Disneyland Abu Dhabi is officially happening. Disney has announced plans for its first theme park in the Middle East, sparking much excitement from fans in the region and beyond. Disneyland Abu Dhabi is being built on Yas Island, joining existing theme parks, Ferrari World, Warner Bros. World, and Yas Waterworld. It will become Disney’s seventh theme park globally alongside Florida, California, Paris, Tokyo, Shanghai, and Hong Kong. From when it will open, to which rides it might have, here is everything we know about Disneyland Abu Dhabi so far.

When will Disneyland Abu Dhabi open?

The first thing many fans want to know is when Disneyland Abu Dhabi will open. While there is no official date yet, construction on the resort hasn’t started, so it will be a few years before fans can don their Mickey Mouse ears. Speaking to news agency Reuters following the announcement on May 7, Disney Experiences chairman Josh D’Amaro suggested it would be at least six years before the park opens, saying a project of this scale could take a year or two to design, and another four to six years to build. So, at the very earliest, Disneyland Abu Dhabi could open between 2030 and 2033.

What will be at Disneyland Abu Dhabi?

Disneyland Abu Dhabi is still in its design phase, so there has been no confirmation on which rides and attractions from current Disneyland resorts we might see in Abu Dhabi. However, we do know that the park will be home to a selection of Disney hotels, shops, rides, and restaurants.

It was also confirmed that Disneyland Abu Dhabi will contain specific cultural references that celebrate the UAE capital. In its statement, Disney said the park would feature “storytelling in a way that celebrates both the heritage of Disney and the futuristic and cultural essence of Abu Dhabi.”

An artist impression of how Disneyland Abu Dhabi will look, including a reimagined castle

Courtesy Miral

Disney’s most futuristic park yet

While we don’t have details of exactly which rides and attractions will be coming to Disneyland Abu Dhabi, we do know that it will be Disney’s most high-tech, interactive theme park to date. We also know that the famous Disney castle, a staple at all Disneyland resorts, will be reimagined for Abu Dhabi.

“The concept for this resort will push the boundaries of theme park design, showcasing groundbreaking technology, and visionary architecture, including a modern castle unlike anything we’ve ever created,” D’Amaro said.

At 9:45 a.m. on Easter Monday, April 21, Cardinal Kevin Farrell, camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church, announced the death of Pope Francis. After multiple reports of ill health covered in the media, Pope Francis made an appearance at the Vatican over Easter weekend as well-wishers piled into the heart of the Catholic Church. The pope later died as a result of a stroke and heart failure, according to Reuters.

Pope Francis attending a weekly general audience at St. Peter’s Square in October 2023 in Vatican City

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From the Casa Santa Marta, Cardinal Kevin Farrell announced, “Dearest brothers and sisters, with deep sorrow I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis. At 7:35 this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the house of the Father. His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and of His Church. He taught us to live the values of the Gospel with fidelity, courage, and universal love, especially in favor of the poorest and most marginalized. With immense gratitude for his example as a true disciple of the Lord Jesus, we commend the soul of Pope Francis to the infinite merciful love of the One and Triune God.”

On Tuesday, April 22, the Holy See Press Office announced plans for Pope Francis’s body to lie in state and the subsequent funeral. On Wednesday, April 23, the coffin containing the pope’s body will be carried from the chapel of the Casa Santa Marta to St. Peter’s Basilica, allowing the faithful to pay their respects. The funeral follows on Saturday, April 26, at 10 a.m. in St. Peter’s Square. As an estimated 1.3 billion Catholics around the world begin a period of mourning, and the system for electing a new pope begins, we answer some of the most frequently asked questions about the occasion.

Rome celebrates its Jubilee year in 2025, with record numbers of visitors expected

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How will the pope’s death affect travel to Rome?

Travel to Rome won’t be directly impacted during the pope’s funeral and subsequent papal conclave. Flights and trains are expected to run as usual. However, travelers should expect the city to be busier than usual as the faithful arrive to pay their respects. Pope Francis’s death comes at a time when the Italian capital is already expecting more visitors than usual because this year marks Jubilee 2025 in Rome.

