Destinations
On The Road At Gala Vallarta
The news out of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico -- dubbed the world's friendliest city -- is all positive with visitor numbers on the rise and several key tourism projects on the way. This and more was revealed at the 23rd edition of the city's annual tourism show, Gala Vallarta 2017. PressToday's Greg Coates is in Puerto Vallarta and reports news of the construction of a new mega cruise pier, scheduled to open in March 2018, a project that is being combined with the addition of a large "authentic" Mexican shopping centre and a new aquarium, which will be the largest in Latin America. In...
A Milestone Year For Montreal
A landmark milestone for Montreal has the city's hoteliers in an upbeat mood these days. The city has begun celebrating its 375th anniversary and the accompanying festivities are certain to translate into heightened tourist interest in the city, those attending a Tuesday Destination Quebec event in Toronto said. “2017's going to be a milestone year for us. We predict it will be the best since reopening in 2012. Quite a few days are already sold out,” Sebastien Cornellier, group sales manager at the long-standing Ritz-Carlton Montreal, told Press Today. Celebrations marking...
GNTO, Lufthansa Gear Up For 2017
Last night (Feb. 8) was certainly a nasty night in Toronto, but the freezing rain and treacherous road conditions didn't dampen the spirits of those attending the German National Tourist Offices (GNTO) launch of its 2017 celebrations which highlighted a host of special events, including the 500th anniversary of Martin Luther and the Reformation. Antje Splettstoesser, the director of the GNTO Canada, reported that while the final numbers for 2016 aren't in yet, Germany hosted 75.2 million overnight stays between January and November of last year, representing a 1% increase. Canadian...
Hawaii Picks VoX International
The Hawai‘i Tourism Authority (HTA) has selected VoX International as its marketing partner in Canada. VoX plans to grow awareness of Hawai‘i in Canada, increasing leisure travel and MCI group business by working with the travel trade, tour operators, airlines, cruise lines, meeting and incentive planners and the media. VoX has partnered with VMC Media to promote Hawai‘i with a consumer and trade marketing campaign coupled with social media and digital advertising. “Canada is the second largest source of international visitor arrivals to the Hawaiian Islands and we see...
San Antonio, Toronto Connect
Air Canada and the San Antonio International Airport have announced a new daily non-stop flight to Toronto that will begin on May 1, 2017. Canada is already among San Antonio's top international leisure markets, and the pending connection will make it much easier for travellers to experience the heart of Texas. San Antonio Mayor Ivy R. Taylor, said: “Daily nonstop service to and from San Antonio and Toronto provides a great opportunity for both cities. With San Antonio celebrating its Tricentennial in 2018, we hope Canadians take advantage of the flights to come see everything we...
Celebrate With Grenada
Today marks Grenada's Independence Day and the country's Toronto consulate prepared in part for it by showcasing art and literary works by Grenadians on Friday. Sekou Stroude, the Grenada Tourism Authority's director of sales for Canada, says his homeland is a culturally inclined part of the world and will soon host a number of festivals, including the May 5-7 Grenada Music Festival, which will feature reggae, soul and R&B acts. Grenada Chocolate Fest begins May 12 and will include the likes of a “bean-to-bar” tour that showcases the entire production of...
WestJet to Launch Calgary-Nashville Service
WestJet will become the first Canadian carrier to feature non-stop service between Calgary and Nashville when twice-weekly flights begin May 4. WestJet began service to Nashville from Toronto last year and currently flies six times weekly on WestJet Encore. Flights from Calgary to Nashville will be operated on WestJet’s Boeing 737 aircraft featuring the enhanced Plus product and WestJet Connect, WestJet’s inflight entertainment system accessed directly through smartphones, tablets or computers. In other news, WestJet launched daily service from Toronto to Sudbury, Ont. on...
Trump, Canada among concerns at Caribbean Travel Marketplace
There’s no question Trump was a hot topic arising multiple times during the Caribbean Travel Marketplace, which just wrapped up in The Bahamas. Karolin Troubetzkoy, president of the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA), told PressToday, she’s concerned about the messaging that has come out since he became president. “Whilst I think originally we didn't see immediately the impact that it could have had on actual tourism, now we are a bit concerned,” she says. “What I’m concerned about mostly is the psychology of the American traveller, how it will be affected...