Q&A with Francis X. Gallagher, Publisher and CEO
There seems to be a trend of travelers giving less consideration to local beach destinations in favor of international trips. Some beaches, like the Hamptons of New York or the Outer Banks of North Carolina, report between 10 and 20 percent reduction in rentals this summer. Have you taken an oversees vacation that caused you to bypass your typical beach haunt this year?
Tell us. Email us at letters@globaltravelerusa.com
MARRIOTT REQUIRED TO SHOW RESORT FEES
In the May 17 issue of eFlyer, we told readers about a recent lawsuit requiring Marriott to include all resort fees in hotel rates. We asked: Do you think all hotel companies should be transparent with resort and destination fees? Do you think resort fees should be done away with altogether? One reader wrote in:
Not just hotels, every business should disclose up front the cost of your interaction with them. Not only is it a simple matter to disclose all fees applicable to the interaction, there should be some reason for the fee other than being an additional business markup as we see at auto dealers. If you are renting me a hotel room, the disclosed cost must include all services (including maid service) and be actually related to the cost of doing business at that location. Do not charge me a fee because you are in Boston or Omaha, and do not automatically charge me for things I will not use such as the room safe. If hotels find they have a larger than normal loss cost, it may be because guests feel they have been robbed, so they figure, “What is good for you is good for me,” and they take things.
Not addressed in the article is the failure of various businesses to properly compensate staff but charge prices the customer definitely believes has all the labor involved. I will pay the price if I want the product; that is what the willing buyer/willing seller dynamic is all about. What I am not willing to do is see you thrive by including labor in your prices, not fairly compensating staff, and expecting the customer to pay labor that should be included in cost of goods sold and call it a tip.
M.J. Weisner, via email
EU COUNTRIES TO BEGIN CHARGING FOR ENTRY
In a past issue of eFlyer, we wrote about the new European Travel Information and Authorization System officially launching in 2024, which will require non-EU passport holders to apply for pre-trip permission to EU countries. One reader wrote in to elaborate on who constitutes a non-EU national:
I believe including this information might provide some better understanding. This (schengenvisainfo.com/etias/who-needs-etias/) is the list of all the non-EU nationals who need to acquire an ETIAS before they travel to Europe. Keep up the good work.
Driton Hulaj, via email
IS IT SAFE TO TRAVEL TO FRANCE RIGHT NOW?
In our July 5 issue of eFlyer, we wrote about the recent protests in France. We asked: Do you plan to travel to France or, specifically, Paris in the next few weeks? One reader wrote in:
Yes, we are still planning to visit France. Our family of 10 was in Annecy last week, and tomorrow we’ll fly into Paris. We’ll be mindful of how late at night we stay out, but we will absolutely be visiting one of our favorite cities in the world!
Jim Gregory, via email
FROM THE EDITOR
In our May 2023 issue, in our coverage of Athens’ moves toward a more sustainable future, Lamda Group was incorrectly spelled. Our apologies for the oversight.
NEW INTERNATIONAL ROUTES, SERVICES IN TIME FOR SUMMER
In our June 28 issue of eFlyer, we covered new routes and services by airlines across the world, including Qantas, British Airways, Etihad and LATAM. We asked: What route are you most excited about? One reader wrote in:
As someone who has always wanted to travel to Italy, finally seeing United Airlines’ new route between Newark (EWR) and Naples, Italy, (NAP) is beyond exciting. I fully plan on looking into this new route for a trip at the end of summer/early fall, as Naples is a bucket-list city for me.
Herman Mack, via email
WHAT’S HAPPENING ON GT BLOGS?
Updated daily, our blogs offer readers an inside look at the lives, travels and interests of the GT staff. Last month we featured blogs about a trip to Stockholm; celebrating the Fourth of July with friends, family and fireworks; a visit to a new rooftop bar in Northeast Florida; and a day at Brickworld. One of our staff celebrated Turkish Airlines’ 90th birthday while another documented her time in Madeira, Portugal.
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