cities skylines tourism tips

How Cities Skylines Tourism Works

Tourists arrive in your city by different kinds of transport to visit monuments, parks and commercial districts. For you, it’s beneficial because tourists spend money in your city.

The number of tourists is determined by the attractiveness of your city. Thus the more attractive buildings and districts you build, the more tourists arrive in your city.

The most challenging thing about tourism is that having a big number of visitors means having heavy traffic . So your goal is to plan your city in the way that tourists arrive and have all the needed access and don’t trigger jams.

How Tourists Arrive

Let’s focus on the way tourists arrive in your city. At the beginning of the game, they arrive only by car. As time goes by, and you unlock new transportation options, they start arriving by train, plane, ships, and even by space elevator in the late game. 

After arrival, they want to go to the place that attracts them (a unique building, park, or commercial zone). This means they need a proper way of getting there. Sure tourists will choose the fastest transportation option. Thus you need to have public transport that is optimized for delivering big groups of people to points of interest. This is somewhat similar to organizing transport for your citizens with the only difference – the starting point is not a residential zone but an entry point such as an airport, a seaport, a railway station.

How to Handle Cities Skylines Tourist Traffic

There are two main Cities Skylines traffic tips for tourism:

• Establish control over touristic traffic . This means you need to decide where they arrive and where they should go. For example, you can allow only one railway station to accept external traffic. Thanks to this, you will know that the visitors arriving by train will spawn there only. It makes it easier for you to organize proper transportation to the points of interest. Sure such concentrated touristic traffic requires more capacity for your public transport but you’re the one who decides. Also, it’s better to arrange tourist areas by placing unique buildings close to each other to have better control over the traffic.
• Avoid crossing touristic routes with other traffic. If the bus line delivering your citizens from a residential area to industrial uses the same streets as the line for transporting tourists from a seaport to unique buildings then you may get traffic jams . It makes sense to separate these lines when possible.

How to Increase Cities Skylines City Attractiveness

In City Skylines tourism is boosted when you increase city attractiveness. This means you need to build monuments, parks, and specialized commercial zones to get more visitors, that’s the most working Cities Skylines increase tourism strategy. It’s important that different objects have different attractiveness, for example, Eiffel Tower provides 6 while the Gherkin has 12, you can find the full list here .

However, there are several Cities Skylines tourism tips you can use besides that:

City policies . There are several of those which allow you to increase the attractiveness of some districts. By the way, that’s another good thing to control your tourist traffic by boosting attractiveness in defined areas of the city. Here are the policies:

Advertisement Campaign (Parks) – Draws 20% more visitors for ₡200/week.

Boost Connections – Outside connection traffic capacity is increased by 20%. Applies to boats, planes, trains, and private cars. ₡10,000/week

Let Go of Leisure – your Cities Skylines tourism district doesn’t bring money from taxes but attracts much more visitors Recreational Use – Slightly increased tax income. Moderately increased tourism. Slightly reduced the crime rate. +15% Police budget

Prefer Parks – For ₡100 per object, you can attract 10% more tourists to your parks, plazas, and park areas. Build the Castle of Lord Chirpwick provides you with +100 attractiveness for the entire city and each unique building receives +25% attractiveness. Also, it just looks great, especially in a mountain city.

Build a Space Elevator . That’s a great source of visitors which is available in the late game and the first thing you need to do is to create proper transportation options because it will drive lots of tourists to your city.

When solving the how to get more tourists cities skylines issue you should always think about easy access to the points of interest. Tourists should find it simple to arrive in the city, find the right way and spend money in your city. Thus, a good system of hubs and proper public transport routes is a must for getting more tourists.

Where to Place Cities Skylines Tourism District

Tourism districts are among the places that are visited by tourists. This means there are some requirements for placing such districts if you want them to work well:

• Tourism district may be located near the entry point – an airport, intercity bus terminal, railway station or passenger harbor
• Another obvious location is the place where the most of your landmarks are located.
• Areas with high land value such as sea shore, beach and so on.

It’s always important to have proper transport connections and to avoid placing too big zones. Track the usage by tourists and the presence of the workforce in the area before expanding.

Cities Skylines Tourists Buses

Thanks to the Parklife DLC we have some new awesome features.

Tourist buses are pretty similar to regular buses but they’re for transporting tourists between points of interest. Honestly, I failed to create sightseeing tours that transport a lot of tourists. I think that’s because pretty often those lines duplicate routes of regular buses. However, I received some additional traffic jams next to those points of interest.

Cities Skylines Walking Tours and Balloons

Cities Skylines walking tours are pretty similar. You just place stops near points of interest striving not to make the route too long because this affects attractiveness. 

Balloons look really cool and add some festive atmosphere to your city though I can’t say they’re very useful.

Is Tourism Cities Skylines Hassle Worth It?

Sure your city can survive without developed tourism. However, working on this aspect is both interesting and beneficial. Tourism brings a serious amount of money to your budget though can trigger some traffic issues. Anyway, that’s an awesome challenge for those who love this game!

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Get more tourists in Cities: Skylines

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Lars Cornelis

Cities: Skylines is a popular city-building game that allows players to create and manage their dream metropolis. One of the most significant aspects of a thriving city is a vibrant tourism industry. In this guide, we will explore how to optimize city tourism in Cities: Skylines to help you create the ultimate destination for visitors from around the world.

Plan Your City Layout

Invest in transportation infrastructure, create a variety of attractions, develop parks and green spaces.

To create an attractive and accessible city for tourists, start by designing a well-planned layout. Designate specific areas for commercial, leisure, and tourist attractions (Commercial specializations for tourism were introduced with the After Dark expansion), and ensure they are easily reachable via various transportation methods.

Efficient transportation is crucial for attracting tourists. Invest in multiple forms of transportation, including bus lines, trams, metros, trains, and ferries. Create dedicated public transportation routes to popular tourist attractions and ensure they connect with different city areas.

Diversify your city’s attractions to cater to different types of tourists. Consider including landmarks, museums, and other entertainment. Unique buildings will draw visitors to your city and keep tourists entertained.

