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Family mark 50 years in business by reopening popular chippy
A West Belfast family are marking 50 years since their father opened his first fish and chip shop by reigniting the brand eight years after they closed their doors for what they thought was the final time. Their father, Peter Kelly, left school at the age of 13 and learnt his trade working in his…
Filmed in the Chicago Area, Spirit Award-Nominated ‘Ghostlight’ Stars a Real-Life Family of Chicago’s Theater Scene
A movie still of Keith Kupferer and Dolly de Leon in Ghostlight, which is screening at the Gene Siskel on Dec. 23 and 28, 2024 and is available on select streaming services. (Courtesy of Luke Dyra and IFC Films)
When Chicago-based director Kelly O’Sullivan, a self-described “theater kid at heart,” wrote the feature film “Ghostlight,” she said she wanted to explore a theater stage as a place where people can deal with their darkest emotions.Thanks to our sponsors:
“Where you can deal with things that society at-large encourages you to keep private,” O’Sullivan said. “Theater celebrates the good, the bad, and the ugly parts of you.”
“Ghostlight” premiered at the Sundance Film Festival early this year. It was later released in theaters nationwide this summer after being picked up by IFC Films. The movie is returning to theaters next week with screenings at the Gene Siskel Film Center on Dec. 23 and 28.
The movie and its cast members have recently been nominated for several awards, including two Film Independent Spirit Awards: best feature under $1 million and best lead performance for Chicago stage veteran Keith Kupferer’s role as Dan in the film.
In “Ghostlight,” an unlikely and emotionally troubled father Dan, played by Kupferer, finds himself in a local theater’s production of Romeo and Juliet, amid dealing with a family crisis.
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Similar to their 2019 film, “Saint Frances,” Chicago-based directors Kelly O’Sullivan and Alex Thompson filmed “Ghostlight” in the Chicago area, specifically in Waukegan, Highwood, Highland Park and Lincolnwood.
“It couldn’t be filmed in Chicago because the Chicago theater landscape is actually so rich and so vast,” O’Sullivan said. “We wanted it to be a little outside of Chicago, so that the community theater could feel a little more scrappy.”
Inner turmoil and vulnerability take center stage, quite literally, as Dan navigates his relationships with his wife Sharon, played by another local stage veteran and Rivendell Theatre Ensemble founder Tara Mallen, and his daughter Daisy, played by Katherine Mallen Kupferer.
If their last names didn’t already give it away, the family members depicted in the film are also a real-life family, which Kupferer said made for a more natural and authentic performance.
When asked about what it’s like being in a theater family, Kupferer, laughing, said, “There’s never a dull moment.”
Directors Kelly O’Sullivan, left, and Alex Thompson, middle, on the set of Ghostlight. (Courtesy of Drew Tieng and IFC Films)
O’Sullivan said she wrote “Ghostlight” with Kupferer in mind to play the lead after having performed with him in a 2014 local theater production of “The Humans.” The movie is Kupferer’s first leading role in a feature film.
“I don’t generally like to watch myself, but I think because my family was also in it, it was easier for me to watch it,” Kupferer said, who’s originally from the East Coast. “There was a certain amount of ease that I started to watch it with because I was with my family and a lot of the folks in it were friends of mine, also, who were actors.”
Kupferer said that while movies can be deeply personal, he said he hopes “Ghostlight” reminds audience members about the importance of independent films.
“I hope that people come away saying, films can still be made like this, that they don’t have to have Marvel characters or these giant AI effects,” Kupferer said. “That stories can be told on a very simple and human scale.”
O’Sullivan, who is originally from Arkansas and attended Northwestern, and Thompson, who is originally from Kentucky and attended DePaul, are now working on their upcoming film, “Mouse,” which was filmed in Arkansas.
A movie still of Keith Kupferer, right, Katherine Mallen Kupferer, center, and Tara Mallen in Ghostlight. (Courtesy of IFC Films)
Contact Eunice Alpasan: @eunicealpasan | 773-509-5362 | [email protected]
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‘Sonic The Hedgehog 3’ Has One Of The Best Audience Scores Of 2024 Movies
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is not just a box office hit, projected to dominate this weekend before Christmas, but it’s also a critic and especially audience hit.
The reviews are coming in, and with over a thousand verified ratings on Rotten Tomatoes, Sonic 3 has a 98% audience score, one of the highest of any film this year, and tied with other animated films like Transformers One and The Wild Robot, which also have 98%s (and are worth watching by all ages). It also has a very solid 85% critic score. Here’s how all the movies stack up:
Sonic the Hedgehog – 64% critic score, 93% audience score
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 – 69% critic score, 96% audience score
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 – 85% critic score, 98% audience score.
