TIAC tackles tourism decline

Week of September 9, 2013
Headline
45
travel
Ye a r s o f
C A N A D A’ S M O S T
TRUSTED
T R AV E L T R A D E P U B L I C AT I O N S I N C E 1 9 6 8
BABY
ON
BOARD!
Airlines aim to
keep kids quiet
TED DAVIS
Toddlers and airlines
don’t necessarily mix,
as many of us know all
too well. Something
about high-pitched
screams from across
the aisle or the seat in
front, possibly over
long stretches of time,
can wear down even
the most tolerant of
flyers. Hence, the
recent inflight remedies by some innovative airlines that may
soothe or even prevent
frayed nerves at 10,000
metres.
See QUIET KIDS page 4
0909PAGE01_04-5_28.indd 1
The Etihad Airways’ Flying Nanny will interact and engage with children on long-haul flights.
TIAC tackles tourism decline
Blames feds for lack of funding
MIKE DUNBAR
In a major bid to boost sagging American visitor numbers, the Tourism Industry Association of Canada
(TIAC) wants the feds to go halves on a $200-million
promotion campaign
south of the border.
The proposed three-year
campaign, leading up to
the 150th anniversary of
Confederation in 2017,
would involve government
and industry sharing the
$70-million-a-year tab
to reverse the downward
trend that has seen US arrivals plummet from more
than 16 million in 2002 to
just 10 million last year.
The plan – dubbed
Connecting America –
was recently presented to
senior elected officials and
is currently awaiting a yea
or nay decision, reveals
TIAC president and CEO
David Goldstein.
Goldstein explains that
the one-to-one co-investment would forge an alignment between the central
government and local,
provincial and private
sector entities.
And TIAC predicts that
the mega-campaign would
result in a win-win for
the feds, with incremental
government tax revenues
of $210 million from a projected 2.65 million increase
in cross-border visits far
outweighing the $105-million promo investment.
Connecting America is
just part of TIAC’s push to
grow Canada’s international
tourist market by 4% a year,
says Goldstein.
“By 2017, we should be
at the growth level that
the rest of the world is at,”
he says, pointing out that
Canada’s dismal performance in the international
tourist arena of late has
been less than half the 4%
global growth rate.
According to TIAC, one
of the main structural issues impeding growth is a
lack of sustained marketing
money from the feds. In
fact, the association charges
that Canadian Tourism
Commission budget cuts
have “forced lower exposure in critical markets and
a complete departure from
the US market.”
See DISMAL page 28
05/09/2013 4:01:14 PM
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0909PAGE02.indd 2
9/4/2013 12:20:15 PM
BACK TO THE FUTURE
In September of 2011 – CTP, Sept. 12, Vol. 43, No. 46 – On the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, IATA said its legacy is seen daily at airports around the world.
tem is mired in the 1970s, when checkpoints
On the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 terwere developed to stop potential hijackers
ror attacks on the US, the International Air
from carrying metal objects on board.
Transport Association (IATA) is urging govThe airline trade association believes risk
ernments to adopt a “risk-based” approach
assessment
is “a vital step towards focusing
to airport security in order to remove the
hassles between airline check-in and airplane on catching dangerous people, not just dangerous items.”
boarding.
Depending on the amount and level of
According to IATA director general Tony
passenger information availTyler, “The legacy of 9/11
able, flyers would be directed to
is felt most in airport
one of three “future checkpoint”
security. Aviation is more
secure than in 2001, but
ears after! lanes. Known travellers, who
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a standard security lane; and
Tyler pointed out that
those who have provided little
IATA already has a vision
advance information or who
for the checkpoint of the
are on government checklists
future, which would allow
would undergo a more rigorpassengers to get from curb
ous enhanced security exam.
to gate “in a seamless and
All
passengers
would then pass through the
convenient process.”
physical checkpoint where advanced x-ray
He explained, “For this, we need a riskmachines and chemical sniffers would clear
based approach to security, powered by the
them to proceed without the need to remove
enormous amount of data we can and do
collect on travellers. Combined with this will clothing, laptops or liquids.
Some of the technology, such as metal debe technology that will allow passengers to
tection
and shoe scanning, is available today,
simply stroll through a checkpoint that can
detect metal and harmful substances without but IATA concedes that others, like stand-off
explosive detection systems, are still under
stopping, stripping or unpacking.”
development and could be for several years.
IATA says the current one-size-fits-all sysWeek of Septe
mber 12, 2011
9/11
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MIKE DUNBAR
Sail
See 9/11 page
into beauty.
secrets of the
you take.
discover the
in every breath
coast. Feel freedom
.
12
ds good
Croatia. Soun
Croatian National
0912PAG
Who
are
YOU
?
Tourist Office
-4416
New York 800-829
cntony@earthlink
.net
2:38:44 PM
08/09/2011
dd 1
E01_09-10_12.indd
The sun was shining on Sunwing and Signature staff
as the companies released their winter brochures in
2011. On hand for the launch were (l-r): Anne Tarkowski,
Michaela Henes, Deanna Murphy and Andrew Dawson.
Remembering: 2011
● JANUARY: Minnesota-based Travel Leaders Group
acquires Vacation.com. Thomas Cook Canada and Sears
Travel unveil details of a multi-year licensing arrangement
that will see Thomas Cook overseeing the day-to-day
operations of all 108 Sears Travel outlets.
● FEBRUARY: WestJet unveils plans that will see it ramping up its operations on the Toronto-Ottawa-Montreal
triangle in May. Panama’s Copa Airlines makes plans to
launch Toronto-Panama City service in June.
● MARCH: On March 11, northeastern Japan is hit by a powerful 9.0 magnitude earthquake that triggers a devastating
tsunami. Operators suspend programs and look at ways in
which the industry can help with the recovery efforts.
● APRIL: Thomas Cook Canada launches its new Canadian
franchise and affiliate network, signing a deal with
Advantage Travel & Cruise Centres, giving their members
an opportunity to join the Thomas Cook fold. Intrepid
Travel and TUI Travel embark on a new adventure,
combining their adventure travel companies to create
a venture akin to an airline alliance, called the Peak
Adventure Group.
● MAY: Sunwing Travel Group buys Luxe Destination
Weddings.
● JUNE: Caribbean Airlines finalizes its acquisition of Air
Jamaica.
● JULY: Tokyo opens a tourist office in Toronto. After
launching its thrice-weekly, Montreal-Doha flights, Qatar
Airways says it wants more lift out of Canada, observing that Montreal is “underserved.” Royal Caribbean
invests $300 million in its fleet, introducing a host of new
innovations.
● AUGUST: A CLIA market profile study discovers that
close to a third of North Americans – who have already
taken a cruise – believe that the best prices can be had
by going directly to the cruise lines. Sunwing Airlines signs
a global distribution deal with Amadeus.
● SEPTEMBER: President Barack Obama upsets travel
agents across the US after suggesting that nobody uses
their services anymore. ASTA is not pleased. The industry
marks the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks
in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania. The World
Tourism Organization reports that international travel grew
by close to 5% during the first half of 2011, reaching 440
million arrivals and appears well on the road to recovery.
● OCTOBER: Gap Adventures has a new name: G Adventures.
Canada breaks a 20-year record, as Canadian visitors
to the US hit 19.6 million in 2010, and US officials are
forecasting that Canadian visits will grow by another 8% in
2011. The Greek government’s austerity measures causes
unrest and demonstrations (in many cases, violent), raising
concerns amongst operators here that Canadians may
avoid the traditionally popular destination.
● NOVEMBER: After months of speculation, AMR
Corporation – along with American Airlines and American
Eagle – files for Chapter 11 brankruptcy protection on
Nov. 29.
● DECEMBER: Virgin Atlantic announces that it will launch
Vancouver to London service in May of 2012.
SEPTEMBER 9, 2013 • CANADIAN TRAVEL PRESS • 3
0909PAGE03.indd 3
05/09/2013 3:47:51 PM
Quiet kids
Continued from page 1
For instance, Scoot,
the low-cost carrier arm
of Singapore Airlines,
has just launched its
ScootinSilence product,
for those in search of peace
and quiet. Passengers pay
a small premium to access
a part of the cabin that is
only open to those 12 years
of age and older.
Rows 21 to 25 are just behind “ScootBiz,” and also offer more extra legroom, with
a 35-inch pitch – plus the
confidence that those under
12 will be seated elsewhere in
the aircraft. The extra charge
for a ScootinSilence seat is
about $15.
“No offence to our
young guests or those
travelling with them… you
still have the rest of the
aircraft to choose from,”
said Campbell Wilson, the
CEO of Scoot. Wilson was
once the VP Canada for
Singapore Airlines, when
the carrier offered flights to
Vancouver. Scoot operates
low-cost, no-frills flights to
Sydney, Bangkok, Taipei,
Tokyo, Tianjin, Nanjing,
Seoul, and others in the region from Singapore, using
B777-200 aircraft.
Other carriers in
Southeast Asia are also
giving their passengers
the option to pay for
quieter, child-free seating.
Malaysia Airlines started
selling child-free zones in
its economy class cabins in
2012, and in February this
year, AirAsia X introduced
a “Quiet Zone” on its
aircraft for those 12 and
over. AirAsia X is the longhaul unit of budget airline
AirAsia, which is also
based in Malaysia.
Etihad Airways has adopted a different approach
to the search for silence
high in the sky. The national
airline of the United Arab
Emirates has launched a
dedicated inflight child care
assistance program for families, with the introduction
of a new Flying Nanny on
board long-haul flights.
Identified by bright orange
aprons, each Flying Nanny
offers a helping hand to
families and unaccompanied minors.
Over the summer, 300
Etihad Airways cabin
crew members completed
enhanced training for
the role. A further 60 will
be trained in September,
and a total of 500 Flying
Nannies will be working
across Etihad Airways
flights by the end of 2013.
They are being trained at
a college that specializes in
child psychology and sociology. This enables the Flying
Nannies to identify different
types of child behaviour
and developmental stages,
and how to help fill the
needs of travelling families.
The training also covers the
many different ways that
the Flying Nannies can
entertain and engage with
children during flights.
“The Flying Nanny will
liaise with parents and
use their experience and
knowledge to make the
travel experience easier.
This includes helping serve
children’s meals early in
the flight and offering
activities and challenges
to help entertain and occupy younger guests,” said
Aubrey Tiedt, the VP of
guest services at Etihad.
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4 • CANADIAN TRAVEL PRESS • SEPTEMBER 9, 2013
0909PAGE01_04-5_28.indd 4
05/09/2013 4:01:47 PM
Canada reaping 2013
business travel bonanza
In its tourism trends report for 2013,
Deloitte notes that 24% of business
travellers are more likely to travel
within Canada in the coming year.
Adding that business travel intentions
to the US and to international destinations are expected to decrease by 28%
and 36%, respectively.
The research also found
that more business travellers plan to spend more in
Canada than those who
plan to spend less. The
opposite, however, is true
for US and international
business trips.
The study notes that the
economies of both Canada
and the US are continuing
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to move “slowly in a positive direction, with no expectations for major growth
in the foreseeable future.”
In 2012, airfares increased as a result of
higher fuel prices and
stricter airline capacity
management. As for hotel
rates, Deloitte indicated
that they were expected to
rise in 2013 due to “lack
of optimal real estate in
metropolitan areas.”
