Millions issued stark warning ahead of huge surge on roads: 'Very worrying'
With millions around the country preparing for the much-anticipated Easter break, a huge number of drivers will soon hit the nation's roads as Australians head away to enjoy the long weekend.
New data has found more than a quarter of Aussies plan to take off the three working days between the Easter and Anzac Day long weekends to have an extended break. Almost two-thirds of those plan to travel, with the majority staying within their home state and 77 per cent choosing to drive, according to an NRMA survey.
The Easter-Anzac Day break, combined with lower interest rates, is boosting domestic tourism, particularly to areas in southeast Queensland and northern NSW recovering from Cyclone Alfred.
NRMA Parks and Resorts has seen a late surge in bookings across its 60+ holiday locations, with limited spots remaining. The NRMA's Peter Khoury warns that with so many people planning a getaway, drivers must take extra precautions to cater for the drastic increase in vehicles on the road. Speaking to Yahoo, Khoury said "the focus on road safety has to be critical, and front and centre".
"We're expecting traffic to ramp up as we get closer to Easter, particularly as the rest of the states fall into their school holiday period," he said.
"The road toll is up in a number of states, certainly in NSW, which is very worrying. We want to see that reverse, and this is going to be a critical period in the next few weeks, as more families go on holidays.
"We know that a lot of families are going to take that time off between Easter and Anzac Day and make it a longer holiday, which means that they may travel longer distances."
Khoury said this year, there are several factors increasing the safety risk on roads.
"With Easter being that combined holiday period, that just increases the risk even further. We're going to see not just more people on the roads, but more people driving on unfamiliar roads, particularly regional highways, and more people driving on roads for longer distances.
"These challenges, coupled with the wet weather we've been seeing in Queensland and NSW — and a lot of roads are already damaged — are a concern."
Khoury urged caution and preparation, stressing the importance of road safety, vehicle checks, and allowing extra travel time to avoid accidents in already vulnerable conditions.
Police around the country are also ramping up efforts ahead of the break, with double-demerits applying in NSW, ACT and Western Australia from Thursday, April 17, to Monday, April 21. In Queensland, police are broadening the use of roadside breath and drug testing, coinciding with school holidays from April 4 to 21.
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Queensland Police said on Friday ahead of the anticipated surge in holiday traffic they will have a strong state-wide presence to target driver impairment and enforce road safety.
They're urging motorists to avoid the "fatal five" — drink and drug driving, speeding, fatigue, distraction, and seatbelt misuse — to prevent holiday tragedies.
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National Geographic
2 days ago
- National Geographic
What it's like to celebrate midsummer in Sweden
This article was produced by National Geographic Traveller (UK). As my Swedish army bike rattles down the last hill, I place a hand on the basket to secure my Midsummer contributions: two king-size sausage rolls and a green bean and orange salad. The wide-open fields of southern Sweden's fertile Söderslätt plain, yellow with rapeseed flowers, stretch out to my right, while to my left, the Baltic Sea has just slipped out of sight, having been there for most of my 20-minute ride from the station. When I turn into the gravel drive, Malin and Christian's century-old brick villa, Källbacken, meaning 'hill with a spring', is already clattering with preparations. Malin and her seven-year-old daughter Edith have been out picking the flowers and greenery that will decorate the midsommarstång, or maypole, which they've laid out neatly on a table. I place my sausage rolls alongside and am immediately marshalled into scrubbing potatoes. For Malin and Christian, new potatoes, dug up only days before from the patch at the bottom of their garden, are central to the feast. 'Unlike Easter and Christmas, you don't normally have hot food at Midsummer: it's about potatoes, and herring,' Malin says. The preparations began months ago. 