MGM Resorts in Legal Hot Water Over Resort Fee "Lies"
Posted on 03/11/2021, 10:00 AM
If you have traveled or shopped for travel in the past few months, you've probably noticed a vexing trend: Many hotels in the United States have drastically curtailed amenities because of the pandemic—but haven't reduced resort fees a penny. That mistake left hotels exposed to legal action. Travelers United, a nonprofit consumer advocacy group based in Washington, D.C., is suing MGM Resorts Inter...
New Tourism Projects in Jerusalem Will Soon Enrich Historic Exploration
Posted on 03/11/2021, 9:00 AM
In January, the The Atlantic called Israel the "world's front-runner on vaccine distribution." Recently, it was able to not only lift many lockdown restrictions but also announce its government would be sharing 100,000 Moderna doses with friendly countries. During its no-travel period, Israel was also unusually proactive in expanding some of its most important historic sites and museums for future...
Disneyland Finally Sets Reopening Target—But Don't Buy Plane Tickets Just Yet
Posted on 03/09/2021, 10:00 AM
After a closure that has lasted since March 14, 2020, California's Disneyland has finally set its sights on reopening. Disney CEO Bob Chapek announced to shareholders that he hopes the park will be able to reopen to the public in late April. But there's a big caveat about who that opening audience will be, and a lot of things have to happen before the resort can meet the new, state-issued requi...
Some Ports Realize They May Not Want Cruises Back Once Covid Is Over
Posted on 03/05/2021, 11:00 AM
As Covid-19 recedes, vacationers may see major shifts in cruise itineraries. Citizens in major ports of call have tasted life without the presence of big cruise ships—and some destinations are deciding they prefer things that way. First, it was Key West, Florida, a mainstay of affordable Western Caribbean cruises. For years, locals have been complaining that cruise ship traffic hasn't provided mu...
In the Loire Valley, New Visions of Gardens and the Life of Leonardo da Vinci
Posted on 03/04/2021, 12:00 PM
With so many indoor amusements rendered verboten by the pandemic, even many confirmed urbanites got into nature this past year. Because of a new widespread appreciation for the open air, many are predicting that outdoorsy vacations will remain popular even after the pandemic is passed. I have a prediction of my own. I think places that are able to mix open spaces with cultural attractions and good ...
Steps the U.S. Government Should Take Right Now to Protect Air Travelers
Posted on 03/02/2021, 1:00 PM
What should be the top priorities for the U.S. Department of Transportation when it comes to air travel? Consumer Reports has a few ideas. The advocacy organization sent a list of policy recommendations to the federal agency shortly after the swearing in of new Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg last month. All of the items on the two-page list would improve air travel for passengers, but so...
Royal Caribbean's New Ship Set to Debut, but Only for Vaccinated Travelers
Posted on 03/01/2021, 10:00 AM
When Royal Caribbean launches its newest megaship, Odyssey of the Seas, only vaccinated passengers will be aboard. The cruise line has announced that tickets for the ship's upcoming debut this summer will go on sale March 9—and that everyone on the crew and the passenger list must have proof of vaccination against Covid-19 to participate. To make sure that it can clear that high bar, Royal Caribb...
Immersive (and Socially Distanced) van Gogh Show Comes to Major U.S. Cities
Posted on 02/25/2021, 7:00 AM
On December 1, 1883, Vincent van Gogh wrote to his brother Theo, "But know this, brother, that I am absolutely cut off from the outer world—except from you." It was a common refrain in the artist's letters. He had a lifelong feeling of being isolated from those around him. "Indeed, this may be a small misery," he wrote in the same 1883 missive sent from the Dutch province of Drenthe, "but it is a...
Growing Desperate for Visitors, Las Vegas Ramps Up Reopenings
Posted on 02/24/2021, 1:00 PM
Thanks to the pandemic, visitation numbers in Nevada have dropped to their lowest levels in almost 30 years, according to the Reno Gazette-Journal. It's no wonder that Las Vegas politicians, casino owners, and other people dependent on the tourism economy are eager to accelerate the city's return to some semblance of normal, even with restrictions such as mask requirements and capacity limits rem...
The New Official National Parks Trip-Planning App Gets a Rave from Us
Posted on 02/22/2021, 11:00 AM
The U.S. National Park Service (NPS) has released a new official app—and it's exciting. After years of forcing users to track down current information at each individual unit's website or local app, the NPS finally has replaced that scattershot method with a single download (free on Google Play and Apple's App Store) that's worthy of the national park system. The newly conceived compendium app c...
