COOL CANADA - AND AIRLINE BILL OF RIGHTS UPDATE

Canada came out smelling pretty sweet in a survey of consumers in 20 nations.

The folks who run the Anholt-GfK Roper Nation Brand Index say they surveyed people about their attitudes about 50 countries and found Canada ranked first in the world in the "would make me feel welcome" category and also came first in the category "would visit if money were no object."

The nation brand index said it found that the top five countries in making people feel welcome were Canada, then Australia, Italy, New Zealand and Spain. On the opposite side of the spectrum, the bottom five globally were China, the United Arab Emirates, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia and Iran. The U.S., by the way, was ranked 25th.

In terms of a place to visit if money wasn't an issue, the rankings came in with Canada at number one, followed by Italy, Australia, Switzerland and France. The bottom five, which is kind of a bizarre ranking when you think about it, were Lithuania, Estonia, Saudi Arabia, Nigeria and Iran.

The company asked Americans in particular where they would feel most welcome and came up with their own country in the number one spot, followed by the U.K., Canada, Australia and Italy. Their bottom five were Iran, Saudi Arabia, Cuba, United Arab Emirates and Nigeria.

If you're interested in Canadian travel, check out the Canadian Tourism Commission's videos on youtube.

The latest information came from a survey taken late in 2008, officials say. The company's full nation brand index survey will take place this coming fall.

In an email to the Star, Xiaoyan Zhao of GfK expanded on the findings.

"It's true that Canada does not have Paris, London, or Rome, the most glamorous cities of the world. But Canada has a lot going for it. For example, it leads the world in "natural beauty," beating out Australia and New Zealand (they tie for second) and Switzerland. Canada also ranks among the top 10 countries in terms of having 'vibrant city life and urban attractions.'"

Zhao said the high ranking for city life makes sense given the film festival and music and arts scene in our nation. Canada didn't rank highly in terms of having historic buildings and museums, but came out well in other categories.

As for Canada's number one ranking in terms of visiting if people could afford it, Zhao noted that we're pretty far away from a lot of travellers.

"Canada has come a long ways in building a global image that is modern and contemporary," he said.

Good for us. If we could somehow make Canada a bit more affordable, Lord only knows what kind of tourism boost we could get.

CANADA PASSENGER BILL OF RIGHTS

MP Jim Maloway's proposed airline bill of rights quietly passed second reading in the House of Commons on Wednesday. It didn't get much attention given the Mulroney "tears for fears" performance and the Ruby Dhalla situation and all those other government scandals, but Liberals and Bloc MP's combined to outvote the Conservatives 139-131 and pass Maloway's controversial bill at second reading.

It's promising for those who'd like to see it ultimately passed, but it still has to go through a house committee and the Senate, and the Canadian airline industry will likely pull out all stops to kill it.

A WestJet spokesman told CanWest that the bill would be "disastrous" for the Canadian airline industry.

In a letter given to MP's on Wednesday, the National Airlines Council of Canada, which represents WestJet, Air Canada, AirTransat and Air Canada Jazz, said that "the threat of severe penalties will interfere with a captain's prerogative to determine the safe operations of a flight. These penalties lower passenger safety in Canada by encouraging more risk-taking."

Maloway's bill calls for $500 payments to passengers left stranded on the tarmac for more than an hour, provided the airline doesn't provide proper service and provided there was an opportunity to get passengers safely off the plane. Other provisions call for a penalty of up to $1,200 if a passenger has to give up a seat on a flight that's overbooked. Airlines also would be forced to advertise fares that include all taxes and surcharges, and amen to that.

SWINE FLU "GUARANTEE" IN MEXICO

I didn't spot this until today, but apparently some hotels on the Caribbean coast of Mexico earlier this week said they'll give people three years of free holidays if they visit their resort and come down with the swine flu. It's pretty bizarre, but the director of one of the participating hotel groups said the holidays would be given to "travellers who present flu symptoms eight days after returning from their trip."

About 5,000 hotel rooms are said to be involved in the promotion. There was no immediate word on whether the holidays would be for, say, one week a year for three years or two weeks or how the policy would work.

