Travel News Update

A lot has been going on in the world this week...and it's only Tuesday!

IT'S A BOY! Prince William and Duchess Catherine welcomed their newborn son on July 22 at 4:24 p.m., London time. He weighed in at 8 pounds, 6 ounces, and no name has been announced yet. The world anxiously awaited outside St. Mary's Hospital to see the couple with their new baby. The set of doors to Lindo Wing has not been watched so closely since Princess Diana gave birth to William 31 years ago. William and Catherine emerged on Tuesday evening, carrying the baby in a cream-colored blanket. After a quick wave to the press and cheering crowd, the couple strapped their son into the car seat of a black SUV and drove off to Kensington Palace.

The Pope returned to South America on Monday as Francis arrived in Rio de Janeiro to thousands of admirers who gathered in the streets to see him. The crowds were so enthused to see the Pope that they mobbed his car as he drove through the Rio city center to his reception ceremony. As people gathered around his small, four-door Fiat, blocking the route to the government palace. Francis, however, was unfazed. In fact, he rolled down the window to greet people, shaking hands and kissing babies...what a great politician he would make.

A Southwest flight crash landed at New York's LaGuardia Airport on Monday evening after the landing gear collapsed. Flight 345 from Nashville landed on runway 4 before the gear collapsed, causing it to skid the rest of the way on its nose. The cabin filled with smoke as people's items went flying everywhere. Ten people were injured in the incident, with no casualties. The National Transportation Safety Board is investing what might have caused the accident. The Boeing 737 had last been inspected on July 18, but no details of that were released. (I hope all other Southwest planes are inspected, because I'll be flying on one next week.)

An earthquake struck northwestern China yesterday, killing at least 89 people and injuring hundreds more. The Gansu province felt the first and strongest tremors at 7:45 am Beijing time. The quake, which measured 6.6, toppled farmer's homes and severed power lines. Nearly 2,000 homes were destroyed, and more than 22,000 were damaged. About 123,000 people were affected by the quake, and 31,600 were moved to temporary shelters.

Chicago Tourism:

• On Monday, NBC 5 Chicago reported that Chicago had the highest ever hotel occupancy rate in the first six months of the year, leading to the most money ever generated by the hotels. For the second straight year, more than 90% of hotels rooms were booked for the month of June. And in 2012, Chicago welcomed more than 46 million tourists, and is on pace for even more this year. 
• The Taste of Chicago, one of the city's most popular festivals, had an estimated 1.5 million visitors--my family included--for an average of 300,000 people per day. 
• Mayor Rahm Emmanuel announced a private investment of $500 million from a Denver-based company will be used to improve the port of Chicago, boosting infrastructure and jobs. The money will be used to make an asset out of the port, which has long been underused and a drain on funds. The deal will also provide training, internships and jobs to students at nearby Olive-Harvey College. The area's alderman said Chicagoans are very unfamiliar with the port, and hopefully the project will help change that.

Survey stats:
A recent survey found that 61% of Americans plan to work during their vacations this year, compared to 52% last year. The Harris Interactive survey also showed that 34% of respondents plan to work but won't be happy about it; while 14% said they would be happy to work during vacation. About 22% said they would refuse to work on vacation, and 2% said they would quit their job if they had to. So why this need to work during play time? The recovering recession is the biggest reason, as workers want to show their bosses that they are indispensable to the company, even while out of the office.

Traveling This Summer...Here's Some Interesting News

Pricey Cities
This past weekend, I jetted off to Seattle for a long weekend with some of my closest friends. It was my first time visiting the Emerald City, and it was definitely a memorable experience. (I promise a long and detailed account of the whole trip in my next post). But one thing that did concern me a little before I left was a recent report I read from TripAdvisor, ranking the most expensive U.S. cities this summer, and guess which one made the top 10.

Yes, Seattle ranks No. 8 on the list of highest-priced U.S. cities, based on the combined costs for two for a one night stay and evening out. Adding up hotel, return taxi trip, and dinner and cocktails for two, the total cost comes to $415.04 in Seattle. (Note: I was there with seven women...you do the math.) Luckily, we stayed with my friend and her husband, so hotel expenses were not a concern, which is definitely a good thing considering Seattle saw a 26% jump in summer hotel prices between 2012 and 2013. But there's no way we skipped out on dinner and drinks around the city--that's part of the experience--and I knew we had some day-time activities planned, so I was prepared to shell out a few extra bucks.

At least Seattle isn't the most expensive. No, that honor goes to Honolulu, Hawaii. A night there will cost a whopping $504.94. But that's only 69 cents higher than the second highest-priced city, New York City ($504.25). Seattle is also still cheaper than Boston ($473.59), San Francisco ($471.89), Chicago ($448.45), Los Angeles ($447.61) and Washington, D.C. ($446.13).

