Expedia surveyed 4,000 hotel proprietors internationally asking them who they would prefer to stay in their hotels.

Japanese, who were voted by hoteliers as the world’s best tourists in a global travel survey released this month.

It also rated the travellers on categories that included manners, willingness to learn the local language and sample the cuisine, tidiness, generosity and stylishness.

Here is the list of top 10 overall travellers according to the survey:
1. Japanese
2. British/Germans
3. Canadians
4. Swiss
5. Dutch
6. Australians/Swedes
7. Belgians
8. Norwegians
9. Austrians/Danes/Finnish
10. New Zealanders

Americans rated 11th on the list but most generous.

for more of this article go to eTurboNews. Thanks to Alan Lew of Travelography for pointing this article out.

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In honor of the death of comedian George Carlin yesterday, here is a bit of his comedy routine on the absurdity of airline travel and airplane announcements. Not safe for work… it is George Carlin after all.

found on Budget Travel

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These are desperate days for the airline industry so we can probably understand that when readers of two Philadelphia newspapers read last week that a new airline would charge by the pound many people believed the story. After all how much stranger is that idea that than charging for customer service, meals, pillows, and all checked baggage. But, although this might be the next move for the airline industry the airline being advertised was fake as were the ads. According to Yahoo:

PHILADELPHIA - Derrie-Air has been exposed. Readers of The Philadelphia Inquirer and Philadelphia Daily News opened their papers Friday to see ads for a new airline called Derrie-Air, which purportedly charges passengers by the pound.

But the new carrier will never get off the ground. It’s a one-day advertising campaign about a fake airline by Philadelphia Media Holdings, the papers’ owner, and Gyro ad agency.

In light blue banners throughout the papers — as well as on their Web site, Philly.com — Derrie-Air cheerily trumpets its policy: The more you weigh, the more you pay. The ads direct readers to the Web site http://www.flyderrie-air.com.

Visitors to the airline site learn that Derrie-Air is the world’s only carbon-neutral luxury airline, and it justifies its fare policy by saying that it takes more fuel to move heavier objects. The carrier pledges to plant trees to offset every pound of carbon its planes release into the atmosphere.

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If you have traveled to a foreign country, especially one where it is not healthy to drink the water you may have encountered the common traveler’s ailment known by names such as “Montezuma’s revenge” or “Delhi belly”. Nothing can ruin a trip quicker than being confined to the loo. But medical researchers are offering hope according to a story from the BBC.

Stomach bugs picked up during foreign travel may be prevented by wearing a patch impregnated by toxins produced by the E. coli bacterium.

US research published in the Lancet medical journal found the patch was 75% effective against diarrhoea attacks caused by E. coli among volunteers.

Patch-wearers who did fall ill recovered far more quickly, it said.

A UK travel medicine specialist stressed only 40% of diarrhoea cases were caused by E. coli.

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You have probably already heard the news that a number of airlines have started charging to check a second bag, but late last month American Airlines decided that it really wasn’t so thrilled with people bringing luggage at all so it started charging $15 for the first bag and $25 for the second bag ($100 for the 3rd bag). That charge is each way. So if you check any bag and do a round trip expect to pay an additional $30 above what is the price of the ticket.

You can avoid this fee if you travel in first or business class. It also will not apply to Elite AAdvantage members who are American’s frequent flyers. It also will not apply if you have the unfortunate experience of paying for a full fare ticket.

Clearly rising fuel costs are behind American’s need to raise fees somewhere, but we will see if passengers like being surprised with an extra fee for what used to be free. I expect that American has actually gone a step too far with this move and would not be surprised to see that this hurts their business when word gets around.

For more information read American’s luggage policy.

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