Stay off our mountain: Warnings for adventurous tourists

Tourists heading for Japan should make sure they have appropriate travel insurance, particularly if they have climbing its most famous mountain on their travel agenda. 

Japan authorities are preparing tougher controls on off-season Mount Fuji climbing, including imposing a potential helicopter rescue charge for hikers who get into trouble outside the mountain’s official climbing season.

Yamanashi Prefecture, which manages the popular northern route, plans to introduce the measures from September 2027 as authorities respond to a rise in climbers attempting the mountain when conditions can be significantly more challenging.

Under the proposed rules, anyone heading above Mount Fuji’s sixth station - at almost 2,400 metres - between early September and July would have to submit a climbing plan in advance. The document would include listing the intended route and equipment being carried, news hub Travel Mole reports.

Hikers rescued by helicopter during the off-season could also receive a bill for the operation. 

Japanese media group NHK reported Yamanashi is considering a charge based on helicopter fuel costs, estimated at around ¥8,000 ($95) for every five minutes of flight time. The final fee has not yet been set.

Neighbouring Shizuoka Prefecture, which oversees routes on the mountain's southern side, is also preparing penalties for climbers who fail to register their plans during the off-season.

Authorities also plan to use barricades and sensors to restrict access and alert people attempting to climb when the mountain is officially closed.

Yamanashi Governor Kotaro Nagasaki urged the public to avoid off-season climbs, saying the measures are intended to make people reconsider what winter conditions on Mount Fuji can involve.

Mount Fuji’s official climbing season runs from July to early September, when approximately 200,000 people attempt to reach the 3,776-metre summit each year.

Outside that window, climbing is already strongly discouraged because of snow, ice, severe weather and the absence of normal mountain services.

Yamanashi has recorded 21 climbing accidents and four deaths during the seven years through 2025. In April 2025, a Chinese university student was reportedly rescued twice within several days after attempting to climb from the Shizuoka side.

Philippines hikes airport user fees

The Philippines has struggled to match the success of regional rivals Thailand and Vietnam when it comes to incoming tourism numbers and now the country's main airport has kicked a massive own goal.

The New NAIA Infra Corp. (NNIC), the private operator of Manila Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), has decided to raise the Passenger Service Charge (PSC) to ₱950 ($US16.60), news hub Travel Mole reports.

This represents a 72% increase from the current ₱550 ($US9.60) and the new rate will be implemented next month.

NNIC said the hike is necessary to fund ongoing airport improvements and ensure better passenger services. And the company insisted that the new rate aligns with international standards.

The move has sparked criticism from travellers and consumer groups, who argue that such a steep increase could disproportionately impact local and regional passengers.

In a press release, NNIC highlighted that the adjustment in passenger service charges (PSC) is government-mandated. And it is the first increase in over 20 years.

On privatisation, NNIC said it was done in a bid to ensure the needed funds, expertise, and technology are brought in to modernize the country’s primary airport without burdening taxpayers.

Since its transfer to NNIC in September 2024, NAIA has handled more than 50 million passengers.

The PSC applies only to departing passengers and only once per journey.

A foreigner? You'll pay more to visit France's treasures

Visiting France? Want to see the Palace of Versailles, or go inside The Louvre?

If so, you can soon expect to pay more than the locals.

French minister of culture Rachida Dati says non-EU citizens will pay more from January 1, 2026, to visit national treasures and museums across France.

Among the destinations where visitors will pay more are Chambord Castle in the Loire Valley, the Opéra Garnier and several other sites managed by the National Monuments Centre (CMN).

Respected newspaper Le Monde reported this week that the ticket price for visitors is expected to be set at €30 (approximately $53 Australian).

Currently entrance for all visitors at The Louvre museum costs €22 while a visit to The Palace of Versailles costs €21.

The proposed differential pricing will act as a tool to generate funds for critical renovation efforts.

A recent report by the French Court of Auditors suggested the Opéra Garnier and the Opéra Bastille could temporarily shut down by 2027 due to deteriorating infrastructure and aging technical systems.

The Louvre Museum hopes the new pricing model will raise €20 million annually, helping to cover part of the urgent needed repairs as the institution is now close to 9 million visitors a year.

Airlines may be forced to allow two free cabin baggage items

The European Union is set to increase the pressure on budget airlines that impose charges for hand-held carry on bags.

