Destinations
NCAA Division I Basketball Bound for YVR
Premier basketball is back in Vancouver. Local officials, along with US-based bd Global, report that eight men's and eight women's basketball teams will descend upon the 2010 Olympic Host City in November 2017 and annually during the American Thanksgiving holiday week. During this week, National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) Division I men's and women's basketball tournaments will be played back-to-back under the sails of the Vancouver Convention Centre. The convention centre's exhibition space will be transformed into a 3,000-plus seat venue, complete with portable...
All That Jazz
The Saint Lucia Jazz & Arts Festival is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year and the April 29 to May 8 festival is being billed as the place to be for those seeking hot days and cool jazz, cool nights and hot jazz – or both. Calabash Cove Resort & Spa, a boutique oceanfront hotel on Saint Lucia, gets into the swing of things with its Jazz Fest Special: 35% off the regular room rate for four nights with the fifth night free. The Saint Lucia Jazz & Arts Festival has earned international accolades, drawing some of the world’s top musicians to the West Indian...
Zika Concerns Growing
Tourism industry heavyweights in Canada are moving to deal with fears that travellers may have about the Zika virus, while at the same time reporting they've only seen limited concern here about a health threat that the World Health Organization last week said is spreading “explosively,” reports Ian Stalker in this week's digital edition of Travel Courier. The WHO has now declared the Zika virus is an international health emergency following a Feb. 1 meeting: with authorities reporting it has now been found in more than 20 countries, most of them in Latin America. One WHO member...
Emerald Isle Added to Contiki Campaign
First came Germany, then came Spain. Now it's Ireland's time to shine in the third week of Contiki Holidays' new #travelgoals campaign. The eight-week long initiative is geared at getting travellers to book trips instead of drafting a bucketlist through limited-time deals on top selling destinations. “Our tagline is where will your #travelgoals take you? And what we really wanted to do with this campaign was focus on education, benefits, features and really try for more of the emotional sentiment side of travel,” Brad Ford, president, Canada at Contiki Holidays, told PressToday....
Spotlight on Belize
Belize can truly host those interested in monkey business. The country – seen as a pioneer in the ecotourism movement – is home to many forms of exotic wildlife, including howler monkeys, which can be heard from long distances, says Deborah Gilharry, of the Belize Tourism Board. Also of interest to nature enthusiasts is Cockscomb, created specifically as a sanctuary for jaguars, she noted during a recent Toronto visit. “I'd call it a paradise for nature enthusiasts,” Gilharry told PressToday of Belize. “We have the lush rainforest, we have the different...
WestJet Offers 767 Service to Hawaii
WestJet has begun Boeing 767-300 extended-range aircraft service from Alberta to Hawaii. “As we enter our 20th anniversary year, non-stop service from Alberta to Hawaii onboard our own wide-body aircraft is an exciting new chapter in the WestJet success story,” said Bob Cummings, WestJet executive vice-president, Commercial. “Albertans love non-stop WestJet service to Hawaii and we now have the opportunity to provide a full WestJet experience with our own Boeing 767-300 aircraft combined with our award-winning WestJetters.” WestJet took delivery of its first Boeing 767-300...
CTO, CHTA Monitoring Zika Situation
The Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) and the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) advise that they are in close contact with Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) in order to monitor and research the Zika cases that have now surfaced in some Caribbean destinations and to communicate prevention and control measures to residents and visitors. Public health authorities in the Caribbean are working diligently to mitigate the effects of the Zika virus. Zika, also known as ZIKV, is spread primarily by the Aedes aegypti mosquito. The CTO and CHTA are in communication with...
Great Barrier Reef, Sydney Sale
Goway Travel has partnered with Virgin Australia to offer a getaway to Sydney and the Great Barrier Reef starting from $3,099 per person. Combining airfares from Vancouver with hotel deals in Sydney and Cairns that may include free nights, free breakfast and a “2 for the price of 1” Great Barrier Reef Cruise, the offer is available for sale until Feb. 15. The getaway includes round trip economy airfare from Vancouver, airport transfers, four night's accommodation in both Sydney and Cairns, full day Great Barrier Reef cruise and iVenture Multi City Attraction pass with entry to...