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THE U.S. GENERAL Services Administration announced Wednesday a raise in its standard permissible per diem rates for federal travelers, reaching $166 for fiscal year 2024. This adjustment stems from a year-on-year increment of $9 in the lodging allowance, now set at $107. The rate will be applicable from Oct. 1 to Sept. 30, 2024, GSA said. The per diem guidelines regulate the reimbursement of federal employees' lodging and meal expenses for official government travel. These guidelines involve a $9 increase to the continental U.S. lodging rate, as well as significant rate hikes in multiple non-standard areas. "GSA bases the maximum lodging allowances on historical ADR data, less 5 percent. However, the COVID-19 pandemic led to unprecedented declines in ADR, followed by a volatile hotel industry recovery," GSA said in a statement. "The ADR data available to establish fiscal year 2024 rates was from before the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency expired on May 11. Similar to the approach for fiscal year 2023, GSA made upward adjustments to ensure that maximum lodging allowances for federal travelers are sufficient in fiscal year 2024."

TO USHER IN 2022, Best Western Hotels & Resorts is offering a new program to allow guests Best Western Rewards to use points to cover the cost of booking a hotel room. The company said its "Pay with Points" will benefit hoteliers as well. Under the new program, BWR members do not have to reach a free room night threshold, but can redeem points for discounted room rates at hotels in North America immediately. During a beta test of the program in which a few Best Western hotels allowed BWR with at least 5,000 points to apply points to their hotel stays, one third used a combination of BWR points and cash to book stays of two nights or more. That ultimately boosted the bottom line for the participating hotels, the company said. Also, 35 percent of Pay with Points redemptions were for hotels where members had not previously stayed. "Pay with Points is designed to help both BWR members and our hoteliers. Our hotel owners will benefit because BWR members are being introduced to new properties within our portfolio," said Dorothy Dowling, Best Western's senior vice president and chief marketing officer. "We're always looking to provide our rewards members with new promotions and benefits, and we're excited to introduce Pay with Points to Best Western-branded hotels across North America."

MONITORING GOPPAR PERFORMANCE allows hoteliers to make smart decisions about running their business as they consider all revenue streams and cost variables, according to HotStats. The focus should be on maximizing profit rather than just increasing revenue. GOPPAR is calculated by taking total revenue, subtracting total departmental and undistributed expenses, then dividing by the total number of available rooms, according to a blog post by HotStats. GOPPAR index measurement gives guidance about why a hotel is either outperforming or underperforming its direct competitors, allowing a hotel owner to make critical changes to improve business, it said. In February, GOPPAR for U.S. hotels was down 33 percent compared to February 2019, whereas RevPAR was down 26 percent for the month. It provided evidence that costs were eating farther into the P&L in February.

Fliers should keep in mind the fact that only certain items are allowed to be carried inside an aircraft. Therefore, while booking flight tickets, travellers should carefully note the items that are forbidden on flights. Most airlines enlist all such objects on their websites.

Information on Baltic Travel and European Cruises allow travelers to discover the natural beauty, and history alongside beautiful fjords, glaciers, and through quaint fishing villages. Baltic excursions allow travelers to explore castles and capital cities, or majestic mountains and snowy terrain from the Arctic Circle to Russia and Northern Europe.

A tourist visa which is also a short stay allows you to travel to Ireland for tourism. All Ireland Tourist Visa (short stay visa) are also known as 'C' visa. Kindly Read the general criteria for all short stay i.e 'C' visas. Remember: A visa allows you to explore Ireland only. It does not gave you permission to enter the country or to stay here. An immigration officer which is present at border can refuse you entry even if you have a visa.

Delta Hotels by Marriott Indianapolis Airport is open in Indianapolis. The hotel is owned by Blue Sky Hospitality Solutions led by President and CEO Naveen Shah. The 240-room hotel is near Indianapolis International Airport and eight miles from downtown Indianapolis. Other nearby attractions include Lucas Oil Stadium, The Indianapolis Zoo, the Indianapolis Children's Museum, Eli Lilly, Rolls Royce, Indiana University and Purdue University. The hotel has 5,193 square feet of meeting space, including a 4,370-square-foot ballroom and two smaller boardrooms. "This marks our second Delta Hotel in the Indianapolis marketplace, allowing for shared economies of scale and best practices," Shah said. "Our familiarity with the market and the brand will allow the hotel to ramp up quickly as Marriott continues the global expansion of Delta."

HILTON HAS LAUNCHED a new extended-stay brand, Project H3, designed to meet the needs of the rapidly expanding $300 billion workforce travel market, looking for apartment-style accommodations for 20 nights or more. Launching in the U.S. as Hilton navigates the final stages of the trademark process, this lower midscale, extended-stay brand is the newest addition to Hilton's portfolio, the company said in a statement. Hilton is engaged in more than 100 active development conversations with many owners expressing interest in multiple locations. According to the statement, the product provides a foundation for the long stay, allowing guests to make the most out of every day, and delivers an exciting investment option for developers looking to diversify their portfolio under the Hilton name. "Project H3 is perfectly positioned to serve the unique needs of the long-stay traveler, thanks to its innovative design, strong value proposition for our owners and of course, the hospitality our team members offer every day," said Chris Nassetta, Hilton president and CEO. "We aim to serve any guest, anywhere in the world, for any travel need they may have, and this new brand represents a greater opportunity for us to grow our portfolio while providing the reliable and friendly service our customers expect from Hilton." Hilton's in-house research shows long-stay travelers, including traveling nurses, military personnel, and those experiencing workforce relocations, place quality time and comfort above all else. In addition, those looking for a long stay will book an average of 20 or more nights and desire a reliable home base that allows them to maintain their routines while delivering simplicity, consistency and convenience.

