Hey, Ottawa - it's time to help this country's tourism trade ... Deal of the Day

 

I've made this point many times. And I'll probably have to keep making it. But when will the government in Ottawa wake up and smell the tourist dollars?

  

At a time when our rivals are seriously beefing up their tourism spending to lure visitors from around the world, Canada has slimmed its offering to something resembling a skinny fast-food burger.

 

The point was made before the Economic Club of Canada on tuesday when Canadian Chamber of COmmerce President and CEO Perrin Beatty told biz types that uncompetitive travel and tourism policies are one of the top ten barriers to competitiveness for Canada in 2013.

"Through a combination of high transportation costs and steadily reduced marketing efforts, Canada has slipped from seventh place among the world's tourism destinations to 18th place in just a decade," said Beatty. "A huge industry, critical in every region, is struggling with its competitiveness and needs public policies that are forward-looking and supportive."

The Travel Industry Association of Canada (TIAC) jumped on the comments, as well they should.

"There is an unparalleled opportunity to drive export activity and create jobs by increasing international travel to Canada, but this won't occur without public policy fixes," said David Goldstein, President and CEO of the Tourism Industry Association of Canada. "Attracting lucrative international visitors requires competitive investment in international marketing and aviation policy freed from excessive taxes, fees and levies."

 

"With unprecedented growth in international tourism demand, Canada's travel industry could make a more meaningful contribution to the Canadian economy if not for structural challenges particularly in the areas of tourism marketing and access to Canada," TIAC said in a press release. "The Canadian Tourism Commission's budget is being cut by nearly 20% at a time when all of Canada's major competitors are bolstering their investments in tourism marketing.

 

Canada's economic growth is also being unnecessarily hindered by an inhibitive taxation structure. This "triple dip" includes more than $850M in aviation taxes, fees and levies, $90M in GST on those aviation taxes, and $460M in GST on foreign visitor spending. Canada is the only G8 country with a value-added tax that does not offer a whole or partial rebate for individual foreign visitors."

 

AIR CANADA PRICE GUARANTEE

Nice to see that Air Canada has extended its price guarantee for its web site. The airline says  that within 24 hours of purchasing a ticket at aircanada.com, a customer who finds a cheaper price for the same flight, itinerary and fare brand on another Canadian online travel retailer can notify them and Air Canada will provide a travel credit for $50 plus the price difference, which can be applied towards future travel.

 

The program covers all travel within Air Canada's network on flights marketed and operated by Air Canada, Air Canada rouge and Air Canada Express flights. It is available for all published retail fares sold in Canada by any Canadian online retail distribution channel that is an accredited vendor of Air Canada.

They've had this policy in the past but not for all flights, so this is good. Of course, it's also in their best interests to have people buy on their site and not on Expedia, or what have you.

 

 

ICE, ICE BABY

On Tuesday, the one-millionth guest visited the Hôtel de Glace or Ice Hotel in Quebec City. Marlène Noël and husband Michel Aubert, from the Quebec area, were the lucky guests and received a gift package, including a one-night stay at the Hôtel de Glace in 2014 ...

 

JAUNT.CA DEAL OF THE DAY

 

Jaunt.ca, a division of Torstar, has a deal on tap for a river cruise to the capital cities of central Europe. The deal is priced at $4,822 and includes visits to Budapest, Vienna, Prague, Bratislava and much more.

• EXCLUSIVE SAVINGS: Save $800 per couple - Pricing includes early booking bonus of $600 per couple, and an additional savings of $200 per couple exclusively available for Jaunt customers!
• 12-day River Cruise Tour aboard the Avalon Vista accompanied by Vanessa Lee, Godmother of the Avalon Vista. Starts in Budapest and ends in Prague. 
• Includes return air from Toronto on British Airways, and all transfers 
• Includes the following ports of call with daily sightseeing and shore excursions: Budapest, Hungary; Bratislava, Slovakia; Vienna, Austria; Krems, Austria; Melk, Austria; Grein, Austria; Passau, Germany; and Prague, Czech Republic
• 2-night pre-cruise stay in Budapest and 2-night post-cruise stay in Prague staying in 5-Star Hotel Accommodations
• Cruise accommodations in one of the following cabin categories: Deluxe Stateroom Cat. E or Cat. D; Panorama Suite Cat. B, Cat. A or Cat. P; and Royal Suite Cat. S
• Includes daily breakfast in Budapest and Prague city stays, all meals on the ship, soft drinks with lunch, and wine, beer, or soft drinks with dinner 
• The Avalon Vista is part of a new line of Suite Ships
• Vanessa Lee is a cruise expert who has helped craft the ultimate Central Europe river adventure
• You'll tour important sites in Hungary, Austria, Germany and Slovakia

Offer Details

• Valid for travel on September 26, 2013 sailing
• Pricing (per person, plus taxes):
  
  Deluxe Stateroom, 2 Windows (Category E)
  $4099 + $723 tax
  
  Deluxe Stateroom, 2 Windows (Category D)
  $4274 + $723 tax
  
  Panorama Suite, Floor to Ceiling Open-Air Window/Balcony (Category B)
  $4943 + $723 tax
  
  Panorama Suite, Floor to Ceiling Open-Air Window/Balcony (Category A)
  $4995 + $723 tax
  
  Panorama Suite, Floor to Ceiling Open-Air Window/Balcony (Category P)
  $5149 + $723 tax
  
  Royal Suite, Floor to Ceiling Open-Air Window/Balcony (Category S)
  $5870 + $723 tax
  
  (Breakdown of Taxes: $723 above includes $133 port tax and $590 air tax)
• This offer is 100% non-refundable at time of booking

View the terms that apply to all Jaunt Vacations offers

 

WestJet expands T.O. options, FinnAir cheap flights to Europe, Whistler news

A lot of the focus from WestJet on Monday was, understandably, the naming of Nanaimo and Fort St. John B.C. as cities to be served by their new, regional carrier, called Encore.

