Travelweek - February 5, 2015 Volume 43 Issue 05

March 13, 2014
Volume 42 Issue 10
C A N A D A ’ S
T R A V E L
T R A D E
P U B L I C A T I O N
Vacation.com adds 20 new members;
CWT Canada grows Associate Program
TORONTO — Two of Canada’s major
agency groups are continuing to expand.
Vacation.com has added 20 new member agencies since October 2013 bringing
the total number of members to 650 in
Canada.
New member agencies joining Canada-wide since October include: Alitours;
A Ticket to Ride Travel; Baconko Travels; Bestway Travel Ltd; Caspian Travel &
Tour Inc; Castle Hill Travel & Tours; Discovery Group Ltd; Fly Today; Jac’s Journeys; Kaleidoscope Travel & Cruise; L & H
Travel; Lucky 7 Travel; Luxury Corporate
Cruises; Maligaya Travel Ltd; Mohajeri
International Travel & Tours; Pure Magic
The ancient city of Matera, Italy
THISWEEK
4
NONSTOP TO PHOENIX
28
TOURING SOUTH ITALY
WestJet is launching new nonstop
Toronto-Phoenix service Oct. 26
Transat is offering a tour with two lesserknown regions: Puglia and Basilicata
8
34
SOUTH PACIFIC CRUISES
Encore Cruises is adding Princess Cruises’
South Pacific program to its portfolio
PM40015622
USA ROUND-UP
The Cromwell, opening on May 21, will bring
boutique luxury to the Las Vegas Strip
Vacations; Rhythm Travel and Tours;
Travelaero Services Ltd; Travelbest Cruises and Tours; Westar Travel Ltd.
Meanwhile, Carlson Wagonlit Travel
(CWT) Canada continues to expand its
travel agency network in Canada, adding new CWT Associate travel offices in
Vancouver, North Vancouver, Cornwall,
Sudbury, Quebec City, Montreal and
Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, while maintaining a 100% renewal rate.
New members of the CWT Associate Program include: Agence des Halles
of Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu located in
Quebec, owned by Anita Bitton; Voyage
Régence in Montreal and Nuns’ Island,
owned by Francine Martin; Voyages Lachance located in Quebec, owned by
Nadia Taradjian, which was formerly operated under the Uniglobe Voyages banner; Quest Travel located in Vancouver,
owned by Jeffrey Bernstein and operated
by Valerie Fisher; Jolly Tours located in
Cornwall, owned by Carol and Christopher MacAleese; Ellison Travel & Tours
in North Vancouver, owned by Doug Ellison and operated by Marcie Outerbridge
Ellison, the third CWT-affiliated Ellison
Travel location, adding to their strong
presence in Southwestern Ontario; All
Seasons Travel, located in Sudbury, a for-
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to t
thE
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topnews
mer affiliate of Uniglobe under the new
ownership of Teresa Payne who owns
six additional CWT-affiliated locations
in Ontario.
“We’re delighted with the level of
new and renewed interest in our Associate Program,” said Danielle Durocher,
director, Associate Program, CWT Canada. “We’re beginning to see a shift in
ownership among some of our associate agencies as owners pass the reins on
to the new generation. The continued
expansion of the program speaks to the
strength of CWT and the retail agency
model.”
with Voyages Professionnels, formerly
part of the Ensemble group, to form the
new CWT Groupe Voyages Professionels, which is owned by Marie-Hélène
Jacques, Paul Larivière, Nathalie Guilbert and Charles Richer.
CWT Royal City Travel in Guelph, ON,
previously owned by Neil Christie, was
acquired by Gene Branchflower, owner
of CWT Avenue Travel. It maintains the
CWT brand and will continue to be run
as a full service travel agency under the
management of Todd Branchflower.
CWT Voyages Éclair in Buckingham,
QC, was acquired by long-time manag-
value and exceptional benefits of being
part of a large agency organization. So
far, the experience has been great.”
Christine James, Vice President
Canada for Vacation.com, credits the
strength of Canada’s two Business
Development Managers, Sue Urie
(Western Canada) and Linda Khanna
(Eastern Canada), as well as their direct approach and extensive training
that is consistently provided, once
ENJOY A HOLIDAY SURROUNDED BY EXQUISITE VIEWS
WE’RE BEGINNING TO SEE a shift in
ownership among some of our associate agencies
as owners pass the reins on to the new
generation.
TORONTO DEPARTURES . ONE WEEK . ALL INCLUSIVE
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In addition, a number of associate
members have expanded their presence with the acquisition of new locations, which now operate under the
CWT brand.
CWT Stewart Travel, owned and
operated by Scott Stewart and Dana
Merrett, added three CWT Associate
locations, including Toronto, Collingwood and Wasaga Beach, which were
previously owned by Laura Price.
Stewart Travel’s acquisition brings
their current total to six locations in
Ontario operating under CWT Stewart Travel.
CWT Voyages Fleur-de-Lys merged
er Michelle Tremblay and her husband
Éric Laviolette, from Robert Langlois.
“Our best wishes go out to the associate owners who have sold their franchises, and we look forward to working
with our current and new associate
members for many years to come,” added Durocher.
Megan Baugh of Baconko Travels in
Edmonton recently joined Vacation.
com for the support, training and increased commissions. “The wide variety of tools and programs offered by
Vacation.com is helping us grow our
business and increase our overall commissions. Vacation.com offers excellent
8 INCREDIBLE DESTINATIONS.
8 CHANCES TO WIN!
495
+$315 Taxes
FOR FULL SELECTION OF HOTELS, VISIT WWW.SUNWING.CA
Signature.ca
T h e D a y s Yo u
Re member
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Join us as we explore a new Contiki
destination each week with a new exclusive
offer and a weekly trip giveaway!
contiki.com/adventurechallenge
March 13, 2014 TRAVELWEEK 3
topnews
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Come explore Bermuda and discover a free night*
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new members are recruited. “We create a unique value proposition for
every agency and can demonstrate
how Vacation.com’s enhanced commissions can positively impact their
bottom line,” said James.
“The value of a Vacation.com membership is significant, and the industry
continues to take notice,” added James.
“Members receive access to the SIRRVA
booking platform, which displays Vacation.com preferred suppliers and provides member agencies with a top-notch
online tool. Additional membership value includes access to the Stream prepaid
hotel program and the Worldwide Hotel
Program. Our award-winning Engagement direct mail and e-mail program
continues to drive clients to their agencies with exclusive travel offers.”
Agencies can visit JoinVacation.com
for more information on the benefits
Vacation.com offers.
WestJet to launch
new daily service
between Toronto
and Phoenix Oct. 26
CALGARY — WestJet will launch a new
daily, nonstop service between Toronto
and Phoenix beginning Oct. 26, 2014.
Same-day connections are also available to and from Montreal, Ottawa,
Halifax and Moncton.
“We are always looking for new and
better ways to provide Canadians with
in-demand destination choices,” said
Chris Avery, WestJet’s Vice-President,
Network Planning, Alliances and Corporate Development. “After this winter
of record storms and low temperatures,
more Canadians than ever are looking
4 TRAVELWEEK March 13, 2014
for nonstop routes to sunny U.S. destinations like Phoenix to meet the demand for sunshine and tee times.”
Details of WestJet’s new daily, nonstop
seasonal service between Toronto and
Phoenix are: leaving Toronto at 9:45 a.m.
arriving in Phoenix at 11:35 a.m. with the
return flight departing Phoenix at 12:20
p.m. arriving in Toronto at 7:27 p.m.
More than half a million Canadians
visit Arizona every year, and almost
half of those visitors are from Ontario.
WestJet’s newest seasonal route is expected to run from the end of October
through to April 25, 2015. The Phoenix
Sky Harbour International Airport is
one of largest hubs for WestJet partner
American Airlines, with access to more
than 300 flights daily.
Editor
Patrick Dineen, Ext. 132, pdineen@travelweek.ca
Managing Editor
Kathryn Folliott, Ext. 128, kfolliott@travelweek.ca
Associate Editor
Cindy Sosroutomo, Ext. 130, cindys@travelweek.ca
French Journalist for Profession Voyages
Ariane Cloutier, 450-531-6193, ariane@professionvoyages.com
Graphic Designer
Jonathan Carmichael, Ext. 126, jcarmichael@travelweek.ca
Web Application Developer
Antonio Carito, Ext. 134, acarito@travelweek.ca
Web Graphic Designer & Online Strategist
Michael Smith, Ext. 125, michaels@travelweek.ca
Business Development Manager
Sue Winiecki, Ext. 127, swiniecki@travelweek.ca
Business Development Manager
Annie Cicvaric, Ext. 131, acicvaric@travelweek.ca
Director, Product Development
Toni DeFino, Ext. 136, tdefino@travelweek.ca
Transat enhances
range of à la carte
hotels with 50,000
new properties
MONTREAL — Transat is enhancing
the number of à la carte hotels it offers
in collaboration with HotelBeds, a new
supplier.
This new partnership adds 50,000
properties to the number offered by
Transat in some 147 countries. Clients
will now find it easier to spend a few
days at the beach or in the city, whatever their budget. Sold under the Transat
Holidays brand, these hotels are now
available through airtransat.ca, as well
as on transatholidaysagent.com and
through SIREV.
The travel agent commission rate
will be the same as the one currently
offered for à la carte hotels available
through Transat Holidays.
Circulation
Denys Cruz, dcruz@travelweek.ca
Accounting
Marie Mercado, Ext. 121, travelweek@travelweek.ca
ENVOY
Glen Harwood, Ext. 133, gharwood@envoynetworks.ca
Group Publisher
Gerald Kinasz, gkinasz@travelweek.ca
Printed by Web Offset Pickering, ON L1W 3J9
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Contents copyrighted 2014 by Concepts Travel Media Ltd.
Reproduction in whole or in part by any means without
expressed written permission of the publisher is prohibited.
We acknowledge the financial support of the Government
of Canada through the Canada Periodical Fund of the
Department of Canadian Heritage.
122 Parliament Street,
Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5A 2Y8
Tel: 416.365.1500, Fax: 416.365.1504
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All prices are gross per person based on double occupancy for 7 nights on all inclusive vacations (unless otherwise specified) and were available at the time of printing. Seats at the above prices
are limited and subject to change without prior notice. Applicable to new bookings only. Not combinable with any other offers. Transportation taxes & related fees shown must
be pre-paid. Applicable local taxes payable in destination are extra (DR $30US). Flights are with Sunwing Airlines or Travel Service. For full terms and conditions, please refer to the
Sunwing Vacations 2013/14 brochure. 27 Fasken Drive, Toronto, ON M9W1K6 Ont. Reg. #2476582 | 03132014
topnews
Air France’s ‘80
Years of Passion for
the Movies’ contest
gives travel agents
a chance to see
Europe
MONTREAL — Air France is celebrating
its 80th anniversary with a contest titled
‘80 Years of Passion for the Movies’ with
the travel agent winner flying to any European city served by the airline.
In addition to the grand prize of
a pair of plane tickets to Europe, ‘80
Years’ logoed items will also be offered
as prizes. The contest draw will take
place on April 4, 2014.
Entrants can double or triple their
odds of winning depending on the
booking class of the tickets they sell:
one chance to win for every ticket sold
in Economy class, two chances in Premium Economy class and three chances
in Business class.
