Articles

Zac Thompson

Article / Passportable

Tourist Ordered to Pay $44K for Violent Yoga Incident on Plane

Back in March, Korean tourist Hyongtae Pae was arrested after he became violent on an airplane when he wasn't allowed to do yoga—a story noteworthy in part because you don't often…

Article / Miscellaneous

Fountain Swimmers in Rome, the Airbnb of Boats, and Other Watery News: Today's Travel Briefing

A roundup of travel news from all over

Article / Passportable

Rome Cracking Down on Fountain Swimmers

Authorities in Rome have started cracking down on those who engage in a supposedly romantic yet entirely illegal activity: climbing into and splashing around in the city's…

Article / Passportable

Family Credits Shark-Tracking App in Close Call with Great White

A Massachusetts family had a close call with a great white shark this week, and they're crediting a new app for saving the day.Kressley Goldstein, her sister-in-law, her husband,…

Article / Passportable

Boatbound Aims to Be the Airbnb of Boats

A boat rental company called Boatbound, which aims to be the water-based equivalent of home rental sites like Airbnb and VRBO, appears to be catching on.Founded in 2013, the…

Article / Miscellaneous

Wildfire Closes Big Sur Parks, South Africa Tourism Boom, and More: Today's Travel Briefing

A roundup of travel news from all over

Article / Passportable

State Parks on Big Sur Coast Closed Due to Wildfire

Due to a huge wildfire that has already destroyed more than 19,000 acres in California, a number of iconic state parks along the Big Sur coast have been closed until further…

Article / Passportable

International Tourism Boom in South Africa

South Africa experienced an international tourism boom in the first five months of the year, according to the country's Tourism Ministry. The number of travelers from places like the…

Article / Passportable

Robotic Suitcase That Follows You Around

We are truly living in an age of innovation when it comes to wacky luggage.This week alone we've told you about the luggage clip that lets you pull your suitcase without using…

Article / Miscellaneous

Checked Luggage Fees, Carry-On Luggage You Can Ride, and More: Today's Travel Briefing

A roundup of travel news from all over

Article / Passportable

A Carry-On Bag You Can Ride Around the Airport

Here's a novel way of getting around the airport: hitching a ride on your carry-on bag.A contraption called Modobag lets you do just that. Equipped with an electric motor, it's a…

Article / Passportable

American Airlines Adds More Checked Baggage Fees on International Flights

Once the norm, free checked bags on domestic flights are few and far between these days. Now at least one major airline is adding more fees for your first checked bag on some…

Article / Passportable

Russia's Harassment of American Visitors

Russia's recent treatment of Americans should make anyone considering visiting that country give the idea a second thought.Shortly before Secretary of State John Kerry landed in…

Article / Miscellaneous

Airbnb Discrimination, Tower of Terror Uproar, and More: Today's Travel Briefing

A roundup of travel news from all over

Article / Passportable

Former Attorney General Hired by Airbnb to Help Draft Anti-Discrimination Policy

Former United States Attorney General Eric Holder has been hired as an advisor by Airbnb to help devise the company's new anti-discrimination policy.In December, a Harvard study…

Article / Passportable

Fans in Uproar Over Closing of Disney's Tower of Terror

The gut-wrenching Tower of Terror elevator drop at Disney California Adventure in Anaheim will let fall its last batch of thrill seekers in early January of next year—and fans are…

Article / Passportable

A Guy Named Hemingway Wins Key West's Hemingway Lookalike Contest

A guy named Hemingway won the annual "Papa" Hemingway Lookalike Contest in Key West, Florida, over the weekend.White-bearded 65-year-old Dave Hemingway—who is in no way related to…

Article / Miscellaneous

Floating Hotels, a Moving Observation Tower, and More: Today's Travel Briefing

A roundup of travel news from all over

Article / Passportable

Floating Hotels Drift into France and Japan

Looks like floating hotels could become the latest trend in travel. The hip Hôtel Off Paris Seine is already bobbing in that river near the Pont Charles de Gaulle. And now an…

Article / Passportable

World's Tallest Moving Observation Tower Set to Open on English Coast

On August 4, the English seaside resort town of Brighton will open to the public the world's tallest moving observation tower.Dreamed up by the team behind the London Eye Ferris…

Article / Passportable

Luggage Clip Lets You Pull Your Suitcase Hands-Free

If you're tired of dragging your rolling suitcase around by hand and don't mind looking slightly ridiculous, a new doohickey called My Hitch is perfect for you.It's a plastic clip…

Article / Miscellaneous

Southwest's Computer Troubles, an Irish Island Welcomes Americans Fleeing Trump, and More: Today's Travel Briefing

A roundup of travel news from all over

Article / Passportable

Southwest Airlines Continues to Grapple with Effects of Computer Glitch

Southwest Airlines and its passengers continue to grapple with the effects of a computer glitch on Wednesday that has canceled and delayed more than 1,000 flights.The carrier says…

Article / Passportable

Irish Island Welcomes Americans Fleeing Trump

If this week's Republican National Convention has you worried about the future of the country, the tiny Irish island of Inishturk would like to offer refuge.Located about 9 miles…

Article / Passportable

Glamping in the Heart of New York City—For $2,000 a Night

The W New York hotel is offering guests a chance to go camping in the heart of Midtown Manhattan.The hotel's Extreme Wow Glamping Suite is a colorful, 12-foot yurt decked out…