More trouble for Boeing`s Dreamliner ... Jaunt.ca deal of the day is the D.R.

I don't know much about the airline business. But I think I know bad p.r. when I see it. And the grounding of Boeing 787 Dreamliners in Japan today is most decidedly bad p.r.

Here's a report this morning from Reuters that I think tells the story rather quickly:

REUTERS - Japan's two leading airlines grounded their fleets of Boeing 787s on Wednesday after one of the Dreamliner passenger jets made an emergency landing, the latest in a series of incidents to heighten safety concerns over a plane many see as the future of commercial aviation.

All Nippon Airways Co said instruments aboard a domestic flight indicated a battery error, triggering emergency warnings to the pilots. Shigeru Takano, a senior safety official at the Civil Aviation Bureau, said a second warning light indicated smoke.

Wednesday's incident, described by a transport ministry official as "highly serious" - language used in international safety circles as indicating there could have been an accident - is the latest in a line of mishaps - fuel leaks, a battery fire, wiring problem, brake computer glitch and cracked cockpit window - to hit the world's first mainly carbon-composite airliner in recent days.

"I think you're nearing the tipping point where they need to regard this as a serious crisis," said Richard Aboulafia, a senior analyst with the Teal Group in Fairfax, Virginia. "This is going to change people's perception of the aircraft if they don't act quickly."

Most definitely a bad situation, and one that Boeing's competitors will no doubt try to take advantage of.

THIS AND THAT

Los Angeles had a banner year for tourism in 2012, according to the Los Angeles Times. The Times said the city set a new record with 41.4 million visitors. That's a 2.5 per cent hike over the 40.4 million folks who came to check out the city in 2011. International visitors make up 15 per cent of that amount, and for the first time ever the Chinese led the way, with 339,000 visits. I suspect we'll see a lot more of that in the future with other cities. I could be wrong, but I believe Canadians were traditionally the number one source of international tourists for L.A. ... Barbara DeLollis at USA Today Travel reports that the Toronto-based Four Seasons Hotel group will open the Lion Palace in St. Petersburg, Russia in May. The building was designed in 1817 and was once called home by a princess in the royal family. The hotel is in the historic Admiralteysky district, just two blocks from the renowned Hermitage Museum. Other hotel openings of note this year are the Peninsula Paris in December, the Quin Hotel in New York City in late March in midtown, the Shangri-La at the new Shard building in London in May and the Andaz Maui at Wailea sometime this summer. This will be the first resort for Andaz, a boutique chain by Hyatt. Wailea, if you've never been, is a fabulous stretch of beaches on the driest part of the wonderful island of Maui.

JAUNT.CA DEAL OF THE DAY

Jaunt.ca, a division of Torstar, has a deal for beautiful Punta Cana for $1,175 ($789 plus $386 in taxes).

Jaunt Highlights

• 7-night all-inclusive stay at the 4-Star Occidental Grand Punta Cana, located in Punta cana, Dominican Republic
• Includes return airfare from Toronto to Punta Cana, and round-trip airport/resort transfers in the Dominican Republic
• Accommodations in a Junior Suite, featuring 1 king-size bed plus sofa bed, and balcony or terrace with garden or pool view. Max. occupancy: 3 adults + 1 child or 2 adults + 2 children
• Daily breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, and unlimited alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks

• This mega-resort has over ten restaurants and bars to choose from
• The resort has a host of activities from merengue dance lessons and horseback riding to scuba diving and spa services
• Located on one fo the most beautiful beaches in the Caribbean with 300m of waterfront

Offer Details

• Valid for travel on the following departure dates: January 25, 27 & 28, 2013
• Pricing (per person, plus tax):
  
  Single: $1089
  Double: $789
  Triple/Quad: $789
  Child (2-12 yrs): $687
  Tax: $386
• Valid passport required for travel from Canada
• This offer is 100% non-refundable at time of booking

A little used-way to save money on air fares ... United's new bag delivery scheme

I've done this several times before, but a story I spotted this morning out of Dallas made for a good reminder.

One way you can save a bit (sometimes more) on a long-distance air fare is to buy separate tickets.  This works particularly well if you're headed to a smaller destination in Europe or to a far-flung part of the Caribbean. Also to South America and sometimes Asia.

The thing to remember is that there are often are great deals at OTHER airports than Toronto; particularly some in the U.S. and in Europe. Rather than fly, say, Air Canada to London and then on to, say, Prague, you could look at a cheap flight out of London to Prague (see photo) on something like Ryan Air or another discount carrier, and then buy a ticket to London.

Better deals, I think, are often out of New York. That doesn't always work so well for flights to Europe, but it can if the New York-Europe ticket is discounted enough to get you to fly (or even drive) to New York or Newark. It can work quite well on a trip to South America out of New York, or to some Caribbean spots with deals. Likewise, you can fly to some Caribbean spots or South America via Miami.

