The U.S. Department of Tourism has released their new video “Discover America.” The video, produced by Disney, will play at airports and points of U.S. entry as well as U.S. embassies.

A member of Lonely Planet posted the link for DiscoverAmerica.com which in March 2008 will become the new U.S. Tourism global portal for those planning trips and searching for travel information about America.

Despite my below nitpickings I like this video overall. It’s an excellent blend of cities, small towns, open expanses of the west, and shows faces from all walks of life. Some parts of course are typical Americana nostalgia with kids playing in tire swings and school buses winding their way around small towns. Kind of reminds me of my old Lionel train set. But there are also modern urban shots of bustling streets and hearty industry and commerce. I like the Harley riders and the Vegas showgirl, who seems surprised to see the U.S. Tourism Department in her dressing room.

As noted in my post below the video also contains an embarrassing scene of the Horseshoe Falls portion of Niagara Falls, which is located entirely in the country of Canada. Even worse, the scenic and misty pan of the falls can only be viewed from Canadian grounds. Not exactly representative of the United States.

One other criticism: Where are all the Mexicans? They make up a large portion of our population, and I find them noticeably absent in this production. They should at least be proportionately represented in this piece. Que lastima.

You can view the video at DiscoverAmerica.com

James Van Dellen