Destinations
Air Canada Adds Six New Routes
Air Canada continues to expand its international network with the addition of six new routes for the winter season: Vancouver-Melbourne, Vancouver-Orlando, Toronto-Belize, Toronto-St. Vincent, Montreal-Lima and Montreal-Phoenix. Flights are now available for booking. Benjamin Smith, president, Passenger Airlines at Air Canada, said: “Air Canada is continuing its strategic, global expansion with a diverse range of exciting new non-stop routes this winter to Australia, South America, the Caribbean and the United States.” Smith pointed out that “Vancouver-Melbourne is our...
A New Destination
At a ceremony in Freeport, Grand Bahama this week, Carnival Cruise Line and the Bahamian government officials have signed an agreement for the construction of a new cruise port facility to be funded and operated by Carnival Cruise Line on Grand Bahama Island. The as-yet-unnamed planned port will be the largest purpose-built cruise facility ever constructed in The Bahamas and will take inspiration from the beauty of the Bahamian people and their islands. Features will include a one-mile stretch of beach, food, beverage and shopping outlets, a wide array of water-based amenities and...
Business Is Booming In The DR
The Dominican Republic, which saw over 768,486 visitors from Canada in 2016, is reporting a 4.6% increase in Canadian arrivals during January and February compared to the same period in 2016. Tourism Minister Francisco Javier García said on average 5,000 hotel rooms have been added annually over the past few years, and predicts a total of 80,000 hotel rooms by the end of the year. Slated to open in December, the all-inclusive Royalton Bavaro hotel, which will boast 730 guest rooms and nine restaurants, is currently under construction. In 2016, 5,470 new rooms entered the market,...
Myrtle Beach Taking Care Of Canadians
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, says it's well aware that the loonie stacks up poorly against the U.S. dollar these days and it's doing its part to ensure Canadian visitors don't have to reach too deeply into their pockets while vacationing there. Kimberly Hartley, the destination's Canadian sales manager, told a Tuesday Toronto gathering that Myrtle Beach tourism authorities are “very cognizant” of the currency exchange and have responded to it in part by offering Canadians tourism-related discounts and other incentives that are normally offered during the destination's CanAm Days...
Putting the New in New York City
Tourism officials from NYC & Company, the city’s official destination marketing organization, were in Toronto yesterday (May 1) to highlight what’s new in New York City – including hotel and attraction developments, shopping and expanding free WiFi across all five boroughs – ahead of a Canadian sales mission, which kicks off today. Addressing the “elephant in the room,” Fred Dixon, president and CEO of NYC & Company, pointed out the notion that foreign currency such as the low Canadian dollar and “some of the political rhetoric that is going on in the world...
Beat The Blues In Myrtle Beach
Who says there ain't no cure for the summertime blues when those blues are brought on by fall's approach? Diane Charno, director of marketing for the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce, says her South Carolina destination will again be offering its 60 More Days of Summer promotion in September and October, providing summer vacation options in a part of the world where September and October remain warm. The promotion features a number of incentives for those vacationing in the seaside destination, including reduced hotel rates. Summer is the peak season in a family oriented...
Farrill Joins Pulse Travel Marketing
Cynthia Farrill has joined Pulse Travel Marketing Inc. – a Canadian, boutique travel trade, marketing and public relations company. Farrill will help manage the Brand USA travel trade account for Pulse from its Toronto-based office with support from Patrice Bell and Pulse offices in Montreal and Vancouver and the Pulse PR and Marketing teams. With over 40 years experience in the travel industry, Farrill started her career with Air Canada and helped to position and build Air Canada's brand within the international markets. She retired from Air Canada in late April of this...
Where are you?
For Lisa LaVecchia taking on the role of president and CEO of the Ontario Tourism Marketing Partnership Corporation (OTMPC) is, she's quick to admit, “a dream job” for her, so it shouldn't be a surprise that her plan is to make the organization she now leads the top tourism marketer in Canada, reports Bob Mowat in this week's digital edition of Canadian Travel Press. In a recent interview, LaVecchia told CTP: “I've been here since 2013 as the VP of marketing and chief marketing officer and I'd always aspired to take the lead role so it's a thrill to take part in this.” She...