Hello and welcome to the Informed Traveler Podcast Newsletter, our monthly newsletter designed to compliment our weekly travel podcast, offer additional travel tidbits and tips. As always, your feedback is welcome.

Quotes from last month's podcast:

The beginning of April saw me traveling to SW Louisiana and Louisville, Kentucky as I attended Travel South USA’s annua Global Week conference. Our first two episodes this month featured interviews from our journey through Southwestern Louisiana and Louisville Kentucky. Throughout March our regular weekly contributor Travel Expert Onanta Forbes was cruising through the South Pacific and we checked in with her each week for an update. Plus, we learned about Exoticca Tours, traveling to Trinidad and sailing on Azamara cruises from the Cruise Guru. If you haven’t heard this month’s podcast episodes yet you can find the full interviews HERE. Some notable quotes include:

“those 16 front rooms of the 21 are literally on the beach. know, there are times like last night, there were four turtles up last night, and you could have actually sat down outside of your room with a red light and have seen the whole activity of the turtles merely three, four feet in front of you”

“a South Pacific cruise is a good value because French Polynesia in particular is super expensive. I mean, everything's expensive there.”

“Portugal is becoming super popular. Africa, there's always a demand for Africa. Peru, Machu Picchu is one of those bucket list destinations that is getting very, very popular. those are the usual suspects at the top of our list.”

^{3 Things I Learnt this Month}

My recent travel to the US gave me a first hand experience of what it’s like to travel to the US right now. And in all honesty I had no issues at all. Three questions were asked from US Immigration Officials; where are you going, how long and why. Simple as that. It literally took less than a minute. My experience may different from others but I think it’s important to remember a few things when traveling to the US. First let me say that it’s my opinion that Canadians have historically had it relatively easy when it comes to traveling to the United States, especially compared to citizens of many other countries. Canadian citizens do not need a visa for tourism or business visits under six months. Unlike other visa-exempt countries, Canadians are exempt from applying for the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) to enter the U.S. Many Canadians participate in trusted traveler programs like NEXUS, which offers expedited border clearance.

However, security concerns and shifting policies in the U.S. have led to tighter entry requirements. Lawyers say Canadians will no longer get the lax treatment many once enjoyed. These include more detailed questioning at borders, increased searches of electronic devices, and new rules requiring longer-stay Canadians to register with U.S. immigration authorities. That being said I think there’s also been a lot of unnecessary hype and fear-mongering in the news about traveling to the US right now.

Individual border agents often have significant discretion in determining who or who may not enter their country. Lawyers always advise patience and good manners when crossing the border, and that remains true.

At the end of the day each country decides who enters its borders. The decision to travel is the sole responsibility of the traveler. While the vast majority of Canadian travelers continue to enter the U.S. without issue you should ensure you are well-informed and prepared before your journey.​

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Travelers can look forward to smoother and faster journeys between Cancun and the burgeoning resort area of Costa Mujeres. Construction has already begun on a new 132 million dollar highway connecting the main vein of Cancun’s López Portillo Avenue with the hotel area of Costa Mujeres. The finished 25.4 kilometer project will significantly reduce travel time in addition to improving urban connectivity.

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Many people assume that New Orleans is the birthplace of Mardi Gras. However, many historians and researchers give the honor of originating Mardi Gras in the U.S. to another southern city: Mobile, Alabama. Apparently, as early 1703, the French held a type of Mardi Gras celebration in Mobile. New Orleans wasn’t founded until 1718. Therefore, strictly speaking, Mobile had the earliest celebration of the two cities.

Looking at the Month Ahead 

Here some of the events happening around the world in the month of May.

Kentucky Derby (Louisville, Kentucky, USA) – May 3: Known as "The Run for the Roses," this iconic horse race is the first leg of the U.S. Triple Crown series. The city of Louisville gears up for the event weeks in advance.

Cannes Film Festival (Cannes, France) – May 14–25: This prestigious film festival showcases international cinema and is a hub for filmmakers, actors, and industry professionals.

Monaco Grand Prix (Monte Carlo, Monaco) – May 22–25: A highlight of the Formula 1 calendar, this race is renowned for its challenging circuit through the streets of Monaco. ​

Vivid Sydney (Sydney, Australia) – May 24–June 15: An annual festival of light, music, and ideas, transforming Sydney with mesmerizing light installations and performances.

Travel Tip of the Month

If you do choose to travel to the US by air I highly recommend using the Mobile Passport Control (MPC). It’s free app authorized by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) that allows eligible travelers to submit their passport and customs declaration information via their mobile device upon arrival in the U.S. It’s a streamlined alternative to the traditional paper-based process and automated passport control kiosks. There are restrictions: It’s only available at select U.S. international airports and cruise ports (though the list is growing). It’s only for U.S. and Canadian passport holders, and select lawful permanent residents. Remember it’s not a substitute for a visa or entry requirement—you still need to meet all entry criteria.