Destinations
Volunteering in Jamaica Made Easy
With volunteer tourism on the rise, the Jamaica Tourist Board has added a dedicated page to its web site for visitors who desire to volunteer during their vacation trip to the island. Visitors can now easily plan volunteer experiences through this voluntourism initiative. The combination of voluntary service with the traditional elements of a vacation has become increasingly popular in Jamaica. One of the first of its kind in the Caribbean, the page offers a database of faith-, health- and education-based volunteer programs, with more categories to appear as they become...
Getting Down To Business
In this week's digital edition of Canadian Travel Press, the theme seems to be all about opportunities that are out there just waiting for travel agents to take advantage of. Selling affluent travellers trips to the Cayman Islands. Making sure that customers actually take advantage of the holiday time they have and go on vacation. And for the travel management companies out there, it's all about the opportunities that will present themselves as a result of a new partnership between Air Canada and Concur. Affluent opportunities It's time to start living the good life in the...
Cross Border Xpress Coming
Opening in 2015, a new Cross Border Xpress (CBX) will connect Mexico's Tijuana International Airport (TIJ) directly to a new facility in San Diego via a secure pedestrian bridge border crossing for ticketed airline passengers. The CBX is designed to meet US and international security standards and will offer fully bilingual customer service, parking, passenger amenities including food, beverage and retail services, as well as indoor and outdoor guest waiting areas. TIJ is a 24-hour airport that offers a wide range of flights to more than 30 destinations in Mexico, and the CBX will...
Mexico Sees Strong Numbers From Canada
Mexico's tourist trade is wowing the Mexico Tourism Board's North American director, Rodrigo Esponda. Esponda told a Toronto gathering Wednesday that Mexico has “had a fantastic year,” and the country is again proving popular with Canadians, with the January-August period seeing 1.1 million Canadian visitations, up 6% from the same period last year. Overall, the country's tourism performance is the best he's seen in his 15 years working in Mexico's tourism trade, he reported. Meanwhile, Mexico is preparing a Los Cabos campaign, helping that destination's tourist trade rebound...
It’s The Rail Thing
A group of about 30 travel agents and tour operators were briefed on the latest developments for Rail Europe during a presentation in Toronto this week. Rail Europe's president and CEO, Frederic Langlois provided the Toronto area travel trade types with an inside look at the latest joint venture of the French and Spanish railroads, as well as offering insights on how working with Rail Europe can help agents better serve their customers. Launched a year ago, the new Renfe/SNCF high-speed rail service links Paris with Barcelona – plus a host of other cities on the line –...
Universal Flash Sale
Agents' clients have until the end of today (Nov. 6) to take advantage of a Universal Orlando Resort offer that allows guests to book a vacation package that includes theme park tickets, accommodations at Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort, and other special benefits from $119 per adult, per night. Benefits include complimentary upgrade to a Family Suite; two complimentary Blue Man Group tickets; two-day park-to-park or base ticket with the third day free to experience Universal Studios Florida and Universal’s Islands of Adventure; and early park admission to The Wizarding World...
Signature Reintroduces Popular Hot Spot, Los Cabos
Signature Vacations has reintroduced its all-inclusive packages to Los Cabos, Mexico, from nine Canadian gateways. Operated by Sunwing Airlines, travellers will be able to take advantage of twice weekly non-stop flights from Toronto together with weekly non-stop services from Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver. Later this month, a weekly schedule of direct, non-stop flights will also be added from Regina, Saskatoon and Victoria; weekly services from Montreal and Winnipeg resume from mid-December onwards. Andrew Dawson, chief operating officer for the Sunwing Travel Group, commented,...
Transat Expands Cuba Program
Transat has announced the addition of a new direct Hamilton, Ont.-Cayo Coco flight to its Cuban program. Transat Holidays and Nolitours offer nine hotels in Cayo Coco, designed to meet all preferences and budgets. Meliá Hotels features four properties at the destination, including the Meliá Cayo Guillermo Elegance Club, with its exclusive Distinction Collection services. Also available are the Iberostar Daiquiri, Allegro Club Cayo Guillermo, Hotel Playa Coco, TRYP Cayo Coco and Pestana Cayo Coco. Air Transat’s service to the Jardines del Rey airport will run every...