It's pretty interesting, but sounds like a pretty big "Buyer Beware" stamp ought to be affixed to this deal.

VACATION DEPRIVATION AND AMERICAN HOT SPOTS

Expedia.ca has finished its seventh annual Vacation Deprivation survey and finds Canadian workers are a mess.

Last year, they found that 33 per cent of Canadians felt vacation deprived. But that jumped to 42 per cent in this year's survey.

"The stress associated with the current economy and impact on the workplace makes the need for time away from work even more important," said Beverly Beuermann-King, a "stress and wellness" expert (and how do you get that job?). "Vacation Deprivation is a condition that continues to affect Canadians across the country and it's essential for Canadians to invest in their health by taking a break and getting away."

There were some disturbing numbers in the survey, including a finding that 32 per cent of us say we have trouble coping with stress from work during our vacations and that 13 per cent say our work is our life and that we can't get away for vacations. Almost one-third of us say we feel guilty about taking time off work.

Interesting finding: 47 per cent of Ontario folks say they're vacation deprived, compared to 45 per cent in Manitoba and Saskatchewan. Out in B.C., only 38 per cent of people make the claim, the same as Quebec. Only 35 per cent of Albertans feel vacation deprived, which proves something.

Funny, but just as I was typing this I got a note from a p.r. company saying that summer's almost here and that we're all thinking about taking vacations. One idea, they suggest, is to tour around southern Ontario wine territory with the help of a new book by Andrew Brooks called "Crush on Niagara: The Definitive Wine Tour Guide for Niagara, Lake Erie North Shore, Pelee Island and Prince Edward County."

Sounds like a grand idea.

U.S. SENATE TOURISM HEARINGS

Haven't seen much yet on this, but the U.S. Senate today began hearings on the health of the American tourism industry. Mind you, Senators will hold hearings on just about anything if they think it'll get their name in the paper. Still, it's a good chance for hotels and airlines and the rest of the industry to press their case.

Senator Byron Dorgan of North Dakota (now, there's a tourism challenged state) has introduced a bill that would create a travel promotion campaign to be funded by travellers seeking visa waivers, with matching funds from the travel industry.

"We have lost ground in attracting international tourists visiting our country in recent years," Dorgan says. "Rebuilding our country's appeal as an international travel destination will not only improve our country's reputation around the world, it will also create jobs and boost local economies throughout the United States."

One story I saw on the issue said one in eight Americans are employed in the tourism industry, which is remarkable.

The U.S. travel industry has named this week as its annual National Travel and Tourism Week. This year's theme is Travel Matters; a name aimed at highlighting "travel's unique ability to create jobs, stimulate economic recovery and drive needed tax revenue in all fifty states."

Not to mention Canada, which also is hugely dependent on tourism but hasn't been as high profile on the issue as the American industry.

On a final U.S. of A. related note, Travelocity reports the following (we have no idea why) as its 10 Summer Hotspots south of the border:

Minneapolis/St. Paul (used to go there when I covered the Jays and it's not bad. Not great but not bad)

Salt Lake City (uh, maybe not)

San Francisco (no kidding)

Las Vegas (never been but don't understand the attraction, personally)

Seattle (kind of Vancouver south but a more interesting downtown)

Chicago (city of broad shoulders, hog butcher to the world and great architecture)

Washington D.C. (weird downtown but great monuments/museums, and Georgetown's nice)

Portland (great food, low-key atmosphere and lots of nature nearby)

San Diego (no kidding part two)

Boston (some of the feeling of New York but on a more manageable scale)

PORTER ON THE RISE

Porter Airlines has overtaken WestJet as the No. 2 player in the Toronto-Montreal-Ottawa corridor, says Versant Partners Inc. analyst Cameron Doerksen.

Porter is said to hold more than 20 per cent of seat capacity in the region, far behind Air Canada's 57 per cent but ahead of WestJet's 14 per cent. It's said to have 24 per cent of the Ottawa-Toronto market.

Porter had just four aircraft a couple years ago but could have 20 by early next year, Doerksen says.

It's significant, but Doerksen notes that WestJet and Air Canada have huge markets that Porter simply can't compete in.