More Leisure Travel
Leisure travel is on the rise, as Americans continue to feel more confident about the economy. TravelClick released a study indicating that totel bookings for leisure travelers in North America for the next 12 months are up 4.6%. While this is great news for the hospitality industry, it could mean higher prices and fewer available rooms for travelers. While summer is always a high travel season, the forecast could mean high tourist volumes well into fall and the early part of winter.

American to squeeze in more seats
In an attempt to cut costs and boost revenue, U.S. airlines have reduced flight capacity, dropping less popular routes and reducing the number of flights per day to other destinations. As a result, fares are much higher and planes are more packed than ever. As if things weren't bad enough, American has decided to make it even more cramped onboard with the addition of more seats.The airline said it plans to squeeze in more seats on its Boeing 737 and MD-80 planes, which accounts for more than 60% of the fleet. So while this may make more seats available, it also steals away precious leg room, which is particularly nice to have on long flights--or anytime for that matter.

Marriott Rebrands for Younger Generation
 Marriott Hotels launched a new campaign aimed at younger travelers. "Travel Brilliantly," as the campaign is called, seeks to show consumers that the hotel can cater to both business and leisure travelers. The effort includes a revamped logo and a heightened social media presence, as well as television, digital and mobile advertising. At travelbrilliantly.com, travelers can learn about new innovations and share their own ideas about how to improve the travel and hotel experience. The goal is for Marriott to redefine the future of travel, according to the company.

The World Cometh to Chicago

Chicago is known as a running town. It hosts some of the biggest races in the country--and even the world--with thousands of participants speeding through the streets of downtown almost every weekend between March and October. There are also plenty of off-season competitions for those dedicated souls unafraid of the frigid Chicago winters. And in the next couple years, Chicago will become home to two more major racing events.

Australian Triathlon. Source: AP

The International Triathlon Union (ITU) announced last week that it chose USA Triathlon and Chicago to host events as part of the 2014 and 2015 World Triathlon Series. The series brings the world's top athletes together to compete head-to-head in eight regular season events, culminating in a Grand Final race.

Starting June 27-29, 2014, Chicago will welcome top triathletes from all over the world, as it becomes the third-ever U.S. city to host a WTS race – joining San Diego (2013 and 2012) and Washington D.C. (2009). It will join other stops such as Auckland, New Zealand; Stockholm, Sweden; Hamburg, Germany; London, England; and Edmonton, Canada. One-hundred and fifty of the world’s fastest triathletes – 75 elite men and 75 elite women – will compete in the Olympic-distance race, a 1,500-meter swim, 40-kilometer bike, 10-kilometer run. Amateurs can get in on the action, too, as sprint- and Olympic-distance age-group races will be among the divisions offered.

Chicago will also be the first U.S. city to ever host the WTS Grand Final, where overall champions will be crowned based on points earned throughout the season. The race course will include such famous landmarks as Navy Pier, Soldier Field and Millennium Park.

Chicago Triathlon

Chicago already hosts an annual triathlon that draws thousands of competitors to the city. But this kind of international sports event is not only a great platform to promote triathlons, but also a smart way to put Chicago on the map as a top athletic and leisure destination. Race participants, their families and friends, and thousands of spectators, will descend on Chicago, where they will discover everything the city has to offer. Not only that, the elite women’s and men’s races will be broadcast live to an international audience and streamed online, so millions of people around the world will witness the wonder of the Windy City.

I am excited to have such a prestigious event come to Chicago, and hopefully I'll be able to catch some of the athletes racing toward the finish line.

Pride Around the World

Pride Fest Chicago is one of my favorite summer events, mostly because it is one of the few times during the year where everyone tosses aside their inhibitions, proudly wears anything--or nothing--and comes together in a grand spectacle of joy, celebration, openeness and unity. I have participated in the festivities for the last two years, and I always have a good time watching the parade of flamboyant costumes, colorful floats and shirtless men--not to mention the crowd of people who are just as entertaining to watch. So far, though, Chicago's is the only Pride Fest I've experienced, and while it's certainly a great one, there are a number of other's I am eager to see.

Here in the U.S., New York and San Francisco are probably the two most well-known pride festivals. New York has been celebrating ever since the 1969 riot that sparked the gay rights movement, making it the oldest march for sexual equality in the world. The parade is usually held in June and is the finale of a week-long festival which can bring in as many as 750,000 people.

