Mexico City Airport to be Enlarged

Plans have been announced to greatly increase the size of the Mexico City airport. Two runways will be built over the dry bed of what was once Texcoco Lake and an additional terminal will be constructed. The project is not expected to be completed in less than 10 years. Plans to develop an entirely new airport were dropped when farmers objected to the expropriation of their lands. The new facility is aimed at doubling present capacity.

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Jimm Budd

Reporting From Mexico City

Member of the Society of American Travel Writers

Guadalupe Day

Crowds will begin forming tonight for a vast pilgrimage to the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the most holy shrine in Mexico. There, on a hill in the north of modern Mexico City, the Virgin Mary is said to have appeared to a native in recently-conquered Mexico, and asked that a church be erected on the site of an Aztec temple to the mother of God. To convince skeptics, the Virgin placed her image on the native’s cloak. It hangs today in the shrine and an expected five million people will converge upon the site tonight and tomorrow. The date also informally marks the beginning of the Christmas season in Mexico, ending on the Epiphany in January.

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Jimm Budd

Reporting From Mexico City

Member of the Society of American Travel Writers

Fonatur Failures Outlined

Fonatur, the National Fund for Tourism Development, promises much but delivers little, according to its critics. Cancun is the one great success, followed by Los Cabos, although Los Cabos was attracting tourists before anyone ever heard of Fonatur. The three other original master-planned resort areas – Ixtapa, Huatulco and Loreto – have not lived up to their claimed potential. Playa Espiritu on the Pacific in Sinaloa and the Nautical Stairway planned for the Sea of Cortes seem to have been abandoned along with Costa Maya south of the Riviera Maya and Costa Lora, on the Gulf of Mexico south of Brownsville and Matamoros. All this was pointed out recently by Rodrigo Gallegos in a study made for the Mexico Competiveness Institute.

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Jimm Budd

Reporting From Mexico City

Member of the Society of American Travel Writers

Good Year for Hospitality

Tourism Minister Claudia Ruiz Massieu reports that earnings from international travel were up 8 percent over the $12.7 billion spent during 2012 and the same rate of growth is expected next year. This, she noted, is not reflected in the number of travelers who visited the country but that the amount of money that they spent is far more important.

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Jimm Budd

Reporting From Mexico City

Member of the Society of American Travel Writers

New From Xcaret

Xochimilco Cancun is the newest theme park opened by the Xcaret Group, noted for its installations on the Riviera Maya. Xochimilco is much closer to Cancun itself, being just a short drive from the Cancun airport. The park is a replica of the original in Mexico City where Xochimilco and its floating gardens dates back to Aztec times.

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Jimm Budd

Reporting From Mexico City

Member of the Society of American Travel Writers

Tourism Up, Earnings Not

While Mexico annually attracts more visitors, they spend much less than travelers to other countries. Mexico ranks 13^th among tourism destinations yet is only 24^th in tourism expenditures. Noting all this, Carlos Vogeler, regional director for the UN’s World Tourism Organization, suggested that Mexico needs to modernize its facilities and increase airline service to the country if it wants to improve matters.

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Jimm Budd

Reporting From Mexico City

Member of the Society of American Travel Writers

Tax exemption for conventions

Delegates to international conventions will not be required to pay a sales tax on their hotel rooms, nor will the tax be added to the cost of organizing these meetings. Congress recently approved a new tax code, which will take effect next year. The sales tax —or, to be more specific, a value-added tax —  although it will be increased in border areas, will not affect international conventions. Tourism authorities recognized that the tax would have made Mexico less competitive than rival destinations. Overall, convention business has been declining in many countries.

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Jimm Budd

Reporting From Mexico City

Member of the Society of American Travel Writers

Rosewood to Expand

Already operating what supposedly is the most expensive hotel in Mexico — Las Ventanas al Paraiso in Los Cabos — Rosewood reportedly is planning to open a property in Mexico City and another on the Riviera Nayarit just north of Puerto Vallarta. In addition to Los Cabos, Rosewood manages resorts in San Miguel de Allende and on the Riviera Nayarit plus many more around the world.

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Jimm Budd

Reporting From Mexico City

Member of the Society of American Travel Writers

Mexico City Airport Saturated

As of next year, no additional flights we be permitted at Mexico City International. The busiest airport in the country is saturated and no more slots are available. For more than a decade there has been talk of building a new airport, but after angry farmers halted a project that would have cost them their lands, nothing more has been done. Efforts to promote alternative airports have fizzled, since for many passengers Mexico City is simply a hub, the place to connect from Xalapa to Houston, and this cannot be done at Toluca.