It also can work if you want to go to Hawaii, as there have been good deals out of Oakland and San Francisco and Los Angeles of late. Ditto for the occasional sale out of L.A. to New Zealand or Australia. If you have Aeroplan points, you might be able to fly to L.A. for the $100 or so you'll get charged by Aeroplan, and then get a $1,200 ticket (or so) to Australia.

UNITED BAG SERVICE

Here's a clever idea. Travelmole.com reports United Airlines has launched a new VIP baggage service, allowing flyers "to avoid luggage lines and have their bags delivered directly to their final destinations."

It would save a hassle if you can afford the fees: $29.95 for one bag, $39.95 for two and $49.95 for three to eight bags. The latter would be handy for a big family that doesn't want to bother waiting around for their bags.

Sadly, the place I know of with the LONGEST WAITS IN THE WORLD for bags, that being Pearson here in Toronto, isn't part of his program.

The new service, called Bags VIP, will first be available to customers departing from any US airport and heading to Boston, Chicago, Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles or Orlando. The bags can be delivered anywhere within 100 miles, and United says it plans to expand the service to nearly 200 airports in the coming months.

I can see this being pretty useful if you're a business person and you have to get to a meeting fast and don't want to wait for the carousel to spit out your suitcase. Maybe not as much for average travelers, but worth considering....

JAUNT.CA DEAL OF THE DAY

Jaunt.ca, a division of Torstar, has a Discover Imperial Beijing, China tour on offer. A package from Tour East Holidays, it goes for $1,199 plus $600 in taxes.

Jaunt Highlights

• EXCLUSIVE SAVINGS: Savings of up to $2300 per couple, compared to what you'd pay had you booked your air, accommodations and tours separately!
• 9-day/7-night tour of Beijing, including visits to the Temple of Heaven, the Imperial Palace, the Great Wall of China, and more
• Includes single-entry China Visa (valued at $115) and gratuities for local driver & guide (valued at $85)
• Includes round-trip, direct flight with Air Canada from Toronto or Vancouver, to Beijing, airport/hotel transfers in China, and all transfers throughout the tour
• Includes 18 meals throughout the tour (as indicated in itinerary below)
• Accommodations are in 4-star hotels, and are based on double occupancy
• Includes accompaniment of an English-speaking guide and all required entrance fees (as per itinerary)

• Fly direct to Beijing, and if you're an Aeroplan member, collect points
• Visit the Great Wall of China - one of the Seven Wonders of the World
• Taste your way through the country from traditional teahouses to Donghuamen Snack Street

Offer Details

• Valid for travel on April 3, 2013 departure
• Pricing (per person, plus tax):
  
  Toronto
  Single: $1499
  Double: $1199
  Tax: $650
  
  Vancouver
  Single: $1499
  Double: $1199
  Tax: $600

 

 

 

WestJet #19 safest airline in world, Air Canada 25th ... Jaunt.ca deal of the day

The folks at JACDEC, the Jet Airliner Crash Data Evaluation Centre, based in Germany, have issued their 2012 safety report for the world's airlines.

As reported in this space the other day, the centre said flying was safer around the world last year than in some time, with 23 accidents and 475 fatalities in 2012. The 10-year average was 34 accidents and 773 fatalities a year.

More interesting for us in Canada, perhaps, are the safety numbers for our two biggest airlines. JACDEC's 2012 report put WestJet 19th in the world out of 60 airlines rated, which means they can boast of making the top third. (Which is a lot better than screaming, 'We're number 19,' I think.)

Air Canada came 25th, which allows them to say they were in the top half but, again, probably not something we'll see marketing campaign built around.

Still, there's some solace in the numbers for Canadian flyers. We could be doing a LOT worse.

Porter Airlines wasn't included in the JACDEC survey, just FYI.

As for the top five, they were, in order: Finnair, Air New Zealand, Cathay Pacific, Emirates and Etihad. Worst five? Glad you asked: Korean Air, GOL (Brazil), Air India, TAM (Brazil) and China Airlines (Taiwan).

Not so great for Brazil. Maybe I should rent a car if I go someday ...

The only North American airline that finished ahead of WestJet was JetBlue, which was the continent's top-rated group at #14. Southwest was 21, between WestJet and Air Canada. Other North American notables: Delta 28; United 31, American 42 and US Air a not too pretty 44.

ENGLAND GETS SMALL BOOST FROM OLYMPICS

I covered the Olympics for the Star off and on for more than 20 years, and I've made this point many times. So forgive me while I make it again.

