the review 61 TOURISM UPDATE Marine life within reach in Florida Keys
VISITORS to the middle Florida Keys can now enjoy an immersive experience with reef fish, invertebrates, stingrays and – the stars of the show – sharks, without entering the ocean at Florida Keys Aquarium
Encounters, a new
marine life attraction that opened this summer in Marathon. The signature feature of the facility is a
coral reef exhibit and shark habitat housed
in a 200,000-gallon
interconnected saltwater aquarium. Following an instructional presentation,
participants in the
90-minute encounter immerse themselves in the tank, hover over a mock coral reef structure and interact with tropical reef fish, rays and other reef-dwelling marine species that are part of the in-tank ecosystem. The encounter utilises tethered diving
technology, enabling individuals without any prior scuba experience to enjoy the in-water opportunity with supervision from professional dive instructors. A large fortified Plexiglas window divides the coral reef tank from a shark
and predatory fish tank, and participants can hand-feed these creatures through underwater feeding ports in the wall. Other interactive aquarium encounters include shallow touch tanks that feature starfish, conchs and horseshoe crabs, and
Papillon helps couples spread new wings BRITS can
now get married
surrounded by one of the world’s natural wonders, the Grand Canyon, after Papillon Helicopters launched a new wedding package. The wedding day will begin with a
private limousine transfer from the client’s Las Vegas hotel to Papillion’s exclusive VIP helicopter terminal. Guests will then embark on a
narrated flight from Las Vegas to the floor of the Grand Canyon in
allow feeding de-barbed stingrays and docile baby nurse sharks. At each encounter, a staff marine biologist
provides
introduction and guidance.
fla-keys.co.uk
A double-daily dose of North Carolina
complete Papillon luxury. Visitors will descend 4,000 feet into the depths of Grand Canyon West, past stunning rock formations formed from the Colorado River over millions of years.
Included in the package is champagne and wedding cake. Papillion then takes its guests on a scenic flight back to the strip with a limousine transfer back to their hotel.
papillon.com
THOSE heading to Charlotte, North Carolina, will be served by a second daily flight from September 14. The American Airlines service from Heathrow to Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) will be operated by US Airways. It will depart Heathrow at 14.25, arriving into Charlotte (pictured) at 18.20. The return flight will leave Charlotte at 22.30, arriving into Heathrow at 11.25 the next day. . The long-running existing
Chicago outlets have bargains aplenty
UK shoppers heading to one of the country’s most popular premium outlets, Chicago Premium Outlets, can now
benefit from free
transportation to the more than 120 designer outlet stores that include Ann Taylor, Armani, Banana Republic, Calvin Klein, Nike, Polo Ralph Lauren, Salvatore Ferragamo and Michael Kors.
Round-trip transportation from Chicago’s Union Station to Chicago Premium Outlets, in Aurora, Illinois, is now available every weekend for just $19.99. The deal includes a VIP coupon book. Customers spending over $350 at
the centre this summer receive a free Samsonite gift worth $25.
premiumoutlets.com/Chicago
UK-Charlotte service (US 731) leaves Heathrow at 10.05.
aa.com
educational PLAN AHEAD FOR PERECT HOLIDAY
I VISITED our local card shop earlier this week and saw that the Christmas cards have already gone on sale. Yes, in late August! Me, I tend to be one of those people who leaves his shopping, admin – in fact life in general – to the last minute, often with pretty disastrous results! So the idea of buying Christmas cards when I’m still in flip flops is totally alien to me. But it did remind me of the usefulness of careful planning when choosing a holiday, and how important it is to so many holidaymakers looking to go to the USA. At Virgin Holidays, we have already begun
to receive enquiries for 2016 departures; our bookings for 2015 are surging ahead, and our payment plans become ever more popular as customers look to protect their future holidays with prudent budgeting. Fortunately, for the majority of people who aren’t like me, there is a wealth of information and tools out there to make the most of a holiday to the USA – and which are being added to all the time as the industry seeks to deliver great customer value. Just this year, we’ve seen Disney introduce
the revolutionary MyMagic+ planning tool to ensure that park guests make the most of their time there. And you can look at any hotel, tourist board or attraction website and find ever- more sophisticated bells and whistles that put customers in control of their destiny once they touch down Stateside. These days people expect us to be making their lives easier, and will follow their ‘to do lists’ if they think that one destination or activity is going to achieve that more effectively than another. So ask yourself, is your planning tool up
to muster? Or is now the time to think about a new approach? I ’m afraid I can’t answer that question – I’m late for a meeting…
PHIL
BROOMFIELD Head of Corporate Communications/PR Virgin Holidays
Like to know more? Visit
www.visitusa.org.uk Subscribe to our fortnightly email newsletter online. Call the information and brochure request line on 0870 777 2213 or email
vusa@bhpdirect-mail.com
sellingtravel.co.uk
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