The "terrible" lines of travelers waiting to pass through customs at Kennedy Airport are shrinking, and business groups encouraged by the change want to expand use of the technology behind the trend. At two of Kennedy's terminals with international flights, arriving passengers now go directly to self-serve kiosks. They slide their passport into a scanner, answer some questions electronically and are quickly presented with a clearance ticket. 

The amount of time the average traveler spent clearing customs at Kennedy used to be the highest among the nation's top five international hubs, officials said. But the average customs wait at the New York City airport has dropped by more than 10 minutes compared with a year ago, and the kiosks -- though currently limited to two terminals, and to U.S. and Canadian passport holders -- are getting much of the credit. Kennedy kiosks will soon be available to passport holders from all 37 countries in the U.S. visa waiver program, officials said. The waiver allows travel for tourism or business without a visa.

Business and travel groups want to bring the timesaving kiosks to two other terminals with international flights at Kennedy and at Newark's Terminal B. Forty kiosks have been operating at Kennedy's newly remodeled Terminal 4 since October, and 16 more were installed at Terminal 1 in January. Airlines covered the costs, which elsewhere have averaged about $65,000 per kiosk. Average wait times at Terminal 4 have been cut in half, dropping from 36 minutes to 17 from February 2013 to February 2014, according to a study using U.S. Customs data. 

Similar kiosks are operating in other international airports, including Vancouver, Chicago, Dallas, Montreal, Miami, Toronto, Houston, Seattle and Orlando, Fla. The average customs wait times at locations with automated passport kiosks was reduced by 22 minutes in December 2013 compared with the same period a year earlier, even though air travel increased by 8 percent, according to customs. 

Iberia Business Class passengers and Iberia Plus Gold cardholders arriving on flights of at least four hours' duration can enjoy a new 24/7 VIP lounge. The lavishly equipped 665 m² facility is located on level -1 of Terminal 4, near the accesses to the Madrid underground and commuter train. The lounge features everything needed to facilitate rest and work, making it one of the world's best arrivals halls.

The rest area is furnished with comfortable sofas, and there are shower booths, a fully-equipped work center, a buffet serving a variety of hot and cold drinks as well as breakfast and snacks, television rooms, a flight information panel, a place to leave luggage securely, a laundry service, and the latest newspapers and magazines.

Etihad Airways has launched a program to improve the sleep of long-haul fliers

New York Times -- At Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, new beds allow guests to choose one of three mattress toppers, from soft to firm, that feels just right. In the air, Etihad Airways - after almost two years of research with the American Center for Psychiatry and Neurology in Abu Dhabi - just introduced a sleep program that includes all-natural mattresses, mood lighting, noise-canceling headphones, pillow mist and calming pulse-point oil. And at sea, Celebrity Cruises has outfitted some suites with mattresses that can be adjusted at the whim of a passenger.

"Everyone in our country is sleeping an hour and a half less than they did last generation," said Russell A. Sanna, the executive director of Harvard Medical School's division of sleep medicine...Growing dependency on technology, including laptops, tablets and smartphones - tools Dr. Sanna calls "sleep stealers" because we cozy up with them at night and blue wavelengths from their screens suppress the secretion of melatonin (a hormone that influences circadian rhythm) more powerfully than other types of light. Mobile devices that enable us to be anywhere and respond to anything at all hours, he said, erase "boundaries and cycles between work, home, sleep, wake."

It's hardly surprising, then, that the travel industry is dreaming up ways to woo weary consumers. Sleep was once the specialty of a handful of hotels (most notably Westin and its Heavenly bed, which was rolled out 15 years ago). Today cruise lines and airlines are also in the business of selling sleep with high-tech mattresses, slumber-inducing scents and relaxation techniques. Not to be outdone, hotels are hiring sleep consultants and devising sleep-related services...