Time after time after time after time, tourism and business types backing Olympic bids from cities around the world stand up in front of banks of tv cameras and microphones and talk in dreamy tones about how staging the Games will bring in hordes of tourists.

It almost never happens. People get scared to death of the Olympics. They fear security hassles and nightmare traffic and, for the most part, the numbers never come close to what folks boast about in those fancy press conferences. Oh, they do fine. But they seldom if ever do as well as the boosters insist.

What you CAN do by staging the Olympics, if you do it right, is boost your long-term standing in the travel world. Barcelona was a relative backwater until they spent gazillions on public works and beaches and fancy art work and now it's a HUGE player in Europe. Sydney, on the other hand, didn't seem to do as well. Ditto for Vancouver and certainly for Atlanta.

A report on travelmole.com today says Britain suffered a three per cent drop in tourists during the third quarter of last year when London hosted the 2012 Olympic Games.

Despite expectations of a bookings bonanza for the capital during the Olympics, London received 200,000 fewer overnight visits from overseas residents over summer 2012 than a year earlier.  Visits to the rest of England and Scotland also fell, but not those to Wales. 

However, there were benefits overall, so perhaps the boosters had it somewhat correct. It turns out that while overall numbers were down, spending by overseas visitors rose eight per cent. You could make the argument that total spending is more important than actual bums on the planes, so good for them.

VisitBritain said November was the best for five years, with visitor numbers up nine per cent year on year, keeping the country on track for 31 million visits by the end of 2012. It said spending for the 11 months of the year reached a record 17.2 billion pounds.

However, spending associated with overnight visits to London increased by 13% from £2.8 billion to £3.1 billion. Spending on Olympics and Paralympics tickets will have accounted for a part of this increase, said the Office for National Statistics.

No doubt the Queen's Jubilee and the royal wedding helped, too.

The point here is that the Olympics aren't a short-term panacea for tourism. But if you do things right, you can expect reasonable long-term improvements. Not to mention a great party and a morale boost for your city or country. Whether that's worth the enormous, multi-billion dollar costs of these things is, of course, up for debate. I think Canadians don't mind at all that we spent a fortune on security for Vancouver. It was a coming out party and a huge source of pride for us to win so many medals and I doubt many of us regret the money spent. Ditto for London, I suspect.

THIS AND THAT

Good item in today's Star Business section by reporter Vanessa Lu, charting recent problems with the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. The new planes should be coming to Air Canada in the next year or two, and they're supposed to allow AC to use its older planes on the new, discount Rouge carrier they just launched. It's possible that delays, if there are any, in delivering the Dreamliner would impact on Rouge. But it's pretty early to speculate. Besides, Boeing says everything's great with their new product. So it must be true. Right? Right? ... Aeroplan is again offering an exclusive invitation for CIBC Aeroplan Cardholders. They've 100 per cent of the seats for cardholders on two Air Canada flights from Toronto to Orlando for March break. Book now to take advantage ... StatsCan says tourism spending rose 1 per cent in the third quarter of 2012, up from 0.1 per cent in the previous quarter. The agency says higher tourism spending by Canadians at home more than made up for a decline in spending by international visitors. The Canadian Tourism Commission says its efforts to market last year's 100th anniversary of the Calgary Stampede lured thousands of visitors to Canada. It says more than 8,900 travellers booked trips to Canada in the six months leading to the centennial celebrations and that spending by those visitors injected more than $9.2 million into the Canadian economy. The Stampede received a record 1.4 million visitors, up 20 per cent from 2011.

JAUNT.CA DEAL OF THE DAY

Jaunt.ca, a division of Torstar, has a deal for a coach tour of fabulous and historic Turkey with Transat.

Priced at $2,049 plus $458 in taxes (for a total of $2,07), the tour includes many of the highlights of this fascinating and popular country. Here are the highlights:

Jaunt Highlights

• 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
• 16-Day, 14-Night Tour of Turkey including visits to the Grand Bazaar, Ephesus, a walking tour of Antalya, sightseeing tour of Ankara along Salt Lake, and more!
• Includes return airfare from Toronto to Istanbul on board Air Transat, and airport/hotel transfers in Turkey
• 14 nights' accommodation in 4-Star hotels and a Special class Hotel with private facilities (double occupancy) 
• Includes transportation via an air conditioned coach, services of an English-speaking licensed tour guide, and all sightseeing and entrance fees as per itinerary
• Meals include 14 buffet breakfasts, 13 lunches and 12 dinners, including a farewell dinner with wine

• Hotels are in 4-star or special class hotels with private facilities
• The wide variety of sights include historic ruins, markets, natural wonders, battlegrounds and more
• Discover both the European and Asian sides of Istanbul

Offer Details

• Valid for travel on the following departure date: June 2, 2013
• Pricing (per person, plus tax):
  
  Single: $2559
  Double: $2049
  Triple: $2029
  Tax: $457.60
• Valid passport and visa (not included) required for travel from Canada
• Other Turkey packages available with Transat Holidays. Call 1-855-GO-JAUNT to book!
• This offer is refundable until 5PM EST on January 16, 2013. After that time, this offer is 100% non-refundable

 

Air France no-frills category means no bags allowed ... Jaunt.Ca Deal of the Day

Here's an interesting bit that might be a little scary. Or maybe it's just brilliant.