It noted that in 2013, the
cost of Canadian air travel
will grow from 1% to 2%,
while the cost of Canadian
hotel growth rate will be
between 2.6% and 5.3%.
“The biggest challenge to
maintaining a corporate
travel program is cost control, traveller compliance,
capturing a full view of
travel spend and increasing traveller satisfaction,”
the Deloitte study stated.
The research points out
that traveller’s expectations to stay connected
to mobile devices during
their trip will push further
innovations in areas such
as geo-location functionality in 2013.
Deloitte also looked at
the impact of loyalty programs on business travellers. It found that 70% of
business travellers and 43%
of leisure travellers were
enrolled in air travel loyalty
programs – with 89% of
total business travellers belonging to at least one form
of loyalty program (i.e. air,
hotel, car rental etc.).
The study indicates as
well that the uncertain
economic environment
may have prompted business travellers to become
more cost-conscious. And
it observes that travel
operators can retain customer loyalty by reinforcing the benefits of their
program through adopting
industry best practices
and offering value-added
services, such as responding directly to a customer’s
feedback online.
SEPTEMBER 9, 2013 • CANADIAN TRAVEL PRESS • 5
0909PAGE01_04-5_28.indd 5
05/09/2013 4:01:50 PM
TRAVEL PRESS
Canadian
1
You’ve been doing this for
many years. Exactly how
many countries have you
visited and how many do you
still hope to see? I started in
incidents that take place, however, it is not very often that one
hears of tourists being impacted.
Most people are very hospitable
– in fact most countries and cultures make claims of their hospitality... As long as you respect
the local culture and share with
their values and, of course, use
your judgments, most countries
are safe.
the travel industry in 1978, however, the bug for travel started
much earlier from school days.
I have crossed over a 100 countries on six continents, save
the Arctics. The interest started
with the urge to
know about the
diversity of cultures
of the world, of history and of knowing
and seeing things
Mahmood Poonja
first hand.
Chief Explorer,
Bestway Tours & Safaris
Some of the
2
countries
that you have
offered, such as
Afghanistan and
North Korea, would make mainstream travellers nervous. Have
you ever felt nervous on your
travels and do you ever worry
about the security of your clients
when they travel? It is true that
certain countries can make
some travellers nervous. I think
the important thing is for each
traveller to know what their
interests are, whether the risks
are there. We hear of a lot of
3
Name an event or festival that you have seen
that you think is particularly interesting, but which few
Canadians might know about.
The one that strikes me most
is the early morning sunrise
dip in the River Ganges in India
– mainly at Varanasi. This is a
live culture, and there is very little there that can be pronounced
as artificial.
Vol. 45, No. 45, Published September 9, 2013
Edith Baxter, Editor-in-Chief
4
[email protected]
What would be your reaction if you won a prize to
some quiet, genteel destination that’s popular with those
who might not be particularly
adventurous? My fear is ending
Well, summer is always
slow, but we were
busy enough to keep
us going.
Summer was very
slow. It was a disappointment. Hopefully,
fall will be better.
It wasn’t as bad as I
expected. I thought it
would be much worse.
It was okay. The only
thing was I lost the
Middle East.
[email protected]
Mike Dunbar, Assistant Editor
[email protected]
Greg Coates, Assistant Editor
[email protected]
Ian Stalker, Senior Writer
[email protected]
Ted Davis, Western Editor
Legal Affairs
[email protected]
Unterberg, Labelle & Associates
Legal Affairs
Western Canada Editorial Office
tination we have
floated is an expedition to Bouvet: the
loneliest island in
the world. Scheduled
for March 2015, [it is]
a 35-night expedition
cruise starting from
Ushaia and ending
at Cape Verde. I
believe we are the
only tour operator
in the world to have
done this. My desire is to see
Timbuktu and closer to home,
I have not yet been to Cuba,
which I would like to do before
the change. Talking of change,
I would highly recommend all
those interested in seeing something unique is to visit North
Korea – before the change! It will
be an experience out of the world
and will make one appreciate
what we have to offer in Canada.
For me, it was spectacular. Sales were up so
much it was hard to
keep up. There were a
lot of cruise bookings –
river cruises and ocean
cruises and a lot of
advance bookings.
[email protected]
Michael Baginski, Managing Editor
Heifetz, Crozier, Law
What will be the next
countries added to your
program? A unique des-
September has arrived and was the summer good or a
disappointment from a business viewpoint?
Robert Mowat, Executive Editor
[email protected]
up on a beach.
5
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Dee Ristic, Circulation
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Canadian Account Executive – Travel Weekly UK
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[email protected]
Northern Florida Gillian Harper
Tel: (954) 933-2786
[email protected]
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Tel: 808-737-4621 Fax: 808-737-2695
[email protected]
Spain Luis Andrade
Luis Andrade Publicidad Internacional
Tel: 34-91-4416266 Fax: 34-91-4416549
[email protected]
Brazil Claudio Dasilva
Tel: 1-954-647-6464
[email protected]
United Kingdom Maureen Wingham, MW Media
Tel: +44(0)1449-771200
[email protected]
Mexico Paloma Martinez, Towmar Inc.
Tel: 52 55 2122-3900 Fax: 52 55 5395-4985
[email protected]
Central & South America Lillian Martinez
Travel Representations & Marketing
Tel: 305-476-1130
[email protected]
Subscriptions: $80 - 1 year (Canada), $140 - 2 year
(Canada), plus applicable taxes.
$120 US funds - 1 year (Foreign). Airmail rates on request.
Price per single copy $3.00 (plus applicable taxes).
HST #R120906425.Canadian Publications Mail
Product Sales Agreement No. 40063078. Return undeliverable
Canadian addresses to: Circulation Dept., 310 Dupont St.,
Toronto, Ont., M5R 1V9 email: [email protected] ISSN 1994-3133.
Published 47 times per year
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6 • CANADIAN TRAVEL PRESS • SEPTEMBER 9, 2013
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0909PAGE06.indd 6
5/31/2013 9:23:42 AM
9/5/2013 3:42:09 PM
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0909PAGE07.indd 7
9/4/2013 3:29:25 PM
Keeping
customers
‘for life’ is
the road map
to success
Yves Lalumiere is the president and general
manager of Tourisme Montreal. Before taking
on that role, Lalumiere was the president of
Transat Distribution Canada (TDC) since
January 2011. Previously, he had been vicepresident and general manager of TDC from
November 2009. He joined Transat Distribution Canada as vice-president, operations and
business development, in 2006, before being
appointed vice-president, network, in 2008. He
had previously held management positions with
American Express, including those of vice-president, corporate services and government affairs,
over a 20-year period. He started his industry
career in 1986 in sales with Quebecair. He holds
a bachelor’s degree in business administration
from Universite du Quebec in Montreal. And
this week, Lalumiere lends his voice to CTP’s
45th anniversary Voices of Travel feature.
H
aving spent over 25 years in
retail travel, half and half in
corporate and leisure travel,
it seems like our industry, in
general, is still short of expectations when
it’s time to take total care of its customers.
Now I’m not pointing only to travel agents,
but also to airports, to airlines and to other
suppliers with touch points with our dear
customers. I refuse to agree with the notion
that “Travel is a commodity.” Anyone in our
agency community should not go along with
these type of comments.
While it is obvious that many airlines have
commoditized and menu-priced their services
– which is not necessarily driving a customer
experience equal to the price they pay to be on
board – so the travel agents provide more value
than ever before.
Our customer is way more educated, has
Yves Lalumiere
f Tr a v e l
o
s
e
Vo i c
more money and time to travel. Do we do
enough to ensure he keeps coming back?
I don’t believe the approach, the frame
of mind and the spirit in which we work
in leisure travel is propelled sufficiently
to drive the behaviour of the customer to
adopt an agent for life – the same way we
do with our dentist and other professions.
We still have a way to go.
Many agents still have an inferiority complex and simply don’t believe that they offer
significant added value and attributes to their
existing and their new customers.
With so many channels to distribute its
product, the travel agency volume continues
to grow, especially in Canada. We are fortunate that our customer and the economy are
so resilient versus others, however, too many
customers escape on an annual basis and are
not considered a “Repeat Client.”
Few retail leisure agencies have built an
appropriate database, few are taking steps to
market via the appropriate tactical segmentation, and a vast majority still perceive that
the customer automatically comes back. The
problem is often that we “Commoditize” this
equity in our business. We continue year after
year to hope that our customer will walk in
and line up for our service.
Our customer is also way more resilient
than they were 25 years ago and will not
hesitate to alter their purchasing patterns.
Are our clients “vacationing on a beach
talking about the numbers of year, they’ve
been attached to their agents, or how great
the service provided was?” Not nearly as
many as there should be. We are fortunate
we are at the entry point of the “Boomer
Spending Era.”
The next 10 years promise to be most
interesting and profitable as customers
flock even more internationally, travel more
frequently and increase their disposable
income invested in travel.
Banks have issues with customers withdrawing their savings and putting them to
travel and leisure activities. With the average
life expectancy being around 83 years old, the
“Keeping a Customer for Life” approach is the
road map to success.
8 • CANADIAN TRAVEL PRESS • SEPTEMBER 9, 2013
0909PAGE08.indd 8
9/5/2013 3:40:54 PM
Weddings with a Mayan twist
beach and a romantic celebration
The Viceroy Riviera Maya is inviting
dinner on the pier.
people be married in a sacred Mayan
Following the ceremony, the pier is
union “where you will fully embrace
transformed into a private romantic
in a new beginning together.”
haven, complete with torches and
The luxury resort’s Mayan Elopemusic, and the newlyweds are served
ment Package combines a Mayan
a three-course dinner paired with
Kamnicté Wedding Ceremony
Mexican boutique wines to celebrate
performed by the resort’s “authentheir nuptials.
tic resident shaman with exquisite
The package starts at $1,485. A
villa accommodations and a private
range of other wedding and rocelebration dinner on the Viceroy
mantic services can be provided at
Riviera Maya’s pier.”
additional cost, such as a wedding
At the Viceroy Riviera Maya, the
photographer and assistance with a
guest experience – from dining to
marriage licence.
spa treatments – is infused with
For more information and restraditions of the ancient Mayans
ervations, visit vrm.reservations@
of the region.
viceroyrivieramaya.com.
The Mayan Kamnicté Wedding
The Viceroy Riviera Maya is an
Ceremony is conducted in the Mayan
all-villa resort that combines a
language under a gazebo on the beach
white-sand beach lapped by the
decorated with Mayan-inspired flowCaribbean with a jungle ambience
ers, with the bride wearing a handof ferns, palms, guava trees and a
made Mayan dress and the groom a
family of spider monkeys. The 41
white-linen traditional Yucatan shirt.
villas each have a private plunge
It begins with the resort’s shaman,
pool, terrace and outdoor shower.
