Travelweek - February 5, 2015 Volume 43 Issue 05
Transcription
Travelweek - February 5, 2015 Volume 43 Issue 05
March 13, 2014 Volume 42 Issue 10 C A N A D A ’ S T R A V E L T R A D E P U B L I C A T I O N Vacation.com adds 20 new members; CWT Canada grows Associate Program TORONTO — Two of Canada’s major agency groups are continuing to expand. Vacation.com has added 20 new member agencies since October 2013 bringing the total number of members to 650 in Canada. New member agencies joining Canada-wide since October include: Alitours; A Ticket to Ride Travel; Baconko Travels; Bestway Travel Ltd; Caspian Travel & Tour Inc; Castle Hill Travel & Tours; Discovery Group Ltd; Fly Today; Jac’s Journeys; Kaleidoscope Travel & Cruise; L & H Travel; Lucky 7 Travel; Luxury Corporate Cruises; Maligaya Travel Ltd; Mohajeri International Travel & Tours; Pure Magic The ancient city of Matera, Italy THISWEEK 4 NONSTOP TO PHOENIX 28 TOURING SOUTH ITALY WestJet is launching new nonstop Toronto-Phoenix service Oct. 26 Transat is offering a tour with two lesserknown regions: Puglia and Basilicata 8 34 SOUTH PACIFIC CRUISES Encore Cruises is adding Princess Cruises’ South Pacific program to its portfolio PM40015622 USA ROUND-UP The Cromwell, opening on May 21, will bring boutique luxury to the Las Vegas Strip Vacations; Rhythm Travel and Tours; Travelaero Services Ltd; Travelbest Cruises and Tours; Westar Travel Ltd. Meanwhile, Carlson Wagonlit Travel (CWT) Canada continues to expand its travel agency network in Canada, adding new CWT Associate travel offices in Vancouver, North Vancouver, Cornwall, Sudbury, Quebec City, Montreal and Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, while maintaining a 100% renewal rate. New members of the CWT Associate Program include: Agence des Halles of Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu located in Quebec, owned by Anita Bitton; Voyage Régence in Montreal and Nuns’ Island, owned by Francine Martin; Voyages Lachance located in Quebec, owned by Nadia Taradjian, which was formerly operated under the Uniglobe Voyages banner; Quest Travel located in Vancouver, owned by Jeffrey Bernstein and operated by Valerie Fisher; Jolly Tours located in Cornwall, owned by Carol and Christopher MacAleese; Ellison Travel & Tours in North Vancouver, owned by Doug Ellison and operated by Marcie Outerbridge Ellison, the third CWT-affiliated Ellison Travel location, adding to their strong presence in Southwestern Ontario; All Seasons Travel, located in Sudbury, a for- One Stop Shop to t thE Trip AIRFARES FROM TORONTO Round Inclusive of all taxes Kingsto Kingston on $ 429 Barbados $ 469 Montego Bay $ 469 SkyRoute Travel REG: 4652780 Some restrictions apply 106-1200 Markham RoadToronto, M1H 3C3 1 877 GO TO SKY (1877 468 6759) | (416) 439 4000 www.NetFaresHub.com đ www.sirev.com topnews mer affiliate of Uniglobe under the new ownership of Teresa Payne who owns six additional CWT-affiliated locations in Ontario. “We’re delighted with the level of new and renewed interest in our Associate Program,” said Danielle Durocher, director, Associate Program, CWT Canada. “We’re beginning to see a shift in ownership among some of our associate agencies as owners pass the reins on to the new generation. The continued expansion of the program speaks to the strength of CWT and the retail agency model.” with Voyages Professionnels, formerly part of the Ensemble group, to form the new CWT Groupe Voyages Professionels, which is owned by Marie-Hélène Jacques, Paul Larivière, Nathalie Guilbert and Charles Richer. CWT Royal City Travel in Guelph, ON, previously owned by Neil Christie, was acquired by Gene Branchflower, owner of CWT Avenue Travel. It maintains the CWT brand and will continue to be run as a full service travel agency under the management of Todd Branchflower. CWT Voyages Éclair in Buckingham, QC, was acquired by long-time manag- value and exceptional benefits of being part of a large agency organization. So far, the experience has been great.” Christine James, Vice President Canada for Vacation.com, credits the strength of Canada’s two Business Development Managers, Sue Urie (Western Canada) and Linda Khanna (Eastern Canada), as well as their direct approach and extensive training that is consistently provided, once ENJOY A HOLIDAY SURROUNDED BY EXQUISITE VIEWS WE’RE BEGINNING TO SEE a shift in ownership among some of our associate agencies as owners pass the reins on to the new generation. TORONTO DEPARTURES . ONE WEEK . ALL INCLUSIVE HOLGUIN $ APR 11 & 15 BLAU COSTA VERDE HOTEL ROOM BEACH RESORT ++++ In addition, a number of associate members have expanded their presence with the acquisition of new locations, which now operate under the CWT brand. CWT Stewart Travel, owned and operated by Scott Stewart and Dana Merrett, added three CWT Associate locations, including Toronto, Collingwood and Wasaga Beach, which were previously owned by Laura Price. Stewart Travel’s acquisition brings their current total to six locations in Ontario operating under CWT Stewart Travel. CWT Voyages Fleur-de-Lys merged er Michelle Tremblay and her husband Éric Laviolette, from Robert Langlois. “Our best wishes go out to the associate owners who have sold their franchises, and we look forward to working with our current and new associate members for many years to come,” added Durocher. Megan Baugh of Baconko Travels in Edmonton recently joined Vacation. com for the support, training and increased commissions. “The wide variety of tools and programs offered by Vacation.com is helping us grow our business and increase our overall commissions. Vacation.com offers excellent 8 INCREDIBLE DESTINATIONS. 8 CHANCES TO WIN! 495 +$315 Taxes FOR FULL SELECTION OF HOTELS, VISIT WWW.SUNWING.CA Signature.ca T h e D a y s Yo u Re member 6[[H^H+LWHY[\YLZ6UL>LLR(SS0UJS\ZP]L 1HTHPJH .YHUK7HSSHKP\T1HTHPJH 9LZVY[:WH++++7S\Z 1\UPVY:\P[L4HY(WY [H_LZ -69-<33:,3,*;0656-/6;,3:=0:0;>>>:0.5(;<9,*( Join us as we explore a new Contiki destination each week with a new exclusive offer and a weekly trip giveaway! contiki.com/adventurechallenge March 13, 2014 TRAVELWEEK 3 topnews 7+,6:,17(55,'(:,7+7+(723'2:1 Come explore Bermuda and discover a free night* Learn more at GoToBermuda.ca *Restrictions apply new members are recruited. “We create a unique value proposition for every agency and can demonstrate how Vacation.com’s enhanced commissions can positively impact their bottom line,” said James. “The value of a Vacation.com membership is significant, and the industry continues to take notice,” added James. “Members receive access to the SIRRVA booking platform, which displays Vacation.com preferred suppliers and provides member agencies with a top-notch online tool. Additional membership value includes access to the Stream prepaid hotel program and the Worldwide Hotel Program. Our award-winning Engagement direct mail and e-mail program continues to drive clients to their agencies with exclusive travel offers.” Agencies can visit JoinVacation.com for more information on the benefits Vacation.com offers. WestJet to launch new daily service between Toronto and Phoenix Oct. 26 CALGARY — WestJet will launch a new daily, nonstop service between Toronto and Phoenix beginning Oct. 26, 2014. Same-day connections are also available to and from Montreal, Ottawa, Halifax and Moncton. “We are always looking for new and better ways to provide Canadians with in-demand destination choices,” said Chris Avery, WestJet’s Vice-President, Network Planning, Alliances and Corporate Development. “After this winter of record storms and low temperatures, more Canadians than ever are looking 4 TRAVELWEEK March 13, 2014 for nonstop routes to sunny U.S. destinations like Phoenix to meet the demand for sunshine and tee times.” Details of WestJet’s new daily, nonstop seasonal service between Toronto and Phoenix are: leaving Toronto at 9:45 a.m. arriving in Phoenix at 11:35 a.m. with the return flight departing Phoenix at 12:20 p.m. arriving in Toronto at 7:27 p.m. More than half a million Canadians visit Arizona every year, and almost half of those visitors are from Ontario. WestJet’s newest seasonal route is expected to run from the end of October through to April 25, 2015. The Phoenix Sky Harbour International Airport is one of largest hubs for WestJet partner American Airlines, with access to more than 300 flights daily. Editor Patrick Dineen, Ext. 132, [email protected] Managing Editor Kathryn Folliott, Ext. 128, [email protected] Associate Editor Cindy Sosroutomo, Ext. 130, [email protected] French Journalist for Profession Voyages Ariane Cloutier, 450-531-6193, [email protected] Graphic Designer Jonathan Carmichael, Ext. 126, [email protected] Web Application Developer Antonio Carito, Ext. 134, [email protected] Web Graphic Designer & Online Strategist Michael Smith, Ext. 125, [email protected] Business Development Manager Sue Winiecki, Ext. 127, [email protected] Business Development Manager Annie Cicvaric, Ext. 131, [email protected] Director, Product Development Toni DeFino, Ext. 136, tdefi[email protected] Transat enhances range of à la carte hotels with 50,000 new properties MONTREAL — Transat is enhancing the number of à la carte hotels it offers in collaboration with HotelBeds, a new supplier. This new partnership adds 50,000 properties to the number offered by Transat in some 147 countries. Clients will now find it easier to spend a few days at the beach or in the city, whatever their budget. Sold under the Transat Holidays brand, these hotels are now available through airtransat.ca, as well as on transatholidaysagent.com and through SIREV. The travel agent commission rate will be the same as the one currently offered for à la carte hotels available through Transat Holidays. Circulation Denys Cruz, [email protected] Accounting Marie Mercado, Ext. 121, [email protected] ENVOY Glen Harwood, Ext. 133, [email protected] Group Publisher Gerald Kinasz, [email protected] Printed by Web Offset Pickering, ON L1W 3J9 Subscription Rates (per year): Canada: $85 Canadian + $4.25 GST per year United States & International: $100 US per year Contents copyrighted 2014 by Concepts Travel Media Ltd. Reproduction in whole or in part by any means without expressed written permission of the publisher is prohibited. We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Canada Periodical Fund of the Department of Canadian Heritage. 122 Parliament Street, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5A 2Y8 Tel: 416.365.1500, Fax: 416.365.1504 Toll-free: 1.855.392.8820 www.travelweek.ca | www.envoynetworks.ca ALL FLIGHTS OFFER SUNWING AIRLINES’ CHAMPAGNE SERVICE All guests experience Elite Service at no extra cost: Elite Plus Service ,H'3&&DIFDLFECBHHBHFt#PO7PZBHFHMBTTPGDIBNQBHOF )PU'SFTI#JTUSPNFBMTXJUIXJOFt4PGUESJOLTt)PUUPXFM TFSWJDFt-FBUIFSTFBUJOHt'JSTUSVONPWJFTt)FBETFUT ,JETCBDLQBDLTXJUIHBNFTUPZT Advance seat selection & Elite Pluss upgrade bookable online! For only $40 each way, upgrade your flight experience t"MMGFBUVSFTPG&MJUFTFSWJDF1-64&YUSBMFHSPPNTFBUT t"EWBODFTFBUTFMFDUJPOtLHFYUSBDIFDLFECBHHBHF t1SJPSJUZDIFDLJOBOECPBSEJOHH t1SJPSJUZCBHHBHFIBOEMJOH t1SJPSJUZCBHHBHFIBOEMJOH DOMINICAN REPUBLIC DISCOVER VERDANT MOUNTAINS, ENCHANTING LAGOONS, STUNNING BEACHES AND CRYSTAL CLEAR SEAS DOMINICAN REPUBLIC HAS IT ALL! ONE WEEK t ALL INCLUSIVE PUERTO PLATA PUNTA CANA BE LIVE GRAND MARIEN ++++PLUS TORONTO DEPARTURES HOTEL ROOM APR 01 & 08 $ 735 CARIBE CLUB PRINCESS BEACH RESORT ++++ OTTAWA DEPARTURES SUPERIOR ROOM + $425 Taxes APR 08, 12, 15 & 19 $ 795 + $426 Taxes PUNTA CANA FAMILY COLLECTION GRAND D PALLADIUM PALL LA ADIUM PUNTA CANA ++++PLUS HALIFAX DEPARTURES DELUXE ROOM APR 12 & 19 $ 1155 + $427 Taxes FOR MORE HOTELS & DESTINATIONS, VISIT SUNWING.CA All prices are gross per person based on double occupancy for 7 nights on all inclusive vacations (unless otherwise specified) and were available at the time of printing. Seats at the above prices are limited and subject to change without prior notice. Applicable to new bookings only. Not combinable with any other offers. Transportation taxes & related fees shown must be pre-paid. Applicable local taxes payable in destination are extra (DR $30US). Flights are with Sunwing Airlines or Travel Service. For full terms and conditions, please refer to the Sunwing Vacations 2013/14 brochure. 