Will the Vatican be closed to tourists after the pope’s death?

Pope Francis’s death triggers nine days of official mourning. The Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel are closed to the public during this time, as are most shops and restaurants. Tours of the Vatican will also be paused during the busy funeral period and papal conclave, as cardinals are guided through the Vatican between voting rounds.

Emirates is one of the world’s most beloved airlines, consistently voted by our readers as one of the top international carriers. A big reason for that is the quality and comfort of their seats—no matter which cabin you’re flying in.

While its indulgent first class (home to some of the only showers in the sky) can sometimes get all the attention, one of Emirates’ most popular offerings is actually its premium economy category. First introduced in 2021 onboard select Airbus A280 planes, the class is a happy medium for travelers seeking greater comfort than economy at a lower price point than business class.

In good news for American travelers, Emirates has just announced that it will be introducing refurbished Boeing 777s on 6 new US routes starting in October, meaning passengers will have access to premium economy seats and the latest business class cabins on the airline.

Emirates premium economy seats have a pitch of up to 40 inches and a recline of 8 inches.

Emirates

Emirates’ premium economy is a step above comparable offerings on most US carriers. The 19.5-inch-wide cream leather seats have a pitch of up to 40 inches and a recline of 8 inches, as well as calf rests and footrests, plus a 6-way adjustable headrest. Additional perks include exclusive Chandon Vintage Brut and an elevated dining experience—served on Royal Doulton tableware—with a menu featuring regionally-inspired meals updated on a monthly basis. In June, the product was awarded the “Best Premium Economy Class Airline in the Middle East” and the “Best Premium Economy Class Onboard Catering” by UK-based aviation consultancy Skytrax.

“With the success and popularity of Premium Economy on routes like New York JFK, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Houston served by our refurbished A380, we look forward to bringing a new level of comfort and privacy to more cities with refreshed cabins on our Boeing 777s,” Adnan Kazim, deputy president and chief commercial officer at Emirates, said in a statement accompanying the announcement.

Since then, several attempts to mitigate the crisis have been mobilized, including Spain’s introduction of a digital nomad visa at the start of 2023, when Spain joined 12 other EU countries offering visas for remote workers. Incentivizing highly qualified workers to relocate to the country’s rural areas could help Spain combat both rural population decline and overtourism in urban hubs like Barcelona.

Dr. Prithwiraj Choudhury, an associate professor at Harvard Business School whose research concentrates on the changing geography of work, tells Condé Nast Traveler: “Digital nomads can create value for their host communities through consumption, community volunteering, entrepreneurship, connections, and mentoring, however, this requires an active process of making connections between digital nomads and locals.”

As opposed to parachuting wealthy residents in, Live in Ambroz intends to court digital nomads who can foster these deeper commitments to their new communities. “If successful, they could literally change the country, its economy, and its love-hate relationship with tourism,” Patricia Palacios, co-founder of the travel blog España Guide, tells Traveler. “Hopefully the Ambroz Valley will be successful and set an example for many other rural areas to copy.”

How does the program work?

Under the program, up to 200 eligible digital nomads will receive grants meant for “available housing, arable land, and everything necessary to expedite their arrival.”

Spanish authorities told Euronews that the distribution of funds depends on the demographic information of the recipient: Women under 30 years old relocating to towns with populations under 5,000 residents will receive €10,000 upfront, or $11,085, while everyone else will receive €8,000, or $8,868. After the minimum term of two years, the former will receive an additional installment of €5,000, or $5,541, if they elect to stay for another year, while the latter will receive €4,000, or $4,433.

If accepted into the program, recipients will have three months to register with an Ambroz Valley municipality for a padrón certificate, a necessary local record of residence. After obtaining a padrón, they will have one month to request payment from the first grants, which will be transferred in a single transaction.

Who is eligible?