Travel agents can sign up for the contest online now through March 31 by
answering the eligibility question about
Air France and movies. Afterwards,
they can register each ticket they sell on
a flight departing from Canada by May
31, 2014 for any eligible Air France destination.
Travel agents can enter the contest
until March 31, 2014 (11:59 p.m. EDT)
online at movies.af80.ca, or through
afkl.biz. This is the first of three contests
Air France will run as part of its 80th
anniversary celebrations exclusively for
Canadian travel agents.
Air France flies twice daily between
Montréal and Paris, with a third daily
flight being added effective May 12 on
Mondays, Fridays and Sundays. The airline also operates one daily flight out
of Toronto for Paris. Air France screens
200+ films aboard its long-haul flights
each year on approximately 22,000 individual inflight entertainment systems.
Encore offers
up to $150
shipboard credit
on Norwegian
Cruise Line for
March sailings
TORONTO — Encore Cruises is kicking off the month of March with a very
special, exclusive offer with Norwegian
Cruise Line: book any cruise, on any
ship, in any category, for travel this
month, and receive up to $150 in onboard credits.
Encore’s exclusive ‘March Madness’
sale with Norwegian applies to all
new bookings made now for departures by the end of the month (March
31/14).
It is valid on all sailings (7+ days),
to all destinations and in all categories, and the onboard credit amount is
based on the category booked – US$50
per stateroom for an inside category,
Enjoy
family
time
AT IBEROSTAR HOTELS!
Enjoy a perfect family moment with IBEROSTAR and TMR Holidays!
Toronto and Ottawa departures. Consult your travel agent, the 2013.2014 TMR Holidays Sun brochure Toronto &
Ottawa or www.tmrholidays.com for more details and for terms and conditions. TMR Holidays is registered as a
travel wholesaler ON #50020750 and is located at 191 The West Mall, Suite 700, Etobicoke, Ontario, M9C 5K8.
6 TRAVELWEEK March 13, 2014
Grand Bahia Principe Coba
You will love it because…
Enjoy the water park, gardens and extensive natural spaces!
Prices include: Hotel accommodation and roundtrip flight
7-NIGHT STAY
DEPARTING MONTREAL
7-NIGHT STAY
DEPARTING BUFFALO
7-NIGHT STAY
DEPARTING OTTAWA
7-NIGHT STAY
DEPARTING WINNIPEG
Riviera Maya
Riviera Maya
Riviera Maya
Riviera Maya
Grand Bahia
Principe Coba
★★★★+
Grand Bahia
Principe Coba
★★★★+
Grand Bahia
Principe Tulum
★★★★★
Grand Bahia
Principe Tulum
★★★★★
All-Inclusive
Junior Suite
April 24/14
All-Inclusive
Junior Suite
April 24/14
All-Inclusive
Hotel Room
April 24/14
All-Inclusive
Hotel Room
April 24/14
1119
$
CDN pp. Taxes add $136
Roundtrip airfare to
Cancun on American Airlines
1129
1299
1359
$
$
$
CDN pp. Taxes add $136
Roundtrip airfare to
Cancun on United Airlines
CDN pp. Taxes add $164
Roundtrip airfare to
Cancun on United Airlines
CDN pp. Taxes add $161
Roundtrip airfare to
Cancun on WestJet
For more information, visit holidayhouseagent.ca or funsunagent.ca
Holiday House and FunSun Vacations are wholly-owned divisions of TravelBrands Inc. 5450 Explorer Dr. Suite 300 Mississauga ON, L4W 5N1, Ont. Reg: 50012702. B.C. Reg: 3597.
Que. Reg: 702734. Visit visit holidayhouseagent.ca or funsunagent.ca for full terms & conditions.
[ PG32464 ]
Dynamic pricing is per person based on double occupancy and is valid for travel April 24/14- May 01/14. Prices and availability are subject to change without prior notification and were available onMarch 03/14. Black-out dates and restrictions apply. Surcharges may apply.
Hotel taxes are included in the dynamic pricing. Not included: transfers or car rental.
topnews
$100 per stateroom for an ocean view
category, and $150 per stateroom for a
balcony or higher.
This offer is combinable with any
other Norwegian Cruise Line offer or
promotion.
For more information or to book, call
1-800-661-6361 or visit encorecruises.com.
Encore Cruises adds
Princess Cruises’
South Pacific
program to portfolio
TORONTO — Encore Cruises has signed
a new partnership with Princess Cruises
that will see the addition of the cruise
line’s comprehensive Hawaii and South
Pacific itineraries to the Encore portfolio.
“We are happy to offer Princess Cruises and its Hawaiian Islands and South
Pacific itineraries,” said Amr Younes, VP
of Encore Cruises. “As Encore no longer
offers Paul Gauguin cruises in that re-
8 TRAVELWEEK March 13, 2014
gion, the addition of Princess’ program
there is a great complement to our
portfolio.”
In terms of what Princess offers in the
region, there’s a 15-day Hawaiian Islands
cruise out of Vancouver that visits four
islands; a 12-day sailing from Vancouver
to Honolulu where clients can experience Kona and Kahului, a new port on
Maui; a wide range of unique itineraries
to Tahiti and the South Pacific and Fiji,
including a popular 10-day Tahiti & Polynesia cruise, an 11-day Fijian Jewels cruise
and 11-day Hawaii & Tahiti cruises.
There’s also a 10-day Marquesas &
Polynesia cruise that is roundtrip from
Tahiti, and for those looking to delve
deeper into the region, Princess also
offers longer voyages of up to 35 days
that call into ports such as Bora Bora,
Moorea and Raiatea.
Encore Cruises sells only Princess’ Hawaii
and South Pacific itineraries. For clients
looking to book another destination, call
1-800-661-6361 or visit encorecruises.com.
Book an Intair flight,
get a discount on
a Holiday House/
FunSun hotel
TORONTO — When you book your
clients on a flight to the UK or Europe
with Intair or Network, you will receive a
$25 coupon that you can apply towards
their hotel stay when booked with Holiday House or FunSun Vacations.
This new ‘Pay It Forward’ promotion is
valid on all new bookings made between
March 4 and 31, 2014, for travel anytime,
and $25 coupons are redeemable for 30
days from the date of the qualifying air
booking. Here’s how it works:
1. Book a flight through Intair or
Network to any destination in the UK
or Europe (air must be paid in full and
ticketed to qualify for the coupon);
2. You will then receive an e-mail with
the subject line ‘Pay It Forward’ that will
include a code for the $25 coupon;
3. Make a Europe or UK FIT booking
larger-than-life experiences
®
Only Sandals Resorts Includes Offshore Island Extravaganzas
Sandals takes your clients to places they’ll never find on a map. Minutes away by ferry, an epic
offshore island adventure awaits complete with secluded beaches, shaded cabanas, pools
with swim-up bars, snorkeling escapades, restaurants and mind-blowing island parties. Living
large means two exotic vacations for the price of one. It’s all part of the Sandals Difference.
Sandals
Includes
What Others
Don’t
®
More Quality Inclusions
Than Any Other Resorts on the Planet
More Land & Water Sports (even waterskiing) 7 Unlimited Scuba Diving for Certified Divers 7 Unlimited Rounds of Golf 7
Complimentary Instruction & Equipment 7 Unlimited Dining with up to 15 Restaurants per Resort 7 Exclusive Dine-Around Program
7 Up to 9 Bars Per Resort 7 Unlimited Premium Brand Liquors 7 Exclusive Stone Cellars by Beringer ® Wines 7 Stay at One, Play at
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Any Sandals 7Free Wedding 7Unique Love Nest Dream Suites 7English Guild-Trained Butlers & Concierges for Top-Tier Suites
7Poolside & Beachside Valet 7Wi-Fi & Long Distance Phone Calls† for Club Sandals Guests 7Caribbean’s Best Beaches 7 Private
Offshore Island Adventures 7Tipping, Transfers & Government Taxes 7 And More 7 Always Included & Always Unlimited
Call 1-800-545-8283 or visit sandals.com
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For more details and restrictions, go to sandals.com/free-wedding. †Conditions apply. Sandals ® is a registered trademark. Unique Vacations, Inc. is the affiliate of the worldwide representative of Sandals Resorts.
topnews
with Holiday House or FunSun Vacations
with a minimum spend of $500 (total
on file including taxes). Please note, the
booking must include a hotel stay and
have a minimum of one name that’s the
same (matching exactly) as the air booking that qualified for the coupon;
4. You can redeem one coupon per
FIT booking as a form of payment;
5. To redeem a coupon to an applicable existing FIT booking, go to Holiday
HouseAgent.ca and look for the ‘Pay It
Forward’ button (found directly under
‘Track Your Loyalty Points’). Simply enter
the booking number and the coupon
code to add it to the existing booking.
Please note, ‘Pay It Forward’ coupons
are not redeemable on hotel bookings in
the UK or Europe made through Exotik
Tours, Carte Postale or Encore Cruises.
For more information, to book flights
and to get your clients $25 off their
next UK or European hotel stay, visit
the Holiday House or Intair pages on
TravelBrandsAgent.com.
Encore offers bonus
commission of up
to 2% on all Europe
sailings
TORONTO — Encore Cruises is featuring an exclusive new promotion whereby agents will receive up to 2% bonus
commission on all Europe sailings departing this spring.
Valid on all new bookings made
between March 6 and 31, the offer is
applicable on any 2014 Europe sailing
departing in April, May or June. For
interior, ocean view or balcony staterooms, agents will receive 1% bonus
commission, for bookings in suites and
above, they will receive 2% bonus commission.
This offer applies to all of Encore’s cruise line partners including
AmaWaterways, Avalon Waterways,
Azamara Club Cruises, Costa Cruises,
Holland America Line, Norwegian
Cruise Line, MSC Cruises, Royal Ca-
a world
of solutions
ribbean International and Silversea
Cruises. It is combinable with any
cruise line offer or promotion, but is
not combinable with any other ‘Only
at Encore’ offer and is not applicable
to group bookings.
For more information or to book, call
1-800-661-6361 or visit encorecruises.com.
TPI signs three-year
agreement with
TIC to offer travel
insurance
TORONTO — Travel Professionals
International (TPI) and TIC Travel
Insurance Coordinators (TIC) have
signed a three-year exclusive agreement.
Starting Aug. 1, 2014, TPI will offer
TIC’s suite of existing and customized
travel insurance products through the
country’s largest network of independent travel advisors.
Book hotels, transfers, sightseeing and
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10 TRAVELWEEK March 13, 2014
Every agent who completes a Learning
Centre course between now and
the end of April will receive a
$10 gift card for Travel in Gear.
T R AV E L I N G E A R H A S T H E T R E N D I E ST
CO L L E C T I O N S O F L U G G AG E , E L E C T RO N I C S ,
T R AV E L ACC E S S O R I E S A N D MO R E .
The Travelweek Learning Centre is the
one-stop-shop for travel agent education in
Canada. Agents can win prizes, earn CTC
credits, improve their product knowledge
and increase their bottom line.
Get a $10 gifrty
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topnews
“We are excited to be working with
TIC,” says Tim Morgan, Vice President,
TPI. “We chose them because we feel
they are committed to achieving the
same thing that we are – success for our
travel advisors through value-added
product offerings.”
