Google Earth seems to get more useful by the day, and now you can plan more than just your next pool party using the free software.
South African Tourism worked with Google to develop a special batch of layers to hype the country. You can fly in over cultural sites and historic landmarks or click over to the nature and safari info to plan a wildlife-focused trip.
And of course all the locations for the 2010 World Cup are highlighted as well. Speaking of, tickets for the competition go on sale in February 2009, about the time, we'd expect, you'll start seeing a huge amount of press about visiting South Africa.
The east coast town of Wollongong in Australia used to be good for not much more than a tricky spelling question at a pub quiz night. But the Wollongong tourist board is busy telling the world that the city is worth a trip when you're next visiting Sydney.
In their exact words, if you want to "mix a Sydney stopover with a stunning coastal drive and regional tourism experience" then Wollongong is the right place to go. They've created a 140 km, signposted scenic drive down the coast which has been named the Grand Pacific Drive which certainly does sound pretty, well, grand.
The route crosses the slightly scary Sea Cliff Bridge, and the Illawarra tree-top walk is also close by. Just right for a short-but-grand escape from bustling Sydney.
When the "Lord of the Rings" movies came out, Australia sat by and watched neighboring New Zealand steal millions of tourists eager to see the scenery where Frodo Baggins frolicked. Now that "Australia" is nearing release, it's time for the Aussies to get their revenge.
As for the tourism marketing campaign, it should be pretty easy to connect the film to the nation, since the movie is simply called "Australia." It's set around World War II times, but the landscape still looks pretty sexy. Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman don't look half bad either.
Australia's tourist board has put together a huge "See the movie, see the country" advertising campaign, including movie maps and location guides, so once the movie's released in November this year, nobody will be able to escape the mysterious pull to visit Australia. And that probably includes us.
You may not realize it, but Montreal has been a global cultural mecca for decades. Sure it's frequently visited by University of Vermont students interested in legal boozing, but the city is also home to one of the most progressive electronic music, fashion, design and cuisine scenes in all of North America. Lucky for you, then that the good folks from Tourisme Montreal have made planning a long weekend there even easier with a new website.
Sure San Francisco has that nice bridge and you can always ride those trains on a string, but there's way more to see in the city's more than 40 neighborhoods.
The San Francisco Convention & Visitors Bureau just launched a site filled with an interactive map and information about each of the neighborhoods to make your trip planning a bit easier. For the more Jerry Garcia-oriented crowd it illustrates the fun to be had in areas like Haight-Asbury. If that's not quite your scene, head to SoMa (South of Market) for "more than two square miles of sleek nightclubs, fashionable restaurants [and] art hubs." Finally, if you still haven't gotten your passport, just hit up Chinatown--it's one of the largest and oldest in the country.
Click on any 'hood to see more about it, including activity, sightseeing and restaurant picks. You'll also find neighborhood-specific events calendars that'll help you plan out your summer travel.
Earlier in the week we needled the Bronx Tourism Council for not doing all they could to invite visitors to the borough. But because we are a loving, caring, sharing blog, we're going to throw them a bone this week in Missed Connections.
Maybe these tips will inspire online visitors to be a participatory tourist and date a local! Start at one of these borough hot spots:
Yankee Stadium :: Enjoy the classic home of the Bronx Bombers with all its sticky glory for one more year before they move, uh, across the street. 161st St. and River Ave.
The Rambling House :: We will not invoke the Show That Must Not Be Named, but it is possible to meet a cute fireman at this Irish bar and restaurant. 4292 Katonah Ave.
Tremont Diner :: Bust out your sundress where Rudy Giuliani and Robert DeNiro have been spotted chowing down. 3007 E. Tremont Ave.
Hyping the oft-ignored borough of the Bronx can't be easy when the tourist playground of Manhattan is just across the Harlem River. But when The New York Times checked up on the Bronx Tourism Council the other day, the newspaper found a miserable website full of busted links and outdated information. Calling the office wasn't much help either:
A voice-mail message for the council's marketing director and executive director was not returned. A call to the council's Bronx hot line resulted only in a recorded greeting: "Please join us for the Bronx's official tree lighting ceremony, Monday, December 17, at 5 pm at the Bronx County Building." That's December 17... 2007.
Turns out that getting slammed in the city's paper of record is motivational. A mere two days after the NYT report, the website has been revamped and is newly useful, though that's not saying much. To wit: There are five "Entertainment" options, four of which are multiplexes. Need lodging? You'll find two listings on the site.
How much longer till the Bronx Tourism Council starts a blog?
The new version of the famous I ♥ NY campaign will hype not just NYC but tourism attractions and destinations state-wide. The goal isn't necessarily to encourage road trips and tranquil, countryside tourism, though. Instead, it's a nod to the reality that people are driving less and taking shorter vacations.
To wit: The previous vacation guide to the state ran 200 pages while the new one is a much more manageable 40 pages, with a focus on three- and four-day trips. The revamped marketing effort will also be aimed at people already close to New York State:
The ads will be concentrated in nearby Northeastern states and Canadian provinces..."People drive less, but they don't stop driving," said Thomas Ranese, chief marketing officer at the New York office of the Empire State Development Corporation.
Tourism officials also hope that the ads encourage foreign visitors--who don't often leave NYC--to spend a few days touring the Finger Lakes, the Adirondacks or the Catskills. Maybe they should put together an Upstate Travel Map to help make planning those vacations easier?
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