In 2025, Osaka in Japan has claimed the top spot in the Yanolja Attractiveness Index, overtaking Kyoto, also in Japan, (#3) and surpassing long-established tourism powerhouses such as Paris in France (#2), New York in the United States (#4), and Seoul in South Korea (#5).
Tag: Spain
European Commission pumps €2.8 billion in 94 transport infrastructure projects
The European Commission has announced in July 2025 the selection of 94 transport infrastructure projects to receive nearly €2.8 billion in grants under the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF), a flagship EU funding instrument aimed at building a sustainable and interconnected transport network across the continent.
BELGIUM | Council of State backs NMBS / SNCB’s choice of Spanish CAF for multi-billion train order
The Council of State has dismissed an appeal by Siemens and rejected a request from NGOs, clearing the way for Belgian state railway NMBS / SNCB to move forward with its plans to order hundreds of new trainsets from Spanish manufacturer CAF. A ruling on a parallel case brought by French rival Alstom is still…
SICILY | Palermo Cathedral
March 2025. We’re embarking on a train trip to Sicily. We fly from Brussels Airport to Leonardo da Vinci Rome Fiumicino Airport with ITA Airways. Then we take an Intercity Notte sleeper train by Trenitalia from Roma Termini Railway Station across Italy to Syracuse. Yes, the train is loaded on a ferry to cross the…
JEJU ISLAND | Eongal Coastal Trail and Iho Tewoo Horse Lighthouses
Autumn 2024. Ten years after my first trip to Seoul in 2014, I am returning to the Republic of Korea, better known as South Korea. Not solo this time, but with Oriol, who has never been to Korea. On the itinerary: flying with Qatar Airways to Incheon via Doha, the capital Seoul, the historic city…
5 million passengers flew from and to Brussels Airport in summer 2025
In August 2025, the second month of the summer holiday, Brussels Airport in Zaventem, Belgium welcomed 2.5 million passengers, an increase of 3% compared to August 2024. Because of the end of the school holidays, the number of arriving passengers was very high, the airport manager says in a press release.
ANTWERP SUMMER 2025 | 2.9 million day-trippers and 552,161 overnight stays
The City of Antwerp reported on 2 September a successful 2025 summer season, with events such as Bollekesfeest, Antwerp Pride and concerts by international artists including Ed Sheeran drawing significantly more international visitors to the city.
Brussels Airlines carried nearly 2 million passengers this summer
Brussels Airlines reports a strong 2025 summer season, having transported over 1.9 million passengers on almost 13,000 flights in July and August, a 12% increase compared to 2024. The addition of more aircraft to the fleet enabled the airline to expand capacity and meet high demand.
SICILY | Catania
March 2025. We’re embarking on a train trip to Sicily. We fly from Brussels Airport to Leonardo da Vinci Rome Fiumicino Airport with ITA Airways. Then we take an Intercity Notte sleeper train by Trenitalia from Roma Termini Railway Station across Italy to Syracuse. Yes, the train is loaded on a ferry to cross the…
NMBS / SNCB’s AM30 / MR30 order faces political and legal headwinds as costs of delay mount
The Belgian national rail operator NMBS / SNCB is under mounting pressure over its planned order of new trains from Spanish manufacturer Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles (CAF), as political debate, legal challenges and international criticism threaten to delay the procurement.
Trip By Trip 