IT'S A WI-FI WORLD

We've ranted in this space (often, I'm afraid) about having to pay for wireless Internet access at airports and hotels and such. I was in San Francisco on personal business recently and was asked to pay for wi-fi, which is ridiculous in a city that's five miles from Silicon Valley and prides itself on being friendly to tourists.

Toronto Pearson, of course, also charges for wireless. At least San Francisco has good shops and lots of good restaurants for passengers who've cleared security.

Anyway, as I was typing this note I got a twitter notice from Star freelancer Reb Stevenson to say she was getting free wireless at the airport in Vienna and in Skopje, Macedonia. Skopje has free wi-fi and not Pearson or SFO? What's wrong with this picture?

As for internet access at hotels, it turns out a website called hotelchatter.com has been doing wi-fi surveys at major hotel chains for years, and bless their hearts for it. According to the web site, Holiday Inns and Best Western hotels always have free wi-fi, all the time, as do Personality Hotels (San Francisco) and Gansevoort Hotels, which are still pretty limited (New York, Miami both come to mind, and there's talk of one coming to Toronto).

Listed as "mostly free, depending on the brand" are Choice Hotels (all brands except Clarion, Rodeway Inn and Ascend Collection) and Intercontinental Hotels (not including Intercontinental and Crowne Plaza brands). Others are free for hotel loyalty club members, including Fairmont and Omni and many Hyatt brands.

Definitely worth checking out.

While we're on the wi-fi topic, USA Today reports that AirTran Airways in the U.S. is moving toward having wireless on its airplanes by the end of July.

I ONLY READ IT FOR THE TRAVEL ARTICLES

I'd never heard of her (honest, honey), but it seems there's a model/reality TV star/Playboy Playmate named Bridget Marquardt who will be showing something on the Travel Channel May 14 called "Bridget's Sexiest Beaches."

(Hmmmm....maybe it's time to upgrade the cable package at home. What? It's a U.S. channel?) Anyway, USA Today had an interview with her where she revealed some of her favourite travel spots. Apparently she loves Amsterdam and Tabacon resort in Arenal, Costa Rica. Inquiring minds wanted to know.

MOVE OVER, COLUMBUS

The folks who run Discover America, the official U.S. travel web site, have re-launched discoveramerica.com, with some 7,000 pages on all 50 states, the five U.S. territories and more than 100 cities.

It's interesting to look at the main page and find the cities/places that are highlighted with bright, orange dots. You can click on Ft. Myers and about eight other places in Florida, and there are 13 places highlighted for California, the most of any state. (For some reason, working-class Stockton gets a mention but not sexy Napa. And they've got San Mateo/Silicon Valley located south of Monterey instead of about 60 miles north. But we digress.)

Iowa's cities don't merit a highlight on the "destinations" map. But several other states are in the same situation, including Idaho, Kentucky, Alaska, Nebraska, South Dakota, Kansas, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine and Mississippi.

You can find info on those states, of course, such as the Badlands and Mt. Rushmore in South Dakota and on the bluegrass country in Kentucky. It's just that their cities aren't so much destinations of their own.

That issue aside, there's tons of good information on a vast country and places where travelers can post photos, which is a nice touch.

T

FLATTEN YOUR UNDERWEAR, SIR?

There are few things more amusing than reading "English" signs in a foreign country, or even our own. I never know if these are real, but I got an email with some cracking, new examples of the English language gone bad. Here's a few of them:

Doctors office, Rome:
SPECIALIST IN WOMEN AND OTHER DISEASES.

Information booklet about using a hotel air conditioner, Japan:
COOLES AND HEATES: IF YOU WANT JUST CONDITION OF WARM AIR IN YOUR ROOM,
PLEASE CONTROL YOURSELF.

Car rental brochure, Tokyo:
WHEN PASSENGER OF FOOT HEAVE IN SIGHT, TOOTLE THE HORN. TRUMPET HIM
MELODIOUSLY AT FIRST, BUT IF HE STILL OBSTACLES YOUR PASSAGE THEN TOOTLE HIM
WITH VIGOR.

Dry cleaner's, Bangkok:
DROP YOUR TROUSERS HERE FOR THE BEST RESULTS.

