Airport.ca the travel blog

JUN

Newly Restored Library of Parliament Rated One Of Canada's Top Tourist Draws

It's taken 10 years of preparation and 4 years of closure, but the oldest building on Parliament Hill has finally been re-opened. If you have a love and appreciation for Victorian Gothic architecture, the Parliamentary Library is a must-see. In 1916 a fire ripped through Parliament Hill and destroyed everything except for the octagonal-shaped library which was originally built in 1876. In fact, had a librarian not closed the big iron doors during the breakout of the 1916 fire, the library would almost assuredly burned to the ground.

The 130-year old building, overlooking the Ottawa River was quite literally falling apart. Leaking windows, vastly outdated electrical wiring and crumbling walls made the restoration a necessity. It took $136 million but just about every aspect of the library has been updated, including some added features like a climate-controlled basement to help store archived books and documents.

It sounds cliche but Canada does have a lot to offer any tourist be they foreign or Canadian. Whether you are a history buff, or a thrill seeker sometimes the best trips and tourist attractions are close to home.

Stand atop a glass-floored platform that soars 190 metres above Calgary. Experience British Columbia in a new interactive way. Canoe the Bow River through the heart of Banff. View an incredible collection of ceramics in Toronto. Watch the historic changing of the guard in Halifax. These are just some of the hot new experiences awaiting travellers across Canada this summer.

Library of Parliament rated a top tourist draw this summer [Ottawa Business Journal]
Canada's Top Ten New Attractions for Summer 2006 [WHERE Canada]

TAGS: tourism canada parliament ottawa library

MAY

Gas Prices Killing Travel

As gas prices rise, people start feeling the pinch at the pumps. In Ottawa, the gas prices have been as high as $1.25 a litre with no signs of relief, and so many commuters are not spending any more time than they have to driving their car from point A to point B.

According to CNN, high gas prices are causing financial stress for seven out of ten Americans, and I would not be surprised if just as many Canadians are effected.

High gas prices lower tourism, and shopping at brick and mortar stores. People are driving less, cutting short vacations and trying to find other ways to save fuel.

"The U.S. economy is growing quickly, China is growing quickly and other countries are doing better -- demand has gone up," said Phillip Swagel, an energy analyst at the American Enterprise Institute.
Analysts blame the higher prices on a tight worldwide supply, unstable politics in oil-producing countries, an inadequate number of U.S. refineries and delays in the U.S. in switching over to summer blends of fuel.

Whatever the reasons, soaring gas prices are affecting people's behavior.

Two-thirds of those surveyed said they have cut back on driving and have reduced the use of heating and air conditioning. One-half say they have trimmed vacation plans.

It should be interesting to see how things play out over the next year or two. Many were hoping that over a dollar a litre gas prices would be short lived, and not come back for a long time, but unfortunately, too fast for most people, we are back to digging deep in our pockets to decide if we can go to the store, or if it will have to wait until later.

Will new technology come and save our wallets? Will the government intervene? People are hoping for some relief, any relief.

Gas prices have drivers fuming [CNN]

TAGS: tourism gas gas prices

AUG

Travel To Canada Drops, Primarily Due To Fewer Day Trips Taken By Americans

According to Statistics Canada, Canada had 3.1 million visitors during the month of June. 2.7 million of those visitors were from the United States. (quick math; 87% of total visits from U.S.)

Travel to Canada fell to its lowest monthly level in nearly a year in June, according to Statistics Canada.

Travel from overseas countries rose for a seventh consecutive month (398,000), but that was more than offset by a drop in the number of American visitors.

The drop in Americans was primarily due to fewer Americans making same-day car trips north of the border.

Travel to Canada drops [CBC]

TAGS: tourism industry

AUG

$100 Million Can Buy You A Ticket To The Moon

"The company that pioneered commercial space travel by sending 'tourists' to the international space station is planning a new mission: rocketing people around the far side of the moon.

The price of a round-trip ticket: $100 million.

The first mission by Space Adventures could happen in 2008 or 2009 and is planned as a stepping stone to an eventual lunar landing."

TAGS: tourism moon space

JUL

I Left My Tongue In San Francisco

"In San Francisco, you don't have to pretend. You can come out. You can admit to the world - yes, I am a tourist.

It's not like Manhattan, where you're surrounded by busy New Yorkers and want to be one of the locals. There, you feel obliged to say things like 'geddadamaface' and 'yagaddabekiddunme' if a lost-looking tourist asks you whether you've spotted a Starbucks.

By contrast, San Francisco is a meeting place for visitors from every imaginable city, country, planet and sexuality, so you can be yourself, whatever you are."

TAGS: tourism

JUL

Alabama Asks Residents To Boycott Aruba

"The Alabama House passed a resolution Friday asking Alabama residents to boycott travel to Aruba, where a teenager has been missing for more than seven weeks.

The resolution expresses concern that no one has been charged in the disappearance of 18-year-old Natalee Holloway of Mountain Brook, Ala."

TAGS: tourism

MAR

Atlanta Gets New Coke Museum

The New World of Coca-Cola Museum will break ground in April and will do so with help from city coffers. The museum is slated for a 2007 launch and is expected to pull in about 1.3 million visitors annually. This new museum will cost about 96 million and will be double the size of the current Coke museum.

Atlanta agrees to help pay for new Coke museum [USA Today]
Photo: [Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY]

TAGS: tourism museum