World Traveler

Right now, thanks to new rules that took effect earlier this year requiring passports for travel to Mexico, the Caribbean and Canada, there is a massive backlog in passport processing. This means that even if you pay the expedition fee to get your passport sooner, you could still be waiting quite a while to get your passport. Now, however, the U.S. government is providing new rules to help ease passport problems during the summer travel season. The Salt Lake Tribune reports:

The passport backlog prompted the federal government to change its policy Friday. Now, U.S. citizens who have applied for but not yet received passports can temporarily enter and depart from the U.S. by air with government-issued photo identification and proof from the State Department that they have applied for a passport. This policy will expire on Sept. 30; at that time, passports will be required.

However, many travel agents are recommending that you pay the passport expedition fee. There could be any number of delays and problems associated with presenting your paperwork, and getting approved without a passport.

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Want to know all about a destination? An interesting new travel Web site called Delta Siteseer features its own employees as they head out into the wide world. This is a great new Web site that includes travel videos and travel tips full of insider information and mini-trips that can take you off the beaten path. This is a great (and interesting) travel Web site that includes such destinations as:

• New York
• Boston
• Seoul
• Brussels
• Orlando
• Mumbai
• Los Angeles

My favorite features are the travel videos. These are a great deal of fun to watch, and can give you a true taste of the culture, attractions and local flavor — wherever that may be.

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If you are looking forward to summer international travel, plan for long waits at Customs when your re-enter the country. Currently, there are not enough Customs agents to handle the inflow, and it is likely to get worse as the summer travel season progresses. Indeed, waits can be an hour or more — and sometimes that’s after you have sat on the airplane for 30 minutes. This means that if you are planning international travel, you should try to plan the domestic flights after you get back accordingly. USA Today reports on the lack of Customs agents for this summer travel season:

“We can’t confuse long lines and waits with great security,” says Roger Dow of trade group Travel Industry Association, which wants Congress to pay for 200 more agents at airports. The TIA is lobbying to get average processing times down to 30 minutes, vs. Customs’ current goal of 45 minutes.

Colleen Kelley, president of the National Treasury Employees Union, which represents agents, says “several thousand” more agents are needed.

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For the first time, a powered paraglider has carried a human over Mount Everest. This feat of amazing adventure travel was accomplishd by Bear Grylls, a TV presenter and writer from Britain. This marks one of the most exciting events of this year’s Mount Everest climbing season, which started in March. CNN Travel reports on this adventure travel accomplishment:

Bear Grylls, 32, flew 140 meters (460 feet) above the world’s highest peak at 8,850 meters (29,035 feet) on Monday after taking off on a powered paraglider from a village in the Khumbhu region where Everest is located, Explore Himalaya agency said Friday.

“Amazing and nervous,” Grylls told reporters when asked how he felt about his mission. “It was an incredible experience.”

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Even though a smoking ban has been effect in Disney World for seven years, it was still allowed in some areas in hotels. Now, starting in June, that will change. There will be a smoking ban on all Disney World hotels, as well as time-share and other resorts throughout Florida. CNN Travel reports on the Disney World smoking ban:

The ban permits smoking at designated outdoor areas. The transition to become smoke-free will allow Disney to better accommodate the increasing number of guests requesting nonsmoking hotel rooms, the theme park’s spokesman Jacob DiPietre said.

The ban follows a 2000 measure that restricted smoking throughout Disney’s theme and water parks, limiting smoking to designated areas, DiPietre said.

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CNN Travel offers this interesting look at business travel:

On a recent business trip to San Diego, California, Kurt Barrett took his family to Sea World.

Between the banquet dinners and panel discussions on agricultural policy, he also took his 5-month-old daughter swimming for the first time in the hotel pool. Another day, they strolled through the humid botanical gardens in Balboa Park.

“It was like being at home. I got done with work, then enjoyed spending time with my wife and child,” said Barrett, a 30-year-old general manager for a rice distributor in Williams, California.

This fits right in the idea of a rise in family travel. And it shows how you can balance work with family, even when traveling, just as you do every day in real life. You usually get to go for free, and you can find travel deals for the rest of your family. And you don’t have to take vacation days to do it!

