Category Archives: IPW

Cleared for Take Off my flight simulator experience

Anaheim just outside Los Angeles, USA is known as the home of Disneyland. But for those older children or adults that like the thrill of professional flight simulators, Flightdeck is the place to visit.   

The only female travel media journalist for a group of nine media to experience the trills it was a day of big surprises and first for me.

My first taste was to get fitted out in my air combat flight suit to fly my assigned F16 aircraft. The Instructor briefed us on the flight controls and the weapon system. All a bit technical but with a little help from the instructor anyone can master it. Then it was into the aircraft cockpit, strapped in by the ground crew, canopy down and radio checks with the tower. “Cleared For Take Off”. I push the throttle forward, afterburners on and I thunder down the runway skyward and bank left over the sea. All simulated but it feels real. After a series of flight manoeuvres under the instruction of the from the tower, the group of novice travel media pilots are ready for combat.

Target acquired missile lock. fire. I only have six missiles before I have to use the guns so have to be sure I don’t waste them.  Where is my wingman Top Gun, MAVERICK  (Tom Cruise)   when you need him, someone on my tail firing at me, release flares, so much to remember. A few strikes and I crash and burn on landing. Not my finest performance but I survived.

Next, at Flightdeck I progress to take the controls of a Boeing 737-800 jet. This fix-base simulator is categorised as high fidelity, an exact replica of a Boeing 737-800 with a 180-degree wrap around screen. Joining my flight simulator in the cockpit I sit the captain’s seat. The cockpit is full of buttons, switches, lights, alarms but calmly my instruct tells me what to do. We are landing the aircraft at Kai Tak International Airport the old Hong Kong airport with a low approach over the city at night.

Banking left Hong Kong comes into view out the cockpit window. My task is to keep us on the right flight track using the flight controls and looking at the instruments in front of me. My instructor is controlling the power, flaps and all those other technical things. We are begin our descent following the light, banking right very low over the city and then down the runway for a perfect touchdown. I have landed a Boeing 737-800 simulator.

Later in the week during my stay in Anaheim I got to meet my Wingman Top Gun MAVERICK (Tom Cruise).

If you are into planes, Flightdeck in Anaheim is a great place. Prices for the F16 Fighter Jet experience start US$59 and US$109 for the  Bowing 737. I really enjoyed the Bowing 737 experience and if you would like to see the video of my flight view here: Flightdeck 737

Flightdeck  www.flightdeck1.com

Explore where Hollywood is made – Silvija Travel Tips

The first day when arrived to IPW in Anaheim I had a sightseeing tour to Warner Bros Studio, one of the busiest working studios in Los Angeles.

 

Familiarity with the studio started in a warm atmosphere, guests were greeted in Hollywood with delicious snacks and Oscar images.

 

Tour Guides have brought us behind the scenes of a studio that has been in the world for over 95 years.

We went behind the lens and discovered the secrets of movie making magic.

 

Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood brought us closer than ever to the legendary entertainment we love, where the greatest names in entertainment made history.

Experience the excitement of a Hollywood studio featuring movies and TV shows

A lot of great impressions and cinematic secrets give us a great Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood

IPW Anaheim, California – Silvija Travel Tips

Tourism showcase IPW, organised by Visit USA, took place in Anaheim, California. Thousands of tourism professionals attended from around the world meet in America for a five-day US rundown.

Silvija Zalepugiene, Silvija Travel Tips with Jan Burress, President and CEO, Visit Anaheim

Brand USA shut down Downtown Anaheim early Sunday morning to greet hundreds of media delegates who had spent the next three days discovering America’s many tourism assets at IPW.