In a Nairobi restaurant:
CUSTOMERS WHO FIND OUR WAITRESSES RUDE OUGHT TO SEE THE MANAGER.

On an Athi River highway:
TAKE NOTICE: WHEN THIS SIGN IS UNDER WATER, THIS ROAD IS IMPASSABLE.

In a New York City restaurant:
OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK AND WEEKENDS.

A sign seen on an automatic restroom hand dryer:
DO NOT ACTIVATE WITH WET HANDS.

In a cemetery:
PERSONS ARE PROHIBITED FROM PICKING FLOWERS FROM ANY BUT THEIR OWN GRAVES.

Hotel brochure, Italy:
THIS HOTEL IS RENOWNED FOR ITS PEACE AND SOLITUDE. IN FACT, CROWDS FROM ALL
OVER THE WORLD FLOCK HERE TO ENJOY ITS SOLITUDE.

Hotel lobby, Bucharest:
THE LIFT IS BEING FIXED FOR THE NEXT DAY. DURING THAT TIME WE REGRET THAT
YOU WILL BE UNBEARABLE.

Hotel elevator, Paris:
PLEASE LEAVE YOUR VALUES AT THE FRONT DESK.

Hotel, Serbia:
THE FLATTENING OF UNDERWEAR WITH PLEASURE IS THE JOB OF THE CHAMBERMAID.

Hotel, Japan:
YOU ARE INVITED TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE CHAMBERMAID.

Supermarket, Hong Kong:
FOR YOUR CONVENIENCE, WE RECOMMEND COURTEOUS, EFFICIENT SELF-SERVICE.

From the "Soviet Weekly":
THERE WILL BE A MOSCOW EXHIBITION OF ARTS BY 15,000 SOVIET REPUBLIC PAINTERS
AND SCULPTORS. THESE WERE EXECUTED OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS.

A laundry in Rome:
LADIES, LEAVE YOUR CLOTHES HERE AND SPEND THE AFTERNOON HAVING A GOOD TIME 

The box of a clockwork toy made in Hong Kong:
GUARANTEED TO WORK THROUGHOUT ITS USEFUL LIFE.

Airline ticket office, Copenhagen:
WE TAKE YOUR BAGS AND SEND THEM IN ALL DIRECTIONS.

RAILWAY BOOST DOWN SOUTH?

Didn't spot it originally, but apparently U.S. president Barack Obama last month was talking about improving high-speed rail. California has been slowly building up its services, and there's talk of a Chicago to St. Louis high-speed corridor, as well as improvements in upstate New York that someday could help folks in southern Ontario make faster trips to New York City.

MEXICO SPENDING:

The Mexico Tourism Board will launch a multi-million dollar tourism campaign as soon as officials tell them the swine flu is safely contained.

Mexico's Finance Secretary approved a $1.3 billion economic stimulus package to help the country recover from the swine flu problem. $15 million of that will go to promote tourism, Mexico's third-largest source of revenue.

TRAVEL AGENTS HAVE THE SCOOP

Openjaw.com had an interesting piece today about how the web has been great at providing information to ordinary folks, yet also providing perhaps too much information.

"There's a common perception that the glut of travel information on the Internet has narrowed the gap of knowledge between consumers and retailers," they wrote. "But vacation.com’s Lauraday Kelley believes the gap has widened in the other direction - in favour of agents - as there's simply too much information available for consumers to absorb."

Kelley is quoted as saying the swine flu scare is a perfect example.

"Unless the consumer has someone whose job it is to keep on top of all the changes, they're at the mercy of whatever press they turn to," she says. "The typical consumer isn't educated enough to know what to do in this time of duress, with rumours both founded and unfounded being reported."

 

A NEW AIR CANADA TAKING FLIGHT?

You wake up on the west coast on a holiday (yeah, every day is a holiday for a travel editor I heard someone say) and you check up on goings-on back home and see that the CEO of Air Canada is going all soft.

And you think, "IT'S ABOUT TIME, DUDE!"

