimates. This program was designed to prioritize equity, and as a result, more than 50% of competitive awards are expected to directly benefit historically underserved communities and populations. In addition, $29.3 million across 12 awards is supporting coal communities and $21.2 million across 9 awards is supporting Indigenous communities.

Program Resources

• Notice of Funding Opportunity
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USAID Tourism For All Project

Speeches shim.

Facing a fragmented tourism sector, USAID’s investment promotes Timor-Leste’s vision of becoming a competitive international tourism destination while preserving the country’s unique environmental and cultural heritage. The project focuses on two main objectives to achieve that vision. The first is to ensure that institutions, policies and laws are in place to fully implement the national tourism policy launched in 2017. The second objective is to promote sustainable private sector tourism investments and participation by Timorese communities, local and international NGOs, associations, and others, and create replicable models of sustainability and best practice.

Major Achievements:

Three associations registered and independently operating, including the Tourism Partnership of Atauro (ATKOMA) in Atauro, the most marine biodiverse locale in the world, Mt. Ramelau Tourism Partnership (AST-RABEKA) in Ainaro, location of Timor-Leste’s highest mountain, and Marine Tourism Association. All have tourism strategies and action plans.

Nearly 8,4008 hours of training delivered to more than 325 private and public sector participants in hospitality and tourism.

National Committee for Intangible Culture and Heritage established involving the Secretary of State for Arts and Culture, UNESCO and local non-governmental organizations for the conservation and preservation of Tais (hand-woven textiles) aimed at eventual UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage recognition. 

Seven major public events attracting more than 2,500 participants held, including the second International Conference for Emerging Tourism Destinations (ICETD) on the topic of faith-based tourism. 

Ten partnership agreements signed with public and private sector with 70 percent of all planned interventions completed, including AIFAESA (Autoridade de Inspecção e Fiscalização da Actividade Económica, Sanitária e Alimentar ) who will have 40 inspectors trained to administer the “Dili Mo’os no Matak” (Dili Clean and Green).

Grants program launched to encourage tourism entrepreneurs in target work areas resulting in new products in the market from eight.

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Watch CBS News

California Governor Newsom launches abortion travel ban ad campaign in Alabama

By Dave Pehling

Updated on: April 22, 2024 / 1:41 PM PDT / CBS San Francisco

California Governor Gavin Newsom is taking aim at states considering abortion travel bans with the launch of a new ad campaign.

Newsom's Campaign for Democracy ad is set to air in Alabama starting Monday. The governor tweeted out the ad in a social media post Sunday morning.

Alabama’s abortion ban has no exceptions for rape or incest. Now, Republicans are trying to criminalize young women’s travel to receive abortion care. We cannot let them get away with this. pic.twitter.com/gHbYJYlEXk — Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) April 21, 2024

The text with the video post reads, "Alabama's abortion ban has no exceptions for rape or incest. Now, Republicans are trying to criminalize young women's travel to receive abortion care. We cannot let them get away with this."

The 30-second commercial shows two nervous young women driving in a car passing a sign that reads "State Line 1 Mile." 

"We're almost there. You're gonna make it," the passenger tells the woman behind the wheel just before they hear a siren and are pulled over by a state trooper.

"Trump Republicans want to criminalize young Alabama women who travel for reproductive care," a voiceover says as the state trooper walks up to the car.

"Miss, I'm going to need you to step out of the vehicle and take a pregnancy test," the trooper says, waving a test stick in one hand. The next shot shows the driver leaning on the hood of her car as the trooper puts her in handcuffs.

"Stop them by taking action at RightToTravel.org ," the voiceover intones as the ad ends.

Alabama is currently weighing a bill that would make it a crime to help women travel outside the state in order to receive an abortion. The ad is part of a larger effort to combat travel bans across the United States. Newsom was behind a similar ad that ran in Tennessee.

The RightToTravel.org website says that those two states and Oklahoma are considering bills that ban minors from traveling out of state to get an abortion without parental consent, even if it's a case of incest or if there is abuse in the family.

