Phoenix Barbados Acapulco

Transcription

Industry News When
Industry
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News When
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TRAVELHotNews.com
It...Daily – TRAVELHotNews.com
December 2009
Phoenix
Las Vegas
Shiny New
Commissions
Cuba
South India
Barbados
Thai Luxury
Acapulco
Hot Seller
Blissful Business
It’s Back
Plus: Southern
California, Vegas,
Panama
Beach,
Plus: Italy, Louisiana
& RivieraCity
Decembera
Theme Parks
Publications Mail Agreement 40623544 • www.canadiantraveller.net • The Official Sponsor Publication of the Association of Canadian Travel Agencies
4474 CT DEC Edit.indd 1
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12/4/09 11:19:39 AM
12/4/09 11:19:40 AM
;g^ZcYang h
ZcXdjciZY#
^cXajYZ
UNTAMED NATURE
Introduce your clients to the natural splendour and beauty of
Costa Rica. Nolitours is proud to offer two unique and exciting
coach tours that travel from stunning beaches, through lush
rainforests to towering volcanoes. Along the way, travellers
cross spectacular national parks, see some traditional villages
and visit the capital, San Jose. The country’s staggering beauty
and amazing landscapes are the backdrop for an extraordinary
adventure your clients will treasure forever!
VOLCANOES OF COSTA RICA*
$AYSs.IGHTSs-EALS
NATURAL WONDERS OF COSTA RICA*
$AYSs.IGHTSs-EALS
HiVgi^c\[gdb/
$
1799*
Price per person
Coach tours departures
are from San Jose
Taxes and fees to be added: $213.25
Prices subject to change without notice.
For more details, see the Nolitours
3UN"ROCHUREORVISITNOLITOURSCOM
*Sample rate effective as of November 12, 2009 for departures January 19, 2010 (Volcanoes of Costa Rica) and January 12, 2010 (Natural Wonders of Costa Rica), new bookings only. Space & price are subject to availability at time of booking
and subject to change without notice. Price shown is per person, based on double occupancy in lead room category. Flights are from Toronto via Air Transat or CanJet. Taxes & travel related fees are extra and noted above. For all details on our
terms and conditions, please refer to the Nolitours 2009-2010 Sun brochure. Nolitours is a division of Transat Tours Canada Inc. and is registered as a travel wholesaler in Ontario. ®™ Trademarks of AIR MILES International Trading B.V. Used
under license by LoyaltyOne, Inc. and Transat Distribution Canada Inc. Marlin Travel is a division of Transat Distribution Canada Inc. Head Office: 191 The West Mall, Suite 700, Etobicoke ON M9C 5K8. ON Reg. #50015084.
12/4/09 11:19:41 AM
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EDITOR
Janice Strong
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF/PUBLISHER
Rex Armstead
December 2009 Volume 24 Issue 12
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Stephen Fountaine
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14
Features
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36
SoCal, So Cool
Discovering Southern
California’s Other
Attractions
Bajan Bliss
Barbados Promotes
The Art Of fine Living
16
32
42
A Roller Coaster Ride
Click The Turnstiles To
Theme Park Sales
The New Phoenix
Downtown Rises
Up & Resorts Are
Always Changing
24
Everything Old Is
New Again
Acapulco Is On The
Tourism Comeback Trail
27
Making The Scene
New Developments In
Vegas Have The City Abuzz
30
The Other Florida
Panama City Beach
Offers Fun, Sun, Sand
& A New Airport
32
Travelines
6
8
23
44
46
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Steve Klein
Tel: (604) 699-9990 ext. 327
ACCOUNT MANAGER – VANCOUVER
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Phoenix
Las Vegas
Shiny New
Commissions
Cuba
South India
Barbados
Thai Luxury
Acapulco
Hot Seller
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Blissful Business
It’s Back
Plus: Southern
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Panama
Beach,
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& RivieraCity
Decembera
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Canadian Traveller • December 2009 5
12/4/09 11:19:43 AM
$elling With $teve
The Service Path
Service Happens As A Focused Effort – By Everyone
By Steve Crowhurst
The Relay Race Metaphor
In a relay race, the players are positioned
in the race based on their individual talents and skills so that overall the team
stands a better than average chance of
winning. It is the same in the agency.
The agency team must come together to
support the frontrunner so that the entire
team wins. The exchange of the baton in a
relay race is crucial to the team’s success.
It is the same in the business world. If you
6 December 2009 • Canadian Traveller
do not set up that exchange as practiced
hundreds of times (keyword: practice),
the win will not happen.
The Front End Winner
Your front line agents, the agents who
sell and service face-to-face, online, by
e-mail and over the telephone should be
of a cool, calm and collected nature. They
should not be given to tantrums, moods
or rudeness. They should be knowledgeable about all products sold, understand
the sales process, be a mine of information for the agency’s customers, be able
to close the sale, sell insurance, complete
the paper work and initiate a follow up and
referral program to generate more sales.
Even the best of the best, cannot do it all
alone. There has to be well-planned support of this agent.
The Internal Customer Plan
How do you operate an internal customer
service plan in a small agency? Well it’s
not difficult that’s for sure. The premise
is respect, response, helpfulness. In other
words each person respects the other 100
per cent. A bit tough when you have a fellow agent who might be arrogant, loud,
rude, moody, dresses down, arrives late,
etc. So how do you handle this situation?
Sit down as a team and tell this person what
their failings are. Point blank, face to face
and it starts like this: “Steve, you’ve got
to know – when you do this, this is how
it makes me/us feel – and I/we want it to
stop. Can you do this for the team?” If the
answer is anything less then “Yes, sorry
guys, I’ll try…” then whip out the goodbye pink slip or the size 12 frozen boot
and take aim!
This may sound dramatic, but here’s
the rub. The end customer is the customer
who pays everyone’s salary. Lose that customer and you are out of work. Plain and
simple. If the front line agent’s sales and
service ability is affected by a toxic agent
in the agency then they will fail to deliver
the best service to the end customer. The
ripple effect of a toxic agent on the team is
something you don’t need and want.
Designing The Service Path
Assuming you’ve now got the right team,
you sit down with pad and pen and start
to discuss the interaction of each person/each job function and then you look
at where each person interacts and you
benchmark response and helpfulness.
Each interaction between agency staff and
management is called an MOT – Moment
of Truth. At this point of interaction you
would demand 100-per cent respect for
each other’s time, level of work, the person themselves; you would each commit
100 per cent in response to helping solve
the other’s problem; and you would each
be 100-per cent helpful in making sure the
job is done, the end customer is served and
everyone gets to leave at five minutes after
closing time. If this is not the case, then
someone is left alone to struggle through.
Possible outcome – 100-per cent stress,
50-per cent service to the end customer
and overall a moody office environment
coupled with loss of business.
Now review each and every facet of
your agency from marketing, to reporting, to agency window decoration, website
updating, ordering and stocking brochures
and sharing of knowledge, through scheduled internal training and weekly staff,
sales and service meetings.
Create the service path you deserve.
(Excerpt from SMP’s The Service Path
workshop).
Steve Crowhurst, CTC, of SMP Training
Co., is a management trainer/consultant to travel companies in Canada and
the U.S. He specializes in new business
generation. Steve loves to hear from you.
Send your comments and questions to him
at [email protected] or visit www.
smptraining.com.
✈
F
or many who work in large travel
organizations, few know and/or
appreciate how service actually
happens. Funny thing that, as everyone
preaches “We’ve got service!” Service
happens not as a byproduct of turning
up, but as a focused effort by everyone.
Especially those in a support role for the
front line staff.
The front line sales and service agent
can be a prima donna at times and tough
to work with, or they can be the epitome
of excellence, or, at worst, the wrong person in the job.
As many corporations eventually learn,
they actually serve two customers – the
external customer representing clients,
and the internal customer representing
staff/employees. Within the internal customer segment, there are also groups of
people who work together as a team, in a
department, as a group, a task force and
so on. How these individuals and groups
of employees service and support each
other has a dynamic affect on the level of
service the end customer receives from
the front line sales and service agent.
Creating a Service Path is not reserved
for the ‘big guys’ – smaller travel agencies, call centres, etc., can benefit from
this plan. It will help you establish how
best to service both your internal and
external customer. Let’s start you on the
path to service excellence.
www.canadiantraveller.net
12/4/09 11:19:47 AM
Ont. Reg. # 2476582
12/4/09 11:19:51 AM
World Report
MEXICO
espite the spate of unfortunate events and
Cancun
D
bad press affecting Mexico, officials at
Remains the 22nd
edition of the Cancun Travel Mart
remained upbeat. “This year, the Cancun Travel
Mart has an important role to play as we are
facing one of the worst crisis periods Mexico
has ever had in history,” said Felix Gonzalez,
Governor of Quintana Roo State (includes
Riviera Maya, Cancun and Cozumel).
XPLOR
Positive
Xplor is Cancun’s
newest attraction,
built on a
subterranean cave
system.
At this year’s mart, there was a rise in attendance, 650 delegates compared to 635 in 2008.
The increase was due to the presence of more
suppliers – 365 in 2009 and 305 in 2008, representing 101 and 103 organizations respectively.
Exhibitors were pleased to note that this coming winter season, hotel occupancies were forecasted to reach 80 per cent, and that rates would
be maintained. This was a different story in 2008
and the early part of this year when occupancies
dipped and hotels were dumping rates. “This event
allows us to show the world and potential visitors
that things are okay,” said Mexico Minister of
Tourism Rodolfo Elizondo Torres. “Our health
secretariat is controlling the spread of the (H1N1)
virus in the environment,” he assured.
Tourism is the main contributor to the economy for this region. In 2008, the total number
of visitors grew to 3.27 million (130,509 were
from Canada) up from 2007’s three million
(Canadians: 117,081). From January to August
this year, arrivals numbered 2.06 million, out
of which 94,786 were Canadians.
Both federal and local governments have
joined forces to improve its tourism facilities. On
October 20, Cancun opened its second runway,
making it the first airport in Mexico that is able
to handle simultaneous takeoffs and landings.
Another development currently in progress is
the beach recovery program. This government
cum private sector investment will add 11.1
kilometres of coastline between Punta Cancun
and Punta Nizuc. Other areas to be worked on
include 4.2 kilometres of beach in Playa del
Carmen and about 1.5 kilometres in various
parts of Cozumel. Efforts have been made to
ensure that this restoration project will not damage the environment. The entire project is due to
be completed by January 2010.
According to Gonzalez, based on feedback with U.S. and Canadian tour operators,
the image of Mexico in the future is positive.
“Reservations and market analysis favour
Quintana Roo. It’s looking as the best Mexican/
Caribbean product,” he said.
Newest Attraction
Xplor is a soft adventure theme park that opened
in July. Built atop a natural subterranean cave
system that spans 9.7 kilometres, it features four
activities – self-driving an amphibious vehicle
along a 4.8-kilometre route; zip trekking (the
11 lines cover 3.2 kilometres and has the highest zipline in Cancun at 40metres); underground rafting along a 914-metre cavern; and
swimming in a stalactite river about 400 metres
long, with temperatures hovering around 24° C.
Admission: 1,317 pesos and includes equipment
for all activities plus one meal. – By B Ang
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12/4/09 11:19:54 AM
Giza
© Chris Sisarich
“speechless, I stood before this wonder...”
www.egypt.travel
12/4/09 11:19:55 AM
nATIOnAL PARK
World Report
VIRGINIA BEACH
The Whales Are Coming
Two hours north and a million miles
away from Las Vegas, this National
Park favorite will amaze and inspire
you! Take advantage of hiking and
biking trails, horseback riding, jeep
tours, rappelling, atv excursions and
more. Don’t forget your camera!
EveryThing from A To Zion
The Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center offers 2-to-2.5-hour whale watching boat trips from late December through mid-March, narrated by a trained Virginia
Aquarium educator. The packages include accommodations, and admission aboard
a whale watching boat trip, the Virginia Aquarium and its 3D IMAX® Theater.
Virginia Beach boasts a wide range of winter activities, including, holiday lights
along the boardwalk and ice skating at Neptune’s Park through February. Whale
watching packages are also available from December through March through the
Virginia Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau’s site at www.vbfun.com.
THAILAND
Medical Tourism On The Rise
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT)
and the Department of Export Promotion
(DEP) have estimated two million medical
tourists will arrive in Thailand
for health care services in
2010, an annual growth
rate of 14 per cent for
the sector, ahead of
the country’s GDP.
Research and
Markets reported
in 2008 that Thailand
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conducted more medical check-ups and
treatments for international tourists than
any other country in Asia, generating US
$6 billion. Procedures included
health checks, dental and
cosmetic surgery or
routine maintenance.
Tourists can undergo
and recover from many
non-invasive procedures
during a typical twoweek holiday in Thailand.
Aston Hotels & Resorts recently hosted a
familiarization tour sponsored by Thomas
Cook for top producing Canadian travel
agents. For many of the agents, it was
their first trip to Hawaii. Aston Hotels &
Resorts was selected as Best Hotel Chain
by Thomas Cook in 2009. Pictured: Aston
Hotels & Resorts sales team, including Shari
Chang, senior vice president of marketing,
sales & revenue management (far right), all
26 Hawaii property general managers and
visiting agents at Aston Waikiki Beach Hotel.
12/4/09 11:19:55 AM
Sea culture.
YOUR 1ST
NIGHT FREE!
Book four or more nights
for your First Night Free.*
This offer also includes your own
coupon booklet valued at over
$4,000 pesos, featuring discounts
on everything from restaurants,
to spas to excursions.
For more information, go to:
VisitPuertoVallarta.com
Find true culture at the end of a cobblestone street, in an enchanted
beach town, tucked away between the Bay of Banderas and the Sierra Madre.
ItÕs Puerto Vallarta, where traditional Mexican wisdom meets global sophistication,
and where the world comes to rest. To learn more about Puerto Vallarta
and how you can win a free trip , visit our website.