Instead of slapping passengers with high fees for bags, the folks at Air France have developed a low-cost, no frills fare structure called MiNi.

Aside from a horrible name (the French loved Jerry Lewis and embrace mimes, so there you go), there's something to this. I mean, as my son just pointed out to me over his breakfast, anyone who tries to take a checked bag on RyanAir in Europe is crazy given the fees, so why not develop a category where you can't even contemplate checked baggage?

I'd be terrible at it as I'm a professional over-packer, but it makes a ton of sense. The new fare offer is for sale now and is available on 58 short and medium haul destinations for travel from Feb. 6, according to travelmole.com.

Air France says some 40 per cent of short and medium range passengers don't take checked bags as it is, a number a found initially surprising but that probably makes sense.

The new MiNi product does not earn the passenger Flying Blue miles and is aimed as customers travelling without checked baggage - with fare starting at 49 euros including tax. That's about $65, folks, and how good a deal is that when it'll cost you something like $370 to fly to Boston from Toronto these days, even "On Sale." It's also about $25 less than the lowest fares now available in economy class on Air France, according to Reuters.

AIR SAFETY: 2012 WAS A GREAT YEAR

Nervous flyers take note: the world's airlines reported only 23 accidents last year, including passenger and cargo flights. Yes, 475 people were killed. But that compares with a 10-year average of 34 accidents and 773 deaths a year, The Los Angeles Times reported, citing a study by the Dutch-based Aviation Safety Network.

The study found that 22 per cent of fatal accidents last year took place in Africa, although the continet generates only about three per cent of the world's airline departures.

BUSES ON THE RISE

Still scared to fly? Consider this. A study by DePaul University in Chicagofinds that bus transportatio was the fastest growing form of U.S. intercity travel last year. Scheduled departures were up over 7.5 per cent, said a Bloomberg report.

Between 1980 and 2006 the bus industry declined an average of 2.9 per cent a year. Since then it's grown between 5.1 per cent and 9.8 per cent a year.

Dale Moser, president of Megabus, said there are a lot of advantages a bus can offer.

"You save money, you don't have the same headaches or stress," he said.

"This is not your grandfather's bus, and it's not your grandfather's bus industry," said Peter Pantuso, president and chief executive officer of the American Bus Association in Washington D.C.

Increasingly, buses are much more nicely appointed and also offer benefits such as Wi-Fi. I can't remember the last long-distance bus I took but suffice to say I don't think the Internet even existed.

The Bloomberg report said passenger rail service in the U.S. grew 3 per cent last year and that air and car travel grew about 1 per cent.

JAUNT.CA DEAL OF THE DAY

Jaunt.Ca, a division of Torstar, has a deal on offer for staycations in Toronto at the renovated Strathcona Hotel on York St. It's close to everything, including the Entertainment District, so it's great for staying downtown for a play or a hockey game, and, yes, those are coming back soon to the Air Canada Centre.

Here's the deal:

• Accommodations in an Executive Room for two people
  
  • For $139 stay 1 night
  • For $219 stay 2 nights
• One $30 Tim Hortons gift certificate
• Free WiFi access in-room
• Welcome bag at arrival, including chips & bottle of water
• Late checkout at 3 PM (based on availability)
• 10% discount in The Pub

Offer Details

• Valid for travel from January 8 - April 30, 2013
• Blackout dates: January 30-31, February 1, 24-26, March 2-6, 22-23 and April 5-6, 2013
• Offer based on hotel availability
• No cash back. No cash value. Cannot be combined with any other offers or promotions
• Taxes and gratuities not included and payable directly to hote

Great numbers for Air Canada and WestJet for 2012 ... Starbucks in Vietnam

The good times continue for both Air Canada and WestJet.

For the month of December 2012, Air Canada reported a record system load factor of 82.1 per cent, versus 81.0 per cent in December 2011, an increase of 1.1 percentage points. For the full year 2012, load factor was a record 82.7 per cent, versus 81.6 per cent, an increase of 1.1 percentage points.

Officials said there was a 6.6 per cent hike in U.S. transborder traffic and a 5.1 per cent increase in the Atlantic market.

For the year, Air Canada served more than 33 million customers.

