A Plea for Less Restrictive US Visas

Several years ago, I interviewed a fellow who ran furniture shows in different markets across the United States. Dealers and manufacturers from all over the world attended these expos; at them deals were forged, products bought and sold and jobs created.

Sadly, after 9/11 his business cratered, the number of attendees at his show having dived by a full third. The problem wasn't a fear of terrorism or a downturn in the furniture market but the inability of international manufacturers to obtain visas and get to the shows.

I asked how that could be and he gave, as an example, the problem of businessmen in Brazil. At that time, there was only one Visa-giving embassy in that vast country, located in Sao Paulo. While Sao Paulo is a big center for furniture construction, it was rivaled by other areas of the country (such as Brazil's southernmost state Rio Grande do Sul) which were thousands of miles,hours by plane, from the capital. Businesspeople in these areas, in order to head to the United States, had to fly to Sao Paulo and stay in a hotel. If that wasn't expense enough, visa applicants were required to leave their passports behind for processing, picking them up when ready (and apparently it could sometimes be several days before they were ready). With the cost of domestic air, and a several nights stay in a Sao Paulo hotel, many simply ditched the idea of attending and took their business elsewhere.

The situation hasn't improved much since then, which is why I was heartened to hear that a bi-partisan bill is currently being considered that would ease visa restrictions. Introduced by tourism caucus co-chairs Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Roy Blunt (R-MO), the new regulations would allow previous visa-holders to forego the required in-person interview, if they apply for another visa within four years of obtaining their first one. The bill would also allow the State Department to re-allocate the money from visa fees to allow the hiring for more personnel in areas that most need it. And the Congress is asking the State Department to make particular efforts for improving the visa application process in India, China and yes, Brazil, areas with huge demands (and, in the past, huge waits for visas).

By some estimates, 1 out of every 11 Americans work in the travel industry in some capacity, whether at hotels, airports, trains, parks or restaurants that tourists support. So the visa issue goes well beyond the needs of business travelers. In the decade since 9/11 we've welcomed thousands fewer international tourists than we could have, and that, in turn, has lost this country hundreds of jobs.

Contact your representative today (go to www.senate.gov or www.house.gov) and let them know you support more intelligent, flexible visa policies. For the sake of our economy, ask them to support the International Tourism Facilitation Act.

Japan (Probably) To Give Away 10,000 Air Tickets to Foreigners

The Japanese National Tourist Organization made a whopper of an announcement yesterday. In an effort to revive its crippled tourism industry (down some 70% since the earthquake and subsequent nuclear power plant problems last March), it is petitioning the government to make available funds for a ticket giveaway. At this stage, it has said its seeking some 1.1 billion yen (approximately $150 million dollars) to fund the purchase of 10,000 tickets for foreign visitors.

Photo by Marc Veraart

Beyond the direct infusion of cash this giveaway will give to the country's hoteliers, restauranteurs, tour companies and other organizations that cater to tourists, the promotion will be a major PR coup. Those requesting tickets will have to fill out online forms, apparently viewable by all comers, about why they want to visit the Land of the Rising Sun. They may also be asked to fill out questionnaires giving suggestions on how Japan can drum up more visitations.

Keep an eye on the JNTO website for complete information. No details have been given out yet as to when the applications will be due, though travel will apparently be for 2012 and not 2011. Those who accept the tickets will also be expected to post online reviews of their experiences after they return.

So is Japan safe? The US government thinks so. Just last week it downgraded its warning, saying that the only area citizens shouldn't enter is the zone within 20 km of the crippled Fukishimi Daiishi nuclear power plant (so Tokyo, Kamakura, Mount Fuji and Kyoto, the country's major touristic destinations, are all fine). To read the complete State Department statement, click here.

Happy Columbus Day All!

This blog will return on Tuesday.

Freebie Friday: Four Giveaways from Four Points by Sheraton

Let me start this post with a warning/disclaimer: no hotel freebie is actually free if the hotel room you're renting is so much pricier than the surrounding options that you're  losing money by staying there. So before you take advantage of Four Points "Four for Free Giveaway" make sure you're getting a decent deal on the room rate.