VisitPuertoVallarta.com
*Minimum stay 4 nights. Valid from 09/01/2009 to 04/11/2010. Subject to availability. Restrictions may apply. Block out dates may apply. Booking window – 12/20/2009. Not combinable with other promotions. Includes
booklet with more than $4,000 pesos. †NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Open only to legal residents of the United States and Canada who are 18 and over. Void outside of the United States and Canada, and where prohibited
or restricted by law. For entry details and for full official rules, go to visitpuertovallarta.com. Sweepstakes ends 3/30/2010 at 11:59 p.m.
12/4/09 11:19:59 AM
World Report
PHOWORLD TRAVEL MARKET
The travel industry is seeing a ‘quiet
revolution’ as consumers are becoming
more caring, thoughtful and considerate.
That was the message delivered by
Fiona Jeffery, chairman of the 30th World
Travel Market, held in London November
9 to 12. “There’s a growing realization that
sustainability is absolutely integral to the
industry’s future success,” she said.
“I make no apologies for sounding
over-dramatic when I say that the industry will not have a future at all unless it
takes responsible tourism as seriously as
customer service, value for money and
comfy beds.”
The sea-change in attitudes is due in
part to the credit crunch but also issues
such as climate change and third world
poverty, said Jeffery.
Jeffery noted the need for “resolute
public sector support” and pointed to the
UNWTO Ministers’ Summit, hosted by
World Travel Market on November 10,
where more than 100 ministers and senior
aides addressed issues such as climate
change and poverty reduction.
“It’s a last chance to discuss these
critical issues and to help governments
prepare to address the pressing challenges
of climate change and its disastrous affects
on travel and tourism at the UN climate
change conference in Copenhagen next
month,” she admonished.
World Travel Market also tackled
these issues with its third annual World
Responsible Tourism Day on November
11, gathering the industry for motivation,
encouragement and action.
“The aim of WTM World Responsible
Tourism Day is to send out a clear message to consumers – that we’re listening to
their increasing demands for a more caring
and sensitive approach,” Jeffery said.
“Doing nothing is no longer an option…
no longer an option, that is, if we want to
look forward to the future success of the
industry. The world is changing, so are
consumers. And we must change too.”
Liverpool continues to build on its success as European Capital of Culture in 2008
with two new attractions – U-Boat Story, and The Bug World – expanded tours of
Liverpool FC’s home field, a major Picasso exhibition at the Tate Liverpool, and two
new hotels – a 216-room Hilton and a Novotel.
The Rezidor Group is expanding throughout Europe. The Radisson Blu brand
added the 48-room Le Metropolitan in Paris, a 312-room resort in Cesme, Turkey,
Madrid (54 rooms) and in the U.K, Cardiff (215 rooms), Bristol (176 rooms), Brighton
(59 room).
In Barcelona, Derby hotels has added two long-stay properties, the 41-apartment
Sites avenue and the 14-apartment Balmes Residence.
Fairmont Hotels opened six properties in 2009: 150-room Battery Wharf,
Boston; Mount Kenya Club; 157-room Zimbali, South Africa; 574-room Nile City,
Cairo; 200-room Yangcheng Lake, China; and the 369-room Bab Al Bahr, Abu Dhabi.
Nice celebrates the 150th anniversary of its integration into France (it was under
Italian influence) with 150 events. The city is also developing a walking tour of sites
where Monet, Renoir, Matisse and Chagall painted.
A new high-speed train, running at 300 kph, between Amsterdam and
Brussels is due to open mid-2010, reducing travel time from 160 minutes to 90.
Poland celebrates the 200th birthday of composer Fryderyk Chopin with dozens
of events and the 6th International Music Festival “Chopin and His Europe”.
South America’s fi rst W hotel opened in Santiago, Chile, as has a 90-room Four
Points in Los Angeles, south of Santiago.
From The Trade Show Floor
Fiona Jeffery, chairman
World Travel Market.
WORLD TRAVEL MARKET
The Quiet Revolution
Canada
Wins
Air Canada picked up a prestigious World
Travel Market Global Award in recognition of its pivotal role in developing
inbound and outbound Canadian tourism.
World Travel Market’s Chairman,
Fiona Jeffery, presented the award to
Robert Atkinson, General Passenger Sales
Manager for UK, Ireland and the Nordic
countries, at WTM 30th Anniversary VIP
Opening & Reception Ceremony.
Rocky Mountaineer, was a winner in
the category of “World’s Leading Travel
Experience by Train” for the fourth year.
“Our organization is delighted to be
the recipient of this distinguished award
for the fourth time,” says Randy Powell,
President & Chief Executive Officer of
Rocky Mountaineer.
– Stephen Fountaine
12/4/09 11:20:04 AM
GERMANY
Magic Cities, Magic Festivals
Germany’s ten “Magic Cities” – Berlin, Cologne,
Dresden, Duesseldorf, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Hannover,
Leipzig, Munich and Stuttgart – offer a wide range of
festivals in 2010. Here’s a small sample:
In Berlin, the “Long Night of the Museums,” is a special nocturnal experience when over 100 museums and
galleries open their doors until 2 am (January 30 and
August 28).
Carnival is Cologne’s official fifth season and the Rose
Monday parade is an annual highlight (February 23).
Dresden hosts a porcelain exhibition that celebrates
the 450th year of the Dresden Art Collection and the
300th anniversary of the Meissen Porcelain workshop,
(April 18 - October 1).
Duesseldorf celebrates the 200th birthday of composer Robert Schumann, who lived and worked in town
with the Schumann Festival 2010 (May 28 - June 14).
The Rheingau Wine Festival in Frankfurt’s
“Fressgass” features fi ne food and wine from some
of Germany’s most renowned wine-growing regions,
(September 1 - 10).
Hamburg celebrates the Harbor Birthday with food
stalls and beer bars, music, dance and attractions like the
parade of historic sailing boats (May 7 - 9).
Hannover hosts Europe’s largest Schuetzenfest
(marksmen festival) with local food, drinks, dance music
and customs and 12,000 participants (July 2 - 11).
Leipzig celebrates the Bach Festival and the reopening of the Bach Museum (March 20 - 21) and the Robert
Schumann Festival for the composer’s 200th birthday,
(September 9 - 19).
Munich celebrates the 200th anniversary of
Oktoberfest (September 18 - October 3).
Stuttgart hosts the
“Stuttgart Wine Village”,
one of Germany’s largest wine festivals (August
25 - September 9) and
Germany’s second largest
beer festival, the Cannstatter
Was’n, (September 24 October 4).
The Berlin Welcome
Card gets clients
aboard the City
Railway, tube, tram,
bus and local trains,
plus 50-per cent
discount on more than
140 top sights and
cultural attractions.
Available for Berlin
or for Berlin and
Potsdam for 48 or 72
hours or five days,
online at www.berlinwelcomcard.com.
You had me at Aloha.
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newspaper, daily in-room coffee and tea and an OHANA
drawstring beach bag.
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Book today at westjetvacations.com
or call us at 1 877 737 7002.
WestJet Vacations is now available on SIREV.
*Limited service begins March 7, 2010. Schedule is subject to change. †Increased winter schedule effective as of December 2009.
WJV101045AB_B_Dec.CNT.indd 1
TAXI CANADA INC
11/6/09 3:15:56 PM
12/4/09 11:20:05 AM
Barbados
Bajan
Bliss
Barbados Promotes The
Art Of Fine Living
By Melanie Reffes
Canada will increase its schedule to nine
flights per week from Toronto and two
from Montreal. ”The Canadian market
continues to hold its own with growth of
10.4 per cent as of the end of October,”
noted Cheryl Carter, senior business
development manager, BTA Canada.
“The winter is shaping up very well and
we expect total arrivals from Canada in
2009 will significantly exceed our 2008
performance. We have also seen significant growth from Western Canada, over
30 per cent, and expect that trend to continue well into the New Year.”
coast and Almond Casuarina Beach
in the St. Lawrence Gap – are perennial favourites with families, couples
and football fans. The 5th Annual Big
Game Party kicks off on February 4 at
Almond Beach Village and Almond
Casuarina Beach with four night packages that include meet and greets with
former NFL players and a Super Bowl
party in the Reef restaurant.
Saluting 16 years on the island, the
76-room Mango Bay Resort is dishing
up a variety of Sweet Sixteen packages
Sweet Dreams
On the bustling south coast, Turtle Beach
Resort is aptly named for the sea turtles
that come ashore and lay their eggs.
The 164-suite all-inclusive property is
part of the Elegant Hotel Group, which
also includes Colony Club, The House,
Tamarind Cove and Crystal Cove. For
clients wanting a jump on Valentines
Day, Free Wedding Packages at all five
EHG properties are valid with a sevennight booking of an oceanview suite
through December 14, 2010.
Three all-inclusive properties
– Almond Beach Club & Spa and
Almond Beach Village on the west
Celebrating 16 years on the island,
Mango Bay Resort dishing up
Sweet Sixteen packages for couples
is celebrating a 16th wedding
anniversary in 2010.
MANGO BAY RESORT
ith a new destination-brand
campaign and increased airlift,
Barbados is gearing up for a busy
winter season. Framed to the west
and south by the calm Caribbean Sea
and to the east by limestone cliffs and
the craggy Atlantic Ocean, the easternmost island in the Caribbean tempts
with stunning scenery, lively cricket
games, gourmet dining and a vast array
of accommodations.
A re-tooled website – www.Visit
Barbados.org – showcases the ‘Long
Live Life’ campaign and is targeting
new arrivals while maintaining the
repeat visitor base. “The campaign tells
the story of our island through the eyes
of its people, providing snapshots of how
to master the art of fi ne living,” said
Urban Cumberbatch, Barbados Tourism
Authority (BTA) VP sales and marketing. Twenty travel partners are participating in the campaign including Air
Canada Vacations, Fun Sun Vacations,
Gryphon Golf Tours, Marville Travel,
Sunlink Holidays, Sunwing Vacations,
Total Vacations, Tourcan Vacations and
WestJet Vacations.
WestJet will return to Barbados this
winter with five weekly flights from
Toronto and starting December 19, Air
12/4/09 11:20:05 AM
EHG
Bell by 54 years. In Bridgetown, the
350-year-old Nidhe Israel Synagogue
invites tourists Friday nights for services and tours conducted by members
of the congregation.
Head south to the Sunbury Plantation
House to experience the island’s storied past. The three-century-old Great
House has been restored to its original
elegance and serves dinner by candlelight. St. Nicholas Abbey, built in
1658, has the four poster bed owned
by Napoleon’s second wife, Empress
Marie Louise and is a perennial favourite for weddings.
For a Bajan buzz, the Mount Gay
Rum Tour takes visitors through the oldest distillery on the island. The 45-minute tour ends with a tasting session.
with a strand of sand to suit every sun
worshipper. Mullins Beach, Church
Point, and Paynes Bay on the west coast
boast tranquil shores for sunbathers
while the east side is popular with surfers and windsurfers.
The jewel of the dive scene is the
sunken Stavronikita, a Greek freighter
in the Carlisle Bay Marine Park. At the
Hilton complex, Barbados Blue sells
tours and is the only dive shop with
marine biologists on staff.
Great Golf
Chow Down
New on the south coast boardwalk,
Tapas occupies the space Aqua once had
and serves small plates at reasonable
prices. Lunch and the view are divine at
the Waterfront Café in Bridgetown and
for a taste of the British-Bajan experience, high tea at the Fairmont Royal
Pavilion is worth the splurge.
Oistins Fish Fry sizzles on weekend
nights with heaping platters of flying
fish, cou cou (corn meal and okra) and
jug-jug (guinea corn and green peas).
Ballroom dancers sway to old classics
at next-door Lexi’s while spectators
enjoy the show with a frosty Banks
beer. Champers is the reigning Zagat’s
winner this year with mojitos that pack
a punch and red snapper jazzed up with
passion fruit.
Testing The Waters
Surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean and
the Caribbean Sea, beaches are diverse
In Canadian Traveller:
Always Better, November 2008
Caribbean Jewel, January 2008
✈
For more information on Barbados,
visit www.visitbarbados.org.
Get Off The Beach Chair
The most visited attraction, Harrison’s
Cave, is an underground wonderland
of stalactites, stalagmites and waterfalls. The only cave of its kind in the
Caribbean, electric-powered carts
travel underground providing a memorable look at one of the island’s natural wonders. Connected to Harrison’s
Cave, Welchman Hall Gully is home to
the Aerial Trek adventure that travels
through the national park to see the
chattering green monkeys and more
than 200 species of birds.
Andromeda Gardens, Hunt’s Garden,
Flower Forest and Orchid World showcase the island’s rich botanical blossoms.
Open daily the gardens are popular wedding venues. At the Barbados Wildlife
Reserve, mongoose, peacocks, tortoises
and iguanas go peacefully about their
business while tourists happily snap
vacation photographs.
More than 150 years old, St. John’s
Anglican Church offers impressive
views from two angles and the bell cast
in 1669 at the St. James Anglican Church
predates the famous American Liberty
BARBADOS TOURISM AUTHORITY
for couples celebrating a 16th wedding
anniversary in 2010.
The Atlantis will open in early 2010
on the east coast. The century-old bed
and breakfast has been renovated with
two-bedroom oceanview suites starting
US $300 per night.
More Barbados
BARBADOS TOURISM AUTHORITY
On the bustling south coast, the
164-suite all-inclusive Turtle Beach
Resort is aptly named for the sea turtles
that come ashore and lay their eggs.
The fi rst public championship course
on the island, Barbados Golf Club is an
18-hole, par 72 course with two lakes
and coral waste bunkers. Designed
by Robert Trent Jones Jr., The Royal
Westmoreland course is part of a new
development that includes condominiums, restaurant and racquet club.
The Almond Beach Village has the
only course on the island with a parthree, nine-hole layout. At the Club
Rockley Resort, Rockley Golf Club is
a nine-hole course with a second nine
playable from varying tee positions.
Surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean
Sea, beaches on Barbados are diverse with a strand of
sand to suit every sun worshipper.
The 45-minute Mount Gay Rum Tour takes visitors
through the oldest distillery on the island – and ends
with a tasting session.
