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Trends & Hacks

Article / Passportable

It's Here: Donald Trump Robot Unveiled at Disney's Hall of Presidents

About six months behind its usual post-election refurbishment schedule, Walt Disney World has unveiled its Audio-Animatronic version of the current president of the United States,…

Article / Passportable

Why Hotel Bills in Hawaii Are About to Go Up

On January 1, the tax on lodgings in Hawaii will increase by 1% statewide.But that's not all. The fee charged to tourists who rent rooms in hotels, condos, B&Bs, and "transient…

Article / Outdoor & Adventure

Why European River Cruise Biking Vacations Are on the Rise

For active tourists, the ability to see multiple places easily on a bike has become a major reason to book a European river cruise—which is why more cruise lines are adding cycle…

Article / Passportable

Hotel Earns Guinness Record for Whisky: 1,031 Varieties

Fans of the tipple might want to toddle off to Scotland for their next holiday. The Guinness Book of World Records has officially recognized one hotel there for having the most…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Our Top Tips for Surviving Holiday Air Travel this Year

The airlines are expecting 51 million passengers to fly in United States in the final two weeks of December, a figure that’s up 3% from last year’s record number. Break it down and…

Article / Passportable

Neapolitan Pizza, Panama Hats Among Traditions Given UNESCO Heritage Status

As anybody who travels with open eyes and an open mind soon discovers, a place isn't made unique just by its buildings and scenery. The dishes, dances, crafts, languages, and other…

Article / Passportable

Marriott's New Shower Doors Record What You Doodle on Them

This winter, Marriott introduces what it calls "Splash of Brilliance," which are special shower doors that record whatever guests trace onto them and emails an image of it. You…

Article / Passportable

U.S. Government Won't Require Bag Fee Disclosure in Airfares

An Obama administration proposal designed to protect airline passengers from hidden fees has been discarded by the current Department of Transportation. Under the proposed…

Article / Passportable

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…

Article / Passportable

An Airline Perk for Ugly Holiday Sweaters

Alaska Airlines passengers will want to raid their closets for brightly colored, snowman-bedecked, jingle-bell-festooned sweaters on December 15.In honor of National Ugly Christmas…

Article / Passportable

Airlines Limit Smart Bags Allowed on Flights

The supposed next big thing in luggage just hit a snag. Several U.S. airlines have announced bans on technologically sophisticated "smart" suitcases with lithium-ion batteries that…

Article / Passportable

In Denver You Can Dine in a Former Air Traffic Control Tower

Although Denver's old Stapleton International Airport has been closed for more than 20 years, the air traffic control tower recently reopened.There won't be any flight coordinating…

Article / Passportable

UPDATED: Will American Airlines' Scheduling Glitch Leave You Stranded for the Holidays?

This post, originally published on December 1, has been updated below.American Airlines discovered earlier this week that a glitch in the internal system used by pilots to schedule…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Airbnb Just Made Planning Group Trips a Lot Easier

Humans have always traveled in packs. But booking this style of travel online has always been difficult—few sites allow users to divvy up payments among several travelers. Airbnb to…

Article / Passportable

2017's Most Instagrammed Locations

Instagram released its year in review this week, looking back at 2017's top trends on the popular photo-sharing social network.Among the not-so-surprising revelations that Beyoncé's…

Article / Slideshows

Sacramento, Discovered: California's Capital Shines Bright

California’s capital city is often overshadowed by the Golden State’s metropolitan giants, San Francisco , San Diego , and Los Angeles . But in the last decade, as the tech sector…

Article / Passportable

Paid Reservations Now Required to Visit California's Muir Woods

From Dubrovnik to Machu Picchu, popular tourist destinations around the world are devising new sign-up strategies to combat overcrowding caused by hordes of temporary visitors.The…

Article / Slideshows

The Trends That Will Shape Travel in 2018

Glance at a list of recent travel trends and you’ll be struck by something. Where we visit, the ways we get there, and what we do upon arrival are all shaped by events in the wider…

Article / Passportable

Two Brand New Museums Dedicated to Mississippi History

Side-by-side history museums in Mississippi's capital city, Jackson, will open to the public on December 9—one day before the state's bicentennial.The brand-new institutions share an…

Article / Passportable

Brazil Just Got a Whole Lot Easier to Visit

Hallelujah! Brazil's arms are finally opening wide to tourists.For years, if you wanted to visit the riches of this South American country, you soon found out how difficult it was.…

Article / Slideshows

Christmas in New York: The City's Best Holiday Window Displays

If your idea of the holidays involves glittering lights, bright colors, jingle bells, and the sort of magic that only exorbitant budgets can make possible, then New York City beats the…

Article / Passportable

Spectacular Holiday Show Added to Universal's Hogwarts Castle

Harry Potter is getting into the holiday spirit at Universal theme parks in Orlando and Southern California for the first time this year. In Central Florida, seasonal features at…

Article / Passportable

The U.S. Frequent Flyer Program with the Highest Customer Satisfaction Is...

Measuring loyalty programs separately from overall airline satisfaction for the first time, the market research company J.D. Power devised a 1,000-point scale rating the six largest…

Article / Passportable

Blaming Trump, Another Airline Calls It Quits in Cuba

Alaska Airlines will discontinue its service to Cuba on January 22, 2018, the carrier has announced. The reason: the Trump Administration's new rules that make it too difficult for…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

The Trump Slump Claims Another Victim: Students Coming to Study at U.S. Colleges

In earlier blogs, I discussed the recent sharp decline in foreign tourism coming to vacation in the United States—far more than a few million fewer visitors compared to previous…