Sonic 3Rotten Tomatoes
Obviously, we know the curse of third films in trilogies, but Sonic has defied that, and this is the best-reviewed movie across all metrics. As for its potential box office, the first film made $319 worldwide, making it enough of a hit to warrant a sequel. The second film improved and made $405 million. If that trend continues, we could be looking at a half a billion dollar haul for the third film, and no doubt this will probably lead to even more films in the future, given the trajectory of the franchise here. Sonic 3 is looking to open with $70 million or so this weekend, which puts it above the first film and right around the second. More, if it surpasses these estimates.
Sonic 3 brings back the OGs James Marsden and Ben Schwartz as Sonic, Idris Elba returns as Knuckles from the second film and now Keanu Reeves has been added as the infamous Shadow the Hedgehog, which it seems has gone very, very well. I haven’t gotten the chance to see it yet, but the trailers look awesome, and I guess it really panned out.
The first Sonic the Hedgehog was one of the first batch of video game projects in the modern era that convinced people we were starting to break the video game “curse” of terrible adaptations. All three Sonic movies have done great, Super Mario Bros. was a megahit. We’ve had incredible live action and animated video game shows like The Last of Us, Fallout, Arcane, Cyberpunk 2077 and Castlevania. This probably really kicked off with Castlevania in 2017, but that wasn’t the wild breakout hit that Sonic was in 2020 in the same way.
So, let’s see what we learn about Sonic 4 in a few months, most likely…
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Pick up my sci-fi novels the Herokiller series and The Earthborn Trilogy.
‘Going out of business’ sales to begin at all Big Lots stores | Georgia locations
Here’s the list of where the sales will be happening in Georgia.
ATLANTA — The chain retailer Big Lots announced Thursday that a previously announced sale of the company to an investment firm has fallen through, and that all store locations will begin “going out of business” sales.
The company is not yet stating definitively that all these stores will indeed close — but that it is beginning “going out of business” sales to “protect the value of its estate” as they look for another way forward. There was no timeline yet provided for when exactly the sales will begin at each store.
The company’s president and CEO, Bruce Thorn, said “we remain hopeful” an alternative arrangement can be found for a possible Big Lots sale, but that in the meantime “we have made the difficult decision to begin the “going out of business” process.”
“The company is continuing to serve customers in-store and online, and will provide updates as available,” a company release said.
Here is a list of Georgia Big Lots locations where “going out of business” sales will be happening:
Georgia Big Lots locations | List
Albany: 2525 Dawson RoadAthens: 3190 Atlanta HighwayAtlanta: 3358 Chamblee Tucker RoadAugusta: 2708 Peach Orchard RoadAustell: 5055 Austell RoadBrunswick: 4420 Altama Avenue Suite C2Buford: 4125 Highway 20 Suite A-2Carrollton: 1004 Bankhead Highway Suite A3Cartersville: 160 Market SquareColumbus: 5300 Sidney Simons Boulevard Suite 32Conyers: 1820 Highway 20 SE Suite 128Cornelia: 323 Habersham Village Circle Covington: 3111 Highway 278 NWCumming: 580 Atlanta Road Suite 210Dallas: 260 Merchants SquareDalton: 1335 W Walnut AvenueDouglasville: 2842 Chapel Hill RoadDublin: 1941 Veterans BoulevardEvans: 526 N Belair RoadFort Oglethorpe: 558 Battlefield ParkwayGainesville: 1500 Browns Bridge Road Suite 102Griffin: 1659 N ExpresswayHinesville: 521 W Oglethorpe HighwayKennesaw: 4200 Wade Green Road NW Suite 144LaGrange: 127 Commerce AvenueMacon: 195 Tom Hill Sr. BoulevardMarietta: 2932 Canton Road Suite 210Milledgeville: 2485 N Columbia Street Suite 108Monroe: 1209 W Spring Street Newnan: 216 Bullsboro DriveRome: 2204 Shorter Avenue NWSmyrna: 3791 S Cobb Drive SE Suite GStatesboro: 13 Lester Road Suite CThomasville: 15083 US Highway 19 STifton: 163 Virginia Avenue S Suite CValdosta: 110 E Northside DriveVidalia: 2305 E 1st StreetWarner Robins: 2191 Watson BoulevardWaycross: 1803 Knight Avenue Suite A2
Travelers at DTW determined to reach holiday destinations amid delays
Detroit airport travelers determined to reach holiday destinations amid delays
Detroit airport travelers determined to reach holiday destinations amid delays
01:39
(CBS DETROIT) — Christmas Eve is Tuesday, but it’s already been a busy time at airports across the country with families beginning their holiday travels.AAA predicts nearly 8 million Americans are expected to travel by plane between now and the end of the year. Metro Detroit didn’t see much snow Friday, but over 200 flights were delayed throughout the day at Detroit Metro Airport and a few others were cancelled.Travelers at DTW, however, say they planned ahead and focused on their trip over the holidays. One family made sure to book their flight a day earlier than they needed to make their cruise from Florida. “We learned the hard way, don’t book it in the morning so we could rush to the boat. We book it the night before so we could relax and no fighting or screaming, Shaneece from Clinton said. “If they’d delayed the flight like they do in December, then we could just get the one in the morning and still make it, so that’s our goal — stress free Christmas.”
