Absolutely Grand

Oasis Hotels & Resorts poised to open Grand Sens Cancun

IAN STALKER Pam Bassett is confident the Grand Sens Cancun will be grand. Bassett, business development manager Canada for Oasis Hotels & Resorts, notes that the Spanish company is preparing to broaden its Cancun presence with the Dec. 10 opening of the Grand Sens Cancun, an upscale all-inclusive that will have 359 rooms and 40 Sian Ka’an suites. The suites will have a private...

 

Spain proud of its lengthy past

IAN STALKER Barbara Couto is inviting Canadians to follow in the footsteps of legions of Roman Legions. Couto, newly arrived in Toronto as Spain’s consul for tourism affairs, says her homeland’s architecture and lifestyles have been shaped by different influences over the centuries that have left lasting reminders that have helped make the Iberian nation perpetually popular among the...

 

Los Cabos taking things upscale

Hotel room inventory growing quickly

[caption id="attachment_129168" align="aligncenter" width="584"] Those vacationing in the Los Cabos area can see abundant marine life.[/caption] IAN STALKER The fastest-growing tourism destination in Mexico is on a roll, having gained thousands of hotel rooms in recent years and a new airport terminal to boot. Los Cabos representative Monica Garcia told a Toronto gathering that the Baja...

 

Canada’s key markets post strong performances

Maple Leaf Attractions:

Ted Davis Will troubled diplomatic relations with China in 2019 have an impact on tourist arrivals to Canada from China this year? It’s easy to imagine that might be the case, which would potentially make year 2018 the high-water mark for arrivals from China to these shores. To no one’s surprise, arrivals from China continued to grow at a galloping pace last year. Canada welcomed a record...

 

Luxury Gold shines for agents

‘We depend 99% on our travel trade partners’

[caption id="attachment_129145" align="aligncenter" width="584"] Brett Tollman[/caption] Bob Mowat Not to put too fine a point on it, but Luxury Gold depends on travel agents to listen, remember and support it, and clearly, Canadian agents have responded as Brad Ford will tell you. “Luxury Gold experienced a very good year in Canada in 2019, where we had 22% growth which is really a...

 

Adventure Canada’s Ilulissat tours offer (n)ice viewings

IAN STALKER (Photo above: Adventure Canada uses Zodiacs on its excursions among icebergs near Ilulissat, Greenland.) Adventure Canada clients who scoop up some ice on Zodiac tours off the coast of Ilulissat, Greenland, to place in upcoming drinks in their ship’s lounge can expect that that ice predates the alcohol they’re enjoying. In fact, it probably well predates that alcohol,...

 

Bahamas Paradise Cruise Lines sets sail with all the amenities

IAN STALKER (Photo above: Theatre shows are among available entertainment for Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line passengers.) The director of partner relations for Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line – which has sailings linking the Port of Palm Beach, Florida, with Freeport in the Bahamas – says the relatively short nature of the cruises doesn’t mean passengers will find amenities and activities...

 

Still standing and ready to welcome visitors

MIKE DUNBAR he Bahamian tourism industry enjoyed a historic year in 2018, posting a record 6.6 million arrivals tally, and was maintaining momentum right up to the arrival of category five Hurricane Dorian. International arrivals in August were up 13%, including a 2.1% growth rate from Canada, while Canadian-originating air capacity was up 7% and fall bookings from here were looking...

 

Cathay Pacific ending its icon YVR-JFK flights

TED DAVIS (Photo above: Lacamp) An unusual scheduled commercial passenger flight that had achieved a corporate jet-like status in North America will be ending operations in the next half year. CX865 and CX888 are the designators for the daily Cathay Pacific flights that fly between Vancouver and New York City. They will be cancelled in April 2020, when Cathay Pacific terminates the...