Destinations
Making It Jamaica Again
Jamaica's tourism minister, Edmund Bartlett is on a mission to bring more Canadians to the Caribbean island in the next five years and he has a clearly defined plan that makes him confident that he can deliver positive results, reports Bob Mowat in this week's digital edition of Canadian Travel Press. “The purpose of this mission,” Bartlett said during a recent visit to Canadian Travel Press' office in Toronto, “is to discuss with our partners a strategic alliance for growth. This alliance will focus on a two- to three-year strategic growth program with an objective of lifting...
Switzerland Sets Sights on Winter
Switzerland Tourism kicked off its upcoming winter season last week with special trade events in Toronto and New York, where it unveiled two new television spots. The Toronto event was held at the CN Tower where travel agents and industry partners were treated to a special presentation promoting the Swiss winter experience and dinner. Canadian numbers to Switzerland remain strong with arrivals and overnights ahead of 2015. Over the last 10 years, the number of Canadians visiting Switzerland has grown by 30%. “We are committed to Canada and will continue in doing various...
Jamaica Invites Agents to Fall Product Updates
The Jamaica Tourist Board has launched a series of fall product updates for Canadian travel agents. Each session will run from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. and include a trade show reception followed by dinner and presentations by the Jamaica Tourist Board team. Agents can register by visiting http://www.visitjamaica.com/canada and clicking on the “Seminars' tab. The schedule is as follows: Ontario: Vaughan, Nov. 1, Paradise Banquet Hall, Concord; Toronto West, Nov. 2, Columbus Event Centre; Scarborough, Nov. 3, Scarborough Golf and Country Club; Oshawa, Nov. 8, Tosca Banquet Hall;...
Los Cabos Welcoming Visitors
The Los Cabos Hotel Association reports there was no major damage sustained from Hurricane Newton that passed through the Mexican destination on Sept. 6. Los Cabos International Airport has resumed normal operations and travellers are encouraged to connect with their respective airlines for immediate flight updates. Enrique Turcott, president of the hotel association, reports 90% of the hotels are open for business. The remaining few are still in the cleaning process and will resume normal activities as soon as...
Back And Better Than Ever
Fifteen years after 9/11, Lower Manhattan has “come back stronger.” While the neighbourhood has always been well-visited, Fred Dixon, President and CEO of NYC & Company, New York City’s official destination marketing organization, says it's transformed into a thriving hotspot for visitors and locals alike, reports Ann Ruppenstein in this week's digital edition of Travel Courier. “Many people predicated the end of Lower Manhattan immediately after 9/11,” Dixon told Travel Courier. “It was almost inconceivable how this community was going to come back after the...
Spotlight on Indochina
Bangkok-based tour operator Smiling Albino is inviting tourists to make tracks in places tourists normally don't trod. Company managing director Daniel Fraser told a Toronto gathering yesterday (Sept. 8) that there's a perception among many travellers that much of Thailand is “over-touristed,” when in fact 90% of northern Thailand hasn't been explored by foreigners. Ex-Calgarian Fraser said his company can enable visitors to “get outside the Chiang Mais and Chiang Rais,” exploring little-seen regions in a luxurious manner. Fraser, who's lived in Bangkok for 16 years and...
Air Canada to Launch YVR-Dallas Flights
Beginning Feb. 5, 2017, Air Canada will launch new daily year-round service between Vancouver and Dallas-Fort Worth. “Air Canada is pleased to link Vancouver and Dallas-Fort Worth with non-stop flights, complementing our existing service from Toronto. We continue to strategically expand our Vancouver hub, and our newest transborder flights to the fourth most populous metropolitan area in the USA offer local business travellers non-stop service, as well as improved access for customers in British Columbia and Alberta via convenient connections in Vancouver,” said Benjamin Smith,...
Transat Adds Toronto-Santo Domingo Service
Air Transat is enhancing its service to the Dominican Republic with a new weekly flight from Toronto to Santo Domingo. The airline will fly there on Sundays beginning Dec. 18. Air Transat’s flight program for winter 2016-2017 features 34 sun destinations, including six in the Dominican Republic, and departures from 22 Canadian cities, in addition to a range of European...