Beautiful parks and green spaces are vital for improving the overall attractiveness of your city. They not only provide recreational opportunities for tourists but also improve the city’s air quality and environment. Invest in large parks, botanical gardens, and nature reserves to offer diverse outdoor experiences.

Optimize City Policies Implement tourist-friendly policies to encourage more visitors. Some policies to consider include:

• Recreational Use: Legalize recreational activities to attract more tourists.
• Free Public Transport: Offer free public transportation to make it easier for tourists to explore the city.
• Tax Breaks: Provide tax incentives to businesses that cater to tourists, encouraging more establishments to cater to visitors.

Optimizing your city for tourism in Cities: Skylines requires careful planning, investment in infrastructure, and a variety of attractions to cater to different types of visitors. By following this guide, you can create a thriving tourist destination that boosts your city’s economy and attractiveness. Remember, a successful city is a well-balanced one, so keep innovating and adapting to the needs of your tourists and residents alike. Happy building!

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Cities: Skylines

Originally posted by grapplehoeker : Also, don't expect any huge return for your investment from tourism. It does pay, but it's not very profitable.

Originally posted by grapplehoeker : but have you also built the other specialised commercial district for leisure too?

Originally posted by onezerorising : Originally posted by grapplehoeker : Also, don't expect any huge return for your investment from tourism. It does pay, but it's not very profitable.

Originally posted by Squirting Elephant : 239 tourists now. Much better.

Originally posted by grapplehoeker : Originally posted by Squirting Elephant : 239 tourists now. Much better.

Originally posted by Vimes : Is there a max or limit on the number of tourists, depending on what you build to draw them in and your transport system.? Or is there a hard cap on that number.?

Originally posted by grapplehoeker : Originally posted by Vimes : Is there a max or limit on the number of tourists, depending on what you build to draw them in and your transport system.? Or is there a hard cap on that number.?

Originally posted by Vimes : I am getting around 3500 tourists per week. That is with 150k population.

Originally posted by OneJasonBradly : Originally posted by Vimes : I am getting around 3500 tourists per week. That is with 150k population.

Originally posted by Vimes : This is how mine looks now..... http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1313205371

Originally posted by grapplehoeker : Originally posted by Vimes : This is how mine looks now..... http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1313205371

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Cities: Skylines 10 Tips For Building A Successful City

These tips will help you to make your city and its citizens thrive in Cities: Skylines.

The exciting world of Cities: Skylines lets you build and manage your very own metropolis. But this isn't your average run-of-the-mill city-building game. This is a game that requires true strategy and management skills to create a thriving city.

RELATED: Best City Building Games Of All Time

Cities: Skylines puts you in the driver's seat of a growing city, with all the joys and headaches that come with it. You'll need to consider everything from zoning and infrastructure to taxes and public services if you want your city to thrive. So let's grab our hardhats and get ready to build a city that will make even the most seasoned urban planner envious!

10 Start Small

When it comes to starting a new city in Cities: Skylines, it's understandable to feel the urge to jump straight into creating a colossal metropolis. However, taking a more gradual approach and starting small might actually be the way to go.

Think about it like this: by building up your city incrementally, you'll be able to better manage your resources and avoid overspending on infrastructure and services that might not be necessary yet. Starting small can help you establish a solid foundation for your city's growth, ensuring that you have the necessary resources and services in place to support your citizens as your city expands over time.

9 Pay Attention To Your Budget

It's easy to get swept up in the thrill of constructing towering skyscrapers and sprawling neighborhoods, but you must keep a close eye on your finances to ensure that you don't overspend on unnecessary infrastructure or services. Remember to balance your expenses with your revenue to keep your city financially stable.

By paying attention to your budget and making smart financial decisions, you can invest in your city's growth while also ensuring its long-term financial health. After all, a financially sound city is a prosperous one! So, keep those calculators handy, and get ready to build the city of your dreams while keeping your finances in check.

8 Prioritize Public Transportation

Having a solid public transportation system is the key to reducing traffic congestion and improving the overall livability of your city. Plus, it's just plain cool to have a fleet of buses, trains, and trams zipping around your city!

RELATED: Cities: Skylines - Essential Quality Of Life Mods

By prioritizing public transportation early on in your city's development, you'll be providing your citizens with a reliable, affordable, and convenient mode of transportation. Not to mention, you'll be doing your part to reduce air pollution and noise levels in your city, making it a more pleasant place to live.

7 Keep Your Citizens Happy

When it comes to building a successful city, keeping your citizens happy is key. A happy citizen is a productive citizen, and that's exactly what you want in your city. So, make sure you're prioritizing their needs and keeping them satisfied with access to essential services like healthcare, education, and public safety. Would you want to live in a city with subpar medical care or a shoddy education system? Of course not! So, make sure your citizens have access to the services they need to thrive.

Remember, your citizens are more than just pixels on a screen. They're living, breathing, simulated humans, and it's up to you to keep them happy. So, whether you're building a quaint little town or a bustling metropolis, make sure you're giving your citizens the love and care they deserve.

6 Plan Your Zoning Carefully

It might not sound thrilling, but zoning is the foundation of any successful city. Screw it up, and you'll have traffic snarls, pollution, and a whole lot of cranky citizens on your hands. So, take a deep breath, put on your zoning cap, and get ready to build the best damn city anyone's ever seen.

When you're getting down to the nitty-gritty of zoning, don't forget about the people who will be living and working in your city. Put residential zones near healthcare and education services to keep your citizens healthy and smart. Stick commercial zones in busy areas to rake in the dough, and make sure you keep those industrial zones away from the folks trying to catch some shut-eye.

5 Embrace Green Infrastructure

Green infrastructure can be a game-changer in Cities: Skylines. By incorporating parks and bike lanes, you'll be taking your city to the next level. Parks don't just beautify your city — they also improve the overall quality of life by reducing pollution and boosting happiness levels. Plus, they provide a peaceful haven for your citizens to unwind and enjoy nature.

RELATED: Cities: Skylines - Ways To Make Your Cities Look More Attractive

Bike lanes are another crucial aspect of green infrastructure. They help reduce traffic congestion, making your city more efficient and environmentally friendly. By encouraging your citizens to bike instead of drive, you'll be promoting a healthier lifestyle while also reducing the number of cars on the road.

