International Business Times

How Many Cruise Ship Passengers Go Overboard Each Year?

johansmw — Fri, 10 May 2013 01:31:13 GMT

When Paul Rossington and Kristen Schroder went overboard late Wednesday during a Carnival Spirit cruise along the eastern coast of Australia, the incident was, sadly, nothing new.

Since the turn of the century, nearly 200 others have met the same fate, be it by choice, accident or something darker.

‘Most Exciting Cities In America’ List Raises Eyebrows

johansmw — Thu, 09 May 2013 03:10:15 GMT

Oakland, Calif., is the “most exciting city in America.” That’s right, not San Francisco, not New York, not Chicago and not L.A. It's Oakland.

The accolade comes from real estate website Movato, which released its eyebrow-raising survey earlier this week.

“Recently, we got to thinking about cities and what makes them exciting and interesting places to live,” Movato blogger David Cross explained. “We compiled a list of criteria and set out to determine which U.S. cities have the most zest for life.”

How Important Is Travel Spending To The US Economy?

johansmw — Wed, 08 May 2013 10:15:24 GMT

On Tuesday, Roger Dow, CEO of the U.S. Travel Association, testified before the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s subcommittee on commerce, manufacturing and trade, and his message was clear: Expanding visa waiver programs, improving the U.S. entry process and investing in business travel could help the U.S. realize “enormous” growth.

The non-profit U.S. Travel Association represents all sectors of America’s $2 trillion travel community, and Dow said the industry had played a crucial role in the United States’ economic recovery.

DestinationFiji.org Encourages Tourists NOT To Visit Fiji: 'Thought Fiji Was Paradise? Think Again!'

johansmw — Wed, 08 May 2013 03:42:22 GMT

DestinationFiji.org is not your average tourism website, though you might be confused at first glance. Its logo is emblazoned with palm trees and a setting sun, and the first picture that pops up shows an alluring boardwalk leading to a secluded white-sand beach.

That paradisiacal picture, however, soon fades into one of distraught workers and a gun-toting soldier, as the campaign’s message, “A vacation from workers’ rights,” flashes across the screen.

EasyJet To Create Manmade Ash Cloud Over England, Then Fly Around It To Test AVOID Detection Technology

johansmw — Wed, 08 May 2013 01:52:32 GMT

For many, the mere mention of the words "Iceland" and "volcano" in the same sentence conjures up images of travel chaos across the map.

An ash cloud from the tongue-twisting Eyjafjallajokull Volcano in 2010 grounded air travel throughout Europe for six days, canceling approximately 100,000 flights and costing airlines $1.7 billion. Moreover, it reminded global citizens how vulnerable modern society is to the whims of nature.

Giant Panda Habitat May Be Affected By Vineyard Expansion In Sichuan And Shaanxi Provinces

s.song — Tue, 07 May 2013 14:49:48 GMT

Giant pandas may be displaced in the near future as Sichuan and Shaanxi, two Chinese provinces currently home to more than 1,600 wild pandas, plan to establish 18,000 hectares (44,000 acres) of vineyards, according to the South China Morning Post.

NYC Bike-Share Program: The Opposition, The Delays And The May Launch Date

johansmw — Mon, 06 May 2013 09:08:35 GMT

A year behind schedule and nearly a decade after the trend swept through most other global megacities, the NYC bike-share program will finally roll into Manhattan and Brooklyn “sometime this month.”

The Big Apple, known for its Frogger-like street crossings and perilous yellow cabs, has lagged behind the rest of the world in providing both its residents and visitors with a mass cycling scheme. Now, all of that is about to change with the long-awaited “Citi Bike” program.

Alaska’s Cleveland Volcano Erupts: Will Its Ash Cloud Disrupt Air Travel?

johansmw — Mon, 06 May 2013 02:08:27 GMT

Scientists are monitoring the remote Cleveland Volcano in Alaska’s Aleutian Islands chain for further eruptions that could launch an ash cloud capable of wreaking havoc on intercontinental air travel.

The volatile peak came to life Saturday with three eruptions beginning at around 5 a.m. local time, according to the Alaska Volcano Observatory, or AVO, which changed the aviation color code to “Orange” from “Yellow” and raised the volcano alert level to “Watch.”

