21 OCT 2019: In case you missed it – or even if you didn’t – here’s a round-up of last week’s news and information in travel and tourism.
AIR
More U.S. flights from Air Transat are in store in 2020, including the only direct flight between Montreal and San Diego, Ca., launching three times weekly starting June 15 through Oct. 28. Meanwhile, starting in November, Air Transat will offer two flights a week from Montreal to New Orleans, on Thursdays and Sundays and extending its service to next summer. Finally, more flights to Florida from Quebec will be added to the program, including next summer, four flights a week to Fort Lauderdale—three from Montreal, and one from Quebec City, plus more flights from Montreal to Orlando.
Air Canada has now removed the Boeing 737 Max from its flying schedule until Feb. 14, 2020. The decision is based on operational considerations for the airline, as it launches a new reservation system beginning next month
LAX continues to ramp up work on its modernization program with the opening of “LAX-it,” a convenient, amenity-rich, centralized area for guests to pick up a taxi or ride app service, and avoid traffic in the Central Terminal Area (CTA) of Los Angeles International Airport. LAX-it will open at the end of October and will remain in service until the Automated People Mover opens in 2023. LAX-it will only be for pickups, as ride app and taxi drivers will continue to drop off passengers at the terminal curbs on the Upper/Departures Level.
DEALS
Air Canada Vacations’ new “Orlando Promise” comes with three key features with any package purchased: a reduced deposit ($50), flexible cancellation (full refund up to seven days before departure date including deposit), and price drop guarantee (if the price drops on any Orlando travel package after an agent makes a booking, ACV will refund the difference up to seven days before departure). “We believe (the Promise) will help travel agents close the sale by addressing the customer’s concerns around booking now versus waiting,” says ACV exec Dana Gain.
Until Oct. 25, clients can score “EPIC” savings on select all-inclusive vacation packages to top-rated resorts across the Caribbean, Mexico and Central America thanks to Sunwing’s Exceptional Pricing Incredible Choices (EPIC) sale. The limited-time offer includes such resorts as the Royalton Bavaro Resort and Spa in Punta Cana, Riu Dunamar in Cancun, and Sanctuary at Grand Memories in Varadero.
Cruise clients have until Oct. 31 to receive an onboard credit of up to $400 when booking Costa Cruises. The “Costamize Your Experience” incentive applies to select cruises to the western Mediterranean and Caribbean aboard Costa Smeralda and Costa Luminosa.
TOURS
Adventure cycling company Ride & Seek is offering a two-island tour of New Zealand in 2020 covering 2,000-plus km. over 24 days. The Māori New Zealand Cycling Adventure leads travellers on a “luxpedition” from Auckland to Queenstown, through Rotorua, Tongariro National Park, and along unspoiled coastlines and the stunning Southern Alps. Guests stay at hand-picked hotels and lodges and can sample world-class wine, and fresh seafood. Broken into two stages, Auckland to Wellington and Wellington to Queenstown, the tour is slated for Feb. 8-March 2, 2020 and is priced from approx. $7,160 for one stage. Check out the company web site for more.
The new 2020 Europe and Britain collection from Insight Vacations has been released featuring over 100 trips and five new tours. Also, new is Insight Choice, where guests on most tours can choose from one of two included experiences based on their own interests. Among the new trips is the 11-day “Country Roads of Wales, Devon & Cornwall.”
As part of its 2020 “Exotics” collection of journeys to distant lands, Tauck is introducing a new 15-day exploration of South Australia along with a new 14-day adventure to New Zealand’s North and South Islands. Both journeys visit lesser-known sites along with popular locales, and both are notable for exclusive experiences available only through Tauck.
HOTELS
Spurred by an “impressive upswing in tourism” in Canada, Hilton has announced “robust” Canadian expansion plans including several news brands. Tapestry Collection by Hilton has three hotels anticipated to open in three cities – Moncton, Mississauga and Calgary. The first, Canvas Moncton, plans to open its doors before the end of the year. Tru by Hilton has nearly 10 additional hotels in its pipeline that are expected to open by the end of 2021, primarily in Ontario, and the Canopy by Hilton lifestyle brand is set to debut in Canada in 2022 with Canopy by Hilton Toronto – Yorkville.
Open:
Aerotel, the world’s largest chain of in-terminal airport hotels, has opened a flagship property at Beijing Daxing International Airport as part of Plaza Premium Group’s strategic expansion in China. PPG is targeting more than 40 new openings across multiple cities by 2024, the year that China is predicted to become the world’s largest aviation market.
Located in the historic center of Porto, Portugal within walking distance of one of the city’s main attractions, the Misericordia Church, the new five-star PortoBay Flores has 66 luxury rooms and suites, indoor pool and spa as well as a gym and a modern bar with street access. The hotel building incorporates a 16th century palace as well as an 18th century chapel and blends historical and contemporary features.
RESORTS
Set amidst 18 hectares of lush tropical flora and fauna on the Gaafu Alifu Atoll, the newly opened Pullman Maldives Maamutaa Resort (photo) in the Maldives boasts 122 decadent villas, including two exclusive Aqua Villas featuring bedrooms submerged beneath the water. Featuring a range of over-water and beachside villas, the resort also features a natural lake, spectacular beaches, plus one of the region’s largest and deepest lagoons, rich with marine life. The resort is accessible by domestic flight 55 minutes from Velana International Airport in Male, followed by a 15-minute speedboat ride from Kooddoo Airport.