12/4/09 11:20:06 AM
The
NEW
Phoenix
T
here is a brand new shiny
Phoenix in the desert
these days. Vibrant, exciting, intriguing – Phoenix boasts
everything an urban adventure
should be. Let’s go.
Downtown Development
includes stops at attractions
such as Phoenix Art Museum,
the Heard Museum, Chase Field
and US Airways Center.
Trains operate 20 hours
per day, seven days a week,
a nd stop at 28 st at ions
every 10 minutes.
Five years and US $600 million in the making, the expanded
Phoenix Convention Center is
an architectural masterpiece
inspired by the colours and textures of the Grand Canyon. The
Center’s three-building campus
boasts nearly 82,800 square
metres of exhibition and meeting
space, three ballrooms, cuttingedge audio and video technology,
US $3.2 million worth of public
art, and ecologically friendly
features like solar paneling and
a water-harvesting garden.
A block from the Convention
Center, the Sheraton Downtown
Phoenix boasts 1,000 guest
rooms, making it the largest
hotel in Arizona. It also features
a 185-square metre outdoor pool
and sundeck, 600-square metre
fitness centre and spa, contemporary restaurant with a full
bar, private dining room and
outdoor seating.
The opening of Walter
Cronkite School of Journalism,
a six-storey, state-ofthe-art
Five years in the making, the expanded
Phoenix Convention Center is an
architectural masterpiece inspired by
the colours of the Grand Canyon.
media centre and school, part
of the Arizona State University
downtown campus, and the
Phoenix Biomedical Campus,
co-developed by Arizona State
University and the University
of Arizona complete the latest
round of developments.
GREATER PHOENIX CVB
The new METRO
Light Rail line
links Phoenix to
Tempe and Mesa
and operates 20
hours per day,
seven days a
week.
It all starts with all the new
developments in downtown
Phoenix. More than US $4 billion dollars in public and private funds is being invested
in Phoenix’s urban core in
developments that include the
recently completed light-rail
system, the expansion of the
Phoenix Convention Center, the
construction of the largest hotel
in Arizona, the creation of an
urban campus for Arizona State
University students, and the
development of an international
biomedical-research centre.
And all these big-picture
projects are being augmented
by new residential towers, restaurants and nightspots, and
newly renovated museums and
performance halls.
The 32-kilometre METRO
Light Rail line links Phoenix to
the neighbouring communities
of Tempe and Mesa,
and
Downtown Rises Up & Resorts
Are Always Changing
GREATER PHOENIX CVB
Arizona
12/4/09 11:20:06 AM
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11/11/09 3:28:35 PM
12/4/09 11:20:07 AM
Arizona
The Phoenix Zoo is home
to more than 1,300 animals
and hours of family fun.
Family Fun
PHOENIX ZOO
Arizona’s Sonora
Desert is one giant
playground. It
nudges up to the
city borders and
the great climate
invites exploring on
foot, by bike, or from a horse along the many mountain trails. Here are some other family adventures:
• Hot-air ballooning and four-wheel drive excursions led by knowledgeable guides.
• Enchanted Island Amusement Park offers scenic
waterways with canoes and pedal boats, an
antique carousel and train, and other attractions.
• Young speed hounds can test their metal at F1
Race Factory with high-speed Kart racing and
rock climbing.
• Phoenix Zoo is home to more than 1,300 animals
exhibited throughout five trails.
• History buffs enjoy Pueblo Grande Museum
and Archeological Park, a prehistoric American
Indian ruin with an ancient ball court and replicas
of Hohokam homes.
• On January 31, Arizona Science Center opens
Goose Bumps! The Science of Fear, a look at
the science behind the physical and emotional
responses to fear.
Shop, Shop, Shop
HEARD MUSEUM
The Heard Museum
hosts an exhibition of
paintings by renowned
Indian artists
Allan Houser through
August 22, 2010.
Malls get glitzy here, but there
are also unique boutiques, antique
stores, a gazillion art galleries, and
some great deals for bargain hunters in outlying centres.
Fashionistas frequent Biltmore
Fashion Park in the heart of an
upscale neighbourhood of estate
homes and grand resorts. The lush,
open-air garden complex features
such stores as Saks Fifth Avenue,
Car tier, Escada,
Ralph Lauren and
other high-echelon
retailers.
At the other
end of the spectrum, The Indoor
Swapmart is an
Aladdin’s Cave of
bargains and eclectica. You might fi nd
Capri pants neighbouring a pet boa
constrictor, with clothing for Fido
rubbing shoulders with a selection
of wigs. The SwapMart has more
than 500 booths under one airconditioned roof. It’s fun, and open
Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays
from 10 to 6.
l Aside f rom the region’s
expected mastery of Southwestern
cuisine, diners in Greater Phoenix
enjoy a wealth of traditional
steakhouses and American fare,
as well international cuisine from
Asia, Europe, Japan and Mexico.
Some highlights:
Inspired by architects Frank
Lloyd Wright and Albert Chase
McArthur, the chefs of the Arizona
Biltmore’s Frank & Albert’s have
created a diverse, yet comfortable
menu that blends their vision and
styles. Frank & Albert’s is open
for breakfast, lunch and dinner
and offers the main dining room,
two private venues and a large
outdoor patio with four separate
seating areas.
The Biltmore is also continuing its tradition of Afternoon Tea.
Begun in 1929, with the hotel’s
opening, the 80th season features
monthly themes including Holiday
Tea throughout December, and a
Chocolate Tea throughout February.
Afternoon Tea is served Thursday
through Sunday from 2:30 to 4:30
p.m. in the Tea Lounge through
May 16, 2010.
Modern Steak, at Scottsdale
Fashion Square, features lively,
fresh menu options and an energetic ambiance. The menu at Ling
& Louie’s Asian Bar and Grill
in the Wild Horse Pass Casino
ranges from lettuce wraps and
orange peel chicken to American
favourites like meatloaf and surf
‘n’ turf. Postino Central is now
offering wines on tap.
Send clients looking for an
authentic experience to Rawhide
Western Town & Steakhouse. On
the Gila River Indian Community,
this authentic chuck-wagon cookout under the stars features a
mule-drawn hay wagon ride to the
cookout area; live country music;
an all-the-fi xin’s dinner; marshmallow roast, cowboy games;
storytelling and line dancing.
Saturday nights, October through
May. US $48 for adults and US
$20 for children all-inclusive.
The Four Seasons Resort
Scottsdale at Troon North is
introducing new specialty meals
paired chocolate for group programs. Clients can enjoy a “Cocoa
Prelude,” with a pan-seared diver
scallop starter served with butternut squash ravioli and a lemon
white chocolate sauce, then continue with medallions of prime
beef tenderloin drizzled with a
bittersweet chocolate mole, and
end with a dark chocolate tore
served with milk chocolate gelato.
The menu can be customized, with
prices based on number of courses
and ingredients selected.
Late December, the Sanctuary
on Camelback Mountain unveils
the multi-million dollar transformation of its restaurant, called elements, and its kitchen. The renos
include an exclusive private dining
room called XII that features a
cutting-edge kitchen and the conversion of Sanctuary’s Sunset Patio
into a year-round venue called the
Praying Monk, complete with
sliding glass walls and a retractable
skylight roof.
Culture Alive
In Phoenix exposure to a variety
of cultural experiences is almost
inevitable. The city was shaped by
Native Americans and pioneers,
communities whose history is well
documented in the Heard Museum
with its fine collection of traditional
and contemporary American Indian
art in 10 spacious galleries and
12/4/09 11:20:08 AM
SO,
INDOOR
ENTHUSIASTS
AREN’T REALLY
OUR TARGET MARKET
Go from a state of being to a state of doing in
Arizona. Hiking, biking, golfing, fishing, kayaking, hot
air ballooning, you name it – if it’s a verb, Arizona has
it. And with over 300 days of sunshine every year, such
opportunities present themselves any time your client
pleases. They’ll also find some of the most exhilarating
backdrops on the planet. From cobalt blue lakes to
red rock country, to acres of ponderosa pine forests
to one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World,
Arizona is an outdoor lover’s dream destination.
BECOME CERTIFIED IN AZAP,
the Arizona Accreditation Program, and learn what
makes Arizona an outdoor enthusiast’s mecca. Our fast
and convenient program will help you understand:
• What makes Arizona a top destination
• The history of our state
• Our rich and diverse cultures
• Famous parks, trails and monuments
• Off-the-beaten path towns
• Metropolitan hotspots
• How to sell it all
BENEFITS INCLUDE:
• CITC Credit
• Trade E-Newsletter
• Collateral materials
• 5 prizes awarded each month
• 8 Grand Prize winners will receive a FAM trip
Become an Arizona specialist today...
visit arizonaguide.com/travelprofessionals
12/4/09 11:20:09 AM
Arizona
RYAN EDMISTON
[email protected]
602.452.6242
Enjoy a Golf Vacation in Arizona!
Plan your winter retreat under
the sunny skies of Arizona!
The Arizona Golf Resort & Conference Center
Extends an invitation to Experience
a Golf Vacation in the Desert!
Package Prices start at $189 single guest &
$129 - 2 guest’s
Package Includes: one nights’ accommodation,
American Buffet Breakfast and 1- rd. of
golf each day with use of Practice Facilities
at Arizona Golf Resort PGA Course.
Our Staff will assist in creating a
customized golf package for you
that includes play on area desert courses to
create the ultimate ARIZONA golf vacation!
425 South Power Road - Mesa, Arizona 85206
www.arizonagolfresort.com
Sales Office: 480-629-4526 • Toll Free: 800-528-8282
• Resort: 480-832-3202
VISITPHX.COM
LOCATION From the mountains
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Travel is more than just A to B. Travel should take you to a warmer destination.
Getting warmer has never been this much fun! With close to 300 days of
sunshine per year, Pointe Hilton Squaw Peak Resort and Pointe Hilton
Tapatio Cliffs Resort can turn any day into a splashing good time. With
all-suite accommodations, award-winning spa services, a challenging
18-hole championship golf course, acres of shimmering pools and great
rates, the Pointe Hilton Resorts can make your vacation dreams a reality.
For special offers and reservations, contact us today at 1-800-436-0690,
1-800-HILTONS or visit us online at pointehilton.com
Phoenix, Arizona 602-436-0690 pointehilton.com
beautiful outdoor courtyards. This spring
the Heard teams with the Desert Botanical
Garden to host Allan Houser: Tradition to
Abstraction, an exhibition of sculptures
and paintings by the acclaimed American
Indian artist. The sculptures are displayed
at the Desert Botanical Garden through
May 31, 2010 and the paintings will be at
the Heard through August 22.
Downtown, Heritage Square echoes
Phoenix’s Victorian past with pioneer
homes, appropriately neighbouring the
Phoenix Museum of History.
Phoenix doesn’t lack for live performances, and your clients can catch a show at
the 1,400-seat Orpheum Theatre, beautifully restored to its original 1929 Spanish
Colonial Revival style, or watch the
Arizona Theatre Company, Ballet Arizona,
or Actors Theatre of Phoenix in Herberger
Theater Center. Phoenix Symphony Hall
is home to the town’s Symphony Orchestra
and the Arizona Opera, and Dodge
Theatre – merging hi-tech and Broadway
stage house – showcases a wide selection of
presentations. (For theatre information, go
to phoenix.gov/CIVPLAZA/stages.html.)
Crackling comedy can be found at The
Celebrity Theatre, and pop and rock concerts fi ll the Cricket Pavilion. Of course
there are numerous nightclubs with jazz,
comedy, blues and folk.
As for visual art, Arizona has one of
the richest palettes in the west, influenced
by its Native American, Hispanic, African,
Asian, and European people.
One of the best ways to see plenty of art
in a short time is to join a First Fridays Art
Walk in Downtown Phoenix – as the name
suggests, held on the fi rst Friday evening of
each month. Art galleries, working studios,
bars, and coffee houses open their doors.
It’s a great – and free – way to discover
emerging artists, and to see major exhibits at the Phoenix Art Museum. The Art
Museum is the largest in the Southwest,
and the city’s unchallenged crown jewel.
Golf Haven
Travel should take you placesTM
Hilton HHonors® membership, earning of Points & Miles,® and redemption of points are subject to HHonors Terms and Conditions. ©2009 Hilton Hospitality, Inc.
Greater Phoenix is a Mecca for golfers,
and 2.5 million visitors arrive each year
to play courses ranging from excellent
and inexpensive public sites to top-of-thewww.canadiantraveller.net
12/4/09 11:20:11 AM
range championship selections, with renowned names like
TPC at Scottsdale, The Golf Club at the Phoenician, Las
Sendas, Golf Club at Eagle Mountain, We-Ko-Pa, Wildfi re,
Whirlwind, Kierland, Raven, Legacy, Links, Legent Trail,
Superstition Mountain and Ocotillo.
Golf packages are many and varied at such five-star
resorts as The Boulders & Golden Door Spa, Camelback,
Fairmont Scottsdale Princess, and others. (The Fairmont
Princess is home to PGA Tour’s FBR Open, formerly the
Phoenix Open.)
If you have clients looking to get great deals, check out
the summer rates – fees are slashed to a fraction of their
peak season (November through April) equivalents, and the
same bargains can be had at resorts.
Spectator Sports
Greater Phoenix annually plays host to the PGA Tour’s
FBR Open (at the TPC of Scottsdale), NASCAR’s
April and November events (at Phoenix International
Raceway), and college football’s Fiesta Bowl and Insight
Bowl. Phoenix is one of only six U.S. cities with eight
professional sports franchises: Phoenix Suns (NBA),
GREATER PHOENIX CVB
Elements, at the Sanctuary on
Camelback Mountain, is of the
newly renovated eateries at the
resort. Others include a private
dining room and year-round bar.
Arizona Diamondbacks (MLB), Arizona Cardinals
(NFL), Phoenix Coyotes (NHL), Phoenix Mercury
(WNBA), Arizona Rattlers (AFL), Arizona Sting (NLL)
and Phoenix Roadrunners (ECHL).
