Tag: Japan

On the Saturday, August 2nd, 2025 edition of The Travel Guys… In the Travel News, our airport screens a record number of travelers in one day, and AI is being used to create fake travel destinations and take people on wild goose chases. Southwest Airlines has started charging bag fees and assigning seats. But not for all flights. We tell you where the line is drawn and how to deal with Southwest's "dueling systems" for the next few months in our Smarter Traveler segment. Japan is one of the hottest destinations on the planet right now. We sent a group of Sports Leisure Travelers to Japan in May and we talk with Donnie Anderson, who led the group, and get some tips on travel to the “land of the rising sun…” (Do you REALLY not tip in Japan?) Air traffic controllers have been in short supply for many years. Since the job pays pretty well, why can't they find people to do the job. We shed some light on the "why aren't there enough people in the tower" subject.

On the Sunday, April 4th, 2021 edition of The Travel Guys… In the Travel News, the CDC has a host of new guidelines for travel, starting with domestic trips and including guidance for the cruise lines. American Airlines says you can travel to Italy without a quarantine and several airlines have weighed in on the laws which appear to restrict the ability to vote in Georgia and other states. Mark headed to Seattle for business and a little baseball this week. He shares some updates and observations on airports and the behavior of travelers in our Smarter Traveler segment. Ever since the days of the Comstock, women have played a major role in the running of Virginia City. That’s still happening today. Meet the ladies of Virginia City and learn about what makes it an incredibly unique place to visit, very close to home. For 25 years, David Watts Barton was the music reviewer for the Sacramento Bee. His second career is as an author and he has a fascinating book on Japan, Japan: From Anime to Zen. We’ll talk with him about it.

On the Sunday, May 5th edition of The Travel Guys.... In The Travel News, Marriott is going into the hotel rental business, aka Airbnb. Believe it or not, the same week Marriott makes that announcement, Airbnb announces they are going into the hotel business. Coincidence? We think not. The SAP Arena in San Jose has announced they are joining the growing ranks of public venues adopting a Clear Bag Policy. Basically, it means any bag you bring into the arena has to meet very specific size requirement and it must be clear. To begin with, the arena is offering a $5 bag check if yours doesn't meet the requirements. San Jose isn't the first and we suspect this will quickly become the standard. Time to buy a see through bag. We make you a Smarter Traveler with a break down of Hotel Safety ideas. Most people remember to lock the deadbolt (you DO remember that, right...), check window locks on ground floor rooms and even connecting room locks. But what about that door hanger you put out to order breakfast? You didn't write your name on it, did you? And how easy is to to access your room through the elevator? Let's talk. Even a Do Not Disturb sign will not keep hotel staff out of your room, and we explain why. Gwen Duncan, our favorite Travel Advisor, comes by to talk about their recent rip to Japan. The ups, the downs, the ideas to make you smarter than Gwen when you go..... Call Sports Leisure Vacations at (916) 361-2051 to RSVP!