Destinations
WestJet Vacations Returns to Cabo San Lucas
WestJet Vacations is welcoming guests back to Cabo San Lucas following the resumption of WestJet air service to the Los Cabos Mexico International Airport on Oct. 26. “The area and its many resorts and hotels have undergone significant repairs in the two months since Hurricane Odile devastated the Baja region,” said Dave Cecco, WestJet director, Product. “We are pleased to once again provide our guests with all this popular destination has to offer.” “There are many reasons why the area is truly a Mexican gem,” added Tim Croyle, vice-president and general manager,...
Promoting the Four Worlds of Ecuador
Ecuadorean tourism minister Sandra Naranjo says Mother Nature has clearly been kind to her homeland. Naranjo told a Toronto gathering yesterday (Nov. 18) that her homeland has 1,600 species of birds, more than North America and Europe combined. As well, the country is home to 4,500 species of orchids and those visiting the Galapagos may find themselves “standing next to a sea lion or walking next to an iguana,” she said of the famed archipelago, 97% of which is a national park. Jungle, the Galapagos, the Andes and Pacific coast provide very different travel experiences for...
Alitours Sailing to Cuba
Alitours is offering week-long Cuba Cruise sailings around Cuba on the Louis Cristal vessel, with Jan. 5, 12, 19 and 26 sailings that leave Havana on Monday and return the following Monday starting at $909, plus taxes of $590 p.p. The rates include air travel from Toronto to Havana and transfers to and from the Cuban capital's port. The vessel will call at Holguin; Santiago de Cuba; Montego Bay, Jamaica; Cienfuegos/Trinidad; and the Isle of Youth. Cuba Cruise's season is Dec. 22 to March...
DoubleTree by Hilton Debuts in New Zealand
DoubleTree by Hilton and Hilton Worldwide have opened the brand’s first property in New Zealand – DoubleTree by Hilton Queenstown. Formerly known as the Kawarau Hotel and managed by Hilton Worldwide, the 98-room hotel is set in the heart of bustling Kawarau Village, convenient to Queenstown International Airport and just a short drive or water taxi ride from the centre of Queenstown, popularly known as “The Adventure Capital of the World.” Guests at DoubleTree by Hilton Queenstown enjoy contemporary guest rooms featuring fully fitted kitchenettes with an oven, microwave and...
A New Dimension
Riu Hotels & Resorts' latest venture in Aruba has given the island an added dimension when seeking to attract the all-inclusive-vacation crowd, reports staff writer, Ian Stalker in this week's digital edition of Travel Courier. The 482-room Riu Antilles, which opened in mid-October, is an adults-only all-inclusive, the first all-inclusive on the island for adults alone, tourism authorities note. Riu's other Aruba property is an all-inclusive that welcomes children and the two properties underscore growing lodging choices for visitors, says Ronella Tjin Asjoe-Croes, CEO of the...
Uniworld’s River Tosca to Resume Egypt Sailings
Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection has announced they will set sail once again on Egypt’s Nile River aboard the all-suite River Tosca, commencing October 2015. Uniworld is one of several companies in The Travel Corporation family of brands, including Trafalgar, Insight Vacations and Contiki to bring travel back to Egypt. According to The Travel Corporation’s CEO, Brett Tollman, “We are seeing a pent-up demand for the destination and are delighted to be able to elevate our support for this truly remarkable part of the world.” Uniworld will resume its first sailing...
Getting Festive in Munich
Travellers killing time at Germany's Munich Airport will find it easy over the next six weeks as the annual Winter Market returns to the Munich Airport Center (MAC) – between the two terminals – from Nov. 22 to Dec. 28. Once again, the MAC Forum will be transformed into a winter wonderland. Visitors can take a stroll among the more than 40 stands offering gift ideas and seasonal treats and enjoy the pre-Christmas sights and smells. This year's 16th edition also has a few new attractions and activities in store for visitors. In addition to a larger ice skating and curling rink...
An ALBA Unveiling
ALBATours has released its 2015 Europe & the Mediterranean brochure which features the return of its comprehensive Italy program, as well as the introduction of touring options in Ireland, Portugal, Greece, Turkey and Israel. It's the first of a series of three new brochures for the brand – the other two being Cruise Collection 2015 and Southern Hemisphere 2015, which will be unveiled in the coming weeks – this year’s Europe & the Mediterranean brochure highlights a program that offers everything from fully escorted tours and flexible short stays, to Greek island...