Features

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Texas
The biggest news from the Lone Star State is the new international terminal at Dallas Fort Worth Airport. The $2.6 billion project opens in July and Dallas wants the world to know – the Convention and Visitors Bureau is hosting a pre-Pow Wow fam tour to showcase the new airport to trade and media delegates. The new terminal also includes the Skylink – a monorail train linking up the airport’s five terminals – as well as an on-site Grand Hyatt Hotel. More information: dfwairport.com.

Texas will also be promoting aviation of a more natural kind. It may come as a surprise to anyone who associates the state with cattle and cowboys, but Texas is among the best spots in the US for bird and butterfly spotting. McAllen, for example, has 507 recorded bird species; 39 of which aren’t seen anywhere else in the US. The town is in the heart of the newly created World Birding Centre, a network of nine sites in the Rio Grande Valley dedicated to twitchers. More information: worldbirdingcenter.org.

Other new projects include the Kwahadi Kiva Indian Museum and Performance Centre in Amarillo. Opened last year, the museum is dedicated to Native American art and exhibits – some dating back more than 2,000 years. More information: kwahadi.com.

Pennsylvania
Golf will be on the agenda in a big way as the state prepares to host the 66th annual PGA Senior Golf Championship held at Laurel Valley Golf Club in Ligonier. Big names such as Arnold Palmer, Gary Player and Tom Watson will be in the competition, which tees off from May 23-29. More information: seniorpga2005.com.

This year is also the 20th anniversary of the Harrison Ford movie Witness, and Lancaster County will be promoting tours of the Amish locations used in the film. More information: padutchcountry.com/group_tours.

Kentucky
Downtown Louisville sees the opening of the Muhammad Ali Centre in November, which charts the boxer’s lowly beginnings in Louisville as Cassius Clay, to his rise to superstar fighter and leading humanitarian. Ali’s profile should garner interest for his hometown but if boxing doesn’t appeal, Louisville will also be promoting its most recent artistic acquisition – 88 works by James Whistler. The American artist’s work will go on display at the Speed Art Museum. More information: ailcenter.org; speedmuseum.org.

Las Vegas
Las Vegas – famed for knocking everything down and starting again every few years  – is the last place you’d normally consider for a historical tour. This year, however, Sin City celebrates its 100th birthday and will be pulling out all the stops – while pulling in all the punters – to show off in style.

The Nevada desert resort is spending £1 million on UK advertising and PR this year, including television adverts and a redesigned website at visitlasvegas.co.uk.

New attractions include Insanity – the new white-knuckle ride that debuted at the Stratosphere hotel last month – which dangles riders 64ft in the air before spinning them at a force of 3Gs.

The highest-profile project, however, is the Wynn Las Vegas. Opening next week, the $2.7billion hotel will be the most expensive ever built, with 2,716 rooms and suites, 18 restaurants, a private lake, man-made mountain and – of course – a Ferrari dealership in the foyer. More information: visitlasvegas.co.uk.

Great Lakes of North America
The marketing alliance of the seven Great Lakes states – Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin – will be promoting shopping breaks as well as outdoor activities. Minnesota and Pennsylvania have no sales tax on clothes or shoes, and if that wasn’t encouragement enough, Minneapolis in Minnesota is home to the largest retail complex in the US – the 520-store Mall of America. More information: greatlakesnorthamerica.co.uk.

Chicago, another Great Lakes city, is home to Marshall Field’s – the first department store in the US and the inspiration for Selfridges in the UK – as well as ‘the magnificent mile’, a tree-lined boulevard with six other department stores and hundreds of retail therapists.

Major Travel has added shopping packages with Marshall Field’s and United Vacations among others this year, and the store will be angling to get more on board at the show. More information: fields.com.

North Carolina
This summer sees a dedicated UK website for North Carolina come online at visitnc.co.uk. The State Division of Tourism has also produced new sales material focusing on the 10 reasons to visit North Carolina.

Golf plays a major part, particularly with the US Open competition being staged at Pinehurst in June. Other key areas of promotion include Native American product, beaches, history and the state’s movie locations.

West Virginia
Among the key investments in the Mountain State is Intrawest’s ongoing commitment to the resort of Snowshoe Mountain. The Canadian-owned ski conglomerate is upgrading infrastructure and adding more snowmaking equipment. The new Seneca hotel has also just opened, adding slopeside accommodation to the resort. More information: snowshoemtn.com.