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Jimm Budd

Reporting From Mexico City

Member of the Soceity of American Travel Writers

National Parks Traveler’s Parkipedia an Innovative Approach to Park Guidebooks

One of the most intriguing, exciting and innovative approaches to national park guidebooks has been launched by National Park Traveler, the top-ranked website dedicated to daily editorial coverage of the national parks. National Parks Traveler’s Parkipedia, modeled after the ubiquitous Wikipedia online encyclopedia, takes a crowd-sourcing approach to guidebook creation.

Parkipedia recently arrived with the redesign of the eight-year-old Traveler’s website. Central to that redesign was creation of a “members area” for readers who, for $9.95 a year, become Traveler members. Members benefit from not just Parkipedia, but also from discounts on trips, lodging and book titles as well as forums for discussing all aspects of national park visits.

As with Wikipedia, entries to Parkipedia can be contributed and edited by all Traveler members. Details on hiking, lodging, dining, activities and supporting photographs on all aspects of national park visits can be contributed by Traveler members.

“Printed guidebooks, sadly, are dinosaurs of sorts in today's digital world,” said Kurt Repanshek, Traveler founder and editor-in-chief who has himself authored multiple guidebooks. “The time it takes to research, write, and print them almost makes them obsolete by the time they're published There is some pertinent information that stands the test of time in printed form — hiking trails rarely are rerouted, and the Old Faithful Inn will remain standing year-in, year-out, barring a cataclysmic fire — but businesses that operate in or near the parks can go out of business, and rates for activities can change.

“That’s where Traveler’s Parkipedia comes in. With a few clicks, its information can quickly be updated to reflect today’s realities,” he said.

While many printed park guides are researched and written by one or two people, Traveler’s Parkipedia guides are collaboratively written by the people who time and again visit their favorite parks and have amassed years of knowledge in the areas of hiking, wildlife, camping, lodging and more.

“If Acadia is your favorite national park, we hope you’ll share your insights about the park trails and the lodging available in Bar Harbor, Southwest Harbor and Northeast Harbor,” said Repanshek. “If Shenandoah is your ‘home’ park, we’d like you to share your knowledge of when the wildflowers bloom and where the best flower patches can be found. If you work, or have worked, for the National Park Service, you’re among the experts who we hope will contribute to Parkipedia.”

National Parks Traveler is published by National Park Advocates, LLC, and offers daily news, commentary, features and analysis on the national parks, the National Park Service and how Congress oversees the NPS.

More than 1.5 million people from nearly 200 countries visit National Parks Traveler each year.

More information about National Parks Traveler is available at www.nationalparkstraveler.com, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/NationalParksTraveler, on Linked In at www.linkedin.com/company/3335021?goback=%2Enpv_22181691,  on Flickr at www.flickr.com/groups/nationalparkstraveler/ on Google+ at \

https://plus.google.com/b/104306519305419282007/104306519305419282007/posts or on Twitter at @parkstraveler.

Jumex Museum opens

Containing what is considered the country’s best collection of contemporary art, the Jumex Museum opened this week. Name comes from the Mexican Juice Corporation (a free translation of the firm’s name), which provided funding. Located in what is being called the New Polanco, adjoining swank Polanco itself, the museum was designed by Britain’s David Chipperfield and the structure itself is considered a work of art. Mexico City already claims to have more museums than any other world capital.

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Jimm Budd

Reporting From Mexico City

Member of the Society of American Travel Writers

San Diego, Tijuana to share airport

Work has begun on what will be a binational airport serving both San Diego and Tijuana. There is no room available for the current San Diego airport to grow, although it needs more space. The Tijuana airport actually borders the international border. Runways will be in Mexico, with a walkway leading to the San Diego side at Otay Mesa, within San Diego city limits. The project has been studied for the past two decades. In spite of increased U.S. border security, apparently all problems have been resolved.

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Jimm Budd

Reporting From Mexico City

Member of the Society of American Travel Writers

Timeshare sales expected to grow

With the recovery of the economy in the United States, timeshare sales in Mexico are expected to increase by 8 percent next year. In 2012, the field generated $3.2 billion. Gerardo Rioseco, who heads the timeshare division at Fiesta Americana, predicted that final figures for 2014 will be notably higher. Timeshares, along with many varieties, usually are condominium apartments at resort areas, which purchasers acquire for use during a specific time over a specified number of years. This allows builders to recover their investment quickly while buyers are protected against increased room rental rates.

