On the Sunday, July 14th, 2019 edition of The Travel Guys… In the Travel News, the battle against Marriott Hotels, and the way they have charged their resort fees for years, has stepped up this week. The District of Columbia A.G. is seeking a court order to require Marriott to change the way they price their product immediately. Perhaps these hated fees may soon have to be rolled directly into the room rate, which would likely make them go away. This is a pretty big story and we will continue to follow it closely. Ultimately, it impacts many more hotel chains than just Marriott. But because Marriott is the largest, what happens here will dictate the direction of the industry. Hotels prefer to keep resort/destination fees outside of the room rate for a variety of reasons, among them not having to pay commissions on them, tax advantages and of course, the opportunity to advertise a room rate that isn't what you really pay. Be a Smarter Traveler by knowing Ten Great Pieces of Hotel/Resort Etiquette. Hint: They include the importance of optional tipping and not taking every free thing in the building that isn't nailed down. A link to the complete list is below. Gwen Duncan, of Cordially Yours Travel, joins us to talk about Travel Mishaps you can avoid before and during your travel, including what to do if you lose your passport when traveling. Hamilton is the most popular musical in history. It is currently playing is San Francisco on an open-ended run, extending into 2020. We talk with Ruben Carbajal, one of the principal cast members about what it's like to take the stage 8 times a week in this incredible show. Ruben also traveled with the San Francisco company recently to Puerto Rico, for some very special Hamilton performances.
On the Sunday, July 7th, 2019 edition of The Travel Guys… In the Travel News, Mexico has a report on tainted liquor in tourist destinations, and
Tauck Tours has added a very unique experience to one of their packages.
Two new lounges have opened at our airport in Sacramento. We have an update on the cost of admission and what those dollars get you. Plus, who is grandfathered in the door...hint, think American Express Platinum Card. Tom has a report on this year's edition of the State Fair, opening next week. There's a Food Festival and lots of special days and discounts. Steve LaRosa presents his delayed special on Santa Fe, the second of his two-parter on the state of New Mexico. You can find tourism links below.
On the June 30th edition of The Travel Guys... In the Travel News, Boeing is being sued by pilots who say they are losing money and patience with the world's largest builder of airplanes over the Max aircraft issue. Three California cities are on the list of best places to celebrate the 4th of July, with Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco all breaking the top ten. And what about the lady who found herself locked inside an Air Canada plane in Toronto? Mark talks about the danger of medicating yourself before flying... Mark is live from NYC, where today a month of LGBT Pride wraps up with a big parade. He also shares his love for live theater, particularly Broadway theater, and talks about why "live" is so much of a difference-maker to him. Steve LaRosa joins us to talk about Santa Fe, in the second part of his New Mexico series.
On the Sunday, June 23rd, 2019 edition of The Travel Guys… In The Travel News, Hawaii is cracking down on vacation rentals. The rentals have caused an already tight housing situation, particularly on Oahu, to get much worse, both in terms of availability and cost of housing for local residents. TSA is disappointed in the number of people enrolled in Pre-Check, and they are studying an idea that might allow people to pay for the service in installments (currently it's $85 for 5 years), or to get a "trial" at a reduced cost to promote the "get through security faster" service. Mark says it's the best $85 he's ever spent. Today's Smarter Traveler tips include tips for checking out/doing business with Tour Operators (pay by credit card, check out on line reviews in more than one place, check with the Attorney General's office in the company's home state for any violations or issues with refunds, etc.). Hawaii is limiting vacation rentals to help locals and we tell you why you shouldn't take things out of the hotel mini-bar to put your things inside. Steve LaRosa offers the first of a two-part travel guide to New Mexico. The first part highlights Albuquerque and Taos. We talk to hurricane survivor Paul Fling about his experience with a hurricane in Hawaii and get his tips for what to do before, during and after if you find yourself in the eye of the storm. And we have an update on a special LGBT Pride Month play being presented on Sunday, June 30th at the Cordova Arts Center. One show only, at 6:30pm.
Click here to purchase tickets.