Australia is in the grip of a bizarre crisis in which people keep finding needles hidden inside strawberries. Attempts by the police, supermarkets, and the Australian government to halt the phenomenon have so far come to nothing. As a result regular Australians are changing the way that they consume strawberries, so they can keep eating …
Tag Archives: tourism news
Italy is investigating Ryanair for potentially distorting the airline market with its controversial carry-on baggage fee
From November, Ryanair customers with non-priority seats will only be able to take one “small personal bag” on board and pay an extra €8 ($9.4) for to bring another carry-on bag. Italy’s competition watchdog, Antitrust, is investigating the budget airline over this controversial charge. Antitrust argued that carry-on baggage is an “essential element of transport.” …
Emirates denies report that it is looking to take over Etihad to create global mega-airline
Emirates Airline has denied a report that it is considering a takeover of fellow Persian Gulf carrier Etihad. Bloomberg reported on Thursday that Emirates and Etihad were in the early stages of merger talk. Should the merger happen, it would create the world’s largest airline in terms of passenger traffic. An airline spokesperson told Business …
Facebook scrapped plans to have AI order you lunch and book vacations. Here’s an inside look at how a slick translation feature shows Facebook now has a more ambitious goal (FB)
Facebook is on a mission to help people who speak different languages understand one another. It’s using M Suggestions, its virtual assistant in Messenger, to translate real-time conversations, and has just added support for French. Business Insider spoke to Facebook employees working on the project about the tech behind it, and its potential to radically …
How 10 of the world’s most famous subway systems compare, from Dubai to New York City
Public transportation systems vary from city to city. We selected 10 of the most famous metro systems in the world and compared them by size, length, operating hours, and ticket cost. See how subway systems like the ones in New York City, Paris, London, and Tokyo stack up. Public transportation systems vary greatly between major …
12 of the most extraordinary, never-before-seen photos from the past 10 years of Burning Man
Burning Man is arguably the most captivating festival in the world. The annual “counterculture” event sees around 70,000 people visit Black Rock City, Nevada each year and form a giant semi-circle for a weekend of self-expression, civic responsibility, music, and art — and some pretty crazy fashion choices. Founded in 1986, the festival has been …
More than 100 Australians say they’ve found needles hidden in strawberries and other fruit
Australian police are investigating more than 100 reports of people hiding needles in strawberries and other fruit. The problem has accelerated since September 9 when a man swallowed part of a needle hidden in a strawberry. Police have only arrested one person so far, a child, and think the trend is getting worse because of …
I went to two of the Mediterranean party capitals beloved by billionaires and island-hoppers alike, and the winner is clear
The Greek island of Mykonos is known as a party capital and is a vacation hot spot for millionaires and billionaires. Ibiza, Spain, has a reputation as one of the top places to party in the world, with thumping 24-hour clubs, wild pool parties, and gorgeous beaches. I recently visited both and decided to compare …
50 epic photos from Oktoberfest prove it’s one of the most misunderstood celebrations in the world
The 185th Oktoberfest celebration starts September 22 and runs through October 7. The tradition started as an annual way to celebrate the marriage of Bavarian Crown Prince Ludwig and Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen. The pair were married in 1810. Thousands of people gather at Theresienwiese every year to drink beer and honor traditional Bavarian culture. …
Alaska Airlines exec reveals how it’s going to add basic economy without repeating the mistakes of Delta, American, and United (ALK)
Alaska Airlines is going to launch a discount ticket class later this year called Saver Fare. Saver Fares are more restrictive than Alaska’s regular economy tickets, but will still allow passengers to pre-select seats and bring on board carry-on bags. It’s Alaska’s answer to the basic economy fares offered by American, Delta, and United. Like …
Portugal is one of the hottest travel destinations for 2018, and my 6-day beach-hopping road trip showed me exactly why
In August, Portugal was recognized as the hottest travel destination of 2018, due in no small part to the country’s spectacular beaches, which many say are the most beautiful in the world. I recently took a six-day road trip to find the best beaches Portugal had to offer, taking the advice of local Portuguese that …
I spent 6 weeks in China — here are 5 things the country does infinitely better than the US
After traveling in China for six weeks, it became apparent to me that there are certain things the country unquestionably does better than the US. High-speed rail is extensive and convenient; the food is complex, diverse, cheap, and delicious; almost all young Chinese people use mobile payments instead of cash; you can get any kind …
This 116-year-old luxury resort may look like a European castle, but it’s actually tucked away in the mountains of New Hampshire
It may resemble a European castle, but this luxury resort is tucked away in the woods of New Hampshire. Omni Mount Washington Resort was ranked the best hotel in New Hampshire by the US News and World Report. At the resort, guests can fly through treetops on zip line, play tennis, take a horse-drawn sleigh …
I visited Ibiza, the party capital of the world, but the best part of the island is the side no one ever talks about
I spent five days on Ibiza, the island off the coast of Spain, over Labor Day weekend. Ibiza has a reputation as one of the top places to party in the world, with thumping 24-hour clubs, wild pool parties, and gorgeous beaches. While I enjoyed Ibiza’s party scene, which I found to be accessible to …
