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5 Things To Know for Sept. 26

Today's Headlines: British Pound Hits Record Low; US To Impose Rules for Travel Fees; Traditions Help Ease Hotel Openings; Hasidic Jewish Pilgrims Travel to Ukraine; Hurricane Ian Nears Florida, Cuba
Orthodox Jewish pilgrims pray near the tomb of Rabbi Nachman while celebrating Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, in Uman, Ukraine, on Sept. 25, 2022. (Getty Images)
Orthodox Jewish pilgrims pray near the tomb of Rabbi Nachman while celebrating Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, in Uman, Ukraine, on Sept. 25, 2022. (Getty Images)
Hotel News Now
September 26, 2022 | 2:42 P.M.

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1. British Pound Hits Record Low

As a result of the United Kingdom’s new “mini budget,” the value of the British pound hit a record low against the U.S. dollar Monday, the Washington Post reports.

Kwasi Kwarteng, the U.K.'s new finance minister, introduced tax cuts of 45 billion pounds ($48 million) Friday, "the biggest shake-up to [the country's] tax system in 50 years," the Post reports.

“In the current economic environment it is a huge gamble,” said Thomas Pope, an economist with the Institute for Government, about the tax cut plan.

2. US To Impose Rules for Travel Fees

U.S. President Joe Biden is expected to announce a new rule that requires airlines and travel sites to be more transparent about hidden fees for charges such as baggage, flight changes and cancellations, CNN reports. Airlines and travel sites would be required to disclose those fees the first time the airfare is shown.

"This new proposed rule would require airlines to be transparent with customers about the fees they charge, which will help travelers make informed decisions and save money," U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg said in a statement Sunday.

3. Traditions Help Ease Hotel Openings

Each hotel opening presents its own unique challenges, but some hotel managers have traditions in place to try and make it less chaotic, HNN’s Trevor Simpson reports.

Peter Yeung, managing director of Walker Hotel Tribeca and Greenwich Village, said he sketches out a floor plan of his new property prior to each opening. He said he’s had to learn that things won’t go perfectly to plan during openings, and that’s fine.

“The failure portion comes in the fact that you’ve allowed yourself to get disappointed instead of coming up with a better plan and coming up with a new plan,” Yeung said. “That’s what makes a superhero, that’s what makes a leader, that’s what makes someone stronger."

4. Hasidic Jewish Pilgrims Travel to Ukraine

Despite travel warnings from the Israeli government and Ukraine officials amid the ongoing war in the country, thousands of Hasidic Jewish pilgrims are making the trek from Israel to Uman, Ukraine, for Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, the New York Times reports.

Traditionally, tens of thousands of Hasidic Jewish pilgrims make the pilgrimage, but this year there is expected to be about 5,000, still a large number considering the circumstances, the newspaper reports.

“Please avoid pilgrimage,” the Ukrainian Embassy in Israel urged in a Facebook post this month. “Continuous Russian attacks cause real danger to your lives!”

5. Hurricane Ian Nears Florida, Cuba

Officially a hurricane Monday, Hurricane Ian is expected to grow into a major hurricane by Monday night, affecting travel in regions near Florida and Cuba, the New York Times reports. A major hurricane is one that is Category 3 or higher.

The Florida Keys could get up to six inches of rain Tuesday, and Cuba could get up to 16 inches of rain, the newspaper reports.

“The surge vulnerability along the west coast of Florida is very extreme,” Jamie Rhome, the acting director of the National Hurricane Center, said. “I’m telling you, it doesn’t take an onshore or direct hit from a hurricane to pile up the water.”

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