Destinations
Kingston attracting more and more Canadians
Jamaican destinations like Montego Bay, Negril and Ocho Rios are household names for Canadians, however Kingston and Jamaica's northeast coast have recently been attracting more visitors, thanks to increased direct flights, new tourism offerings and cultural events. Direct flights from Toronto to Kingston are available with Air Canada, WestJet and Caribbean Airlines. And for the first time ever, vacation packages are being offered to Kingston through WestJet Vacations. Visitors can explore Kingston and then easily access other must-see destinations such as the Blue Mountains and Port Antonio....
Homecoming Scotland webcast set for April 8
Visit Scotland is hosting an April 8 "Homecoming Scotland 2014 - Canadian Agent Launch Presentation"to provide agents with information on a year-long program of special events. The webinar begins at 10:30 a.m. Agents can register at: http://promo.baxter.net/contest/webinars/VisitScotland.asp . Homecoming Scotland celebrates Scottish food and drink culture, active and natural resources and fascinating ancestral heritage. Featured will be an exciting blend of festivals, activities, special performances and celebrations that will showcase the very best that Scotland has to offer. The webinar...
Renovations near complete at Fairmont Princess AZ
The 25-year-old Fairmont Scottsdale Princess is further raising its status as a premier property in Scottsdale as it nears completion of a comprehensive remake. Renovations worth $25 million have been to its meeting spaces, dining concepts, retail venues, spa and exteriors, and are slated for completion in spring 2013. This latest round of refurbishments wraps up a five-year $60 million capital investment project at the resort. In Oct. 2012, it debuted the new Palomino Conference Center, making it the largest meetings resort in the Fairmont portfolio worldwide....
Aston helps stock the pantry at Big Island condo resorts
Aston Hotels & Resorts has recently partnered with Island Grocery Service to offer personal shopping services at all three of its Hawaii Island condominium resorts. These include Aston Kona By The Sea, Aston Shores at Waikoloa and Aston Waikoloa Colony Villas. Guests can shop online for grocery and personal care items and have them delivered and stocked at Aston's in-room kitchens prior to their arrival. Items ranging from top-quality local products to trusted national brands are available....
Aqua Hospitality appointment
Aqua Hotels & Resorts, a division of Aqua Hospitality (http://www.aquahospitality.com), has announced the appointment of Evelyn Shiroma to the new position of director of Property Sales & Revenue for Aqua Waikiki Wave and Aqua Waikiki Pearl hotels. "Evelyn has been a valuable member of the Wave and Pearl teams since she came on board in 2006 as sales manager,"said Lynette Eastman, Area General Manager. "Her experience and professionalism have served us well and she continues to surpass our expectations. Her promotion is truly well deserved."In her new position, Shiroma is responsible for...
Canadians staying home for Easter: Hotwire
Hotwire.com, a leading discount travel site, has unveiled its top 10 most popular Easter destinations for Canadian travellers, based on hotel bookings. Compared to last year's list, travellers seem to be opting for more local trips this year, with national metropolitan hubs rising in popularity. "With big-city business travel slowing down over the holiday, lots of high-demand cosmopolitan areas have rooms to spare. Hotels are offering spectacular deals, and incredible destinations like Toronto, Montreal, Orlando, Chicago and Minneapolis are offering rooms for $80 or less,"said Pierre...
Africa in the spotlight
When travellers are in search of a summer vacation, the recommendation should be Africa, according to Goway Travel. Africa is of course a vast and wondrous continent, and, according to Goway, has a number of destinations that are at their best from June to August. Purists will tell you that the best game viewing in Southern Africa is in their winter months of June, July and August. The reason for this is that it's very dry, the grass is sparse and the animals are increasingly concentrated around water sources. Also the risk of malaria is at its lowest in these months. June to October is also...
Former Nevada riverboat to set sail in Saskatoon
A dinner cruise riverboat that once sailed the Colorado River at Laughlin, NV has moved to Canada and will soon start operating tours on the South Saskatchewan River from Saskatoon. The one-time "Fiesta Queen"has been renamed the "Prairie Lily"for its new career in Saskatchewan, and operated its first river cruises in the summer of 2012. Even in that shortened season, it served over 16,000 passengers, offering sightseeing tours, dinner cruises and charters through one of the world's best-kept urban river valleys. Over this winter, the 120-passenger Prairie Lily has undergone major renovations...