Granted, that's often doable with Four Points, a very comfortable, indeed stylish, midrange brand that's part of the Starwood family of properties. And with its current offer (which runs through the end of the year) guests will get a free continental breakfast, a free appetizer, free Wifi and free bottle of water when they check in. Hey, its  better than a kick in the pants.

The offer is good at participating Four Points by Sheraton properties, all of which are listed at the link above.

Great Travel Writers Reveal Their Favorite Travel Books

Where to go? Its the most fundamental and yet, often, the most difficult question to solve when planning a vacation.

A strategy I've used in the past has been to read up on various places before deciding. And though it may seem out of character, considering my last name, I don't read guidebooks during this initial process. Instead, I turn to travel memoirs and (sometimes) books of history. When I've hit upon one that inspires me, I then look at the guidebook to plan the concrete details of my trip.

Finding good travel memoirs, however, can be tricky. Often they're the literary equivalent of watching someone's very long-winded and not very insightful slideshow on their last vacation. Which is why I was so pleased to stumble across a recent article in London's Guardian, in which well-respected current travel writers were asked to reveal which books and authors most inspired them.

Some of their favorites were already mine--Pico Iyer, Ian Frazier and Jan Morris make the list (not surprisingly). But so do more obscure writers and writers who are better known in other genres, such as Patrick Leigh Fermor, Apsley Cherry-Garard, and Henry Miller.

To read the list, and more importantly, the descriptions of these authors' work, click on the link above.

Mom's Russian River Cruise

She's back!

Though I'm guessing she's still wishing she was in Russia. Apparently, the river cruise was the trip of a lifetime.

All of her--and my--worries proved to be unfounded. The ship, a Russian-owned and operated vessel, proved to be just fine, with good food and a dedicated, well-trained staff (with the exception of her excursions leader, who she thought was disorganized. My guess? Mom's right. Apparently this woman kept losing tourists at the sites!).

Red Square (photo by ThisIsBossi)

Would she have done some things differently? Yes.

She believes her first mistake was not scheduling days, both before and after the trip, to tour Moscow and St. Petersburg on her own. With only the day and a half of tours scheduled with the cruiseline, she left feeling that she'd given these fascinating cities short shrift.

She also regretted having paid more to get a double cabin to herself. She was told by the agent that the singles cabins were claustrophobicly small. But she saw some aboard, and wished she'd saved the several hundred dollars she'd spent for more spacious digs. The singles were just fine, she felt. The lesson there: get actual measurements. The taste of an agent may not reflect your own taste (and sometimes, dare I say it, the fact that their commission is a percentage of the sale price may also come into play).

One excellent decision Mom made came on the first night, when she impulsively sat down with a group of Australian travelers. Turned out, the seat you picked for the first night was your assigned seat for the rest of the sailing. But the Aussies were marvelous: witty, friendly, a bit bawdy, great dinner companions. The next lesson? I guess it must be: sit with Australians if you can, as they're almost always the most fun!

She's eager to take another river cruise, having discovered that most onboard were her age, and moved at much the same pace. She loved the social nature of the experience, and the ability to mix visits with very famous cities, with smaller, quirky little communities that just happen to be along the way.

Whew! I guess I did okay helping her book this one.

Sticking to a Diet on Your Next Cruise? Its Not An Impossible Goal

I recently partnered with Weight Watchers on an article about how to cruise light.

Its not an easy task.

And though many folks will give general tips ("take the stairs", "order carefully at the buffets", etc.) the truth is, one is much more likely to indulge on some cruise lines than others. It has to do with everything from the "devil may care" atmosphere on board to the huge diameter of the buffet plates on certain lines (are you listening Carnival?). Conversely on some ships healthy living is celebrated, the gyms are larger than the norm and the clientelle more active so its easier to "be good" without feeling like you're ruining your vacation.

Working on the piece, I interviewed a number of cruise experts and cruise line officials; compared the various "heart healthy" menus; and perused stats on onboard gyms. I think the result is a darn useful article for those hoping NOT to gain a pound a day on their next cruise (an average amount, according to many in the know).

