Travel in brief
Smokies visits in 2010 nearly match 2009 year
GATLINBURG, Tenn. -- The number of visitors to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in 2010 nearly matched the figure from the year before, despite landslides, weather extremes and major construction projects.
The National Park Service said there were 9,463,538 people who came to the 500,000-acre park on the Tennessee-North Carolina border in 2010. That was about 28,000 fewer than in 2009, the Smokies' 75th anniversary year.
Park Superintendent Dale Ditmanson says frequent high-elevation snows that set December records on Mount LeConte came after a summer heat wave that pushed the low country into a long string of 90-plus degree days.
Ditmanson says autumn foliage that brightened the slopes on schedule helped rescue attendance.
New route opened in the Roman Forum
ROME -- Tourists finally will be able to walk in the House of the Vestal Virgins in the ancient Roman Forum.
The House of the Vestal Virgins was the residence of the vestal priestesses, whose lives were dedicated to the cult of the Roman goddess Vesta. The house, a large rectangular atrium around a spacious courtyard, is just behind the Temple of Vesta, where the vestals guarded the sacred fire dedicated to the goddess.
Rome culture officials unveiled a new route recently that allows visitors to walk in the house; previously it could only be seen from a distance.
The house was rebuilt after the fire of Nero in 64, and was then restored under Emperor Septimius Severus, who ruled from 193 to 211.
TripAdvisor website adds airline reviews
Before seeing a movie, booking a hotel room or sitting down at a restaurant, you can read a review to get an idea of what to expect.
Now travel website TripAdvisor has added a feature that lets passengers rate airlines and then posts the results. The carriers are rated on such things as baggage handling, check-in experience, in-flight amenities, punctuality, seat comfort and value. For each category, passengers can submit a rating from one to five.
But to ensure that airlines don't skew the outcomes by submitting favorable reviews, TripAdvisor specialists have been assigned to monitor the website and look for bogus reviews. And only TripAdvisor members can add reviews.
Dubai airport traffic sees business boom
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates -- The Middle East's busiest airport is getting even busier.
Dubai International Airport reported its passenger traffic shot up more than 15 percent to a record 47.2 million travelers last year, up from 40.9 million in 2009. Air freight is up, too. Cargo traffic jumped nearly 18 percent to 2.3 million tons in 2010.
Dubai International is the hometown hub for the re-gion's largest airline, Emirates. It and other fast-growing carriers have turned the Gulf into a major transit point for long-haul routes between Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia. The latest figures from Airports Council International show Dubai ranks sixth busiest in the world in terms of international passengers as of October 2010.
Smokies has podcast about bat protection
GATLINBURG, Tenn. -- The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is trying to protect bats, endangered by an illness that has killed millions of them in the Eastern United States.
A podcast developed by the Great Smoky Mountains Association is available to download at the park website. There is also a new educational display at the Sugarlands Information Center.
Because of white-nose syndrome, biologists in the Smokies closed the entrances to its 16 known caves and two mines in 2009. That came after two little brown bats tested positive for the syndrome.
The website is www.nps.gov/grsm.
N.Y. DOT offers travel info on free mobile app
ALBANY, N.Y. -- The state Department of Transportation says it has added a free mobile phone application that provides real-time traffic, transit and emergency services information and weather advisories.
The DOT's upgraded 511 New York system includes a free app that BlackBerry, iPhone and Android mobile device users can download to access travel info. Officials say it can be found in those app stores. Visit www.511ny.org.
Deluxe Yosemite hotel to close for upgrade
YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK, Calif. -- The landmark Ahwahnee Hotel in Yosemite National Park will close for nearly a month while the deluxe Art Deco lodge undergoes a major remodel and safety upgrade. Park rangers say the Ahwahnee will close Feb. 22-March 17.
It includes fire sprinklers and smoke detectors to meet safety standards. The Park Service says the work will cost about $8 million, funded through a special fee charged on products and services sold in the park. The hotel parking lot will close for that time.