  
The EU is acting again airlines’ ‘unjustified extra costs’ by tentatively adopting a proposal which will allow air travellers to bring two pieces of baggage into the cabin for free, news hub Travel Mole reports.

The proposal would see passengers allowed a handbag or small backpack, as well as conventional hand luggage of up to 7kg at no cost.

Several low-fare airlines allow only one small item for free and charge for any extra luggage.

Trade group Airlines for Europe (A4E) is, predictably, opposing the move. 

It says it will lead to higher prices for all, including customers who choose to travel light.

“Forcing a mandatory trolley bag obliges passengers to pay for services they may not want or need,” said A4E managing director Ourania Georgoutsakou.

The proposal, if passed, would apply to all flights to and from the 27 nations that make up the European Union.

It was an amendment adopted as part of a wider air passenger rights charter proposed by the European Commission and will be up for a future EU vote.

Image: Walter Pucher, Scop.io 

Police warning: Look out for hotel booking scammers

Travellers need to pay more attention when booking hotels online, police have warned.

Three Thai nationals have been arrested for allegedly defrauding international tourists out of thousands of dollars using a fake hotel booking scheme.

Three suspects scammed more than $21,000 from customers by creating fake Facebook and web addresses and fleecing unwary tourists.

The alleged fraudsters set up fake Facebook pages for well-known Pattaya area hotels, taking bookings and payments.

Officers from Thailand’s Tourist Police Bureau made arrests at three locations across Thailand.

The three suspects had no ties at all to the hotels they sold rooms at, news portal Travel Mole reported.

Travellers tried to check in at the hotels for which they had booked and found the properties had no record of the,

Thai Police issued a warning to travellers to fully verify hotel pages on social media before parting with their details.

“These suspects lured tourists using Facebook pages that mimicked popular Pattaya hotels," Thai Police said.

"They offered fake promotions to convince victims to transfer money for non-existent bookings.”

Image: Rye Jesson, scop.io.  

Mixed messages as Japan is about to become more expensive

Holidays in Japan are about to get a little more expensive for foreign tourists.

Japan is expected to introduce a dual pricing policy for entry at major tourist attractions from this northern hemisphere summer, news portal Travel Mole reports.

The two-tier system will charge higher prices for foreigners as the country aims to combat over-tourism issues. That said, it sound like a price gouge.

Authorities say higher prices for foreigners will help ease pressure on overcrowded sites and fund tourism infrastructure improvements.

No price differentials have been disclosed yet in detail, except for citing one example: Junguria Okinawa, a nature-themed park which is opening in July.

Foreign tourists will be charged 8,800 yen, while locals will pay only 6,930 yen.

Japan has set a long-term target of attracting 60 million foreign tourists each year by 2030. 

But imposing extra charges on them is unlikely to help increase numbers.

Consumer watchdog accuses Webjet of making false claims and misleading customers

Australia's consumer watchdog has charged online travel booking site Webjet with making false and misleading claims to customers.

The ACCC said in a statement that it has today commenced proceedings in the Federal Court against Webjet Marketing Pty Ltd for "allegedly making false and misleading representations to consumers about flight prices and bookings".

Webjet’s app and website offers travel-related products and services to consumers, including from different airlines. Consumers can compare and book flights, hotels, car rental and travel insurance through the Webjet website and app.

The ACCC alleges Webjet breached the Australian Consumer Law when it made statements on its app, in marketing emails, on social media and on its website about the minimum price of airfares - which omitted compulsory fees charged by Webjet.

The statements included “flights from $x” when the price quoted excluded Webjet’s compulsory ‘Webjet servicing fee’ and ‘booking price guarantee’ fee which ranged from $34.90 to $54.90 per booking, depending on whether the flights were domestic, NZ/Pacific flights or other international flights.

These statements were made for various periods of up to five years between November 2018 to November 2023.

The Webjet fees were not disclosed in Webjet’s social media posts.

Although the Webjet website, Webjet app and most promotional emails contained information about the Webjet fees, it was typically only accessible by scrolling towards the bottom of the relevant screen, was in fine print and not sufficiently clear or prominent.

“We know how much Australian consumers value air travel to stay connected for work, leisure or to visit family," said ACCC Chair Gina Cass-Gottlieb.