4 Manage Traffic Effectively

Traffic jams are a nightmare in any city, and if you don't manage them properly, your urban landscape will become a gridlocked nightmare. Nobody wants that. To avoid that nightmare, make sure to prioritize traffic management strategies right from the beginning.

Think about using roundabouts, one-way streets, and traffic signals to keep the traffic flowing like a perfectly oiled machine. Public transportation options like buses and subways are also great solutions to reduce the number of cars on the road. A city with smooth traffic is a happy city, and happy citizens are more likely to stick around and attract new residents and businesses.

3 Build A Diverse Economy

Economy is the beating heart of any city-building game. The secret to keep it beating? Diversity. Don't put all your eggs in one industry's basket. Spread the love around with a mix of manufacturing, tourism, tech, and whatever else floats your boat. But be careful not to overdo it, or you might end up like that guy who tried to juggle too many chainsaws at once.

A diverse economy not only protects your city from economic downturns, but it also creates opportunities for growth and development. Just like a buffet, you want a little bit of everything to satisfy everyone's tastes. So go forth, intrepid city-builder, and diversify your economy like a boss.

2 Keep An Eye On Natural Disasters

Mother Nature can be a fickle friend, and in city-building games, she's usually the antagonist. Floods, fires, earthquakes — these disasters can be game-changers, literally. So, when building your city, make sure you plan for them. Don't just cross your fingers and hope for the best.

Make sure you have emergency response services in place, like fire stations, hospitals, and police stations, strategically placed around your city. And don't forget to have evacuation routes planned in case things get really bad. You don't want your citizens panicking and running into each other when the ground starts shaking. It's all about being prepared and having a plan in place.

1 Continuously Improve And Adapt

Building a successful city is not a one-time job, but rather an ongoing process. To ensure long-term success, you need to continuously improve and adapt your city as it grows and develops. You never know what new challenges or opportunities might arise, so be ready to roll with the punches.

Stay on top of trends and changing needs to keep your city ahead of the curve. If your citizens are demanding more green spaces, invest in parks and public spaces. If your businesses need better infrastructure, consider upgrading your transportation and communication networks.

NEXT: Cities: Skylines - How To Prevent Population Decline

Cities: Skylines Wiki

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Navigation menu, commercial specialization.

Please help with verifying or updating older sections of this article. At least some were last verified for version 1.16.

Commercial zones can be specialized into three types in addition to their generic type. The specializations are "Tourism", "Leisure" and "Organic and Local Produce", and “Commercial Wall-to-Wall Buildings”. These were added via DLCs, and are not available without them. To specialize an area, draw a district or pedestrian area over the area to be affected and apply the desired specialization. Specializations on pedestrian areas are prioritized over ones on districts.

• 3.1 Policies
• 3.2 School of Tourism and Travel
• 4.1 Mechanism
• 4.2 Parking Lots
• 5 Commercial Wall-To-Wall Buildings
• 7 References

Generic [ edit | edit source ]

No specialization is the default, and results in standard generic commercial buildings. Existing specializations can be removed with the "No Commercial Specialization" button in the specialization menu, or by right clicking a specialized district with a specialization tool. This will result in existing buildings disappearing, and then regrowing as generic commercial if there is sufficient demand. Generic commercial buildings are affected by low and high density zoning.

Tourism [ edit | edit source ]

The "Tourism Specialization" dedicates commercial zones to serve the tourists by providing hotel accommodations, restaurants and other activities. It attracts tourists, but also increases noise pollution.

The "Tourism" specialization becomes available at the "Busy Town" milestone .

The buildings in this specialization produce more tax income than generic commercial zone, have higher crime rates, and are most active during the day. [1]

The buildings that grow in this specialization are not able to level up ; they have only a single level. They only grow as high density regardless of the underlying commercial zoning density, though they will be a mix of skyscrapers and small buildings. In terms of jobs generated, a tourism zone is equal to a level 2 high density commercial zone.

For Tourism information not directly related to the commercial specialization, see Tourism .

Leisure [ edit | edit source ]

Leisure is how Cims spend their free time when not at school or work. Parks and Plazas and Park Areas will account for some leisure time, as will spending money in a Commercial zone.

Commercial specialization into leisure will produce games businesses like arcades and comedy clubs. Leisure specialized regions have more nightlife and will experience round the clock traffic . One option for continuous use of a region is to integrate both normal commercial and leisure zones to maximize usage.

Leisure regions generate more income than an equivalent commercial zone but at the expense of more noise and traffic which means they need to be situated further away from residential areas.

The "Leisure" specialization becomes available at the "Big Town" milestone .

The buildings that grow in this specialization are not able to level up ; they have only a single level. They only grow as low density regardless of the underlying commercial zoning density. In terms of jobs generated, a leisure zone is equal to a level 3 low density commercial zone.

Policies [ edit | edit source ]

School of Tourism and Travel [ edit | edit source ]

Building a School of Tourism and Travel Unique Faculty building within a Trade School Campus Area will result in:

• Increased attractiveness and entertainment of leisure buildings.
• Increased income from all commercial zones.

Organic and Local Produce [ edit | edit source ]

The "Organic and Local Produce" specialization changes commercial areas to consist of buildings such as organic produce shops and electric car charging stations.

The "Organic and Local Produce" specialization becomes available at the "Worthy Village" milestone .

The buildings that grow in this specialization are not able to level up ; they have only a single level. They only grow as low density regardless of the underlying commercial zoning density. In terms of jobs generated, an organic and local produce zone is equal to a level 3 low density commercial zone.

• Produces 50% of sold goods locally
• Truck traffic in the area is reduced by 50%
• Increases electricity consumption by 20%
• Reduces garbage production by 20%

Mechanism [ edit | edit source ]

Organic and local produce buildings require goods from industrial zones (shown purple in the info views), as well as agricultural products (shown orange in the info views). The buildings prefer not to produce their own agricultural goods but receive goods from agricultural industry, or import form outside connections.

