
Nashville: With mop in hand The Gaylord Opryland Hotel isn't taking reservations, and the Grand Ole Opry House is out of commission, but there are plenty of other hotel rooms in Nashville, and the Grand Ole Opry is comfortable broadcasting from the Ryman Auditorium. That's a quick recap of the situation in Music City after a weekend of major rain (13 inches officially) on May 1-2 led to dramatic flooding throughout Middle Tennessee. From a tourism perspective, Nashville's message is that the music is sweet, the attractions are open and residents are welcoming guests with open arms. You still can drink a beer at Tootsie's Orchid Lounge, tour the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, visit the home of President Andrew Jackson and listen attentively at the Bluebird Café. Of special note, the gigantic CMA Music Fest (56,000 people from all 50 states and 22 countries in 2009) announced within days of the flood that the show will go on as planned June 10-13. On top of that vote of confidence, festival execs announced that 50 percent of the event’s net proceeds will go to flood recovery. For the latest in visitor information, check here for news and links from the Nashville Convention and Visitors Bureau. Gulf coast: With bated breath People along the Gulf Coast constantly are looking offshore for evidence of the BP oil spill. Tourism officials are using a variety of media to keep visitors – and potential visitors – informed, and all are sending thoughts skyward that no serious damage occurs. In Louisiana, there's an effort underway to line up restoration volunteers just in case they are needed. The database that’s being built seeks people for wildlife rescue, habitat cleanup, monitoring and photographing oil movement and even providing boats and skippers. The good thing is that no experience is required, just a willingness to help. Check here for Louisiana volunteer registration information, and look here for a list of information resources all along the coast. Europe: In the shadow of a volcano For a huge number of travel industry executives and everyday travelers, Eyjafjallajokull is a four-letter word. The Icelandic volcano with the unpronounceable name disrupted travel and cost both travelers and travel businesses millions of dollars in April, and it may not be over. The volcano's ash plume posed a danger to air travel – something airlines and air traffic controllers already knew – across a huge swath of European air space. Similar plumes happen fairly frequently around the globe, but none had shrouded a populated landmass such as western Europe before. "After a year like 2009, we would have loved not to face such a crisis," said Frederic Langlois, CEO of Rail Europe. "But the folks who were planning to travel are still booking, and that's good." Read details of Eyjfjallajokull’s impact from Travel Weekly. "Stop boycott talk," industry leaders say Tourism boycotts are counterproductive and hurt the wrong people, according to the U.S. Travel Association, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Arizona Chamber of Commerce, as threats emerged in reaction to Arizona's new immigration-related law. "It is very bad policy to boycott the businesses and harm the workers of Arizona based on the actions of the state legislature," said R. Bruce Josten of the U.S. Chamber. Read the perspective of Roger Dow, president and CEO of U.S Travel.	May 2010 10 meetings industry trends Cautious optimism for 2011, short-term bookings, meetings that cut a day off their normal programs and extreme price sensitivity are four of 10 trends Benchmark Hospitality sees as 2010 marches toward the midway point. Here's the full list. The best, the worst, the deadliest roads in America Reader’s Digest offers some caution-provoking information in a story of America's highways. Check here for the rundown on the states with the best roads (Kansas is tops), the deadliest (Montana claims this one) and the worst for speeding fatalities (Alabama leads this race to the finish line). Tourism's impact on Durham Read an up-to-date, easy-to-understand synopsis of the impact tourism has on one medium-size town in the South. The facts will impress. Southwest aims for South Carolina Southwest Airlines has announced it plans to start serving two South Carolina airports — Charleston and Greenville-Spartanburg. The company’s news release said service would begin in 2011 but did not report starting dates or connecting cities. STS News STS Marketing College Travel & Tourism Education July 25-30, Dahlonega, Ga. Register today STS Fall Meeting Conversations: Moving Travel and Tourism Discussions Forward Sept. 8 - 10, Greenville, S.C. Contact STS 404.364.9847 sts@southeasttourism.org www.southeasttourism.org
Southeast Tourism Society Corporate Partners

Nashville: With mop in hand

The Gaylord Opryland Hotel isn't taking reservations, and the Grand Ole Opry House is out of commission, but there are plenty of other hotel rooms in Nashville, and the Grand Ole Opry is comfortable broadcasting from the Ryman Auditorium.