Airplanes are among the most difficult places to sleep, though on some it's getting a little easier, even in coach. "How do we extend that five-star hotel experience in the sky?" said Anna Brownell, the head of product development and innovation for Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways...As part of its new sleep program, this month Etihad began providing free noise-cancellation headphones to all three cabin classes to help minimize ambient sound. The first-class suites have mattresses made from natural materials, along with down duvets and pillows that are sprayed by the cabin crew with a scented mist as a kind of "sweet dreams" gesture.

Free WiFi has shot past complimentary breakfast and free parking as a traveler "must have" for most hotel types, according to J.D. Power and Associates.

Guests increasingly want to use that bandwidth to stream a movie from Netflix, participate in a video conference, play an online game, or access a cloud-based enterprise application from a growing range of personal devices. That's why demand for bandwidth is multiplying faster at hotels than it is for many other locations offering WiFi. Yet more than 80% of hotels in a Cisco study offered less than six megabytes for the entire hotel; that's equivalent to the typical home system. The average line load was 27%, getting much higher at peak times. Hotel operations bandwidth needs are rising, too, to access remotely hosted applications from mobile devices.

Traveler satisfaction with Internet service in hotels fell in in half of the 31 markets studied and the seven most-visited countries; and in Asia Pacific it dropped in the four largest regions combined. Many hotels are considering a tiered plan in which bandwidth adequate for surfing is free, while higher levels of bandwidth come for a fee. In many cases, hotels are building better infrastructures, including gateways, redundancy and packet management to manage traffic.

Need a break? Here are some memorable dining venues around the world. Your Protravel agent can get you there!

Ithaa Undersea Restaurant, Rangali Island, Maldives: Situated more than 16 feet below sea level in the Indian Ocean, patrons can scope 180-degree views of coral reefs and a wide variety of fish, as well as manta rays, sharks, and other aquatic inhabitants.

Grotta Palazzese,Puglia, Italy: Tucked inside a limestone cavern, this summer-only spot (open May through October) has hosted elegant dinners since the 18th century.

Click here for others

Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts, Hong Kong, has appointed Gerard Basset as the group's first wine ambassador. Basset won the 2010 Best Sommelier in the World title and is the only person ever to simultaneously hold the Master of Wine, Master Sommelier and MBA Wine honors. Basset will work alongside Yang Lu, Shangri-La's corporate wine director, to enhance the group's wine program and nurture its hotel sommeliers. They will review Shangri-La's wine selections to ensure they are well structured, balanced and showcase established wine estates worldwide as well as artisanal and exciting wines from boutique producers.

Have Siri read your e-mail out loud: Tell Siri: "Read my email," and she'll oblige. You'll hear the sender's name, the date/time of the message, and subject line. You can also ask her to "read my latest email" or ask: "Do I have email from [person]?"  

Read the rest here 

In the heart of the Indian Ocean, Four Seasons Resort Mauritius (pictured at top and above) at Anahita welcomes guests to a luxury tropical sanctuary. Whether you're playing a complimentary round on the thrilling golf course or splashing with the family by the lagoon, this stylish open-air resort invites relaxation, romance and endless possibilities for adventure amid the dramatic landscape and the vibrant colors of Mauritius. Protravel clients receive these exclusive VIP amenities:

• Daily full American breakfast for two people per bedroom, served through In-Room Dining or in the hotel restaurant (including buffets)
• Spa credit of USD100 once during stay (not applicable to products)
• Upgrade of one category, based on availability at time of check-in (excluding signature suites and villas)
• Welcome note at check-in acknowledging you and your travel agency and the amenities that are being extended
• Complimentary high-speed Internet access for all suite bookings

Our friends at Abercrombie & Kent Italy and Croatia have put together these amazing insider wine & dine tips. Your Protravel agent can make it happen. 