The
Viceroy
Riviera
Maya
invites
couples
to
get
married
in
a
ceremony
who comes from a long family line
Mayan-healing techniques and
infused with traditions of the ancient Mayans of the region.
of Yucatan shamans, presiding over a
traditions infuse every aspect of the
ceremonial exchange of daisy flower bracelets as drums beat within the
spa experience. La Marea serves Mexican cuisine accented with internajungle and a conch-shell horn signals the ritual’s transformations. The
tional influences. The seaside Coral Grill features a Mexican-Meditershaman then addresses the four cardinal points of the universe and asks
ranean menu cooked on wood-burning grills.
permission to bless the union of the couple with love, peace and abunAmong the amenities are a palm-ringed lagoon pool, fitness center,
dance. He performs blessings and good wishes offerings, and seals the
day beds at the beach, and a pier where guests enjoy massages, romanunion between the two lovers by strewing flower petals across the waves.
tic dinners and are picked up by boat for snorkelling, diving and
The Mayan Elopement Package includes two nights in a luxury villa
other excursions. The resort is located 35 minutes from Cancun Interwith private plunge pool, Mayan Kamnicté Wedding Ceremony on the
national Airport.
IAN STALKER
Turks and Caicos resort welcomes fall newlyweds
The Alexandra Resort, located on Grace Bay
Beach on Providenciales in Turks and Caicos
Islands, will remain open in autumn and offers an “ideal place for a fall honeymoon.
“After celebrating a wedding enhanced by a
cavalcade of fall colours, swap the vibrant oranges and reds of fall leaves for a honeymoon
framed by a sensational backdrop of dazzling
turquoise waters and pure white-sand beaches,” the resort says.
The Turks and Caicos beaches are never
crowded, but honeymooners visiting in the
autumn may well feel like they have much of
Grace Bay Beach all to themselves.
“The resort offers honeymooners a wonderful experience to start married life together
– strolling along an idyllic Caribbean shoreline, swimming in clear turquoise waters,
and enjoying privacy and solitude by the
resort’s large freeform swimming pool,” the
resort adds.
Fall honeymoons at the Alexandra Resort
also offer savings. Package prices (based on a
minimum three-night stay) start from $364
per room per night and include breakfast
room service each morning from Mango Reef,
barefoot dinner on the beach one evening with
Mango Reef, $100 credit at Spa Sanay, $100
credit with Caicos Dream Tours excursions,
welcome bottle of sparkling wine and sweet
treat in room upon arrival, complimentary late
check out until 1 p.m., room upgrade when
available, and reserved signs on two beach
chaises each morning until 11 a.m.
As an added bonus, honeymooners staying for five nights will receive the fifthnight free, and if they stay seven nights,
they will also receive a $100 resort credit.
The offer is available for new reservations
made directly with the resort for travel
until Nov. 24.
(www.alexandraresort.com)
SEPTEMBER 9, 2013 • CANADIAN TRAVEL PRESS • 9
0909PAGE09.indd 9
9/5/2013 3:20:36 PM
ADVERTISEMENT
DREAM GIFT REGISTRY JUST A CLICK AWAY
WITH NEW BRIDAL AMENITIES
AT PALLADIUM HOTELS & RESORTS
ivera Maya – In conjunction with the launch of its brand new Simple
Stunning Weddings packages created by prestigious wedding planner
Karen Bussen, Palladium Hotels & Resorts is now offering a bridal Gift
Registry for weddings and honeymoons at the Grand Palladium properties
in Ibiza, Spain; Montego Bay, Jamaica; Punta Cana, Dominican Republic; and
Riviera Maya, Mexico.
R
Palladium’s new bridal Gift Registry enables family and friends of brides and groomsto-be to make a contribution to the special day with meaningful and much needed
wedding gifts. Every aspect from a gorgeous sunset dinner on the beach and
unforgettable destination tours to “Mr. and Mrs.” towels can be easily purchased
for the couple directly through Palladium’s new website: http://www.palladium.
honeymoonwishes.com/. These gifts will go straight to the bride and groom through
a check or bank transfer, or be credited to their room account for any item that can
be billed to the room during their stay at the resort.
Couples simply register their wedding online at http://www.palladium.
honeymoonwishes.com/ with their desired destination and choose from an extensive
list of activities, room upgrades, tours or anything else their hearts desire for their
customized dream wedding or honeymoon. Registered couples can then use
creative and social media tools such as announcement cards, a wedding website,
blog, photo album, email wizard, and Facebook and Twitter pages to let friends
and family know about their dream Gift Registry. To ensure a seamless process,
customer service representatives are also available to take orders over the phone.
“We constantly strive to enhance our wedding and honeymoon experience for
couples. With our new Karen Bussen’s Simple Stunning Weddings packages and
this online Gift Registry, couples will have a matchless experience at Palladium
Hotels & Resorts,” said Linda Scaperotto, director of marketing for Palladium
Hotel Group. “We’ve seen a trend from couples who prefer to indulge during their
honeymoon rather than add to their belongings back home. With this wedding
registry, couples can really celebrate by getting exactly what they want.”
For more information about Palladium’s Simple
Stunning Weddings and Gift Registry, visit www.
palladiumweddings.com.
About Palladium Hotels & Resorts
There are currently 12 Grand Palladium Resort & Spas
located in Mexico (Riviera Nayarit and Riviera Maya), the
Dominican Republic (Punta Cana), Jamaica (Montego
Bay), Spain (Ibiza) and Brazil (Bahia). Whether guests
are whale watching in Riviera Nayarit or snorkeling off
the shores of Punta Cana, Palladium Hotels & Resorts
ensures a memorable vacation experience for all. Each
of the properties offers a wide variety of restaurants, spa
services, recreational facilities and age-specific kids clubs.
Palladium Hotels & Resorts is owned and managed by the
Palladium Hotel Group. For more information, please visit
www.palladiumresorts.com or follow us on Facebook and
Twitter. Download our APP for smart phones here.
About Palladium Hotel Group:
The newly re-branded Palladium Hotel Group is a Spanish
hotel chain with over forty years of experience. The chain
has 47 hotels in six countries: Spain, Mexico, Dominican
Republic, Jamaica, Italy and Brazil and operates seven
brands: The Royal Suites by Palladium, Palladium Hotels
& Resorts, Ayre Hoteles, Fiesta Hotels & Resorts, Mallorca
Rocks Hotel, Ushuaia Ibiza Beach Hotel and Sa Talaia
Boutique Villa.
The Palladium Hotel Group is characterized by its
philosophy of offering guests a high standard of quality
facilities and services in each of its hotels and resorts, as
well as excellent value.
Palladium Hotel Group is a family owned company (Grupo
Empresas Matutes) and based in Ibiza, Spain.
For a more intimate, adults-only atmosphere, couples can opt to create a registry
with the Grand Palladium sister property, The Royal Suites. Located in the Riviera
Maya and the Riviera Nayarit in Mexico and Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic,
these properties offer a boutique experience coupled with the facilities and amenities
of a luxury resort. Guests of The Royal Suites are privy to exclusive property facilities,
such as a private pool, beach and exclusive restaurant. A personal butler – available
to assist with any demand - is also assigned to each guest staying at The Royal
Suites.
There is no fee to set up a Gift Registry, however a seven percent service fee is
charged for each gift purchased. The couple can choose to have the fee added to
the purchaser’s final amount or deducted from the amount given to them as a gift.
0909PAGE10.indd 10
9/4/2013 3:26:52 PM
Make Your Big Day Even Brighter.
Stay for Free.
Natural splendor sets the stage for absolute luxury when you
choose Palladium Hotels & Resorts as your destination wedding
or honeymoon. Our team of experienced planners ensures
that every detail reflects your vision of the perfect day. Start
your future together with memories to last a lifetime, only at
Palladium Hotels & Resorts.
KAREN BUSSEN
simple stunning weddings
New wedding packages by wedding designer Karen Bussen, now available
in all Mexico & Caribbean Destinations.
Experience
/PalladiumHotelsandResorts
@PalladiumHotels
PALLADIUM
SPAIN | MEXICO | DOMINICAN REPUBLIC | JAMAICA | BRAZIL
*Offer applies to resorts in Riviera Nayarit, Riviera Maya, Jamaica and the Dominican Republic. Basic room category. Valid for weddings booked for September and October for a minimum of 10 rooms.
The number of nights bride and groom may enjoy depends on the number of nights that the other 10 rooms coincide. Offer not cumulative and subject to availability. Other restrictions apply.
0909PAGE11.indd 11
9/5/2013 12:06:33 PM
Wedding guide
Sunwing helps agents tie knot with clients
Sunwing Vacations is making it easier to tie the knot
in an exotic destination
with the release of the third
edition of its Destination
Weddings Guide.
Brides and grooms
who choose a Sunwing
wedding will enjoy exclusivity at popular resorts, as
well as guidance through
every aspect of the wedding planning process
from prenuptials to competitive travel rates, to
professional in-house wedding consulting, all without breaking the bank.
Janine Chapman, vicepresident of marketing
for the Sunwing Travel
Group, says, “Destination
weddings have evolved
over the past few years,
and we wanted to enhance
the overall experience for
brides and grooms looking to achieve their dream
wedding in a budget conscious way.
“We are thrilled to
offer wedding travel packages and planning services, available through
online booking and travel agents across Canada
that run the gamut from
group travel packages,
to wedding ceremonies,
reception and excursions.”
The Sunwing team
consists of bilingual,
certified destination
wedding planners and
designers who act as
representatives on behalf
of brides and grooms by
leveraging their preferred
on-site contacts.
These contacts include
both local vendors and
hotel wedding co-ordinators who work in tandem
with Sunwing Weddings
to achieve a client’s vision
whether it be an intimate
beach wedding or a luxurious Caribbean setting.
Sunwing wedding
services provide the
bridal party with all of the
tools that are needed for
them to create a memorable wedding.
Two packages are designed to bring a wedding professional’s expertise to brides and
grooms so that every
last detail is considered,
the operator adds. The
“Diamond” option covers
personalized planning
for the cornerstones of
a wedding abroad, while
the “Platinum” option
provides even more indepth planning than
the Diamond.
Travel agents wanting
further information can
access www.sunwing.ca.
ADVERTISEMENT
TRAVEL PROS FIND TRUE LOVE
AT PALACE RESORTS WEDDINGS
Love is in the tropical air in Cancun. While
every resort promises white sand and long walks under
starry skies, Palace Resorts is going the extra mile, offering
travel pros a team of experts and great value every step
of the way.
Palace’s biggest draw is the powerhouse
wedding team. With one call, a team of experts springs
into action, coordinating all the details. The rumor is some
couples have started to find themselves actually enjoying
their engagement (imagine that), instead of worrying
about caterers, rentals and location fees. For travel pros
like you, that means looking like a hero without handling a
heroic workload.
Of course, no one wants a cookiecutter wedding, which is why Palace Resorts has taken
customization to a whole new level. Nine stylish wedding
collections, from classic, pure white to the sultry colors
of sunset, provide a great jumping off point. From there,
it’s easy for the happy couple to add endless touches, and
truly make the day their own.
And of course, every dream wedding starts
with a dream locale. At Palace, that means a long list of
perfect places, including ocean-side gazebos, pristine
beaches, and elegant terraces. Reception facilities are no
less amazing, with a huge variety of flexible spaces perfect
for any size guest list.
Though the big day is all about your clients,
you’ll get amazing benefits too. Palace Resorts gives travel
pros full commission on the entire wedding, including
rooms, collections, and more. You’ll also earn free nights
and bonuses when booking a wedding.
