Destinations
Canada Number One
If you have a client looking for somewhere exciting to travel next year, why not look to Canada, voted Lonely Planet's number one destination for 2017. Each year, the travel media company ranks destinations based on the diversity and quality of travel experiences offered. Results are published in the annual Best in Travel series. “We are honoured to have been selected as Lonely Planet's Destination of the Year for 2017,” said Bardish Chagger, minister of Small Business and Tourism. “Of course, this recognition doesn't mean our work is done; it should encourage us to keep this...
Contiki Adds To Asia Program In 2017
Contiki has launched its 2017 Asia program with the addition of five new itineraries offering travellers what the operator describes as “life changing” travel experiences. In the last two years, the youth travel expert has been consistently adding to and refining its product offering across all regions in response to market demand for more exotic destinations outside of Europe. Asia is one such region that offers both value and No Regrets experiences. With its 2017 Asia launch, Contiki has fleshed out its Asian offering by venturing into Singapore and India for the first time,...
Universal Extends the Thrills of Halloween Horror Nights
Universal Orlando is giving agents' clients more nights to experience Halloween Horror Nights 26 than ever before. The Halloween event has been extended to include two additional nights – Nov. 4 and 5. The Repository – an experience that takes interactive horror to the next level with virtual reality, live actors and more – is also included in this extension as an upgrade to event admission. Tickets are on sale now for these two additional event nights. Halloween Horror Nights event tickets start at US$59.99 for Nov. 4 and US$66.99 for Nov....
Putting The Tourist First
The theme of the 4th World Tourism Conference in Malaysia was “Tourism Delights: Delivering the Unexpected” and it dealt with strategies to enhance the visitor's experience under the principle of “tourists first.” Hosted by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and the Ministry of Tourism and Culture Malaysia (MOTAC), it featured roundtables on Tourism a Sunrise Industry? and Tourism Experiences: Breaking New Grounds, debated tourism trends beyond 2030 and also looked at how to re-invent the sector with a customer-oriented focus. UNWTO secretary-general, Taleb Rifai pointed...
Whole Lotta Haggis Going On
Visit Scotland and about a dozen partners called in Toronto late last week to update travel agents and wholesalers on what's going on in the bonnie nation. Workshops and networking were on the agenda, with the event also taking place in Montreal. If that wasn't enough, the Toronto group of agents and Scots specialists were treated to a whiskey tasting and haggis lunch, complete with traditional “piping in” ceremony (shown) and Robert Burn's tribute to the national dish of Scotland, which is notoriously cooked in a sheep's stomach. Visit Scotland assistant marketing manager -...
MSC Sails Into Sarande
MSC Cruises has released details of its itineraries in the Mediterranean for the 2017 summer season, and for its itineraries in the Antilles for the 2017-2018 winter season. The cruise company also released today updated itineraries for its ships serving the Caribbean between December 2017 and May 2018. Starting in April 2017, MSC Cruises will add a new destination to its Eastern Mediterranean itineraries, becoming the first global cruise line to call at the port of Sarande in Albania on a weekly basis. MSC Poesia passengers departing from Venice will have the opportunity to...
Taking Care Of Haiti
To provide help to the people of Haiti severely affected by Hurricane Matthew, Air Transat will operate a humanitarian flight from Montreal to Port-au-Prince on Nov. 15, 2016. On that flight, the carrier will be transporting emergency supplies provided by the charity Food For The Poor Canada, including supplies to help prevent the spread of cholera, along with aid workers from various charitable organizations. Jean-François Lemay, president of Air Transat, observed that: “For 20 years, Air Transat and Haiti have had a longstanding partnership in the areas of economic and tourism...
New Opportunities For Tourism
Inbound arrivals to Saudi Arabia will reach over 20 million by 2020, as the religious tourism sector flourishes in line with increasing demand to join the annual Hajj pilgrimage, the most important religious event of the year in the Muslim world, according to consumer insight firm Canadean. The company’s latest report finds that the Hajj represents a major tourism opportunity for both domestic and international stakeholders, particularly hotel groups and tour operators, as over two million pilgrims will travel to Saudi Arabia in September to visit Islam’s holiest site in...