Destinations
Vienna Posts Strong 2017 Results
Vienna is reporting that 2017 was the “best year ever” for tourism, with 15.5 million visitor bednights – that's 3.7% more than in 2016 and it represents a new all-time high. In the record year 2017 Vienna recorded 15,510,000 visitor bednights (up 3.7%) and 7,097,000 arrivals (up 3.1%). Vienna's 10 top performing markets were headed by Germany, Austria, the USA, the United Kingdom and Italy. Spain, Russia, Switzerland and France rounded out the top 10. The destination also reported strong growth South Korea, Australia, Brazil and India. The Viennese hospitality sector has...
Miami Bliss
It was all things Miami last night as a delegation of tourism officials – including “Miami Bill,” William Talbert, president of the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau – hosted an event at JUMP in Toronto to update the trade on all things happening in the Florida city. Talbert thanked Canadian partners for keeping Canada as the city's top international feeder market and advised agents that if they haven't been to Miami lately, they don't know Miami. “If you haven't been to Miami lately, you haven't been to Miami,” he said. “It's changed so much, it's...
Giving Back With The Sandals Foundation
Yesterday, Press Today's Ashley Rochefort had a chance to take part in the Sandals Foundation’s Reading Road Trip in Providenciales, Turks & Caicos. It was quite an experience, and what follows is the story she has to tell: We visited the grade one class at Ianthe Pratt Primary School, and met the lovely and bright misses Damiya and Kmala and read aloud together about princesses and pigs and practiced our printing. Reading Road Trip offers Sandals and Beaches guests a chance to give back during their vacation when they are paired with a small group of students to read with...
Vietnam Next In Line For ATF
A trend towards utilizing the resources of so-called secondary or alternative destinations will continue for the ASEAN Tourism Forum next year, when the ATF moves to Vietnam for the 2019 edition, reports western Canada editor Ted Davis. The 2019 ATF will take place in the small city of Ha Long, near the tourist destination of Ha Long Bay in Vietnam, rather than a large centre like Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City, where ATFs have been held in the past. The Forum will run Jan. 14-18, at the futuristic Quang Ninh Expo Center, says Davis, who attended the ATF in Thailand last week. Vietnam is...
Canada On Show At WTM Latin America
WTM Latin America has launched Destination Pavilions. The goal of the new initiative is to enable private companies from destinations that are not represented at the event to mark their presence in its 6th edition. Companies from the following markets have already confirmed their participation: Canada, South Africa, Greece, United Kingdom, Portugal, Germany and France. Luciane Leite, director of WTM Latin America, said: “Partnerships established with associations and departments from these destinations are fundamental for guaranteeing the presence of companies.” Companies...
Awesome Argentina
Far below the equator, near the bottom of the world, Argentina summons travellers with a blend of sleek, urban style shaped by a turbulent history and flavoured by renowned wines and cuisine, reports western editor, Ted Davis in this week's cover story in Travel Courier. History and style cross paths in Buenos Aires, whose roots reach back to its founding in 1536. It draws comparisons to European establishments with its old world sophistication, while the streetscape retains the more jumbled characteristics of some European cities – it was sometimes known as the Paris of South...
Porter Doubles Stephenville Schedule
Porter Airlines has released its 2018 schedule for Stephenville, Nfld., featuring new spring and fall service. Fifty round-trip flights will operate between Halifax, beginning April 14 through Jan. 5, 2019, with schedules varying by season. This more than doubles service from the previous year. “We are ready to begin our fifth year of service in Stephenville with more flights than ever,” said Robert Deluce, president and CEO, Porter Airlines. “This area of the province deserves more service and we believe people will respond to having options during the most popular times of...
Having A Ball In Vienna
Austrian tourism officials say it's easy for tourists to have a ball in Vienna. And that's particularly true for those there during January and February, the height of the season when Viennese like to dress in an elegant manner and take to dance floors. A city that is often synonymous with classical music sees hundreds of balls during January and February and tourists wanting to take to a dance floor with locals needn't be particularly skilled in classic dance routines to do so, a Tuesday Toronto gathering was told. Arnulf Gressel, Austria's vice-consul in Toronto, noted during...