Daytripping
Prescott, founded after the discovery of gold in 1863,
was the fi rst permanent capital of the Arizona Territory
and the city’s museum keeps that past alive. At the Sharlot
Hall Museum complex, clients can visit the site of the fi rst
Territorial Governor’s Mansion, an extensive collection of
artifacts dating beyond Arizona’s early territorial days and
historical theatre productions in the Blue Rose Theater.
The Phippen Museum of Western Art offers fine
art of the American West and the Smoki Museum
It’s like a desert oasis, only with golf.
Book Phoenix with WestJet.
Book your clients on one of our great
non-stop flights to Phoenix.*
From Calgary
From Edmonton
From Vancouver
From Winnipeg
10 non-stop flights a week.
Non-stop daily flight.
Three non-stop flights a week**
Four non-stop flights a week.
Bring you
r
golf club
s
for free.†
We also offer great connections from other cities.
Visit westjet.com for complete schedule information.
Book now at westjet.com/agentweblink or on GDS
and you’ll enjoy a 7% commission. For group and
convention travel, call 1 888 493 7853.
BECAUSE OWNERS CARE
*Schedule is subject to change without notice. **Seasonal service from Vancouver begins January 17, 2010. + Check two 50 lbs/23 kgs bags for free. Golf clubs can be checked as one of two free bags.
WES101080AB_C_Dec.CNT.indd 1
11/6/09 3:22:39 PM
12/4/09 11:20:13 AM
documents the early history of regional tribes
through a variety of basketry, pottery, weavings
and many other artifacts.
Cortez Street, in Prescott’s historic downtown,
is an antiquer’s delight. There are stores galore and
they are chock full of every item imaginable. Local
art is on display the Arts Prescott Gallery or Van
Gogh’s Ear. Other long-time favourites include the
Prescott Fine Arts Gallery, Mountain Artists Guild,
the Sculpture Garden at Yavapai College and the
Yavapai College Art Gallery.
Whiskey Row got its nickname during the mining days
when nothing but saloons occupied the street. Today it’s
still the centre of Prescott nightlife with joints like the
historic Palace, Jersey Lilly, Matt’s Saloon and Lyzzard’s.
Hot jazz combos play the Hassayampa Inn, the Prescott
Resort, and 129 ½: An American Jazz Grille.
Clients feeling lucky can head to the two casinos run
by the Yavapai Indian Tribe. Bucky’s features 300 slot
machines and live action poker, while Yavapai Casino,
across the street, has 1745 slots and video poker.
GRAND CANYON RAILWAY
Arizona
The Grand Canyon Railway is offering several addon tours to its packages this winter that include
hotels discounts and jeep, helicopter and float tours.
The Verde Valley Wine Trail connects the communities of Cottonwood, Sedona, Camp Verde and
Jerome and includes Alcantara, Page Springs Cellars,
Oak Creek, and Javelina Leap wineries. Guests can
experience anything from a romantic get-away to a fun
leisurely weekend with friends.
The Grand Canyon Railway offers several add-on
tour options for Railway Packages. The regional tours
include an extra night at the Grand Canyon Railway
Hotel at a 50-per cent discount off the regular rate of
$169. Others include jeep tours, hiking, helicopter and
float tours.
Fort McDowell Yavapai Tours showcases Native
American cultural heritage through a range of tours
45.00
$
winter special
Enjoy this great rate
at the Phoenix
TownePlace Suites
from December, 2009
through March, 2010
Call
Call Briar
Briar Richardson
Richardson today
today to
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in the
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602-943-9510
9425
9425 N.
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www.marriott.com/phxts
12/4/09 11:20:13 AM
More Phoenix
For more information on Phoenix, visit the
Greater Phoenix Convention & Visitors
Bureau at www.visit phoenix.com.
✈
GRAND CANYON RAILWAY
that includes the Wild West Experience,
The Yavapai Experience, Boulder House
and Rosa’s Ranch with optional afternoon
excursions to the Hualapai Grand Canyon
Skywalk and Sedona Vortex.
Four Peaks Amethyst Mine, the only
commercially run amethyst mine in the U.S.,
is now open for tours. The tour begins at
Sami Fine Jewelry in Fountain Hills, where
clients board transfers to the helipad (the
mine is only accessible by helicopter) and
continues with a private tour of the mine.
A City For All Reasons, December 2008
Fabulous Phoenix, December 2007
Perfect Harmony, March 2007
Find your second home on the range at
the historic ranch resort that offers
horseback rides, golf, and spa treatments.
Call us today at 800-684-5030 or
email us at [email protected] to book your reservation!
1551 S. Vulture Mine Road • Wickenburg, Arizona 85390
www.sunc.com • 1.800.684.5030
Resort
News
• With the recent completion of
upgrades to their property, The
Clarendon Hotel has increased its
ratings from 3 stars to 3 1/2 stars
on all online booking engines,
with additional improvements in
amenities and service planned.
• The AAA Four-Diamond Scottsdale
Resort & Conference Center
offers meeting planners two
value options. The Value Meeting
Package for US $259 CMP
single, per night includes guest
accommodation, basic audiovisual services, meeting space, two
refreshment breaks and three daily
meals. Or, planners can build their
own packages with rates starting at
just US $118 per person, per night
for accommodations only.
12/4/09 11:20:14 AM
Mexico
Everything
O
ld
Is New Again
Acapulco Is On The Tourism Comeback Trail
bout 800,000 Canadians visit
Mexico for winter vacations in
an average year – but the last couple of years have been anything but average
for most winter hotspots.
Yet while a plummeting economy has
seen North Americans drop or drastically
curtail winter vacation plans, and reports of
swine flu and drug-related crime put serious dents in Mexico’s normally robust tourism economy recently, highly-traditional
Acapulco’s been floating along serenely,
garnering more than nine million visitors
in both 2007 and 2008 – and even expecting an increase in that usual number by the
end of 2009; the fi rst half of the year saw
more than 5.4 million visitors, said Piquis
Rochin, international promotion director
for the Acapulco Destination Marketing
Office. Acapulco’s the only Mexican beach
destination whose numbers haven’t suffered in the past year, she added.
Cozumel, the Riviera Maya, Nayarit, and
other points north of Puerto Vallarta,
Acapulco was forgotten by international
travellers. Now that other development
activity is slowing down, they are rediscovering Acapulco, suggested Rochin.
Beginning in the 1990s, the government
poured more than a billion U.S. dollars
infrastructure,
i nto the
into
the city’s
ccit
ity’
y s badly-aged
badl
ba
dlyy ag
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ed iinf
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stru
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ure,
e,
The famous high divers at La
Quebrada, leap from cliffs
41 metres high, into water
that’s just three or four
metres deep.
upgrading sewage systems and cleaning up
the beaches. Water once unsafe for swimming can now be splashed in with impunity
– though bottled’s still best in hotel rooms,
particularly in older areas of the city.
Sunquest, Sunwing, and Nolitours (Air
Transat) offer assorted Acapulco all-inclusives, ranging from old Canadian bargain
favourites in the Traditional Zone (where
Hollywood stars came to play back in the
1960s) to new five-star resorts in the Diamond
Zone along the Pacific, just southeast of famed
Acapulco Bay and its Golden Zone, where
older hotels range along the bay and go back
up into the mountain for full bay views.
Sunwing’s consistently offered Acapulco
for years, but “the past couple of years have
seen a real revival in Acapulco with lots
of development on the condo side – many
are spectacular in their splendour – which
is sure to inject a whole new level of
Ready To Be Rediscovered
For many years, with major tourism development and promotion booming in Cancun,
PHOTOS ACAPULCO DESTINATION MARKETING OFFICE
By Judy Waytiuk
Acapulco is the only Mexican beach
destination whose numbers haven’t
suffered in the past year.
12/4/09 11:20:14 AM
12/4/09 11:20:16 AM
PHOTOS ACAPULCO DESTINATION MARKETING OFFICE
Mexico
The Diamond Zone along the Pacific, just
southeast of Acapulco Bay is home to new
five-star resorts.
The Diamond Zone
The sparkling new Diamond Zone takes in
Revolcadero Beach (too rough for swimming) and Puerto Marques Beach, calm
and perfect for swimming. And there are
four 18-hole championship golf courses in
the area, as well as the 9-hole Club de Golf
Acapulco on the Costera, not far from the
Acapulco Convention Center in town.
This area has been slowly developing
over the last 10 years with spanking-new,
roomy, landscaped all-inclusive resorts the
equal of those anywhere else in Mexico
(and owned by the same chains to boot).
“In the last five years, the growth there has
been immense,” said Rochin. “It’s a completely new Acapulco.”
Go Exploring,
Culture Vultures
For those who want a little more – exploration, adventure, culture – Acapulco’s got
plenty. Cabs are cheap ways to get around
to various zones (negotiate the price before
you get in), but the fi rst location to hit is the
Traditional Zone.
That’s where the Fort of San Diego (Fuerte
de San Diego) Museum sits, in a refurbished
17th-century colonial Spanish fort.
Not far off, sunset-lovers can catch
the famous high-dives at La Quebrada, as
locals carrying torches dive from cliffs 41
metres high, into water that’s just three or
four metres deep.
cab it to avoid getting lost), and offers all the
usual Mexican treasures and souvenirs.
Another flea market, La Diana, sits in
the Golden Zone, on Costera Boulevard
running along the Bay, and offers more
contemporary beachwear goods as well as
traditional souvenirs.
Costera Boulevard is also jammed with
shops from standard souvenir to high-end
clothing, and even a couple of malls, Plaza
Bahia and La Gran Plaza. Fine Mexican
cottons can be had here for remarkably
reasonable prices, and they come in classic
styles that last forever.
But the newest, biggest shopping mall
is in the Diamond Zone. The huge La Isla
Shopping Village is a sister to the Cancun
La Isla Shopping Village, and is patterned
after it, with high-end shops, restaurants,
movie theatres, and an aquarium.
Photos & Food, Gorious Food
La Casa de las Mascaras
shelters 1,000 masks
ranging from simple wooden
carvings to ornate mask/
headdresses.
Into culture? Mexico’s
native tribes were heavily into
masks for ceremony, dance,
religion, and war, and La Casa
de las Mascaras, located close
to al Fuerte de San Diego,
shelters 1,000 masks – many
hundreds of years old – ranging from simple wooden carvings to ornate mask/headdresses.
And the Mural Diego Rivera is not far
from here, on the exterior of the house at No.
6 Inalambrica Street. The famous muralist
lived here for a year in the late fifties and
produced a relief mosaic mural featuring the
Aztec gods Quetzalcoatl and Tlaloc.
Shop Your Socks Off
A bit of a walk away – cab it to save tired
feet – the Byzantine-style Catedral de Notra
Senora de la Soledad in the city’s zocalo
(town square), was built in 1930 and is dedicated to the Virgin of Solitude, the patron of
Acapulco. A couple of blocks north, the city’s
El Parazal straw market, its oldest and biggest, is tucked away on a side street (again,
For real local crafts, find the Mercado del
Campesino in Progreso, the neighourhood
between traditional downtown and the
Parque Papagayo area, just uphill a bit. A
real-deal local peasants’ craft market, it’s
great for picture-taking, as is Mercado
Central, where fresh food and baked goods
stalls mix it up with textiles, clothing, leather
purses and belts, ceramics and piñatas, and
snacks like tacos, tortas, and churros (a
heavenly, hot cinnamon deep-fried pastry).
There’s loads of new eco-touring daytrips out and around the city as well, from
C.I.C.I Water Park to rafting on the Papagayo
River, exploration in the Tres Palos Lagoon,
Laguna de Coyuca o Pie de la Cuesta, or sulphurous Laguna de Puerto Marques.
More Mexico
For more information on Acapulco, visit
www.visiteacapulco.com. For more information on Mexico, visit www.visitmexico.com.
Bouncing Back From H1N1, August 2009
Tee Time In Cancun, May 2009
Waiter Is That Food On My Plate?,
April 2009
Splash Down, March 2009
Land Of Adventure, February 2009
M Is For Maya, December 2008
Maya Madness, October 2008
Mexico’s Newest Riviera, September 2008
The Hot List, June 2008
A Diversity of Riches, April 2008
Adventure In Paradise, March 2008
Beyond The Beach, January 2008
✈
excitement to this vibrant destination,” said
Daryl McWilliams, Sunwing’s vice-president of sales and marketing. This city now
has almost 260 hotels, with 19,000 rooms.
Cruising’s still a hot ticket, too, and the city
renovated its cruise port this year, incorporating more security measures.
Acapulco’s also picking up Spring
Break campus crowds, partly thanks to
price, but partly because it offers a fresh
experience compared to Cancun. There
are beaches and bars, but the island of
Roqueta’s attracting breakers, reached
by glass-bottomed motor boats. And like
Cancún, there are plenty of water sports:
water skiing, para-sailing, scuba diving,
deep sea fishing, sailing and snorkeling.
Older clients may want to leave the city to
the youngsters at that time of year, but for the
rest of winter, this is a Pacific Coast Mexican
gem that’s been repaired, refurbished, repolished, and is ready to be rediscovered.
12/4/09 11:20:17 AM
CityCenter, the new resort
destination in Las Vegas boasts 6,000
hotel rooms and 2,400 residences.
Nevada
Making
The
Scene
D
ecember is a huge month in Las Vegas with the opening of CityCenter, an extraordinary urban resort
destination brought to life by eight world-renowned
architects. Much more than a collection of resorts and residences, CityCenter is community with pedestrian corridors,
dynamic public spaces and a public Fine Art Collection that
includes works by Maya Lin and Nancy Rubins.
It is also one of the largest sustainable developments in
existence. The U.S. Green Building Council has awarded
Gold LEED certification to ARIA’s hotel tower, convention centre and theatre; as well as Vdara. And, CityCenter’s
remaining venues are poised to receive a combination of
Silver and Gold LEED ratings.
What is CityCenter, exactly? It is an urban metropolis sitting between Bellagio and the Monte Carlo on the Las Vegas
Strip. The development is a 50/50 joint venture between
MGM MIRAGE and Infi nity World Development Corp, a
subsidiary of Dubai World and includes: ARIA Resort &
Casino; Crystals; Mandarin Oriental; Vdara; Veer Towers;
and The Harmon Hotel with a combined total of 6,000 hotel
rooms and 2,400 residences.