That's a quick recap of the situation in Music City after a weekend of major rain (13 inches officially) on May 1-2 led to dramatic flooding throughout Middle Tennessee.

From a tourism perspective, Nashville's message is that the music is sweet, the attractions are open and residents are welcoming guests with open arms. You still can drink a beer at Tootsie's Orchid Lounge, tour the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, visit the home of President Andrew Jackson and listen attentively at the Bluebird Café.

Of special note, the gigantic CMA Music Fest (56,000 people from all 50 states and 22 countries in 2009) announced within days of the flood that the show will go on as planned June 10-13. On top of that vote of confidence, festival execs announced that 50 percent of the event’s net proceeds will go to flood recovery.

For the latest in visitor information, check here for news and links from the Nashville Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Gulf coast: With bated breath

People along the Gulf Coast constantly are looking offshore for evidence of the BP oil spill. Tourism officials are using a variety of media to keep visitors – and potential visitors – informed, and all are sending thoughts skyward that no serious damage occurs.

In Louisiana, there's an effort underway to line up restoration volunteers just in case they are needed. The database that’s being built seeks people for wildlife rescue, habitat cleanup, monitoring and photographing oil movement and even providing boats and skippers. The good thing is that no experience is required, just a willingness to help.

Check here for Louisiana volunteer registration information, and look here for a list of information resources all along the coast.

Europe: In the shadow of a volcano

For a huge number of travel industry executives and everyday travelers, Eyjafjallajokull is a four-letter word.

The Icelandic volcano with the unpronounceable name disrupted travel and cost both travelers and travel businesses millions of dollars in April, and it may not be over.

The volcano's ash plume posed a danger to air travel – something airlines and air traffic controllers already knew – across a huge swath of European air space. Similar plumes happen fairly frequently around the globe, but none had shrouded a populated landmass such as western Europe before.

"After a year like 2009, we would have loved not to face such a crisis," said Frederic Langlois, CEO of Rail Europe. "But the folks who were planning to travel are still booking, and that's good."

Read details of Eyjfjallajokull’s impact from Travel Weekly.

"Stop boycott talk," industry leaders say

Tourism boycotts are counterproductive and hurt the wrong people, according to the U.S. Travel Association, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Arizona Chamber of Commerce, as threats emerged in reaction to Arizona's new immigration-related law.

"It is very bad policy to boycott the businesses and harm the workers of Arizona based on the actions of the state legislature," said R. Bruce Josten of the U.S. Chamber. Read the perspective of Roger Dow, president and CEO of U.S Travel.

May 2010

10 meetings
industry trends

Cautious optimism for 2011, short-term bookings, meetings that cut a day off their normal programs and extreme price sensitivity are four of 10 trends Benchmark Hospitality sees as 2010 marches toward the midway point. Here's the full list.

The best, the worst, the deadliest roads in America

Reader’s Digest offers some caution-provoking information in a story of America's highways. Check here for the rundown on the states with the best roads (Kansas is tops), the deadliest (Montana claims this one) and the worst for speeding fatalities (Alabama leads this race to the finish line).

Tourism's impact on Durham

Read an up-to-date, easy-to-understand synopsis of the impact tourism has on one medium-size town in the South. The facts will impress.

Southwest aims for South Carolina

Southwest Airlines has announced it plans to start serving two South Carolina airports — Charleston and Greenville-Spartanburg. The company’s news release said service would begin in 2011 but did not report starting dates or connecting cities.

STS News

STS Marketing College
Travel & Tourism Education
July 25-30, Dahlonega, Ga.
Register today

STS Fall Meeting
Conversations: Moving Travel and Tourism Discussions Forward
Sept. 8 - 10, Greenville, S.C.

Contact STS

404.364.9847
sts@southeasttourism.org
www.southeasttourism.org

Southeast Tourism Society Corporate Partners

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