Mark Johanson

Computer-generated imagery may have enhanced New Zealand's already otherworldly peaks and valleys, but what you see in The Lord of the Rings films is the real deal and is certain to fill you with the giddiness of a hobbit.

Forget New York, Paris or Sydney. Take a closer look at the map, and you?ll find a whole host of overlooked cities just begging to be explored.

There?s a green-tinged cloud circling Orlando as executives at Disney World and Universal Studios stare each other down with dollar-sign eyes to see who will become America?s most expensive theme park.

Several travel agencies in China are reporting that foreigners have been banned from traveling to the Tibet Autonomous Region, the Chinese name for Central Tibet.

Joining a growing trend for extreme dining -- from supper in the dark to eating in the jungle -- Dinner in the Sky takes the concept to, well, new heights, with a select group of guests sitting around a table suspended 160 feet in the air.

The discovery of ?vampire? skeletons in the Black Sea town of Sozopol made headlines across the globe and now the local Bulgarian media reports that tourism officials believe the frenzy can pump more blood into the nation?s growing tourism industry.

Space shuttle Enterprise took its final journey Wednesday to its retirement home on a floating museum off the western edge of New York City and you can check it out in person in just over a month's time.

What will the 2012 Atlantic hurricane season be like? When are hurricanes most likely to hit the Southeast? The Caribbean? Can I get a refund if my vacation is a washout?

History is made all around us all the time,? said Stephanie Meeks, President of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The trust just released its 2012 list of America's 11 most endangered historic places.

Sixty-eight years after the D-Day invasion, the beaches of Normandy are now pilgrimage sites -- a treasure trove of history amidst a prosaic land.

Asia's newest long-haul budget carrier Scoot took off on its maiden flight from Singapore to Sydney Monday, using a novel approach to saving fuel: iPads.

On Monday, Hawaiian Airlines will fly into its first major market on the East Coast, New York City, expanding its reach across the United States.

When a Dana Air plane crashed in Lagos, Nigeria on Sunday, it aroused concerns that, despite improvements made over the last five years, there are still major safety issues in the nation?s aviation industry.

In the 1960s and 1970s, thousands of rebellious Europeans, Americans, and Aussies threw caution to the wind and traded their suburban upbringings for sarongs, sandals, and the allure of the East, marching along the hippie trail on a journey that would forever alter the course of history.

Got an extra long weekend to explore the British capital where Queen Elizabeth II will be celebrating her 60th year on the throne with a massive Diamond Jubilee party? Come explore London amid the royal hoopla.

Governor Andrew Cuomo just broke New York?s heart. Literally. He got rid of it. In a move some New Yorkers are calling ?heartless,? he?s replaced the iconic logo I Love NY with ?I [fill in the blank] NY.?

It has been 18 months since the Arab Spring swept through the Middle East, and, while some nations have emerged with a renewed spirit, others have plunged into daily violence. Here's a country-by-country look at travel and tourism in the region as it stands now.

A new public restroom would hardly be news in Japan if it wasn?t billed as the world's largest toilet.

Marriott International Inc., the largest publicly traded U.S. hotel operator, plans to acquire Gaylord Entertainment Co.?s namesake hotel brand and management company, for $210 million.

Surprisingly, the dollar isn't quite the disaster it has been for the last few vacation seasons. Here's a look at five countries where those holding greenbacks can save big.

Anthony Bourdain is traveling to an unlikely destination, surfing across the airwaves to CNN.

Americans have long been in love with Puerto Rico's high-yielding municipal bonds. Now the Caribbean island hopes they will flock to its sand, surf and spanking new resorts to help pay off massive debts.

With 12,383 miles of coastline, the U.S. has a plethora of beaches -- but only one can be the best.

Spend a couple of days exploring this fascinating subculture of Turkey and you will discover an area steeped in ancient history, hospitality and tolerance.

According to a new report from the Global Business Travel Association, 12- to 15-hour flights to China may soon become the norm for U.S. and European business travelers.

How green is your city?

AAA projects 34.8 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more from home during the 2012 Memorial Day holiday weekend, but most are still concerned about their budget.

The 2,080-foot Tokyo Skytree, the world's tallest freestanding tower, opened to the public on Tuesday.

The WTTC argues that travel and tourism?s contribution to GDP is faster than most other sectors in the Americas and will grow by 3.6 percent over the next 10 years, a much faster rate than mining (1.5 percent), education (2 percent), chemicals (2.5 percent) and financial services (3.4 percent).