Helen Hatzis Profile Overview

Helen Hatzis

Helen Hatzis

Helen Hatzis, is the Chief Exploration Office and Co-Founder of Trip Jaunt. Helen is a recipient of the Governor-General Award, has been honoured as one of Canada's Nicest People! A true xenophile at heart, she finds joy in traveling and delights in sharing her experiences through Trip Jaunt (formerly Weekend Jaunt), an online travel community and hub she established in 2010. Her aspiration is to inspire others to explore the world as she does! Helen is an esteemed advisory member of the North American Travel Journalists Association.
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Kolar: From Royal Capital to Gold Fields

Kolar sits roughly 65 kilometers east of Bangalore, a compact town whose layered past continues to shape its present identity. For more than a century its gold fields operated continuously, generating regional wealth long after the mines closed. Centuries earlier the same location served as the seat of power for the West Ganga dynasty, then

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Boquete's Highland Escape: Trails Through Coffee and Clouds

High in Panama’s central mountains, Boquete occupies a valley shaped by volcanic soil and frequent mist. The town serves as a gateway to landscapes where coffee plantations share space with cloud forests and rushing streams. Travelers who arrive here often find themselves drawn into a slower rhythm defined by early morning walks and the scent

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Heat Prompts More Americans to Adjust Travel Plans

A new AP-NORC poll finds that a larger share of Americans now report extreme heat influencing their travel decisions than was the case two years earlier. The shift appears across multiple aspects of daily life, yet the data on travel behavior stands out for its direct relevance to how people schedule and shape their trips.

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Dulles Airport's $22.5 Billion Redevelopment Reshapes the Flying Experience

Washington Dulles International Airport stands at the threshold of one of the largest infrastructure projects in recent U.S. aviation history. On July 29, officials unveiled a $22.5 billion plan to modernize the facility over the coming decade, accelerating work already outlined in the airport’s master plan. For travelers, the changes promise more space, smoother connections,

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Amex Members Gain Extra Marriott Bonvoy Points Through Early September

American Express cardholders who hold Membership Rewards points have a defined window to move those points into Marriott Bonvoy accounts at an improved rate. The current promotion adds 30 percent to each transfer completed by the September 3, 2026 deadline. For travelers who already plan stays at Marriott properties, the adjustment can translate into additional

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New York Liberty Games Spark Brooklyn Family Adventures

In 2024 the New York Liberty secured their first WNBA championship, ending a long drought for professional basketball titles in New York City. That victory has drawn more families to Barclays Center, where the team now plays its home games in Brooklyn. One recent outing paired a matchup against the Dallas Wings with time spent

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Teen Lifeguard Rescues Boy in Santa Cruz Surf

Santa Cruz, California, draws visitors year after year for its accessible shoreline and steady Pacific swells. A recent incident there underscored how quickly conditions can shift for even experienced beachgoers. Ten-year-old Nathaniel Rai found himself caught in a strong rip current while swimming, an experience that left much of the event hazy in his memory

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Holiday Airfare Is Already Up 27% — Here’s When You Should Actually Book

August brings its own rhythms of travel, with many still savoring summer escapes while others begin to consider the quieter planning that comes with the year’s later months. This year, however, the conversation around holiday flights carries added weight. Airfares have climbed sharply, and the pattern suggests that waiting may carry real costs for those