The March issue includes a recap of our annual award festivities, held at L’Ermitage Beverly Hills. We were excited to celebrate our 21st anniversary of the GT Tested Reader Survey awards in Los Angeles on Dec. 11. We continue to support the efforts to return the fire-ravaged areas to the way they were when our event took place. Our hearts go out to the victims in the Palisades, Altadena and other affected areas.
As travelers, you need to know Los Angeles is open for business, and nothing should keep you from visiting and enjoying the city. I completed a trip a few weeks ago, staying at Sofitel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills. I enjoyed its main restaurant, Esterel, which has been reimagined as a fusion of Asian and Latin cuisines. It was also great to catch up with Jason Ro, director of sales and marketing, who offered a tour and update, which I will cover in a future GT Tested review. Traversing from West Los Angeles to El Segundo most of the trip, I was pleased to land home at the Sofitel in the evenings.
A special shout out to the winners who have taken the awards for all 21 years — including United Airlines MileagePlus, Chicago O’Hare International Airport and Asiana Airlines — and those who continue to shake up the voting results. Voting is taking place now for the 2025 GT Tested Reader Survey awards; you can either complete the form in this copy of Global Traveler or the digital version located at globaltravelerusa.com/gt-tested-awards- ballot.
Our next event — the 13th Leisure Lifestyle Awards — takes place May 22 at the beautiful InterContinental Miami. Join us as we award our readers’ selections for the best cruise lines, destinations and airlines in the luxury leisure sector. Weddings, weddings … it seems to be the year of weddings! We are traveling to Austin, Philadelphia, Ireland and the United Kingdom, all in a short period. It’s also time to start thinking about where to go for my October birthday — I will reveal that tough decision in a subsequent letter.
Happy traveling!
Francis X. Gallagher, publisher and CEO
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Insta FeedApril 2025
Apr 6, 2025A World of Wellness
According to Merriam-Webster, wellness, a noun, is defined as “the quality or state of being in good health especially as an actively sought goal.” As the definition states and as the travel industry knows, wellness reaches far beyond just simply being not sick; for some, the idea of wellness is an entire lifestyle. Wellness is sought daily, at home and, for many, while traveling. The meaning of the word can also shape-shift depending on the person. Maybe for you it’s morning meditation every day, while for your neighbor it’s splurging on a luxury spa day while on a beach vacation.
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Apr 6, 2025Good to Go
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Wellness has been a buzzword in the travel space for a handful of years now, and it is here to stay. “Wellness travel is no longer a trend; it’s a transformative shift in how people approach travel as a whole,” said Robin Ruiz, founder and CEO, Wellness in Travel + Tourism. “In today’s fast-paced world, our lives are increasingly full and often overwhelming, which is why travelers are turning to wellness-focused trips that prioritize well-being. People no longer just want a break from their daily routine — they want experiences that nourish their mental, physical and emotional wellbeing.”
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Apr 2, 2025Wyndham Sun Moon Lake Review
Sun Moon Lake has long been the go-to place for Taiwanese families and friend groups to escape Taipei, Kaohsiung and other bustling cities with its fresh air, thick forests, clear water, misty sunrises and alpine views. Wyndham Sun Moon Lake, opened November 2024, provides international visitors with an even greater incentive to rent a car or take high-speed rail (TaiChung HRS) to explore this “best-kept secret” area.
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