Reck, who represents the online travel agencies, maintains that the proposal would help the hotel industry at the expense of the travel providers who help put heads in beds. We just make that transaction happen, Reck said. Changing the fee structure, she added, is sort of a strange way to go about promoting tourism. Reid Wilson covers state politics and policy for the Washington Post's GovBeat blog.
Frequent business traveler Bob Catlette of Collierville, Tenn., isn't allergic to animals and supports airline policies that allow them in passenger cabins. Catlette, an author and an executive coach, says he has flown on several flights next to passengers with service dogs or pets. "Contrary to dogs that I've heard barking incessantly in the aircraft belly, none of these on-board pets made a peep or other disturbance," he says. Another frequent business traveler, Barbara Korte of Plymouth, Mich., believes airlines should be more protective of people with allergies and not allow pets in the passenger cabin. She also recalls an unpleasant experience involving two puppies on a flight from Detroit to Amsterdam two years ago.
Travel Boom: Young Tourists Spent $217 Billion Last Year, More Growth Than Any Other Group
More young travelers are shunning the traditional sun, sea and sand holidays to improve their resumes. According to the report, 22 percent of young travelers want to learn a language, 15 percent want to gain work experience, and 15 percent travel to study all significantly up from 2007. Student spending has increased by 40 percent since 2007 despite the global economic climate, with young travelers requesting more varied services. The age demographic of people identifying themselves as youth travelers has broadened. Young travelers are spending longer periods of time abroad; the number of trips more than 60 days has increased over the last five years.
