03 DEC 2018: 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
Clients in Southwestern Ontario have a new route to Punta Cana and Montego Bay. Starting Jan. 20, through to April 22, Sunwing is offering flights and packages to the sunspots from Detroit. More details HERE.
Just a month after increasing service between Hamilton, Ont., and Montreal to three times daily, Air Canada has announced that it is mothballing the service. Air Canada Jazz flights will scale down to one daily flight starting Jan. 9 and stop altogether after March 30. Sluggish sales are blamed.
WestJet reports that it has signed a long-term extension of its partnership agreement with Mastercard on its travel rewards credit card, WestJet RBC Mastercard. Meanwhile, Air Canada has seemingly put an end to the long-running Aeroplan saga, announcing that it has signed a “definitive agreement” to buy the loyalty program from Aimia Inc.
TOURS
With interest in the First World War at high ebb due to the recent 100th anniversary of Armistice, Globus notes that it is offering four departures in 2019 of its Great Canadian War Memorial Tour, described as “designed by Canadians, for Canadians.” Highlights of the 10-day tour to France and Belgium include the Canadian Memorial at Vimy Ridge, Canadian Cemeteries in Reviers and Dieppe, Newfoundland Memorial Park at Beaumont Hamel, the Landing Beaches of Normandy, Juno Beach Memorial Centre, Amiens and Ypres in Belgium. Tour price is from $3,549 p.p. excluding airfare. There’s also an optional three-day day extension to London.
From battlefield tours to Oktoberfest and the Chelsea Flower Show, Insight Vacations has a host of special interest journeys lined up for 2019. The exclusive departures complement the wider nature of the trips with specific events or lifestyle themes ranging from gardening and photography to art and more. A sample tour is the 15-day Art Lover’s Taste of Europe, departing Oct. 6, 2019, featuring top-rated European museums and galleries such as the Vatican Museum, Uffizi, Foundation Beyeler, Musee D’Orsay and Rijksmusuem.
Panama and Oaxaca, Mexico, have been added by Goway to its roster of long-stay destinations, which already includes Australia, New Zealand, the Cook Islands, Portugal, Spain, and Malta. Options in the former include Panama City and Casco Veijo, while rates in coastal Oaxaca start at $1,383 for 21 days and $3,363 for 45 days.
DEALS & DISCOUNTS
AMResorts’ Vacations Half Off Promotion offers discounted fares and up to $400 in resort coupons to clients booking stays at all-inclusive Zoetry Wellness & Spa Resorts, Secrets, Breathless, Dream, Now, Reflect or Sunscape Resorts & Spas through Dec. 20 for travel through Dec. 22
Sun-seekers booking with Sunwing by Dec. 7 save up to $2,000 per couple on select winter vacation packages at a wide range of luxury resorts across Mexico, the Caribbean and Central America. Included in the ‘Luxury Vacations for Less’ sale is the brand new Riu Palace Costa Mujeres, near Cancun; Royalton Bavaro Resort and Spa, in Punta Cana; and the Royalton Negril in Jamaica.
HOTELS
St. Regis Hotels and Resorts has debuted in Canada with the opening of the St. Regis Toronto. The luxury brand, known for its bespoke service, signature rituals and exquisite culinary offerings, is located at 325 Bay St. – site of the former Trump International Hotel and Towers – in the heart of the financial district. It features 258 spacious guest rooms, including 124 luxury suites, and the LOUIX LOUIS grand bar and restaurant on the hotel’s 31st floor.
Giving guests the ability to work all day and party every night is the concept behind Marriott’s playful, experiential brand Moxy, which opened its second location in New York Nov. 28. The new-build, 30-storey, 298-key Moxy NYC Downtown, located just off Broadway and steps away from the World Trade Center, reflects the neighbourhood’s eclectic vibe and puts travellers in the heart of the city’s new emerging Downtown scene. Features include 1,500 sq. m. of unique communal space, a third-floor visual playground “with design surprises around every corner,” the latest in technology, floor-to-ceiling glass windows with views of the neighbourhood’s historic architecture and East River bridges, as well as additional touches like rooms with a Bang and Olufsen surround sound system, lightweight chambray custom robes, Rubik’s cubes and vintage rotary phones enabled to dial up bedtime stories on demand.
