Visits from China down 60% in January 2026

Visitors (L) dressed in kimonos look at photos they took during a visit to Sensoji Temple in the Asakusa district of central Tokyo on September 16, 2025. Richard A. Brooks | Afp | Getty Images After living in Tokyo for over a year, Karin Nordin noticed something peculiar. The hot spring towns of Kusatsu and…

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5 major trends set to shape travel in 2026

Traveling is no longer just about the destination – or even the journey. It’s about the experience you walk away with. Since the end of Covid, experience‑led travel has continued to evolve, shifting away from checking off landmarks and more towards meaningful trips that help travelers connect with the people and places they visit. CNBC…

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How retail’s biggest event became a letdown

Black Friday early morning shoppers rush in as the doors are opened at a Walmart store in Fairfax, Virginia, Nov. 28, 2008. Gerald Martineau | The Washington Post | Getty Images Black Friday has long been defined by massive crowds, rock-bottom prices and rabid consumers willing to bite, scratch and claw their way to the…

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Consumers flash holiday warning signs

Shoppers walk through Manhattan on Nov. 7, 2025, in New York City. Spencer Platt | Getty Images High-income consumers are trading down, Gen Z is spending less, and low-income shoppers are still struggling, according to many consumer companies that shared their latest quarterly results in recent weeks. Those trends may not bode well for the…

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