Destinations
ACV Encourages Families to Hit ‘Play’
Air Canada Vacations (ACV) will launch its 2015/2016 Sun Collection on July 28 – a robust 375-page brochure of favourite sun-and-sand vacation packages. The new collection is the largest in the company’s 35-year history and includes 525 three- to five-star hotels and resorts – 73 of which are new to the tour operator – and more than 40 inspiring destinations in Mexico and the Caribbean. Most notable this year is ACV's new and exclusive Play Collection, delivering the ultimate family vacation. Families who book an air-inclusive package from the Play Collection by Oct. 31 can...
Intrepid, Tauck Heading Back to Nepal
Intrepid Travel says the first safety assessment of the Annapurna region of Nepal since April's earthquake shows it's safe for tourists to return to the region. The assessment, conducted by Miyamoto-Earthquake Structural Engineers and carried out from June 25 to July 2, declared that the Annapurna Circuit and Annapurna Sanctuary trails and villages covered in this study appear largely undamaged by landslides following the April and May earthquakes. The assessment was proposed by Intrepid Travel, which co-ordinated the logistics and whose local guides provided assistance. It was...
Tourisme Québec Selects VoX
VoX International has announced the addition of Tourisme Québec to its portfolio of clients. VoX will serve as Quebec's representation office in Canada, with the overall objective of positioning Quebec to Canadians as a viable vacation option. VoX will continue to grow awareness of Quebec in Canada, while working with the travel trade, tour operators, meeting and incentive firms, as well as print and broadcast media. “Tourisme Québec is VoX International’s first domestic account. We are so thrilled to be representing such a great Canadian destination filled with history and...
JTB’s Sandra Scott Retiring
Sandra Scott, deputy director of tourism-marketing for the Jamaica Tourist Board is retiring. Well known here in Canada in her role running the JTB's offices, Scott's decision to retire is a personal one. Paul Pennicook, director of tourism for the Jamaica Tourist Board, offered his comments on Scott's decision to retire, stating, “Sandra has been an exemplary employee throughout her career in hospitality, and particularly during her 10 years of service to the Board both in Canada and here at home in Jamaica. It has been my good fortune to have worked with her over the...
WestJet Adds New Lift
WestJet is adding new non-stop service between Edmonton and Nanaimo, British Columbia, as well as more flights between Edmonton and Grande Prairie, Kelowna, Regina and Saskatoon. Chris Avery, vice-president, network planning, alliances and corporate development for WestJet said: “Edmonton is one of the fastest-growing cities in Canada and these important schedule improvements will support that growth.” Avery also noted that: “These increases cover a broad range of areas including key business and leisure routes, offering greater flexibility for business travellers who want...
Pan Am Games Are Gold For Toronto
Tourism Toronto says Toronto's tourist trade may be among Pan Am Games winners. Tourism Toronto COO Andrew Weir says a strong performance by the Canadian team helped pique interest in this country and therefore draw attention to the host city, and the games are always popular in Latin America, boosting Toronto's profile in some markets where Tourism Toronto is eager to make inroads. “Exposure for Toronto in key tourism markets like Brazil and Mexico is very important,” says Weir, who adds there was a large foreign media contingent in Toronto for the games and it not only covered...
Barbados Booming Out of Canada
Barbados is experiencing unprecedented growth out of Canada, including a record-breaking month in January. The latest figures were enthusiastically revealed on a visit to Toronto in mid July by a high profile delegation of tourism execs from the island led by Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. (BTMI) chariman Alvin Jemmot, who called the Canadian market performance “phenomenal,” adding that Barbados is “seeing growth in 2015 at rates never seen before” out of Canada. Canada already ranks as Barbados' third largest market, accounting for 24% of the country's business. The...
A Taste of Ireland Comes to Toronto
Tourism Ireland celebrated a “taste of Ireland” this past weekend at Toronto's Festival of Beer and highlighted by a selection of Irish chefs, craft brewers and musicians at the Ireland Pavilion. It is the first time Tourism Ireland has participated in the event and Alison Metcalfe, executive vice-president, USA and Canada at Tourism Ireland, told Press Today it was great opportunity for the organization to target younger travellers – with a sampling of the Emerald Isle's unique craft breweries, food and music. Speaking at a VIP reception, Dana Welsh, marketing manager,...