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After being deemed an essential worker by New Zealand’s Prime Minister, the Easter Bunny was put to work over the weekend — hopping a flight to help pick up stranded tourists due to COVID-19. The (stuffed) bunny was the sole passenger on a Lufthansa flight over the weekend from Germany to New Zealand to bring German tourists home. The bunny was aptly named Jacinda, after the country’s prime minister who made the adorable rule, according to the airline,...

In an effort to crack down on any potential unauthorized parties, Airbnb has put a two-night minimum on stays around New Year’s Eve. Effective immediately, some Airbnb users in the U.S., UK, Canada, Mexico, Australia, France, and Spain will be banned from making one-night reservations of entire homes on New Year’s Eve. The users affected will only be those “without a history of positive reviews on Airbnb,” the company announced last week....

The Travel + Leisure Global Vision Awards aim to identify and honor companies, individuals, destinations, and organizations taking strides to develop more sustainable and responsible travel products, practices, and experiences. Not only are they demonstrating thought leadership and creative problem-solving, they are taking actionable, quantifiable steps to protect communities and environments around the world. What’s more, they are inspiring their industry colleagues and travelers to do their part. In recent years, there has been a significant push to make the aviation industry greener and develop strategies for reducing its impact on climate change....

Apple is here to ensure your holiday season is merry and bright, even if you’re staying at home. On Thursday, Apple announced its new “Make Your Holiday” program, a virtual six-week series of creative experiences for families and kids of all ages to come and create together. “Add a bit of fun and creativity to the holidays this year,” Apple shared in its new project booklet. “In this Project Book, you’ll find easy-to-do projects and ideas for sharing gratitude, giving thoughtfully, and celebrating festively....

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will start assigning cruise ships a color-coded status to aid with the disembarking stranded crew, the agency announced this week. The new system — which will use green, yellow, or red statuses — will dictate how and when the crew can disembark ships based on the status of coronavirus infections and how long the ship has been isolated. If a ship is considered “Green,” it means there have been no confirmed cases of COVID-19 or similar illness for 28 days, and crew will be allowed to fly home via commercial transportation....

How much can you do while holding your breath? For the average person, not very much before we start gasping for air again. But for Danish free diver Stig Severinsen, he can make it 202 meters (or about 663 feet) underwater, according to CNN. Guinness World Records has announced that Severinsen has claimed the title for “longest distance swam underwater with one breath using fins (open water, male).” The 47-year-old achieved this goal on Nov....

A team of divers has discovered that the largest cave in the world is even bigger than anybody previously thought. During a dive last month, a British team discovered an underwater tunnel connecting the largest cave, Son Doong, in Vietnam, with another gigantic cave, called Hang Thung. Once the caves are officially connected, it will measure an estimated 1.4 billion cubic feet. Getty Images “It would be like someone found a lump on top of Mount Everest, making it another 1,000 meters higher,” Howard Limbert, one of the organizers of the dive, told CNN Travel....

T+L launched Operation Vacation to inspire workers to use their days off and get away, offering exclusive travel discounts as incentive. For the latest deals on hotels, airfare, cruises, and trip packages, visit travelandleisure.com/operation-vacation Maldives: 35 percent off the Grand Park Kodhipparu, a collection of overwater bungalows on the North Malle Atoll. Advance Purchase includes: 35 percent off the best available rates when booking 30 days or more in advanceDaily buffet breakfast for two at the EdgeComplimentary WiFi Access to the Beach Club facilities, including table games, a gymnasium, steam room, and kids’ club...

This year’s World’s Best Awards survey was open for voting January 11 through May 10, 2021, as destinations around the world were lifting COVID-19 restrictions. Survey rules have always allowed readers to reflect on their travel experiences over a three-year period. We hope that this year’s honorees will inspire your own travels as you get back out into the world. The natural beauty of the islands in Africa and the Middle East is so revelatory that our winning island was described by a T+L reader as the “eighth wonder of the world....

Editor’s Note: Travel might be complicated right now, but use our inspirational trip ideas to plan ahead for your next bucket list adventure. Less than two hours south of Sydney, a 150-square-foot wooden cabin sits alone in the middle of an ancient pine forest. Despite the isolated setting, guests don’t go there to rough it. Solar panels line the roof, and, inside, visitors will find many of the comforts of home, including a plush queen bed fitted with Italian linens....

