IF clients want to plan a millennium break to the US but be back home to celebrate the dawn of the new century, consider Dallas.
The city is spending $30m on a five-week exposition called ‘The Turn – America at the Millennium’, located at Fair Park, from November 26 until January 2, 2000.
The four main themes are Inventing America, The Earthly Kingdom, The Global Village and The Cosmic Sea, and range from video retrospectives of American culture to spectacular views of the Earth shot from space.
Inventing America covers 85,000sq ft of space and 36 attractions, including the Virtual National Town Square with a replica of the pyramid-shaped Washington Monument. At the base there will be an observation deck with telescopes linked to remote video cameras at eight landmark sites to allow viewers to ‘look across America.’
International project coordinator, tourism division, for the Texas Department of Economic Development, Brad Smyth, said: “With the number of non-stop flights, we are seeing a rise in city-break business to Dallas from the UK and expect more interest from tour operators following our trade mission to London next March.
“And with Pow Wow coming to Dallas in June 2000, there will be plenty of opportunities for pre and post-show educationals taking in other cities and the outback, where ranching holidays are now very popular with the British.”
n Dallas Convention and Visitors Bureau has opened a visitor information centre in the downtown area, featuring an Internet Cafe and audio-visual room.
It is located at Dealy Plaza and adjacent to the school book depository building from where President Kennedy was shot.