Experts predict fewer airfare increases — or deals

The travel gurus are looking into their crystal balls for the new year. Here are a few of their predictions.

Terry Trippler, an airline analyst, says that while there will be fewer airfare increases, airlines will reduce the number of seats sold at the lowest prices. Also, Trippler says, more airlines will join the trend of only accepting credit or debit cards for on-board purchases, and many airlines will experiment with in-flight Internet access and text-messaging. Just be prepared to pay for the privilege.

Stephanie Oswald, editor in chief of travelgirl magazine, thinks domestic travel will increase, leading to more traffic at national parks and popular vacation spots like Cape Cod, Napa Valley, Las Vegas, and Ocracoke Island, in North Carolina.

Top 10 domestic destinations for 2008 from a survey of 555 Carlson Wagonlit Travel agents were Las Vegas; Orlando, Fla.; Honolulu; Maui, Hawaii; New York; Phoenix/Scottsdale, Ariz.; Anchorage, Alaska; Washington, D.C.; Kauai, Hawaii; Miami. Alaska was listed as the No. 1 cruise destination for 2008.

France

Smoking ban takes effect in cafes, restaurants

Many thought it would never happen. But France, a country that has had a long, loving relationship with the cigarette, banned smoking in all bars, cafes and restaurants beginning Jan. 1.

A smoker caught in the act will be fined 68 euros (almost $100) and if a proprietor leaves an ashtray out or is found with a smoker in his establishment, the cafe could pay a fine of 750 euros ($1,077). Until last February, when smoking was banned in most public places, the government campaign mostly consisted of regularly upping the tax on a pack of cigarettes.

California

"Terra Cotta Warriors" coming to Santa Ana

An exhibit of the famed Chinese terra cotta warriors is scheduled to open May 18 at the Bowers Museum in Santa Ana.

Advance tickets for "Terra Cotta Warriors: Guardians of China's First Emperor" at the Bowers are on sale now.

The exhibit consists of 20 figures and dozens of artifacts from the tomb of Qin Shi Huang, who is considered the first emperor of a unified China and whose rule began in 221 B.C. Since his tomb was discovered in 1974, nearly 1,000 figures have been excavated.

The U.S. tour moves from the Bowers to the High Museum in Atlanta in November; to the Houston Museum of Natural Science in May 2009; and to the National Geographic Society Museum in Washington from November 2009 through March 2010. Tickets for the Bowers show are $20 for weekdays (students and seniors, $14), and $22 for weekends (students and seniors, $16). See www.museumtix.com.

Bus travel

Go in style: Reserve a seat on Greyhound

For $5 more per ticket, you can choose and reserve your seat on a Greyhound bus.

The priority seating program was first introduced in November, and has been expanded to more than two dozen departure cities, including Seattle.

The reserved-seat upgrade must be purchased in person at the departure terminal, even if you bought your ticket online. Priority seating is available up to 45 minutes before departure. See www.greyhound.com for details.

Road trips

Lost? Pick up the cellphone and dial

Lost? A new, free service might be just what you need. Dial Directions delivers road routes to your cellphone via text messaging.

Tell the voice-activated system (call 347-328-4667, which spells DIR-ECT-IONS) where you are and where you want to go, and you almost immediately receive a message listing step-by-step directions for getting there. See www.dialdirections.com.

Golfing

Tacoma course tops mag's list of best new places

Travel + Leisure Golf magazine has named Tacoma's Chambers Bay (www.chambersbaygolf.com) as "Course of the Year" in its list of best new golf courses of 2007. Other courses include the Golf Club at Ravenna, Littleton, Colo.; Stonebrae Country Club, Hayward, Calif.; The Home Course, DuPont (Pierce County); Promontory, Painted Valley Course, Park City, Utah; The Golf Club of Cape Cod, Falmouth, Mass.; Creek Club at Reynolds Plantation, Greensboro, Ga.; Kinloch Club, Kinloch, New Zealand; Gozzer Ranch Golf & Lake Club, Coeur d'Alene, Idaho; and Cobble Beach Golf Links, Owen Sound, Ontario.

Compiled by Times staff and news services.