Boeing 747 On Deathwatch: How Boeing’s New 777X Will Kill Its Jumbo Jet Predecessor, Once The Queen Of The Skies

Albertoriva — Sat, 04 May 2013 13:19:08 GMT

This story has been updated to reflect that Gregory Alegi is a current, not former, professor at Luiss University.

Ask any passenger at any airport in the world: “Can you recognize a Boeing 747?” Chances are, even casual flyers will say, “Yes.” With its unmistakable hump and graceful lines, the Jumbo Jet -- so famous it earned its own nickname -- has been a familiar sight around the globe since it first flew in 1969.

$100 For A Carry-On Bag? Frontier Airlines Latest Carrier To Charge Fee

a.tate — Fri, 03 May 2013 12:22:50 GMT

Starting this summer, Frontier Airlines' passengers will pay a $100 fee for overhead bin carry-on bags at the gate.

If they pay in advance, it's $25. There's a way to avoid the fee, however. Customers who book at Frontier's FlyFrontier.com website will be exempt from the fee. Frontier's elite-level members of its EarlyReturns frequent-flier program also won't have to pay the fees. The carrier said carry-on bags that can fit under seats ride free.

Mount Fuji And The Politics Of Unesco’s World Heritage List

johansmw — Thu, 02 May 2013 03:46:44 GMT

Towering Japanese icon Mount Fuji is one step closer to joining Unesco’s prestigious list of World Heritage sites.

The International Council on Monuments and Sites, or Icomos, assesses each nation’s bids for World Heritage status for presentation at the World Heritage Committee’s annual meeting. It told the Japanese government Wednesday that the conical mountain sufficiently met all requirements for “outstanding universal value.”

After Mount Everest Brawl, Nepali Official Wants ‘Code Of Conduct’ For Sherpas, Climbers

johansmw — Thu, 02 May 2013 01:52:15 GMT

Anything out of the ordinary that happens on Mount Everest will generally make the news. That’s why at first glance, the “brawl” that occurred at 23,000 feet (7,000 meters) over the weekend would appear to be just another frightening tale. But the reality is, the fight underlined questions about the evolving roles of climbers and Sherpa guides on the world’s tallest peak.

The first accounts of the brawl came from the technologically savvy European climbers involved.

Airbnb Would Like To Check Your ID

johansmw — Wed, 01 May 2013 09:07:19 GMT

The Airbnb business model is built around the idea of trustworthiness in the Internet age. Sellers trust absolute strangers to respect their homes, and in turn, travelers trust that they’ll be provided with a safe and clean environment.

The peer-to-peer accommodation site was considered extreme and even dangerous when it first launched back in 2008, but Airbnb proved everyone wrong. It’s now valued at $2.5 billion and counts 250,000 hosts and 4 million guests.

Andaman Islands Boycott Seeks End To Jarawa ‘Human Safaris’

johansmw — Wed, 01 May 2013 01:53:22 GMT

The plight of the Jarawa tribe on the remote Andaman Islands made headlines around the world last year when a journalist from the Observer captured video footage of tourists on so-called “human safaris” into the tribe’s reserve. In the unsettling video, tourists were seen tossing scraps of food to the half-naked natives and ordering them to dance for photos.

Who Are The World’s Biggest Spenders And Where Do They Travel To Spend Their Money?

johansmw — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 09:57:42 GMT

Here’s a bit of good news for the travel and tourism industry: After years of penny-pinching, global travelers no longer claim budgets to be the top concern when choosing a holiday destination.

In fact, Visa’s latest Travel Intentions Study shows budgets are actually going up.

Wounded Knee For Sale: Should Oglala Sioux Pay $3.9M To Save Massacre Site From Developers?

johansmw — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 09:48:23 GMT

When Stephen Vincent Benet penned the line “bury my heart at wounded knee” back in 1927, he had no idea it would come to symbolize Native American activism and a movement to ensure American history got another perspective. Indeed, the poem in which the phrase first appeared, “American Names,” made no mention of the massacre of the Lakota Indians that occurred 42 years earlier at Wounded Knee. It was historian Dee Brown who brought that story to the masses with his landmark 1970 bestseller “Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee: An Indian History of the American West.”

Mount Everest Brawl Exposes Clash In Mountaineering World

johansmw — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 01:49:05 GMT

Three experienced European climbers, who are used to fighting strong winds and frigid temperatures, say they met yet another foe on their latest attempt to conquer Mount Everest: the Sherpa guides.

