20 REGION AMERICAS &
20 REGION AMERICAS & CARIBBEAN Downtown, Los Angeles Artist rendering of the Automated People Mover train heading into Los Angeles International Airport Massive new transport project launched in Los Angeles Combination of an “automatic people mover” and new metro service will put city and coast more than ever in reach of travellers Los Angeles Tourism and Convention Board arrives at ITB Asia with some major travel trump-cards up its sleeve. With the US.766bn Crenshaw/ LAX transit project due for completion in 2020, travellers arriving at LAX will have access to the Metro Green Line, linking them to downtown LA or Santa Monica. The metro line will link to a new “APM”, or automatic people mover system, connecting passengers to an Intermodal Transportation Facility (ITF) via a Consolidated Rent-A-Car Center (CONRAC), on to the Central Terminal Area of the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). The APM will be approximately three kilometres long and will include six stations – three in the Central Terminal Area and three outside of the airport at other LAWA facilities such as the CONRAC and ITF. The Automated People Mover (APM) is an electric train system on a 3.6km elevated guideway with six stations total – three inside the Central Terminal Area (CTA) and three outside. Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) broke ground on the APM project in March of 2019 and anticipates that the system will be operational in 2023. The ongoing USbn transformation to reimagine the LAX airport experience across all terminals also sees a new Midfield Satellite Concourse being opened in 2020, adding 12 new aircraft gates. 2018 – RECORD TOURIST NUMBERS FOR LOS ANGELES Los Angeles reached an historic milestone in 2018, welcoming 50 million visitors for the first time ever and accomplishing the destination’s ambitious tourism goal two years early. The new record is 1.5 million visitors higher than 2017’s total – a 3.1% increase – marking the eighth-consecutive year of tourism growth for Los Angeles. In surpassing 50 million total visitors, Los Angeles set new tourism records for domestic and international visitation, hosting an estimated 42.5 million domestic visitors (3% increase) and 7.5 million international visitors (3.6% increase). Chinese visitors – many of whom stay in the LAX area – continue to drive international growth. Los Angeles is their No. 1 US destination with 1.2 million visitors who spend US.6 bn – by far the top international spenders. While LA Tourism has four full-time offices in China (Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Chengdu), it is also investing in emerging international markets in Scandinavia, India and South Korea. Ernest Wooden Jr., President and CEO of the Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board, stated that hotels in the LAX corridor continue to outperform entire LA County market, with over 85% occupancy in the first part of 2019. LA Tourism positions the Gateway offerings as a “fun layover” or a home base before other travels with LA’s highest concentration of affordable hotels, including every major hotel brand. The transformation of downtown LA has recently brought accolades from National Geographic Traveler magazine as one of the 28 friendliest neighbourhoods in the United States. Established as a leisure destination 11 years ago when L.A. LIVE turned on the lights at its expansive entertainment complex, the home of STAPLES Center is now visited by more than 20 million people a year. In the past 6 years alone, 14 hotels have opened or broken ground in DTLA, including InterContinental Los Angeles Downtown, NoMad Los Angeles and forthcoming Hoxton Hotel. And there’s more to come. The Academy Museum, opening later this year in mid-city, will be dedicated to the art and science of movie-making and will boast stateof-the-art galleries, exhibition spaces, movie theatres, and special event spaces. We are also just months away from the opening of Los Angeles Stadium, the new, 70,000 seat state-of-the-art stadium that will be the epicentre of the sports world and will host the 2022 Super Bowl, 2023 College Football Championship, 2026 World Cup bid, 2028 Olympic and Summer Olympic Games STAND P05 - BASEMENT 2 ITB ASIA NEWS • Thursday 10 October 2019 www.itb-asia-news.com
AMERICAS & CARIBBEAN REGION 21 Paradise for Columbus… and for today’s travellers as well The Dominican Republic stands out with varied landscapes, architectural treasures and cultural richness The island nation of the Dominican Republic seduces travellers in every season - just as it seduced Christopher Columbus more than five centuries ago. He didn’t hesitate to call it a paradise island when he landed on its shores in 1492. Present this year at ITB Asia, one of the key activities being promoted is that of MICE. Salto Bayaguana “The Dominican Republic obviously has everything to attract MICE groups, from stunning white sand beaches stretching over 600 kilometres, majestic mountains cove- red with lush forests and historical and cultural heritage of great beauty,” explains Tourism Minister Francisco Javier García. “But the Dominican Republic also offers other surprises, renowned cuisine, some of the most popular rums, the world’s best cigars and a wide range of eco-tourism activities that will help make your events unique.” The Dominican Republic’s rich heritage of Spanish, French and African influences has told five centuries of exciting stories to its visitors immersed in a breathtaking setting. To offer visitors the best welcome, the Dominican Republic also provides more than 73,000 hotel rooms, consisting of luxury resorts on the east coast, historic establishments in Santo Domingo, charming hotels on the north coast and the peninsula of Samaná and ecolodges in the Barahona region and in the centre. In addition to the large hotels that are well equipped with meeting and reception rooms, the capital, Saint-Domingue, now boasts a new convention centre opened in summer 2016 within the premises of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Occupying 4,500 sq m, it houses three large reception halls measuring 1,300, 1,100 and 900 sq m respectively (for up to 3,700 people), in a beautiful environment overlooking the Caribbean Sea and the capital’s promenade STAND P30 - BASEMENT 2 View of the coast near San Rafael, Barahona TAKING IN THE COUNTRYSIDE The country is known to have the most diverse topography for a single nation in the Caribbean region. One can go from a sandy beach to a cool, mountainous town over 500 meters above sea level in less than three hours. The country’s coastline runs for over 1,600 kilometres in total, with hundreds of accessible, breathtaking beaches. More surprisingly, the country is flanked by a series of great mountain ranges, the most important of which–the Cordillera Central–is home to the Caribbean’s highest peak: Pico Duarte, sitting at 3,087 metres. With 25% of the land consisting of protected areas, most of which are easily accessed, there are a myriad of reasons to venture off the beach. Explore lush valleys, cloud forests, national parks on and off shore, rivers leading to waterfalls, offshore cayes where turtles nest, ancient Taino caves shrouded in thick rainforest, or pine forests with near zero temperatures. Discover natural wonders like Lago Enriquillo, a saltwater lake so large it surpasses the size of Manhattan, home to American crocodiles and sitting at 40 meters (138 feet) below sea level, the lowest point in the Caribbean. The Dominican Republic is home to 29 national parks. Located all around the country–from the southwest to the north, east, and center–these lush areas are as much of a treasure as the island’s multitude of sandy stretches. Near the areas of Punta Cana, La Romana, and Bayahibe, visit the Cotubanamá National Park – or Parque Nacional del Este - home to impressive Taino caves, and fresh spring waters. The park includes the offshore islands of Saona, the most important turtlenesting site in the Dominican Republic, Catalina, and the sandbank of Catalinita, teeming with coral reefs and frigate bird colonies. Off the coast of Samaná, Los Haitises National Park is one of the most breath-taking sights in the country. A series of giant rocks jut out of the sea, thick mangroves thrive in surrounding waters, and brown boobies and frigate colonies fill the skies. On land, large Taino caves reveal centuries-old petroglyphs and pictographs. The park can be reached by boat from Samaná or by road from Sabana de la Mar, which makes for an even more unique adventure STAND P30 - BASEMENT 2 ITB ASIA NEWS • Thursday 10 October 2019
