Destinations
Celebrating Partnerships
The Bahamas has further strengthened its commitment to the Canadian market following a strong 2013 winter season and continuing growth from Canada during the first 8 months of 2014. A high-profile delegation, led by Bahamas minister of tourism, Obediah Wilchcombe and the Bahamas new director general of tourism, Joy Jibrilu, was in Vancouver and Toronto this week to update the travel trade on the island's plans for the upcoming winter season. Topping the list was the launch of a national advertising campaign designed to let Canadians know all about the vacation options that the Bahamas...
Hyatt Goes All-Inclusive in Jamaica
Playa Hotels & Resorts B.V. (“Playa”) is welcoming the upcoming opening of Hyatt Zilara Rose Hall, an adults-only all-inclusive experience, and Hyatt Ziva Rose Hall, an all-inclusive experience for all guests, in Montego Bay, marking the arrival of Jamaica’s first Hyatt-branded all-inclusive resorts. The all-inclusive hotels, which are expected to open Nov. 23 at the former site of The Ritz-Carlton, are the culmination of an approximate “$80-million expansion, renovation and repositioning that is intended to reinvent this storied destination in a way that brings effortless...
Contiki Goes Big in Europe
Knowing that no two travellers are alike, Contiki’s new Europe 2015 brochure offers something for everyone, with eight new trip styles catering to the different experiences young people want to have on holiday. The original youth travel brand’s 2015 lineup also includes 16 new trips, including Morocco and Portugal as new destinations. According to officials, the Contiki mission remains the same – to “provide young explorers with more choice, more freedom and more destinations at a great price and with plenty of awesome included experiences.” Travellers can now choose...
Chile a Land of Many Contrasts
Chilean tourism officials say there's much about their country that nature enthusiasts will find “n-ice.” Juan Lopez, North American market manager for TurismoChile, says the country has many distinct regions, including Patagonia, the southernmost part of South America, which is a land of dramatic mountains, fiords, glaciers and icebergs. The northernmost part of the country, on the other hand, is home to the Atacama Desert, the driest desert on the planet and the skies of which are remarkably clear, attracting people eager to see nighttime celestial displays. Volcanoes are another...
Montreal Set to Party
Montreal has got some cool festivals and events in the works. Tourism officials are touting fall and winter celebrations expected to lure visitors in the height of the city's winter. Upcoming events include the Jan. 16 to Feb. 8 Igloofest, which will see outdoor nighttime performances of electronic music on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, with up to 10,000 gathering a night. “It's an exotic event,” says Igloofest's Maripierre d'Amour of the event that will have two stages and VJs. “It's what Montreal is all about. We want people to enjoy the city.” Among other events will...
Surf’s Up Year-Round in Edmonton
Waves and winter can go hand-in-hand for aspiring surfer dudes and dudettes in the Edmonton area. West Edmonton Mall's World Waterpark – a five-acre indoor park that has a wave pool that holds 1.23 million litres of water and produces hydraulic-powered waves of up to 4.5 feet in height – began the year-round Sharks Surf Club in 2013 and also teaches those interested in learning to ride waves a sport commonly associated with tropical locales. “I don't know of any other location in Canada where a program like this exists,” says park spokeswoman Sheri Clegg, adding water...
Kempinski Expands in Germany
Kempinski Hotels will expands its presence in Germany when it takes over the Berchtesgaden International Resort, currently managed by InterContinental Hotels Group. A management agreement has been signed by Kempinski and the Bayerische Landesbank, which owns the luxurious resort hotel. The five-star hotel in the Berchtesgadener Land boasts 138 rooms and suites and is scheduled for take-over in the first half of 2015. “This luxurious resort in the Bavarian Alps is a perfect match with the Kempinski brand, and is an excellent addition to our existing alpine portfolio in the region,...
Canadians Shuffling Off To, And From, Buffalo
More than two million Canadians a year are already flying out of Buffalo, but it's a number, and market, that Buffalo officials think can be higher. A delegation of Buffalo tourism officials were in Toronto yesterday (Oct. 21) to promote the affordability and convenience of flying out of the Buffalo Niagara International Airport. “Southern Ontarians have to bear some of the highest travel costs in the country,” noted Pascal Cohen, senior manager of Marketing & Aviation Business Development at Buffalo Niagara International Airport. “We are here to offer an attractive...