Delays at DTW diminished throughout the evening Friday, and while lines were longer than usual for both checking bags and security, it was an easy evening for Christmas travel.”We’re not too worried about delays because everything here seems to be working really efficiently. Everybody is moving luggage and people really quickly,” Richard Hartman from Coldwater said.
Travel Trends Report 2025: Untouched Tourism
Share to FacebookShare to TwitterShare to LinkedinThe seventh article in my Travel Trends series is a continuation of my previous feature for Forbes on Off The Beaten Track travel. They might sound similar in theme, except the difference between the two is that to find ‘untouched tourism’ you do not necessarily have to go ‘off the beaten track’ or visit remote destinations. Instead, this trend is all about a search for places that offer a respite from overcrowding or give an alternative view to a country. It could be, for instance, the desire to find destinations that have been historically overlooked, instead of touching down in the usual, world-favourite places.
Lemongrass Marketing’s new Travel Trend Report 2025 lists ‘Destination Dupes’ as an emerging trend for the year ahead. “In Spain, skip Barcelona and visit Girona. Swap Venice, Italy for Ljubljana in Slovenia. And book a trip to Maratea to instead of Positano in Italy,” it suggests. “These are among the alternative (but comparable) destinations holiday planners are seeking out that promise to be less expensive and crowded than popular hotspots, making this the year of the ‘destination dupe’.”
Explaining it further, the report says: “Affordable alternatives have flooded TikTok feeds, where there are 5.9 billion views for #dupe. Searches for Taipei (a dupe for Seoul) have jumped 2,786%, and those for Pattaya (a dupe for Bangkok) are up 249%. Increased flight searches also support the destination dupe trend: Curaçao (a dupe for St. Martin) is up 185%; Perth (a dupe for Sydney) is up 109%, and Liverpool (a dupe for London) is up 97%. Destinations are responding with a sense of urgency to disperse travellers: in France, where a whopping 80% of visits are currently concentrated in 20% of the country, a recently launched €1m campaign is nudging domestic and foreign tourists to set their sights beyond the beaten path.”
Visit Perth instead of Sydney, says Lemongrass.(Credit: Gavin Tang on Unsplash)
The so-called ‘second city’ trend is part of this shift, whereby travellers are skipping popular hubs in favour of smaller cities, which are often found close by, and sit in the shadow of the ‘big hitter’. Think: Verona instead of Venice; Porto instead of Lisbon; Memphis instead of Nashville. It is not only a way to address overtourism but also, by default, means you may also discover uncovered charms of a place you may not have considered before.
In Expedia’s Unpack ’25: The Trends in Travel report, the phenomenon is labelled as ‘Detour Destinations’ and it suggests alternative destinations, such as Riems instead of Paris in France; Cozumel instead of Cancun in Mexico; Brescia instead of Milan in Italy. “Detour Destinations are less well-known and less crowded than popular tourist hotspots, but these rising stars are well worth putting on an itinerary, either as an add-on or as the new, final destination,” says the report.
Working with HNWIs as clients and specialising in bespoke, luxury travel, Cartology Travel has seen a shift in travel behaviours. The company highlights Sardinia, Colombia and Montana as destinations emerging from the ‘shadows’ in 2025.
“Sardinia has always been a luxury destination for those Europeans in the know, but the Italian island is now getting more widespread attention with international clientele,” says Justin Huxter, co-founder of Cartology Travel. “We have seen an increase in enquiries for the destination, and this will no doubt grow further with several iconic luxury hotel brands, such as Belmond Romazzino, opening their doors on the island.”
“Colombia, on the other hand, has not traditionally been on the luxury tourist trail for those travelling through South America, but we predict this is about to change,” continues Justin. “Colombia is an amazing country with an up-and-coming food scene, lots of adventure, and an incredible variety of landscapes to explore, so it’s perfect for any type of traveler. Later this year, Four Seasons is set to open its new 131 key hotel in Cartagena, located on Colombia’s Caribbean coast. The brand has restored a collection of landmark buildings dating back as far as the 16th century, and will set the agenda for a new chapter for Cartagena.”