Parking Lots [ edit | edit source ]

Large parking lots can be created without mods on PC or console through a method of placing 2x4, 2x3, or 2x2 and 3x3 (last one with solar panel roof and only eletric parking lots) patterns of commercial zone that is specialized "Organic and Local Produce" and bulldozing anything that grows that isn't an "Edison Hyper Charger". [5] Marking the Edison Hyper Chargers as historical after they “grow” can help prevent accidental demolition.

Commercial Wall-To-Wall Buildings [ edit | edit source ]

The Commercial Wall-To-Wall Buildings specialization becomes available at the Big Town milestone . When this specialization is applied to a district or pedestrian area, modern low-rise commercial buildings will spawn from commercial zones. These buildings will visually connect to other wall-to-wall buildings when they are directly next to each other. These buildings have a reduced fire risk, but fires spread between them more easily. [6]

The buildings that grow in this specialization are able to level up , and they only grow as high density regardless of the underlying commercial zoning density.

See Also [ edit | edit source ]

References [ edit | edit source ].

• ↑ Forum: After Dark Dev Diary 4 - Commercial Specializations - CO_Karoliina (Developer) (2015-09-10)
• ↑ Forum: Some details into the mechanics of Green Cities - Voeille (Forum Member) (2017-11-06)
• ↑ Reddit: Does anybody even know the supply chain of IT cluster offices? - u/hardypart (Reddit User) (2018-03-22)
• ↑ Forum: Some details into the mechanics of Green Cities - Promethian (Forum Member) (2017-10-23)
• ↑ YouTube: 5 Road Hacks you need to know in Cities: Skylines! | No Mods needed imperatur (2020-10-27)
• ↑ Forum: Plazas & Promenades Dev Diary #4: New Specializations & Maps , co_avanya (Community Manager at Colossal Order), 2022-09-12.
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Cities Skylines 2 tips and tricks – master the art of city planning in ten steps

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Looking for tips and tricks for Cities Skylines 2 ? Returning to a sprawling city builder with plenty of new features can be intimidating for both newcomers and veterans of the series.

Our Cities Skylines 2 vs Cities Skylines comparison covers all the neat features in the sequel. And here are the Cities Skylines 2 system requirements to consider before buying the game.

Tips to run a bustling city in Cities Skylines 2

With both quality-of-life improvements and reworks of existing mechanics, there’s a lot to learn and master in Cities Skylines 2. Your progression system no longer relies on population and instead considers how you develop your city. Here are some tips to ease city development in Cities Skylines 2.

It’s okay to pause and restructure your city

Outside of Cities Skylines 2 natural disasters like hailstorms, most issues don’t suddenly cause massive harm to your city. But if you want to optimize your rate of growth, it’s worth pausing and clearing things up. Don’t hesitate to bulldoze older buildings and services to make way for new buildings. And while you can speed up the game to spot changes more quickly, we recommend a slower pace to resolve issues as they arrive.

Don’t overzone or expand too quickly away from city services

Newcomers tend to overcommit to zones, making entire districts filled with residential or commercial buildings. This isn’t the right way to go about things. For starters, commercial stores need residents nearby for a customer base. The only zone that should be separate from everything else is your industrial sector. Expanding too quickly will force you to spend more funds on improving services like fire departments and police stations. Education and healthcare can gnaw away at your expenses if you aren’t careful.

Pick the right tiles to unlock based on resources

Early on in the game, you’ll learn how to buy more land in Cities Skylines 2 . While these are inexpensive purchases, focus on tiles that grant you resources your city lacks. This will let you minimize imports and even start exporting excess resources for cash. Extracting and utilizing these resources will be cheaper than importing goods. Note that you can also buy tiles that are not connected to your purchased tiles.

Know how to keep your city financially healthy

Knowing how to make money fast in Cities Skylines 2 can mean the difference between a bustling metropolis and debt. Getting out of debt in Cities Skylines 2 primarily depends on making more revenue. Instead of raising taxes and cutting funding across sectors in a pinch, try exporting water in Cities Skylines 2 . Or try other exports like oil and electricity.

Taxes and service upkeep funding are double-edged swords

These are the easiest ways to earn money in Cities Skylines 2. But it comes at the cost of your citizens’ happiness. But lowering service upkeep isn’t a bad idea at the start of the game. If your services aren’t at max capacity, reducing their funding won’t slow down your city too much. And as your city scales up, you can release some more funds into these sectors.

Upgrade service buildings before adding new ones

While the original Cities Skylines made it necessary to place dozens of service buildings across districts, the sequel tries to fix that. If your population grows rapidly, you can upgrade existing buildings first to expand their reach. For instance, you can add more fire engines to a fire house to cover fires more quickly. Do this as much as possible as new buildings are far more expensive. Education buildings in particular can go upwards of a million credits.

Keep track of Outside Connections for trade exports and tourism

There’s more to Outside Connections than just knowing how to connect power lines in Cities Skylines 2 . These connections can be used to export electricity, water, and other goods. Connecting roads also allows tourism, with visitors showing up to the attractions in your city. Unfortunately, using Outside Connections means purchasing tiles at the end of the map. Some connections like flight routes can be accessed just by building the necessary buildings like an airport.

Ensure that pollution is kept in check

Knowing how to fix pollution in Cities Skylines 2 is of paramount importance. Note that this covers multiple forms of pollution like ground, water, noise, and air pollution. Fixing air pollution in Cities Skylines 2 won’t resolve the other problems. High levels of pollution will push newcomers away from your cities. It will also place a burden on your healthcare systems.

Public transportation and better roads make your city a better place

Roads are the lifelines of your city. Changing road direction in Cities Skylines 2 will help ease congestion in busy sectors. Knowing how to raise and upgrade roads in Cities Skylines 2 will help you divert traffic and speed up response times of emergency services. These pair well with the implementation of public transport. A bus depot paired with bus stops scattered across the city will help your citizens travel with ease. Access to commercial areas and other sectors will make them more desirable, boosting your economy. Taxis are a good option to consider too. As for trams, I’d advise waiting for your city to expand enough to take advantage of it.

