|
TRAVEL ENVIRONMENT WATCH
Alaska
Airlines
Alaska Airlines
and Horizon Air have announced that they will be
the Official Airlines of the Portland Rose
Festival, the area's largest community event. The
three-year sponsorship highlights the airlines'
renewed commitment to the Portland, Ore., community
and their expanded air service from Portland
International Airport. For 100 years, the Portland
Rose Festival has delighted families and
individuals from Oregon and beyond with events and
programs that spotlight the riches of the area's
Pacific Northwest heritage and environment while
also celebrating international cultures. This
year's Rose Festival events kick off May 28, 2010,
and conclude on June 13, 2010. Attended by more
than 2 million people, the festival is one of the
top three annual events most highly decorated by
the International Festivals & Events
Association and in 2007 was named Best Festival in
the World. Among the festival's most popular events
is the KeyBank Grand Floral Parade, one of the
nation's top two all-floral parades. Coinciding
with the announcement, Alaska Airlines and Horizon
Air launched a dedicated website
(www.alaskaair.com/PDX and www.horizonair.com/PDX)
for information and exclusive deals for
Portland-area and Oregon fliers. The site will
include Mileage Plan promotions, fare sales, route
information from Portland and other useful
information. Promotions and offers will change
throughout the year. For more information, visit
www.alaskaair.com. Jan 15, 2010
NASA
NASA will not
be getting the $1 billion budget boost civil space
advocates had hoped to see when President Barack
Obama sends his 2011 spending proposal to Congress
Feb. 1, requiring the U.S. space agency to make
even tougher than expected choices about the future
of its manned space program, according to sources
with close ties to the administration. These
sources declined to reveal the fate of NASA's
planned Ares 1 crew launch vehicle, which many
observers see as a likely cancellation target, but
they did say the budget proposal would fund a
multibillion-dollar effort to foster development of
commercial systems for ferrying astronauts to the
international space station. An independent panel
concluded this past summer that NASA could not
afford to develop the Ares 1 and a crew carrying
capsule dubbed Orion without a significant budget
increase, which the sources said is not in the
offing for 2011. Meanwhile, Obama will request
budget increases for environmental satellites,
education programs, and research and technology
development, these sources said. Jan 17,
2010
SITA World
Tours
SITA World
Tours received the Green Globe Certification award
based on having cleared a stringent process and
third-party verification of commitment to operating
at the world's highest environmental standards.
Roger Mahal, the company's chairman and CEO, said,
"We are very proud to have this certification
issued to us, as it is an important testament to
what is good for our guests, staff and the many
countries we operate in." Laudie Hanou, the
company's vice president, said, "It was well worth
the effort and changes required by our staff. We
are excited about continuing to seek out new and
innovative ways to continue as an environmentally
responsible company." With over seven decades of
experience as a tour operator, SITA World Tours
provides luxurious and customized programs to
destinations worldwide, including India, Africa
& the Mediterranean, Asia and South America.
For more information, visit www.sitatours.com. Jan
14, 2010
Skiresorts.com
Skiresorts.com
is forecasting ski trends for 2010. It says that
many aren't just momentary but here to stay,
especially when they pertain to sustainable
environmental trends and safety on the slopes.
Helmets should become a requirement on slopes.
Although skiers ski at their own risk, so it's not
a liability concern, resorts are becoming more and
more socially conscious. This season's style is
seeing a resurgence of 1980s vibe -- minus shoulder
pads and big hair -- with retro bright and neon
colors worn by trend-setting skiers from Vermont to
Vancouver, where the highly anticipated Olympics
begin in February 2010. Beginners are safer on the
slopes dressed in lime green and experts can't be
missed. It's cool for kids to ski again. Shawn
White led a generation of boarders down the slopes
during the past decade but kids are coming around
again to the idea that two skis are just as fun as
one. Facing downhill might not be a bad thing
anymore. Skiers can ride rails and hit the halfpipe
without feeling like an un-welcome guest. For more
information, visit www.skiresorts.com. Jan 13,
2010
Gluten Free
Travel launched a website focused on helping people
with Celiac and others following gluten-free
diets &endash; locate hotels, resorts, and
restaurants around the world that accommodate their
special diets. As more people get diagnosed with
Celiac Disease every day and awareness grows, an
increasing number of hotels, resorts, and
restaurants are realizing this is a niche market
they can't ignore. As a result, they are developing
special programs and menus to cater to this growing
market. For more information, visit
www.glutenfreetravelsite.com
NEWS CONTACTS
Editorial
Contacts
To
Subscribe to our
Newsletters
To
Subscribe to our Business
Newsletters
Please send
comments and news tips to:
bizintel@airguideonline.com
Press &
Media Inquiries
Please contact our New York office.
news@airguideonline.com
|