With One&Only’s first US resort, One&Only Moonlight Basin, opening in Montana in 2025, the US destination will also be in the spotlight. “The resort is located in the mountains and promises a wild sense of adventure to all guests,” says Justin. “Yellowstone National Park is just a short drive from the resort and offers the chance to see elks grazing and herds of bison, and the glassy lakes in summer are just as breathtaking as the frosted mountains in winter.”In Zambia, one of GeoEx’s top destinations for 2025, a herd of elephants crosses the Luangwa River at sunrise.(Credit: John Warburton-Lee / DanitaDelimont.com – All rights reserved.)
Specializing in high-end and off-the-beaten-path trips across the world, Geographic Expeditions has announced the company’s top destinations for 2025. Cuba, New Zealand, South Africa, Türkiye, Vietnam, and Zambia should be on travelers’ bucket lists for 2025, says the company. “All these destinations promise unforgettable, life-enriching experiences, that cannot be found anywhere else.”Wildlife on the Zambezi River, Zambia.(Credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto)
Glenn Ringer, director of Product Development for Geographic Expeditions, explains more about why Zambia, in particular, is on the list: “I’m excited to tell our travelers about three off-the-radar luxury properties in Zambia. The first two are Sungani Lodge and Kulandila Camp, located in the remote far south of South Luangwa. The properties are family-owned and were meticulously hewn from the surrounding bushland and transformed into exclusive safari experiences . The third property is the historic Chichele Presidental Lodge that has been lavishly redesigned and rebuilt for a 2025 safari season opening. Run by Grant Cumings, one of the leading conservation-minded safari figures in Zambia, the lodge has an incredible hilltop location with panoramic views of the Luangwa Valley.”The Atlas Mountains in Morocco will offer untouched tourism, says Intrepid.(CREDIT: INTREPID TRAVEL)
As many destinations grapple with overcrowding, backlash from locals and environmental impacts of tourism—travelers are rethinking where and how they travel next year, says Intrepid Travel. In keeping with the trend, the company has released its annual Not Hot List report in collaboration with travel trend forecasting agency Globetrender, that spotlights 10 underrated and underappreciated destinations to visit in 2025.
“Our most comprehensive report to date, the list was created with Globetrender and is supported by third-party research and local voices,” says Erica Kritikides, Intrepid Travel’s GM of Global Product. “Destinations include Gilgit-Baltistan in Pakistan, Disko Island in Greenland and Accra in Ghana. Each is introducing new infrastructure and initiatives to welcome more tourists for 2025. As always, our list shines a spotlight on lesser-known destinations, showcasing overlooked and undervisited places that are ready to welcome curious travellers. These are destinations unveiling new routes, crafting innovative itineraries, and launching exciting initiatives that make them worthy of increased attention, visitation and conversation.”Songtsam Lodge Bingzhongluo, China.(Credit: riddick photography)
Known for its luxury, boutique hotels and lodges in Tibet and China, Songtsam Resorts reports that it is seeing an increase in bookings from US tourists. “As the spotlight on overtourism intensifies, with it comes remote travel,” says Florence Li, Director of International Sales & Marketing, Songtsam Resorts. “Over the past year, overtourism has increasingly become a pressing issue, prompting destinations to adopt protective measures—such as tourist taxes implemented during peak travel times—to protect local communities and the environment. As a result, travelers are becoming more conscious of their impact—and with this comes a more mindful approach when choosing destinations for a holiday. As we look to 2025, more travelers will want to visit destinations that aren’t being negatively impacted by the large crowds—they’ll actively seek out destinations in which their presence can play a positive role either economically, environmentally, or both.”Songtsam Shangri-La Linka is found in a Tibetan village.(Credit: Copyright 2019 Sui Sicong.All Rights Reserved.)
