Destinations
Food For Thought
For those who, literally, have a taste for Latin America, Goway is offering a chance to enjoy some unique dining experiences in Peru. Don Forster, product & marketing manager for Goway’s specialist Latin America division, observes that: “Latin America’s biggest gastronomy festival, MISTURA, will be held Sept. 5 to 14 in Peru, and this year an estimated 40,000 visitors are expected as Peru strengthens its reputation as a world class culinary destination.” Forster points out that: “Peru was awarded World’s Leading Culinary Destination at the World Travel Awards in 2012...
Summer Extended
For agents with clients looking to extend their summer, then Alberta may be the answer. The western province reports that its average rainfall in September is 50% less than in Ontario, for example. And with a host of brand-new attractions, legendary views and unique culinary experiences, Alberta may be just what's wanted. For the adventure travelers, the Banff Norquay’s Via Ferrata is now open. Visitors can enjoy the alpine landscape with a certified guide, climbing up the cliffs assisted by fixed anchoring system of cables, ladders and a suspension bridge. Travellers can choose from...
A Cultural Connection
For the first time, Maine and Canada are joining together to jointly host the World Acadian Congress -- Congrès mondial -- which has taken place every five years since 1994 and was previously held in Canada and Louisiana. The 2014 Congress – http://www.acadien, http://www.cma2014.com/en – will now include the St. John Valley and the city of Madawaska located in Maine’s Aroostook County on the Canadian border. In addition to St. John Valley, the Congress includes New Brunswick and the Temiscouata region of Quebec to form “Acadia of Lands and Forest.” The event...
Refresh Complete at Ohana Waikiki East
Located in the heart of Waikiki on Oahu, Ohana Waikiki East has completed a US$2 million refresh to its 441 guest rooms. From new carpeting and paint to modern hand-held showerheads in each guest bathroom, the upgrades cater to vacationers desiring comfortable accommodations at a great...
Getting To Know Guatemala
The Guatemala Tourism Institute's (INGUAT) Claudia Lorena Alvarado Castillo – along with 11 suppliers of Guatemala tourism products – were in Toronto on July 30 as part of a multi-city North American tour designed to educated the travel trade on all that the destination has to offer. Alvarado took her Toronto audience on a verbal and visual tour of Guatemala and its 1,000 years of history, its culture, natural wonders and lots more during her presentation. Dubbed the Land of Eternal Spring with its average daily temperature of 22 degrees, Guatemala is home to three UNESCO sites,...
Keddy Introduced
Tourism Australia officially introduced Robert Keddy (r), formerly of Icelandair, to the trade last night in Toronto as its new head of commercial partnerships, The Americas. Tourism Australia teamed up with Wine Australia for the event held at a private wine cave just off of Queen St. Keddy, pictured with Kevin Smith of Development Counsellors International and Angela Slade of Wine Australia, noted the visitor numbers from Canada to Australia are headed in the right direction, showing a 7.1% increase as of the end of May. Tourism Australia also introduced the latest instalment of...
VISIT FLORIDA Goes Live With Redesigned Site
A new, redesigned VISIT FLORIDA home page is now live, highlighted by “a cleaner, more responsive design that delivers a consistent view of the homepage across a wide range of devices and screen sizes, providing an optimal viewing experience like never before.” New is an interactive map that can be accessed on any page throughout the site, allowing visitors to visualize Florida destinations in a more geographic manner. Other new site features include category sections such as “Things To Do,” “Places To Go” and “Florida Passions.” These special sections are research...
Turtle Bay Appointments
Oahu's Turtle Bay Resort has welcomed Brina Fritzsche as group sales manager and Ginger Oswald as customer relationship marketing manager. Fritzsche has nearly a decade of hospitality and group sales experience, most recently serving as multi-property group sales manager with Starwood Hotels & Resorts on Maui. She previously worked in group sales at The Modern Honolulu and at the Sheraton Kona Resort & Spa at Keauhou Bay. She also worked in sales with Starwood Hotels & Resorts Hawaii. She started her career as a sales intern at The Royal Hawaiian in Waikiki and as an...