PIEDMONT 

• Wine: Barbera and Asti Spumanti, the most famous of Italy's dessert wines. A fine (and expensive!) Barolo Cascina Francia also makes an excellent pairing with a Piedmont steak dish such as cruda all'Albese or brasato al Barolo.
• Food: Piedmont is famous for its rice and truffles but try agnolotti del plin: pasta stuffed with roast beef and vegetables, served with a meat gravy or truffle.
• Protravel/A&K Exclusive: A truffle-hunting experience with a local expert and his specially-trained dogs

LOMBARDY 

• Wine: Lombardy's gentle microclimate is particularly suited to the cultivation of Chardonnay, Pinot Bianco and Pino Nero which create elegance and refinement in the local Spumanti.
• Food: Try a risotto allo zafferano cooked with beef broth and bone marrow, creamed with butter and grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
• Protravel/A&K Exclusive: Enjoy a guided visit of the cellars of some of the wineries of the Franciacorta region.

VENETO 

• Wine: Amarone, Valpolicella Classica, Ripasso and, of course, the sparkling Prosecco.
• Food: For starters try the traditional sarde in soar (sardines in sauce) while for main seppie al tegame (fried cuttlefish) is an excellent choice.
• Protravel/A&K Exclusive: Explore the local wineries of the Valpolicella region. Learn about the process of winemaking by appassimento whereby the grapes are left to dry in a fruttaio (grape-drying building) for 100-120 days on temperature and humidity-controlled racks in order to concentrate their sugars before vinification.

LIGURIA 

• Wine: Notable here are the Mediterranean scents which emerge from Liguria's Vermentino wine. Sciacchetrà, a dessert wine from the coast, is also a personal favourite.
• Food: Pesto is a popular food choice here, used to dress trofie pasta, linguine or ravioli Genovesi. Restaurant Recommendation: Da U Batti is a hidden gem in Portofino and located on the main square of the town. It is famous because of its seafood, in particular its scampi and pasta al pesto so is a great place to sample the local food.

TUSCANY 

• Wine: Brunello di Montalcino is perhaps Tuscany's most-prized wine. The famous Sassicaia can also be said to outcompete some of Bordeaux's finest.
• Food: You'll just have to come here and experience the cuisine first-hand!
• Protravel/A&K Exclusive: Enjoy an extra virgin olive oil tasting followed by a light lunch and an introduction on how to serve wine, including decanting and wine and food pairing.

UMBRIA 

• Wine: Torgiano Rosso Riserva and Sagrantino di Montefalco are two of Italy's foremost emergent red wines from this region.
• Food: This is a region rich in truffles so the classic risotto alla Norcia, a dish of white rice mixed with Parmigiano Reggiano and truffle, is a must-try in this region. Restaurant Recommendation: La Taverna in Perugia uses only the freshest ingredients that chef and owner Claudio chose every morning at the local market. The restaurant uses only homemade pasta and bakes bread on site twice a day.

CAMPANIA/NAPLES 

• Wine: Taurasi is the modern variation on the ancient wine Aglianico and is, today, one of the most important red wines in Italy
• Food: This region is THE place to find authentic buffalo mozzarella cheese as well as tomatoes, basil and garlic and so come the culinary traditions of pizza and pasta.
• Protravel/A&K Exclusive: Visit one of the excellent small producers of Buffalo Mozzarella and enjoy tastings of this rich local product.

SICILY 

• Wine: Sicilian viticulture has taken great strides in the last 20 years with the introduction of Chardonnay amongst others. Zibibbo from Pantelleria and Malvasia from Lipari also deserve recognition.
• Food: Arancini--cones or balls of rice stuffed with minced meat, sauce, tomato and peas, then breaded and fried. Other Sicilian treats include cannoli, now famous throughout the world.
• Protravel/A&K Exclusive: Erice is famous for its sweet almond pastries. Visit a local pastry shop and enjoy a pastry-making demonstration and of course, sample the tasty treats.

• Wine: Fresh and delicate, Vermentino di Gallura and Vermentino di Sardinia have recently become popular. The island also produces an excellent traditional liqueur, mirto, produced from the myrtle berry.
• Food: The most famous condiment on the island is certainly bottarga, roe of mullet or tuna, sliced very thinly and set atop toasted bread, or grated and used as a condiment for savory pasta dishes.
• Protravel/A&K Exclusive: Follow Sardinia's wine route to the village of Monti and visit the wine cellars of the Cantina Sociale di Monti, famous for its production of Vermentino wine.