I never met former AC head Montie Brewer. But I intensely disliked his nickel-and-dime-and-dollar-and-twenty-dollar people-to-death approach. Three bucks for a bag of cashews? What high-ranking business person with an ounce of brains ever figured that was going to go over well with the public? Maybe they'd make a bit more short-term money, but it would only cause people to re-think Air Canada and head to a check-in booth with the words "West Jet" written on top. Or Porter. Or anything but Air Canada.

(Not that West Jet doesn't have issues. We noted the other day that they now say it might take them six or seven months to bring in their oft-delayed loyalty program, and how it can take so long is absolutely beyond my comprehension.)

Anyway, the point is that new Air Canada top flyer Calin Rovinescu is being quoted as saying he wants to look at such things as free pillows, a return to pet-friendly skies and, bestill my beating golf heart, possibly allowing oversized bags of sports equipment as a third check-in item without extra cost.

They also could improve baggage handling (hopefully at Pearson, thank you), give out more Aeroplan points (excellent, but first let's be sure there are more flights available?) and beef up service to Montreal and Ottawa in response to Porter Air's success.

All in all, excellent news for Canadian air travellers - if Rovinescu follows through.

MORE HOTEL OPTIONS

Told you last week about hotwire, which I admit I didn't know much about. Now travelocity is doing a similar project where you can look for hotels on certain dates but do so through an "opaque" process where you don't find out the name of your hotel until you push the magic "accept" button.

If you go to travelocity.com or travelocity.ca and look for hotels in, say, Vancouver in August, you'll get an interface that has several tabs near the top. Look for the tab that "top secret hotels" and you'll find a series of hotel options where you know the number of stars the property has and the general area but not the specifics. Until, of course, you agree to pay.

It's still fairly limited in terms of choice but officials say they've got properties in many Canadian cities already, including Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Toronto and Montreal.

WHY YYZ?

I'm sure there's a good reason, but I had an interesting chat with a guy on a plane today about airport codes. I understand that when Canada's turn came it was decided that airports should start with Y to differentiate us from other folks. Toronto likely couldn't be TOR as it probably was taken by Torino (Turin in North American-ese).

But why is it YYZ for Toronto? Vancouver is YVR. Why isn't Toronto YTO or YTR or something that makes sense? I think it could be that YTO is for all airports in Toronto, just like YMQ is for all Montreal airports. But YYZ still seems kinda funky.

BRIARS WEDDING BELLS DEAL

The Briars up in Jackson's Point put out a notice today to say that folks whose weddings have been affected by the swine flu can get special deals by booking with them. And good idea, I say. For more info, go to www.briars.ca.

GOLF DEALS IN IRELAND

Finally, while still on the subject of good deals, check out swinggolfireland.com for the latest batch of fine bargains on the Emerald Isle.

ANNOYING HOTEL TRICKS ... AND ONE-DAY WEST JET SALE

Being nickel and dimed (nickeled and dimed?) on airplanes is bad. I HATE having to fork over $6 for a cold submarine sandwich that you can't pre-order with the fixings you want. And if it's got mayonnaise on it, forget it; I'm done.

What's MORE annoying to lots of folks is being charged for Internet access, particularly in hotels. I find it appalling that airports trying to lure customers don't provide it for free. But hotels are what really drives me batty.

As most of you would probably agree, isn't it bizarre (understandable, but still bizarre) that the small motel/hotel chains give you free breakfast and free Internet but the places that cater to the big boys make you pay through the nose for both? Apparently, some of the major chains are starting to bend on the Internet question, and many at least provide free Internet for loyalty program members.

But in a day and age where we'll soon be able to log onto the web from an airplane (at what cost, we don't know), it's only a matter of time until all hotels, we hope, get the message that charging for Internet access is like charging to use the hotel shower.

Not sure of the Canadian content, but travel post's web site has an item that surveys which hotels have free Internet and which charge. It's worth checking out.

WESTJET DEAL TODAY

Not much time left, and sorry about that. But there are still significant savings to be had on Wednesday, May 5 at westjet.com. They were offering 50 per cent off today only for Monday, Tuesday and Wednesdays flights until July 1 at a number of locations across Canada. It was $169, one-way, for flights to Vancouver. I went to the web site and could've had a flight leaving for Vancouver on May 27 and returning the next Monday for $449, including all taxes and such. Not a huge/wow/pack up the kids/never to be seen again/American-style fare, but pretty good.

