For viewing the little (fairy) penguins without disturbing them as they march to and from the waves at Phillip Island Nature Parks, a special platform, Penguins Plus, has been built that blends into the environment. Visitors to the north end of Phillip Island, which is just south of Melbourne in the state of Victoria, Australia, can watch the penguins from a raised platform or observe them at eye level from an underground room. 

A platform ticket costs AUD47.20 (near $34); online,...

After giving Thailand’s Department of Civil Aviation 65 days from July 18, 2015, to correct national air service safety-standard issues, including a lack of qualified inspectors and improper testing procedures (Sept. ’15, pg. 2), the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) downgraded Thailand’s civil aviation authority from Category 1 to Category 2 on Dec. 2 after a 30-day review showed that standards had not been met. 

Airlines originating in a country ranked Category 2 by the FAA...

Marriott International announced on Nov. 16 that it will merge with Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide. When complete, the merged company will operate more than 5,500 hotels around the globe, including the brands Sheraton and Ritz-Carlton, making it the world’s largest hotel chain.

As of press time, Marriott had not yet announced what changes, if any, it will make to either its own loyalty-points program or Starwood’s or if it will merge the two programs. Starwood’s program is...