TIC values strong relationships and is
committed to working with their partners
to develop their travel insurance business,
including the choice and flexibility TIC offers in products that cater to both mass
market and niche travellers. In addition,
TPI also liked that TIC has the strength
of the Co-operators Group of Companies
behind them and over 50 years’ experience
helping travellers in an emergency.
“Above all, we’ve been impressed by
TIC’s people and culture. We’ve felt a
genuine warmth and personality from
them that makes it easy to work toward
our common goal,” said Morgan. “We’re
looking forward to working with TIC to
deliver exceptional experiences to our
advisors and their clients.”
Vietnam Discovery
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12 days | 10 nights
From Vancouver, Calgary or Edmonton
Feb. 25 – May 24, Aug. 15 – Nov. 30, 2014
2899
$
Add taxes & other fees: $115
Add $190 for departures from Toronto, Ottawa or Halifax
Add $225 for departures from Winnipeg
aircanadavacations.com/agents
Prices reflect applicable reductions, are subject to change without notice and cannot be combined with any other offer or promotion. Prices are in Canadian dollars, apply to
new bookings only and for departure dates as indicated. Prices are per person based on double occupancy, unless otherwise stated, in Economy class. Non-refundable. Subject
to availability at time of booking. Not applicable to group bookings. International flights operated by Air Canada. Holder of Quebec permit #702566. TICO registration #50013537.
BC registration #32229. Q ®Aeroplan is a registered trademark of Aeroplan Canada Inc. ®Air Canada Vacations is a registered trademark of Air Canada, used under license by Touram
Limited Partnership, 1440 St. Catherine W., Suite 600, Montreal, QC.
8767
TIC said it’s an opportunity to assist
travel advisors in increasing their business through educating more people
about how travel insurance can help
protect the client’s holiday investment.
“We care about and believe in the
growth of the travel agent market,”
says Gino Riola, Vice President, Business Development and Marketing,
TIC. “By partnering with TPI, it’s clear
that we value their role in advising and
guiding travellers and that they can
count on us to fully support their business success.”
That sense of partnership extends to
others who work with TIC and TPI, including Adventure Center President, Steven
Larkin, who commented, “TIC is a great fit
and clearly the obvious choice for us.”
Continued on page 25 ...
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12 TRAVELWEEK March 13, 2014
Africa
Sossusvlei, Namibia
Namibia Tourism Board arrives in
Toronto to share destination news
by Cindy Sosroutomo
TORONTO – The chilly temps in Toronto momentarily lifted recently
when the Namibia Tourism Board arrived to showcase some of its most
popular tours and travel products.
Several local tour operators and travel companies took part in the media
marketplace, all of which praised the
destination for being unlike any other
safari destination in Africa.
According to Ndapona Schleberger
of the Namibia Tourism Board, safety
and infrastructure are two reasons
why Namibia differs. The country is so
safe and easy to navigate that self-drive
touring has become all the rage. More
and more adventurous travellers are
renting their own safari vehicles and
hitting the open road and straight towards national parks.
Recently ranked sixth in The New
York Times’ ’52 Places To Go in 2014’
list, Namibia is known for its wide
range of experiences and conservancy
efforts. It’s home to the largest freeroaming population of black rhinoceros, the world’s tallest sand dunes
and new self-drive routes to encourage wider exploration of the country.
It’s also the only country in the world
to have its entire coastline designated
a national park, and almost half of its
land protected under the country’s
pioneering conservancy initiative.
In terms of new hotels and renovations, Namibia has plenty to be excited
about. The De Duine Hotel, a historical
landmark in Henties Bay, will receive
a $22 million facelift featuring apartments for locals to purchase as well
as a 56-room hotel. The new, modern
design will be smart but casual, with a
chic décor. Guests will have easy access
to the beach using a new pedestrian
ramp, while bars, pools, a lawn, spa,
Jacuzzi, playground and restaurant will
also be part of the development.
Hoanib Skeleton Coast Camp, a
Wilderness Safaris property, has just
opened at the confluence of two
tributaries of the Hoanib River in the
northern part of the private Palmwag
Concession. Its location straddles both
the Palmwag area and the iconic Skeleton Coast National Park, in one of the
most remote areas of the Kaokoveld.
Exclusivity is taken a step further as
the camp is only accessible by light aircraft. It features only seven twin-bedded tents and one family unit, each
comprising stylish en-suite bedrooms
with shaded outdoor decks.
Popa Falls Camp reopened last November after being closed for refurbishment since March 2013. Situated on the
Kavango River, this Namibia Wildlife
Resorts property features 10 spacious
chalets, three family/double units, four
luxury units and 10 campsites. A spacious three-room house can be rented
out to large families, groups or made
Africa
available to tour operator guides and
drivers. The new restaurant has a fully
equipped kitchen and full-service bar,
while the river jetty now boasts a bar
facility ideal for sundowners. Also new
is a conference facility that can accommodate up to 100 people.
Pelican Point Lodge recently opened
near Walvis Bay, providing unique accommodations on Namibia’s coastline
where the desert sand dunes meet the
Atlantic Ocean. Its nine suites located
at the foot of a working lighthouse offer contemporary comfort, with private
decks from where guests can watch
seals and dolphins playing in the waves.
Lastly, Strand Hotel, Swakopmund
will be redeveloped into a new fourstar hotel on Namibia’s coast in April
2015. Upon completion, it will boast
135 rooms, three restaurants, three
bars, a conference centre, microbrewery, a deli shop, beach kiosk as
14 TRAVELWEEK March 13, 2014
well as a public spa and fitness centre
with heated swimming pool.
Travellers can get to Namibia easier
now that Air Namibia has announced
a new interline agreement with Lufthansa. This allows for seamless travel to
Windhoek with just one stop in Frankfurt from North American destinations
served by the German airline. To benefit from this new agreement, bookings
must be made with Lufthansa through
Windhoek (WDH). Passengers transfer
onto Air Namibia’s new Airbus A330-200
in Frankfurt, which features a two-class
cabin layout that seats 244 passengers
(30 in business and 214 in economy).
Packages to Namibia are bountiful,
with Goway’s 11-day ‘Namibian Discovery’ leading the way. Priced from
$2,953 per person, double occupancy,
this roundtrip package includes highlights like Etosha National Park, Damaraland, Swakopmund and Sossusvlei.
Price includes 10 nights’ accommodation with private facilities, 10 breakfasts and seven dinners, most sightseeing activities, accommodation taxes,
park entrance and conservation fees,
hotel porterage and all transportation
in air-conditioned mini or midi-buses.
Price does not include international
airfare, air taxes, unspecified meals
and activities and gratuities. Departures are set for July 14, Aug. 18, Sept. 8
and 22, Oct. 20 and Nov. 17.
Also available is Big Five’s ‘Namibia —
Desert & Beyond’ package from its Enrichment Series — Livingstone Collection. This package explores the oldest
desert in the world — the Namib Desert — and scales some of the world’s
highest freestanding sand dunes at Sossusvlei. Guests will also visit Twyfelfontein, a Stone Age site known for some
2,500 ancient petroglyphs, and explore
Etosha National Park during a game
viewing safari. Other highlights include
a visit to Okonjima, home of the AfriCat Foundation, where guests can track
the big cats on foot and learn about
cheetah welfare.
This package is priced from $14,328
per person, double occupancy, land
only, and includes daily accommodations, hotel taxes and service charges,
most meals, all hotel/airport transfers,
ground transportation in mini buses
and/or safari vehicles, all sightseeing,
game viewing, entrance and park fees,
pre-tour planning materials, Big Five’s
24-hour White Glove Service guest
assistance and Big Five’s Complimentary Trip Interruption Insurance (not
intended to replace comprehensive
travel insurance). This package is valid
through Dec. 15, 2014.
namibiatourism.com.na
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Air Mauritius and
Air France broaden
the scope of their
collaboration
Earlier this year, Air France-KLM and Air
Mauritius signed an agreement that reinforces and broadens the scope of their existing collaboration. Signed by Alexandre
de Juniac, Chairman and Managing Director of Air France-KLM, and Andre Viljoen,
Chief Executive Officer of Air Mauritius,
the agreement provides for the continuity of the joint Air Mauritius-Air France
code share operations between ParisCharles de Gaulle and Sir Seewoosagur
Ramgoolam Airport-Mauritius.
During Northern Winter 2013/14,
the two airlines will offer up to 16 flights
a week on the route. Furthermore, Air
Mauritius customers have the possibility
to connect beyond Charles de Gaulle to
European destinations on Air France operated flights. Similarly, Air France customers are able to connect to Reunion on Air
Mauritius operated flights.
The scope of the agreement has
been broadened to cover the sharing of
knowledge in several areas of the business, including Commercial Operations,
Revenue Management, Cost Management, Procurement, Maintenance and
Fuel Conservation, among others.
“The agreement signed is in line with
the historical presence of Air France
in Mauritius, which it has been serving without interruption since 1946.
We have reinforced our collaboration
namely by agreeing to share knowledge
in various key areas for Air Mauritius.
By joining forces on the Paris-Mauritius
route, we are always offering more frequencies and opportunities for connections, namely from our powerful hub in
Paris Charles de Gaulle for the benefit
of all our customers,” said de Juniac.
Since Nov. 1, 2012, customers can
benefit from both the Air Mauritius
and Air France loyalty programs, Flying Blue and Kestrelflyer. Members of
these programs can earn Miles on the
loyalty program of Air France or that
of Air Mauritius between Paris and
Mauritius, Reunion and Mauritius as
well as European destinations served
by Air France from the Paris-Charles
de Gaulle hub.
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Members of the Kestrel Flyer program may also earn tickets with their
Miles earned on the whole Air FranceKLM network, just as members of the
Air France-KLM’s Flying Blue program
may choose to use their Miles on the
whole Air Mauritius network.
yto@airmauritiusna.com
Zara Tours puts more
people on Kilimanjaro
than any other
company
Zara Tours (ZARA Tanzania Adventures), a local outfitter based in Moshi,
has evolved over the course of 25 years
to become Tanzania’s largest Kilimanjaro
outfitter and one of the country’s largest
safari operators with daily departures and
a choice of six routes. In fact, the company puts more people on the Kilimanjaro
summit than any other company.
Weekly Kilimanjaro departures are
available on seven group safari itineraries that travel through wild areas and
amazing bush lands. Safaris include
friendly, experienced officials and stan-
March 13, 2014 TRAVELWEEK 15
Africa
dard properties like Springlands and
Highview, as well as tented camps.
Zara’s individual safari in Tanzania
can include any park and areas of
Northern Tanzania, including Kilimanjaro Mountain, Ngorongoro Crater, Olduvai Gorge, Serengeti, Arusha
National Park and Lake Manyara. Individual itineraries in the north range
from one to nine days and visit the
aforementioned spots, plus Tanangire, Oldoinyo Lingai, Usambara
Mountains and Lake Victoria.
South itineraries include five-day
Selous safaris and 12-day trips that
add Mikumi, Ruaha and the Udzung-
wa Mountains. Also available are three
weekly group packages that combine
Kilimanjaro climbs of five to seven
days with four- to five-day safaris to
comprise 11- to 13-day adventures.
Plus, there’s an 18-day combination
trip that combines a seven-day safari
with a visit to Zanzibar.
