Canada’s winning in the reputation stakes, Italy’s been struggling to improve its image, and Londoners have been feasting on burgers.

Find out what else has been going on in the world this week with our travel news roundup:

It’s All About Reputation

This week the Reputation Institute released its annual list of the world’s 50 most reputable countries. Rated on trust, admiration, respect and general “good feeling”, Canada came top of the list, closely followed by Sweden and good old neutral Switzerland. Happily for us lot, the bulk of the top 10 reputable countries were European – and the UK came in at 15. Not bad, folks.

canadian flag by gavin st ours via flickr

Credit: Gavin St Ours via flickr

Burger Bonkers

While America was busy celebrating Independence Day yesterday, Londoners spent the 4th and 5th July welcoming two of the USA’s finest burger bar exports to Covent Garden. The hotly anticipated Shake Shack and Five Guys restaurants both opened this week to foodie acclaim, parking their new branches just streets away from each other. First reports are good, but if you’re heading down, you might want to bring a packed lunch for the queue…

 

Excessive Baggage

A survey has revealed that the average amount of luggage taken on holiday is worth a whopping £2,500 – an increase of 67% from five years ago. With iPads and other expensive bits of kit now making their way into travellers’ suitcases, it’s also surprising that 16% of people don’t have adequate insurance to cover the belongings they bring along. Tut tut tut.

holiday luggage by MowT via flickr

Credit: MowT via flickr

Bikini Ban

A small beach town on Italy’s Amalfi Coast will be stinging people with a 500 Euro fine if they wear a bikini anywhere other than the beach. Vietri Sul Mare is keen to promote the town’s “good image” by reinforcing the ban that was first introduced in 2010. Meanwhile, over in Venice, the gondoliers are facing breathalyser tests after a spate of “inappropriate behaviour” – which saw one happy paddler strip before plunging into the canal. Someone pass that man a bikini.

gondoliers by

Credit: Jay Galvin via flickr

If you’re heading off on holiday this weekend, don’t forget to grab our handy downloads before you go – we’ve got games, holiday meal suggestions and much much more.

What are you doing this weekend?

Main image: Elicus via flickr