WestJet today reported a record load factor of 81.9 per cent for December 2012. The airline flew 17.4 million guests in all of 2012 which is a year-over-year increase of 8.6 per cent or approximately 1,383,000 additional guests.

Good times for the Canadian airline industry, indeed. And a competitive time. Air Canada last month launched its low-cost airline, Rouge, aimed at Europe and the Caribbean. WestJet this month is expected to outline the cities that will be first up to receive its new regional service, called Encore.

DEAL OF THE DAY

Target Vacations, a division of Torstar, is offering a "cruise blowout March Madness" sale, with eastern and western Caribbean cruises from $982. Prices quoted include roundtrip airfare from Toronto to Ft. Lauderdale on WestJet. 

Cruise lines in the deal include Celebrity, Carnival, Royal Caribbean. Holland America and Norwegian Cruise Lines.

GOOD MORNING, VIETNAM!

Vietnamese folks love their coffee, and there's no shortage of good places for it across the country. I saw some fine shops when I was in Hanoi a couple years ago.

Now comes word that that familiar green and white sign might soon sprout up in Vietnamese cities. Starbucks says it will open its first cafe in Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon) as part of its initial foray into Vietnam and as part of an overall growth strategy in Asia.

"Our prices are affordable for average Vietnamese," an official said.

Still, Vietnam's French past means there's a strong coffee culture, and the American-based chain could find it tough slogging to take on long-time favourites of an independent nature.

MARDI GRAS APPROACHETH

Fat Tuesday is still a ways away (Feb. 12 in New Orleans), but they like to get things started early. The first big event of the official Mardi Gras season is Saturday, Jan. 19, when the Krewe de Vieux and Krewe Delusion kick things off in the French Quarter.

The Phunny Phorty Phellows parade was held yesterday, Sunday Jan. 6. This morning, Mayor Mitch Landrieu was supposed to greet royalty from the Rex and Zulu clubs at histori Gallier Hall, where they were to unveil their official 2013 posters and eat some tasty cake.

ISTANBUL AIMS FOR 2020 GAMES

Officials from the Turkish city of Istanbul today presented their candidate file to the International Olympic Committee. Istanbul is aiming for the 2020 Summer Olympics.

The city has aimed for several Olympics prior to this, including the 1996 Games in a fight against Toronto and the ultimate winner, Atlanta. But this time the city has really progressed and I have a very good feeling about their bid.

They're up against Madrid and Tokyo.

The IOC will visit the three finalist cities this spring, and the winner will be announced at an IOC gathering in Buenos Aires on Sept. 7 of this year.

There was some talk of a Toronto bid for 2020 but it never happened. There's a chance the city will bid for the 2024 Summer Games, and the chances likely would be pretty decent, although competition from the U.S. could prove fierce. Possible American bidders include New York and Chicago, which have bid previously, as well as Dallas and Philadelphia.

With the U.S. and the IOC having finally resolved a nasty revenue sharing debate that went on for years, the time looks good for an American bidder.

 

 

Dominican Republic visits soar/Ontarians plan to travel in 2013/Deal of the Day

I reported the other day that visits to Jamaica rose a couple percentage points last year. Nice, but not nearly as good as the Dominican Republic.

One of Canada's favourite getaway spots in the Caribbean, the D.R. saw its tourism numbers grow 6.6 per cent last year, beating forecasts for the country and the region, Tourism Minister Francisco Javier Garcia said this week.

Garcia said more than 4.6 million visitors flocked to the beaches and cities and mountains (okay, mostly the beaches) of the D.R. last year. He's hoping to reach 10 million in the next 10 years, a fairly tall order.

I haven't seen figures to verify this, but Garcia said world tourism grew about 4 per cent last year and Caribbean tourism was up 4.8 per cent. He said that 2012 marked the second straight year that the D.R. has led the Caribbean in tourism growth.

There's certainly no shortage of excellent places to stay for folks of all budget ranges. Students make a habit of spring break trips to the D.R. for excellent package deals, while adults can find solitude and fabulous golf courses and beaches in places like Punta Cana, Cap Cana and Casa de Campo, home of the famed Teeth of the Dog golf course.

ONTARIO FOLKS WILL HIT THE ROAD IN 2013

Good news for the Ontario tourism industry. A recent Thomas Cook Travel poll conducted by Decima/Harris found that 73 per cent of Ontarians plan to take a family holiday in 2013. Six out of ten Ontario folks surveyed said they'd spend less on entertainment this year (sorry, Cineplex) so they can their families on a vacation.

Just so you know, 93 per cent of Ontarians rated the safety of a destination/resort as an important factor when making their holiday plans. Seventy seven per cent rated the food selection in restaurants as an important factor in enjoying their vacation, while 67 per cent rated the size of their resort room as an important factor.

