7 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
Air Transat will offer direct flights between Montreal and Copenhagen, Denmark, next summer. The new seasonal service will operate twice a week from June 16 to Sept. 20, 2020. Passengers will fly on the Airbus A321neoLR, a next-generation aircraft recently added to the Air Transat fleet.
WestJet’s ultra-low-fare airline Swoop flew its inaugural flight from London International Airport (YXU) to McCarran International Airport (LAS) in Las Vegas on Oct. 3. Seasonal service on Thursdays and Sundays continues through April 23.
Slovenian airline Adria Airways has ceased operations to due bankruptcy. Star Alliance members Lufthansa, Brussels Airlines and SWISS have announced additional routes and frequencies to Ljubljana.
As part of its commitment to “creating the inflight dining experiences of the future,” Cathay Pacific is now serving its passengers OmniPork, a vegan blend of pea protein, non-GMO soy, shiitake mushrooms and rice that looks and tastes like real pork. This month, business class passengers can order OmniPork Bolognaise with Garganelli pasta on all long-haul flights departing from Hong Kong. Cathay Pacific says it will review passenger satisfaction and continue to experiment with OmniPork dishes.
DEALS
Until Oct. 25 Rocky Mountaineer guests who book a 2020 package of eight days or more will receive three free perks: an additional hotel night at the beginning or end of the qualifying package in Vancouver, Calgary, Victoria, Banff, Jasper or Lake Louise; airport transfer from hotel to airport or airport to hotel in Vancouver or Calgary; and a set-menu dinner at a hotel in the destination of choice, excluding on rail days. The “Peak 3 Promotion” value is $800 per couple. Rocky Mountaineer celebrates 30 years in 2020
Transat’s Tropical Sale gives travellers up to $1,200 per couple on all South destinations when they book an all-inclusive winter package by Oct. 20 for travel between Nov. 1 and April 30, 2020.
Clients booking a 2020 Globus Europe vacation by Dec. 2 will save 10%. Options include the tour operator’s new “Undiscovered Mediterranean” series of tours, which highlights destinations along the Mediterranean Sea that travellers won’t find on other tours or cruises, such as Matera, Italy; Paros, Greece; Canakkale, Turkey; and Zadar, Croatia.
TOURS
The new 2020 Europe & Britain brochure by Trafalgar features 118 trips across 49 countries, including eight new trips and six new trending destinations: Macedonia, Georgia, Armenia, Serbia, Albania and Montenegro. “We’ve seen a growing interest in destinations in Eastern Europe and the Balkan cities, as guests look to explore destinations further that are off the beaten path. These destinations still offer the things clients love about Europe: timeless cultures, incredible cuisine and stunning landscapes,” said Michael Unrath, Trafalgar’s Head of Product for Europe and Britain. “Better still, we are visiting a number of ‘under-tourism’ destinations and helping to bring clients to these fantastic up-and-coming places.” A 10% Early Payment Discount is available when paid in full by Dec. 18.
Goway has unwrapped its European Christmas market tours for this year featuring both land and river cruise options. Four tours cover the best markets of Central Europe including stops in Austria, Hungary and Germany. The latter is featured in the standalone 11-day trip from Berlin to Munich, also calling in Nuremberg, and Dresden. The tour can also be paired with Christmas market visits in France and Switzerland on the “Christmas Markets in Three Countries” trip, a quick four-day itinerary that combines markets in Basel, Switzerland; Colmar, France; and Freiburg, on the edge of Germany’s Black Forest.
Motorcycle tour specialist EagleRider has introduced a new suite of guided and self-drive itineraries specifically designed for riders from the US and Canada. They include shorter two- to five-day options, custom group travel opportunities for clubs or friends, more self-drive options including winter rides from Florida across to the Southwest to California and Baja, Mexico, providing warm-weather riding experiences aimed at snowbirds. Returning popular tours include Route 66, the Pacific Coast Highway, Grand Canyon, Yosemite, and the Canadian Rockies.
