The Travel Promotion Act is supposedly going to raise around $200 million dollars annually that will be spent on boosting tourism. Senate has now passed the bill which will apparently help the much battered American tourism industry, which has yet to recover since the devastating attacks of 9/11.

With the economic crisis also having a rather devastating impact, many people are under the impression that these new changes will rescue the much ailing tourist industry. Opinion is divided though as it also encourages that everyone who is entitled to a free visa on arrival should be forced to pay a $10 surcharge. Compared to the $131 visa that other nations have to pay, surely it’s a bargain.

However, Europe is not impressed and the worldwide travel industry expects some degree of retaliation if its citizens are forced to pay. After all, this bill is supposed to promote tourism not charge for entry to the United States.

But then again, the US tourism industry is worth around $740 billion dollars a year and if the senate does not do something quick, many thousands of people will lose their jobs as analysts have predicted that tourism figures are down by around 46 million visitors a year.

What exactly will happen in regards to these latest plans is unsure, and who exactly the $200 million will help is unclear, but one thing’s for sure it may very well be a very expensive $10 dollar surcharge for the United States government.

This new bill will affect only those who do not require a visa. Effectively, it’s an arrival tax, but the question is – would you accept being forced to pay $10 to visit the United States? Or is it simply another step too far for capitalist America?

But it’s their latest idea that’s got everyone up in a storm as their new hotel has the potential to change the face of luxury hotels forever. If you’ve not heard of the Hydropolis then you’re certainly in for a shock when we tell you about this strange but fascinating hotel.

For just $5,000 a night guests can stay in what is perhaps the world’s only luxury underwater hotel. That’s right, the hotel is completely underwater and as it nears completion, the hype is rising and this hotel looks set to be a winner.

Traveling to the hotel will be done by a special under-sea railway system, and guests will be given the chance to share their intimacies with the fish as their rooms are supposedly entirely made out of reinforced concrete and plexi-glass.

Down underwater you’ll be able to see all sorts of natural marine life and if you’re lucky maybe even some mermaids! As the Hydropolis nears completion, people are eager to put down some money for a chance to stay at this once in a lifetime hotel.

Designed by Roland Dieterle, this hotel will comprise of 300 luxury suites spread across an area of around 260 hectares. This isn’t the first underwater hotel in the lineup, as if the Hydropolis is a success; there are plans to build variations worldwide.

The hotel is now nearing completion, and looks set to open within the next few months. It’s located not far from the famous Palm Islands which is a group of three man-made islands which contain every luxury you could ever imagine.

If Dubai isn’t the best place in the world for a millionaire, we sure don’t know what is!

Tese new flights commence on the 7th of March 2010, and tourists will get even more opportunities to visit the stunning island archipelago which is famous throughout the world.

With many other new flights planned to the island of Hawaii from cities such as New York, Houston and even Guam, there is soon to be many opportunities to visit Hawaii thanks to Continental Airlines.

Hawaii is an archipelago of islands south of the United States and it is the last state in America. Its people are kind, the weathers fantastic, what more can we say? With so much to see and do on any one of the hundreds of islands which surround the islands of Hawai’i Oahu and Maui.

But what can you do in Hawaii? There are countless things to do ranging from whale watching to diving and even more, whether you’re looking for an active holiday or a relaxing one, Hawaii has everything you’d expect.

Beaches, Palm trees and beautiful reefs are what Hawaii is all about. Thanks to the commitment that the state of Hawaii has on maintaining its natural beauty, a trip to Hawaii will give you the chance to experience the ultimate beach vacation where you can relax and enjoy some of that world famous Polynesian culture.

Hawaii is home to countless resorts scattered throughout the Islands. You can choose a luxury bungalow resort in Maui or an affordable hotel in Honolulu and you can enjoy possibly the most relaxing vacation ever, by visiting the beautiful islands of Hawai’i.

With so many great deals to be had on cheap accommodation and travel deals throughout the U.S this is the perfect opportunity to get a dream holiday at a bargain. A trip to Hawaii may be exactly what you need to prepare for Christmas and get ready for Thanksgiving which is almost upon us.