Zara Tours can also coordinate cultural tours as part of its long days tour
or as a day tour. According to the company, these tours offers travellers the
unique opportunity to experience the
lifestyle of bush people and the amazing wildlife resources of Tanzania.
zaratours.com
Touring South Africa
with Tourcan
Vacations
Tourcan Vacations is offering the 10day ‘Glimpse of South Africa’ package,
priced at $2,599 per person, sharing.
The cost includes all land arrangements
and domestic airfare (taxes are extra at
approximately $250 per person). This
tour is based on a minimum of two
people travelling, with four nights spent
at a four-star hotel in Cape Town with
daily breakfast and one half-day and
one full-day sightseeing tour. Guests
will also spend two nights in Johannesburg, including accommodation, daily
breakfast and a tour of Soweto.
In addition, the tour includes three
nights at a private game lodge with
game drives in open 4x4 vehicles. Airfare to and from the lodge, all meals
and a game ranger are included. Travellers can choose to extend their journey.
Tourcan Vacations offers a variety
of airlines that provide services to Af16 TRAVELWEEK March 13, 2014
rican destinations. Its air department
has contracts with major airlines and
can provide competitive net airfare to
most of the key cities in Africa. The department can also assist with complicated routings, business class fares and
round-the-word airfare
ayau@tourcanvacations.com
lucy@tourcanvacations.com
Travellers can
de-stress with
Extraordinary
Journey’s yoga safari
This May, Extraordinary Journeys will
be leading wellness travellers on its exclusive nine-day ‘Dunia Yoga Safari’ in
Kenya, led by Whitney Bushnell, a certified, private yoga instructor.
Departing May 16-24, this unique
safari will be filled with exciting wildlife
watching in Samburu National Park and
Maasai Mara National Reserve, not to
mention invigorating yoga and meditation classes in the African Bush. While
in Nairobi, travellers will also have the
opportunity to take part in one of the
largest donation-based community
classes in Africa with the Africa Yoga
Project, an organization that empowers
over 250,000 Kenyans a year through
the power of yoga.
The adventure begins in Nairobi
where guests will spend a day visiting the
Africa Yoga Project’s Shine Center, which
educates Kenya’s youth through yoga
practice, meditation, performing arts,
health education, relationship building
and community activism. For their stay
in Nairobi, guests will enjoy accommodations at the elegant and intimate Kar-
en Blixen Cottages, surrounded by hundreds of varieties of flowers and trees.
On the third day, the trip journeys
to Samburu Game Reserve in northern
Kenya, a landscape of endless rolling
plains and home to a number of rare
wildlife species, including Grevy’s zebra,
reticulated giraffe, Somali ostrich and
the Beisa oryx. After long days of game
drives, guided walks and restorative
yoga sessions, guests will unwind in one
of Saruni Samburu’s stunning open-facing houses featuring multiple verandas
that overlook the landscape.
On day six, the itinerary heads to
Maasai Mara, Kenya’s most renowned
reserve that spans 74,000 acres. Known
as the ‘Jewel of Africa’, the Maasai Mara
contains one of the largest concentrations of big game in Africa, and its
savannah is home to one of the most
spectacular animal migrations in the
world. Guests will enjoy their stay at
Saruni Mara, renowned for its excellent
guides and walking expeditions.
The trip winds down in Nairobi for a
chance to visit the AFEW Giraffe Center and the Daphne Sheldrick Elephant
Orphanage, which fosters abandoned
baby elephants.
This package is priced from $4,990
per person, double, and includes accommodations at Karen Blixen Coffee
Garden & Cottages in Nairobi, and deluxe safari lodges Saruni Samburu and
Saruni Mara. Package includes most
meals, guided walks, game drives, cultural activities, flights within Kenya and
yoga/meditation classes. International
flights are not included.
extraordinaryjourneys.net
“Moroccan cuisine is a delight for
the senses and considered as one of
the more delicious cuisines of the
world. Moroccans rely on healthy
choices such as olive and argan oils,
fragrant spices, aromatic plants
and natural herbs in almost all of
their preparations. To travel to Morocco and not indulge in the country’s premier attraction would be
like going to Whistler and not go
skiing,” said Firdosh Bulsara, GM of
MyEscapades.com.
Starting off in Casablanca, guests will
enjoy dinner at the famous Rick’s Café,
a restaurant and piano bar set in an old
courtyard-style mansion. The fine dining continues at Ben Slimane Winery
for a sublime gastronomic experience
at Cave Thalvin.
From there, the itinerary includes
sightseeing in Casablanca with stops at
Hassan II Mosque, the largest religious
monument after Mecca, as well as the
Habous, the old legal center of the city
where to this day religious lawyers conduct business of marriages and wills in
traditional manner.
Then it’s off to Marrakech, located
at the crossroads of the ancient caravan route from Timbuktu. Guests will
stay at Palais Sebban, a stylish but tra-
ditional ‘riad’ that dates back to the
19th century. Highlights in Marrakech
include Djema El Fna Square, dinner
at the 14th-century Palais Gharnata
restaurant, two cooking lessons, Koutoubia Mosque, the Saadian Tombs,
El Bahia Palace and the Ben Youssef
Medresa.
In Fez, guests will stay at Riad Fes,
and explore the famous Medina and
the Tanneries, Karaouine Mosque,
Mouley Idriss Mausoleum and the famous soukhs. Lunch will be enjoyed
at Maison Blance.
While on the way to Meknes for a
full-day excursion, the group will stop
at Morocco’s renowned wineries for
some wine tasting and lunch. A befitting gala farewell dinner in Fez’s Maison
Bleue will close out the trip.
This one-of-a-kind tour starts in
Casablanca on May 17 and ends in
Fez on May 25. Package includes
deluxe accommodations, air-conditioned transport, professional guide,
all sightseeing and meals at boutique
restaurants. Land-only price is $3,671
per person, sharing twin, based on
two couples travelling together. MyEscapades.com pays 13% commission
on published tour programs.
info@myescapades.com
MyEscapades.com
delves into delicious
‘Moroccain Delights’
For your foodie clients, MyEscapades.
com has a package that they’ll truly
savour. The nine-day ‘Moroccain Delights’ showcases the wines and cuisine
the country is known for, in addition to
many of its top attractions.
March 13, 2014 TRAVELWEEK 17
Tour Operator News
Douro river in Porto, Portugal
ATOURZ’s ‘Scenic Douro River Cruise’
is the perfect choice for all travellers
by Cindy Sosroutomo
There’s no better way to see the sights
in Europe than by river cruise, something ATOURZ can personally attest
to. As floating hotels, river cruise
ships are able to venture into smaller,
off-the-beaten path towns and cities and allow passengers to travel in
comfort without ever having to unpack and repack. And as ATOURZ’s
eight-day ‘Scenic Douro River Cruise’
proves, this type of travel is ideal for
just about anyone.
“There’s a reason why river cruising is gaining in popularity,” said Elena
Prountzopoulos, Head of Tour Operations at ATOURZ. “Not only is it a more
intimate and personable way to travel,
it’s also a highly romantic and luxurious
way to explore some of Europe’s most
hidden jewels. Whether clients are 50plus, honeymooners or multi-generational, river cruising offers something
for everyone.”
The ‘Scenic Douro River Cruise’ starts
in Porto, Portugal where passengers
will board the MS Douro Spirit Ship for
a welcome cocktail and dinner. From
there, the ship sails to Régua for some
Port wine tasting and an optional tour
of Lamego before heading to Pinhão.
Passengers will awake to find themselves in Vega Terron, Spain where they
can enjoy an optional tour to Figueira
de Castelo Rodrigo.
The latter half of the voyage will sail
to Vega Terron, Barca d’Alva and Entreos-Rios with highlights like an optional
tour to Salamanca with Spanish lunch
and flamenco show, Portuguese barbecue dinner onboard, dinner at Quinta
da Avessada with drinks included,
lunch at the Alpendurada Monastery,
an optional tour to Porto city with a
visit to a wine lodge, and a special farewell dinner onboard.
Priced from $1,559 per person, double occupancy with departures on July
9, 16, 23 and 30, ‘Scenic Douro River
Cruise’ includes seven nights’ accommodation, seven breakfasts, six lunches
and seven dinners, and entertainment/
activities as per itinerary.
res@atourz.ca
DHTour’s day tours
& Back Roads cruises
nearly sold out
DHTour of Burlington, the Canadian
agents for the Back Roads Touring company, says that the mini-coach tours of
Back Roads sell out just like small river
cruising does. For example, the wildly
popular ‘Corners of Cornwall’ is sold
out for most 2014 spring and summer
dates and is close to selling out completely. The same applies to many other
of its eclectic tours throughout the
U.K. and Europe, including the popular
‘WWI Battlefield’ weekends from Lille.
Tour Operator & Air Consolidator
Personalized travel arrangements to
Italy, France, Spain, Portugal, Greece, Turkey, Scandinavia, Iceland, Czech Republic, South Africa
JOURNEY TO EUROPE 2014
Order the brochure at www.envoynetworks.ca or call 1800-668 7475
“We only sell what we know best”
www.victours.ca info@victours.ca Ontario Registration#1243371
DHTour also reports that it has added some day tours from London to visit
Highclere Castle, also known as ‘Downton Abbey’. There are virtually no admission times left for the general public
to Highclere Castle in 2014, so these
limited number of tours are selling very
quickly, all around the world. DHTour
offers its own tour on April 19, which
includes a pub lunch in Buckleberry,
Kate Middleton’s hometown.
Limited space is still available on the
D-Day Anniversary tours, Women Only
Wales and the Royal Residences plus
Downton tour in August.
dhgrouptours.com
Victours unveils
new brochure,
participates in
supplier workshops
Victours, which specializes in customized FIT and group tours, has debuted its
new brochure that provides insight into
its unique and romantic itineraries. Of
particular interest is its new line of tours
designed especially for travellers wishing
to experience the highlights of France and
Italy. Travelling between cities by train allows clients to immerse themselves in the
vibrant culture of these historic destinations without the stress of road travel.
In other company news, Victours will
be participating in supplier workshops,
including the one sponsored by Destination France 2014 in Toronto and Vancouver. This fall, the company will also
be hosting an educational trip to Italy,
which exemplifies the company’s motto of ‘We only sell what we know best’.
victours.ca
Insight announces
definite departures
on all European Gold
Luxury trips
Insight Vacations is offering passengers the trip of a lifetime with its
2014/2015 Gold Luxury Collection and
exclusive Signature Experiences, which
include VIP access to incredible sights
in some of the world’s most soughtafter European destinations.
“Agents can reassure their clients that
our trips are definite departures and
should encourage them to book their
trips soon to avoid disappointment as
our departures are filling up fast,” said
Cris David, president, Insight Vacations
Canada. “On a Gold Luxury escorted
journey, clients stay at the finest hotels,
enjoy Signature dining and embark on
captivating authentic experiences with
exclusive access to unique sights, all of
which are key components for creating
lasting vacation memories.”
Set to be a hit among clients this year
is the 10-day ‘Spanish Gold’ holiday,
during which plenty of wine tasting will
be enjoyed. When in Toledo, travellers
will witness expert craftsmen at work
in a local damascene workshop (a Signature Experience), where steel is inlaid
with gold, silver and copper thread.
