Destinations
2015 A Record Year for Toronto Tourism
For the sixth consecutive year, tourism in Toronto increased in 2015 as Canada's largest city welcomed a record 14.03 million overnight visitors. According to Tourism Toronto, a further 26 million people travelled to Toronto for day trips, totalling 40.4 million visitors for the year in Canada’s most-visited destination. Visitors to Toronto spent $7.2 billion during their trips, the highest amount of economic activity the sector has ever generated. Toronto surpassed four million international visitors for the first time in 2015 as American and overseas travellers continued to...
Florida Shines
Visit Florida’s chief marketing officer has confirmed that the Sunshine State welcomed more than 100-million visitors for the first time ever in 2015, reports Montreal editor, Mike Dunbar in this week's digital edition of Canadian Travel Press. Paul Phipps told a Florida Huddle audience in Tampa last week that the record-shattering total included 15 million international arrivals and he predicted that the total visitor count would balloon to 125 million by 2020. The 2015 number represented Florida’s fifth record-breaking visitation year in a row, said Phipps, who explained,...
Insight Campaign Puts Spotlight on Germany
Insight Vacations has launched a new “Europe Now” campaign that offers agents and their clients enticing incentives to book. Every month, Insight will spotlight one European destination to help agents promote with their clients, and for every booked itinerary featuring the “destination of the month,” they will earn a bonus commission. The first destination to be highlighted is Germany – recently topping the list of “Best Countries” ranking from the U.S. News and World Report. Agents who book any European journey from Insight Vacations 2016-17 Europe & Britain...
Mexico Takes Aim At Zika
Tour operators from Canada and the United States were given an update on Mexico's efforts to both prevent and contain the Zika virus. In a briefing organized by the Mexico Tourism Board (MTB), officials from Mexico's Ministry of Health outlined how the Mexican government and tourism industry have been handling the situation. During the meeting in Cancun, Dr. Alberto Diaz Quiñonez, Deputy General Director of the Mexican Institute for Diagnostic and Epidemiology, told operators that Mexico has only 34 confirmed cases of the Zika virus, which represents just 0.03% of the total cases...
Collette Calling All Downton Abbey Fans
As the popular hit television series Downton Abbey enters its final season, Collette is offering fans a chance to tour the show's iconic castle. For a limited time, select tours of “England’s Treasures” and “British Landscape” by Collette will feature fully guided tours of the Highclere Castle, the regal residence used on the award-winning Downton Abbey, as well as Stonehenge (pictured). Tickets for the castle tours are hard to come by and Collette is advising agents that now is the chance for their clients to walk the very halls where Lord and Lady Grantham walk. Visitors...
ACV Expands in Curaçao
Air Canada Vacations (ACV) has added to its lineup in Curaçao with the addition of the Kunuku Aqua Resort. The newly opened resort is exclusive to ACV and is ideal for families and groups. It includes 114 rooms and apartments which can accommodate up to six guests. Features include an outdoor pool, a children’s pool with waterslides, as well as a playground. Complimentary shuttle service is also available to nearby Sambil, Willemstad and Daaibooi beach. ACV is offering clients the chance to save $200 per person ($400 per couple) on bookings made by Feb. 21 for travel from Feb....
Activity Sked Drives Vegas Visit
Las Vegas as a Disneyland for adults is becoming increasingly diverse, as discovered during a recent trip there by PressToday editor Ted Davis. And as the profile from gaming destination to playground gains momentum, arrivals continue to grow, shattering visitor records over the past two years. Arrivals of 41.1 million last year broke the previous benchmark of 39.7 million established in 2012, and the count is on pace to set a new record in 2015. Davis added to the stats by attending a selection of mostly adrenalin-charged activities through three busy days in Vegas. For instance,...
AC Launches Twice Daily Hamilton-Montreal Service
Starting in May, Air Canada will launch new, year-round Air Canada Express service between Hamilton, Ont. and Montreal. The new non-stop, daily flights re-establish Air Canada's presence in Hamilton by providing the only service between these two cities, as well as offering a schedule that meets the needs of both local and connecting passengers. Flights are timed to offer convenient connections to/from Atlantic Canada, including Halifax and St. John's, and to Europe including Rome, Geneva, Barcelona, Paris and Lyon. Daily Montreal-Hamilton Air Canada Express service will begin on...