In the U.S., a USA Today/Gallup poll in late December found that nearly three quarters of Americans plan to vacation at least 100 miles from home this year, up from 60 per cent who said they did so in 2012. A whopping 94 per cent said they plan to travel within the US, mostly to a lake or a beach. About one third plan trips both within and outside the U.S., however, and 36 per cent said of those taking a vacation plan to pack a passport.

That's a fairly high number for American tourists, actually, and is perhaps encouraging for the Canadian tourism market. Asked where they'd go with their passports, about a third said Europe, with Italy and Ireland leading the pack.

USA Today recently listed its five "buzz-worthy" destinations for 2013. They were Burma (a growing tourism market puts this on many year-end/look-ahead lists), Florida (celebrating the 500th year since its discovery by Europeans), Gettysburg in Pennsylvania (150th anniversary of the Gettysburg Address and the awful Gettysburg Civil War battle), Hawaii (the most popular spot mentioned by folks who took the survey, and understandably so) and Ireland (celebrating a tourism plan called The Gathering 2013).

THIS AND THAT

Fairmont has opened Fairmont The Palm on the Palm Jumeirah hotel, the tree-shaped island in Dubai that's said to be the largest man-made island in the world (see photo at right). There are 381 guest rooms and suites on the property, which looks quite lovely ... The Beaches of Fort Myers and Sanibel welcomed WestJet's inaugural flight from Ottawa to Southwest Florida International Airport just before Christmas. The new service will oeprate once a week every Saturday until April 27, departing Ottawa at 8:45 and arriving in Florida at 12:22 p.m. ... Resorts Casino Hotel is spending $60 million on renovations and expansion in Atlantic City in the first half of 2013. In addition to a $35 million Jummy Buffett-themed Margaritaville complex, Resorts also is renovating hotel rooms and bathrooms, adding a food court and new VIP players clubs, as well as making other changes.

JAUNT.CA DEAL OF THE DAY

Jaunt.ca, a division of Torstar, has the following deal available for a winter getaway to sunny Cuba. Check www.jaunt.ca for this and other deals.

Jaunt Highlights

• All-inclusive 7-night stay at the 5-star Memories Azul Beach Resort, located in Cayo Santa Maria.
• Includes return airfare from Toronto ( other departures available) to Santa Clara and round-trip airport/hotel transfers in Cuba
• Accommodations in a Junior Suite Balcony, featuring 1 King or 2 3/4 beds and balcony (Maximum occupancy: 3 adults or 2 adults and 2 children)
• Daily breakfast, lunch and dinner, and unlimited alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks

• Part of Sunwing's Family Collection
• There are facilities for all ages, including special pools for children and infants, as well as a mini-club for children
• Enjoy 3 guaranteed a la carte reservations, picnic lunch, and a welcome cocktail

Offer Details

• Valid for travel on the following departure dates:
  Toronto: January 31 & February  01, 03, 06, 2013
  Ottawa: January 30 & February 03, 13 2013
  Montreal: February 01, 02, 08, 09, 2013
  Calgary: February 02 & 09, 2013
  Vancouver: January 31 & February 14, 21, 2013
  Winnipeg: February 01 & 15, 2013

Pricing (Rates are per person):

Toronto:
Single: $789
Double: $649
Triple: $629
Child (2-12 yrs): $379
Tax: $290

Ottawa:
Single: $839
Double: $699
Triple: $679
Child (2-12 yrs): $379
Tax: $285

Montreal:
Single: $1129
Double: $989
Triple: $969
Child (2-12 yrs): $679
tax included

Calgary:
Single: $1009
Double: $869
Triple: $849
Child (2-12 yrs): $379
Tax: $291

Vancouver:
Single: $1019
Double: $879
Triple: $859
Child (2-12 yrs): $379
Tax: $286

Winnipeg:
Single: $989
Double: $849
Triple: $829
Child (2-12 yrs): $379
Tax: $286

 

 

After busy morning, Toronto Pearson is "getting back to normal," officials say

If you're headed to Toronto Pearson today to send off (hope not) or welcome a loved one, it's been a rough morning. Some 100 cancelled flights were cancelled today out of 1400 scheduled.

The information board at www.torontopearson.com was showing a number of cancelled flights coming in and going out, mostly to spots in eastern Canada or in the U.S. northeast, where we got a pretty good snowfall overnight.

But Scott Armstrong at Pearson tells me things are looking brighter.

"There were delays this morning with slower ground traffic due to snow clearing, but things are getting back to normal and the rest of the day looks good," he wrote to me in an email around 10:45 a.m. "Snow crews will take another 18-24 hours to clean up."

Across North America it looks like some 2000 flights have been cancelled today.

