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
Starting June 6, Porter Airlines will begin seasonal service between Stephenville, Nlfd. and Halifax. Flights operate up to twice weekly on Wednesday and Saturday connecting with service to Ottawa and Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport on the same aircraft.
The first two new A220 routes for Air Canada begin May 4 with the launch of Montreal-Seattle and Toronto-San Jose, Ca., services, the only non-stop flights between these city pairs. The state-of-the-art A220 was introduced on Jan. 16 with the first of 45 planes that the carrier will add to its fleet.
Featuring an environment befitting the vibrant culture of the Big Easy, a new airport lounge is open for travellers at Louis Armstrong International Airport in New Orleans. Club MSY is located on the third level of concourse A and offering 436 sq. m. of space split into various zones: Productivity Zone, a Relax Zone, a Rest Zone, a Replenish Zone, a Refresh Zone, and a Bar.
DEALS
Clients booking Avalon Waterways cruises on the Danube River (photo) by March 9 can and extend their stay with free nights in Prague, Budapest, Vienna or Munich. See details HERE.
You don’t have to be into US college basketball to enjoy March Madness. Sunwing is continuing its own March Madness event, offering up to 40% off select vacation packages in some of the hottest destinations across the Caribbean, Mexico and Central America. “Travellers will want to take advantage of these incredible savings before Sunwing comes to its senses,” says the tour company.
Today (Monday) is the final day of a four-day Transat seat sale on Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, New Orleans, and San Diego. The sale applies to specific departure and return dates until Oct. 31.
Guests staying at IHG Hotels & Resorts through April 30 can save at least 15% when booking by Feb. 29. Rewards Club members can save more and earn bonus points. IHG has over 1,000 hotels in Canada, the US, Mexico and Brazil.
TOURS
Hikers can now follow a new trail that loosely follows an ancient trade route, originally stretching from Egypt to Aqaba and on to Damascus in Syria, with World Expeditions. The recently completed 650-km. Jordan Trail takes 40 days to complete and crosses the entire country through diverse landscapes and terrain, from striking cliffs and rugged ‘wadis’ to archaeological monuments that showcase an illustrious past.
Canadian Nadine Sykora, who is said to be the world’s first travel vlogger and a “travel inspiration for millennials,” will lead a custom Contiki itinerary this summer, “Berlin to Budapest” by train. The trip goes June 4-12 and is limited to 24 spots.
Promising a picturesque journey filled with plenty of opportunities to view Africa’s Big 5 animals, Collette’s new 15-day “African Safari: Kenya and Tanzania” tour begins at Mt. Kilimanjaro and includes visiting native communities, a full day in Amboseli National Park, and more.
RESORTS
Goway reports that one of its popular properties, the Bora Bora Pearl Beach Resort is set for a soft re-opening on April 27 after being closed for extensive renovations, which include upgrades to existing accommodation and the addition of 28 overwater bungalows. A re-opening incentive at the Tahitian resort includes 10,000 XPF (approx. $122) resort credit when staying in a Garden Villa with Pool or 15,000 XPF ($183) for staying in an overwater bungalow, per night, per room.
Meliá Hotels International is expanding throughout Asia Pacific and has a total of 51 properties across the region slated to open in the next few years. Its latest property is in Thailand.
In honour of the 25th James Bond movie debuting in April, Jamaica’s GoldenEye, once home to Ian Fleming, the creator of the storied spy, is offering “The Ultimate James Bond Experience” package, which includes activities that trace both Fleming’s and the movies’ footsteps. Activities include a boat trip to Laughing Waters Beach (where the iconic scene of Ursula Andress emerging from the sea in Dr. No was filmed), a visit to Noel Coward’s estate Firefly to tour the home where the playwright often entertained famous guests including Fleming, and a guided snorkeling tour through the reefs below Fleming’s villa – the same spot where he also snorkeled. Prices start at $3,660 for four nights, bookable through Oct. 31.
HOTELS
A number of unique attractions help set apart the new Legacy Hotel & Spa in San Diego’s Mission Valley neighbourhood. They include a nine-metre diameter interactive world globe that transports guests to the nations of the world by simple touch panel; 4D theater with a 17-m. dome screen and 100 full-motion seats; and visitors can stroll through an international marketplace resembling the old-world shops of the Middle East filled with goods from Africa, Asia, the Middle East and South America. There is also a 30-metre long replica Western Wall that pays tribute to the “Wailing Wall” in Jerusalem. Meanwhile, the Plaza Fountain features vibrant displays of music, water and lights.
Three more hotels in Africa are on the way later this year from Best Western: Best Western Plus Pearl Addis in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Best Western Plus SOAHO in Douala, Cameroon; and the first Vīb hotel on the continent in Cape Town, South Africa. The company recently opened three properties in Kenya.
Now open:
There’s a new hotel option in Clearwater, Fla: The Karol Hotel (2675 Ulmerton Rd.) is the first member of Marriott’s Tribute Portfolio to open in Pinellas County and features 123 guest rooms and suites; outdoor pool and fitness centre, and rooftop bar.
CRUISE
Seabourn is set to introduce a new viewing lounge (photo) located up high and forward to be featured on each of the line’s two new purpose-built expedition vessels that are scheduled to launch in 2021 and 2022 respectively. Designed along the lines of the Observation Bar, among the most popular venues on every ship in the current Seabourn fleet, the Constellation Lounge will debut with the launch of Seabourn in June 2021, and follow on the yet-to-be named sister expedition ship in May 2022. The lounge will be the highest indoor viewing point on each ship with floor-to-ceiling glass walls that will wrap around the space, offering guests stunning 270-degree, outward-facing views.
