Dubbed ‘Neighbourhood x Neighbourhood’, the scheme promotes lesser known areas and attractions across the five boroughs of New York, starting this week in the suburbs of Bushwick, Fort Greene and Williamsburg in Brooklyn.
Although increasing numbers of visitors to New York now travel past the borough of Manhattan, the majority of the city’s 52 million tourists per year stay put on the famous island, home to iconic attractions such as Central Park, the Empire State Building, Times Square and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
New York city Mayor, Michael Bloomberg, said in a statement: “Visitors to New York City should know that in every borough of our great city, there are neighbourhoods with great restaurants, shops and cultural institutions.

“We’ve focused on bringing more tourists to neighbourhoods outside of Manhattan, and it’s paid off with more hotels being built and tourism-related economic activity happening in those boroughs.
“Our neighbourhoods are what make New York City unique, and visitors who explore the boroughs beyond the beaten path are sure to be rewarded with unforgettable, only-in-New-York experiences.”

Deputy Mayor Robert K. Steel added: “With more hotels, attractions and transportation options than ever before, Neighbourhood x Neighbourhood will encourage visitors from across the globe to take advantage of the value, affordability and accessibility of neighbourhoods in all five boroughs and keep New York City at the forefront of attracting new and repeat visitors.”

http://www.mikebloomberg.com/index.cfm?objectid=645AFA42-C29C-7CA2-F222B9684F76433D

In the last few weeks of its world tour, the South Korean instalment of the exhibition opened at the Seoul Museum of Art (SeMA) in December, after travelling to New York, Toronto, Los Angeles, Melbourne and Paris.

Paintings and artwork from the award winning director are on display, including artwork from iconic movies such as “Edward Scissorhands”, “Batman”, “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”, “Alice in Wonderland” and “The Nightmare before Christmas.” Around 700 sketches, drawings and photographs are showcased through the exhibition, with 862 works in total including short films, sculptures, music and costumes that have all been used in the making of Burton’s movies.

Sketches and collected objects from the director’s childhood will also be on display, spanning his career from a child to a Golden-globe winning director, producer, writer and artist. Approximately 100 of the works in the exhibition were developed exclusively for the Seoul show with curators from SeMa and New York’s Museum of Modern Art, with a new section entirely devoted to “Frankenweenie”, Burton’s latest movie offering. Burton, who flew into Seoul for the opening of the exhibit in December, described his awe at the exhibit, admitting he would walk around the empty gallery and be amazed to see his work was on the walls.

The director, who refers to the exhibit as a “worldwide extravaganza”, said in a press conference: “It was very strange for me to see this exhibition come together. It is very hard for me to watch my own movies, so it was even stranger to show these things that no one was meant to see. “I feel so close to each thing.”

The Tim Burton Exhibition runs until 14 April 2013

The unprecedented hotel boom has already seen visitor growth this year in Miami go from strength to strength according to Smith Travel Research, with tourist numbers in January increasing by 17.5 per cent compared to 2012.
So far this year, the only other U.S. city to top the glamorous Florida destination was Washington DC, after an influx of guests travelled to the capital for the January presidential inaugurations.

Rolando Aedo, chief marketing officer of the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau, told Travel Weekly: “I’ve been in Miami my whole life. As long as I’ve lived here, in the community and at this company, I’ve never witnessed the type of growth, in general and in the tourism space that we’ve all seen.”

An average of around 6.5 million overseas visitors travel to Miami every year, attracted by a number of high profile events including this month’s film festival, held around the beaches and greater metropolitan area of the sunny southern city.
Aedo continued: “Half of our business is international. That is the highest percentage of any destination in the U.S., including New York City…We are so, so dependent on that market. And it’s been fairly resilient.”
Two thirds of international travellers visiting Miami are coming from South America and the Caribbean, with the number one source of visitors coming from the fast growing economy of Brazil.

Aedo said: “Brazilians are regarded as the world’s power shoppers. We’ve benefitted from that.”
Jared Galbut, of the Mein Hotel chain in South Beach, thinks part of the city’s attraction to tourists over other U.S. destinations is its unique architecture.
Galbut told Travel Weekly: “We respect the need for preservation and historic design. Without these, Miami Beach would not be as special as it is today and would look like any other city.
“One of the unique factors of our city is the beautiful art deco architecture…These challenges make the end product that much more special.”
Miami film month runs until 31 March 2013.

http://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Hotel-News/Miami-a-hotel-boomtown/

The ‘California Zephyr’, previously known as the ‘Silver Lady’, has been passing through some of the most spectacular scenery in the United States since its first departure in 1949, ceasing operations in the seventies before being taken over by national railway company Amtrak in 1983.

Departing from Emeryville near San Francisco, passengers on the historic route are treated to some of the country’s most iconic natural sights, including the Rocky Mountains, the Sierra Nevada range, the Moffat Tunnel, Glenwood Canyon in Colorado, the Truckee River, the Donner Lake and the San Pablo Bay.

The 51 hour route from California to Chicago, which also passes through cities including Denver, Salt Lake City, Reno and Sacramento, is Amtrak’s longest at 3,924 kilometres.

