Destinations
Voyager of the Seas to Homeport in Hong Kong
Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. is expanding its presence in the Asia-Pacific region and establishing an office in Hong Kong, augmenting the cruise company’s already established Chinese offices in Beijing and Shanghai. The cruise company also unveiled the summer 2015 cruise season for Royal Caribbean International’s Voyager of the Seas, which will homeport in “Asia’s World City.” “As a global industry leader, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. is committed to pursuing the exciting strategic opportunity that Asia in general and China in particular represent,” said Adam Goldstein,...
Austin Making Music In Canada
A trio of representatives from the Austin Convention & Visitors Bureau, along with a number of Austin musical acts were in Canada last week as part of the CVB's Summer of Love tour which featured a 30-foot, vintage, 1970s Airstream trailer designed by local Austin artists and equipped with an onboard music studio. The group spent a month making stops in the Northeast US as well as visiting Niagara Falls and making its final stop in Toronto from June 18 to June 22 for the NXNE Festival & Conference and a number of other special events. Dubbed the Live Music Capital of the...
Say Aloha to Savings
Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) is offering limited time savings on its seven-day interisland cruises in Hawaii on board Pride of America. Travellers who book a new Hawaii cruise reservation, from June 22 through June 30, will receive up to $100 to spend on board, plus guests who book a Hawaii Cruise Tour will receive an additional $200 to spend on board. Air credits of up to $400, Military, Latitudes Rewards and AARP discounts may also apply to select sailings. Vacationers looking to cruise around the majestic state of Hawaii can do so aboard the newly refurbished Pride of America....
St. Maarten, Anguilla Team Up For Fam
The St. Maarten and Anguilla Tourist Boards in Canada teamed up for a joint FAM at the beginning of June. A group of 20 agents flew with Westjet, from both Toronto and Montreal, into St. Maarten. The joint FAM provided agents with an opportunity to enjoy the neighbouring destinations, helping them to understand the ease of access to both islands, which are only 5.5 miles apart. Catherine Pentiricci, manager of the St. Maarten Tourist Bureau in Canada, said that: “An important part of St. Maarten's appeal is the three neighbouring islands -- Anguilla, St. Barth's and Saba. Anguilla,...
Goway Opens The Door
Goway is opening the door to one of the world’s smallest and most exclusive kingdoms, Bhutan. With t Bhutan Airlines now flying to Paro from Kathmandu, travellers have more options to access this mysterious country. Connections can be made through Bangkok, Kolkata, and Kathmandu with Bhutan Airlines, or with Drukair, the national carrier via Bangkok, Delhi, Kolkata, Kathmandu, Bangladesh and Singapore. Maureen Atkinson, product & marketing manager for Goway, observed: “Bhutan is certainly an emerging destination for us. We find the majority of our clients are well-travelled...
Caribbean Set To Make A Splash
The Caribbean Week in Toronto will have a new twist in 2014 after the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO)’s accepted an invitation from representatives of national tourist offices in Canada to host a Caribbean Week event in Ottawa. As a result, Ottawa will host the CTO Travel Agents Educational Program on Mon., June 23 from 5:30 pm to 8:30 p.m. at the Chimo Hotel, 1199 Joseph Cyr Street, Ottawa. Sylma Brown, who heads the CTO’s New York office, the organizers of Caribbean Week Toronto, said: “Having held similar workshops for hundreds of travel agents in the greater Toronto area...
What’s Your Beach Personality
Florida is getting the word out on its famed beaches through the use of some creative technology. This summer has seen VisitFlorida launch http://www.visitflorida.com/beachfinder, which VisitFlorida spokeswoman Lucy Spann labels a tool to enable users to find the Florida beach which is suited for an individual's “beach personality. “There are adventurous beaches. There are family beaches. There are au naturale beaches. You can see six options of Florida beaches,” Spann says, adding there's a “97% likelihood that you'll enjoy going to that beach [that the...
Sunset, Palace Forge Strategic Deal
Sunset Resorts Jamaica and Palace Resorts have signed an agreement that will see Palace Resorts assume ownership of the Sunset Jamaica Grande on July 7. Palace will close the property on Sept. 1, 2014 for extensive renovations and upgrades before opening its doors again as the new Moon Palace Jamaica Grande in early 2015. This substantial investment will mark Palace Resorts’ latest step outside of Mexico, expanding their signature awe-inclusive brand standards to the Jamaican market. Gibran Chapur, executive vice-president for Palace Resorts and responsible for the overall growth and...