27 Fasken Drive, Toronto, ON M9W1K6 Ont. Reg. #2476582 | 03132014 topnews Air France’s ‘80 Years of Passion for the Movies’ contest gives travel agents a chance to see Europe MONTREAL — Air France is celebrating its 80th anniversary with a contest titled ‘80 Years of Passion for the Movies’ with the travel agent winner flying to any European city served by the airline. In addition to the grand prize of a pair of plane tickets to Europe, ‘80 Years’ logoed items will also be offered as prizes. The contest draw will take place on April 4, 2014. Entrants can double or triple their odds of winning depending on the booking class of the tickets they sell: one chance to win for every ticket sold in Economy class, two chances in Premium Economy class and three chances in Business class. Travel agents can sign up for the contest online now through March 31 by answering the eligibility question about Air France and movies. Afterwards, they can register each ticket they sell on a flight departing from Canada by May 31, 2014 for any eligible Air France destination. Travel agents can enter the contest until March 31, 2014 (11:59 p.m. EDT) online at movies.af80.ca, or through afkl.biz. This is the first of three contests Air France will run as part of its 80th anniversary celebrations exclusively for Canadian travel agents. Air France flies twice daily between Montréal and Paris, with a third daily flight being added effective May 12 on Mondays, Fridays and Sundays. The airline also operates one daily flight out of Toronto for Paris. Air France screens 200+ films aboard its long-haul flights each year on approximately 22,000 individual inflight entertainment systems. Encore offers up to $150 shipboard credit on Norwegian Cruise Line for March sailings TORONTO — Encore Cruises is kicking off the month of March with a very special, exclusive offer with Norwegian Cruise Line: book any cruise, on any ship, in any category, for travel this month, and receive up to $150 in onboard credits. Encore’s exclusive ‘March Madness’ sale with Norwegian applies to all new bookings made now for departures by the end of the month (March 31/14). It is valid on all sailings (7+ days), to all destinations and in all categories, and the onboard credit amount is based on the category booked – US$50 per stateroom for an inside category, Enjoy family time AT IBEROSTAR HOTELS! Enjoy a perfect family moment with IBEROSTAR and TMR Holidays! Toronto and Ottawa departures. Consult your travel agent, the 2013.2014 TMR Holidays Sun brochure Toronto & Ottawa or www.tmrholidays.com for more details and for terms and conditions. TMR Holidays is registered as a travel wholesaler ON #50020750 and is located at 191 The West Mall, Suite 700, Etobicoke, Ontario, M9C 5K8. 6 TRAVELWEEK March 13, 2014 Grand Bahia Principe Coba You will love it because… Enjoy the water park, gardens and extensive natural spaces! Prices include: Hotel accommodation and roundtrip flight 7-NIGHT STAY DEPARTING MONTREAL 7-NIGHT STAY DEPARTING BUFFALO 7-NIGHT STAY DEPARTING OTTAWA 7-NIGHT STAY DEPARTING WINNIPEG Riviera Maya Riviera Maya Riviera Maya Riviera Maya Grand Bahia Principe Coba ★★★★+ Grand Bahia Principe Coba ★★★★+ Grand Bahia Principe Tulum ★★★★★ Grand Bahia Principe Tulum ★★★★★ All-Inclusive Junior Suite April 24/14 All-Inclusive Junior Suite April 24/14 All-Inclusive Hotel Room April 24/14 All-Inclusive Hotel Room April 24/14 1119 $ CDN pp. Taxes add $136 Roundtrip airfare to Cancun on American Airlines 1129 1299 1359 $ $ $ CDN pp. Taxes add $136 Roundtrip airfare to Cancun on United Airlines CDN pp. Taxes add $164 Roundtrip airfare to Cancun on United Airlines CDN pp. Taxes add $161 Roundtrip airfare to Cancun on WestJet For more information, visit holidayhouseagent.ca or funsunagent.ca Holiday House and FunSun Vacations are wholly-owned divisions of TravelBrands Inc. 5450 Explorer Dr. Suite 300 Mississauga ON, L4W 5N1, Ont. Reg: 50012702. B.C. Reg: 3597. Que. Reg: 702734. Visit visit holidayhouseagent.ca or funsunagent.ca for full terms & conditions. [ PG32464 ] Dynamic pricing is per person based on double occupancy and is valid for travel April 24/14- May 01/14. Prices and availability are subject to change without prior notification and were available onMarch 03/14. Black-out dates and restrictions apply. Surcharges may apply. Hotel taxes are included in the dynamic pricing. Not included: transfers or car rental. topnews $100 per stateroom for an ocean view category, and $150 per stateroom for a balcony or higher. This offer is combinable with any other Norwegian Cruise Line offer or promotion. For more information or to book, call 1-800-661-6361 or visit encorecruises.com. Encore Cruises adds Princess Cruises’ South Pacific program to portfolio TORONTO — Encore Cruises has signed a new partnership with Princess Cruises that will see the addition of the cruise line’s comprehensive Hawaii and South Pacific itineraries to the Encore portfolio. “We are happy to offer Princess Cruises and its Hawaiian Islands and South Pacific itineraries,” said Amr Younes, VP of Encore Cruises. “As Encore no longer offers Paul Gauguin cruises in that re- 8 TRAVELWEEK March 13, 2014 gion, the addition of Princess’ program there is a great complement to our portfolio.” In terms of what Princess offers in the region, there’s a 15-day Hawaiian Islands cruise out of Vancouver that visits four islands; a 12-day sailing from Vancouver to Honolulu where clients can experience Kona and Kahului, a new port on Maui; a wide range of unique itineraries to Tahiti and the South Pacific and Fiji, including a popular 10-day Tahiti & Polynesia cruise, an 11-day Fijian Jewels cruise and 11-day Hawaii & Tahiti cruises. There’s also a 10-day Marquesas & Polynesia cruise that is roundtrip from Tahiti, and for those looking to delve deeper into the region, Princess also offers longer voyages of up to 35 days that call into ports such as Bora Bora, Moorea and Raiatea. Encore Cruises sells only Princess’ Hawaii and South Pacific itineraries. For clients looking to book another destination, call 1-800-661-6361 or visit encorecruises.com. Book an Intair flight, get a discount on a Holiday House/ FunSun hotel TORONTO — When you book your clients on a flight to the UK or Europe with Intair or Network, you will receive a $25 coupon that you can apply towards their hotel stay when booked with Holiday House or FunSun Vacations. This new ‘Pay It Forward’ promotion is valid on all new bookings made between March 4 and 31, 2014, for travel anytime, and $25 coupons are redeemable for 30 days from the date of the qualifying air booking. Here’s how it works: 1. Book a flight through Intair or Network to any destination in the UK or Europe (air must be paid in full and ticketed to qualify for the coupon); 2. You will then receive an e-mail with the subject line ‘Pay It Forward’ that will include a code for the $25 coupon; 3. Make a Europe or UK FIT booking larger-than-life experiences ® Only Sandals Resorts Includes Offshore Island Extravaganzas Sandals takes your clients to places they’ll never find on a map. Minutes away by ferry, an epic offshore island adventure awaits complete with secluded beaches, shaded cabanas, pools with swim-up bars, snorkeling escapades, restaurants and mind-blowing island parties. Living large means two exotic vacations for the price of one. It’s all part of the Sandals Difference. Sandals Includes What Others Don’t ® More Quality Inclusions Than Any Other Resorts on the Planet More Land & Water Sports (even waterskiing) 7 Unlimited Scuba Diving for Certified Divers 7 Unlimited Rounds of Golf 7 Complimentary Instruction & Equipment 7 Unlimited Dining with up to 15 Restaurants per Resort 7 Exclusive Dine-Around Program 7 Up to 9 Bars Per Resort 7 Unlimited Premium Brand Liquors 7 Exclusive Stone Cellars by Beringer ® Wines 7 Stay at One, Play at ▲ Any Sandals 7Free Wedding 7Unique Love Nest Dream Suites 7English Guild-Trained Butlers & Concierges for Top-Tier Suites 7Poolside & Beachside Valet 7Wi-Fi & Long Distance Phone Calls† for Club Sandals Guests 7Caribbean’s Best Beaches 7 Private Offshore Island Adventures 7Tipping, Transfers & Government Taxes 7 And More 7 Always Included & Always Unlimited Call 1-800-545-8283 or visit sandals.com ▲ For more details and restrictions, go to sandals.com/free-wedding. †Conditions apply. Sandals ® is a registered trademark. Unique Vacations, Inc. is the affiliate of the worldwide representative of Sandals Resorts. topnews with Holiday House or FunSun Vacations with a minimum spend of $500 (total on file including taxes). Please note, the booking must include a hotel stay and have a minimum of one name that’s the same (matching exactly) as the air booking that qualified for the coupon; 4. You can redeem one coupon per FIT booking as a form of payment; 5. To redeem a coupon to an applicable existing FIT booking, go to Holiday HouseAgent.ca and look for the ‘Pay It Forward’ button (found directly under ‘Track Your Loyalty Points’). Simply enter the booking number and the coupon code to add it to the existing booking. Please note, ‘Pay It Forward’ coupons are not redeemable on hotel bookings in the UK or Europe made through Exotik Tours, Carte Postale or Encore Cruises. For more information, to book flights and to get your clients $25 off their next UK or European hotel stay, visit the Holiday House or Intair pages on TravelBrandsAgent.com. Encore offers bonus commission of up to 2% on all Europe sailings TORONTO — Encore Cruises is featuring an exclusive new promotion whereby agents will receive up to 2% bonus commission on all Europe sailings departing this spring. Valid on all new bookings made between March 6 and 31, the offer is applicable on any 2014 Europe sailing departing in April, May or June. For interior, ocean view or balcony staterooms, agents will receive 1% bonus commission, for bookings in suites and above, they will receive 2% bonus commission. This offer applies to all of Encore’s cruise line partners including AmaWaterways, Avalon Waterways, Azamara Club Cruises, Costa Cruises, Holland America Line, Norwegian Cruise Line, MSC Cruises, Royal Ca- a world of solutions ribbean International and Silversea Cruises. It is combinable with any cruise line offer or promotion, but is not combinable with any other ‘Only at Encore’ offer and is not applicable to group bookings. For more information or to book, call 1-800-661-6361 or visit encorecruises.com. TPI signs three-year agreement with TIC to offer travel insurance TORONTO — Travel Professionals International (TPI) and TIC Travel Insurance Coordinators (TIC) have signed a three-year exclusive agreement. Starting Aug. 1, 2014, TPI will offer TIC’s suite of existing and customized travel insurance products through the country’s largest network of independent travel advisors. Book hotels, transfers, sightseeing and activities in destinations around the world. Travel Bound makes it easy! r$QQM%CPCFCVJG75#KPENWFKPI*CYCKK/GZKEQ'WTQRG #HTKEC#WUVTCNKC5QWVJ2CEKƂE5QWVJ#OGTKEC r*QVGNUKPOQTGVJCPEQWPVTKGU r6JQWUCPFUQHQRVKQPUHQTUKIJVUGGKPICEVKXKVKGU r6TCPUHGTUD[UJWVVNGDWURTKXCVGXGJKENG r0QOKPKOWOUsDQQMCUNKVVNGCUQPGPKIJVQTQPGUGTXKEG r%QOOKUUKQPQP(+6DCUGFQPVQVCNTCVGKPENWFKPIVCZGU r(WNNEQOOKUUKQPQPRTGRQUVETWKUG r2TKXCVGUJQTGGZEWTUKQPUHTQORQTVUQHECNN r5QNFGZENWUKXGN[VQVTCXGNCIGPVU r7561#/KNNKQP%QPUWOGT2TQVGEVKQP GoTravelBound.com Not registered with Travel Bound yet? 6QUKIPWRVQDQQMGOCKNENKGPVRTQƂNGU"IVCVTCXGNEQO 10 TRAVELWEEK March 13, 2014 Every agent who completes a Learning Centre course between now and the end of April will receive a $10 gift card for Travel in Gear. T R AV E L I N G E A R H A S T H E T R E N D I E ST CO L L E C T I O N S O F L U G G AG E , E L E C T RO N I C S , T R AV E L ACC E S S O R I E S A N D MO R E . The Travelweek Learning Centre is the one-stop-shop for travel agent education in Canada. Agents can win prizes, earn CTC credits, improve their product knowledge and increase their bottom line. Get a $10 gifrty card fo r eve course you complete topnews “We are excited to be working with TIC,” says Tim Morgan, Vice President, TPI. “We chose them because we feel they are committed to achieving the same thing that we are – success for our travel advisors through value-added product offerings.” TIC values strong relationships and is committed to working with their partners to develop their travel insurance business, including the choice and flexibility TIC offers in products that cater to both mass market and niche travellers. In addition, TPI also liked that TIC has the strength