Europe is the next subject in the Cheapflights.com series of Rising Stars Reports. The 2010 Europe’s Rising Stars Report ranks the 100 most frequently searched destinations in Europe at Cheapflights.com, according to their change in popularity over 2009. Eastern Europe destinations jumped in popularity with travelers using Cheapflights.com. U.S. travelers seem to be branching out to explore new places in Europe, especially ones where the U.S. dollar goes further. In fact, the relative strength of the euro and British pound have dulled the American zest for London, Paris and Amsterdam, landing them all on the falling stars end of the list.

The Hotels.com annual taxi report has revealed that London taxis have been voted the best in the world for the third year running. The majority of travelers (59 percent) who were polled from across the world for the annual Hotels.com taxi report said that London’s black cabs were far and away the pick of the world’s taxis, fending off competition from New York (favorite among 27 percent of travelers) and Tokyo (26 percent). Berlin and Bangkok completed the top five.

WestJet posted second-quarter 2010 net earnings of $21 million, a 130 percent increase in net earnings, year-over-year. Excluding the impact of a one-time special item related to revised estimates for provincial income tax allocation calculations in the second quarter of 2010, WestJet’s adjusted second quarter net earnings for 2010 were $23.4 million.

In the wake of Mexicana Airlines ceasing sales activities and limiting all of Mexicana Airlines sales channels from offering flights, taking bookings and issuing tickets, Classic Vacations will credit clients with tickets on Mexicana Airlines with the full value of their original airfare applied toward new flights booked through Classic, without penalty.

Costa Cruises’ newest ship, the Costa Favolosa, took to the sea for the first time on Friday, Aug. 6, at a ceremony held at Fincantieri’s Marghera shipyard. The 114,500-ton, 3,000-passenger Favolosa will sail on its first cruise in July 2011. It is the fourth of five ships delivered or set to be delivered between 2009 and 2012 for Costa. The total investment in the five new ships is worth 2.4 billion euros. In spring 2012, the Costa Fascinosa, a sister ship to Favolosa, will complete Costa’s fleet expansion program.

The Department of Homeland Security will start charging travelers from Visa Waiver countries a $14 fee that will fund a global marketing and promotion campaign aimed at increasing the number of international visitors to the United States. As of Sept. 8, travelers will be charged a $14 fee when applying for an Electronic System for Travel Authorization. A portion of the fee will go toward funding the Corporation for Travel Promotion, created by the 2009 Travel Promotion Act.

To assist travel agents in selling group travel for 2011, CIE Tours International is launching a new 32-page brochure of escorted tour vacations to Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales, according to Brian W. Stack, managing director of CIE Tours International. These scheduled tours, which are also featured on CIE Tours’ web site, http://www.cietours.com/, are all available for group bookings now

Alaska Airlines scheduled new winter service between San Diego and Puerto Vallarta beginning Nov. 12, subject to approval by the Mexican government.

On July 1, the airport departure tax in the Bahamas increased to $20 per traveler, up from $15. Likewise, the cruise departure tax will increase from $15 to $20 on Oct. 1. In addition, the hotel room tax jumped from 6 percent to 10 percent on July 1.

Luxury Retreats has released a list of six of the top luxury travel trends for the first half of the year, with some surprising results. To compile the list, the luxury villa specialist looked at its guests’ destination statistics and polled its team of travel specialists on general themes that have reappeared time and time again since January.