From a Toronto standpoint, and we all know the world revolves around this fair city, there's plenty of news from regular WestJet. At the same time it was slipping into new destinations in B.C., they also announced twice-weekly service from The Big Smoke to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina and upped the Orlando service from seven times a week to 11.

What I hadn't noticed in the flurry of announcements was an increase of WestJet flights from Toronto to Miami (see photo at right) from seven a week to eight, plus new flights (three times a week) from Toronto to Fort McMurray, Alberta. They also significantly bumped up flights from here to Saskatchewan, adding three more per week to both Regina and Saskatoon for 10 flights a week to each city in total.

As well, they added two more flights a day from Toronto to Vancouver (now 11 per day), Calgary (also now 11 in total) and Edmonton (8 per day). They'll fly to Winnipeg from Toronto five times a week.

One of the company's press releases on Monday also said they'll extend service to Aruba , Liberia , Costa Rica , and Trinidad and Tobago on a year-round basis and add one extra flight each week between Toronto and Kingston and Montego Bay, Jamaica , Varadero, Cuba , St. Martin, Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic and Cancun.

There are rumours WestJet may soon take aim at Air Canada's international network, and wouldn't that be fun to watch?

SKI WITH AN OLYMPIAN - AND GO WATCH SOME AT THE GAMES

A couple of things to note for fans of the Olympics. Whistler-Blackcomb  has expanded its Snow School offerings with the addition of a "Ski with an Olympian" program. The new offering lets ordinary folks hear stories and get tips and spend time with an Olympic athlete as their personal guide.

You get a full day of skiing or riding with an Olympic athlete, with capacity limited to just five people per group. Guests also get lift line priority.

Thirteen ski and snowboard athletes are taking part, including noted Olympic skier Rob Boyd. For more information, visit whistlerblackcomb.com.

Speaking of the Olympics, tickets for the 2014 Winter Games (how did this happen so quickly?) in Sochi, Russia are now available for Canadians to buy at cosport.com. Fans will be able to choose from a variety of packages that combine tickets with hotel stays or hospitality services.

Individual tickets start as low as $22. I suspect a ticket for the gold medal hockey game would be slightly, just slightly, more than that. 

FINNAIR BARGAINS TO EUROPE

Finnair is offering a series of round-trip economy deals for spring. Prices start at just $679 Canadian for flights from Toronto to Helsinki, Saint Petersburg, Stockholm, Warsaw and even Prague (with a stop in Helsinki). I went online this morning and found a roundtrip flight from Toronto to Prague for just $778; which is about the same as a round-trip flight on Air Canada to San Francisco in April.

The deal is valid for a host of other cities, including Riga, Oslo, Norway and Krakow. Travel must be taken from May 23 to June 20 and from Aug. 21 to Sept. 5.

JAUNT.CA DEAL OF THE DAY

Jaunt.ca, a division of Torstar, has a deal on offer for a beautiful Alaska cruise, priced at $1,315 (including $591 in taxes) Here are the details:

• 7-night Alaska Cruise sailing on the ms Amsterdam, departing and returning to Vancouver, BC
• Includes return airfare from Toronto or Montreal to Vancouver
• Ports of Call include: Vancouver, BC; Glacier Bay; Skaqway, Alaska; Juneau, Alaska; Ketchikan, Alaska; & the Inside Passage
• Accommodations in one of the following staterooms: Oceanview (Category H) or Verandah (Category BB or BC)
• Includes daily breakfast, lunch and dinner at various complimentary dining options  
• The ms Amsterdam is an exquisite ship with fanciful details and beautiful artwork
• Alaska is as exhilarating as it is beautiful, with breathtaking scenery and fascinating wildlife
• Enjoy culinary demonstrations and other delicious activities in the Culinary Arts Centre

Offer Details

• Valid for travel on the following departure dates: May 24, 31, June 7, 14, 21, 28, July 5, 19, 26, August 2, 9, 16, 23, 30, September 6, 13, 2013
• Pricing: (Rates are per person, plus tax, & based on double occupancy)
  
  Toronto:
  May 24:
  Oceanview: $724 + $591 tax
  Verandah: $1446 + $569 tax
  
  May 31:
  Oceanview: $804 + $591 tax
  Verandah: $1526 + $591 tax
  
  June 7:
  Oceanview: $884 + $602 tax
  Verandah: $1709 + $602 tax
  
  June 14:
  Oceanview: $884 + $602 tax
  Verandah: $2018 + $602 tax
  
  June 21 & 28:
  Oceanview: $936 + $602 tax
  Verandah: $2018 + $602 tax
  
  July 5:
  Oceanview: $936 + $585 tax
  Verandah: $2018 + $602 tax
  
  July 19:
  Oceanview: $936 + $602 tax
  Verandah: $2018 + $602 tax
  
  July 26:
  Oceanview: $936 + $585 tax
  Verandah: $2018 + $585 tax
  
  August 2 & 9:
  Oceanview: $936 + $585 tax
  Verandah: $2018 + $585 tax
  
  August 16:
  Oceanview: $936 + $585 tax
  Verandah: $1709 + $585 tax
  
  August 23 & 30:
  Oceanview: $884 + $598 tax
  Verandah: $1709 + $598 tax
  
  September 6 & 13:
  Oceanview: $884 + $598 tax
  Verandah: $1709 + $598 tax
  
  

 

 

West Jet ups the ante in fight with Air Canada, Porter ... Deal of Day is Turkey

Big news in the Canadian airline biz today, as WestJet takes aim at both Air Canada and Porter.

Calgary-based WestJet announced today it will start flying twice weekly between Toronto and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina (see photo at right), beginning May 2. Air Canada doesn't fly that route but Porter does, out of the Toronto island airport.

Myrtle Beach folks are obviously excited to welcome hundreds more Canadians to their beaches, golf courses and fine restaurants each week.

The Star's Vanessa Lu reports that within Canada, WestJet also is increasing the number of flights between Toronto and Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Saskatoon and Regina, and will introduce new non-stop service between Toronto and Fort McMurray.

