Destinations
Record-breaking April for Hawaii tourism sector
A strategic focus on supporting experiential culture programs and the growing volume of commercial air capacity both contributed to strong arrival numbers to Hawaii in April, says the Hawaii Tourism Authority. The month of April reached all time highs for this typically slow period for Hawaii's tourism economy. Both visitor spending and arrivals surpassed past record years for April, reaching US$1.16 billion and more than 640,000 visitors. The increases in airlift to the Hawaiian Islands with new routes, as well as the moves to larger aircraft, were significant contributors to the successful...
2012 a miracle year for Thailand
Press Today's Ian Stalker reports that delegates at last week's Thailand Travel Mart in Bangkok learned that Thailand's tourist trade enjoyed a strong year in 2011, with the country seeing 19.2 million foreign visitors. The 2011 figure represented a 20.6% increase over 2010 visitations and this year the Thailand Tourism Authority is hoping for 20.5 million international visitors. The first four months of this year saw 7.3 million visitors, up 7% from the same period last year. The bulk of Thailand's foreign visitors are drawn by the country's many beach resorts but tourism authorities are...
Epicurean experience at Halekulani
The Halekulani Hotel on Waikiki's beachfront is celebrating its indigenous surroundings and culture with its Master Chefs Gala Series room package. Offered in conjunction with the annual Hawaii Food & Wine Festival, the hotel package gives guests exclusive access to participate in a three-day epicurean experience, featuring a roster of internationally renowned master chefs, culinary personalities and wine and spirit producers. Co-chaired by two of Hawaii's own James Beard Award-winning chefs - Roy Yamaguchi and Alan Wong - the event showcases dishes using the state's bounty of local produce,...
Germany posts gains out of Canada
Destination Germany reports that business is good these days, with overnight stays by international visitors increasing by over 10% in the first quarter of 2012. In total, Germany recorded close to 12.3 million overnight stays by international visitors during the January to March period. "Destination Germany is on an extremely consistent growth trajectory," declared Ernst Burgbacher, Member of the German Parliament, Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Ministry for Economics and Technology and Federal Government Commissioner for SMEs and Tourism. "In the first quarter of 2012, we were...
AC adds St. John’s lift
Air Canada has further enhanced its services in Newfoundland and Labrador by offering customers travelling to and from St. John's a 5% increase in available seats over last summer. Marcel Forget, vice-president, network planning for the carrier, said: "This summer, in response to the expanding economy and working closely with the local community, we are pleased to increase our departing capacity from St John's by 5% above last year's level. 2012 is Air Canada's 75th anniversary and we take pride in having served the St. John's and Newfoundland and Labrador community for 70 of these years and...
Jamaica connects with the visitor
The Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) reports that an increasing number of travellers are seeking authentic vacation experiences where they can connect with locals and embrace the destination's culture, extending beyond the traditional resort and beach setting. The JTB's (JTB) Meet the People Program caters to this growing need, allowing visitors to meet program ambassadors who share a common interest and who will provide them with an island experience only a local can supply. Today, the Meet the People Program has over 700 ambassadors and is offered free of cost. Once travel dates are confirmed,...
VIDEO REPORT: New York Loves Canada
A group of 14 New York state tourism types -- representing 9 different regions of the state -- were in Toronto this week and along with bringing loads of information on their destinations and attractions, the delegation also had a simple and straightforward message that was delivered by Markly Wilson, director of international marketing for the New York State division of tourism and U.S. Consul General Kevin Johnson. Simply put, the message was that New York state loves Canadians and that the group was in Toronto to prove it to the travel trade. To check out this week's video report, go to...
Google rolls out Flight Search in Canada
Google's Flight Search is now live in Canada and you can check it out at http://www.google.ca/flights . The Canadian version offers a quick and easy to find and book flights from a host of Canadian airports to something like 500 international destinations. It's available in both French and English. Pricing is in Canadian dollars. And it offers a bunch of features that include instant loading of flights in an easy-to-scan format; the ability to see ticket prices for various destinations by surfing a map and then filter results by price, airline or flight duration; the ability to find the best...