It isn't the first action the governor has taken in the political battle over abortion since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June of 2022. Two days after the ruling, Newsom partnered with the governors of Oregon and Washington to issue a multi-state commitment promising to defend access to reproductive health care, including abortion and contraceptives.

In September of that year, he launched a billboard campaign in seven of the most restrictive anti-abortion states urging women seeking the procedure to come to California for treatment. He also signed more than a dozen new abortion laws  protecting women's reproductive rights and ordered the state to end its contract with Walgreens after the pharmacy giant  indicated it would not sell an abortion pill by mail in some conservative-led states . 

• Gavin Newsom
• Roe v. Wade

Dave Pehling started his journalism career doing freelance writing about music in the late 1990s, eventually working as a web writer, editor and producer for KTVU.com in 2003. He moved to CBS to work as the station website's managing editor in 2015.

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What to Know Before Booking a National Park Trip This Summer

Additional routes in popular parks now require reservations, the annual pass gets a big change, Juneteenth is now a new free entrance day and more changes for 2024.

By Lauren Matison

In 2023, the seashores, lakeshores, battlefields, historic sites, monuments and more that make up the National Park Service had 325.5 million visits , an increase of 4 percent from the year before.

The National Park Service director, Charles F. Sams III, praised the surge of interest in “learning our shared American story throughout the hidden gems of the National Parks System.”

Expecting an even greater turnout in 2024, the Park Service and Recreation.gov , the booking platform for federal land reservations, have implemented new measures to streamline the park experience, manage overcrowding and safeguard the environment.

More parks are requiring reservations

To better avoid congested trails, packed parking lots and overflowing trash cans, additional parks are joining Rocky Mountain , Arches and Glacier National Parks this year in requiring day-use permits, timed entries and other reservations for travelers who wish to visit, particularly during peak hours, holidays and the parks’ high seasons. Yosemite National Park is reinstating a timed-entry system it instituted in 2020, but paused in 2022.

Many park enthusiasts expressed mixed feelings about the reservation policies, with some lamenting a lack of first-come, first-served campsites while others find comfort in knowing they have a confirmed booking. As nearly 75 percent of visitors each year descend on national parks from May to October (and often on weekends), park officials stand by the system.

“In some parks, the level of demand is exceeding the capacity for which infrastructure was designed or is outpacing the National Park Service’s ability to sustainably support visitation,” said Kathy Kupper, a public affairs specialist for the service. “This trend is resulting in the need to explore new strategies to protect natural and cultural resources and provide opportunities for safe and meaningful visitor experiences.”

It can be confusing.

New to implementing timed-entry reservations for vehicles is Mount Rainier National Park , in Washington, for its popular Paradise and Sunrise Corridors during certain times in the summer season. Reservations cost $2, are valid for one day and must be purchased along with the park ticket, but do not apply for visitors with wilderness permits or camping or lodge reservations. Similar vehicle reservations are now required for certain periods for viewing the sunrise at Haleakalā National Park in Maui, Hawaii , and driving the Cadillac Summit Road in Maine’s Acadia National Park .

Visitors wishing to hike Old Rag Mountain in Virginia’s Shenandoah National Park must obtain a day-use ticket between March 1 and Nov. 30, and in Zion National Park, in Utah, hikers wishing to visit Angels Landing , the dramatic 1,488-foot-tall rock formation, also need to purchase a permit. Fees range from $1 to $6, in addition to the parks’ entrance fees.

As each destination is managed differently, check the park’s webpage for the type of reservation required. Although most bookings can be made through Recreation.gov, some sites, such as Muir Woods National Monument, use a different system.

New features on Recreation.gov

In 2023, Recreation.gov reported that more than 4 million camping reservations and 2 million timed-entry reservations were booked online, and 1.5 million permits were issued. Some 2.9 million new users signed up for the site. With its expanding user base, the booking platform has added 58 reservable national park locations — including 17 campgrounds — such as Central Avenue Walk-in Sites at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore and Bluff Hike In Camping in South Carolina’s Congaree National Park.