STAYCATION, ALL I EVER WANTED...

My apologies to the Go Go's for stealing their lyrics, but everyone's bombarding yours truly with stay-at-home vacation ideas. I even received a book today called The Great American Staycation by a cat called Matt Wixon. Not a bad idea, actually, as the author points out everything from how to plan ahead and how to maximize your home town (easier in some cities than others, of course). He also has useful chapters on theme parks and thrill rides, outdoor adventures, sports staycations, romantic staycations and educational staycations.

Some of them are common sense, like camping or picking your own fruit or taking in a ballgame. But there's some useful stuff, including factory tours and company museums, going to minor league ballparks (New York has quite a few) and having a block party. We used to have a party on our North Toronto street when our kids were young, and it was always a highlight of the summer. Unless you had to listen to me play the drums, that is.

BEST JOB IN THE WORLD, TAHITI STYLE

Ben Southall of England won the Tourism Queensland job of working on an Austalian island for six months and blogging about his experiences. So you're out of luck on that one, mate. But Tourism Tahiti has something similar, with a contest called Invest In Your Love where families send in videos to show why they, and not their pesky neighbors with the annoying children, should get a vacation in the fabled south Pacific. Go to investinyourlove.com for information.

EUROPE MADE EASIER

Reporting on msn.com, Europe expert Rick Steves says several more countries have done away with border controls ,making it even easier to cross from one country to another.

Steves says Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, and the Baltic States "have done away with border controls for travel within Europe. This means you can now go from country to country without stopping to show your passport."

CALL ME OLD-FASHIONED

Got an email today from the folks at Gansevoort Hotel Group, who are making Reader Digital Books available for poolside readings at their properties in New York City and the Turks and Caicos.

They say they're working with Sony to customize the Readers, so guests can view the hotel’s spa and dining menus as well.

As well, New York's Algonquin Hotel is offering "Amazon Kindles" pre-loaded with "best sellers and classics to use anywhere inside the property."

Nothing wrong with that, and it sounds convenient. But I don't get the idea of reading a "book" on some electronic device. I know perfectly sane people who swear by it, but it's not for me.

I'm not into collecting hardcover books or special edition books with gilded lining or anything (not like Helene Hanff, who wrote a delightful book called 84 Charing Cross Road and was devoted to a good, well-made book). No, I'm perfectly content with a five dollar paperback.

But I like paper. It's portable, it doesn't require batteries, and I don't have so much to lose if I drop it in the bathtub.

ALL THAT JAZZ - ONTARIO STYLE

It's coming up on musical festival time in Ontario. The Art of Jazz takes place in the Distillery District of Toronto June 5-7, while the Toronto Jazz Festival begins in town June 26. The Ottawa International Jazz Fesitval runs June 25 to July 5, while Kingston hosts the Limestone City Blues Festival Aug. 27 to 30.

AIRLINE RECOVERY?

It's still pretty tentative, but there are some signs of recovery in the airline industry down south. USA Today reports Continental last month found that traffic, as measured in passenger miles flown, was down 3.8 per cent from April of 2008. Not good, but a lot better than the 9.7 per cent drop they saw between March of 2008 and March of this year.

  

A MAGICAL MOMENT ... AND AIRLINE PASSENGER RIGHTS

Some experiences you just can’t replicate.

 

I was lucky enough to be staying at the Kingsmill Resort in Williamsburg, Virginia last week. It was hotter than blazes during the day when I played the river course at Kingsmill Plantation, where the LPGA plays an annual tournament on a lovely course along the James River. I’d gone for a quick dinner down at the property’s Marina restaurant; really just a casual bar area with a seafood menu down along the water. I’d ordered some shrimp with Old Bay seasoning; a mainstay for folks down around Chesapeake Bay, and a cold beer and some cole slaw when the tiny bugs decided a still, 25 degree night in April was just right for taking the bite of some tourists.