Travellers will also spend a romantic
afternoon in Seville, taking in views of
the city by horse-drawn carriage. After
staying in the stunning city of Granada,
they’ll end the tour in Barcelona where
they’ll spend the day touring the Gothic Quarter, the Cathedral and Gaudi’s
extraordinary Sagrada Familia.
Insight’s Gold Luxury is an exclusive collection of deluxe escorted
journeys that focuses on luxury, authentic local experiences and service.
DHTour
March 13, 2014 TRAVELWEEK 19
Tour Operator News
SPECIALISTS
IN FULLY
CUSTOMIZED
ITINERARIES
Its Signature Hotel collection features
handpicked luxury hotels throughout
these customized itineraries. Clients
will enjoy local stays at manor houses,
Relaix and Châteaux properties and
unique hotels when visiting smaller
towns. Many of Insight’s selected hotels are members of Leading Hotels
of the World or other globally recognized luxury brands or boutique hotel associations.
As for dining, discerning travellers
will delight in Insight’s Signature Dining
Experiences such as Dine-Around excursions with the choice of several top
restaurants specializing in local cuisine.
They will also savour Welcome Dinners,
four-course and full buffet hotel dining
and à la carte menus in gourmet and
smaller local restaurants.
For a limited time, travellers can enjoy a savings of up to 7.5% on Europe
and Britain tours, and an additional
7.5% savings on air.
insightvacations.com
“In the past year, Andrea has successfully negotiated at a national level,
securing an increased profile for us
with agencies and consortia throughout Ontario, Nova Scotia and Manitoba,” said Jill Brett, President of DeNureTours. “It seemed only natural to
expand her role at this time.”
Andrea’s most recent project is to organize agent training sessions in seven
Ontario cities. These sessions will be
followed by consumer presentations
that will share information about the
company’s unique long-stay programs
to the southern sun, as well as its 2014
tours and cruises throughout North
America, Britain and Europe.
“I hope agents will take advantage
of these training sessions to learn
more about us and what we can offer
them,” added Mendelsohn. “We also
encourage agents to either bring their
clients to our consumer presentations,
or take the opportunity to come and
meet some new clients at the event.”
Agent training sessions will begin on
March 25 and will take place in London, Oakville, Hamilton, St. Catharines,
Mississauga, Toronto and Ottawa. Additionally, consumer presentations are
being held in Barrie, Orillia, Oshawa,
Cobourg, Peterborough, Lindsay, Belleville and Kingston.
info@denuretours.com
DeNureTours
promotes Andrea
Mendelsohn
After just one year with DeNureTours,
Andrea Mendelsohn has taken on additional responsibility by becoming the
Director of Sales, National Accounts.
Your #1 choice to:
Lisbon,
Porto & Faro
atourz.ca
877 728 6870
grecianholidays.com
800 268 6786
Car Rentals
Exclusive to Accord Tours
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Agents can book
easier with Tauck’s
Agent Connect portal
Travel agents selling Tauck are finding
that managing their bookings is easier
than ever before, thanks to the company’s
newly launched Agent Connect web portal. The password-protected, dedicated
travel agent site allows travel professionals registered at Agent Connect to quickly
and easily service their Tauck clients with
a range of new online tools available 24
hours a day, seven days a week.
“We’re dedicated to continually improving every aspect of our business,”
said Tauck CEO Dan Mahar, “whether it’s crafting the industry’s finest
guided land journeys and cruises or
enhancing the ways we support our
network of travel agents before and
after their clients travel with Tauck.
Agent Connect is just the latest example of Tauck’s commitment to our
travel agent partners.”
With Agent Connect, travel professionals can now access clients’ booking details and provide information
ranging from flight details to emergency contact info. Agents can also
make online payments for their clients and register to receive email notifications when travel details are due
or missing. In addition, agents can
Ont. Reg# 1649491
&
1908-777 Bay St, Toronto, Ontario
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20 TRAVELWEEK March 13, 2014
Gros Morne in Newfoundland
access and update their own account
details, including full name, preferred
name, email address, photo and other
personal information.
Tauck will be expanding the site with
new features in the coming months.
Travel professionals interested in utilizing Agent Connect can access it via
Tauck’s website.
tauck.com
Monograms
highlights best of
Newfoundland with
new tour
Newfoundland’s scenic seascapes and
warm hospitality are being showcased in
Monogram’s new tour this year. The nineday ‘Newfoundland, Off the Beaten Track’
tour joins the company’s lineup of Canadian tours and combines the freedom of
driving at your own pace with the convenience of a tested itinerary. This includes
pre-booked hotels and the services of a
genial Local Host in St. John’s.
The itinerary includes four nights in
busy and colourful St. John’s, by far the
largest city in the province, and highlights the rural charms of the welcoming village of Trinity — a popular art-
ists’ haunt — and the grandeur of Terra
Nova National Park.
Priced from $959 plus airfare, this
tour includes accommodation, Local
Host services and a detailed destination
guide. Travellers can bring their own
car by ferry to Newfoundland or rent a
Hertz car with Monograms.
monogramstravel.com
offered for à la carte hotels available
through Transat Holidays.
In other news, the tour operator is
also enhancing its summer 2014 south
program by adding Panama and Las Vegas as well as a second flight from Montreal to Port-au-Prince. Nolitours will
offer all-inclusive packages in Panama
with flights operated by Copa Airlines,
departing every Friday from May 2 to
Oct. 31 from Toronto and June 6 to
Oct. 31 from Montreal.
Air Transat will also be adding
an additional flight from Montreal
to Port-au-Prince. In addition to
the weekly flight departing every
Wednesday, a second one will be offered Mondays from June 23 to Aug.
25, 2014.
Another new addition to the program, Las Vegas will be available from
Montreal with two flights per week on
Thursdays and Sundays, from Aug. 28
to Nov. 16, 2014.
transatholidays.com
Transat enhances
number of à la carte
hotels, adds Panama
and Vegas
Transat has announced that it will be
enhancing the number of à la carte hotels it offers in collaboration with HotelBeds, a new supplier.
This new partnership adds 50,000
properties to the number offered by
Transat in some 147 countries. Travellers will now find it even easier to spend
a few days at the beach or in the city,
whatever their budget. Sold under the
Transat Holidays brand, these hotels
are now available through airtransat.ca,
as well as on transatholidaysagent.com
and through SIREV.
The travel agent commission rate
will be the same as the one currently
March 13, 2014 TRAVELWEEK 21
Hotels & Resorts
Sunwing offers families and couples
upscale vacations in Jamaica
by Cindy Sosroutomo
Jamaica remains a vacation favourite
among Canadians, enticing travellers
with its powdery soft sands, mountain
ranges and laidback island vibe. Sunwing gives travellers even more reason
to book a vacation with its wide array
of Jamaica resorts.
The all-inclusive Sensatori Resort Negril, part of Sunwing’s exclusive Luxury
Collection, has been highly recommended by past Sunwing vacationers. Guests
can choose from a variety of dining
options and enjoy well-appointed and
spacious rooms or suites, premium beverages, daily activities, fully equipped fitness centre, concierge service and much
more. And as an added bonus, it caters
to families with a vast number of kidfriendly options, including a kids club,
Splash Park, special pool and play areas,
activities and age-appropriate games.
Also available is the Grand Lido Negril Resort & Spa, an adults-only resort.
Part of Sunwing’s exclusive Adults Collection, this waterfront property offers
couples and singles-looking-to-mingle
an all-inclusive vacation. Guests can
dine to their hearts content at à la carte
restaurants that serve international,
Italian, French nouvelle, Japanese and
Jamaican fare. Other on-site amenities
include a lavish spa facility and suites
that come with stunning views of the
beach or tropical gardens.
For Canadians seeking an opulent vacation experience, the Royalton White
Sands in Montego Bay certainly delivers. This property offers a variety of luxury rooms and suites featuring upscale
amenities, modern décor and gorgeous
views. Guests can enjoy fine dining at
the à la carte and buffet restaurants
on site, and enjoy a plethora of activities like table tennis, beach Olympics
and kayaking. Fresh cocktails and cool
beverages flow freely from the various
bars, while rooms with swim-up access,
premium food & drink and butler service complete the luxury experience.
All room categories include water park
access, while discounts on spa treatments are extended to Diamond Club
members.
sunwing.ca
Dreams Tulum
completes several
enhancements
Dreams Tulum Resort & Spa recently
completed several enhancements, including redesigning 222 guestrooms,
updating gardens and refreshing the
Sky Sports Bar and Lounge Bar. The
resort has also announced the addition of rooms and suites that will
be exclusively for adults, and will be
available beginning in May.
All 222 rooms and suites were greatly
improved with comfortable new furnish-
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For special deals & offers join us at
©2014
Photo courtesy of AMResorts
Hotels & Resorts
Dreams Tulum
ings, bathrooms complete with showers and Jacuzzi bathtubs, LED 42-inch
flatscreen televisions, LED lighting and
contemporary Mexican décor. A total of
180 Deluxe and Junior Suite Garden View
rooms and 42 Deluxe and Junior Suite
Ocean View rooms were also embellished
with these luxurious new amenities. Of
the 180 Deluxe and Junior Suite Garden
View rooms, 44 of them were transformed into Preferred Club Swimout
rooms, which grant guests direct access
to a pool from their private terrace.
In addition to the new rooms and
suites, the 44-acre property have been
enriched with fresh flowers, lush green
plants, palm trees and fountains with LED
lighting and sound. The Sky Sports Bar
now features a sleek new design and LED
HD televisions, while the Lounge Bar has
also been redone with new furnishings.
Beginning this May, Dreams Tulum will
introduce 46 Deluxe Garden View, Junior
Suite Garden View, Preferred Club Deluxe
Swimout and Preferred Club Junior Suite
Swimout rooms that will be exclusive to
adults. These adults-only rooms & suites
will be located in a secluded section of
the resort, and guests are able to book
these new rooms for May 2014 effective
immediately.
dreamsresorts.com
Starwood anticipates
huge growth in North
America this year
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. is expecting another year of
robust growth in North America with
approximately 30 new hotels slated to
open by year’s end. This growth will
be driven by the rapid proliferation of
its Four Points by Sheraton and Aloft
brands and a surge in conversions
across several of its brands, including
Le Méridien, which is experiencing
strong development momentum.
In 2013, Starwood opened 33 new
hotels and signed 52 new hotel deals
in North America, up 27% over sign-
ings of the previous year and the
most signed since before the global
economic crisis.
The company’s ‘Specialty Select’
brands – Four Points by Sheraton,
Aloft and Element – are leading Starwood’s growth in North America and
account for approximately 75% of
new hotel openings in the region in
2014. As a group, these brands have
grown 80% globally since 2008 and
are on track to surpass 200 hotels in
North America this year.
Four Points by Sheraton will open
12 new hotels in North America this
year, including the first Four Points in
Charleston, West Virginia; Phoenix, Arizona; and Surrey, British Columbia; as
well as its second in Nashville, Tennessee and the fourth in Manhattan. Boasting the second largest global pipeline
among all of its Starwood brands, Four
Points by Sheraton will open its 200th
hotel worldwide this year as it nears its
125th milestone in North America.
The Aloft brand will surpass 60 hotels in North America in 2014 after
signing 16 new hotel deals in the region
last year. The brand will enter numerous new markets with eight new hotels
in North America, including two more
adaptive re-use projects.