Eligible applicants must fit the following three criteria, per Euronews:

• You can not have already resided in Extremadura for any time in the past six months.
• You must have be a legal resident in Spain and have a foreign identity number, though you may be a foreign national. Non-EU nationals must first obtain Spain’s digital nomad visa and official residency before they can apply to the Live in Ambroz program.
• You must work remotely in the tech sector, specifically, “through the exclusive use of media and IT systems, telematics, and information fields.”

How to apply

Spanish authorities say the official opening date for applications will be around mid-September, according to the Euronews report. The applications will be submitted through the Extremadura General Electronic Access Point (prospective applicants must submit their digital certificate of residency or electronic Spanish ID card to the platform). Additionally, an official document from your home country or current region of Spain is required to certify your residency, as well as approval from your employer to work remotely in Extremadura. Self-employed applicants will need to submit detailed documentation of the terms and conditions of their professional remote work. Documents that are not in Spanish must also have a sworn legal translation certified by a professional. Successful applicants will be notified within 3 months.

Between Sri Lanka’s eight UNESCO world heritage sites, its thriving wildlife, and pristine white sand beaches, the “Pearl of the Indian Ocean” has enough glimmer for everyone—and now, visiting the South Asia island nation, located off the coast of India, is about to get easier (and cheaper) for travelers from 35 countries.

On August 22, 2024, Sri Lanka Transport Minister Bandula Gunawardana announced a new six-month pilot program launching October 1 of this year, which will give eligible visitors free 30-day tourist visas. This will temporarily eliminate the $50 visa fee tourists are typically required to pay until April 2025. Tourists from the approved countries, including the US and the UK, will be issued free tourist visas upon arrival, Reuters reports.

The program coincides with Sri Lanka’s peak travel season (which generally has the best weather), lasting from December to mid-April.

“The aim of the government is 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,” Gunawardana said after announcing the program at an August cabinet briefing. Here’s everything travelers need to know about the new Sri Lanka visa program, according to tourism and immigration experts.

Why is Sri Lanka loosening travel requirements?

International travel to Sri Lanka has boomed in recent years, with nearly 1.2 million visitors from the beginning of this year to July alone (compared to just under 720,000 yearly visitors in all of 2022). Data from the Central Bank of Sri Lanka reports that tourism from the first half of 2024 generated over $1.5 billion in revenue for the country, around $625 million more than what the industry generated over the same period last year.

The bulk of this year’s visitors have come from India, with over 300,000 travelers, followed by Russia and the UK’s nearly 250,000 combined travelers (the second and third largest sources of arrivals this year, respectively), per data from the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority. All three nations are included in the free visa program.

The country piloted a similar six-month program in 2019 when it released free tourist visas in August of that year for US travelers, as an incentive to rebuild its travel economy following the April 2019 terrorist attacks in Colombo. The move to expand Sri Lanka’s embrace of travelers this year could play a similarly vital role in pushing past the economic and political hurdles that have persisted in the country since the pandemic and the 2022 financial crisis.

The new visa program is just one initiative Sri Lanka is taking to bolster its tourism industry, like the recent opening of the Pekoe Trail and the establishment of new boutique stays like Kayaam House and wellness hotel Taprana. Sri Lanka’s previously under-the-radar south coast has recently bloomed into a hub for luxury resorts, surf clubs, and scene-y cocktail bars attracting adventure-seekers and lifestyle travelers alike.

France—with its patchwork landscape of quaint rural villages, glamorous seaside towns, and historical cities—is an easily accessible, year-round destination, drawing visitors from around the world to its smorgasbord of culture, history, and charm. So it’s hardly surprising then that a 2023 report from GlobalData, announced it was on track to become the most visited country by 2025, when 93.7 million international travelers are set to visit the country annually.

However, its position in that top spot may be short-lived. According to a report entitled NextGen Travelers and Destinations, jointly conducted by Google and Deloitte, there is another country that is set to attract even more visitors by 2040: Spain.

Currently in the second spot, this European destination—already well-known for its family-friendly hotels, honey-hued sandy beaches, and myriad eating opportunities for foodies in-the-know—has been forecasted to welcome 110 million tourists annually to its shores, followed by France (105 million) and the United States (100 million).

