Yellowstone sees fewer Oct. visitors

Yellowstone sees fewer Oct. visitors

YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, Wyo.

Yellowstone National Park recorded nearly 212,000 visits in October, down 12.4 percent from October 2016.

The park noted that snowy weather during the month may have contributed to the decline. Still, the numbers were the third busiest October in the park’s history.

So far this year, Yellowstone has recorded more than 4 million visits. It is the third straight year Yellowstone has eclipsed the 4 million mark. In 2016, the park saw a record 4.26 million visitors.

Brexit benefit: Lower pound gives a boost to tourism in Britain

LONDON

Many British businesses have become cautious as they try to gauge the impact of the country’s 2019 departure from the European Union. But there’s one industry that has so far clearly reaped a windfall from the Brexit decision – local tourism.

The sharp fall in the value of the British pound since last year’s Brexit vote – it’s down around 15 percent against a range of currencies – has made the country, which has been widely considered one of the more expensive places to visit, better value for money.

That means the pound in a tourist’s pocket now goes further in what travel experts Euromonitor International say is the world’s eighth most popular destination for overseas visitors in terms of revenue.

Official figures released Friday showed overseas residents made 3.9 million visits to Britain in August, up 5 percent on a year earlier. They also spent $3.7 billion, up 3 percent.

Italy museums see record numbers of visitors, revenue

ROMe

Italian state museums are on track for another record-setting year in 2017 in terms of visitors and revenue, with the outdoor Colosseum in Rome and Pompeii near Naples topping the Culture Ministry’s most-visited and most-lucrative list.

The ministry recently issued a three-year review of its revolutionary decision to bring in non-Italian directors for some of the gems of its national museum network, and to give the institutions greater autonomy. The results were significant: an 18.5 percent increase in the number of visitors nationwide from 2013-16, and a 38.4 percent increase in revenue – or about 48.5 million – to 175 million euros last year.

With more UNESCO heritage sites than any other country, Italy’s outdoor cultural patrimony is one of its biggest draws — Rome’s Colosseum and Forum, the lagoon city of Venice and the Roman amphitheater of Siracusa to name a few. Fresco-filled churches and basilicas, many in quaint Medieval hilltop towns, are other favored tourist destination.

Maritime Museum receives an award

SAN DIEGO

Maritime Museum of San Diego, with an international reputation for excellence in restoring, maintaining and operating historic vessels, is a recipient of a 2017 Governor’s Historic Preservation Award.

This honor is bestowed upon projects and individuals whose contributions demonstrate significant achievements in preserving the heritage of California. As one of only eight award recipients, the award acknowledges the Museum’s excellence in preserving treasured resources, traditions and histories.

Visitors to Maritime Museum of San Diego can explore San Salvador dockside, step aboard for a 4-hour day sail experience and reserve an adventure at sea during the multiyear Pacific Heritage Tour, which began in fall of 2016.

Combined dispatches