ARIA Resort & Casino, operated by MGM MIRAGE,
is a 4,004-room gaming resort on 61 storeys, with three
levels of meeting and convention space, 16 restaurants, 10
bars and lounges and a spa with 62 treatment rooms. Opens
December 16.
Crystals is CityCenter’s front door to the Las Vegas Strip.
High-end retailers including Prada, Christian Dior, Louis
Vuitton and Tiffany. Food options include a pub concept
by Todd English and two new dining concepts by Wolfgang
Puck. Opens December 3.
Mandarin Oriental, Las Vegas features 400 hotel
rooms and 227 exclusive residences on 47 storeys. Opens
December 4.
Vdara Hotel, owned and operated by MGM MIRAGE,
offers 1,495 suites/condos, conference space and two-level
spa. Opening December 1.
LAS VEGAS CVA
New Developments In
Vegas Have The City Abuzz
The 400-room Harmon Hotel is operated by The Light
Group and includes Mr. Chow Restaurant – fi rst ever venture into Las Vegas – and a salon by celebrity hairstylist
Frederic Fekkai. It’s set to open in late 2010.
There’s More
Hard Rock Hotel & Casino has opened its new Paradise Tower
almost two months ahead of schedule. The new 18-floor tower
contains 490 guest rooms designed with the property’s signature party attitude in mind but with a jolt of luxury and sophistication. Ten pool suites overlook the Beach Club Pool and
feature two-level duplexes, doors that provide direct access to
your own cabana or pool deck and glass balconies.
The hotel has also opened a premier concert venue, The
Joint, that features a cutting-edge sound and lighting system and seven luxury suites. Inheriting its name from the
legendary original Hard Rock venue, the Joint carries on
the up-close and personal feel with the furthest seat in the
house only 47 metres from the stage. In addition, the venue
has the ability to transform for boxing, wrestling, mixed
martial arts events, corporate functions and trade shows;
as well as red carpet movie premieres and advanced screenings. Signing on as the fi rst rock and roll resident artist in
Las Vegas, legendary guitarist Carlos Santana brings his
talent to The Joint through a multi-year deal with AEG.
Located on Monte Carlo’s top floor, Hotel 32 opened last
August. Clients staying at Hotel 32 have special services
including limo transportation from the airport, a Suite
Assistant offering escorted, private elevator access and a
check-in-free arrival. Five room types, ranging from studios
to two-bedroom penthouses, offer amenities like 12 pillow
types, Nintendo Wii, complimentary high-speed wireless
internet and a pre-stocked refrigerator based on clients’
12/4/09 11:20:17 AM
Nevada
SMP Services:
• Customized front-line
sales and service
workshops to suit your
business model.
• Senior management soft
skills – Leadership, Time
Management, Effective
Meetings, Marketing Ideas
and Bootcamps.
Maverick Helicopters flies to the Grand Canyon
from Las Vegas offering guided, champagne
tours of the natural wonder.
• Training needs analysis
and course development.
• Conference & tradeshow
keynotes.
• Creative selling ideas for
your internal newsletters,
blogs, intranet.
• Sales workshops for
supplier BDM’s.
For more information contact
SMP TRAINING Co.
[email protected]
www.smptraining.com
250-752-0106
“When it comes to
education, the worst
you can ever do
is nothing!”
preferences. Guests also have access to
Lounge 32, which offers an assortment of
refreshments and evening cocktails.
The $150 million Rush Tower at Golden
Nugget Las Vegas opened in November,
adding nearly 500 guestrooms and suites
to the property. The new tower includes
the restaurant Chart House Aquarium, featuring a 50,000-gallon tropical aquarium;
an expanded casino; a new pool with six
cabanas; and three new retail venues.
Cirque du Soleil’s new show celebrates
Elvis’ remarkable influence on music, style
and racial barriers. Opening December 16,
the show features dance, interwoven with
innovative acrobats. Elvis will be the star
of the show and be present throughout –
in voice, video clips, photographs, sound
bites and spirit.
The popular CSI: The Experience
interactive exhibit opened in September
at MGM Grand, the setting of the original
CSI television series. Originally developed
by the Fort Worth Museum of Science and
History with a grant from The National
Science Foundation (NSF) for a tour of U.S.
science museums, CSI: The Experience
gives clients the opportunity to play the
role of a crime scene investigator, learning
scientific principles and real investigative
techniques as they try to solve one of three
crime scene mysteries.
The El Cortez Hotel & Casino has
opened 64 Cabana Suites with amenities
that include HDTVs, iPod speaker docks
and WiFi. The property also has a state-ofthe-art fitness centre, business centre and
is conveniently located next to some of the
Fremont East District’s trendiest bars.
Maverick Helicopters is offering an
upgrade on its Vegas Nights Helicopter Tour
with a free dinner and VIP entrance to TAO
Nightclub and LAVO Nightclub. Clients start
their flightseeing tour of the Las Vegas Strip
with a champagne toast, then board their “limousine in the sky” for a look at all the megaresorts. Tour costs US $99 per person. Early birds
can take advantage of the company’s Grand
Canyon Sunrise Tour. Departing at 7 a.m.
the tour flies over Hoover Dam, Lake Mead
and Fortification Hill, lands in Hualapai Indian
Territory at the bottom of the Canyon and finishes with a flight over Downtown Las Vegas
and the strip. Champagne, beverages and continental breakfast are served inflight above the
Canyon. Price: US $398 per person.
More Las Vegas
For more information on Las Vegas, visit
www.visitlasvegas.ca/.
Twistin’ By The Pool, June 2009
Going Green In Vegas, September 2008
✈
• Creative off-site revenue
boosting idea sessions.
12/4/09 11:20:17 AM
Treat yourself to the plush interior of our ECO-Star helicopters.
Our guests enjoy the seven passenger, theater-style seating with 23% more
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6075 South Las Vegas Blvd. Las Vegas, NV 89119
12/4/09 11:20:18 AM
Florida
The
Other
Panama City Beach Offers Fun
Fun, Sun
Sun, Sand & A New Airport
O
nce a classic seaside town,
Panama City Beach is in
the midst of a revitalization
anchored by an airport, set to open in
2010, new oceanfront spas, restaurants,
shops and accommodations.
Of course, the main attraction
remains the beach. Long renowned for
its spectacular white-sand beaches and
predictably sunny weather, Panama City
Beach continues to draw visitors year
round for its world-class events, including
fishing tournaments, food and wine
festivals, classic car shows, triathlons,
holiday celebrations and outdoor concerts
by the sea.
When the Northwest Florida Beaches
International Airport makes its debut in
May 2010, it will be the first airport to
open in the U.S. since September 11, 2001.
Located on Panama City Beach’s expansive West Bay, the airport is being developed on 525 hectares of a 1,600-hectare
site, the airport features 10,000-foot
runway, the only one of this length in
Northwest Florida, that allows larger
jets and commercial aircraft of any size
to land. The terminal is the first in the
U.S. certified to LEED standards, boasting rooftop louvers to admit sunlight, a
state-ofthe-art
storm water management system, sustainable materials and a landscaping plan
requiring no supplemental irrigation.
The airport was developed in conjunction with a nature preserve that includes
Florida’s largest expanse of undeveloped
coastline. The West Bay Preservation
Area protects 16,160 hectares around
the West Bay, including 53 kilometres of
undeveloped shoreline and an additional
70 kilometres of tributaries and creeks.
The Wave Continues
Located in the heart of town, the new
Pier Park is Northwest Florida’s largest
shopping/dining/entertainment venue.
This open-air complex houses a colourful mix of popular national chains and
favourite local boutiques and eateries.
Pier Park’s offerings include Jimmy
Buffett’s Margaritaville, Dillard’s,
Borders, JC Penney, Ron Jon Surf Shop,
Old Navy, Candymaker Candy Stores,
Massage Envy, Chico’s, ULTA Beauty,
Panera Bread, The Back Porch restaurant, Hofbrau Beer Garden and the
Grand 16 Theatre – a 16-screen, 3,000seat movie theatre complex.
Directly across the street from Pier
Park, the renovated Panama City Beach’s
Russell Fields Pier reopened this year.
The landmark city pier is known among
locals as the best spot to enjoy spectacular sunsets over the Gulf of Mexico and
is prized as a prime fishing spot. The
new concrete pier is the longest pier on
the Gulf Coast.
At Shipwreck
Island Waterpark
is one of Florida’s
largest water
theme parks.
PHOTOS PANAMA CITY BEACH CVB
Accommodations For All
Panama City Beach’s lodging inventory
has jumped to more than 21,400 rooms
and includes an array of accommodations to fit all budgets.
Newly opened properties include
Sterling Breeze, housing studio and
multi-bedroom units with designer
12/4/09 11:20:18 AM
Family Attraction Action
Popular family attractions include
Gulf World Marine Park, where families can learn about preservation and
enjoy up-close-and-personal encounters with dolphins, sea lions, reptiles
and tropical birds.
At Shipwreck Island Waterpark,
a new online ticketing service gives
guests more time for thrills and spills
at one of Florida’s largest water theme
parks. For more action and adventure,
visitors cruise Gulf waters aboard the
Sea Dragon, an authentic pirate ship,
with cannons blasting and pirates hanging from the rigging.
There is also ZooWorld Zoological &
Botanical Park, home to more than 250
animals, including rare and endangered
species. Visitors feed endangered primates and assist in animal shows. Other
attractions include Ripley’s Believe It
or Not! Odditorium, housing fascinating fi nds from around the world, and
Coconut Creek Family Fun Park with
two miniature golf courses and one of
the country’s largest human mazes.
Once a classic seaside town, Panama City
Beach is in the midst of a revitalization.
Hole-In-One
Recognized by Golf Digest magazine
as one of America’s top three golf
towns, Panama City Beach offers pristine greens, reasonable fees and plenty
of choices for all skill levels. The region
has five championship golf courses,
including the only Nicklaus-design
course in Northwest Florida. And tee
time is any time of year with an average annual temperature of 23°C and
320 days of sunshine annually.
The Panama City Beach region boasts five
championship golf courses.
Events Shine Year-Round
There’s always something fun to do
in Panama City Beach. Here are some
annual highlights:
• The Panama City Beach Seafood, Wine
and Music Festival, October, serves up
fresh seafood, specialty wines, family
activities and concerts by nationally
acclaimed artists.
• Experience the Taste of the Beach,
November, is an international wine
tasting event boasting more than 300
wines to taste and food samplings
from various Pier Park restaurants.
• Emerald Coast Cruizin’ classic car
and hot rod show offers full-throttle
fun, every November, with thousands
of cars, live music, vendor expos and
swap meets.
• The Annual New Year’s Eve Beach
Ball Drop rings in the New Year with
live entertainment and fun activities for the whole family, including
fantastic fireworks displays and a
larger than life descending beach
ball at the stroke of midnight. Held
at Pier Park.
The new Pier Park is Northwest Florida’s
largest shopping/dining venue.
More Florida
For more information on Panama City
Beach, visit www.visitpanamacitybeach.com. For more information on
Florida, visit http://visitflorida.com/
travel_professionals/.
What’s Up?, November 2009
Where World Meet, November 2008
Revival Of The Fittest, April 2008
✈
furnishings, high-end electronics and
private balconies with sweeping Gulf
views. Near popular restaurants, attractions and shopping, guests enjoy a comprehensive children’s program, state-ofthe-art fitness centre, poolside Internet
cafe and wine.
Guests at the Shores of Panama stay
in accommodations ranging from studios to three-bedroom suites and enjoy
a beachfront grand lagoon pool, a children’s activity program, health club,
free high-speed Internet access and
meeting facilities.
The upscale Palazzo condominium
resort features one-, two- and threebedroom units with lofty three-metre
ceilings, crown moulding and granite counter tops, two elevated lagoon
pools, a state-of-the-art fitness centre
and meeting facilities.
Laketown Wharf offers Gulf of
Mexico, lake and golf course views,
gathering areas with gazebos, fitness
centre, five unique pools, a large freshwater lake, lakefront boardwalk, a meditation garden, kiddy playground and the
sugar-white sand beaches of the Gulf,
just steps away. Right in the heart of
Panama City Beach, Laketown Wharf
is known for its signature water feature, a massive lighted fountain within
its namesake lake, choreographed with
dancing water, lights and music into a
nightly landmark show.
12/4/09 11:20:19 AM
Cuba
a New
FRONTIER
By Andrew Princz
T
he lush tropical setting of Cayo Santa Maria, a pristine cay at the western end of the Sabana-Camaguey
Archipelago, is the idyllic setting of the new frontier of
Cuban tourism. Tied to the island by a man-made causeway,
this is where you fi nd Melia Las Dunas, one of several fivestar hideaways set along pristine white-sand beaches. Rooms
here are adorned with solid dark-wood furnishings and modern amenities while the grounds are interspersed with water
fountains, small canopied porticos and a whitewashed village-like setting that is flush with elegant restaurants, vibrant
bars and a quiet hot- and cold-water hydrothermal spa.
Meanwhile in Havana, the nation’s capital, the beautifully restored Hotel Sarotoga sits amid bustling traffic where
clunky 1950- era Chevrolets rattle alongside a slew of bicitaxis (habanero-drawn bicycles that double as public transportation) which crowd the roads.
Setting a new standard of excellence for high-end business hotel on the island, the Hotel Sarotoga sits just across
from the city’s landmark Capitolio, and harks back to the
A Look At Cuba’s Always
Improving Tourism Infrastructure
suave 1930s when Cuban orchestras played their wildly
popular “aires libres” on the hotel’s terrace for local celebrities and socialites.
A short distance away is Habana Vieja, the historic district of the capital where you fi nd a series of recently restored
colonial-era buildings – a massive project spearheaded by
the government-owned Habaguanex chain. As part of the
ongoing restoration project the government has converted
landmark colonial-era properties into thematic boutiquestyle hotels; each with its own particular charm.
