Destinations
Cypress Gets More Snow Making, Wider Trails
Cypress Mountain, just a short drive from downtown Vancouver in the North Shore Mountains, was the official venue for freestyle skiing and snowboarding events during the 2010 Olympic Winter Games. This year, it has expanded its snowmaking operations on the Easy Rider trail to improve the quality for ski lessons. Also, the Collins, Panorama and 3 Bears trails have been widened. Cypress is the most technically challenging of Vancouver’s mountains, with a vertical rise of 612 metres. It has 53 runs (including 19 expert trails), six chair lifts, plus freestyle terrain...
All That Jazz
The home of jazz is getting another home for jazz. Maria Manzella of the New Orleans Convention & Visitors Bureau reports that next year will see a showcase for jazz open in her hometown, which already bills itself as the birthplace of that musical genre. New Orleans Jazz Market is the brainchild of local jazz enthusiast Irvin Mayfield and will have a theatre for performances and exhibits telling of that musical expression, she said during a Wednesday Toronto reception. “It's going to be a state-of-the-art facility,” said Manzella, adding New Orleans already has a...
Transat Direct to Havana
Air Transat will begin offering direct flights from Toronto to Havana, Cuba, starting Dec. 22 and operating March 30, 2015. Travellers wishing to stay in the Cuban capital, known for its architecture, will be able to choose one of several packages offered by Transat Holidays and Nolitours. Available hotels include the Iberostar Parque Central and the Tryp Habana Libre, a new addition to Transat’s offering. For those wanting to explore further, Havana can also be a point of departure for discovering other parts of the island, or to embark, directly from the airport, on a...
AC rouge Non-Stop to Honolulu
With cold winter winds and snow hitting much of Eastern Canada, Air Canada rouge launched Canada's only non-stop service between Toronto and Honolulu, Hawaii, on Wednesday (Dec. 10). The seasonal service operates twice weekly on a Boeing 767-300 aircraft with 280 seats offering three choices of seating comfort. Customers on the inaugural flight were treated to a ribbon cutting ceremony before departing, gift bags and a host of onboard treats and celebratory...
Europe for Everyone With Transat
Transat Holidays has launched its 2015 European season with increased capacity on flights and a new brochure offering something for every budget. The following are highlights of Transat’s 2015 Europe program: The most direct flights from Canada to Europe with 27 destinations; An even richer offering in Central Europe with the addition of a new destination, Budapest, with direct flights from Toronto and Montreal; Increased flight capacity and frequency to numerous European cities including Barcelona, Athens and Lisbon; Travel options for all types of vacationers: packages,...
Four Seasons Maui Suites Get Full Remakes
Four Seasons Resort Maui has completed a US$3 million renovation of its famed Maile suite and introduced the new Lokelani presidential/residential three-bedroom suite. With design direction from the acclaimed BraytonHughes Design Studios, the resort suites are the largest on the property and the largest in Hawaii. Both suites are suitable to host families and small groups requiring multiple bedrooms during their getaway to...
Business Is Brisk
Air Canada Vacations (ACV) president Eamonn Ferrin is citing long-used counsel when advising agents on what to tell clients wanting to flee winter weather, reports Ian Stalker in this week's digital edition of Travel Courier. Ferrin told a Toronto gathering last week that booking patterns are shaped by many factors and “will always vary,” but his tour operator is enjoying brisk business for the latter half of December and that should be a caution for those who are hesitant when it comes to booking winter travel. “The key message... is book early to avoid disappointment...,”...
Porter Offers Vermont Ski, Snowboard Packages
Porter Airlines flights between Toronto’s Billy Bishop Airport and Vermont's Burlington International Airport begin on Dec. 14, and travellers from Toronto can now purchase ski and snowboard packages through Porter Escapes. Five Vermont ski resorts have partnered with Porter to provide customers with an attractive winter getaway to the Green Mountain State. “Vermont ski and snowboard resorts benefit greatly from this renewed airline service,” said Parker Riehle, Ski Vermont president. “With up to four flights a week, enthusiastic skiers and riders in Toronto can now easily...