Amusement park celebrates 50 years

Amusement park celebrates 50 years

BRANSON, Mo.

The Silver Dollar City amusement park in the southwest Missouri tourist mecca of Branson has turned 50 years old.

Since it opened May 1, 1960, about 65 million guests have visited the park at the mouth of Marvel Cave.

The Springfield News-Leader reports that it started with the Herschend family and 14 other employees running the park.

Today, Silver Dollar City has more than 1,500 employees.

Visitors can watch artisans demonstrate pioneer crafts — everything from pottery and metal work to soap-making and glass-blowing.

There are also plenty of roller coasters, and cave tours remain popular.

Economy hurting travel in Jersey

CAPE MAY COURT HOUSE, N.J.

The sluggish economic recovery has potential vacationers hesitating to commit to visiting southern New Jersey.

The preseason survey for Cape May County, which includes such popular shore resorts as Ocean City, Wildwood and Cape May, indicated 57 percent of respondents planning to visit. That’s down from 78 percent who said yes in last year’s preseason survey.

The number of undecideds is also way up this year: 36 percent, compared to only 19 percent last year.

Still, tourism officials are optimistic that day trippers and family vacationers will help improve the tourism market this year.

The figures were released at a tourism conference in Cape May Court House.

First bag free on Delta with card

Delta says it will waive the fee on the first checked bag for most customers with Delta SkyMiles credit cards.

The move by Delta and the card issuer, American Express, could pressure other airlines to waive bag fees for their credit-card users, too. The cards are popular with travelers and lucrative for credit-card issuers.

Associated Press