Chinese Village's Tourism Plan Turns Into Monkey Trouble
Posted on 06/21/2016, 8:45 AM
A village in China has a monkey on its back—or, to be precise, 600 monkeys. In a scheme to attract tourists, residents of Xianfeng in the country's Sichuan province lured about 70 macaque apes from the mountains in 2003. The idea was to entertain visitors as at Mount Emei, another tourist destination famous for its primates. But in 2014 the Xianfeng project's main funder died and the attraction...
Senate Panel OKs Cuba Travel
Posted on 06/21/2016, 8:15 AM
Easier travel to Cuba got one step closer on Thursday as a key Senate panal approved several provisions in line with President Obama's effort to restore ties with the island nation. Under the committee's recommendations, US citizens would no longer have to declare one of 12 reasons for visiting Cuba (tourism isn't among them), thus essentially lifting the travel ban. The move comes fast on the ...
New York Passes Anti-Airbnb Bill
Posted on 06/21/2016, 8:00 AM
New York State has approved a bill that would ban users on sites like Airbnb from posting listings for short-term rentals lasting fewer than 30 days. Violators could be fined up to $7,500. Having passed in New York's house and senate, the bill now goes to Governor Andrew Cuomo. Supporters of the legislation—including landlords, housing regulators, and the hotel industry—say that Airbnb and site...
Airbnb Vows to Root Out Racism, but Blocks Ability to Sue
Posted on 06/20/2016, 8:30 AM
Airbnb has responded to complaints from some users that they've had trouble booking rooms on the popular online vacation-rental site because of their race. The evidence isn't just anecdotal, either; in December, Harvard University (PDF) researchers found that guests with African-American-sounding names had a difficult time renting rooms through the site. Now Airbnb vows to weed out hosts who ...
Walking in Memphis: That'll Be $10, Please
Posted on 06/20/2016, 8:00 AM
It'll cost you $10 to enter Beale Street in Memphis, Tennessee, on Saturday nights for the time being. Following a spate of violence along the beloved thoroughfare lined with blues bars, barbecue joints, and dance clubs, the city has introduced the entrance fee as a way of keeping out underage drinkers and troublemakers. The cover charge applies only on Saturday nights after 10 p.m.—in other wo...
An End in Sight for Hidden Resort Fees?
Posted on 06/17/2016, 8:45 AM
You know when you see a hotel rate online and then later during the booking process you find out you're going to have to pay a mandatory "resort fee" not included in the advertised rate? Makes you feel kind of cheated, doesn't it? Well, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) could be coming to the rescue. Sources tell the Washington Post that the consumer protection agency is looking for ways to ...
Disney Comes to Shanghai, the Watergate Reopens, and More: Your Travel Briefing
Posted on 06/16/2016, 9:15 AM
Merchandise at Shanghai Disneyland (Mooshuu/Flickr) Your Daily Travel Briefing is our new daily roundup of travel-related news and information gathered from all over. Check this space each weekday for fresh updates. Here's what's going on in the world of travel today. * SHANGHAI DISNEYLAND OPENS TO THE PUBLIC (Chicago Tribune). And reports indicate the park is a stunner—colossal in scope...
Travel Briefing: Airport Lines, An Imploded Casino, and More
Posted on 06/15/2016, 9:15 AM
The Riviera in Las Vegas (photo by Ashwin Kumar/Flickr) Welcome to the middle of the week! And welcome to our brand-new daily roundup of travel-related news and information gathered from across the internet. Check this space daily for fresh updates. Here's what's going on in the world of travel today. * ORLANDO THEME PARKS STEPPING UP SECURITY AFTER NIGHTCLUB SHOOTING (New York Times). Y...
The RV Revival Kicks Into High Gear—Should You Climb on Board?
Posted on 06/08/2016, 1:45 PM
(Photo by faungg's photos / Flickr) Welcome to the RV renaissance. After some dark days during the 2008 recession—when many belt-tightening Americans found it difficult to justify investing in recreation, let alone a recreational vehicle—the RV industry has made an impressive comeback. Sales are way up; nearly 400,000 vehicles are expected to be shipped this year, compared to the dismal...
A Shrine to Wine Opens in France (Where Else?)
Posted on 06/06/2016, 4:30 PM
La Cité du Vin, Bordeaux (patrick janicek / Flickr) Dubbed the "Guggenheim of wine," France's brand-new La Cité du Vin, which opened last week in Bordeaux, is clearly intended as an august monument to all things wine in a country that has been producing the stuff for centuries. At the museum's dedication, French President Francois Hollande declared it an "emblem of excellence" and a "symbo...
