Change really is good.
Starting in November 2024, a significant change will impact travelers from the U.S. and other non-EU countries, such as the UK, heading to Italy.
The first change will come with the European Entry/Exit System (EES), which will include fingerprinting requirements. This system launches November 10, 2024, and represents a significant shift in how travelers from non-EU countries, including the UK and US, will be processed when entering the Schengen Area, and Italy is a Schengen country.
The next big change is the  European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS), which will be introduced in the first half of 2025, as part of the entry process into the Schengen Area. This new system aims to enhance security and streamline the border control experience for visitors. Here’s a comprehensive look at what EES and ETIAS are, why fingerprinting is involved, how the process works, and what it means for travelers.
What is EES?
Under the European Entry/Exit System (EES), you are required to provide fingerprints each time you enter and exit the Schengen Area. This means that your biometric data will be collected at each border crossing to accurately record your entry and exit.
NOTE:  This information is long. If you want more on costs, etc., please contact us for a copy.  (Also thanks to Mi O My Italy for their timely information for travelers as this is where we got a lot of information for the Italian part.)

​​Kansai International Airport, a major hub in Japan serving Osaka, Kobe, and Kyoto, is celebrating 30 years of operation with an incredible achievement: not a single piece of luggage has been lost since it opened in September 1994.
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The airport is known for its efficiency, but its perfect record in baggage handling really sets it apart.
According to Kenji Takanishi, a spokesperson for the airport, there’s no magic trick behind this success. The ground handling staff aren’t superhuman; they just use a system of redundancies to make sure every bag reaches its destination safely.
This airport is an excellent option if you want to go to this area.  Experience Cherry Blossoms in the Spring, stay in a traditional Ryokan..order some tabi’s before you go to slip on your feet at the door, as no shoes are allowed in Japanese homes.  You will love them and bring home the tabi’s and possibly even install the custom in your home. (Etsy has them-they may not look comfortable but they really are.)  Comment with email if you want some Ryokan ideas.

Travelers who are taking along electronics need to know that  Mexico has really strict tax laws regarding laptops and IPads.  You cannot bring more than 1 laptop per person.  They may also   consider an IPad as a laptop and will charge you taxes at customs if you do both.  Just a heads up.  People aren't listening and getting hit at customs.

 Someone I know was just going thru Customs a few days ago and was paying a tax on something she brought in for her house.  She was talking to a guy who was paying big bucks. He said he was paying taxes on an IPad  $150USD of taxes!!! Ouch! He had a laptop and an IPad. So ya they do check and count an IPad as a laptop.

If you don’t know the laws or know someone who knows and tells you, but you don't believe it--, it’s clearly indicated on the official Government website that you can’t bring in more than 1 laptop/person. So I guess they might count an IPad as a laptop.


To be forewarned is forearmed.

​The Cancun arrival process has been simplified, and you no longer need to fill out an immigration form (paper or digital) prior to or on arrival.
Once you deplane, you will be directed to (or choose) one of 2 options for going through immigration
(option 2 available in terminals 3&4 only)
Option 1) The normal immigration lines where you will speak to an agent, and have your passport stamped. Please keep your physical or digital boarding pass until you clear immigration in case it is needed.
Option 2) The electronic passport control machines (only available for 18 years old and up). If you go through these machines, please enter and scan your passport. Wait for your photo to be taken and collect your receipt with the QR code. Make sure to retain your receipt as you may be asked for this upon departure from Mexico.
(at this time, you do not need to go online and fill anything out regarding that QR code receipt. simply hold on to it until departure).
If you fly into terminal 2 ONLY, you will receive a paper customs form on the plane, or you will need to fill one out in the baggage area after arrival. In this terminal only, all baggage will be scanned after you pick it up, and may or may not be searched.
If you land into terminal 3 or 4, NO customs form is required. After immigration, you will pick up your bags at the carousel, and you may or may not be selected to have your bags checked.
The Visitax is a mandatory tax that can be paid prior to arrival in Mexico or during the stay. You may or may not get asked to show proof of payment on departure. It is 271mxn pp and the correct website to pay is https://www.visitax.gob.mx/sitio/. You can also use Travelkore, who is authorized by the government (but does charge a little more https://travelkore.app. Any other website is scam. I know that many have very heated opinions about this tax and this is not the forum for it. We are simply providing the accurate/up to date information-you can choose to conduct yourself/advise. Every person I book to Mexico and this area will have a copy in their documents and/or emailed them, no one can say they did not know.

