On the Sunday, February 7th Super Bowl Sunday edition of The Travel Guys… In the Travel News, Canada says no cruise ship calls at its ports in 2021. Does this mean an old US law threatens the Alaska summer cruise season? Reminder: If you are picking up someone at an airport, train or bus station, you will need a mask in the lobby. The fine is $1,500 and apparently it’s going to be enforced. A survey by leading travel risk and crisis responder Global Rescue says traveler concerns will drop dramatically this summer as more COVID vaccinations are completed. 77% of responders say they are less concerned about traveling during the second half of the year. Our Smarter Traveler segment discusses vaccines vs. travel. This week, three cruise lines announced they will require vaccines to board their ships. We have an update. Tour professional and Road Reporter Clayton Whitehead joins a travel roundtable in the back half of the program. Clayton is a lifetime travel industry veteran and has some thoughts on how and when travel returns and what it looks like. Mark offers one of his Just One Man's Opinion commentaries on a subject that is only marginally related to travel, but is something he has noticed during COVID, and it (humorously) alarms him.
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On the Sunday, December 6th, 2020 edition of The Travel Guys… In The Travel News, we shared an update on emotional support animals on airplanes. Perhaps the tiniest bit of sanity is returning to the issue. Airbnb is about to go public, perhaps at a higher price than recently anticipated. Mark shared his thoughts on the stock. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau doesn't see the northern boarder open anytime in the next 2-3 months due to the high number of Covid cases across the United States. In our Smarter Traveler segment, we talked about "travel bubbles" being created by countries and resorts. How are they working? We also update "dining bubbles," the latest thing in outdoor dining. Clayton Whitehead joins us to talk about family travel during the upcoming holidays. He relates a personal story I'm certain many of us can relate to. Consumer advocate Chris Elliott is on hand in the final segment to talk about the major airlines. We gave them $19 billion in bailout funds and they are back for more. Chris suggests we look at what we got for the first $19 billion, and updates us on wordsmithing by the airlines in Washington, DC, and what it might mean to consumers. T’was a month before Christmas T’was a month before Christmas, And all through the town,People wore masks,That covered their frown. The frown had begunWay back in the Spring,When a global pandemicChanged everything. They called it corona,But unlike the beer,It didn’t bring good times,It didn’t bring cheer. Contagious and deadly,This virus spread fast,Like a wildfire that startsWhen fueled by gas. Airplanes were grounded,Travel was banned.Borders were closedAcross air, sea and land. As the world entered lockdownTo flatten the curve,The economy halted,And folks lost their nerve. From March to JulyWe rode the first wave,People stayed home,They tried to behave. When summer emergedThe lockdown was lifted.But away from caution,Many folks drifted. Now it’s NovemberAnd cases are spiking,Wave two has arrived,Much to our disliking. Frontline workers,Doctors and nurses,Try to save people,From riding in hearses. This virus is awful,This COVID-19.There isn’t a cure.Too early for vaccine. It’s true that this yearHas had sadness a plenty,We’ll never forgetThe year 2020. And just ‘round the corner -The holiday season,But why be merry?Is there even one reason?To decorate the houseAnd put up the tree,When no one will see it,No-one but me. But outside my windowThe snow gently falls,And I think to myself,Let’s deck the halls!So, I gather the ribbon,The garland and bows,As I play those old carols,My happiness grows. Christmas isn’t cancelledAnd neither is hope. If we lean on each other,I know we can cope.
On the Sunday, November 1st, 2020 edition of The Travel Guys… In the Travel News, by the numbers, airline travel is actually slowly increasing; Sasha Barron Cohen's Borat character has delivered a new tourism slogan for Kazakhstan and the way you pay for parking at Sac International is changing just a bit. Our Smarter Traveler segment focuses on cruise ships. They are trying to get back into the water soon, and making some big promises about testing passengers and crew. Can they keep those promises. Ned Levi from Travelers United reports for us. The underwriter of our program, local tour operator Sports Leisure Vacations, held a Tour Preview Day and rolled out a 2021 catalog yesterday. Can you interest people in travel right now? Reporter Clayton Whitehead joins us for the discussion. Halloween was yesterday, so interest in ghosts and interest in ghost hunts and the paranormal is at its annual high. Tom caught up with Dave Schrader last week. Dave is promoting SEASON TWO of "THE HOLZER FILES," which airs on The Travel Channel, Thursday nights at 11pm/ET/PT. The second season, comprised of 13 brand new one-hour episodes, follows the team on the haunted trail of legendary cases - from an elegant mansion in New York City, home to one of the world’s most infamous hauntings, to the historic Maryland tavern that hid John Wilkes Booth after he shot Abraham Lincoln.
On the Saturday, April 27th, 2019 edition of The Travel Guys… In the Travel News, Expedia has struck new deals with suppliers, keeping hotels and air available on their platform. A lack of customs officers is causing problems at airports around the country. The problem: Many of the agents have been sent to the southern boarder by the president and there aren't replacements available. Lines at Atlanta's Hartsfield Airport have reached 2-3 hours on several occasions in the past two weeks. Check the list below for a cruise line which will take you to Game of Thrones sites, and there's a new museum in Japan... Reporter and Tour Director Clayton Whitehead joins us to tell listeners about two upcoming adventures: A Coast-to-Coast trip across Canada by rail, and a journey along the shores of the Mississippi River, stopping in places like The Field of Dreams and Mark Twain's home of Hannibal, MO. Richard Lewis, Executive Producer of the Music Circus and Broadway Sacramento joins us to talk about the line-up for the next season and more importantly, how the shows will shift from the community center theater to Memorial Auditorium for a year.