Destinations
New York Touts Diverse Tourism Opportunities
The New York State Division of Tourism wants to draw attention to parts of New York State that are at times overshadowed by the bright lights of New York City. “Everyone has heard about Times Square and the Statue of Liberty,” Markly Wilson, the division's director of international marketing, told a Tuesday Toronto gathering. “But I'm not quite sure how many know about Genesee [County].” Among those in the delegation was Monica Stage of Buffalo's Martin House, which she labelled a “beautiful, unique, historic house museum” that was a “wonderful masterpiece” by famed...
Discover ‘Old Florida’ In Sanibel, Captiva
No street lights, no buildings higher than three storeys (the height of the area's tallest palm trees), 24 km of beaches, 40 km of bike paths and plenty of wildlife – but not of the crazy nightlife genre – all make for a perfect family getaway along Southwest Florida’s Gulf Coast, writes assistant editor, Greg Coates in this week's digital edition of Travel Courier. Specifically, we're talking about Lee County's The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel (located between Naples and Sarasota), offering unspoiled natural beauty – there are no theme parks here – and ranked as one...
‘Off the Map’ Introduces ‘Floating in Tromso’ Excursion
Arctic travel experts at Off the Map Travel have introduced a new “Floating in Tromso” program in which guests stay on and search for the Northern Lights from a new luxury floating lodge this winter off the Arctic coast near Tromso, Norway. Built on a ferry from the 1960s, officials say the VOLDA floating lodge has been renovated to the highest luxury specification using classic Scandinavian design. Its location, moored off the coast of Tromso Island, Norway, makes it well located to use as a base for local land activities by day and as a home for an evening Northern Lights...
Sell Florida Like A Pro
VISIT FLORIDA has launched its newest program for Canadian travel trade professionals – Florida Travel Pro. This e-learning platform is designed to help travel professionals nationwide discover the best the state has to offer and sell Florida like a pro. Florida Travel Pro is a collaborative online learning program that boost travel agents' skill sets covering five main categories, from the basics and the beaches to attractions and nightlife. The modules are fun and interactive, far from standard textbook exercises, with each taking approximately 12 to 15 minutes to complete. The...
Air Transat Takes Off To London
With an increase in international visitors for the 8th consecutive year in 2017, and a royal wedding that got the world's eyes turning once again to Kensington Palace in 2018, London is clearly top of mind for travellers these days. And Canadians are no exception. This winter, Air Transat remains dedicated to offering them year-round travel to the capital of the UK, with its popular daily direct flights from Toronto to London Gatwick. From visiting Buckingham Palace, the London Eye and Big Ben, to discovering lesser-known spots like Truefitt & Hill, the oldest barbershop in the...
Will They or Won’t They?
A report from Mexico says the newly elected Mexican federal government plans to shut down the Tourism Promotion Council of Mexico and close the 46 Mexico Tourism Board offices found outside the country. One government official was quoted as saying that the new government is committed to attracting tourists to one of the 10 most-visited countries in the world but will do so in a different manner, working from diplomatic missions, rather than stand-alone tourism board offices. “The promotion of the country will continue but with a more efficient spending, taking advantage of the...
Masters Of Kauai
TravelBrands, along with Kauai Visitor Bureau, recently hosted 13 travel agents on a Kauai Master Specialist FAM – the first Canadian group to experience a Kauai Master Specialist FAM. Along with staying at and doing inspections at some of the Islands most popular hotels and resorts, the group was able to experience many wonderful excursions and sites during the week. Some of these included a mountain tubing excursion, a spectacular helicopter tour, the Waimea Canyon bike tour, a zipline tour, a visit to a Chocolate Farm as well as other cultural activities and information...
Arizona Takes To The Court In YVR
Four teams from the U.S.-based NCAA men's college basketball ranks came to play in a tournament in Vancouver recently, and the Arizona Office of Tourism took the opportunity to participate. It was the first time that such a tournament has taken place in Vancouver. Arizona tourism reps invited members of Vancouver's travel media to the first two games of the Vancouver Showcase tournament, meeting them for drinks and appetizers before taking a short walk to the Vancouver Convention Centre for the games. There, the college teams from the University of Washington and Santa Clara...