This rotting, stinking algae which is invading the shoreline or in the water is a naturally occurring brown seaweed. Composed of gas-filled structures which keep the brown seaweed buoyant, strong currents and the wind is what is bringing the massive blob to the shores.

It is a genus of brown macroalgae in the order Fucales, a planktonic (free-floating) species.

The 13-million-ton mass is a good thing when it is out offshore, but impactful to humans when it gets on beaches. In the ocean, it provides a habitat for hundreds of species of fish and even endangered sea turtles. 

Although it is not advised to swim next to it as it can cause the skin to turn red and into an itchy rash, the texture is like a loofah sponge when swimming next to it. Along with the potential for rashes, stinging organisms such as jellyfish can be present among sargassum.

The worst though might be the smell. When sargassum decomposes, the hydrogen sulfide gas produced makes it smell like rotten eggs. This can be extremely harmful to those with pre-existing conditions. 

The reason the blob is so big this year is that current conditions are ideal for it to grow. The nutrients from the ocean depths are acting like fertilizer for plants, a great environment for growth. 

While there are no records of major blooms prior to 2011, there have been record-setting blooms in 2018 and 2022, but 2023 is setting new records earlier in the season. 

While where sargassum accumulates is highly variable, it will almost inevitably wash shore along all Caribbean islands, the Gulf of Mexico, and Southeast Florida. 

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The popular tourist destination draws more than 15 million visitors a year as visitors flock all times of the year to explore the freshwater lake and its surroundings. But, like most of the surrounding region over the past half-century, the clarity of the water has been in decline. 

Recently, the UC Davis Tahoe Environmental Research Center and the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) put together the “Lake Tahoe Clarity Report 2022” which showed a significant improvement in water clarity. 

The process to measure the level of clarity was done by lowering what is called a Secchi disk into the water until it disappears from the surface view. This 10-inch white disk reaches what is called the Secchi depth, or the depth of disappearance, to measure the transparency of the water.

Records show that the Secchi depth went from 61 feet in 2021 to 71.7 feet in 2022 and they are expecting even clearer water through 2023. The hope is to get back to a Secchi depth of 97.4 feet.

The report detailed that the native zooplankton has surged eating away at the microscopic particles that create cloudy water conditions. They have thrived as the population of their main predator, the Mysis shrimp, unexpectedly crashed in 2021.

Along with the ever-busy zooplankton, pollution control has been a major aid in clearer waters. The report goes on to share that around 500,000 pounds of “fine sediment and other clarity-harming pollutants” are being kept out of the lake, yearly. 

The lodging industry has also done its part to give back to the environment. The Ritz-Carlton, Lake Tahoe hosts “Keep Lake Tahoe Blue”, a clean-up event twice a year, while Edgewood Tahoe Resort partners with Clean Up the Lake (CUTL) which focuses on scuba dive, beach, and community clean-ups.

The post Lake Tahoe Has The Clearest Water Since The 1980s – Here’s Why appeared first on Traveling Lifestyle.

Two such links for sargassum-related resources are The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Sargassum Reports and Florida Department of Health Fact Sheet.

Along with providing real-time sargassum information to travelers, the tourism body is working with other state agencies to suggest inland activities for impacted destinations. 

While the seaweed helps with shoreline stability, the stinky rotten egg-smelling seaweed can be dangerous for those with respiratory issues who have prolonged exposure. 

The yearly invasion is expected, but this year The Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt set new records. The belt has been measured at 13 million metric tons, which is about .1% of the ocean’s surface.

As the bloom is being predicted for June and July. along with Florida, the Caribbean and Mexico will experience major beaching events throughout the summer. 

Currently measuring over 5,000 miles wide, twice the width of the United States, beachgoers have experienced the whiff of rotten eggs since Easter Sunday. 

The seaweed is home for many marine species and the algae helps with erosion and provides beach plants with nutrients according to an article in 2018 from the University of Florida Museum. It also provides refuge for fish, crabs, shrimp and other smaller organisms. 

Managing the influx of seaweed is a two-pronged approach from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. The former leads coastal water cleanup while the latter manages sargassum that lands on beaches.

The sargassum invasion has been occurring yearly since 2011, requiring costly cleanups and detouring tourists. Growing in the clear waters of the Sargasso Sea, strong currents bring the mass westward, impacting Florida, the Caribbean and Mexico.

