Ten Unusual Things I Just Learned About European Travel

The Polish town of Wieliczka has a subterranean salt mine that houses a cathedral complete with chandeliers made of salt. Photo from Flickr.

I spent yesterday in New York City at VEMEX (Visit Europe Media Exchange), where a throng of travel writers met with dozens of  representatives of European travel destinations, tour agencies, railways, river cruises and rental cars.

Representatives were allotted 15 minutes to update each writer on what was new, compelling and noteworthy about their destinations or companies, with writers busily scribbling unreadable notes and — more helpfully — pocketing cleverly packaged thumb drives that they could later plug  into their computers with all the salient information.

And there was information aplenty, providing a good indication of what types of visitors and customers they’re seeking and how they hope to attract them.

I can guarantee you that baby boomer travelers — who tend to favor… Continue reading →