Washington
In the heart of the Pacific Northwest, Washington State will be pushing its natural attractions, not least the area around Mt St Helens. This year is the 25th anniversary of the massive volcanic eruption, which destroyed 68,000 acres of forest and did untold damage to local wildlife. Tourism officials are now promoting the recovery of the area though the Forest Learning Centre, located inside the volcano’s 1980 blast zone. The family-oriented centre is being marketed as a day trip from Seattle, two hours’ drive away. More information: theforestreturns.com.

State capital Seattle will be promoting its gateway, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, which officially opens its renovated and expanded Central Terminal next month. More information: portseattle.org.

Arizona
The Grand Canyon state will continue its year of promotion for its most obvious asset, but there’s more to the state besides the big hole in the ground. Scottsdale, popular with golfers thanks to its benevolent climate and proliferation of courses, will be pushing its spa product, with the new $9 million Aviana spa opening at the Hyatt Regency next month. Plans are also afoot to convert the nearby La Posada Resort (formerly a Doubletree property), into a luxury resort and spa. The new Californian owner, Crown Realty and Development, is investing more than $185 million into the purchase and renovation. MMore information: scottsdalecvb.com.

Back at the Grand Canyon, the El Tovar hotel has just reopened after a $4.5million renovation. The historic property, currently featured by Jetlife and Travel 4, celebrates its centenary this year. More information: grandcanyonlodges.com.

California
There are renovations aplenty on the West Coast, but possibly the highest-profile project will be the opening of Donald Trump’s National Golf Course in Los Angeles this June. Unlike The Donald’s course in Florida, the National will be open to the public, and won’t be asking for a $350,000 joining fee. More information: trumpgolf.com.

More golf developments are afoot in the desert resort of Palm Springs. New this season is the Indian Canyons Golf Resort. The $15 million public course has been developed by the local Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians on the site of the old Canyon South Golf Course. More information: IndianCanyonsGolf.com.

Florida 
The Sunshine State has plenty to shout about with new theme park rides, hotels and a new terminal at Southwest Florida International Airport.

Universal will be pushing its Fear Factor Live experience – billed as the world’s first attraction inspired by a reality TV show – which opens in Orlando this spring and later in the year at Universal Studios Hollywood.

Busch Gardens in Tampa Bay also opens a new attraction this spring – the SheiKra dive coaster; set to be the highest rollercoaster in the US and only the third of its kind in the world. Meanwhile, Disney will be promoting its ongoing year of celebration for its 50th anniversary. More information: universalorlando.com, buschgardens.co.uk and disney.com.

Multi-attraction pass specialist Go Card USA will launch its Orlando Go Card at the end of May, costing £42 for an adult two-day pass. Highlights include the Gatorland and Water Mania parks.

Less frenetic pleasure can be found in the twin resorts of Sarasota and Bradenton on Florida’s Gulf Coast, which will both be pushing their boutique hotels at Pow Wow. The resorts are keen to work with UK operators. More information: floridaboutiquehotels.co.uk.

Daytona will also be promoting its hotel developments – the area’s first four-star property, Shores Resort and Spa, opens in June along with the newly renovated Hilton Oceanfront Daytona Beach Resort (formerly the Adam’s Mark).
 
Southwest Florida International Airport, the gateway for the beaches of Fort Myers and Sanibel, will be trying to attract its first direct flight out of the UK thanks to a new terminal building, scheduled to open in June. More information: flylypa.com.

Hawaii
As well as launching a Travel Weekly training academy at the end of May, Hawaii will push the ongoing regeneration of Waikiki. Oahu’s major tourist centre is the focus of a $460 million project to add green space and make the old Lewers-Kalia-Beach Walk area more pedestrian friendly. More information: waikikibeachwalk.com.

Norwegian Cruise Line also launches its new ship, Pride of Aloha, in June – its second in Hawaii.

New York
NYC and Company will be taking advantage of its host status by showcasing the neighbourhoods even seasoned travellers may not be familiar with. Top of the list is Lower Manhattan, which on the Wednesday will be promoting a development plan on behalf of 15 downtown museums that plan to market themselves together.
 
The Meatpacking District is still being touted as the hippest place in town for a night out, while Brooklyn, Queens, Harlem and the Bronx will also be promoting their cultural diversity. Plenty of attention will be focused on the city’s newest neighbourhood called, if you can believe it, Dumbo (Down Under Manhattan Bridge Overpass).

Evening events will be hosted at New York icons such as MoMA and the Statue of Liberty. More information: nycvisit.com.

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