An endless variety of customized Wedding
Collections to satisfy even the most particular clients. A
day perfectly tailored to their every whim, planned by a
team of experts. And enough benefits to make it feel like
the best day of your life, too. No wonder travel pros are
getting butterflies. To learn more about Palace Resorts
Weddings, visit Weddings.PalaceResorts.com
or call 1.877.PAL4WED.
12 • CANADIAN TRAVEL PRESS • SEPTEMBER 9, 2013
0909PAGE12_13.indd 12
9/6/2013 8:40:37 AM
St. Lucia shows off
wedding options
at Sept. symposium
THEIR DREAM WEDDING. YOUR DREAM BENEFITS. TOGETHER AT LAST.
Make one call, and let our team of experts create the day your clients have been dreaming of, while you
get comprehensive support every step of the way. Better yet, you’ll earn free nights, great rewards and
full commission on the entire wedding. It’s true love. With big benefits.
1.877.725.4933 Weddings.PalaceResorts.com
From Sept. 26 to 29, Saint
Lucia will host a roster
of destination wedding
experts during the first
annual “LOVE Elevated”
Wedding Symposium
on the island. Speakers
at the event include New
York-based wedding planner Sarah Pease; Denise
Favorule, executive vice-
president of the XO Group;
Lynne Leger, vice-president of Wedding Solutions at David’s Bridal;
and on-island wedding
planning specialists.
Seminar topics will
range from “Marketing to
Brides; Best Practices” to
“Creating the Ideal Destination Wedding Experience.” The weekend also
includes site visits to idyllic
locales around the island, a
showcase of island wedding
vendors hosted at Sandals
Grande and the opportunity for attendees to observe
a wedding at iconic Pigeon
Island. A sunset cruise
cocktail reception and boat
ride to the South of the
island to see the natural
mud baths of the Sulphur
Springs and the UNESCO
World Heritage Pitons,
round out the planned
weekend activities.
Priced at US$150 p.p.,
the three-day symposium
includes all seminars,
social events, site inspections and transportation
from select hotels.
A number of the island’s
top hotels, including Bay
Gardens, The BodyHoliday,
Calabash Cove, Rendezvous
and C’est la Vie, are offering discounted rates for
participants. For information on hotel rates, a complete schedule and more
information, visit http://st
lucianow.com/loveelevated.
“The island’s natural
beauty coupled with a
number of world-class
resorts has made Saint
Lucia one of the most
sought after wedding
destinations in the Caribbean,” Louis Lewis,
director of tourism for the
Saint Lucia Tourist Board,
said of the event. “Building
on our reputation as the
most romantic island, we
aim to make this event an
industry leader and seek
to attract the best minds,
talent and innovation in
the destination wedding
market,” Lewis continued.
SEPTEMBER 9, 2013 • CANADIAN TRAVEL PRESS • 13
0909PAGE12_13.indd 13
9/5/2013 4:36:58 PM
ADVERTISEMENT
ISLAND WEDDINGS AND HONEYMOONS
IN THE U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS
f you’re looking to escape to a simple,
romantic island wedding getaway that
intensifies your feelings of love and
captivates your adventurous spirit, the
U.S. Virgin Islands are ideal! With historic
churches, centuries-old sugar mills and
forts, romantic resorts, unique wedding
locales, glorious palm-fringed beaches
and simple marriage laws, the U.S. Virgin
Islands is a natural aphrodisiac for budgetconscious couples or those for whom the
ultimate ceremony has no price tag. But
which of the isles will you choose— St. Croix, the historic, free-spirited jewel; St. John,
the unspoiled natural beauty; St. Thomas, the cosmopolitan sister; or unassuming Water
Island. Any of these provide the ultimate setting for a tropical Caribbean wedding.
I
Whatever island wedding destination you select, experienced resort and independent
wedding specialists are available to relieve your stress, and help you plan a ceremony
nothing short of amazing. Services are available for first-time brides and grooms,
those renewing vows, or couples just interested in reaffirming their love for each other.
Exchanging vows the traditional way, like in one of our beautiful houses of worship,
remains in vogue with many couples. Synagogues, mosques, Moravian churches,
Catholic cathedrals, and other houses of worship can be reserved. Weddings on the
beach are also popular. Interested in something unconventional? Consider getting
married underwater, aboard a charter yacht or in a lavish villa. For a reception like
no other, dine surrounded by a coral reef aquarium, or enjoy drinks in a submarine
immersed in the Caribbean Sea. Coordinators will take care of every minute detail,
including incorporating family traditions; recreating special themes; helping with the menu
selection; getting custom floral arrangements,
photographers and musicians; and arranging
for unique gifts and activities for you or any
guests or family members.
And don’t forget, when you get married here,
you’re also in an idyllic location for a romantic
honeymoon. So why not have your wedding on
one island and honeymoon on another? That’s
the beauty of having three different islands to
choose from, all within a quick ferry or plane
ride of each other. Choose from luxurious
and all-inclusive resorts, stunning villas, privately
owned great houses, quaint inns and well-stocked
condominiums, all prepared to help you treasure the
moment. Enjoy indulgent spa treatments, picnicking
on a private island, parasailing in tandem, dining in
candlelit ruins or just lounging in a hammock at sunset.
Chartering a yacht is another option you’re sure to
remember
forever.
Boats are equipped with
experienced crews and
private chefs, as well as
a variety of swimming
and fishing equipment
to allow you to explore
secluded coves teeming
with animal life.
PLAN MORE THAN
THE ORDINARY VACATION.
Your clients want to do more than just get away. They want to
get inspired. With some of the world’s most diverse diving, over
fifty uninhabited islands, local festivals, and world-renowned
cuisine, the U.S. Virgin Islands has the sights, the sounds, and the
heart to spark the adventurous spirit in every traveler. Your clients
won’t just get the vacation of their dreams. They will discover a
Caribbean getaway beyond their wildest imagination. It’s time for
your clients to stop making itineraries and start making memories
in the USVI.
You, unscripted.
Special moments begin at visitUSVI.com.
/visitusvi
/usvitourism
©2013 U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism
14 • CANADIAN TRAVEL PRESS • SEPTEMBER 9, 2013
0909PAGE14.indd 14
9/5/2013 3:49:52 PM
ADVERTISEMENT
GRAND SIRENIS RIVIERA MAYA’S
DESIGN IS ABSOLUTELY DAZZLING
The Grand Sirenis Riviera Maya Resort & Spa 5* situated alongside a fantastic virgin beach on the Mayan Riviera, just 20 miles from Playa
del Carmen, and 1 hour from the airport at Cancun.
The Grand Sirenis Riviera Maya Resort & Spa 5* is in a class of
its own due to its spectacular design. It brings to mind the ancient Mayan
buildings; but at the same time, a modern, minimalist style which blends
perfectly with the luxurious natural vegetation in the gardens.
The architecture of the complex is entirely original and novel,
a wonderful sensation of spaciousness has been achieved throughout the
complex, together with an unbeatable level of comfort, which will prove irresistible for all its guests.
There spacious public areas are comprised of; 3 pools, 1 lazy
river, separate children’s pool, 8 à la carte restaurants, coffee shop and ice
cream parlour, among others.
In addition, the renowned Spa Grand Sirenis is a destination
spa with high end technology treatments, as well as ancient native rituals,
all together in luxurious facilities.
0909PAGE15.indd 15
Wedding specialists
The Grand Sirenis Riviera Maya Resort & Spa has been a
wedding specialist for several years now, it has developed
special sites to host amazing events, like a beautiful ocean
front palapa, an authorized catholic chapel with a spectacular view of the Caribbean Sea and a private beach
that can be the setting for wedding ceremonies, cocktails
or beautiful receptions.
Service is as important as facilities. Grand
Sirenis has an experienced staff for event planning. Most
wedding packages include a wedding planner who will take
care of every detail to deliver the wedding of your dreams.
As every package can be customized, all couples will find a
wedding package to suit their needs and dreams.
9/5/2013 2:38:21 PM
ROYAL PRINCESS®
Arriving in the Caribbean this Fall
The night comes alive with a new Water and Light Show
and our biggest Movies Under The Stars® yet!
Elegant dining rooms with more private
dining options than ever before,
like our Chef’s Table Lumiere.
O NESO URCE CRUIS E S .COM
0909PAGE16_17.indd 16
9/4/2013 3:28:07 PM
The best in the Caribbean
just got better.
Our newest ship, Royal Princess, arrives
for her maiden Caribbean season.
Every detail of Royal Princes has been designed
to enhance the atmosphere of which our loyal
passengers have grown accustomed.
Our largest ship ever in the region, carrying
nearly 3,600 passengers, Royal Princess made
her debut in June 2013 following the highly
anticipated christening ceremony by Her Royal
Highness The Duchess of Cambridge.
From November 2013 through April 2014, Royal
Princess will sail our popular 7-day Eastern
Caribbean itinerary. Your clients can experience
this evolutionary ship with convenient roundtrip
sailings from Ft. Lauderdale.
An expanded Atrium with exciting new
venues and 50% more space!
The industry’s first glass-bottomed SeaWalk,
extending 28 feet beyond the ship!
SM
To learn more about Royal Princess and our Caribbean cruises,
please contact your Business Development Manager or for
reservation support call Princess Cruises at 1-855-428-6273.
0909PAGE16_17.indd 17
9/4/2013 3:28:29 PM
ADVERTISEMENT
COLIN COWIE BRINGS STYLE TO
HARD ROCK HOTELS’ WEDDINGS
he brand that is shifting the sands of the all-inclusive resort experience,
All Inclusive Collection, has taken the Caribbean by storm with its
unprecedented travel industry partnership and launch of the exclusive Colin
Cowie Wedding Collection. Available at each all-inclusive Hard Rock Hotel in
Mexico and the Dominican Republic, Colin Cowie brings unparalleled style
and innovation to destination wedding design. Previously available only to celebrity
and high society clients, this partnership signals the first time all couples will have
the chance to wed or renew their vows in a celebration designed by Colin Cowie,
one of the world’s foremost authorities on wedding planning. With an international
clientele that reads like a guest list at the Academy Awards, Colin’s clients include
Oprah Winfrey, Lil Wayne, Jennifer Lopez, Tom Cruise, Demi Moore, Michael Jordan,
Nicole Kidman, Bruce Willis, Jennifer Anniston and many more.
Each Colin Cowie Wedding Collection makes being fabulous accessible with
packages that include all necessities and desires to create the ultimate love affair
so that couples can rest assured that all amenities are included and the final cost
(starting at $1,500) is set upfront. Hotel wedding specialists make all bridal dreams
come true by coordinating every detail of a couple’s special day, overseeing
all package inclusions such as a designated event planner, ceremony location,
ceremony structure, set-up, chairs and chair covers, floral decorations, aisle runner,
bridal bouquet and groom’s boutonniere, in addition to the wedding cake, sparkling
wine, dinner reservations at a hotel restaurant for up to 30 guests and honeymoon
options. Couples can also add a reception to their package for a low cost per
table, which includes food and beverage, tables to accommodate eight guests,
centerpiece decorations, plates, runners, silverware, tumblers and wine glasses.
Complimentary wedding package available.