"During this time of cost pressures, many consumers are carefully considering travel arrangements and seeking to save money. A statement about the lowest price must be a true minimum price, not a price subject to further fees and charges before a booking can be made.”

Webjet is also alleged to have breached consumer law by displaying a confirmation page online and sending a confirmation email after taking payment for a completed flight booking when in fact, in respect of 382 bookings, it had not booked the flight with the airline.

In these cases, Webjet later allegedly sought additional payment from the consumers to complete the booking, or offered the consumer a refund for the flight, despite having earlier confirmed the booking.

Some consumers may have made and paid for other travel arrangements on the basis of the confirmation so may have had to choose between paying more money or cancelling other arrangements at a potential loss.

It is alleged that Webjet made these misleading representations in respect of 382 bookings over more than five years, between at least November 1, 2018 and June 25, 2024.

“We are very concerned about this alleged conduct by Webjet, which represented to consumers that their flight booking had been confirmed and left some consumers in the position of having to pay more to later complete the booking,” Cass-Gottlieb said.

“The ACCC is currently prioritising consumer and competition issues in the aviation sector as well as conduct in the digital economy.

"We remind all businesses, whether they are online retailers or bricks and mortar stores, that they need to comply with the Australian Consumer Law by not misleading consumers and displaying prices clearly, including hidden fees and surcharges.”

The ACCC is seeking pecuniary penalties, declarations, injunctions, consumer redress, costs and other orders.

Negotiating the minefield of paying corkage

There is nothing more likely to anger diners than restaurants charging an excessive corkage fee for the special wine they have brought with them.

Equally, however, restaurateurs can be incensed by patrons trying to avoid buying a wine from their carefully curated list.

Corkage, for those in the dark, is a charge made by a restaurant or hotel for serving wine that has been brought in by a customer, often from their own cellar. 

These wines are often older and from a vintage that marks a special occasion.

The restaurant charges a fee for opening and serving these wines, covering their costs from staff time, the possible use of a decanter, use of glassware, breakages and washing and drying the glasses.

And also, of course, to make up for the fact that they do not sell a wine from their own list.

This is not an issue for unlicensed or BYO restaurants, who often impose just a minimal corkage charge.

But licensed restaurants rely on profits from wine sales to subside their food sales.

At a hole in the wall cafe, $10 a bottle might be seen as a reasonable corkage fee. At a more upmarket restaurant I would consider $20 to $50 a bottle fair.

But a restaurant in London has hit the headlines by imposing massive mandatory corkage charges.

Dorian, in the chic Notting Hill region, is charging £100 (just a shade under $200 Aus) for diners to bring their own bottle of wine.

It has also an extra stipulation that customers must spend at least £50 on top of that on wine from the list.

The cheapest bottle on the Dorian wine list is £50 - so the absolute minimum cost would be £150..

Dorian says it could not make enough money to survive on food alone.

The average corkage fee in the UK is £12 to £15 per bottle of still wine opened on-site, which seems fair enough.

I'd be choosing somewhere other than Dorian to dine, but there are a few key rules to follow.

First, let a licensed restaurant know in advance that you want/plan to BYO one or more bottles. And confirm that is acceptable. 

Then, make sure you know what corkage charges will be before booking your table. 

Is there a per-table corkage fee, or a per bottle fee? Is there an extra charge of magnums and other large-format bottles?

And make sure you get all the charges in writing, so there are no debates when you get the bill.

It is also considered extremely poor form to bring a cheap "supermarket" wine to a fine dining establishment - and you will probably not be allowed to BYO a wine that is on the restaurant's own list. Keep it classy.  

The pitfalls of BYO: always ask first

BYO has been popular with Australian diners for decades. While it may be an alien concept in many other countries, in Australia many eateries offer the option.

BYO stands for “bring your own”, and it means that you can bring your own wine, usually, to a restaurant, whether that business is licensed to sell alcohol or not.

In the 1970s, many small restaurants were able to open without having to pay thousands of dollars for a liquor license. Today, many restaurants do hold a liquor license but still offer diners the choice between BYO and purchasing from the house wine list.

Some offer this option for free, others impose a charge still known as "corkage", even though over 90% of wines in Australia are sold under screw caps.

But corkage can be a source of controversy.

