Destinations
San Diego CVB launches new web site
The San Diego Convention & Visitors Bureau recently unveiled a newly redesigned and retooled SanDiego.org, featuring extensive updates to both the appearance and functionality of the web site. The new SanDiego.org focuses on colourful imagery, vibrant content and interactivity with rich media including video and customized maps. The site features 250 pages of content and more than 600 articles highlighting popular events and special offers at area hotels, restaurants, attractions and activities. Visitors can delve deeply into sub-regions like Coronado, La Jolla, North County and East County...
Alaska ready to celebrate
This year's Alaska State Fair starts Aug. 23 and continues through Labor Day, Sept. 3 at the fairgrounds in Palmer, 67 km from Anchorage. On deck for the fair will be musical acts ranging from rock to country, food vendors with a wide variety of fare plus rides and games that can be enjoyed by attendees of all ages. The State Fair will take a day to honour Alaska's agricultural community with Alaska Grown Day on Aug. 30. It will feature a variety of agriculture-related games, activities, exhibits and more. Anyone wearing an Alaska Grown T-shirt or sweatshirt will get a $2 discount on...
Catamaran sailing for weddings, vow renewals, rehearsals
Mauna Lani Sea Adventures at the Mauna Lani Resort on the Big Island has recently added new activities to its current offerings. It will be offering WOW (Weddings on Winona) packages, which refer to the 50 ft. Winona sailing catamaran. These packages consist of small and large group rates for weddings, as well as packages for rehearsal dinners and wedding vow renewals. The Winona catamaran currently offers snorkel and sunset sail cruises and, during whale season, whale watch cruises....
Aqua Lotus Honolulu completes guest room renovations
Aqua Hotels & Resorts, a full-service Hawaii hotel management company, reports the completion of guest room renovations and upgrades totalling US$2.5 million at the 51-room Aqua Lotus Honolulu. The boutique Aqua Lotus Honolulu was transformed under the direction of Kory Wong-Oglesby of deZigns Interior Planning. Wong-Oglesby also worked on other Aqua projects including the total renovation of Aqua Waikiki Pearl. Wong-Oglesby took a minimalistic approach with the use of clean sleek lines on the case goods. A darker wood finish was utilized to help accentuate the white walls and cool colour...
Travel into the universe while on Big Island
Visitors to 'Imiloa Astronomy Center on the Big Island can experience the world's first 3D planetarium in its "Skies Above Hawai'I"live 3D program, showing Tuesdays through Sundays at noon. Visitors "fly out"from Earth as the planetarium operator guides the audience through various regions and structures of the universe, based on data from the telescopes located on Maunakea. Guests can enjoy other planetarium selections as well, including "Maunakea: Between Earth and...
First Nations festival in North Vancouver
On Aug. 19, from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m., the Tsleil-Waututh First Nation will present the 6th annual Tsleil-Waututh Nation Cultural Arts Festival in North Vancouver. Live performances on the Chief Dan George main stage, 12 p.m. to 6 p.m., will include Bitterly Divine, Black Owl Blues, Smokey Valley Pow Wow Dancers,Christy Charles and more. There will be a Tsleil-Waututh Scavenger Hunt, trips in traditional-style ocean-going canoes with Tsleil-Waututh Guides, demos of ancient coastal technologies and more....
VIDEO: Penn & Teller haunting Universal
Magic's bad boys, Penn & Teller are bringing their eccentric and edgy illusionist entertainment to life in an all-new 3D haunted house -- Penn & Teller New(kd) Las Vegas -- at Universal Orlando Resort's horror-inducing, award-winning Halloween Horror Nights event. So prepare to experience the lights and allure of Las Vegas with a toxic twist. For over 35 years, Penn & Teller have redefined the magic genre, specializing in gory vaudeville-like tricks, exposing frauds and performing inconceivable stunts live in front of sold-out crowds. And now, they're partnering with the designers at...
Malaysia sees arrivals rise
Malaysia recorded an overall growth of 1.2% tourist arrivals for the first five months of this year, from 9,323,827 in 2011 to 9,438,592 in 2012. Arrivals from Canada and the United States both saw a greater increase compared to the same period last year, 1.3% and 16.9%, respectively. Total receipts by tourists from January to May 2012 rose by 1.9%, generating US$6.89 billion for the countryÆs revenue. DatoÆ Sri Dr. Ng Yen Yen, tourism minister, said that in line with the Malaysia Tourism Transformation Plan 2020, which aims to receive 36 million tourist arrivals by 2020, it is...