Now that Halloween is over, I am back on track with the latest travel news. There is a lot to report, including key travel events for 2024, a new tourist tax and a new tourist form required for Europe, and much more. So read on and start your travel planning!
READ BEFORE BUYING AIRLINE TICKETS FOR THE HOLIDAYS!
TOURIST TAX
Several European cities have begun charging a “tourist tax,” including Valencia, Manchester, Barcelona, Venice, and Amsterdam. Venice has gone so far as to tax “daytrippers” with a daily entry fee, as well as overnight visitors. The fee depends on the number of tourists in the city. If tourism is high, such as in the summer, the tourist tax will be higher. Amsterdam has the highest rate in all of Europe at 12.5% in an effort to crack down on rowdy tourists.
Speaking of Europe, tourists headed to almost any European country in 2024 will be required to complete an online security check for the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS). The application includes an approximate $8 fee.
FIVE TRAVEL EXPENSES YOU SHOULD SPLURGE ON!
GREAT AMERICAN ECLIPSE
There will be an eclipse lasting up to four minutes and twenty-seven seconds on April 8, 2024. Click here to discover the best places to see this solar eclipse! You should make travel plans now if interested. This will be the last known eclipse until 2045!
I think this is one of the best online airline booking sites and you can cancel up to 24 hours later if you find a better deal or change your mind!
PARIS OLYMPICS
The Olympics will be held in 2024 in Paris, France and you need to make reservations right now if interested in attending. Millions of participants and spectators will be in Paris for this major event (15.3 million are expected). Most accommodations will have minimum stay requirements and high prices. Be sure to compare Airbnb and hotel options. For the first time ever, you can buy Olympics tickets online exclusively here! Book tickets in advance if you want to go up the Eiffel Tower. Tickets can be purchased 60 days in advance. This is the most popular attraction in the city with more than six million visitors a year without even factoring in the Olympics! Be warned that bedbugs were a big problem in hotels throughout Paris in 2023.
DISNEY PRICE HIKE (AGAIN)!
Park passes and parking has increased at both Disney World and Disneyland. While parking is free for Disney World resort guests and Disney Spring Resort guests (while they are shopping and dining only), everyone else now pay $30 for parking (formerly $25). Hourly rates remain the same for Downtown Disney parking. Both hotel and Disneyland parking has increased $5. Pre-purchasng Disney’s Genie+ has also increased from $25 to $30. Day-of pricing varies by demand.
But the biggest price change is with passes and Magic Keys:
- Disney Incredi-Pass=$1,449 (>$50)
- Disney Sorcerer Pass=$999 (>$30)
- Disney Pirate Pass=$799 (>$50)
- Disney Pixie Pass=$439 (>$40)
- Disney Inspire Key=$1,649 (>$50)
- Disney Believe Key=$1,249 (>$150)
- Disney Enchant Key=$849 (>150)
- Disney Imagine Key=$499 (>$50)
Disneyland multi-day tickets are increasing by $25-$65, depending on the number of days (from 2 – 5 days). Learn about more changes happening at DisneyWorld and Disneyland.
DRIVERLESS TAXIS
Uber is testing driverless Ubers in Phoenix, Arizona in partnership with Warmo. So be prepared that if this experiment is successful, Uber will be launching more self-driving taxis. Be forewarned that another company, Cruise, has already had its permits pulled after a driverless taxi has involved in a hit and run accident. California’s DMV has declared these vehicles are “not safe for the public’s operation.”
Here is the best resource for booking local activities and day trips worldwide!
EXTREME TOURISM
This is a new and increasingly popular form of travel for absurdly adventurous. If you have a lot of money and are a risk taker, you can travel into space, journey into the ocean’s depths, go heli-skiing in the Himalayas, ski the South Pole, go dog-sledding in the North Pole, and more. I have to argue that this is not really now. Some options have now be available that weren’t before, but there has long been what we called “hard” (hiking Machu Picchu’s Inca Trail) and “soft” adventure travel” (African Safari) back when I started participating in them in a couple of decades ago. Thankfully, I haven’t died attempting any of these adventures, but I have had three foot surgeries. This kind of travel is hard on your body, especially your back and feet!
MYSTERY TRAVEL
A new type of travel is gaining traction. Vacationers opt to let someone else plan their trip and “surprise” them with a mystery vacation. You tell the company a date or range of dates, your budget, and you may select certain preferences or parameters, such as if you get seasick or love hiking.
ONLINE PASSPORT RENEWAL NOW AVAILABLE
Recently, online passport renewal has been offered by the U.S. government for those 18 and older. Visit their site to set up an account and upload the required information.
MORE IMPORTANT TRAVEL NEWS COMING SOON!
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Terrance Zepke studied Journalism at the University of Tennessee and later received a Master's Degree in Mass Communications from the University of South Carolina. She has studied Parapsychology at the renowned Rhine Research Center. She began her career as a freelance writer and photographer, ... 
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