Destinations
Surf’s Up This Fall at Turtle Bay Resort
Turtle Bay Resort on Oahu’s fabled North Shore is celebrating the season’s world-class North Shore surf with “Fantastic Fall” rates starting at US$209 a night for newly renovated ocean-view accommodations. Guests can be there for the kickoff to the world’s top surf competitions, with these fall rates for travel available from Sept. 1-Nov. 27. For surfers and their global followers, this seven-mile stretch of white sand beaches possesses its own heroes, legends and icons. The epic waves, the natural beauty and the friendly people have inspired distinctive music, art,...
Confidence Builder
In this week's issue of Travel Courier, Ian Stalker reports that Egypt is rolling out the welcome carpet for tourists these days but tour operators are divided as to how many Canadians are responding. The Egyptian government has begun an aggressive international campaign to win back those visitors who have been avoiding the country during an often tumultuous past couple of years, with the government eager to rebuild a tourist trade that for much of the past decade has generated huge revenues for the country. “The Ministry of Tourism has campaigns to assure travellers that Egypt's...
Curious George Takes a Bite Out of the Big Apple
NYC & Company, New York City’s official tourism, marketing and partnership organization, has introduced Curious George as its sixth Official NYC Family Ambassador, a joint effort with NBC Universal, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (HMH) and PBS KIDS. As part of the year-long collaboration, adventurous explorer Curious George will encourage family travel to the city’s five boroughs by highlighting New York City as a family friendly destination. In 2013, New York City welcomed an estimated 16.7 million family visitors, a 3.1% projected increase over 2012, contributing approximately...
Douglas Coupland Exhibit in Vancouver
The first major visual art exhibition of artist and author Douglas Coupland has just opened at the Vancouver Art Gallery. The show is dubbed “Douglas Coupland: everywhere is anywhere is anything is everything.” It surveys the past 14 years of this Vancouver-based artist’s creative output across a range of media, such as installation, painting, photography, prints, and quilts, and features over 100 works, including several new large-scale installations. The exhibition explores concepts of cultural identity, technology’s ubiquity and contemporary life that are central to...
Guatemala to Host TravelMart LatinAmerica 2015
Guatemala will host TravelMart LatinAmerica in 2015. The event will bring together more than 1,000 attendees, including service providers, hotels, airlines, tour operators, tourism offices, media and other industry professionals. TravelMart is expected to make both a short and long-term impact on the country’s economy by attracting important global buyers who will boost Guatemala’s tourism offerings. It also further positions Guatemala in the meetings and conventions segment, showcasing the country’s preparedness to host and execute international events with the latest...
Riu Set to Open its First US Property
Riu will open its first Riu Plaza urban hotel brand property in the United States in November. Miami’s Hotel Riu Florida Beach is closed for a major refurbishment, after which it will reopen as the Hotel Riu Plaza Miami Beach. While maintaining its characteristic façade, the hotel will completely change its interior décor to adapt “the facilities to the standard of service of the modern and cosmopolitan Riu Plaza line.” Total contemplated investment in the project is US$15 million. The hotel has direct access to Miami Beach and is near the Ocean Drive restaurant and bar...
A Solid Choice
Paul Pennicook has been named Jamaica's new director of tourism, replacing John Lynch, who stepped down after five years in the post in late April of this year. Pennicook's appointment was announced by Dennis Morrison, chairman of the Jamaica Tourist Board today, and is effective as of July 9, 2014. Jamaica's new director of tourism is a strong, seasoned tourism leader and no stranger to the post having served in that capacity from 2003 to 2006. Pennicook has spent several years as a successful hotelier, serving as president and CEO of Couples Resorts, executive vice-president of...
Shangri-La Vancouver Screening Room Bookable
Now available for use by discerning business travellers staying at the Shangri-La Hotel Vancouver is its state-of-the-art Blue Moon Theatre. One of six meeting venues located within the hotel, the private screening room is fully outfitted with AV and HD capabilities, 36 plush leather seats, all the frills required for conferences and a cozy opulence that deserves more than just use for meetings. That’s why Shangri-La launched “Movies at the Market,” a bookable evening starring fine food and film, that is well suited to team building. Groups can arrange for special screenings...