“As travelers seek such destinations, they will be incentivized to prioritize places that have been virtually untouched by tourists—and so, we’ll see a rise in remote travel. This is what we’re seeing at Songtsam Resorts. Our resorts, lodges, and glamping sites are located across Tibet and Yunnan Province, China—in or around small villages and historical cultural centers that have been preserved for thousands of years. We’ve seen an increase in travelers from all over the globe over the past several years, and are anticipating a strong 2025, too. It’s my belief that this is largely due to our remote locations, as well as our commitment to preserve Tibetan heritage and local communities through intentional programming, design, and in hiring from the local community. Guests are aware that staying with us will have a positive impact down the line—and will be a place to truly disconnect. These are the type of destinations that will become more popular as we look to next year, and beyond.”The Grand Bohemian Lodge opened in Greenville, South Carolina in 2022 and has bought a welcome level of tourism to the destination.(Credit: Firewater Photography © 2023)
Richard C. Kessler, Chairman and CEO of the Kessler Collection, which has a rich line-up of boutique hotels across the US, predicts that travellers will be looking for new experiences in emerging cities: “We anticipated this shift in sentiment a while ago, and have been focusing our new developments in many of these untouched markets, such as the Grand Bohemian Lodge which opened in Greenville, South Carolina in 2022,” says Richard. “Since breaking ground in 2019, this property has played a vital role in the growth of the destination’s tourism industry, and the city’s 62.3% increase in revenue.”The Master Plan for Cashiers East Village by Kessler.(Credit: Kesslers)
He continues: “The Kessler brand has always been committed to investing in and adding value to communities with untapped potential as you can see in our upcoming pipeline. Most notably, we are working on a $150 million+ small scale mixed-use village development in Cashiers, North Carolina. The 24.5-acre development will incorporate diverse accommodations including a boutique lodge, mountain cottages and luxurious glamping cabins, as well as two full-service restaurants with a rooftop bar, a café, high-end shopping, art spaces, an event pavilion and residential village anchored by a retail and community center.”
Finally, a read of Byway Travel’s Trends Report will cement the trend. “People want to travel where they’re welcomed wholeheartedly. Amidst anti-tourism protests in Barcelona and measures elsewhere to monitor the influx of short-term rentals, avoiding overtouristed hotspots is high on this year’s agenda,” says the report. “In the Netherlands, we’ll expect to see more people swapping the jam-packed capital for quintessentially Dutch towns like Breda, and in Spain, people swapping Catalonia for the Green Coast, with more attention on up-and-coming cities like Bilbao. Even in the UK, we predict a new interest in beautiful areas away from busy summer spots, like Cornwall, to see more travellers uncover the East of England, including Norfolk, and towns like Ballater in Scotland.”
Travel Trends Report 2025: Untouched Tourism
Share to FacebookShare to TwitterShare to LinkedinThe seventh article in my Travel Trends series is a continuation of my previous feature for Forbes on Off The Beaten Track travel. They might sound similar in theme, except the difference between the two is that to find ‘untouched tourism’ you do not necessarily have to go ‘off the beaten track’ or visit remote destinations. Instead, this trend is all about a search for places that offer a respite from overcrowding or give an alternative view to a country. It could be, for instance, the desire to find destinations that have been historically overlooked, instead of touching down in the usual, world-favourite places.
Lemongrass Marketing’s new Travel Trend Report 2025 lists ‘Destination Dupes’ as an emerging trend for the year ahead. “In Spain, skip Barcelona and visit Girona. Swap Venice, Italy for Ljubljana in Slovenia. And book a trip to Maratea to instead of Positano in Italy,” it suggests. “These are among the alternative (but comparable) destinations holiday planners are seeking out that promise to be less expensive and crowded than popular hotspots, making this the year of the ‘destination dupe’.”
Explaining it further, the report says: “Affordable alternatives have flooded TikTok feeds, where there are 5.9 billion views for #dupe. Searches for Taipei (a dupe for Seoul) have jumped 2,786%, and those for Pattaya (a dupe for Bangkok) are up 249%. Increased flight searches also support the destination dupe trend: Curaçao (a dupe for St. Martin) is up 185%; Perth (a dupe for Sydney) is up 109%, and Liverpool (a dupe for London) is up 97%. Destinations are responding with a sense of urgency to disperse travellers: in France, where a whopping 80% of visits are currently concentrated in 20% of the country, a recently launched €1m campaign is nudging domestic and foreign tourists to set their sights beyond the beaten path.”
Visit Perth instead of Sydney, says Lemongrass.(Credit: Gavin Tang on Unsplash)
The so-called ‘second city’ trend is part of this shift, whereby travellers are skipping popular hubs in favour of smaller cities, which are often found close by, and sit in the shadow of the ‘big hitter’. Think: Verona instead of Venice; Porto instead of Lisbon; Memphis instead of Nashville. It is not only a way to address overtourism but also, by default, means you may also discover uncovered charms of a place you may not have considered before.
In Expedia’s Unpack ’25: The Trends in Travel report, the phenomenon is labelled as ‘Detour Destinations’ and it suggests alternative destinations, such as Riems instead of Paris in France; Cozumel instead of Cancun in Mexico; Brescia instead of Milan in Italy. “Detour Destinations are less well-known and less crowded than popular tourist hotspots, but these rising stars are well worth putting on an itinerary, either as an add-on or as the new, final destination,” says the report.
