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New York set to ban cars from Times Square NEW YORK, May 24 (UPI) -- Many New York residents and tourists alike say the city's plan to ban cars from traveling through Times Square is a great idea. The New York Daily News said Saturday some people have applauded the plan to ban all traffic from Broadway between 42nd and 47th Street in Times Square starting Sunday night. "I think it's going to bring more people and they'll be more comfortable," local food vendor John Galanopolous said of the plan, which will also ban cars from 33rd and 35th Street in Herald Square. Pittsburgh resident Bill Buettin agreed the traffic ban in those areas would make pedestrian travel easier in New York. "Not having to worry about crosswalks and stop lights makes it that much easier," the tourist told the Daily News. But at least one New York resident was less than supportive of the plan, which he feels could hinder the city's numerous motorists. "There's going to be more traffic. It's not going to work," taxi driver Rafi Hassan told the Daily News. "Most of our customers are here."

(Courtesy of CTV Montreal)

Publié le 07 avril 2009 à 10h01 | Mis à jour à 10h03 Tomorrow's Tourist: Où irons-nous dans 20 ans? Le Burj Al Arab hôtel, à Dubaï. Isabelle Audet La Presse Ian Yeoman a lancé Tomorrow's Tourist, un livre dans lequel il se risque à prévoir où en sera le voyage en 2030. Le futurologue et professeur à l'Université Victoria, à Wellington, y présente une vision plutôt optimiste du tourisme de demain. «Toutes proportions gardées, de plus en plus de personnes vont voyager dans 20 ans, explique-t-il. La crise économique ou les changements climatiques ne devraient pas y changer grand-chose. Historiquement, l'homme s'est toujours adapté. Il va voyager, mais différemment.»Pendant plusieurs années, le professeur s'est penché sur les données touristiques passées et présentes de dizaines de destinations touristiques. Il les a recoupées avec d'autres statistiques comme l'évolution du revenu des ménages et les changements dans la structure des familles. À la lumière de ces chiffres, il croit notamment que la Chine deviendra la première destination touristique mondiale avant 2030 et que le tourisme en Europe se déplacera vers l'est, concentré autour de la mer Adriatique. Il dégage aussi des tendances qui s'accentueront au cours des prochaines décennies: le grantravelling - les grands-parents voyageant avec leurs petits-enfants, les voyages en profondeur sur plusieurs mois, et, à l'opposé, la disneylandification du tourisme. Les adultes auront, prévoit-il, un besoin croissant d'escapades pour s'éclater, magasiner, et se laisser aller à des frivolités. Dubaï, Las Vegas et Macao répondront encore plus à cette demande. L'auteur croit qu'un même touriste pourrait avoir envie de s'amuser une semaine dans les casinos de Macao, et ensuite de planifier un voyage humanitaire au Gabon. «La clé, c'est la diversification du tourisme, explique-t-il. Les Américains changent leur coupe de cheveux en moyenne à tous les 18 mois: ils aiment le changement, tout comme la plupart des Occidentaux.» Ces prévisions sont-elles réalistes? Tout à fait, croit Michèle Laliberté, analyste au Réseau de veille de la Chaire de tourisme Transat de l'ESG UQAM. «Nous ne nous sommes jamais hasardés sur cette avenue-là, mais il y a quand même beaucoup de phénomènes qui sous-tendent les affirmations du livre de M. Yeoman.» L'analyste confirme aussi qu'en période d'incertitude économique, l'industrie touristique se montre friande de telles prédictions. «Toute l'industrie touristique du Québec voudrait avoir une boule de cristal, constate-t-elle. On se rend compte que les Américains nous boudent de plus en plus et on cherche à les attirer. Avec les vols directs de plus en plus longs, le Canada devient un choix parmi une liste mondiale. La question, c'est de savoir comment se démarquer.»

Pay what you want in this Montreal restaurant PETER MCCABE FOR THE TORONTO STAR Crescent St. tavern hard hit by drop in business tries something new Feb 25, 2009 04:30 AM Andrew Chung QUEBEC BUREAU CHIEF MONTREAL – Already stung by a slide in American tourists and a deepening financial mess that's keeping business customers away, the Taverne Crescent, situated on one of Montreal's historic party streets, decided to implement a new policy: Pay what you can. So yesterday, lunch-hour customers were given the choice of an appetizer, plus either tagliatelle bolognese, salmon or braised beef, and coffee or tea, for whatever they wanted to pay. For a dollar even. Or nothing. "Some people might pay nothing," said owner George Pappas, "but maybe when they have more money in three or six months, they'll come back and pay more." Desperate times call for desperate measures, it seems. Pappas's actions, though gimmicky, illustrate the darkening picture for all those attached to the tourism industry in the province. Despite the proximity of major Canadian cities like Montreal to the border, the number of American tourists coming into Canada by car – still the vast majority compared to other means of transport – reached a record low last year, data from Statistics Canada show. There were nearly 10 million of those trips in 2001. Last year, just 7.4 million. It wasn't even that bad during the last two recessions, including the oil shock of the 1970s. Meanwhile, Americans are taking 1.3 million fewer trips to Quebec compared to 2001. That number, which includes same-day trips, is off by nearly half Canada-wide. "It's astounding," said Statistics Canada analyst Paul Durk, "these are very big drops." There are a number of reasons why the Americans are staying away. New border security requirements, the perception of long border wait times, and even cross-border shopping may be less attractive for aging baby boomers, Durk suggested. Overall, there is a growing fear for the coming year, particularly since the recession has gone global. Already, there has been a sharp decrease in tourism from Britain and soon the rest of Europe will follow. "It will affect big cities the most," said Pierre Bellerose, vice-president of Tourism Montreal. "The cities get more international clients." In the last few years, the American malaise has been offset by increases in tourism from Europe and Mexico. And Montreal's hotels were saved last year by a strong convention calendar. But this year will be different. Bellerose said they're expecting the tourism sector to decline 2 to 3 per cent overall. Quebec's government has stepped in. On Sunday, Tourism Minister Nicole Ménard announced she's giving $4.2 million in financial help to certain businesses and groups, such as Aventure Écotourisme Québec, to try to pump up the tourist volume, and, a spokesperson said, to get past the economic crisis. It won't be easy. The horizon is bleak. Last year, there were 336 restaurant bankruptcies, the Association des restaurateurs du Québec reports – a 20 per cent increase from the year prior. Pappas, who also owns a nightclub in Montreal, describes having to cut staff in response to the American tourist decline. And until his bright idea to "pay what you can," his Taverne Crescent was closed on Mondays and Tuesdays because it was losing money. With no Formula One Grand Prix in Montreal this summer, he said, "It's going to be worse!" http://www.thestar.com/article/592677#Comments