So, all in all, it could've been a lot worse. We should be used to this sort of thing by now in Toronto. And in the scheme of things, it ain't that big a deal. And the snow is a hugely welcome relief for folks in the southern Ontario's ski resort biz.

The Ski Ontario website, www.skiontario.ca, reports eight to 20 cm of fresh snow fell in traditional ski areas overnight and that conditions look great today.

JAUNT.CA DEAL OF THE DAY

Jaunt.ca, a division of Torstar, is offering a terrific deal for eight-days in Rome. For just $1,099 plus $487 in taxes (total price $1,586), you get an eight day-six night trip that includes return airfare from Toronto to Rome, airport/hotel transfers both ways PLUS six nights at the four-star hotel Nova Domus in central Rome.

The deal also includes daily buffet breakfast and a half-day city tour of Rome.

The air fare alone usually costs $1,200 or more, so it's a pretty good deal to spend another $400 or so and get six nights at a four-star hotel in one of the great cities of the world.

NEW PLAZA PREMIUM LOUNGE AT PEARSON

Plaza Premium Lounge continues to expand its network in Canada by opening its 11^th airport pay-in lounge at the International Departure Hall of Toronto Pearson International Airport

The 6,178 square feet lounge is the largest among its sister lounges in Toronto, Edmonton and Vancouver in Canada with a seating capacity of approximately 180 guests. Special features signature to the series of “fourth generation concept lounges”, include comfortable lounge chairs, mother-of-pearl reception counter, signature chandelier, New Zealand wool carpet and oval crystal chandelier, designed by Hong Kong designer Kinney Chan.

They offer high-speed Wi-Fi (as does Pearson as a whole), as well as computer workstations with internet and a meeting room for business sessions or private gatherings. There's also a shower room, plus an all-day continental buffet with hot dishes and a noodle bar with beef and squid meat balls with rice noodles in homemade broth. The beverage menu features hot and cold coffee and tea specialties; beer, wine, spirits.

 The new airport pay-in lounge will be opened from 5am – 11pm daily. It costs $30 plus tax for two hours and $35 plus tax for three hours.

 

 

 

 

Canada ranks 18th in world as tourism brand; USA takes home the gold medal

Earlier this year, a group called Future Brand released its annual "Country Brand Index" that rates countries according to their key attributes. They gave Canada the number two spot on the planet in terms of a tourism brand, putting behind only Switzerland.

The third, fourth and fifth spots in the Future Brand report went to Japan, Sweden and New Zealand.

It was a slight drop for Canada, as we finished tops in the Country Brand Index in 2010 and 2011.

But now there's a new report out by a compnay called Bloom Consulting, called the Country Branding Ranking. It would require a degree in something I don't understand to figure out how it's different from Future Brand's report, but one thing they say is that take a ton of factors into account and also that they're the only ones in this business (and I guess there is one) that takes tourist demand into account.

Readers of this blog will remember, perhaps, that Canada has slipped a fair bit in terms of international arrivals the last few years and is no longer in the top ten. Canada ranked seventh in international arrivals in 2007, but the Tourism Industry Association of Canada (TIAC) recently stated we're now 18th.

And 18th is exactly where we stand in the world in the new Bloom Consulting report, which attempts to measure how much revenue a country could potentially add to its economy via trade and tourism.

Anyway, for what it's worth, here's the Bloom report's top 20:

1. United States 2. Spain 3. France 4. China 5. Turkey 6. Thailand 7. Germany 8. Macau 9. United Kingdom 10. Australia 11. Austria 12. Italy 13. Hong Kong 14. Malaysia 15. Netherlands 16. Mexico 17. Switzerland 18. Canada 19. Croatia 20. Russian Federation

So at least we finished ahead of Russia. Let's hope that continues at the World Junior Hockey Championships, eh?

Here are a few other notables: 21. Portugal, 233. India, 24. Greece 25. Republic of Korea 28. Japan 32. Ireland.

The bottom ten? Here ya go: 152. Tajikistan (there goes my holiday plan) 153. Swaziland 154. Federation States of Micronesia 155. Sao Tome and Principe 156. Djibouti 157. Tonga 158. Kiribati 159. Papua New Guinea 160. Burundi and, at the bottom: 161. Marshall Islands (see photo at left, which looks pretty damn good to me).

Asia had eight countries in the top 25. Japan wasn't in that group due to the residual effects of the tsunami.

I don't remember seeing this report last year, but I found a website that shows the 2011 Bloom rankings, and Canada was 23rd. So I guess we're moving in the right direction. The U.S. was first last year as well, followed by Spain, France, Germany and the UK.

Bloom on Thursday also released a U.S. state by state analysis (plus D.C., for 51 ranking spots). Tops was California, no surprise given the plethora of things to do, followed by Florida and New York. Illinois was fourth and then it went Texas, Michigan (good to see), Georgia, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Colorado.