Recreation.gov has also improved an alerts feature, piloted in July 2023, that can notify users through email or mobile push notifications when a sold-out campsite becomes available. After Recreation.gov notifies you of availability, you must book the campsite yourself online — and quickly, as you’ll be shown how many other people (possibly hundreds) have received the same alert.

While its customer support center and mobile app are still only available in English, Recreation.gov recently introduced a Spanish language translation option. The Park Service partners with Latino Conservation Week , which hosts nationwide hikes and events on environmental education and in-park stewardship, and will celebrate its 10th year in September.

A limit to the annual America the Beautiful pass

The 2024 America the Beautiful pass no longer allows two owners. The annual interagency pass, which costs $80 and covers the entrance fees for more than 2,000 federal recreation sites (of which roughly 100 do not charge for admission year-round), is now marked by a single signature line on the back of the card. The pass owner must show I.D. and be present with any accompanying travelers wishing to access the park with the pass. (Annual passes issued in 2023 will still be valid until their expiration date.) The pass covers all passengers in a vehicle — up to four adults, and children under 16 are admitted free — or up to four cyclists riding together. Active military or veterans and people with permanent disabilities are eligible for a free lifetime pass; 4th grade students may receive a free annual pass; and senior citizens may purchase a $20 annual pass or pay $80 for a lifetime pass.

At the parks, more accessible features, E.V. chargers and new lodging

To better protect against global warming, the Park Service is putting more than $65 million from the Inflation Reduction Act and Great American Outdoors Act into climate mitigation and ecosystem restoration.

Using $15.9 million budgeted for zero-emission vehicle deployment, charging capacity and infrastructure, the Park Service is prioritizing a reduction in carbon emissions, said Mr. Sams, by installing new electric-vehicle charging stations and running electric buses.

An interactive online locator tool created in 2023 shows E.V. charging stations throughout 27 national parks and the type of chargers available. In addition to the tool, every national park page displays alerts on road closures, parking lot capacities, construction work and other incidents.

Mr. Sams also said the Park Service is investing $1.3 billion from the Great American Outdoors Act to improve accessibility features, ranging from a new A.D.A.-compliant visitor center at Morristown National Historic Park in New Jersey to new beach wheelchairs at Sleeping Bear Dunes , Channel Islands and Virgin Islands National Parks . Each destination’s website has an accessibility tab to help visitors plan their trip, and Recreation.gov now has a search filter on its homepage to make it easier to locate accessible accommodations.

New lodging options now available across the country include the Flamingo Lodge , which opened inside Everglades National Park last fall with 24 guest rooms built from repurposed shipping containers. In March, along the southeastern border of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the Cataloochee Ranch reopened with 11 renovated cabins and a new restaurant. This spring, the Clubhouse Hotel & Suites will welcome its first guests in Rapid City, S.D., the closest major town to Badlands National Park , and opening in May in Idaho is the Yellowstone Peaks Hotel , a 30-minute-drive from Yellowstone National Park. This fall, California-bound travelers planning a visit to General Sherman, the largest known tree on Earth, might book at AutoCamp Sequoia , just outside Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park .

Also in California: Those who don’t score a highly coveted (and contentious) spot at the newly reopened High Sierra Camps in Yosemite could book Wildhaven Yosemite in Mariposa, which offers more affordable rates, hiking trails and views of the Sierra Nevadas. Reservations for its first season are available beginning May 1.

Celebrating milestones and a new free entrance day

On the 60th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act, visitors can pay tribute to African American heritage at over 100 parks , including the Frederick Douglass National Historic Site in Washington, D.C., Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument , and the Selma to Montgomery National Historic Trail . This year also marks 100 years since Indigenous people were recognized as United States citizens. Although many parks have Indigenous programming , Mr. Sams, who is the first Native American to serve as N.P.S. director , suggested visiting Hopewell Cultural Historical Park in Ohio and Whitman Mission Historic National Historic Site in Washington, where he recently brought his daughter.

“In order to celebrate the diversity that makes our country great, we must share the complete story of America, which includes both the successes and challenges encountered on the way to form a more perfect union,” Mr. Sams said.