These are only some of the most notable hotel and resort
developments on an island that over the past two decades
has partnered with foreign development fi rms to invest in its
tourism industry as an integral part of its economic development plan. The Spanish chain Sol Melia group alone boasts
24 hotels and resorts on the island.
Whoever claimed that Cuba is not ready for a mass of
U.S. tourists should that country chose to lift its decades-old
embargo of the Caribbean Island may well simply be wrong.
12/4/09 11:20:19 AM
HOTEL SARATOGA
Cuba has ploughed ahead with the expansion of a network
of all-inclusive resorts in Havana, Varadero, the island’s
northern cays and Cayo Largo.
CUBA TOURIST BOARD
Setting a new standard of excellence for high-end business
hotel, the Hotel Sarotoga sits across from the Capitolio, and
harks back to the suave 1930s.
CUBA TOURIST BOARD
Even the established tourism Mecca of Varadero is
attracting new development properties.
CUBA TOURIST BOARD
Cayo Santa Maria, a pristine cay at the western end of the
Sabana-Camaguey Archipelago, is the idyllic setting of the
new frontier of Cuban tourism.
A flurry of public questioning came earlier this year in
the U.S. media when in mid-April the Obama administration eased certain travel restrictions on Cuban Americans,
allowing one visit to the island per year – as opposed to
every three years which was previously mandated. Many
then speculated about the island’s inability to absorb a mass
of new arrivals should the administration go one step further
and lift the embargo altogether.
The U.S. has maintained a full embargo on Cuba since
1962, which essentially prohibits Americans from spending
money on the island.
Meanwhile Cuba has quietly developed its tourism
infrastructure – mostly large resorts – attracting primarily Canadian, European and some South American visitors.
Over the past two decades, along with its foreign development partners, the island has ploughed ahead with the
expansion of a network of all-inclusive resorts in Havana,
Varadero, the island’s northern cays, around the eastern city
of Holguin and the southern resort island of Cayo Largo.
Even today the eastern end of the established tourism
Mecca of Varadero is lined with construction cranes and
new development properties. In addition, after decades
with little access to their own hotels and resorts the Cuban
government also opened its doors to local tourism earlier
this year, a landmark development. For the first time in
decades Cubans who can afford to take a vacation at one
of the many hotels and resorts on the island, now have
that option.
The communist island has already taken a plunge into
capitalist enterprise by allowing the development of a network of private home stays, or casa particolares which themselves have become extremely popular, and have attracted a
whole new demographic of tourists.
Montreal-based cultural navigator Andrew Princz is the
editor of the travel site ontheglobe.com. He spent seven
weeks in Cuba earlier this year updating the Fodors.com
guide to Cuba.
12/4/09 11:20:20 AM
Cuba
A Mosaic Of Cuban Hotels & Resorts
Hotel Ambos Mundos
ANDREW PRINCZ
Havana
swww.habaguanex.com
Built in an eclectic art-deco
style in the 1920s, Hotel Ambos
Mundos, at the end of Obispo
and adjacent to the famed Plaza
de Armas, plays on its associations with American author
Ernest Hemingway, whose
Room 511 has been converted
into a small museum.
View from the NH Parque Central
on the edge of Habana Vieja.
Hotel Los Frailes
Havana
www.habaguanex.com
Hotel Los Frailes is housed in
an 18th-century colonnaded
structure once belonging
to Marquess Prado Claudio
Duquesne, a captain of the
French Navy. This themed hotel
features staff greeting guests
dressed as Franciscan friars.
Amenities are topnotch, but
rooms are dark, appropriately
matching the theme.
Hotel Conde de Villanueva
Havana
www.habaguanex.com
Don’t try to ask for a non-smoking room at the Hotel Conde
de Villanueva. They are named
after famous Cuban tobacco
plantations and guests are
encouraged to try some of the
island’s most exquisite cigars
at the La Casa del Habanero.
Located on one of old Havana’s
most colourful streets, this hotel
even has a resident peacock.
contemporary, open-space
design are pleasing. The property features five restaurants
and Havana’s largest pool. A
full-fledged resort in an urban
context.
Hotel Saratoga
Varadero
www.sandalshicacos.com
In the top tier of Varadero
properties, the Sandals Royal
Hicacos Resort Spa is an adultsonly property set on a lovely
beachfront. Lively colours,
thatched Polynesian-style huts
set the stage for this lively
property. Entertainment features
cabarets, animations and a
lively disco features an in-house
band.
Havana
www.hotel-saratoga.com
The centrally located Hotel
Saratoga sets the standard.
Located on the edge of Habana
Vieja, the contemporary layout,
open design reception and artfriendly atmosphere is unique.
The rooftop pool overlooks
the city with great views of the
Gran Teatro and the bustling
central park.
Melia Cohiba Hotel
Havana
www.solmeliacuba.com
While a distance from the centre of town, the Melia Cohiba
Hotel with its 462 rooms is a
traditional business hotel, and
was the city’s first. Popular for
group travel, the hotel is just off
the scenic Malecon. This property features four restaurants,
pools, bars, the Habana Café
and a gauntlet of entertainment
options.
NH Parque Central
Sandals Royal Hicacos Resort
& Spa
Paradisus Princesa del Mar
Resort & Spa
Varadero
Set at the end of the Varadero
peninsula, the Paradisus Princesa
del Mar Resort & Spa caters to
couples, honeymooners and
singles and features a private,
premium royal service section.
The main building is a colonialstyle construction leading to a
suave open-design lobby. The
village-like grounds feature
Colonial-style architecture.
Havana
www.nh-hoteles.com
Catering primarily to business and group travel, the NH
Parque Central is in a superb
location on the edge of Habana
Vieja. While the hotel meets
international standards, and is
an icon of the city, later this
year the annex, NH Parque
Central Torre – connected by an
underground tunnel – promises
premium-class lodging.
Melia Las Antillas
Hotel Melia Habana
Varadero
www.barcelo.com
One of the most boisterous and
animated, the Barcelo Solymar
is a favourite for group and
party travel. Located a short
bike ride from the centre of
Varadero, this property has a
high turnover, and enjoys one
Havana
www.melia-habana.com
Set overlooking the shoreline
in the Miramar neighbourhood
of Havana, the Hotel Melia
Habana is another business,
leisure and group-focussed
hotel. The high ceilings and
Varadero
Melia Las Antillas is an adultsonly, all-inclusive property
targeting singles located in a
small alcove off of Varadero’s
Carretera Las Morlas. Junior
suites here have a unique
step-down design, are adorned
with quality linens and comfy
mattresses.
Barcelo Solymar
of Varadero’s most impressive pools and is also located
on some of the most pristine
beaches. Wireless Internet is
also available here.
Royal Hideaway Ensenachos
Cayo Ensenachos
www.royalhideawayensenachos.com
The most elegant and private
all inclusive resort is the Royal
Hideaway Ensenachos. The
property features Italian marble
floors, original classical paintings, and a sophisticated ambiance. An exclusive Royal Suites
section offers an even more
exclusive and private service.
Rooms feature classical décor
and furnishing.
Melia Las Dunas
Cayo Santa Maria
Cuba’s most attractive all-inclusive resort, the Melia Las Dunas
offers a pleasing environment
for families, couples and singles.
This is an all-bungalow facility
that includes 46 two-storey
bungalows. Water fountains,
pools and small islets with
lounge chairs make the resort
appealing for weddings.
Sol Cayo Santa Maria
Cayo Santa Maria
The Sol Cayo Santa Maria is
a family- and singles-centred
property for those who are
adverse to the resort concept.
This property is laid back and
offers a lush, eco-friendly environment. The beach here even
features a clothing-optional
area.
Melia Cayo Coco
Cayo Coco
The easternmost of Cayo Coco’s
all-inclusive hotels, this adultsonly resort features 53 two-storey bungalows that are set in a
circular pattern spanning from a
beachfront to a natural lagoon.
The property has meandering
trails, with restaurants, bars
and entertainment dispersed
throughout the grounds.
✈
A look at some of the most
notable hotels and resorts demonstrates the variety of choice,
as well as some of the newer
and most interesting hotel and
resort developments. The 18
state-run boutique hotels in
Habana Vieja in the capital’s
colonial district are some of the
most distinct, emanating an oldworld charm.
12/4/09 11:20:21 AM
www.gocuba.ca
12/4/09 11:20:27 AM
WEST HOLLYWOOD CVB
California
So Cal,
Discovering Southern California’s Other Attractio
Attractions
ons
S
unny Southern California. The phrase conjures
up images of beaches, movie stars, theme parks,
um, traffic. Sure clients still want to see Muscle
Beach, Hollywood and the Disney parks, but there is
more, much more to see and do.
Bus Rider
METRO LOS ANGELES. ©2009 LACMTA
The Metro
system is one
of the best
ways to get
around Los
Angeles County.
Clients can
save time and
money with
destination
discounts.
And one of the best ways to do it is aboard the LA
Metro system. Metro operates over 2,500 peak-hour
buses on an average weekday, including the popular
Metro Orange Line in the San Fernando Valley. Metro
also designed, built and now operates 126 kilometres
of Metro Rail service. The Metro Rail system consists
of the Metro Red Line and Metro Purple Line subways,
the Metro Blue Line, the Metro Green Line, and the
Metro Gold Line. In total, the Metro Rail system serves
70 rail stations stretching from Long Beach to downtown Los Angeles to Hollywood, Universal City and
North Hollywood in the San Fernando Valley, from
downtown Los Angeles to Pasadena and from Norwalk
to El Segundo and all points in between.
Many beaches, parks, attractions, malls and museums are easily reached by Metro Buses and Metro Rail
Trains. The advantage? Skip the traffic, avoid the hunt
for a parking spot and save money on gas and parking.
Plus, a valid Metro Pass or Metro Rail Ticket is good
for discounts at popular destinations, sporting events,
concerts, museums, theme parks and shops around Los
Angeles County. Discounts change so check www.
metro.net to see what’s new. Here’s a list of discounts
as of press time:
• 10% at Cafe Metropol in Downtown
• “Elephant” Discount Card For Hollywood &
Highland
• Metro Rider’s Special $20 NoHo Card (Regularly
$29.95)
• $2 off Adult Admission & $1 off Child Admission at
the Aquarium of the Pacific
• Save $30 On How The Grinch Stole Christmas! The
Musical
• Two-for-One Admission to The Museum of
Contemporary Art, Los Angeles (MOCA)
• $10 Off Tickets to East West Players Po Boy Tango
• $3 Off Admission to the GRAMMY Museum
• Free Flamenco Show at the legendary El Cid, a $25
value
• $5 Discount To Madame Tussauds Hollywood
• Half Off Tickets to the Latino Theater Company’s
Face of the World Season
• Save 10% To 20% On LA Kings Games
12/4/09 11:20:33 AM
So Cool
LAGUNA BEACH CVB
Far left: West
Hollywood’s Sunset
Strip is legendary for
its history, glamour,
and good times.
• Save 50% Off LA Clippers Home Games
• $15 Off General Admission Or Buy A Day, Get 2009
Free At Universal Studios Hollywood
• Get $2 Off Noah’s Ark At The Skirball
West Hollywood
And the Metro goes right to West Hollywood. Legendary
Sunset Strip. Eclectic Santa Monica Boulevard. Chic
Avenues of Art & Design District. Trendy Euro-style
alfresco dining. Hip, edgy, upscale boutiques. Intimate
hideaways…. All of this is West Hollywood. Equidistant
from both the Pacific Coast and downtown LA, WeHo
(as the locals say) is ideally situated for exploring by car
and meandering on foot.
Perhaps it’s most famous neighbou rhood,
Sunset Strip is legendary for its history, glamour,
and good times.
The Strip is best experienced on foot. A stroll along
the sidewalk takes clients past historic dance clubs like
the Whisky a Go-Go where the Doors were the house
band in the 60s, or the Roxy and Rainbow – clubs big
during the 80s hair band music scene. Keep walking
and there’s the ritzy and trendy shopping and al fresco
dining area of Sunset Plaza and Sunset Millennium.
Dining options include the patio of a Sunset Strip
favourite like Katana, where sushi is the specialty, or
Saddle Ranch Chop House, where big portions and a
mechanical bull draw crowds every night of the week.
Clients can sleep on the Strip in one of its unique
and luxurious hotels like the Sunset Tower Hotel,
which was once home to stars like Elizabeth Taylor
and John Wayne. New to the strip is the London West
With six beach cities
and 67 kilometres of
coast the O.C. is also
where the whole surf
culture began.
Hollywood, an upscale hotel with its pool deck on the
10th storey – offering breathtaking 360-degree views.
Several of the hotels also offer nightlife like SkyBar at
the Mondrian Hotel.
Santa Monica Boulevard, named in the Sheryl Crow
song All I Wanna Do, is one of LA’s largest thoroughfares, connecting the eastside of Los Angeles with the
Pacific Ocean. The three-kilometre section that runs
through West Hollywood between La Brea Avenue and
Doheny Drive is diverse, fun, pedestrian-friendly and
part of “Route 66.” It’s also home to City Hall, famed
Troubadour nightclub, and the “largest street party in
the world,” the West Hollywood Halloween Carnaval.
Santa Monica Boulevard the place to fi nd the most
popular gay & lesbian scene in Los Angeles, sometimes
referred to as “Boys Town,” boasting gay nightclubs,
bookstores, and cafés – all of which are bustling on
any given evening.
On the Boulevard’s eastern borders is the “West
Hollywood Gateway,” a shopping centre with of
some of the largest retailers in the U.S. A little further west, is LA’s largest Russian-speaking immigrant community with many delis, restaurants and
community centres in English, Russian, Yiddish,
Hebrew and other cultures. Events on the east side
include the Russian Nights Festival and the awardwinning Helen Albert Certified Farmers Market.
The Avenues of Art & Design is the West Coast’s
economic centre for the design industry, anchored by
the Pacific Design Center (a.k.a. The Blue Whale),
and covering Melrose Avenue and Robertson and
Beverly Boulevards.
12/4/09 11:20:35 AM
California
This pedestrian-friendly district houses over 30
art galleries, 100 antique and contemporary furniture
and interior design stores, 30 restaurants and coffee
houses and more than 50 high-end fashion and lifestyle related businesses.