As well as taking in the view, guests on board can take part in the “Trails and Rails” program, giving them the chance to learn more about the natural and cultural heritage of the regions they are passing through.

The program explores the role of the railroad in connecting America’s national parks to the people and educates passengers on the work that was put into the country’s transcontinental railroad, which cuts through the Sierra Nevada Mountains by way of the Donner Pass.

Paul Hammond, director of the California State Railroad Museum, described the work needed to create the railway to the Associated Press, saying: “Tunnels were pushed forward using hand drills to create the holes in which to load black powder (and later, nitroglycerine).

“Working in very hard granite still meant that progress was often measured in inches per day.”

Commencing in 1862, the construction of the railroad through the pass involved the blasting of 15 tunnels through the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range, taking six years and 12,000 people to complete.

http://news.yahoo.com/scenic-historic-route-california-zephyr-train-141630577.html

Starting the season in sunshine, the Australian Grand Prix will be held at Melbourne’s Albert Park for the 18th consecutive year, where thousands will gather to enjoy the qualifying rounds and 58 lap street-circuit race.

F1 fans are set to enjoy the sport’s champagne lifestyle all over the globe, with races in a number of destinations including Singapore, Abu Dhabi, Brazil, Japan, Italy and India.

First place on the Melbourne podium is set to be hotly contested, with last year’s winning team McLaren looking to repeat their success with Brit Jenson Button in the driving seat, who has won three out of the last four Australian Grand Prix races.

However, fellow countrymen and ex-teammate Lewis Hamilton will be looking to make a strong start with new team Mercedes, after moving on from his 14-year association with McLaren to replace former world champion Michael Schumacher.

Hamilton, who signed the new deal worth up to £60 million at the end of last year, said in a statement: “It is now time for me to take on a fresh challenge and I am very excited to begin a new chapter racing for the Mercedes Formula 1 team.

“Mercedes-Benz has such an incredible heritage in motorsport, along with a passion for winning which I share.”

Mercedes boss Ross Brawn added: “I am delighted to welcome Lewis Hamilton to our team. The arrival of a driver of Lewis’ calibre is a testament to the standing of Mercedes-Benz in Formula 1 and I am proud that Lewis shares our vision and ambition for the success of the Silver Arrows.”

The Melbourne Grand Prix runs from the 15 – 17 March 2013.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/102895

The survey, based on reviews submitted by the public to the popular travel website TripAdvisor, placed the unspoilt Rabbit Bay on the Italian island of Lampedusa in the top spot.

The secluded bay, situated off the south coast of Sicily, lies within a nature reserve where visitors share their environment with loggerhead sea turtles – a rare sight in the Mediterranean.

TripAdvisor spokeswoman, Emma Shaw, said the accolade would be a boost for tourism in Sicily, telling Reuters: “Rabbit Beach is clearly a big hit with travellers and it’s easy to see why with its stunning turquoise water and white sand.”

Taking second place in the poll was Grace Bay, Providenciales, in the Turks and Caicos, followed by Whitehaven Beach in Queensland, Australia.

Flamenco Beach in Puerto Rico and Playa de las Catedrales in Ribadeo, Spain, also made the top ten list, alongside two beaches in Brazil, Horseshoe Bay in Bermuda and Eagle Beach, Aruba.

Sneaking into the list in tenth place was Rhossili Bay near Swansea, Wales – a surprising addition to the list for some who preferred sunnier climes.

Despite its low temperatures, the area, which is designated as the first Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in the UK, boasts a sweeping five kilometre-long coastline which was voted Britain’s Best Beach by TripAdvisor.

David Phillips, leader of the City and County of Swansea, said in a statement: “We are delighted, but not surprised, that Rhossili Bay has been acknowledged…we hope that many more visitors continue to enjoy its outstanding natural beauty.”

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/02/22/uk-travel-beaches-idUSLNE91K01W20130222

Taking place next month, the London Marathon is one of the world’s biggest races, passing the city’s most iconic sights along the 26.2 mile route.

Participants of all ages and abilities will turn out to run in the famous road race, including British double Olympic gold medallist Mo Farah, who will run the first half of this year’s marathon.

Farah will start the race with the elite men’s field alongside six of the ten quickest men of all time, including marathon world record holder Patrick Makau, world champion Abel Kirui and Olympic champion Stephen Kiprotich.

The Olympic 5000m and 10,000m champion aims to complete his first full length marathon in London in 2014, using this year’s race as a trial to prepare himself against some of the world’s best long distance runners.

Farah, who tasted early success as a schoolboy in the capital, said: “As a young boy growing up in London, it has always been my ambition to run the London Marathon. I won the Mini Marathon when I was younger and have watched the race every year for as long as I can remember.

“I will make my marathon debut in the 2014 London Marathon, but will run the 2013 race to half way as part of my preparation for 2014. It will allow me to understand the course and the systems I will need when I run the full distance.

Speaking in a press release, Farah continued: “To run as the double Olympic champion makes it even more special. Dave Bedford (previous London Marathon race director) and the London Marathon have always been there for me and it will be my pleasure to run my first marathon in London.”

