Nivac

In Wisconsin, just over 734,000 people are expected to travel, which is a 10.8 percent increase over 2009. Of those, 688,000 are expected to travel by auto and about 19,000 by air, AAA said.

Travelers will be greeted by cooler temperatures, gas prices that have dropped in the last month and a suspension of most road construction.

AAA said its surveys show increased travel is the result of economic improvement in the past year.

While job growth has been disappointing, gross domestic product, household net worth and consumer confidence have increased, while consumer debt has decreased, the agency reported. The US travel industry began to gain traction in the fourth quarter of 2009 and that momentum has continued this year.

AAA defines the weekend from Thursday through Monday, and said projections of increased travel are encouraging.

The agency said 91 percent of travelers, or 31.4 million people, will drive to their destination.

The National Weather Service forecast for the Fox Cities calls for sunny, breezy and cool weather with highs in the 60s today and Saturday, warming to the low 70s for Sunday and Monday and warming to the low 80s when people return to work and school on Tuesday.

The national average for regular gas Wednesday was listed at $2.68 per gallon, compared with $2.74 a month ago and $2.61 a year ago.

In the Green Bay market, AAA said the average price was $2.62 Wednesday, down from $2.73 a month ago, but up from $2.60 a year ago.

In Wisconsin, motorists will experience clear driving through most construction zones. There also will be special enforcement by many law enforcement agencies.

The State Patrol said the Drunk Driving: Over the Limit. Under Arrest crackdown from Aug. 20 through Monday is the first statewide crackdown on drunken driving since a new law took effect on July 1 that increases penalties for operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated in Wisconsin.

The state Department of Transportation said most highway construction work will cease in work zones by noon today and wont resume until 6 am Tuesday.

Among Fox Valley projects that may affect motorists are:

The Delhi Police Thursday remained tight-lipped and refused to comment on the US state departments warning to its citizens on travelling to India during the Oct 3-14 Commonwealth Games.

The US statement had warned its citizens travelling to or residing in India of a threat of terrorist action and violence and asked them to take care when travelling within Delhi.

When IANS contacted Rajan Bhagat, the Delhi Police spokesperson, he said he cant divulge any information on the issue.

The US statement also advised American citizens to monitor local news reports and think about their security when visiting public places, including religious sites, or while choosing hotels, restaurants, entertainment and recreation venues.

Special care should be taken when using public transportation or driving at night, it said.

The US citizens were also asked to be on guard against petty crimes, pickpockets, and the theft of personal property on trains or buses.

US tourists were asked to be alert at airports, train stations and tourist sites and beware of scam artists looking to prey on visitors.

Earlier in April, the US embassy, followed by the Australian embassy, had issued a similar warning of a possible terror attack in New Delhi and sought strengthened security. As per government-directions, Delhi Police had kept a strict vigil in the city.

article source

By April 2009, a poll by CNN/Opinion Research Corp. of 1,023 Americans found 64% favored lifting the travel ban. And at the same time the Agriculture Committee was debating the merits of such an action, Amnesty International issued a paper entitled Restrictions on Freedom of Expression in Cuba. Kerrie Howard, deputy Americas director, stated: It is clear that the US embargo has had a negative impact on the country but it is frankly a lame excuse for violating the rights of the Cuban people. The [Cuban] government needs to find solutions to end human right violations, instead of excuses to perpetrate them.

Even so, travel experts note there is still vocal opposition to normalizing relations with Cuba, particularly in the key tourism state of Florida.

A question of infrastructure?

Among the strongest supporters of eliminating the Cuban travel ban has been the American Society of Travel Agents. Colin Tooze, ASTAs vice president of government affairs, called the Agriculture Committee vote a major step forward and noted the benefits of Americans traveling to Pyongyang, Tehran, Khartoum and other cities whose nations leaders are publicly opposed to American interests.

ASTA also argues an influx of travelers will spark demand for new passenger routes, tour operations and travel agent services. So I asked Tooze if the island nation is ready for such a deluge. He says, You have to remember there already are thousands of travelers a year to Cuba, including many Canadians. There are hotels, restaurants and rental cars.

He is not overly concerned about questions of infrastructure, particularly for cruise lines, noting that for now many ships can dock off shore and transfer passengers via smaller vessels. And theres little doubt quite a few US airlines are eager to establish routes to Cuba, even if previous commercial service was provided in the era of Eastern, Pan Am and TWA.

