During February, 2007, four U.S. airports, including John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, will debut the Clear Registered Traveler program.  This program lets frequent travelers zip through TSA security check points.

It uses biometrics, technology that measures human physical characteristics for identification purposes.

While travelers registered with Clear can get through security faster they still have carry  their gels, pastes, and liquids in clear one-quart zip-lock bags.

Clear Registered Traveler has been in tested at Orlando International airport since 2005.  The program already has 35,282 travelers enrolled nationwide.

The  Transportation Security Administration has approved Clear to expand to up to 20 airports this year, and an international contract is in place between Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport in Canada and Verified Identity Pass, the privately held, New York City-based concern that developed Clear Registered Traveler in conjunction with the TSA.

On February 4, 2007 when the referee blows his whistle and the football is kicked into the air, 75,000 fans will focus on football.  Of course 100 million of us will be glued to our television sets waiting to be entertained by the Superbowl commercials.

Before and after the big game in Miami, however, this city will entertain fans with its pulsating Latin clubs, famous restaurants, and tropical beaches.  From Miami Vice to CSI Miami, this city offers variety and spice that is unique to any worldwide destination.

Super Bowl activities being January 29th at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, with Hootie & the Blowfish.  Dozens of other events are planned throughout game week, including Super Saturday Blast on Biscayne and a pep rally at Bicentennial Park on February 3rd that ends with fireworks.

If football and crowds aren't for you, plan to visit Miami later in February or March.  It will still have its "game face" on, but the throngs will have moved on.

Beginning tomorrow (Tuesday, January 23, 2007), all U.S. citizens  need a passport to reenter the United Sates through an airport.  The important change in the regulations is that you now need a passport if you are returning from Mexico, Canada, or the Caribbean.  Previously a Government-issued photo ID and a birth certificate indicating your were born in the United States was all that was needed.

It is interesting to note that the new U.S. Passport regulations come at a time when the European Union has practically removed all restrictions when traveling between EU countries.

The United States new passport requirements have received criticism.   Some think it is a National ID Card and a violation of Constitutional rights while others view it as a hidden tax on travel.  Whatever you think, the regulation goes into effect tomorrow and you don't want to be detained by U.S. Immigration authorities.

Here is the official regulation:

The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) aims to strengthen border security and facilitate entry into the United States for U.S. citizens and legitimate foreign visitors by providing standardized, secure and reliable documentation that allows the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to quickly, reliably and accurately identify a traveler.

You can visit the State Department’s travel Web site (travel.state.gov) or call the National Passport Information Center at 1-877-487-2778 for information about applying for a passport.  The cost is about $100 and your new passport is valid for 10 years.

Picture no traffic lights, no police, and swarming hordes of bicycles and motor bikes between you and your desired destination.  You've just described crossing the street in Hanoi.

When crossing the street becomes an adventure, you know you've discovered a special travel experience.  Just think of the stories you'll be able to tell when you return home!

But, for now a quick lesson on how to accomplish the seemingly impossible: crossing a busy Hanoi street.

The first principle is to understand that the drivers of the motor bikes and bicycles expect pedestrians.   They've calculated that into their apparent chaos.

What they don't expect is for pedestrians to stop, change speeds, or backup.  They also don't like to make eye contact with these human obstacles.  Eye contact converts a barrier into a target.

So, to safely cross a busy Hanoi street, simply fix your gaze on your destination, take the first step from the curb to the pavement, and keep moving forward.  Don't stop.  Don't slow down.  And, whatever happens, don't retreat.

After a couple of  practice attempts you'll be crossing the street just like a Hanoi native.  Oh, and one other note.  You should learn to say, "hello and thank you," in Vietnamese.   "Xin chao," is "hello" and "cam on" is "thank you." These two phrases will help complete your transformation from tourist to native and be very appreciated by your hosts.

The Ritz-Carlton Sarasota knows the way to their guests' hearts and minds.  They pamper their pets.

"Initially there is a log of playful behavior," says Darlene Davison, the Ritz-Carlton Sarasota's spa director, "but soon their eyelids droop and their muscles relax under the massage therapist's soothing touch."  Darlene is talking about massaging dogs -- canine.

How much do you think it costs to pamper your pooch, the Ritz-Carlton way?

Oh, about $130 per session.  Add to the hotel's 20-pound weight limit and the additional $125 nonrefundable pet fee and the "privileged pup" plan comes out to a minimum of $12.75 a pound.  And that's just the standard package.

For another $220, Ritz-Carlton adds gourmet dog biscuits, an in-room massage, a choice of nail buffing or nail polish, a souvenir photo, a brisk walk over Sarasota's scenic Ringling Bridge and a gourmet meal of organic stew and designer water.

If all this seems a little over-the-top, consider that we spend about $38.4 billion on their pets annually, according to the American Pet Products Manufacturer's Association.  Spending on pets increased an average of $2.3 billion a year since the association started tracking numbers in 1997.

We were unable to confirm that Ritz-Carlton enrolls pets in their Frequent Guest loyalty program.

Every year U.S, travel service providers, like hotels, theme parks, convention centers, airlines, and tourist boards travel to Berlin to display their wares to the rest of the world.  Their goal is to gain a larger slice of the global travel economy.  They are selling the U.S.A as a vacation destination for foreign travelers at ITB Berlin, which is the world's largest travel and tourism trade show.