The airline will also boost flights between Toronto and Orlando to 11 weekly from seven a week, which is great news for Florida fans.

It is moving service between Calgary and Los Angeles to twice daily from once a day. Beginning April 29, it is also introducing daily service between Calgary and Dallas-Fort Worth, which is a hub for WestJet’s code-share partner American Airlines, Lu reported.

A lot of that sounds like warning shots across Air Canada's bow to me. And let's hope it means an air fare war of some kind, as prices these days are crazy high.

The Financial Post is reporting that Encore will serve Fort St. John, Saskatoon, and Nanaimo, from Calgary starting June 24. The Post also said they'll provide Encore service between Vancouver and Victoria with a 78-seat Bombardier Q400 turboprop.

The airline has plans to expand the Encore service to several other routes including flights between Calgary and Edmonton, Regina, and Grande Prairie as of Aug. 13, the paper said.

Last week, WestJet reported strong profits for 2012 of $242.4 million, or $1.78 a share, up from $148.7 million in 2011. Still the airline is embarking on a $100 million cost-cutting initiative over the next three years.

CHAOS AT PEARSON

It’s not bad enough that ordinary Torontonians don’t know how to drive in the snow. It’s worse when folks at Pearson Airport can’t handle a dump of the white stuff.

It was chaos at Pearson on the weekend. Every time I turned on the news there was some poor schlep standing in front of a camera explaining how he’s been at the airport since 1998, or something like that, and was still waiting to take his trip to Florida.

“The bad news is I’ve had to wait 15 years for the de-icing equipment to work and for a new flight crew to arrive,” I thought I heard one man say. “The good news is I’m now 75 and I won’t have to take off my shoes when I go through security.”

It was not only crazy inside the airport, but a story in today’s Star outlines how folks had to wait hours and hours just to get their cars out of the lot at the Park'N Fly, which seems crazy.

A report on travelmole.com this morning says more than 7,000 flights were cancelled because of the winter storm that hit eastern Canada and the northeast U.S.

I don’t know about you, but I can’t wait for spring and summer. Because all we’ve have to worry about then is flooding and thunderstorms and hurricanes.

CRUISE SHIP TRAGEDY

It was about a year ago that the Costa ship ran aground in Italy. Now comes word of another tragedy, this one, bizarrely, during a drill lifeboat usage.

The incident took place during a safety drill on the cruise ship Thomson Majesty while it was docked in Santa Cruz on La Palma in the Canary Islands.

The lifeboat fell into the water killing five members of crew and injuring three.

Nautilus International, the union for seafarers and maritime professionals, argues that more people get killed and injured during lifeboat drills than rescued by lifeboats.

Andrew Linington, head of communications, said: "This is just ridiculous. There have been dozens of fatalities in the last few years alone due to these drills.”

JAUNT.CA DEAL OF THE DAY

Jaunt.ca, a division of Torstar, has an offering for a trip to fabulous Turkey.

Jaunt Highlights

• 16-day/14-night Ottoman Discoveries Turkey Tour with visits to ancient cities, mosques, Turkish markets and more!
• Optional return air from Toronto to Istanbul via Air Transat. Land-only option also available.
• Includes all transfers in Turkey via air-conditioned motorcoach, services of a professional English speaking tour guide, and all sightseeing and entrance fees as per itinerary
• 14 nights' accommodation based on double occupancy. See below for hotels included (or similar).
• Includes 40 meals throughout the tour

• Your small tour and boutique-style accommodations ensure a unique, personalized experience
• You'll visit famous sites of antiquity like Ephesus and Troy
• You'll experience the energy of Istanbul and the healing powers of Turkey's countryside

Offer Details

• Valid for travel on May 19, 2013
• Pricing (based on double occupancy):
  
  Land Only:
  Double: $2029 per person, tax included
  Single: $2679 per person, tax included
  
  Including Toronto Air:
  Double: $2609 + tax
  Single: $3259 + tax
  Tax: $457.60 per person
  
  
• Accommodations included (or similar): Aziyade (Istanbul), Iris (Canakkale), Kalehan (Selcuk), Pam (Pamukkale), Dogan (Antalya), Anamas Konukevi (Beysehir), Upper Greek House (Cappadocia), The Apple Palace (Amasya) & Kadioglu Sehzade Konagi (Safranbolu)
• Valid passport required for travel from Canada
• This offer is refundable until Feb 13 at 5PM EST. After this time, this offer is 100% non-refundable

Florida launches tourism campaign as storm hits the north/Deal of Day: Paris

Miserable out today, ain't it? Flights cancelled over the place, roads a mess, biting winds and cascading snow all around.

Not to make it hurt too much, but the forecast for Dunedin and Clearwater Beach, Florida is sunny and 22 degrees Celsius, with only a 20 per cent chance of rain. Which makes the announcement of a new Florida tourism campaign all the more perfect.

On Thursday, VISIT FLORIDA, the state’s official tourism marketing corporation, announced a new brand campaign that captures all the feelings of a Florida vacation experience in just four words: Must Be the Sunshine. It includes a great commercial that shows a penguin wandering into a hotel room filled with toys, such as golf clubs and a pink flamingo and a flying shark and a couple of famous mouse characters, plus a boy dressed as a pirate and a girl as a princess and tons more. I saw it a couple weeks ago at a Florida tourism conference and I think it's absolutely fabulous; touching all the buttons and more.

No plans to show it in Canada just yet, I'm told. Quite frankly, I think they're missing an opportunity. But we'll see. If you want to see it in the meantime, you can click here.

“There is nothing more powerful than a personal story being shared directly with others, and so at its core ‘Must Be the Sunshine’ is a storytelling campaign,” said Will Seccombe, President and CEO of VISIT FLORIDA.

The first television commercial, which will air in Detroit during Sunday’s Grammy Awards show, lands the viewer in the afterglow of an epic Florida family vacation.  In the months ahead – via TV, cinema, radio and print, as well as jumbotrons, subway station takeovers, commuter train wraps and even an interactive online game – “Must Be the Sunshine” will remind people why Florida vacations make great stories. 