Element, Starwood’s eco-wise
brand, is picking up momentum with
three openings planned for North
America this year in Harrison, New
Jersey; Hanover, New Hampshire; and
Fargo, North Dakota; plus its first in
Europe in Frankfurt, Germany. Element will open its 15th hotel in North
America in 2015 including its first in
Orlando, second in Miami and second in Canada (Vancouver).
starwoodhotels.com
TORONTO DEPARTURES
JAMAICA
ONE WEEK . ALL INCLUSIVE
ROYALTON WHITE SANDS
MONTEGO BAY +++++
LUXURY ROOM t APR 06, 09, 11 & 13
$
1195
+ $425 Taxes
TToronto
oro departures. Price is gross per person based on double occupancy for 7 nights on all inclusive vacations (unless otherwise specified) and was available at the time of printing. Seats at the above price are limited and
subject to change without prior notice. Applicable to new bookings only. Not combinable with any other offers. Transportation taxes & related fees shown must be pre-paid. Flights are with Sunwing Airlines or Travel
subj
Service. For full terms and conditions, please refer to the Sunwing Vacations 2013/14 brochure. 27 Fasken Drive, Toronto, Ontario, M9W 1K6. Ont Reg #2476582 | 03132014
Serv
24 TRAVELWEEK March 13, 2014
topnews
Continued from page 12 ...
Sunwing Airlines’
aircraft with Split
Scimitar Winglets is
now in service
TORONTO — Sunwing’s first aircraft with
the fuel efficiency Split Scimitar Winglets
designed by Aviation Partners Boeing is officially in service.
This technology improves performance
of the aircraft and decreases fuel burn by
approximately 7% over the same aircraft
with no Winglets.
Sunwing is the first airline in Canada and
the second in the world to commercially
fly the second generation Split Scimitar
Blended Winglets and will retrofit its entire fleet of Boeing 737-800s with this new
technology by the end of May.
“We feel we have a responsibility as a
market leader in Canada to continue investing in technology which reduces our
environmental impact,” says Mark Wil-
liams, President of Sunwing Airlines. “Sunwing has the lowest CO2 emissions per
seat mile of any major airline in Canada
and this new initiative will lower our emissions even further.”
Aviation Partners Boeing is a Seattle-
based joint venture of Aviation Partners,
Inc. and The Boeing Company. Nearly 5,000
first generation Blended Winglet Systems
are now in service with over 200 airlines in
more than 100 countries. APB estimates
that Blended Winglets have saved airlines
Free
Excursions
Add some fun to your holiday!
Cayo Coco – FREE Beach Party
Camaguey – FREE Rancho King Excursion
Holguin – FREE Nautical Excursion
Varadero – FREE Cabaret Show
Havana – FREE Tropicana Show
Santiago de Cuba – FREE Nautical Excursion
Please inquire for more details.
AGENT ACCESS: www.holacaribeagent.ca t Amadeus t Sirev | CALL CENTER/RESERVATIONS: 905.882.9445 or 1.800.668.8178
Prices are in CAD, per person, based on double occupancy and subject to change without notice. Space is subject to availability at time of booking. Rates based on lowest room category offered.
All departures are from Toronto on Cubana Airlines, Air Transat or Canjet and taxes of $180 must be added to the published rates. All EBB’s mention will reflect in the published rate. Refer to our
CSPDIVSFGPSGVMMUFSNTBOEDPOEJUJPOT)PMB4VO)PMJEBZTt8FTU#FBWFS$SFFL3E6OJU3JDINPOE)JMM-#$0OU3FH
March 13, 2014 TRAVELWEEK 25
topnews
worldwide more than 3.8 billion gallons of
jet fuel to-date.
For more information, visit aviation
partnersboeing.com.
Sunwing Airlines
receives 2014
Consumer Choice
Award
Non-stop flights
from Toronto on
Air, Hotel & Transfers
Jamaica Grande
Resort AAAa
All-Inclusive
Exclusive renovated standard rm.
*UNEsWK
999
$
Add taxes & other fees: $150
Add $50 for Sat. & Sun. departure
aircanadavacations.com/agents
Prices are subject to change without notice and cannot be combined with any other offer or promotion. Prices are in Canadian dollars, are valid at time of printing, apply
to new bookings only and for departure dates as indicated. Prices are per person based on double occupancy, from Toronto - Pearson International Airport in Economy
class and include surcharges. Non-refundable. Not applicable to group bookings. Flights operated by Air Canada or Air Canada rouge. For applicable terms and conditions, consult
the Air Canada Vacations brochures or www.aircanadavacations.com/agents. Q ®Aeroplan is a registered trademark of Aimia Canada Inc. ®Air Canada Vacations is a registered
trademark of Air Canada, used under license by Touram Limited Partnership, 1440 St. Catherine W., Suite 600, Montreal, QC.
8782
holic beverages, a 20kg baggage allowance,
and a Hot & Fresh Bistro meal served with
a choice of red or white wine.
All passengers are also treated to complimentary inflight entertainment, including first-run movies with a free headset,
which is theirs to keep.
Lufthansa unveils
new Premium
Economy Class with
up to 50% more room
BERLIN — The ITB 2014 in Berlin was the
scene of a world premiere on its opening
day: Lufthansa’s new Premium Economy
Class was presented to industry experts.
The new travel class can be booked
from May onwards and will be available
from November 2014, initially on the
Boeing 747-8. The new seats will gradually be fitted on the entire long-haul
fleet within 12 months.
“Our Premium Economy Class will
create a completely new travel experience that combines affordability with
greater comfort. The seats offer up to
50% more room than Economy Class
and will position us in a premium segment within the international competitive environment,” said Jens Bischof, the
Member of the Lufthansa German Airlines Board in charge of Sales, Product
and Marketing, during a presentation
at the Lufthansa booth in hall 25.
The new product will enable Lufthansa
to meet the requirements of many business and private passengers who travel
with other airlines in a similar travel class
or who fly Economy Class due to travel
specifications. Following the introduction of its new full-flat Business Class,
Lufthansa created a much wider gap between Economy and Business Class. As a
result, there is now room for its new Premium Economy Class, which offers considerably more space and comfort, as well
C
O
U
P
O
N
TORONTO — The 2014 Consumer
Choice Award has been presented to Sunwing Airlines for winning in the category
of Aircraft Charter Services for the Greater
Toronto Area.
This award is given to a very select group
of business owners and entrepreneurs recognized by customers for their business
excellence.
“The entire Sunwing team is honoured
to have been chosen and recognized as
the best Charter Airline by consumers in
Toronto,” says Mark Williams, President
of Sunwing Airlines. “We are extremely
pleased that customers appreciate our investment in industry leading services such
as our new Hot & Fresh Bistro meals and
champagne flights.”
Sunwing is known for its inflight experience on a wide variety of direct flights
from over 30 gateways across Canada.
“While other airlines are cutting back on
inflight service, all guests onboard Sunwing
Airlines receive Elite Service at no extra
charge, which features a complimentary
glass of champagne to toast their upcoming vacation, hot towel service, non-alco-
JAMAICA
Choose from the trendiest
collections of luggage, electronics
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www.travelingear.com
26 TRAVELWEEK March 13, 2014
20% OFF purchases
with pomo code:
BLUE RAG
topnews
approximately 3.9 inches of more room
on the side due to each seat having its
own wide armrest and a centre console
between the seats. The back rest can be
reclined further and a seat pitch of 38
inches offers significantly more space.
As a result, passengers have approximately one-and-a-half times as much
room as compared to Economy Class.
With a baggage allowance of two
items weighing up to 50lb each, passengers can take twice as much free luggage
with them compared to Economy Class.
For an extra 25 euros, passengers can
also enjoy the comfort of the Lufthansa
Business Lounges before their departure.
Previously, lounges were only open to
status customers and were otherwise
unavailable on a pay-to-enter basis.
Check-in and boarding procedures,
as well as hand luggage regulations, are
the same as in Economy Class.
An enhanced service awaits Premium
Economy passengers onboard: They are
greeted with a welcome drink and will
as many additional product features, but
is closer to Economy Class than Business
Class in terms of its average prices.
The move also means that Lufthansa
is introducing a completely new travel
class for the first time in 35 years.
“The design and features of the new seat
in particular are based on extensive passenger surveys and workshops with sales
partners – a process that has been successfully used at Lufthansa. Following the
upgrade of our First and Business Class, the
installation of 3,600 seats on all 106 of our
long-haul aircraft in just one year will mean
another step towards becoming a five-star
airline,” continued Bischof. “We expect to
see more than 1.5 million passengers per
year in our new Premium Economy Class.”
The new seats were designed in partnership with the company müller/romca
Industrial Design in Kiel and produced by
the seat manufacturer ZIM Flugsitz near
Lake Constance. Depending on the aircraft type, they are up to 1.2 inches wider
and provide greater privacy, as well as
find their own water bottle, as well as
a high-quality amenity kit with practical travel accessories at their seat. Meals
are presented on menus commensurate
with the new travel class and served on
porcelain tableware.
Passengers can navigate the extensive
inflight entertainment program using
their own touchscreen monitor on the
seat in front of them. This can also be
done using a remote control, which serves
as a controller for video games as well.
The screens are 11 to 12 inches, which
make them at least 2 inches bigger than
the screens in Economy Class, depending
on the aircraft type. A wide selection of
magazines and newspapers complete the
range of entertainment offered onboard.
Lufthansa Premium Economy Class is
located within the cabin as a clearly identifiable, separate compartment between
Business and Economy Class. It has a highquality design and contains between 21
and 52 seats, depending on the aircraft
type. Installation of the new travel class,
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March 13, 2014 TRAVELWEEK 27
topnews
which is to be carried out on a gradual
basis, sub-fleet by sub-fleet, will begin this
autumn and conclude in summer 2015.
The first sub-fleet to be fitted with the
new seats will be the Boeing 747-8. Ticket
prices in the new Premium Economy
Class will be closer to Economy Class than
Business Class – a return flight across the
North Atlantic will cost an additional 600
euros on average.
Trulli houses with painted symbols on the conical roofs in Alberobello
With ‘sassi’ and
‘trulli’, Basilicata
and Puglia reward
clients heading to
Italy’s deep south
By Patrick Dineen
MATERA, Italy — Basilicata and Puglia
are two of Italy’s historic but relatively
undiscovered regions with spectacular
UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
But since they are located at the very
end of the Italian boot – Basilicata on
the arch and Puglia on the heel – many
foreign visitors don’t go near them.
This has its upside especially for those
who have braved the throngs along the
canals of Venice, the museums of Florence
and the ancient and Baroque sites of Rome.
Transat Holidays has made it easier
to explore the region with an escorted
motorcoach tour called ‘Under the ItalOstuni, the White City
28 TRAVELWEEK March 13, 2014
ian Sun – Sassi and Trulli’ in conjunction with Air Transat flights to Rome.
The name of the tour features two
of the region’s unique attractions – the
sassi in Basilicata’s Matera and the trulli
in Alberobello in Puglia, both World
Heritage Sites.
The Matera region has been inhabited
since the Palaeolithic period and villages
appeared when agriculture began after
the last Ice Age. It is considered the longest
continually occupied spot on the planet.
People have been living in caves or sassi
since then and the landscape still looks so
ancient that Matera attracts moviemakers such as Mel Gibson who made his The
Passion of the Christ here as the city is a
perfect stand-in for the ancient Holy Land.
