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New research from leading travel app Expedia® reveals the over-scheduled holiday season has prompted many Americans to plan a “nothing-cation,” a trip where warm weather and relaxation are the main attractions. According to a survey of 4,000 U.S. travelers conducted during December, more than a third (34%) report feeling burned out from the holidays, and nearly everyone surveyed (96%) plans to spend a portion of their next trip doing absolutely nothing.Expedia internal data confirms January is one of the top months for researching and booking beach vacations, which is a favorite trip type for nothing-cationers. On average, about a quarter of getaways planned during the first month of the year are to beach destinations, and many hotspots including Cancun, Riviera Maya, Punta Cana and Oahu are already seeing double-digit increases in demand compared to the same time in 2019.2
“There’s a time and place for an action-packed vacation itinerary, but our data shows the first trip after the hectic holiday season calls for a more relaxed agenda,” says Melanie Fish, head of Expedia Group brands public relations. “For most travelers, getting the most out of their next vacation means setting aside dedicated time for nothing. One trick to avoid unnecessary stress while planning a nothing-cation is to bundle flights, hotel and car rental on the Expedia app, which not only saves you time but more than 10% off the price on average.”
When nothing is really something:According to Expedia’s research, nearly half (47%) of travelers say they like to start off the new year with a trip on the calendar to look forward to, as a remedy for feeling anxious (31%) or tired of cold and rainy weather (34%) in January. Furthermore, most (62%) agree that “doing nothing” is their favorite part of vacation and consider it time well-spent (61%).
Parents of young children (4 years old and under) are particularly in need of a nothing-cation, reporting higher levels of post-holiday burnout than average (49% compared to 34%). For them, a successful nothing-cation consists of watching movies in bed, reading and ordering room-service rather than dining out.
Plan a nothing-cation to remember:Travelers will have a chance to win $4,500 in Expedia points on January 18, 2023, by following @expedia on Tiktok, to use on a nothing-cation of their own.ADVERTISEMENTReady for some nothing-cation inspiration? Expedia’s travel experts compiled a shortlist of idyllic tropical destinations far from the crowds and perfect for days spent doing a whole lot of nothing. Head over to the Expedia Explore blog to learn more, including recommendations on where to stay.
Kauai, HawaiiCosta RicaFijiNevis, CaribbeanKoh Samui, ThailandAlgarve, PortugalSanibel Island, Florida

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Orlando, the most visited destination in the U.S. and Theme Park Capital of the World, kicks off 2023 with a wide a range of all-new experiences for visitors to enjoy.“Orlando is an ever-growing destination offering incredible new experiences, unique places to stay and diverse dining for travelers,” said Casandra Matej, president and CEO of Visit Orlando. “With major new attractions opening at our theme parks, several brand-new hotels ranging from luxury to budget, and increased accessibility for travelers to arrive in Orlando, 2023 is the perfect time to visit our unbelievably real destination.”
Continuous updates on what’s new in Orlando can be found at VisitOrlando.com, the official visitor information source for the destination.
ATTRACTIONS
Walt Disney World Resort Based on the Disney sci-fi film TRON: Legacy, TRON Lightcycle / Run will open at Magic Kingdom Park in spring and take guests across a world without horizons in a high-stakes race in their very own Lightcycle.
Magic Kingdom Park’s updated nighttime spectacular will feature the return “Happily Ever After.”ADVERTISEMENTJourney of Water, inspired by Moana, opening late 2023 within World Nature at EPCOT, allows guests to explore and engage with water as it travels from the skies to the oceans and back again. Universal Orlando Resort Universal’s Great Movie Escape at Universal CityWalk is an escape room experience inspired by Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment’s blockbuster films Jurassic World and Back to the Future.
Opening this summer inside a new Minion land at Universal Studios Florida, Illumination’s Villain-Con Minion Blast will be a game-based adventure where guests encounter immersive environments, nefarious villains and mischievous Minions from Illumination’s blockbuster films. SeaWorld Orlando Parks & Entertainment Debuting spring at SeaWorld Orlando, Pipeline: The Surf Coaster will be the world’s first “Surf Coaster” offering immersive design elements, including a dynamic surfing launch and “wave jumping” motions.
LEGOLAND Florida Resort

LEGOLAND Florida’s family-friendly treasure hunt adventure – Pirate River Quest – will take guests through the uncharted waters of the legendary Cypress Gardens to discover the secrets protecting its canals starting early 2023.
HOTELS & RESORTS
Conrad Orlando will debut with 433 rooms, 40,000 square feet of indoor meeting space, a tranquil spa, numerous dining options and signature rooftop experience this fall. The hotel will be the first phase of Evermore Orlando Resort, a massive 10,000-bedroom resort complex.