Park Guell in Barcelona

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And it’s not hard to understand why. With an average of 300 sunny days per year, the European destination is particularly popular with anyone who is able to snap up affordable airfare deals and take off for some European sun. During the summer months, temperatures can rise to the high 90s, and even winters here come with a healthy dose of Vitamin D.

The 110-million-visitor prediction would mark an increase of over 24%, with around 84 million people heading to Spain in 2023, already a record-breaking number for the region, sparking a swathe of new restaurants, bars, and hotel openings in order to accommodate the ever-growing masses.

The 110-million-visitor prediction would mark an increase of over 24%, with around 84 million people heading to Spain in 2023.

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This year, Spain was visited by 6.3 million international tourists in March alone, 21% more than in the same period of 2023, according to data published by the National Statistics Institute (INE). The country once again also broke its record for tourist spending during the same month, with foreign visitors bringing in almost €8.65 billion ($9.26 billion), an increase of 29.7% on March last year.

For now, though, France remains in poll position as the most-visited country in the world. As Hannah Free, Travel & Tourism Analyst at GlobalData, says, “Alongside Italy and Spain, France represents a significant segment of the growth in Western Europe. The country is not only popular with travelers from Europe itself—especially the UK, Germany, and Belgium—but it is also popular with visitors from further afield, including China and the United States. In fact, France is one of the top Western European destinations for US travelers.”

A version of this article originally appeared in Condé Nast Traveller UK.

This is a major change—and a big deal for passenger rights—because previously, the government left it up to the airlines to choose for themselves what they considered a long enough delay to warrant a refund. (Meaning, they weren’t given often.)

In another win for travelers, the DOT has spelled out how refunds must be issued. The refunds must be automatically issued “without passengers having to explicitly request them or jump through hoops.” They must also be prompt, given within seven business days for credit card purchases and 20 calendar days for other methods of payment. The refunds must equal the full amount a customer paid, including taxes and fees, minus any used portion of the ticket.

Refunds for late luggage

But it’s not just flight disruptions that are eligible for refunds under the new rules. It applies to baggage delays, too. Fliers who file a mishandled baggage report with the airline and whose delayed luggage isn’t delivered to them within 12 hours of their domestic flight or 15 to 30 hours of their international flight (depending on the flight’s length) can receive a full refund of their baggage fee. And those fees can add up—as travelers are well aware—especially in light of this year’s widespread checked bag fee increases.

Refunds for in-flight services

Passengers are also now entitled to automatic refunds for in-flight services they paid for but the airline failed to provide. These charges include services like seat selection, in-flight WiFi, and in-flight entertainment purchases. If you pay for one of these add-ons and it’s not provided (for example, if the WiFi doesn’t work, or you don’t get the seat you paid for) you will be refunded for those services.

Refunds for when you’re sick

The new regulations also lay out a framework for travelers to be protected if they can’t travel due to “a serious communicable disease” such as COVID-19. If a country or medical professional advises passengers not to travel to, from, or within the US for this reason, airline customers will be entitled to a travel voucher or airline credit that’s valid for at least five years. Unlike the above refund scenarios, airlines may require passengers to submit additional documentation in order to receive this compensation.

These protections are designed to prevent issues that arose during the pandemic from repeating themselves. In 2020, many passengers whose flights were canceled due to travel restrictions struggled to get a cash refund from their airline. Airlines were later collectively fined $7.5 million by the DOT for delaying the refunds and forced to issue $600 million back to customers.

What else to know

Overall, the new rule is meant to streamline the refund process for all of these services and flight disruptions. “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 [to] make the request, filling out extra ‘digital paperwork,’ or at times waiting for hours on the phone,” the DOT’s statement says.

On top of this, airlines must now issue notifications to fliers who are affected by delays and cancellations that state their right to a refund of their ticket price and extra service fees.

