Top stories of 2010 were often not expected but some major stories of 2011 are predictable. Read More...

Value will be a major theme for 2011 but there are many less-known trends that travel providers will want to consider. Read More... 

Popular events in 2011 that will boost tourism include Disney ships and rides as well as celebratins of the start of the US Civil War. Read More...

LUXURY TRAVEL: URGE TO SPLURGE RETURNS

Resorts in far-flung places and higher spending are among trends in luxury travel for 2011, according to a survey says TravelMole.

"New exclusive luxury hotels in off-the-beaten-path destinations such as Hangzhou and Tibet...now allow travelers to escape the exotic while still enjoying luxurious accommodations and fine food," said the study by Luxury Travel Magazine and New York City public relations firm, Abelow PR.

"After a couple of rough years, the Mendelsohn Affluent Study confirms that spending on travel is up again, especially in the luxury market," the study added.

Hot destinations include Sri Lanka. The hottest new luxury destination in the US was Utah, in large part because of the many new luxury hotels opening there. "Book lover trips are also all the rage," the study found.

At the same time, Travel Ticker announced places where travelers "can take advantage of luxurious deals at affordable prices."

"For many destinations, now is the time to get luxury for less, but you have to know where to look," said Barbara Messing, General Manager of Travel Ticker.

Number One on their list is Las Vegas, which is "still recovering from the new hotel openings in the midst of the economic downturn, so top luxe hotels on the strip are offering amazing deals." Read More..

SHOPPING A MAJOR DRAW FOR INTERNATIONAL VISITORS, STUDY SHOWS

Trade show organizers that want to attract more international buyers to their exhibitions and events should consider the results of a new survey by Mandala Research, which found that shopping is a key driver of international travel to the United States.

Underwritten by Macy's and Shop America Alliance, in partnership with the U.S. Department of Commerce and several travel industry sponsors - including the U.S. Travel Association, the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority and the Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau, among others - the study polled 2,500 international travelers and found that for 56 percent of them, shopping either was a key reason they took the trip or a key reason that they chose one destination over another.

"Shopping has always been one of the top activities of international travelers," said Helen N. Marano, director of the Office of Travel and Tourism Industries within the U.S. Department of Commerce. "From this study, we know more about the upper-income shoppers who visit the country. By understanding these travelers, the industry should be able to improve its approach to this lucrative segment to expand exports for the U.S."

According to Successful Meetings travelers from five top and emerging markets - Australia, Brazil, China, India and Korea, arrivals from which are expected to grow 15 to 40 percent within the next three years, according to the Department of Commerce - spend an average of $3,517 on their trips to the United States, the study found, with one-third of that spent on shopping. Read More...
 

In the third quarter of 2010, airfares and hotel rates alike increased, both approaching pre-recession levels, according to data released last week by American Express Business Travel, which called the increases proof that "business travel continues to rebound."

"During the past quarter we've witnessed a distinct shift from a buyers' market to a suppliers' market leading to higher prices across several travel categories, including airfare and hotel rates," said Christa Degnan Manning, director of eXpert insights, the newly created research practice of American Express Business Travel's Global Advisory Services. "Airlines have been especially successful in constraining capacity and increasing fares to create more sustainable financial stability. This should prompt companies to revise travel cost-control tactics, identify new opportunities for travel return on investment, and ultimately change traveler behavior in response to the new increased price environment."

Successful Meetings reports that according to American Express, average domestic airfare was $228 in the third quarter of 2010, up 6 percent from $215 in 2009, although still down from $253 in 2008. In the third quarter of 2007, before the recession, average domestic airfare was $231.

The numbers were similar for average international airfare, which was $1,781 in the third quarter of 2010, up 8 percent from $1,638 in 2009, but still down from $2,010 in 2008. In the third quarter of 2007, before the recession, average international airfare was $1,853.

Rate increases were smaller for hotels. The average domestic hotel rate in the third quarter of 2010 was $148, up 3 percent from $144 in 2009; the average rate was $147 in 2008 and $146 in 2007. Internationally, the average domestic hotel rate was $238 in the third quarter of 2010, down slightly from $239 in 2009 and still well below 2007 and 2008, when the third-quarter average was $256 and $266, respectively. Read More...
 

