May 2026 International Air Passenger Travel U.S. International Air Travel Declines Slightly in May 2026, Overseas Visitation Down 6.5%to and from the United States: International air passenger travel to and from the United States decreased slightly in… dlvr.it/TT3D6v

High-speed rail is the infrastructure of the 21st century. One country has more of it than the rest of the world combined. Canada 🇨🇦 is still unseen on this list. That should change. visualcapitalist.com/ranked-… via @visualcap

On June 13, 1777, a 19-year-old French teenager landed on a beach in South Carolina, uninvited, to fight in someone else's war. He would become one of the most important men in American history. The Marquis de Lafayette was one of the richest young aristocrats in France. He had a beautiful wife, a fortune, and zero reason to risk any of it. But he believed in the American cause so fiercely that when the French king forbade him from going, Lafayette bought his own ship and sailed anyway. He literally went AWOL from a life of luxury to bleed for a country that didn't exist yet. Congress was annoyed at first. Another foreign officer looking for a paycheck? Then Lafayette offered to serve for free and pay his own way. That got their attention. He met Washington and the two formed one of the great father-son bonds in American history. Washington had no biological children. Lafayette named his only son George Washington Lafayette. He took a bullet in the leg at Brandywine and kept rallying the retreat. He was instrumental at Yorktown, the battle that won the war. He went home a hero on two continents. A foreign teenager believed in America before America did. 249 years ago today.

⚽ 'Instead of building the stadium, they could have built a hospital.' Why World Cups and Olympics rarely pay off for host cities. Listen to this week's Reuters Econ World podcast reut.rs/441mlUd

Shut out? Toronto supporters face up to brutal costs of their own World Cup party. Cities bear the immense financial burden of hosting, while Fifa is able to take the revenue from ticket sales and broadcasting, and pay no taxes on it. theguardian.com/football/202…

My piece on World Cup joint favouries Les Bleus and how Bill Shankly's remark that football is much, much more than a matter of life and death is particularly true in France. Go Les Bleus! observer.co.uk/news/sport/ar…

⚽ 'Instead of building the stadium, they could have built a hospital.' Why World Cups and Olympics rarely pay off for host cities. Listen to this week's Reuters Econ World podcast reut.rs/3QA22Kw

One of my favorite anecdotes from the build-up to this World Cup, which reveals so much about the collision between FIFA and U.S. cities. The day a FIFA exec told Los Angeles that LA needed to be “put on the map.” @TheAthleticFC

The French national team (Les bleus!) are enjoying Canadian hospitality @FourSeasons Boston! x.com/equipedefrance/status/…

With the World Cup, U.S. tourism may experience a boost, but not a cure. Via @Euromonitor euromonitor.com/article/the-…?

The 2026 World Cup, spread across 16 cities in three countries, could generate between 7.8 and 9 million metric tons of CO₂, according to two independent analyses — making it the most carbon-intensive tournament in the event’s history. The higher estimate, from researchers at Scientists for Global Responsibility and the Environmental Defense Fund, was reached by modelling stadium capacity, match numbers and flight patterns. Carbon accounting firm Greenly put the figure at 7.8 million tons and agreed on the cause: the vast distances fans and teams must travel across the United States, Mexico and Canada. hubs.li/Q04k_hjV0

Toronto is one of the host cities for the World Cup and from what I've seen the vibes just aren't there. This is one of the most global and multicultural cities there is but everything is so overpriced and it just feels like this thing wasn't built for ordinary locals to enjoy.

On a parlé de la désaffection des Québécois pour les voyages aux USA avec @tvanouvelles: Vacances estivales: les Québécois boudent toujours les États-Unis. A écouter: tvanouvelles.ca/videos/63980…

#News | Paris ranked the world’s best city for museums in 2026. The French capital topped the world’s best city for museums, based on feedback from 24,000 residents across more than 150 cities. Paris was the only city to score 97% approval.

A World Cup for them (the USA), not for the fans bbc.com/news/articles/cx212p…?

Toronto used tax dollars to scalp World Cup tickets. Their ideal buyer? “Passionate supporters of the countries playing in Toronto.” They literally budgeted public money to fleece tourists.

A trip to Amsterdam is set to become a lot more expensive. The city’s coalition government unveiled plans this week to raise the tourist tax on overnight stays from 12.5% to 16% next year, and then increase it by one percentage point each year until it hits 20% in 2030. “Tourism contributes to the city’s economy, but at the same time places significant pressure on public spaces, quality of life, and municipal facilities,” the municipal government said. hubs.li/Q04kmf2v0

NEW!! Sweden's migration minister says it's "insane" that Russian citizens are enjoying European holidays and shopping trips while Ukrainians face death on the battlefield, urging the European Commission to impose stricter rules on tourist visas for Russians.