Visiting Every Country On Earth

by Kraig Becker on

Most travelers have a “life list”. That is to say, a list of travel destinations that are amongst their “must see”, such as the Great Pyramids or Machu Picchu. Others set goals to visit certain countries, selecting ones that appeal to them on some level.

That’s exactly what Chris Guillebeau did when he was 22 and working in Africa for an international charity group. At the time, Guillebeau says, that he was traveling a lot within Africa itself, and making frequent trips back to Europe as well. He was visiting a lot of unique and interesting places, and remained fascinated with the cultures that he saw.

Then, in 2006, at the age of 28, he set a goal for himself to visit 100 countries before he turned 30, somehting he accomplished last year. But in this interview for the New York Times, he admits that about halfway through his quest to reach triple digits, he began to realize that he was setting his sights too low, and has now set a new goal for himself – to visit every country on the planet before he turns 35.
Guillebeau admits that things are starting to get tougher, as he is running out of countries that offer easy access. He mentions that he’ll have to start focusing on making arrangements to get to Chad, the South Pacific, or Central Asia soon, but he makes no mention of visiting such places as North Korea or Somalia, which aren’t exactly welcoming to foreigners.

Of course, with all of this travel, Guillebeau knows all the tricks to make things as easy as possible. He generally has upgrades to first class on domestic flights, many of which he trades away to other passengers, and he recently talked his way onto a flight to Karachi, without the proper paperwork or visas to enter the country. He also knows how to play the system to get as many frequent flier miles as possible, something he shared with us a few months back.

I have to hand it to Chris. When he creates a life list, he doesn’t think small. My question is, what do you do when you hit age 35 and you’ve already visited everywhere? He better hope Virgin Galactic expands its routes, and quickly.

Record foreign travel spending in 2008, unlikely to continue

by Tom Johansmeyer on

Records were broken last year. International visitors to the United States spent $142.1 billion on travel and tourism-related activities (including traveling to and within the country), according to preliminary U.S. Department of Commerce statistics. This is up 16 percent from 2007 – which was a record-setting year, as well.

Visitors spent $110.5 billion on travel and tourism-related goods and services in 2008, a 14 percent increase year-over-year. This includes food, lodging, recreation, gifts and entertainment. They spent another $31.6 billion on travel using U.S. carriers and vessel operators, a 24 percent spike from 2007.

Last year’s success was driven largely by spending early in the year, as international visitors to the United States took advantage of a weak U.S. dollar and generally robust financial conditions. Toward the end of 2008, of course, market conditions turned, setting the tone for 2009. In the fourth quarter, travel and tourism spending by international visitors fell 10 percent, and preliminary data for the beginning of this year indicates a tough market to come (which isn’t exactly a secret).

Travel and tourism spending by visitors from outside the country accounted for 8 percent of all U.S. exports last year – not to mention 26 percent of services exports. This makes travel and tourism the country’s top services export. Travel and tourism exports grew faster than imports y a ratio of 2:1 in 2008 and constituted more than 20 percent of the total U.S. services sector trade surplus.

Spending by visitors from the United Kingdom and Canada grew most in hard dollar terms ($2.5 billion each), followed by Germany ($1.3 billion), France ($1.2 billion) and Italy ($1 billion). In percentage terms, Italy and France led the world, with its visitors spending 38 percent more in 2008 than in 2007. Argentina, the Netherlands and China turned in solid increases, as well – 32 percent, 32 percent and 31 percent, respectively. Of all the countries reported, only Argentina, Hong Kong, Japan, South Africa and Taiwan did not set visitor spending records.

The top five international markets for U.S. travel and tourism exports were: Canada at $18.7 billion, United Kingdom at $17.5 billion, Japan at $15.1 billion and Germany at $6.5 billion.

The trend is likely to come to a close this year, given the pressure of a worldwide financial crisis and the resurgence of the U.S. dollar. The travel industry is expected to shed more than 200,000 jobs in the United States this year, and the many travel deals available tell the rest of the story.

