Travel News & Advice – December 30, 2024

Travel News graphic by Melanie Votaw.

FTC in the U.S. passes law about “junk fees.” This new law prohibits bait-and-switch pricing that hides fees at hotels and in live-event ticketing. It’s about time, right? But bear in mind that this doesn’t prohibit fees, just the hiding of them.

Free city tours during airport layovers. The following cities offer free tours, so if you have a layover, take advantage: Singapore, Istanbul, Seoul, and Taipei.

The Maya Train. This new train is now running. It connects towns in the Mexican states of Chiapas, Tabasco, Campeche, Yucatan, and Quintana Roo. Reserve tickets!

An artifact in the Rubin Museum. Photo by Barbara Angelakis

Rubin Museum closes. I’m sad that the Rubin Museum of Art in NYC closed its doors in early October. It will continue to share its collection of Himalayan art digitally and in traveling shows, but I will miss the permanently housed collection.

Trevi Fountain reopens. The Trevi Fountain has been under construction, but it has now officially reopened. So you won’t be disappointed if you’re traveling to Rome!

Steepest cable car opens. The Schilthorn Cableway, the world’s steepest cable car, is now in the Bernese Alps of Switzerland. You can ride it to a revolving restaurant on the mountain that was featured in the James Bond movie, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service. It climbs 2,543 feet in four minutes.

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Melanie Votaw is the Publisher and Executive Travel Writer of LuxuryWeb Magazine. She has visited more than 50 countries on 6 continents and written for such magazines as Executive Travel, Just Luxe, Business Insider, South China Morning Post, Travel Mindset, and more. She is a member of the International Food, Wine & Travel Writers Association, New York Travel Writers Association, and International Travel Writers Alliance. Melanie's photography has won awards, and she has also written 43 nonfiction books as either the author or ghostwriter.

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