I hung out at the secluded mountain hideaway in Ibiza that’s hosted celebs like Rihanna and Kate Hudson, and it feels worlds away from the hard-partying coast
While Ibiza is known as a party capital of the world, many wealthy and famous head to the lesser-known pastoral north of the island to relax. One of the most luxurious and secluded resorts on the island is Atzaró Hotel and Spa, an agrotourism resort where Rihanna, Shakira, and other celebs have stayed. I recently …
6 countries where it’s easier for Americans to get dual citizenship
The US allows dual nationality — which means Americans are mostly free to apply for dual citizenship in other countries. Most citizenship-application processes can be intensive, expensive, and time-consuming. But some nations have policies that make it easier than others to obtain citizenship. It’s official. I’m an Irish citizen. I’ve lived in the US my …
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More than 1,000 flights have been canceled and nearly a dozen airports shut down as Hurricane Florence gets ready to slam the East Coast (AAL, DAL, UAL, LUV, JBLU)
Hurricane Florence has triggered more than 1,000 flight cancellations and the closure of roughly a dozen airports in the Carolinas and Virginia. Delta and JetBlue have capped prices for flights in the affected areas while American and United have made available reduced prices flights for evacuees. American, Delta, United, and Southwest have also waived their …
My Delta flight got canceled before a busy holiday weekend and I discovered the greatest argument for basic economy (AAL, DAL, UAL)
I flew basic economy on Delta Air Lines recently. My flight got canceled, but the airline’s customer service proved to be truly impressive in stark contrast to my colleague’s recent experience on an ultra-low-cost carrier. American, Delta, and United introduced basic economy to compete against price competition from low-cost airlines. Basic economy fares were widely …
There are only a few states in the US where it’s common for people to say their ancestry is ‘American’
Business Insider recently looked at how Americans across the country identify their ancestral and ethnic backgrounds. One interesting answer was people who identified their ancestry as simply American or from the United States. That answer was most common in southern states. Americans come from all sorts of backgrounds, and sometimes that identity lies close to …
A new luxury world cruise will take you to 62 ports over the course of 146 days. Here’s a look at the ship, where rooms go for $67,000 per person
Luxury cruise line Seabourn plans to take 450 or so guests on a round-the-world tour in 2020. The Seabourn’s flagship Sojourn will visit five continents in 146 days on the cruise. The ship will depart from Miami in January of 2020 and conclude its journey in San Francisco in May of that year. Would you …
I stayed at Robert De Niro’s ridiculously swanky new hotel in Ibiza — and it makes you feel like a celebrity, if you can afford it
One of the newest luxury hotels in vacation hotspot Ibiza is the Robert De Niro-owned Nobu Hotel Ibiza Bay, a spinoff from the swanky New York Japanese fusion restaurant Nobu. I recently stayed at the hotel on a trip to Ibiza to see what it was like. I found that the hotel, bathed in whites, …
A Dubai-based retailer is reportedly gearing up to build the world’s largest indoor ski resort in China
China is building the world’s largest indoor ski resort in Shanghai. The one milion square-foot project will have three different ski slopes and offer 25 non-skiing activities The Chinese government is encouraging its citizens to take up skiing and other winter sports ahead of the 2022 Winter Olympic Games. Skiers in Shanghai, China, won’t have …
Hurricane Florence is going to make flying into the southeastern US a mess. Here’s what to do if you’re traveling.
Hurricane Florence is expected to make landfall on Thursday along the coast of North and South Carolina. There is now a mandatory evacuation for coastal areas in the path of the 130 mph storm. Airlines are preparing for disruption to air travel caused by Florence. American, Delta, United, JetBlue, Spirit, and Frontier Airlines are all …
17 maps that show how Americans identify their roots across the US
Americans come from a wide variety of ancestries. Using data from the US Census Bureau’s American Community Survey, we found how common various ancestries are in all 50 states. For instance, Irish ancestry is most concentrated in the northeast, while Mexican and Mexican-American ancestry is most common in the states that share a border with …
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We visited the ‘McDonald’s of the Philippines,’ which serves spaghetti and fried chicken alongside its burgers — here’s what it’s like
Jollibee is an iconic Filipino fast-food chain that serves spaghetti, fried chicken, and more. While the chain dominates in the Philippines, it is also growing in the United States, where it has more than 30 locations. We visited a Jollibee’s in Queens, New York, and walked away convinced that it is a chain with the …
What it’s like to fly in business class on Philippine Airlines
Flying with a new airline can be scary if you don’t know what to expect — particularly if you’re shelling out on tickets. However, it’s worth a shot if it means flying direct to a location that would otherwise be a challenge to reach. From September 15, Philippine Airlines will introduce its new Airbus A350 …
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This big, heavy smartphone with a stylus was the perfect device for traveling
As most of us do, I brought along a smartphone for a vacation this summer. But I decided to try something different in selecting my electronic traveling companion and took the oversized Galaxy Note 9. The Galaxy Note 9 is large and relatively heavy, which goes against the mantra of packing light tech for trips. …
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