Buckle up; it’s going to be a rough year for the travel industry.

Recession impact evident in January, foreign visits to U.S. down

by Tom Johansmeyer on

Foreign visits to the United States are down 9 percent year-over-year for January 2009, according to an announcement by the U.S. Department of Commerce. Spending by this group of visitors reached $10.6 billion – down 7 percent from January 2008. So, it looks like the people who spend less aren’t coming, since cash isn’t falling as fast as visitation. Slightly more than 3 million people visited the United States from abroad this year.

This confirms the worldwide effect of what was once called a “subprime mortgage crisis.” The global recession has led to a decline in consume rspending that includes travel.

Half the traffic came from our neighbors. Canada sent 1.1 million visitors to the United States, but this is down more than 12 percent year-over-year. Land arrivals fell 16 percent, with air arrivals dropping by only 8 percent. Mexico had 405,000 visitors to the United States in January. This is a decline of 4 percent. Air arrivals fell 16 percent, with land arrivals actually up 2 percent.

Excluding Canada and Mexico, U.S. arrivals totaled 1.5 million, a fall of 8 percent. Four of the top 20 countries (by number of travelers sent to the United States) showed increases, and two of them had double-digit year-over-year growth.

Brazil: up 5 percent (and showing 32 months of consecutive increases)

China: up 37 percent (and showing 35 months of consecutive increases)

Italy: up 6 percent (showing 25 months of consecutive increases)

Argentina: up 19 percent (and showing 30 months of consecutive increases)

U.S. visitation from the 27 countries in the European Union fell 11 percent overall for January 2009 (relative to January 2008), and travel from Western Europe was down 12 percent. Western Europe accounts for 37 percent of all overseas arrivals to the United States. Travel from Eastern Europe to the United States was up 5 percent. Travel from Asia to the United States, on the other hand, fell 9 percent year-over-year but nonetheless accounted for 31 percent of overseas arrivals to the United States. Travel from Japan fell 13 percent, with South Korea down 17 percent. Visits from India plunged 12 percent year-over-year.

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3 for 2 in Paris through end of May

by Tom Johansmeyer on

The Hotel Jules has been refurbished, and its new owners, G.L.A. Hotels wants to give you a good reason to stop by. Through the end of May, you can book two nights at this unique property on Rue La Fayette and get the third night free. Longer stays are rewarded. Each additional night is also 33 percent off. With cheap flights to Paris right now, this deal rounds out the total bargain.

The renovated property has a deliberate mix of styles reaching from the 1950s to the 1970s, thrashing the traditional concept of hotel design and creating a whimsical atmosphere for guests tired of the norm. The property is small, with 101 rooms on six floors. Four categories are available: standard, superior, deluxe and junior suite. So, you’ll have choices without having to sacrifice an intimate feel.

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Europe By Rail

by Kraig Becker on

For many, taking the train is still the most wonderful way to travel. It is a romantic throwback to a long gone era, before modern jets linked the world. For some, taking the train is just too slow, but for those that enjoy it, that is one its charms. It affords travelers the opportunity to see the countryside, often from a comfortable car filled with modern amenities.

The train system in Europe is well known as being an excellent way for travelers to explore the continent. Trains run on a regular basis to nearly every region, offering a convenient, affordable, and leisurely way to get to your destination.

The TImes Online has put together a list of four great European rail journeys offering up suggestions for those who would like to experience the very best that this mode of transportation has to offer. The routes they suggest include a tour through Eastern Europe, a ride through the Alps, a journey along the French Riviera and Italy, and an adventure that will take you to Gibraltar and beyond, into Africa. Each of the routes has multiple legs, and the article gives details on the best and most insteresting of them. It also has tips on how to book your train journey, complete with ideas on how to save money in the process.

There was a time when train travel through Europe was viewed as strictly the realm of students and backpackers. But recently there have been first class and adults only cars added, opening the trains up as a viable option for other travlers as well. With airfares to Europe at bargain rates, now may be a great time to go, and with cheap trains as an option, explore the continent like never before.