Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass accepted the Olympic flag with assists from Tom Cruise and gymnast Simone Biles at the end of the Paris Olympics as Los Angeles prepares to host the games in 2028, planning to take advantage of its beaches and existing sports facilities while adding a train line. "As we've seen here in Paris, the Olympics are an opportunity to make transformative change," Bass said.
Full Story: Los Angeles Times (tiered subscription model) (8/11), The Associated Press (8/12) Executives of multiple travel companies are saying that tourism spending is softening as they report earnings, with families booking less expensive accommodations and economizing on expenditures like meals and theme park tickets, but cruises are a notable exception. "I sense a bit more caution, but I don't sense any significant pullback," says Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody's Analytics.
Full Story: The Wall Street Journal (8/11), TheStreet (8/11) The state of Texas and five Texas cities are investing $2.7 million to commission a local version of the Michelin Guide, which recognizes restaurants across the globe for culinary quality, hoping that it will boost tourism. "Texas is one of the top destinations for visitors from across the nation and the world, and with the Michelin Guide spotlighting the diverse and flavorful Texas culinary scene, we will continue to attract even more global travelers to the Lone Star State," said Tim Fennell, director of the Travel Texas office.
Full Story: KERA-FM/TV (Dallas) (8/7)  |
(AaronP/Bauer-Griffin/Getty Images) |
Disney Cruise Line will add four more ships to its fleet by 2031 in addition to the four currently being built, the company announced at its biennial D23 expo, without providing details on what the ships will be like or where they will sail. Disney also announced plans for new areas at its Florida resorts focused on Cars, Zootopia and Monsters, Inc., and a "Tropical Americas" land for Animal Kingdom, as well an Avatar land and new Avengers and Coco attractions for its California theme parks.
Full Story: Ship Technology Global (8/2024), The Points Guy (8/11)Small businesses near the country's boardwalks and piers are having the busiest summer in years as domestic travel nears 2019 levels. However, small businesses have observed that many consumers are watching their wallets as they vacation, with lower-income consumers opting for the least expensive items while affluent customers are willing to pay for unique experiences and goods. Full Story: The Associated Press (8/11) |
The first PickleCon brought pickleball players and referees to the Kansas City Convention Center this past weekend. The sport reportedly counts more than 36.5 million players in the US. Full Story: WDAF-TV (Kansas City, Mo.) (8/11
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