HOTELS
Located above the town of Monthey within the canton of Valais (38 km south of Montreux), Switzerland’s Whitepod Hotel offers a unique back-to-the-roots experience. Each one of the 18 pods is anchored to a wooden platform, and comes with a furnished terrace with spectacular views of the valley and Lake Geneva. Exclusive suite amenities include Netflix access (for the long winter nights) and a private sauna. With an authentic wooden “mayen” chalet at its centre and a gastronomical restaurant, the domain provides 7 km of private slopes and more than 25 km of sign-posted trails. Furthermore, hotel guests will also have access to a private ski lift.
Open:
The newly renovated and rebranded Holiday Inn Ottawa Downtown – Parliament has opened its doors at 402 Queen St., within walking distance of Parliament Hill. The upper-midscale property caters to both leisure and business travellers.
Raffles Grand Hotel d’Angkor, a landmark hotel along the legendary Grand Tour of Indochina, has officially reopened following an extensive six-month restoration. Beyond the refreshed facade that retains the colonial style synonymous with the heritage and history of the Raffles brand, all 119 rooms and suites have received a meticulous facelift, including extensively renovated bathrooms with upgraded with Italian tiling and rain showers – and some of which feature grand claw-foot tubs and views over the famed swimming pool. First opened in 1932, the iconic hotel has welcomed famous faces such as Charlie Chaplin, Jackie Kennedy and Michelle Obama.
RESORTS
The Government of Jamaica has finalized the sale of land in Salem, St. Ann, for Karisma Hotels & Resorts to begin the construction of 3,000 rooms in several phases, beginning with 700 later this year.
CRUISE
The name of the sixth Royal-Class cruise ship for Princess Cruises has been revealed: Discovery Princess. It will begin sailing out of Los Angeles for the 2021/22 cruise season with sales opening Oct. 8.
The Bahamas signed two agreements with Carnival Corp. for a US$100-million cruise port development in Freeport, and an US$80-million expansion of Half Moon Cay. The agreement comes after Hurricane Dorian and will aid the island’s restoration and recovery.
In 2020, Holland America Line will debut a new Grand Africa Voyage that circles the continent and features more than a dozen epic safari experiences and wildlife encounters. Cruising from Boston, Mass., to Fort Lauderdale, Fla., the 79-day Grand Africa Voyage departs Oct. 3, 2020, aboard Amsterdam, making 19 African calls and exploring the Middle East, with highlights including Agadir and Casablanca, Morocco; transiting the Suez Canal enroute to Aqaba, Jordan; the Seychelle Islands; Kenya; Zanzibar; Cape Town; and more. Guests who book the 74- or 79-day Grand Africa Voyage by Feb. 28 will receive a host of exclusive perks valued at more than $4,000 p.p.
THEME PARKS
A new gondola is now whisking guests at select Disney hotels to Disney’s Hollywood Studios – the new home of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge – and the International Gateway at Epcot. The state-of-the-art Disney Skyliner gives another option for guests at the Art of Animation, Caribbean Beach Resort and Pop Century resorts to the parks (and Boardwalk entertainment district). The Riviera Resort will also be connected when it opens in December. Gondola cabins accommodate 10 people.
With grants of $1.2 million to 81 global organizations in 2018, the SeaWorld & Busch Gardens Conservation Fund reports that it has reached the milestone of US$17.5 million in donations to more than 1,200 animal rescue, research and conservation organizations worldwide since the fund’s inception in 2003. A portion of every admission ticket at SeaWorld parks goes to help fund wildlife conservation.
EVENTS
Members of The Travel Agent Next Door took time out from a recent Toronto roadshow event to pose for a photo: Front row – Elish Tait, Nicola Gowe, Gillian Newell, Julie Adele, Vivian Imrisek; Back row – Shean Carmichael, Lori McPhee, Flemming Friisdahl, Natalie Simmons, Caley McCarney, Lorraine Ball, and Penny Martin. More than 350 agents and four supplier partners were taking part in events in Moncton, Ottawa, Burlington, London, Markham, Toronto, Winnipeg, Edmonton, Calgary and Vancouver.
