Stepping into Las Vegas, it is easy to forget you are in the middle of a desert. That is, until your hair starts to stick to everything because of the dryness. Despite this, the abundance of fountains, bodies of water and water features will still try to convince a visitor to the city that they are not, in fact, playing on a pile of sand.

Australians continue their love affair with New York City despite the economy. Aussie visitation to the Big Apple reached nearly 200,000 last year and continues to increase in the face of the slowing global tourism according to Manhattan's Beacon Hotel General Manager, Tom Travers.

Amid one of the worst downturns in American history, consumers are benefiting from hot deals and massive markdowns offered by cruise lines.

Prices are being cut by as much as a third, industry participants say.