14 JAN 2019: In case you missed it, and even if you didn’t, here’s a quick look at some of last week’s need-to-know travel news:
AIR
Agents can now book Air Transat’s new “one rate, one booking, no hassle” TGV AIR service combining Transat flights to Paris with railway travel on SNCF to 18 cities in France, as well as Brussels, Belgium. Passengers also benefit from a protection policy in case of a flight or train delay with the service, which is currently available via GDS, TTS, SIREV as well as in call centres.
Air Canada closed its purchase of the Aeroplan loyalty business from Aimia Canada Inc. and confirmed that Aeroplan Members’ Miles will be honoured on a one-to-one basis in the carrier’s new loyalty program when it launches in 2020.
Turkish Airlines and India’s largest domestic carrier, IndiGo, have announced a codeshare and mutual cooperation agreement that will enable both carriers to provide more choice to their respective customers to fly on sectors between India, Istanbul and beyond. This is IndiGo’s first codeshare agreement and is part of its international expansion strategy.
DEALS
Thanks to a flash sale from Avalon Waterways, Canadians can save $1,200 p.p. on 16 “Tulip Time” sailings in Europe in March and Active & Discovery cruises later in the year. Prices start at $1,895 and $3,209 respectively based on adding air with Avalon for only $499 (including taxes) from Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Toronto, Ottawa or Montreal (connecting fares from 16 additional gateways available for $100-$150 more).
To encourage young Canadians to get out on the road in 2019, Contiki is offering 18- to 35-year-olds $200 off a selection of its top tours if they book by Feb. 17. Fifteen of the youth adventure travel company’s most popular adventures are featured in the “New Year, New You” promotion.
March 31 is the new deadline for clients to take advantage of Uniworld and U by Uniworld’s ‘Our Best Offer.’ The extended campaign features savings of between 10 and 30% on over 300 sailings throughout Europe, Asia, Egypt and India, which include all five of Uniworld’s brand new itineraries, as well as its exclusive cruise for River Heritage Club members aboard the brand’s newest Super Ship, the S.S. Bon Voyage, set to debut in April.
TOURS
A new online booking platform (available in three languages) now offers close to 50 activities across Switzerland’s Lake Geneva Region, ranging from visits to wine cellars and tastings with winegrowers to gastronomic cruises and gourmet hikes through vineyards. This year, visitors will also be able to book online winter activities like tobogganing, night skiing, ice climbing, ski + spa packages, and more. Details HERE.
ViaHero, a peer-to-peer platform where travellers hire locals to plan unique, personalized trips, is expanding its destinations to include Puerto Rico starting in November. The one-of-a-kind travel experiences are designed to connect visitors with locals who serve as direct-access experts and knowledgeable friends. ViaHero allows travellers to choose a local “Hero” with shared interests to create a custom guidebook, helping mitigate the uncertainty and unease of travelling to a foreign land. Trip planning fees go straight to the Heroes, thereby helping spread tourism dollars within local communities. Other ViaHero destinations include Colombia, Cuba and Japan.
Colorado-based responsible adventure travel and ecotourism pioneer Natural Habitat Adventures has a new tour designed to explore the best of Zimbabwe on an innovative itinerary far from the conventional safari circuit. Participants will discover the southern African nation’s floodplains, sandveld, and riverbanks – all habitats for the Big five group of animals – via game drives and guided walks in four national parks and a private luxury cruise on Lake Kariba. The 11-day Southern Africa Safari Cruise small group wildlife expedition also visits Victoria Falls with departures starting in 2020 and priced from US$13,995 based on double occupancy.
HOTELS
Hawaii’s signature Jack Nicklaus-designed Manele Golf Course at Four Seasons Resort Lanai is one of the world’s most striking venues for the game. And now non-golfers can enjoy the course, too, with the complimentary Mini Manele, a six-hole, par-3 course tour offering the combined activity opportunities of taking a walk, listening to music and enjoying views of Hulopoe Bay, while also hitting shots to holes no further than 90 yards. Rental clubs are included in the experience. Guests can also take a Sunset Nine scenic tour with cocktails included.
With a nod to the ubiquitous mobile phone usage and social media habits of guests, the Regent Taipei has launched the world’s first “Photography Butler” service whereby “Photobutlers” accompany hotel guests to popular Instagram check-in spots around the city to take memorable photos for guests. The experience is win-win says the hotel: “There will be no need for selfie-sticks or handing phones to strangers for photo-taking… [and] the service not only captures beautiful memories for room guests, but also directly encourages social media posting, thereby enhancing Regent Taipei’s social media and digital marketing.”
NOW OPEN
Hyatt Place Pasadena, the chain’s first branded hotel in the California city, features a casual upscale atmosphere and enhanced food and beverage options. Located about 18 km from downtown Los Angeles, it is within walking distance of Old Town Pasadena with its many shops, restaurants and entertainment options.
The 28-story, 223-room Hilton Da Nang is the brand’s third hotel in Vietnam after Hilton Hanoi Opera and Hilton Garden Inn Hanoi.
DoubleTree by Hilton Shanghai Nanxiang is the newest property in Nanxiang, a suburban district of Shanghai. It is further distinguished by being the only international hotel in the historic area, which is an up-and-coming business district in the city.