CHOICE HOTELS INTERNATIONAL is implementing "Choice Direct Pay," a system that allows corporate customers to make reservations for their employees and guests at multiple Choice hotels. The new system then bills the companies directly through a single, centralized invoice. Choice Direct Pay also would provide weekly consolidated invoicing so corporate travelers can pay for all stays at one time. Users can download and manage their invoice data through an individualized online portal, and centralized customer support can help with the enrollment process, check the status of payments and invoices and resolve issues with charges. The program also allows users to add project costs and department codes to bills to further simplify the reconciliation process. They also can access to existing negotiated and chainwide rates and search for participating hotels, as well as adjust their stay dates.

ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING stations are a growing fixture at hotels around the U.S. Now, EV charging hardware and software producer EVPassport has released a new cloud-based system that connects its users to the hotel's guest services platform. The EVPassport Hotel Cloud, a variation of the company's cloud platform designed specifically for the hospitality industry, offers several options beside a simple charge. Guests can use the platform to locate the hotel on all EV charging location maps and apps. It allows owners to set charging prices, manage access and get details on energy usage, earnings history and carbon offset. EVPassport Hotel Cloud's "scan and charge" QR code technology allows users to pay without needing fobs, apps or cards. Hotels get an extra revenue stream from the stations, which can be wrapped in the hotel's name, logo and colors.

THE AHLA FOUNDATION has introduced a scholarship application platform for U.S. hospitality students. The platform features a built-in eligibility assessment tool, ensuring students can easily access all qualifying foundation-hosted opportunities. Meanwhile, the foundation, supported by individual donors and corporations, has contributed almost $17 million to eligible students across the U.S. to date. "The AHLA Foundation has been committed to supporting hospitality students for 70 years," said Anna Blue, AHLA Foundation president. "Increasing access to resources and opportunities is a critical investment in the future talent of our industry." The new system will allow students to apply for multiple scholarship opportunities in one application, the AHLA foundation said in a statement. This new portal allows AHLA Foundation to manage eight other scholarship opportunities as well:

Passport Alert!! Your passport is in risk, if you are in IRS list of debtors. A new law will allow the US State Department to refuse to issue US passports to individuals with "seriously delinquent" tax bills in excess of $50,000. Even, the State Department is authorized to revoke previously issued passports if the bearer is on the IRS list of debtors! So, if you were not paying your taxes from a while, pay them as soon as possible, in order to be able to fly internationally. In case, you haven't applied for a passport yet, apply with a passport expeditor to get an expedited passport.

Passport Alert!! Your passport is in risk, if you are in IRS list of debtors. A new law will allow the US State Department to refuse to issue US passports to individuals with "seriously delinquent" tax bills in excess of $50,000. Even, the State Department is authorized to revoke previously issued passports if the bearer is on the IRS list of debtors! So, if you were not paying your taxes from a while, pay them as soon as possible, in order to be able to fly internationally. In case, you haven't applied for a passport yet, apply with a passport expeditor to get an expedited passport.

The way to protect your caravan has always been by physical immobilization: coupling locks/security covers, wheel locks/clamps, lockable wheel nuts or the good old fashioned padlock and chain. These of course continue to be important measures, however there have been technological advances which allow greater peace of mind regarding your caravan's security. One such advancement is the GPS tracking: AL-KO Anti-Theft System.

The way to protect your caravan has always been by physical immobilization: coupling locks/security covers, wheel locks/clamps, lockable wheel nuts or the good old fashioned padlock and chain. These of course continue to be important measures, however there have been technological advances which allow greater peace of mind regarding your caravan's security. One such advancement is the GPS tracking: AL-KO Anti-Theft System.

Trekking in Nepal Himalaya

Comfortable clothing is a traveler's best friend, so you might well be considering wearing leggings on your next flight. But will you be allowed? This past Sunday, United is in the news for denying boarding to two girls who were wearing leggings. United Airlines clarified that the young ladies in question were not normal passengers. They had not paid for their tickets - instead, they were flying on "buddy passes." United maintains that when their employees or "buddy pass" guests are flying as passengers, they are representing the airline. They have a dress code for pass travelers, and the girls' leggings did not pass muster. Can you wear leggings on your next United flight? Do other airlines have dress codes? What not to wear in the air? Check the whole story here.

Nairobi is the capital city of Kenya; it is also known as the hub of major economic and political hub of Kenya. The weather is moderate with two rainy seasons allows the travelers to explore this city and country as whole. There are number of natural sites and parks to explore the natural beauty at its very best. Nairobi's International airport is the major airport in Kenya and most of the travelers use this airport as a main entry in to Kenya.

Travelling in flights has increased in frequency and to check if their flights are on time, air india pnr status has to be known by people. This allows them to catch their planes in time and the process is simple.