Destinations
Sending Out An SOS
Transat has donated close to $33,000 raised during its most recent twitter auction to SOS Children's Villages in order to help victims of the Nepal earthquake. With latest reports indicating that more than 5,000 are dead (a figure that is still rising), thousands are homeless and hundreds of children are orphaned, Transat and SOS Children's Villages agreed to donate the entire auction proceeds to the SOS Children's Villages emergency relief effort in Nepal. The money will be used to provide immediate relief to local communities, with SOS Children's Villages representatives acting on...
Argentina: A Country Of Contrasts
Argentina tour guide Helena Salico says Mother Nature has clearly been kind to her homeland. Salico noted, during a presentation in Toronto this week, that Argentina's varied landscapes includes jungle, glaciers, desert and towering Andean peaks, including Aconcagua, the highest mountain in the Western Hemisphere. “Argentina is a country of contrasts,” she said. “You can go from the white of the glaciers...to the mountains or the jungle. There's a variety of landscapes.” Patagonia, which reaches the southernmost end of South America, is home to the likes of penguins, sea...
Bordeaux Uncorks Some Surprises
Oenophiles will be in their element in Bordeaux. Sophie Gaillard-Mairal of the Bordeaux Tourist Office told a Toronto audience this week that the southwestern France region is “the capital of wine. Wine is everywhere in Bordeaux.” Those exploring the city of Bordeaux can find wine shops and the city is also a departure point for those visiting surrounding vineyards, she said. Gaillard-Mairal also praised the city of Bordeaux for its “extraordinary 18th-century architecture” and said visitors will find outdoor cafes and trendy bars. Celine Boute of the Regional...
WestJet Adding Vegas-Abbotsford Flights
WestJet will be adding new, non-stop, twice-weekly service between Abbotsford, BC and Las Vegas, beginning Oct. 29, 2015. The Abbotsford International Airport recently eliminated several fees, including the airport improvement fee, creating a cost-friendly environment for WestJbbet to grow service from the Fraser Valley. Gregg Saretsky, WestJet president and CEO, said: “Abbotsford and WestJet have been partners since 1997, and we see the recently announced fee drops at the airport as an opportunity to further build service in the area.” And Saretsky noted that: “We need more...
Hilton Bringing Garden Inn Brand to Hawaii
Hilton Worldwide has announced the signing of a franchise license agreement to operate the first Hilton Garden Inn hotel in Hawaii, bringing the brand to all 50 US states. Once opened, the Hilton Garden Inn Kauai/Wailua Bay will be the only Hilton branded hotel on the island of Kauai. Owned by a partnership led by DiNapoli Capital Partners and managed by Aston Hotels & Resorts, the 216-room beachfront hotel is expected to be renovated and open early in 2016. Next to the Wailua River on the scenic east coast of Kauai, Hilton Garden Inn Kauai/Wailua Bay will be located on one of...
G Adventures Tops Nepal Goal
G Adventures has surpassed its initial goal of raising $75,000 in relief following the devastating earthquake in Kathmandu, Nepal. Bruce Poon Tip, founder, G Adventures, observed: “The global response to our relief efforts has been overwhelmingly positive. Thank you to everyone who contributed and helped spread the word. In just over a day, we've raised more than $85,000 from nearly 1,000 donors from more than 35 countries.” The tour operator has increased its target to $100,000 and will contribute an additional $25,000 to encourage continued donations in support of the recovery...
Intrepid Overwhelmed By Nepal Donations
Intrepid Travel has increased the target for its Nepal Appeal to more than AUD$200,000 after being overwhelmed by donations to its not-for-profit, The Intrepid Foundation The adventure travel company offered to match traveller donations dollar-for-dollar to assist with emergency relief in Nepal, and originally set a target of AUD$40,000 for the appeal, which launched on Sunday. The Intrepid Foundation has been overwhelmed by the response from travellers, with more than AUD$50,000 received within 24 hours of the launch, resulting in a combined total of AUD$70,000 raised for the...
Japan Flying High Out Of Canada
New flight services to Japan from Vancouver are helping to ensure that more Canadians visit, while a new bullet train service has opened up more tourism territory once they get there, reports western editor, Ted Davis in this week's digital edition of Travel Courier. A schedule of direct non-stop flights between Vancouver and Osaka will start on May 1, with operations by Air Canada rouge. This is the first trans-Pacific rouge flight, and the only direct flight between Canada and Osaka. Five flights per week will operate from YVR to Kansai International Airport (KIX) in Osaka, using...