Destinations
Hit The Slopes In Aspen
Canadians are being invited to save some money before heading down Aspen's storied slopes. The Colorado ski complex is offering Canadians who book ski packages through either Skican or Merit Travel's ski division at-par rates for lift tickets, and some of the hotels those tour operators offer also have discounted rates, reports Richard Savage, Canadians sales representative for the Aspen Skiing Company. Lift tickets are good for four mountains, he said during a Nov. 9 Toronto reception. Savage said Aspen is easily accessible for people in the Toronto area, who can travel to...
More Lift For Belize From Canada
Belize's tourist trade is getting a helping hand from a weighty name in this country's tourist trade. WestJet is offering service between Toronto and Belize City into April, with the Wednesday and Saturday flights expected to make the destination significantly more attractive to those who want a quick link between this country and their holiday destination. “We're very excited. We're definitely looking forward to more Canadians visiting Belize,” Deborah Gilharry of the Belize Tourist Board said during a Tuesday Toronto visit. Belize is promoting itself as a multi-faceted...
WestJet Bringing Back Vancouver-Hamilton Route
WestJet will again connect John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport with Vancouver International Airport in 2017. Service commences April 30 with four-time weekly service, moving to a daily flight, June 28 to Sept. 7, and returning to four-time weekly flights until Oct. 27. In addition to the Vancouver route, WestJet operates daily service to Calgary from Hamilton and seasonal service to Orlando, Florida and Cancun,...
Canada Is Tops
Destination Canada, formerly the Canadian Tourism Commission, has won a prestigious World Travel Market London 2016 Travel Leaders Award in recognition of its success in raising the country's international tourism profile, reports Press Today's Michael Baginski from this year's show. Rupert Peters, regional managing director core markets for Destination Canada, received the award from Baxter Travel Media president David McClung. Ten other regional winners, including Italy, India, Spain, Portugal and China, received awards at a special presentation on Monday at the opening of World...
Dhawa Cayo Santa Maria Set For Cuba Opening
Banyan Tree Hotels & Resorts will welcome its first Dhawa in Cayo Santa Maria, Cuba, on Dec. 15. Located in Cayo Santa Maria, the 516-room Dhawa Cayo Santa Maria will be the first and only all-inclusive lifestyle resort with a private beach in the area. Room categories include 246 Superior Rooms, 122 Deluxe Ocean View Rooms, 120 Premium Ocean Front View Rooms, 16 Junior Ocean Front View Suites and 12 Premium Ocean Front View Suites. Other amenities include five restaurants (including French and Italian) and four bars, two swimming pools, fitness centre, Kids Club and a 545-seat...
Experiencing Cuba the Celestyal Way
Those who go on Celestyal Cruises seven-night sailings around Cuba will be getting an up close and personal look at the island, says the company's vice-president of sales and marketing for Canada. Christine Chiang notes Celestyal's sailings call at Havana, Cienfuegos, Punta Frances (the Isle of Youth) and Santiago de Cuba – and also visit Montego Bay, Jamaica, with excursions provided in each destination. Two days are spent in Havana. “It's an immersion experience,” Chiang told a Nov. 3 Toronto gathering, adding visitors can enjoy Cuban drinks and see Cuban entertainers on the...
ACV Talks Cuba
Air Canada Vacations (ACV) recently met with a Cuban delegation to discuss future growth plans and long standing partnerships. The tour operator offers 34 flights per week during high season to five Cuban destinations, including Cayo Coco, Havana, Holguin, Santa Clara and Varadero. Lift and connectors from Air Canada make it possible for ACV to bring a wide range of Canadian travellers into Cuba – influencing the country’s tourism growth and allowing for product expansion. “Canadians have always had a love affair with Cuba,” said Dina Bertolo, vice-president, Product...
Breakfast With Ireland
Tourism Ireland's Dana Welch welcomed a group of about 30 travel trade types to P.J. O'Brien in Toronto earlier this week for an Irish breakfast prepared by award-winning Irish chef, Stephen Jeffers. The event also included an update on all things Ireland, with Welch telling Press Today that 2015 had been a good year, with the Emerald Isle welcoming 190,000 Canadians – a 20% rise over the previous year. As for 2016, Welch said that Tourism Ireland is “looking at double-digit growth” out of the Canadian market. And Welch made it clear that the combination of Ireland's many...