This year’s pandemic has no doubt brought changes to the way we travel. With most international travel restricted, the rise of ‘resort pods‘ and mass closures of hotels, tourism is undoubtedly different now. The pandemic, combined with the failing economy and upcoming US Presidential elections, has led to a fractured country in many ways. In an effort to reunite Americans amidst an otherwise very split nation, Booking.com has recently launched a new program entitled ‘America is for Everyone.’ The campaign aims to represent the unity between all 50 states with weekend stays in some of the nations most culturally rich neighbourhoods with the first offer going for $50.
Explore America’s Most Culturally Rich Neighborhoods on a $50 Weekend
The initiative not only promotes safe and sustainable tourism within its borders but also sheds light on just how diverse the United States is. Starting November 16th at 12 pm ET guests can book for the weekend of November 20 and 21. The first guests to book the weekend can bag it for just $50. Visitors will be given a specially designed itinerary that puts safety first and highlights authentic meals, cultural experiences and other unique activities such as historical tours.
Among the historic and culturally rich destinations are Factors Row in New Orleans; Greektown in Tarpon Spring, Florida; Germantown in Frankenmuth, Michigan; Little Ethiopia in Silver Spring, Maryland; the Dutch neighbourhood of Oak Harbor, Washington; Miami’s Little Haiti; Little India in Jersey City, New Jersey and more.
The initiative hopes to “quench American’s collective curiosity”
Booking.com’s Senio VP Arijan Dijk had this to say: “In these challenging times, it’s important to remember that it’s the diverse backgrounds, cultures, and perspectives representing so much of the world that have made this country what it is today.” He followed with “We hope the ‘America Is For Everyone’ experiences help quench Americans’ collective curiosity and inspire travellers to seek out new experiences they may not have realized existed so close to home.”
All in all, the America is for Everyone campaign is about bringing people together through a shared appreciation of culture. By setting sights at home for cultural experiences, Americans can see firsthand how rich and diverse the nation is. Whether dining on iconic bánh mì in New Orleans Factors Row, an area that welcomed tens of thousands of Vietnamese people in the 70s who’ve since enriched the area in their own way; or Oak Harbor’s picturesque Dutch town settled in 1894, that looks straight out of a Holland postcard; there’s much to discover. Or how about Little Haiti’s vibrant art scene in Miami or Jersey City’s countless Hindu temples and buzzing street shops. At the end of the day, Americans undoubtedly share an identity of being diverse melting pot of all corners of the Earth.
We understand that due to COVID-19 interstate travel may be limited in certain areas. Please be sure to check local, state and national restrictions ahead of your trip. You can do that here. Additionally, you can check current CDC guidelines here.
