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NYC leaps into LGBT limelight N
ew York City is set for a “monumental” 2019 when it hosts WorldPride for the
first time next une.
The 30-day event will be the first in the , embracing events across the city from rallies and parties to educational activities and lectures. New York is viewed by many as the birthplace of the gay rights movement following the 1969 Stonewall uprising, when protests and clashes with police followed a raid at the Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village.
The demonstrations kick-started the fight for BT liberation, making New York the perfect choice to mark the event’s 50th anniversary in 2019. “With an abundance of blockbuster openings across New York City and the historic 50th anniversary of Stonewall, 2019 will
truly be a monumental year,” said Fred Dixon, NYC & Company president and chief executive. He added: “We encourage travellers to plan ahead now and put New York City on their must-visit list for next year.” By the end of 2018, the city is expecting to have
welcomed 65.1 million visitors – 51.4 million domestic and 13.7 million international – a 3.7% increase on last year’s record- breaking figures. rowth is spurring the opening of a host of new hotels, most in time for WorldPride, when three million visitors are predicted. ix enses will launch its first property in June in the Chelsea
neighbourhood, which is set to become the brand’s urban flagship. The long-awaited TWA Hotel at JFK is due to open in early 2019 in its restored Eero Saarinen landmark 1962 Flight Center. It will feature a 512-room hotel with six restaurants, eight bars and a 10,000sq ft observation deck with pool. There will also be a museum devoted to the Jet Age, TWA and the mid-century modern design movement.
High-end gym chain Equinox is branching out into the luxury hotel market with its debut opening in the new Hudson Yards district. The fitness hotel will be part of a 2 billion development on Manhattan’s west side. When complete, Hudson Yards will also be home to a centre for artistic invention and 14 acres of public space.
ew flights open up Panama City
S
pain’s Air Europa is launching a new route from Madrid to Panama City, opening up the
narrow strip of Central America to European travellers.
The service, which launches on February 25, will use new Boeing 787 aircraft, and begin with five rotations weekly Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday), increasing to daily from June 1, 2019. The airline’s UK director Colin Stewart said: “Recife in Brazil and Ecuador’s capital, Quito, are the two most recently added destinations to the Air Europa network and have both shown steady growth, with last December and January showing the highest revenue on both routes.”
St Lucia set to celebrate its big 4-0 S
t Lucia is gearing up for the 40th anniversary of independence in 2019 with
a series of special events.
Key among them will be an inaugural horse race at the new track at Beausejour in Vieux Port in February, while a village tourism initiative begins in January to encourage visitors to experience “the real St Lucia”. This will embrace Gros Islet, Anse La Raye and the former capital, Soufriere, before being rolled out to another five locations. Art, music, food, craft, storytelling and dance will play a role in promoting traditional culture and a governing body for village tourism will be announced by January 2019. Work has also begun on the new terminal at Hewanorra International airport. This is expected to take two years and include improvements to the runway. The existing terminal will remain open during the development. Minister for tourism, information and
broadcasting Dominic Fedee has launched a National Tourism Advisory Committee to share ideas and set standards for best practice in sustainable tourism.
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He said: “We have brought together the key organisations and departments that contribute to the success of our tourism industry in St Lucia. Together, our vision is to create a sustainable and competitive future for our tourism in a structured manner by reviewing its effectiveness with visitors and impact on our local communities.” St Lucia reported a 10.6% increase in visitor numbers as of June 2018 at 278,194. UK visitors were up 5.1% to 49,656, not including cruise or yacht arrivals. The UK is the second-largest international market after the USA.
Visitor numbers were up by more than 10% in St Lucia from June 2017 to June 2018
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