Destinations
Revitalized Norwegian Joy Completes First Alaska Sailing
Norwegian Cruise Line is celebrating the completion of Norwegian Joy’s inaugural Alaska sailing from Seattle following its recent North American debut. During the sailing, sister ships Norwegian Joy and Norwegian Bliss, two of the largest cruise ships on the West Coast, met for the first time. Departing from Seattle on May 4, with pier-side fanfare during Seattle’s official “Day of Joy,” Norwegian Joy set sail on its first Alaska sailing with calls to Juneau, Skagway, Glacier Bay and Ketchikan, Alaska, as well as Victoria. While in Juneau, history was made as Norwegian Joy...
Orlando Welcomes A Record 75 Million Visitors
Tourism officials have announced an historic milestone for the US travel industry as Orlando released news of a record-setting 75 million annual visitors in 2018. The increase of 4.2% over the prior year once again solidifies Orlando’s lead position as America’s most-visited destination. “It was another record-breaking year for Orlando with both domestic and international visitation,” said Visit Orlando president George Aguel. “We saw strong gains from all of our core countries, particularly from Latin America. This success is a testament to the special appeal of our...
Europe Has Positive Start to 2019, But Challenges Ahead
Europe kicked off 2019 on a positive note, according to the European Travel Commission's latest quarterly report, “European Tourism - Trends & Prospects 2019,” following an impressive 6% growth in 2018. Looking ahead to the rest of the year, a more moderate rate of expansion is expected for 2019 (around 3.6%), with short term risks, such as the slowing global economy, trade tensions and political uncertainty weighing on growth projections. Despite challenges, the majority of destinations which have reported data for early-2019 performances, have shown continued growth in...
Celebrity Takes Delivery of First Expedition Mega Yacht
The first ship designed specifically for the Galapagos Islands – Celebrity Cruises’ revolutionary Celebrity Flora – is preparing to embark on its transatlantic journey to its new home in the diverse archipelago following an intimate delivery ceremony. In honour of the significant moment – a culmination of more than two years of planning and 18 months of construction – Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.’s chairman and CEO Richard D. Fain hosted a ceremony aboard Celebrity Flora, while docked in Rotterdam, Netherlands. Company and shipyard executives were also in attendance, plus...
Tourism Boosts LA’s Economy
Tourism is good for business and in 2018, it was certainly good for Los Angeles County's economic prosperity as visitors pumped an all-time high $23.9 billion directly into the L.A. economy, generating a record $36.6 billion in total economic impact. A newly released economic impact report by the Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board found that tourism supported 534,258 jobs in L.A. County's Leisure & Hospitality sector, its highest total on record, employing 1 in every 8.5 workers in the county. Reaffirming the strength of the sector, tourism added 9,700 new jobs last...
Trace Your Roots in Ireland
Baxter Media invites you to attend another exciting webinar with Tourism Ireland this Thursday (May 16) at 2 p.m. (EST). Create experiences that will last a lifetime by signing up for our ‘Trace Your Roots in Ireland’ webinar. Tourism Ireland and their partners will give you the knowledge and the contacts to craft an itinerary for your clients to explore their ancestry in Ireland. This free webinar will begin promptly at 2 p.m. (EST) on May 16. Agents who attend the full duration of the webinar will be given a chance to win a prize. To register, visit:...
Take A Hike In Slovenia
If you have clients who love hiking, then Slovenia may just have the perfect option. The destination is set to open a new 186-mile Julian Alps Hiking Trail, which offers hikers a chance to journey through alpine valleys, pastures, local towns, and small villages. Hikers of all ages and skill levels can discover the cultural, historical, and culinary heritage of the region while experiencing the alpine landscape. Along the way, visitors are introduced to local myths and legends, unique craftwork, and Slovenian delicacies. The trail starts and ends in Ratece, a historic village on the...
FlyNeutral Takes Off
Air New Zealand and its customers have purchased over NZD$1 million worth of carbon offsets from permanent New Zealand native forestry projects through the airline's voluntary carbon offsetting program, FlyNeutral. The program was re-launched in late 2016 and it gives the airline's customers the option to offset the carbon emissions associated with their flights when booking online. The funds collected all go directly towards the purchase of certified carbon credits, which help to remove carbon from the atmosphere. Carbon credits are purchased from a range of permanent native...