Those Boeing 737 MAX 7 planes again. Boeing actually asked the FAA to allow them to deliver the 737s again despite problems on test flights. It took criticism for them to withdraw the request. I don’t know about you, but this doesn’t instill a lot of confidence in Boeing.
Want to avoid the 737s? Kayak has added a filter that allows you to search for flights that are not using the 737.
A pyramid to be restored. The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities in Egypt is going to restore granite blocks on the exterior of the smallest of the three pyramids at Giza, but some people think they should leave it alone.
Ever been to one of the world’s most welcoming cities? I haven’t, which surprised me! According to Booking.com’s 12th annual Traveller Review Awards, the 10 most welcoming cities in the world are: Arraial d’Ajuda, Brazil; Ermoupoli, Greece; Viana do Castelo, Portugal; Daylessford, Australia; Grindelwald, Switzerland; Moab, United States; Uzes, France; Mazatlan, Mexico; Jaisalmer, India; and Fujikawaguchiko, Japan.
What about one of the longest flights? I flew from Singapore to Newark in 2008, which was about 18 hours non-stop. Today, the longest flight is from JFK to Singapore at 9,487 miles. Newark to Singapore is next at 9,484 miles. Next is Auckland to Doha at 9,011 miles, followed by London to Perth at 8,988. Last in the top five is Dallas to Melbourne at 8,973 miles.
What was the world’s most visited city in 2023? You might guess Paris or London, but it was Istanbul. They had 20.2 million international visitors, and now that United States and Canadian travelers no longer need a visa, that number will probably only grow this year.
No more Tropicana Las Vegas. The Tropicana in Las Vegas, in existence since 1957, is going to be demolished and a stadium built in its place.
Watch out for hotel scams! The latest is that hackers are actually hacking hotels and stealing reservation information. Then, they send customers emails that look real and contain another payment link. Double-check your emails from hotels and booking websites!
Watch out for new hotel fees, too! Some hotels are starting to charge for parking even if you don’t arrive with a car. I don’t know about you, but I think this is outrageous. If it happens, you can dispute it and refuse to pay it. Most of the time, they will reverse it, but you may have to fight. Best to avoid hotels that pull this on you, so read the fine print.
Do you watch White Lotus? The first season was filmed at the Four Seasons Resort in Maui at Wailea. The second season was filmed at the Four Seasons San Domenico Palace in Taormina, Sicily. Season 3 will be filmed at another Four Seasons, but this time on the island of Koh Samui, Thailand.
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 and the International Travel Writers Alliance. Melanie's photography has won awards, and she has also written 39 nonfiction books as either the author or ghostwriter.
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