“Natalee Holloway is a name that millions of people are familiar with, because we all felt the fear and pain of her disappearance,” states Janine Vaccarello, chief operating officer for Alcatraz East, “By paying tribute to her we keep her memory alive and help to continue awareness about the importance of missing persons crimes and traveling safe. Natalee is a face that represents many others who are missing as well.”Alcatraz East honored Natalee by adding a marble etching of her that was part of a larger memorial originally created and erected by a local man when she first disappeared. The image will become part of the Unsolved Cases section of the museum, which features information about her, as well other cold cases like JonBenét Ramsey, whose case is still receiving national media attention, and Amber Hageman, whose case spawned Amber Alerts. The section also highlights the Natalee Holloway Resource Center that was founded by Beth Holloway in May 2010. The center focuses on educating the public on traveling safe, as well as guiding loved ones on steps to take if a person does go missing.
The U.S. Department of State cautions travelers, warning that U.S. citizens are strongly encouraged to maintain a high level of vigilance and take appropriate steps to increase their security awareness when traveling.“There is nothing we can do to be 100% free from risks when we travel anywhere in the country or abroad,” states Vaccarello, “But there are a lot of little things we can do to try and reduce risks and help keep ourselves safe. We hope that Natalee Holloway’s anniversary helps shed light once again on this tragic story that plays out for thousands of families each year.”
Plan Your Visit To Alcatraz East
Alcatraz East is located at the entrance to The Island, at 2757 Parkway in Pigeon Forge, near the Margaritaville Hotel and Paula Deen’s Family Kitchen. For ticket information and current exhibits visit their website at www.alcatrazeast.com.
The Crime Museum also offers insightful Domestic and International Travel Tips on their website at http://www.crimemuseum.org/documents/Domestic%20and%20International%20Travel%20Tips.pdf
Visit the U.S. Department of State for Worldwide Caution information at https://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/alertswarnings/worldwide-caution.html.
