During the pandemic, accommodation rental platform Airbnb has identified a new trend that it is calling "wish list wanderlust". The term refers to people spending time daydreaming about where they want to go when travel opens up again.
From exploring new destinations online to looking back over past trips, Airbnb says that this travel-planning pastime can also lead to a sense of happiness.
In a recent survey, Airbnb found that more than a third of those questioned said they thought about travelling on a daily basis and a quarter of those questioned said planning a trip made them feel hopeful.
To help people hang on to this sense of optimism, Airbnb has revealed its most wish-listed stays in every state in the US.
From a cabin in the wilds of Alaska to a luxury treehouse on Hawaii's Big Island, these unique Airbnb's are garnering something of an online fan base.
Click through the gallery above to see the Most Wish Listed Stays in 50 States or read on for details on some of our favourites.
Cozy Alaskan Log Cabin
An authentic Alaskan cabin overlooking Creamer's Field Waterfowl refuge topped the wish list in Alaska. Both outdoor and nature lovers are drawn to this timber tree house set in the forest with trails and wildlife viewing all around. A cosy retreat to hideaway in for the weekend.
An earth house in Arizona
This unique one-room earth house is called a hogan and provides a true off-the-grid experience. Located in a secluded and remote location of the Western Navajo Nation, it's close to the Grand Canyon and Monument Valley.
This Topanga canyon guesthouse
Changeling a Pirates of the Caribbean vibe, you can stay in this tropical guesthouse in Topanga which starred in Cody Simpson's music video Love. It's a hit with people planning a stay in the Californian valley. Surrounded by waterfalls, ponds, totem poles and tepees, it also has a private sauna and hot tub.
Kukui Treehouse on Hawaii's Big Island
Make childhood dreams come true is this elevated Kukui treehouse in Hawaaii. Built in a Kukui Nut tree, it has amazing ocean views and live tree trunks growing through its centre. A spiral staircase leads down to an outdoor shower and four-person hot tub, and there's three acres of land on the doorstep to explore.
An old firehouse in Louisiana
You can always bank on New Orleans to do things a little differently, so it's no surprise that the only firehouse on Airbnb's most wish-listed property rankings is located in the Big Easy in Louisiana. The 19th-century firehouse building has a main floor, penthouse and town house, an adjacent courtyard and a superb location near the French Quarter in the offbeat Marigny district.
This 20th-century cabin in Indiana
A renovated 20th-century barn called Birdsong is the most popular Airbnb property in all of Tennessee. Spanning 2,500 square feet, this property sleeps six guests and has a huge flat-screen television, hot tub and billiards table. Outside, there's sixteen acres of private land to explore and a firepit for gathering around once night falls.
The Dream Rock Silo in Virginia
An old 1950s dairy barn and silo have been transformed into a four-storey home, and the top two floors are for rent on Airbnb. All the rooms in this silo are circular and the bedroom at the very top of the tower has windows that go all the way around for a stunning 360-degree view of the mountains and valley. The owner of the property is also a master cabinet maker, so guests checking in can get the chance to try to solve some clues to find a secret cabinet compartment in the silo.
Casita Don Gaspar tiny house in New Mexico
Nestled among the pines, this super cute tiny house is a two-storey, 900-square-foot residence that's the most desired in New Mexico. Located on 10 acres of rural land, the bright pink house has a well-equipped kitchen, queen bedroom and huge windows overlooking the surrounding trees and mountains. Upstairs, there's a balcony with a hammock swing that offers visitors a spot to sit and stare at the stars and listen to birdsong or coyote calls.
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Scoreline
Chelsea 1
Azpilicueta (36')
West Ham United 1
Hernandez (73')
Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
25-MAN SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Francis Uzoho, Ikechukwu Ezenwa, Daniel Akpeyi
Defenders: Olaoluwa Aina, Abdullahi Shehu, Chidozie Awaziem, William Ekong, Leon Balogun, Kenneth Omeruo, Jamilu Collins, Semi Ajayi
Midfielders: John Obi Mikel, Wilfred Ndidi, Oghenekaro Etebo, John Ogu
Forwards: Ahmed Musa, Victor Osimhen, Moses Simon, Henry Onyekuru, Odion Ighalo, Alexander Iwobi, Samuel Kalu, Paul Onuachu, Kelechi Iheanacho, Samuel Chukwueze
On Standby: Theophilus Afelokhai, Bryan Idowu, Ikouwem Utin, Mikel Agu, Junior Ajayi, Valentine Ozornwafor
The smuggler
Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple.
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.
Khouli conviction
Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.
For sale
A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.
- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico
- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000
- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950
Company Fact Box
Company name/date started: Abwaab Technologies / September 2019
Founders: Hamdi Tabbaa, co-founder and CEO. Hussein Alsarabi, co-founder and CTO
Based: Amman, Jordan
Sector: Education Technology
Size (employees/revenue): Total team size: 65. Full-time employees: 25. Revenue undisclosed
Stage: early-stage startup
Investors: Adam Tech Ventures, Endure Capital, Equitrust, the World Bank-backed Innovative Startups SMEs Fund, a London investment fund, a number of former and current executives from Uber and Netflix, among others.
Company profile
Date started: 2015
Founder: John Tsioris and Ioanna Angelidaki
Based: Dubai
Sector: Online grocery delivery
Staff: 200
Funding: Undisclosed, but investors include the Jabbar Internet Group and Venture Friends
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
THE SPECS
Engine: 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Transmission: Constant Variable (CVT)
Power: 141bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: Dh64,500
On sale: Now
Landfill in numbers
• Landfill gas is composed of 50 per cent methane
• Methane is 28 times more harmful than Co2 in terms of global warming
• 11 million total tonnes of waste are being generated annually in Abu Dhabi
• 18,000 tonnes per year of hazardous and medical waste is produced in Abu Dhabi emirate per year
• 20,000 litres of cooking oil produced in Abu Dhabi’s cafeterias and restaurants every day is thrown away
• 50 per cent of Abu Dhabi’s waste is from construction and demolition
Dhadak 2
Director: Shazia Iqbal
Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri
Rating: 1/5
If you go
The flights
There are various ways of getting to the southern Serengeti in Tanzania from the UAE. The exact route and airstrip depends on your overall trip itinerary and which camp you’re staying at.
Flydubai flies direct from Dubai to Kilimanjaro International Airport from Dh1,350 return, including taxes; this can be followed by a short flight from Kilimanjaro to the Serengeti with Coastal Aviation from about US$700 (Dh2,500) return, including taxes. Kenya Airways, Emirates and Etihad offer flights via Nairobi or Dar es Salaam.
LEADERBOARD
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'Brazen'
Director: Monika Mitchell
Starring: Alyssa Milano, Sam Page, Colleen Wheeler
Rating: 3/5
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