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The influx of nomads has raised rental prices along with beer prices, with locals complaining at the high charge of €6 for a beer. British nomads have come in such numbers that in fact English is heard predominately on the streets instead of Spanish or Catalan.

Those from the United Kingdom, northern Europe and even America have been moving to Spain recently due to the Spanish government’s new digital nomads’ visa. The new visa, which was introduced on March 31, gives non-EU nationals the chance to live and work in Spain for up to five years.

This specific visa was approved as parliament has been eager to bolster the country’s tech scene and attract entrepreneurs to the country. Aside from professional requirements, the income threshold is €2,334 per month or €28,000 per year.

Some of the requirements include:

• Only 20% of their income can be from Spanish firms
• Applicants cannot have lived in Spain within the five years prior to applying
• Have had to had their clients on the books for more than three months prior to applying

Change isn’t new to Poblenou, as the neighborhood began its revival back in 2000 when Barcelona city council gave the ok for overhauling old factories. Called @22, the district attracted tech start-ups through financial incentives to move to Spain. 

Due to the digital nomad visa, there are other parts of the country that have also been impacted by internationals taking advantage of the visa. Malasaña in Madrid, a once poor inner-city area, has been transformed into a street filled with cool coffee shops and vintage clothing stores. 

The post Influx Of Digital Nomads In Barcelona Forcing Locals To Move Out appeared first on Traveling Lifestyle.

Governor Mara Lezama Espinosa announced on Monday that the state of Quintana Roo has been nominated for 21 World Travel Awards.

Along the Yucatán Peninsula, Quintana Roo is home to hotspots such as Cancun, Playa del Carmen, the islands of Cozumel and numerous sites of ancient Maya runs. The state’s natural beauty, beautiful beaches, premier hospitality, air and cruise connectivity were some of the reasons they received nominations. 

Lezama stated that the marketing and promotional campaign aimed at attracting international visitors has had a dual impact. The campaign has led to more investment along with the state’s nominations across the categories listed below for Mexico & Central America.

• Leading Airport 2023 – Cancun International Airport
• Leading Cruise Port 2023 – Costa Maya Ports in Mahahual and Cozumel
• Leading Beach Destination 2023 – Cancun, Riviera Maya and Tulum
• Leading Urban Getaway Destination 2023 – Cancun and Playa del Carmen 
• Leading City Destination 2023 – Cancun 
• Leading City Tourist Board 2023 – Cancun Convention and Visitors Bureau
• Leading Island Destination 2023 – Cozumel, Holbox and Isla Mujeres
• Leading Destination for Meetings and Conferences 2023 – Cancun
• Leading All-Inclusive Resort 2023 – Hacienda Tres Ríos Resort, Spa & Natural Park, Hard Rock Hotel Cancún, Hyatt Zilara Cancún, Hyatt Ziva Cancún and Occidental Cozumel.
• Leading Beach Resort 2023 – Grand Fiesta Americana Coral Beach Cancun, JW Marriott Cancun Resort & Spa, and NIZUC Resort & Spa
• Leading Boutique Hotel 2023 – Casa de Playa Thompson Playa del Carmen.
• Leading Adventure Tour Operator 2023 – Cancun Adventures

To find the full list of 2023 World Travel Awards Nominees, you can visit their website. Voting for the World Travel Awards will run until July 9, 2023 and winners will be announced at a ceremony on the Island of Saint Lucia on August 26, 2023. 

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Related: Sargassum Seaweed In Florida: 2023′ Latest Updates

Unlike normal ocean seaweed, this seaweed has both a pungent smell and releases harmful chemicals when it decomposes. Along with a nasty rotten-egg stench, prolonged exposure can be dangerous for those with respiratory issues. 

This March saw record numbers for the whole sargassum belt, measuring at 13 million metric tons, which is about .1% of the ocean’s surface. And according to Professor Chuanmin Hu, who teaches oceanography at the University of South Florida College of Marine Science, more seaweed floating in the eastern Atlantic right is going to come to Florida.

Professor Hu states that even more sargassum seaweed should be on the Florida shores as typically sargassum seaweed gathers by the end of May or early June on the Florida coasts. 

He states that a combination of warmer oceans as well as nutrients from the ocean bottom coming to the surface are some of the reasons the sargassum blob is growing to be so large. 