Listen to your people directly or on Chirper 

Chirper, the in-game social media platform, isn’t always right. But it’s better than the radio. For some reason, the radio station has a habit of warning people about blackouts that never arrive. And if you’re wondering why a certain building isn’t leveling up or why it has an icon hovering over it, clicking usually helps. This will give you more context on what needs to be done. Chirper makes this even easier by amplifying the voices of your citizens. Both praise and criticism will reach you this way. You can even like posts on it, which is pretty sweet.

That covers our tips for Cities Skylines 2. Read up on how to fix low density residential demand in Cities Skylines 2 as it’s one of the first problems you’ll have to tidy up. And check if Cities Skylines 2 is on Game Pass before venturing forth.

Choose your own adventure: Where to go and how to save on summer vacations

Revenge travel is so last year.

“It's not necessarily about just getting out of the house anymore,” said Sydney Stanback, Global Insights and Trends lead at Pinterest, which has seen more than 1 billion travel searches and more than 10 billion travel saves over the past year. 

Sure, many of the usual suspects are once again among the most popular destinations across multiple search engines this year, but she said this summer, “It's more so about traveling with intention.” 

According to NerdWallet’s Summer 2024 Travel Report , 45% of Americans plan to take a trip requiring a hotel stay or flight this summer with expenses averaging just under $3,600. A fifth of those travelers expect to go into debt to pay for vacations.

Here’s what to consider when booking a summer trip, including where to go, when to travel and how to save.

Learn more: Best travel insurance

What is the best place to travel in summer? 

The answer is subjective, especially this summer.

“Everyone's kind of choosing their own adventure based off of what their needs are for travel,” Stanback said. 

Pinterest’s Summer 2024 Travel Report found summer travelers are most interested in adventure, exploring mysterious or uncharted destinations, and rest. Searches for “quiet life” jumped 530%, but that doesn’t mean the same thing to everyone.

“My mother actually just took a yoga retreat to Panama,” Stanback said. “That's what she needed to do in order to get the rest that she needed and the wellbeing that she needed. But for me, when I think of rest and restoration, I simply think about going to a beach spa and just sitting and being by myself.”

Solo travel remains popular. Solo travel searches reached an all-time in Google in January, but again, not for everyone.

“For Gen Z specifically, that need is to gather and reconnect with their community because they were in isolation for so long and during very meaningful moments in their lives,” Stanback said. She noted group travel and road trips are of keen interest to Gen Z.

“It's not necessarily about traveling and going out and going to restaurants and going to bars and clubs,” she added. “We actually see that a lot with younger generations. They’re kind of stepping away from that and really considering their well-being when they're taking time off.”

Where do most tourists go in summer?

Expedia’s Summer Outlook and Google Flights identified the same cities among their most searched summer 2024 destinations based on flights, though rankings varied by platform.

Top 5 domestic destinations 

• Los Angeles

Top 5 international destinations

• Paris, host of the Summer Olympics

Allianz Partners found slightly different results in their analysis of “more than six million flight itineraries for trips between five and eight days in length for travel booked between Memorial Day weekend and Labor Day.”

Instead of L.A. and Vegas, Allianz named Boston and Honolulu among this summer’s top five domestic destinations. Internationally, San Jose del Cabo, Mexico; Oranjestad, Aruba; and Punta Cana, Dominican Republic made Allianz’s top five, instead Rome, Paris and Tokyo.

“I am expecting crowds to rival last summer's in popular overseas cities,” Expedia’s travel expert Melanie Fish said, noting how places like Barcelona and Venice are trying to curb overtourism. “They're trying fees and if that's not enough, they're going to have to go even further.”

How can I save on a trip?

Summer trips are already costly for many travelers. “Americans with household income under $100,000 accounted for nearly half (46%) of intended leisure travel spend in summer 2023,” according to Deloitte’s Facing travel’s future report from April.

Expedia’s Fish shared five tips for booking summer 2024 vacations:

• Bundle your trip. Booking airfare and a hotel at the same time can earn you deep discounts.
• Travel midweek or later in the summer if it's an option. You'll save money and save yourself from fighting crowds. 
• Fly early in the day … The early bird who takes the first flight of the day will typically get a better price and a lower chance of delays and cancellations. 
• Book once, earn twice. You can stack rewards from your travel credit card (and) your airline.
• Just go. Don't pressure yourself to create the trip of a lifetime … Do it in a bite sized chunk if possible. 

'Expensive in every way': What travelers should expect this summer

How far ahead should I book travel?

“The sweet spot is now,” Fish said. “We're within that 21- to 60-day pre-travel window to save around 15% on airfare, so now is the time to plan. That means ready, set, but maybe wait until August to actually go.”

She said travelers can save an average of $250 on international flights if they wait until the peak summer travel season passes. 

“It's 15% cheaper on average to fly domestically in August versus June, 30% cheaper to fly to Europe in late summer, and 55% cheaper to fly to Mexico and the Caribbean in August,” she said. “Of course, August is peak hurricane season , so that has something to do with that price dip.”

Money latest: These are the most in-demand holiday destinations this year

Welcome back to our Money blog, where we bring you all the latest consumer and personal finance news and tips. This week we're kicking off by talking about holidays (seeing as the sun has finally come out), and we're answering a reader's Money Problem on an undeclared management fee.

Monday 6 May 2024 14:00, UK

• Bank of England 'not yet ready to cut interest rates'
• GoFundMe and loan sharks: How Britain's poorest are burying their loved ones in 2024
• The most in-demand holiday destinations this year

Essential reads

• Money Problem: My daughter discovered undeclared £600 management fee after buying her flat - can we complain?
• Cinema first is back - so should movie lovers unsubscribe? 
• 10 biggest mistakes people make in job interviews I Tell us your job interview mistakes/stories/tips in the comments box
• Train strikes in May - everything you need to know

Ask a question or make a comment

The UK economy would be better off if there were fewer buy-to-let landlords, the country's biggest investment company has said.

Legal and General Investment Management (LGIM) told The Telegraph that "unscrupulous" landlords were "taking people's deposits and giving them a bad experience". 

Bill Hughes, global head of real assets at L&G, said the rental sector needs an overhaul as too many buy-to-let landlords have been "suboptimal and substandard". 

