Destinations
CTO Set To Define Its Future
The Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) is gearing up for its annual State of the Tourism Industry Conference (SOTIC) which will be held at the Hilton Barbados Resort from Sept. 14 to Sept. 16, 2016. During SOTIC, the CTO will explore a range of subjects including how to transition the product, multicultural and emerging markets, creating a luxury experience and the sharing economy. This year's theme is “Honouring Our Legacy, Defining Our Future,” and it will bring together tourism decision-makers, including ministers, commissioners and directors of tourism, hotel and airline...
Luxury Travellers Stay True to Europe
Luxury travel network Virtuoso has unveiled its list of the hottest upscale destinations for this year’s holiday season with Europe and Italy leading the way based on future bookings. Virtuoso sourced the data from its warehouse of more than $35 billion in transactions to disclose the top destinations for the coming fall and holiday period. Luxury travellers are remaining true to European favourites, while turning their attention to warmer climes as the weather shifts at home. They also are seeking out more exotic locales worldwide, including a boom for African countries. The most...
Homewood Suites Now in San Antonio
Homewood Suites by Hilton has introduced its newest property – the 112-suite Homewood Suites by Hilton San Antonio Airport. The new hotel offers a combination of studio and one-bedroom accommodations, featuring fully equipped kitchens and separate living and sleeping areas. Guests are also provided with complimentary daily full-hot breakfast, evening social Monday-Thursday, WiFi and grocery shopping service. Amenities include a fitness centre and indoor pool. The hotel is just a short drive from local attractions in downtown San Antonio including San Antonio River Walk, the...
Banff, Lake Louise Launch New Website
Banff & Lake Louise Tourism has launched a new website showcasing the region's natural beauty with vibrant images and informative copy. Canada’s first national park and the world’s third, Banff National Park (the home of Banff and Lake Louise) is visited by nearly four million people a year. The region's key value proposition is its natural good looks that are easily accessible by all. “Our key objective was to convey the unforgettable and often life-changing moments you experience when you visit Banff & Lake Louise,” says James Morris, principal of VentureWeb....
Riu Opens in Sri Lanka
Riu has arrived in Asia with a five-star hotel in Sri Lanka. The Riu Sri Lanka opened its doors Aug. 5 and its location in southeastern Sri Lanka makes it a perfect location from which to explore the island or as a luxury base, having been designed specifically to offer a relaxed atmosphere. The newly constructed hotel offers 24-hour all-inclusive service and overlooks the beach. The hotel has three large pools and a children's pool, sunbathing terraces, Jacuzzi, gym and the Renova Spa wellness centre, which includes a hairdresser and massage service. Rooms include a balcony or...
UNWTO Welcomes Indonesia Visa Initiative
The UNWTO has expressed its full support of Indonesia's decision to grant free visa to citizens from 169 countries. The move is designed to attract international tourism by simplifying travel procedures and follows research by UNWTO and WTTC that shows that visa facilitation in the ASEAN economies could create between 333,000 to 654,000 new jobs in a period of three years. The visa-free policy is valid for a maximum stay of 30 days, has no restriction on the number of visits per year, and is non-extendable nor convertible to any other stay permit. Nationals of visa-free countries...
Spotlight on Antarctica
A G Adventures staffer who's been sailing to the southernmost region of the world for some 20 years says those visiting Antarctica will find themselves in locales that have seen few changes over the past two centuries. Scott MacPhail told a Toronto gathering last night (Aug. 9) that “man hasn't gotten there and attacked” Antarctica, and that those who sail to the “earth's frozen frozen frontier” will find themselves looking at what famed polar explorers “were looking at in the 1820s,” with the region free of the likes of cars and other reminders of human...
CTO Tackles Zika Virus Head On
The Caribbean Tourism Organization says the Caribbean has confronted Zika virus head-on with a multi-pronged strategy it says should reassure those who are nervous about visiting the region at a time of ongoing news stories about Zika's international spread, reports Ian Stalker in this week's digital edition of Travel Courier. The mosquito-borne virus has been blamed for a number of health issues, including birth defects, and has been found in numerous countries in the Western Hemisphere, among them popular Caribbean tourism locales. Officials at January's Caribbean Hotel &...