During the press brunch, the “Anaheim Gets Animated Street Festival” showed a glimpse of the sights, sounds, flavours and vibes

The highlight was a surprise performance from the incredibly talented Natasha Bedingfield who left attendees starstruck with stripped-down performances of her hit songs

My Mountain Whitewater Rafting Adventure, Poudre River, Colorado – Silvija Travel Tips

MOUNTAIN WHITEWATER RAFTINGAS KALNŲ UPE POUDRE, KOLORADO VALSTIJA, JAV- TAI MANO EKSTREMALI PATIRTIS

Pasibaigus įspūdingai pasaulio turizmo konferencijai IPW 2018, kartu su viso pasaulio turizmo žiniasklaidos ir verslo atstovais turėjau galimybę 3 dienas keliauti po Kolorado valstiją, artimiau prisiliesti prie gamtos, kultūros, istorijos.

Vienas iš nepakartojamų nuotykių- tai raftingas , arba nusileidimas plaustais kalnų upe Poudre. Mes lėkėme pasitikdami didžiules bangas, šokinėjome bandydami apeiti sūkurius bei plaukti pasroviui. Mūsų plaustas kartu ne sykį buvo visiškai paniręs vandens pursluose. Ši tikrai ekstremali kelionė plaustais tęsėsi 2 val., mes įveikėme 12 mylių atstumą , įskaitant 3 ir 4 klasės slenksčius. Šniokščianti laukinė kalnų upė Poudre galinėjosi su mūsų plaustais, bet mes ją įveikėme sėkmingai . Nors ne visi.  Kai kas neatsilaikė bangų jėgai ir atsidūrė vandenyje, bet šalia plaukiančių profesionalių gelbėtojų buvo tuoj ištraukti iš vandens . O aš tai labai sušalau, nes nepaklusau gido patarimui užsimauti viską, ką Whitewater kompanija išdalino. Bet vis tiek ši kelionė paliko ko ne patį didžiausią įspūdį , visų nuotaika buvo puiki , buvo daug juoko, klegesio, bet ir išgąsčio šūksnių . IPW grupei vadovavo Ben Costello, turintis daugiau kaip 17 metų patirtį kaip Poudre upės gidas.

Jei norite raftingą šia upę apsilankykite “Mountain Whitewater Inc.” svetainėje www.raftmw.com

During IPW18 I participated in a FAM adventure with a group of travel media and travel trade professionals experiencing the wild waters of the Poudre River over a 12-mile section including Class 3 and 4 rapids. The IPW group was guided by Ben Costello, with over 17 years of experience as a Poudre River guide.

To experience the river for yourself visit the Mountain Whitewater Inc. website www.raftmw.com

The Home Ranch, Clark, Colorado – Silvija Travel Tips

Pasibaigus JAV kelionių asociacijos IPW 2018 Denveryje, vykau i triejų dienų pažintinę kelionę po Kolorado valstiją. Viena iš jų buvo
“Home Ranch”, Clark, įsikūrusi Šiaurės vakarų Kolorado valstijoje, 18 mylių į šiaurę nuo Steamboat Springs, vadinamame viršutiniame Elko upės slėnyje. Clark yra maža, retai apgyvendinta, vis dar klestinanti veislininkystės bendruomenė, visiškai apsupta vieno milijono hektarų neišvystytų viešųjų žemių.Tai įspūdinga vieta ne tik vasaros šeimos atostogoms , bet ir ištisus metus.


Atvykūs į Home Ranch ir pamačius gausybę žirgų užvaldė noras jais pajodinėti. Patyrusių kaubojų buvome pamokyti kaip elgtis jodinėjant ant žirgo.

Kiekvienas mūsų turėjome po žirgą , manojo vardas buvo Čili. Kiek padūkęs, neramus, sakyčiau linksmesnis išdaigininkas nei visi kiti- tai pakeliui žolę rupšnodavo, tai strimgalviais lėkti užsimanydavo. Buvo juoko visiems.
Teigiamos emocijos, malonus laikas, energijos antplūdis – visa tai mes patyrėme jodinėdami žirgais.

Grįžus į rančią mūsų laukė gardi vakarienė. Valgį , paruošta iš vaisių, daržovių ir mėsos iš savo gamtos ūkio patiekė išskirtinės virtuvės šefas Jonathon Gillespie ir jo talentinga kulinarijos komanda. Šiltas saulėtas pavakarys, gardus maistas, puikių žmonių kompanija- visa tai apvainikavo pažintį su Home Ranch.
Tikrai tai buvo nuostabi diena puikioje vietoje ir geroje draugijoje Elko upės slėnyje didingoje Rocky Mountain dykumoje.

