Hotels & Resorts
Autograph Collection Debuts in Kenya
Autograph Collection Hotels, Marriott International’s distinctive collection of independent hotels, has welcomed Sankara Nairobi to its diverse portfolio of more than 171 hotels around the world, marking the debut for the brand in Kenya. Set in the heart of Westlands, Sankara Nairobi lies in the epicentre of the city’s commercial, retail, and entertainment quarter and boasts quintessential Kenyan charm and hospitality, contemporary interiors and carefully curated modern African art throughout the hotel. Just a short drive away from the city centre and the United Nations...
Marriott Transforms Iconic Marco Island Property
The iconic JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort has completed a comprehensive US$320 million transformation project, ushering in a new era of luxury in southwest Florida and beyond. Guests visiting the resort, which is situated on three miles of pristine sands and sparkling Gulf waters, can enjoy the new Lanai Tower with more than 100,000 square feet of technologically integrated meeting and event space, new culinary concepts, 12,000 sq. ft entertainment centre, re-imagined historic Lanai Suites and the debut of the “Paradise by Sirene” experience, a curated escape exclusively for...
Marival Armony Luxury Resort Now Open
Transat reports its customers now have the chance to vacation at the all-new Marival Armony Luxury Resort & Suites in Riviera Nayarit, on Mexico’s west coast. The five-star hotel sits on a 281-metre stretch of white-sand beach in Punta de Mita, about an hour from Puerto Vallarta, where Banderas Bay meets the Pacific Ocean. The hotel has 268 rooms and one-, two- and three-bedroom suites, each with its own balcony or patio, ideal for multi-generational holidays. The hotel has five bars and five restaurants, as well as a Marival Kids activities program and kids’...
Choice Launches ‘Book to Build’ Campaign
Choice Hotels Canada is kicking off its third annual “Book To Build” campaign with fundraising efforts beginning this week. The campaign raised over $115,000 last year and this year, the goal has been increased to $145,000, with 100% of proceeds going to Habitat for Humanity Canada. Kicking off on May 10, guests at any of the 150 participating properties will have a portion of their rooms proceeds donated to help families in need of affordable housing. The campaign runs until May 26. “We make it a priority to give back to the community and it’s very important to us as a...
Club Med Launches Travel Professionals Advisory Board
Club Med's newly founded Travel Professionals Advisory Board held its first official meeting this week at Club Med's Montréal office in its new collaborative space called “Le Lab.” The board is composed of nine Canadian travel experts, including the following travel advisors: Salwa Bariche, Cinquième Saison Francine Martin, Voyages Régence Karen Fine, Flight Centre Béatrice Charmettant, Voyages Claudelle Jennifer Brousseau, Sportvac Marie-Ève Cloutier, Club Voyages Tourbec Vaudreuil / Lapointe Nathalie Guilbert, Groupe Voyages VP Michelle Green,...
Barceló Launches New Agency Loyalty Program
There's no doubt that Barceló Hotel Group loves travel advisors and appreciates their hard work in selling the group's products day in and day out. And that's why the international hotel chain has created a brand new loyalty program designed to make the travel advisors' jobs easier and increase their bottom lines. So say 'Hello” to Barceló Pro Rewards. It's simple, informative and packed with perks. Barceló Pro Rewards is designed to reward travel advisor efforts with cash and rewards, plus points which can be redeemed towards complimentary room nights and gift...
Dive into The Dominican Republic
As the oldest continually inhabited European settlement in the Americas, Santo Domingo is home to a lot of firsts, writes assistant editor Ann Ruppenstein in this week's Travel Courier cover story. “We’re going to the city Christopher Columbus loved the most,” announced tour guide Carlos Batista as the bus approached the capital of The Dominican Republic. “Santo Domingo is a city of firsts. The first road, first hospital, first cathedral, first university in the New World.” After coming face-to-face with some of the key attractions in the Colonial Zone like Alcázar de...
Sandals Connects With Canadian Agents
Sandals Resorts has released the May schedule of its weekly webinars, created exclusively for Canadian agents. The fast-paced online sessions are just 30-minutes long, but include a wealth of useful information including Canadian-specific booking incentives, sales and marketing strategies for agents and up-to-the-minute product updates directly from the resorts management teams. And simply by registering, agents will also receive a recorded version post-webinar that they can play back at their leisure in the event that they are unable to participate during the live...