As for US travel agents, Tooze explains, The appeal is tremendousits a new destination to sell. Its a shot in the arm for the travel industry and theyre excited. And he says many American tourists are eager: Theres already a lot of pent-up demand.

Alternate routes

But lets state the obvious: The biggest open secret in the world of travel is that every year hundreds of thousands of Americans visit Cuba, and many are in violation of the ban. A quick online search will reveal dozens of travel agencies and tour operators willing to book your passage via Canada, Mexico, the Bahamas, Jamaica and quite a few other countries. But we wont provide links.

So whats up with that? Its generally understood that Cuban authorities will refrain from stamping American passports, making it easier to re-enter the United States. But travel experts say its risky behavior, punishable by civil penalties and criminal prosecution.

First, its important to understand exactly what the State Department prohibition states. For some time now, certain US citizens have been exempt from the travel ban, and shortly after taking office President Obama expanded that list to include close relatives of Cuban nationals.

Among the others who can be granted general licenses to travel:

Journalists and broadcasters

Members of international organizations

Full-time professionals conducting research or attending meetings or conferences

Government travelers on official business

Employees of US telecommunications firms

Employees of agricultural or medical firms

In addition, licenses are granted regularly for representatives of educational institutions, religious organizations and humanitarian projects, as well as for athletes, entertainers and artists.

Some Americans have interpreted the travel ban in a much narrower way, by asserting that US citizens are prohibited only from spending money in Cuba (seemingly a hard proposition for anyone planning to spend more than a few hours on the island). But it would be wise to consult the US Treasury Department, which spells out the details of the Cuban sanctions.

In addition, the State Department is quite clear about such a loophole for those subject to US jurisdiction and engaging in travel-related activities: Transactions related to tourist travel are not licensable. This restriction includes tourist travel to Cuba from or through a third country such as Mexico or Canada. US law enforcement authorities enforce these regulations at US airports and pre-clearance facilities in third countries. Travelers who fail to comply with Department of the Treasury regulations could face civil penalties and criminal prosecution upon return to the United States.

For US-based travel companies and bookers, currently theres no getting around that. ASTAs Tooze notes: We dont condone breaking the law. But if the current momentum continues, it wont be long before Americans wishing to travel to Cuba can do so legally.

Read previous columns

Bill McGee, a contributing editor to Consumer Reports and the former editor of Consumer Reports Travel Letter , is an FAA-licensed aircraft dispatcher who worked in airline operations and management for several years. Tell him what you think of his latest column by sending him an e-mail at USATODAY.com at travel@usatoday. Include your name, hometown and daytime phone number, and he may use your feedback in a future column.

article source

Three out ten cell phones in use in the United States are now smart phones with Internet connectivity, leading to one of the most intriguing questions facing travel service marketers today: how are travelers using these devices to plan, purchase and share information about both destinations and travel service suppliers? The results of the new Ypartnership / Harrison Group 2010 Portrait of American Travelers (SM) survey provide some insightful answers.

Nearly two in ten (19%) travelers have downloaded a travel-related application (app) to their smart phone. Among them, nearly one-half have navigated a destination using the built-in GPS functionality (47%) or searched for the latest information on flight schedules and delays (46%). Nearly three in ten have compared airfares or hotel rates (29%) or shared information or photos about their travel experiences (28%) using their smart phone. Approximately one in six has booked air travel or lodging (18%) or viewed a virtual visitor guide that provides information on things to do and see while visiting a destination (15%). Finally, more than one in ten (11%) has used their smart phone to download and redeem mobile coupons, while one in twenty (6%) has downloaded an audio walking tour of a specific destination.

Clearly, mobile devices are destined to play an increasingly important role in the distribution and sale of travel services in years ahead, said Peter C. Yesawich, chairman and CEO of Ypartnership. Both shopping and more real-time engagement in the discovery of what a destination has to offer are likely to rival talking and texting in the years ahead.

The Portrait of American Travelers (SM) is national survey of 2,524 US households that was conducted in February 2010. The results provide an in-depth examination of the impact of the current economic environment, social values and media habits on the travel habits of Americans with an annual household income of $50,000 or more. For a more comprehensive summary of these and other findings, please visit the Publications section of http://www.ypartnership.com.

