Destinations
Asia Pacific By The Numbers
Destinations across Asia Pacific in aggregate welcomed 570 million foreign arrivals in 2015, setting a new record for international arrivals into the region. Aggregate annual growth was 4.1%, with eight of the 11 Asia Pacific sub-regions producing annual growth rates above that of the Asia Pacific average, ranging as high as 8.7% for Oceania and 8% for Southeast Asia. These are just a few of the top-level findings contained in the PATA Annual Tourism Monitor 2016 (Early Edition) released today (May 10, 2016). Additional analysis shows that, in volume terms, the incremental increase...
Future Is Bright For Cuba
At this year's FITCuba show – held last week in Havana – Transat founder, Jean-Marc Eustache praised Cuba's tourism trade and then heard kind words in turn for his company from the highest official in Cuban tourism. Eustache told a gathering during FITCuba that there's been a long partnership between Cuba and Transat and “I'm deeply convinced the future is bright for Cuba.” Eustache added Transat is a “true partner for its Cuba friends.” Cuba tourism minister Manuel Marrero in turn praised Transat, telling the same Havana gathering that Transat has shown “much...
Overnight Visitors Hit Record Level
The Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau (GMCVB) reports a 6.4% increase in overnight visitors to Miami and the Beaches in 2015. During that time, the destination welcomed 1 million more visitors for a total of 15.5 million overnight visitors with a record 8 million visitors from domestic markets and 7.5 million international visitors. Through its global marketing programs, New York became the destination’s first $2 billion market reaching a record economic impact of $2.3 billion, rivaled by the destination’s billion dollar markets of Brazil and Colombia. The total...
A new message to attract Americans
After research indicated that many Americans perceive Canada as far away, beautiful and natural, but in the middle of nowhere and lacking urban sophistication, David Goldstein, president and CEO of Destination Canada says the organization is implementing a new US marketing campaign to attract inbound visitors. “In a sense we've done this to ourselves, bravo Canada. If you look at the way Canada has marketed itself over the last five to six years it was big, beautiful, epic spaces,” Goldstein said as part of a panel discussion in Toronto yesterday (May 9) at Best Western's 11th...
Growing, Growing, Growing Strong
The UNWTO reports that international tourism receipts in destinations around the world grew by 3.6% in 2015, which is in line with the 4.4% increase in international arrivals. For the fourth consecutive year, international tourism grew faster than world merchandise trade, raising tourism’s share in world’s exports to 7% in 2015. The total export value from international tourism amounted to US$ 1.4 trillion. Income generated by international visitors on accommodation, food and drink, entertainment, shopping and other services and goods reached an estimated US$ 1,232 billion in...
Cathay Pacific Opens New Lounge at YVR
A new executive lounge for First and Business class passengers on Cathay Pacific Airways opened at Vancouver International Airport last week. The airy lounge features a Noodle Bar staffed with a chef preparing selections of Hong Kong dishes, like wonton soup and dim sum. It faces on to a cosy dining room. On the other side of a divider is a lounge with couches, chairs and tables with built-in power sockets. The signature feature of the lounge is large, floor-to-ceiling windows that face north, with views of the runways, aircraft and Vancouver’s mountain landscape. Complimentary...
Raffles Set For China Expansion
Luxury hotel operator Raffles Hotels & Resorts has signed an agreement to extend the brand’s portfolio in China to the ancient city of Suzhou. Raffles Suzhou is scheduled to open in the “Venice of the Orient” in 2020. Enjoying one of the best addresses in town, the 150-room luxury hotel will be located in the new super high-rise Keyne International Suzhou mixed-use development in the Suzhou New District (SND) Hi-Tech Industrial Development Zone. Signature highlights of the new hotel include more than 1,400 square metres of meeting and conference facilities, five food and...
Montreal Picks Tech Partner
Tourisme Montréal has picked Cossette as its technology partner for the redesign its digital ecosystem, including its web portals, mobile app and the back-end technology for its various tourist clienteles. Following a rigorous call for tenders, the selection committee, comprised of members of Tourisme Montréal's board of directors and senior management as well as external technology consultants, concurred that the solution proposed by Cossette was the most cutting-edge and innovative, and fulfilled Tourisme Montréal's ambitions and vision. A leader in digital strategies and in the...