Tour Operators
TravelBrands Revs Things Up
TravelBrands is looking to rev car bookings up this holiday season with its latest travel agent incentive. Travel agents can get a $50 gift card for every third car booking made and earn 3X Loyalty Rewards points on every booking made. Plus, each agent who makes an applicable booking will be entered to win one of three 7-day car rentals. Nathalie Tanious, senior vice president, TravelBrands, said: “It is the season of giving back and showing your appreciation. We wanted to give agents a chance to earn more just before the holidays and show our appreciation with a little giveaway as...
EXCLUSIVE: Too Big To Fail?
Everyone likes to ask 'what if'' questions. It's certainly the stock and trade of journalists. Sometimes you like the answers you get, sometimes you don't. In this week's issue of Canadian Travel Press, Richard Vanderlubbe takes readers into the future and asks them to imagine “what if” the Canadian travel industry was hit by the collapse of a supplier that everyone believed was “too big to fail.” The resulting scenario is chilling and from where Vanderlubbe sits, it's time for a change. I invite you to join me on a journey into the world of “What if?” And after you read...
Join The Movement With G Adventures
G Adventures is calling on its travel industry partners to join forces in the movement to reduce the use of single-use plastics in tourism. Starting with the simple step of asking all suppliers for their support to provide alternative solutions, G Adventures hopes to provide clean drinking water for as many travellers on-tour as possible, so they can replace disposable plastic water bottles with reusable vessels. Called the Plastics Partnerships Project, the initiative comes after G Adventures recognized that to have a greater impact it needed to engage more partners to help. After an...
Porter Escapes Lands At flyporter.com
Porter Escapes vacation packages are now available on the Porter Airlines website, flyporter.com. The move provides a seamless approach to combining Porter flights with hotels and local attractions; with a carefully-curated list of partners making it easy for travellers to save when building custom getaways. Kevin Jackson, executive vice president and chief commercial officer of Porter Airlines, explained that: “Porter Escapes has always offered a unique range of travel options, including sophisticated urban getaways, seasonal ski trips and golf vacations. Integrating Porter Escapes...
Troubled Times For Hong Kong Airlines
Hong Kong Airlines could lose its license if it doesn't meet new financial and other requirements set by Hong Kong's Air Transport Licensing Authority (ATLA). In a statement, ALTA indicated that it “has been closely monitoring the financial situation of the airline over a long period of time. “Having considered the latest financial position of HKA, ATLA was of the view that HKA's financial position has deteriorated rapidly to such an extent that has severely impacted on HKA's capability in meeting its obligations as an employer to pay salary and the probability of providing a...
Royal Irish Accepted Into Virtuoso
Royal Irish Tours (RIT) has been accepted into Virtuoso’s exclusive portfolio of luxury travel partners as the first supplier designated solely for the Canadian market. According to Conor Duffy, vice-president of RIT, inclusion in Virtuoso will open up new sales and marketing opportunities to the network’s 2,200 Canadian luxury travel advisors and their highly desirable clientele. Virtuoso agencies in Canada sell more than CA$2.8 billion annually, making the network a growing and significant force in luxury travel in the country. Said Duffy: “Virtuoso’s acceptance process is...
25th Annual Golf Tournament A Hole In One
One team has come out on top after two days on the course for the 25th annual Canadian Travel Industry Golf Tournament held at The Sandals Golf & Country Club in Ocho Rios, Jamaica from Nov. 28-Dec. 1. Taking home the grand prize are the Bobless Birdies, made up of Stavros Kotsireas, director of trade partner relations & Preferred Rewards Canada at Flight Centre Travel Group; Spencer Sorensen, manager specialty sales (business development) at WestJet; Ryan Saroli, CEO, Agencia Global and Scott Roseblade, VP air, Goway Travel. “We're amazed, it's an incredible feeling,”...
Riu Vallarta Re-Opens
Sunwing reports that popular family resort, Riu Vallarta, has re-opened following extensive renovations, highlighted by three new dining venues and a refurbished pool area. Situated on the shores of Playa de Flamingos in Riviera Nayarit, Riu Vallarta now benefits from a stylish new lobby with décor and architectural elements inspired by the Art Deco era. In addition, all 678 guestrooms were fully refurbished with a modern tropical vibe. The revamped pool area now features five pools, including a swim-up bar and a kid's pool with mini water slides. Guests can now choose from six...