San Francisco's Pride Fest is held at the end of June and features 200 floats in its parade that travel along Market Street. The tradition dates back to 1970 and now more than one million people attend every year. Organizers said the point of the event is to "educate the world, commemorate our heritage, celebrate our culture, and liberate our people."

While these events are certainly noteworthy, Pride resonates throughout the world, and there are some international festivals that are definitely a must see.

Sydney's Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras is the largest Pride event in the world and lasts the entire month of February. The event was sparked back in 1978 when police revoked a permit for a Pride parade and arrested 51 people. The celebration is combined with the Mardi Gras holiday, making for never-ending activities, including a parade, harbour parties, mardi gras festivals, drag races, pool parties and much more.

In Amsterdam, they take the celebration to the water. The Pride Fest features a flotilla of 75 glittering boats. The festivities take place at the end of July or beginning of August, and events include street parties and club circuit parties, as well as the famed Canal Parade.

Brazil is known for its Carnivale celebrations, but is also noted for its Pride Festivals. Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro both have huge celebrations, so either city is worth visiting. Rio's parade is held on Copacabana Beach in October. Sao Paulo's event is acknowledged as the largest pride parade in the world, drawing nearly four million people.

Obviously, there are dozens more held all over the world, from Manila in the Philippines to Berlin, Germany, from Madrid, Spain to Montreal, Canada. There is no end to the possibilities to show your support for the Gay and Lesbian communities around the globe--or to find an excuse to wear flashy costumes and rainbow jewelry. I fully intend to hit some of the Sydney Pride Fest when I head down to Australia next February, and I will be sure to report back on all the insanity.

Until then, stay proud!!

Navy Pier Open to Change

One of Chicago's number one tourist attractions, Navy Pier may be experiencing a makeover over the next couple years. The historic pier has been a long-standing entertainment source in Chicago, providing children and adults with activities and dining options. Now, talks of revamping this lakefront staple are starting up and there are some interesting ideas on the table.

First of all, directors and executives want to continue attracting the same crowd, mostly children, families and young adults. The first change people will see is the departure of the Chicago Children's Museum, and with that a a new form of entertainment for kids. They also hope to build a 4,000-seat concert hall and expand the Chicago Shakespeare Theater. There are talks of adding an indoor skating rink, more green space, a huge Ferris wheel and a boutique hotel. Along with these additions, Navy Pier officials hope to improve and update the retail and fast-food area and possibly add a brand new restaurant to the mix.

Efforts in the past to upgrade Navy Pier were put on hold due to budget issues and administrative problems, but it looks as if there is enough support and money to get some of these projects launched. While some people may oppose the plans, worrying that these alterations will transform Navy Pier into an all-out theme park, officials say there is no need to fret. Their intention is to keep Navy Pier as real and accessible as it is now, maintaining its appeal as a fun and entertaining attraction for all.

As someone who has only lived in Chicago for a couple years and visited Navy Pier a handful of times, I don't really have a strong opinion about the changes. However, I think that anything that can improve the current state of the place could potentially drive more tourists and visitors to check it out, which means more revenue, for both Navy Pier and the city.

A Blow to Illinois Tourism

Driving on I-90 Southbound from Wisconsin is a typical route for me and my friends visiting from Milwaukee. And since I live in Chicago, and most of them are either from the area or have been here so many times they feel like they live here, we're never been in need of any Chicago tourist information. But for the people who have never ventured across the border--though that's a rarity--or for the ones visiting from other states, they need all the help they can get. But unfortunately for them, they won't find any on I-90, or I-55, or I-80. I think you see where I'm going with this...

The news this morning reported that 13 of the 15 tourist information centers sprinkled throughout the state were shut down on account of budget issues. This means those convenient little kiosks at interstate rest stops have shuttered their windows and sent their employees packing. The reason? Only state contracts that pertained to health and security were approved by the governor's budget office. The only two centers left are the Springfield and Chicago locations, which are run by volunteers. Tourism has taken a serious blow in the state budget.

This event has caused tourism offices around the state to wonder about their own budgets as well as how they will be able to continue to attract visitors. With these cuts being made, state tourism bureaus are concerned that they could be next. But most feel this would be a huge mistake for Illinois. According to reports, tourism generates $2.1 billion in tax revenues annually for Illinois and its communities and creates 303,000 jobs.  The tourism centers were generally the first stop people made when entering the state, generating $68 million for Illinois' economy. Now that resource--and the revenue--is gone. And with no set budget for tourism set for fiscal 2011, it seems the closing of these centers is only the beginning.

For now the tourism offices can only wait for their budgets to be approved for next year, but fears of more cuts and closures are escalating as Illinois sinks further and further into debt.