Airline Fees Equal Opportunity!

By Kate Rice

One of the facts of life for the travel industry is that airlines are central to the health of the business. Airlines are the camels that deliver customers to hotels, cruise lines, car rental companies, ski resorts, tropical islands, or any of the myriad places and players that are part of that varied and fragmented product called travel. Yes, cruise lines have introduced home ports to spare travelers and there’s always the family car.

Carnival Corp. to Suspend Fuel Surcharges Dec. 17

As fuel prices continue to decline, Carnival Corp. said it will suspend fuel supplements for its six North American brands effective for all voyages departing on or after Dec. 17, 2008.

Cruise Ship Piracy Incident Leads to Client Worries

The Nov. 30 pirate attack on Oceania Cruises’ Nautica in the Gulf of Aden near Somalia is spurring concerned phone calls from clients.

ASTA, ITSA Ask DOT to Scrutinize AA-BA Merger

ASTA and the Interactive Travel Services Association (ITSA) have filed a petition with the U.S. Department of Transportation asking for additional materials to address the effect that an alliance between American Airlines and British Airways would have on travel agents, travel distributors and consumers. ASTA and the ITSA said the current antitrust immunity application would effectively merge the second largest U.S. carrier and the largest

Construction Begins on Armani Hotel Milano

Armani Hotels & Resorts, a collaboration between Dubai-based global property developer Emaar Properties and Giorgio Armani, has commenced construction on the Armani Hotel Milano, its flagship property in Italy.

CTO’s Riley Optimistic on Tourism’s Future

Hugh Riley, Interim Secretary General of the Caribbean Tourism Organization, released a positive statement on the state of the global economy and its impact on the tourism industry worldwide.