Hugh Brasher, race director of the London Marathon, added: “We are delighted that Mo wants to run with our elite runners this year. We have been following and supporting Mo’s career since he first won the Mini London Marathon 15 years ago and are full of anticipation for his marathon debut in 2014.

“Hopefully his experience of the race, the route and the unique atmosphere of the London Marathon will stand him in good stead when he takes on the full race next year. We are sure he will gain some valuable insights and come back fully prepared for the challenge.”

The London Marathon takes place on 21 April 2013.

https://www.virginlondonmarathon.com/news-and-media/news-and-media/press-release-16-02-13-mo-farah-run-half-2013-virg/

Summer bookings to Greece from Britain, Germany and the Netherlands have already increased by 10 per cent this year compared to 2012, when tourist income in the country dropped by 4.6 per cent to 9.89 billion euros.

As the tourism industry in the region is revived, bookings from Germany, Greece’s biggest market, have increased by 30 per cent, after dropping by nearly a fifth last year.

The visitor boom is good news for Greece, where one in five people work in the tourist industry.

Willi Verhuven, chief executive of German tour operator Alltours, told Reuters: “The tourism industry in Greece has overcome the crisis of the last two years and is now back on top form.”

The global tourist industry is expected to grow by up to 4 per cent this year according to estimates from the UN World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO).

However, visitor growth in Europe as a whole, traditionally the world’s biggest tourist destination, has slowed to 2 or 3 per cent and may grow as little as one per cent this year.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, speaking at the recent ITB travel fair, urged tourists to return to struggling euro zone countries.

“I [hope] that European countries which are famous for tourism get good custom. Greece, Spain, Portugal and Italy [are] all countries in which growth is really necessary at the moment and where we have to make an effort to finally get people back into work.”

Globally, the biggest increase of the year so far is recorded in the Asia Pacific region, where visitor numbers have grown by between five and six per cent this year. Africa is also an emerging market destination, where tourist numbers are expected to increase by between four and six per cent in 2013.

http://www.canoe.ca/Travel/News/2013/03/08/20639366.html

Kicking off a year of special events last spring to mark the opening of the theme park in April 1992, Disneyland Paris has extended its celebrations until later this year, after a record breaking 16 million people visited the park in 2012.

The 20th anniversary celebrations include extended opening hours, a Disney Magic parade and an award winning night-time spectacular known as Disney Dreams, lighting up the iconic Sleeping Beauty castle using thousands of lights and state-of-the-art special effects.

The extended festivities come after the announcement of a new high-tech attraction, themed around Oscar-winning movie Ratatouille, which is set to open its doors to the public next year.

The family focused attraction will use technology to take visitors into the world of the popular Disney/Pixar picture, inviting the audience into a “larger-than-life Parisian experience”.

Euro Disney Chairman Philippe Gas said in a press release: “Our new family-focused Ratatouille attraction, which is scheduled to open in 2014, symbolises all of the creativity, innovation and emotion that guests associate with a Disneyland Paris experience.”

Gas continued: “By developing this new Ratatouille attraction, we continue to ensure our guests can experience their favourite Disney stories in memorable ways that only Disney can provide.

“The theme, which is very français, is a tribute to our capital and the unforgettable characters that make Ratatouille the ideal choice for an attraction that fits perfectly at Disneyland Paris.”

The Disneyland Paris 20th anniversary celebrations run until 30 September 2013.

http://www.dlrptoday.com/2013/02/28/disneyland-paris-officially-announces-new-ratatouille-themed-attraction-for-2014/

The historical attraction, known as the “Neon Boneyard”, is home to over 150 pieces of vintage Vegas memorabilia, including discarded signs from hotels, motels and casinos.

Colourful signs spanning the history of Sin City cover the two acre space, with well-known sights from the Golden Nugget Casino, the Dessert Inn, the Flamingo, Stardust and the giant genie lamp from the Aladdin Hotel.

Tours of the boneyard are available from the recently opened visitors centre, located in the former lobby of the La Concha Motel, a futuristic piece of 1960s architecture saved from demolition and moved to its current location in 2006.

Wedding packages include a ceremony in front of a vintage sign or in the visitor centre, a box of cupcakes and a bottle of champagne. The draw card of the Neon Museum wedding is a 30 minute photoshoot among the faded icons, which date from the 1930s to the present day.

The boneyard is the latest in a list of Vegas weddings venues with a difference, including 24-hour and drive-thru wedding chapels and skydiving ceremonies.

Danielle Kelly, executive director of the Neon Museum, told Travel Weekly: “While Las Vegas is not always considered culturally influential as a city, its impact on the evolution of signage and the neon sign in particular is remarkable.

“When people come to the Neon Museum, they come curious about the signs, but they leave with so much more. Our guides really bring the signs to life with their storytelling. Visitors get a glimpse into the history of Las Vegas, but they’ve also shown how these signs were innovative in the realms of art, design and architecture.”

http://www.travelweekly.com/North-America-Travel/Neon-Museum-illuminates-citys-past/