Destinations
Say ‘I do’ with Aqua
Couples dreaming of a Hawaii wedding that is "not only affordable, but also stress-free"can say "I do"to Aqua Hotels & Resorts' No Commitments Wedding Guest Accommodations Program. No Commitments makes "planning a Hawaiian wedding a breeze"by eliminating contracts, minimums and hassles. Aside from standard cancellation policies, wedding parties aren't bound to minimum room counts or contracts. Aqua will work with a wedding party of any size and all guests can easily book through the web site. In addition, Aqua provides discounted group rates with an array of complimentary and customized...
St. Lucia DMC picks Jaunt
St. Lucia DMC,Serenity Vacations & Tours has picked Jaunt Marketing & Consulting Inc. as its North American representative. Jaunt Marketing will be responsible for working closely with the travel trade to increase commissionable bookings of VIP transfers, excursions, groups and unique accommodations in St. Lucia. Those bookings will be commissionable at rate of 10%. Serenity's products include helicopter transfers, land and sea excursions, Grenadines day trips, St. Lucia/Grenadines combination vacation packages and villa rentals. Semi-private and private options are available for all...
More success, more flights
As a result of the success of its Costa Rica program, Sunwing is launching new flights to San Jose (SJO), in addition to its current flights to Liberia (LIR). Flights from Toronto will depart weekly on Fridays from Dec. 21, 2012 to April 12, 2013. As well, Sunwing will be offering vacation packages, which include a selection of hotels in some of Costa Rica's most popular Central Pacific destinations. Located only 50 km from San Jose on the Gulf of Nicoya, Sunwing offers the DoubleTree by Hilton Puntarenas Hotel. Hotels in the Jaco area, which is popular for surfing, include the Best Western...
Ireland’s the place to be in 2013
On his first visit to Canada, Ireland's minister of transport, tourism and sport, Leo Varadkar made quite an impression. Not only did he officially launch The Gathering Ireland 2013 -- a year-long celebration of ... well ... of all things Irish -- it's people, history, culture and heritage -- he pretty much invited anyone who feels a connection with Ireland to come and join the party. In Toronto, Varadkar told his audience of tour operators and travel agents that the tough economic times have "forced us to reconsider our Irishness" and The Gathering is a way to reconnect to the 70 million...
Getting results at JAPEX 2012
JAPEX 2012 is underway in Ocho Rios with buyers/delegates up significantly from recent years. The annual show, which is being held at the Sunset Jamaica Grande, was officially opened last night by Minister of Tourism and Entertainment Dr. Wykeham McNeill. Visitation numbers to Jamaica continue to grow with January to September numbers up 3% from last year. Preliminary numbers for September indicate it could be Jamaica's best September ever. McNeill noted that early numbers also look promising for the upcoming winter season. Canadian numbers continue to grow, with Canada now Jamaica's number...
Saint Lucia debuts Piton Awards for agents
The Saint Lucia Tourist Board (SLTB) has introduced the new Piton Awards to Canadian travel agents, an enhancement of the Preferred Agent Saint Lucia Specialist (PASS) program. Agents and agency partners participating in PASS will be automatically enrolled and are eligible to earn new incentives from participating hotels. Each month the top booking agent will win a four-night stay plus $600 and the respective agency will receive $500 Piton Marketing Bank Dollars. One grand prize trip will be awarded featuring seven nights for two including airfare, hotel, airport transfers and $5,000. The...
Wild season teems with West Coast wildlife
Nimmo Bay Wilderness Resort reminds nature lovers that October's wild season is the best time to angle for wildlife adventures interspersed with tranquil moments in the staggering fjords of British Columbia's West Coast. "Wild season is about viewing wildlife when they are most active; bears and whales feast on Coho salmon running to their spawning streams. The sheer volume of wildlife provides reliable viewing that is sure to inspire a hair raising, picture laden, memorable adventure,"says Becky Eert, marketing director for Nimmo Bay Wilderness Resort. "The days are a little crisper and a...
Additional space at Castle good for weddings
The Castle in Hawaii, a vacation rental property on Hawai'i Island, has announced increased capacity and amenities with the introduction of another space on the property. Due to remodelling efforts over the winter, five to six people can be accommodated in the adjoining Carriage House for short or long-term stays. The entire property can now accommodate 10 guests, making it a good choice for a wedding getaway. The Carriage House features unusual art, custom-made furniture and unique designer details....