Following the partnership’s wedding success, the all-inclusive Hard Rock
Hotels recently launched “Harmony,” the exclusive honeymoon collection bringing
unmatched relaxation and sexy amenities to newlyweds looking for a rockstar
quality, post-wedding getaway. These Colin Cowie-inspired
packages provide lavish honeymoon offerings including the
Complimentary Package, Headliner Package (starting at $550) and
the Showstopper Package ($1,500).
Lovebirds on their honeymoon looking to live like a rock star
indulge in the Showstopper Package, including a romantic dinner,
50-minute couples massage at the Rock Spa®, excursion, VIP
concierge service, and transfers from the airport. This also includes
in-room amenities featuring a bottle of champagne, personalized
rose petal bed design upon arrival, chocolate covered strawberries,
breakfast in bed, Kama Sutra Romance Kit, plush bathrobes,
slippers, an aromatherapy fragrance menu, a rose petal filled
Jacuzzi bath, a mini cake, two honeymoon shirts and an exclusive
note from Colin Cowie. Newlyweds requesting unmatched inroom relaxation can select the Headliner Package which includes
chocolate covered strawberries and a personalized rose petal
bed design upon arrival, sparkling wine, a romantic dinner for two,
breakfast in bed, a Sensual chocolate body painting kit, plush
T
0909PAGE18.indd 18
bathrobes, slippers, aromatherapy, rose petal filled
Jacuzzi bath, a mini cake, two honeymoon shirts
and a signature note from Colin Cowie. The day
after “I do,” couples are also offered a complete
complimentary honeymoon package, called “With
Love” from the All Inclusive Hard Rock Hotels. This
package includes breakfast in bed, sparkling wine,
a mini cake, a hot tub experience, as well as a
signature note from Colin Cowie.
All Inclusive Collection has surpassed previous
records for destination weddings at each all-inclusive
Hard Rock Hotel in Mexico and the Dominican
Republic. The company attributes this success
to both Hard Rock, as a high-end, innovative, yet
energetic brand, and to its exclusive partnership with
Colin Cowie, one of the world’s most recognizable
and sought-after celebrity event planners. In addition
to elevating wedding offerings at these hotels, Colin
Cowie specifically created celebrations individually
designed to be seen, heard and remembered for
ages, much like the music that has inspired the Hard
Rock brand for 40 years.
To book a honeymoon vacation experience at
an All Inclusive Collection property visit www.hrhallinclusive.com, or call 888-680-7625.
For more details about Colin Cowie Weddings
visit www.allinclusivehotelweddings.com or call
855-762-5255.
05/09/2013 4:35:45 PM
Show your clients what a rock star
you are with a destination wedding or
honeymoon that will rock their world.
Colin Cowie
You’ll be the rock star when you book your client’s destination wedding
or honeymoon at one of our all-inclusive Hard Rock Hotels in Mexico and
the Dominican Republic. Nobody puts the all in all-inclusive like we do.
And now, Colin Cowie, the ultimate authority on celebrating and creating
spectacular weddings is on our team. His nine ultra-chic wedding styles
(including his COMPLIMENTARY COLLECTION**) add an extra dose of
star-power to our already lavish weddings that your clients are sure to love.
And don’t forget, we throw in an $1,800 LIMITLESS RESORT CREDIT* for
the lovebirds that can be used on everything like spa treatments, tours,
golf, select Colin Cowie Wedding Collections and much more!
And they won’t be the only ones being lavished upon: we have a
great TRAVEL AGENT INCENTIVES PROGRAM including our BONUS
COMMISSION that will rock your world, too.
For more information and to book your clients call your preferred Tour
Operator, visit allinagents.com or call 888-558-5681
*Restrictions apply. Not applicable toward all wedding collections. Based on a 7-8 night
consecutive stay per room. Booking and travel dates apply. Promotion subject to
change without notice. **Restrictions apply.
0909PAGE19.indd 19
9/5/2013 2:45:03 PM
ADVERTISEMENT
WEDDING PLANNING MADE EASY,
BY MELIA HOTELS IN CUBA!
Melia Hotels International in Cuba offers an infinite world of romance to host the perfect wedding! Let Melia hotels, the wedding specialists
in Cuba, assist you in planning your clients’ perfect day! In fact, our Canadianbased and bilingual wedding specialist will assist you step by step for all your
wedding groups in any of our 26 hotels in Cuba. By choosing a Melia property
in Cuba, your clients can enjoy a free wedding package, including the notary
fees if they travel with a minimum amount of guests or, if they prefer a more
intimate ceremony with very few or no guests, they can choose from a selection of wedding packages such as our Memorable Wedding or more deluxe
programs such as the Luxury and Glamourous Weddings or the Paradise of
Love. Our on-site wedding coordinators will ensure a worry free ceremony so
your clients can share this incredible experience with family and friends.
Suggest to your clients to indulge for this very special moment in their lives by selecting one of our resorts offering Royal Service
and they will never want to return! They will also be forever grateful for
your assistance! Creating an exclusive world of luxury and refinement in
Cuba, Royal Service is available only in select hotels operated by Meliá
Hotels International. A place where every single aspect has been thoughtfully and precisely created to deliver an unparalleled experience for all the
senses. At the heart of it all is an extraordinary level of luxurious all-suite
accommodations enhanced by a butler service assuring
personalized service that caters to every whim, wish and
desire. Guests enjoy a unique experience of luxury and
undisturbed tranquility in both Paradisus Varadero, which
caters to families, and the Paradisus Princesa del Mar
which is designed for adults only.
This resort has added to its exclusive Royal
Service section, 168 rooms designed to impress those
looking for the ultimate in accommodations. Among those,
30 Garden Swim-Up Pool Junior Suites with Balinese bed
and direct access to the pool will bring a new level of luxury
to Meliá hotels in Cuba.
For wedding assistance in Canada:
[email protected] or 1866-sol-melia ext 4
Sense of love
A look. A caress. A new beginning. A colorful sunset frames the romantic
moment when two paths become one. Love, it’s another of the senses of Cuba
you can enjoy in any of the Melia hotels with special programs designed for
an unforgettable wedding & honeymoon.
www.weddingcubachannel.com
PA R A D I S U S I M E L I Á I T RY P I S O L H OT E L S
M E L I AC U B A . C O M
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20 • CANADIAN TRAVEL PRESS • SEPTEMBER 9, 2013
0909PAGE20.indd 20
9/5/2013 3:49:20 PM
Princess set to enter China market
The Princess Cruises brand is sailwhile the three-day cruise calls at Jeju.
ing to China in 2014, with Carnival
In addition to the international
Corporation naming Shanghai as the
cruise experience offered by Princess
homeport for Sapphire Princess during
around the world, passengers on
a four-month season expected to carry
the new China-based cruises will be
70,000 passengers.
treated to unique cultural, culinary,
The new roundtrip cruises, which
entertaining and inspiring programs,
begin next May, will bring a new preincluding world leader dinners, sommium cruise experience to the rapidly
melier wine excursions, daily English
growing China vacation market.
high tea, the only 24-hour buffet at sea,
Quickly expanding throughout the
Tai Chi and Zumba at sea, a “Princess
Asia region, Princess has placed China
Night” bedtime experience, and an
foremost in the company’s deployment
unparalleled shopping experience.
Princess Cruises is bringing its brand to China, above, next
plans due to the market’s burgeoning
Designed to appeal to multigenerayear when the Sapphire Princess will call Shanghai home.
economy and increasingly discerning
tional groups, “Touch of Class” pertravellers seeking a premium cruise vacation.
consumer, sailing from China.”
sonal enrichment courses will also be offered
Demonstrating the importance of the market,
The 2014 China season will feature four diffor adults and children.
Carnival Corporation & plc, parent group of
ferent itineraries ranging from three to seven
The 116,000-ton Sapphire Princess carries
Princess Cruises, has opened offices in Beijing, days which – according to Princess research
2,670 passengers and has 18 decks and 28 preTianjin, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Chengdu. – is the ideal number of vacation days for the
mium suites with private balconies. The ship
“We’re excited to bring a new premium
Chinese market.
also includes a casino, duty-free shops, fitness
cruise travel experience to China’s shores,”
The seven-day Sapphire Princess itinerary
centre and spa, sports deck, children’s and
said Princess Cruises’ president Alan
will take passengers to the Korean capital of
teen’s centers, library, Internet café, wedding
Buckelew. “Though we have carried thouSeoul, on to the culturally rich beach resort
chapel, art gallery, and a golf putting course,
sands of Chinese travellers on our ships over
of Busan and finishing at the magical Island
among other features.
many years, we think the time is right for a
of Jeju, before returning to Shanghai. The
Princess’ new 2014 season of cruises will go
premium cruise experience that offers a new
five-day cruise will call at Jeju and Inchon; the on sale to the public on Nov. 1.
type of vacation experience for the Chinese
four-day itinerary will call at Busan and Jeju,
(www.princess.com)
Cruise Lines
Encore Cruises has announced the dates
and opened registration for its third annual
Sea U seminar-at-sea program. Taking
place May 3-10, 2014, and sailing a sevennight Eastern Caribbean itinerary aboard
the MSC Divina, program features will
include: Comprehensive training by CLIA
member cruise lines; A social media workshop; Exclusive social event and networking
opportunities; Luxury cruise training; A
cruise groups workshop and more. Prices
start from $599 for an inside cabin (cruise
only, based on double occupancy). (www.
EncoreCruises.com).... Transat Holidays correction. A Transat Holidays cruise article in
the Aug. 26 edition of Canadian Travel Press
incorrectly stated that the tour operator’s
cruise program included Princess Cruises.
It does not. We apologize for the error....
Registration is now open for Cruise Lines
International Association’s (CLIA) 2013
National Cruise Vacation Week (NCVW)
– from Oct. 20-27. Participating CLIA
member agents and agencies have exclusive
access to special offers, packages and cruise
deals for their clients. Now in its third year,
NCVW is the centrepiece of National Cruise
Month, which promotes special cruise offers
throughout October. Generating millions
in cruise sales and commissions, NCVW
is supported by: a dedicated NCVW web
site with tools and resources including an
e-guide to planning, holding and promoting a successful NCVW sales event, whether
it be a traditional, virtual or both; a special
NCVW video by CLIA president Christine
Duff y that agents can use to help sell consumers on booking a cruise during NCVW;
marketing and sales support from all 26
CLIA North America member cruise lines;
a comprehensive public relations, advertising and social media campaign; coverage
in consumer media, and a weekly cruise
prize segment throughout October on
Wheel of Fortune. (www.ncvw.cruising.org)....
Silversea has released two new brochures
detailing the luxury line’s expansive array
of voyages in 2014, when its seven-ship fleet
will visit more than 500 destinations on
seven continents. The brochures are available in digital and print formats and can be
viewed online at Silversea.com by clicking
the “E-BROCHURE” link.... The Tampa Port
Authority and Royal Caribbean International
report that the cruise line will be deploying a
second ship at the Port of Tampa beginning
in the fall of 2014. Royal Caribbean has been
operating one ship out of Tampa during
winter cruise seasons since January 2002.
Brilliance of the Seas, which will sail seasonally four- and five-night Western Caribbean
cruises, will now be joined by Vision of the
Seas, which will offer seven-night Western
Caribbean cruises, sailing from Tampa
throughout winter 2014-15. Vision of the
Seas and Brilliance of the Seas’ winter 201415 cruises from Tampa are now open for sale.