“Unlike other destinations, we don’t have to invent the narratives,” said Susannah Costello, VISIT FLORIDA Vice President of Brand. “People are telling great Florida vacation stories all the time. This campaign capitalizes on that insight.”

The message has inspired some major participants.  Several of Florida’s heavyweights – Disney, Universal, SeaWorld and Busch Gardens, along with the Viva Florida 500 initiative, Florida State Parks and many other key tourism businesses – are all partnering together for the first time in the same TV ad.  Besides Sunday in Detroit, the commercial will play in Atlanta, New York, Chicago, Boston, Washington, D.C., Philadelphia and Dallas on such programs as the Today Show, Good Morning America, American Idol and The Big Bang Theory.

AIR CANADA PREMIUM ECONOMY

As much as it makes sense for Air Canada (and WestJet) to introduce premium economy seating, it's going to make things a tad less pleasant in regular economy.

There's only so much room in an airplane, and by adding more seating with more space it means a crunch for the people at the back of the plane. Air Canada insists it's a minor change, but we'll have to wait and see. I bet it'll be noticeable for most folks. Toss in the added fees and lack of amenities on flights these days and we know why flying ain't so fun any more.

STAY TUNED FOR WESTJET ENCORE

WestJet on Monday will reveal some of the destinations it'll serve with its new regional carrier, Encore. They're not saying if they'll do the western part of the country first or the east, but you'd have to think they'll be adding flights out west versus the already crowded eastern market.

Communities all over western Canada have been clamouring for service, as they understand the benefits of planes full of tourists, business people and just plain visitors coming to their towns. The lobbying has been intense, and the announcement will be quite interesting.

VEGAS GOES TO SPAIN

This report from Associated Press: Las Vegas Sands casinos and Madrid officials have chosen the town of Alcorcon on the outskirts of the Spanish capital as the site for the multibillion-dollar "EuroVegas" casino project, which authorities hope will bring much-needed jobs and investment to the recession-wracked country.

Madrid regional government president Ignacio Gonzalez said Friday that work on the first of three phases would begin at the end of 2013 and would be completed by 2017. The entire project, initially comprising 12 hotels and six casinos, is to be finished by 2023 at an estimated cost of €22 billion.

Las Vegas Sands is to fund 35 per cent of the project. It is not clear where the remaining 65 per cent will come from.

Spain has a swollen deficit and 26 per cent unemployment

JAUNT.CA DEAL OF THE DAY

Jaunt.ca, a division of Torstar, is offering a nine-day tour of some of the finest sights in France, including Paris and beautiful chateaux in the Loire Valley. The deal goes for $1,998 plus $510 in taxes for a total of $2,508 and is offered by Transat. Here are the details:

• SAVINGS: Save up to $674 per couple, compared to the cost of booking your air, accommodations, touring and meals separately!
• BONUS: $150 Future Travel Voucher per person
• BONUS: Extend your flight for up to 30 days at no additional cost (accommodations extra) and return from anywhere Transat flies in Europe
• 9-Day, 7-Night Royal Week in Paris Semi-Escorted Tour including visits to the Chateaux of the Loire Valley and Vaux-le-Vicomte, Palace of Versailles, a cruise along the Seine, and more 
• Includes return airfare from Toronto to Paris on board Air Transat, and airport/hotel transfers in France
• 7 nights' accommodation in 4-Star hotels (double occupancy). Hotels include the following or similar: Mercure Gobelins Place d'Italie or Mercure Montmartre Sacre-Coeur
• Includes transportation via deluxe motorcoach, services of an English-speaking licensed tour guide, and all sightseeing and entrance fees as per itinerary
• Meals include 7 hot buffet breakfasts, 2 lunches (1 including wine) and a farewell dinner with wine 
• The tour is a mixture of guided sightseeing and independent time
• You'll tour famous sites like the Palace of Versailles
• Explore the amazing castles that dot the French countryside

Offer Details

• Valid for travel on August 23, 2013
• Pricing (Rates are per person):
  
  Single: $2269
  Double: $1998
  Tax: $509.67
  
  
• Valid passport required for travel from Canada
• This offer is refundable until February 13 at 5PM EST. After this time, this offer is 100% non-refundable

"Premium economy" coming to some Air Canada international flights

Following the lead of other airlines, including rival WestJet, Air Canada today announced it will introduce "premium economy" to some of its international flights.

Many airlines have brought in similar classes of seats by reconfiguring planes in the hopes of luring folks who want something between basic economy and business class. It's a good idea, given the cost of business class.

I haven't seen the price structure, but I'd expect passengers would pay well into the hundreds of dollars for the premium spots on long flights.

Air Canada said the new setup "will offer customers a wide range of benefits including a dedicated cabin featuring larger seats that are wider, providing more recline, with seven more inches of legroom than Economy." It also said passengers will never be more than one seat from the aisle due to a 2-4-2 seating configuration in premium economy class.

"Customers will also be offered premium meals with complimentary bar service and priority check-in and baggage delivery at the airport. More information on Air Canada's new Premium Economy cabin is available at www.aircanada.com/premiumeconomy."

The service will be introduced on Air Canada's Montreal-Paris flights effective July 11, 2013.  Additional routes offering Premium Economy will be added over time as new aircraft enter the carrier's mainline fleet.

"With the introduction of Premium Economy, Air Canada will begin offering customers a new, high-value option for enhanced comfort and service on international flights," said Ben Smith, Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer.  "The delivery of five new Boeing 777-300ER aircraft over the next 12 months provides us with the right opportunity to launch a new cabin of service that will be offered on more of our international flights over time as we take delivery of new 787 aircraft.  We will continue to adapt our product to ensure our customers have competitive options to choose from - whether traveling on Air Canada mainline routes or with our leisure carrier, Air Canada rouge, to its vacation destinations."

