Destinations
Port of Quebec Concludes Strong Season
The Port of Quebec concluded another successful cruise season with 236,715 cruise passengers visiting from 148 ships calling worldwide. Quebec City is a growing embark/debark port with 22 turnarounds in 2019. In addition to its strong passenger growth and more lines calling, nine ships made inaugural visits with first-time visits from five cruise lines including Hurtigruten, MSC, TUI, Scenic and Peace Boat. Construction of a second terminal (see rendering above) is underway and set to launch in fall 2020. The new 100,000 square-foot facility will accommodate vessels up to 4,000...
WestJet Adds Boston to Calgary Hub
WestJet is giving travellers a chance to pack more business and leisure into their travel itineraries with new seasonal daily non-stop service between the airline's home in Calgary and Boston, starting May 14. “Fantastic routes need fantastic schedules and WestJet is offering guests convenient flight times between our extensive hub out of Calgary and the capital of Massachusetts,” said Arved von zur Muehlen, WestJet chief commercial officer. “While other carriers may fly the route, WestJet continues to build our schedule for the region's business and leisure travellers. It's...
The Moorings Sails Into Brazil
Premier yacht charter company The Moorings has expanded its operations to include a new partner base in Paraty, Brazil. Surrounded by towering jungles plummeting into the waters of Baia Carioca, this charter cruising region features bays boasting islands and world-famous beaches. Paraty adds to the charter company’s more than 20 worldwide yacht charter vacation destinations. Centrally located between Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, Paraty (pronounced “Para-chee”) holds the key to many natural wonders that can only be discovered by boat. Backed by mountains on Brazil’s Costa...
Savouring the Flavours of Israel
In celebration of a third consecutive record year for tourism to Israel with 4.5 million visitors – of which 100,000 were Canadian – the Israel Government Tourist Office held an event in Toronto yesterday (Dec. 12) inviting participants to get a taste of the destination with a lavish breakfast spread at Parallel restaurant. “It’s the conclusion of 2019, which was the best year in history in regards to tourism to Israel,” Gal Hana, the new director for Canada for the Israel Government Tourist Office told PressToday. “What better way to experience what we’re talking about all...
Surfing showcased
Honolulu’s Bishop Museum has opened its new exhibit “Mai Kinohi Mai: Surfing in Hawaii,” running through May 3, 2020, in its Castle Memorial Building. The exhibit invites visitors to explore surfing as a culture, an art, a sport and a way of life. Using the museum’s research and collections in partnership with the local surfing community, the exhibit displays the oldest surfboards known to exist, some owned by Hawaiian royalty. Rare memorabilia as well as archival photos and manuscripts help to tell the story of surfing from its roots in traditional Hawaiian culture to its...
Honolulu high
Bike Hawaii Tours has recently added eBike tours to its lineup of cycling programs around Honolulu’s mountain rainforests. During this Honolulu Rainforest Ride, the 250-watt electric-assist mountain bikes ease the tour’s 8-km uphill climb before the road’s eventual descent. The tour showcases the tropical mountain landscapes of the Ko'olau Mountains. From these heights, riders are rewarded with stunning views of O’ahu from Manoa Valley to Diamond Head (Le’ahi Crater) and from Waikiki to Ewa Beach, Pearl Harbor and the Waianae Mountains in the distance. Guests will ride...
Just like home
This past October, fewer visitors to Hawai‘i stayed in condominiums (-6.7%), timeshares (-4.6%) and hotels (-2.1%), while more visitors stayed with friends and relatives (+10.0%) and in rental homes (+2.5%) compared to a year ago. These latest Hawai‘i stats were assembled by the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority. Year-to-date through October, fewer visitors purchased packaged trips (-14.0%) to Hawai‘i, while more visitors made their own travel arrangements (+7.0%) compared to a year ago, noted the HTA. And while spending on food and beverage increased, expenses for lodging and...
Wellness is all part of experience
For a Hawai‘i visit with a difference, travellers can opt for the lesser-known island of Lanai – home to the new Four Seasons Hotel Lanai at Koele, A Sensei Retreat. It started accepting reservations as of Nov. 1 and beyond, with a focus exclusively on wellness retreats. The new adults-only, all-inclusive resort offers comprehensive and customizable wellness programs tailored to individual needs. It has partnered with Sensei, the wellness company founded by Larry Ellison and Dr. David Agus, plus Chef Nobu Matsuhisa. Together, they have created “an extraordinary level of wellness,...