Breathe the sweetness that hovers in August. — Denise Levertov
Denise Levertov, a prolific British-born poet who became an American citizen, offers a line that feels perfect for our August issue. It also serves as a gentle farewell to the height of summer travel. Although summer officially continues until Sept. 21—and recent years have kept us warm well into autumn—travel calendars and travelers themselves tend to treat Labor Day weekend as the turning point away from peak-summer getaways.
This season has been one of recognition and celebration. In June we presented our Leisure Lifestyle Awards, and this issue highlights the winners of the ninth annual Trazees, chosen by readers of our sister site trazeetravel.com, as well as the second annual Industry Leader Awards from the FXExpress Publications, Inc. family of brands. Find the Trazees on page 40 and the Industry Leader Awards on page 36.
Many of our team wrapped up the summer at the Global Business Travel Association’s annual convention in Dallas, Texas. Business travel has returned robustly—perhaps a touch behind leisure travel but clearly back—and it was energizing to reconnect with industry colleagues. On page 20, GBTA CEO Suzanne Neufang shares her perspective on the rebound and what’s next for corporate travel.
On a personal note, my summer travels concluded with a classic trip “down the shore,” as locals call vacations to the Jersey shore. My husband and I split time with family in Ocean City, New Jersey, then enjoyed a weekend “babymoon” in Cape May, the same place we celebrated our 2020 honeymoon during the pandemic. Travel plans for the coming months will look a bit different for us: we’re expecting our first child next month. The photo in this issue dates from a Memorial Day escape to the Poconos, taken when my bump was a little smaller than it is now.
Across the pages of this issue, travel with us to Cusco, Peru; Dallas; Prague; Cartagena, Colombia; Bali; Amsterdam; Cape Town; Joshua Tree, California; the Islands of Tahiti; and India’s Taj Mahal. There’s plenty to inspire both near and far trips. Next month we set sail for our annual Cruising Issue. Until then, savor the sweetness of travel.
Kimberly Inlander, Editor-in-Chief