The Star's Vanessa Lu reports that the new wide-body jets will be configured with three different types of seating — 36 executive first seats, 24 premium economy seats and 398 economy seats, for a total of 458.

Instead of three rows of three seats across the plane, Air Canada will use a three-four-three configuration.

On a comparable Boeing 777, Air Canada currently has 42 executive class seats and 307 economy seats for a total of 349.

The seat pitch in the newest aircraft in economy will shrink by 1 inch to 31 inches, airline officials say the seats are thinner, so it will be able to squeeze more than 100 extra seats on board.

WestJet (which, by the way, will announce some destinations for its new regional service, Encore, on Monday of next week) has said it will start offering three different fare bundles this spring as it introduces premium economy to Canadian travellers.

As Lu reported recently, The Calgary-based airline is "courting business travellers will to pay more for legroom, priority screening and boarding and flexible cancellations or flight changes."

WestJet plans three fare bundles or groups: Econo, Flex and Plus, all with various fares and fees.

The airline already has started reconfiguring all its Boeing 737 planes to offer better room on 24 seats the front of the aircraft, Lu reported.

The lowest fare, Econo, will target price-sensitive travellers. There will be fees to change or cancel a flight. The Flex bundle gives more options and flexibility but some extras will cost you. The Plus fare includes the ability to change flights and refund tickets to credit cards and will include on-board snacks and meals and alcoholic drinks.

Also, for the first, time, Plus passengers will get to board first and have access to overhead luggage bins before the rest of us lugs clamber on board with our oversized bags.

 

Romance blooms in Ontario (of all places!) - a look at Canada's romantic hotels

Well, what do you know. I'm often on the case of the poor folks at Trip Advisor, gently (sometimes) ribbing them about reader polls they do that seem to favour those lucky saps out in Vancouver who probably are already looking at crocuses and daisies popping out of their (wet) gardens.

Time after time, it seems, I get reader polls or what have you that give all the kudos to hotels in British Columbia and all but ignore Ontario and even Quebec. Let alone the poor Maritimes and Newfoundland. But now, just in time for Valentine's Day, comes a Trip Advisor Readers' Choice awards with more geographical balance, Canada-wise.

Their latest offering lines up the 10 most romantic hotels in Canada, and Ontario takes the top prize. I frankly don't know how they get such rewards on Trip Advisor, but Harbour House Hotel in Niagara-on-the-Lake got top spot for romance in Canada, followed by the Brentwood Bay Resort and Spa in B.C. The next four spots in a row, which I find unrealistic as well, went to Ontario: Woodland Echoes Resort in Magnetewan, Sterling Inn and Spa in Niagara Falls, The Charles Inn in Niagara-on-the-Lake and Riverbend Inn and Vineyard in Niagara-on-the-Lake.

In seventh spot came Hotel Kutuma in Montreal, followed by Le Relais Lyonnais in Montreal, Mercer Hall Inn in Stratford, Ontaro and Smugglers Cove Inn in lovely Lunenburg, Nova Scotia.

This means Ontario grabbed six of the top ten spots, Quebec two, British Columbia a paltry one (heh, heh) and good old Nova Scotia one.

I put very little faith in these things, to be honest. They're fun to write about but I haven't a clue how people judge these things. Niagara is a romantic place that deserves some spots in the top ten, but 40 per cent?

It's fun to see Ontario beat out those romantics in Quebec, but I simply can't believe there's no place in beautiful Banff that doesn't deserve the top 10. Let alone places I've visited that are absolutely stunning: The Wickaninnish in Tofino, B.C. and Auberge Saint-Antoine in Quebec (see photo at left of Panache restaurant), which might be the top property in the country. Not to mention Toronto's Ritz-Carlton, Hazelton, Four Seasons, Trump and Shangri-La, or the lovely St. Germain on Mercer Street; still my favourite hotel in the city.

For what it's worth, Trip Advisor also listed the ten most romantic hotels in the U.S. and in the world. Here they are:

U.S. ROMANCE SPOTS

1. Bardessono, Yountville, California, 2. Koa Kea Hotel and Resort, Poipu, Kauai, Hawaii, 3. Inn of the Five Graces, Santa Fe, New Mexico, 4. Post Ranch Inn, Big Sur, California, 5. Honor Mansion, a Wine Country Resort, Healdsburg, California, 6. Ocean Lodge, Saint Simons Island, Georgia, 7. Casa Laguna Inn and Spa, Laguna Beach, California, 8. Mountain Home Lodge, Leavenworth, Washington, 9. Tickle Pink Inn, Carmel, California, 10. Henderson Park Inn, Destin, Florida.

Lots of California content, for sure. And, once again, North Dakota gets robbed.

WORLD ROMANCE SPOTS

1. Anastasis Apartments, Imerovigli, Greece, 2. La Minerva, Capri, Italy, 3. Cranleigh Boutique, Bowness-on-Windermere, United Kingdom, 4. Cedar Manor Hotel and Restaurant, Windermere, UK, 5. Baros Maldives, North Male Atoll, Maldive Islands, 6. Casa del Mar, Langkawi, Malaysia, 7, Bardessono, Yountville, California, 8. Al Maha Desert Resort, Dubai, 9. Layana Resort and Spa, Ko Lanta, Thailand, 10. Veligandu Island Resort, North Ari Atoll, Maldives Islands.

Nice, but no mention of Tahiti's overwater bungalows? For shame! On the other hand, I've actually been to one of these, Al Maha Desert Resort in Dubai. It's stunning and I had an outdoor spa/tub overlooking the desert and a watering hole with, I think, a type of gazelle hanging about. Alas, I was alone...

TROUBLES IN MEXICO

Associated Press reports that six Spanish tourists were raped by a gang of armed, masked men in the Mexican resort of Acapulco, the latest chapter of violence that has tarnished the once-glamorous Pacific coast resort.

