And other travel news you may have missed.
This week in travel, we’ve uncovered several stories that might have flown under your radar. Among them: a Scottish tourist is caught stealing from Pompeii; a shark attacks a U.S. tourist in the Caribbean; and the Transporation Security Administration busts a flier with 34 fraudulent passport cards.
Dive into these and more as we examine the latest in travel news.
NO.1
SCOTTISH TOURIST STEALS STONES FROM POMPEII
There’s another poorly behaved tourist making headlines this week. This time, a Scottish visitor to Pompeii was caught attempting to steal stones from the UNESCO site. A tour guide witnessed the 51-year-old picking up five stones and a brick from the pavement at the archaeological park. The guide alerted authorities, who recovered the pieces from the alleged thief and returned them. However, the unidentified tourist now faces potential fines of up to €1,500 ($1,751) and jail time of up to six years.
NO.2
NEPAL MAKES 97 PEAKS FREE TO CLIMB
In a bid to encourage tourism in remote areas, Nepal is making 97 mountains free to climb. The peaks in the far-western provinces of Sudurpaschim and Karnali are remote and lack accessibility, resulting in fewer visitors compared to Mount Everest. With this initiative, the tourism department hopes to create jobs and boost the local economy.
In contrast, climbing Mount Everest is getting more expensive this year. Permit fees will rise to €15,000 ($17,516) during peak season in an effort to address environmental concerns. More than 420 climbing permits were issued in 2024, and overcrowding on the mountain has proved fatal. Last year, the Supreme Court in Nepal ordered the government to restrict numbers and respect its capacity.
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NO.3
TSA INTERCEPTS PASSENGER WITH 34 FRADULENT IDS
The Transportation Security Administration posted on its social media accounts that the agency intercepted a traveler carrying 34 fraudulent passport cards in carry-on baggage at Newark airport. The traveler had the same two photos, but different names and addresses on each.
The federal agency reminded travelers that passports and passport cards must meet the Real ID requirement. “You’ll just want to get yours from our friends at [the] U.S. Department of State: Consular Affairs, and not from some guy stashing dozens of them in his backpack,” it said in a snarky Facebook post.
NO.4
U.S. TOURIST ATTACKED BY SHARK WHILE SPEAR-FISHING
An American tourist was severely attacked in the Bahamas last week. In an update posted on Facebook by the Royal Bahamas Police Force, authorities highlighted the incident of a 63-year-old American man who was spearfishing on the island of Abaco near Big Grand Cay when a shark attacked him. He was treated at a local clinic and was later airlifted to the United States for treatment.
In New South Wales, Australia, a surfer also had a brush with a shark but got away unscathed. Early morning on Aug. 18, a shark took a bite out of Brad Ross’ surfboard, splitting it in two, but the surfer escaped safely. Local authorities closed Cabarita Beach, where an increase in shark activity has been noted.
Despite these stories, shark attacks are rare. The Florida Museum of Natural History reported 88 shark attacks worldwide in 2024; of those, 47 were unprovoked, which is lower than the yearly average of 64. Most incidents (28) were reported in the United States, while Australia had nine.
NO.5
COURT FINES QANTAS FOR ILLEGALLY SACKING EMPLOYEES
An Australian court ruled to fine the country’s flag carrier Qantas for illegally firing 1,820 ground staff and baggage handlers in 2020. The fine of A$90 million ($58.64 million) is the largest penalty ever awarded to a company for violating labor laws. Federal Judge Michael Lee said in the ruling that this should serve as a deterrent to other corporations. He also criticized the company’s legal and PR strategy and noted that it did not seem apologetic for the harm it caused.
In 2021, the court ruled that the carrier had outsourced work to stop employees from unionizing, despite Qantas maintaining it was a business decision.
A major portion of the penalty will go to the Transport Workers Union (TWU), which sued the airline over the layoffs. The court noted that this may incentivize other unions to pursue such breaches. TWU and the airline have been involved in this battle for the last five years, and secretary Michael Kaine welcomed the judgment, saying, “Against all the odds, we took on a behemoth … that had shown itself to be ruthless, and we won.”
Meanwhile, the airline agreed to pay the fine and apologized to staff members who suffered due to the decision. The airline also made a deal last December to pay A$120 million ($78 million) to employees who were illegally sacked during the pandemic.