The all-inclusive Riu Ochos Rios has re-opened in Jamaica after a complete renovation. New features include the ‘Splash Water World’ water park, a first for the resort chain in Jamaica, together with a host of additional enhancements including new accommodation options. In addition, the property also now features completely refurbished facilities, restaurants and guestrooms, which now all have Wi-Fi. The resort is available through Sunwing.
CRUISE
Having announced Nassau as a second destination in the Bahamas, Bahamas Paradise Cruise has launched its Cruise & Stay program in the city, joining Grand Bahama. Properties, where guests can add up to six nights to their two-night cruise, include the all-inclusive Meliá Nassau Beach Resort at Cable Beach, SLS at Baha Mar and Comfort Suites on Paradise Island. Price for a four-night cruise and stay starts at $389 p.p.
To thank the local community of Ketchikan, Alaska for supporting Princess Cruises over the last 50 years, the cruise line recently hosted a special golden anniversary ceremony at the Ketchikan Visitors Bureau to dedicate a specially crafted totem pole to the coastal town. The Masters of the Sea totem pole, now permanently housed at the visitors bureau, was crafted by local carver Kelly White, who, in addition to his role as a carver, also serves as Princess Cruises cultural ambassador of its “North to Alaska” program. Kelly previously carved the totem pole onboard Ruby Princess and Grand Princess for guests to see and learn more about Alaska’s culture.
The “2020 European River Cruises” brochure from Crystal River Cruises is now available for order or download. The 109-page publication details 146 departures along the Danube, Rhine, Main and Moselle rivers. Also included are Signature Events on select voyages; pre- and post-cruise Extended Land Programs including a new three-night program in Prague, a two-night program in Zurich and others; and special events like the decennial Oberammergau Passion Play.
THEME PARKS
Universal Orlando Resort has revealed that The Bourne Stuntacular will debut at Universal Studios Florida in spring 2020. The cutting-edge live-action stunt show based on the blockbuster Bourne film franchise will “blur the lines between stage and cinema in a hybrid form of entertainment that has never been seen before” as the character of Jason Bourne is pursued around the globe by a host of sinister characters resulting in “thrilling chase scenes, punishing fistfights, death-defying leaps and danger at every turn” – and featuring high-tech props and an immense LED screen, making it impossible to discern where the live action ends and the cinema begins.
EVENTS
VisitBritain has announced that its flagship annual Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) event MeetGB is being held at the Celtic Manor Resort near Cardiff and the recently opened International Convention Centre (ICC) in Wales April 22-24, 2020.
MeetGB, is set to host up to 90 international buyers from Europe and North America who will meet and do business with 80 industry suppliers from venues, hotels, destinations and incentive experiences across the UK. Registration for the event is also now open.
FAMS/INCENTIVES
Change Makers, G Adventures agent incentive program is back with news that the 2020 global summit will take place in India and Nepal from April 20-26. Designed to incentivizes agents to focus on changing people’s lives through travel, 150 agents from around the world, including Canada, will invited to take part in the trip, which showcases how their work directly impacts local communities in the destinations G Adventures visits. To be eligible to earn a space, agents automatically receive one entry per “life changed” (traveller booked) by Jan. 31. They can also enter via the “social good” category, by submitting work they have done that gives back to their local community.
PEOPLE/APPOINTMENTS
Lessner Gomez is the new director of the Cuba Tourist Board in Toronto. With over 25 years of experience in the travel industry, Lessner held a number of positions at hotels in Cayo Coco and was most recently deputy minister of tourism in Ciego de Avila province.
NEWS
The corporate division of Vision Travel in western Canada (B.C. to Ontario) has been rebranded as Direct Travel. There will be no changes to Vision Travel’s client services, locations or personnel as a result of the rebrand. The leisure division will continue to trade under the Vision Travel brand. Canada East (Quebec) will rebrand both corporate and leisure divisions to les services Direct Travel and Joel Ostrov will continue in his role as president, Canada East.
BY THE NUMBERS
A record-breaking streak in visitor arrivals to Saint Lucia continued in August with seven out of the eight months this year now having recorded unprecedented growth. Led by a 17% increase from Canada, the island welcomed 36,342 stay-over arrivals in August 2019, marking the largest number of arrivals ever recorded for that month. Double-digit Increases were also recorded from the U.S. (13%) and U.K. (12%), resulting in an overall increase of 6.4%. Despite the August jump, Canadian arrivals, however, are down 5% year to date.
DESTINATIONS
Starting with a free week-long festival of fire starting on Feb. 1, Galway, Ireland will celebrate its status as a European Capital of Culture in 2020 (photo). Opening ceremonies take place Feb. 8, followed by a program featuring 100 partnerships and representing 33 countries throughout the year. Events will range from music to theatre, literature, visual arts, dance, film, architecture, heritage, sport, and food, with the majority of projects being free to audiences. Themes include landscape, language and migration. Check out the VIDEO.
The only resort golf course on the Las Vegas Strip has reopened at Wynne Las Vegas. The 18-hole Wynn Golf Club championship course was established in 2005 and has now been reimagined by legendary golf course architect Tom Fazio.
An exhibition of over 70 of the birthday gifts exchanged by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert are on display until the end of the year at their seaside home, Osborne on the Isle of Wight. The exhibition has been staged by English Heritage to mark the 200th anniversary of their births in 1819. Visitors can follow a special trail through the unique collection around the house and out into the garden and estate.