2023

In my long life of being a travel professional, I became sort of a guru in the travel industry. In few months it will be 30 interesting years, good, bad and even ugly. Ugly - professionally is when I ask myself what else can I do instead of being an expert in my favorite field of travel business?!

First Ugly started on September 11 when the world stopped and travel just died for about 3 month, not a phone call… but then it started ringing off the hook because people realized how short life can be and it’s time to visit parents, kids, bucket list places.

Lately and especially this year 2023 I get so many calls from random people announcing to me with hint of pride that they never used a travel agent, and this time they decided to give us a try. How can you reply to such a statement? Good for you? Or why now? Well, that’s sarcasm which happens to be my wanna be favorite reply, but I stop and think a second and then politely ask how can I help?!

Southwest Airlines is modifying its distinctive boarding process by reducing the availability of paid "EarlyBird" options, limiting passengers' ability to purchase priority boarding privileges.

The airline clarified that while "EarlyBird" has not been entirely eliminated, it is now offering fewer spots for purchase on select flights, routes, or specific days, as part of ongoing product enhancements. Consequently, the service may be unavailable to some customers seeking to buy it.

Located in Argentina's Parana Delta, El Ojo Island is a mesmerizing natural phenomenon that has captured the imagination of visitors and researchers alike. Known as "The Eye," this small, floating island is not only unique due to its ability to stay afloat but also for its mysterious rotation. In this article, we delve into the captivating formation of El Ojo, its distinctive features, and the intriguing reasons behind its floating and rotating nature.

Heading to Dubrovnik anytime soon? Make sure your luggage doesn't have any wheels.

Dubrovnik, a beloved sanctuary for enthusiasts of Game of Thrones and sun-seekers alike, has become a captivating magnet for adventurous travelers. However, those planning a summer getaway to this Croatian gem should ponder the idea of traveling lightly, as they will encounter an intriguing requirement.

A fresh decree has been issued, proclaiming that those venturing into Dubrovnik's revered Old Town must relinquish the convenience of rolling their suitcases through its intricate alleys. Henceforth, weary visitors will be obliged to bear the weight of their belongings without alternative means of transportation.

Figuring out how much to tip around the world can be a cause of serious stress. Tipping culture here in the US has evolved so much recently and is no real guideline as to how the rest of the world works. We created something very simple here that covers so many of the regions in our portfolio and we hope you find it helpful!

A gargantuan mass of seaweed that formed in the Atlantic Ocean is headed for the shores of Florida and other coastlines throughout the Gulf of Mexico, threatening to dump smelly and potentially dangerous heaps across beaches and put a big damper on tourist season.

The seaweed, a variety called sargassum, has long formed large blooms in the Atlantic, and scientists have been tracking massive accumulations since 2011. But this year’s sargassum mass could be the largest on record — spanning more than 5,000 miles from the coast of Africa to the Gulf of Mexico.

The blob is currently pushing west and will pass through the Caribbean and up into the Gulf of Mexico during the summer, with the seaweed expected to become prevalent on beaches in Florida around July, according to Dr. Brian Lapointe, a researcher at Florida Atlantic University’s Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute.

Lapointe said this year’s sargassum bloom began to form early and doubled in size between December and January. The mass “was larger in January than it has ever been since this new region of sargassum growth began in 2011,” Lapointe told CNN’s Rosemary Church.

“This is an entirely new oceanographic phenomenon that is creating such a problem — really a catastrophic problem — for tourism in the Caribbean region where it piles up on beaches up to 5 or 6 feet deep,” Lapointe added.

He noted that in Barbados, locals were using “1,600 dump trucks a day to clean the beaches of this seaweed to make it suitable for tourists and recreation on the beaches.”