L&G has built a portfolio of 10,000 build-to-rent homes in the last eight years, and predicts traditional landlords will gradually be replaced by purpose-built rental properties managed by institutions.

Single-sex toilets will be legally required in all new restaurants, bars, offices and shopping centres, the government has announced. 

It is set to change building regulations later this year to make it compulsory for premises to provide separate facilities for men and women. 

The move follows an increase in the use of gender-neutral toilets. 

The UK has installed a record number of public electric car chargers this year, figures show. 

Nearly 6,000 new chargers were installed in the first three months of the year, according to Zapmap analysis of government data. 

Some 1,500 of these were rapid chargers. 

A common concern among those hesitant to switch to electric vehicles is range anxiety or the fear of not being able to find a charger. 

By Emily Mee , Money team

Scroll through GoFundMe and it won't be long before you see them.

There's a widow left with her husband's financial struggles. Three young siblings trying to raise funds for their mum's send-off after her sudden death. A 25-year-old domestic violence victim whose family want to give her the send-off she deserves. 

There are scores of pages like this as an apparently increasing number of Britons struggle with funeral costs.

These costs have risen 126% in the last two decades, according to a recent report from SunLife. 

Where families would once have paid £1,835 for a basic funeral, they are now looking at costs of £4,141 on average. 

"People can't afford to bury their dead," says Pastor Mick Fleming, who runs the charity Church On The Street. 

He frequently spends his time helping families pay for funerals and providing his services as a minister for free, although he says there is simply too much demand for his small charity to help everyone. 

Government or local authority grants are available to help families with funeral costs, but Pastor Mick says these can come too late as undertakers will often require a partial payment upfront. 

There's an even darker side to this, too. 

"What we're now seeing is people who are poor can't walk into the bank and get a bank loan - the economy's tough at the minute," Pastor Mick says. 

"They can't get legitimate access to money so they can't borrow it and pay a decent standard rate back, so they have to go to loan sharks."

Many then find it impossible to pay the loan back and face threats from the criminals who lent them the money, says Pastor Mick.

He recalls: "There was a middle-aged lady, she had to borrow the money to bury her son. 

"She couldn't pay the money back so then she started to get threatened and intimidated. People turning up at the house. 

"It was pretty horrendous. She was getting suicidal. She was heartbroken already and she just couldn't get the money together."

The pastor says he was able to negotiate on her behalf - something he is now having to do as part of his charity work - but "you can't do that for everybody". 

A funeral without a service

The number of funeral-related fundraisers increased by 22% on GoFundMe last year, figures shared with Sky News reveal. 

Individual donations to these fundraisers increased by almost 400,000.

Many of these are trying to avoid their loved one being given a public health funeral, which is what happens if families are unwilling or unable to pay. 

Local authorities are legally obliged to carry out funerals in this case, but they are given little guidance from the government on what this should entail - meaning each council will have its own policy on what is or isn't included. 

In some cases, a service will not be offered and a person will be cremated or buried without the presence of family members. 

Other times, the family may be allowed to attend but they might not be able to get involved in the service. 

Generally, people will be cremated, unless they have asked not to be for religious or cultural reasons. 

Those who are buried will often have a grave with no marker, or they may be placed in a communal grave. 

"For someone that's lost a child or a husband or a wife or any loved one where you just haven't been able to provide closure, there's a sense of guilt that goes with it," Pastor Mick says.

As long as funeral costs remain eye-wateringly high, families across the country will be dealing with that guilt. 

This week will see the Bank of England announce its latest interest rates decision - and experts believe borrowers will have to wait longer to see rates come down. 

Policymakers appear set to hold out for stronger signs the cost-of-living crisis has abated, with economists widely expecting the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) to keep rates at the current level of 5.25%. 

Rates have been held at this level since August last year. 

At the last meeting in March, just one member of the MPC voted for rates to be cut by 0.25 percentage points, but the remaining eight members voted for no change.

Philip Shaw, chief economist at Investec, said: "This broad direction illustrates that collectively the committee is moving gradually towards a rate cut.

"It seems unlikely though to be ready to bite the bullet just yet and the Bank rate looks set to remain on hold at 5.25% for the sixth consecutive meeting."

Andrew Goodwin, chief UK economist for Oxford Economics, said data on services inflation and private sector regular pay growth has "likely extinguished any remaining hopes of a move in May".

As for whether rates could be cut in June or August, he said it is likely to be a "close call". 

Economists at HSBC are also expecting the first rate cut to come in June.

Interest rates are used as a tool to help bring down UK inflation. 

The brewing giant has announced it will invest £39m in revamping 600 of its pubs across the UK - a move that will create more than 1,000 new jobs. 

The investment plan will also see pubs in its retail arm, Star Pubs & Bars, revitalised to appeal to those working from home. 

Sixty-two pubs will be reopened this year and 94 sites are set for full refurbishments. 

The remaining pubs will receive varying upgrades. 

Heineken said it wanted to "broaden each pub's use and appeal" in response to an increase in people working from home, giving customers more reason to visit throughout the day.

The refurbished pubs will have dividing screens to create separate areas for different types of customers. 

Lawson Mountstevens, chief executive at Star Pubs & Bars, said: "Fundamentally, the changes in people's working habits means that in a lot of these suburban locations, you've got more people who are around those areas a lot more.

"It's not rocket science. Those people are looking for pubs of a certain standard."

Aldi remained the cheapest supermarket last month, new analysis shows. 

The retailer has won the crown of cheapest supermarket every month so far this year, according to research by Which?. 

An average basket of 67 popular groceries cost £112.90 - more than £30 cheaper than the most expensive supermarket, Waitrose. 

A basket of comparable items in Waitrose would cost £144.13 on average. 

Here is the breakdown for each supermarket... 

• Aldi - £112.90
• Lidl - £115.23 
• Asda - £126.98
• Tesco - £128.17 
• Sainsbury's - £131.02 
• Morrisons - £134.87 
• Ocado - £136.86 
• Waitrose - £144.13. 

Food price inflation has slowed to 4.5%, its lowest level since February 2022. 