Ypartnership is Americas leading marketing services company serving travel, leisure and entertainment clients. The agencys Insights group is widely acknowledged as the preeminent source of market intelligence on emerging business and leisure travel trends, as published in the Ypartnership/Harrison Group 2010 Portrait of American Travelers (SM). The firm also co-authors the quarterly travelhorizons survey with the US Travel Association. For more information, visit http://www.ypartnership.com.

Harrison Group is a leading market research and strategy consulting firm specializing in sophisticated market strategy, market analytics, survey and forecasting services. In addition, Harrison Group is the recognized expert in the American affluent and wealth space and also specializes in the travel, real estate, media, financial management, consumer products and interactive entertainment markets. For more information, visit http://www.harrisongroupinc.com.

article source

US companies say a growing number of foreign business travelers particularly from robust emerging markets such as China, India and Brazil are avoiding coming to the US because they dont want to deal with the cumbersome, time-consuming process.

US embassies got more stringent in approving visa applicants after the Sept. 11 terror attacks, and the policy hasnt improved since, they say.

The State Department doesnt deny that visa issuance can trip up prospective visitors, but its internal data show that the problem isnt as bad as industries claim, says David Donahue, the departments deputy assistant secretary for visas. Consular officers must carefully weigh security and forgery concerns and the possibility of applicants overstaying their visits and becoming immigrants, he says.

However, he says, staffing at embassies where visa demand is high has been beefed up.

An economic toll

The Center for Exhibition Industry Research, which studies events and attendance, says its data show that the US economy lost $290 million in domestic travel spending from the 10 largest trade shows and conferences in the last 12 months because registrants couldnt get visas.

This is business on steroids, and were neutering it, says Geoff Freeman of the US Travel Association.

The issue is coming to light as international participation for US shows, which had been growing steadily the last 10 years, leveled off amid the latest economic downturn.

The US doesnt require visas from citizens of 36 countries, including Western Europe. But travelers from other countries must apply for a non-immigrant visa and undergo a personal interview.

Getting an interview is often the most difficult hurdle in the process. Approval or rejection is issued within a few days of the interview. Donahue says US embassies aim to schedule interviews within 20 days of the application submission, though they fall short in some busy countries.

The US Travel Association says Brazilians must wait nearly two months for an interview, while Chinese applicants wait 70 to 100 days.

The State Department disagrees. As of last week, the average wait time in So Paulo was 38 days, while Rio de Janeiro was running 24 days, Donahue says. Applicants in Beijing and Shanghai wait 31 and 55 days, respectively. Worldwide, the average wait time is 15 days, he says.

Waiting isnt the only problem, businesses say. While the State Department has no specific document requirements other than a standard form, the US government assumes that all applicants are seeking to emigrate to the US, Donahue says.

That leaves the burden of proof to the applicant that he plans to return to his country once the short-term visit ends. Proving that often requiring personal bank statements, family history documents, letters of invitation from the US and employer verification can be a humiliating experience for many, says Gary Shapiro, CEO of Consumer Electronics Association, which hosts one of the largest trade shows in the country.

Treated with respect

Again, the State Department disagrees. Interviewees are treated with respect, Donahue says. This is like applying for a drivers license.

The US Travel Association says problems could be eased by expanding the nations from which visitors can come without a visa and interviewing applicants via video instead of in person.

article source

The good times may not yet be rollin’ in the Big Easy, but New Orleans appears to be heading in the right direction.

The city’s vibrant tourism industry was crippled when Hurricane Katrina roared ashore with devastating force five years ago. The number of visitors to New Orleans — a city in which 35 percent of jobs were reliant on tourism before the storm — dropped dramatically in the weeks and months that followed, raising fears that the city would never fully recover.

Today, New Orleans isn’t quite back to what it once was, but as the city marks the fifth anniversary of the disaster, tourism is on the rebound.

“Things are really good. It’s been our best year since Katrina,” said Ti Adelaide Martin, co-owner of Commander’s Palace, the landmark restaurant located in New Orleans’ Garden District.

The restaurant, originally opened in 1880, was closed for 13 months after the hurricane for a $6.5 million renovation to repair damage caused by Katrina. “In the days, weeks and months after Katrina, many people said ‘Let’s not rebuild,’” Martin recalled. “I hope we showed the world what we’re made of, that we have a resilience I didn’t know we had.”

These days, she said, the restaurant, and the city, are thriving.

“It’s been a strong summer. We are close to what it was before Katrina in occupancy,” said Gil Zanchi, general manager of the New Orleans Marriott, with revenue management responsibilities for about a dozen other Marriott properties in the metro area.