To read the complete piece, click here.

Ski Savings on the Radar: Act Soon To Take Advantage of Some Real Deals



(Photo by Juan Carvajal)

Only a few dedicated bunnies and bums are thinking about ski season right now. Oh yeah, and ski resort executives, who are eager to sign up schussers before anyone knows how much snow the coming season will hold.

If you're willing to take that chance, and you're enough of a dedicated skier to purchase a season pass, doing so before Halloween (or at least before Thanksgiving), can often yield savings of as much as 50% off the regular rates.

Early season discounts are listed at the individual sites of the ski resorts, obviously. But a good shortcut to the best downhill deals can be found at the website BestSkiSales.com.

In addition, Starwood Hotels (which includes Westin, Sheraton, Four Points, aloft, W, and a number of other brands) is offering a package that couples free lift tickets with hotel stays at a number of their near-the-slopes properties (including the Westin that's in Mammoth Lakes). Most details vary by property, but there is one commonality: an Oct 7 deadline on all these deals. If you're interested in staying at Starwood property for your next ski vacation, go quickly to the site of that specific hotel to see if its participating in this offer (some are, some aren't).

Freebie Friday: Win A Trip Anywhere in the World

That's right, you choose!

My home radio station, WOR 710 (it syndicates The Travel Show with Arthur and Pauline Frommer to 130 stations across the US), has teamed with HomeExchange.com  to offer a lollapolooza of a contest. Among the prizes:

• Airfare for two, anywhere in the world (your choice!)
• A $500 gift certificate
• A five-year membership to HomeExchange.com

Voila! All the elements that you need for a fabulous, life-changing trip.

I especially like that the lodgings will be house swaps, the single most logical way to travel. Not only do you pay nothing for your lodgings, but you stay in an actual home in a real neighborhood, making the experience that much more personal and authentic. (A hidden perk to home exchanging: people usually not only exchange homes and cars, but also friends. Your host will likely ask a buddy in the destination to check in on you during the course of your stay. Voila! In-destination social network!)

Contestants must guess which destination my father and host Joan Hamburg would pick for their own vacations. A winner will be chosen from those who input the correct answer.

Click here for more info and let the games begin!

What's In A Name? Another Major Travel Company Is Forced To Change Its Moniker

Lest there be any confusion between flat front khakis and 9-day tours of Thailand, the well-respected Canadian travel company GAP Adventures is doing away with its "AP". From now on, the company will be known simply as "G Adventures" as in "Gee, why the heck would they get rid of a name that they spent 20 years building up?"

The answer "falls into" place when one looks at the other large company that shares that name. GAP Clothing won a lawsuit this summer protecting its brand, and forcing the tour company to switch names.

Bruce Poon Tip, the company founder, tried to put a positive spin on the development when he told Travel Weekly yesterday "One of our fundamental principles here is to change the lives of anyone who comes into contact with our company. Our business model isn't about bottom-lines and turnover. It's about happiness, freedom and independence. I've always believed that the secret to happiness is freedom, and the secret to freedom is courage. This year, we are taking a bold step with our identity - a change that's an evolutionary step into the future.”

Yes, he's sidestepping the issue at hand, but I don't think he's exaggerating the effect his travel products have had on the public over the years. Bridging the gap between backpacking and guided tours (hence the name), G Adventures has long offered affordable, socially-conscious, creative vacations to all corners of the globe. Though these are guided tours, they eschew the usual 40-person tour bus in favor of public transportation. Lodgings are usually local establishments, sometimes homestays and sometimes camping. And groups are small, keeping the vibe intimate.

I've never taken one of these tours, but everyone I know who has raves about their high quality and delightful clientele.

So long live G Adventures! (And let's hope whoever invented the "g spot" doesn't hear about the development. Lord knows they don't need another lawsuit.)

I think this may be a good time to remind you all of two other major travel companies that changed names within the last 5 years. They are Road Scholar nee ElderHostel (an organization that develops educational vacations for seniors and multi-generational trips for grandparents and grandchildren) and Hurtigruten, formerly Norwegian Coastal Voyages (a fjord-centric cruise line).