The attackers burst into a house the Spaniards had rented on the outskirts of Acapulco, in a low-key beachside area, and held 12 Spanish men and women and one Mexican woman at gunpoint before dawn on Monday. They tied up the six men with phone cords and bathing suit straps and then raped the six Spanish women, said Acapulco Mayor Luis Walton at a press conference later Monday.

"This is a regrettable situation, and of course it is going to damage Acapulco," said Walton. The once-glittering resort that attracted movie stars and celebrities in the 1950s and 60s has already been battered by years of drug gang killings and extortions, but except for a very few incidents, the violence largely has not touched tourists.

Walton said he believed, but wasn't sure, that the assailants in Monday's attack didn't belong to a drug gang.

"From what the attorney general has told me, I don't think this was organized crime, but that will have to be investigated, we don't know," Walton said.

Mexico's Foreign Relations Department issued a statement saying it regretted the attack, and suggesting it was not drug-cartel related.

That's nice. But it doesn't help their tourism situation.

JAUNT.CA DEAL OF THE DAY - JAMAICA

Snow's on the way, folks, so it's a good time to think about a sunny getaway. Jaunt.ca, a division of Torstar, is offering a deal for the lovely island of Jamaica, at the Grand Bahia Principe in Runaway Bay.

Jaunt Highlights

• BONUS: ACV Privileges offer exclusive check in/late check out (subject to availability), 4 guaranteed à la carte reservations per week, 20% spa discount, nightly turn down service and more!
• All-inclusive 7-night stay at the 4-Star Grand Bahia Principe Jamaica, located in Runaway Bay, Jamaica
• Includes return airfare from Toronto to Montego Bay, and round-trip airport/hotel transfers in Jamaica
• Accommodations in a Junior Suite, featuring 1 king or 2 double beds and private balcony or terrace. Max. occupancy: 3 adults and 1 child, or 2 adults and 2 children
• Daily breakfast, lunch and dinner, and unlimited domestic alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks

Why We Love It:

• Continue the relaxation in your Junior Suite with your own hydro massage tub
• The experience of swimming in a 3-lake style interconnected pool
• The sleek and unique Victorian-style accomodations

Offer Details

• Valid for travel on the following departures:
  Toronto: March 12, 16, 17, 18, 20 & 23, 2013
• Pricing (Rates are per person):
  
  Single: $1449
  Double: $999
  Triple: $979
  1st Child (2-12): $879
  2nd Child (2-12): $399
  Tax: $377
• Valid passport required for travel from Canada
• This offer is 100% non-refundable at time of bookin

 

Man in New Zealand claims wild parrot stole his money ... Jaunt.ca Deal of Day

To paraphrase Monty Python, Now that's what I call a (not) dead parrot. Or maybe it will be if a guy who had his money stolen catches up with the bird.

Travelmole.com today reports that a Scotsman visiting New Zealand claimed all his holiday savings were stolen by a wild parrot.

Here's what Travelmole had to say: "Peter Leach, from Glasgow, said the cheeky bird stole hundreds of dollars from his campervan.

The Scottish tourist left the windows down on his van after stopping to snap photos, including one of an unusual bird on the ground near his vehicle.

"A Canadian couple walked by and said: 'We've just seen that bird take something out of your campervan'," he said.

"It took all the money I had. I was left with 40 dollars in my pocket."

Stuff NZ reported that the unsuspecting tourist had stashed his travel cash - aboot $1,300 NZ dollars (roughly  $1,100 Canadian) - in a small cloth bag and left it on the dashboard, where the bird apparently found it.

The bird - a kea - grabbed the bag and flew off."

Guess campervans should come with hotel mini-safes. Or maybe windows you can, you know, actually roll up for safety?

As for the bird, I'm told by my NZ sources that he has some friends who are Norwegian Blue parrots and is saving all he can for a flight to the fjords.

HEADED OUT ON BUSINESS? STAY IN CANADA AND AVOID MOSCOW

We think we have it bad in Canada sometimes, don't we? High air fares for sure. High restaurant and alcohol prices, also for sure. But we don't pay much for hotels, especially for business hotels.

I constantly see good hotels in major Canadian city centres for $100 or so a night on sites like hotwire.com or hotels.com. And those prices are a JOKE compared to what biz people pay around the world.

A new report by U.K.-based Hogg Robinson Group says business travelers to Moscow can expect to pay a whopping $410 a night. Not far behind are Lagos, Nigeria (where folks seem to want five-star security) at $358, and New York City at $346/night. After that came Hong Kong, Zurich, Geneva, Rio de Janeiro, Paris, Sydney and Stockholm.

The cheapest of the 55 cities surveyed was Hyderabad, India, which averaged just $138. Which means they either didn't survey any Canadian cities or that all Canadian cities average less than $138.

The latter would surprise me as the survey seems to be quoting rack rates. I guess some biz folks can still simply book without checking prices. But it's awfully easy to get big discounts these days and I think any business person who spends $346 per night for New York isn't working the old Internet too hard.

I spotted seven U.S. cities on the list. The highest priced was San Francisco at $300 (11th overall in the world), while the cheapest in American city in the top 55 was Atlanta, which finished 44th with an average nightly rate of $184.

As for which cities are seeing higher prices and which are better deals, Hogg Robinson said Rio prices jumped 19 per cent last year, followed by Sao Paulo (18), Tokyo (11), San Francisco (10) and Mexico City (a nine per cent hike). Prices fell 14 per cent for the year in Washington D.C., followed by Bangalore (12 per cent drop), Abu Dhabi (11), Istanbul (10) and New Delhi (a nine per cent fall).

THIS AND THAT

Westin is poised to open its 200th hotel worldwide this year. The hotel group says it will open 11 new hotels this year, the vast majority in fast-growing markets including China, India, Singapore and Panama ... They're calling it the world's highest skating rink. Folks at the John Hancock Tower in fabulous Chicago have opened an artificial ice rink some 1,000 feet above downtown. The rink features tempered glass wall boards, offering skaters an amazing view of Lake Michigan, Lake Shore Drive and the Chicago Skyline from the 94^th floor ... Congrats to Vancouver for winning rights to the prestigious TED conference, which attracts deep thinkers from all over the globe. It should provide a nice boost in publicity to the city and B.C. in general. And, of course, Canada in general, too.