The Home Ranch

 

 

 

 

 

 

Brand USA new marketing channel GoUSA TV – Silvija Travel Tips

Brand USA has launched a new platform as part of its strategy to promote the USA from mobile to giant-screen and everything in between. GoUSA TV is a connected TV app that travelers across the globe can access on Apple TV, Roku, and Amazon Fire.

Brand USA presented the channel to the media at IPW 2018 in Denver. They believes it will capture the imagination of and inspire travellers around the world to visit the USA.

  • We live in a multi-screen, multi-platform world, with one in three consumers saying they’ve never had cable television or no longer do.
  • But while people may be watching less linear television, time with digital video is on the rise.
  • By 2025, half of viewers under 32 will not subscribe to a pay TV service.
  • Currently 80 percent of television sales are internet-enabled, interactive televisions that support the increasing amount of consumers who consider themselves “cord-cutters.”
  • Over half of video content is viewed on mobile.
  • Approximately 92 percent of mobile video viewers share videos with others.
  • Social video generates 1,200 percent more shares than text and images combined.
  • Viewers retain 95 percent of a message when they watch it in a video compared to 10 percent when reading it in text.

 GoUSA TV available on television and your mobile, tablet, or other smart device.

Silvija Travel Tips www.silvijatraveltips.com

Noel Irwin Hentschel, American Tours and Mike Gallagher, CityPass with Silvija Zalepugiene, Silvija Travel Tips at IPW 2018

It was a interesting to meet two Brand USA Board members with a wealth of travel industry experience at IPW 2018. Noel Irwin Hentschel, of American Tours International and Mike Gallagher from CityPass.

Noel Irwin Hentschel is Chairman, CEO, and Co-Founder of AmericanTours International (ATI), America’s largest privately held, American-owned, visit USA tourism and marketing organization. Dually headquartered in Los Angeles, Calif. and Orlando, Fla. with regional offices in New York City, N.Y., and Hawaii, ATI was founded in 1977 and today serves nearly one million visitors and generates over $3 billion into the U.S. economy annually.

Mike Gallagher is Co-Chairman and co-founder of City Pass, Inc., an innovative attractions marketing company that provides significant savings on ticket packages to the top attractions in 12 North American destinations. The idea sprang from the collaborative efforts of co-founders Mike Gallagher and Mike Morey. Beginning in 1996, the two combined their respective attraction marketing and industry research skills to launch a company whose products currently enjoy a 98 percent customer recommendation rating. From its initial 1997 debut in the cities of San Francisco, Calif. and Seattle, Wash. the CityPASS program has expanded to include New York City, N.Y; Southern Calif., Atlanta, Ga; Boston, Mass; Chicago, Ill.; Dallas, Texas; Houston, Texas; Philadelphia, Pa; Tampa Bay, Fla; Toronto; and Southern Calif. The Southern California CityPASS card includes prepaid admission to four family-friendly theme parks: Disneyland®, Disney California Adventure Park, SeaWorld San Diego, and LEGOLAND California.

Silvija Zalepugiene, Silvija Travel Tips

Noel Irwin Hentschel, American Tours International and Mike Gallagher, CityPass with Silvija Zalepugiene, Silvija Travel Tips at IPW 2018

B-52 performing at Brand USA Luncheon – Silvija Travel Tips

For the IPW 2018 Luncheon on Monday 21st May 2018 sponsored by Brand USA the band B-52 provided the lunchtime entertainment. Guest were treated to songs including “Tell It Like It T-I_Is”, “Roam”. “Rock Lobster” and “Love Shack”.