Las Vegas Nightlife Goes All-Inclusive

No, that won't mean a marriage license, a bottle of Patron, a visit to an "escort" and a strange new tattoo, in this case (hey, this isn't "The Hangover").


Pure Nightclub (photo by Blue)

Instead, Caesar's Entertainment has created a pass for its nightclubs that echoes what it's done with its buffets. For $44.99 guests will be given entry to up to seven clubs in one evening, which, in Sin City terms, stretches from 8pm all the way until 8am. Two of the clubs--Pure (at Caesar's) and the Pussycat Dolls Burlesque Saloon (at Planet Hollywood)--are considered red hot by nightlife afficionados. The Voodoo Lounge at Rio and Chateau Nightclub at the Paris are recommended for their outdoor areas and their views, more than the scene. And the others on the pass? Well, they're likely skippable. Still, with entry fees to just one of these clubs usually going for $30, this isn't a bad deal for those who like variety.
The big plus to the Pass? Bearers skip the general entry lines and are waved directly inside.

A negative? The pass won't work on Friday and Saturday nights.

One tip: sometimes checking in on your phone at Yelp or FourSquare can net you a free drink in Las Vegas nightclubs. With cocktails at $15-and-up a pop, it's worth investigating.

And if getting sweaty in a dance club is too old hat for you, know that the folks who run the zipline at the Fremont Street Experience are planning to expand it soon. So double the thrills with less of a wait, very soon. (And since the price tag is just $15, it's also less pricey than a club).

European Rental Car Deals for Fall

And one needs deals to rent a car in Europe, what with the cost of gas being so high over there. (Though to be fair the cars are so much more fuel efficient across the pond, it all may shake out in the end).
Happily, several companies are offering serious discounts on fall and winter rentals.

Here's a quick list:

• Sixt: Its best values are in Spain, where just 13 euros per day (about $16), will get you wheels. This low price is being offered from early November into mid-December and again on selected dates in January, 2012. Its offer for the UK is almost as good: 13 GBP (about $20) per day from now through the end of November (cars must be reserved by the end of October). Sixt also has good prices in the upcoming months for Ireland and France.
• AutoEurope: To get in on this sale, you must book by the end of September. If you can move that quickly, you might be able to score a free upgrade in a number of European countries; an $18-a-day car in Ireland; a free GPS unit for rentals of seven day or more; and other discounts. Click on the link above for details.
• Europcar: Before you book with one of the other two, do a quick test-drive of the EuropCar site, which is posting a 25% discount on rentals in many European countries. Since its prices are usually very competitive, this additional discount (for online bookings only) may match the specific prices given by the other companies for autumn rentals.

Perhaps I'll see you on the roads in Europe this fall! I'm heading to Wales come November to attend a cousin's wedding, and will be starting my search for the best rental prices with the three agencies listed above.

Which Frequent Flyer Program Should You Join?

And I ask that knowing the question might be moot for those readers who live in areas dominated by just one carrier (a common scenario).

For the rest of us, being loyal to the right airline can make the difference between using the miles accrued to get actual air tickets...or just another subscription to Sports Illustrated.

The industrious folks at IdeaWorks decided to research the issue last year, and placed over 6000 online requests for tickets using miles to see which airlines were most likely to award the seats. They repeated the experiment this year (again with 6000-plus requests) and the results are heartening.

With a few exceptions, most of the airlines did better this year, bestowing more award seats for the asking. Southwest Airlines is still the most generous, awarding seats 99.3% of the time (its record last year as well). In second place is Air Canada with an 82.1 % record (down about 11 points from last year, unfortunately). JetBlue came in third, awarding seats in 79% of the cases.

The newly betrothed Continental and US Airways tied in the percentage of requests they are able to fulfill (71.4% each). It'll be interesting to see if their amount fulfilled will remain at this high a level next year, as these programs announced significant changes to their newly combined program last week. The most important change? Pay more to get more miles. Those who book First Class, for example, will receive 2.5 times the number of miles for their time in the sky. Will this new system increase the number of miles awarded, and make it harder for regular passengers (ie those who buy coach) to redeem? Only time will tell.

