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FAY MAKES LANDFALL IN
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA. Tropical Storm Fay made landfall on
Florida's southwest coast early today, bringing soaking rains and
gusty winds but nothing like the destruction last seen in the area
during a 2005 killer hurricane. Scattered power outages were
reported early today, including 5,800 customers on upscale Marco
Island. After crossing the Florida Keys without causing major damage
Monday, Fay lumbered ashore about 5 a.m. this morning at Cape
Romano, just south of Naples, with sustained winds of about 60 mph.
Southwest Florida International Airport near Fort Myers operated
normally Monday, but airlines postponed about 140 flights until
evening hours today.
As it moved through the Caribbean, Fay was blamed for at least 14
deaths in Haiti and the Dominican Republic, including two babies who
were found in a river after a bus crash. Fay's track is showing the
storm moving toward the north-northeast near 9 mph, with a turn to
the north expected on Wednesday. On this track the center will cross
the coast of southwest Florida this morning and continue inland over
Central Florida. Forecasters say they do not expect Fay to become a
hurricane.
On Key West, Duval Street, the city's main tourist drag, stayed
empty most of the day Monday except for a few stragglers. Tourists
will be welcomed back to the Keys Wednesday after being shooed away
Sunday by a mandatory visitor evacuation. The Key West International
Airport will remain closed today but will reopen Wednesday. Almost
50 flights were canceled at Miami International Airport because of
weather associated with Fay, leaving some 2,800 passengers stranded
in the terminal. A Norwegian Cruise ship began its journey from the
Port of Miami earlier than planned Monday to stay out of Fay's path.
It left behind about a dozen would-be passengers, who arrived at the
port only to learn their ship had left without them. Other cruise
lines were adjusting their itineraries to avoid the storm. (AP;
www.MiamiHerald.com; www.OrlandoSentinel.com;
www.AtlantaJournal-Constitution.com; Pages A3, Washington Post; A16,
New York Times)
Amtrak has canceled service to Florida for today in light of the
expected landfall of Tropical Storm Fay. Among the trains canceled
were the Auto Train between Lorton, Va., and Sanford, Fla.; the
Silver Star between New York and Miami; and the Silver Meteor
between New York and Miami. Amtrak said no alternate transportation
will be provided. A decision regarding service on Wednesday had not
yet been made. Passengers may call 800-USA RAIL or visit Amtrak.com
for additional information.
Orlando's three big theme-park resorts made early preparations
Monday for Tropical Storm Fay, but all three were planning to
operate largely as normal today even with Fay expected to slosh
ashore. Orlando International Airport was also expected to remain
open through the day, though delays and some cancellations are
likely. Port Canaveral was closed, forcing one cruise ship to divert
to the Bahamas. The theme parks said they intend to make some
adjustments as they open for business today. Walt Disney World was
to open all four of its theme parks early, at 8 a.m., to ensure more
time for guests in case the weather deteriorates more than expected
during the afternoon. At SeaWorld Orlando, officials canceled an
evening program today. Universal Orlando said the two-park resort
was prepared to adjust quickly to the storm, if necessary.
(www.OrlandoSentinel.com/Business)
Marketing executive in South Florida are downplaying Fay's chances
of scaring off tourists. But should Fay be the opening act to
another active hurricane season, 2004 and 2005 probably won't seem
so long ago anymore. "It all boils down to one thing: whether or not
people see this as an isolated circumstance, or they see it as a
trend," said Peter Yesawich, whose Orlando research firm, Y
Partnership, publishes the National Travel Monitor. "If it's
perceived as being part of an ongoing event, then it can have a
very, very significant and negative effect." After the 2005
hurricane season, when Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast,
Florida dropped to No. 2 on Y Partnership's annual ranking of
Americans' favorite vacation states for the first time in two
decades. Occupancy plunged in hotels throughout South Florida in the
heart of the 2006 storm season, with the Keys seeing a devastating
17-point drop that August. (www.MiamiHerald.com/Business)
SEARCH TO RESUME FOR MISSING GRAND CANYON
TOURISTS. A handful of hikers remained unaccounted for after
flooding struck a tiny village near the Grand Canyon rim, a
community so remote it is the only one in America where the mail is
delivered by mule. The search was to resume this morning for about
11 people missing near the Havasupai Tribe's village of Supai,
officials said. They said it is possible those people might have
already left, but authorities would assume they were still in the
canyon until that could be determined. The 11 hikers either were
swept downstream or simply left the area on Saturday evening and
don't know they're considered to be missing. Helicopters on Monday
took turns ferrying 85 people out of Supai, about 2,300 feet below
the Grand Canyon rim. Rescuers transported another 170 people out of
Supai Canyon on Sunday.
