Digital Diplomacy is a topic that, for most people, conjures up images of embassies conversing with foreign governments and broadcasting information, messages and well -- propaganda -- to impact foreign policy goals.

I covered the challenges that the U.S. Embassy in Cairo faced using social media in an

There has been a lot of buzz about Virginia wines. Awards, expansion, boutique wineries and exclusive clubs have been the focus of much press. Ann Tran and I decided it was time to venture 45 minutes outside D.C. to find out what was happening in our own backyard. When Google...

(Note: If you are standing in a passport line reading this, bookmark it and wait until you are home. It won't help and will only frustrate you. You should have applied for Global Entry last year.)

For the past months (years), all of the news about air travel, airlines and...

There is another report of a Mega Cruise ship with power problems (read: bathrooms overflowing, no A/C) in the Gulf of Mexico. This time it is the Carnival Dream with 4200 passengers on board.

In Titanic-scenarios we all wonder if there are enough life boats for all,...

Are you struggling to develop a social media policy for your business, organization, brand or nonprofit? You are not alone. If you think the manual has been written or the case study highlighted for you to emulate -- think again. But there are lessons to be gleaned along the way.

Just over a year ago, I was sitting taking notes (handwritten) at a Four Seasons Preferred Partners meeting in Nevis. Listening to the excellent presentations, I was struck by my colleague sitting next to me. Stacy Small (@EliteTravelGal), President and Founder of Elite Travel International, who was busy tweeting away....

After many trips to London, for both business and pleasure, my Day one routine is fixed. Most Americans arrive dead tired after an overnight flight, particularly if, like me, you were in coach. The following suggested itinerary is a mix that includes a dash of royalty, avoiding napping, getting exercise...

On my last trip to Jordan, I was fortunate to view an extraordinary collection in a private home in Amman that documented a Palestine that many never knew.

Travel to Jordan is always magnificent. It is a traveler's paradise of a warm and welcoming people, history, natural history and...

As many prepare to visit the Washington, DC region for President Obama's second inauguration, I would like to share with you my top recommendations for presidential-themed visits. This list is very subjective; my passions and places I return to time and again to experience the inspiring history around us.

1....

I just returned from three days of meetings and parties in Marrakech, Morocco at the fourth annual PURE Life Experiences Travel Conference. I know, the title sounds slightly "New Age," and maybe it is, but it is also one of the most creative, prescient three days I have spent in...

What was your gateway addiction to travel? In talking to those who love to travel, I have found most can trace their passion to a single trip. One eye opening adventure or revelation that ignited their wanderlust.

For me, it was a trip to Greece when I was 16....

Thinking of leaving the country? Post-election angst can be a great impetus to take that long postponed trip and, well, maybe to miss the return flight.

In fact, international leisure travel always takes a big dip during presidential election years and this year has been no exception. The rebound usually...

With the travel landscape increasingly dominated by "experiential" trips to remote countries like Bhutan and challenging locales like Everest Base Camp, can the more familiar, less exotic destinations entice tourists to return and reengage?

Recently, I was invited to attend the third annual Fete Imperiale ball in Vienna, a...

Henry VIII has always fascinated the American public and never more so than following the Showtime miniseries, The Tudors, starring Jonathan Rhys Meyers. Filled with lots of drama, quasi-historical accuracy, six wives, great costumes and, yes, soft-porn, this miniseries reignited interest in all things Tudor. While it was airing, I...

Ever the tourist, I found myself at home in Alexandria, Virginia this weekend and decided to revisit George Washington's Mount Vernon estate. Always an interesting historic home to visit, it is now a world class destination with an interactive educational center and Museum. The mansion is restored to its appearance...

One of the most enduring events of the Egyptian uprising occurred late one night when local citizens formed a human chain to protect the Egyptian Antiquities Museum on Tahrir Square from those seeking to damage or steal its priceless contents. Sadly, this followed reports that the museum had been looted....

After a two hour meeting with President Morsi on September 9 at the Presidential Palace, I was optimistic about Egypt's relationship with the West. Then I flew out of Cairo two days later, landed in Paris and saw newscasts of the riots in Benghazi and Cairo. Egyptian tourism suddenly looked...

During my visit, I will be moderating a panel on Tourism with the new Minister of Tourism, His Excellency Hisham Zaazou. Let me know if you have questions for him. I am returning to Egypt with the U.S. Business Mission to Egypt this fall, a visit sponsored by the U.S....

Maybe I am jaded, too much travel to too many wonderful places, but rarely do resorts live up to over the top hype. So I flew up to Vermont with trepidation to visit the much touted Twin Farms.

Additionally, I am not really a "nature girl" so promises of fly...

In just 23 days, you can circumnavigate the world on a privately chartered jet. Check off most of your bucket list in one fell swoop. Why all the buzz about these tours and why are they selling so well in a murky economic environment?

In 1999, T.C. Swartz and...