Drury Plaza Hotel Orlando — Disney Springs® Area, the newest official Walt Disney Partner Hotel, will be completed in the spring with 604 guestrooms, resort-style pool, splash pad, extensive marketplace and dining, complimentary hot breakfast and evening snacks, shuttle service to all four Walt Disney World® Resort theme parks and more.
Opening in winter and located in the International Drive Resort area, Cambria Hotel Orlando Universal Blvd is a 118-room property offering amenities including rooftop pool and lounge, state-of-the-art fitness center, the sophisticated Veer Kitchen & Bar restaurant and more.
Opening this fall, Aloft Lake Nona will be a six-story, 205-room music-themed property featuring a 10,000 square-foot conference center and full-service restaurant.
JW Marriott Orlando, Grande Lakes completed several multimillion-dollar renovations with new amenities and offerings, including an expansive waterpark, refreshed rooms/suites, inspired executive family suites, and redesigned lobby lounge.
Visitors staying at Grand Bohemian Hotel Orlando will experience new additions – like the upscale Altira Rooftop Pool Lounge – and reimagined guest rooms and spaces like the property’s signature restaurant, The Boheme, and the Bösendorfer Lounge.
Award-winning boutique hotel The Alfond Inn at Rollins will complete renovations of 112 existing rooms/suites and add 71 luxury guestrooms and suites, meeting space and lobby café this summer. A new spa will feature seven treatment rooms and fitness area.
DINING & NIGHTLIFE
The Cake Bake Shop by Gwendolyn Rogers, an Indiana-based table service restaurant and bakery, will open a new location at Disney’s BoardWalk in Walt Disney World Resort in 2023, offering savory and sweet options and afternoon tea service in a whimsical atmosphere.
Brew Theory Marketplace, an all-new food hall coming to Apopka summer, will feature a full liquor bar, Brew Theory taproom, a beer garden and more.
Opening early 2023 in the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin, Rosa Mexicano will feature a menu showcasing a contemporary interpretation of authentic Mexican cuisine and an extensive beverage program boasting over 100 varieties of tequila and agave-based spirits.
Pointe Orlando has two new restaurant additions. KAVAS Tacos + Tequila, a concept by the owners of Tapa Toro and Taverna Opa, pays tribute to Mexico’s rich culinary history, with fresh tableside experiences and recipes hand-crafted from the freshest ingredients. JoJo’s ShakeBAR, offers a modern diner experience featuring incredibly Instagram-worthy desserts, milkshakes and smashburgers.
Dizzy Donuts, from Pizza Bruno’s Bruno Zacchini, is slated to open by early 2023 in College Park serving hot, made-to-order donuts tossed in different toppings, as well as prepared donuts dressed in more elaborate flavors.
ARTS & CULTURE
Orlando Fringe will open “Fringe ArtSpace,” a year-round performing arts venue this January in downtown Orlando. The 9,100 square foot space will include two performing theater spaces offering a mix of performances and pop-up events.
Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts will open Judson’s this fall, a dynamic music room offering intimate cabaret-style seating for live performances. Judson’s joins Steinmetz Hall, Walt Disney Theater and Alexis & Jim Pugh Theater as the fourth performance space in the $613 million, 9-acre venue.
TRANSPORTATION
Brightline Orlando Station, located at Orlando International Airport’s Terminal C, will connect domestic and international visitors traveling between Orlando and Miami with stops in Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach. Riders will enjoy touchless ticketing, premium in-station lounges, complimentary WiFi, and bars and restaurants at every Brightline station.

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As we enter the new year, the latest results from the Henley Passport Index provide fascinating insights into a world characterized by extraordinary upheaval and offer a revealing look at what lies ahead.For the fifth year running, Japan crowns the index, which is based on exclusive data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and ranks all the world’s 199 passports according to the number of destinations their holders can access without a prior visa.
Japanese citizens can now visit an astonishing 193 destinations out of 227 visa-free, while those of South Korea and Singapore, which are tied in 2nd place, enjoy a visa-free/visa-on-arrival score of 192. Germany and Spain are joint 3rd, with visa-free access to 190 destinations worldwide. The UK and the US remain in 6th and 7th places, with scores of 187 and 186, respectively, and appear increasingly unlikely to regain the top spot they jointly held nearly a decade ago. 
