Articles

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Though the Timid Tourist is Frightened by a Number of Adverse Travel Conditions, the Value of the U.S. Dollar is Not One of Them. The Dollar is Today Unusually Strong

Perhaps the biggest travel news of the current season is that the U.S. currency remains unusually strong against virtually every other currency. When you travel abroad in the coming…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Its Currency Selling at Unprecedented Low Levels, Its Drug-Related Violence Subdued, Mexico is Positioned to Enjoy Heavy American Tourism this Coming Winter

There no longer seems any doubt that the Zika scare has wrought havoc with tourism to Florida. In a study conducted by Allianz Travel Insurance, advance air bookings for the coming…

Article / Passportable

Report: Marriott-Starwood Marriage Means Higher Rates

A carefully orchestrated spin campaign (including some paid partnerships with major travel bloggers) has meant that much of the news coverage surrounding the new Marriott-Starwood…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

A New Hotel Booking Engine Emerges for the "Text Only" Crowd

Today, more than ever, the medium is the message….as much as the message itself. If you have a friend (or child) who refuses to talk on the phone, but wants to have every interaction…

Article / Passportable

SeaWorld Enters an Alternate Reality

SeaWorld Orlando is breathing new life into its oldest roller coaster by adding virtual reality.The Orlando Sentinel reports that starting next year on its steel Kraken…

Article / Passportable

Scientists: Disney World Helps Pass Kidney Stones

A patient suffering from kidney stones passed a stone after each of three consecutive rides on the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom.Word of…

Article / Passportable

Air Rage Takes Off

The International Air Transport Association, a trade group representing 83 percent of world air traffic, says incidents of air rage have shot skyward.There were 10,854 cases…

Article / Miscellaneous

Air Rage Soars, Disney World Cures Kidney Stones, and More: Today's Travel Briefing

A roundup of travel news from all over

Article / Passportable

What Kinds of Therapy Animals Should Be Allowed on Airplanes?

At the moment, there are very few regulations limiting the kinds of animals that can be carried onto commercial airplanes, as long as the given dog, pig, hamster, rooster, capuchin…

Article / Passportable

West Elm to Open Boutique Hotels

Furniture seller West Elm is getting into the boutique hotel business.Partnering with hospitality management and development company DDK, the retailer (which is part of…

Article / Passportable

The World's Biggest Bouncy House

A company called V-Formation has created what's being billed as the world's largest bouncy house.Dubbed The Beast, the inflatable behemoth stretches across a length of 893…

Article / Miscellaneous

Therapy Animals on Planes, West Elm Hotels, and More: Today's Travel Briefing

A roundup of travel news from all over

Article / Passportable

Marriott Finalizes Purchase of Starwood, Creating World's Biggest Hotel Chain

On Friday, Marriott International's $13 billion acquisition of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide was finalized, having been delayed for months pending approval from U.S.,…

Article / Passportable

Passenger Suing Airline Over "Spillover" from Overweight Seatmate

A passenger is suing Emirates because he says a nine-hour flight operated by the airline was ruined by the "spillover" of an overweight person seated next to him.The guy doing…

Article / Passportable

Weather Forecast for Fall: Warm Everywhere

Remember when September was autumn? It sure doesn't feel like that this year in the United States—you'll search in vain for a nip in the air pretty much anywhere you travel in the…

Article / Miscellaneous

The World's Largest Hotel Chain, a Lawsuit Over Airplane-Seat "Spillover," and More: Today's Travel Briefing

A roundup of travel news from all over

Article / Passportable

Great Wall Repairs Spark Outrage

(Photo: CNN/Twitter)An effort to restore a 700-year-old portion of the Great Wall of China has sparked outrage on social media after photos of the project were posted…

Article / Passportable

Theme Park Geared Toward Adults Planned for Las Vegas

A plan for a theme park geared toward adults was released in Las Vegas last week.Dubbed Xpark Vegas, the site would include such grownups-only activities as speedboat racing,…

Article / Passportable

Disney World's Strict Rules for Wearing Halloween Costumes

Ever wondered why you don't see more adult guests at Disney World in Orlando wearing costumes? Simple. They're not allowed on anybody over 14—except, of course, for the people…

Article / Miscellaneous

Great Wall Repairs, Disney World Costume Rules, and More: Today's Travel Briefing

A roundup of travel news from all over

Article / Passportable

The World's Most Visited City

Bangkok is the world's most popular travel destination this year, according to an annual ranking of 132 cities by financial-services company MasterCard.Estimated to receive a…

Article / Passportable

Tourist in Kenya Killed by Elephant He Was Trying to Photograph

An Italian tourist in the coastal region of Kenya was killed by an elephant this week after the man got too close while trying to take a photograph.The 66-year-old tourist and his…

Article / Passportable

On Saturday: National Public Lands Day and Smithsonian's African American Museum Opening

Tomorrow is the last Saturday of September, which means it's National Public Lands Day in the United States. Admission to all federally controlled parks, forests, and monuments—and…

Article / Miscellaneous

The World's Top Travel Destination, National Public Lands Day, and More: Today's Travel Briefing

A roundup of travel news from all over

Article / Passportable

Only 12% of Visitors in Colorado Use Marijuana, Says State Tourism Office

As our own Arthur Frommer pointed out recently, legalizing the recreational use of marijuana in Colorado has increased the number of visits to the state—but not by as much as you…