 

Press Brunch IPW 2018 – Silvija Travel Tips

“Press Brunch”- tai priešpiečiai, skirti žiniasklaidai. Čia prasidėjo pirmoji diena Denveryje, kur įvyko jubiliejinis 50-tasis JAV kelionių asociacijos IPW2018 suvažiavimas. Gražioje, vienoje seniausių ir turtingų savo istorija kvartalų Denveryje, Larimer aikštėje susirinko apie 500 žiniasklaidos atstovų iš viso pasaulio. Renginyje buvo pristatyti geriausi “Mile High City” vietos kulinarijos, geriausių restoranų ,meno ir muzikos atstovai, žurnalistus atvyko pasveikinti “US Travel Association”, “Brand USA”, VISIT DENVER ir įvairūs kiti priimančiojo miesto ir valstybės aukščiausiojo lygio pareigūnai.
Denverio televizijos 7 kanalas renginį pristatė Kolorado Valsijai. Nors oras tą rytą buvo kiek vėsokas, visi susirinkusieji Larimer aikštėje buvo pakiliai ir džiugiai nusiteikę , su planais ateinančioms
dienoms.  Mane tą  ypatingą rytmetį šildė gardi karšta kava ir sumuštiniai su lašiša ir juodaisiais ikrais, prie kurių viso renginio metu buvo nusidriekusi didžiulė eilė. Tikrai viskas  buvo labai puiku!

Press Brunch IPW 2018 – Silvija Travel Tips

 

 

 

Colorado Springs Offers Slew of New Adventures for 2018

Colorado Springs, Colo. – Home to more than 55 attractions and activities including Pikes Peak – America’s Mountain and Garden of the Gods Park, Colorado Springs is sure to inspire an unforgettable visit.

New Things to Do

Cave of the Winds Mountain Park Via Ferrata – One of Colorado Springs oldest attractions will open a thrilling new outdoor adventure in 2018. The Via Ferrata (Italian for “iron path”) is under construction. This rock-side climbing path consists of metal rungs connected to a secure harness ideal for those 12 years and older. The course ends with two zip lines. https://caveofthewinds.com

DroneSpace – Drone racing is a wildly growing sport featured on major television networks and taking the world by storm. Pilots don goggles, which allow them to look through the “cockpit” of the racing drone as they fly the course. The site is the first location in the world that allows first-time fliers to experience this vibrantly lit course. The 12,000 square-foot indoor facility has a large dedicated race track, racing drone shop and spacious lounge. www.dronespace.org

Dragonfly Stand Up Paddle Board Glowga – This special stand-up paddleboard class has been timed to experience Colorado’s setting sun alongside paddle yoga practice. Boards are illuminated with colorful LED lights to guide the class atop Quail Lake. Guests can even choose their favorite color. The class lasts 60 minutes and is open to all levels of practitioners ages 18 and up. www.dragonflypaddleyoga.com

Ent Center for the Arts – This transformational, state-of-the-art 92,000 square-foot facility features year-round music and performances. The impressive concert hall houses 774 seats, the Gallery of Contemporary Art, a recording studio and audio laboratory. www.uccs.edu/entcenter/

WhirlyBall – This exhilarating sport combines lacrosse, hockey, basketball and bumper cars in a game of skill coupled with chance. While maneuvering, two teams of five players use hand-held scoops to pass a whiffle ball to one another to hit a scoring target. Visit Colorado’s first and only location. www.whirlyball.com/colorado-springs/

Garden of the Gods Collection International Health and Wellness Center – An innovative, destination healthcare and wellness center has come to Colorado. Applying evidence-based healthcare principles and practices with the latest advances in complementary medicine, the highly-skilled and compassionate physician team at the International Health & Wellness Center intuitively provides medical and wellness services with the aim of restoring clients to optimal health and functionality. www.gardenofthegodsclub.com.

