Destinations
Discovering The Solares De Portugal
It's not often that a Count comes to invite you to stay at his home … or for that matter, the home of many of his friends, but that's essentially what Count Francisco de Calheiros e Menezes, president of Solares de Portugal did last night (June 25) at an intimate gathering of top agents and operators at the Consul General of Portugal's offices in Toronto. Admitting to his audience that while this time around he was only making a short visit, his first visit to Canada was more than enough to convince to return and explore all of this country's wonders. And Count de Calheiros also...
Swoop Ready For Winter, Adds Los Cabos
Swoop has released its 2019 winter schedule with non-stop flights available for booking from June 25, 2019 through April 25, 2020. The schedule boasts 28 winter getaway routes, including the enticing new destination of Los Cabos, Mexico. As part of the winter schedule, Swoop announced three-times weekly service between Edmonton International Airport (YEG) and twice-weekly service between Winnipeg Richardson International Airport (YWG) and Los Cabos International Airport (SJD). The Los Cabos routes start November 2, 2019 and November 17, 2019, respectively. Steven Greenway, president...
Club Med Picks Lacoste For Charlevoix
Following the official laying of the first stone of Club Med`s first four-season resort in Canada last week, it has announced the appointment of General Manager (presented as Chief of Village): Francis Lacoste. Lacoste will manage the new resort in the Charlevoix region, which will open its doors on Dec. 5, 2020. He has been a member of the Club Med family for over 10 years and quickly became one of the company's most-valued Chiefs of Village. With the desire to gain international experience, this ski buff started his Club Med journey as a Gracious Organiser (G.O.) at Club Med...
Above & Beyond
Where were you when the Toronto Raptors won the NBA Championship? Well, for close to 400 of the Canadian travel industry's finest, the answer to that question is they were at the second annual Agents' Choice Awards Gala at the Arcadian Court in Toronto. It was a night of celebration and anticipation as Baxter Media unveiled the results of the 20th Anniversary edition of the Agents' Choice Awards Readership Survey, and – with all the glitz and glamour of Hollywood's Oscars – presented awards to the 2019 favourite suppliers as selected by the 6,512 travel agents from across Canada...
TDC Celebrates Its Best
Transat Distribution Canada (TDC) agency owners were honoured recently for their outstanding sales achievements with a luxury trip to Ireland accompanied by a team of Transat executives. Each year, Transat Distribution hosts a BRAVO Award of Excellence trip for their top-producing agency owners in recognition of their exceptional sales performance. The group was made up of 34 agency owners and their guests, along with their hosts: Joseph Adamo, chief distribution officer & president TDC; Nathalie Boyer, general manager, TDC; Louise Fecteau and Nicole Bursey, commercial directors,...
Thailand Celebrates Pride In Toronto
The Tourism Authority of Thailand takes great Pride in Thailand's happily welcoming members of the LGBT community who wish to vacation in the Asian nation. The tourism authority's Canadian office brought members of Thai on-line TV show Drag Race – which features transgender and other performers – to Baxter Media's Toronto office Friday as part of a promotion to get the message out that Thailand is happy to host LGBT travellers. “Thailand is most accepting.” said the tourism authority's Canadian director Puangpen Klanwari. “We want to show that Thailand is a LGBT-friendly...
Brainstorming In Calgary
WestJet welcomed members of its Travel Agent Advisory Board (TAAB) to its head office in Calgary for two days of interactive feedback, planning and discussion last week. The two-day conference was attended by 40 TAAB members representing 35 travel agencies across Canada. Corporate and leisure agents had the opportunity to meet with WestJet employees, share their feedback about upcoming initiatives and attend presentations by vice president of sales and distribution, Chuck Crowder and agency sales director, Jane Clementino. There were brainstorming sessions and in-depth workshops...
The Bahamas Is Hot
The Bahamas is coming off a record year for tourism with almost half a million more visitors in the books for 2018 versus 2017. “The tourism sector in the Bahamas has boomed. The growth in visitor arrivals have been nothing short of exceptional,” Dionisio D’Aguilar, Minister of Tourism and Aviation for The Government of The Bahamas, noted, addressing those gathered for the International Travel Partners Conference in Nassau Paradise Island. “I deem 2018 as a historic year for the Bahamian economy in that 6.6 million foreign visitors made The Bahamas their vacation destination, the...