Fairmont Century Plaza, located in the heart of Century City in Los Angeles, will soon take centre stage as it plans to reopen in 2019 following a top-to-bottom renovation. The mid-century marvel has hosted generations of dignitaries and celebrities since its opening in 1966. The newly transformed 394-room hotel will connect to a series of public plazas and fountains with .8-hectares of open space and gardens, surrounded by restaurants and retail boutiques.
RESORTS
Sunwing reports the opening of the Riu Palace Cost Mujeres in Playa Mujeres, Mexico. Situated north of Cancun’s hotel zone, the property features an innovative layout of its restaurants, bars and square on the upper floors of the complex, which provides direct views over the sea, the hotel’s pools and gardens and the large beach. Guests can take advantage of complimentary non-motorized water sports such as kayaking, snorkelling and catamaran rides, stroll the expansive, tranquil beach lined by hundreds of palm trees, and have exchange privileges with the neighbouring Riu Dunamar, including complimentary access to the Splash Water World water park and resort nightclub.
A new Margaritaville Beach Resort is being planned for Panama City Beach on Florida’s Emerald Coast. Set on a 5.3-hectare site, the Jimmy Buffett-inspired resort will include a full-service hotel, innovative amenity park, function space, several signature Margaritaville food and beverage concepts, retail, residential properties for sale and more. The resort is expected to begin a phased opening in Spring 2021.
Old Bahama Bay Resort on Grand Bahama Island has received approval to move forward with plans for a new development, Grande Harbour at Old Bahama Bay Resort. Current plans include 460 luxury condos, infinity pools, spa, two restaurants, athletic courts, convention hall, 78-slip Dockaminium with extended dockage for mega yachts, and much more.
CRUISE
On Nov. 25, Windstar became the first cruise line to return to Barbuda since Hurricane Irma levelled the island in September 2017. Government officials called the milestone a “vote of confidence” in the recovery and return to normalcy on the island. The Wind Surf will make eight more stops at Antigua’s sister island this season.
Crystal Cruises has unveiled nine new Crystal Getaways – abbreviated segments of existing longer voyages – in January, February, April and October of next year. The sailings, seven aboard Crystal Symphony and two aboard Crystal Serenity, range from six to 16 days, exploring South America, Australia and Indonesia, the North American Gulf Coast, South Pacific and New Zealand, and South Africa.
Celebrity Infinity will return to the Mediterranean in 2020 with a mini season of sailings from Lisbon, Portugal. The first-time sailings visit ports on the Iberian Peninsula on the way to Barcelona, including Valencia, Malaga, and La Coruna, Spain, and Porto, Portugal. Morocco has also been added to Celebrity Infinity’s transatlantic crossing itinerary, a port Celebrity Cruises hasn’t visited since 2016.
THEME PARKS
Universal Orlando Resort has provided a sneak peak at the guest rooms inside its next hotel, Universal’s Endless Summer Resort – Surfside Inn and Suites which will open next summer. Inspired by surf culture, the 750-room value category hotel will feature “beachy design elements,” a vibrant colour scheme with warm wood tones, and two-bedroom suites. The hotel will be UOR’s seventh and will be situated across the road from Cabana Bay.
The biggest party for Mickey and Minnie in Disneyland history begins in January. Celebrating 90 years of magic with the beloved pair, guests will discover new and enhanced entertainment, plus specialty foods and merchandise for a limited time. The fun starts with “Mickey’s Mix Magic,” a new, high-energy show that creates a family-fun dance party with projections, lighting and lasers – plus fireworks on select nights beginning Jan. 18. The party also welcomes back “Mickey’s Soundsational Parade” on Jan. 25.
PEOPLE
Arved von zur Muehlen has been named Chief Commercial Officer for WestJet effective Jan. 2. Arriving in Calgary from Malaysia Airlines, von zur Muehlen will lead WestJet’s commercial team with responsibility for all aspects of the commercial function including sales, marketing, product, network planning, revenue management, corporate development, airline partnerships and WestJet Vacations.