of the Co-operators Group of Companies behind them and over 50 years’ experience helping travellers in an emergency. “Above all, we’ve been impressed by TIC’s people and culture. We’ve felt a genuine warmth and personality from them that makes it easy to work toward our common goal,” said Morgan. “We’re looking forward to working with TIC to deliver exceptional experiences to our advisors and their clients.” Vietnam Discovery 6/<=76/:=<50/G6C36=7/< 6=167;7<617BG 12 days | 10 nights From Vancouver, Calgary or Edmonton Feb. 25 – May 24, Aug. 15 – Nov. 30, 2014 2899 $ Add taxes & other fees: $115 Add $190 for departures from Toronto, Ottawa or Halifax Add $225 for departures from Winnipeg aircanadavacations.com/agents Prices reflect applicable reductions, are subject to change without notice and cannot be combined with any other offer or promotion. Prices are in Canadian dollars, apply to new bookings only and for departure dates as indicated. Prices are per person based on double occupancy, unless otherwise stated, in Economy class. Non-refundable. Subject to availability at time of booking. Not applicable to group bookings. International flights operated by Air Canada. Holder of Quebec permit #702566. TICO registration #50013537. BC registration #32229. Q ®Aeroplan is a registered trademark of Aeroplan Canada Inc. ®Air Canada Vacations is a registered trademark of Air Canada, used under license by Touram Limited Partnership, 1440 St. Catherine W., Suite 600, Montreal, QC. 8767 TIC said it’s an opportunity to assist travel advisors in increasing their business through educating more people about how travel insurance can help protect the client’s holiday investment. “We care about and believe in the growth of the travel agent market,” says Gino Riola, Vice President, Business Development and Marketing, TIC. “By partnering with TPI, it’s clear that we value their role in advising and guiding travellers and that they can count on us to fully support their business success.” That sense of partnership extends to others who work with TIC and TPI, including Adventure Center President, Steven Larkin, who commented, “TIC is a great fit and clearly the obvious choice for us.” Continued on page 25 ... YOU ARE AN AGENT OF CHANGE @V\KVU»[Q\Z[ZLSS]HJH[PVUZ @V\WYLZLU[VWWVY[\UP[PLZ (JOHUJL[VKVZVTL[OPUNNYLH[ ;YH]LSJOHUNLZWLVWSL (UKWLVWSLJOHUNL[OL^VYSK LET’S CHANGE SOME LIVES TOGETHER. NHK]LU[\YLZJVT[YH]LSHNLU[ 12 TRAVELWEEK March 13, 2014 Africa Sossusvlei, Namibia Namibia Tourism Board arrives in Toronto to share destination news by Cindy Sosroutomo TORONTO – The chilly temps in Toronto momentarily lifted recently when the Namibia Tourism Board arrived to showcase some of its most popular tours and travel products. Several local tour operators and travel companies took part in the media marketplace, all of which praised the destination for being unlike any other safari destination in Africa. According to Ndapona Schleberger of the Namibia Tourism Board, safety and infrastructure are two reasons why Namibia differs. The country is so safe and easy to navigate that self-drive touring has become all the rage. More and more adventurous travellers are renting their own safari vehicles and hitting the open road and straight towards national parks. Recently ranked sixth in The New York Times’ ’52 Places To Go in 2014’ list, Namibia is known for its wide range of experiences and conservancy efforts. It’s home to the largest freeroaming population of black rhinoceros, the world’s tallest sand dunes and new self-drive routes to encourage wider exploration of the country. It’s also the only country in the world to have its entire coastline designated a national park, and almost half of its land protected under the country’s pioneering conservancy initiative. In terms of new hotels and renovations, Namibia has plenty to be excited about. The De Duine Hotel, a historical landmark in Henties Bay, will receive a $22 million facelift featuring apartments for locals to purchase as well as a 56-room hotel. The new, modern design will be smart but casual, with a chic décor. Guests will have easy access to the beach using a new pedestrian ramp, while bars, pools, a lawn, spa, Jacuzzi, playground and restaurant will also be part of the development. Hoanib Skeleton Coast Camp, a Wilderness Safaris property, has just opened at the confluence of two tributaries of the Hoanib River in the northern part of the private Palmwag Concession. Its location straddles both the Palmwag area and the iconic Skeleton Coast National Park, in one of the most remote areas of the Kaokoveld. Exclusivity is taken a step further as the camp is only accessible by light aircraft. It features only seven twin-bedded tents and one family unit, each comprising stylish en-suite bedrooms with shaded outdoor decks. Popa Falls Camp reopened last November after being closed for refurbishment since March 2013. Situated on the Kavango River, this Namibia Wildlife Resorts property features 10 spacious chalets, three family/double units, four luxury units and 10 campsites. A spacious three-room house can be rented out to large families, groups or made Africa available to tour operator guides and drivers. The new restaurant has a fully equipped kitchen and full-service bar, while the river jetty now boasts a bar facility ideal for sundowners. Also new is a conference facility that can accommodate up to 100 people. Pelican Point Lodge recently opened near Walvis Bay, providing unique accommodations on Namibia’s coastline where the desert sand dunes meet the Atlantic Ocean. Its nine suites located at the foot of a working lighthouse offer contemporary comfort, with private decks from where guests can watch seals and dolphins playing in the waves. Lastly, Strand Hotel, Swakopmund will be redeveloped into a new fourstar hotel on Namibia’s coast in April 2015. Upon completion, it will boast 135 rooms, three restaurants, three bars, a conference centre, microbrewery, a deli shop, beach kiosk as 14 TRAVELWEEK March 13, 2014 well as a public spa and fitness centre with heated swimming pool. Travellers can get to Namibia easier now that Air Namibia has announced a new interline agreement with Lufthansa. This allows for seamless travel to Windhoek with just one stop in Frankfurt from North American destinations served by the German airline. To benefit from this new agreement, bookings must be made with Lufthansa through Windhoek (WDH). Passengers transfer onto Air Namibia’s new Airbus A330-200 in Frankfurt, which features a two-class cabin layout that seats 244 passengers (30 in business and 214 in economy). Packages to Namibia are bountiful, with Goway’s 11-day ‘Namibian Discovery’ leading the way. Priced from $2,953 per person, double occupancy, this roundtrip package includes highlights like Etosha National Park, Damaraland, Swakopmund and Sossusvlei. Price includes 10 nights’ accommodation with private facilities, 10 breakfasts and seven dinners, most sightseeing activities, accommodation taxes, park entrance and conservation fees, hotel porterage and all transportation in air-conditioned mini or midi-buses. Price does not include international airfare, air taxes, unspecified meals and activities and gratuities. Departures are set for July 14, Aug. 18, Sept. 8 and 22, Oct. 20 and Nov. 17. Also available is Big Five’s ‘Namibia — Desert & Beyond’ package from its Enrichment Series — Livingstone Collection. This package explores the oldest desert in the world — the Namib Desert — and scales some of the world’s highest freestanding sand dunes at Sossusvlei. Guests will also visit Twyfelfontein, a Stone Age site known for some 2,500 ancient petroglyphs, and explore Etosha National Park during a game viewing safari. Other highlights include a visit to Okonjima, home of the AfriCat Foundation, where guests can track the big cats on foot and learn about cheetah welfare. This package is priced from $14,328 per person, double occupancy, land only, and includes daily accommodations, hotel taxes and service charges, most meals, all hotel/airport transfers, ground transportation in mini buses and/or safari vehicles, all sightseeing, game viewing, entrance and park fees, pre-tour planning materials, Big Five’s 24-hour White Glove Service guest assistance and Big Five’s Complimentary Trip Interruption Insurance (not intended to replace comprehensive travel insurance). This package is valid through Dec. 15, 2014. namibiatourism.com.na 'D\V *(+77+)36** 7YLTP\T4VYVJJHUQV\YUL`+LS\_LZ[HYOV[LSZ 7YP]H[LN\PKLHUKKYP]LYH[`V\YZLY]PJLMVYKH`Z 6]LYUPNO[PUJH{KHS[LU[]PZP[ZV\RZ -\SS`J\Z[VTPaHISLP[PULYHY` =HSPKMVY[YH]LS\U[PS1\UL6[OLYKH[LZH]HPSHISL\WVUYLX\LZ[:\IQLJ[[VH]HPSHIPSP[`H[[PTLVMIVVRPUN 0UJS\KLZOV[LS[H_LZHUKZLY]PJLJOHYNLZ0U[LYUH[PVUHSHPYMHYLNYH[\P[PLZP[LTZVMHWLYZVUHSUH[\YLUV[PUJS\KLK *VU[HJ[V\Y:WLJPHSPZ[Z;VKH` Air Mauritius and Air France broaden the scope of their collaboration Earlier this year, Air France-KLM and Air Mauritius signed an agreement that reinforces and broadens the scope of their existing collaboration. Signed by Alexandre de Juniac, Chairman and Managing Director of Air France-KLM, and Andre Viljoen, Chief Executive Officer of Air Mauritius, the agreement provides for the continuity of the joint Air Mauritius-Air France code share operations between ParisCharles de Gaulle and Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Airport-Mauritius. During Northern Winter 2013/14, the two airlines will offer up to 16 flights a week on the route. Furthermore, Air Mauritius customers have the possibility to connect beyond Charles de Gaulle to European destinations on Air France operated flights. Similarly, Air France customers are able to connect to Reunion on Air Mauritius operated flights. The scope of the agreement has been broadened to cover the sharing of knowledge in several areas of the business, including Commercial Operations, Revenue Management, Cost Management, Procurement, Maintenance and Fuel Conservation, among others. “The agreement signed is in line with the historical presence of Air France in Mauritius, which it has been serving without interruption since 1946. We have reinforced our collaboration namely by agreeing to share knowledge in various key areas for Air Mauritius. By joining forces on the Paris-Mauritius route, we are always offering more frequencies and opportunities for connections, namely from our powerful hub in Paris Charles de Gaulle for the benefit of all our customers,” said de Juniac. Since Nov. 1, 2012, customers can benefit from both the Air Mauritius and Air France loyalty programs, Flying Blue and Kestrelflyer. Members of these programs can earn Miles on the loyalty program of Air France or that of Air Mauritius between Paris and Mauritius, Reunion and Mauritius as well as European destinations served by Air France from the Paris-Charles de Gaulle hub. NH[L^H`ZPU[LYUH[PVUHSJVT ;0*6 >LY[OLPT*V\Y[ 9PJOTVUK/PSS65 6LJQDWXUH0RURFFR 9()(;-,A4,9A6<.