Content is king and tourism marketers are realizing that giving travelers a place to dream about, even before they are ready to book, is key building a brand and relationship with future visitors.
Are anniversaries and events over-stressed on these lists? It’s refreshing not to see Brazil, in its World Cup, an automatic inclusion of all lists – even if it’s an understandable entry. But would anyone plan a trip to Cape Town just because it’s the World Design Capital?
Whether or not California will be able to deliver a real high-speed line is still to be determined, but this first step should get us closer to finding out if they can get the early stages right.
Although overall theme park attendance grew 3.6 percent in 2012, the visitor boom at Disney’s Adventure Park is the direct result of Cars Land and the all-or-nothing $1.1 billion makeover last year.
Harry Potter boosted business at Universal’s Orlando park, and a similar result is expected alongside plans for increased hotels and retail for visitors and production employees.
Starwood will likely align itself as the business hotel for Apple’s global hubs, but the property could just as easily become a home base for visitors seeking an inside look at Apple's HQ.
American infrastructure for high-speed rail lags far behind that of other countries. Getting California's lines built may be a challenge for the U.S., but it's one worth taking on to avoid being left at the station.
Techies who want to take the idea of a shared workspace one step further can apply for the $40 per night stay through Airbnb, although some hostels have become more underground to avoid trouble from landlords.
What is and isn't an Indian casino in the U.S. is so much about local politics and creative boundaries that a battle like this amounts to not much more than closing the gate after the horses have escaped.