Miami-Dade County has already collected close to 5,000 cubic yards while Broward County so far has collected 920. This is close to 650 yards more than they collected compared to the same time this year.

As sargassum begins to overwhelm the beaches, counties are racing to come up with strategies to clean up both for the safety of humans and for animals. From turtle nesting and other items, there is a massive environmental aspect to this invasive seaweed. 

The massive belt of seaweed is impacting the Yucatán Peninsula and the eastern Caribbean as well, with more to come over the next several weeks and months. 

The post Central Florida Battles Influx Of Sargassum Seaweed appeared first on Traveling Lifestyle.

According to Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) officials, international arrivals in 2023 are near the same as 2019. For the first two months of this year, they trail the same period in 2019 by only one percent.

While the numbers are just slightly lower than pre-pandemic levels, the CHTA expects this year’s spring and summer to surpass 2019 levels. They are projecting spring travelers to be 20 percent higher than 2019 and summer arrivals to be close to 50 percent higher than the same period in 2019. 

Arrivals from Europe and the Asia-Pacific are behind 2019 figures, but the CHTA cited data from research firm ForwardKeys that post-outbreak travel rebound far outpaces other global regions. During the first two months of 2023, European visitors are down 25 percent from 2019 and those from Asia-Pacific are 54 percent behind 2019 totals.

Some Caribbean nations posted double-digit visitor growth after looking at data for arrivals through the end of March. The U.S. Virgin Islands.  saw an increase more than 22 percent compared with the same period in 2019, while St. Maarten posted an 18 percent visitor growth rate. 

Guadeloupe and the Turks and Caicos both reported visitor increases of 17 percent and according to CHTA officials, Curacao has shown growth from the U.S. market. 

Others not too far behind these countries seeing near double digit growth are Grenada and Antigua and Barbuda. Grenada in fact was among the three top destinations for U.S. visitor arrivals comparing 2023 to 2019, recording a 39 percent year-over-year arrival growth. 

The numbers posted by Grenada may be a bit shocking considering its size, but even more impressive is that Curaçao saw U.S. visitor increase of 53 percent and Antigua and Barbuda one of 26 percent. 

The post Caribbean Destinations Seeing Record Visitors Growth, Outpacing Global Trend appeared first on Traveling Lifestyle.

Back in its heyday, it was a staging area for cattle drives the 1800s and gets its name for the numerous battles that took place. It received its name from the numerous battles between the Spanish conquistadors against the Comanche and Apache nations in the Bandera Pass. According to legend a red bandera (flag in Spanish) marked the boundary between the two after these battles took place.

In Bandera, Hill Country State Natural Area provides outdoor enthusiast with more than 5,000 acres of canyons and rolling hills. From camping to horseback riding to kayaking the Medina River, there is a ton to do here. 

If you are looking for a kid-friendly outdoor adventure, Bandera City Park offers swimming, fishing and picnic areas. A must-stop is the Frontier Times Museum where guests can see rodeo demonstrations and enjoy weekly activities. Or head to the Bandera Natural History Museum for life-size replicas of Ice Age animals along with Latin American ceremonial historical artifacts and the New Spain Art Collection.

Keeping with the Western spirit, Bandera showcases several dude ranches where guests can sleep, work and play on active working ranches. From Mayan Dude Ranch to the Flying L Ranch Resort to Dixie Dude Ranch, guests can choose from several outdoor activities.

Some of the go-to dining establishments in Bandra include O.S.T. Restaurant and TJ’s at the Old Forge. If you’re looking for live music, check out 11^th Street Cowboy Bar or Arkey Blue’s Silver Dollar.

Bandera is truly a year-round destination, if you don’t mind the heat of course. From the abundance of wildflowers in the Spring to the crisp mornings of Fall and Winter, there is even attraction hear during the heat of the summer due to school vacations.

Bandera, Texas is a town just an hour northwest of San Antonio and has less than 1,000. A combination of adventure, outdoor spaces and an abundance of Western history has earned this town the moniker of the ‘Cowboy Capital of the World’.

Back in its heyday, it was a staging area for cattle drives the 1800s and gets its name for the numerous battles that took place. It received its name from the numerous battles between the Spanish conquistadors against the Comanche and Apache nations in the Bandera Pass. According to legend a red bandera (flag in Spanish) marked the boundary between the two after these battles took place.