Story continues below
More below

Sponsored links

Advertisement | ad info

Advertisement | ad info

Five years ago he would not have predicted it, but “the signs are good” now, he said. Hotel rooms in the city were sold out for most weekends in July. In 2013, four city-wide conventions of more than 10,000 rooms each are booked.

The accolades are rolling in, too, said Kelly Schulz, vice president of communications for the New Orleans Metropolitan Convention and Visitors Bureau.

New Orleans was recently picked as the No. 1 destination internationally for nightlife by TripAdvisor, and earlier this year, the city ranked first in growth among the top 25 U.S. destinations in hotel performance for January through May 2010, according to Smith Travel Research, Schulz said.

“Tourism is one of the success stories of post-Katrina New Orleans,” she said. “Just look at the numbers.” 

The city now boasts more than 300 new restaurants, hotels have undergone $400 million in improvements, and there are new cultural attractions such as The Audubon Insectarium and The Southern Food and Beverage Museum. And tourism jobs are up to 70,000, slightly below a pre-Katrina high of 85,000.

1. Related coverage

   1. 
      AP
      

      D.C.’s Newseum retells Katrina story 5 years later

      Jarring headlines from the Gulf Coast after Hurricane Katrina said it all: “Catastrophic,” “Hitting Bottom,” “Help Us, Please.”

      Full story
      

The Morial Convention Center and the Louisiana Superdome — where thousands of residents were stranded without basic necessities in Katrina’s aftermath — have seen $92.7 million and $250 million in improvements, respectively, and “are better than the day they opened,” Schulz said.

In 2004, the year before Katrina, slightly more than 10 million visitors came to the city and spent close to $5 billion dollars. In 2006, the year after the hurricane, the numbers dropped to 3.7 million visitors.

Last year, despite a nationwide recession and cutbacks in corporate business travel, the number of visitors to the city edged back up to 7.5 million. These tourists, in turn, spent $4.2 billion — just below the pre-Katrina peak. Despite other setbacks, such as negative perceptions surrounding the BP oil spill, the city continues to host and book conventions, meetings, special events, festivals and high-profile sporting events, like the 2013 Super Bowl, Schulz said.

But the U.S. Travel Association said tourism could be even better. The number of visitors to New Orleans remains below the pre-Katrina peak by about 25 percent.

“What can we do as a country to prevent unnecessary damage when a disaster strikes?” said Geoff Freeman, executive vice president of the U.S. Travel Association. “Certainly as a country we can do better. If you keep visitors, you can prevent damage from taking place.”

The association commissioned a study, conducted by Oxford Economics, which measured potential long-term damage to the tourism industry in the Gulf Coast region as a result of the BP oil spill. The analysis, based on the examination of 25 natural and manmade disasters, including Hurricane Katrina and the found that the impact on the meetings sector in New Orleans after Katrina endures. The report estimates that 4.6 million cumulative room nights have or will be canceled, extending to 2025.

“The BP oil spill has been a challenge for us,” said Schulz. “The reality is, New Orleans is 100 miles inland. It is not on the Gulf Coast; there are no beaches.”

Story continues below
More below

Sponsored links

Advertisement | ad info

Advertisement | ad info

The biggest question has been the safety of seafood, she said, which is rigorously tested by a number of government agencies. “All the testing coming back shows that it is safe to eat. We make sure when we tell our customers it’s safe to come back, we keep our word.”

“Tourism is based on image and perception,” Schulz added. “What you can’t measure is lost opportunity.”

But negative perceptions did not keep Pierre and Jane Thibaudeau away. Despite some reservations, the couple, who live in the Canadian countryside south of Ottawa, visited New Orleans for the first time last week.

“Half of my family was sent here in the 1700s,” said Mr. Thibaudeau, referring to the Great Expulsion, when thousands of French settlers in Canada were deported by the British, who were at war with France. He said his son-in-law gave him and his wife the trip as a gift to celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary.

The first night, during a riverboat cruise, the couple listened to jazz and dined on regional specialties like catfish, roasted pork in hot marmalade sauce and bread pudding.

“It’s absolutely wonderful” Jane Thibaudeau said. She and her husband intend to spend five days in the city, enjoying walking tours, exploring the French Quarter and sampling local fare, like beignets, a doughnut-like pastry made from deep-fried dough, sprinkled with sugar.

