What are the economic benefits of a national park?

Feb 26, 2019
It's the 100th anniversary of the Grand Canyon National Park, which has spurred millions in spending in nearby communities.
A general view of the South Rim of the Grand Canyon in Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona, on Feb. 13, 2017.
RHONA WISE/AFP/Getty Images

Beatlemania is alive and well in the band's hometown of Liverpool

Jan 8, 2019
Growing Beatles tourism has helped other businesses in Liverpool — many hotels, restaurants and shopping centers have opened up in recent years.
PETER SKINGLEY/AFP/Getty Images

Is a struggling California town a victim of its own charm?

Nov 23, 2018
An entity that buys land in Pescadero, California to preserve it as open space also effectively takes the land off the tax rolls
Pescadero, California, population around 1,700, is a popular tourist destination for wealthy Silicon Valley tech executives.
Scott Cohn/Marketplace

Expanding airports are banking on local retailers to add value

Nov 6, 2018
Terminals in major cities are undergoing renovations and relying on the allure of local shops to keep travelers spending.
A band entertains travelers at the Orlando International Airport.
Renata Sago/Marketplace

For you, it's a tax on a hotel stay. For Florida, it's money to clean up a large lagoon.

Sep 27, 2018
The state rakes in a pretty penny on overnight hotel stays, and how that money should be spent has been a contentious issue lately.
Stephen Sharkey, who works for the Marine Resources Council, says the Indian River Lagoon had, at one point, the most biodiverse ecosystem in North America.
Renata Sago/Marketplace

Labor Day, meh? You’re not alone

Sep 3, 2018
Now that classes start mid-August for many schools in the United States, Labor Day weekend is less of a “Goodbye, sweet summer!” thing. Even the AAA has stopped predicting a traveler’s forecast. Click the audio player above to hear the full story. 
People head for trains in Grand Central Terminal as thousands of New Yorkers depart the city for Labor Day weekend on September 1, 2017 in New York City. One of the busiest travel days of the year, roads and trains are often packed to capacity as people look to enjoy the last summer weekend. 
Spencer Platt/Getty Images

Summer brought to you by: Orlando theme parks

Jul 3, 2018
How did this hot and sunny middle Florida city become such a theme park magnet? And how does it keep the tourists coming in the summer months?
In this handout image provided by Disney Parks, fireworks light the sky over Cinderella Castle during the Grand Opening of New Fantasyland at Walt Disney World Resort December 6, 2012 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida.
Gene Duncan/Disney Parks via Getty Images

For public good, not for profit.

How storm chasers turn tornadoes into tourist attractions

Jun 28, 2018
A growing industry is offering a front row seat to extreme weather.
Dylan Johnson for Marketplace

What North Korea looks like with capitalism "creeping in"

Jun 1, 2018
In 2016, writer Travis Jeppesen became the first American to study at a North Korean university.
Men push their bicycles past portraits of late North Korean leaders Kim Il Sung, left, and Kim Jong Il in Pyongyang in 2017.
ED JONES/AFP/Getty Images

Amsterdam moves to curb disruptive tourism

May 28, 2018
While the city of Amsterdam only has a population of around 850,000 people, it gets around 18 million visitors each year. That has consequences for the quality of life of the people who live there. To curb the worst effects for local people the city authorities are adopting some new measures, like limiting the number of days […]