subscribesubscriber servicescontact usabout ussite mapBuy a Classified
Tue, Feb 09 2010 

Published: June 01, 2008 12:06 am    print this story  

GLYNN: Changes in foreign visitors to Niagara

By Don Glynn
E-mail Don

Stroll through Prospect Park any day of the week — now that the prime tourist season is under way — and you’ll quickly come to the conclusion that there’s indeed a revolution in tourism.

In the travel industry, they’re known as the BRICs (Brazil, Russia, India and China) and they’re coming by the bus loads — via the charter flights — to Niagara Falls. At present, it appears visitors from India rank No. 1 of the Big Four.

Not that the natural wonder here has just been discovered by the international set. Foreigners have been a major segment of Niagara tourism for more than a century but the UK no longer leads that list, tourism operators generally agree.

Locally, it’s virtually impossible to track the influx.

A large group from India or China may descend on the state park at any time and they often move swiftly — guided by a tour leader — to a specific attraction or vantage point.

Still, after you’re in the park for a half hour and maybe had a chance to observe the exodus from the Prospect Park tower, you’ll be convinced that some of the 47 million Chinese traveling abroad this year have included the Falls on their itinerary. And visitors from Indian and Pakistan are all around as well.

Of course, there was the credible threat that many Americans had been planning to cut back on their vacations this year because of the high gas prices.

That didn’t happen here, at least over the Memorial Day holiday. In fact, attendance in the state park was up more than 8,000 for the comparable weekend a year ago.

If you check out the license plates in Prospect Park and on Goat Island, you would have found visitors from as far away as Texas, Oklahoma, Colorado and Oregon — a lot more than a tankful away.

That combination — foreigners and Americans determined to go on vacation despite the gas prices — provided for a good start to the season.

Meanwhile, hoteliers and bed-and-breakfast operators will tell you that many foreign visitors — even some U.S. citizens who think the new passport regulations are already in effect — are reluctant to cross the international bridges because of the unwarranted concern they won’t be allowed to return.

It’s an ironic twist from the days when visitors couldn’t wait to clear customs because they were always told the view was better from that side.

•••

MOVING ON: Melanie Pritchard, whose links to the Channel 7 (WKBW-TV) newsroom started in 1997, signed off as a co-anchor on Friday.

A native of Salamanca, Melanie graduated from Ithaca College in 1989 and began her career with WJJL-AM in Niagara Falls. She also worked at WGR-AM and WBEN-AM. Since 2006, she had co-anchored the 5 p.m. newscast on Ch. 7.

Co-workers note the always pleasant staffer won several awards for team and individual coverage over the years.

She’s assuming a new challenge in the real estate business.

•••

UGLY SCENE: The closed Wintergarden — obviously facing a wrecking ball — is now just an eyesore a half-block from the nation’s oldest state park.

It’s not just the complex itself — the filthy windows, the graffiti on plywood and the musty atmosphere — but the immediate surroundings also are disgusting.

For the record, the army of volunteers that tries to spruce up the city every spring is certainly not responsible for conditions at the Wintergarden, especially the interior scum and dirt so visible to the passersby. Property owners or anyone with a vested interest in that parcel needs to take responsibility too.

Months ago, it was reported that the demolition was on hold because of a legal issue. That means, of course, the glass-enclosed junkyard will remain for a while.

Contact reporter Don Glynn at 282-2311, ext. 2246.

print this story  



autoconx
Premier Guide
Find a business

Walking Fingers
Maps, Menus, Store hours, Coupons, and more...
Premier Guide
Premier Guide

Find a job! Find a Home! Find a car!

Featured Jobs

Cashiers
CASHIERS 
Looking for dependable people with great customer service skills to work in APlus Convenience store in Le
...>MORE

FLOOR MAINTENANCE
Floor Maintenance, 3rd shift, exp. in stripping & waxing need only apply, f/t & p/t, 632-2259 ...>MORE

Home Care Aide
HomeCare Aide Certified Only. 3 overnights, transportation needed, $9.50-$11.50/hr. 298-4342 ...>MORE

Nurse
NURSE. Niagara County Community College is seeking a part-time college nurse for the college’s health services. Please s...>MORE

Administrative Assistant
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT for human services agency. Resume to: ILNC, 746 Portage Rd., Niagara Falls, NY 14301. EOE...>MORE

MST Therapist
Catholic Charities has an excellent professional development opportunity available for the following position:
MST
...>MORE

Medical Associate
MEDICAL ASSOCIATE
Busy local Niagara Falls practice, strong computer skills, billing background helpful, $13-$14/ho
...>MORE

Youth Job Training
Niagara County YOUTH ages 18-21. Out of School? Looking for Work?
We may have the program for YOU! Call Liz for fur
...>MORE

General Laborer
GENERAL LABORER to do yard work, pick papers etc. Competitive wages, 401k and medical. Apply Allied Waste Scale House, 5...>MORE

Assistant Director
Catholic Charities has an excellent professional development opportunity available for the following position:
 Ass
...>MORE

See all ads

Feature Autos

Ford 1997 TAURUS
FORD 1997 taurus, runs exc. fully loaded, must see $1400 or best offer. 205-7711...>MORE

1998 Dodge Dakota Sport
DODGE 1998 Dakota Sport 3.9 V6, regular cab, exc in & out, no rust, real sharp, $2750. 523-7102...>MORE

1993 Chevy Silverado
CHEVY Silverado 4x4 1993 new alt, starter, exhaust, rebuilt trans., etc. Reliable. Call 282-0465....>MORE

1991 Lincoln Executive Town Car
LINCOLN 1991 Executive Town Car, 42k miles, no rust, runs, needs work, $600. 990-8895....>MORE

Chrysler 2000 Concord LXI
Chrysler 2000 Concord LXI, 4 door, one owner, exc. condition, power windows, power steering, power locks, $5000 or best ...>MORE

Ford 1999 Escort ZX2
FORD 1999 ESCORT, ZX2 Coupe, runs great, NYS inspected, exc. cond. $1650. 694-0441...>MORE

1999 Chevy Malibu
CHEVY 1999 Malibu, needs fuel pump, $700. 282-6141 or 990-6026....>MORE

Dodge 2001 Neon
DODGE 2001Neon, 4 dr, 4 cyl, auto, 58k mi. am/fm CD player, n o rust, like new, $3950. 525-7796...>MORE

1986 Ford Mustang
FORD 1986 Mustang convertible, 5.0 body kit, 3.8L V6, 40k on new motor, runs but needs work. $700 or BO. 417-1611...>MORE

Pontiac 2000 Grand Prix XL
PONTIAC 2000 Grand Prix XL, black,
good condition
531-2669
...>MORE

See all ads



 

Community Newspaper Holdings, Inc.CNHI Classified Advertising NetworkCNHI News Service
Associated Press content © 2009. All rights reserved. AP content may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Our site is powered by Zope and our Internet Yellow Pages site is powered by PremierGuide.
Some parts of our site may require you to download the Flash Player Plugin.
View our Privacy Policy
Advertiser index