JAUNT.CA DEAL OF THE DAY

Jaunt.ca, a division of Torstar, has a comprehensive, 15-day Ireland tour package on tap for $3,062, including $464 in taxes. Here are the details:

Jaunt Highlights

• 15-Day Shamrock Royal Ireland Tour, featuring coast to coast touring and visits to the Giant's Causeway, Malahide, Cahir Castle and more!
• Includes return airfare from Toronto to Dublin via Air Transat
• Includes all transfers in Ireland via first class motorcoach, services of a professional tour guide, and all sightseeing and entrance fees as per itinerary
• 14 nights' hotel accommodation in First Class 4-Star Hotels (based on double occupancy) in ensuite rooms
• Includes full Irish breakfast daily, 11 full course evening meals in hotels, and a farewell dinner with entertainment

• Enjoy a luxury coach and first class accommodations
• A hop-on hop-off Dublin bus tour is included
• Enjoy famous sites like Giant's Causeway, the Ring of Kerry, Cliffs of Moher and more

Offer Details

• Valid for travel on the following departure dates: April 15, 29, May 6, 24, June 7, 14, 2013
• Pricing (Rates are per person, plus tax, based on double occupancy):
  
  April Dates: $2598 + $464 tax
  May Dates: $2798 + $464 tax
  June Dates: $2998 + $464 tax
• Valid passport required for travel from Canada

 

 

 

 

Where to save money in Europe this year & where to spend ... Jaunt Deal of Day

Nothing like a good list to bite into on a Monday morning. And today there are some excellent ones to look at.

A website called priceoftravel.com puts out a series of lists each year to outline what places in the world are the most affordable to visit. I spotted their backpackers' list for Europe last year, but just this morning I found a vast amount more; not only backpacking places in Europe but also 3-star places in Europe and a backpacking daily cost index for North America and for the entire world; very cool.

I can't vouch for the results, but their rules seem fair. For backpackers, they choose the cheapest bed in a good, central hostel with good reviews for one night, then add in two public transit rides, one paid famous attraction, three budget meals and three cheap, local beers or glasses of wine. It's a similar deal for 3-star hotels but they change transit to two short cab rides and aim for better restaurants (but still in the budget category).

For North America, here are 12 cities they reviewed in order of cheapest to most expensive: Las Vegas ($57.90/day U.S.), New Orleans, Washington D.C., Montreal ($63.59), San Francisco, Los Angeles, Honolulu, Miami Beach, Toronto ($78.59), Chicago, Vancouver ($82.02) and New York City ($89.30). The most expensive in the world was Zurich at $115.96, good for 116th and last place. Close behind were Oslo, Venice, Stockholm, Helsinki, Amsterdam and Sydney.

For Toronto, they cited the high cost of public transit but also said the city is one of the nicest and cleanest (not so much any more, I'd say, personally) around and that transit isn't too much of an issue given the compact downtown. They said the nightlife district is one of the best in the world, which is good to hear.

For Europe 3-star travelers, the cheapest was Sofia Bulgaria (see photo below right) at $48.55 per day. Then came Bucharest, Budapest, Krakow, Riga Latvia, Sarajevo, Belgrade, Bratislava Czech Republic, Kiev and Tenerife, Spain (in the Canary Islands). Most expensive were Helsinki, Copenhagen, Rome, Brussels, Stockholm, Oslo, London, Venice, Paris and Zurich, at a whopping $201.88 per day. Which means you could spend almost FOUR DAYS in Sofia for the price of one day in Zurich. I like Zurich a lot and have never been to Sofia, but I imagine the Bulgarian city would be pretty decent at a quarter the cost of Switzerland.

The website also rated the most and least affordable spots in the Caribbean, using a 3-star hotel room for a week and a return flight from New York City. Which isn't so useful for Canadians as we don't fly south out of New York very often. Most affordable was Cancun, then Negril, San Juan Puerto Rico, Puerto Plata and Barbados. Most expensive in their survey were Grenada, La Romana in the Dominican, Tortola in the British Virgin Islands, Anguilla and, no surprise, exclusive St. Bart's.

For all-inclusive places (again, not flying out of Canada, so potentially misleading for us) the list was as follows: Cancun, Puerto Plata, Ocho Rios, Punta Cana, Montego Bay, Negril, La Romana, Samana in the D.R., St. Lucia, Nassau, Antigua/Barbuda, Barbados and, lastly, Aruba.

Looking to really save money as a backpacker? The cheapest spots in the world survey were Pokhara, Nepal ($14.75; see photo at left), Hanoi, Kathmandu, Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam, Phnom Penh, Chiang Mai in Thailand, Delhi, Goa in India, Quito Ecuador and Hoi An, Vietnam. That's three spots for Vietnam in the top 10.

I could go on and on but that provides a pretty good overview of a fun site. Eastern Europe and Southeast Asia continue to provide excellent value for students. And adults, too. You spend more to get there, perhaps, at least to Southeast Asia. But the daily savings can be huge compared to Rome or Paris or Scandinavia. Let alone poor Zurich.

JAUNT.CA DEAL OF THE DAY

Jaunt.ca, a division of Torstar, has a seven-night deal on tap for a lovely looking getaway in Venezuela (see photo below right) for $944, including $345 in taxes.

• 7-night All-inclusive stay at the 3.5-Star Dunes Hotel Beach & Resort, located in Margarita, Venezuela
• Includes return airfare from Toronto to Margarita, and round-trip airport/resort transfers in Venezuela
• Accommodations in a Room featuring 1 king, queen or 2 twin beds. Max. Occupancy: 3 adults (max 1 child per room)
• Daily breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, and unlimited alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks

• The resort is in the heart of Venezuela's vacation hub
• Enjoy world class diving on off of shores that rival the best in the world
• Choose from a variety of activities on the resort

Offer Details

• Valid for travel on the following departure dates: February 20, 27 & March 6, 2013
• Pricing (rates are per person, plus tax):
  
  Single: $699
  Double: $599
  Triple: $549
  Child (2 yrs): $299
  Child (3-6 yrs): $349
  Child (7-12 yrs): $499
  Tax: $345.04
• Valid passport required for travel from Canada
• This offer is refundable until 5PM EST on February 4, 2013. After that time, this offer is 100% non-refundable.

