Here are the travel industry headlines as reported by USA Today; The Los Angeles Times; The Washington Post; The New York Times; Travel Management Daily; The Wall Street Journal and other sources.

Wednesday, June 2, 2004

Senegal works to promote tourism
Officials of the West African country of Senegal are working to promote the former French colony as a major tourist destination. In addition to its beaches, Senegal offers travelers a pleasant climate, a vibrant capital city and friendly people. Officials are looking at ways to increase tourism promotion to residents of Scandinavia, Spain, Germany, Britain, the United States and Canada. (CNN)

Philadelphia welcomes gay travelers
A commercial promoting tourism to Philadelphia that is aimed at gay travelers aired this week. The commercial, which is sponsored by the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corp., is first of its kind by a destination. “This is an invitation, that you (gays) are welcome here, because of what Philadelphia is and what Philadelphia has to offer, and because we have a strong gay community,” said Meryl Levitz, president and chief executive of the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corp. (USA Today)

Delta begins service to Dominican Republic
Delta Air Lines began new service this week from New York to Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The airline flies two daily nonstop flights to the country. In conjunction with the new service, Delta also has created a Hispanic advertising campaign consisting of print, radio and out-of-home ads. (TravelAgent)

Tuesday, June 1, 2004

High-speed ferry debuts on Great Lakes
The Lake Express ferry, the first high-speed ferry on the Great Lakes, began service today. The ferry travels from Milwaukee, Wisc., to Muskegon, Mich., in about 2 and a half hours, which is half the time it would take to drive. “One of the most compelling reasons to take the ferry is to avoid traffic jams in and around Chicago,” Lake Express spokesman Jeff Fleming said. (CNN)

Two-hour delay in Atlanta
Travelers at Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport faced two-hour waits at security lines on Tuesday. Airport officials had requested additional help from the Transportation Security Administration. “We don’t think anybody should have to wait in lines like this. We don’t think you should have to wait in line more than 15 or 20 minutes—at the most,” said airport spokeswoman Lanii Thomas. (USA Today)

U.S. and EU sign passenger data agreement
The United States and the European Union and European Commission signed an agreement that allows the United States to examine passenger name record data for European travelers. The agreement signed will be in place for three and a half years. (TW Crossroads)

Friday, May 28, 2004

Security increased for holiday weekend
Security at the country’s airports has been increased for the holiday weekend. Officials are also asking travelers to remain alert. “If they see anything unusual, report it—an unattended package, something that just doesn’t look right, even odd behavior in the terminal or on the aircraft,” said Federal Aviation Administration Administrator Marion Blakely. (USA Today)

World War II Memorial to receive dedication on Saturday
The National World War II Memorial has been open to the public since April 29, but this weekend officials will hold a dedication for the brand-new memorial. It is situated on the east end of the National Mall’s Reflecting Pool between the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument. The World War II Memorial is a tribute to all who served in the military as well as at home. (CNN)

HAL launches new touring option
Holland America Line passengers now have the opportunity to tour the company’s 280 ports of call through the Signature Collection option. The tours give travelers the option to customize their time on land with a private luxury car and driver, as well as an English-speaking guide. Prices for the tours vary from $300 to $3,000. (Travel Agent)

Thursday, May 27, 2004

Zagat releases family travel guide
Zagat Survey, which publishes restaurant ratings, recently came out with its first Family Travel Guide. The guide is aimed at helping families make good decisions and is based on consumer surveys. According to the guide, the National Aquarium in Baltimore is one of the best in the country for families. “Family travel is the fastest growing sector of the travel industry, and with less and less time available for vacations, families need a guide to make sure that the little time they do have is spent on an enjoyable, well-planned trip that meets everyone’s needs and expectations,” said Theresa Mullen, Zagat spokeswoman. (USA Today)

United raises fuel surcharge
Although the major U.S. airlines did not manage to keep up the fare increase effort, which was led by Continental Airlines last week, some are still trying to hike fares. United Airlines raised its existing fuel charge from $10 to $15 each way for travel in the United States, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Island and Canada. The airline said fuel costs are at historical highs. The surcharge applies to first- and business-class tickets and some unrestricted and discounted economy class fares. (TW Crossroads)

Few companies think about stress of business travel
Experts say that while companies spend billions each year on business travel, few think about the stress that comes with busy travel schedules. According to John Ivancevich, a Cullen research professor, “Most of the work done is on how to control cost, not on stress.” Businesses could do more to ease stress on travelers, he said. For example, companies could assign someone to take care of travelers’ duties back at the office to minimize the work load when they return. (NY Times)