(6<(9A(A(;,4(99(2,*/*(:()3(5*( Members of the Kestrel Flyer program may also earn tickets with their Miles earned on the whole Air FranceKLM network, just as members of the Air France-KLM’s Flying Blue program may choose to use their Miles on the whole Air Mauritius network. [email protected] Zara Tours puts more people on Kilimanjaro than any other company Zara Tours (ZARA Tanzania Adventures), a local outfitter based in Moshi, has evolved over the course of 25 years to become Tanzania’s largest Kilimanjaro outfitter and one of the country’s largest safari operators with daily departures and a choice of six routes. In fact, the company puts more people on the Kilimanjaro summit than any other company. Weekly Kilimanjaro departures are available on seven group safari itineraries that travel through wild areas and amazing bush lands. Safaris include friendly, experienced officials and stan- March 13, 2014 TRAVELWEEK 15 Africa dard properties like Springlands and Highview, as well as tented camps. Zara’s individual safari in Tanzania can include any park and areas of Northern Tanzania, including Kilimanjaro Mountain, Ngorongoro Crater, Olduvai Gorge, Serengeti, Arusha National Park and Lake Manyara. Individual itineraries in the north range from one to nine days and visit the aforementioned spots, plus Tanangire, Oldoinyo Lingai, Usambara Mountains and Lake Victoria. South itineraries include five-day Selous safaris and 12-day trips that add Mikumi, Ruaha and the Udzung- wa Mountains. Also available are three weekly group packages that combine Kilimanjaro climbs of five to seven days with four- to five-day safaris to comprise 11- to 13-day adventures. Plus, there’s an 18-day combination trip that combines a seven-day safari with a visit to Zanzibar. Zara Tours can also coordinate cultural tours as part of its long days tour or as a day tour. According to the company, these tours offers travellers the unique opportunity to experience the lifestyle of bush people and the amazing wildlife resources of Tanzania. zaratours.com Touring South Africa with Tourcan Vacations Tourcan Vacations is offering the 10day ‘Glimpse of South Africa’ package, priced at $2,599 per person, sharing. The cost includes all land arrangements and domestic airfare (taxes are extra at approximately $250 per person). This tour is based on a minimum of two people travelling, with four nights spent at a four-star hotel in Cape Town with daily breakfast and one half-day and one full-day sightseeing tour. Guests will also spend two nights in Johannesburg, including accommodation, daily breakfast and a tour of Soweto. In addition, the tour includes three nights at a private game lodge with game drives in open 4x4 vehicles. Airfare to and from the lodge, all meals and a game ranger are included. Travellers can choose to extend their journey. Tourcan Vacations offers a variety of airlines that provide services to Af16 TRAVELWEEK March 13, 2014 rican destinations. Its air department has contracts with major airlines and can provide competitive net airfare to most of the key cities in Africa. The department can also assist with complicated routings, business class fares and round-the-word airfare [email protected] [email protected] Travellers can de-stress with Extraordinary Journey’s yoga safari This May, Extraordinary Journeys will be leading wellness travellers on its exclusive nine-day ‘Dunia Yoga Safari’ in Kenya, led by Whitney Bushnell, a certified, private yoga instructor. Departing May 16-24, this unique safari will be filled with exciting wildlife watching in Samburu National Park and Maasai Mara National Reserve, not to mention invigorating yoga and meditation classes in the African Bush. While in Nairobi, travellers will also have the opportunity to take part in one of the largest donation-based community classes in Africa with the Africa Yoga Project, an organization that empowers over 250,000 Kenyans a year through the power of yoga. The adventure begins in Nairobi where guests will spend a day visiting the Africa Yoga Project’s Shine Center, which educates Kenya’s youth through yoga practice, meditation, performing arts, health education, relationship building and community activism. For their stay in Nairobi, guests will enjoy accommodations at the elegant and intimate Kar- en Blixen Cottages, surrounded by hundreds of varieties of flowers and trees. On the third day, the trip journeys to Samburu Game Reserve in northern Kenya, a landscape of endless rolling plains and home to a number of rare wildlife species, including Grevy’s zebra, reticulated giraffe, Somali ostrich and the Beisa oryx. After long days of game drives, guided walks and restorative yoga sessions, guests will unwind in one of Saruni Samburu’s stunning open-facing houses featuring multiple verandas that overlook the landscape. On day six, the itinerary heads to Maasai Mara, Kenya’s most renowned reserve that spans 74,000 acres. Known as the ‘Jewel of Africa’, the Maasai Mara contains one of the largest concentrations of big game in Africa, and its savannah is home to one of the most spectacular animal migrations in the world. Guests will enjoy their stay at Saruni Mara, renowned for its excellent guides and walking expeditions. The trip winds down in Nairobi for a chance to visit the AFEW Giraffe Center and the Daphne Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage, which fosters abandoned baby elephants. This package is priced from $4,990 per person, double, and includes accommodations at Karen Blixen Coffee Garden & Cottages in Nairobi, and deluxe safari lodges Saruni Samburu and Saruni Mara. Package includes most meals, guided walks, game drives, cultural activities, flights within Kenya and yoga/meditation classes. International flights are not included. extraordinaryjourneys.net “Moroccan cuisine is a delight for the senses and considered as one of the more delicious cuisines of the world. Moroccans rely on healthy choices such as olive and argan oils, fragrant spices, aromatic plants and natural herbs in almost all of their preparations. To travel to Morocco and not indulge in the country’s premier attraction would be like going to Whistler and not go skiing,” said Firdosh Bulsara, GM of MyEscapades.com. Starting off in Casablanca, guests will enjoy dinner at the famous Rick’s Café, a restaurant and piano bar set in an old courtyard-style mansion. The fine dining continues at Ben Slimane Winery for a sublime gastronomic experience at Cave Thalvin. From there, the itinerary includes sightseeing in Casablanca with stops at Hassan II Mosque, the largest religious monument after Mecca, as well as the Habous, the old legal center of the city where to this day religious lawyers conduct business of marriages and wills in traditional manner. Then it’s off to Marrakech, located at the crossroads of the ancient caravan route from Timbuktu. Guests will stay at Palais Sebban, a stylish but tra- ditional ‘riad’ that dates back to the 19th century. Highlights in Marrakech include Djema El Fna Square, dinner at the 14th-century Palais Gharnata restaurant, two cooking lessons, Koutoubia Mosque, the Saadian Tombs, El Bahia Palace and the Ben Youssef Medresa. In Fez, guests will stay at Riad Fes, and explore the famous Medina and the Tanneries, Karaouine Mosque, Mouley Idriss Mausoleum and the famous soukhs. Lunch will be enjoyed at Maison Blance. While on the way to Meknes for a full-day excursion, the group will stop at Morocco’s renowned wineries for some wine tasting and lunch. A befitting gala farewell dinner in Fez’s Maison Bleue will close out the trip. This one-of-a-kind tour starts in Casablanca on May 17 and ends in Fez on May 25. Package includes deluxe accommodations, air-conditioned transport, professional guide, all sightseeing and meals at boutique restaurants. Land-only price is $3,671 per person, sharing twin, based on two couples travelling together. MyEscapades.com pays 13% commission on published tour programs. [email protected] MyEscapades.com delves into delicious ‘Moroccain Delights’ For your foodie clients, MyEscapades. com has a package that they’ll truly savour. The nine-day ‘Moroccain Delights’ showcases the wines and cuisine the country is known for, in addition to many of its top attractions. March 13, 2014 TRAVELWEEK 17 Tour Operator News Douro river in Porto, Portugal ATOURZ’s ‘Scenic Douro River Cruise’ is the perfect choice for all travellers by Cindy Sosroutomo There’s no better way to see the sights in Europe than by river cruise, something ATOURZ can personally attest to. As floating hotels, river cruise ships are able to venture into smaller, off-the-beaten path towns and cities and allow passengers to travel in comfort without ever having to unpack and repack. And as ATOURZ’s eight-day ‘Scenic Douro River Cruise’ proves, this type of travel is ideal for just about anyone. “There’s a reason why river cruising is gaining in popularity,” said Elena Prountzopoulos, Head of Tour Operations at ATOURZ. “Not only is it a more intimate and personable way to travel, it’s also a highly romantic and luxurious way to explore some of Europe’s most hidden jewels. Whether clients are 50plus, honeymooners or multi-generational, river cruising offers something for everyone.” The ‘Scenic Douro River Cruise’ starts in Porto, Portugal where passengers will board the MS Douro Spirit Ship for a welcome cocktail and dinner. From there, the ship sails to Régua for some Port wine tasting and an optional tour of Lamego before heading to Pinhão. Passengers will awake to find themselves in Vega Terron, Spain where they can enjoy an optional tour to Figueira de Castelo Rodrigo. The latter half of the voyage will sail to Vega Terron, Barca d’Alva and Entreos-Rios with highlights like an optional tour to Salamanca with Spanish lunch and flamenco show, Portuguese barbecue dinner onboard, dinner at Quinta da Avessada with drinks included, lunch at the Alpendurada Monastery, an optional tour to Porto city with a visit to a wine lodge, and a special farewell dinner onboard. Priced from $1,559 per person, double occupancy with departures on July 9, 16, 23 and 30, ‘Scenic Douro River Cruise’ includes seven nights’ accommodation, seven breakfasts, six lunches and seven dinners, and entertainment/ activities as per itinerary. [email protected] DHTour’s day tours & Back Roads cruises nearly sold out DHTour of Burlington, the Canadian agents for the Back Roads Touring company, says that the mini-coach tours of Back Roads sell out just like small river cruising does. For example, the wildly popular ‘Corners of Cornwall’ is sold out for most 2014 spring and summer dates and is close to selling out completely. The same applies to many other of its eclectic tours throughout the U.K. and Europe, including the popular ‘WWI Battlefield’ weekends from Lille. Tour Operator & Air Consolidator Personalized travel arrangements to Italy, France, Spain, Portugal, Greece, Turkey, Scandinavia, Iceland, Czech Republic, South Africa JOURNEY TO EUROPE 2014 Order the brochure at www.envoynetworks.ca or call 1800-668 7475 “We only sell what we know best” www.victours.ca [email protected] Ontario Registration#1243371 DHTour also reports that it has added some day tours from London to visit Highclere Castle, also known as ‘Downton Abbey’. There are virtually no admission times left for the general public to Highclere Castle in 2014, so these limited number of tours are selling very quickly, all around the world. DHTour offers its own tour on April 19, which includes a pub lunch in Buckleberry, Kate Middleton’s hometown. Limited space is still available on the D-Day Anniversary tours, Women Only Wales and the Royal Residences plus Downton tour in August. dhgrouptours.com Victours unveils new brochure, participates in supplier workshops Victours, which specializes in customized FIT and group tours, has debuted its new brochure that provides insight into its unique and romantic itineraries. Of particular interest is its new line of tours designed especially for travellers wishing to experience the highlights of France and Italy. Travelling between cities by train allows clients to immerse themselves in the vibrant culture of these historic destinations without the stress of road travel. In other company news, Victours will be participating in supplier workshops, including the one sponsored by Destination France 2014 in Toronto and Vancouver. This fall, the company will also be hosting an educational trip to Italy, which exemplifies the company’s motto of ‘We only sell what we know best’. victours.ca Insight announces definite departures on all European Gold Luxury trips Insight Vacations is offering passengers the trip of a lifetime with its 2014/2015 Gold Luxury Collection and exclusive Signature Experiences, which include VIP access to incredible sights in some of the world’s most soughtafter European destinations. “Agents can reassure their clients that our trips are definite departures and should encourage them to book their trips soon to avoid disappointment as our departures are filling up fast,” said Cris David, president, Insight Vacations Canada. “On a Gold Luxury escorted journey, clients stay at the finest hotels, enjoy Signature dining and embark on captivating authentic experiences with exclusive access to unique sights, all of which are key components for creating lasting vacation memories.” Set to be a hit among clients this year is the 10-day ‘Spanish Gold’ holiday, during which plenty of wine tasting will be enjoyed. When in Toledo, travellers will witness expert craftsmen at work in a local damascene workshop (a Signature Experience), where steel is inlaid with gold, silver and copper thread. Travellers will also spend a romantic afternoon in Seville, taking in views of the city by horse-drawn carriage. After staying in the stunning city of Granada, they’ll end the tour in Barcelona where they’ll spend the day touring the Gothic