Travel Roundup: Limiting Antarctica Tourism, Hawaii Hotels Dismal, Disney Theme Park Layoffs and More

United States wants to limit Antarctica tourism –The Obama administration wants to limit tourism and travel to Antarctica to protect its fragile ecology. A U.S. proposed amendment to the 50-year-old Antarctic Treaty would impose mandatory limits on the size of cruise ships and the number of passengers brought ashore. The proposal would also bar ships with more than 500 passengers from going ashore and only allow one ship at a time to land per site and permitting only 100 passengers coming ashore at a time. The International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators says visits have risen from 6,700 in the 1992-93 season to 29,500 in the 2006-07 season and 45,213 in 2008-09. [Source: Associated Press]

Hawaii hotels have worst tourist season since 1991 — Hawaiian hotel occupancy in February dropped to 74.7 percent, the worst rates since February 1991. The month also had the sharpest drop — 12.4 percent to $187.21 – in average daily rates since 1987, Hospitality Advisors LLC reported. Neither budget, mid-range nor luxury properties were immune to the declines in both room revenue and occupancy. The survey was conducted in conjunction with Smith Travel Research. [Source: Honolulu Advertiser]

Walt Disney Co. eliminates 1,900 jobs in the last six weeks — The Walt Disney Co.’s American theme parks sloughed off 1,900 jobs in the last six weeks — including 1,400 in Florida — the company reported. The majority of cuts were at Walt Disney World and other Disney Florida operations, where cuts included 900 layoffs and buyouts and 500 unfilled jobs. There were 200 layoffs and buyouts in Disneyland in Anaheim, Calif. along with other reductions at Disney properties in nearby Burbank and Glendale. Disney said it began eliminating jobs Feb. 18, the same day it announced a restructuring of its theme parks and resorts. [Source: Sun-Sentinel]

Fort Wayne, Ind. wants Amtrak service restored – About 400 people came to a local meeting at the Baker Street Station, a former Amtrak stop, to prompt an Amtrak official to restore service to Fort Wayne, Ind. Derrick James, Amtrak senior government affairs officer, said the rail service is committed to restoring service and that the Obama administration is sympathetic to Amtrak. Speakers at the rally asked the audience to write letters and e-mails pressuring legislators and the governor to allocate money for needed engineering on the project. [Source: Associated Press]