Juneteenth National Independence Day is the National Park Service’s newest free entrance day . Visitors can also take advantage of free admission on April 20, the first day of National Park Week; Aug. 4, the four-year anniversary of the Great American Outdoors Act ; Sept. 28 on National Public Lands Day ; and Nov. 11 for Veterans Day .

Follow New York Times Travel on Instagram and sign up for our weekly Travel Dispatch newsletter to get expert tips on traveling smarter and inspiration for your next vacation. Dreaming up a future getaway or just armchair traveling? Check out our 52 Places to Go in 2024 .

An earlier version of this article misstated the location of the Flamingo Lodge. It is inside Everglades National Park, not outside the park.

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Global Entry Enrollment Events Coming to South Carolina Low Country

Open to Global Entry Applicants Conditionally Approved 

CHARLESTON, SC — U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers will host a two separate Global Entry enrollment events in South Carolina for individuals who have been conditionally approved to complete the interview portion of this trusted traveler program.

May 6-10, Myrtle Beach Int. Airport will host appointments from 8:00am – 4:00pm

1100 Jet Port Rd, Myrtle Beach, SC 29577

May 13-17, Charleston Int. Airport will host appointments from 8:00am – 4:00pm

5550 Porsche Blvd, North Charleston, SC 29418

All conditionally approved Global Entry applicants can schedule an interview for these events from their Trusted Traveler Portal (TTP) account by selecting the regional enrollment location as “MYRTLE BEACH ENROLLMENT EVENT or “CHARLESTON ENROLLMENT EVENT”

Global Entry is one of the Department of Homeland Security’s Trusted Traveler programs. It provides modified screening for pre-approved members, improves security by being more efficient during screenings, and facilitates legitimate trade and travel. Global Entry has more than 10 million members and is utilized at land, air, and seaports of entry into the United States and at preclearance locations around the world. Successful Global Entry applicants will also benefit from the TSA PreCheck® program.

Travelers must be pre-approved for all Trusted Traveler programs, including Global Entry. All applicants undergo rigorous and recurring background checks and complete an in-person interview before enrollment. For more information on Global Entry, visit  https://ttp.dhs.gov/ .

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the comprehensive management, control, and protection of our nation’s borders, combining customs, immigration, border security, and agricultural protection at and between official ports of entry.

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Biden-Harris Administration Announces Final Rule Requiring Automatic Refunds of Airline Tickets and Ancillary Service Fees

Rule makes it easy to get money back for cancelled or significantly changed flights, significantly delayed checked bags, and additional services not provided  

WASHINGTON – The Biden-Harris Administration today announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has issued a final rule that requires airlines to promptly provide passengers with automatic cash refunds when owed. The new rule makes it easy for passengers to obtain refunds when airlines cancel or significantly change their flights, significantly delay their checked bags, or fail to provide the extra services they purchased.

“Passengers deserve to get their money back when an airline owes them - without headaches or haggling,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg . “Our new rule sets a new standard to require airlines to promptly provide cash refunds to their passengers.”  

The final rule creates certainty for consumers by defining the specific circumstances in which airlines must provide refunds. Prior to this rule, airlines were permitted to set their own standards for what kind of flight changes warranted a refund. As a result, refund policies differed from airline to airline, which made it difficult for passengers to know or assert their refund rights. DOT also received complaints of some airlines revising and applying less consumer-friendly refund policies during spikes in flight cancellations and changes. 

Under the rule, passengers are entitled to a refund for:

• Canceled or significantly changed flights: Passengers will be entitled to a refund if their flight is canceled or significantly changed, and they do not accept alternative transportation or travel credits offered. For the first time, the rule defines “significant change.” Significant changes to a flight include departure or arrival times that are more than 3 hours domestically and 6 hours internationally; departures or arrivals from a different airport; increases in the number of connections; instances where passengers are downgraded to a lower class of service; or connections at different airports or flights on different planes that are less accessible or accommodating to a person with a disability.  
• Significantly delayed baggage return: Passengers who file a mishandled baggage report will be entitled to a refund of their checked bag fee if it is not delivered within 12 hours of their domestic flight arriving at the gate, or 15-30 hours of their international flight arriving at the gate, depending on the length of the flight.  
• Extra services not provided: Passengers will be entitled to a refund for the fee they paid for an extra service — such as Wi-Fi, seat selection, or inflight entertainment — if an airline fails to provide this service.