Quarter, the Cathedral and Gaudi’s extraordinary Sagrada Familia. Insight’s Gold Luxury is an exclusive collection of deluxe escorted journeys that focuses on luxury, authentic local experiences and service. DHTour March 13, 2014 TRAVELWEEK 19 Tour Operator News SPECIALISTS IN FULLY CUSTOMIZED ITINERARIES Its Signature Hotel collection features handpicked luxury hotels throughout these customized itineraries. Clients will enjoy local stays at manor houses, Relaix and Châteaux properties and unique hotels when visiting smaller towns. Many of Insight’s selected hotels are members of Leading Hotels of the World or other globally recognized luxury brands or boutique hotel associations. As for dining, discerning travellers will delight in Insight’s Signature Dining Experiences such as Dine-Around excursions with the choice of several top restaurants specializing in local cuisine. They will also savour Welcome Dinners, four-course and full buffet hotel dining and à la carte menus in gourmet and smaller local restaurants. For a limited time, travellers can enjoy a savings of up to 7.5% on Europe and Britain tours, and an additional 7.5% savings on air. insightvacations.com “In the past year, Andrea has successfully negotiated at a national level, securing an increased profile for us with agencies and consortia throughout Ontario, Nova Scotia and Manitoba,” said Jill Brett, President of DeNureTours. “It seemed only natural to expand her role at this time.” Andrea’s most recent project is to organize agent training sessions in seven Ontario cities. These sessions will be followed by consumer presentations that will share information about the company’s unique long-stay programs to the southern sun, as well as its 2014 tours and cruises throughout North America, Britain and Europe. “I hope agents will take advantage of these training sessions to learn more about us and what we can offer them,” added Mendelsohn. “We also encourage agents to either bring their clients to our consumer presentations, or take the opportunity to come and meet some new clients at the event.” Agent training sessions will begin on March 25 and will take place in London, Oakville, Hamilton, St. Catharines, Mississauga, Toronto and Ottawa. Additionally, consumer presentations are being held in Barrie, Orillia, Oshawa, Cobourg, Peterborough, Lindsay, Belleville and Kingston. [email protected] DeNureTours promotes Andrea Mendelsohn After just one year with DeNureTours, Andrea Mendelsohn has taken on additional responsibility by becoming the Director of Sales, National Accounts. Your #1 choice to: Lisbon, Porto & Faro atourz.ca 877 728 6870 grecianholidays.com 800 268 6786 Car Rentals Exclusive to Accord Tours 159 $ NET – from p/week Agents can book easier with Tauck’s Agent Connect portal Travel agents selling Tauck are finding that managing their bookings is easier than ever before, thanks to the company’s newly launched Agent Connect web portal. The password-protected, dedicated travel agent site allows travel professionals registered at Agent Connect to quickly and easily service their Tauck clients with a range of new online tools available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. “We’re dedicated to continually improving every aspect of our business,” said Tauck CEO Dan Mahar, “whether it’s crafting the industry’s finest guided land journeys and cruises or enhancing the ways we support our network of travel agents before and after their clients travel with Tauck. Agent Connect is just the latest example of Tauck’s commitment to our travel agent partners.” With Agent Connect, travel professionals can now access clients’ booking details and provide information ranging from flight details to emergency contact info. Agents can also make online payments for their clients and register to receive email notifications when travel details are due or missing. In addition, agents can Ont. Reg# 1649491 & 1908-777 Bay St, Toronto, Ontario ;LS! >(;:! -(?! PUMV'HJJVYK[V\YZJVT ^^^HJJVYK[V\YZJVT 20 TRAVELWEEK March 13, 2014 Gros Morne in Newfoundland access and update their own account details, including full name, preferred name, email address, photo and other personal information. Tauck will be expanding the site with new features in the coming months. Travel professionals interested in utilizing Agent Connect can access it via Tauck’s website. tauck.com Monograms highlights best of Newfoundland with new tour Newfoundland’s scenic seascapes and warm hospitality are being showcased in Monogram’s new tour this year. The nineday ‘Newfoundland, Off the Beaten Track’ tour joins the company’s lineup of Canadian tours and combines the freedom of driving at your own pace with the convenience of a tested itinerary. This includes pre-booked hotels and the services of a genial Local Host in St. John’s. The itinerary includes four nights in busy and colourful St. John’s, by far the largest city in the province, and highlights the rural charms of the welcoming village of Trinity — a popular art- ists’ haunt — and the grandeur of Terra Nova National Park. Priced from $959 plus airfare, this tour includes accommodation, Local Host services and a detailed destination guide. Travellers can bring their own car by ferry to Newfoundland or rent a Hertz car with Monograms. monogramstravel.com offered for à la carte hotels available through Transat Holidays. In other news, the tour operator is also enhancing its summer 2014 south program by adding Panama and Las Vegas as well as a second flight from Montreal to Port-au-Prince. Nolitours will offer all-inclusive packages in Panama with flights operated by Copa Airlines, departing every Friday from May 2 to Oct. 31 from Toronto and June 6 to Oct. 31 from Montreal. Air Transat will also be adding an additional flight from Montreal to Port-au-Prince. In addition to the weekly flight departing every Wednesday, a second one will be offered Mondays from June 23 to Aug. 25, 2014. Another new addition to the program, Las Vegas will be available from Montreal with two flights per week on Thursdays and Sundays, from Aug. 28 to Nov. 16, 2014. transatholidays.com Transat enhances number of à la carte hotels, adds Panama and Vegas Transat has announced that it will be enhancing the number of à la carte hotels it offers in collaboration with HotelBeds, a new supplier. This new partnership adds 50,000 properties to the number offered by Transat in some 147 countries. Travellers will now find it even easier to spend a few days at the beach or in the city, whatever their budget. Sold under the Transat Holidays brand, these hotels are now available through airtransat.ca, as well as on transatholidaysagent.com and through SIREV. The travel agent commission rate will be the same as the one currently March 13, 2014 TRAVELWEEK 21 Hotels & Resorts Sunwing offers families and couples upscale vacations in Jamaica by Cindy Sosroutomo Jamaica remains a vacation favourite among Canadians, enticing travellers with its powdery soft sands, mountain ranges and laidback island vibe. Sunwing gives travellers even more reason to book a vacation with its wide array of Jamaica resorts. The all-inclusive Sensatori Resort Negril, part of Sunwing’s exclusive Luxury Collection, has been highly recommended by past Sunwing vacationers. Guests can choose from a variety of dining options and enjoy well-appointed and spacious rooms or suites, premium beverages, daily activities, fully equipped fitness centre, concierge service and much more. And as an added bonus, it caters to families with a vast number of kidfriendly options, including a kids club, Splash Park, special pool and play areas, activities and age-appropriate games. Also available is the Grand Lido Negril Resort & Spa, an adults-only resort. Part of Sunwing’s exclusive Adults Collection, this waterfront property offers couples and singles-looking-to-mingle an all-inclusive vacation. Guests can dine to their hearts content at à la carte restaurants that serve international, Italian, French nouvelle, Japanese and Jamaican fare. Other on-site amenities include a lavish spa facility and suites that come with stunning views of the beach or tropical gardens. For Canadians seeking an opulent vacation experience, the Royalton White Sands in Montego Bay certainly delivers. This property offers a variety of luxury rooms and suites featuring upscale amenities, modern décor and gorgeous views. Guests can enjoy fine dining at the à la carte and buffet restaurants on site, and enjoy a plethora of activities like table tennis, beach Olympics and kayaking. Fresh cocktails and cool beverages flow freely from the various bars, while rooms with swim-up access, premium food & drink and butler service complete the luxury experience. All room categories include water park access, while discounts on spa treatments are extended to Diamond Club members. sunwing.ca Dreams Tulum completes several enhancements Dreams Tulum Resort & Spa recently completed several enhancements, including redesigning 222 guestrooms, updating gardens and refreshing the Sky Sports Bar and Lounge Bar. The resort has also announced the addition of rooms and suites that will be exclusively for adults, and will be available beginning in May. All 222 rooms and suites were greatly improved with comfortable new furnish- E D F M U I ® and Unlimited-Fun!® T N N N E L F Y O U Sunscape! Escape to I O R E V E R #SJOHZPVSDBNFSBTBOEZPVSTNJMFTSunscape Resorts & Spas GFBUVSJOH Unlimited-Fun® GPSDPVQMFTGBNJMJFTBOEGSJFOETJTSFBEZGPSJUTDMPTFVQ ţ3FWJUBMJ[JOHPDFBOGSPOUBDDPNNPEBUJPOT ţ3FNBSLBCMFEJOJOHBOESFGSFTIJOHQSFNJVNESJOLTBTPGUFOZPVXJTI ţ3FMBYBUJPOUJNFXJUIUJNFKVTUGPSZPVŚ UIBOLTUPPVSTVQFSWJTFE&YQMPSFSŜT$MVCGPSLJET ţ3FDIBSHJOHTQBBOENPSF &BSOVQUPCPOVTDPNNJTTJPOPOFWFSZCPPLJOHXJUIPVS "JS$SFEJU1SPNPUJPO7JTJUAMRAgents.comGPSNPSFEFUBJMT CURAÇ"0ţ$0;6.&-ţ*95"1" For special deals & offers join us at ©2014 Photo courtesy of AMResorts Hotels & Resorts Dreams Tulum ings, bathrooms complete with showers and Jacuzzi bathtubs, LED 42-inch flatscreen televisions, LED lighting and contemporary Mexican décor. A total of 180 Deluxe and Junior Suite Garden View rooms and 42 Deluxe and Junior Suite Ocean View rooms were also embellished with these luxurious new amenities. Of the 180 Deluxe and Junior Suite Garden View rooms, 44 of them were transformed into Preferred Club Swimout rooms, which grant guests direct access to a pool from their private terrace. In addition to the new rooms and suites, the 44-acre property have been enriched with fresh flowers, lush green plants, palm trees and fountains with LED lighting and sound. The Sky Sports Bar now features a sleek new design and LED HD televisions, while the Lounge Bar has also been redone with new furnishings. Beginning this May, Dreams Tulum will introduce 46 Deluxe Garden View, Junior Suite Garden View, Preferred Club Deluxe Swimout and Preferred Club Junior Suite Swimout rooms that will be exclusive to adults. These adults-only rooms & suites will be located in a secluded section of the resort, and guests are able to book these new rooms for May 2014 effective immediately. dreamsresorts.com Starwood anticipates huge growth in North America this year Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. is expecting another year of robust growth in North America with approximately 30 new hotels slated to open by year’s end. This growth will be driven by the rapid proliferation of its Four Points by Sheraton and Aloft brands and a surge in conversions across several of its brands, including Le Méridien, which is experiencing strong development momentum. In 2013, Starwood opened 33 new hotels and signed 52 new hotel deals in North America, up 27% over sign- ings of the previous year and the most signed since before the global economic crisis. The company’s ‘Specialty Select’ brands – Four Points by Sheraton, Aloft and Element – are leading Starwood’s growth in North America and account for approximately 75% of new hotel openings in the region in 2014. As a group, these brands have grown 80% globally since 2008 and are on track to surpass 200 hotels in North America this year. Four Points by Sheraton will open 12 new hotels in North America this year, including the first Four Points in Charleston, West Virginia; Phoenix, Arizona; and Surrey, British Columbia; as well as its second in Nashville, Tennessee and the fourth in Manhattan. Boasting the second largest global pipeline among all of its Starwood brands, Four Points by Sheraton will open its 200th hotel worldwide this year as it nears its 125th milestone in North America. The Aloft brand will surpass 60 hotels in North America in 2014 after signing 16 new hotel deals in the region last year. The brand will enter numerous new markets with eight new hotels in North America, including two more adaptive re-use projects. Element, Starwood’s eco-wise brand, is picking up momentum with three openings planned for North America this year in Harrison, New Jersey; Hanover, New Hampshire; and Fargo, North Dakota; plus its first in Europe in Frankfurt, Germany. Element will open its 15th hotel in North America in 2015 including its first in Orlando, second in Miami and second in Canada (Vancouver). starwoodhotels.com TORONTO DEPARTURES JAMAICA ONE WEEK . ALL INCLUSIVE ROYALTON WHITE SANDS MONTEGO BAY +++++ LUXURY ROOM t APR 06, 09, 11 & 13 $ 1195 + $425 Taxes TToronto oro departures. Price is gross per person based on double occupancy for 7 nights on all inclusive vacations (unless otherwise specified) and was available at the time of printing. Seats at the above price are limited and subject to change without prior notice. Applicable to new bookings only. Not combinable with any other offers. Transportation taxes & related fees shown must be pre-paid. Flights are with Sunwing Airlines or Travel subj Service. For full terms and conditions, please refer to the Sunwing Vacations 2013/14 brochure. 