Destinations
Air Europa opens YVR office
Vancouver is home a second Canadian office by Air Europa, joining Toronto. Air Europa is the second largest airline in Spain, and has come to Canada with full-fledged sales offices, a 24/7 call centre and participation in the BSP Canada reservations system. Air Europa is a full member of Skyteam and currently operates direct flights from New York (JFK) to Madrid, with connections all around Spain and to Europe and West Africa....
Tasty Kona coffee on offer at free daily farm tours
Greenwell Farms near Kona on the Big Island is now offering free Kona coffee tours, including tastings, daily from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. The farm tour including the avocado, banana and other tropical fruit sightings. Guests are invited to sample each variety and flavor of Greenwell Farms Kona Coffee. The farm is situated on prime land at an elevation of 1,500 feet adjacent to the ancestral home of Henry and Elizabeth, which is now occupied by the Kona Historical Museum. Family traditions have been established over 150 years of history -- the farm is now operated by fourth-generation farmers Tom...
Trafalgar hosts special Vancouver event
Trafalgar is again hosting Patricia Schultz, New York Times best-selling author of 1,000 Places to See Before You Die, for a speaking engagement. The free event will take place in Vancouver on March 7. Attendees are eligible for exclusive offers, prizes and giveaways, including a draw for the chance to win $1,000 toward any Trafalgar guided vacation. "Trafalgar invites past and future clients and travel agents to join Patricia Schultz on an insightful journey through some of the world's most famous and spectacular locations, revealing many hidden treasures along the way. During the evening's...
Air seat capacity set to grow in 2013
Hawaii should look forward to an increase in schedule air seats for 2013, says the Hawaii Tourism Authority. The 2013 projection for scheduled air seats to the Hawaiian Islands is anticipated to increase 6.8% (over 2012) to 10.75 million seats, says the HTA. This would surpass the record high for seats to the state. Of that total, about 7.1 million seats will be scheduled from domestic points of origin (Canada is counted in that percentage), while the remaining 3.6 million will come from international airports -- Japan and other points in Asia are major source markets....
GNTB launches new Wagner microsite
The German National Tourist Board (GNTB) has launched a new web site for the bicentenary of Richard Wagner's birth. Visitors with an interest in culture can now find information on special events during the anniversary year and on Wagner's life and work at http://www.germany.travel/wagner . Entitled "Music is the language of passion,"the new microsite is available in German and English and features an interactive map to help travellers follow in the footsteps of Wagner. The 13 towns and cities in Germany most closely associated with Wagner's life and legacy are marked on the map and profiled...
Hilton Hawaiian Village remake nears finish
The final phase of the refurbishment project at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort, underway for seven months at $25.5 million, is scheduled for completion in May. The final phase of the project will include upgrades to the Ali'i Tower's second floor Ocean View Terrace. The makeover has included all 323 guest rooms in the tower, including new finishes and furnishings, new bathrooms and the reconfiguration of eight junior suites and four 2-bay suites. In addition, all guest room corridors were redone, as well as the lobby and reception desk. The renovation also included the...
HTA sets marketing road map for 2013 at update event
The Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA), together with its global marketing partners, will present a briefing of its tourism marketing activities at the 2013 Spring Marketing Update on March 6 at the Sheraton Waikiki, in the Kauai Room. The day will start at 7:45 a.m. and include an overview HTA president Mike McCartney, and presentations by the Hawaii Visitors & Convention Bureau on the convention business, and on the markets of Japan, Oceania, Europe and Asia....
CNTO launches new global brand
The China National Tourism Administration has made "Beautiful China"the tag line of its tourism promotions and introduced a new global brand logo. With an overall look as a stamp, the new logo integrates modern messaging with the ancient Chinese art form of calligraphy. The hieroglyph in the background means "travel"in ancient Chinese, which shows a flag guiding a couple around. The blue represents the sky, delivering China tourism's concepts -- vitality, harmony and green travel. The red gives tribute to the Chinese civilization that dates back thousands of years. Illustrating an...