Thailand offers tourists free insurance
March 4, 2010 ·
Thailand is continuing to offer insurance coverage worth $10,000 to anyone harmed in riots and demonstrations as it seeks to attract tourists scared off by political turmoil, officials say. Other carrots range from a waiver on all visa fees to discounts on airline landing fees. “The measures are to support the tourism industry. The situation [...]
$135 for a passport? Feds mull fee hike
March 4, 2010 ·
Get ready to open your wallet a little wider to satisfy your travel bug: It may soon cost more to apply for a new U.S. passport or renew an old one, and the news is not sitting well with some lawmakers. The State Department is proposing fee hikes that would require adults applying for their [...]
Spring break travel: Airfares up, hotel rates down
March 3, 2010 ·
Average airfares for spring break are up from last year but hotel rates are down, according to data from Bing Travel and Travelocity. Travelocity found average airfares are up 9 percent compared to last year, with the average domestic roundtrip flight at about $351, while hotel prices are down to an average nightly rate of [...]
France sprucing up cultural treasures
March 2, 2010 ·
Mixing an abundance of cultural treasures and national pride, France is spiffing up its sights and museums from the Rhine to the Pyrenees. Of course, the biggest news is in Paris, where 2010 brings important changes that smart travelers will want to know about. The Eiffel Tower’s new online reservation system should help on-the-ball travelers [...]
What’s new in Great Britain and Ireland in 2010
March 1, 2010 ·
A key to experiencing Great Britain and Ireland smartly in 2010 is to embrace them not as “ye olde” destinations but as modern ones. London is busily preparing for the 2012 Olympic Games, developing its Olympic Park site in the eastern part of the city. The con artists are getting warmed up for the big [...]
4 secrets for upgrading your next vacation travel
March 1, 2010 ·
Think this is bad? It could get worse. Much worse. Travel is still at the beginning of its long descent into mediocrity. Airlines seem to invent new surcharges and passenger-hostile rules every week. Hotels aren’t far behind. Just the mention of the word “customer service” in the back office can be enough to evoke cackles [...]
Smart travel for road warriors
March 1, 2010 ·
With the economy on the uptick, businesses are re-strategizing and that means more meetings. It’s likely that more business professionals will be packing their bags and hitting the road this year than last. In a recent U.S. Travel Association Study, researchers found that more than 75 percent of customers prefer in-person meetings, and an overwhelming [...]