INTERNATIONAL VISITORS LEAD THE WAY AS TOURISM TO LOS ANGELES REBOUNDS

For the first time in Los Angeles tourist history, reports TravelMole, Australia rose to first place for overseas visitors.

 

"This can be largely attributed to new and expanded airline service from Australia to Los Angeles. In 2009, V Australia began service to LA from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane and Delta added service from Sydney," said the city in a news release.

  

LA's visitors increased overall by nearly eight percent over 2009 with 25.7 million people visiting the city. "Los Angeles also benefitted from growth from Asia, specifically travelers from China, which saw an increase of nearly 80 percent," says a release.

There was also a 54 percent increase in South Korean visitors and a 25 percent increase in tourists from Japan. Read More... 
 

---

CALIFORNIA'S SANTA CRUZ BEACH BOARDWALK TO CELEBRATE CAROUSEL BIRTHDAY AND REPLACE RIDE IN 2011

The boardwalk's "Merry-Go-Round" celebrates its 100th birthday next year. Created by Danish woodcarver Charles Looff, it is one of the few remaining carousels in the United States with a working ring-toss. Riders grab rings from a dispenser arm and toss them into a clown's mouth as the carousel rotates. Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk will also replace its "Freefall" children's drop tower with a 34-foot-tall (10-meter-tall) Moser Rides drop tower. Read More... 

---

DISNEY CALIFORNIA ADVENTURE PREPARES FOR MAJOR CONSTRUCTION IN ANAHEIM

Beginning in January, guests will be routed through a temporary entrance as the current entrance is closed for construction. The park posted a website video featuring Disney California Adventure Vice President Mary Niven, who assures visitors all major attractions will remain open during the construction. Small, roaming shows featuring Pixar characters will replace the "Pixar Play Parade" during the park's $1 billion renovation. Read More...  

---

 

VISITORS CENTER PLANNED AT ROSIE THE RIVETER/WORLD WAR II HOME FRONT NATIONAL HISTORIC PARK IN RICHMOND, CALIFORNIA

Orton Development, which owns the closed Ford Assembly Plant, will lease the plant's oil house to the city at no cost for creation of a visitors center. The city will sublease the building to the park service, which will invest $3 million to renovate the interior. The 10,000-square-foot (929-square-meter) center will include exhibits, classrooms, a bookstore, and theater. Read More...
 

---

The $40 pass allows guests to move to the front of lines on five roller coasters, as well as the "Supreme Scream" drop tower, "Timber Mountain Log Ride," and the "Screamin' Swing." The "Hate to Wait" pass is transferable, but provides front-of-the-line privileges only once on each ride. It is sold in limited quantities on peak attendance days. Read More...
 

Legoland is partnering with Lucasfilm Limited to create an interactive Star Wars attraction in Miniland. It will feature six scenes from Star Wars films constructed with 1.5 million Lego pieces. Legoland will also introduce the "Splash Zoo" toddlers' area to its waterpark, which opened last year. Read More...
 

DISNEYLAND DIVERS FEATURED IN ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA 

Disneyland Resort employs 54 employees who dive in the water to fix rides and equipment. One diver discusses the job. Read More...

OTHER CVB'S MIGHT WANT TO CONSIDER ARIZONA'S TRAIN WRECK

A new study identifies just how much Arizona's controversial immigration law cost the convention business: US$253 million in economic output and more than $86 million in lost wages over the next two to three years. That's according to a report commissioned by the Center for American Progress says TravelMole.

 

"The study, conducted by Arizona-based Elliott D. Pollack & Company, found that the losses from meetings that were cancelled following approval of the immigration control law S.B. 1070 total $141 million in direct spending by convention attendees. Further, the economic hit from cancelled meetings that would have occurred over the next two to three years-$253 million in economic output-affects 2,800 jobs that would have been supported by that activity," said a press release.

