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Source: The Palm Beach Post, Fla.24小時迷你倉Jan. 04--There it was, just behind New York City for Broadway and Chicago for Michigan Avenue: West Palm Beach's Antique Row netted the area No. 4 on Conde Nast's list of Best Cities for Shopping in the U.S.To be accurate, Palm Beach was the tony location that made the list. And Worth Avenue was clearly the top draw for the 80,000 people who voted in the survey. But Conde Nast's Traveler website explained that West Palm Beach's Antique Row Art and Design District helped bring in those on a budget and those ready to splurge."Simply put, there is 'something for everyone,' " the article touts.The top cities were New York City, Chicago and San Francisco, with Newport Beach, Calif., Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Charleston, S.C., Honolulu and Boston rounding out the Top 10.Discover Palm Beach County, the county's tourism marketing agency that spends about $9 million in bed tax dollars each year to lure more visitors, knows shopping is a draw.The agency put out a shopping visitor's guide recently, an accordion-style brochure that maps the shopping opportunities throughout the county.Discover CEO and President Jorge Pesquera says retail tourism is growing in South Florida, and the county wants to capitalize. If you've been to Sawgrass Mills and seen the international tourists buying luggage sets to haul home all their loot, you understand why Palm Beach County wants a piece of that business.What's not on the shopping guide map, but seems sure to help the cause: Palm Beach Outlets on Palm Beach Lakes Boulevard in West Palm Beach.It opens Feb. 14 with about 100 outlet stores, and the remaining power strip will open in the fall. Ultimately planned for close to 1.5 million square feet, the shopping center will be half the size of Sawgrass. But it will help the area in its retail tourism efforts. City leaders already have mentioned a shuttle service from the convention center to the outlet mall.Front-row seatsWhile the convention center hotel construction won't get under way until February, according to tourism leaders, it reportedly is getting plenty of attention in the industry.And those industry people will get a first-hand look at the location this month, as the Florida Huddle meets at the convention center Jan. 14-16.This is the second of three major events for travel planners and tourism leaders being held in Palm Beach County over a 10-month stretch. Each also includes official Visit Florida meetings, extending the exposure of the county.Last month, about 100 event planners attended Florida Encounter at the PGA National Resort & Spa. They met with representatives of the state's destinations, convention centers and attractions to determine where they will book group travel.Huddle will be held at the convention center with at least 200 attendees. It's a chance to sell the new convention center and hotel combo by pointing out the area's offerings first-hand.And in September, influential tourism leaders will gather for the Governor's Conference on Tourism at the Boca Resort.Discover Palm Beach County has plans to start aggressive marketing of the convention center and adjoining hotel this year, but is waiting on approval of specia迷你倉旺角 stimulus funds.The Tourist Development Council held out $2 million scraped from a capital projects fund -- receipts have been coming in so strong there's extra money -- and asked for project submissions.Those projects likely would have been approved in January and passed along to the county commission, but the TDC board canceled that meeting due to a conflict. The money will be further delayed. Discover has asked for $350,000 this year in stimulus funds for that effort, but likely will get $250,000.Tourist diversionsMaybe you didn't make it to the Boca Raton Resort this year for the pink ice skating rink, or see the Delray Beach Marriott's Sanda Claus sculpture. But thousands of tourists did.In fact, KAYAK.com reported in mid-December that West Palm Beach was the second highest trending destination for both Christmas and New Year's Eve. One in five people checking out New Year's travel plans looked into West Palm Beach. Needless to say, the airlines have hiked fares 15 percent from last year, KAYAK.com stated.Our hotels have been ready for them.Palm Beach Marriott Singer Island Beach Resort rolled out all the stops for visitors far from home, offering special Christmas packages of a completely decorated tree and stockings. General Manager Roger Amidon said the hotel delivered candy canes on Christmas Eve and ferried in Santa via banana boat on Christmas morning.At Delray Beach Marriott, the 10,000-pound Sanda Claus will stay up until Jan. 6. The sand sculpture was created by Treasure Island's Sanding Ovations and shows Santa and his sleigh pulled by sea turtles.And Boca Raton Resort unveiled a pink-ice skating rink that was slated to be open through New Year's Day for guests. The 85-by-40-foot rink of real ice is a salute to the classic pink landmark.Of course those who want to better enjoy the 80-degree temps we've had can try out the new Surf School.Arrivals and DeparturesOver the next six months, Palm Beach International Airport should be up 3.5 percent in numbers of seats, Finance Director Mike Simmons said.But the airport had been running slightly behind 2011 because Southwest Airlines discontinued its Tampa and Tallahassee service earlier in 2012. Silver Airways replaced the service, but its planes fly 38 people, versus Southwest's at 150 each flight.New service to L.A., Orlando and two Bahamas destinations will help.And Simmons said the airport expects Southwest to add seasonal service to Providence, R.I., and Pittsburgh again this year.Planes have been loaded for months -- 85 percent for the 12 months ending in October. That should inspire airlines to add flights, Simmons said.PBIA artist receptionEver wondered about the artwork displayed at PBIA?The exhibit on the Level 2 of the Main Terminal changes on a regular basis, and the current slate of 20 artists was selected from 90 applications and represents the county from north to south.Find out how they came up with their ideas at a reception from 5:30-7 p.m., Jan. 15. No surprise, the works are for sale.Copyright: ___ (c)2014 The Palm Beach Post (West Palm Beach, Fla.) 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