'We actually start preparing for Midsummer in February," she explains, describing the family's annual trip to buy early-maturing Swift potatoes, which then stand, packed in egg cartons, in the barn for three months before being planted in early May. It feels a fitting ritual ahead of this festival, which originated back when Sweden was an agrarian society. Midsummer celebrations not only marked the longest day of the year but welcomed in a new season of fertility. Many Swedes still head to the countryside to celebrate. Although this is my tenth Midsummer in Sweden, the celebrations I've been to have been low-key affairs eschewing tradition: a barbecue, games, but no maypole. Malin and Christian, however, go all in. As well as the potatoes, the couple provide home-grown chives, pickled herring, Christian's home-brewed IPA, and a bottle or two of snaps or akvavit, the Swedish spirit used for toasts and to accompany singing. This celebration is unusual, though, for the lack of heavy drinking – because there are many babies and small children present. Midsummer, more than Christmas or New Year's Eve, is when Swedes really let loose, taking full advantage of daylight that lasts until close to midnight, and singing and dancing until sunrise. Midsummer is when Swedes let loose, taking advantage of daylight that lasts until close to midnight, singing and dancing until sunrise. Photograph by Getty, Fredrik Nyman In previous years, Malin made her own pickled herring, but this year there are five varieties supplied by Abba (the fish-canning giant, rather than the sequin-clad Seventies four-piece), and she's also made gubbröra, meaning 'old bloke's mix'. It's a salty spread combining chopped, soused and spiced sprats, hard-boiled eggs, mayonnaise and dill. As I'm scrubbing potatoes, more people start to arrive and, as with every Midsummer I've ever been to, it's a mix of Swedes and internationals, the language bouncing between English and Swedish. By the time I come outside, the table is crammed with dishes. Magnus, a childhood friend of Christian's, has brought a silltårta, a traditional cake made of herring and creme fraiche thickened with gelatine and served on a butter and breadcrumb base. Someone else has brought the obligatory västerbottenpaj, a quiche flavoured with a pungent hard cheese from the far north, and there's another quiche with salmon and spinach. Then there are two enormous sourdough loaves, with dark, decorated crusts and some fröknäcke, a heavily seeded crispbread. The only classic dish missing is gravlax – salmon cured with salt, sugar and dill. Once the potatoes are fully cleaned, Malin throws a handful of dill into the pan and begins the boiling. Swedes take potatoes seriously. All will own a potato-tester, a metal spike the thickness of a needle, with a blunt end and a plastic handle, which is pushed into potatoes to judge their firmness. My wife, I tell Malin as we chitchat, is adamant that you must leave part of the spuds poking above the water, cook them at no more than a simmer, and steam them dry in a pan afterwards. But Malin has no time for such fussiness. 'I know people who, after half the boiling time, pour out some of the water and add new water, and things like that,' she says. 'But I just boil them – not for too long, since they're new potatoes – but I don't understand why it should be so difficult.' Once done, the potatoes are placed in a bowl outside to be served with butter and chopped dill and chives, and sliced hard-boiled eggs laid alongside. A Swedish Midsummer meal is often formal, with places neatly laid on a long table outside, folded napkins and garnished dishes. But this year, thanks to all the young guests, it's a come-and-go affair, with guests sitting down with different neighbours every time they refill their plates. The conversation touches on the shortage of another Midsummer essential: strawberries, which a bad harvest has pushed above 80 kronor (£6) a litre, if you can get hold of any at all. I pile three sorts of herring onto some crispbread, its saltiness setting off the sweet-and-sour bite of the pickle, and also indulge in some gubbröra, enjoying the cinnamon, allspice and sandalwood spicing of the sprats. The potatoes are firm, sweet and a little nutty, the perfect partner to the stronger flavours of the other dishes. I also take some västerbottenpaj, which is so rich with Västerbotten cheese — somewhere between a mature cheddar and a parmesan in strength — that I have to stop at a single helping. The silltårta, an old-fashioned addition even to this very traditional celebration, has a jelly-ish consistency that doesn't quite appeal to me, but goes down well with the other guests. After the meal is over, I join the children and some of the adults walking it off in the surrounding fields and picking flowers for the midsommarkransar, Midsummer crowns made of birch twigs woven together. When we return, we get to work erecting the maypole, about three metres tall, with a crossbar. While it's commonly believed to be a pagan fertility symbol, representing male genitalia, experts insist each year in Swedish newspapers that there's no evidence to back it up – but looking at it, I find it hard to see what else it might be. Soon, adults and children alike are holding hands, circling around the pole, pretending alternately to be a musician playing a violin, someone washing clothes, and, in the most raucous of the dances, jumping like a frog. The celebrations segue into a house party, and then, later in the evening, a barbecue. Christian pulls a pile of waste wood from the barn and lights a fire, which we sit around as the mothers and daughters go out once again to pick flowers. 