More Mexico  -- I cannot stress this enough.
If You are NOT leaving the property, and just need cash to tip, USD is fine (although for Canadians-don't get USD if you don't have any, get pesos instead).
However, if You are leaving the resort, ESPECIALLY if doing so requires a cab, or they are going to Isla Mujeres or Holbox, they NEED pesos, and small denominations. 
Taxis only take cash, and they WILL get majorly ripped off if using USD (others I was with experienced it this week). While in Isla Mujeres we passed and went to businesses that ONLY took cash. Again, they will get CRUSHED by the exchange rate the small businesses make up. It's also hard to get change for 500mxn bills, so the smaller, the better.
This information will definitely help make your trip more smooth by these recommendations.

ADMITTEDLY, this is LONG but important.  It’s more expensive ever to be a traveler, and that’s not just about airfare or hotel prices. In the past 12 months, several destinations have announced tax tourists coming into their cities, ports, or regions, aimed at balancing the need for tourism to boost economies with the interests of the local people, environment, and infrastructure. The taxes come as an anti-tourism sentiment starts growing in some destinations in Europe, most notably Spain, which saw locals burst into anti-tourism protests in several cities over the last few weeks with locals blaming mass tourism for the rising cost of living. 
Here are some of the most notable tourist taxes announced in just the past 12 months (list is updating as more are announced):
Aruba Sustainability Fee: Aruba launched a $20 sustainability fee for air passengers flying into Aruba at the beginning of July. All visitors aged 8 and older must now pay through the country’s Embarkation & Disembarkation (ED) Card platform before airline check-in. The funds are being used to “upgrade the existing sewage water treatment plants and infrastructure as well as building a new, larger one to handle future demand,” according to Aruba Tourism Authority. 
Baja California Sur’s Tourist Tax : Mexico’s Baja California Sur is set to charge international travelers a mandatory $25 visitor tax, a fee that had been voluntary, starting in October.
Bali’s Tourist Tax: Starting this past February, Bali started charging all inbound foreign tourists a new tourist tax of 150,000 rupiah (around ($9.60 USD or $12.90 CAD). Bali’s tax included children headed not just to Bali, but also its surrounding areas, and applied to all ways of travel (land, cruise, or air).Bali said the taxes would go towards “protecting the nature of Bali,” including the environment and the culture on the islands.
Barcelona Cruise Tax: Currently, Barcelona charges a 7 euro (around $7.60) fee for all inbound cruise passengers, but that could soon increase. In June, Barcelona Mayor Jaume Collboni said that the plan is to “substantially [increase] the tax for stopover cruise passengers,” meaning passengers who are in the city for less than 12 hours. 
Barcelona Tourist Tax:  Barcelona has been charging a tourist tax since 2012, which will increase starting in October. Starting then, visitors to Barcelona will have to pay a 4 euro fee on top of the regional tourist tax. The tax is added to hotel bills and doesn’t need to be paid ahead of time.
Galapagos:  Entry FeeStarting Aug. 1, 2024, the entry fee to Galapagos National Park is doubling to $200. There is a reduced fee for children under 12.
Greece’s Climate Tax: Announced in January, Greece is now charging a new climate tax for tourists that it said will fund disaster recovery projects in the country. The tax replaced a previously existing tourist tax.
The climate tax is added to the payment for stays at any type of accommodation, including all villas, hotels, and rentals. The standard tax, charged during the off-season, ranges from 50 cents to 4 euros per night ($.54 to $4.34). The new climate tax for high season depends on the type of accommodation and reaches up to 10 euros ($10.85) per night for stays at 5-star hotels. 
Lisbon Tourist and Cruise Tax:  Authorities in Lisbon, Portugal’s capital city, recently approved an increase in its tourist tax that will go into effect in September—starting then, tourists heading into the city will have to pay a 4 euros fee, up from 2 euros.
At the same time, Lisbon is increasing tax on cruise ship passengers, doubling it from 1 euro to 2 euros, also in September.
Lisbon Mayor Carlos Moedas said in July that the increases are coming because of the need to balance “the externalities of tourism” with the quality of life for locals.
New Zealand Cruise Tax Increase:  In July 2024, the New Zealand government took aim at the cruise industry, with a hefty hike on border processing fees for cruise ship guests that amounts to an 88% increase.Starting Dec. 1 the processing fee per cruise ship passenger will go from NZ$11.48 to NZ$21.54.
Cruise Lines International Association Australasia and the New Zealand Cruise Association have hit back, both at the staggering increase and the government’s lack of notice to the industry.
Quintana Roo Cruise Tax:  While not live yet, Mexico’s Quintana Roo will start charging a $5 tax to all passengers arriving via cruise ship starting in 2025. According to Quintana Roo, the funds collected will be held in a disaster relief fund.
Quintana Roo Tourist Tax:  Quintana Roo’s cruise passenger tax might not be live yet, but its foreign visitor tax for other travelers has been live since April 2021. All visitors aged 4 and up are required to pay the tax, which is around $10 to $11 per person.
The tax can be paid either at kiosks at the arrival airport, or online via Visitax.
U.S. Virgin Islands Cruise Tax for Royal Caribbean:  In October 2023, the USVI launched a new tax of $5 per passenger on all Royal Caribbean Group brands docking at the Austin “Babe” Monsanto Marine Terminal in Crown Bay, St. Thomas. This includes Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, and Silversea Cruises.
According to the Virgin Islands Consortium, the Capital Cost Recovery Charge (CCRC) goes towards funding “significant capital improvement projects” at the terminal. These include the construction of a third cruise ship pier.
Venice’s Day Tripper Tax:  Venice just wrapped up its day-tripper tax pilot program, which charged day-trippers coming into the city a tax of 5 euros ($5.45) from April through July 2024. In total, Venice collected 2.2 million euros ($2.4 million) from the tax. While it didn’t seem to do so much to curb overtourism, the expectation is that the city will look to install the tax permanently.
Venice also limited the size of tourist groups at the end of 2023, in another effort to curb tourism