RESORTS
Club Med Les Arc Panorama, the resort chain’s new property in the French Alps, is officially open. Situated in the Savoie region in one of the world’s largest ski areas, the resort features a modern architectural design nestled into an enchanting Alpine forest with panoramic views of the Tarentaise Valley. The year-round resort has 433 rooms with various styles of accommodations including 24 luxury suite accommodations and a range of personalized areas and service, including a dedicated ski room, private terrace with hot tub, private concierge and room service, and its own bar area serving Champagne in the evenings.
Effective Feb. 1, Sandals Resorts International (SRI) will eliminate all Styrofoam from 19 Sandals and Beaches resorts across seven major Caribbean islands – from Jamaica and the Bahamas to Grenada and Turks & Caicos – in a continued effort to protect the environment.
Food will be the focus at The Four Seasons Resort Maui on the weekend of March 1-3 as the Wailea hotel introduces its first Wine & Food Classic event, featuring world-class vintners, master sommeliers, and top chefs (and guests, of course) for “three days of eating, drinking, and sharing paradise …” Both packages and tickets to individual events are available.
CRUISE
Viking’s new 2020-21 Viking World Cruise will span 161 days, six continents and 75 ports, with overnight stays in 13 cities. Setting sail on Dec. 14, 2020 from Miami, the Viking Sun itinerary will include six new ports of call for the cruise line, including Honolulu and Nawiliwili, marking the company’s inaugural visit to the Hawaiian Islands.
Beginning in May, luxury expedition cruise line Ponant will host a new series of themed cruises that feature onboard speakers and tailored shore excursions that embrace local cultures and dive deeper into the history of the destinations. Each of the seven itineraries will touch on a different topic with highlights including a gardens trip through the British Isles; a culinary sailing that circumnavigates Sicily; a family-friendly itinerary that explores the origins of the Olympics in ancient Greece; and a sailing through Japan that looks at the history of World War II.
Carnival Corp. has a new ship: AIDAnova – part of Germany’s AIDA Cruises brand. But what makes the addition of the vessel particularly significant is that the ship is the first to be powered in port and at sea by liquefied natural gas (LNG), the world’s cleanest burning fossil fuel. “AIDAnova is a milestone for our company and the entire cruise industry,” said company exec Michael Thamm.
THEME PARKS
Details are emerging about the new NBA Experience at Disney Springs at Walt Disney World in Orlando. Opening this summer, the attraction is designed to allow guests into the world of professional basketball through such interactive experiences as getting a glimpse into the atmosphere at the NBA Draft, preparing their own scouting reports, taking part in pregame preparations, and stepping onto the court to make their own clutch shots and highlight reel-worthy slam dunks.
FAMS & INCENTIVES
TravCorp. brand African Travel Inc. wants to recognize its travel partners by sending six top-selling advisors on a luxurious six-night trip to South Africa this year. The five-star President’s Top Producers Award will be awarded to the tour company’s top five producers across North America with the highest revenue, plus the advisor with the most improved year-over-year growth with calculations based on bookings made between December 2018 and May 2019, for guests travelling between January 2019 and March 2020. Winners will be announced in June. More info HERE.
G Adventures’ most G-Normous incentive promotion is back for the sixth consecutive year. Continuing through the end of April, the program (which is supported by consumer offers) includes over $100,000 in weekly, monthly and free trip prizes, including a $7,500 jackpot for the top-selling agent during the promotional period. In February, agents will also earn 2% bonus commission when quoting the bonus code GNORMOUS. All agents with a Sherpa account are automatically registered; others must register HERE.
BY THE NUMBERS
Canadians are booking their vacations further in advance than many suspect, according to the annual Allianz Global Assistance Canada “Winter Vacation Confidence Index,” which reveals that more than four in 10 Canadians (44%) indicated that they booked their last vacation two to six months ahead, including 12% over six months out. Women and those over the age of 35 are more likely to book well in advance. Conversely, some booked one week or less in advance, including 20% of men compared to just 5% of women, and 24% of those booking last minute trips are under the age of 35. Meanwhile, 38% said they book it themselves, 25% use an online travel portal or app and 23% of men and 17% of women said they booked with a travel agent. As for travel insurance, 27% leave home without it.
DESTINATIONS
Chicago welcomed a record 57.6 million visitors in 2018, a growth of 4.3% over the previous year.
Tickets and travel packages are now on sale for the fourth annual HSBC Canada Sevens rugby tournament in Vancouver. Taking place at BC Place Stadium March 9 and 10, the tournament features a shorter and faster-paced version of rugby. More details HERE.
2019 marks the 350th anniversary of the death of Rembrandt and The Netherlands is celebrating not just one of its most beloved artists but the golden age of the country in the 17th Century. A series of events under the banner Rembrandt & the Dutch Golden Age will take place all year throughout the Netherlands. One of the highlights is the exhibition All the Rembrandts at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam (Feb. 15-June 10), which displays the museum’s entire collection of his works for the very first time: 20 paintings, including The Night Watch, plus 60 drawings and 320 prints.
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