Destinations
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...
An Eventful Summit
Mega events can drive tourism if handled in the right way, tourism ministers agreed at the UNWTO & WTM Ministers' Summit in London on the second day of World Travel Market 2014 (Tuesday), reports Press Today's Mike Baginski. The UNWTO defined the legacy benefits in five ways: Building national unity and pride through community involvement. Improving the capacity to attract private investment. Forming a better prepared workforce. Achieving a strong positioning or reposition of the brand of the host destination(s). Transforming a tourism destination. The Summit pointed...
Stellar Reputation
Can you feel the love? Well, the international love affair with Canada is showing no signs of cooling off, with a new study by the Reputation Institute revealing that Canada is the top country in the world to visit, live in, study and attend or organize events. Key drivers in the 2014 Country RepTrak report were the fact that Canada was “a beautiful and enjoyable country” that had “friendly and welcoming people” and made “contributions to global culture,” as well as having a safe environment. Canada was also ranked number two with the best reputation overall, after...
Ka’anapali Set to Host Children’s Hula Competition
Hawaii's Ka’anapali Beach Hotel will host the 24th children’s hula competition, Hula O Na Keiki, from Nov. 14-16. The event is Maui’s only children’s hula competition and commemorates one of Hawaii’s richest traditions and displays the talents of hula students from around the world. To complement the hula competition, weekend festivities at the hotel include arts and crafts, food booths, cultural workshops and special Hawaiian...