27 Fasken Drive, Toronto, Ontario, M9W 1K6. Ont Reg #2476582 | 03132014 Serv 24 TRAVELWEEK March 13, 2014 topnews Continued from page 12 ... Sunwing Airlines’ aircraft with Split Scimitar Winglets is now in service TORONTO — Sunwing’s first aircraft with the fuel efficiency Split Scimitar Winglets designed by Aviation Partners Boeing is officially in service. This technology improves performance of the aircraft and decreases fuel burn by approximately 7% over the same aircraft with no Winglets. Sunwing is the first airline in Canada and the second in the world to commercially fly the second generation Split Scimitar Blended Winglets and will retrofit its entire fleet of Boeing 737-800s with this new technology by the end of May. “We feel we have a responsibility as a market leader in Canada to continue investing in technology which reduces our environmental impact,” says Mark Wil- liams, President of Sunwing Airlines. “Sunwing has the lowest CO2 emissions per seat mile of any major airline in Canada and this new initiative will lower our emissions even further.” Aviation Partners Boeing is a Seattle- based joint venture of Aviation Partners, Inc. and The Boeing Company. Nearly 5,000 first generation Blended Winglet Systems are now in service with over 200 airlines in more than 100 countries. APB estimates that Blended Winglets have saved airlines Free Excursions Add some fun to your holiday! Cayo Coco – FREE Beach Party Camaguey – FREE Rancho King Excursion Holguin – FREE Nautical Excursion Varadero – FREE Cabaret Show Havana – FREE Tropicana Show Santiago de Cuba – FREE Nautical Excursion Please inquire for more details. AGENT ACCESS: www.holacaribeagent.ca t Amadeus t Sirev | CALL CENTER/RESERVATIONS: 905.882.9445 or 1.800.668.8178 Prices are in CAD, per person, based on double occupancy and subject to change without notice. Space is subject to availability at time of booking. Rates based on lowest room category offered. All departures are from Toronto on Cubana Airlines, Air Transat or Canjet and taxes of $180 must be added to the published rates. All EBB’s mention will reflect in the published rate. Refer to our CSPDIVSFGPSGVMMUFSNTBOEDPOEJUJPOT)PMB4VO)PMJEBZTt8FTU#FBWFS$SFFL3E6OJU3JDINPOE)JMM-#$0OU3FH March 13, 2014 TRAVELWEEK 25 topnews worldwide more than 3.8 billion gallons of jet fuel to-date. For more information, visit aviation partnersboeing.com. Sunwing Airlines receives 2014 Consumer Choice Award Non-stop flights from Toronto on Air, Hotel & Transfers Jamaica Grande Resort AAAa All-Inclusive Exclusive renovated standard rm. *UNEsWK 999 $ Add taxes & other fees: $150 Add $50 for Sat. & Sun. departure aircanadavacations.com/agents Prices are subject to change without notice and cannot be combined with any other offer or promotion. Prices are in Canadian dollars, are valid at time of printing, apply to new bookings only and for departure dates as indicated. Prices are per person based on double occupancy, from Toronto - Pearson International Airport in Economy class and include surcharges. Non-refundable. Not applicable to group bookings. Flights operated by Air Canada or Air Canada rouge. For applicable terms and conditions, consult the Air Canada Vacations brochures or www.aircanadavacations.com/agents. Q ®Aeroplan is a registered trademark of Aimia Canada Inc. ®Air Canada Vacations is a registered trademark of Air Canada, used under license by Touram Limited Partnership, 1440 St. Catherine W., Suite 600, Montreal, QC. 8782 holic beverages, a 20kg baggage allowance, and a Hot & Fresh Bistro meal served with a choice of red or white wine. All passengers are also treated to complimentary inflight entertainment, including first-run movies with a free headset, which is theirs to keep. Lufthansa unveils new Premium Economy Class with up to 50% more room BERLIN — The ITB 2014 in Berlin was the scene of a world premiere on its opening day: Lufthansa’s new Premium Economy Class was presented to industry experts. The new travel class can be booked from May onwards and will be available from November 2014, initially on the Boeing 747-8. The new seats will gradually be fitted on the entire long-haul fleet within 12 months. “Our Premium Economy Class will create a completely new travel experience that combines affordability with greater comfort. The seats offer up to 50% more room than Economy Class and will position us in a premium segment within the international competitive environment,” said Jens Bischof, the Member of the Lufthansa German Airlines Board in charge of Sales, Product and Marketing, during a presentation at the Lufthansa booth in hall 25. The new product will enable Lufthansa to meet the requirements of many business and private passengers who travel with other airlines in a similar travel class or who fly Economy Class due to travel specifications. Following the introduction of its new full-flat Business Class, Lufthansa created a much wider gap between Economy and Business Class. As a result, there is now room for its new Premium Economy Class, which offers considerably more space and comfort, as well C O U P O N TORONTO — The 2014 Consumer Choice Award has been presented to Sunwing Airlines for winning in the category of Aircraft Charter Services for the Greater Toronto Area. This award is given to a very select group of business owners and entrepreneurs recognized by customers for their business excellence. “The entire Sunwing team is honoured to have been chosen and recognized as the best Charter Airline by consumers in Toronto,” says Mark Williams, President of Sunwing Airlines. “We are extremely pleased that customers appreciate our investment in industry leading services such as our new Hot & Fresh Bistro meals and champagne flights.” Sunwing is known for its inflight experience on a wide variety of direct flights from over 30 gateways across Canada. “While other airlines are cutting back on inflight service, all guests onboard Sunwing Airlines receive Elite Service at no extra charge, which features a complimentary glass of champagne to toast their upcoming vacation, hot towel service, non-alco- JAMAICA Choose from the trendiest collections of luggage, electronics and travel accessories. www.travelingear.com 26 TRAVELWEEK March 13, 2014 20% OFF purchases with pomo code: BLUE RAG topnews approximately 3.9 inches of more room on the side due to each seat having its own wide armrest and a centre console between the seats. The back rest can be reclined further and a seat pitch of 38 inches offers significantly more space. As a result, passengers have approximately one-and-a-half times as much room as compared to Economy Class. With a baggage allowance of two items weighing up to 50lb each, passengers can take twice as much free luggage with them compared to Economy Class. For an extra 25 euros, passengers can also enjoy the comfort of the Lufthansa Business Lounges before their departure. Previously, lounges were only open to status customers and were otherwise unavailable on a pay-to-enter basis. Check-in and boarding procedures, as well as hand luggage regulations, are the same as in Economy Class. An enhanced service awaits Premium Economy passengers onboard: They are greeted with a welcome drink and will as many additional product features, but is closer to Economy Class than Business Class in terms of its average prices. The move also means that Lufthansa is introducing a completely new travel class for the first time in 35 years. “The design and features of the new seat in particular are based on extensive passenger surveys and workshops with sales partners – a process that has been successfully used at Lufthansa. Following the upgrade of our First and Business Class, the installation of 3,600 seats on all 106 of our long-haul aircraft in just one year will mean another step towards becoming a five-star airline,” continued Bischof. “We expect to see more than 1.5 million passengers per year in our new Premium Economy Class.” The new seats were designed in partnership with the company müller/romca Industrial Design in Kiel and produced by the seat manufacturer ZIM Flugsitz near Lake Constance. Depending on the aircraft type, they are up to 1.2 inches wider and provide greater privacy, as well as find their own water bottle, as well as a high-quality amenity kit with practical travel accessories at their seat. Meals are presented on menus commensurate with the new travel class and served on porcelain tableware. Passengers can navigate the extensive inflight entertainment program using their own touchscreen monitor on the seat in front of them. This can also be done using a remote control, which serves as a controller for video games as well. The screens are 11 to 12 inches, which make them at least 2 inches bigger than the screens in Economy Class, depending on the aircraft type. A wide selection of magazines and newspapers complete the range of entertainment offered onboard. Lufthansa Premium Economy Class is located within the cabin as a clearly identifiable, separate compartment between Business and Economy Class. It has a highquality design and contains between 21 and 52 seats, depending on the aircraft type. Installation of the new travel class, Earn the Rewards You Deserve! 2XWULJJHU([SHUW$JHQWLVDUHZDUGVDQGHGXFDWLRQDOSURJUDPFUHDWHG IRUUHWDLOWUDYHODJHQWVZKRVHOOKRWHOVUHVRUWVDQGYDFDWLRQUHQWDOVLQ +DZDLLDQGDFURVVWKH$VLD3DFLÀFUHJLRQ &RPSOHWHWKH&HUWLÀFDWLRQ&RXUVHDQG\RXZLOO EHRQ\RXUZD\WRUHFHLYLQJWKHVHEHQHÀWVDQG PXFKPRUH: )UHH&OLHQW:HOFRPH$PHQLW\ 5HZDUGVIRUMRLQLQJ O ,QYLWDWLRQVWRH[FOXVLYHIDPWULSV O ([FOXVLYHLQFHQWLYHV O 5HZDUG3RLQWVUHGHHPDEOHIRUFDVK RUPHUFKDQGLVHFHUWLÀFDWHV O O *Register at travelweeklearningcentre.ca and complete this exciting program to be eligible to win. Terms and conditions apply. +$:$,,),-,$8675$/,$ 7+$,/$1'%$/,*8$00$85,7,86 2QWKH+RUL]RQ&+,1$9,(71$0 March 13, 2014 TRAVELWEEK 27 topnews which is to be carried out on a gradual basis, sub-fleet by sub-fleet, will begin this autumn and conclude in summer 2015. The first sub-fleet to be fitted with the new seats will be the Boeing 747-8. Ticket prices in the new Premium Economy Class will be closer to Economy Class than Business Class – a return flight across the North Atlantic will cost an additional 600 euros on average. Trulli houses with painted symbols on the conical roofs in Alberobello With ‘sassi’ and ‘trulli’, Basilicata and Puglia reward clients heading to Italy’s deep south By Patrick Dineen MATERA, Italy — Basilicata and Puglia are two of Italy’s historic but relatively undiscovered regions with spectacular UNESCO World Heritage Sites. But since they are located at the very end of the Italian boot – Basilicata on the arch and Puglia on the heel – many foreign visitors don’t go near them. This has its upside especially for those who have braved the throngs along the canals of Venice, the museums of Florence and the ancient and Baroque sites of Rome. Transat Holidays has made it easier to explore the region with an escorted motorcoach tour called ‘Under the ItalOstuni, the White City 28 TRAVELWEEK March 13, 2014 ian Sun – Sassi and Trulli’ in conjunction with Air Transat flights to Rome. The name of the tour features two of the region’s unique attractions – the sassi in Basilicata’s Matera and the trulli in Alberobello in Puglia, both World Heritage Sites. The Matera region has been inhabited since the Palaeolithic period and villages appeared when agriculture began after the last Ice Age. It is considered the longest continually occupied spot on the planet. People have been living in caves or sassi since then and the landscape still looks so ancient that Matera attracts moviemakers such as Mel Gibson who made his The Passion of the Christ here as the city is a perfect stand-in for the ancient Holy Land. People still lived in the sassi until after the Second World War when authorities cleared them because of the lack of sanitation. Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, this formerly problematic area is thriving with the caves home to renovated residences as well as elegant hotels and restaurants. Highlights include old churches that have been carved into the rock and the Peasant Culture Museum. The more modern part of Matera, on a plateau overlooking the sassi, is attractive in its own right with open piazzas, fountains and shops. The trulli, on the other hand, are round, white, limestone dwellings found in the southern region of Puglia made of roughly worked limestone boulders collected from neighbouring fields and featuring pyramidal, domed or conical roofs. The best place to see them is Alberobello in Puglia, one of the best-preserved and most homogeneous urban areas of this type in Europe. Now shops, restaurants and hotels are located in these structures that are examples of prehistoric building techniques. The Transat Holidays tour starts in Rome for two nights and then heads south for two nights in Sorrento with visits to Pompeii, Capri and Amalfi. topnews Overlooking the Bay of Naples, Sorrento has a range of luxury hotels and is linked to the former maritime republic of Amalfi by the narrow road with spectacular scenery, known as the Amalfi Drive. The tour continues with a visit to Matera and two nights in Alberobello. In addition to touring the trulli, the tour visits Lecce, a Baroque gem near the southern tip of Italy’s east coast. The city of some 95,000 is often called the Florence of the South because of its architectural splendor. Another stop renowned for its architecture is Ostuni, perched on a hill overlooking the Adriatic Sea and known as the White City because of its dazzling white-washed buildings. The tour returns to Campania for one night in Amalfi, a maritime powerhouse in medieval times and now home to small squares and alleyways, the Arsenal where ships were built and a Norman cathedral. There is a final night in Rome before the flight back to Canada. The eight-night tour has departures June 26, July 24, Aug. 14, Sept. 11, 25 and Oct. 9 with prices, including Early Booking savings, ranging from $2,099 to $2,199 including transatlantic flight. For more information, see the Transat Holidays 2014-15 Europe brochure. Anderson Vacations releases 20142015 New Zealand luxury coach touring brochure CALGARY — Anderson Vacations, the exclusive provider of Grand Pacific Tours (GPT) in Canada, has released the 2014-2015 New Zealand luxury coach touring brochure. Offering a wide range of escorted tours in New Zealand, GPT guarantees every departure and 16-day tours start at $4,103 for a twin share. For travellers looking for something special, there are the ‘Ultimate Small Group Tours’. With new coaches being built this year reconfigured to accommodate just 20 luxury leather seats, instead of 48, every passenger has a window seat. Due to the popularity of cruising in Australia and New Zealand, GPT is now offering North American travellers the chance to combine cruising aboard the Celebrity Solstice and touring. Whether a client’s interest is New Zealand by rail, cruising, history, wine or wildlife, Anderson Vacations and GPT have a tour that is designed to appeal. An electronic copy of the 2014 and 2015 New Zealand Escorted Coach Touring brochure can be downloaded at i s s u u . co m / g r a n d - p a c i f i c- to u r s / do c s/g pt .andersons_v ac ations_ 2014-15?e=2077825/6798291. For more information on Anderson Vacations, visit downundersolution. com or call 1-866-814-7378. E-mail enquiries can be sent to rdickson@ andersonvacations.ca. Featured this week: INTREPID Order your travel brochure today! 1 855 783 6307 WWW.INTREPIDTRAVEL.COM Local guides offer unparalleled knowledge of the area Timeless wonders to explore at every turn A destination offering infinite spiritual beauty Wide range of unique and exciting transport options Diverse experiences with 675 trips offered in Asia ATTENTION TRAVEL AGENTS: ORDER THIS BROCHURE HERE www.envoynetworks.ca Click & Print March 13, 2014 TRAVELWEEK 29 topnews/extras Starwood Hotels & Resorts to expand European portolio by 40% with the opening of more than 60 new hotels by 2020 BERLIN — From the International Hotel Investment Forum (IHIF) here, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide announced plans to open more than 60 new hotels and resorts across Europe by 2020, increasing its current European hotel portfolio by nearly 40%. Starwood will open nine new hotels in Europe this year, primarily in fastgrowing markets such as Turkey, Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). Further underscoring its long-term development strategy, Starwood announced that it has signed a deal to open Sheraton Istanbul Atasehir Hotel, its seventh Sheraton hotel in Turkey. Simon Turner, President of Global Development for Starwood Hotels & Resorts, said: “We are seeing rising demand for development in both established and rapidly growing markets across Europe.” Following the opening of three new hotels in Turkey in 2013, Starwood will open an additional four properties in the country, including The St. Regis Istanbul later this year, followed by Four Points by Sheraton Istanbul and two new Sheraton hotels in Samsun and Istanbul. In 2013, Starwood signed 12 new hotel management and franchise agreements in Europe, maintaining the company’s 2007 deal signing pace. The company opened seven hotels in Europe last year, adding approximately 1,200 rooms in five countries while expanding its footprint across the continent with 80% of this growth in developing markets. In addition to Turkey, Starwood is maintaining strong growth momentum in Russia and the CIS countries where it is poised to triple its portfolio over the next three years, with 12 new hotels. These openings include the debut 30 TRAVELWEEK March 13, 2014 of Aloft and The Luxury Collection in Ukraine, the company’s entrance into Tajikistan and Kazakhstan, plus seven hotels in Russia – in Moscow and St. Petersburg as well as secondary cities, including Kaluga, Perm, Krasnodar and Rostov-on-Don. Trafalgar offers stability for agents with 90% of Europe and Britain departures confirmed for 2014 TORONTO — Trafalgar has guaranteed that 90% per cent of its departures for Europe & Britain in 2014 are definite. “At Trafalgar, we are wholly focused on strengthening relationships with our valued industry partners, ensuring they are fully equipped to sell our Guided Holidays with confidence and with ease, by providing a dedicated sales support team and innovative marketing tools to help their businesses thrive,” says Doug Patterson, President of Trafalgar Canada. “The news on Definite Departures is yet another way of us demonstrating to agents that the Trafalgar differences are the real deal and that with us, what we say is what you get.” Patterson said Trafalgar continually builds close relationships with destinations, combining its detailed knowledge of the must-see sights and off-the-beaten-path experiences to offer guests unrivalled holiday options. With 1,460 insider experiences on offer, totalling four times more local experiences than any competitor, the brand continues to innovate and evolve in order to sustain its position as a market leader and consistently deliver on its insider promise. Additional incentives to book Trafalgar include the current Early Payment Discount (EPD) of 7.5% (valid until March 31) which is combinable with Trafalgar Frequent Traveller discounts, to enable another 5% savings. notes VisitBritain, Transat launch cross-Canada campaign VisitBritain has partnered with Transat Holidays to deliver a cross-Canada campaign of travel-inspiring messages supporting the pillars of heritage, countryside and culture. The campaign showcases iconic imagery from around Great Britain including: Buckingham Palace, Hadrian’s Wall, England’s North Yorkshire, Eilean Donan Castle in Scotland and Caernarfon Castle in Wales to inspire Canadians to choose Britain for their next holiday. The majority of the activity will be in Greater Toronto, Vancouver, Quebec City, Montreal and Calgary with a small portion on the East Coast. The campaign, which started Feb. 17, 2014, will be displayed across multiple channels including digital channels on subway, malls and office buildings, print advertising on GO Trains in the GTA, national newspaper advertising, television spots on The Weather Network and MétéoMedia, and digitally on popular lifestyle sites and Facebook sponsor stories. AC, WestJet see traffic growth in February Both Air Canada and WestJet saw growth in traffic with slight drops in load factor in February. Air Canada reported system wide traffic growth of 3.8% on a capacity increase of 4.9%. Air Canada’s system load factor was 79% versus 79.8% in February 2013, a decrease of 0.8 percentage points. “Despite severe winter weather conditions at our main hub in Toronto and across much of North America, Air Canada generated greater traffic for the month of February in all markets the airline serves, led by increased traffic in the U.S. transborder market,” said Calin Rovinescu, President and Chief Executive Officer. WestJet reported February 2014 traffic results with topnews/extras a load factor of 84.6%, down 1.5 points. Revenue passenger miles (RPMs), or traffic, increased 7.3% year over year, and capacity, measured in available seat miles (ASMs), grew 9.2% over the same period. The airline flew 1.5 million guests in February, a year-over-year increase of 8.0% or approximately 114,000 additional guests. “We are pleased with the strong traffic growth, achieving our second-highest February load factor in WestJet’s history,” said WestJet President and CEO Gregg Saretsky. people Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) has announced that Brian O’Connor, Vice President, Sales (North America) for Princess Cruises and Cunard Line, will take the role of Chairman of the CLIA Trade Relations & Sales Committee effective immediately. He succeeds Camille Olivere, Senior Vice President Sales, Americas for Norwegian Cruise Line, who completed her service leading the committee at the end of 2013. In this role O’Connor will lead a committee of his peers and work closely with Dwain Wall, CLIA’s Senior Vice President, Agency and Trade Relations to provide counsel, with regards to CLIA travel agent relations, training programs, research and cruise distribution membership initiatives. The CLIA Trade Relations & Sales Committee consists of senior marketing and sales executives from member cruise lines. CLIA has 61 cruise line members, more than 200 Executive Partners and 13,500 travel agency members representing 50,000 travel agent members in North America, UK & Ireland and Australasia. fams features some of the best wellness travel in Bali and Taiwan including some of the best hotels and spa facilities in Bali. There are accommodations at some of the fine hotspring hotels in Taiwan and 5-star hotel in Bali with sightseeing at the Lake Batur, Tanah Lot Temple and Ubud in Bali, Taipei 101, The National Palace Museum, CKS Memorial Hall and more. The $899 cost plus tax and fee includes flights from Vancouver, nine nights accommodations, daily breakfast, most meals, sightseeing with an English speaking guide and transfers on a private coach. Get your tour fee back if you secure a group of 15 to Taiwan and Bali with China Airlines by February 2015. Contact Kenny Fan at [email protected] or by calling 1-888-800-7455 for further details. Space is limited. Featured this week: STAR CLIPPERS