Destinations
Air Canada, Silver Airways Launch Interline Partnership
Air Canada and Fort Lauderdale-based Silver Airways have launched a new interline ticketing partnership, making it easy for travellers to connect between the two carriers’ networks. Under the agreement, travellers are now able to purchase a single ticket for flights to and from the more than 60 cities that Air Canada, Air Canada Rouge and its regional partners serve throughout Canada, and to Silver Airways’ destinations throughout Florida and the Bahamas. Customers benefit by booking single ticket trips and combining flights on multiple carriers. “We are proud to partner with...
Done Deal
Sandals Resorts International (SRI) and Marriott International have signed a US$40 million deal to bring a new 220-room AC Hotels by Marriott to the Caribbean. Construction on the new hotel in Kingston will begin this month, with Sandals taking management of the brand with a planned 2019 debut. This is the first partnership between the hospitality companies and the first time SRI will manage a brand it did not create. AC is Marriott’s design-focused brand and currently boasts 90 properties across Europe, Latin America and the US. According to SRI CEO and Deputy Chairman Adam...
Agents Stand By Mexico
Two long-time Toronto travel agents who frequently visit and vacation in Mexico say they remain confident that it provides a safe retreat for tourists in spite of bloody shootings in mid January in Cancun and Playa del Carmen that have stoked fears in some quarters that the drug violence that has plagued other parts of the country is reaching areas previously seen as safe, reports Ian Stalker in this week's digital edition of Travel Courier. The fatal shootings of five people at a Playa del Carmen music festival followed by the deaths of four people – one a police officer and the...
Cuba Cruise For One Lucky Agent
Authentic Cuban food, drinks and entertainment on-board and ports of call like Havana, Cienfuegos and Santiago de Cuba. That's what Celestyal Cruises is all about – offering travellers a great way to see Cuba. Celestyal Cruises has offered Cuba sailings for four years, but made it a year-round program as of November. And now Celestyal is offering Canadian travel agents a chance to win a seven-night all-inclusive cruise for two to the Caribbean's largest country, Cuba. The cruise package includes best available interior or oceanview stateroom, based on double occupancy, select...
A Celebration of Harry Potter
Harry Potter fans now have a chance to see star Jason Isaacs (Lucius Malfoy) -- pictured on the right -- as Universal Orlando and Warner Bros. have announced that he will attend the fourth annual “A Celebration of Harry Potter” from Jan. 27-29. The special three-day event will be highlighted by numerous experiences that will allow agents' clients to celebrate J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World. Isaacs will join the previously announced Harry Potter film talent Warwick Davis (Professor Flitwick and Griphook) and Matthew Lewis (Neville Longbottom) for a weekend of...
Lindblad Puts the Spotlight on the South Pacific
Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic will take the National Geographic Orion to French Polynesia and the South Pacific in 2018. Five new itineraries will offer one- and two- week voyages from March through August 2018 with guests able to discover secluded atolls, wildlife and local culture with access to spectacular landscapes, waterfalls and shore landings only accessible by expedition ship and Zodiac. They will also have opportunity to dive and snorkel some of the world’s most pristine seas and renowned scuba sites. Part research vessel, part hotel, the 102-guest National...
Ambitious Arrivals Goal Set by ASEAN
The 2017 edition of the ASEAN Tourism Forum has just wrapped up, kicking off a year in which the member states of ASEAN will mark the 50th anniversary of the organization. The ATF took place in Singapore at the Marina Bay Sands last week, and was attended by western Canada editor Ted Davis. The original five countries that created ASEAN – Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines – have since grown in number to a total of 10. Together with these additional five countries – Brunei, Cambodia, Vietnam, Myanmar and Laos – ASEAN has gone on to establish links...
Pearl Seas Sails to Cuba
Cuba is back in the news as the first cruise ship to sail there from Broward County's Port Everglades in Florida since the 1950s departed last week on a 10-day cultural voyage to Havana and several other ports of call on the island. Pearl Seas Cruises has scheduled 11 cruises aboard the 210-passenger Pearl Mist from Port Everglades to Cuba through April. More are scheduled for the 2017-2018 cruise...