DOT’s final rule also makes it simple and straightforward for passengers to receive the money they are owed. Without this rule, consumers have to navigate a patchwork of cumbersome processes to request and receive a refund — searching through airline websites to figure out how make the request, filling out extra “digital paperwork,” or at times waiting for hours on the phone. In addition, passengers would receive a travel credit or voucher by default from some airlines instead of getting their money back, so they could not use their refund to rebook on another airline when their flight was changed or cancelled without navigating a cumbersome request process.  

The final rule improves the passenger experience by requiring refunds to be:

• Automatic: Airlines must automatically issue refunds without passengers having to explicitly request them or jump through hoops.   
• Prompt: Airlines and ticket agents must issue refunds within seven business days of refunds becoming due for credit card purchases and 20 calendar days for other payment methods.  
• Cash or original form of payment: Airlines and ticket agents must provide refunds in cash or whatever original payment method the individual used to make the purchase, such as credit card or airline miles. Airlines may not substitute vouchers, travel credits, or other forms of compensation unless the passenger affirmatively chooses to accept alternative compensation.    
• Full amount: Airlines and ticket agents must provide full refunds of the ticket purchase price, minus the value of any portion of transportation already used. The refunds must include all government-imposed taxes and fees and airline-imposed fees, regardless of whether the taxes or fees are refundable to airlines.

The final rule also requires airlines to provide prompt notifications to consumers affected by a cancelled or significantly changed flight of their right to a refund of the ticket and extra service fees, as well as any related policies.

In addition, in instances where consumers are restricted by a government or advised by a medical professional not to travel to, from, or within the United States due to a serious communicable disease, the final rule requires that airlines must provide travel credits or vouchers. Consumers may be required to provide documentary evidence to support their request. Travel vouchers or credits provided by airlines must be transferrable and valid for at least five years from the date of issuance.

The Department received a significant number of complaints against airlines and ticket agents for refusing to provide a refund or for delaying processing of refunds during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. At the height of the pandemic in 2020, refund complaints peaked at 87 percent of all air travel service complaints received by DOT. Refund problems continue to make up a substantial share of the complaints that DOT receives.

DOT’s Historic Record of Consumer Protection Under the Biden-Harris Administration

Under the Biden-Harris Administration and Secretary Buttigieg, DOT has advanced the largest expansion of airline passenger rights, issued the biggest fines against airlines for failing consumers, and returned more money to passengers in refunds and reimbursements than ever before in the Department’s history.

• Thanks to pressure from Secretary Buttigieg and DOT’s flightrights.gov dashboard, all 10 major U.S. airlines guarantee free rebooking and meals, and nine guarantee hotel accommodations when an airline issue causes a significant delay or cancellation. These are new commitments the airlines added to their customer service plans that DOT can legally ensure they adhere to and are displayed on flightrights.gov .  
• Since President Biden took office, DOT has helped return more than $3 billion in refunds and reimbursements owed to airline passengers – including over $600 million to passengers affected by the Southwest Airlines holiday meltdown in 2022.   
• Under Secretary Buttigieg, DOT has issued over $164 million in penalties against airlines for consumer protection violations. Between 1996 and 2020, DOT collectively issued less than $71 million in penalties against airlines for consumer protection violations.  
• DOT recently launched a new partnership with a bipartisan group of state attorneys general to fast-track the review of consumer complaints, hold airlines accountable, and protect the rights of the traveling public.  
• In 2023, the flight cancellation rate in the U.S. was a record low at under 1.2% — the lowest rate of flight cancellations in over 10 years despite a record amount of air travel.  
• DOT is undertaking its first ever industry-wide review of airline privacy practices and its first review of airline loyalty programs.

