DENVER – The re-opening of one of the world’s most classic highways. A 300th anniversary for a renowned American city founded by an explorer from Montreal. And a new Canadian-based hotel in Philadelphia.

Several U.S. destinations took turns behind the podium at the U.S. Tourism IPW event in Colorado yesterday, outlining coming attractions and issues in front of packed press conferences.

Philadelphia was first off the mark, talking about the city’s improved waterfront, the city’s surprising Japanese teahouse and their annual Mummers parade on New Years’ Eve.

“We have old stuff, new stuff and weird stuff, too,” said Julie Coker Graham, the well-spoken and enthusiastic president and CEO of the Philadelphia Convention and Visitors’ Bureau. “We also like meat with cheese on a bun (meaning the famous Philly cheese steaks).”

The city’s new Four Seasons Hotel should open in the towering Comcast Center early next year.

Next up was New Orleans, which is celebrating its 300th anniversary this year; having been founded by a French explorer (Canada didn’t exist then) born and raised in Montreal; Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville.

New Orleans set a visitation record in 2017; the eighth year in a row, with 17.74 million visits. Officials said they also had 1.1 million cruise passengers, making NOLA the sixth-busiest cruise port in the United States.

The city is reclaiming mile after mile of neglected riverfront property, sprucing things up with new parks, restaurants and shopping spots. There’s also a new children’s museum coming, and a new airport in February 2019 that will feature an Emeril Lagasse restaurant and live music; a New Orleans staple and a very wise marketing move.

Thousands of new hotels are opening in New Orleans, too; not just in the famous French Quarter but in nearby wards that haven’t traditionally seen a great number of tourists.

On the California front, Visit California President and CEO Caroline Beteta said the state’s world-famous Highway One, closed for a few months now due to mudslides, will be fully open this coming September. That gives Canadians yet another reason to head back to one of their most-visited states.

Beteta showed off California tourism videos in English, Spanish and Mandarin; part of the Golden State’s attempt to overcome anti-immigrant headwinds emanating from The White House.

1.6 million Canadians visited California last year, she said, second only to the 7.71 million visitors who trekked over the border from Mexico. Canadians spent a whopping $2.2 billion US in the state last year, which is partly why California recently surpassed the UK as the world’s fifth largest economy.

Beteta said Napa and Sonoma wineries are operating normally following last year’s fires, which only affected a handful of wine operations but resulted in worldwide headlines.

“There’s never been a better time to visit,” she said.

Also appearing in front of the cameras at IPW was Roger Dow, head of the U.S. Travel Association, which lobbies on behalf of travel agents, tourism boards, tour operators, airlines and others in the travel and tourism business.

Dow said the U.S. is “falling behind our competitors” in terms of international visits, which fell more than three per cent last year. That equates to a loss of seven million visitors and $32 billion USD in lost revenue, as well as 100,000 fewer jobs, he said.

Dow said a group called the Visit U.S. coalition has been formed to try to reverse the course.

Security is vital to the future of the U.S., Dow said several times. But he also criticized what he called “extreme vetting” of would-be visitors.

Asked about gun violence and if it’s acting as a deterrent to greater visitation to the U.S., Dow did his best to navigate treacherous waters.

“We’ve had a lot of dialogue about guns,” he said. “It’s outside our lane, so what we want to do is just say that we must have security.”

Tourism has been affected by incidents in Turkey and France, Dow said. “We haven’t heard it loud” from folks who might want to visit the U.S.