A new hotel has recently opened in the heart of Thailand. Located in the ever-popular tourist destination of Pattaya, the Centara Grand Beach Resort is Pattaya’s and perhaps Thailand’s first ‘theme hotel’.

But don’t worry. This isn’t some Thai knock-off of a Japanese love hotel, but it is actually a 500 room, 18 story, five-star luxury resort in the theme of the Lost World.

By theme hotel, we mean a hotel that has been exquisitely decorated, painstakingly constructed and kept to the highest standard. The rooms at the Centara Grand Mirage, Pattaya are to say the least, exquisite. You certainly won’t be a Robinson Crusoe in this hotel as it has everything you could ever want in the rooms.

Outside, the hotel boasts numerous swimming pools, waterfalls and countless water activities in the dedicated water park located right on the beach, the Centara Grand Mirage is actually located on its own private beach in the heart of some of the best coastline in Thailand.

With every room facing the beautiful Andaman Sea, you can watch as the sun sets across the ocean in this destination resort hotel which has facilities to cater for almost every type of traveler.  This well featured hotel has a range of bars and restaurants including on-site spa facilities, as well as a huge convention center which can accommodate up to 1,200 people.

Pattaya in recent years has earned itself a reputation as a place for debauchery and lewdness, but this has not stopped this beautiful coastal city from becoming one of the most popular tourist destinations in Thailand, if not Southeast Asia.

The city of Pattaya is far more than what many people think, and thanks to the recent opening of this new five-star resort – the Centara Grand, it’s hoped that more people can finally take the opportunity to discover a side of Pattaya that’s focused on relaxation and having an unbeatable vacation.

With beaches, SCUBA diving and some of the best nightlife in the world, Pattaya has a little bit of everything to please tourists. Located around two hours south of Bangkok International Airport, it’s a quick taxi-ride to get to what has been described by many as paradise.

The Centara Grand Beach Resort, Pattaya may be the ultimate five-star resort for that dream vacation you’ve been waiting for. Take a look for yourself and find out why this five-star hotel is better than anything else Pattaya has to offer.

Instead however, they will be held in South America for the first time ever. Taking part in the city Rio di Janeiro, this vibrant city will now have another string on its bow when it comes to attracting even more tourists to colorful South America.

However, this decision was much to US President Barak Obama’s dismay and despite many attempts to change the IOC’s mind, they would not be swayed.  Even though President Obama appeared in person after flying to Copenhagen, Chicago was thrown out during the first round of deliberations.

Chicago’s elimination may come as a shock to many Americans, but the reality is that America has hosted the Olympics twice already with the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City and also the infamous 1996 Olympics in Atlanta. Both times had their fair share of problems with both a bribery scandal and also the attempted bombing during the Atlanta games.

As America fell at the first hurdle during the deliberations, Spain took a surprising lead and made it to the final vote.  This was thanks to a request by former IOC president, 89-year-old Juan Antonio Samaranch’s heartfelt plea to see the games for the last time in his life at home, in Madrid.

With the Olympics being held in Rio Di Janeiro, everyone should be excited as the games are finally coming to Brazil, a country which is famous for its passion.  We can be assured of one thing with the 2012 games, they will be as colorful as the carnival and as passionate as a samba.

Rio is in itself the ultimate tourist destination, so when 2012 comes along you aren’t just visiting a country for the Olympics, but you’re visiting a paradise destination and seeing the ultimate sporting competition.

The International Olympics Committee’s decision was absolutely fabulous. South America now gets the opportunity to host this amazing competition, and there are now only two continents in the world, which have not had the opportunity before.

African Penguins

The award-winning domestic airline, Etihad Airways has recently announced that it is to start flying to its second destination in South Africa – Cape Town.  Explaining an increase in demand for holiday and business travel, the airline’s chief executive also stated that the move was in preparation for the 2010 FIFA World Cup starting on the 11th June next year.

As Cape Town becomes more and more developed, many people are visiting South Africa through this rather unique city on the great horn.  With so much to offer tourists, Cape Town is an unforgettable destination. Thanks to the excellent climate, and large variety of scenery from beaches to mountains, there is something for everyone in this sunny part of the world.

