Destinations
QTA, Qatar Airways Extend ‘Free’ Stopover Offer
Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA) and Qatar Airways will continue offering their stopover package until the end of the year. The enticing offer -- part of a broader +Qatar campaign -- encourages all transit passengers to add Qatar to their travel plans and provides transit passengers with an opportunity to discover the country. The offering includes free luxury hotel stays and complimentary transit visas. Initially planned to run from May until the end of the summer, the offer will now continue until Dec. 31 December. During the initial period, the country welcomed 34% more transit...
Committed To Vancouver
Vancouver’s growing prominence in the Air Canada route network was confirmed at a New Routes event by the airline last week, at a club in the fashionable Yaletown district of the city. Leading the presentation was Bonnie Walker, AC director of sales for western Canada. She told assembled agents, tour operators and corporate partners that Air Canada had inaugurated 11 routes from YVR in 2017. These include the destinations of Denver, Dallas, Boston, Phoenix, Frankfurt, Nagoya, Taipei and Gatwick. In December, Air Canada will start flights to Melbourne, which is the airline’s third...
China Unveils Its Wonders
A very Great wall is among dozens of sites in China that have wowed UNESCO. The United Nations body has given World Heritage Site status to 52 sites in China, with foreign tourists able to visit the attractions, says the vice-chairman of the China National Tourism Administration. Xiaofeng Wang told an Oct. 10 Toronto gathering that China is “one of the countries having the largest number of World Heritage Sites in the World,” among those sites the famed Great Wall, the Terra Cotta Warriors, the storied Silk Road and the Huangshan Mountains. Wang and some of his colleagues were...
Spend the Night at S.F. Dungeon, If You Dare
Tis the season. Have a client that likes a dare? The San Francisco Dungeon and Booking.com have teamed up to offer the ultimate Halloween sleepover experience – a night’s stay in the dungeon. Brave souls can book a private one-night stay in the popular underground attraction on Oct. 30 or 31. Accommodations include an overnight stay in the chilling “Ghosts of Alcatraz Suite.” The price? US$666 per night for up to four people. Reservations will be accepted starting Oct. 13 at Booking.com and are available on a first-come, first-serve basis. The San Francisco Dungeon,...
Hawaii Flying High
Economic sustainability for the Hawaii tourism industry relies almost exclusively on the volume of airline traffic that flies into the islands, and between the islands. So delegates to the recent Global Tourism Summit held in Waikiki were pleased to hear a generally bullish outlook in the forecast for Hawaii's airline capacity in the near future, in a presentation by Brad DeFiore, managing director of Ailevon Pacific Aviation Consulting, reports western editor, Ted Davis in the Hawaii: Paradise Perfected supplement in the Oct. 9 issue of Canadian Travel Press. For example, his...
Viva Varadero Savings
Sunwing is offering sun seekers savings of up to 50% on a selection of vacation packages to some of Varadero, Cuba’s top-rated resorts when booked by Oct. 13. In addition, agents can earn double STAR points that convert to cash on all new Cuba bookings made by Oct. 27. Sunwing offers a range of accommodations in Varadero including Grand Memories Varadero, the Starfish Varadero and Iberostar Bella Vista. All packages include return flights on Sunwing Airlines. Go to http://www.sunwingagents.ca for...
Celebrating With Taiwan
Taiwan marked its 106th National Day on Friday, with speakers at a Toronto celebration using the occasion to pay tribute to the Asian nation's commitment to freedom. Catherine Yung-mei Hsu told the gathering that, “Taiwan is one of the first democracies in the world,” and noted the country now has its first female president. A commitment to human rights brings Canada and Taiwan together, she added. The event drew politicians from the municipal, provincial and federal levels, among them Toronto-area Conservative MP Peter Kent, who described himself as a “big fan of Taiwan –...
Acapulco Posts Strong Summer Results
It was a busy summer for Acapulco, with the popular destination welcoming 690,000 visitors and its hotel occupancy rates averaging 67% and at times reaching peaks of 93%. The figures represent an increase of seven percent in comparison to the same period last year. Clearly pleased by the results, Pedro Haces, president of the Acapulco Destination Marketing Office, observed, “The occupancy rate in Acapulco continues to grow, and the strong cooperation between the private and government sectors, combined with the striking natural beauty of the destination and its legendary service is...