Over the weekend, dozens of tourists were stranded as rushing water
swept away rafts, backpacks, food and other supplies. Some hiking
trails and footbridges were washed out and trees were uprooted. (AP;
Pages 4A, USA Today; A2, Washington Post; www.MiamiHerald.com)
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U.S. BORDER GOVERNORS URGE ACTION TO IMPROVE
MEXICO TOURISM. California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and
fellow border governors from Arizona, New Mexico, Texas and various
Mexican states have signed an agreement that urges the U.S.
Department of Homeland Security to remove obstacles to Mexican
travel to the United States, and provides recommendations that will
improve security and ease of travel. "Mexico is California's
number-one inbound market, generating approximately $1. 58 billion
in spending, so declines in that market would have a major impact on
our economy, including loss of jobs," said Caroline Beteta,
president and CEO of the California Travel & Tourism Commission and
incoming chair of the Travel Industry Association. Mexican travel to
the U.S. generates 26% of all overnight visitors to the U.S., making
it the second largest inbound travel market (only slightly behind
Canada). The border governors made a series of recommendations to
ease what they see as the growing obstacles to Mexican travel to the
U.S., including lengthy waits at land borders and airports. Homeland
Security Secretary Michael Chertoff spoke at the Border Governor's
Conference on Thursday. He emphasized fostering longstanding trade
relationships between the U.S. and Mexico, improving efficiency at
the border while enhancing security and increasing infrastructure
and personnel at ports of entry. (www.Hotel-Online.com, 8/15;
Special to TA)
WHITE HOUSE REJECTS FOREIGN-PORT REQUIREMENT
FOR CRUISE SHIPS. The White House Office of Management and
Budget has rejected a proposal to strengthen the requirement for
foreign-port visits by foreign-flagged cruise ships. The proposal
targeted foreign-flag vessels that made cursory calls at foreign
ports while sailing between U.S. ports, disembark on the way from
California to Hawaii. Such short port calls were viewed as a threat
to interisland Hawaii voyages operated by the U.S.-flagged NCL
America ships. The proposal called for revisions and strict
enforcement of the U.S. Passenger Services Act. The proposed
changes--which caused an outcry from officials in California and
Alaska who feared a drastic drop in cruise business--would have
required foreign-flagged ships to spend at least 50% of the total
itinerary in foreign ports and allow passengers to disembark at the
foreign port. "The proposed final rule is a reasonable compromise
that is limited to Hawaii and imposed no minimum stay in any foreign
port," NCL said in a statement. "The rule permits foreign-flag
cruise ships to offer bona fide international voyages built around
Hawaii port calls from any port in the United States, while making
clear that only U.S.-flag cruise ships are permitted to offer truly
domestic Hawaii itineraries." (www.ModernAgent.com, 8/18)
Soaring jet fuel bills are forcing more of the already endangered
jumbo jets from U.S. domestic service, reports USA Today. Airlines
have scheduled wide-body jets on just 143 flights per day on average
for routes between Lower 48 U.S. airports, according to the paper's
analysis of November schedules data from OAG--Official Airline
Guide. That's nearly a third fewer flights than a year ago, and the
steepest percentage drop among all aircraft types. Wide-body
jets--such as Boeing 747s and 767s--are commonly found on U.S. on
long-haul flights, such as New York to Los Angeles. Business
travelers love the room and ride of the jumbo jets. (Page 3B, USA
Today)
The Wall Street Journal advises business travelers to get ready for
a wave of annoying airline rules requiring them to stay at their
destination a minimum number of days or over a Saturday night--if
they want he cheapest tickets. The move is an effort to force
business travelers, who usually need the most flexibility and want
to be home on the weekends, to pay more for their flights. Airlines
have increased restrictions on cheap fares by raising overnight
requirements, upping what had commonly been only a one-night stay
requirement to two and three nights. (Page D1, Wall Street Journal)
The New York Times says it's amazing how many travelers still arrive
at the airline check-in counter with grossly overweight bags and
then keep others waiting in line while they kneel on the floor,
pulling belongings from one bag and cramming them into another. The
paper also wonders what's up with all those specially dedicated
lanes that funnel people into various categories up to the
checkpoint. The Delta Air Lines terminal at La Guardia Airport seems
to have more dedicated lanes than your local bowling alley, says the
paper. There is one lane reserved for members of the privately
operated Clear registered traveler program. Another is reserved for
Delta passengers flying first class and business class as well as
those in its top two frequent-flyer elite levels and members of its
Crown Room airport clubs; another is for airline and airport
employees. There are three other lanes--one designated for families
and "special needs" travelers, one for "casual travelers" and a
third for "expert travelers." (Page C6, New York Times)
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