A corkage charge covers the cost of the restaurant's glasses, ice bucket and the assistance of the waiting staff. 

BYO is particularly popular with members of the wine industry, who get to bring expensive wines to dinner without paying a restaurant list mark-up, and with collectors, who can bring older wines from their cellar that would be unlikely to feature on wine lists.

The problem is that restaurants set their own corkage rates and there are no industry guidelines. It may vary from a charge per person, or per bottle. Anything from a nominal $1.50 per person to as high as $50 per bottle in a top-end establishment.

But if you don't check first there can be unpleasant surprise when the bill arrives, as Hunter Valley wine industry personality Leigh Dryden posted on LinkedIn this week.

Dryden works for Hunter wine producers Hart & Hunter, so is familiar with the industry norms.

"We all love a good BYO and we don't mind paying a fair corkage fee especially if we have some quality wine in our cellars," Dryden said.

"A mate of mine and his wife went to a local restaurant here in Newcastle over the weekend, its a reasonable standard, so-so wine list but it had BYO but here is the kicker. "At the time of booking he discussed about bringing his own wine, no worries from the venue, no mention of the corkage fee, upon arrival no mention by the wait staff concerning the corkage fee, paying the bill once again no mention about the corkage fee - the assumption was they may not have one, or choose not to enforce it.

"Sadly this was not the case , after arriving home my mate thought the bill was a little heavy given they had taken their own wine and had not had a big lash out the bill was very overweight.

"On the bill was a fee for $38, so next day he rang the owner of the venue and he was told the fee was for corkage, wooooo this is pretty hot given the average fee in Sydney is around $6 per person.

"After much discussion it was admitted that there had been a mistake and [the restaurant] would reduce the fee to $25."

So a lesson there. Always ask first.

"The fact that no one had made mention what the fee was at any stage is very unprofessional," Dryden says.

"The moral of the story: people are prepared to pay for fair value, they are not prepared to be ripped off, and, more importantly, not suitably communicated to concerning the corkage fee practices."

Image: Yoann Jezequel, Scop.io 

Airline takes extra charges to new heights of idiocy

Airlines are masters at subtly gouging their customers.

Extra charges for baggage, seat selection, wifi, priority boarding, meals etc. 

The list goes on and on.

Airline executives, of course, will claim that the extra charges result in reduced fares and "more choice". We just haven't seen many of those low fares recently.

Now Finnish carrier Finnair is taking the "light" flight option one step farther - by not allowing passengers to fly hand luggage without an additional payment.

Well boo to Finnair.

The airline announced this week that itis introducing a new "superlight" ticket for short haul journeys within Europe.

As of June 1, the superlight ticket will replace economy light tickets.

These fares include only, presumably, a seat, and a small bag, which must go under the seat.

So no other carry-baggage included; including anything that you would normally stow in overhead lockers.

Even duty free purchases made at the airport are not allowed - unless they fit under the seat.

“Punctuality is very important for our customers, and the target of the changes we are now making is to ensure smooth boarding,” says Ole Orvér, chief commercial officer of the tight-arse airline.

“Excess carry-on baggage is a known issue, impacting both punctuality as well as travel comfort.”

Finnair will crack down on excess carry-on bags in the cabin.

Light tickets, which do include a regular carry-on bag, will continue to be available for long-haul journeys and for business class on European flights.

Classic tickets are still available for customers with both checked and carry-on baggage. But you'll pay a lot more.

As of June 1, Finnair will also decrease the baggage allowance for business class flyers - which sounds like a naked cash grab.

All special baggage allowances, including golf bags and ski equipment, will be excluded from the new ticket classifications and only be available for an additional charge.

    

Thailand pushes back start of new tax on tourists

Thailand has pushed back the implementation of its new tourism tax until at least September.

Tourism and Sports Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn told local media that tax, which will see arrivals In Thailand pay 300 baht ($AUD13), has been pushed back from its original implementation date of June 1.

The reason given: an inability to prepare the system in time.

The new date is now supposed to be in September of this year, coinciding with the formation of the new government, The Khaosod English website reported.

The start of the tax was previously pushed back due to problems processing the fee through airline systems.

The fee will be waived for foreign nationals who enter Thailand using a border pass or border crossing letter.The new entry fee is separate from the departure tax that has been included in airfares for decades. 