 

"Arizona's anti-immigration policies have come at a time when the state's economy can least afford it. Other high tourism states-Florida, Texas, Virginia, Pennsylvania, to name a few-should heed this report's warnings before jumping on Arizona's derailed economic train," the report said. Read More...

 

---

NEW ORLEANS' REBOUND CONTINUES

The latest passenger traffic figures at the Louis Armstrong Airport in New Orleans indicate that the city's post-recession recovery continues its upward climb.
 

More than 7.5 million passengers transited the airport from January through November 2010, a 5.1% increase over the year prior, according to the New Orleans CityBusiness newspaper.   

In November alone, passenger totals were up 14.7% over November 2009 says Travel Weekly.

Read More...
 

BIG APPLE SET TO DRAW 50 MILLION VISITORS IN '12

It may not be in the air just yet, but there was certainly a spring in the step of New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Brooklyn Borough president Marty Markowitz, New York Deputy Mayor Robert Steel and NYC & Company CEO George Fertitta when they strolled into a glass-ceilinged conference room at Brooklyn Botanical Garden's main complex to trumpet the news that tourism is way up in the Big Apple.

According to Marketing Daily the city's tourism office, NYC & Company, said the city drew 48.7 million visitors last year, a 6.8% increase over 2009. The mayor says the numbers mean New York is beating its own goals, set in 2007, to have 50 million annual visitors by 2015. Now, according to Bloomberg, New York will have that many tourists by 2012.

The city says the hospitality industry added 6,600 jobs over the past year and set a record for hotel rooms added and sold. Tourists spent $31 billion on restaurants, shops, hotels and cultural institutions. The mayor said that figure represents a 10% increase in spend versus 2009, and that 39 million of the visitors were from the U.S. and 9.7 million from overseas. Hotel occupancy was 85% last year -- 25% higher than other markets in the U.S.

Bloomberg said international visitors are especially important because "they spend 3.5 more than domestic visitors. We like tourists from across the Hudson [River], from Connecticut, from upstate, from anywhere -- but international tourists spent a lot more money here." Bloomberg said 33% of all overseas visitors to the U.S. last year came to New York City, making it the top tourist destination for international visitors, with Miami and Los Angeles tied for second place.

To promote the city, NYC & Company has been using its 18 offices in 25 markets in the U.S. and around the world as press hubs to promote New York, and as a resource for group tours and exchanges.

The report echoed earlier travel industry warnings that the United States following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks developed a reputation for being unfriendly to overseas visitors. Delays and hassles at border posts and airports, and the lack of aggressive U.S. marketing overseas, have contributed to that perception, officials have said.

As a result, the United States "missed out on a global boom of historic proportions," said the analysis prepared by Oxford Economics for the travel industry association. More people traveled in the decade, but many went to places other than America.

According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal the number of international trips grew from 682 million in 2000 to 880 million in 2009, a jump of 29 percent, according to United Nations data cited in the report. But international trips to the United States fell 9 percent, the industry said.

The amount tourists spent internationally grew over the decade by more than 87 percent to 889 billion per year, but in the United States it increased only 9 percent.

By failing to keep pace, the analysis said, consequences for the United States include 68.3 million "lost" visitors, spending an average of $4,000. An estimated $509 billion in lost spending includes money that would have been used directly on travel and indirectly at restaurants and stores.

"The United States has adopted a policy of benign neglect when it comes to competing in the rapidly growing international travel market," the industry report said. Read More...
 

LAS VEGAS ANTICIPATES CONVENTION SURGE

According to Successful Meetings, after more than two years of declines, the meetings industry in Las Vegas is expecting an upswing in 2011 thanks to "rebounding corporate profits, a relentless convention sales force and that irksome volcano in Iceland," the Las Vegas Sun reported last week.

According to the local newspaper, Las Vegas can expect visitor numbers on par with those of late 2005 and early 2006, when the city was ascending towards its record year: 2007, when it welcomed a record 6.2 million convention attendees before experiencing two years' worth of double-digit declines fueled by the Great Recession.