Avenues gems include restaurants and cafés like
Melrose Bar and Grill, Murano Restaurant and Lounge,
Le Pain Quotidien, and Urth Caffe; spas like Kinara and
Lulur; boutiques like John Varvatos, Maxfield, Phyllis
Morris, Stella McCartney, James Perse and Williams
Sonoma Home; and art galleries like Pop Factory, Glass
Garage Fine Art, George Stern Fine Arts and Trigg
Ison Fine Art. Naturally, celebrities are attracted to the
Explore the VIP Room.
exclusive, unique nature of this district so keep your
eyes peeled for a sighting!
Clients on a time budget? Here’s a one-day itinerary
to help them see all the sights.
• Start the day with breakfast at Dukes Coffee Shop,
Hugo’s or Mel’s Diner, favourite hang-outs for people
in the film and music industries. Or visit the Standard
Hotel’s Restaurant, with its savvy, Sunset Strip take on
coffee shop fare.
• Take a free walking tour of the Sunset Strip (available online at weho.org for free download), and take
in some of the famous sights. Or check out the MAK
Center at Schindler House on Kings Road, one of the
fi rst interpretations of early Californian
modern architecture by famed architect
Rudolph Schinder.
• Savour a cappuccino at star-studded
Sunset Plaza, home to chic, exclusive boutiques and prime people-watching bistros.
• Stroll and shop along the Avenues of Art
& Design.
• Take an afternoon break and be part of
the scene at Ed’s Coffee Shop, or Urth
Caffe, three neighbourhood-friendly cafes
with a celebrity clientele. Or, indulge in an
early afternoon drink at the Abbey, one of
LA’s hot spots.
• Just off Melrose Avenue, fi nd legendary dinner establishments like Lucques,
Cecconi’s or Robert DeNiro’s Ago.
• It wouldn’t be West Hollywood without a
party! Head to Sunset Strip where venues
include The Roxy, Whisky a Go-Go, Viper
Room, Key Club and House of Blues. Make
the scene at hotel hotspots like SkyBar at
Mondrian, 1200 Bar at Sunset Marquis
and the Lounge at the Standard. Or, just
south on Santa Monica Boulevard head to
the GLBT clubs, café’s, and coffee houses
like Rage, Micky’s, or Fiesta Cantina.
For more information, visit www.visitwesthollywood.com.
Endless Summer
EXPLORE WEST HOLLYWOOD AND PLAY WITH THE IN-CROWD.
LEARN WHY THOSE WHO CAN GO OUT ANYWHERE, CHOOSE TO GO OUT IN WEST HOLLYWOOD.
FIND OUT MORE AT 800.368.6020 OR ONLINE AT WWW.VISITWESTHOLLYWOOD.COM
From surf butlers to surfing headquarters,
Orange County is the hotbed of surf culture where board shorts are always in season. Six beach cities and even more great
surf breaks line the 67 kilometres of coast
in OC.
It is also where the whole surf culture
began. When documentary fi lm maker
Bruce Brown followed surfers Robert
Hynson and Robert August around the
world in the mid 1960s in search of The
Endless Summer he introduced California
surfi ng culture to the world along with
12/4/09 11:20:36 AM
12/4/09 11:20:37 AM
California
Top: The Pacific
Design Center anchors
them running down the streets of Newport Beach to get
The Avenues of Art
& Design in West a wake-up call in the Pacific Ocean. And in Huntington
Hollywood. Beach – Surf City U.S.A. – you’re bound to catch a
Beach Butlers are
a unique twist on
Southern California
hospitality and
personalized
attention.
wave of the action during the summer when the water is
warmer and the pros compete in the annual U.S. Open
of Surfi ng. Or fi nd them at a popular post-session hangout, like Michele’s Sugar Shack Café.
Clients can head out to the local favourites to watch
the wave-addicted. Or take a lesson and experience
what many call “the ultimate rush”. Here are 10 great
places to surf in OC:
1. Trestles, San Clemente
2. Salt Creek Beach
3. Huntington Beach Pier
4. 54th & 56th Streets, Newport Beach
5. Brooks Street, Laguna Beach
6. The Wedge, Newport Beach
7. Seal Beach Pier
8. Doheny Beach, Dana Point
9. Corona del Mar
10. T-Street, San Clemente
Several Orange County resorts offer the ultimate
Southern California experience with a unique twist on
hospitality and personalized attention. From teaching
“Tide Pools 101” to fitting wet suits and giving surf lessons, Surf Butlers offer a variety of services for guests
looking to truly immerse in the coastal lifestyle.
Find the OC’s Surf Butlers at the Hyatt Regency
Huntington Beach Resort & Spa, where Toes on the
Nose provides surf instruction by experienced riders,
many who have competed in professional longboarding; and Laguna Cliffs Marriott Resort & Spa where a
personalized surfi ng experience for guests of all ages
and levels begins on dry land with a surf orientation,
including ocean awareness, safety and surf etiquette,
pre-surf stretches, and surfi ng fundamentals.
Beach Butlers at the Hilton Waterfront Beach Resort
can reserve a private cabana on the beach with lounge
chairs, towels and all the necessary beach gear and
drop by every hour to coat the kids in sunscreen, spritz
guests with face and body spray, serve chilled water and
energy drinks or start a beach bonfire complete with a
S’mores Package; while at Montage Laguna Beach the
doting Beach Butlers promote beach volleyball games,
share the latest surf reports, set up beach cabanas, teach
tide pool basics, and serve refreshing drinks.
What’s New in Anaheim, OC? Disney’s Grand
Californian Hotel & Spa completed an addition that
includes 203 new guest rooms and 50 two-bedroom
equivalent Disney Vacation Club villas, the fi rst Disney
Vacation Club property on the West Coast. Southern
California’s landmark Disneyland Hotel started a
significant renovation project that will include major
upgrades to its guest rooms, new room amenities and
considerable changes to the exterior of the hotel. The
Dreams tower will be the fi rst to be renovated and is
scheduled to be completed in June 2010. The hotel will
remain open during the phases of the renovation. Not
far from the action at the beach, the Hyatt Regency
Huntington Beach Resort & Spa’s new pool Slyders,
is a water playground with three slides that drop riders
into two splash pools, a ribbon shaped main pool, shallow children’s wading pool, two fi re pits, nine private
cabanas complete with flat screen TVs and wireless
internet and an oversized hot tub. Pacific Edge Hotel
is a new 130-room oceanfront property located in the
downtown area of Laguna Beach that is steps away
from galleries, museums and festival venues. Anaheim
Resort Transit (ART) Kids Ride FREE Program
means that with the purchase of an adult ART pass
kids (9 and under) get a ticket to ride on this convenient
visitor trolly for free.
For more information, visit anaheimoc.org.
✈
HYATT REGENCY HUNTINGTON BEACH RESORT & SPA
WEST HOLLYWOOD CVB
a handful of iconic figures
who all started their careers in
Orange County during the late
50s and 60s.
Legends like The Endless
Summer, star Robert August,
Corky Carroll, the fi rst paid
surfer, The Endless Summer
movie poster artist John Van
Hamersveld and “King of the
Surf Guitar,” Dick Dale, were
all in on the ground floor of
the surf culture movement and
their talent and works gave rise
to a multitude of surf-related
industries and inspired many
of today’s generation of surfers, artists, musicians and
entrepreneurs.
Hundreds of surfers make
their homes in this laid-back,
wave-rider’s paradise. In the
early morning, you can hear
12/4/09 11:20:38 AM
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How To Sell – Theme Parks
s
A Roller
Coaster
Ride
Click
C
li k TThe
h TTurnstiles
til TTo
Theme Park Sales
MALL OF AMERICA
By Steve Crowhurst, CTC
The last couple of
years have been a
roller coaster ride
for theme parks.
he last couple of years have been a roller
coaster ride for theme parks across the
continent and around the world, too.
However, what goes down, must come up!
And so it is with theme parks as they head
into 2010. The year 2009 had slight increases
over 2008 and 2010 is expected to do better as people return to fun. It’s the way of
the human spirit. We can only be glum for
so long and then we’re outta here! Gone.
Riding the big one. Eating cotton candy.
With family and friends. We need a break
and theme parks are close by or just across
the border. Easy.
Despite the recent economic challenges
the turnstiles have clicked through a few
million bodies and the numbers although
a little fl at here and there, are impressive: “Visits to the world’s top 25 parks
in 2008 totaled 186 million, down 0.4 per
cent from 2007. Combined attendance at
the top 20 parks in North America was
fl at compared to 2007 at 122.7 million,
after growing 3.9 per cent between 2005
and 2008. In Europe, attendance was up
slightly, with the top 20 parks recording a combined attendance of 57.4 million, a growth rate of 1.1 per cent. But
their popularity is easily eclipsed by the
top 10 parks in Asia/Pacific Rim, which
12/4/09 11:20:40 AM
attracted a combined 69.9 million guests
(Disney’s parks in Japan contributing
heavily to this total).” The top 10 parks in
Mexico and Latin America attracted 12.2
million guests. (Source: TEA – Themed
Entertainment Association/Economics
Research Associates’ Attraction
Attendance Report 2008) .
The First Theme Park
This claim to fame goes to Knott’s Berry
Farm. Grown from nothing by Walter and
Cordelia Knott and what a story they have.
You can read about them and how they created KBF – it’s truly a story of courage,
never giving up, taking risks in uncertain
times, having a vision, a sticking to their
plan and seizing opportunities that they
themselves created. When you read about
this level of gutsy entrepreneurism during
the 1920s it makes you think about our current economic situation – we’re standing still
compared to the Knotts. Would they sit and
moan the blues? I doubt it. They’d go buy a
few more acres and create something. Click
here for the KBF history: www.knotts.com/
public/news/history/index.cfm.
Mall of America
Sixty years on from when Mr. and Mrs. Knott
started out, the vision of the Ghermazian
brothers of West Edmonton Mall fame
brought the Mall of America to life in the
80s. Although millionaires and real estate
tycoons, the G’men still had to have a vision,
plan it, go for it, make it all work. In 2007
MOA went one more step forward by partnering with Nickelodeon, the number-one
brand for kids. Here’s the blurb you need to
know: “The newly revamped park, and the
first ever Nickelodeon theme park, will feature new rides, live shows, attractions, retail,
games and entertainment, and food service
establishments themed with top ranking
network properties including: SpongeBob
SquarePants, Dora the Explorer, Go, Diego,
Go!, Avatar: The Last Airbender, Danny
Phantom, Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius, The
Backyardigans and many more. Costumed
characters and live interactive entertainment
from these Nickelodeon and Nick Jr. shows
will also find a home at the Mall.” www.toymania.com/news/messages/9151.shtml
So we can conjure up the same type
of entrepreneurialism exhibited by the
Knotts and the Ghermazians as we set the
task of selling into the niche market of
Theme Parks.
Theme Park 101
Theme parks play a huge role in our lives.
Believe it or not they do. You may not wake
up thinking “I gotta get to a theme park
today”, however, each and every park at
some time in our lives, as noted by TEA,
offers an “interlude from the pressures of
daily life”, and there’s the buzz. You can use
this line when consulting with customers,
in your e-mails and as a slogan to top and
tail your promotions. Another thing to know
about selling theme parks is this: “parks and
attractions tend to fare relatively well during a recession” – and that’s a good thing to
know as we edge out of the downturn heading into 2010. Here’s a list of the world’s top
k at
10 parks by attendance. When you look
this list you can quickly see the pulling power of Disney, plus other locations of top attended parks – suggesting
you could start a worldwide theme park
niche.
1. Magic Kingdom At Walt Disney
World, Florida: 17,063,000
2. Disneyland, Anaheim, California:
14,721,000
3. Tokyo Disneyland, Tokyo: 14,293,000
4. Disneyland Park At Disneyland, Paris:
12,688,000
5. Tokyo Disney Sea, Tokyo: 12,498,000
6. Epcot At Walt Disney World,
Florida:10,935,000
7. Disney’s Hollywood Studios At Walt
Disney World, Florida: 9,608,000
8. Disney’s Animal Kingdom At Walt
Disney World, Florida: 9,540,000
9. Universal Studios Japan, Osaka:
8,300,000
10. Everland, Gyeonggi-Do, South Korea:
6,600,000
11. Universal Studios At Universal
Orlando, Florida: 6,231,000
When To Visit Disney
There is an excellent website that actually
calculates when your clients should/could
visit a Disney park based on low attendance
which in turn reduces wait time for rides,
etc. Click here: www.touringplans.com.
Here’s what you’ll find:
• Choose The Best Time To Visit using the
exclusive “best days” calendar for every
day of the year, updated constantly. There
are estimates on how crowded the theme
parks will be at every time of year, and the
best parks to visit for every day of your
client’s trip.
• Wait Less In Line with almost 100 stepby-step guides to seeing the best Disney
shows and attractions. These guides cover
all four Disney theme parks, with special
advice for parents of small children, teens
and tweens, adults, seniors, and Disney
cruise guests.
A 12-month subscription to touringplans.
com costs $8.95 and comes with a 45-day
money-back guarantee. Although geared to
the consumer – this could work for you, too.
Each year, the unofficial guide team views
every ride, show, parade, hotel and eatery
and advises whether or not the value is worth
the price.
nd
tions te
c
a
r
t
t
a
nd
uring
Parks a
ly well d
e
v
i
t
a
l
e
to fare r
at’s a
– and th
n
o
i
s
s
e
a rec
w.
g to kno
n
i
h
t
d
o
go
Types Of Travel
When you think theme park do weddings
come to mind? How about thrill-seekers,
shoppers and families who just love to
mall together!
• Knott’s Berry Farm’s Wedding
Ceremony: Knott’s wedding ceremonies are performed in Knott’s Church
of Reflections, an historic non-denominational church located outside the park
standing serenely within its own gated
courtyard. Surrounded by trees, colourful
flowers, and lush foliage, the Church of
Reflections is adorned with a traditional
steeple and wooden pews and stained
glass windows. The church seats up to
200 guests. Wedding Ceremony with
Reception (Reception at Knott’s Berry
Farm or the KBF Resort Hotel) US $1175/
Ceremony Only $1500.