But back to the survey. US Airways had the worst record, turning away 75% of the requests it received from mileage holders for actual seats. Delta was only slightly better with a record of being able to accommodate 27% of the requests.

To read the complete list, as reported on by USAToday, click here.

Freebie Friday: Free Museum Entry Across the US Tomorrow

The dazzling Milwaukee Museum of Art is participating

Thank you Smithsonian! Not only for keeping your museums free of charge (with the exception of the Cooper-Hewitt in New York City) but for recognizing that the ever-increasing entrance fees at other important institutions are a barrier for many would-be visitors.

For the second year in a row, Smithsonian Magazine will be giving away free tickets to 1300 institutions across the United States. With that many museums involved, almost every interest under the sun is covered in the giveaway from the Surfing Museum (in California) to the American Clock and Watch Museum (in Connecticut) to the National Model Aviation Museum (Indiana). Important art, science, children's and history museums are also on board.

To get the free tickets, click here to register in advance. The Smithsonian is limiting the give away to two tickets per household, but does not seem to be capping the number of downloadable tickets its giving altogether. Tickets are valid all day Saturday September 24 (and in cases when the museum is closed on Saturdays, on Sunday September 25 instead).

Holiday Airfares? Its NOT Too Early To Buy

Photo by Philms

Don't assume you'll be able to snag last-minute bargains this year, for flights home at Thanksgiving and Christmas. As article after article has pointed out, empty middle seats are scarcer these days than ever before, what with airlines trimming capacity in attempt to send out every plane full. That will be especially true at the holidays, always the most popular times of the year to fly.

There has been some good news on the airline front however: recently, the Associated Press reported that the four major carriers (Delta, United, Continental and American) have sliced in half the number of days they'll be charging holiday surcharges. These sneaky add-ons, which come to between $20 and $40 each way, will be in effect on Nov. 27 and 28, Dec 22, 23 and 26, and Jan 2. But that's better than the 12 days last year that carried surcharges.

As well, the number-crunching gurus at BingTravel have looked at prices so far and have concluded that, on average, fares will be slightly over 1% cheaper than last year. Not a big savings, but heck, we'll take what we can get!

That being said, holiday airfares are always the highest of the year, so as a public service, I thought I'd reiterate some tips for making the trip home as inexpensive and painless as possible:

• Fly when no one else is: Which means avoiding the surcharged days listed above. Generally, you can save by flying previous to the Tuesday before Thanksgiving, and after the Tuesday after the holiday. For Christmas/New Years travel, you'll want to head out before the 15th of December and back after January 2. Yes, that's a LOT of time to spend with the family, so if you're a misanthrope, you could choose flights on the holidays themselves. These are usually much cheaper, and you'll be able to grab a slice of turkey and pie, without having to spend too much time in dysfunction-land.
• Search for airfares and book on Tuesdays and Wednesdays: That's when the sales tend to pop for domestic fares. (Not so much for international flights)
• Fly early in the day: The holidays fall squarely in the heart of winter storm season. Since weather delays tend to ripple through the system, getting worse as the day progresses and more planes get stuck, flying first thing in the morning may get you where you're going without a hassle (if sleep-deprived).
• Book a non-stop or go for a flight with a connection? That's an open question, friends, and it depends on your goals. If you just want to save cash, flights with connections may be the cheapest options. However, the more times you take off and land, the more likely you are to get delayed over the holidays, thanks to an ugly confluence of bad weather and crowds. Sunnier airports (say Phoenix vs. Denver) are smarter at this time of the year for connections, as they see many fewer delayed and cancelled flights due to weather issues. The new GoogleFlights allows users to filter by airport they'll be transferring through.

In the two years following 9/11, a period when the airlines were all flying more planes but there were fewer would-be passengers eager to fly, the public got used to seeing reams of last-minute discounts on airfares.

Those days are over.

Unless something really horrific happens in the next few months (a crash or an act of terrorism), flights will be pricey this holiday season and some folks won't get where they want to go because of the reduced airline capacity. So don't be a cockeyed optimist: if you want to travel during these difficult periods, don't delay. Make your bookings soon.