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Middle East travel is poised to rise, and the trend seems evidenced by this week’s Arabian Travel Market 2007. The Middle East travel exhibition has been growing steadily, providing insight into the travel industry, and showcasing travel products and services. ArabianBusiness.com reports on Middle East travel:

“The Middle East has a bright future. Massive development is being undertaken over the whole region and all eyes seem to be turned towards tourism. The World Travel and Tourism Council, in a recent report, states that Middle East tourism is growing by over four per cent year-on-year and that trend is set to continue for the next ten years. There is no better place to be than the Middle East travel industry,” [Tom Nutley of Reed Travel Exhibitions]
said.

Arabian Travel Market 2007 is taking place through the end of the week at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre in the United Arab Emirates.

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First Class is soon to disappear in airline travel. At least, first class as we know it. MSNBC Travel reports on the latest trends in airline travel:

“Business-class has been upgraded to first-class standards at some airlines, and it’s encroaching on first-class,” says Edward Plaisted, chief executive of Skytrax, a U.K.-based airline and airport quality ranking company that assesses quality of first-class long haul flights. “First-class is at the stage where the section is filled by upgrades and frequent fliers.”

As a result, he predicts that some airlines will eliminate their first-class altogether. Skytrax research shows that around 35 airlines currently provide first-class service globally. This number doesn’t include smaller airlines that may offer first-class on domestic routes. Plaisted estimates that in the next five years, only 20 or 25 airlines will maintain the service.

And the airline travel providers that do keep first class? Well they are expected to become more luxurious. Truly first class airline travel. In the new first class airline travel, it will be more like staying in a hotel, the MSNBC story continues:

Aram Gesar, editor of New York-based AirGuide magazine and AirGuideonline.com, publications for frequent travelers, says “there will be more square footage and more cabin attendants but fewer seats.” What’s more, seats will be more like mini-suites with sliding doors so fliers can be left alone to sleep, dine or hold business meetings. Emirates already offers this for first-class fliers.

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For many people, pets are a member of the family. That means that they come on family vacations as well. And if you want to bring your pet with you as you travel, that means that it becomes necessary to find pet friendly hotels. Pet friendly hotels can be found all over the U.S., although they are still relatively rare. But one place that has just opened up to family vacations that include pets is Hawaii. CNN Travel reports on pets in Hawaii:

The Kahala resort manager, Tim Lee, started the dog program there last year after helping launch a similar pet-pampering program at the Beverly Hills Hotel in Los Angeles, where celebrities regularly brought their purse-sized pups.

“Even the dogs want to be pampered,” said Lee. “It’s all a matter of service.” …

At W Honolulu in Diamond Head, cats and dogs under 40 pounds are welcome. Owners pay an extra $25 a day at the W plus a $100 cleaning fee at the end of their visit.

Upon arrival, they get special water bowls, pet-size beds and goodie bags packed with a rawhide treat or chew toy.

“It makes the experience for pets just like it is for humans,” said general manager Lyle Takeuchi.

It is important to note that pet friendly hotels, though they do allow pets, often charge extra for you to bring your furry friends along. But for many travelers, the extra charge is worth it to include an important part of the family in their vacations.

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This week, the Washington Post has compiled some of the best travel deals around. These are great travel deals that include trips to stay at the Chesapeake Bay Resort (great family travel!) or head to a South African game reserve. But the Washington Post doesn’t stop there; great travel deals by sea are also available on cruises. Even great airfares are listed among these travel deals. Even though there are several travel deals to choose from, the Washington Post reports on my favorite package travel deal, the Greek Islands:

European Destinations has a package deal to the Greek Islands for travel in May. The Best of Greece deal to Athens, Paros Island, Santorini Island and Crete starts at about $1,355 per person double and includes round-trip air from Washington Dulles to Athens, with return from Heraklion; eight nights’ hotel in four different locations; and hydrofoil transportation between destinations. Priced separately, the deal would cost about $1,763. Book at 877-267-2247, www.europeandestinations.com.

So, no matter what you’re looking for, from family travel to a complete getaway, you can find some great travel deals by paying a visit to the Washington Post!

Find more travel deals on Family Trip Deals.

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Eco travel is becoming more popular among Americans as attitudes about the environment change. And eco travel is becoming more recognized as a fun and safe way to enjoy other cultures. From eco travel in Mexico, Africa and Asia to agritourism in the U.S., Americans are interested in having a good time, and taking care of the earth.

