15 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
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines marked it’s 100th anniversary on Oct. 7. The carrier’s first flight to Canada (Montreal) was in 1949.
Air Canada will increase lift from Montreal to Nassau, Bahamas, beginning Dec. 20. The non-stop service will increase operations from twice a week to four times a week.
A third American Airlines daily flight between Miami and St. Thomas has been announced for the winter season. Effective Dec. 18, the third daily flight will operate as a “same day turn”, departing Miami International Airport at 8:35 a.m. and arriving at Cyril E. King Airport at 12:04 p.m. The return service departs St. Thomas the same day it arrives at 1:04 p.m., landing in Miami at 3:10 p.m.
DEALS
Tokyo as a year-round holiday destination rather than a simple “pit stop” is the theme of a new joint promotion by G Adventures and Tokyo Tourism. The multi-channel program runs through to November and will be promoted through G Adventures’ newsletter and website and amplified with online and social advertising. To encourage bookings, agents’ clients can save 10% off select trips that visit Tokyo between Oct. 22 and Nov. 19.
Special offers for Canadians continue at Orlando theme parks. At Disney, clients will save 20% on an advanced four-day or longer ticket purchase with the Canadian resident offer through Feb. 7. At Universal, a third park for free offer is effect until Dec. 2 for travel through May 22, 2020. And SeaWorld’s Canadian resident offer runs through April 30, 2020.
Through Oct. 31 clients booking select booking select six- to 50-day Princess Cruises itineraries departing from Summer 2020 to Spring 2021 will received free onboard gratuities ($16.50/day), free stateroom upgrades, and up to $800 onboard spending money per cabin. Reference the “3 for Free” cruise sale.
TOURS
Air Canada Vacations’ new European collection features a total of 145 vacation packages in 21 countries including 30 new itineraries. Highlights include newly added non-stop flights, year-round service between Montreal and Toulouse starting June 4, and a non-stop route from Toronto to Brussels starting May 1. Clients booking up to six months prior to departure and clients can save up to $1,000 per couple, or $500 four months out. And those booking a Trafalgar Guided Vacation through ACV by Dec. 31 can save $1,000 per couple on travel May 21-Oct. 31, 2020.
Nearly two dozen countries are represented in Goway’s new 2020 Africa and Middle East Travel Planner. Highlights include more of the latter to reflect “exponential growth” in the interest for the region, new tours in East Africa, an expanded range of lodges in South Africa, and the epic 30-day “The Cape to Cairo” Journey of a Lifetime, which travels across the heart of Africa.
For the first time since it launched in 2016, G Adventures is updating its exclusive Dr. Jane Goodall-endorsed collection of wildlife-focused tours for 2020 with adventures in Indonesia, Botswana, Belize, the Northwest U.S., mainland Ecuador, the Arctic and Antarctic, and other diverse destinations around the globe. The update adds 12 new tours that were each selected with the endorsement of the non-profit Jane Goodall Institute of Canada and brings the full program of branded experiences to an even 20 trips in total. With every booking, $85 is donated to the institute, which has received $100,000 to date.
HOTELS
A signature “guitar smash” and high wire walk by Nik Wallenda ushered in the recent opening of the renovated Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa. The US$700-million renovation includes a new, 14-storey hotel tower, offering 562 additional hotel rooms and suites; three ultra-lavish pools; Rock Spa & Salon; and casino with 1,000 additional slots and 41 table games throughout its new gaming spaces.
The all-new urban Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok at Chao Phraya River is now accepting reservations for arrivals beginning Feb. 1, 2020. An introductory offer that includes US$100 credit toward dining or spa with a minimum two nights booked is available.
Open Now:
With the opening of The St. Regis Amman, the iconic luxury brand has debuted in the Kingdom of Jordan. Extending the legacy of the Astor family from Fifth Avenue in New York to Amman’s 5th Circle, The St. Regis Amman seamlessly blends the sophistication and heritage of the original St. Regis hotel in New York with Jordan’s rich Bedouin culture
RESORTS
Balmoral Resort Florida (photo) combines a resort atmosphere and amenities – pool, bar, restaurant, waterpark, arcade room, club house, volleyball court, 152 acres of parkland and lakes, and more – with 220 new luxury vacation homes featuring private pools, patios, fully equipped kitchens and more. Located between Tampa and Orlando, the resort is available through both Sunwing and WestJet Vacations, the former offering air-inclusive packages from $635 for a two-bedroom townhome, while WestJet Vacations is offering the fifth night free on all home types (from two- and three- bedroom townhomes to six-bedroom pool homes) through Nov. 30 for bookings through 2020. The resort, now represented in Canada by Kim Uno (kim@elevatustm.com), is also offering agents a free night for seven and 14-night (two) bookings made through the tour operators by Nov. 30.