(www.royalcaribbean.com)
— Greg Coates
SEPTEMBER 9, 2013 • CANADIAN TRAVEL PRESS • 21
0909PAGE21-22.indd 21
05/09/2013 3:49:59 PM
ADVERTISEMENT
CELEBRITY’S GALÁPAGOS:
MODERN LUXURY FOR THE MODERN EXPLORER
elebrity Cruises has taken a page out of Darwin’s Red Notebook and
learned that to be relevant—to keep up with the times—they had
to evolve to fit perfectly into the ever-changing world around them—
specifically in the unique and challenging destination of the Galápagos
Islands. With almost 10 years of delivering extraordinary vacations in
this one-of-a-kind archipelago, Celebrity has learned and evolved their experiences
to meet the needs of the modern explorer.
When your clients step aboard the state-of-the-art 100-passenger Celebrity
Xpedition® in the Galápagos Islands, they should be prepared for an experience like
no other. They’ll say, “Hello” to a sense of intimacy that can only be enjoyed on a
smaller ship. And yet, the ship is filled with creature comforts, including room service,
in-suite dining, wireless Internet access, plush bathrobes, a fitness room, and live
music in the Discovery Lounge.
They’ll enjoy nightly lectures given by certified naturalists from the Galápagos
National Park (who are on board during the entire vacation). Guests learn both on
board and off about this incredible cluster of islands so isolated from the rest of the
world that it’s the home of 1,900 species, many of which aren’t found anywhere else
in the world. From Galápagos giant tortoises and marine iguanas to Darwin’s finches
and Blue-footed Boobies. In the Galápagos, when Celebrity says they transport you
far from the ordinary, they mean it.
On board, your clients can relax with a drink as they take in the spectacular
outdoor views from the Blue Finch Bar. Or review the photos of their day’s
adventures while enjoying a snack from the Beagle Grill. On the Sunrise Deck, a hot
tub, and sunning area are all it takes to let them unwind from head to toe after a
day’s adventures. In the evening, they’ll savor a nightcap as they marvel at the stars
before calling it a day and escaping to their beautifully appointed stateroom or suite.
And, of course, don’t forget the friendly and attentive staff who have a knack for
giving your clients exactly what they need before they even knew they wanted it.
C
Truly All-Inclusive
And, one of the best features of Celebrity Galápagos vacations is that they’re allinclusive. Because, as Celebrity puts it, “Who really wants to carry a wallet in their
swimsuit?” So, with their modern luxury evolution, they’ve thought of everything
their guests need to relax, enjoy, and explore these legendary islands. From 5-star
accommodations in Quito and privately chartered, luxury air transfers* (to and from
your ship) to expertly guided tours and excursions (two a day) that cover all there
is to see and do in the most diversely unique chain of islands in the world—it’s all
included. Meals? Check. Drinks? Absolutely. Tips? They’ve got it covered. Plus, all
the gear your clients will need, like snorkeling equipment, wetsuits, binoculars, and
more. Like we said, it’s all-inclusive.
(they’re purchased from an eco-friendly, local
chocolate company that donates part of its proceeds
to Galápagos conservation efforts) to the hull of the
ship (it’s painted with silicone to move her through
the water more efficiently, which uses less fuel and
further reduces her carbon footprint). Celebrity does
all these things so future generations can experience
this unbelievable living time capsule.
Getting Away & Giving Back
Celebrity also works in collaboration with the
US-based Galápagos Conservancy—the premier
advocacy organization in the United States for
conservation in the Galápagos Islands—to collect
donations for the Galápagos Fund. Its goal is the
long-term ecological integrity of Galápagos and its
unique marine and terrestrial ecosystems. Since
2006, Celebrity and their Xpedition guests have
contributed over $1.5 million to this fund and other
projects in the islands. So, your clients’ journeys
with Celebrity Cruises provide them with the creature
comforts of a modern luxury vacation, introduce
them to the creatures that inspired Charles Darwin to
study them, and invite them to be a part of the future
of the islands by participating in preservation efforts.
Celebrity Cruises brings the mysteries of the
Galápagos Islands to life like no one else can.
Celebrity’s Galápagos—a modern luxury vacation for
the modern explorer.
*For all 10-night or longer Galápagos packages.
©2013 Celebrity Cruises Inc. Ships’ registry: Ecuador.
Modern Luxury = Eco-Friendly
With Celebrity’s passionate focus on providing modern, upscale experiences in the
Galápagos Islands, they made sure not to lose perspective on the importance of
the environment itself. They’ve gone to every length to protect this amazing corner
of the world—from the chocolates placed on guests’ pillows at nightly turndown
0909PAGE21-22.indd 22
05/09/2013 3:50:04 PM
Celebrity’s Galapagos vacations are truly all inclusive.
Because who really wants to carry a wallet in their swimsuit?
We’ve thought of everything your clients could need to relax, enjoy, and explore the legendary Galapagos Islands. From 5-star
accommodations in Quito* and privately chartered, luxury air transfers (to and from their ship)* to expertly guided tours and
intimate excursions (two a day) that cover all there is to see and do in the most diversely unique chain of islands in the world—it’s all
included. Meals? Check. Drinks? Absolutely. Tips? We’ve got it covered. Plus, all the gear they’ll need, like snorkeling equipment,
wet suits, binoculars, and more. Like we said, it’s all-inclusive.
Because we believe every moment of your vacation should
be measured by just how far it takes you from the ordinary.
That’s modern luxury.SM
Learn more at CruisingPower.com
*For all 10-night or longer Galapagos packages.
Modern Luxury is a trademark of Celebrity Inc. ©2013 Celebrity Cruises Inc. Ships’ registry: Malta and Ecuador.
0909PAGE23.indd 23
9/5/2013 4:15:39 PM
‘Bond-ing’ with Thailand’s Koh Samui
IAN STALKER
Could James Bond nemesis Scaramanga have had
more than one Thai lair?
Distinctive-looking
islands near the southern
Thailand resort community of Phuket appeared
in the Bond movie The
Man With The Golden
Gun, one of which is now
known as James Bond
Island and is a popular
tourist attraction.
But Naovarat Sangthong, a tour guide on
the Thai island of Koh
Samui, notes that islands
near that Thai tourist
retreat share the same
physical features of those
limestone formations
found near Phuket, with
one in particular bearing
a striking resemblance
to James Bond Island, the
final retreat of the sinister
Scaramanga.
“We call it James Bond
Island because it looks
similar,” she says of
the Koh Samui-area formation, which rises dramatically from the warm
ocean water.
Green, hilly Koh Samui
has come into its own as a
Thai tourist destination,
in part because of tragedy
elsewhere in the region.
The devastating tsunami
of several years ago pummelled Phuket, but Koh
Samui’s location makes it
extremely unlikely that it
will ever see that type of
disaster and so development has soared in the
past few years, with developers viewing Koh Samui
as a particularly safe place.
Several luxury hotels
have recently opened on
Koh Samui, including an
InterContinental, a Four
Seasons and a Banyan
Tree, underscoring that
Koh Samui sees plenty of
well-off visitors.
But Sangthong adds
that the area is popular
with young people as well,
many lured by the famous
monthly Full Moon beach
parties on nearby Koh
Phangan Island, which
draw thousands of young
people at a time and
feature the likes of fire
dancing. “After the party,
they spend a week to relax
[in the area],” says Sangthong, who notes 2011 was
the 20th anniversary of the
Full Moon Parties, which
have in turn spawned Half
Moon Parties, Black Moon
Parties and other often
raucous revelry.
“It’s an absolutely crazy
party,” she adds of Full
Moon Parties. “People everywhere know about the
Full Moon Party.”
Another attraction
close to Koh Samui
is Ang Thong Islands
Marine National Park, a
watery world of snorkelling, beaches, islands and
tropical sunshine.
Vipasiri Napawongdee of
InterContinental Hotels’
Bangkok office says it’s understandable that interest
in Koh Samui has surged
in recent years.
“This is a very gorgeous
island with beautiful
beaches and weather,”
she says of an island
once known for its coconut plantations and where
structures aren’t supposed
to be taller than mature
coconut trees. “You have
a choice on Koh Samui
– you can vacation peacefully on the west side
of the island or go to the
east side where you have
the nightlife.”
Johan Wallen, the
InterContinental Samui
Baan Taling Ngam Resort’s
concierge manager, is also
quick to praise Koh Samui,
and says those who seek a
restful tourist retreat won’t
be disappointed.
“It’s nice and quiet,” says
Wallen, whose clifftop resort – which offers oftenstunning views of the
ocean – has both buggies
and a suspension bridge
to enable guests to reach
the beach. “In Koh Samui,
you do feel like you’re on a
small tropical island.”
Napawongdee says the
InterContinental Samui
Baan Taling Ngam Resort
– which offers the likes
of seven swimming pools
and 79 guest residences –
lives up to its name, which
means home on a beautiful cliff.
“This is a beautiful
hotel on a beautiful cliff,”
she declares.
Tai Pan Tours to host YYZ
agent presentations Oct. 23
Tai Pan Tours is inviting
travel agents to Oct. 23
product presentations
in the Toronto area that
will have as guest speaker
Steve Gillick, president
of Talking Travel and a
travel industry veteran.
Gillick was the longtime head of the CITC
and continues his involvement in the travel industry
as an “educator, speaker,
travel writer and destination addict. His style
has been described as
energetic, interactive
and effective, and his use
of highly creative visuals
is both educational and
entertaining,” Tai Pan
Tours says.
Gillick will speak
about the benefits and
revenue generation potential for agents who promote the niche market
of culinary travel, as well
as the value to consumers,
with a special emphasis
on five featured destinations and Tai Pan Tours’
Explorer Program.
Both sessions are open
to full-time travel agents.
The morning session is
from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. at
the Metropolitan Hotel
in downtown Toronto.
Breakfast and Asian food
will be served.
The evening session
is from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
at the Sheraton Parkway
Toronto North Hotel in
Richmond Hill. Asian
food and refreshments
will be served.
Agents are asked to
register early as space is
limited. The first 50 registered agents will receive
an early-bird gift. Each
session will have a draw
with lots of prizes, such
as a $500 travel voucher,
concert tickets, ice wine,
and more.
E-mail tours@taipantours
for more information.
24 • CANADIAN TRAVEL PRESS • SEPTEMBER 9, 2013
0909PAGE24.indd 24
9/5/2013 12:47:37 PM
Down Under is looking up!
Anderson Vacations campaign
offers extra cash for agents
Anderson Vacations
has launched an ambitious, and lucrative, trade
campaign for the travel
trade. Through Oct. 15,
travel agents can grow
their earning potential
for bookings to Australia, New Zealand and the
South Pacific with the
Calgary-based tour operator in three distinct ways:
• Bonus commission: For
all Downunder land packages booked through Oct.
15 (retroactive to Aug. 27)
with a deposit applied, the
travel agent will earn an
additional 2% commission.
The land packages include
escorted and independent
packages for Australia, New
Zealand and the South
Pacific Islands.
• Gift card: If agents book
an air-and-land inclusive
Downunder package, they
receive a $25 prepaid Visa
gift card in addition to the
extra commission.