Despite being the most expensive, Waitrose and Ocado were the only grocers to win new shoppers in the first three months of the year, according to research by Kantar. 

Every Monday we get an expert to answer your money problems or consumer disputes. Find out how to submit yours at the bottom of this post. Today's question is...

"My daughter recently bought a flat and has since learnt there is an extra £600 a year management fee that was not declared by the vendor during the sales process. We have been told that the vendor was heavily involved in negotiating the management contract. Can we complain?" J Mills

Serena Amani, managing director at Monarch Solicitors , has this advice...

The general principle when buying a property is "buyer beware", which means the onus is on the buyer to perform their due diligence before contracting to purchase.

The buyer's conveyancing solicitor interrogates the contractual documentation and raises relevant enquiries to ensure the full facts and obligations are available to the buyer to make an informed decision.

In this situation, it appears the seller has failed to disclose the management fee - we assume relating to the services provided to the estate.

We can't give specific advice as we don't have access to the contractual documentation. However, we would suggest:

• To check if the obligation to pay a management fee is set out in the lease if it is a leasehold property, or the transfer deed if it is a freehold property. These documents should contain what services are provided and what the related charges are. The most common scenario is that of a leasehold flat. In this situation the services shall be set out under the service charges section. Generally, there is a provision that allows a management company to charge a management fee as a percentage of the overall service charge bill which is shared among all the leaseholders based on the size of their apartment.
• If the obligation to pay the management fee is in the contract and your conveyancer failed to notify you of this obligation, there is a potential negligence claim against the conveyancer which can be pursued through their complaints process and escalated to the legal ombudsman.
• In the rare instance that the management fee is not stipulated in the contract, then you may wish to contact the management company to obtain certified accounts for the services provided and ask them on what contractual basis they are charging a management fee. Management companies are obliged by statute to provide this information.
• If there is no contractual basis or the fees are unreasonable then you may consider bringing a claim before the property tribunal. The tribunal has the power to make a ruling on the reasonability of the management fees. It should be noted that it can be a long and arduous process and legal fees are not always recoverable even if successful.
• Where a seller has supplied misleading information about a property that materially influenced the decision to purchase the property, this could give rise to a claim for misrepresentation. Likewise, intentional concealment of this information during the sales process could constitute a breach of contract or misrepresentation. 

For more specific advice, you may wish to contact a property lawyer experienced in the conveyancing process and service charge disputes.

This feature is not intended as financial advice - the aim is to give an overview of the things you should think about.  Submit your dilemma or consumer dispute via - and please leave your contact details as we cannot follow up consumer disputes without them.

• The form above - make sure you leave a phone number or email address
• Email [email protected] with the subject line "Money blog"
• WhatsApp us  here .

The long-awaited arrival of the sun in the last few days may have got you thinking ahead to the summer... which for many means holidays.

New analysis sent to the Money team has revealed the holiday resorts that Britons have been searching for over the last few months - although it's not a particularly sun-soaked destination that has come out on top.

Amsterdam is the most in-demand holiday destination for the UK, according to a study by Desert Safari Dubai Tours. 

The company looked at Google search data over the past 12 months to find which holiday destinations were most popular in the UK, using terms such as "holidays to", "flights to" and "trips to". 

Some 57,507 searches were carried out each month for trips to Amsterdam. 

The second most in-demand was Dubai , with an average of 52,544 monthly searches. 

Here is the rest of the list...

• New York - 51,169 
• Paris - 43,326 
• Tenerife - 43,305
• Barcelona - 41,664
• Dublin - 38,801
• Gran Canaria - 33,907
• Milan - 28,549
• Istanbul - 28,097

Meanwhile, data from holiday booking site Expedia suggests Britons are chasing the sun over the summer. 

Its trending destination data shows a 50% increase in searches for mainland Greece - while its islands of Santorini and Corfu remain popular. 

Interest is also surging in Mediterranean gem Malta (up 25%), seen as a more affordable destination. 

Searches are also up 50% for Albania , which has seen a surge in interest due to social media. 

The short-haul hotspot of Tunis has seen searches rocket by 130%. 

We're back for another week of consumer news, personal finance tips and all the latest on the economy.

This is how the week in the Money blog is shaping up...

Today : Every week we ask industry experts to answer your Money Problems . Today, a Money blog reader believes they may have been misled when buying their flat - but what can they do?

Tuesday : This week's  Basically...  explains everything you need to know about the Bank of England, ahead of Thursday's base rate decision. 

Wednesday : We speak to the chef at Tom Kerridge's two-starred pub The Hand And Flowers in Buckinghamshire for his Cheap Eats.

Thursday : It's decision day for the Bank of England, and while interest rates are expected to be held at 5.25%, we may learn more about when a cut will come.  Savings Champion  founder Anna Bowes will be back with her weekly insight into the savings market.

Friday : We will be getting the latest GDP figures on this day - which could signal the UK is no longer in recession. Plus, we'll have everything you need to know about the mortgage market this week with the guys from Moneyfacts.

Running every weekday, Money features a morning markets round-up from the  Sky News business team  and regular updates and analysis from our business, City and economic correspondents, editors and presenters -  Ed Conway ,  Mark Kleinman ,  Ian King ,  Paul Kelso  and  Adele Robinson .

You'll also be able to stream  Business Live with Ian King  weekdays at 11.30am and 4.30pm.

Bookmark  news.sky.com/money  and check back from 8am, and through the day, each weekday.

The Money team is Emily Mee, Bhvishya Patel, Jess Sharp, Katie Williams, Brad Young and Ollie Cooper, with sub-editing by Isobel Souster. The blog is edited by Jimmy Rice.

You filled out the job application, got the call (they're interested, phew!), but now... it's interview day.

If the thought of selling yourself to a stranger brings you out in a cold sweat, you're not alone - but you can help yourself by not making the following common mistakes...

1. Not dressing app ropriately

Paul Webley, managing director of Blaze Media Digital Marketing Agency in Merseyside, says: "If you are coming for an interview in a marketing agency, dress smart. No need to be in a suit. It's cute if you are but just dress how you would expect to dress in the job and, if in doubt, err on the side of being slightly smarter.