If travelers believe their airline is not following the new refund rules, they can always file a consumer complaint with the DOT. These complaints helped fuel the record amount of passenger refunds during the COVID pandemic, as well as the $164 million in penalties that Buttigieg has charged against airlines for consumer violations during his tenure. So rest assured that the agency does read them and act on them.

As a United loyalist, I also ventured up to the United Club near Gate A27, which opened last summer. The 15,000-square foot area seats 300 passengers, with a buffet, bar, and wellness room, surrounded by local art. Located on the second floor, the lounge floats just before the main terminal, creating an elevated airy feeling.

Perhaps the terminal’s most fun recent addition is a Children’s Lending Library, which opened last month and is curated by a local fifth grader Sia Malhotra. The 11-year-old also runs Lets Read Today, the organization that helps supply the free library with books in order to help make reading more accessible.

Newark Terminal A

With all of these features and more, it’s clear why Terminal A’s trophy shelf is quickly growing. In just over a year, the airport concourse had already earned a 2023 United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Prix Versailles Special Prize for the terminal’s exterior, as well as being named 2023 Project of the Year by New Jersey’s American Society of Civil Engineers. The terminal also received LEED gold certification from the US Green Building Council.

But the newest honor comes with an extra dose of prestige. “This rating from Skytrax puts Newark’s Terminal A in rarified air,” Port Authority Executive Director Rick Cotton said in a statement. “We’re delivering world-class facilities that befit this world-class region, and we’re proud to add this Skytrax rating as the latest validation of our effort.”

A total of 23 five-star Skytrax ratings have been awarded to airports around the world: 12 to hub airports, 7 to regional ones, and 4 to specific terminals. Major international airports to have received the award include hubs in Doha Hamad, Haikou Meilan, Hong Kong, Istanbul, Munich, Rome Fiumicino, Seoul Incheon, Shanghai Hongqiao, Shenzhen Bao’an, Singapore Changi, Tokyo Haneda, and Tokyo Narita.

Airbnb made a major policy change this week that prohibits all indoor security cameras from its properties. Previously, the devices were permitted only in certain common areas—such as living rooms and hallways—as long as they were disclosed on the listing page and made clearly visible.

Starting April 30, the new Airbnb camera policy will ban all indoor security camera at its properties around the world. The decision was made after “extensive consultation” with guests and hosts, as well as privacy experts and advocacy groups, a spokesperson for Airbnb tells Condé Nast Traveler. Since the majority of listings don’t report having security cameras, the company only expects the change to affect a small number of properties, it said in a release.

The new regulations also include stricter rules on outdoor surveillance devices and noise monitors. Outdoor cameras, like Ring doorbells, remain permitted; however, Airbnb hosts must disclose the location any outdoor cameras before guests book. Outdoor-style security cameras will also be prohibited from monitoring indoor areas, and can’t be pointed at outdoor spaces where privacy is expected, like outdoor showers and saunas. Noise-decibel monitors (which assess sound levels but do not record or transmit any sound) remain permitted in indoor common spaces of Airbnb listings, as long as they are disclosed beforehand.

The policy formally goes into effect at the end of April; this six-week delay in the change going into effect is designed to give hosts time to comply with the new rules. Hosts who violate the new policy after that date will be investigated and may have their listings or account removed from the platform, Airbnb says.

In recent years, concerns about hidden cameras at Airbnbs have become a hot topic, with some guests scanning units for possible devices upon check-in. But even permitted cameras, located in so-called public spaces, could lead to an unsettling feeling of being watched.

“Right now privacy is extremely important in consumers’ minds,” Dr. Recep Karaburun, of New York University’s School of Professional Studies’ Jonathan M. Tisch Center of Hospitality, tells Traveler. Karaburun notes that some people prefer hotels over Airbnbs because they can rest assured they aren’t being surveilled: “What Airbnb always plays into is trust. When trust is broken, it impacts their customer service,” he says.

As security cameras have become cheaper and mobile apps have made it easier to monitor video footage in real-time, amateur surveillance of personal property has become more common. Airbnb has also become associated with guests who host unauthorized parties at rental properties—and these devices give hosts a way to keep an eye on matters in real time.

