Destinations
Practicing The Art Of The Possible
In unsettled times, whether it's in business or on a personal level, sometimes the best way to calm things down is to reach out to your colleagues and friends for some reassurance. And that's exactly what a late spring visit to Toronto by a staggeringly large and impressively high-powered group of senior California tourism executives was all about. The message the group had for its key partners in Canada was that despite all of the rhetoric coming out of Washington – not to mention the uncertainty it has created both in the travel and tourism industry and in political circles...
Behind the Scenes of Corner Gas
In honour of Canada's 150th birthday, the producers of the Corner Gas franchise, in association with the Town of Rouleau, Sask., have launched an interactive Corner Gas – Dog River Walking Tour. Dog River is the fictional town featured in the smash hit Canadian television franchise Corner Gas, about small-town life in the Prairies. The franchise includes the upcoming series Corner Gas Animated, launching on The Comedy Network in 2018. A ribbon-cutting ceremony and inaugural walking tour was held in Rouleau, a 40-minute drive from Regina, July 5, offering sneak peeks of Corner Gas...
Off The Beaten Path In Germany
The German National Tourist Office, Lufthansa and the state of Bavaria teamed up to host a group of top travel executives from Canada late last month. The group included Kim Clarke, director of sales, Globus family of brands; Mike Foster, president, Nexion Travel; Franca Iuele, director of marketing Canada, Ensemble Travel Group; Penny Martin, vice-president, The Travel Agent Next Door; Brett Walker, general mManager, Collette Vacations; and Antje Splettstoesser, director, German National Tourist Office. Splettstoesser provided Press Today with a first hand report on the trip and what...
San Antonio Sizzles
Home to Texas' top two attractions – the Alamo and the River Walk – San Antonio, like the rest of the Lone Star State, is proving to be a popular vacation destination for Canadians, attracting about 60,000 a year, reports assistant editor, Greg Coates in this week's digital edition of Travel Courier. And getting there has never been easier, with Air Canada launching new daily direct service from Toronto to San Antonio just in time for the busy summer season. A delegation of San Antonio tourism officials recently visited Toronto to promote Texas’ “City of the Alamo” and...
Lindblad Celebrates 50
In 2017, Lindblad is celebrating 50 years of exploring the Galápagos and is offering free round-trip air from Miami on nearly every Galápagos departure from Aug. 18 to Dec. 9 on both National Geographic Islander and National Geographic Endeavour II, plus select departures through May 2018. That’s nearly 50 departure dates to choose from. Lindblad Expeditions has a long history in the Galápagos. In July 1967 Lars-Eric Lindblad led the first international tourist expedition to Galápagos, paving the way for generations of guests to discover the magic and mystery of these...
Tiger, Tiger Burning Bright
William Blake was clearly in awe of a tyger, tyger but Varun Narain Mathur says the famed British poet would have found many other creatures burning bright in the forests of the night if he had ventured to India. Narain Mathur of India tour company JungleSutra says that, when it comes to his homeland, visitors will find that tigers – often seen as an iconic Indian creature – are only one side to a remarkably diverse wildlife scene. “India has so much wildlife but it has been overlooked,” he said during a Wednesday Toronto visit. In fact, Narain Mathur said his huge homeland has...
Take The Icelandic Pledge
Iceland has launched a new initiative to positively affect visitor behaviour and promote a happy and meaningful travel experience by introducing a first-of-a-kind pledge for visitors. ‘The Icelandic Pledge’ is an online agreement that invites travellers to sign up to be a responsible tourist when visiting the country this summer. The eight-point pledge encourages tourists to experience Iceland the way that Icelanders do by agreeing to a set of guidelines. These include directives such as: When exploring new places leave them as they are. Take photos ‘without dying...
ACV Adds Azura Beach Resort Samara
Air Canada Vacations (ACV) wants to let agents know that it has a new and exclusive property in Costa Rica – the 4.5-star adults-only Azura Beach Resort Samara. The all-inclusive property is located in Liberia, Costa Rica, about 90 minutes from the airport. Guests of Azura Beach Resort Samara will have full access to the neighbouring Hotel Villas Playa Samara, thanks to exchange privileges allowing them to benefit from additional services and facilities. In addition to its 75 junior suites that can accommodate up to four people, this new resort features three bars and dining...