Archive for 2010/06
Top 5 film & TV themed destinations
Film and TV tourism has steadily grown in popularity over recent years, and while rainy Forks might not be ideal for everyone here’s five other shows that have managed to spawn their very own travel boom…
Dr Jones’ search for the Holy Grail takes him to ‘the Canyon of the Crescent Moon’ in the finale of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, and the real-life location where it was filmed is steeped in no less historic mystique. Unknown to the west until 1812, the ‘rose red city’ of Petra is a UNESCO World Heritage Site described by the organisation as “one of the most precious cultural properties of man’s cultural heritage”. Two decades after the cinematic debut that gave it worldwide exposure, Petra remains Jordan’s most popular attraction.
The Da Vinci Code – France, Italy & Wales
If there’s one author that’s done Europe’s travel agents a favour it’s undoubtedly Dan Brown, author of The Da Vinci Code. The book was an instant best-seller and, following its film adaption, has now given rise to a host of themed tours across Europe. Brown’s story follows protagonist Robert Langdon on a quest to solve the mystery of the Holy Grail, taking in everywhere from the Welsh town of Llangollen to the Louvre’s pyramid in Paris. One canny tour operator in Rome has even launched an official “Angels and Demons tour,” which takes in sites featured in Brown’s precursor to The Da Vinci Code.
Lord of the Rings – New Zealand
It’s often said that Peter Jackson’s acclaimed adaptation of The Lord of the Rings was shot in New Zealand due to its stunning geographical diversity, which aptly portrays the world of Tolkien’s novels. And it now seems the scenery has captured viewers’ imaginations as much as the story itself – ‘Tolkien Tourism’ has flourished, with fans coming in droves to see the big-screen Lothlórien, Rivendell, and Mordor. New Zealand has welcomed them with open arms, setting up guided tours and encouraging exploration of their very own Middle Earth.
The Blues Brothers – Chicago, USA
Musical comedy The Blues Brothers not only earned a cult following for itself but also attracted growing numbers of tourists to Chicago, in whose underbelly film was set. Featuring musical numbers by the likes of James Brown and Aretha Franklin, the movie thrust the Windy City into the spotlight and to this day continues to inspire generations of travellers. It also ushered in a new wave of filmmaking in Chicago, which has been the setting of some 200 movies since The Blues Brothers in 1979.
Lost – Hawaii, USA
For all its perils there are certainly worse places to be marooned than Lost’s enigmatic, unnamed island. Visitors are unlikely, however, to find any polar bears in Hawaiian island Oahu where much of the series was filmed, although its golden beaches and lush tropical greenery will certainly be familiar. Holiday bookings have leapt since the show began, and it’s likely that after spending some time in this sun-kissed paradise, many visitors wish there wasn’t a plane coming to take them home again.
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Airline food probe uncovers unsanitary conditions
US officials have alleged a catalogue of suspected health and sanitation violations after inspecting food-preparing facilities used by several airlines, it has emerged.
The Food and Drug Administration this week issued a report highlighting food handlers’ poor hygiene, unsatisfactory storage conditions and unclean equipment.
Inspectors also noted evidence of vermin such as rodents and cockroaches – the latter being “too numerous to count” – at the LSG Sky Chefs facility in Denver.
Other hazards included the presence of potentially fatal Listeria bacteria on one kitchen’s floor, and another storing shellfish and dairy products at an unsafe temperature.
A former Florida state food inspector consulted by USA Today called the findings “disturbing” and said that the situation was “getting worse and now poses a real risk of illness and injury to tens of thousands of airline passengers on a daily basis”.
As well as LSG Sky Chefs, two other major producers investigated were Gate Gourmet and Flying Food Group. Between them the caterers run 91 kitchens, providing more than 100 million meals a year to airlines operating both domestic and international flights from the US.
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IATA: Passengers returning to the skies
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) said year-on-year passenger traffic rose nearly 12 per cent last month, pushing it marginally above the levels seen in early 2008.
But it noted that capacity increases were lagging far behind passenger demand, having nudged up by a mere 4.8 per cent in May, which could potentially lead to higher airfares.
Commenting on the figures, IATA director general Giovanni Bisignani said: “Demand rebounded strongly in May following the impact of the European volcanic ash fiasco in April. Passenger traffic is now one per cent above pre-recession levels, while the freight market is six per cent bigger.”
He advised global airlines to “[n]urture the recovery” by ensuring that extra capacity matches extra demand, and called on all groups within the industry to focus on cost-cutting.
The IATA data also re-affirms that Europe is lagging behind other regions, with demand spiking by just 8 per cent against 11 per cent in North America and 13 per cent in the Asia Pacific. The region with the highest growth was Africa and the Middle East, which grew by 17 per cent.
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Tourism: keeping Europe the world’s top destination - EUcommerz
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