Working with HNWIs as clients and specialising in bespoke, luxury travel, Cartology Travel has seen a shift in travel behaviours. The company highlights Sardinia, Colombia and Montana as destinations emerging from the ‘shadows’ in 2025.
“Sardinia has always been a luxury destination for those Europeans in the know, but the Italian island is now getting more widespread attention with international clientele,” says Justin Huxter, co-founder of Cartology Travel. “We have seen an increase in enquiries for the destination, and this will no doubt grow further with several iconic luxury hotel brands, such as Belmond Romazzino, opening their doors on the island.”
“Colombia, on the other hand, has not traditionally been on the luxury tourist trail for those travelling through South America, but we predict this is about to change,” continues Justin. “Colombia is an amazing country with an up-and-coming food scene, lots of adventure, and an incredible variety of landscapes to explore, so it’s perfect for any type of traveler. Later this year, Four Seasons is set to open its new 131 key hotel in Cartagena, located on Colombia’s Caribbean coast. The brand has restored a collection of landmark buildings dating back as far as the 16th century, and will set the agenda for a new chapter for Cartagena.”
With One&Only’s first US resort, One&Only Moonlight Basin, opening in Montana in 2025, the US destination will also be in the spotlight. “The resort is located in the mountains and promises a wild sense of adventure to all guests,” says Justin. “Yellowstone National Park is just a short drive from the resort and offers the chance to see elks grazing and herds of bison, and the glassy lakes in summer are just as breathtaking as the frosted mountains in winter.”In Zambia, one of GeoEx’s top destinations for 2025, a herd of elephants crosses the Luangwa River at sunrise.(Credit: John Warburton-Lee / DanitaDelimont.com – All rights reserved.)
Specializing in high-end and off-the-beaten-path trips across the world, Geographic Expeditions has announced the company’s top destinations for 2025. Cuba, New Zealand, South Africa, Türkiye, Vietnam, and Zambia should be on travelers’ bucket lists for 2025, says the company. “All these destinations promise unforgettable, life-enriching experiences, that cannot be found anywhere else.”Wildlife on the Zambezi River, Zambia.(Credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto)
Glenn Ringer, director of Product Development for Geographic Expeditions, explains more about why Zambia, in particular, is on the list: “I’m excited to tell our travelers about three off-the-radar luxury properties in Zambia. The first two are Sungani Lodge and Kulandila Camp, located in the remote far south of South Luangwa. The properties are family-owned and were meticulously hewn from the surrounding bushland and transformed into exclusive safari experiences . The third property is the historic Chichele Presidental Lodge that has been lavishly redesigned and rebuilt for a 2025 safari season opening. Run by Grant Cumings, one of the leading conservation-minded safari figures in Zambia, the lodge has an incredible hilltop location with panoramic views of the Luangwa Valley.”The Atlas Mountains in Morocco will offer untouched tourism, says Intrepid.(CREDIT: INTREPID TRAVEL)
As many destinations grapple with overcrowding, backlash from locals and environmental impacts of tourism—travelers are rethinking where and how they travel next year, says Intrepid Travel. In keeping with the trend, the company has released its annual Not Hot List report in collaboration with travel trend forecasting agency Globetrender, that spotlights 10 underrated and underappreciated destinations to visit in 2025.
“Our most comprehensive report to date, the list was created with Globetrender and is supported by third-party research and local voices,” says Erica Kritikides, Intrepid Travel’s GM of Global Product. “Destinations include Gilgit-Baltistan in Pakistan, Disko Island in Greenland and Accra in Ghana. Each is introducing new infrastructure and initiatives to welcome more tourists for 2025. As always, our list shines a spotlight on lesser-known destinations, showcasing overlooked and undervisited places that are ready to welcome curious travellers. These are destinations unveiling new routes, crafting innovative itineraries, and launching exciting initiatives that make them worthy of increased attention, visitation and conversation.”Songtsam Lodge Bingzhongluo, China.(Credit: riddick photography)
Known for its luxury, boutique hotels and lodges in Tibet and China, Songtsam Resorts reports that it is seeing an increase in bookings from US tourists. “As the spotlight on overtourism intensifies, with it comes remote travel,” says Florence Li, Director of International Sales & Marketing, Songtsam Resorts. “Over the past year, overtourism has increasingly become a pressing issue, prompting destinations to adopt protective measures—such as tourist taxes implemented during peak travel times—to protect local communities and the environment. As a result, travelers are becoming more conscious of their impact—and with this comes a more mindful approach when choosing destinations for a holiday. As we look to 2025, more travelers will want to visit destinations that aren’t being negatively impacted by the large crowds—they’ll actively seek out destinations in which their presence can play a positive role either economically, environmentally, or both.”Songtsam Shangri-La Linka is found in a Tibetan village.(Credit: Copyright 2019 Sui Sicong.All Rights Reserved.)
