Tag Archives: tourism

Hotels Look to Accommodate Medical Tourists

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Medical tourism is increasing in appeal throughout the world as medical providers and hotels are working to provide medical services for traveling patients. The increasing costs of medical procedures and insurance coverage in most countries have people considering alternative ways to get health care at affordable prices.

Typically a “medical tourist spends anywhere from five to 12 times the amount of what a typical tourist would spend on travel costs,” said Renee-Marie Stephano, president of the Medical Tourism Association. “This is because patients will most likely be in the foreign country for a longer period of time and will upgrade to nicer rooms as they spend more time in the hotel recovering from medical procedures,” Stephano explained.

Studies show the leading medical tourism destinations include Costa Rica, Uruguay, Brazil, India and Singapore. The ability to recover from medical treatments in a private setting away from home is a major selling point for the majority of medical travelers.

Tourism Roads Lead to Denver in 2012

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City officials and business owners in Denver, Colorado are optimistically preparing for boosting tourism numbers in 2012. Throughout 2012, Denver will host several highly anticipated events including the opening of two new museums, popular international shows, major sporting events and exciting animal exhibits. These events and conventions scheduled in 2012 point to a busy and exciting tourism year in Denver.
Some of the most anticipated events and openings this year include the Clyfford Still Museum and the Toyota Elephant Passage at the Denver Zoo. These additions to the attractions in Denver are estimated to produce nearly a quarter billion dollars into Denver tourism. Richard Scharf, the president and CEO of Visit Denver explains, “When you add the 100th Anniversary of the Titanic sinking and its significance to the Molly Brown House, the NCAA Woman’s Final Four and the only North American showing of Yves Saint Laurent: The Retrospective, this is really going to be a big tourism year for Denver.”
Many are anticipating 2012 to be an opportunity for Denver to shine not only in the national but in the international spotlight as well. Some of the events that are expected to attract international attention include the final day of the USA Pro Cycling Challenge and the first presidential debate between the major party candidates. With famous attractions, great food and beautiful climate, Denver is a wonderful place to visit. Here are some of the upcoming events in Denver that you will not want to miss:

1. Clyfford Still Museum. Opened: November 2011
2. 100th Anniversary of the Sinking of the Titanic at the Molly Brown House Museum. Dates: February 15, 2012, additional events throughout the year.
3. Dale Chihuly Venetians at the Foothills Art Center. Dates: April 7 – June 30, 2012
4. Yves Saint Laurent: The Retrospective at the Denver Art Museum. Dates: March 25 – July 8, 2012
5. NCAA Woman’s Final Four Tournament at the Pepsi Center. Dates: April 1 – 3, 2012
6. History Colorado Center. Opening: April 28, 2012
7. Mile into the Wild walkway at the Wild Animal Sanctuary. Opening: Spring, 2012
8. Icelandair direct flights from Reykjavik. Opening: May 10, 2012
9. Toyota Elephant Passage at the Denver Zoo. Opening: June 1, 2012
10. USA Pro Cycling Challenge Denver. Date: Aug. 20 – Aug. 26, 2012
11. Presidential Debates: First Round at the University of Denver. Date: Oct. 3, 2012
12. Becoming Van Gogh at the Denver Art Museum. Opening: Oct. 21, 2012 – Jan. 20, 2013

Las Vegas reports increase in tourists and convention attendance

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The city of Las Vegas and Las Vegas hotels observed a 2.5 percent rise in guests this past December compared with December of 2010. These findings are providing evidence that the troubled economy in Nevada and Las Vegas has begun to take a turn for the best.

The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority recently documented that nearly 3 million people visited Las Vegas in December of 2011.

The visitor count in Las Vagas increased by 4.3 percent in 2011 compared with the total visitors in 2010. Conference and convention attendance also increased by 9 percent to nearly 4.9 million another positive sign for hotels and convention centers in Las Vegas.

The increased numbers of visitosr also helped create a 5 percent increase in gambling revenue in 2011 compared to 2010.

The rising tourist numbers point to potentially exciting news for the state of Nevada, which heavily relies upon hotel tourism and convention attendance. Nevada has suffered through the highest unemployment rates in the United States over the past year.