ROUND-UP Feb. 10-14, 2020

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

Italy’s second largest carrier, Air Italy, has been placed in liquidation by shareholders with all routes, including Toronto-Milan, set to cease operation on Feb. 25. The majority 51% stake in the airline was owned by the Aga Khan through regional carrier Alisarda with the remaining 49% owned by Qatar Airways, which said it would have continued to support the company.

Low-cost Flair Airlines is heading east. Starting this summer, the carrier will expand service into Ottawa (June 16), Saint John (June 25), Charlottetown (June 25) and return to Halifax (May 14). In addition to the new Atlantic routes, Flair is also relaunching service between Calgary and Kelowna, starting April 16. Introductory rates start from $59 between Toronto and Ottawa and $79 from Toronto to Saint John.

KLM reports that it flew a record 35 million passengers in 2019. The Dutch carrier says it had a big year in other respects as well: adding six new destinations to its network, Wroclaw, Boston, Bangalore, Guanacaste, Naples and Las Vegas and “pressing on” with a fleet renewal program that saw the introduction of several new Boeing 737-800’s, B767-10’s and Embraer E2-195’s.

DEALS

Feb. 27 is the deadline for both Trafalgar and Contiki clients to save up to 20% off a wide range of worldwide trips.

Through Feb. 28, UnCruise Adventures clients can save up to 1,000 per couple on select cruises in Alaska, Mexico, Costa Rica & Panama, Belize & Guatemala, Colombia & Panama and Hawaii. A suite deal offers groups a savings on larger suites. A sample offering includes $700 per couple off on week-long Hawaii cruises departing March 7-Sept. 5 aboard the 36-guest Safari Explorer yacht and visiting Hawaii, Molokai, Lanai and Maui.

All 2020 guided vacations from Ireland and U.K. specialist CIE Tours are on sale until Feb. 21 (for travel after March 14) with travellers able to save up to 20% ($3,000). There are no blackout dates.

TOURS

G Adventures’ new National Geographic Journeys (NGJ) Agent Specialist Program for Canadian travel agents is designed to enhance knowledge and boost sales of small group trips offered in partnership with National Geographic Expeditions. The free online course, which takes one hour to complete, is open for registration and offers multiple benefits and rewards for agents upon completion; those who finished by the end of February will qualify to win $2,000 towards a G Adventures-NGJ trip. Register HERE.

Transat is set to bring Scandinavia closer to Canadian travellers this summer with two direct flights per week out of Montreal to Copenhagen, along with a selection of guided tours, packages and cruises. Tours include the 14-day “Viking Route in Denmark & Sweden,” which comprehensively covers Demark, including Copenhagen, with stops in Gothenburg and Helsingborg, Sweden; plus two multi-city packages lasting nine or 11 days, “Denmark’s Highlights” and “Capitals of the North,” each featuring three destinations and the latter including Copenhagen, Oslo and Stockholm. Transat also lists four cruise options in the Baltic region.

Citing a rise in demand for small-group travel exclusive to women, Goway Africa and Goway Middle East have introduced a series of women-only tours ranging from Cape Town to Dubai. Options include Explore Southern African, featuring Kapama Private Game Reserve, Cape Town, and Victoria Falls; Explore Tanzania; the specialized The Kiliminjaro Climb-Machame Route; and Explore Dubai. Departures will be held through 2020 and EBBs include $350 Dubai until March 1 and no single supplement on Tanzania by March 31.

RESORTS

Sandals Royal Caribbean has opened the newly constructed Sandringham building (photo, which accommodates spacious Beachfront Honeymoon One-Bedroom Walkout Butler Suites and Royal Beachfront Club Elite Suites, bringing the resort’s room and suite count to 232. Both room categories include Tranquility Soaking Tubs for two on their patios and balconies.

AMResorts has a trio of new resorts set to imminently hit the market: Dreams Vista Cancun on Feb. 22, Now Natura Riviera Cancun on March 1, and Dreams Macao Beach, Punta Cana, on March 12. Dreams Curacao opened on Dec. 15 and the former RIU St. Martin will re-open as Secrets St. Martin in March after a full rebuild necessitated by damage from Hurricane Irma in 2017. Later in the year will see a new Secrets in Playa del Carmen.

Now open:

Club Med has officially opened Club Med Miches Playa Esmeralda in the Dominican Republic. The $100-million resort represents the company’s first Exclusive Collection resort in the Americas, first resort with an eco-chic concept, and the first to feature a four-boutique village design for the ultimate in guest personalization.

HOTELS

Québec City’s unique Hotel de Glace is marking its 20th anniversary this year with variety of special activities and events, including guided tours of 20 artist-designed suites adorned with spectacular sculptures. The only hotel of its kind in North America, composed entirely of ice and snow, will be open until the end of March.

Best Western Hotels & Resorts has three new properties in Kenya, adding 210 additional rooms to its portfolio in Africa: the Best Western Plus Westlands, located in the heart of Nairobi’s upmarket entertainment Westlands district; Best Western Kisumu in the heart of Kisumu City; and Best Western Azure Airport, located south of Nairobi 12 km. from the airport.

Now Open:

The Ritz-Carlton, South Beach has re-opened its doors following a US$90-million, multi-year renovation that touched all elements of the property. The landmark Miami hotel is located in the Art Deco Historic District.

