Travel Tips

CHARLESTON – November 13, 2026 -- The advertised cruise fare is only one line of the bill, and a HelloNation article lists five kinds of extras that can raise the total. Randy Gardner and Joe Shirley, who own Vacation Inspirations in Charleston, South Carolina, share their first-time cruise planning advice in it.

The five extras are specialty dining, beverages, Wi-Fi, gratuities and shore excursions. Gardner and Shirley say travelers should compare what each fare includes, and what costs extra, before booking.

Getting to the ship costs money too. Anyone flying to the departure port faces three more cost lines: airfare, transportation and a hotel. The article says arriving a day early may reduce problems from flight delays.

SHERIDAN, WYOMING – October 29, 2026 – SHERIDAN, WYOMING – October 29, 2026 – UN Tourism, in partnership with France, is launching the UN Tourism National Open Innovation Challenge. This is the first time UN Tourism and the French Government have teamed up to support innovation and entrepreneurship in the tourism sector.

France, the world's most visited country with 100 million international tourist arrivals in 2023, is a hub for innovation and entrepreneurship. It boasts nearly 60,000 startups and over 30 unicorns.

SHERIDAN, WYOMING – October 29, 2026 – SHERIDAN, WYOMING – October 29, 2026 – The critical role of women in tourism across Latin America and the Caribbean took center stage at the First Regional Conference on Women's Empowerment in Tourism. Co-hosted by UN Tourism and the Ministry of Tourism of Paraguay in Asunción on October 21-22, the conference debuted a comprehensive report highlighting the contributions and challenges faced by women in this vital sector.

The report underscored the significant role tourism plays in empowering women. Currently, women comprise 52% of the overall tourism workforce, with that number increasing to 60% in specific areas like accommodation and food services. Furthermore, the report revealed that 69% of those enrolled in tourism-related education programs are women, indicating a strong interest in tourism as a career path.

SHERIDAN, WYOMING – October 29, 2026 – SHERIDAN, WYOMING – October 29, 2026 – Air Cairo has officially launched its new route from Cologne/Bonn Airport to Cairo, connecting travelers from the Rhine region to the capital of Egypt twice a week. The inaugural flight departed on Sunday, October 27th, at 11:40 am, marking the start of this exciting new connection.

Thilo Schmid, CEO of Flughafen Köln/Bonn GmbH, expressed his enthusiasm for the new route, stating, "Cairo, with its rich history and the world-famous Pyramids of Giza and Sphinx, is always worth a trip. Because many travelers are drawn to Egypt in autumn and winter, the new Air Cairo route is a great addition to our flight schedule."

New York – October 07, 2026 -- Domestic holiday airfares have jumped sharply this year, with Thanksgiving round-trip fares up 15% and Christmas fares up 16% compared to last year, according to new data from flight deals app Going. International fares, by contrast, have stayed essentially flat for both holidays.

Going flight expert Willis Orlando attributes the increase to rising fuel and labor costs, strong summer travel demand that outpaced available seats, and the exit of a major low-cost carrier from the market. His advice to travelers: book early and know the right days to fly.

Monday before Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve offer the cheapest departures

Going's data shows Monday, Nov. 23, and Christmas Eve are the cheapest days to depart for Thanksgiving and Christmas travel, respectively. The weekends immediately before and after each holiday remain the most expensive days to fly, whether departing or returning.

New York – October 06, 2026 -- Wise has launched a combined eSIM and cross-border QR code payment feature inside its app, aiming to eliminate the mobile data and payment struggles travelers face abroad.

Survey finds travelers hunting for free Wi-Fi in awkward ways

A Wise-commissioned YouGov survey of more than 14,000 travelers across eleven countries found that 62% of international travelers in the past year relied on hotel or accommodation Wi-Fi to stay connected. Away from their hotels, 24% admitted to buying something at a café they did not want just to access free Wi-Fi, 15% have stood outside a museum or attraction to use its Wi-Fi instead of going in, and 7% have asked a stranger to share their phone's personal hotspot.

Cash management was the most commonly reported payment problem abroad, cited by 43% of respondents. Among those who faced payment issues, nearly 40% said they missed out on local experiences such as street food markets.

Norwalk, Conn. – October 02, 2026 -- Travelers waiting on holiday flight deals have a narrow window, according to KAYAK's 2026 Holiday Travel Check-In, which analyzed historical fare trends to pinpoint the best times to book.

Thanksgiving fares bottom out five weeks before the holiday

Domestic airfare has historically hit its lowest point roughly five weeks before Thanksgiving, meaning travelers who haven't booked should aim to do so before the end of October. Prices climb sharply within two weeks of departure. Flying on Thanksgiving Day itself, historically one of the cheapest travel days, can save up to 19% domestically and 49% internationally compared with November 20, the most expensive date to fly.

Newark, Del. – October 01, 2026 -- Roughly one in four travelers gets their electronic travel authorization wrong on the first try, according to a new analysis from Service eVisa, a platform that helps applicants prepare documents for destinations like the UK, US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

The company's Travel Readiness Index reviewed more than 10,000 anonymized applications for the UK ETA, US ESTA, Canada eTA, New Zealand NZeTA and Australia ETA submitted between January 1 and September 1, 2026. It found that 76% of applications passed caseworker review with no corrections needed.

Hanoi – September 23, 2026 -- Greenfield Dental, a clinic in Hanoi, Vietnam, has seen international patient volume grow over 300% since 2025, as rising dental costs in Western countries push patients abroad for care.

Western dental prices keep climbing while Vietnam holds steady

In the United Kingdom, the majority of dental practices have stopped accepting new NHS patients, and private fees have risen over 20% since 2022. In Australia and the United States, implant costs increase 8% to 12% annually, pushing full-arch procedures out of reach for many uninsured patients and retirees. Vietnam, by contrast, maintains annual price increases of only 3% to 5%, with patient savings of up to 80% on implants. The country now ranks as the second most popular dental tourism destination for Australians and among the top three in the Asia-Pacific region.

Broomfield, Colo. – September 21, 2026 -- Skiers and riders have until October 7 to lock in discounted Epic Day Pass rates for the 2026-27 season, with savings of up to 65% compared to window lift ticket prices.

Four days at Vail or Whistler costs $471 before the deadline

A 4-Day Epic Day Pass covering marquee destinations like Vail Mountain, Whistler Blackcomb, Park City Mountain and Breckenridge runs $118 per day, or $471 total. Regional resorts including Keystone, Crested Butte, Heavenly, Northstar and Stowe cost $367 for four days ($92/day). East and Midwest local favorites are priced at $223 for four days, or $56/day. Prices rise for all tiers after October 7.