Order your travel brochure today! Authentic sailing adventures Just 170-227 pampered guests All the modern amenities of a private Mega-Yacht International cuisine complemented by fine wines Dine with whomever and whenever you want Casual, relaxed ambience – no need to dress up ATTENTION TRAVEL AGENTS: ORDER THIS BROCHURE HERE www.envoynetworks.ca TAIWAN & BALI Silk Holidays Departing April 14 This nine-night fam with China Airlines and the Taiwan Tourism Bureau 1 800 442 0551 WWW.STARCLIPPERS.COM Click & Print March 13, 2014 TRAVELWEEK 31 marketplace We’re growing fast! Come be a part of our success We have openings across Canada for Junior, Intermediate and Senior Counselors CORPORATE & VACATION AGENT for one of the country’s premier travel agencies Suntastic Corporate Travel Services in North York has an immediate opening available. Full-time Positions The successful candidate will have: s!MINIMUMOFTHREEYEARSCORPORATE experience (current) s0ROlCIENCYIN3ABREAND-ICROSOFT /FlCE0RODUCTS s%XPERIENCEWORKINGWITH6)0CLIENTELE Monday to Friday Shifts Home Office Opportunities 3UNTASTIC#ORPORATE4RAVEL3ERVICESHASBEEN serving the needs of corporate clientele since 1980. Our boutique operation has EARNEDSERIOUSACCOLADESOVERTHEYEAR period from both our travelling executives ANDOURINDUSTRYPARTNERS Interested in learning more? Detailed descriptions of the positions can be found at: www.hrgworldwide.com /en-noam/Pages/default.aspx Qualified and interested applicants should visit our talent network to apply: www.jobs.net/jobs/hrg-north-america/en-us/ For consideration, please e-mail [email protected] HRG North America. A Hogg Robinson Group company. UPCOMING SPOTLIGHTS April 3 s,ATIN3OUTH!MERICA s"RITAIN%UROPE Beyond Destinations Be Part of the Journey Marlin Travel is looking for a Leisure Travel Consultants Vancouver • Calgary • Edmonton • Toronto • Ottawa April 10 This incumbent will be accountable for selling vacation travel. Their focus will be on destinations in the South and Europe. s2OMANCE7EDDINGS s(AWAII Responsibilities: Qualifications: • Inform and advise clients on travel offered by our partners in order to close sales • Vocational school diploma in tourism or relevant experience • Research and book travel products using the website, Apollo, Consul PC, Galileo Vacations and the internal reservation systems • Minimum of one (1) year of sales experience in travel within an office environment April 17 s3UN$ESTINATIONS s!DVENTURE4RAVEL s"USINESS4RAVEL April 24 s!SIA0ACIlC s#AR2ENTAL-OTORCOACH2AIL • Follow up on client files, respecting deadlines required to preserve the quality of the service offered by the company • Other duties as required • Working knowledge of English, spoken and written • Working knowledge of Apollo, Consul PC and Galileo Vacations reservation systems or the equivalent • Available outside the standard working hours • Must be TICO certified (Ontario residents) To apply for this vacancy, please send your résumé to: [email protected] no later than March 21, 2014. Please quote TW-0814 in the subject line and location of interest. #ONTACTYOURSALESREPRESENTATIVE 416.365.1500 32 TRAVELWEEK March 13, 2014 While we thank all applicants only those selected for an interview will be contacted. ®Registered trademark of Transat A.T. Inc., used under license by Transat Distribution Canada Inc. Marlin Travel is a division of Transat Distribution Canada Inc. ON Reg. #50015084, Head Office: 191 The West Mall, Suite 700, Etobicoke, ON, M9C 5K8. marketplace Corporate Travel Consultants Corporate Traveller has opportunities in Ottawa, Oakville, Edmonton, Calgary, Vancouver, Surrey & Montreal. Corporate Traveller focuses on the needs of small to medium enterprises and is known for great service and motivated travel experts. Our flexible business model is shaped to match the needs of our clients, enabling us to better understand travel requirements, offer tailored solutions and build strong partnerships. To qualify, you must have at least 1 year of experience selling travel. This is your chance to contribute to the growth of an organization that is going places. With a focus on developing a cohesive team culture with opportunities for advancement, you will be an integral part of this well respected Employer of Choice. Apply online at applyfirst.ca/job54429 Bilingual (Mandarin/English) Senior Travel Counselor – Onsite Senior travel counselor with minimum 5-7 years corporate travel experience and must be located in Calgary Alberta fMandarin speaking, required and Mandarin written, asset fHighly skilled and experienced in International Travel fHighly organized and detailed oriented - group work as asset fUnderstanding of the Asian Travel market fAble to work well in a small team environment fHigh customer servicing; including C level and VIP experience fProven ability to make airline, hotel, and car reservations (SABRE) with high quality and productivity fProven destination knowledge - International and focus on Asia fProven ability to explain breakdown of airfares, air construction and itinerary information with lowest logical airfares and knowledge of rules fExcellent communication skills - written and spoken f7YV]LUHIPSP[`[VKPќ\ZLPYH[LJ\Z[VTLYZHUKYLZVS]LJVUÅPJ[Z fProven ability to provide excellent customer service QUALIFICATIONS: f4HUKHYPU,UNSPZOIPSPUN\HSÅ\LUJ`PZHT\Z[ f7YVÄJPLUJ`^P[O.+:WYLMLYHIS`:HIYL fExperience booking air/car/hotel fComfortable with VIP level clientele WE OFFER: fCompetitive salary & bonus structure fNo evenings or weekend shifts f.LULYV\Z]HJH[PVUVќLYPUN f-\SSILULÄ[ZWHJRHNL ȃ http://jobs.americanexpress.com/go/Canada-Jobs/194432/ (**6<5;4(5(.,9 ;9(=,3 Bring your Travel Agent experience and passion for the Sport & (QWHUWDLQPHQWðHOGVWRWKLVUHZDUGLQJ FDUHHUZLWK6WDJHDQG6FUHHQ Travel Services! :[HNLHUK:JYLLUHJVYWVYH[LKP]PZPVU VM-SPNO[*LU[YLPZHUPJOLIYHUK ZWLJPHSPaPUNPU[YH]LSTHUHNLTLU[MVY [OL-PST;=:WVY[Z7LYMVYTPUN(Y[Z -HZOPVU4LKPHHUK,U[LY[HPUTLU[ 0UK\Z[YPLZHJYVZZ(\Z[YHSPH*HUHKH <:(HUK5L^ALHSHUK >VYRPUNPU;VYVU[V`V\^PSSOHUKSL [OL[YH]LSULLKZMVY:WVY[HUK ,U[LY[HPUTLU[JSPLU[Z^OPSLKLSP]LYPUN L_JLW[PVUHSZLY]PJL 0M`V\HYLL_WLYPLUJLKRUV^SLKNLHISL HUKWHZZPVUH[LHIV\[[OLZWVY[HUK LU[LY[HPUTLU[PUK\Z[Y`HUKJ\YYLU[S` ^VYRPUNPU[YH]LSHZHJVUZ\S[HU[ HJJV\U[THUHNLY[OPZPZ[OLYVSLMVY`V\ LOOKING TO PLACE A MARKETPLACE AD? Contact us at [email protected] or 416-365-1500 >HU[[VSLHYUTVYL& =PZP[ZZZDSSO\ðUVWFDMRE CUSTOMER RELATIONS COORDINATOR RESPONSIBILITIES: t Process post travel customer concerns received from both the airline and tour operator divisions of the Sunwing Travel Group t Analyze and investigate all customer concerns received on a daily basis via email, fax or mail resolving to customer satisfaction t Respond to written inquiries, updating travel agents and customers on the status of their concerns, and provide consultation as appropriate on policy inquiries t Produce written documents in English with clearly organized thoughts using proper sentence construction, punctuation, and grammar QUALIFICATIONS: t Exceptional customer service skills t Self-motivated with effective time management skills, able to manage a varied workload t Exceptional written and oral communication skills t Highly organized and efficient t Good problem solving ability, attentive to detail t Strong computer skills including Word, Excel, and Outlook t Minimum 1-2 years of Customer Service experience in a travel related environment t Ability to work in a fast paced environment If you are interested in applying for this position, please send your cover letter and resume quoting the position applied for in the subject line to [email protected]. Sunwing is an equal opportunity employer. We would like to thank all applicants. No phone calls please. March 13, 2014 TRAVELWEEK 33 USA ROUND UP The Cromwell brings boutique luxury to the Las Vegas Strip The Cromwell, the new Las Vegas hotel, is set to welcome its first guests on May 21. With a prime location on one of the busiest intersections of the Las Vegas Strip – one that welcomes more than 20 million passersby each year – The Cromwell Hotel and Casino will be the Strip’s first luxury boutique hotel and casino, with an intimate 188 rooms and suites as well as the first-ever restaurant by Giada De Laurentiis, a rooftop pool and day and nightlife venues by Victor Drai. The Cromwell is owned and operated by Caesars Entertainment. King Room at The Cromwell Hotel and Casino For dining, Giada De Laurentiis’ self-titled restaurant, GIADA, will greet guests with a warm and welcoming atmosphere, al fresco dining and an exhibition kitchen showcasing fresh pastas being made daily by hand and a signature antipasto bar – a first for Italian eateries on the Strip. Located on the second story of the boutique hotel, GIADA can accommodate 260 guests and showcases automatic retractable windows boasting prime views of the Bellagio fountains, Caesars Palace and Bally’s Grand Bazaar Shops. “The Cromwell will bring an exclusive experience to the Las Vegas Strip as a luxury lifestyle boutique hotel focusing on hospitality, amenities and personalized service,” said Karie Hall, general manager of The Cromwell. “Our partners Giada De Laurentiis and Victor Drai will inspire 360-degree day life, nightlife and dining experiences that you won’t find anywhere else in Las Vegas.” Vermont’s Stowe plans new family-friendly facilities From the moment guests enter from the Porte Cochere, “a boutique hotel experience that blends traditional elements with Parisian flare and whimsical, modern details awaits”. The Cromwell will blend vintage with modern, drawing inspiration from the Coste Hotel in Paris with black Parisian-style awnings and gold fixtures adorning the windows. The hotel lobby is reminiscent of a parlor from the past; accessories and bookshelves adorned with leather bound books clad the walls. Some 169 hotel rooms are reminiscent of Parisian loft-style apartments with distressed hardwood flooring and vintage luggage motif furnishings. 34 TRAVELWEEK March 13, 2014 In order to meet the demands of a rapidly growing slope-side community, Stowe Mountain Resort will begin construction later this year to advance and expand the family amenities and services at Spruce Peak. Several new facilities will be built around a new ice rink that will double as a community plaza and green in the summer. These amenities will include a new children’s Adventure Center with ski / ride school, year-round daycare facilities and a children’s activities centre. A new Stowe Mountain Club Alpine Clubhouse will also be delivered as a part of the expansion. Retail shops, restaurants, food markets and a parking garage for Club members, will additionally be constructed to enhance the Spruce Peak Plaza. Over the past 10 years Stowe Mountain Resort has created a year-round resort community which includes world-class facilities such as Stowe Mountain Lodge and Spa (a 312room, four-star hotel), Spruce Camp Base Lodge, the Stowe Mountain Club Golf Course, the Mountain Cabins at Spruce Peak and the Spruce Peak Performing Arts Center. A Touch of Heaven HOTEL HUSA CAYO SANTA MARIA RESORT noliPLUS ++++ This all-inclusive resort is situated beachfront on stunning Santa Maria Beach, whose white sand and cooling breezes are a touch of heaven for harried travellers seeking to escape the cold of winter. The friendly team ensures your clients feel well taken care of as they relax into their longawaited vacation in this sunny paradise. noliPLUS guests benefit from separate check-in, dedicated room location closest to the beach, concierge service, and much more. Formerly known as the Barceló Cayo Santa Maria, this hotel offers 8 à la carte restaurants, a lavish selection of food with something to please everyone. A Baby Club and a Kids’ Club keep children happily occupied so their parents can truly be off duty for awhile every day and take advantage of the many great activities available, from snorkelling and scuba diving to salsa lessons and lounging at the pool. All in all, a wonderful choice for your clients’ Cuban vacation! ALL FLIGHTS OFFER SUNWING AIRLINES’ CHAMPAGNE SERVICE All guests experience Elite Service at no extra cost: Elite Plus Service Signature.ca ,H'3&&DIFDLFECBHHBHFt#PO7PZBHFHMBTTPGDIBNQBHOF )PU'SFTI#JTUSPNFBMTXJUIXJOFt4PGUESJOLT )PUUPXFMTFSWJDFt-FBUIFSTFBUJOHt'JSTUSVONPWJFTt)FBETFUT ,JETCBDLQBDLTXJUIHBNFTUPZT Advance seat selection & Elite Plus upgrade bookable online! 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