CRUISE

Sunwing was recently named Norwegian Cruise Line’s Wholesaler/Tour Operator Partner of the Year. Each year, the cruise line recognizes its top Canadian travel partners with awards across a variety of categories. Photo: Derek Lloyd, NCL National Director of Sales – Canada; Kristin Bell, Sunwing Product Specialist, USA & Cruise; and Reg Mendes, Sunwing’s Vice President of USA and Cruises.

In 2021, Carnival Cruise Line will operate its most extensive European season ever with a diverse schedule of voyages aboard Carnival Legend that includes visits to 58 ports across 21 countries, including the line’s first cruises to the Greek Isles and a return to Iceland, Norway and the Baltic. Following its European season, Carnival Legend will shift to year-round deployment from Baltimore beginning in November 2021.

Celebrity Cruise’s lineup of destinations is expanding to include eight spectacular new ports of call in 2021-22, including Taranto, Italy; Salvador de Bahia, Brazil; Ilocos, Philippines; Ishigaki, Japan; three new ports in Greece – Zakynthos, Hydra, and Thessaloniki; and the Kenai Peninsula in Homer, Alaska, the highlight of a new Cruisetour debuting in 2021. The brand’s new season of sailings will also feature more than 125 overnight stays in more than 30 ports, including a new overnight stay in Porto, Portugal, and the chance to celebrate New Year’s Eve in the Montevideo, Uruguay.

ATTRACTIONS/THEME PARKS

“Up at the 02” is a 90-minute climb experience over the roof of London’s famous Thames-side tent, affording 360-degree views over the skyline of the city and to landmarks up to 20 km. away. The experience can be upgraded with champagne or climb-and-dine packages. Prices start at £39 ($67) and booking in advance is recommended.

EVENTS

Hockey was the backdrop for a Jamaica Tourist Board gathering at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto last week as the JTB celebrated Jamaica night at the arena with a host of trade partners and friends. Guests were treated to a fun evening and great game, which extended to overtime with a win for the home team. Shown here is the TravelBrands team: Elvi Cal, Sandra Joachim, Sam Youseff and Dianne Jackson, with JTB country manager Angella Bennett (c) and Jamaica’s deputy director of tourism Donnie Dawson (r).

FAMS/INCENTIVES

TravelBrands is giving travel agents a chance to win one of two spots on its May 19-22 Ovation of the Seas FAM with Royal Caribbean International. All RCI bookings made from Feb. 14-28 will be qualified for the giveaway. Agents will receive one ballot entry for every qualifying booking made over the phone and two ballot entries for every booking made online. Members of “Your TravelBrands BDM” Facebook group will get double ballots on every booking made. Agents will also earn double rewards points.

Agents booking the Wyndham Reef Resort Grand Cayman will receive 13% commission for bookings made by March 31 for travel through Dec. 19.

PEOPLE/APPOINTMENTS

Mohit Dayaram is the new sales manager for the Greater Toronto Area for Trafalgar and Costsaver. He can be reached at Mohit.Dayaram@Trafalgar.com.

Samantha Gillingham has joined the Club Med sales team as business development manager for Ontario and British Columbia. Gillingham joins the company with more than 10 years of experience in the travel industry, most recently with Sunwing, and will share the Ontario territory with Janet Martin and Maria Chung.

NEWS

Destination France’s Product of the Year Awards will be announced at Atout France’s upcoming events in Montreal on Feb. 25 and Toronto Feb. 26. (Events will also take place in Quebec on Feb. 24 and Vancouver Feb 27). Agents were invited to vote on the awards from amongst “six inspiring offers” from France among the tour operator nominations. A randomly selected agent will win a meal in Paris at the Shangri La hotel.

BY THE NUMBERS

Cruising to success: Travel Leaders Group president John Lovell points out the following cruise stats with the obvious observation that the sector presents enormous selling opportunities for travel advisors: 100 new ships entering the market by 2027, including 19 river ships, 13 expedition vessels, and eight mega ships in 2019 alone, representing $10 billion in cost for the cruise lines. At the same time, travel agents sell more than 60% of all cruises in North America. As such, Lovell says, “The cruise lines are really investing in the distribution channel, $6 billion, because they need us to sell it every day.”

DESTINATIONS

In Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, special discounts for Canadians continue through April 3, including during the destination’s upcoming 60th annual Can-Am Days, March 14-22. The theme this year (as it essentially is every year!) is “Myrtle Beach loves Canada” and a vast array of activities are planned, including a special event at Broadway at the Beach, musical performances and more. Visitors showing a Canadian passport can also save up to 55% at hotels, attractions, and various merchants. Check out the details HERE.

Nassau’s biggest party – Bahamas Carnival – will blast off this year April 30-May 4. The event is filled with wild fetes, concerts and the Hype Road march combining “the excitement of Trinidad Carnival and the passion of Jamaica Bacchanal all mixed in one.”

Dominica’s lively World Creole Music Festival will be held a week earlier this year to accommodate the country’s 42nd anniversary of Independence on Nov. 3. The WCMF – Oct. 23-25 – will be part of the wider celebrations for independence and preceded by a variety of cultural events, competition and fringe musical events. The event attracts some of the region’s major acts in the creole musical genres like Cadence-lypso and Bouyon from Dominica, Zouk from the French Antilles, Compas from Haiti, as well as other genres with Caribbean and African roots, like Reggae and Dancehall from Jamaica, Soca and Calypso from Trinidad and other Caribbean islands and Afro-beat from the African continent.