'You have to jump seven fences and pick one flower in each field, and you're not allowed to speak to one another. You have to be quiet the whole time,' Malin explains of this last ritual. 'And then you have this small bouquet; you put it underneath your pillow and you're supposed to dream about who you're going to marry.' This is one part of the celebrations I can't partake in, but as I bed down on a mattress upstairs, I feel satisfied that I've truly welcomed the summer. Midsummer feasts to visit While most Swedes will celebrate Midsummer in friends' country or island homes, there are organised celebrations for visitors. In 2025, Midsummer falls on 21 June. Tällberg, Dalarna Dalarna county is renowned for traditional Midsummers, with folk costumes, folk music and dancing. Åkerblads Hotel, in Tällberg on Lake Siljan, serves a traditional Midsummer smörgåsbord, with herring, new potatoes and västerbottenpaj, after which you can go into town and take part in the celebrations. Alternatively, at Våmhus Gammelgård, an old farm maintained by Sweden's main conservation organisation, you'll be served kolbulle, a thick pancake with diced, salted or smoked pork. Ringsjön, Skåne Bosjökloster, a country house and former nunnery on the shores of Lake Ringsjön in Skåne, Sweden's southernmost county, puts on a lavish Midsummer spread. Expect all the classics, plus specialities containing ingredients foraged in nearby forests, and plenty of vegan and vegetarian options. Once the buffet's over, join the dancing around a maypole erected on lawns leading down to the lakeshore – one of the most popular celebrations in Skåne. Småland Getnö Gård, a resort on Lake Åsnan in Småland, offers a traditional Midsummer buffet – served, untraditionally, after the maypole dances – including a strawberry cake prepared to a recipe handed down by the owner's grandmother. Most visitors stay over in the campsite or cabins. Fjäderholm In Stockholm, the archipelago is the place to celebrate, and Fjäderholm is the closest island, 30 minutes by ferry from the centre. Rökeriet Fjärderholmarna, a smokery, serves a traditional Midsummer buffet, with all the essentials and more. There's also live music and dancing around the maypole on the island. Väderö Storö The Väderöarnasor 'weather islands', a 35-minute ferry ride from Fjällbacka on the west coast, are the most far-flung islands off the Bohuslan coast. Väderöarnas Värdshus restaurant on Väderö Storö, the biggest island, lays on a Midsummer buffet, picking guests up from nearby Hamburgsund. Published in Issue 26 (winter 2024) of Food by National Geographic Traveller (UK). To subscribe to National Geographic Traveller (UK) magazine click here. (Available in select countries only).
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5 days ago
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Australian motorcycle owners show their love of the open road. But they value safety over scenery, new survey data shows.
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Business Wire
5 days ago
- Business Wire
Corporación América Airports S.A. Reports May 2025 Passenger Traffic
LUXEMBOURG--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Corporación América Airports S.A. (NYSE: CAAP), ('CAAP' or the 'Company'), one of the leading private airport operators in the world, reported today a 15.9% year-on-year (YoY) increase in passenger traffic in May 2025. Passenger Traffic Overview Total passenger traffic increased by 15.9% in May compared to the same month in 2024. Domestic passenger traffic rose by 18.4% year over year (YoY), largely driven by Argentina, along with strong performances in Brazil and Italy. Meanwhile, international traffic grew by 12.1%, with all operating countries contributing positively YoY—except Ecuador—and particularly strong results in Brazil, Argentina, Italy, and Uruguay. Notably, Argentina accounted for 66% of the total traffic growth in May. In Argentina, total passenger traffic increased by 21.4% YoY, primarily driven by the ongoing recovery in domestic traffic, which rose by 22.2% YoY—marking three consecutive months of double-digit growth. JetSMART, which has been introducing new routes in recent months, continued to gain market share, serving 157% more