In Bandera, Hill Country State Natural Area provides outdoor enthusiast with more than 5,000 acres of canyons and rolling hills. From camping to horseback riding to kayaking the Medina River, there is a ton to do here. 

If you are looking for a kid-friendly outdoor adventure, Bandera City Park offers swimming, fishing and picnic areas. A must-stop is the Frontier Times Museum where guests can see rodeo demonstrations and enjoy weekly activities. Or head to the Bandera Natural History Museum for life-size replicas of Ice Age animals along with Latin American ceremonial historical artifacts and the New Spain Art Collection.

Keeping with the Western spirit, Bandera showcases several dude ranches where guests can sleep, work and play on active working ranches. From Mayan Dude Ranch to the Flying L Ranch Resort to Dixie Dude Ranch, guests can choose from several outdoor activities.

Some of the go-to dining establishments in Bandra include O.S.T. Restaurant and TJ’s at the Old Forge. If you’re looking for live music, check out 11^th Street Cowboy Bar or Arkey Blue’s Silver Dollar.

Bandera is truly a year-round destination if you don’t mind the heat of course. From the abundance of wildflowers in the Spring to the crisp mornings of Fall and Winter, there is even attraction hear during the heat of the summer due to school vacations.

The post This Tiny Unknown Texas Town Is The Cowboy Capital of the World appeared first on Traveling Lifestyle.

The 63 percent increase over 2022 saw three countries lead the way for international guests. First was India at 186,000, then Russia at 115,000, and third was Saudi Arabia with 98,000 visitors. 

For Russians wanting to flee the country following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Dubai became a haven. The influx saw air traffic grow at 228 percent between Moscow and Dubai compared to pre-pandemic according to travel analytics firm ForwardKeys.

The influx of travelers has seen a price increase and limited availability compared to last year for hotel rooms. According to online travel marketplace Wego, hotel occupancy is at 80.5 percent, around 7 percent higher than in the same month in 2022.

In Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism, Jumeirah Group (the Emirati state-owned luxury hotel chain) is also adapting to the times. They introduced Jumeirah Mobile Check-In which is an industry-first biometric and digital technology solution to the ‘old way’ of having guests check-in. 

Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) predicts that travel in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) is expected to return to pre-pandemic levels by 2024 as business travel in the region is recovering more rapidly than in any other region.

According to the most recent Business Travel Index Outlook annual forecast and outlook (2022), the MEA region achieved 86 percent of its 2019 levels during 2022 and accounted for $23 billion of the $933 billion travel spend globally in 2022.

In the region, Egypt is aiming to attract 30 million visitors by 2028 and as such is digitizing health and safety standards and lessening restrictions to unleash the private sector investment. 

Growth can be also seen as Marriott International will be opening three properties on the luxury island destination Sindalah. These hotels will be the first hotels to open on the island off Saudi Arabia. 

The post Tourists Flock To Dubai In Record Numbers, With 1.5M Visiting In January appeared first on Traveling Lifestyle.

This comes after last week’s exercise where over “50 elements of the National Guard participated in an operation on the beaches of the Tulum National Park” according to 

La Jornada Maya. The area is expecting a record number of travelers and authorities want to ensure that visitors are safe and protected while visiting the area. 

This is common practice at Mexican Caribbean resort hotspots and Tulum is the latest area to be added after recent rising crime rates. The area has experienced negative headlines with gang-related violence as most recently there were two deaths at a local hostel. 

The National Guard will patrol areas including popular beaches, the Archeological Zone as well as the massive Tulum National Park. Troops are actively patrolling these areas to ensure there is safety and tranquility for visitors and local employees.

Suggested: Is Cancun safe? Travel Advisory 2023

Tulum has been a burgeoning destination for travelers seeking a sun-filled mystical vacation amongst stunning verdant nature. It presents a unique blend of ancient Mayan history and continually ranks as one of the most popular destinations in the Mexican Caribbean. 

The growing wave of tourists is only set to grow larger following the completion of the Maya Train later this year.

Tulum is expected to be a safe destination for travelers and is currently under a Level Two travel advisory. The U.S. Department of State are urging travelers to be cautious when visiting but can be at ease that most resorts around-the-clock security.

National Guard troops will also be tasked with seeking out illegal street vendors and drug traffickers in the area.

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