And, while full-out eco travel may not be possible for all of us, this interesting poll by Orbitz shows that many Americans want to be more eco friendly when they travel:

Conducted by MarketTool’s Zoomerang’s polling service, the Orbitz survey highlights that:

— More than half (65%) state it would somewhat impact their decision to
stay at a hotel if they knew the hotel was using solar or wind energy
to supplement the powering of the building.
— A strong majority (63%) state they would pay a little more to rent a
hybrid vehicle or stay at a “green” hotel.
— More than half (52%) of Americans state they would be willing to donate
a small portion of their vacation budget to help save the environment
when booking a trip.

So, as you are making your summer travel plans, you might consider eco travel as a way to better enjoy earth’s beautiful treasures without harming them.

You can find eco travel ideas at the Eco Tour Directory.

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The summer travel season is just around the corner, and that means it’s time to start preparing for the inevitable inconveniences that come with airline travel. As airline stocks start recovering and passenger loads start increasing, those of use who travel year round are bracing for the influx of airline travelers.

In the spirit of the season, I suggest you head on over to the MSNBC airline travel poll. You can choose from a list of airline travel annoyances, including rude flight crews, crowds, baggage fees, and delays. You can even decide to trumpet your overall satisfaction with air travel.

Right now, the tally stands at delays at the most annoying, with baggage fees far behind. You can also join in on a discussion related to the airline travel poll, weighing in on what you think that airlines can do to improve their service.

If you have a little time today to think about the upcoming summer travel season, head on over to MSNBC and contribute your 2 cents.

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If you applied for a U.S. Passport in the last two or three months, you know the pain of a long wait. Thanks to new regulations requiring a Passport to travel by air to any foreign country (that includes Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean!), has upped the number of Passport applications. And that means that the U.S. State Department has been too inundated to move quickly. However, thanks to some changes at State, passport processing is picking up speed, reports MSNBC:

“Passport production has hit record highs as the department works diligently to honor its mission and ensure that every citizen gets a passport in time for planned travel,� it said.

A boost in staffing and overtime and weekend hours at the 17 passport agencies has succeeded in reducing some processing delays that had threatened a huge number of overseas vacations for Americans and sparked congressional concern, [the State Department] said.

Your expedited U.S. passport (which comes with a pricey fee) should be ready in about two weeks. But the government is saying that you will still need 10 weeks if you aren’t paying the expedited fee. I’d apply at least three months before your intended trip if you do not intend to pay the fee for expedited passport processing.

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Definitely one of the coolest things to open in the last couple of weeks is the Grand Canyon Skywalk. This feature is walkway in the shape of a loop that juts out over the Grand Canyon. Yep. When you step out onto the Skywalk the only thing between you and a 4,000 foot drop is a piece of glass. The experience is both frightening and exhilarating.

The Grand Canyon Skywalk is located on the little-visited West Rim. The West Rim is on land owned by the Hualapai Tribe. Rather than choosing to build a casino, the Tribe envisioned an amazing attraction. It does cost money to walk the Skywalk, and a portion of the profits are going to the Las Vegas financier of the Grand Canyon Skywalk in exchange for allowing the Hualapai Tribe to have the attraction.

The first person to venture out onto the Grand Canyon Skywalk? Astronaut and moon landing pioneer Buzz Aldrin.

More on Grand Canyon Tours here.

See a video about the Grand Canyon Skywalk on YouTube.

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Yesterday marked the transatlantic maiden voyage of the Airbus A380, the largest commercial passenger airplane in the world. The maiden voyage across the Atlantic is considered one of the most important airline flights since the Concorde. The Airbus A380 is a double decker jet plane. Airbus hopes that when Americans see how efficient the plane is, they will want to buy them in order to service transoceanic flights. MSNBC reports:

Lufthansa Flight 8940 is meant to be a statement by Airbus that it can accommodate vast numbers of travelers comfortably and efficiently.

“We’re talking about an airplane that is representing aviation in the 21st century in terms of efficiency,� said Jens Bischoff, Lufthansa’s vice president for the Americas.

The specs on the Airbus A380:

• Holds 550 passengers
• 239 feet long
• Wings the size of a football field
• Holds 81,890 gallons of fuel
• Flies 560 miles per hour
• Can go 8,000 nautical miles without refueling

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