French Are World's Worst Tourists: Survey

Officials reassure foreign travelers that country is safe to visit

(NEWSER) - How to cope with the unpleasant reality of a major drop in tourism following March's earthquake and tsunami? Free stuff for tourists! Japan will attempt to woo back wary travelers by doling out 10,000 free airline tickets next year, the Japan Tourism Agency announced this week. Officials are reassuring would-be travelers that, with the exception of the area right around the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant, Japan is safe to visit. The country is expected to start dishing out the tickets in April, the Telegraph reports. More»

Tourist arrested after climbing royal wall during hour-long chase

(NEWSER) - A naked Westerner jumped into the moat surrounding Japan’s fortified imperial palace today, Reuters reports, climbing its walls during a chase that lasted more than an hour. Onlookers giggled and snapped photos of the 40-year-old bald man, who claimed to be a British tourist from Spain. He was captured and released; “We are checking on his mental condition now,” a spokesman said. More»

Gigs that straddle the line between necessary and absurd

(NEWSER) - From Parisian sewer guides to a coconut safety engineer in St. Thomas, some travel industry jobs straddle the line between necessary and absurd. Travel and Leisure highlights some of the strangest.

1. Tourism ambassador, Japan. Diplomacy never looked so soft and cuddly after Japan appointed elder statesfeline Hello Kitty for PR duty in Hong Kong and China.

Don't fly away yet! That packaged deal may be too good to be true.

(NEWSER) - Before you pack your bags, check out Foreign Policy's list of the five most overhyped tourist locales:

1. Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt: Famous beach and diving locale actually tacky and overcrowded.
2. Ibiza, Spain: Hippy haven and hedonistic paradise turned into dirty and pricey hole.