GOVERNOR SCHWARZENEGGER PROCLAIMS SEPTEMBER 2009 CALIFORNIA WINE MONTH
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has declared September 2009 California Wine Month for the fifth consecutive year. Recognizing the Golden State's vintners and growers for their more than 200-year-old agricultural tradition, positive impact on the state and national economies, and commitment to sustainable winegrowing practices, the proclamation praises the wine community's many contributions. (CNBC)       
Back To Top | Read More >>

MARIN HEADLANDS AT FORT CRONKHITE
A popular Sunday outing involves taking the Muni 76-Marin Headlands bus for a spectacular tour of the headlands, which were saved from development in the 1970s. For an even better outing, you can get off the bus at the last stop, Fort Cronkhite. (The San Francisco Chronicle) 
Back To Top | Read More >>

FREE SAN DIEGO!
Just 17 miles north of the Mexican/U.S. border lies the waterfront city of San Diego. People come from all over the world to visit famous Balboa Park and to enjoy Southern California's world-renowned beaches. Recently rated as the fifth wealthiest city in the U.S. by Forbes magazine, it seems San Diego would leave your wallet empty. However, with all its rich history and excellent weather, San Diego is full of activities that require no cash. (National Geographic) 
Back To Top | Read More >>

OFFICIALS REMAIN UPBEAT ABOUT TOURISM INDUSTRY
Although mindful of the poor economic climate of late and its resulting impacts on the local tourism trade, business and tourism officials appeared upbeat about the future of one of Santa Barbara’s largest economic engines. (Daily Sound)
Back To Top | Read More >>

10 FACTS ABOUT CALIFORNIA’S MISSIONS
Zorro was born at a California mission. Figuratively speaking, that is. Author Johnston McCulley's first story about the black-masked crusader, published in 1919, was titled "The Curse of Capistrano" and set at Mission San Juan Capistrano. The first Zorro movie followed soon after. (Los Angeles Times)
Back To Top | Read More >>

IN THE SIERRAS, A TRAIL-LESS TREAT FOR HIKERS
Hiking through a trail-less wilderness where cell phones don't work and help is days away may not be everyone's idea of a great vacation. But for those willing to find their own way and do the hard work of climbing into the high country, the Range of Light offers the rich reward of a constant succession of jaw-dropping landscapes. (MSNBC)
Back To Top | Read More >>

ICY CLIMB TO THE SKY IN SUMMERY YOSEMITE
Flying chips of ice sparkled in the July sun as I hammered a pick into the 1,200-foot-high sheet of ice and snow called the Dana Couloir in Yosemite National Park. I was suspended on the side of a mountain in a couloir, an icy gully, by the points of my crampons and the ice axes I held in either hand. (The New York Times)
Back To Top | Read More >>

STREET FAIRS, TASTINGS, ART IN NAPA VALLEY
If you're planning a visit to California's famous Napa Valley this fall, here are some fairs, tastings and other events to add to your itinerary. (ABC News)
Back To Top | Read More >>

NEW STUDY TO SHOW THE ROI OF BUSINESS TRAVEL TO CORPORATE AMERICA
On Sept. 15, the U.S. Travel Association will announce the results of an Oxford Economics study that focuses on the return on investment of all types of business travel. "It will underscore that a dollar spent on business travel has a clear and direct return on investment for the company," says Roger Dow, president and CEO of U.S. Travel, the advocacy group that launched the Meetings Mean Business campaign and Web site in conjunction with a meetings industry coalition earlier this year. (MeetingsNet)
Back To Top | Read More >>

NATIONAL BUSINESS TRAVEL STUDY: O’HARE AIRPORT’S TAXES HIGHEST
The recession has reduced travel, but it hasn't stopped an increase in the taxes travelers pay, a study out Monday from a business travel group shows. The study, commissioned by the National Business Travel Association, reveals that travelers not only pay a local sales tax, but they also spend up to 172 percent more in taxes aimed at visitors each day they stay at a hotel, dine and rent a car. (USA Today)
Back To Top | Read More >>

AIR TRAVEL MAY BE DOWN, BUT PLANES ARE PACKED
The recession-era airport crowds are deceptively thin. But once on board their planes, passengers are faced with seats and luggage bins packed full, just like before the economy went for a nosedive. And the inconveniences that come with the cramped conditions go beyond less elbow room for all those customers crammed in coach. (Charlotte Observer)
Back To Top | Read More >>

DALLAS-FORT WORTH AREA ATTRACTIONS HOLD STEADY ON ATTENDANCE THANKS TO ‘STAYCATIONS’
Travel experts predicted earlier this year that the recession would keep people close to home. As schools prepare to open, marking the traditional end of the summer vacation season, there is evidence that the experts were right. Exact numbers are hard to come by. (The Dallas Morning News)
Back To Top | Read More >>

AMERICANS NOT TOO WORRIED ABOUT SWINE FLU
The U.S. Travel Association recently sent a notice explaining that on the heels of a new Washington Post-ABC News poll, most Americans claim to be either "not too" or "not at all" worried about the swine flu hitting home. The association goes on to explain that "broad majorities have confidence the government and local health providers will be able to effectively deal with an outbreak." (Examiner)
Back To Top | Read More >>

AMERICAN TRAVELERS MORE FAMILIAR WITH ‘GREEN TRAVEL’ BUT UNWILLING TO PAY MORE TO SUPPORT IT
U.S. travelers are more familiar with sustainable travel terminology than they were two years ago but remain unwilling to pay more for eco-friendly travel options according to the July travelhorizons™, the quarterly consumer survey co-authored by the U.S. Travel Association and Ypartnership. (U.S. Travel Association)
Back To Top | Read More >>