Destinations
On The Radar
Agents with clients looking for an upscale vacation experience will want to keep St. Kitts on their radar as the Caribbean island is on the verge of gaining two luxury hotel options that will be found in distinctly different settings. December will see the opening of the first phase of Kittitian Hill, which will have 97 guests units. Later phases will feature villas and private homes. And next year will see the arrival of a Park Hyatt, which Racquel Brown, CEO of the St. Kitts Tourism Authority, said will be a beachfront property, unlike Kittitian Hill, which will have a rainforest...
Thai Cultural Events Come West
A schedule of events in western Canada celebrating the culture of Thailand was recently previewed by Thailand’s new consul general in Vancouver, Sutthiluck Sa-ngarmangkang. She did so with a presentation of Thai traditional dancing, modern fashion and cuisine at the Thailand consultate in YVR, in support of the upcoming events. The Discovering Thailand show will take place at the Vancouver Playhouse Theatre on Aug. 22, Victoria’s Belfry Theatre on Aug. 25 and the Royal Alberta Museum in Edmonton on Aug. 28. Guests will see traditional dances by a dance troupe from Bangkok and...
Qatar Encourages Leisure Tourism
After government efforts to promote Qatar as a leisure, culture and sports destination, inbound tourism in the country is expected to increase by about 7.5% a year over the next five years, says a new report from Timetric. Until now, Qatar has mainly been considered as a business travel destination. In 2013 business trips alone accounted for 66% of the total inbound tourism, with most of its tourists coming from countries such as Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. However, with its newly developed strategy, the Qatari government aims to focus on the development of leisure and cultural...
Florida Tourism On Pace For Another Record Year
Coming off a record-setting second quarter both overall and from Canada, Florida tourism is on pace for yet another record year. According to Visit Florida preliminary estimates, 24 million visitors went to the Sunshine State in the second quarter of 2014 (April-June), an increase of 3% over the same period in 2013. This represents the largest second quarter for visitation Florida has ever experienced, exceeding the previous high of 23.3 million in Q2 2013. Visit Florida estimates that 2.8 million overseas visitors and one million Canadians came to Florida in Q2 2014, both of which...
Mauna Kea Set to Celebrate 50 Years
Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, the first resort built on the raw and stunning Kohala Coast in 1965, will mark its 50th anniversary in July 2015. Paying tribute to the hotel’s legendary Rockefeller pedigree and timeless charm, the year-long celebration is appropriately themed, “What was, is.” Starting this month, the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel is introducing a special logo to be featured in commemorative items and all marketing collateral. The logo features the iconic orange-coloured blossom, a symbolic representation of the architects’ first vivid sights of the hotel site – plumeria...
Cheers From Barbados!
From world famous Cutter's rum punch to steel drum music, it was all about Barbados last night at the Royal Canadian Yacht Club in Toronto as Siren Communications, which represents Barbados in Canada, hosted a reception for travel industry personnel. Special guest Roger Goddard (l) of Cutter's was on hand and presented his award-winning VSRP Rum Punch. Officials announced the launch of Barbados Island Inclusive, a limited time offer featuring “free spending money” valid for bookings from Aug. 15 to Sept. 30 for travel up to Dec. 19. If visitors stay a minimum of five nights,...
‘Fall in Jamaica’ Vacation Deal
Jamaica is offering a “Fall in Jamaica” destination-wide vacation deal with savings of up to 50% when booking at http://www.getallrightjamaica.com . More than 30 hotels plus attractions and restaurants are participating in the island-wide deal, which is being co-ordinated by the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) and the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA). The Fall in Jamaica promotion features accommodations ranging from small intimate hotels to large all-inclusive resorts. Travellers can select a personalized vacation that fits their lifestyle, interest and budget. The...
Courtyard by Marriott Opens at Winnipeg Airport
The Courtyard by Marriott Winnipeg Airport is now open for business. Located steps from the James Armstrong Richardson International Airport terminal, the new hotel features Canada’s first Courtyard Cynergy room design. The six-storey hotel has a penthouse fitness centre featuring the latest Precor equipment, complimentary use of one of the highest hotel Internet bandwidths in Manitoba, a Starbucks barista bar in the lobby and over 1,800 square feet of on-demand meeting space to accommodate functions of up to 150 people. Upon arrival, guests can store bags on the “Luggage...