A growing number of tourists are going on vacation to have heart surgery, cosmetic procedures, hip replacements or dental implants. A combination of many factors has lead to the recent increase in the popularity of medical tourism.
While everyone is familiar with the idea of birds flying south for the winter to spend the chillier months in a more accommodating climate, what is perhaps less well known is that this phenomenon is an increasingly popular strategy for humans as well. The tactic is such a popular one that a term has been coined to describe those families and individuals who "migrate" north and south to spend part of the year in a milder climate: snowbirds.
It's difficult to predict with precision how the dollar will stack up against the euro at any moment. The euro started the summer at $1.54, rose to $1.59, and then dropped to $1.46 at Labor Day. And while this decline is good news for travelers looking forward to vacationing in the 15 eurozone countries, it's extremely unlikely the dollar will ever return to the good old days in 2000 when the euro was worth just $0.82 and a European vacation was a bargain.
There is nothing like a change of scenery for expanding your horizons and renewing your enthusiasm for life. All too often, however, travelers undercut their adventure before they leave by overpacking. An overweight suitcase can limit your mobility, force you to keep close to well-trodden paths, and turn travel into a chore. After all, being prepared for every imaginable contingency is one definition of staying at home.