passengers than in the same month last year. Aerolíneas Argentinas saw its market share decline by 2 percentage points; however, it carried 18% more passengers than in May 2024, boosted by the final match of the Argentine Football Cup. Flybondi's market share decreased by 11 percentage points compared to the same month last year. International passenger traffic also remained strong, increasing by a solid 19.6% YoY. JetSMART began operating flights between Mendoza and Rio de Janeiro with two weekly frequencies, while GOL inaugurated the Aeroparque–Porto Alegre route with three weekly frequencies. Load factors on routes to Europe and the U.S. either slightly increased or remained stable in May. In Italy, passenger traffic grew by 10.3% compared to the same month in 2024, mainly supported by an increase in flight frequencies by Ryanair. International passenger traffic—which accounted for over 80% of total traffic—rose by 9.4% YoY, driven by a 14.0% increase at Florence Airport and a 6.0% increase at Pisa Airport. Domestic passenger traffic grew by 15.0% YoY, fueled by a robust performance at Pisa Airport and supported by the aforementioned increase in flight frequencies by Ryanair. In Brazil, total passenger traffic increased by a solid 16.4% YoY, reflecting an improvement in traffic trends despite the ongoing challenges in the aviation environment and aircraft constraints in the country. Domestic traffic, which accounted for nearly 60% of total traffic, rose by 14.0% YoY, while transit passengers increased by 17.7% YoY. Notably, although representing a small share of total traffic (5%), international traffic grew strongly by 41.2% YoY. In Uruguay, total passenger traffic—predominantly international—rose by 8.3% YoY, showing a slight sequential deceleration from April, which had benefited from additional demand generated by the Easter holiday. Azul Linhas Aéreas announced a new direct route between Montevideo and Campinas, with five weekly flights starting in July. This new connection will help strengthen ties between Uruguay and Brazil, facilitating passenger flow and promoting the development of new commercial and tourism opportunities. In Ecuador, where security concerns persist, passenger traffic decreased by 0.8% YoY. International traffic declined by 1.0% YoY, mainly due to reduced operations to the U.S., while domestic traffic increased slightly by 0.3% YoY, impacted by high airfares that have dampened travel demand. In Armenia, passenger traffic increased by 7.3% YoY. Travel demand has benefited from the introduction of new airlines and routes, as well as increased flight frequencies. Wizz Air recently announced the opening of a new base at Yerevan's Zvartnots Airport, with two aircraft and eight new direct routes to Europe. Cargo Volume and Aircraft Movements Cargo volume increased by 6.6% compared to the same month in 2024, with positive YoY contributions from all countries of operations except for Italy. Performance by country was as follows: Brazil (+21.1%), Armenia (+19.7%), Uruguay (+14.8%), Ecuador (+4.3%), Argentina (+0.3%), and Italy (-5.9%). Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay accounted for almost 80% of the total cargo volume in May. Aircraft movements increased by 10.1% YoY, with positive contributions from all countries of operation: Argentina (+12.7%), Uruguay (+12.4%), Brazil (+9.2%), Armenia (+8.8%), Italy (+8.0%), and Ecuador (+1.5%). Argentina, Brazil, and Italy accounted for more than 80% of total aircraft movements in May. Expand Cargo Volume (tons) Argentina 16,909 16,856 0.3% 84,103 78,319 7.4% Italy 1,071 1,137 -5.9% 5,344 5,313 0.6% Brazil 5,552 4,584 21.1% 26,157 25,196 3.8% Uruguay 3,427 2,986 14.8% 14,651 12,599 16.3% Ecuador 3,420 3,279 4.3% 15,439 16,291 -5.2% Armenia 3,216 2,686 19.7% 16,094 14,768 9.0% TOTAL 33,595 31,528 6.6% 161,787 152,485 6.1% Aircraft Movements Argentina 37,259 33,072 12.7% 195,577 181,380 7.8% Italy 8,995 8,329 8.0% 31,717 29,456 7.7% Brazil 12,602 11,540 9.2% 59,425 58,496 1.6% Uruguay 2,480 2,207 12.4% 15,387 14,361 7.1% Ecuador 6,390 6,297 1.5% 32,020 31,279 2.4% Armenia 3,600 3,310 8.8% 15,168 14,318 5.9% TOTAL 71,326 64,755 10.1% 349,294 329,290 6.1% Expand About Corporación América Airports Corporación América Airports acquires, develops and operates airport concessions. Currently, the Company operates 52 airports in 6 countries across Latin America and Europe (Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, Ecuador, Armenia and Italy). In 2024, Corporación América Airports served 79.0 million passengers, 2.7% (or 0.4% excluding Natal) below the 81.1 million passengers served in 2023, and 6.2% below the 84.2 million served in 2019. The Company is listed on the New York Stock Exchange where it trades under the ticker 'CAAP'. For more information, visit
