Destinations
New Film Puts Spotlight on US National Parks
Rachel Pohl wants visitors to the United States to discover some great “park-ing” spots. Pohl is among the outdoorsy sorts seen in America Wild: National Park Adventures, a film showcasing the US national parks system and the release of which coincides with the centennial of that system. Pohl – among other things seen ice-climbing and rock-climbing in different parks during the 43-minute movie, which also sees appearances by famed climber Conrad Anker and Max Lowe, son of Alex Lowe, another storied name in mountaineering – says the film is a great showcase for a park system...
Brexit: Travel Faces The Consequences
The consequences of Brexit, the UK's decision to leave the European Union (EU) following the country’s referendum on June 23, will be far-reaching for the entire EU travel market, according to consumer insight firm Canadean. This is largely due to Europe being the UK’s biggest tourist inbound market, with more than 60% of its visitors coming from inside EU member states. According to the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) there are over 4.3 million people employed by the UK tourism industry, with travel and tourism directly contributing 3.4% to the UK’s GDP for 2015....
ATTACK ON THE INNOCENT
Travel industry leaders are condeming the June 28 attack on Istanbul's Ataturk airport as “cowardly and murderous.” Reports indicate that 41 people – including 13 foreigners – are dead and 239 people have been wounded in an attack carried out by 3 suicide bombers. There are also additional reports indicating that the toll of dead and injured from the attack may rise. TURKEY RESPONDS In a statement following the attack, Turkey's Ministry of Culture and Tourism stated: “We would like to express our gratitude for [those who] showed their support to the Turkish Public...
Shangri-La Adds Fourth Hong Kong Property
Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts will open its fourth hotel in Hong Kong on Kowloon’s vibrant waterfront. Offering views of Victoria Harbour and the Hong Kong Island skyline, the 545-room Kerry Hotel, Hong Kong is scheduled to open in December. The 16-storey waterfront hotel is in the heart of Kowloon. The unique design of the building’s podium provides guests, event attendees and diners outdoor and indoor space with spectacular views. More than 60% of the guestrooms feature harbor views, with rooms ranging from 42 sq. m. for a Deluxe City View Room to 294 sq. m. for Kerry...
Carnival Celebrates the Opening of Splash Island
Carnival Cruise Line, along with community dignitaries and local families, recently celebrated the opening of Splash Island at Atlanta’s historic Adams Park. The interactive red, white and blue-coloured splash pad, funded in part by Carnival and inspired by Carnival WaterWorks, the cruise line’s onboard water experience, is the latest addition to the park's pool area. The day’s festivities included a ceremonial ribbon cutting and plaque unveiling presided over by the City of Atlanta in partnership with Carnival executives, former Hawks player and nine-time NBA All-Star Dominique...
Philippines Marks 118 Years of Independence
The Philippines recently celebrated its 118th anniversary of independence, called National Day or Independence Day. This marks the declaration of independence from Spain in 1898 and prominent Filipinos in Vancouver marked the occasion with a gathering at the downtown Coast Coal Harbour hotel. Neil Ferrer, the Phillipine consul general for Vancouver, led the proceedings with an address that noted increasing business cooperation between Canada and the Philippines. Also in attendance and taking his turn at the podium was Andrew Wilkinson, the BC minister of advanced education. Joining...
WestJet Adds New Routes
WestJet has launched new flights from Edmonton to Hamilton, Ont., and Winnipeg (pictured) to Kelowna, BC. Flights are available for sale as of today (June 27) with service commencing July 28. “These are cities we presently serve yet don't connect with non-stop flying,” said Bob Cummings, WestJet executive vice-president, Commercial. “These routes have been on our radar for a while now and with the busy summer flying season upon us, we examined our fleet plans to see if there was extra flying we could provide.” Hamilton-Edmonton flights will operate four times weekly...
Spotlight on Spain
Spain's tourist trade is banking on some weighty allies to help it attract more Canadians to the Iberian country, citing a United Nations body that's found no shortage of Spanish sites it says are worthy of international recognition and this country's largest airline. Laura Pena Alberdi, Spain's Toronto-based consul in charge of tourism affairs, told a Thursday Toronto gathering only two countries have more UNESCO World Heritage Sites than her homeland. “There are cities where you can find monuments that are unique in the world, like the mosque in Cordoba,” she said. Ana...