This week in travel news: makeup videos at 30,000 feet, the “little Marrakech” none of your friends have been to, and a historic European city is losing its footing.
And it’s Memorial Day weekend, the unofficial kickoff to the busy summer travel season. That also means beach weather. “Dr. Beach” has released his list of the top 10 US beaches, and this year’s No. 1 isn’t in Florida or Hawaii.
Trouble in Bruges
When tourists say they wish they could take a piece of their favorite place home with them, sometimes they mean it a bit too literally.
Belgium’s picturesque city of Bruges has issued a request that tourists stop stealing cobblestones from its UNESCO-recognized medieval streets.
Local politician Franky Demon says an estimated 50 to 70 cobblestones disappear per month — even more during peak season — and it costs 200 euros (about $225) per square meter to replace them and fix the damage.
“While some may see this as harmless or quirky, the consequences are serious,” Demon told CNN. “The removal of cobblestones poses a clear safety risk to both residents and visitors. Missing or loosened stones create tripping hazards, and city workers must frequently be dispatched to carry out repairs.”
Demon said that one “perpetrator” apparently even took the time to replace a missing stone with a planted flower. “A whimsical gesture, but one that underscores a lack of respect for our shared heritage,” he said.
“We simply ask for respect. Walking through Bruges means stepping through centuries of history,” said Demon. “These cobblestones are not just pieces of stone — they are part of our city’s soul. We urge visitors to enjoy Bruges, but to leave its beauty intact for others.”
Like Venice, Barcelona and other historic European cities, Bruges has been struggling to cope with overtourism.
In 2019, the city voted to reduce the number of cruise ships that would be allowed to dock in the nearby port of Zeebrugge and ended tourism promotion campaigns in nearby destinations like Paris to discourage day-trippers.
Visitors to Bruges who want a memento of their vacation — maybe consider a box of Belgian chocolates instead?
Off the beaten path
One way to avoid overtourism is to head to less expected locales.
While Syria might not be top of mind for a summer holiday, the fall of former president Bashar al-Assad’s regime has resulted in the country opening up to international visitors.
Turkish Airlines and Qatar Airways have launched routes to Damascus, and adventure travel outfitters are in-country to try to get in on the ground floor.
“Now Assad is gone I’m sure the tourism industry will grow so fast. And as soon as governments stop saying ‘Don’t go to Syria,’ tourism will explode,” local tourism operator Ayoub Alsmadi told CNN Travel.
Morocco’s Marrakech is one of the most beautiful destinations in the world, with its souks and mosques set against a desert backdrop.
But many of the same beautiful features can be found in the southwestern Moroccan town of Taroudant — a “little Marrakech” without the hordes of tourists.
Located an hour and a half east of Agadir, this sun-soaked town was founded in the 11th century. Taroudant is a place where you can sip tea at a family-run restaurant, explore a historic fortress, or just relax in a traditional riad courtyard house.
And if you’re looking for an underwater vacation, you don’t have to go to the Great Barrier Reef. The Philippines’ Apo Reef Natural Park is the second-biggest contiguous coral reef system in the world.
The reef is located in the Philippine Sea, 140 miles southeast of Manila, and is much less visited than its Australian cousin.
That may change, though, as the government of the Philippines has submitted Apo Reef for UNESCO consideration — meaning now is a great time to go.
Makeup and moves
It’s one thing to miss a flight because you got stuck in a long security line. But Blake McGrath missed his plane for a very different reason — he’s a professional dancer and decided to do some ballet turns in the airport.
McGrath’s dance video went viral and also started a trend of other performers — professional and amateur alike — doing dances in airports.
He’s not the only content creator starting a travel-related trend. Beauty influencers are taking their GRWM (Get Ready With Me) videos to the skies, transforming their seatback tray tables into vanity tables.
But it’s not just about putting on makeup. The air in airplane cabins is dry, so some of these TikTokers focus on skincare and moisturizers in the sky.
As several of those influencers point out, you still need to wear sunscreen on planes. Our friends at CNN Underscored, a product reviews and recommendations site owned by CNN, have tested the best face sunscreens.
In case you missed it
Disneyland is turning 70 years old.
Get ready for special discounts and deals aplenty.
This New Delhi neighborhood used to be full of grand houses.
Now, there’s only one historic mansion left.
A Lufthansa plane was pilotless for 10 minutes.
One fainted while the other was in the bathroom.
A British mountaineer just summited Mount Everest for the 19th time.
It’s the highest number of climbs for a non-Nepali climber.
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