• Weekly draw/grand
prize: Agents who participate in Anderson’s social
media campaign and like
Anderson Vacations on
Facebook, or follow @Andervacations on Twitter, or
post a photo on Instagram
(#AndersonVacations)
that defines an Anderson experience will be entered in a weekly draw for
one $100 travel voucher
applicable toward an Anderson Vacation travel experience every week of the
10-week promotion.
On Oct. 15, all the
agents who have taken
part in the social media
contest will be entered in
the final draw to win a
$500 Anderson Vacations
travel voucher.
Agents who have already followed and liked
Anderson Vacations in
the past should be sure to
post a comment on their
timeline or mention them
in a tweet to qualify for
the draw. The incentives
will be accompanied by
a series of e-blasts and
e-newsletters throughout
the promotional period.
Downunder planner
The promotion is designed
to help build anticipation
for the launch of Anderson’s 2014 Downunder
Destination Planner. The
180-plus page catalogue
will feature a new format,
as well as five new guided
tours in the South Pacific
under the product banner of Anderson Exclusives, which include land
packages with air from
Los Angeles, each with set
departure dates.
For more information
or for a customized quote,
contact Rene Keller at
1-866-814-7378, e-mail
rkeller@andersonvacations.
ca or visit www.down
undersolution.com.
ANDERSON’S FESTIVAL OF COLOURS EARN EXTRA COMMISSIONS
in Australia, New Zealand
and the South Pacific
Aug 27 – Oct 15, 2013
Here is how you can earn more between
August 27 – Oct 15, 2013
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SEPTEMBER 9, 2013 • CANADIAN TRAVEL PRESS • 25
0909PAGE25.indd 25
9/5/2013 12:48:22 PM
Learning academy
reveals all shades of
colourful Catalonia
In Catalonia, Barcelona is
just the beginning.
The region offers worldclass experiences in everything from gastronomy
to outdoors
activity to
history and
culture.
More than
14.5 million foreign
tourists visited Catalonia
in 2012, a 10% increase
from the previous year.
The region is the most
popular tourist destination
in Spain, with one in four
visitors travelling there.
And the Canadian market
is on the rise with 150.000
Canadian tourists visiting
the area in 2012.
Catalonia is most
famous for its vibrant
capital, Barcelona, one of
the most popular tourist
destinations in the world.
While the lively city is a
must-see, there’s much
more to
this small,
but diverse
area in the
northeastern
corner of
Spain. With
an eternally sunny
Mediterranean coastline
stretching over 600 km,
snowy mountains, awardwinning food and wine,
and a rich, ancient culture,
travellers to Catalonia can
have many vacations in
one.
Travellers will enjoy the
region’s culture and history. Barcelona is the site
of the world-famous build-
Last week’s lineup...
ings by architect Antoni
Gaudí, such as the iconic
Sagrada Família Church.
Museums celebrate a
diverse artistic legacy,
including the works of
natives Salvador Dalí and
Joan Miró.
History lovers will
appreciate everything from
prehistoric cave paintings
to Greek and Roman settlements to Romanesque
and Gothic buildings – as
well as the region’s 12
UNESCO World Heritage
monuments and sites.
World-class restaurants
await food enthusiasts, as
Catalonia is a hot spot for
foodies. Its geographical
diversity, Mediterranean
climate and ancient traditional recipes are reflected
in the varied cuisine. A
®
Colourful Catalonia
total of 49 Catalan restaurants share 60 Michelin
stars. In 2013 El Celler
De Can Roca restaurant
in Girona topped the list
of Restaurant Magazine
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the World. There are also
eleven wine denominations of origin in Catalonia
and one extra for cava, the
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To help travel agents
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‚
26 • CANADIAN TRAVEL PRESS • SEPTEMBER 9, 2013
0909PAGE26.indd 26
05/09/2013 3:48:49 PM
60
WORLD TRAVEL MARKET ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE
How do buyers find out if
they are eligible for WTM
Buyers’ Club Membership?
SECONDS
Buyers can register at
wtmlondon.com/register as a
visitor. The application will then be
reviewed to see if they qualify for
WTM Buyers’ Club status. Buyers will
be emailed to confirm their status.
WITH
SIMON
PRESS
What will the event
programme look like at
WTM 2013?
There will be sessions on a wide
range of sectors including aviation,
hotels, social media and responsible
tourism. Last year more than 15,000
delegates attended 127 sessions.
Reed Travel Exhibitions, Director, World Travel
Market, Simon Press previews WTM 2013.
Press discusses WTM’s vital role in facilitating travel
industry business and new initiatives at this year’s event.
What will WTM 2013 look like?
WTM 2013 will be the biggest
and best yet with two great
new initiatives taking place. Firstly,
the Travel Tech Show at WTM is
launched as a travel technology
focused event alongside WTM and
A Taste of ILTM at WTM will increase
the amount of luxury business taking
place on the show floor.
even more business.
The North American section of
WTM will be more than double the
size of WTM 2012, which should help
Canadian exhibitors increase the
volume of business even further.
Furthermore, Canadian company
Pool Safe are a new exhibitor in the
global village region. Pool Safe offers
safe areas for valuables on sun
loungers.
Why must Canadian
exhibitors, buyers and
visitors attend WTM 2013?
World Travel Market, the leading
global event for the travel industry,
is the event where the industry
conducts its business deals. WTM
2012 will generate a massive 3 billion
CAD (£1.8 billion) in business deals
for all exhibitors, in contracts signed
at the event or generated from
WTM 2012 before WTM 2013, with the
industry’s senior buyers from WTM
Buyers’ Club.
How much business can
Canadian exhibitors
expect to conduct?
Canadian exhibitors can expect
to conduct a great deal of business
at WTM 2013. WTM will generate
more than 944.560 CAD (£585m)
for exhibitors from Americas & The
Caribbean, an impressive 30%
increase on WTM 2011.
WTM 2013 is poised to facilitate
Tell me more about WTM
Buyers’ Club?
WTM Buyers’ Club - the
REGISTER NOW
wtmlondon.com
leading global business network:
making contacts, concluding
deals - is the original buyers club
for the global industry’s senior
buyers. For the past 21 years it
was called WTM Meridian Club.
What opportunities
are there for exhibitors
and WTM Buyers’ Club
members to negotiate and
conduct business at WTM 2013?
There is a whole portfolio of business
and networking opportunities across
the four days of WTM, starting with
WTM Speed Networking before
the exhibition opens on Monday 4
November. On the final morning there
is the Networking Breakfast followed
by a second WTM Speed Networking
event to initiate post-WTM 2013 deals.
Last year 310 buyers and 867
exhibitors started negotiations at WTM
Speed Networking events. On the
third evening there is a networking
reception for the WTM Buyers’ Club
and WTM Exhibitors.
WTM is the event where
the travel industry
conducts its business
deals. WTM 2012’s
exhibitors will sign deals
with WTM Buyers’ Club
(formerly WTM Meridian
Club) members worth
3,00000 CAD (£1.8bn).
WTM 2013 is poised to
facilitate even more
business for the industry.
SIMON PRESS
WTM
Where can Canadian visitors
register for WTM 2013?
Visit wtmlondon.com/register
Where can people
interested in attending WTM
2013 get further information?
Visit wtmlondon.com
WTM Official Media Partner
WTM Official
Premier Partner
WTM. Means business
0909PAGE27.indd 27
9/5/2013 11:22:44 AM
Surcharge vs. tax
How $340.40 may cost airlines millions
R
arely does one find a Constitutional Law case that
is relevant to the travel industry, but one such case
is currently working its way through the system.
The most recent step
was taken by the Supreme
Court of Canada (“SCC”),
in mid-August, and there
are two reasons why it’s a
case worth watching.
It started in the autumn
of 2008. BC resident
Bulent Unlu bought an
Air Canada ticket. The
fare was cited as $870.26,
and taxes were shown as
$445.74. Unlu paid the
$1,326 total, and got his
e-ticket.
Later, he realized that
the tax (“XT”) component
included a fuel surcharge
(“YQ”) of $340.40.
Unlu concluded that he
was the victim of a consumer misrepresentation.
He’d been told that the
$340.40 was a tax, when
in fact, it was pocketed by
AC, and not remitted to
the government. He sued
the carrier in April of 2010,
alleging a violation of the
BC consumer protection
statute. Among other
things, that statute prohibits a “deceptive act or
practice” that victimizes a
consumer.
In suing, he did not
challenge the legitimacy
of the surcharge, nor its
amount. Neither did he
contend that the carrier had failed properly
to file for the surcharge
with the Canadian
Transportation Agency
(“CTA”). All he said was,
“I’m a BC consumer, and
I have been deceived or
misled by this carrier
practice of mis-characterizing as a government
tax what is in fact a surcharge, that the carrier
pockets for itself.”
Similar cases were filed
against other international carriers serving
Vancouver, including
Luft hansa. In due course,
Unlu’s case morphed into
a potential class action,
with him suing on behalf
of all passengers who
may have been similarly
misled, on all affected
carriers out of BC, over
a period of several years.
Unlu’s $340.40 had by this
point grown into millions
of dollars.
(It is now time for a
refresher on that “Civics”
course you took in High
School. Surely you will remember that the Canadian
Dismal
Constitution allocates
responsibilities between
the federal and the provincial governments. That is
why we have a Canadian
Armed Forces, and not one
for each province, and why
Colleges and Universities
do not have a single federal minister, but instead
a series of provincial ministries. While “the regulation of air travel” was not
on the agenda for Sir John
A. and his fellow Fathers,
50 years before the Wright
Brothers
invented air
travel, it is
long settled
that this
is a matter
for federal
jurisdiction.)
At trial, the carriers
contended that they were
subject to federal oversight
and so were exempt from
having to comply with a
provincial statute. This
is essentially the reason
why the Travel Industry
Council of Ontario (TICO)
and its counterparts in BC
and Quebec do not regulate air carriers… the CTA
does, and so TICO and the
others do not.
But the court said that
it is not an all-or-nothing
analysis. The BC Trial
the industry looks relatively healthy,
but it’s being fuelled by domestic
Continued from page 1
Inbound numbers show
growth, while, at the same
that Canada was seventh
time, there’s the view that
in the global international
there’s a lot of marketarrivals league in 2002.
ing money in the system,
By 2010, the country had
courtesy of the provinces
dropped to 18th, and last
and destination marketing
year rose marginally to 16th.
organizations.”
In its ministerial presentaAnd he adds, “My job at
tion, TIAC noted, “Despite
TIAC is to be part of the
this modest improvement,
government’s agenda, but
Goldstein
we’re still short of 2002 levels
it’s a struggle to make the
by about 3.8 million visitors.
argument stick that the health of the
Goldstein says, “On the surface,
industry is based on a false premise.”
Judge referred to a 2010
SCC decision that ruled
that a federal law ousts the
provincial interest only if
(a) there is an operational
conflict between the two,
or (b) if the implementation of a provincial law
would be incompatible
with the purpose behind a
federal law.
In January of 2012,
Madam Justice Adair
ruled in the Unlu case that
neither of these prerequisites existed, and so the
TraveLaw
Doug Crozier, Tim Law
carriers DID have to heed
the BC law. The provincial
government had sided
with Unlu in this argument, in order to protect
its legislation.
