Venice cruise ships banned
Italy is banning large cruise ships from entering Venice's waters and is also declaring the city's lagoon a national monument, in a move to protect a fragile ecosystem from the downsides of mass tourism. The ban, demanded for decades by Venice residents and environmentalists, will take effect Aug. 1. Italy's culture minister, Dario Franceschini, explained that the government had drafted the urgent decree to avoid "the real risk of the city being put on the blacklist of "World Heritage in Danger" sites established by UNESCO. The ban applies to ships that are heavier than 25,000 tons or longer than 590 feet. Even large yachts could be affected.
New York Times
Three months for a passport
Americans hoping to travel abroad this summer may have to delay their plans if they need new or renewed passports. The State Department said that the wait for a passport is now between 12 and 18 weeks, even if you pay for expedited processing. A pandemic backlog of 1.5 million to 2 million passport requests means that applications submitted now probably will not be processed until the fall. "We really encourage folks to apply for or renew their passport at least six months ahead of when you'll need one, to avoid any of those last-minute problems," said Rachel Arndt, deputy assistant secretary of state for passport services.
Associated Press
Be flexible with miles
Travel bloggers love to rave about how they scored a first-class ticket using miles, but they don't often describe their true secret: extreme flexibility. Redeeming points and miles for reward travel all but requires a high degree of flexibility to get the most value from them. For one thing, the availability of these awards can be spotty. Before you can even determine if an award booking is a good deal, you need to actually find an available award booking option. For another, airlines often double the price or more during high-demand dates. In short: If you're looking to use miles on a specific flight on a specific day, you might either pay too much — or not be able to score a ticket at all.
Nerd Wallet
How busy is Yellowstone?
Americans are flocking to national parks in record numbers. Yellowstone set visitation records in May, hosting 483,159 visitors, an 11% increase compared with May 2019. Over the July 4th weekend at Midway Geyser Basin, the last of the evening's visitors walked on a crowded boardwalk next to the Grand Prismatic Spring. The area around Old Faithful, one of the park's biggest draws, was most congested immediately after the geyser's eruption, as people departed the viewing platform. At those times, the crowds were reminiscent of those at Disneyland. Within the park, the lines at the cafeteria and the visitor center were not very long, since the park staff was effectively shepherding the crowds.
New York Times
Museum Day returns
Smithsonian Magazine's popular Museum Day will return for 2021 after a lost year amid the COVID-19 pandemic. On Sept. 18, travelers can take advantage of free admission at hundreds of participating museums and institutions across the country. Visitors can download one free ticket per e-mail address. Each ticket provides free general admission for two people on Sept. 18. Visit smithsonianmag.com to find a participating museum that interests you ahead of Sept. 18.
TravelPulse