The beach life around Cape Town is perhaps one of the most popular reasons that have made this city the number one tourist hot-spot in South Africa. Thanks to the cities location, you are really spoiled for choice when it comes to beaches as there are countless different beaches all within a few miles

Perhaps though, one of the most popular beaches is the famous Boulders Beach, which is home to a large African penguin colony.  From here, you can actually get up close and personal with this massive colony of penguins, go for a swim or simply enjoy the views surrounding this very unique beach.

Nearby, is the town of Simon’s Town and here you can visit a historical former British port, and home of the South African Navy. This former town has now become a suburb of Cape Town, yet it has its own distinctly colonial character.  With many hotels and restaurants nearby, Simon’s Town is a friendly and welcoming place to visit.

Thanks to this new service from Etihad Airways , there is even more flexibility available when it comes to visiting this highly popular part of South Africa.  If it’s climbing, hiking, sun bathing or surfing, Africa has everything you’d ever want.  Take a trip now and see just how amazing this often forgotten part of the world actually is.

New York

According to hotels.com, American hotel prices have dropped sharply in order to compensate for the reduced tourist season and to attract customers by offering a range of discounts and other promotions.

Similarly, worldwide price drops have occurred, but at the minute, the USA is the worst affected, alongside Asia which also recorded drops of around 17% according to recent observations.

The economic crisis hit the tourist industry hard and it’s clear to see that tourism is still suffering, and it’s not an isolated problem. The world is still suffering and the tourism industry has been one of the last industries to feel the effects.

However, whilst in other countries domestic tourism continues to grow, in America tourism of all sorts has been on the decline, resulting in hotels and tour operators all dropping prices in a bid to raise interest.

For tourists however, this does present some good news.  It means it’s now possible to enjoy a stay at a luxury hotel for less, and make the most of the rapidly approaching festive season.  With limitless promotional offers and discounts available, there is no better time than now to book your stay.

The United States is a great holiday option and vacation destination for both domestic and foreign holidaymakers and with Las Vegas, New York, Orlando and San Francisco being amongst the most popular destinations, there are bargains to be had in every corner of the country.

For many who have never been to the United States, when it comes to choosing where to visit the size of the country can be daunting. But this is no excuse not to visit, as there is just so much to experience in the USA.  This time of year, for many, the winter season is as charming as it is romantic, and experiencing it in a city trip to New York is the chance of a lifetime.

With so many incentives available, travelers and vacationers can really take advantage of all sorts of special offers from flights to car hire.

Universal Theme Park, Orlando

Fans of the ever popular Harry Potter now have another opportunity to rejoice as Universal has announced that the Wizarding World of Harry Potter will open in Spring next year at The Universal Orlando Resort Theme Park.

This high-tech mini-theme park will fully immerse fans in everything Harry Potter.  From Hogsmeade to Hogwarts, Universal is pulling out all the stops to ensure that this is a fully immersive ride and one of the best in the country.

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter will consist of a number of rides and activities, at the minute only a few definite have been announced, but we know for certain that avid wizards will be able to experience Hippogriff riding and also get a taste of the famous Triwizard Tournament.

With exclusive footage rumored to be filmed for the ride, the translation from the movies seems to be going well thanks to help from acclaimed designer Stuart Craig and Alan Gilmore.

Potter author JK Rowling was not available for comment, but as the literary mother to Harry Potter she is playing an instrumental role in ensuring that everything is 100% Hogwarts.

The mini theme park will focus around the school at Hogwarts Castle as well as the nearby village of Hogsmeade. Visitors will be able to board the famous Hogwarts Express and then enter the world of Harry Potter.

Do you dream to become a wizard at Hogwarts?  The Wizarding World of Harry Potter will transport you to a place where you can immerse yourself in the world that is Harry Potter.

It may sound like a gimmicky theme park attraction, but with a budget of over $200 million dollars; this new mini theme park will cut no corners to ensure that guests can enjoy a Harry Potter experience like no other, and this latest innovation from the Universal group looks set to open in spring 2010 at their premier theme park, the Universal Orlando Resort.

The Universal Orlando Resort is Florida’s largest theme park resort and it consists of both Universal Studios Florida as well as the Islands of Adventure. With on-site hotels, cinemas, and countless restaurants, a trip to Universal Florida really is the vacation of a lifetime.