“As travelers seek such destinations, they will be incentivized to prioritize places that have been virtually untouched by tourists—and so, we’ll see a rise in remote travel. This is what we’re seeing at Songtsam Resorts. Our resorts, lodges, and glamping sites are located across Tibet and Yunnan Province, China—in or around small villages and historical cultural centers that have been preserved for thousands of years. We’ve seen an increase in travelers from all over the globe over the past several years, and are anticipating a strong 2025, too. It’s my belief that this is largely due to our remote locations, as well as our commitment to preserve Tibetan heritage and local communities through intentional programming, design, and in hiring from the local community. Guests are aware that staying with us will have a positive impact down the line—and will be a place to truly disconnect. These are the type of destinations that will become more popular as we look to next year, and beyond.”The Grand Bohemian Lodge opened in Greenville, South Carolina in 2022 and has bought a welcome level of tourism to the destination.(Credit: Firewater Photography © 2023)
Richard C. Kessler, Chairman and CEO of the Kessler Collection, which has a rich line-up of boutique hotels across the US, predicts that travellers will be looking for new experiences in emerging cities: “We anticipated this shift in sentiment a while ago, and have been focusing our new developments in many of these untouched markets, such as the Grand Bohemian Lodge which opened in Greenville, South Carolina in 2022,” says Richard. “Since breaking ground in 2019, this property has played a vital role in the growth of the destination’s tourism industry, and the city’s 62.3% increase in revenue.”The Master Plan for Cashiers East Village by Kessler.(Credit: Kesslers)
He continues: “The Kessler brand has always been committed to investing in and adding value to communities with untapped potential as you can see in our upcoming pipeline. Most notably, we are working on a $150 million+ small scale mixed-use village development in Cashiers, North Carolina. The 24.5-acre development will incorporate diverse accommodations including a boutique lodge, mountain cottages and luxurious glamping cabins, as well as two full-service restaurants with a rooftop bar, a café, high-end shopping, art spaces, an event pavilion and residential village anchored by a retail and community center.”
Finally, a read of Byway Travel’s Trends Report will cement the trend. “People want to travel where they’re welcomed wholeheartedly. Amidst anti-tourism protests in Barcelona and measures elsewhere to monitor the influx of short-term rentals, avoiding overtouristed hotspots is high on this year’s agenda,” says the report. “In the Netherlands, we’ll expect to see more people swapping the jam-packed capital for quintessentially Dutch towns like Breda, and in Spain, people swapping Catalonia for the Green Coast, with more attention on up-and-coming cities like Bilbao. Even in the UK, we predict a new interest in beautiful areas away from busy summer spots, like Cornwall, to see more travellers uncover the East of England, including Norfolk, and towns like Ballater in Scotland.”
The Casa Radio Publishing House at the Gaudeamus Book Fair
Unique on the domestic book market, the Casa Radio Publishing House capitalizes on the largest collection of media content in Romania.
Mădălina Pașol, Algo-Ritm album cover
Corina Sabău,
21.12.2024, 14:00
Unique on the domestic book market, the Casa Radio Publishing House capitalizes on the largest collection of media content in Romania, whether it’s the existing sound archive or working towards the creation of a future archive. More than 30 collections and series of books, CDs and books with built-in CD are devoted to the most appreciated radio products in literature and journalism, theatre and music. Collections such as “Romanian Poetry Library” and “Gold Audio Library / Poetry Show”, “Gold Audio Library / Theater”, the collections for children “Radio-Prichindel” and “Good night, children!”, but also the music collections “Maestro”, “Radiolegends” and “Interpretive profile” are just a few of the brands of the Casa Radio Publishing House that have established themselves on the book market.
During the Gaudeamus Book Fair, organised by Radio Romania between December 4-8, a fair that featured hundreds of publishing events and tens of thousands of titles, many of them newly launched, the Casa Radio Publishing House also provided its readers with new products, including two for young listeners, as part of the “Radio-Prichindel” and “Good night, children!” collections. The new releases were accompanied by workshops on the art of comics and diction and communication. Ligia Necula, producer at Casa Radio Publishing House, tells us more:
“The audiobook is no longer a new product on the Romanian publishing market, but we at Casa Radio Publishing House are proud to have introduced this product to the local market. Most such products released by the Casa Radio Publishing House contain both illustration and the audio content, namely a CD, containing either radio theater performances or recordings of poets reading from their own work on Radio Romania. All these recordings have been preserved. And it is our joy to be able to bring the voices of these writers to the public. Linked to the two collections dedicated to children, Radio Prichindel and Good night, children!, we also staged special events for children and adults alike. The latest releases in the Radio-Prichindel” and “Good night, children!” collections launched at the Gaudeamus Fair include an audio book, “The Brave Sparrow and Golden Apples”, by Petre Ispirescu, and the 19th volume in the Fairy Tales of the World series. “Prâslea the brave and the golden apples” is a graphic novel, because, in the case of the “Radio Prichindel” collection, we, at the Casa Radio Publishing House, decided to turn the stories into comic strips, especially for children who are now learning to read. And I can say that it is a welcome choice, the illustrations help children in the learning process, so they read more easily and gain courage. This graphic novel bears the signature of Alexandru Ciubotariu, who is also the coordinator of the Radio-Prichindel Collection.”