• MOA Weddings: Here are three variations on a theme – Premier Wedding,
Petite Wedding and Dream Wedding
– based on the number of guests, time
in the chapel and other details. Prices
range from $500 to $700. There is even
a Renewal of Vows program.
12/4/09 11:20:43 AM
How To Sell – Theme Parks
GENERAL ADVERTISERS
Acapulco
www.visiteacapulco.com
Anaheim Resort Transit
www.rideart.org
Arizona Golf Resort Hotel &
Conference Center
www.arizonagolfresort.com
Arizona Hampton Inns
www.Arizonahamptoninns.com
Arizona Office of Tourism
www.arizonaguide.com/
travelprofessionals
BEI Hotels of Anaheim
www.bei-hotels.com
Cuba Tourist Board
www.gocuba.ca
Egyptian Tourist Authority
www.egypt.travel
Globus
www.agentlingo.ca
Goway Travel
www.goway.com
Greater Phoenix CVB
www.visitphoenix.com
Harlingen CVB
www.visitharlingentexas.com
India Tourism
www.incredibleindia.org
LA County Metropolitan
Transportation Authority
www.metro.net/destinations
Legoland California Resort
www.LEGOLAND.com
Mall of America
www.moainformation.com
Maverick Helicopters
www.maverickhelicopters.com
Pointe Hilton Resorts
www.pointehilton.com
The Prescott Area
www.visit-prescott.com
Puerto Vallarta
www.visitpuertovallarta.com
Rancho de los Caballeros
www.sunc.com
Riviera Maya
www.rivieramaya.com
SMP Training
www.smptraining.com
Towne Place Suites
St. George CVB
www.atozion.com
Sunny Arizona
www.SellSunnyAZ.com
Sunwing Vacations
www.sunwing.ca
Nolitours
www.nolitours.com
West Hollywood Marketing and
Visitors Bureau
www.visitwesthollywood.com
WestJet
www.westjet.com/agentweblink
WestJet Vacations
www.westjetvacations.com
Social Sell
Theme park trips and tours are certainly
social events aren’t they? So this promotion
would work perfectly for pushing it out via
FaceBook and You Tube if you have a video
of your scary decent on the big ride. You
might even start your own Theme Park blog
and advise your customers they can subscribe and journal along. You never know
who might turn up.
Add A Theme To E-mails
We can never forget the power of e-mail and
the viral effect of a client forwarding your
e-mail to their friends. So set the recipient a challenge. Slogan reads:
“When was the last time you
were this thrilled?” Of course
you add a photo of scared people dropping out of the sky…
and then shopping, eating, danc-ing…whatever works.
Nickelodeon
Universe
Nickelodeon, the #1 entertainment
brand for kids, and Mall of America,
the premier shopping destination
in the U.S., joined forces to create
a one-of-kind theme park. Located
in the centre of Mall of America,
Nickelodeon Universe features 2.8
hectares of unique attractions and
entertainment, including 24 great
rides for guests of all ages and courage
levels. Guests can meet the Nick
characters, enjoy new rides and shop
exclusive retail.
Clients can enjoy the thrill of
SpongeBob SquarePants Rock Bottom
Plunge, Pepsi Orange Streak, Splat-OSphere, Avatar Airbender and Fairly
Odd Coaster. Younger guests can hop
on family rides like El Circulo del
Cielo, Log Chute, Naked Brothers
Crazy Cars or The Carousel.
There is also one-of-a-kind shopping
in Nickelodeon Universe at the
Nickelodeon Store, offering the largest
selection of Nickelodeon merchandise
in the country; TOYS, filled with
appealing games and toys; and NU
Stuff, featuring an exclusive signature
of Nickelodeon
line o
merchandise.
merc
2010 Theme
Park Niche
There are not too many agencies
ies
me
that actually specialize in theme
ider
park vacations. When you consider
ople
the millions and millions of people
that visit these parks you could be
the one agency that jumps on the opportunity of a pre-sold audience. It could be a
wild ride either way – so be sure to hang on
until those revenues roll in.
More information at these links: www.
themeparkinsider.com /news /response.
cfm?ID= 945506023 and www.themeparksonline.org/parklist.asp
MALL OF
Clients can meet and
Clie
have
hav their photos
taken
tak with SpongeBob
SquarePants,
Dora,
Sq
Diego,
Blue, Jimmy
D
Neutron,
Aang, The
N
Backyardigans
and
B
The
T Wonderpets
during their visits
to Nickelodeon
Universe.
A
AMERIC
It all adds up to an
amazing entertainment experience
for the whole family. General
admission to Nickelodeon Universe
is free. Purchase an Unlimited Ride
Wristband to enjoy the park all day
long, or for just a few rides, try a
point pass. For more information, visit
nickelodeonuniverse.com.
✈
WEBSITE INDEX
• Wild Ride Tour: Sure there are those
clients who need a thrill-a-minute, so you
could market a Wild Ride Tour of American
Theme Parks.
• Corporate Meetings and Incentives:
Why not promote business with a little
pleasure, too. Your corporate accounts
could do the biz and then play. Most
theme parks can create a team-building
program, too – now that’s worth knocking
on a few doors isn’t it? It’s different and
the idea beats that same old hotel room
hands down.
So now all you have to do is market your
idea. For this you can contact the administration of your chosen theme park. They will
work with you, supply marketing tools and
make sure your group enjoys their visit.
12/4/09 11:20:44 AM
Internet Traveller
Burrowing Around TravelMole
By Judy Waytiuk
ne of the best
online travel news
sites around is www.
travelmole.com. It’s
comprehensive, wellorganized, easy to drill around, you can
comment on stories, and you can even
customize the sort of news you receive
in a regular newsletter – and decide how
often you want to get it.
And the best thing of all? It’s U.K.based – which means it covers the world,
not just the United States, which so many
American-based online travel trade sites
tend to do.
But it does cover the U.S. as well – and
recent TravelMole postings show there’s a
heap of horrors coming down the pike for
North American air travellers.
A recent three-day meeting of the
Ancillary Revenue Airline Conference
in Huntington Beach, California, tackled
the juicy subject of how to make consumer-hated airline fees more digestible. Airline executives spent the three
days trying to figure out what else they
can charge fees for, and how to add any
new fees they can come up with, without
cheesing-off customers.
They’re calling them “ancillary fees”
and “a la carte pricing”, and the move to
implement more of them is being called
“unbundling”, but the bottom line: what
passengers once got free as part of their
base ticket price, they’re gonna pay
for – like the already-infamous second checked bag fee. In 2008, airlines
around the world collected a whopping
US $10.25 billion in such fees. That’s a
346-per cent increase from 2006.
Meanwhile, more airport self-service is
on its way. The sixth annual SITA Airport
IT Trends survey has found almost 80
per cent of the world’s leading airport
operators plan to make self-service their
primary channel for check-in by 2010.
Almost two-thirds of all airports
already have check-in kiosks. That number
will rise 90 per cent by 2012, according
to the survey. Electronic documents like
bar-coded boarding passes sent directly
to mobile phones will help enable genuinely-paperless travel. Common bag-drop
locations will be implemented at almost
half of all airports by 2012, compared
to 12 per cent today, and 42 per cent of
boarding gates will be automated by then
(compared to eight per cent today).
All this and more is at TravelMole...if
you really want to know.
(The Internet Traveller thinks the Mayans
may be right and the world’s going to end
in 2012. It’s certainly getting crazy enough.
But her website at www.wordsink.ca is an
oasis of calm, and you can always cry on
her shoulder at [email protected])
✈
O
12/4/09 11:20:44 AM
CAN ADA
Southern Hospitality
Historic Inns & Properties Of The Southern US
By Josephine Matyas
If you have clients looking for an island setting and a touch of Spanish
culture, the Hotel El Convento in San Juan, Puerto Rico will fit
the bill. The boutique-style hotel is a landmark monument to the
Conquistador Age filled with Old World charm and splendour. Built
as a convent more than three centuries ago, the El Convento offers
58 elegant rooms adorned with rich wooden beams, handcrafted
tiles, carved chairs, velvet settees, and antique chests. Amenities
include plunge pool and Jacuzzi, fitness centre, four restaurants
on property and beach club. Packages include nature, history and
romance. The El Convento is the only Small Luxury Hotel in Puerto
Rico and a AAA Four Diamond property. www.elconveto.com.
Florida
Cottages by the Ocean in Pompano Beach, Florida is a one-of-a
kind complex of six fully restored 1940s cottages – romantic little
“doll houses” with large, screened-in porches set around a tropical garden teeming with native birds, flowers and butterflies. This
quiet, pristine complex is best suited for couples – with full kitchens, king beds, barbecues and all of the comforts of home. The
beach, shops, restaurants, snorkelling, diving, saltwater fishing,
golf and casinos are just minutes away. A smoke-free property, the
cottages are part of the nationally rated Superior Small Lodgings.
www.4RentByTheBeach.com.
In picturesque St. Augustine, Florida you’ll find the St. Francis
Inn, a property that dates back to the city’s Second Spanish Colonial
Period. Reflecting the architecture of the late 1700s – a time when
invasion was a real threat – the inn was constructed “as a fortress”,
standing directly on the street, shielding the front entrance and
peaceful courtyard. Guests who stay any two consecutive weeknights (Sunday through Thursday, excluding December 27 to 31)
through January 28, 2010 will enjoy millions of tiny white lights
sparkling throughout the ancient streets, historic buildings, and
local businesses of America’s Oldest City during the 13th Annual
Nights of Lights Celebration. www.stfrancisinn.com.
South Carolina
In Aiken, South Carolina, The Willcox was once the place to stay
for well-heeled Yankees who travelled to Thoroughbred Country
to escape the frosty northern winters and indulge their passions for
The boutique-style Hotel El Convento is a landmark monument to the
Conquistador Age of San Juan, Puerto Rico.
horse racing, fox hunting, polo and high society. Each room and
suite has a unique character – high ceilings with crown mouldings,
fireplaces, equestrian prints on the walls and an eclectic mix of
period antiques. The mahogany four-poster beds are topped with
thick featherbeds and oversized, soft pillows. Bathrooms have been
updated from top to bottom, with deep soaking tubs, Kohler sinks,
Harden fixtures and spa-quality amenities.
www.thewillcox.com.
Louisiana
Steel Magnolia House in Natchitoches, Louisiana may look
familiar – it was the site of the 1989 award-winning movie, Steel
Magnolias. Steeped in Civil War history and Southern charm, the
1830s-era, antique-filled property boasts peaceful gardens, large
guest rooms, a grand staircase and private bathrooms. Special packages include historic tours and film-themed and romance packages.
www.steelmagnoliahouse.com.
Texas
Rising high above Oak Cliff on a landscaped stone bluff, the boutique Hotel Belmont in Dallas, Texas is a spin on 1940s cool with
touches of 21st century luxury and amenities. The smoke-free
property is an interesting example of Art Moderne design – with
emphasis on horizontal lines, rounded corners and stucco facades.
The restoration of this historic property maintains the original
architectural features, yet presents a variety of modern accommodations (rooms, suites and bungalows), soaking tubs, year-round
pool, health club and restaurant. Romance and Girlfriend Getaway
packages. www.belmontdallas.com.
New Mexico
A little further west, in Gallup, New Mexico, the Hotel El Rancho
(circa 1937) was once home base for crews and Hollywood stars on
location because of its access to western landscapes and the rustic
elegance of the hotel. Rooms range from cosy to luxurious and each
is named after a movie star who stayed there. The restored property
is perfectly located for travellers exploring Route 66, the Navajo
Nation and the National Parks and Monuments of the Southwest. El
Rancho, “The Home of the Movie Stars”, is listed on the National
Registry of Historic Places. www.elranchohotel.com.
To find out more about the Discover America – Canada Committee,
attend a meeting or receive the bi-monthly newsletter, contact them
by fax at (416) 352-5567, by e-mail at [email protected] or visit
www.seeamerica.ca.
✈
Puerto Rico
THE WILLCOX INN
W
ith the economy starting to thaw just as the ground is
freezing up, Canadians can still take advantage of some
fantastic deals south of the border…many of them where
the sun is shining and the weather is more co-operative. Add to that
the warmth of staying at an historic property – and you can sell a
win-win combination.
Historic properties hold a special appeal for retirees, honeymooners looking for an intimate setting, and history buffs. Let’s
travel from east to west across the southern states from one unique
slice of history to the next.
12/4/09 11:20:45 AM
Bloomington, Minnesota
mallofamerica.com
The Place for
fun
™
The Barbie® Shop
Now Open, Level 1
BODIES
THE EXHIBITION
Now Open, Level 4
3 ( / 0 s 0 , !9 s & 5 .
-ALLOF!MERICA® – over 520 shops, restaurants and attractions
including Underwater Adventures® Aquarium, LEGO,® A.C.E.S. Flight Simulation,
Moose Mountain Adventure Golf, Silicon Motor Speedway, Theatres at Mall of America,™
Rick Bronson’s House of Comedy and more!
.ICKELODEON5NIVERSE® – the nation’s largest indoor Nickelodeon® theme park. Experience
24 spine-tingling rides, meet your favorite characters and shop exclusive retail merchandise.
Visit our newest attractions; The Flying Dutchman - Ghostly Gangplank ropes course and
Butterfly Bay.
7ORLD#LASS3HOPPING – Nordstrom, Bloomingdale’s, Burberry, American Girl, Lacoste,
Columbia Sportswear Co., Best Buy, Nike, True Religion, Levi’s and more.
.OSALESTAXONCLOTHINGANDSHOES
&ORMOREINFORMATIONCONTACT-ILLIE0HILIPPIN-ALLOF!MERICA4OURISMAT
MPHILIPP MALLOFAMERICACOMORVISITWWWMOAINFORMATIONCOM
12/4/09 11:20:51 AM
12/4/09 11:20:52 AM

Phoenix Barbados Acapulco

Transcription

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