People still lived in the sassi until
after the Second World War when authorities cleared them because of the
lack of sanitation.
Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site,
this formerly problematic area is thriving with the caves home to renovated
residences as well as elegant hotels and
restaurants.
Highlights include old churches that
have been carved into the rock and
the Peasant Culture Museum.
The more modern part of Matera,
on a plateau overlooking the sassi, is attractive in its own right with open piazzas, fountains and shops.
The trulli, on the other hand, are round,
white, limestone dwellings found in the
southern region of Puglia made of roughly worked limestone boulders collected
from neighbouring fields and featuring
pyramidal, domed or conical roofs.
The best place to see them is Alberobello in Puglia, one of the best-preserved and most homogeneous urban
areas of this type in Europe. Now shops,
restaurants and hotels are located in
these structures that are examples of
prehistoric building techniques.
The Transat Holidays tour starts in
Rome for two nights and then heads
south for two nights in Sorrento with
visits to Pompeii, Capri and Amalfi.
topnews
Overlooking the Bay of Naples, Sorrento has a range of luxury hotels and is
linked to the former maritime republic of
Amalfi by the narrow road with spectacular scenery, known as the Amalfi Drive.
The tour continues with a visit to Matera and two nights in Alberobello. In addition to touring the trulli, the tour visits
Lecce, a Baroque gem near the southern
tip of Italy’s east coast. The city of some
95,000 is often called the Florence of the
South because of its architectural splendor.
Another stop renowned for its architecture is Ostuni, perched on a hill overlooking the Adriatic Sea and known as
the White City because of its dazzling
white-washed buildings.
The tour returns to Campania for one
night in Amalfi, a maritime powerhouse
in medieval times and now home to small
squares and alleyways, the Arsenal where
ships were built and a Norman cathedral.
There is a final night in Rome before
the flight back to Canada.
The eight-night tour has departures
June 26, July 24, Aug. 14, Sept. 11, 25
and Oct. 9 with prices, including Early
Booking savings, ranging from $2,099
to $2,199 including transatlantic flight.
For more information, see the Transat
Holidays 2014-15 Europe brochure.
Anderson Vacations
releases 20142015 New Zealand
luxury coach
touring brochure
CALGARY — Anderson Vacations,
the exclusive provider of Grand Pacific
Tours (GPT) in Canada, has released the
2014-2015 New Zealand luxury coach
touring brochure.
Offering a wide range of escorted
tours in New Zealand, GPT guarantees
every departure and 16-day tours start
at $4,103 for a twin share.
For travellers looking for something
special, there are the ‘Ultimate Small
Group Tours’. With new coaches being
built this year reconfigured to accommodate just 20 luxury leather seats,
instead of 48, every passenger has a
window seat.
Due to the popularity of cruising in
Australia and New Zealand, GPT is now
offering North American travellers the
chance to combine cruising aboard the
Celebrity Solstice and touring.
Whether a client’s interest is New
Zealand by rail, cruising, history, wine or
wildlife, Anderson Vacations and GPT
have a tour that is designed to appeal.
An electronic copy of the 2014 and
2015 New Zealand Escorted Coach
Touring brochure can be downloaded at
i s s u u . co m / g r a n d - p a c i f i c- to u r s /
do c s/g pt .andersons_v ac ations_
2014-15?e=2077825/6798291.
For more information on Anderson
Vacations, visit downundersolution.
com or call 1-866-814-7378. E-mail
enquiries can be sent to rdickson@
andersonvacations.ca.
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topnews/extras
Starwood Hotels &
Resorts to expand
European portolio by
40% with the opening
of more than 60 new
hotels by 2020
BERLIN — From the International Hotel Investment Forum (IHIF) here, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide
announced plans to open more than 60
new hotels and resorts across Europe by
2020, increasing its current European
hotel portfolio by nearly 40%.
Starwood will open nine new hotels
in Europe this year, primarily in fastgrowing markets such as Turkey, Russia
and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).
Further underscoring its long-term
development strategy, Starwood announced that it has signed a deal to
open Sheraton Istanbul Atasehir Hotel,
its seventh Sheraton hotel in Turkey.
Simon Turner, President of Global
Development for Starwood Hotels &
Resorts, said: “We are seeing rising demand for development in both established and rapidly growing markets
across Europe.”
Following the opening of three new
hotels in Turkey in 2013, Starwood will
open an additional four properties in the
country, including The St. Regis Istanbul
later this year, followed by Four Points by
Sheraton Istanbul and two new Sheraton
hotels in Samsun and Istanbul.
In 2013, Starwood signed 12 new hotel
management and franchise agreements
in Europe, maintaining the company’s
2007 deal signing pace. The company
opened seven hotels in Europe last year,
adding approximately 1,200 rooms in
five countries while expanding its footprint across the continent with 80% of
this growth in developing markets.
In addition to Turkey, Starwood is
maintaining strong growth momentum
in Russia and the CIS countries where
it is poised to triple its portfolio over
the next three years, with 12 new hotels. These openings include the debut
30 TRAVELWEEK March 13, 2014
of Aloft and The Luxury Collection in
Ukraine, the company’s entrance into
Tajikistan and Kazakhstan, plus seven
hotels in Russia – in Moscow and St.
Petersburg as well as secondary cities,
including Kaluga, Perm, Krasnodar and
Rostov-on-Don.
Trafalgar offers
stability for
agents with 90%
of Europe and
Britain departures
confirmed for 2014
TORONTO — Trafalgar has guaranteed
that 90% per cent of its departures for
Europe & Britain in 2014 are definite.
“At Trafalgar, we are wholly focused
on strengthening relationships with our
valued industry partners, ensuring they
are fully equipped to sell our Guided
Holidays with confidence and with ease,
by providing a dedicated sales support
team and innovative marketing tools to
help their businesses thrive,” says Doug
Patterson, President of Trafalgar Canada. “The news on Definite Departures is
yet another way of us demonstrating to
agents that the Trafalgar differences are
the real deal and that with us, what we
say is what you get.”
Patterson said Trafalgar continually
builds close relationships with destinations, combining its detailed knowledge
of the must-see sights and off-the-beaten-path experiences to offer guests unrivalled holiday options.
With 1,460 insider experiences on offer, totalling four times more local experiences than any competitor, the brand
continues to innovate and evolve in order to sustain its position as a market
leader and consistently deliver on its
insider promise.
Additional incentives to book Trafalgar include the current Early Payment
Discount (EPD) of 7.5% (valid until
March 31) which is combinable with
Trafalgar Frequent Traveller discounts,
to enable another 5% savings.
notes
VisitBritain,
Transat launch
cross-Canada
campaign
VisitBritain has partnered with Transat
Holidays to deliver a cross-Canada campaign of travel-inspiring messages supporting the pillars of heritage, countryside and
culture. The campaign showcases iconic
imagery from around Great Britain including: Buckingham Palace, Hadrian’s Wall,
England’s North Yorkshire, Eilean Donan
Castle in Scotland and Caernarfon Castle
in Wales to inspire Canadians to choose
Britain for their next holiday. The majority
of the activity will be in Greater Toronto,
Vancouver, Quebec City, Montreal and
Calgary with a small portion on the East
Coast. The campaign, which started Feb.
17, 2014, will be displayed across multiple
channels including digital channels on subway, malls and office buildings, print advertising on GO Trains in the GTA, national
newspaper advertising, television spots on
The Weather Network and MétéoMedia,
and digitally on popular lifestyle sites and
Facebook sponsor stories.
AC, WestJet see
traffic growth in
February
Both Air Canada and WestJet saw growth
in traffic with slight drops in load factor
in February. Air Canada reported system
wide traffic growth of 3.8% on a capacity
increase of 4.9%. Air Canada’s system load
factor was 79% versus 79.8% in February
2013, a decrease of 0.8 percentage points.
“Despite severe winter weather conditions
at our main hub in Toronto and across
much of North America, Air Canada generated greater traffic for the month of February in all markets the airline serves, led
by increased traffic in the U.S. transborder
market,” said Calin Rovinescu, President
and Chief Executive Officer. WestJet reported February 2014 traffic results with
topnews/extras
a load factor of 84.6%, down 1.5 points.
Revenue passenger miles (RPMs), or traffic, increased 7.3% year over year, and capacity, measured in available seat miles
(ASMs), grew 9.2% over the same period.
The airline flew 1.5 million guests in February, a year-over-year increase of 8.0% or
approximately 114,000 additional guests.
“We are pleased with the strong traffic
growth, achieving our second-highest February load factor in WestJet’s history,” said
WestJet President and CEO Gregg Saretsky.
people
Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) has announced that Brian
O’Connor, Vice President, Sales (North
America) for Princess Cruises and Cunard
Line, will take the role of Chairman of the
CLIA Trade Relations & Sales Committee
effective immediately. He succeeds Camille Olivere, Senior Vice President Sales,
Americas for Norwegian Cruise Line, who
completed her service leading the committee at the end of 2013. In this role
O’Connor will lead a committee of his
peers and work closely with Dwain Wall,
CLIA’s Senior Vice President, Agency and
Trade Relations to provide counsel, with
regards to CLIA travel agent relations,
training programs, research and cruise
distribution membership initiatives. The
CLIA Trade Relations & Sales Committee
consists of senior marketing and sales executives from member cruise lines. CLIA has
61 cruise line members, more than 200 Executive Partners and 13,500 travel agency
members representing 50,000 travel agent
members in North America, UK & Ireland
and Australasia.
fams
features some of the best wellness
travel in Bali and Taiwan including
some of the best hotels and spa facilities in Bali. There are accommodations at some of the fine hotspring
hotels in Taiwan and 5-star hotel in
Bali with sightseeing at the Lake Batur, Tanah Lot Temple and Ubud in
Bali, Taipei 101, The National Palace
Museum, CKS Memorial Hall and
more. The $899 cost plus tax and fee
includes flights from Vancouver, nine
nights accommodations, daily breakfast, most meals, sightseeing with an
English speaking guide and transfers
on a private coach. Get your tour fee
back if you secure a group of 15 to
Taiwan and Bali with China Airlines
by February 2015. Contact Kenny
Fan at kennyfan@silkholidays.com
or by calling 1-888-800-7455 for further details. Space is limited.
Featured this week:
STAR CLIPPERS
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your
travel
brochure
today!
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adventures
Just 170-227 pampered
guests
All the modern
amenities of a private
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complemented by fine
wines
Dine with whomever
and whenever you want
Casual, relaxed
ambience – no need to
dress up
ATTENTION
TRAVEL AGENTS:
ORDER THIS
BROCHURE
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TAIWAN & BALI
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Departing April 14
This nine-night fam with China Airlines and the Taiwan Tourism Bureau
1 800 442 0551
WWW.STARCLIPPERS.COM
Click & Print
March 13, 2014 TRAVELWEEK 31
marketplace
We’re growing fast!
Come be a part of our success
We have openings across Canada for
Junior, Intermediate and Senior Counselors
CORPORATE &
VACATION AGENT
for one of the country’s
premier travel agencies
Suntastic Corporate Travel Services
in North York has an immediate opening
available.