“In the beginning, it started with a good intention for hosts to actually watch over their homes,” Karaburun says. “But when a few stories came out that some Airbnb guests found hidden cameras—that became big news, and I am sure that actually hurt [the company].”

According to a 2023 survey of 1,000 vacation renters conducted by the home security company SafeHome, 6% of guests said they’d found undisclosed cameras in their vacation rentals and 42% of potential renters said that security cameras would make them less likely to book a vacation property; 38% of the guests surveyed said that they would feel safer at short-term rentals with cameras, while 34% said that they would feel less safe.

Dr. Jungho Suh of The George Washington University School of Business says hidden cameras are not the only safety concerns when it comes to vacation rentals. The verification and screening processes for both Airbnb guests and hosts needs to be assessed more stringently, he says, in order to prevent discrimination, ensure more accurate and transparent listings, and to physically protect guests. “For instance, the current policy on key exchanges [allows] potential for the duplication of keys, which could lead to serious break-ins,” he tells Traveler.

Karaburun agrees that better screening is needed, as well as improved emergency preparedness. Hotels, he notes, are required to have signage highlighting emergency exits, as well as regular property inspections to ensure working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms; fire extinguishers; and the like.

Hotels and short-term rentals each have their own benefits and drawbacks, and it’s up to each traveler to decide their personal preference. At the end of the day, many Airbnb listings are also hosts’ long-term homes—and the company’s rules must exist in a delicate balance.

The green mentality starts with the construction itself. That includes using concrete that’s the least energy intensive, as well as modern construction vehicles that aren’t the historically “dirty diesel industrial equipment,” he says. Additionally, the heating and cooling of the massive midtown structure will be designed to minimize greenhouse gasses and carbon emissions. “You really have to identify every aspect of the construction and the operation of the building,” Cotton says.

When construction is complete, the remaining area of the new deck for the Storing and Staging Facility will provide 3.5 acres of park space, a potential boon for the dense urban neighborhood.

A community gathering place

While old reputations take time to heal, Cotton says he now often hears about travelers wanting to go to arrive extra early to New York’s LaGuardia Airport since it started rolling out its recent renovations in 2020—and that’s his hope for the Midtown Bus Terminal as well.

“The terminal as it currently exists was built almost like a fortress, with the outward facing walls having virtually no concessions,” Cotton says. “The structure wasn’t built to be really a major positive influence on the community and we’re committed to changing that.” That includes outward-facing cafes, shops, and other outlets that truly merge with NYC’s western midtown offerings.

Beyond that, he always says that one of the most commented upon aspects of LaGuardia is its public art, which the Midtown Bus Terminal will also emulate.

“Historically, in many of New York’s transportation hubs, it’s been an experience which is been intensely negative,” Cotton says. “These civic structures are part of the fabric of the city—that’s what we aspire to be.”

Renovation timeline

The proposed redesign is currently in a 45-day public comment period following the release of the environmental impact statement draft earlier this month. After a review of the comments, a final environmental impact statement will be issued and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) will decide the project’s final approval. Cotton is confident that the approvals will come later this year.

After ground-breaking, the project will roll out in two phases over eight years. The first four-year stage is to build the new ramps as well as the Storage and Staging Facility, followed by the second period, which will require tearing down the existing terminal and building the new one from the ground up.

Compared to other major infrastructure projects in the New York City area, like the current Hudson Tunnel Project, this one will have a tremendous effect on residents and commuters during construction.

“It’s going to be tough on the community,” Cotton admits. “It’s going to be inconvenient with $10 billion worth of construction in the middle of the westside of Manhattan.” However, he believes that the long-term benefits of the area’s revitalization will make the challenges in the short term well worth it.

“The building itself will be a pleasant experience,” he says. “We hope people will forward to enjoying it and not feeling as if it’s something to be endured. Our goal is to have it not just be the busiest bus terminal, but have it be the best.”