The exit fee varies based on the airport, with Bangkok’s main Suvarnabhumi Airport charging the most, at 700 baht.

Since the pandemic, the Tourism Authority of Thailand's focus has shifted from increasing traveller volume to attracting long-stay and high-spending tourists.

Meanwhile, the Bangkok Post reports the number of daily Covid-19 cases in Bangkok has surged from 400 to 700, nearly twice the number of cases reported before the Songkran festival, which sees people spray water at each other.

Welcome to our city. Now pay up.

Going to Thailand? Be prepared to pay a new "entry tax".

Bound for Italy? Get ready to pay up to enter Venice from next year.

New taxes on tourists are a trend right around the world, whether you cough up to enter a country, pay a bed tax, or are hit for an exit payment.

Now the British city of Manchester, known for Coronation Street, the Manchester Ship Canal and a couple of decent football teams, has become the first city in the UK to impose a separate levy on visitors.

The City Visitor Charge will be £1 ($1.85 AUD) per room per night for guests at all accommodation providers.

Not a lot, but enough to be annoying.

The city expects it will raise about £3 million a year, much of which will no doubt be devoured by administration costs.

Travel Mole reports that the Manchester tourism tax "will help fund various tourist initiatives".

This will include running large events and conferences, street cleanliness and tourism marketing.

It will generate "new events and activities", says Manchester City Council Chief Executive Joanne Roney, who rather bizarrely described the slug as an "innovative initiative".

MCC says 73 hotels and serviced apartments have so far signed up to impose the City Visitor Charge and other UK cities are reportedly looking closely at how the system works.

Edinburgh is planning to impose a £2 tourist tax subject to Scottish Parliament approval and Wales also has plans to introduce a tourist fee.

Travellers to Europe get a reprieve on new red tape

Good news for anyone planning to visit Europe over the next 12 months or so. You've just saved €7. 

The ETIAS visa waiver system that is being introduced by European Union nations has been delayed again, Travel Mole reports.

The European Travel Information and Authorisation System had already been pushed back to November because of technical issues, but will now not be ready until sometime in 2024.

It was originally scheduled to begin in 2022.



The scheme’s website now says simply "starting from 2024", but no specific date has been announced.

The ETIAS scheme, which was approved back in November 2016, will require non-EU citizens to register for pre-approval to visit EU countries, with a charge applying.

The authorisation lasts for three years, and allows multiple trips to different countries in the bloc.

It is required for UK nationals and American citizens as well as Australian and New Zealand passport holders and other non-EU citizens.

The EU wants to strengthen its border security, as well as digitally screen and track travellers entering and leaving EU countries.

The system rollout has been pushed back several times as member nations fear the system will severely increase delays at border checkpoints. Which, of course, it will.

Bogan morons in the air: season starts early

We may only be a few days into 2023 but we have already seen the first outburst of drunken idiocy while flying.

Two unruly passengers from the UK - a not unusual base for purveyors of drunken aggression - face serious charges after their alleged "alcohol-fuelled disruptive behaviour" on a transatlantic flight.

Anthony Joseph James Kirby and Damien Jake Murphy, both 36, face US federal charges of assault and interfering with a flight crew, Travel Mole reported.

The pair allegedly disrupted a TUI Airways flight from Cancun, Mexico, to England, and have been charged with assault and interfering with the flight crew after the plane was diverted to Bangor, Maine.

An FBI affidavit says the men were among a group of three disruptive passengers who retrieved alcohol from a carry-on bag after being denied service on the flight to Manchester.

The affidavit also says the two made racist remarks about passengers and crew on a flight with 328 people on board. It is also alleged they slapped and shoved air crew.

Both passengers were held without bail after initial court appearances Tuesday.

They both face long prison sentences if convicted, as the US does not look kindly on idiocy in the air - and the incidents occurred in US airspace.

“During the flight, the men became loud and disruptive,” the affidavit said.

They were removed from the plane by police along with a third person who was not charged.

“The safety and security of our customers and crew is always our highest priority, and we have a zero tolerance policy to disruptive behaviour on our flights,” TUI Airways said in a statement. The airline says it is continuing to assist the FBI with their investigation.

TUI Airways is a British charter airline, offering scheduled and charter flights from the United Kingdom and Ireland to destinations in Europe, Africa, Asia and North America.