Nepalese police, the Ministry of Tourism and head of the Sherpa Association are now investigating claims that Sherpas -- local climbers from the Everest region who accompany most foreigners to fix ropes and carry supplies -- attacked the three men after a scuffle at nearly 23,000 feet (7,000 meters).

Mt Everest Brawl: European Climbers Ueli Steck, Simone Moro Involved In Fight With Sherpa Guides

Thomas Barrabi — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 18:48:08 GMT

Nepalese officials are investigating an alleged brawl between two famous European climbers and a group of Nepalese mountain guides near one of Mount Everest’s camps.

Simone Moro, an Italian who has reached the summit of Mount Everest four times, and Ueli Steck, a famous Swiss climber, were approaching the mountain’s “Camp Three” (24,500 feet), when they became involved in an altercation with Nepalese guides, Agence France Press (AFP) reports.

Nude Greek Statues Spark Decency Debate In Qatar

johansmw — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 04:24:29 GMT

A museum exhibition in Doha that was supposed to open a “bridge of friendship” between Greece and Qatar ended in embarrassment for both after a Greek cultural minister refused to let Qatari officials cover the genitalia of two traditional Greek nudes.

Qatar Museums Authority’s “Olympics: Past and Present” exhibition at the Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum opened March 27 with what it has been described as the largest showcase of its kind tracing the ancient and modern Olympic Games.

Who Is Anthony Foxx, The Presumptive Nominee As US Transportation Secretary?

johansmw — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 02:04:09 GMT

U.S. President Barack Obama will nominate Charlotte, N.C., Mayor Anthony Foxx as his new transportation secretary Monday, a White House source told several media outlets Sunday.

The nomination would make the Democrat Foxx the only African-American chosen for a Cabinet opening in Obama’s second term.

Australia’s ‘Best Jobs In The World’ Campaign Draws 40,000 Hopefuls

johansmw — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 00:12:58 GMT

More than 330,000 people from 196 countries around the world expressed interest in Australia’s “Best Jobs In The World” campaign. Now, 40,000 hopefuls will vie for the position of a lifetime.

Applications closed Wednesday for the six “dream jobs”: chief “funster” in New South Wales, lifestyle photographer in Melbourne, Outback adventurer in Northern Territory, park ranger in Queensland, taste master in Western Australia and wildlife caretaker in South Australia.

Uruguay Legalizes Gay Marriage, Becomes 12th Nation To Do So [VIDEO]

JR Tungol — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 16:17:51 GMT

Same-sex marriage has become law in Uruguay, making the country the third to do so in the Americas after Canada and Argentina.

Uruguay’s Congress overwhelmingly approved the law Wednesday, with 71 of the 92 members of the Chamber of Deputies in support, and President Jose Mujica will sign it within 10 days.

2013 Hurricane Forecast Is A Doozy, But These Summer Travel Tips Can Help

johansmw — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 09:55:30 GMT

If Superstorm Sandy was any indication, the Atlantic hurricane season is anything but predictable. But that doesn’t stop a team of meteorologists at Colorado State University from dreaming up a forecast each year.

Prospective beachgoers, coastal residents and vacation home owners may not like what Bill Gray and Phil Klotzbach had to say in their initial numerical prediction for the 2013 season, released Wednesday.

Maldives Tourism Boycott Puts President On The Defense

johansmw — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 09:51:30 GMT

A petition urging tourists to boycott the Maldives until it reforms its judicial system has gained well over 2 million signatures -- twice the number of tourists that visit the small Indian Ocean nation each year -- since it went up on Avaaz.org three weeks ago, but the Maldivian president said this week that a boycott would “only serve as a setback to the economic opportunities and rights we are all striving to uphold for women, girls and the hardworking Maldivian people in general.”

Why Rio’s ‘Favelas’ Disappeared On Google Maps

johansmw — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 04:19:37 GMT

The crime-riddled favelas that have often defined Rio de Janeiro in film and television have suddenly disappeared -- at least, on Google Maps.

In the run-up to the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympic Games, Brazilian tourist boards and Rio’s city hall have been keen to maintain a squeaky-clean image not only in the real world but the digital one as well. So much so, that they asked Google to remove the word “favela” from its city maps.