Immigration law costs Arizona hotels a bundle

by Tom Johansmeyer on

The cost of closing down the borders may be higher than you think. At least, that’s what the Arizona Hotel and Lodging Association is saying. Tourists have cut back their visits to the state, the association believes, because of the recent controversial immigration law. Tourism and travel companies claim they’ve lost millions of dollars because of how the state is being perceived.

According to ABC 15 in Arizona:

“I think any time there’s something controversial that would even cause a group to think there’s something negative it’s an easy choice when you have so many other destinations to choose from,” said Debbie Johnson, President and CEO of the association.

Of course, there are claims that the economy – not immigration laws – is responsible for the drop in Arizona tourism business, and to a certain extent, this is true. Some hotels have sustained 40 percent drops in call activity, and hotels are saying that some groups are backing out of tentative bookings because of the immigration law.

[photo by Fibonacci Blue via Flickr]

The spooky Stanley Hotel celebrates the 30th anniversary of ‘The Shining’

by Annie Scott on


Everyone knows Stephen King’s The Shining as a terrifying tale of isolation and horror, and Kubrick’s epic interpretation featuring creepy twins and the freakiest Jack Nicholson moments of all time (so far), but did you know that the novel which inspired the film was actually based on The Stanley Hotel overlooking Rocky Mountain National Park (above)? This legendary Colorado hotel, located about an hour from Denver, was built in 1909 and openly boasts the presence of “otherworldly residents.”

“Flora Stanley, the first owner’s long-deceased wife, can still be seen and heard, late at night, either tinkling the piano keys in the music room or wandering around the lobby. Plus, the entire fourth floor (once the servants’ quarters) teems with strange after-dark commotion: if you stay in room 418, you might hear children playing outside your door, but find nary a soul in the hallway. For the ultimate scare (or inspiration), stay in room 217 — where [Stephen] King himself laid his head.”

The Shining was released 30 years ago, and to celebrate, you can take a Historic Ghost Tour at The Stanley Hotel for $15 per person. You’ll visit the hotel’s most haunted places (like room 217, right), hear tales of actual sightings and the connection to The Shining, and take a tour of the hotel’s spooky underground tunnel (reservations required, call 970-577-4110).

For the more adventurous thrill-seekers, the hotel also employs a professional paranormal investigation staff, and for $50 you can join them on a five-hour ghost hunt using all the equipment you see the pros use on TV: K2 meters, cell sensors, real time EVP recorders, a spirit box and a laser grid. Now that’s a Halloween plan.

Rates for those brave enough to stay at The Stanley Hotel start at $199 through October 31, then drop to $99 per night for the off-season.

Let us know if you find out what was up with that bear suit.

British Airways, American Airlines, and Iberia in transatlantic tie-up

by Sean McLachlan on

British Airways has signed a “tie-up” deal with American Airlines to share passengers and costs between the European Union and North America. Two non-EU nations, Switzerland and Norway, are also covered in the agreement.

BA says the deal will be worth $7 billion a year and will give passengers greater access to discounted fares. They’ll also get better connections and access to the airlines’ global network.

The deal, which has been in the works since 2008, only received regulatory approval this summer after rival carriers complained that it would create a near-monopoly. BA and Iberia merged last year. The current tie-in deal with AA is not a merger, but instead a close cooperation agreement to integrate ground operations and other aspects of the airlines. This will reduce costs by getting rid of overlapping services, and if these savings are passed on to the customers then there could indeed be a reduction in fares. With competition as fierce as ever, BA, Iberia, and AA will want to make this deal as marketable as possible.

The joint venture will being in October. Stay tuned to see how it turns out.

[Photo courtesy Fly For Fun via Gadling’s flickr pool]

World’s lightest bike weighs 6 pounds, cost $45,000

by Kraig Becker on

Last weekend the 2010 Interbike Expo was held in Las Vegas. Each year the show highlights all the latest innovations and updates in the biking industry, with major players, such as Trek and Specialized, on hand to show off their latest models. But this year, it was a little known company called Fair Wheel Bikes, based out of Tuscon, Arizona, that made the headlines by introducing an incredibly lightweight, but incredibly expensive, bike.

The new prototype features ten speeds, both front and rear brakes, a carbon fiber frame, and titanium spokes. When fully assembled, the unit weighs in at a mere six pounds, which makes it the lightest bike ever built, but it just might come with the heftiest price tag. Fair Wheel has spent $45,000 building this particular model, and while it isn’t available to purchase yet, they hope to move it into production in the future.

As a point of reference, the bikes that are ridden at the Tour de France weigh in at roughly 15 pounds, which is the minimum accepted weight by the Union Cycliste Internationale, the governing body of professional cycling. This new design from Fair Wheel weighs in at less than half of that, and yet the company says that it remains durable and tough. The company has logged more than 20,000 miles on the prototype, testing its strength, and its still going strong.

While it may be some time before the technology behind the six-pound bike comes to market, there are already avid cyclists drooling over this machine. The thought of shaving ten pounds from their current rides probably has more than a few of them reaching for their credit cards and looking for a way to contact Fair Wheel to place their order.

Southwest uses AirTran for access to business travelers

by Tom Johansmeyer on

The key to success in the airline industry is the business traveler. This category flies often, has less flexibility in pricing and spends more on flights than a leisure traveler could possibly imagine. So, it’s hardly surprising that Southwest‘s acquisition of AirTran – a $1.42 billion transaction – could help deliver greater share of the white collar travel crowd to the low-cost carrier.

According to MSNBC:

Southwest – which currently serves key cities such as Dallas, Chicago, Denver, Phoenix and Baltimore – has long been considered a vacationer’s airline. But it has lured corporate road warriors with offers like Business Select fares that cost more but promise priority boarding, extra frequent-flier credit and a free drink.

So, we’re looking at an expansion of Southwest’s strategy into a more lucrative market. Southwest has already proved that it can thrive in the volatile leisure market, ostensibly more challenging than catering to the business crowd. It seems as though this strategic shift is as close to a “sure thing” as one can imagine in the airline industry.

The acquisition also provides Southwest with international routes, as it picks up AirTran’s access to Mexico and the Caribbean.
[photo by AGeekMom via Flickr]