Destinations
Croatia 365
The Croatian National Tourist Board has unveiled its new marketing campaign, Croatia 365, with a pilot program that aims to strengthen brand awareness by focusing on authentic products and experiences offered during pre- and post-season in Croatia. The program, Croatia 365, is based on 22 destinations within the country and focused on six different themes (culture, gastronomy and wine, cycling, business trips, wellness and health, active holidays) aimed at building year-round tourism. Ina Rodin, director of North America for Croatian National Tourist Board, commented: "As we have...
A Global Phenomenon
In this week's digital edition of Travel Courier, Greg Coates reports that while it may have started as a colourful band of street performers in Baie-Saint-Paul, a small town near Quebec City, today Cirque du Soleil is a global phenomenon, employing more than 5,000 employees worldwide and having entertained over 100 million spectators – many of these in Las Vegas, Cirque's unofficial headquarters. Las Vegas is home to eight permanent Cirque du Soleil shows – from LOVE, the musical celebration of The Beatles, to the flirtatiously, sensual cabaret style of Zumanity. Cirque's shows...
AMResorts Enters Costa Rica Market
AMResorts has officially opened its first property in Costa Rica and 34th overall – Dreams Las Mareas Costa Rica. The introduction of this flagship hotel for the Dreams Resorts & Spas brand marks another milestone for AMResorts, as the company enters its fifth country as part of an aggressive growth plan, including the introduction of five resorts in 2014. The northern Guanacaste region of Costa Rica, where the resort is located, has natural and cultural landmarks. Dreams Las Mareas is on a white-sand beach amidst a jungle. The 447-suite resort features a contemporary design,...
Tasty Treats
Agents sending their clients to Philadelphia may want to let them know that they'll have no end of options when it comes to dining in the City of Brotherly Love. That was certainly the message this week as a trio of representatives from Philadelphia offered some insights into what the city has to offer to its visitors, plus some tasty treats from one of Philly's top chefs. Visit Philadelphia's Donna Schorr points out that Canada has been a strong market for the city, which is just a short flight or a day's drive from Toronto. And while the Canadian dollar has dropped some, Schorr said...
Plenty Cooking in Saint Lucia
Tracey Warner-Arnold says there's plenty cooking in Saint Lucia these days. Warner-Arnold, Saint Lucia's deputy director of tourism, told a Toronto gathering that featured Saint Lucia culinary ambassador Nina Compton “there''s a cross-section of unique culinary experiences you can have” on an island that offers four- and five-star dining, farm-to-table products are common and chefs often use local produce. August is Chocolate Heritage Month on an island that produces cocoa beans and that month sees numerous celebrations linked to the sweet confection. Spas may use chocolate...
CLIA Sets Up Shop in Asia
The growth of cruising in Asia has taken another important step forward with the establishment of CLIA Southeast Asia and CLIA North Asia as the regional arms of Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA). CLIA chief executive officer Christine Duffy said the transition to CLIA Southeast Asia and CLIA North Asia was perfectly timed as Asia comes to the forefront as one of the world’s most dynamic emerging regions for cruise. “Asia ranks highly on our list of emerging cruise regions as the globalization of the cruise industry continues to gather pace,” said Duffy. “CLIA...
Contiki Adds Japan to 2015 Asia Program
Contiki has released its 2015 Asia brochure featuring three new travel styles and the introduction of a trip to Japan. The 13-day Japan Unrivalled tour kicks off in Tokyo and features visits to Takayama, Hiroshima, Kyoto, Wakayama and Osaka. Highlights include a sushi making class, a visit to the hot springs, a meditation lesson, a karaoke night and an overnight stay at a traditional Ryokan guest house to name a few. “Asia has become one of the most sought-after destinations for Canadian millennials, and Contiki trips throughout Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam and China has been...
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...