Collette is expanding its sales team throughout Canada in order to “allow for a more cohesive strategic plan throughout all regions and the ability to strengthen relationships with partners and guests through communication and collaboration.” The new sales team includes George Christakis, Head of Sales, Canada, and the following BDMs: Shane Coupland, Atlantic Canada; Ryan DeSouza, Southwestern Ont.; Meaghan McMahon, Eastern Ont. & Montreal; Shane Galivan, Central & Northern Ont.; Brent Jeffrey, Alberta; Danielle Martins, Manitoba & Sask.; and John Goranson, B.C.
Erika Fitzgerald of Flight Centre, Newmarket, Ont., is the winner of Air Canada Vacations’ Puerto Plata promo contest. For booking the most packages to Puerto Plata in October, Fitzgerald won two economy air tickets and a seven-night stay for two at the all-Inclusive Sunscape Puerto Plata.
EVENTS
TL Network celebrated its 2018 Elite Members on a river cruise from Amsterdam to Basel, Switzerland, recently aboard AmaWaterways’ AmaPrima (photo). Elite membership is awarded each year to 30 agencies among Travel Leaders Network Affiliate Members who are the top sellers and leading supporters of preferred supplier partners.
AGENT TRAINING
Effective, Jan. 2, Oliver Publishing Inc. (OPI), takes over as the Travel Industry Council of Ontario’s official education provider, replacing Yardstick Assessment Strategies – a move that TICO CEO Richard Smart says will allow the introduction of program enhancements and future upgrades. “We are transitioning to a best-in-class learning management system to enhance the overall student experience,” says Smart.
Visit Florida’s new e-learning tool Florida Travel Pro is a collaborative online learning program aimed at boosting travel agents’ ability to sell the Sunshine State. Covering five main categories, from the basics and the beaches to attractions and nightlife, the modules are designed to be fun and interactive with each taking approximately 12-15 minutes to complete. Available in five languages including French, the program also provides a Sales Companion app as an ongoing resource. Successful candidates receive Florida Travel Pros certification, diploma, and other amenities.
BY THE NUMBERS
Canadians are less digital dependent when they travel than other nationalities, according to Travelport’s recently released 2018 Global Digital Traveller Research. In the survey of 16,000 global travellers, 47% of Canadian respondents said they did not use their smartphone while travelling, and less than 20% use a smartphone or tablet to make their booking. This significantly contrasts with China, where almost 100% of respondents said they had booked and paid for an entire or part of a trip through their smartphone. Similarly, Canadian travellers use travel agent recommendations (36%) and travel magazines (33%) for travel inspiration, with only 29% saying they are influenced by social media (compared to the 66% global average). However, 61% of Canadians agreed that digital boarding passes and e-tickets make travelling easier and 62% would provide their biometrics to reduce security wait times.
DESTINATIONS
One of New Zealand’s great rail journeys – KiwiRail’s iconic Coastal Pacific scenic journey (photo) – began rolling again on Dec. 1, two years after the service was put on hold as the railway line was rebuilt following the devastating Nov. 14, 2016 Kaikoura earthquake. The six-hour 98-km. journey between Picton and Christchurch hugs the rugged Pacific coastline and goes through 22 tunnels and crosses 175 bridges. Before the earthquake, the Coastal Pacific carried approximately 43,000 passengers into the Marlborough/Kaikoura regions during New Zealand’s summer season.
Nestled in Peru’s Sacred Valley, the award-winning Inkaterra Hacienda Urubamba has launched a new organic spa. Inspired by the nearby Urubamba River and traditional Andean architecture, the Mayu Spa features a rustic chic design and showcases picturesque views of the property’s organic gardens and peppertree forests. Ingredients used in the treatments are 100% natural, and many are grown in the gardens surrounding the wellness centre.
The Statue of Liberty’s original torch has moved into a new home inside the new Statue of Liberty Museum currently being built on Liberty Island, New York. In 1984, as part of the Statue’s centennial restoration project, the torch had been removed from atop the monument and placed on display inside the monument’s pedestal with a replica installed onto the Statue. A special hydraulically stabilized transporter vehicle took the 1,630-kilogram torch 145 metres across the island to be lifted by crane into the new facility. The museum will be free to visitors with the purchase of a ferry ticket to visit Liberty and Ellis Islands and is expected to open to the public in May 2019.
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