Welcome aboard! Rudy Maxa is a contributing editor with National Geographic Traveler magazine and one of America's premier consumer travel broadcasters on public radio and television. You may know him as "The Savvy Traveler" on public radio's business show, "Marketplace."

For late-breaking travel deals, news and views, visit Rudy's travel blog at www.maxablog.com.

Rudy on Public Television:

The sixth season of Rudy's popular public television series begins airing on most public television stations in early May 2008 under a new title, "Rudy Maxa's World." The 13 new shows, all filmed in stunning High Definition format, feature destinations including St. Petersburg (Russia); Estonia; India (2 shows); Turkey (2); Argentina (2); Japan (2); and Thailand (3). Details: "Rudy Maxa's World."

The new series will join Rudy's other 65 public television shows with the titles "Smart Travels: Europe with Rudy Maxa" and "Smart Travels: Pacific Rim with Rudy Maxa. For information on those shows, check out "Smart Travels."

Free, Walking Tour Podcast Series with National Geographic Traveler:

Rudy has partnered with National Geographic Traveler magazine and Apple iTunes to create "Walks of a Lifetime," a free podcast series that allows you to download walking tours of many of the world's greatest cities. For more information on how to tune in or subscribe to the podcast feeds, check out the information on Rudy's blog.