Tour Operators
RIU Wishes Agents A Merry Christmas
RIU Hotels and Resorts hosted its annual Toronto trade lunch for top performers yesterday (Dec. 1) in conjunction with top Canadian partner, the Sunwing Travel Group. The low-key affair at the Jazz Bistro was a mix and mingle reception and lunch with a short update on the chain's considerable growth in 2015, continuing into 2016. Plenty of Sunwing/Signature staff were on hand to meet the agents and thank them for their support. RIU execs noted that Signature Vacations is their biggest partner worldwide, while Sunwing's Deanna Murphy observed, “We have a special relationship with...
Eye Of The Storm
The bloody attack in Paris and subsequent fears of a terrorist attack in nearby Brussels has put a dent in those cities tourist trades, although it isn't clear how uneasy Canadians are about visiting either of those capitals or other parts of Europe now, reports Ian Stalker in this week's digital edition of Travel Courier. A report by STR Global – which monitors the hotel industry – said occupancy rates at some Paris hotels fell by more than 30% following the Nov. 13 attacks that left 130 people dead and were the focus of worldwide attention. Britain-based Tarsh Consulting in turn...
TravelBrands Introduces Sandals VIP Line
TravelBrands and Sandals & Beaches Resorts are teaming up to help make it easier for agents to book some of the world's top resorts. Agents across the country now have access to a dedicated VIP line which will grant them priority to bilingual certified Sandals & Beaches reservations specialists when contacting Sunquest or Holiday House. In addition, they will benefit from quick and easy service to book Sandals & Beaches groups, great commission and the opportunity to accumulate a multitude of Loyalty Points. The company has also introduced an “Automatic Price Match...
Contiki Takes Seneca Students On An Adventure
Millennials are frequently described as early-adopters of new trends in travel, and Contiki Holidays has been orchestrating Millennial travel for decades. Since its inception in 1962, Contiki has operated as a youth-oriented tour operator, managing to capture the market on the coveted 18-35 demographic. Contiki’s success in this arena is legendary and with destinations ranging from the luxurious, such as an island-hopping Bali escape, to the rugged – like its Machu Pichu treks – they ensure there’s a vacation for every interest and budget. Regardless of the destination,...
TravelBrands Seeks Extension of Stay Period
TravelBrands Inc. has filed a request for an extension of the stay of proceedings from the Ontario Superior court of Justice under the Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act until Feb. 29, 2016. According to officials, the extension will allow TravelBrands to continue to operate the business as usual as it moves towards exiting from CCAA protection, and provides the time necessary to resolve a disputed claim from Gibralt Capital Corporation. A hearing date to determine the validity of the Gibralt Claim has been set for Jan. 5, 2016, which occurs after the expiration of the current Stay...
Escapes by Sunquest
Sunquest has released its latest sun brochure with the travel agent in mind. The brochure is filled will new products and innovative ideas which officials say will make planning a vacation “simple, easy and especially, enticing.” “We did not design this brochure, our travel agent partners did. When surveyed, travel professionals asked us for a multitude of enhancements and we listened. This is all about them, after all. From a traditional format to more images, star ratings to extra property descriptions, we included it all,” says Nino Montagnese, vice-president of sales....
Globus Enhances Booking Communications
The Globus family of brands has launched new initiatives in client communications. Effective Dec. 2, every booking will generate five client-focused messages at important stages of the travel process, all including the agency contact info. They will comprise: a Welcome Notice immediately after booking; what to know before you go in the Getting Close message three months out; e-ticket receipts and luggage info in the Ready to Go message 30 to 40 days out; Happy Trails will provide arrival and transfer info two days prior to departure; and the Welcome Back message will be sent to agents...
TravelBrands, Encore Cruises Making Waves
The TravelBrands team will soon set sail on board the Norwegian Getaway with over 130 travel agents and 12 supplier partners. Nathalie Tanious, vice-president of cruises, said that: “This is the biggest SeaU yet. We are so excited to have the opportunity to host our travel partners and offer them the most comprehensive cruise event in the industry. Together with our cruise line partners that have been an integral part of our success.” Tanious continued: “From trainings to seminars and everything in between, our ultimate goal is to give our travel agent partners all the right...