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Travel:Tourism headlines from the week of May 12, 2008



State sees 3% fewer Hawaii visitors in '08 (May 13)
Visitor arrivals to Hawaii will decline by 3 percent this year, twice as much as previously projected, in part because of the shutdown of Aloha Airlines and ATA, according to the quarterly economic report released by the state on Monday.

Hawaii No. 2 for occupancy in 1Q (May 12)
Hotel revenues in Hawaii increased 7.5 percent in the first quarter to $859.5 million, a record high, according to the latest Hawaii Hotel Flash Report.

Construction to begin on NF visitors center (May 12)
In a move to increase its visibility, the Niagara Tourism & Convention Corp. will start construction on a new visitors center located not far from Niagara Falls.

Bookings not gassed (May 12)
Rising gas prices aren't going to put a crimp on the Niagara Tourism & Convention Corp.'s summer or fall.

Ads will promote fuel-saving vacations (May 12)
Next month, the region's tourism agency will launch an advertising campaign to convince people to save gas money by taking nearby "stay-cations" -- in Philadelphia, of course.

Osceola, chamber creating new leisure tourism entity (May 12)
Osceola County plans to create a private new entity to promote the area to tourists -- a move that would free up the Kissimmee Convention & Visitors Bureau to focus on attracting meetings, conventions and sporting events.

Hoteliers use gas card incentives to fuel business (May 12)
Rising gas prices and concerns about a slow summer season have led at least two Central Florida hotels to offer free fuel to travelers booking multiple-night stays.

Marineland partners with the Georgia Aquarium (May 12)
MARINELAND -- The Georgia Aquarium and Marineland have formed a partnership that will include exhibit construction for both organizations as well as funding and wildlife contributions.

Robyn Bell: Chiming for Cambridge (May 12)
Just a few months after the Cambridge Office for Tourism opened in 1995, Robyn Bell came onboard as the assistant director. In four years, she took the reins as executive director -- not a bad gig for a Memphis, Tenn., native whose first reaction to Harvard Square was fear. "I had just never seen so much action in one place in my life," said Bell, who learned rifle shooting and horseback riding as a kid. "It's really ironic, from being overwhelmed by it to be the one who markets it."

City is going down road of tighter regulation for cabs (May 12)
The road to a world-class city can be a bumpy ride for visitors climbing into cabs at Charlotte/Douglas International Airport.