"Annual trade shows are starting to see bigger numbers coming back than ever before," Chuck Bowling, executive vice president of MGM Resorts International, told the

Sun. "In the past, [companies] may have sent only 10 people; they're now sending 20 people."

Although a Las Vegas recovery isn't certain, it's likely, according to experts, who point out that many meeting planners who promised to return to Las Vegas when the time was right are now doing so.

What's more, the Sun reports, Las Vegas will see a "nice boost" this year from conventions that rotate between cities, and can expect a large return on investment from the activities of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA), which has made 2,800 sales calls over the past 18 months and also has modified one of its websites - VegasMeansBusiness.com - to speak directly to CEOs and meeting planners. Read More...

Fish from 250 species are being transferred from Ocean Park's Atoll Reef aquarium to the Grand Aquarium, which opens Jan. 27. Sharks and other large fish are the first of 2,000 fish being moved. The new aquarium is located in Aqua City, which is part of Ocean Park's HK$5.6 billion (US$720.5 million) redevelopment. Read More...
 

S&S Worldwide Inc. issued a news release refuting a Chinese newspaper article, which said a local company was building a 4th Dimension roller coaster for a Chinese park. S&S Worldwide has a contract to build the coaster for Dinosaur Park in Changzhou. The company said it uses a number of subcontractors, including Guangdong Qiguang Group Company, which is fabricating the coaster's track. Read More...
 

Fourteen elementary school children will be selected as "congress members" for a year. They will participate in monthly meetings and will have opportunities to visit KidZania partner companies and overseas branches. The congress members and a guardian will also receive free admission to the role-playing attraction. Read More...
 

Aldar Property PJSC announced the sale of real estate assets and convertible bonds to the Abu Dhabi government for 19.2 billion dirhams (US$5.2 billion). The sale includes the recently opened Ferrari World Abu Dhabi theme park on Yas Island. The government will pay 10.9 billion dirhams (US$3 billion) for the park, roads, and bridges. Aldar posted its largest quarterly loss last year after Abu Dhabi property prices fell. Read More...
 

THE BOUTIQUE HOTEL SEGMENT CONTINUES TO GROW

Something as simple as an exposed brick wall can make all the difference.

Patrick O'Neil, executive vice president of operations at NYLO Hotels, said smart design choices - such as exposed brick walls in a ballroom - can evoke New York City's Meatpacking District in the heart of suburbia to separate it from the beige boxes,

"We can go after the wedding market because we're different," he said.

The move is just one strategy that the boutique segment is using as it carves out its niche within the hospitality industry reports Hotel Interactive. Bringing urban design to the suburbs, investing in local brands and experiences and developing brands within brands were part of a recent discussion about the segment sponsored by the American Hotel & Lodging Association.

Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants is the largest boutique hotel company in the United States, with 51 properties in 23 urban markets. Ron Vlasic, Kimpton regional vice president, said that as Kimpton has grown, it has developed brands within its brand. Palomar, with eight properties, is largely new builds that target the high-end business traveler. Monaco, at nine properties, features historic buildings that evoke the world traveler experience. The company also has developed four-star and three-star collections of hotels.

Vlasic said the company pushes its general managers to run their hotels as if they own them. He said it inspires an individuality that runs through everything from the service to the marketing of a property. Read More...
 

---

HYATT LAUNCHES NEW GRAB-AND-GO MARKET CONCEPT

The lobby of the Grand Hyatt New York is a little bit like its neighbor, Grand Central Station says Hotel Interactive. It's busy, with people hustling to their rooms and other activities.

For its guests on the go, Hyatt has devised a food outlet just for them: Market.

Market is what you get when you combine two of hospitality's most popular food trends of the moment: grab and go, and local foods.

It seems every hotel has embraced the grab-and-go concept. The idea has found traction from high-end to limited service hotels, but the differences come in the execution. In other words, not all grab-and-go outlets are created equal.

The Hyatt Market goes beyond the basic grab-and-go framework. The first tip off? Bentel & Bentel Architects and Planners designed the space. The New York firm is behind such high-concept restaurant projects in New York City such as Eleven Madison Park, Craft and The Modern.