This year, the U.S. delegation will be the largest since 2001.  Their message will be, "the U.S. is back in business and eager to welcome international visitors."  This comes after a steady decline in international arrivals to the U.S. and a corresponding decline in jobs in the travel and tourism sector of our economy.  There are several reasons for this decline.

First, the United State's share of world travel and tourism receipts fell from a whopping 17.9% in 1993 to 12% in 2005.  Each percentage drop in inbound tourism reduces U.S. travel and tourism jobs by more than 150,000.  Needless to say, travel and tourism is a very important contributor to the U.S. economy.

In 2007, the USA is projected to host more than 54 million international visitors which will generate more than $113 billion in exports.

The reasons for the steady decline in international visitors during the past 5 years center around security, legislation, and politics.  After September 11, 2001, many foreign travelers perceived USA's security measures were weak.  They also knew our immigration regulations were difficult and time consuming.  And finally, many foreign travelers did not approve of the USA's presence in Iraq.  They voted their displeasure by traveling to other destinations.

2007 appears to mark the end of the decline of inbound tourists and the negative impact their absence has on our economy.  The timing is good since the U.S. Dollar is relatively weak around the world and this makes travel to the USA a bargain.  So, when you see foreign tourists, welcome them and thank them for visiting the USA.  Every employee in travel and tourism thanks them too!

This should probably be filed under, "A Time and a Place for Everything."  We also try not to mix religious or political commentary with our travel and tourism opinions in this blog, but there seems to be an outbreak of religious activity on board our airlines and we'd like to know what your think about this.  Just click on the "Comments" link at the bottom of this post and share your opinion.

Three events have occurred during the past few weeks that cause us to pause and ask when does religious freedom  create security risks?

Recently a group of Muslim clerics were removed from a Northwest Airline flight due to other passengers complaining about their praying in the boarding area and changing their seats once on the plane.

In a separate incident, a British flight attendant is suing her employer for not permitting her to carry her Bible on flights to and from the United Arab Emirates.

And finally, an Israeli airline, Israir, installed a Torah scroll aboard one of its planes in a effort to accommodate religious passengers who want to worship while in flight.

What's next?  Does this mix of religion and high altitude concern you or do you take the laissez-faire approach?

Blogs are about dialog and conversation.  I would love to read your opinion, even if you don't think we should raise this subject again!

Cuong Ly, owner of the China Rose Restaurant in Freeport, Me, has filed suit against the State of Maine.  He claims the State's restrictions placed on his ornamental fish violate his right to freedom of religion.

The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife seized Ly's fish last summer after receiving a tip they were on display in Ly's restaurant in violation of state law. State officials consider the fish to be invasive species that could compete with native fish populations should they be released into the wild.

Ly is challenging the terms of a permit he received from the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife allowing him to keep his koi as long as they were not visible to the public.

Ly has said that under his feng shui spiritual beliefs, the fish must be seen to bring good luck to his restaurant.

Who knows!  If this trend continues we won't be able to serve foie gras in Chicago restaurants.  Oh wait, we can't?

If you have any doubt about Thomas Friedman's commentary in The World is Flat that India has become a world super power, just look at the growth of their economy.  As an affluent upper middle class emerges so do all the amenities, like spas.

In 2006 India saw a blossoming of  resort stay and day spas. With the large city areas reporting a 30 to 40% growth in day spas, there has been a shift from fair skin to healthy skin, from beauty salons to day spas that offer holistic health, and also more male interest in all these categories.

India has always been a top medical tourism destination for Europeans and the popularity of these services has triggered the growth of stay spas and day spas.  According to tourism officials, the Indian beauty and wellness market is pegged at about $9 billion with the worldwide market for herbal products and services pegged at $150 billion. Traditional Indian and Chinese systems have been grabbing a major portion of this.

And Tom Friedman can now write, "I told you so!"

Air travel over the Holidays is a unique experience, but it can be enjoyable if you plan ahead.  Here are five tips to make your Holiday travel more enjoyable:

1-Pack Light -- With liquids, gels, and pastes being restricted to only as many 3-ounce bottles as can fit in a 1 quart zip-lock bag, the airline baggage systems are bursting at the seams.  Even though you are permitted to check two bags per person, one and a small carry-on is better.

2-Gifts -- Wrap them at your destination.  Taking wrapped gifts through TSA security checkpoints is almost like wearing a sign saying, "Pull me aside and give me some extra special screening."  You do not want that kind of attention.  Plus, you will probably have to re-wrap your gifts after the TSA screener is finished with them.

3-Jewelry -- We like to look our best when we travel, but good jewelry is metal and the arch that TSA requires you to pass through at their checkpoints are called, "metal detectors."  They will detect jewelry and in most cases you will be asked to return to the unsecured part of the line, remove your jewelry, and take another pass through the metal detector.  Packing you jewelry in your checked luggage is also risky.  Suitcases filled with jewelry tend to get "lost" more frequently than those without.

4-Relax -- Crowded planes, uncertain weather, over-worked baggage handlers, and new security rules add to the list of things that can go wrong when you travel.  Expect the unexpected.    Take a good book or DVD with you and keep your stress-level low.

5-Food  -- Airline food was never good, now it is almost nonexistent.  Pack a few snacks in your carry-on, remembering that gels, liquids, and pastes are not permitted.  Nuts, dried fruits, and jerky may not be your idea of a gourmet meal, but they satisfy your hunger pains and give you healthy alternatives to the cholesterol and carbohydrates offered by most airport food concessions.

Our wish for you is safe and enjoyable Holiday travels.