November 24, 2015: Paris Tourism Declines After Terrorist Attacks, Amazon’s Ad Campaign for New Show Criticized for Nazi-like Images, Twitter Ends Blood Drives Because of Discrimination Against Gay Donors

1. PARIS TOURISM DECLINES AFTER TERRORIST ATTACKS: Tourists are staying away from top attractions in Paris from the Louvre to the Eiffel Tower in the wake of terrorist attacks earlier this month. The declines are significant enough to prompt the government to meet with industry officials to bring back visitors. Associated Press: “Prime Minister Manuel Valls was meeting Monday with representatives from tour operators, travel agencies, hotels, restaurants as well as travel companies such as Air France, to find a short-term plan to boost the industry. The meeting will also look for ways to tailor the marketing of Paris as a holiday destination for tourists fearful of a repeat of the attacks that killed 130 people and left hundreds more injured. Even as airlines operated a normal schedule of flights into and out of Paris, many travelers with plans to visit the French capital have reconsidered their options, a worrisome sign for the travel and tourism industries.” http://apne.ws/1jgTFgR

2. AMAZON’S AD CAMPAIGN FOR NEW SHOW CRITICIZED FOR NAZI-LIKE IMAGES: To promote a new Amazon show, an advertising campaign covered New York subway cars with Nazi-inspired imagery that isn’t sitting well with straphangers. The MTA says the show, The Man in the High Castle, meets its standards for advertising. Gothamist: “The updated standards prohibit political advertisements. Unless you’re saying that you believe Amazon is advocating for a Nazi takeover of the United States, then it meets the standards. They’re advertising a show,” said MTA spokesman Adam Lisberg. http://bit.ly/1LwrwZW

3. TWITTER ENDS BLOOD DRIVES BECAUSE OF DISCRIMINATION AGAINST GAY DONORS: Twitter announced a decision to stop hosting blood drives at its New York and San Francisco offices because of a government policy that bans gay and bisexual men from donating blood. International Business Times: "’We made the choice to take a company stand against some of our employees being turned away from donating blood and will channel our efforts into education about this issue until this unnecessary and discriminatory policy is changed,’ said Brian ‘Skip’ Schipper, Twitter’s Vice President of Human Resources and the Executive Sponsor of TwitterOpen, [the company’s LGBT employee resource group]. … Besides boycotting blood drives, Twitter has also filed a public comment with the FDA. TwitterOpen has also promoted a petition to ‘stop discriminating and screen male blood donors equally.’” http://bit.ly/1Tc6Sok


* INDUSTRY NEWS *

Snapchat has tweaked its “Live Stories” feature to allow users to also look at a single moment. TechCrunch: http://tcrn.ch/1MNnka5

* LOCAL NEWS *

ATLANTA:  "The Walking Dead Experience," an immersive theatrical attraction inspired by the AMC series, will be on display in Midtown through Saturday. Atlanta Business Chronicle: http://bit.ly/1lFK9Wv

AUSTIN:  The eighth annual Lights of Love 5K will take place December 4 at the Browning Hanger at Mueller. The run supports the families of Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Texas.

BOSTON:  The AFP International Fundraising Conference will take place March 20-22 at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center.

CHICAGO:  The Oak Brook Chapter of the Infant Welfare Society will host its annual fund-raisers—Cocktails in Candyland and Mistletoe Medley—November 30 and December 1.

LAS VEGAS:  Slated to open in January, Beer Park by Budweiser at Paris Las Vegas is billed as the city’s first rooftop bar and grill.

The newly renovated Buffet at Wynn Las Vegas reopened yesterday, offering more than 120 internationally inspired dishes.

The Linq Promenade will kick off its “Winter Parq” programming on December 5. The live entertainment, falling snow, and other programming will continue through January 1.

LOS ANGELES:  SBE’s Redbury Hollywood hotel has brought on Danny Elmaleh as chef de cuisine at Cleo restaurant.

Local event listings from the new Masterplanner: http://www.masterplanneronline.com/losangeles

MIAMI/SOUTH FLORIDA:  The Palm Beach Poetry Festival will take place January 18-23 at Old School Square in Delray Beach. Robert Hass, former poet laureate of the United States, is among the poets slated to participate in the event.

MINNEAPOLIS:  The JW Marriott Minneapolis Mall of America opened Monday. The 342-room hotel has almost 20,000 square feet of event space, including a ballroom that accommodates more than 1,700 people.

NEW YORK:  Glade's multisensory exhibit, the Museum of Feelings, debuts at Brookfield Place today and will be on display through December 15. The exhibit incorporates technology, scent, fashion, and art.

J.Crew and Jet Blue Airlines will partner for a pop-up in Terminal 5 at JFK Airport on Wednesday. Designed by Brooklyn-based artist Greg LaMarche, the pop-up will offer free J.Crew merchandise, a photo booth and temporary tattoo station, a claw game to win Jet Blue travel certificates, and free food and drinks from Terminal 5 eateries.

After 56 years in the Seagram Building on Park Avenue, French restaurant Brasserie will close in January.

In New Jersey, Asbury Park's abandoned Salvation Army building is slated to become the Asbury, the shore town's first new hotel in 50 years. The 110-room hotel will include a rooftop garden inspired by Central Park, food and beer trucks next to an outdoor pool, a 4,000-square-foot outdoor lounge, and a 4,800-square-foot indoor-outdoor event space.

Local event listings from the new Masterplanner: http://www.masterplanneronline.com/newyork

ORLANDO/CENTRAL FLORIDA:  Unicorp National Development's plans for I-Drive include a large convention hotel, a hotel aimed a tourists, and several smaller hotels. Orlando Business Journal: http://bit.ly/1LwnXTu

SAN FRANCISCO:  The SF Sketchfest 2016 will take place January 7-24. The lineup features than more than 200 shows, with appearances from actors Sally Field, Jeff Goldblum, John Hamm, and others.

TORONTO:  The Star reported from the 33rd annual Swedish Christmas Festival, which took place at Harbourfront Centre and featured a Pippi Longstocking selfie station. http://on.thestar.com/1SWx3yq

WASHINGTON, D.C.:  Stephen Colbert will host the 38th annual Kennedy Center Honors, which will take place December 6 and air on CBS December 29.

ManneqArt Show, Presented by Art Soiree and benefiting ManneqArt, took place Friday at the Ritz-Carlton, Georgetown. About 250 guests attended the event, which saw more than 30 models wearing fashions constructed from unconventional materials such as metals, paper, spray foam, and melted plastic bags.

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With contributions from Jenny Berg in Chicago, Alesandra Dubin in Los Angeles, Mitra Sorrells in Orlando, and Beth Kormanik, Michele Laufik, Jill Menze, Anna Sekula, and Ian Zelaya in New York.

BizBash Daily is the must-read digest of event industry news from BizBash.com.

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