Tagged: safety

Too Soon? Jacksonville, Florida, Already Reopening Beaches

Jacksonville, Florida, is among the first locations in the United States to loosen social distancing restrictions—the city's beaches reopened to the public Friday at 5pm. According to…

CDC Extends No-Sail Order for Cruise Ships Using American Ports

Late last night the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) extended by 100 days its prohibition on cruises using American ports. The original order was supposed to end in…

Australia on Fire: What the Continent's Catastrophic Blazes Mean for Travelers

JANUARY 7, 2020Australians—like Californians—are used to wildfires. It’s not unusual for significant acreage to burn during the hot summers that last from December to February in the…

This Was the World's Most Visited City in 2019—But Is It Safe?

Despite months of pro-democracy protests that have at times turned violent, Hong Kong was the world's most visited city in 2019, according to a projection from Euromonitor…

Arthur: For Gay Americans, Some International Travel Is Exceedingly Dangerous

Like many standard Americans, my business relations include dealings with gay men, and I know a pair that recently had a same-sex wedding. They have asked me to recommend a…

Chinese Glass Bridges Closed Out of Safety Fears

For a few years now, China has seemed determined to install spine-tingling transparent bridges, walkways, and slides at every cliffside, mountain gorge, and canyon in the country. At…

Hanoi Removing Cafes from Narrow “Train Street” Due to Safety Concerns

What magical tourist attraction is Instagram ruining this week? The photogenic "train street" in Hanoi, where a single-track railway squeezes between makeshift cafes and other…

No Men Allowed at This New Majorca Hotel

A hotel exclusively for women has opened on the Spanish island of Majorca. Located near Porto Cristo on the island's eastern coast, Som Dona Hotel has 39 rooms, a pool, a wellness spa,…

Our Travel Podcasts: Summer, Star Wars, Safety, Scams

Each week, Frommer's brings you two fresh podcasts stuffed with travel tips, news, and inspiration. Recordings are made from our weekly call-in show on WABC-770AM in New York and our…

The Leaning Tower of Pisa Is Leaning Less

The Leaning Tower of Pisa is standing a little straighter these days. Engineers say that the tilt of the Italian icon has reduced by about 4cm (1.6 in.), according to news reports.More…

Arthur Frommer: The Safest Destinations Are Named. Guess Who's Not a Leader?

A well-respected international consumer organization has picked the safest countries in which to travel, and the United States is nowhere among the leaders. Which are the world’s…

I’m Now One of Those People: A Traveler with an Airbnb Horror Story

It didn’t happen because I’m a careless idiot, or a very picky, persnickity traveler. It happened because I’m a (bit) lazy. I was heading to Chicago for work and an unrelated…

A Deadly End for the Yellowstone Daredevils

Two years ago, in the spring of 2016, a few young Canadians created an international scandal by treading into forbidden, protected areas of Yellowstone National Park and recording it…

Arthur Frommer: Quintana Roo, Mexico, is Gaining as a Tourist Destination

While numerous destinations in Mexico are suffering from what some describe as an overly sensitive spate of tourist warnings from our U.S. State Department, one area is obviously…

After 50 Years, Jesus' Baptism Site May Fully Reopen to Tourists

The section of the Jordan River traditionally designated as Jesus Christ's baptism site, where the Man from Galilee kicked off his mission to bring peace to the world, is currently…

San Francisco Airport Can Now Send Emergency Texts to Passengers

San Francisco International Airport has become the first in the nation to receive approval from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to send emergency text messages directly to any…

U.S. State Department Travel Advisories: Where to Find Them, How to Read Them

Pop quiz: What's the difference between a "travel alert" and a "travel warning"? If you don't have a clue, the U.S. State Department determined that you're not the only one. Widespread…

American State Department Simplifies Travel Warnings

Following a long internal review, the United States Department of State is making its travel warnings clearer. Starting in January, its notices on safety situations will be boiled down…

If Morality Won’t Persuade U.S. to End Gun Violence, How About Economic Damage?

Because this blog is about travel, not politics, I am prevented from discussing the issues of gun control raised by the recent shooting in Las Vegas. But I very definitely am entitled…

After Las Vegas, Should Airport Security Measures Now Be Applied to Hotels?

The recent horrific shooting in Las Vegas has touched off a number of articles and proposals by travel writers on the relationship of hotel security measures to acts of…

A Tragic Backpacker Death Teaches an Important Travel Lesson

What happened to Kit Mallinson was the nightmare every parent has when they send their child away on a trip.Last December, the 18-year-old backpacker from Dorset, England, boarded a…

Not All of the Caribbean was Devastated by Irma: Don't Neglect the Rest

Our hearts go out to those island nations that suffered so badly from recent storms—St. Martin, the Virgin Islands, Barbuda, among them. But by assuming that all such islands were…

Motel 6 Accused of Sending Guest Lists to ICE

Phoenix New Times, an Arizona newspaper, reports that at least two local Motel 6 properties stand accused of violating customer privacy by sending guest lists to the United States'…

Women-Only Taxi Service Debuts in Paris

Women have a new option for getting around Paris.A taxi service called Women Drive has debuted in the French capital. The business is staffed with female drivers and geared toward…

U.S. Expands Mexico Travel Warning to Include Cancun and Los Cabos

For the first time, the U.S. State Department has expanded its Mexico travel warning to include the states where some of the country's most popular beach resorts are located. Updating…