“We’re going to wander around the streets without a worry on our minds,” said Pierre Thibaudeau. “It’s a gorgeous city.”

© 2010 msnbc.com. 
Reprints

article source

Washington, DC, United States (AHN) - The United States recently removed Eilat from a new travel warning to Israel but admitted on Wednesday that it was still dangerous for Americans to go there.

Asked to comment on if he believed it is still dangerous for Americans to go to Eilat, even though the new travel warning does not say so, PJ Crowley told journalists, Thats true.

Crowley added about the risk factor saying, We took it out because we felt that a Warden Message was the more appropriate way to communicate a particular risk factor for Eilat.

On the question of if it was a privilege for Israel to be able to change the US travel warning, Crowley did not deny, there was a complaint by Israel, adding, Im also saying that we believe that in retrospect, we did not vigorously vet the change to the Travel Warning within the State Department that we made two weeks ago.

Clearly, a particular country made its feelings known on this issue, but in truth, what we had was a situation a specific set of facts where one embassy recommended one course of action, a neighboring embassy represented a different course of action, said Crowley.

We reevaluated the Travel Warning since and there were a particular incident, one incident, was added to the Travel Warning for Israel. It was not added to the Travel Warning for Jordan, Crowley told journalists.

I think Americans should feel free to travel to Israel and should take appropriate precautions knowing that there are still risks involved in visiting that country, Crowley concluded on the subject.

article source

US travel alert removes Eilat reference

August 11, 2010

JERUSALEM(JTA)– The US State Department has removed references to Eilat in a travel advisory that had been issued in the wake of rocket attacks on Israel and Jordan.

The new advisory, issued Tuesday, states that Americans visiting southern Israel should be aware of the risks and should follow the advice of the Government of Israels office of Homefront Command.

An Aug. 5 advisory had warned US citizens in Eilat and Southern Israel to learn the location of the nearest air-raid shelter.

Israeli Tourism Minister Stas Meseznikov said the original advisory unfairly singled out Eilat, even though Akaba also was struck by a rocket attack from the Sinai Peninsula on Aug. 2. One man was killed in the Akaba attack. Egypt and Israel have blamed Hamas for the attack.

The revision apparently came after Meseznikov met with US Ambassador to Israel James Cunningham to protest the advisorys wording.

Click to login and write a letter to the editor or register for a new account.

This article was made possible by the support of readers like you. Donate to JTA now.

article source

The East Coast Surfing Championships, North Americas oldest running surfing competition and the second oldest continuously-run surfing competition in the world takes place annually in Virginia Beach. Expanded from four to five days for 2010, ECSC also has a new (and expanded) official title: Vans and Monster Energy present the Coastal Edge ECSC.

In addition to the featured surfing competitions, hundreds of festival visitors enjoy other sports including beach volleyball, a 5K run and more, plus exhibitions and live beachfront entertainment. The dates for 2010 are August 25 - 29. Read More…

Related Articles and Information

• Visiting Virginia Beach
• Virginia Beach Hotels - Compare Prices
• August Events in Virginia
• Labor Day Weekend

^{Photo Credit: Courtesy of ECSC}

article source

Washington (CNN) — The US State Department on Thursday issued a travel alert for US citizens living in or visiting Bolivia because of the massive protests in the countrys southwest.

The travel alert says Bolivia is suffering unstable social and security situations in several regions.

Protesters in the cities of Potosi, Oruro and Uyuni have set up roadblocks that dont allow anyone in and out of these places, the State Department said.

In Potosi, the blockade has entered its third week. The protesters say that the government of President Evo Morales has not invested enough in the region. They demand new roads and construction of a modern airport and a cement factory.

The protesters in Potosi province, which includes the cities of Potosi and Uyuni, are also in a boundary dispute with the province of Oruro.

Thousands of people, including several hundred tourists, have been trapped by the roadblocks for as long as 16 days, the State Department said. Food, water and medical supplies in these regions are limited and looting is considered likely.

The protesters are using dynamite and hunger strikes to call attention to their demands, the travel alert states.

The Bolivian government has publicly defended itself from the allegations made by the protesters and has said it will avoid using force to end the blockades.

The alert asks Americans to avoid traveling to the protest areas and to avoid roadblocks.

US citizens in those regions should maintain a low profile and limit their movement until the situation subsides, the alert states.

article source