Lotte World Christmas Miracle


Lotte World is gearing up to play host to its annual Christmas Festival every day until Dec. 27. This year’s festival will tackle the theme of “A White Christmas,” allowing visitors the chance to see spectacular Christmas decorations at every corner of the theme park. The park will also feature a Santa Village and a snowman photo zone for the children.

There will also be a special snowfall show twice a day at the Adventure Park and during the new Christmas Parade. The Christmas Character Parade will show off Lotte World’s Lotty and Lorry mascots, and all their fury friends, in the style of a family musical parade. For more information, www.lotteworld.com.

Busan Christmas Tree Festival


The Busan Christmas Tree Festival, Busan’s annual winter event, will be held in the Gwangbok-ro area of the Jung-gu District in Busan.

Celebrating the Christmas and New Year’s holiday, the annual Christmas Tree Festival will feature a myriad of festive and family-friendly holiday activities including the tree of wishes, various street performances, and a photo and video contest. On top of the daily cultural and Christmas concerts, local visitors can also participate in the festival’s popular carol singing contest.

Busan Christmas Tree Festival is free and open to the public and will be held from Nov. 26 to Jan. 8. For more information, visit bctf.kr. 

Herb Island Lighting & Illumination Festival 


For family, friends and couples looking to spice up their Christmas, Herb Island -- located in Pocheon -- will be hosting the annual Lighting & Illumination Festival from now until Dec. 31.

With its 300-meter-long wish tunnel, lavender field lit up in various colors and more, Herb Island aims to get visitors in the holiday spirit.

Inspired by European Christmas markets, the festival offers various events, including Christmas-themed soap, tree and candle making, Christmas cookie market, turkey barbecue, and others.

Admission to the Herb Island Lighting & Illumination Festival ranges from 4,000 won to 6,000 won. For more information, visit www.herbisland.co.kr.

Taxis charge more at airports: study


Ever feel like the taxi ride from the airport costs more than the trip there? It’s not your imagination.

Airports across the country add surcharges of up to $5 a ride -- typically passed directly on to travelers -- for trips originating at their curbs. There are similar charges for limousine, Uber and Lyft drivers as well as shuttle buses for hotels, car rental companies and off-airport parking lots.

Those fees quickly add up, costing travelers more than $183 million last year at the 50 largest airports in the US, according to Associated Press calculations based on data obtained through dozens of public records requests.

San Francisco has one of the highest pickup fees in the nation: $5 for taxi rides that originate there and $3.85 for rides provided by transportation network companies such as Uber and Lyft. (AP) 

Automated security at Newark Airport


Travelers flying out of Newark Liberty International Airport this holiday weekend may be getting through security screenings quicker than expected.

The Transportation Security Administration and Chicago-based United Airlines have opened four new automated screening lanes to help speed traffic at the checkpoints in Terminal C. Two of the lanes opened Tuesday, while the other two started operating Wednesday.

TSA spokeswoman Lisa Farbstein said new technology at the lanes will cut the time travelers spend in security screening by as much as 30 percent. She said the new lanes are the first to appear at airports in the New York City region. (AP)