New Lodging

SCP Colorado Springs – From the big picture to the little details, SCP is cultivating a new guest experience. Centered around the concept of holistic hospitality, guests stay consciously. The first property of its kind in the country will provide a range of opportunities for guests to refresh their bodies and souls, to connect with community and to make better choices for the planet. Discover the artful reuse and recycling of original materials used in the hotel’s construction alongside dining options with a focus on local goodness. www.scphotel.com

Garden of the Gods Collection Cottages and Casitas – Nestled on the bluff within the Garden of the Gods Collection property, the newly constructed cottages and casitas are designed to be an exclusive gated resort community with spectacular views of Garden of the Gods Park. The properties will join hotel inventory between spring of 2018 and spring of 2019. The six three-bedroom cottages and 14 exquisite casitas will be framed with meticulously designed and lush landscaped gardens. Covered and open patios support outdoor living that offers transformative beauty while promoting a synergetic balance of nature and tranquil living. www.gardenofthegodsclub.com

The DoubleTree by Hilton has finished a $9M renovation of the property including meeting space totaling over 25,000 square-feet, guest rooms, lobby and expanded bar, the largest in Colorado Springs.

The Embassy Suites by Hilton completed multimillion-dollar renovations in 2017 with a transformation including modernized design updates to all guest suites, in-house restaurant and bar, atrium and a new 7,000 square-foot meeting and event space.

The highly anticipated Home2 Suites by Hilton, an extended-stay property, will have 120 available rooms and 3,500 square-feet of meetings space. The property will also feature an indoor saltwater pool and pet-friendly accommodations. The opening is slated for this summer.

New Dining and Drink Offerings

Trail’s End Taproom is the first self-pour taproom in the entire state of Colorado. Trails End has 40 taps available for the adventuring beer connoisseur. Pay by the ounce, and 100 percent of tips are donated to local trail and humanitarian nonprofits. www.trailsendtaproom.com

Pikes Peak Lemonade Company is more than just a cup of lemonade. With organic lemons, organic cane sugar and filtered water, they proudly serve a fresh and healthy drink. Starting with organic lemonade or limeade Colorado-grown lavender, real hibiscus or a variety of other fresh ingredients are then added. Enjoy fresh, hand-crafted syrups while also reaping amazing health benefits. Stop in to the lemonade tap room for an individual creation, or purchase pre-made mixes with no artificial flavors, colors or preservatives. www.pikespeaklemonade.com

Oskar Blues Fooderies Downtown Colorado Springs – The newest addition to the area’s culinary family is in the heart of downtown Colorado Springs. The eatery takes up two levels in one of the area’s historic buildings. Enjoy underground bocce courts and an outdoor patio. Grab a pint from one of the 48 taps and munch on locally sourced meats that round out the menu. www.oskarbluesfooderies.com

Goat Patch Brewing Company/Lincoln Center – A variety of local tenants come together in a former elementary school space. Goat Patch Brewing offers a variety of hand-crafted beers along with a fundamental goal of supporting the local Colorado Springs community. Flavors range from a mocha latte stout to a fruit goat patch punch. www.goatpatchbrewing.com

Crafts and Drafts Passport – Colorado Springs has crafted a new way to entice travelers to experience the grandeur of the Pikes Peak region. A new digital passport highlights the destination’s diverse craft beverage scene. From microbreweries to moonshine, visitors can sip and savor their way through the area using a downloadable Crafts & Drafts Passport featuring 24 libation and coffee locations. Colorado continues to make its mark on the adult beverage industry with more than 284 craft breweries state-wide and an economic impact of $2.7 billion. www.visitcos.crafts-drafts

The Piccadilly Bar at The Antlers Hotel offers 50 beers on tap, specialty cocktails and 100 wine choices. This bar offers a classy-cool atmosphere with sophisticated menu items and a nod to the hotel’s history. http://antlers.com/dining.shtml

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About Colorado Springs, CO

Founded as a resort town in 1871, Colorado’s second largest city has drawn travelers from around the world for decades offering unrivaled natural beauty, endless blue skies, a mild climate and more than 55 man-made and natural attractions. Home to iconic landmarks such as Pikes Peak – America’s Mountain, Garden of the Gods Park, the U.S. Olympic Training Center and the U.S. Air Force Academy, the city and surrounding region is a popular destination for families, outdoor enthusiasts and couples. Find out more and order a free vacation planner at VisitCOS.com.

Source: travmedia.com