The New York Philharmonic has canceled its shows until June of 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, marking the first time in 178 years that the renowned orchestra will miss a season. “The cancellation of an entire New York Philharmonic season is not only unprecedented — it is devastating, both in its impact on the morale of musicians and audiences, and in its profound economic consequences," Deborah Borda, president and CEO, said in a statement released Tuesday....

As travel possibilities open up again after a year of people staying home, people are wondering about where they want to go for their next trip. And for people in the LGBTQ+ community, that comes with another set of considerations to think about. Orbitz has been committed to helping LGBTQ+ travelers find the best destinations and places to stay where they can go with confidence and security for the last 20 years....

Royal Caribbean will not be accepting new bookings on cruises departing in the next few weeks, the cruise line confirmed to Travel + Leisure on Thursday. “Cruises departing through early January 2022 are unavailable to new reservations because our ships will continue sailing with a limited capacity to accommodate physical distancing,” the cruise line said in a statement to T+L. “These sailings were removed from our website as we’ve done with previous cruises in 2021....

As a seasoned jetsetter and fashion editor, I take a lot of pride in my packing skills and foolproof airport style. For starters, I never (ever) check a bag, I always wear sneakers en route to my destination, and I prefer to wear a sporty, monochrome airplane outfit to keep things as chic and streamlined as possible. Of course, I always like to look polished and pulled together (after all, you never know where life will take you when you step foot in an airport), and I believe in investing in quality pieces that can be worn in multiple ways, all year round....

An icy winter wonderland beyond your wildest “Frozen” dreams has arrived in Upstate New York. Introducing, “Ice Castles,” a completely interactive frozen experience, featuring LED-lit sculptures, ice-carved tunnels, and even slides. Designed by professional ice artists, the winter wonderland in Lake George, is located about 200 miles north of New York City. The attraction is also in other locations around the country including Utah, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and New Hampshire. Visitors can journey through the frozen caverns, race through winter slides, and get lost in an ice labyrinth, while ice queens can take their rightful place upon frozen thrones....

Shop customer-loved brands like Columbia and Merrell, including best-selling women’s styles from each brand. The Merrell Moab 2 Vent Hiking Shoes, for example, are currently the top-selling style in the women’s hiking shoes category, and they’re on sale for as little as $58 right now. Similarly, a best-selling pair of Columbia hiking boots with more than 10,000 five-star ratings is also deeply discounted to $70 for a limited time. Whether you’re a beginner or an avid hiker, you won’t want to miss out on these deals....

The company behind several of Dubai’s most luxurious hotels is about to open a gorgeous new outpost in the Maldives. The Jumeirah Maldives is scheduled to welcome guests to its 67 beach villas and overwater bungalows on Oct. 1. Even better, each one offers a private infinity pool and an expansive rooftop ideal for sunbathing or stargazing. Courtesy of Jumeirah Group For the ultimate in luxury and privacy, the three-bedroom overwater bungalow includes a private dock for a 90-foot boat, as well as a private gym, hammam, and sauna....

Auberge Resorts Collection and Black Tomato want you to hit the road in a stunning Mercedes. The brands have teamed up to create “Remarkable Drives of Discovery,” a set of five road trip itineraries that take travelers to Auberge Resorts Collection properties throughout the United States. Each itinerary, the duo explains, is paired with curated programming from Black Tomato. The best part? Guests will get to test drive some of the newest models in the Mercedes-Benz fleet, including the GLS600 Maybach, and take to the skies with Surf Air as well....

Hurricane season can wreak havoc on your home, your car, and even your trees. Many people along the east coast have trees in their yard, which can be vulnerable to the harsh winds, rain, and floods that hurricane season brings. And if they live in a particularly volatile area, they’re always at risk of those trees being uprooted and damaged. But Cerveza Patagonia, a company that brews premium beer from the Patagonia region of South America, wants to protect your trees from potentially harmful hurricanes this year....

If you’ve been avoiding cruises for fear of buffet-style fare, this six-day sailing might change your opinion on maritime dining. Departing from Saint-Jean-de-Losne and continuing toward Lyon, the Belmond Napoleon’s Epicurean Burgundy journey will stop at a different Michelin-starred restaurant every night. Courtesy of Belmond It’s calling itself a “12-star cruise,” as passengers will have dined at delectable restaurants with a total of 12 Michelin stars by the end of the gastronomic river cruise....