In addition to finalizing the rules to require automatic refunds and protect against surprise fees, DOT is also pursuing rulemakings that would:

• Propose to ban family seating junk fees and guarantee that parents can sit with their children for no extra charge when they fly. Before President Biden and Secretary Buttigieg pressed airlines last year, no airline committed to guaranteeing fee-free family seating. Now, four airlines guarantee fee-free family seating, and the Department is working on its family seating junk fee ban proposal.  
• Propose to make passenger compensation and amenities mandatory so that travelers are taken care of when airlines cause flight delays or cancellations.   
• Expand the rights for passengers who use wheelchairs and ensure that they can travel safely and with dignity . The comment period on this proposed rule closes on May 13, 2024.

The final rule on refunds can be found at https://www.transportation.gov/airconsumer/latest-news and at regulations.gov , docket number DOT-OST-2022-0089. There are different implementation periods in this final rule ranging from six months for airlines to provide automatic refunds when owed to 12 months for airlines to provide transferable travel vouchers or credits when consumers are unable to travel for reasons related to a serious communicable disease. 

Information about airline passenger rights, as well as DOT’s rules, guidance and orders, can be found at   https://www.transportation.gov/airconsumer .

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Airlines must cough up cancellation cash and can no longer hide fees under new federal rule

A federal rule announced Wednesday will require airlines to quickly give cash refunds — without lengthy arguments — to passengers whose flights have been canceled or seriously delayed, the Biden administration said.

“Passengers deserve to get their money back when an airline owes them — without headaches or haggling,” Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in a statement.

The rule from the Transportation Department says passengers who decline other reimbursement like travel credits are to get cash refunds.

It applies when a flight is canceled or has a “significant change,” the administration said.A “significant change” includes when departure or arrival times are three or more hours different from the scheduled times for domestic flights or six hours for international flights, and when the airport is changed or connections are added, it said.

Passengers are also to get refunds when their baggage is 12 hours late in delivery for domestic flights.

The new rule comes after promises to hold airlines accountable after major disruptions that made travel hell for passengers, including the 2022 Southwest Airlines meltdown , which resulted in almost 17,000 significantly delayed or canceled flights and a missing baggage nightmare.

The Transportation Department said that the new rule means refunds are automatic and that "airlines must automatically issue refunds without passengers having to explicitly request them or jump through hoops."

Also announced Wednesday was a rule requiring airlines to more clearly disclose so-called junk fees upfront, such as surprise baggage or other fees, the department said.

It said that rule is expected to save fliers around $500 million a year.

The surprise fees are used so tickets look cheaper than they really are, and then fliers get the unwelcome surprise of fees on checked bags, carry-on bags or reservation changes — or even discounts that are advertised but apply to only part of the ticket price, officials said.

Airlines will also have to tell fliers clearly that their seats are guaranteed and that they don't have to pay extra to ensure they have seats for flights, according to the Transportation Department.

Airlines for America, an industry trade group, said that its member airlines “offer transparency and vast choice to consumers from first search to touchdown” and that they do offer cash refunds.

The 11 largest U.S. airlines returned $10.9 billion in cash refunds last year, an increase over $7.5 billion in 2019 but slightly down from $11.2 billion in 2022, the group said.

“U.S. airlines are providing more options and better services while ticket prices, including ancillary revenues, are at historic lows,” Airlines for America said.

Left out of the federal changes announced Wednesday are those involving "family seating fees," but the Transportation Department said in a statement that "DOT is planning to propose a separate rule that bans airlines from charging these junk fees."

Travelers have complained to the Transportation Department that children weren’t seated next to accompanying adults, including in some cases young children, department officials said last year.

Fees on bags specifically have made up an increasing amount of airline revenues, the Transportation Department said Wednesday in announcing the new rules.

A Transportation Department analysis found that airline revenue from baggage fees increased 30% from 2018 to 2022, while operating revenue — which is from the flights themselves — increased by only half that amount, the department said.

Jay Blackman is an NBC News producer covering such areas as transportation, space, medical and consumer issues.

Phil Helsel is a reporter for NBC News.