It was bad enough that 2020 announced itself with a global pandemic that cratered the world economy and kept many people confined to their homes. Then, just as vacationers were tentatively returning to California’s rural lakes, parks, trails and campgrounds, they turned their minivans and campers around, fleeing unpredictable wildfires...
Thousands Mark Christmas in West Bank Town of Bethlehem
BETHLEHEM, West Bank — Thousands of Christian pilgrims on Tuesday flocked to the West Bank town of Bethlehem, celebrating Christmas Eve in the traditional birthplace of Jesus. Visitors converged on the town's large Christmas tree in Manger Square, near the spot believed to mark Jesus' birthplace. Uniformed Palestinian scouts wearing...
Palestinians in Bethlehem Look Beyond Religious Tourism
BETHLEHEM, West Bank — For decades, the people of Bethlehem have watched tour buses drive up to the Church of the Nativity, disgorge their passengers for a few hours at the traditional birthplace of Jesus, and then return to Israel. But in recent years a new form of tourism has...
US Travel Industry to Chinese Tourists: What Trade War?
WASHINGTON — Washington, D.C., has dangled hotel discounts tied to the Chinese Lunar New Year. Arizona has promoted its outdoor attractions to draw visitors during another popular Chinese holiday. San Francisco has expanded its social media presence on Chinese apps to market year-round travel to millennial tourists. Across the country,...
Pink 'Emoji House' Leads to #AngryNeighbors in SoCal
MANHATTAN BEACH — This Southern California seaside community is in an uproar after a home was given a new paint job featuring two huge emoji on a bright pink background. Manhattan Beach residents railed against the makeover during a City Council meeting Tuesday night, with some saying the colorful home...
Cars Packed With Visitors Line Up to See Yosemite Valley
Hikers and nature lovers returned to Yosemite National Park's scenic valley Tuesday after a rare 20-day closure because of smoke from wildfires. Some said they didn't mind the hazy air that obscured scenic vistas; others came prepared with eye drops and face masks. Park officials also advised visitors to expect...
Yosemite Valley Closure Costs $50M in Lost Tourism. It Is Now Open.
The reopening of iconic Yosemite Valley, a favorite destination of tourists worldwide, is finally here for Douglas Shaw. A 20-day closure during peak tourist season at one of the busiest parks in the U.S. cost Shaw $200,000 in lost revenue at his hotel just outside Yosemite National Park. Most of...
How Clovis Thinks Big Without Creating Big Problems
Residential growth doesn't pay for itself, we are told time and again. Especially in California, the experts say, pointing to a state tax system that limits property taxes courtesy of Proposition 13 and has failed to acknowledge the economy's shift from retail sales, which are taxed, to services, which aren't...