The carriers appealed,
but in April, the BC Court
of Appeal upheld the
lower court’s ruling finding that an “operational
conflict” would exist only
if the federal law said that
a carrier MUST mislead
its passengers, while the
provincial act said that
they MUST NOT do so. It
also rejected the argument
that, when they used the
“tax” box, the carriers were
simply adhering to their
CTA tariffs. The court said
that this argument might
make sense if the federal
law had forced them to use
the tax box for surcharges,
but it did not.
Interestingly, the Court
of Appeal also said that
just because the CTA
has rules that prohibit
misleading statements
by carriers concerning
their services, this did
not oust provincial rules
of a similar thrust. In fact,
the court ruled that the
existence of CTA rules
about misleading advertising showed that the BC
law was consistent with,
and not at all incompatible with, the federal
regime.
This left the carriers with
only one more option, in
regard to the constitutional argument: they sought
the permission of the SCC
to have the case heard by
the highest court in the
land, but on
Aug. 16, the
SCC said “no.”
Having
been unsuccessful in
using constitutional
arguments to avoid facing
the BC statute, the affected carriers are now
one step closer to having
to address the merits of
the case. Prior to that
stage, the Unlu action
must be certified by a
court as being suitable for
the class action format of
litigation.
Keep an eye on the
certification battle. It will
be resisted vigorously by
the carriers, as certification will lead inevitably to
a large payout, by settlement or upon court order.
And keep your other
eye on the provincial
legislatures in the three
regulated provinces. The
now-final BC Court of
Appeal ruling says that
there are some legitimate
provincial interests in
regulating in the field of
air travel. It may not be
quite as all-or-nothing as
we have for years believed.
Perhaps there are some
other areas wherein federally regulated carriers
can be made to toe the
provincial line.
28 • CANADIAN TRAVEL PRESS • SEPTEMBER 9, 2013
0909PAGE01_04-5_28.indd 28
05/09/2013 4:02:03 PM
Danang/Hoi Ann,
Vietnam
“My job at TIAC is to be part of the government’s agenda,
but it’s a struggle to make the argument stick that the
health of the industry is based on a false premise...”
— David Goldstein, TIAC president and CEO on Canada’s
precipitous decline in inbound visitor numbers, which is
being masked by an increase in domestic travel
Please send your answer to:
“Where in the World?” at [email protected]
Built in the mid-‘90s, this “celebrated” planned community has an early 20th century feel, on purpose! With a nostalgic, small-town flavour, the town is oriented around a lake (with walking trails
and green space) and classic main street. There’s one hotel. Originally developed by a single (deeppocketed) company known for perfection, it is viewed as absolutely ideal or kinda creepy, depending
on which side of the white picket fence you’re on. Where in the world is it?
Gear To Go
A guide to some of the amazing devices that make
travel a little bit easier, or more fun
The Eye-Hole
The Eye-Hole is an adjustable and fashionable necklace for sunglasses and eyeglasses that solves the problem of losing your glasses while travelling.
Available for $25, the Eye-Hole adjustable eyeglass
necklace is not only affordable, but it is also versatile
as it can be used both for reading glasses and sunglasses, and it is stylish, available in suede, braided
leather or polished cotton cord.
It is also functional because it allows you to always
have your glasses handy and ensure that you never
forget and leave them behind, while you are travelling.
Kate Berger and Ann
Lightfoot,
a motherdaughter
design
team, came
up with
the concept for
Eye-Hole after Ann said to Kate for
the millionth time, “Where are my glasses?” Instead
of using an old-fashioned granny eyeglass necklace,
Ann and Kate got to work and came up with their
own solution – the Eye-Hole, a stylish and practical
eyeglass necklace.
Eye-Hole adjustable eyeglass necklaces are available
for $25 at www.eye-hole.com and at various retailers.
One of my most memorable vacation places
was Danang/Hoi Ann,
Vietnam. On a whim this
year, I booked a trip after
discovering a five-sentence
article about this new
concept, all-inclusive spa
hotel in Danang. It was
awesome. Fusion Maia. The
moment you arrived, a feeling of peace settled over.
The resort is well laid-out,
and the rooms start with
pool suites having their
own private plunge pool
and outdoor sitting area.
Inside, they are spacious
and have separate shower
and a large sunken stepin granite tub. The beach
was a beautiful expanse of
clear water and white sand,
perfect for a stroll.
The spa area is the star.
With over 40 treatments,
guests are guaranteed
a minimum of
two per
person
per day included in
the room
price. Additional
treatments
Coralie
are on
Belman
request –
Coralium
but easy
Consulting
to obtain.
The hotel operates on a
daily colour theme each
day signifying attention
to different scents in the
spa, food menu items and
the colour accents the staff
wear. There are many extra
touches and attention to
detail that leave you feeling
relaxed and rejuvenated I
still have my etched stone
saying “just breathe.”
Fusion Maia offers a
free transfer service into
Hoi Ann, where there is a
bounty of shops and tailors
waiting to serve you. The
town was pretty, had excellent restaurants and service
in the shops was ideal. I’m
going back again!
SEPTEMBER 9, 2013 • CANADIAN TRAVEL PRESS • 29
0909PAGE29.indd 29
9/5/2013 3:39:22 PM
APPOINTMENTS
G Adventures
Following a two-year
search, G Adventures
has announced the
appointment of Alon
Marcovici to the position
of vice-president, global
marketing. Marcovici
joins the company with
more than 18 years of
sales and marketing
communication experience and most recently
served as vice-president
of consumer sales and
marketing at The Globe
and Mail. Marcovici
will be responsible for
managing the company’s
global marketing team
dedicated to building a
strong brand position
and delivering growth
objectives, and resultsdriven offline and online
marketing. He previously
served as VP of digital
media and research
at Canada’s Olympic
Broadcast Media
Consortium, where
he earned a Gemini
Award for Outstanding
Technical Achievement
in Digital Media, and
was named Digital Media
Executive of the Year
at the Canadian New
Media Awards, also
receiving the award for
Best Cross-Platform
Project. Marcovici also
held senior positions
at CTVglobemedia,
Maple Leaf Sports &
Entertainment and the
Toronto Board of Trade,
with previous experience
at NBC Olympics and
the National Basketball
Association.
VoX International
VoX International Inc.
reports that Paul Larcher
has joined its team in the
position of account
director for the Las Vegas
Convention & Visitors
Authority account. He
will work with travel
trade and the groups and
meetings market to
promote Las Vegas as a
preferred destination for
Canadians.
With more
than 22
years
experience
in the
Larcher
travel
industry, Larcher started
his career at Sunquest
Vacations in the reservations department before
quickly growing in the
company as group sales
supervisor, sales manager,
then director of advertising and promotions. In
2000, Larcher left the
travel industry to pursue
a career in advertising
and marketing with an
agency as account manager. Larcher ventured
back to the travel industry
in 2006 as director of
marketing at MyTravel,
Transat Discoveries has a new brochure describing itineraries in Asia, Africa, Europe
and Latin America, with the tour operator’s Dan Prior telling a Toronto gathering
Wednesday that what’s found in the brochure is only part of what the company offers.
“We’re not limited to what’s in the brochure,” said Prior, adding Transat Discoveries will
customize itineraries if asked. More than 40 countries are available, he reported. This is
Transat Discoveries third year in English Canada, and Prior said the company is making
inroads in that market. The lion’s share of its English-Canada bookings now come from
Ontario, but Transat Discoveries says it’s building a following in other parts of the country, as well and is promising a “much more signifi cant presence” in Alberta and British
Columbia in 2015. Pictured (l-r) are Transat’s Susie Deveault, Prior and Sherry Brown.
New brochure has them beaming:
which later became
Thomas Cook Canada.
Larcher can be reached at
[email protected] and by
calling 1-866-925-9212 or
416-925-8212, ext. 226.
SABRE
Sabre Holdings has
announced that Larry
Kellner will join the
company as non-executive chairman of the
board of directors. Kellner
joins the Sabre board
following a successful
14-year career at
Continental Airlines,
where he served initially
as chief financial officer,
then president, chief
operating officer, and
finally chairman and
CEO before retiring in
2009. He is currently the
president of Emerald
Creek
Group and
serves on
the boards
of The
Boeing
Kellner
Company,
The Chubb Corporation
and Marriott
International. Kellner
succeeds Sam Gilliland,
who was previous chair-
The following people identified the Aug.
19 “Where in the World” as Brazil: Alvaro
Lopez de Haro, AMResorts; Chris Wilson,
Uniglobe; Andrei Gere, TravelOnly; Oscar
Lorenzo, TruExperiences Tour; Gayle
Thomas, Kentours; Denise Banks, Southland
Travel; Ashley Howard, Alberta Motor
Association; Carmela Bonanni, Travel Link;
Dave Wright, Sunwing Vacations; Virginia
Viragh, Uniglobe Donaldson Travel; Linda
Coneybeare, Travel Plus; Ronald D’Souza,
man and CEO of Sabre.
Gilliland will remain on
Sabre’s board of directors.
WINNERS
In July, Goway launched
an agent promotion with
partners at the Korea
Tourism Organization.
Agents booking a qualifying Goway Asia package
in Korea by Sept. 30 are
entered into a draw to
win one of four iPads.
The August winner was
Vera Nosic from Integrity
Travel, who sold a custom
six-day Korea package to
Seoul and Jeju Island.
Le Groupe Voyages Vision 2000 Travel
Group; Katherine Hirtzel, Carlson Wagonlit;
Jing Teo, Voyages Polar Bear Travels Inc.;
Meghan Zwaniga, Worldwide Central
Travel; Cathy Meir, CruiseShipCenters; Barb
Hricina, Carlson Wagonlit.
The following person identified the Aug.
12 “Where in the World” as Sawyer Glacier,
Alaska: Theoni Mihalopoulos, Crowfoot
Travel Solutions.
30 • CANADIAN TRAVEL PRESS • SEPTEMBER 9, 2013
0909PAGE30.indd 30
05/09/2013 4:02:28 PM
Signature.ca
T h e D a y s Yo u R e m e m b e r
Kfifekf;\gXikli\j›Fe\N\\b›8cc@eZclj`m\
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Gl\Ycf9fe`kf<d\iXc[
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895
+ $357 taxes
Toronto departures. All prices are per person based on double occupancy for 7 nights on all inclusive vacations (unless otherwise specified) and were available at time of printing. Seats at the above prices
are limited and capacity controlled. Transportation taxes & related fees shown must be pre-paid. For full terms and conditions, please refer to our current brochure. All flights are with Sunwing Airlines or
Travel Services. Sunwing Vacations Inc. D/B/A Signature Vacations, 27 Fasken Drive, Toronto, ON. Ont (Tico) # 2476582 | 09092013
0909PAGE31.indd 31
9/4/2013 12:21:31 PM
R
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RoyalCaribbean.com or calling Royal Caribbean at 1-877-821-2513. Certain exclusions apply. ChoiceAir $1,000 cruise savings applies to 7-night and longer offer cruises, balcony and higher staterooms, and is limited to one offer per stateroom. Guest must book air travel through ChoiceAir by Dec. 15, 2013. 50% Reduced Deposit promotion applies to Offer Cruises, and will be
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0909PAGE32.indd 32
9/5/2013 11:23:15 AM