American tourist destinations now have a special place on the Bulgarian market. The USAAPOLLO.com platform was officially presented yesterday during the first Miami Cruise Party, which took place in the center of Sofia, in front of The RITZ Specialty Coffee. “Experience North America in the way that suits you best“, is the message of the project.
The new platform offers Bulgarian tourists various travel options in the USA and Canada - organized excursions, cruises, vacations and individual itineraries, said Kalina Todorova, manager at the tour operator “Apollo“, who are the founders of the platform. Among the offers are self-drive trips, which allow tourists to determine the route and pace of their vacation themselves.
The idea of USAAPOLLO.com is to present North America not only as a distant destination, but as a tourist product with various options – from city trips and cruises to nature routes and independent road trip adventures, explained Todorova.
From New York to national parks
USAAPOLLO.com draws attention to the wide spectrum of tourist opportunities in North America. Travelers can choose between iconic cities, natural landmarks, beach destinations and cruise routes, emphasized Pavlina Ilieva, manager at „Apollo“. The USA offers opportunities for different types of tourism – from the dynamism of New York and the beaches of Miami, to the cultural diversity of Los Angeles, the history and political legacy of Washington, the music and culinary scene of New Orleans, the legendary views of the San Francisco Bay, the theme parks of Orlando, the homeland of the blues and rock and roll of Memphis and the lights of Las Vegas, she added.
In New York, tourists can combine world-famous landmarks such as Times Square, Central Park and the Statue of Liberty with museums, theaters, shopping and gastronomy from around the world. Miami offers a different face of America - the ocean, palm trees, art deco architecture, nightlife and the multicultural atmosphere of South Beach and Little Havana. Los Angeles is a natural choice for lovers of cinema, Hollywood, highways and the California coast.
For those looking for history and American politics, Washington offers the White House, the Capitol, the National Mall and some of the most significant museums in the country. New Orleans is an immersion in a completely different America - jazz, Creole cuisine, French heritage and the atmosphere of the French Quarter. San Francisco combines steep streets, the Golden Gate Bridge, the coast and proximity to Napa Valley - the wine region of California.
Orlando is among the most sought-after destinations for family trips because of the world-famous theme parks - Walt Disney World Resort and Universal Studios Florida, while Memphis attracts music fans with the legacy of Elvis Presley, blues and rock and roll. Las Vegas is a separate category - spectacular shows, hotels, restaurants, entertainment and the impressive desert nature around.
Beyond the big cities, however, another America is discovered - that of vast national parks, canyons, deserts, forests, lakes and mountain landscapes. Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, Yosemite, Zion and Grand Teton are just some of the places that can be included in the itineraries of nature and adventure lovers.
It is here that the opportunity for an American road trip appears - one of the most characteristic ways to travel in the USA. By car, you can drive through several states, combine large cities with national parks and small towns and discover America outside the standard tourist routes. The California coast, Route 66, the southwestern states, Florida and the national parks of the West offer dozens of options for individual routes, explained Kalina Todorova.
The presentation of the new USAAPOLLO.com platform took place during the Miami Cruise Party, which turned the space in front of The RITZ Specialty Coffee on the yellow cobblestones in Sofia into a kind of Florida scene. A retro-style Cadillac caught the attention of passersby, and special guests for photos were Mickey Mouse, Marilyn Monroe, the Statue of Liberty and a cruise ship captain.
The event was very lively, with meetings and conversations about Miami, cruises and tourism opportunities in America. The colors of Florida - orange, green and white - were part of the thematic atmosphere. The organizers from TravelNews, “Apollo“ and The RITZ Specialty Coffee emphasized Miami as one of the leading departure points for cruise trips in the Caribbean and on the opportunities for combining a city break with a cruise.
The initiative was partnered by the U.S. Commercial Service at the U.S. Embassy in Bulgaria. Other participants in the event included Jim Beam, Devin mineral and sparkling water, Sono Paulina, a company that scents spaces, VV Design – event decoration, and Brone.bg, which offers vintage car rentals for events and occasions.
Miroslav Ivanov