FRESNO TOURISM OFFICIALS WELCOME CHINESE GROUP
The Fresno Convention and Visitors Bureau on Sunday welcomed the delegates from the China office of the California Travel and Tourism Commission. (The Business Journal)      
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SLUMP HAS HURT TAHOE TOURISM INDUSTRY
At first glance, you wouldn't think the economy had even ruffled the serene waters of Lake Tahoe. On a recent weekday – even an oddly overcast August day when hail pelted the lake – hordes of families flitted in and out of the shops at Heavenly Mountain Resort. (The Sacramento Bee)
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CALIFORNIA TRAVEL INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION (CALTIA) TO HOST ‘BEYOND THE GATEWAYS’ TOURISM CONFERENCE OCTOBER 26-28, 2009
California travel professionals seeking to overcome current industry challenges and achieve new success are encouraged to attend the California Travel Industry Association's (CalTIA) "Beyond the Gateways" Conference, October 26-28, 2009. Northwoods Resort in Big Bear Lake, California will be the host site. (CNBC)
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SONOMA COUNTY TOURISM BUREAU BROADENS TARGET AUDIENCE
“Sonoma Wine Country. Calling it a county is like calling Paris a nice little village.” The ads with that tag line show kids playing in a canoe on the Russian River, a woman getting a spa treatment and people horseback riding on Doran Beach. (The Press Democrat)
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SAN FRANCISCO FERRY BUILDING A WATERFRONT FOODIE HEAVEN
The Ferry Building, that long, tall landmark where Market Street meets the Embarcadero, is where they brought the injured after the great San Francisco quake of 1906. It's the hub that drew as many as 50,000 commuters daily across the bay before there were any big bridges here, then sent them back across the water at day's end. (Los Angeles Times)
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FEES RISING AT CALIFORNIA STATE PARKS
Starting Monday, some staycations – those cheap, close-to-home alternatives to more traditional summer travel – will get more expensive. The California parks department is boosting park-use fees to offset budget cuts. (The Sacramento Bee)
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CALIFORNIA COUNTY SEAT OOZES AUTHENTICITY
As I wound along the mountain pass from Redding, poppies painted ginger swaths across the hills and the brilliant redbud trees bloomed among the firs and Madrones. The sparkling Trinity River ran high and when I arrived in town my gaze was drawn to the peaks of the Trinity Alps. (The Boston Globe)
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OREGON MEETING VENUES GO EMPTY
From the Oregon Zoo to the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, Portland’s leading event venues are struggling with cancellations and the same drop in business that led Washington County’s largest event facility to close in May. (Portland Business Journal)
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THE WALL: SENDING A MESSAGE TO THE PRESIDENT
There was something new and exciting going on last month during the trade show at the 2009 World Education Congress in Salt Lake City, organized by Meeting Professionals International. At first glance, a petition wall hosted by The Krisam Group and Global Event Partners had little to do with the commercial displays that made up the rest of the show. But at a deeper level, it was all about understanding, recognizing, appreciating, and defending the business activity that creates a couple of million jobs across the U.S. meetings industry. (MeetingsNet)
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U.S. EXPANDS GLOBAL ENTRY PROGRAM FOR INTERNATIONAL TRAVELERS
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has expanded its international registered traveler program from seven U.S. airports to 20, the U.S. Travel Association reported this week. Known as Global Entry, the program allows for the expedited clearance of pre-approved, low-risk travelers into the United States—including returning U.S. citizens—and works by using fingerprint biometric technology to verify registered members and confirm their status. (Successful Meetings)
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WINGING IT: TWO EVENTS TOUCH ON SAFETY AND SERVICE
August used to be a time when everyone took a vacation and news about air travel centered on how crowded airports were. Airports can still be jammed, despite the recession that is keeping many travelers from flying. But in the last two weeks, the news has been about other issues that affect passenger safety and comfort, and about the latest effort at "consolidation" in the airline business, Southwest's attempt to buy Frontier, its smaller, Denver-based rival. (The Philadelphia Inquirer)
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SOME AIRLINES RAISE FEES FOR CHECKED BAGS AGAIN
Fliers jetting off this month could be surprised at the ticket counter: Some carriers are charging $5 more each way to check every bag. (Orlando Sentinel)
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GOVERNMENTS SEEK TAX HIKES TO RAISE MEETINGS’ HOTEL TABS
Several state and local governments in recent months have proposed, implemented or approved tax hikes on hotel stays as they put the onus of closing budget shortfalls on meeting planners, out-of-towners and travel buyers. (Successful Meetings)
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