Travel news you can use
By Judy Newell, May 25, 2007

Mexico tourism shows significant growth

Mexico’s international tourism arrivals and revenues were up in the first quarter of this year, demonstrating the continued growth of one of the country’s most important economic sectors. This increase allays the fear that the new regulation requiring travelers returning from Mexico to the United States to carry a passport would hurt tourism south of the border. The numbers show US travel is actually up compared with last year, with 15 percent more Americans traveling to Mexico during the first quarter of this year than during the same period in 2006.

According to Mexico’s tourism secretariat (Sectur), the country’s international tourism revenues during January, February and March reached US$3.758 billion, a 14.6 percent increase compared with results posted for the same period in 2006. There were 3.6 million international arrivals during that period. For more Mexico tourism statistics, visit www.sectur.gob.mx. 

Mexico City to host Miss Universe Pageant

Mexico City will host Donald Trump’s Miss Universe Pageant 2007, marking the second time in 15 years the city has played host to this top-line event. The pageant—to be held at the state-of-the-art National Auditorium—will be broadcast live May 28 at 9pm EST by NBC and the Spanish-language network Telemundo. 

Prior to the show contestants will visit a variety of locations throughout Mexico to prerecord segments and attend special events. Tourism locales featured in the show will include the colonial cities and pre-Hispanic sites of Chiapas as well as Cancún’s world-famous beaches, which will serve as a backdrop for the pageant’s swimsuit photo shoot. For more information, visit www.new7wonders.com.  

Los Cabos golfers beat the heat

Golfers at the upscale One & Only Palmilla in Los Cabos can beat the heat while playing the resort’s golf course thanks to new air-conditioned carts which keep both the golfers and their beverages cool. The air-cooling component directs a cool breeze along the back of players’ necks and is “pressure activated” by the seat of one’s pants. One & Only Palmilla includes the use of these golf carts as part of the greens fee. For information, visit www.oneandonlyresorts.com. 

World’s best destination

The Great Barrier Reef was voted the “best destination” by the World Travel and Tourism Council. It beat out more than 130 entries from 40 countries across the continents. The reef marine park is the world’s largest heritage site and is estimated to generate US$5 billion in tourism earnings each year which supports up to 50,000 jobs along Australia’s Queensland coast. The Conservation Award went to the Aspen Skiing Company and the Global Tourism Business Award went to Lindblad Expeditions.

Cruise news

Royal Caribbean has appointed the first woman to captain a major cruise ship. Karin Stahre Jansom of Stromstad, Sweden, is the new captain of Monarch of the Seas. She recently completed her first tour of duty as master of the vessel and resumes the job in August. Before her promotion, Stahre-Janson served as first officer, chief officer and staff captain on several Royal Caribbean vessels. About time isn’t it?

A must-read for cruisers is the discussion board at cruisecritic.com (and disboards.com for Disney cruises). They cover almost every detail, such as choosing the right cabin, traveling with kids, meal rotations, up-to-date dinner menus, which excursions aren’t worth the money and freebies available for the asking. You don’t have to register unless you want to ask a question. Just search for the cruise line and ship you’re booked on.

Airline news

Lower European airfares

We’re seeing record high fares to Europe this summer but there are some European airlines offering lower fares in the hopes of appealing to Americans. This summer FlyGlobespan serves from Boston and New York to Glasgow, Liverpool and western Ireland, and from Orlando to Glasgow and Belfast. Condor flies from Orlando and Las Vegas to Frankfurt and seasonally from Anchorage and Fairbanks to Frankfurt. Eurofly flies from New York to Rome, Naples, Bologna and Palermo from April through November. LTU flies from Dusseldorf to Los Angeles, New York, Las Vegas, Miami and Fort Myers. Martinair flies to Amsterdam from Miami and Orlando.

Goodbye seatback TVs

American Airlines will be offering passengers multimedia devices with Bose noise-blocking headphones on selected long-haul flights out of Chicago, New York City and Los Angeles. The devices come preloaded with a dozen feature films, up to 15 hours of TV programs and hundreds of hours of popular tunes. American will charge a fee rumored to be about US$5 a flight. First-class and business passengers will be offered the device free of charge. If it proves successful, American will make the devices available on all of its long-haul flights.

Stretch your legs at a cost

KLM has started a trial program which would charge passengers an extra US$68 if they want a seat with more legroom, such as an exit row seat, on long-haul flights. The program was launched on flights to Singapore, Manila and Curacao on May 10. The airline said if passengers are willing to pay extra for these seats, the program will be expanded to other routes, including European flights. A KLM spokesperson said several American carriers are doing this as a way to raise extra revenue and it’s proving to be successful— people are willing to pay a little more for extra comfort.



Sources: Budget Travel Online, Modern Agent, ARTA, Travel Weekly 

Tune in, Monday May 28 at 9pm EST (10pm here) on NBC or Telemundo to root for Miss Mexico in the Miss Universe Pageant, 2007, which is held for the fourth time in Mexico City. Rosa María Ojeda Cuen (born October 15, 1986 in Culiacán, Sinaloa) is the Mexican representative to this year’s pageant.

On September 2, 2006, Ojeda competed in the national beauty pageant Nuestra Belleza Mexico, held in Tampico, Tamaulipas, where she beat 30 other contestants to win the title of Miss Mexico Universe. She became the second from the state of Sinaloa to win that title since the Nuestra Belleza Mexico pageant first began in 1994.

If Ojeda wins the pageant this year, she will become the second titleholder from Mexico, after Lupita Jones won in Las Vegas, Nevada in 1991.