Tourism

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Chinese President Xi Jinping signaled that China will send new pandas to the United States, calling them “envoys of friendship between the Chinese and American peoples.” “We are ready to continue our cooperation with the United States on... Read More

WASHINGTON — It started happening as soon as the day’s U.S. Capitol tours began Friday morning. First there’d be an abrupt swivel of the head. Then fingers would point. And finally cellphones appeared as tourists, arms outstretched, tried to capture... Read More

WASHINGTON — Peak bloom isn’t expected to occur until sometime late next week, but an influx of tourists is already evident in anticipation of the National Cherry Blossom Festival, which is kicking off this year on Saturday, March 18, and... Read More

DALLAS (AP) — Southwest Airlines said it expects to return to normal operations Friday after slashing about two-thirds of its schedule in recent days, including canceling another 2,350 flights Thursday. Southwest is struggling to recover after being overwhelmed by a... Read More

WASHINGTON — Approximately 18.8 million people visited the District of Columbia last year, contributing some $5.4 billion to the local economy, but the numbers, released Wednesday as part of the city’s annual Travel Rally at Union Market, still remain significantly... Read More

FARGO, N.D. (AP) — A majority of Americans continue to support a mask requirement for people traveling on airplanes and other shared transportation, a new poll finds. A ruling by a federal judge has put the government’s transportation mask mandate on hold. The... Read More

WASHINGTON — Limited tours of the U.S. Capitol by the general public, something not seen since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, are set to resume Monday. An email sent to members of Congress and staff on Wednesday spelled out... Read More

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida tourism is rebounding exceptionally well and even surpassing pre-pandemic levels according to a recent announcement from Gov. Ron DeSantis. The Sunshine State welcomed 30.9 million visitors between October and December 2021, and nearly a full 118... Read More

DALLAS (AP) — Determined to reclaim Thanksgiving traditions that were put on pause last year by the pandemic, millions of Americans will be loading up their cars or piling onto planes to gather again with friends and family. The number... Read More

BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union plans to recommend that its 27 nations reinstate restrictions on tourists from the U.S. because of rising coronavirus infection levels there, EU diplomats said Monday. A decision to remove the U.S. from a safe... Read More

GULF SHORES, Ala. (AP) — Tourists and servers alike dance atop tables and in the aisles at one restaurant on the "Redneck Riviera," a beloved stretch of towns along the northern Gulf Coast where beaches, bars and stores are packed.... Read More

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Pandemic restrictions on Florida-based cruise ships will remain in place after a federal appeals court temporarily blocked a previous ruling that sided with a Florida lawsuit challenging the regulations. The one-paragraph decision by a three-judge... Read More

Rep. Jim Clyburn, D-S.C., is leading a bipartisan effort to preserve and showcase important Revolutionary War sites in both North and South Carolina and create a new trail linking them. The bill, H.R. 1286, otherwise known as the Southern Campaign... Read More

WASHINGTON -- The U.S. economy is continuing its recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic but not fast enough for tourism officials who testified before a Senate subcommittee Tuesday. They said their industry was the hardest hit during the pandemic shutdown and... Read More

WASHINGTON — COVID-19 has caused colossal damage to the U.S. travel industry, grounding airlines, emptying hotels, and stopping almost all business and leisure travel for months. The State Department isn’t suggesting this will change any time soon. In a discussion... Read More

Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam announced more than $1.9 million in matching grants will be awarded to 161 local tourism initiatives as part of Virginia Tourism Corporation’s Recovery Marketing Leverage Program.  The tourism body revised its traditional marketing program, creating the... Read More

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (AP) — The elevator doors opened and inside were 10 people crammed into a space no bigger than a closet, none of them wearing a mask. In bathing suits, they walked out of the hotel, across the... Read More