The Jamaica Tourist Board’s 2019 Fall Product Update Seminars are underway. Agents have the opportunity to meet with tour operators, airline partners and destination representatives who will relay key insights and provide an in-depth look into all the newest developments on-island. Remaining dates include Oct. 16, Lethbridge; Oct. 23, Edmonton; Oct. 24, Calgary; Oct. 28, Toronto; Oct. 29, Montreal; and Oct. 30, Ottawa.
Costa Rica Tourism is coming to Canada later this month for a four-city road show. Agents are invited for dinner, cocktails and a destination presentation in Vancouver on Oct. 21; Calgary, Oct. 22; Toronto, Oct. 23; and Montreal, Oct. 24.
FAMS/INCENTIVES
October is Huatulco month with Sunwing. Agents making bookings to select resorts in the Pacific Mexico destination by the end of the month will earn 3X STAR Agent Reward Points and be entered to win a trip for two. Consumers can save up to $400 per couple and receive a $100 excursion credit depending on selected travel dates. Hotel options include Barcelo, Las Brisas and Dreams. Travel must take place between Nov. 1 and April 30. Similar incentives are also available for Mazatlan, Mexico, in October.
PEOPLE/APPOINTMENTS
Oct. 31 will be the final day at WestJet for the company’s VP for WestJet Vacations and Cargo, Tim Croyle, who has decided to retire after 16 years at the airline. WestJet has begun the process of filling the WestJet Vacations role while cargo will be added to the responsibilities of Charles Duncan, Executive VP and Chief Strategy Officer.
Samson Arega is the new country manager for Ethiopian Airlines in Canada. Arega started his career with Ethiopian Airlines and has been with the company since he graduated from university and has held a variety of posts with the company. Ethiopian Airlines currently flies direct from Toronto to Addis Ababa five times weekly.
NEWS
Saudi Arabia is opening its doors to international visitors for the first time. Tourists from 49 countries including Canada can now obtain a one-year, multiple entry visa allowing them to spend up to 90 days in the country. Available online as an e-visa at https://visa.visitsaudi.com/ or at kiosks upon arrival in the Kingdom, the entry documents will no longer restrict access only to those with business visas or religious pilgrims. Women will also be notably exempted from having to wear head-to-toe covering abayas in public and travelling with a male companion. The middle eastern nation counts five UNESCO World Heritage Sites amongst its attributes.
DESTINATIONS
Oct. 5 was National James Bond Day and Madame Tussauds Orlando celebrated by unveiling the wax figures of all six James Bonds (photo) from the iconic film franchise. The lineup includes Sean Connery, George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan and current Bond. Daniel Craig. The figures will appear for a limited time.
Ireland’s new Púca festival (Oct. 31-Nov. 2) will celebrate Ireland as the birthplace of Halloween. Rooted in ancient tradition and taking place in counties Meath and Louth, Púca (pronounced “Pooka”), is named after a shape-shifting spirit from Celtic folklore, and will capture the original and authentic spirit of Samhain or ‘summer’s end’ during three nights of authentic Halloween music, food, light and spectacle. A few days earlier (Oct. 25-28), the eighth Bram Stoker Festival will honour the legacy of Dublin horror novelist and Dracula author Bram Stoker with “four days of living stories and four nights of deadly adventures.”
The annual Barbados Food and Rum festival returns for its 10th year Oct. 24-27. The theme is “The Story of Rum… from Then to Now,” highlighting the island’s history as home to the world’s oldest rum (Mount Gay, since 1703). Events take in popular local haunts with local chefs and mixologists, on beaches, in the street (Oistins, food trucks), and features music and other cultural activities.