ESTA visa rules slip into place

NEW US visa regulations for visitors Stateside kicked in this month as passenger registration in advance of travel to the U.S. became mandatory. More

airlines and airports

Virgin ups transatlantic capacity

VIRGIN Atlantic will increase capacity between the north of the country and Florida this spring when it increases services from Manchester to Orlando. More

Cleveland has new seasonal links to London

CONTINENTAL Airlines will launch a daily non-stop service between Heathrow and its Cleveland hub, on May 3. More

American Airlines can lounge in Miami

PASSENGERS travelling on American Airlines’ daily direct flights between Heathrow and Miami can now take advantage of the airline’s recently re-opened flagship lounge at Miami International Airport. More

hotels

Italian-style resort for Newport Coast

THE Resort at Pelican Hill, California opened its doors in late 2008, offering a slice of Tuscany on California’s Newport Coast. More

Hyatt Retreats’ hidden rewards

AGENTS who book a Hyatt Retreats package for customers visiting New York or Boston can pass on a 15 per cent saving and earn some extra commission for themselves in the process. More

Omni opens in Pennsylvania

BEDFORD Springs Resort, a luxury golf and spa resort in South Central Pennsylvania, reopened on January 1 2009 as an Omni resort after a $120 million renewal and expansion programme. More

STATE OFFICES

Miami sets the stage
for 2009

THE Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau has some tasty events lined up for later this year. More

Michigan celebrates 50 years of Motown

THE Great Lakes Region is showing off its musical connections in 2009, with a year-long series of events celebrating Motown’s 50th anniversary. More

 

 

Savings on Seattle

VISITORS to Washington State can benefit from discounts and deals on hotels until March 31 by checking out the city’s Super Saver programme. More

TOUR OPERATORS

Cosmos goes platinum

COSMOS Tourama’s new 2009 brochure is offering two-for-one deals on all premium brand ‘Platinum Tourer’ upgraded USA itineraries. More

Agents will be rewarded at Sunset

SUNSET Faraway Holidays has an incentives scheme for agents using its new 2009 brochure or booking online. More

Royal Caribbean gives
it large

ROYAL Caribbean International is gearing up to launch the largest cruise ship in the world. More

ATTRACTIONS

LA Sports Museum steps up to the plate

ONE of the largest collections of sports memorabilia in the world was unveiled at the end of last year in the Sports Museum of Los Angeles More

New Orleans Gears up for Mardis Gras 2009

THE ‘greatest free show on earth’, otherwise known as Mardis Gras, will culminate on February 24 with a spectacular display of music and colour. More

JUST FOR AGENTS

Training brings its own rewards

AGENTS completing the Visit USA training programme by February13 could win free shopping vouchers! More

Agents can join the list of specialists

Visit USA’s Travel Agent Partner Programme, offering agents the chance to see themselves listed as ‘USA travel specialists’, is proving extremely popular, says the association. More

AND ANOTHER THING...

Starline has Downtown LA covered

STARLINE Tours has introduced a Downtown Los Angeles Hop-on, Hop-off tour, meaning visitors can experience all of LA’s key attractions on a single ticket. More

Washington State is a thriller for film fans

FANS of the vampire flick Twilight are being encouraged to visit Washington State to tour the film’s locations. More

George meets fans in
St Louis

ST LOUIS, Missouri, will be welcoming movie heartthrob George Clooney later this year when the mega-star arrives for the filming of his new movie Up in the Air. More