 

I tried to stick it out, but without any bug spray on I was getting eaten alive so I had everything packed up in a cardboard box and retreated to my amply proportioned condo. A few minutes later I was finishing the last of the spicy shrimp and sucking the seasoning off the shells when I heard this voice coming over the lawn outside my balcony. I looked out and see a few lights from boats bobbing down in the marina but I can’t see anyone. After getting my bearings in the dark, I thought I could see a woman singing from the balcony of a nearby condo, with what sounded like instrumental backing from a CD on her stereo.

 

After a few minutes, I walked down the stairs and shuffled through the moist, deep grassy lawn and stand in a small clearing where I looked up the see the silhouetted figure of a young woman singing a song about loneliness. It was breathtaking.

 

I stood on the grass and mumbled a question about what she was singing.

 

"It’s Tilly Smith (I think that's what she said, although no such person seems to exist). "She’s my favourite country singer."

         Pause.
     

         “Am I bothering you?”

I thought she had to be kidding. There was a thin crescent moon rising over the James River, the stars were covering the Virginia sky like a thick, creamy blanket and this beautiful voice was floating down at me from above and she thought it was a nuisance?

 

"Naw, I was just typing some stuff and heard you and didn’t know what was going on. It’s great. Don't stop."

You can come here anytime you like and stay in the unit I stayed in. You'll enjoy the view of the boats and see the James River and perhaps see the moon rising over the river after a glorious sunset. But it will be a different sunset, a different moon and probably there won’t be a girl singing country songs on the balcony as the birds go to sleep for the night.

 

And that is the joy of travel.

 

AIRLINES TAKE THE INITIATIVE

 

Good item in the Report on Business this morning, talking about how Canada's biggest airlines are getting ready to show off their own "passenger bill of rights," likely today.

 

With New Democratic Party MP Jim Maloway still brandishing a private member's bill that would slap hefty fines on airlines for mistreating passengers, it seems that Canada's four largest airlines want to launch some kind of pre-emptive strike. Air Canada, Air Canada Jazz, West Jet and Air Transat in January formed a lobby group called the National Airlines Council of Canada and are said to be preparing some sort of announcement for today, so stay tuned.

 

 

"WE DON'T NEED NO STINKING FREE SHAMPOO"

Interesting consumer survey came out the other day from a global market research company called Synovate, headquartered here in Toronto.

It seems Americans love snapping up those free bottles of shampoo and mouthwash and such at hotels. But Canadians (and ain't it just like us?) are a little more reticent.

The survey found that one-half of the Americans surveyed feel that the toiletries are there for the taking and are "part of the experience." But only 34 per cent of Canadians felt that way.

In a press release, Synovate said that, generally, "Canadians are pretty careful with their toiletry samples as 46 per cent say they only use what they need during their stay and leave the rest."

Isn't that cute? I gotta admit I like taking the free shampoo (usually not the conditioner or skin care stuff or mouthwash) if it's a really great hotel and it's got a logo on it. I don't need one that simply says "Joe's fancy saffron-infused, eco-friendly, lavender and olive oil bath products of London, Dubai and Saskatoon," but if it says, "Empress Hotel, Victoria" or some such I'm pretty likely to bring it home as a souvenir.

The survey also found that one-third of Canadians don't care if a hotel has an environmental policy. Four per cent, however, said they won't stay in a place unless it DOES have one.

Officials said 21 per cent of Canadians research every hotel in a given area before making their choice of where to stay. that compares with 31 per cent of folks from Hong Kong and 39 per cent from the United Arab Emirates. And they said four in ten Canadians say a hotel has to cater to their technology needs before they book it.

Finally, Synovate said half of Canadian hotel users surveyed said they're open to trying a new hotel, compared to 40 per cent of Americans. Guess we showed our southern neighbours something with that result. We won't take shampoo, but we're willing to risk a different hotel.

NATION'S CAPITAL IN BLOOM

The Canadian Tulip Festival started May 1 and goes to May 18 up in Ottawa. It's considered the largest festival in the world of its kind, with three million tulips in bloom along the 15-kilometer "Tulip Route" that winds through the Ottawas Region and along the Rideau Canal.

I put chicken wire over my tulips in the fall so the squirrels can't get at them. The shoots grow up through the wire no problem but the squirrels can't get their nasty little paws through the screen. I wonder what they do in Ottawa? Three million bulbs would require a lot of chicken wire.