Hard Rock International, Seminole Gaming, Royal Caribbean International, and Celebrity Cruises are joining forces in a global partnership deal that will let travelers take advantage of perks and discounts across all four of the powerhouse brands.As part of the massive deal, millions of customers who are members of each brands’ loyalty and casino rewards programs will now have access to “reciprocal benefits.” The loyalty programs include Unity by Hard Rock, Royal Caribbean’s Club Royale, and Celebrity Cruises’ Blue Chip Club. Moving forward, members of all of the programs will earn reciprocal benefits anytime they play, stay, dine, or shop at participating Hard Rock locations or sail on any Royal Caribbean or Celebrity ships.“We see this as a marriage made in heaven,” Jeff Hook, executive vice president and chief marketing officer of Seminole Hard Rock Support Services, told TravelPulse during a recent interview."If you’re customer of Hard Rock, now you don’t just have benefits with Hard Rock, you also have benefits with Royal Caribbean and Celebrity. And conversely if you're a Royal Caribbean or Celebrity member, you now have benefits with Hard Rock.”
Taylor Swift’s New Song Lyrics Are Already Impacting Florida Tourism
23.04.2024 - 16:18 / travelpulse.com / North America / Laurie Baratti
The small beachside city of Destin, Florida, suddenly finds itself a center of worldwide attention, thanks to its inclusion in the lyrics of one of Taylor Swift’s newest songs, “Florida!!!” on her “Tortured Poets Department” album that dropped on April 19.
For those who’ve never heard of it, Destin is a picturesque coastal gem of a destination located on Florida’s Emerald Coast.
Part of the state’s northern Panhandle that borders the Gulf of Mexico, it’s known for its stunning emerald-green waters and its powdery, stunning white sand beaches composed of pure Appalachian quartz.
Unexpectedly thrust into the spotlight, this under-the-radar Floridian destination is already feeling the tourism-related effects of its name being dropped by one of the most famous musicians in the world. And, of course, the Sunshine State as a whole is bound to experience the kind of boost that comes with being associated with Swift in any way.
In Destin, at least, local officials have been quick to recognize the potential economic opportunity presented by the unanticipated attention. After all, it’s now common knowledge within the travel industry that any place on the planet that Taylor touches practically turns to gold.
The U.S. leg of her Eras Tour alone, which spanned twenty cities over a five-month period, generated $5 billion in direct spending for the sector. And, her widespread fanatical following is probably the single biggest contributor to the evolution of the gig-tripping trend that tourism is currently experiencing, with Swifties eager to travel to any city she’s appearing in.
Miramar Beach in Destin, Florida. (Photo Credit: Adobe Stock/Larry Gibson)
Destin’s mayor, Bobby Wagner, told Thrillist, “We’re super honored to be the only city that was mentioned in her ‘Florida’ song. I think it's an awesome moody song and we were just very happy and excited to be a part of the T-Swizzle community.” He added, “Naturally, we're trying to reach out to her.”
Jennifer Adams, Destin-Fort Walton Beach's tourism director, told the outlet that her office was ecstatic when it learned of the lyrical mention within Swift’s highly anticipated album and said the effects are already being felt. “We've not only seen more searches on Google, but we've had a lot of inquiries into the welcome center,” she said. “And, lots of locals. Everybody really, really seems very pleased. We're thrilled.”
Now, Wagner, alongside the tourism workers and other public servants of Destin, its neighboring town of Fort Walton Beach, are scrambling to capitalize on the destination’s newfound fame. But, there’s also a question of how big of an impact a small town like Destin can actually handle.
Mayor Wagner admitted, “Granted, we could never accommodate
Travel Advisors Share 10 Hotels Worth Splurging On
As industry insiders, it goes without saying that travel advisors have the scoop on all things travel-related. That includes the hotels and resorts that are truly worth their steep price-tag.And if we’re being honest, what globetrotter likes splurging on a hotel only to be disappointed? There’s nothing worse than discovering upon check-in that a property you were eagerly anticipating is not exactly worth what you paid for it. With that in mind, we decided to reach out some of the industry’s top advisors to gather their insider’s opinion on hotels that are worth every penny…and then some. So be sure to bookmark this page for your next vacation, because here are the hotels that you can feel comfortable splashing a little cash on.
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Delta Air Lines to Restart Flights Between New York and Nigeria
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ASTA Says DOT's New Airline Rules Could Negatively Impact Travel Advisors
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Visit Florida's Playbook: Tourism CEO's Marketing Strategy
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Mother’s Day Gift Guide 2024: Top New York Restaurant Gift Certificates
Dinner out is always a welcome gift and it’s an even better one for mothers who stay up to date on New York’s restaurant scene and want to try the ones most in demand. Getting those top tables is tough, though, even if you follow to the second the advice on the booking platform Resy about when reservations drop. (Part of the gift, then, might also be handling the reservation process instead of leaving it to your mom. )
Bahamas Names Valery Brown-Alce As Tourism Ministry Deputy Director General
Valery Brown-Alce is a veteran in the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism with more than 30 years of experience working in various leadership capacities in the Bahamas Tourist Offices overseas. She has been at the helm of the Sales & Market-ing area in key markets in the United States having worked in Florida, Chicago, Boston, Los Angeles and New York. As an Executive Director, Mrs. Brown-Alce has successfully led the Global Sales teams in the United States, Canada and Europe executing Strategic Sales plans, Partnership programs with leading travel distribution companies towards achieving the goals of the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism.
I've visited 93 countries, 57 of them with kids. These 5 underrated spots are great places to enjoy with your family.
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Karen Edwards , who blogs about her family's travels around the world. The following has been edited for length and clarity.
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Tourism and Travel Ushering in More Environmentally Friendly Era
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