 

 

SeaWorld penguins stir up a buzz in Star newsroom ... Ballplayers head to Oz

 Want a sure way to make friends in your workplace? Bring in some penguins.

Yeah, it's probably not something you can do unless you're a travel editor at a major newspaper. And there aren't many of those jobs around, I guess. But it's still a cool thing to have visitors from Sea World in Orlando descend on your office for a promotional visit and bring in a couple of small and absolutely adorable guests.

The folks from Sea World have a new exhibit opening in May called Antarctica: Empire of the Penguin, where folks will be able to interact with several types of penguins in a natural-like area and feel the cold and smell the birds and all. There also will be a ride/attraction with some educational components to help visitors learn about penguins and their social habits.

I was told in advance by a contact of mine that they'd be bringing the birds in this week, but I wasn't sure if they were allowed out of their cages or what the deal was. A guy at our security desk at 1 Yonge St. called up when the guests arrived on Thursday and said, "I take it they're not being let loose in the newsroom," or words to that effect.

I said I didn't think so, given that we had a live reindeer do its business in the Editor's office prior to Christmas. Up they came in the elevator in a covered cage.

T.J., the bird's handler, suggested they be let loose in a place where cleanup would be, um, easier than on the newsroom carpeting, so we headed to the linoleum floor of the lunchroom. Pretty soon word got out that I had some visitors and folks started rolling in to see Pete and Penny, each mature Magellanic penguins from the straits of Magellan in South America.

"Oh my God," they shrieked. "They're so CUTE!!!"

Pete and Penny strolled casually around the lunchroom for a bit, then spotted a small, dark area under the sink. They made what penguins might think of as a bee-line for the space; probably, I was told, because it seemed like one of their burrows. One of the penguins started a digging motion on the linoleum, which was awfully cool. I'm not quite sure, but it looked like they were trying to make out a little bit, too, which was even more adorable.

T.J. managed to get one of them to let out a good, raucous penguin shout, the likes of which I'd never heard before. It was a barking, loud, coughing like shout that one reporter said sounded like a miniature Chewbacca from Star Wars.

There IS something undeniably wonderful about penguins. Maybe, as Julie Scardina of SeaWorld told me, it's because they stand upright like we do. I'd never thought of it, but she's probably right. I think the tuxedos help a lot in making them seem more human than, say, a cardinal or a duck or an eagle, as well. And that adorable waddle is great, as you can see by the great video that Star man Scott Simmie put together Thursday on about 23 seconds notice.

With the lunchroom crowd starting to get out of hand, I went to the Star's managing editor and asked if the penguins could tour the carpeted newsroom. She quickly ascented, so we opened the doors. T.J. picked up one of the penguins (I don't know which as I'm not an expert in telling the sex of a penguin at a distance) and started walking to the main newsroom. Because Pete and Penny have been an item for years and years, the other penguin quickly waddled down the hall after T.J. and his/her mate. Which I found adorable.

The penguins made quite a show and I'm sure a few hundred photos were taken in a few short minutes. Lest you think this was cruel or anything, I was assured Magellanic penguins can take a variety of temperatures and are quite social and don't mind being around people or in warm places for a few minutes at a time.

Scardina told me the folks at SeaWorld have learned a ton about penguins over the years and have responded to many penguin emergencies around the world, helping rescue stricken animals after oil spills and other disasters and helping clean them up and establishing feeding programs to help keep them in their natural environment.

I had no idea, but there are 18 types of penguins in the world. Four of them will be on hand in the Antarctica exhibit: Gentoos, Rock Hoppers, Adelies and King penguins.

"We have penguin encounters in our parks but the Antarctica exhibit will be like penguins on steroids," Scardina said with a laugh.

"Our mission is to educate people as well as entertain them," she said. "We want to make it fun for people but also let them know about the animals. We want people to see how they interact, for example."

"Most people don't get a chance to go to Antarctica, so we want them to be able to learn about it," she said.

"This is really about survival," Scardina told me. "Penguins are living in a less and less friendlly world all the time. There's increased competition from humans from fishing and penguins often have to travel twice as far as they used to for food, which means less for their chicks when they get back."

Scardina said 13 of the 18 species of penguins are in decline or are in trouble due to food issues and warmer temperatures in the ocean and changes in normal ocean currents.

As for the Antarctica exhibit, it's the largest expansion in SeaWorld's history.

“There’s nothing else like this in the world,” said Brian Morrow, SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment creative director. “Next year, this is the vehicle that will take families on an epic adventure and allow them to experience and interact with the thrills, wonders and dangers of Antarctica, all through the eyes of a very special penguin.” 

BALLPLAYERS ON TOUR

An item on travelmole.com says more than 55 visiting American representatives from tourism bureaus and travel/tourism groups will descend on Sydney, Perth, Melbourne and Brisbane for some Visit USA trade expos in Australia.

"In keeping with the sporting theme of the expos, each is co-sponsored by Major League Baseball, which means travel trade guests can look forward to plenty of ball-slinging fun, designed to recreate the sights, sounds and smells of a baseball game," the report said. "Guests will be welcomed by the aroma of buttery popcorn and the sounds of a jazz band before trying their hand in an inflatable pitching cage, on a Wii console, at ping-pong tables or on a mini-field, where a home run hitting competition will test skill.

"American Baseball League players and mascots will be on hand as well as costumes and a photo booth, so guests can dress up as their favourite player and capture the moment."

No word on what ballplayers will go. Presumably there won't be any Blue Jays, since this is a Visit USA event...