Afghanistan remains firmly at the bottom of the Henley Passport Index, with a score of just 27 — 166 fewer visa-free destinations than Japan — the widest global mobility gap in the index’s 18-year history. Chairman of Henley & Partners, Dr. Christian H. Kaelin, says the firm’s latest research into the link between visa-free travel and global economic access unpacks what passport power means in concrete financial terms. “For global citizens, a better measure of economic mobility and fiscal opportunity afforded by their passports is to look at the percentage share of global GDP accessible to them visa-free. Our latest research into how much global economic access each passport provides is a useful tool for investors and gives new insight into the ever-widening inequality and wealth disparity that defines our world.”
Direct link between passport strength and economic power
On a macro level, the new study by Henley & Partners reveals that just 6% of passports worldwide give their holders visa-free access to more than 70% of the global economy. And only 17% of countries give their passport holders visa-free access to more than four-fifths of the world’s 227 destinations.ADVERTISEMENTThe Japanese passport gives visa-free access to 85% of the world and, collectively, these countries account for a whopping 98% of the global economy (Japan’s own GDP contribution is around 5%). In contrast, the Nigerian passport at the lower end of the index provides visa-free access to only 46 destinations (20% of the world), which account for just 1.5% of global GDP. The lowest ranked Afghanistan passport provides visa-free access to just 12% of the world and less than 1% of global economic output.
Dr. Areef Suleman, Director of Economic Research and Statistics at the Islamic Development Bank Institute, says cross-country visa-free access to more stable economies helps investors mitigate country- or jurisdiction-specific risks. “In general, greater access to the world’s economic output is advantageous as it expands the basket of products available to any individual. While this is also attainable through international trade, the options with physical access are far greater, extending to the use of services that are non-exportable such as better-quality education and healthcare.”
In terms of percentage of global GDP, the US and China have the lion’s share, with 25% and 19%, respectively, but American passport holders can access a further 43% of the world’s economic output visa-free, bringing their total to 68%, whereas Chinese passport holders can access only an additional 7% visa-free, taking their total to just 26% of global GDP.
Looking at another set of comparisons, South Korea and Russia have similar national GDPs of around 1.9% of global economic output. However, South Korea has a visa-free score of 192, giving its passport holders access to 81% of global GDP, while Russia has a score of just 118, providing its passport holders with access to only 19% of the world’s economy. India fares even worse, despite having the world’s fifth-largest economy: its passport holders can access just 59 destinations worldwide and only 6.8% of global GDP, of which the country’s own GDP accounts for around half.
Prof. Trevor Williams, former chief economist at Lloyd’s Bank Commercial Banking, says the research proves the causal relationship between the ability to travel, foreign investment in a country, increased trade, and economic growth. “These links are mutually reinforcing and agglomerative. Skills and talent go where there is the ability to work, invest, and travel, attracting others wishing to do the same and creating a positive loop.”
The war in Ukraine: shockwaves continue
The Ukraine war is yet to have a significant impact on the Henley Passport Index scores of Russia and Ukraine, with both countries retaining roughly the same position ‘on paper’ since the invasion nearly a year ago. Russia is currently ranked 49th with a score of 118, while Ukraine sits 13 places above, ranking 36th with a score of 144. However, due to airspace closures and sanctions, Russian citizens are effectively barred from traveling throughout most of the developed world, with the marked exceptions of the UAE and Türkiye, which have become focal points.
Ukrainians, on the other hand, have been granted the right to live and work in the EU for up to three years under an emergency plan in response to what has become Europe’s biggest refugee crisis this century. Already one of the biggest climbers on the Henley Passport Index, moving up 24 places over the past decade, Ukraine would likely break into the Top Ten most powerful passports in the world if it were to join the EU. Negotiations for membership are due to begin in earnest in the next few months after the EU approved Ukraine’s application for EU candidate status in record time last June.
Leading financial journalist and author, Misha Glenny, says it’s hard to overestimate how the continuing conflict will dictate global politics and the economy throughout 2023. “It’s a brutal ground war in which one combatant possesses more nuclear warheads than any other country on the planet. The Russian and Ukrainian economies exert a huge influence over two vital sectors of the global economy — energy and agriculture. This has been reflected in steep price rises, turning a manageable inflationary struggle into a dangerous one.”
While Asian countries still dominate the very top of the index, the growing passport strength of Gulf states has been identified as a key trend in the coming year. The UAE has climbed an astonishing 49 places over the past 10 years. Ranking 64th in 2013, with a visa-free score of just 72, the UAE now sits in 15th place, with a score of 178 and access to nearly 70% of global GDP. Analysts anticipate that Kuwait and Qatar will sign a visa-free deal with the EU this year — a move that will dramatically enhance their Henley Passport Index scores.

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