Travelrific® Travel Journal
Picture postcards in prose.™ Check out the blogroll on the front page for official merchandise and other resources!Archive for tourism
Your Car Key Could Cost You Money
By Linda Tancs
Is your car key “smart”? It is if it contains embedded electronics designed to disable your car in the event of an attempted theft. That’s a good thing, right? Of course, it is–until you lose or damage your smarty pants key and the locksmith can’t duplicate it without access to the key’s code, and it’s a Saturday night. Is your dealer open 24/7? If the American Automobile Association has its way, each state will require auto manufacturers to make this information available to consumers around the clock so you needn’t waste your time or your money. Check out www.aaa.com for more information or ask your local legislator.
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Proposed Change in Overbooked Flights Comp Rule
By Linda Tancs
For the first time in 30 years, the U.S. Dept. of Transportation is considering upping the ante on compensation for stranded passengers. Current rules allow for compensation up to $200 for domestic flights delayed up to 2 hours and international flights delayed up to 4 hours. For delays past 2 hours and 4 hours, respectively, the ante is raised to $400.
Of course, these amounts are not indexed for inflation. That’s why one of the proposals on the table is to increase the $200 cap to $624 and the $400 cap to $1248. There are other proposals as well, such as eliminating all compensation limits and using the ticket’s value as a guide. What say you? Weigh in with your two cents by September 10, 2007. Go to http://dms.dot.gov and plug in docket number OST-01-9325-4 to read all of the proposals and instructions for public comment.
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How to Compare Travel Insurance Policies
By Linda Tancs
Make no mistake about it. All travel insurance policies are not created equal. Travel insurance is a billion dollar industry, and trip cancellation/interruption accounts for the bulk of the cost of travel insurance packages. Read the fine print of each provider’s coverage and weigh that against the cost of the coverage being sought. You can compare policy providers online. Check out http://www.quotewright.com.
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The Treasures of St. Augustine, Florida
By Linda Tancs
In this week’s edition of the podcast Travelrific Travel Show, the topic is St. Augustine, Florida. Trace the footsteps of Ponce de Leon in search of eternal youth and discover the treasures of America’s oldest city. Visit www.travelrificradio.com.
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Open Skies to Advance Competition
By Linda Tancs
Lower transatlantic fares and flight availability. Sound good? That’s the premise behind the US/EU Open Skies agreement, set to take effect in March 2008. Under the agreement EU airlines will be able to fly to any city in the U.S., and U.S. airlines will be able to fly to any city in the EU. Will this have any effect on competition, or will outside factors (like fuel costs and gate rentals) set the game rules? Stay tuned.
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Enjoy England Awards
By Linda Tancs
Next year’s designated Capital of Culture, Liverpool, gets early honors with the grant of an Enjoy England Award of Excellence this year for outstanding contributions to tourism. Native son Sir Paul McCartney shared in the honor–no surprise there, considering that his post-Beatles activities, like the Liverpool Oratorio, generated significant publicity for his hometown.
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Wonders of the World
By Linda Tancs
What a wonder-full world. After a global vote, the results are in. The newest 7 wonders of the world are, in no particular order: The Great Wall of China, Rome’s Colosseum, India’s Taj Mahal, Jordan’s Petra, Peru’s Machu Picchu, Brazil’s Christ the Redeemer, and Mexico’s Chichen Itza. Will the losing candidates demand a recount?
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A Walker’s Guide to Charleston, South Carolina
By Linda Tancs
In this week’s edition of the podcast Travelrific Travel Show, the topic is Charleston, South Carolina. Tune in for a streetwise guide to this classy, southern city. Visit www.travelrificradio.com.
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The Greening of London’s Taxi
By Linda Tancs
Even the black cab must go green. Tough new EU emissions standards require that London’s taxi cabs undergo an engine overhaul. Without government backing in this endeavor, the black cab is likely to join the Routemaster in oblivion. Get those bikes ready.
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The Hidden Cost of Air Traffic Delays
By Linda Tancs
So what’s a little $9.4 billion among friends? That’s the amount of economic loss that the U.S. Dept. of Transportation estimates is lost due to air traffic delays. Maybe that’s why galactic travel is gaining interest these days. It costs less and traffic is light.