Under the title ALGO-RITM, the musician Mădălina Pașol brings together on a new album a collection of piano miniatures by famous composers such as Johann Sebastian Bach, Jean-Philippe Rameau, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Ludwig van Beethoven, Robert Schumann, Frédéric Chopin, Franz Liszt, Johannes Brahms, Richard Wagner, Claude Debussy, Ottorino Respighi, Edvard Grieg, Serghei Rachmaninov, Dinu Lipatti and Tudor Dumitrescu. Tiberiu Comandașu, music editor at Casa Radio Publishing House, explains:
“Through this album, the musician is speaking both to her fans and to those who know less about her teaching activity, because Mădălina Pașol is a very popular piano teacher for children. That is why the CD we are talking about is very suitable for a young audience, bringing together very well-known piano miniatures, but also new scores, so me of which have been discovered recently. One such example at an opus by Beethoven is the piece Lustig und Traurig, or a piano page by Wagner or an album page by Brahms. It is a recently discovered work that was noted down by the composer in a guest book in his youth while on a trip. Instead of leaving his signature or a few words, he wrote down this short score which he then developed into the work that is included on this album.”
The Gaudeamus Book Fair also saw the launch by the Casa Radio Publishing House hosted of the three famous comedies written by Ion Luca Caragiale: “A stormy night”, “A lost letter” and “Carnival Night”, audiobook, book and CD format, as part of the Golden Tape Library/Theatre collection, Caragiale series, and again feature Alexandru Ciubotariu’s illustrations and famous radio theater recordings from 1951 and 1952, staged by director Sică Alexandrescu. Another highlight was a re-issue of the successful audiobook Dance by the poet Nina Cassian (1924 – 2014), but with new poems read by the author and an interview about her life, work and emigratig. An avant-garde poet, composer and graphic artist, Nina Cassian was simultaneously complicit and problematic for the Stalinist regime, after which she came into direct conflict with the Ceauşescu regime and fled to New York, in an unwanted exile, where she passed away in 2014.
Panic in Africa as influx of tourists leaves locals furious over price rises
Africa is on a mission to become the ultimate holiday hotspot and is on a quest to attract more tourists to its lands.The number of international visitors embarking on Africa each year has been steadily increasing, with a projected growth of 16.1% by 2025.According to a new report by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), in collaboration with VFS Global, travel and tourism in Africa is set to boost the continent’s economy by a staggering £134.4 billion ($168 billion) over the next 10 years.One such region in Africa has become a holiday haven particularly for those looking to escape the cold December.Ghanaian president Nana Akufo-Addo launched a call-to-action initiative in Washington DC known as the “Year of Return”.The initiative was launched in 2019 and urged black people in the diaspora to visit Africa and experience its unique beauty.The project was marked by the 400th anniversary of the first arrivals of recorded enslaved Africans into the state of Virginia, USA and proved a major success.A host of celebrities have been seen enjoying the allure that is Ghana with the likes of Dave Chapelle, Chance the Rapper, Gabrielle Union and Erykah Badu and thousands of other people stepping foot into the African country.The project’s success has been evident in sectors including hospitality and entertainment with a total of 524 settlers being granted citizenship since November 2024.But locals have been less enthused by this initiative with Ghana’s ever-increasing tourism causing soaring inflation rates.Some service providers in Ghana have inflated their prices to ridiculous levels, with some even charging tourists dollars rather than the Ghanaian cedi, despite the economy dipping.Consequently, the price of many products in Ghana has almost doubled including housing.One local said in an interview with The Guardian: “On one hand, you get access to all types of celebrities. You could be sitting in a local bar and Idris Elba is two feet away from you.”But many activities and their pricing have been centred around the visitors, creating something of a segregation.”The blame of increased inflation has largely been placed on the government, with the Ghanaian president also in the firing line.One local added: “I don’t think Akufo-Addo was ready when he made that open statement saying people should return home.”