"With us, there are loads of photos of the team in the office on the website and socials (which you should have looked at) so there is no excuse."

Tell us your interview mistakes/stories/tips in the comments box

2. Handshake mishaps

Paul's second interview mistake is: "This one is a real pet hate and probably doesn't matter as much in the current world but... learn how to shake a person's hand. You have to do this within every job from time to time.

"There is nothing more off-putting than a limp shake. Having a firm, polite handshake is a basic human skill in business and beyond."

3. Complaining

This is another one from Paul: "We had someone a few months ago tell us that they didn't think they should have to come into the office for an interview. This was for an office-based role. If they don't think it's worth coming in then the job is not going to be for them."

4. Not checking your tech

Tas Ravenscroft, senior consultant at recruitment firm Cherry Pick People , says: "Overlooking details like the interview location or the platform being used (such as Teams), and not testing your tech beforehand, can disrupt the interview process. This is especially crucial as most first interviews are now conducted via video conferencing."

5. Bad mouthing previous employers

Tas says: "We see that candidates sometimes feel too comfortable on interview and decide to talk about their past experiences (if aggrieved) negatively, which is a big NO. Instead, my advice is to focus on the lessons learned and how you've grown from challenges in your career."

6. Not asking questions - or asking about benefits or sick pay policy

Tas says: "There are no right or wrong answers to this, but asking questions at the end of the interview is a big YES. It shows you're interested, engaged and would like the opportunity to either progress or land the role.

"I'd say in your first interview, ask about company culture, day to day tasks, expectations of this role, who's the best performer and why? 

"Questions I'd stay away from are benefit-related questions, or I recently had someone ask what the sick pay policy was like in the first interview… Safe to say they didn't get invited back. If you work with a recruiter, you will have salary and benefits info before, so no need to ask on interview."

7. Not showing enthusiasm

For Mike Carlucci, managing director of Reading-based Italian-food importer  Tenuta Marmorelle , this is a big one: "A lot of people at the moment are applying for everything and anything. They apply for hundreds of jobs.

"The result is that you get applicants who are not enthusiastic or passionate about the role or sector as they see it just as a job. There are few people looking for actual careers at the moment. In our industry, the food industry, you need to have passion and enthusiasm."

8. Talking too much

Andrew MacAskill, founder of Executive Career Jump , says: "Sometimes this is down to nerves, other times it is down to overthinking and often it is due to the questions being too broad, which leads to them saying lots and hoping the right answer is in there somewhere."

Ian Nicholas, global managing director at Reed , says a common slip-up people make is to carry on talking after giving their answer.

"Some interviewers may purposely leave a pause just to see how the interviewee will react under the pressure - so be confident in what you've said and know when you've finished."

9. Under-preparation

Habiba Khatoon, director of Robert Walters UK , says: "This means they haven't researched the company, are unaware of the key aspects of the role they are interviewing for and can't make connections between their CV and experience and the role.

"Most interviewers can easily catch on when a candidate has turned up unprepared and when they do, they can lose interest in that candidate quite quickly."

Italian food importer Mike agrees: "It is so important to spend five minutes to go on to the website, see what the company does, how they started and any general information you can get. This really makes someone stand out from the 100s of applicants."

10. Being late - or too early

James Rowe, managing director of the Recruitment Experts , says: "I would suggest arriving 20 minutes early to give you time to prepare, but don't walk through the door too soon! Turning up five to 10 minutes prior to your interview start time shows you're punctual but won't rush the hiring manager… they need breaks too!"

By Brad Young , Money team

Almost half of Britons (45%) subscribe to two or more streaming services, according to comparison website Finder, but box office figures show the theatre-going experience is making a comeback. 

The pendulum is swinging back from streaming-first to theatre-first releases, and streaming platforms like Amazon and Apple are making moves on to the big screen with the likes of Saltburn and American Fiction, or Killers of the Flower Moon and Napoleon. 

That means movie-lovers are facing a conundrum, according to a senior media analyst: should they prioritise spending cash on trips to the cinema or on streaming if they want to see the biggest and best movies? 

"People are making decisions on 'what am I going to allocate to the movie theatre experience, what am I going to allocate to streaming?'" Paul Dergarabedian, of Comscore, told the Money blog.

Cinema's revival is real, according to Philip Clapp, chief executive of the UK Cinema Association. 

"Certainly the major US studios see the theatrical experience, the big screen experience, as where they want their major films to be and then benefitting from the promotional buzz that comes from that," Mr Clapp said. 

Disney chief executive Bob Iger said last year that theatrically released films were "great sub drivers".

"We benefit greatly from the power of our great films, they drive so much engagement and so much interest in our platforms," he said, pointing to Moana, Marvel, Star Wars and Avatar.

Mr Clapp added this year was a "key stepping stone" to an offering similar to before the pandemic, but cinema wouldn't be back to full strength until next year.

In the pandemic, studios experimented with straight-to-streaming releases, which continued even after restrictions fell away.

Mr Dergarabedian said: "When the pandemic hit it was a real stress test on the industry because a lot of people thought theatrical was dying on the vine and that it would be going away at some point in the near future - and then the pandemic accelerated that demise in the minds of some."

But audiences have voted with their feet and instructed studios they want more variety: international films, stadium concert films, videogame adaptations, prestige films and horrors.

Smile, a Paramount horror movie on a $17m budget that could have been straight-to-streaming, had a "great result" at the box office, said Mr Dergarabedian, as did Five Nights at Freddy's. 

Low and mid-budget movies have been the slowest to recover but are returning to the big screen, making the theatre offering more diverse this year, Mr Clapp added.

Mr Dergarabedian said Universal's "diverse portfolio" was the one to beat: it spent the last year putting out everything from action films like Fast X, prestige movies like Oppenheimer, animations like Migration and some spookier offerings too.

Going theatrical still comes with a risk, the analyst said. A flop on the big screen leaves studios with a big hit to their bottom line, having spent large amounts on distribution and marketing. 

But films "tend to have more value" once they arrive on a streaming platform if they were released in cinemas first, including lower budget movies.

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