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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Cr Surveys Show Parks Too Crowded

From Wire Reports

Five of the nation’s most scenic national parks are too crowded or traffic-ridden for comfort, judging from responses to a Consumer Reports’ annual questionnaire that drew responses from 40,000 subscribers.

The parks that got black marks were Grand Canyon, Yosemite, Rocky Mountain, Zion and Glacier.

Nineteen percent of readers didn’t hike or walk at all when they visited a site, and 40 percent walked one mile or less.

Among the least-crowded parks are Glacier Bay and Denali in Alaska and Crater Lake in Oregon.

Bridge opened: Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak recently inaugurated the Luxor Bridge, which crosses the Nile about four miles south of Luxor.

Tourists no longer must rely on ferries or “feluccas” to reach the Valley of the Kings and other sites on the west side of the river.

The $10 million bridge has been largely built for several years, but completion was delayed by controversies over its environmental impact, including the threat of pollution at archaeological sites.

Bypass customs: The United States and Canada have agreed to test a one-year program at the Vancouver International Airport: American and other non-Canadian passengers traveling to the United States through Vancouver will be allowed to bypass Canadian customs.

Until recently, international travelers passing through Canada on their way to the United States had to go through customs and immigration for both countries. Some even needed a Canadian visa to walk through the airport to United States Customs.

If the pilot project is successful, the one-stop service will be expanded to Canada’s six other international airports.

More tourists: Total tourist arrivals to East Asia and the Pacific in 1996 topped 87 million, a 9.3 percent increase from 1995.

The top destinations (with numbers of international tourist arrivals) in East Asia and the Pacific for 1996, according to the World Tourism Organization: 1) China, 22,765,000; 2) Hong Kong, 11,703,000; 3) Thailand, 7,192,000; 4) Malaysia, 7,138,000; 5) Singapore, 6,608,000; 6) Indonesia, 5,034,000; 7) Macau, 4,890,000; 8) Australia, 4,167,000; 9) South Korea, 3,684,000; 10) Taiwan, 2,358,000.

Walk the Big Apple: Get to know the Big Apple one step at a time with a variety of low-cost walking tours available this summer:

The New York Historical Society sponsors walks highlighting the history of Central Park every Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m., through Aug. 30. Cost is $5. Reservations: 212-873-3400.

Adventure on a Shoestring has ongoing walks throughout the city, with themes such as “The World of Edith Wharton” and “Hell’s Kitchen Hike.” Cost is $5. Reservations: 212-265-2663.

Big Onion Tours has ongoing guided walks through all sections of New York, from Little Italy to Roosevelt Island. Cost is $9. Information: 212-439-1090.

The Museum of the City of New York is hosting several tours in July and August, including “Historic Harlem,” “Ethnic Traditions With a New York Twist” and walks related to the city’s artists. Cost is $9. Information: 212-534-1672, ext. 206.