Full-time
Positions
The successful candidate will have:
s!MINIMUMOFTHREEYEARSCORPORATE
experience (current)
s0ROlCIENCYIN3ABREAND-ICROSOFT
/FlCE0RODUCTS
s%XPERIENCEWORKINGWITH6)0CLIENTELE
Monday to Friday
Shifts
Home Office
Opportunities
3UNTASTIC#ORPORATE4RAVEL3ERVICESHASBEEN
serving the needs of corporate clientele
since 1980. Our boutique operation has
EARNEDSERIOUSACCOLADESOVERTHEYEAR
period from both our travelling executives
ANDOURINDUSTRYPARTNERS
Interested in learning more?
Detailed descriptions of the positions can be found at:
www.hrgworldwide.com /en-noam/Pages/default.aspx
Qualified and interested applicants should visit our
talent network to apply:
www.jobs.net/jobs/hrg-north-america/en-us/
For consideration, please e-mail
YOURRESUMETOkeith@suntastic.com
HRG North America. A Hogg Robinson Group company.
UPCOMING
SPOTLIGHTS
April 3
s,ATIN3OUTH!MERICA
s"RITAIN%UROPE
Beyond
Destinations
Be Part
of the
Journey
Marlin Travel is looking for a
Leisure Travel Consultants
Vancouver • Calgary • Edmonton • Toronto • Ottawa
April 10
This incumbent will be accountable for selling vacation travel.
Their focus will be on destinations in the South and Europe.
s2OMANCE7EDDINGS
s(AWAII
Responsibilities:
Qualifications:
• Inform and advise clients on travel offered by
our partners in order to close sales
• Vocational school diploma in tourism
or relevant experience
• Research and book travel products using the
website, Apollo, Consul PC, Galileo Vacations
and the internal reservation systems
• Minimum of one (1) year of sales experience
in travel within an office environment
April 17
s3UN$ESTINATIONS
s!DVENTURE4RAVEL
s"USINESS4RAVEL
April 24
s!SIA0ACIlC
s#AR2ENTAL-OTORCOACH2AIL
• Follow up on client files, respecting deadlines
required to preserve the quality of the
service offered by the company
• Other duties as required
• Working knowledge of English, spoken and written
• Working knowledge of Apollo, Consul PC
and Galileo Vacations reservation systems or
the equivalent
• Available outside the standard working hours
• Must be TICO certified (Ontario residents)
To apply for this vacancy, please send your résumé to:
careers@transat.com no later than March 21, 2014.
Please quote TW-0814 in the subject line and location of interest.
#ONTACTYOURSALESREPRESENTATIVE
416.365.1500
32 TRAVELWEEK March 13, 2014
While we thank all
applicants only those
selected for an interview
will be contacted.
®Registered trademark of Transat A.T. Inc., used under license by Transat Distribution Canada Inc. Marlin Travel is a division of Transat Distribution Canada Inc. ON Reg. #50015084, Head Office: 191 The West Mall,
Suite 700, Etobicoke, ON, M9C 5K8.
marketplace
Corporate Travel
Consultants
Corporate Traveller has opportunities in
Ottawa, Oakville, Edmonton, Calgary,
Vancouver, Surrey & Montreal.
Corporate Traveller focuses on the
needs of small to medium enterprises
and is known for great service and
motivated travel experts. Our flexible
business model is shaped to match
the needs of our clients, enabling us to
better understand travel requirements,
offer tailored solutions and build
strong partnerships.
To qualify, you must have at least 1 year
of experience selling travel.
This is your chance to contribute to the
growth of an organization that is going
places. With a focus on developing a
cohesive team culture with opportunities
for advancement, you will be an
integral part of this well respected
Employer of Choice.
Apply online at
applyfirst.ca/job54429
Bilingual (Mandarin/English)
Senior Travel Counselor – Onsite
Senior travel counselor with minimum 5-7 years corporate travel experience and must
be located in Calgary Alberta
fMandarin speaking, required and Mandarin written, asset
fHighly skilled and experienced in International Travel
fHighly organized and detailed oriented - group work as asset
fUnderstanding of the Asian Travel market
fAble to work well in a small team environment
fHigh customer servicing; including C level and VIP experience
fProven ability to make airline, hotel, and car reservations (SABRE) with high quality
and productivity
fProven destination knowledge - International and focus on Asia
fProven ability to explain breakdown of airfares, air construction and itinerary information
with lowest logical airfares and knowledge of rules
fExcellent communication skills - written and spoken
f7YV]LUHIPSP[`[VKPќ\ZLPYH[LJ\Z[VTLYZHUKYLZVS]LJVUÅPJ[Z
fProven ability to provide excellent customer service
QUALIFICATIONS:
f4HUKHYPU,UNSPZOIPSPUN\HSÅ\LUJ`PZHT\Z[
f7YVÄJPLUJ`^P[O.+:WYLMLYHIS`:HIYL
fExperience booking air/car/hotel
fComfortable with VIP level clientele
WE OFFER:
fCompetitive salary & bonus structure
fNo evenings or weekend shifts
f.LULYV\Z]HJH[PVUVќLYPUN
f-\SSILULÄ[ZWHJRHNL
ȃ http://jobs.americanexpress.com/go/Canada-Jobs/194432/
(**6<5;4(5(.,9
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Bring your Travel Agent experience
and passion for the Sport &
(QWHUWDLQPHQWðHOGVWRWKLVUHZDUGLQJ
FDUHHUZLWK6WDJHDQG6FUHHQ
Travel Services!
:[HNLHUK:JYLLUHJVYWVYH[LKP]PZPVU
VM-SPNO[*LU[YLPZHUPJOLIYHUK
ZWLJPHSPaPUNPU[YH]LSTHUHNLTLU[MVY
[OL-PST;=:WVY[Z7LYMVYTPUN(Y[Z
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LOOKING TO
PLACE A
MARKETPLACE AD?
Contact us at marketplace@travelweek.ca
or 416-365-1500
>HU[[VSLHYUTVYL&
=PZP[ZZZDSSO\ðUVWFDMRE
CUSTOMER RELATIONS COORDINATOR
RESPONSIBILITIES:
t Process post travel customer concerns received from
both the airline and tour operator divisions of the
Sunwing Travel Group
t Analyze and investigate all customer concerns received
on a daily basis via email, fax or mail resolving to
customer satisfaction
t Respond to written inquiries, updating travel agents
and customers on the status of their concerns, and
provide consultation as appropriate on policy inquiries
t Produce written documents in English with
clearly organized thoughts using proper sentence
construction, punctuation, and grammar
QUALIFICATIONS:
t Exceptional customer service skills
t Self-motivated with effective time management skills,
able to manage a varied workload
t Exceptional written and oral communication skills
t Highly organized and efficient
t Good problem solving ability, attentive to detail
t Strong computer skills including Word, Excel, and
Outlook
t Minimum 1-2 years of Customer Service experience in a
travel related environment
t Ability to work in a fast paced environment
If you are interested in applying for this position, please
send your cover letter and resume quoting the position
applied for in the subject line to hr@sunwing.ca.
Sunwing is an equal opportunity employer. We would
like to thank all applicants. No phone calls please.
March 13, 2014 TRAVELWEEK 33
USA
ROUND UP
The Cromwell brings boutique
luxury to the Las Vegas Strip
The Cromwell, the new Las Vegas hotel, is set to welcome its
first guests on May 21.
With a prime location on one of the busiest intersections
of the Las Vegas Strip – one that welcomes more than 20 million passersby each year – The Cromwell Hotel and Casino
will be the Strip’s first luxury boutique hotel and casino, with
an intimate 188 rooms and suites as well as the first-ever restaurant by Giada De Laurentiis, a rooftop pool and day and
nightlife venues by Victor Drai. The Cromwell is owned and
operated by Caesars Entertainment.
King Room at The Cromwell Hotel and Casino
For dining, Giada De Laurentiis’ self-titled restaurant,
GIADA, will greet guests with a warm and welcoming atmosphere, al fresco dining and an exhibition kitchen showcasing fresh pastas being made daily by hand and a signature
antipasto bar – a first for Italian eateries on the Strip. Located
on the second story of the boutique hotel, GIADA can accommodate 260 guests and showcases automatic retractable windows boasting prime views of the Bellagio fountains,
Caesars Palace and Bally’s Grand Bazaar Shops.
“The Cromwell will bring an exclusive experience to the
Las Vegas Strip as a luxury lifestyle boutique hotel focusing
on hospitality, amenities and personalized service,” said Karie Hall, general manager of The Cromwell. “Our partners
Giada De Laurentiis and Victor Drai will inspire 360-degree
day life, nightlife and dining experiences that you won’t find
anywhere else in Las Vegas.”
Vermont’s Stowe plans new
family-friendly facilities
From the moment guests enter from the Porte Cochere, “a
boutique hotel experience that blends traditional elements
with Parisian flare and whimsical, modern details awaits”. The
Cromwell will blend vintage with modern, drawing inspiration from the Coste Hotel in Paris with black Parisian-style
awnings and gold fixtures adorning the windows.
The hotel lobby is reminiscent of a parlor from the past;
accessories and bookshelves adorned with leather bound
books clad the walls.
Some 169 hotel rooms are reminiscent of Parisian loft-style
apartments with distressed hardwood flooring and vintage
luggage motif furnishings.
34 TRAVELWEEK March 13, 2014
In order to meet the demands of a rapidly growing slope-side
community, Stowe Mountain Resort will begin construction
later this year to advance and expand the family amenities
and services at Spruce Peak.
Several new facilities will be built around a new ice rink
that will double as a community plaza and green in the summer. These amenities will include a new children’s Adventure
Center with ski / ride school, year-round daycare facilities
and a children’s activities centre.
A new Stowe Mountain Club Alpine Clubhouse will also
be delivered as a part of the expansion.
Retail shops, restaurants, food markets and a parking garage for Club members, will additionally be constructed to
enhance the Spruce Peak Plaza.
Over the past 10 years Stowe Mountain Resort has created
a year-round resort community which includes world-class
facilities such as Stowe Mountain Lodge and Spa (a 312room, four-star hotel), Spruce Camp Base Lodge, the Stowe
Mountain Club Golf Course, the Mountain Cabins at Spruce
Peak and the Spruce Peak Performing Arts Center.
A Touch of Heaven
HOTEL HUSA CAYO SANTA MARIA RESORT noliPLUS ++++
This all-inclusive resort is situated
beachfront on stunning Santa Maria
Beach, whose white sand and cooling
breezes are a touch of heaven for
harried travellers seeking to escape
the cold of winter. The friendly team
ensures your clients feel well taken
care of as they relax into their longawaited vacation in this sunny
paradise. noliPLUS guests benefit
from separate check-in, dedicated
room location closest to the beach,
concierge service, and much more.
Formerly known as the Barceló Cayo
Santa Maria, this hotel offers 8 à la
carte restaurants, a lavish selection of
food with something to please everyone.
A Baby Club and a Kids’ Club keep
children happily occupied so their
parents can truly be off duty for awhile
every day and take advantage of the
many great activities available, from
snorkelling and scuba diving to salsa
lessons and lounging at the pool. All in
all, a wonderful choice for your clients’
Cuban vacation!
ALL FLIGHTS OFFER SUNWING AIRLINES’ CHAMPAGNE SERVICE
All guests experience Elite Service at no extra cost:
Elite Plus Service
Signature.ca
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Advance seat selection & Elite Plus
upgrade bookable online!
For only $40 each way, upgrade your flight experience
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