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Jimm Budd

Reporting From Mexico City

Member of the Society of American Travel Writers

Bargain Weekend

This weekend Mexico celebrates what was supposed to be the beginning of the Mexican Revolution, originally scheduled to start Nov 20 in 1910, but things did not work out as planned. Nonetheless, within a few months uprisings led to the fall of Porfirio Diáz, who had held on to the presidency for some three decades. As a result, banks, schools and many offices will be closed on Monday for what is being called El Buen Fin¸the Good End. This is Mexico’s version of Black Friday, with bargains galore available.

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Jimm Budd

Reporting From Mexico City

Member of the Society of American Travel Writers

Yellowstone lodges offer winter packages

This winter’s travelers looking for something new can turn to an old favorite. Yellowstone National Park, a perennial favorite of millions of travelers worldwide since 1872, is transformed into a winter wonderland each year that causes even the park’s biggest aficionados to feel like they are seeing it for the first time.

Xanterra Parks & Resorts’ Yellowstone National Park Lodges, the operator of lodging, restaurants and activities in Yellowstone, offers packages that are designed to showcase the park’s winter offerings while minimizing the logistical planning that is necessary for a winter visit.

During the summer, nine lodges are easily accessible by car, but only two lodges are open in winter with most of the roads passable only to over-the-snow vehicles. Of Yellowstone’s annual visitors, around 3 percent see the park in December through March.

“Our job is to help our guests discover the secrets and surprises of the winter season in Yellowstone,” said Rick Hoeninghausen, director of sales and marketing for Xanterra in Yellowstone. “This park can be surreal in the winter, as winter temperatures mixing with the world’s highest concentration of steamy thermal features create other-worldly snowscapes. There is also the best wildlife watching in the lower 48 states, and simply touring Yellowstone with so few people adds up to a profound and possibly life-changing experience.”

Xanterra offers an array of multi-day packages that help visitors focus on their interests. These packages include “Lodging & Learning” packages in partnership with the Yellowstone Association Institute, self-guided winter “Getaway Packages” and a guided snowmobile “Adventure Package” as well as lodging and transportation options for those who want to explore the park on their own.

The park’s winter season begins Dec. 18, with the opening of Old Faithful Snow Lodge. Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel opens Dec. 20. The lodges provide the only wintertime accommodations within the park. Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel will close for the season March 3 and Old Faithful Snow Lodge will close March 2.

The popular Winter in Wonderland Lodging & Learning packages feature a comprehensive overview of the winter experience while additional packages focus on specific interests with titles like Yellowstone on Skis, Winter Wolf Discovery, Winter Wildlife Expedition, Old Faithful Winter Expedition and YNot Winter, a new package developed to teach participants the basics about winter-season travel to Yellowstone. Each program includes expert guides, accommodations, in-park transportation, some meals and Xanterra’s “Snow Card” good for 10 percent off meals, in-park transportation, tours, ski shop services and most retail items.

Xanterra also offers a variety of self-guided winter “Getaway Packages” and a guided snowmobile “Adventure Package” as well as lodging and transportation options for those who want to explore the park on their own.

A new airport shuttle from Bozeman-Yellowstone International Airport provides a convenient and cost-saving option for traveling to/from the park. Package participants receive a special rate of $39 (plus applicable taxes/fees) each way.

Except for the road from Gardiner, Mont. to Cooke City, Mont. via Mammoth Hot Springs, transportation within the park is limited to snowmobiles and enclosed heated snowcoaches during the winter. Snowcoach transportation is available daily to a variety of park locations. Xanterra also offers a wide range of half- and full-day snowcoach, ski and snowshoe tours and ski and snowshoe rentals as well as expert instruction and other services.

Yellowstone Association members receive a $10 discount on all courses and family memberships begin at $35 per year.

Complete details about “Lodging & Learning” packages as well as winter “Getaway” and “Adventure” packages, accommodations, restaurants and activities in Yellowstone can be found by calling (307) 344-7311 or toll-free (866) 439-7375, or visiting the web site at www.YellowstoneNationalParkLodges.com. —Submitted by Mona Mesereau