Hotels
Agents’ Choice: Two Decades Of Tracking Trends
For 20 years, Baxter Media has worked diligently to make the Annual Agents’ Choice Readership Survey the most-trusted and authoritative travel industry poll in Canada. And the result, Canadian travel agents have made it their own, voting for their favourite suppliers in growing numbers, year-after-year. Over two decades, we've learned a lot by listening to agents across the country because, no matter how you slice it, Agents' Choice is their survey. It's our way of giving them an opportunity to let suppliers know how well they're doing from one year to the next. So here it...
It’s All About Agents
Baxter Media's 2019 Agents' Choice Awards Gala was all about travel agents and presenting sponsors – Air Canada, Sandals and Trafalgar – each thanked them heartily for their hard work and support. Representing Air Canada and Air Canada rouge was John MacLeod, vice-president of Global Sales & Alliances, who noted that since its launch in 2013 rouge has proved a huge success, now serving 70 destinations. “This would not have been possible without the agent support [we get] from across Canada,” he said. On behalf of Sandals, Gary Sadler, senior vice-president of sales,...
Agents’ Choice Celebrates Josef Ebner
Being presented with the W.H. Baxter Lifetime Achievement Award at last night's second annual Agents' Choice Awards Gala is just the latest highlight for a man whose career and life have seen many lofty achievements. Josef Ebner, regional vice-president - Canada and managing director of downtown Toronto's Chelsea Hotel has also received accolades from the likes of Hotel Association of Canada, Canadian Hotel and Marketing Sales Executives, the Greater Toronto Hotel Association, the Tourism Industry Association of Ontario, the Austrian Canadian Council, and SKAL. His efforts to create...
RIU Enters Senegal
RIU Hotels & Resorts has purchased a 25-hectare site in the Pointe Sarène area on Senegal’s west coast, a “paradise destination in the midst of the tourist development process.” With it, the chain strengthens its commitment to Africa, where it already owns six hotels (five in Cape Verde and one in Tanzania) and runs a further five hotels in Morocco. The planned investment amounts to 150 million euros, which includes the purchase of the site and the development of future hotels in the destination. The size of the site will allow two properties to be built, and it is being...
School is in Session With Sandals
The month of June usually represents the end of the school year, but Sandals Resorts is inviting agents to sharpen their pencils and sign up for their Certified Sandals Specialist workshops taking place this month across Canada. During the fast-paced, concise sessions, agents will receive key product updates, key selling strategies, key tips and more key information they need to lock in more Sandals and Beaches bookings than ever before. The workshops also fulfill the educational requirement towards becoming a Certified Sandals Specialist, as well as the maintenance requirement for...
Tapestry Collection Expanding to the Caribbean
Hilton has announced the signing of ROK Hotel, Kingston, Tapestry Collection by Hilton, representing the brand’s debut in Jamaica and the Caribbean. Slated to open in 2020, the 168-room property, owned by PanJam Investment Limited, sits in a multi-purpose complex on the Kingston Waterfront and will include retail, on-site entertainment and commercial office spaces. Under redevelopment to further revitalize the Kingston Waterfront, the 12-storey building originally opened in 1977 as the Oceana Hotel. Now, it is being transformed into ROK, Kingston, a contemporary hotel offering...
Margaritaville Island Reserve by Karisma Set For Debut
Margaritaville and Karisma Hotels & Resorts are inviting travellers to “escape to paradise” with the debut of Margaritaville Island Reserve by Karisma, a new inclusive resort experience. Reflecting a landmark partnership, Margaritaville Island Reserve by Karisma will comprise upscale, relaxed resorts built in beachfront destinations throughout Mexico and the Caribbean. Encompassing upscale coastal design, exceptional service, and top-quality food and beverage with a twist in tropical destinations, officials say Karisma and Margaritaville will deliver a vibrant, world-class...
Kimpton Raptor Challenge Is On
With the Toronto Raptors making the NBA Championship finals for the first time in franchise history against the Golden State Warriors, Toronto's Kimpton Saint George Hotel (the only Kimpton in Canada) has challenged their Kimpton family in San Francisco (where the company originates) to a friendly wager. Bertrand Mangeot, Saint George's general manager, has challenged the director of hotel operations David von Winckler and his team at Sir Francis Drake, general manager Emily Glick and her team at Hotel Tomo, and Nick Gregory, senior VP of operations at Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants,...