Another change? Not describing it as "grab and go." Instead, it's an "instant-gratification food and beverage venue." Read More...

THE BIG GUYS FINISH LAST IN 2010 AIRLINE RANKINGS

Big was bad when it came to airline service last year. Delta, American, United and its merger partner Continental placed last in the annual Middle Seat customer-service rankings of major domestic carriers in 2010 published by The Wall Street Journal.

 

Best among major airlines: smaller carriers. Alaska Airlines and AirTran Airways had the highest percentages of on-time flights and generally lower rates of lost bags, cancellations, passengers bumped from oversold flights and complaints filed with the Department of Transportation. Those two airlines were the only two majors to decrease their complaint totals in 2010-the rest shot higher.

 

Size can bog down an airline operation. Scheduling planes, crews and maintenance tasks can get increasingly complex as airlines get bigger. Flying to more cities exposes the daily operation to more storms. Bigger waves of connecting flights mean more possibility for lost luggage or misconnected passengers. Bigger work forces get more difficult to manage and motivate.

 

"The larger the hubs, the more connections you have to make. There are so many more variables," said Robert Isom, chief operating officer for US Airways, which had the best year in its history in 2010 in terms of airline operations performance. Overall, with high scores in on-time performance and baggage handling but low rankings in overbooking and complaints, US Airways ranked fifth out of nine.  

 

Southwest Airlines is flying into many of those big-airline headwinds as it grows. The low-fare carrier used to be an on-time machine, regularly providing flights so punctually that it was a major marketing point for the airline. But Southwest ended 2010 in sixth place among the nation's nine major airlines in on-time arrivals, according to data compiled by FlightStats.com, a flight-tracking service, and the DOT. Read More...   

---

AIRPORTS TOY WITH THE IDEA OF TOSSING THE TSA 

A new year has brought new resolve for airport managers who are fed up with the Transportation Security Agency MSNBC reports.

 

"The TSA has grown too big and we're unhappy with the way it's doing things," said Larry Dale, president of Orlando Sanford International Airport. "My board is sold on the fact that the free enterprise system works well and that we should go with a private company we can hold directly accountable for security and customer satisfaction."

 

Dale isn't alone. Airports in Los Angeles, the Washington, D.C. metro area and Charlotte, N.C., are also considering tossing the TSA.

 

Full-body scanners and enhanced pat-downs have spurred a loud outcry from an angry public, as well as some big hitters on Capitol Hill, and airports are looking at moving away from federal TSA workers and moving toward private contractors.

 

Rep. John Mica (R-Fla.), recently named chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, has encouraged the nation's 200 biggest airports to opt out, calling TSA a "bloated, poorly focused and top-heavy bureaucracy."

This despite the fact that opt-out airports realize no cost savings. "TSA issues the RFP [request for proposal] and selects and manages the contractor" that steps in, said Michael McCarron, director of community affairs at San Francisco International, one of the first airports to adopt private screeners. Read More...
 

---

ECO-FRIENDLY TREATMENT FOR NEW SFO TERMINAL

When Virgin America and San Francisco International open the airport's new Terminal 2 next year, thirsty travelers can stock up on water at "hydration stations," or sinks with filtered water, for those toting reusable bottles.

It's one of several environmentally friendly features included in the terminal design that the airline recently unveiled says USA Today.

Scheduled for completion in the spring, the $383 million, 640,000-square-foot terminal will serve as the airline's home base. Virgin America, which plans to grow its fleet by two-thirds next year, will occupy seven of 14 gates.

Other green features include: ventilation systems that require less energy; "slow food" vendors that feature organic and locally grown ingredients; skylights that bring sunlight into the ticketing lobby; and preferential parking for hybrid cars.

The airline, known for unconventional marketing practices, says it will also add other "Virgin features" in the terminal, including LED ticket counters that change color based on lighting outside.

Gates will have "living room-like spaces" with laptop outlets, elevated work counters and free Wi-Fi access.

It will be the first LEED Gold-certified airport terminal in the U.S., the airline says, referring to an environmental certification issued by the U.S. Green Building Council. Read More...