Guests who book a vacation of six nights or longer at Beaches Turks & Caicos before Oct. 15 for travel through Dec. 26, 2021 – are eligible to receive two complimentary 60-minute couples’ massages at the resort’s Red Lane Spa.
CRUISE
Carnival Cruise Line has resumed regular calls to Grand Bahama, with Carnival Pride having docked in Freeport on Oct. 11, Carnival Elation on Oct. 13 and Carnival Freedom set to arrive on Oct. 15.
MSC Cruises’ Meraviglia smart ship arrived in New York Oct. 7 to become the cruise line’s fourth ship in America and the largest ship ever to dock in Manhattan. The vessel will sail three east coast itineraries from the Big Apple ahead of a winter season in the Caribbean out of Miami.
The next ship to join the Royal Caribbean fleet has been named Wonder of the Seas and will homeport in Shanghai, China when it debuts in 2021.
THEME PARKS
The grand opening of LEGOLAND New York will take place July 4, 2020. The theme park/resort is being built in Goshen, New York, about 100 km northwest of New York City and will have 50-plus rides and shows and 15,000 LEGO models.
Virginia theme park Busch Gardens Williamsburg was recently honoured with the title of “World’s Most Beautiful Park” by the National Amusement Park Historical Association (NAPHA). This is the 29th consecutive year the park has received the honour, a streak extending back to 1990.
EVENTS
TRAVELSAVERS hosted 50 of its elite and top account agency owners and managers at its annual Canada Owners Focus Retreat (photo) recently onboard Princess Cruises Golden Princess in Alaska. The invitation-only event included two full days of meetings and presentations by key TRAVELSAVERS team members and suppliers.
FAMS/INCENTIVES
Booking Australia for seven nights with Goway will automatically earn agents double Goway Reward Points, up to $40 per couple. Add an international airfare and the reward increases to $60 per couple. All incentives are loaded to the agent’s Goway Agent Reward Card where every dollar is cash. This promotion ends Oct. 31.
Until Nov. 1, travel agents can earn more by booking with TravelBrands Specialty, by Exotik Journeys. Agents who make a group booking with a minimum of 10 passengers will receive 10x Loyalty Rewards points. Qualifying travel agents will also be entered for a chance to win one of two free spots on a future TravelBrands’ FAM trip.
PEOPLE/APPOINTMENTS
Flight Centre Travel Group’s 5th Annual Charity Trip raised $10,000 for the Wildlife Friends Foundation of Thailand. The group of 14 Flight Centre employees travelled to Thailand and volunteered for four days helping feed and look after macaques, tortoises, orangutans, tigers, pumas, bears, elephants and more, as part of the company’s Brighter Futures program.
NEWS
A new eLearning program, the Luxury Gold Masterclass, is now being offered online through The Travel Corp.’s Travel Agent Academy. The program has been designed with an interactive suite of user-friendly modules, providing advisors the knowledge and tools to better sell its luxury guided journeys in a time efficient manner, while thanking them for their dedication with exciting rewards. The eLearning platform is divided into three levels and travel advisors can access the first level, Sapphire, which is available now.
BY THE NUMBERS
The U.S. Virgin Islands is reporting close to a 50% increase in stay-over arrivals this year, a clear signal that tourism in the U.S. territory is on a rebound after the storms of 2017. The territory welcomed 347,725 stay-over arrivals on St. Thomas, about a 70% increase over 2018, while St. Croix has seen an increase of 5.2%, with 117,203 arrivals from January to August this year.
DESTINATIONS
The basement of a 17th century, Grade I-listed castle in South Wales will be converted into a craft spirit distillery, bonded warehouse, gin school and visitor experience as part of a £7-million scheme to bring the castle back into use. The 400-year old Hensol Castle (photo), which has been used as a backdrop in BBC dramas including Doctor Who, Sherlock Holmes and Torchwood and sits in the grounds of the four-star Vale Resort, will become a flagship tourism destination. Visitors will be able to distil their own bespoke bottle of gin made to their specific taste. In addition, they will be able to tour the distillery operation and castle.
The introduction of a top-end restaurant will follow. The visitor experience, gin school, and production facility will open later this year.
Individuals who find them themselves in Boston, Mass. on Oct. 23 can celebrate National Boston Cream Pie Day by opening their pie hole at
the historic Omni Parker House hotel in Boston where the iconic treat was born.
A new Interpretation Centre is currently in the planning phases for the Inca citadel of Machu Picchu, Peru, with construction expected to begin in January. The US$41-million educational facility will focus on providing tourists with a better understanding of the historical, architectural and cultural significance of Peru’s famed UNESCO World Heritage Site. Visitors will be able to view detailed virtual maps of the sprawling archeological park in order to better plan their visit and learn about the various sacred sites and landmarks. The facility will be built on the lower level of Machu Picchu at the beginning of the road leading into the sanctuary and will replace the existing museum currently standing on the site.