"Electronic Cigarettes (Vaping Devices): It is illegal for travelers to bring electronic cigarettes (vaping devices) and all vaping solutions to Mexico. Customs will confiscate vaping devices and solutions and travelers could be fined or arrested. Avoid delays and possible sanctions by not taking these items to Mexico. "

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Mexico.html

BURGUNDY WINE COUNTRY & CHATEAUS
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In my business, we see lots of special places. And the destinations at the top of our list all have a few things in common. Natural beauty, culture (with a small 'c'), a welcoming touch of humanity...and a kicker.
I'm writing to let you know that we have found a real gem in France, in the very heart of Burgundy. Prices range for a group of up to 12 plus there are Mini Meet Times of the year where smaller groups can meet together, making new friends and stay in this luxury 16th century Manor House, you can still experience and enjoy all that a larger group w. Tours are arranged throughout the area to see and experience wineries and so much more. Join in a diverse group of fellow wine and food enthusiasts to enjoy this unique Burgundian experience. Air and car rental are separate and we can help with that as well. Book now for 2025, there is some limited availability for August thru October of 2024, The Domaine de Cromey, sitting among the vines in a peaceful valley to the south of Beaune, is a luxury sixteenth-century manor house estate dedicated to the food, wine and beauty of Burgundy. With six en-suite air-conditioned rooms, in a compound around a courtyard within acres of a walled park, the Domaine de Cromey offers discreet comfort and quiet sophistication in a tranquil setting from a bygone era.
Cromey ticks all the boxes. Rolling hills and pastoral calm. The legacy of history from the Romans to the great Dukes of Burgundy. Masterful cuisine from the estate's kitchens. Private chefs, luxury tours, attentive personal service.  And the kicker, of course: the finest wines in the world:   Burgundy.
Cromey is hands-down the best way to visit Burgundy and to explore the world of Burgundy wine.
We can help to get you there. www.epictraveljourneys.com
and fill out our contact form. Merci beaucoup!

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