Travel Restrictions
WHO and leading health authorities around the world are not advising any travel restrictions to affected countries, but all non-essential travel to Mexico has been advised against and several tour operators to this country have temporarily suspended their flights to Mexico.

Impact of Tourism in Mexico
The tourism industry in Mexico has been badly hit by swine flu, and not only are airlines and hotels suffering from cancelled trips but many other businesses associated with tourism are
also affected, and many public areas and attractions have been completely closed such as theatres, cinemas, museums and art galleries. UK travel brokers TUI Travel, Virgin Holidays and Thomas Cook have cancelled all of their flights and package holidays to Mexico during the peak of the outbreak, and several countries such as Argentina and Cuba have also suspended all flights from Mexico during this time.

Business travel is also a big earner for flight companies, hotels and associated businesses, and this has also been badly affected by the outbreak of swine flu. The National Business Travel Association (NBTA) recently published a survey regarding the impact of swine flu on business travel, finding that as much as 61% of business travellers are cancelling their trips to Mexico in response to the outbreak in the country

Impact of Tourism in USA
The USA has a tourism industry worth over 770 billion dollars a year, and its close proximity to Mexico has made many tour operators, hotel owners and members of the travel industry very nervous. As yet no fatalities have been recorded in the country, but many USA tour operators do big business out of the beautiful beaches and resorts of Mexico, and already they are showing a dramatic decline in summer bookings, with as many as 75% of customers cancelling flights and beach resort holidays during the late spring period. This is bad news for the US travel industry, which was already suffering from falling profits due to the global recession. USA tour operators will be waiting to see how the swine flu outbreaks pans out, and there are fears that not only will the international visitors be scared away from US resorts, but also domestic travel will slow down and as this accounts for over 90% of the airline industry total revenue this could be a huge blow for the US travel economy.

Impact of Tourism the rest of the World
Travel Authorities have reported the impact of swine flu on tourism in the rest of the world have so far been negligible, and although flights and holidays at the end of April and beginning of May did dip slightly, things are picking up again for the summer and it is very much business as usual in most countries.

Did pig flu made you reconsider your vacation plans? Why?

While some may be disappointed from the move, especially those who have gotten used to heading out to Barcelona every year for some kinky fun, I am sure you will be pleasantly surprised. Madrid has more space, more attractions, and plenty more restaurants, hotels, bars, and other must haves for any trip, so it’s sure to be even more of a blast as these features are taken advantage of, and more and more people head out to enjoy the dirtier side of Spain.
If you have never been too (or heard of) the Madrid Erotica Festival, you will be shocked (and quite happy) to find out what it really is. Imagine, over 150 porn stars from all around the world, flocking to this event to perform. From live orgies and sex shows (gay, straight, and mixed), to lingerie expos, to BDSM and other fetish related venues, this is one wild sex party you don’t want to miss. Not to mention the huge platform given to the latest and greatest in porn, with plenty on for viewing and sale in every niche imaginable, as well as sex toys, clothes, and any other accessory you could ever need to satisfy your wildest desires.
Looking to be a be a little more involved in your experience? Then enter your own porn movie into their annual competition, and share your pleasure with the world. The only requirements are that they are 30 minutes long (no more, no less), and that they be submitted to the festival for viewing by May 20th, or else you will be disqualified.

If you are looking for some famous names that will be present, you will not be disappointed. Quite a few well known porn names drop in for the fun, one of the main ones being Rocco Siffredi, who manages to make it nearly every year. Known for his work in pornographic films as both a model, and a director, Rocco Siffredi is one of the biggest names in the industry. From anal, to latex, to rough sex, his videos span across the spectrum, and it is always an honor to see one of the best present at an event like it.
So, if you are looking for a wild time, or just want to participate in the celebration of human sexuality, the annual Madrid Erotic Festival is the place for you. With plenty of merchandise, a chance to rub shoulders with the greatest in the International porn industry, live sex shows, and more, this is the place to live out all of your most wicked fantasies.
If you are interested in attending the 2009 Madrid Erotic Festival, then check out http://www.ficeb.com/ for more information. Details for this summer’s event is set to be released soon. Hope to see you there!