There’s an amazing contest out there for anyone who dreams of turning a love of travel and photography into a paying gig: WorldNomads.com has partnered with National Geographic to offer a Travel Photography Scholarship. The Scholarship recipient will receive Pentax photography equipment and a trip to Bhutan on assignment with National Geographic photographer Jason Edward (not to mention my eternal envy). During the trip, the winner will assist and be mentored by Edward, plus take photos of the Himalayan country’s endangered species, architecture and local culture.
The prize is a perfect opportunity to learn from an expert just what it takes to be a professional photographer—and, because photos taken by the winner will also be published on Australia’s National Geographic TV website –provide the kind of exposure (sorry!) a fledgling pro needs to kickstart a career.
For more info, check out the rules here.
—Jen Dennis

Two travel stories I’ve read in the past couple of weeks seem intriguingly, um, connected, to me. The first is this article in USA Today, which reports that fewer than 10% of fliers are paying to log on to the recently introduced inflight wifi networks (they were expected to be a cash cow for airlines). The article offers possible explanations for the trend: Some posit that there isn’t enough room to open a laptop in coach, others suggest that the fees are simply one extra-flight charge too many, and still more say that there simply isn’t enough time on most flights to merit the effort required to go online.

But another survey of American travelers, which I also spotted last week, offers a different possible reason for the lack of interest in surfing while flying: people are simply too busy praying to log on. According to the study by SpringHill Suites (a Marriott chain), 30 percent of travelers are taking their in-flight anxiety to a higher power. In fact, the study shows that travelers are more willing to give up smart phones and email on trips than they are to sacrifice their daily prayers on the road.

I wouldn’t pay for an internet connection on a plane—but that’s because I love the excuse a long flight offers me to read trashy books or watch movies that I’d never pay for at home. (Then again, to log on with my iPad… ) Anway, what about you? How do you pass the time when you fly?
—Jen Dennis

It’s no surprise that many travelers who were planning to spend their vacation along the Gulf Coasts of Florida, Mississippi, Louisiana or Texas have backed away from their plans in droves. After all, who wants to take the kids to the beach to watch tar balls wash ashore? But in spite of the spill’s massive reach, there are still miles of un-devastated shoreline along the Gulf Coast, and the travel industry is creating incentives to help would-be vacationers find them.

Right now, the idea is to allow users to cancel a reservation if the oil spill drifts to the shore near a hotel. Hotels.com’s deal is especially generous, allowing travelers to nix their trips any time up to 5 p.m. the day of arrival and receive a full refund for the price of their stay—regardless of government beach closures. Orbitz.com offers travelers a full refund if the government closes any beach within 20 miles of a traveler’s hotel.

The hotel chains are following suit: Marriott.com is promising refunds of 50% to travelers who have to change their plans, and Hilton will give guests a full money-back guarantee if their trip is affected by the spill at all. (Check the exact dates on all of these, as some end in July and others continue to the fall.)

These are nice fallbacks if the spill does come ashore in the wrong place, but I wonder if any of the travel providers have considered offering alternative trips should a planned getaway be disrupted. A lost vacation isn’t just about money and hotel rooms. It’s also about time: Most of us plan our vacation schedule months in advance, and we dream about taking part in specific activities during our time off. Re-jiggering those arrangements and the expectations that go with them will be stressful, and likely expensive, if something goes wrong.

If my interrupted beach trip could be swapped out for one at a lake or in the mountains—or if a travel professional would be offered to help me come up with a good Plan B should something goes wrong—I think I’d be more likely to take the risk and book. How about you?
–Jen Dennis

Though ongoing fallout from the oil spill in the Gulf still threatens the massive tourism industry along Florida’s coasts, the center of the state got a pick-me-up this month with the opening of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando’s Islands of Adventure Park. This $250 million, 20-acre theme park gives visitors a chance to step into the landscapes created by the immensely popular JK Rowling book (and subsequent movie) series.
There seems to be huge demand for the real-life experience, as excited fans began lining up at 2 a.m. to be the first to enter the park on opening day. And the reviews have been glowing: Kids praise realism of the look and feel of the place in the Chicago Sun Times, while grown-up fans are on the hunt for the Easter eggs hidden throughout the place on Wired. The Los Angeles Times and The Wall Street Journal’s Speakeasy blog note that the crowds and the heat pose challenges for some guests, but conclude that die-hard fans won’t be deterred by these minor (muggle) concerns.
I suspect the biggest problems related to the park will be faced by parents of pre-teen fans, whose kids will plead nonstop to get there this summer (tickets are $79, and for about $25 more VIP passes will allow you to bump to the front of the line for rides). I’m pretty sure I can wait until the rush is over to check it out, but I’d love to hear what others are thinking: Are you planning a trip? Why—or why not?
—Jen Dennis

As we celebrated our nation’s independence this past weekend, I found myself pondering H.R. 4645, the Travel Restriction Reform and Export Enhancement Act. The bill, which was approved in a House Agriculture Committee meeting, late last week, would make travel to Cuba allowable for American tourists for the first time in decades.

I should lead with the selfish truth: I really want to go to Cuba. Over past few years I’ve spoken with several travel journalists (as reporters, they’re exempt from the ban) who’ve visited the country and raved about the openness of the people, the vibrant music scene and the beauty of Cuba’s beaches. I’ve also heard great things about the Cuban resorts frequented by European, Canadian and South American travelers, who aren’t subject to a travel ban.

Of course, I’ve also read also about the poverty and the restrictive governments that limit the opportunities of the Cuban people. But I don’t see how cutting the Cuban people off from the U.S. helps make them more open to our point of view on economic systems or anything else. And frankly, the ban seems arbitrary and out-of-date—after all, there’s no such restriction on travel to North Korea or Iran. I hope the ban will be lifted. But what do you think? Has my desire to see Havana clouded my judgment, or should we support the easing of restrictions? –Jen Dennis