tourism

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Israeli Town Will Pay $1M for Mermaid Pic

Tourists swarm town after mythical(?) creature siting

(Newser) - Mermaid fever has hit the Israeli town of Kiryat Yam: Several eyewitnesses recently reported spotting the mythical creature—described as a cross between a girl and a dolphin—frolicking off the coast at sunset. Whether that’s true or not, tourists have been flocking to Kiryat Yam in hopes of...

What Tourists Can Do to Protect Coral Reefs

(Newser) - Snorkelers and scuba divers aren’t the worst threat to the embattled coral reefs of the world—climate change, commercial fishing, and pollution take top honors—but the casual tourist can lessen, and even mitigate, the damage he or she causes, Slate reports. Of course, snorkelers shouldn’t purposefully snap...

Greek Woman Torches Randy Tourist's Genitals

26-year-old claims Briton removed pants, forcibly fondled her

(Newser) - A Greek woman is being hailed as a hero after torching a lecherous British tourist’s genitals, the Telegraph reports. A 23-year-old Briton had allegedly taken off his pants and flashed his privates at women in a nightclub in the resort town of Mallia on the island of Crete. When...

You, Too, Can Visit North Korea

Prepare to be followed by officials everywhere you turn

(Newser) - You don’t have to be an ex-president to visit North Korea: In fact, your average “private citizen” can make the trip, if he or she doesn't mind a few inconveniences, writes Christopher Beam for Slate. To head to Pyongyang, apply for a visa via North Korea’s UN...

Spanish Village Hopes to Profit From H-Bomb Infamy

(Newser) - Being the site of one of the world's worst nuclear accidents is an unlikely thing to build a tourist trade on, but the people of Palomares plan to give it a shot, the Wall Street Journal reports. Four hydrogen bombs fell on the tiny Spanish village after a US bomber...

Pollution Dulls Nepal's Beauty
 Pollution Dulls Nepal's Beauty 
Aug 1, 2009 6:45 AM CDT

Pollution Dulls Nepal's Beauty

(Newser) - Nepal's once-pristine natural beauty has been ravaged by years of civil war, neglect, and corruption, the Washington Post reports. Dangerous levels of pollution now cloud Kathmandu, forcing many residents to wear masks. Even the top of Mount Everest is marred by litter left behind by generations of climbers, and many...

Beat the Crowds to Ghana
 Beat the Crowds to Ghana 
TRAVEL
Jul 16, 2009 7:44 AM CDT

Beat the Crowds to Ghana

(Newser) - President Obama's visit has put Ghana in the spotlight and anybody planning to follow in his footsteps should aim to visit while it's still off the beaten track, travel consultants tell Forbes. The West African country surrounded by volatile neighbors has long been considered a peaceful "diamond in the...

Paris Asks Its Sour Residents to Smile for Tourists

(Newser) - Tourism is down in the City of Lights, and the Paris tourist board thinks the city’s unfriendly reputation is to blame, Reuters reports. So it's begging the city’s populace to smile more, and has even recruited “smile ambassadors” to greet visitors near popular destinations. “We have...

Reality TV Puts LA Tourism on Map

Who cares about Grauman's Chinese Theatre when you can shop near Paris Hilton?

(Newser) - Gone are the days when tourists came to Hollywood to gawk at the stars on the Walk of Fame. The new hot attractions are reality TV locales. And Los Angeles—hurting for visitors, with hotel occupancy rates down 14%—welcomes the attention: “It’s a new element that we...

Palau Is Taking Gitmo Detainees. So What's Palau?

(Newser) - When the island nation of Palau agreed to help President Obama close Gitmo by taking in 13 detainees, few Americans had heard of the tiny country. But the US and Palau share a close bond, NPR reports. “It’s a small island nation, but its status as a sovereign...

French Are World's Worst Tourists: Survey

Poll of 40,000 hotels ranks visitors on politeness, generosity

(Newser) - The French are the world’s worst tourists, AFP reports. A global survey asked staff at 40,000 hotels to rate tourists on categories ranging from politeness to generosity to willingness to learn local languages—and the French finished last in several categories. Japanese tourists took honors in just as...

Step Up to New 'Ledge' at Sears Tower

Glass balconies jut 4 feet into the air

(Newser) - The view from Chicago’s Sears Tower just got more vivid. Starting tomorrow, visitors can step into glass enclosures that extend 4 feet out from the building’s 103rd floor and see all 1,353 feet straight down, the Tribune reports. Designed by the original architects of the soon-to-be-renamed Willis...

Wax Obama Tours Eiffel Tower
 Wax Obama Tours Eiffel Tower 
Jun 29, 2009 2:33 PM CDT

Wax Obama Tours Eiffel Tower

(Newser) - Complete with new gray hairs and two bodyguards, a wax version of President Barack Obama took a trip to the Eiffel Tower today. The hot summer sun threatened to melt the fake president's face, prompting helpers to shade him with an umbrella. The statue then traveled to Paris' Musée...

17 Dead in Acapulco Shootout
 17 Dead in Acapulco Shootout 
Jun 7, 2009 12:35 PM CDT

17 Dead in Acapulco Shootout

Violence further damages resort's tourism industry

(Newser) - A fierce, 2-hour gun battle between drug agents and Mexican authorities in Acapulco has left 15 gunmen and 2 soldiers dead, the BBC reports. After receiving a tip, troops ambushed a house in the resort town last night, as gunmen hurled grenades and crashed their cars trying to flee. Upon...

Mexico Devotes $92M to Luring Back Visitors

Prez urges citizens to shake off swine flu, travel domestically

(Newser) - Mexico’s tourism board is taking a trickle-down approach to luring vacationers back after the swine flu outbreak, Advertising Age reports. It’s kicking off a $92 million campaign by urging Mexicans to counteract the negative perceptions and show visitors “that Mexico is not only a beautiful country but...

New Zealand Hosts 'Penguathlon'

Event draws attention to world's penguin capital

(Newser) - Penguins and people are swapping places at New Zealand’s Penguathlon, a sort of penguin Olympics. As the birds face off in icy versions of soccer, Frisbee, surfing and waddle races, spectators are invited to try waddling themselves in giant penguin feet. The month-long event is meant to showcase how...

In Recession, Sewage Tour, Offbeat Destinations Thrive

Offbeat local museums, tours see record demand

(Newser) - With fancy island getaways now out of most people's price range, alternative attractions are gaining ground, Newsweek reports. Local families have begun flocking to Louisiana's oil rig museum, San Francisco's sewage-plant tour, and Ireland's Famine Museum, perhaps in a spirit of "things are bad, but at least they're not...

Today's Bargain: Australia's Islands

(Newser) - No man is an island—but now is the time for him to own one. Australia’s ritzy Queensland island resorts are going for bargain prices, but between the recession, a slew of natural disasters, and a nasty oil spill, no one’s biting, reports the Telegraph. Dunk Island is...

Mexico's Ailing Tourism Hit by Swine Flu

Outbreak whacks industry already reeling from drug violence

(Newser) - The swine flu outbreak is wreaking havoc on Mexico's tourism industry, already severely weakened by a worsening drug war. Tourism dropped 20% over the weekend, the head of a hotel association tells the New York Times. With most attractions closed, tourists already in the capital were seen in masks as...

Travelers Flock to Nazi Tours

For many tourists, Germany means beer and Hitler

(Newser) - The world has moved on in many ways, but for many tourists, a visit to Germany often boils down to two things: beer and Hitler. "I'm no Nazi," said an American who's spending most of his four-day visit on Hitler's trail. "I'm just interested in Germany....

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