With 25% more tours and nearly double the seminars, travel advisors have more opportunities than ever to experience the Carnival product, says the cruise line. Two hundred tours will be conducted across the fleet’s 27 ships and seminars at sea doubled to 17. Particular focus will be given to new product: Carnival Panorama in early 2020, Carnival Radiance in the summer and Mardi Gras in the fall — butt visits will be hosted on every ship. Ship tours are offered free of charge and include lunch on board. Contact your Carnival business development manager.
Viking has announced the expansion of its destination-focused travel experiences with the launch of new expedition voyages. Viking Expeditions will begin sailing in January 2022 with its first vessel, Viking Octantis, embarking on voyages to Antarctica and North America’s Great Lakes. A second expedition vessel, Viking Polaris, will debut in August 2022, sailing to Antarctica and the Arctic. All expedition voyages are now available for booking.
ATTRACTIONS/THEME PARKS
This summer will see the launch of SeaWorld San Diego’s new dive roller coaster, “Emperor,” which will highlight a new animal-conservation partnership between SeaWorld and Penguins International focussing on penguin awareness and conservation. The Emperor will be the tallest, fastest and longest dive coaster in California, as well as the only floorless dive coaster in the state. Named for the world’s largest penguin, the new ride will mimic this species’ amazing underwater diving ability.
EVENTS
TravelBrands’ annual agent appreciation events will kick off in March 23 in Toronto, followed by dates in Ottawa (March 24), Montreal (March 25), Quebec (March 26), Calgary (April 1) and Vancouver (April 1). Contact the company for details and to register.
FAMS/INCENTIVES
NARAT’s Ultimate Wild Africa FAM is designed to be a unique eco-education program for agents highlighting both destinations’ incredible wildlife diversity. Taking place May 12-23, agents will visit Kruger National Park, Andasibe and Ranomafana rainforests, Johannesburg, Pretoria, Madagascar’s capital Antananarivo and discover heritage towns and participate in cultural activities. FAM cost is US$2,850 plus flight taxes US$650 and includes accommodation in superior hotels, wilderness and game lodges, guided safari drives and wildlife walks, meals, entrances fees to conservation areas, and presentation on selling South Africa and Madagascar. The price includes airfare from Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal and all domestic and internal flights in Africa. A four-day FAM extension to Victoria Falls is available. One companion is allowed subject to availability. E-mail fams@narat.org.
TravelBrands’ Spin to Win game enables agents to win up to 100,000 bonus Loyalty Rewards points when they book qualifying transatlantic flights through TravelBrands Flights, by Intair. Airlines include Delta Air Lines, Air France, KLM and Alitalia and destinations include Europe, Africa, the Middle East. Once a booking is made, agents will receive an invitation to spin a virtual wheel to determine the random amount of Loyalty Rewards points won. Business class bookings will receive two game plays. The incentive is effect through March 8.
BY THE NUMBERS
New York’s newest attraction, The Edge (photo), will be the western hemisphere’s highest outdoor skydeck when it opens on March 11. Situated 100 storeys and 345 metres above ground in the new Hudson Yard’s area of west Manhattan, the 700-sq.-m. outdoor viewing area is comprised of 15 sections collectively weighing 3,400 kilograms and has 79 glass panels, each weighing 635 kilograms. Weather permitting, patrons will be able to see for about 130 km across the city and into New Jersey. General admission adult tickets are US$36 purchased online and $38 purchased on-site. Child tickets are $31 purchased online and $33 on-site.
PEOPLE/APPOINTMENTS
G Adventures has announced the appointment of Ana Santa Maria as its new Global Purpose Specialist for Alberta. She joins the company from Flight Centre where she spent three years as a travel agent.
Based in Calgary, Santa Maria is responsible for growing G Adventures’ presence in Alberta, supporting agent partners in the market, and working with the community to create new business opportunities. She can be reached at asantamaria@gadventures.com or (587) 894-3955.
NEWS
More than 31 million overseas travellers visited Japan in 2019, marking an all-time record. The momentum is expected to continue in 2020 as the country hosts the Olympic and Paralympic Games. The Japan National Tourism Organization has also developed the year-long “Your Japan 2020” campaign, which offers international travellers a variety of experiences and deals nationwide, including exclusive public openings, Japan-first special events, complimentary domestic flights, significant discounts on international flights, and more.
DESTINATIONS
Named one of Time magazines “great places” for 2019, the new Transcaucasian Trail has been dubbed the “next big thing” in trekking. Taking shape in the Caucasus Mountains on the borderlands between Europe and Asia, the trail, once complete, will extend more than 3,000 km and connect more than 20 national parks, UNESCO listed sites and protected areas across Azerbaijan, Georgia and Armenia. Portions of the trail are already open and the volunteer-based initiative accepts donations to help build the rest.
The Azores are the world’s first certified archipelago under the EarthCheck Sustainable Destination program. An autonomous region of Portugal, The Azores have been valued for their volcanic landscapes, dramatic coastlines and historic villages. The Azores Government and tourism industry have made a commitment to preserve both culture and marine ecosystems in a way that is sustainable.
Budberry will become West Hollywood’s first licensed, edibles-only consumption lounge, dispensary and café when it opens later this year. The innovative spot will operate as a café throughout the day and transition to a lounge in the evenings, serving in-house produced cannabis products. The venue follows in the footsteps of the Original Cannibas Café, which opened in October as the country’s first cannabis consumption lounge. Also imminent in WeHo is Aeon Botanika, a health and wellness center with a cannabis consumption area in the café.