The bottom five were: 47. Kansas 48. Vermont (a surprise to me) 49. West Virginia 50. Rhode Island and 51. Delaware. Poor Delaware. Makes me think I should do a trip there sometime and see for myself.

DO WE HATE OUR FAMILIES OR SOMETHING?

Geez. A study by Cheapflights.ca finds that more than 80 per cent of Canadians want to travel tos ee family this Christmas, but less than 30 per cent have actually made travel plans.

Given the economy that might not be surprising.

Based on answers from more than 400 Canadians, the survey also found that just over 18 per cent of us wish we could travel to ESCAPE our family, though only 3.2 per cent of us actually are doing so.

Parents and children topped the list of fave family members to see, while in-laws, shockingly, were at the bottom, with less than two per cent of folks having them on their holiday travel wish-list.

More than 12 per cent of survey respondents said they will avoid seeing their brother or sister. But, just to end this on a nice note, 23 per cent said there were NO relatives they wanted to avoid.

HOTEL OMNI MONT-ROYAL IMPROVEMENTS

The folks at the Hotel Omni Mont-Royal (in Montreal, of course) say they've undergone a "spectacular" $20 million transformation.

Officials said it involved a "complete re-design and refurbishment of its facilities, including all 200 guest rooms and suites" and a new lobby, which now features "an upscale lounge bar and restaurant."

Other amenities include an outdoor pool (for summer, naturally) and "state of the art" fitness centre. They also have added Italian marble bathrooms and 42-inch LCD flat screen TV's.

They say rooms have views of either Mont-Royal Park or the Montreal skyline.

AIR CANADA ADDS VIRTUAL HOLD

This oughta help a few folks. Air Canada sent me a note today to say that what they call "virtual hold" has now rolled out at their call centres in Canada and the U.S. and is currently offered for general reservations and web support services.

“"With this new product, customers are now given an estimated wait time and the option of a call-back rather than remaining on hold," officials said.

Here's what they said about it in an employee newsletter: "Virtual Hold certainly helps alleviate customer frustration from being on hold indefinitely.  The estimated wait time information and option to continue on hold or have a call-back is very much appreciated by our customers - especially during irregular operations. Our IT team worked tirelessly for several months upon months to overcome the multiple challenges of installing new technology on a legacy phone system. The next step is to add a service where customers can schedule a call back time. Call Centres continues to focus on reducing the amount of time customers wait with ongoing hiring and implementation of technology and process improvements."

JAUNT.CA DEAL OF THE DAY

Jaunt.ca, a division of Torstar, has a two-for-one Avalon River Cruise special that's exclusive to Jaunt. It's a cruise through central Europe's capital cities on the Avalon Tranquility and it's going for $1,633 plus $133 in taxes for a total of $1,766.

Here are the highlights:

• BONUS: Two for One: for every one person (paid in full), the second traveller's cruise is FREE (reflected in the pricing)
• 12-day River Cruise and stay along the Danube River, starting in Budapest and ending in Prague
• Includes the following ports of call with daily sightseeing programs in: Budapest, Hungary; Bratislava, Slovakia; Vienna, Austria; Krems, Austria; Melk, Austria; Grein, Austria; Passau, Germany; and Prague, Czech Republic
• Accommodations in a Deluxe Outside Stateroom, located on the Indigo Deck (Category E) featuring twin windows. Upgraded cabin categories with French Balconies available at 1.855.GO.JAUNT
• Includes all meals on the ship, complimentary sparkling wine with breakfast, soft drinks with lunch, and wine, beer, or soft drinks with dinner
• 2 nights' accommodations in Prague at the InterContinental

More details:

• For every traveller paid in full another traveller's cruise is free
• The tour employs local guides so you have the best exposure to the places visited
• The cruise visits renowned capitals and lesser known destinations

Offer Details

• Valid for travel on April 11, 2013 sailing
• Pricing (per person, based on double occupancy, plus port charges)
  
  Deluxe Outside Stateroom (Category E)
  $1632.50 per person, double occupancy
  Tax: $133
  
• Valid passport required for travel from Canada
• This offer is 100% non-refundable at time of booking

 

 

 

 

ALT Toronto hotel deal for readers of this blog ... Delta says bye to the Chelsea..

The new ALT Hotel Toronto Pearson has a deal Wayne Gretzky would love; a 99 days of "ALTernative hospitality" for $99 a night. That's a 30 per cent discount on the regular, daily rate of $149 for folks travelling between Jan. 1 and April 9.

The hotel promises "ultra-comfy beds a mere seconds away from Pearson International Airport terminals." I haven't seen the property, but I've heard good things. ALT is part of the Germain group, which runs the Le Germain hotels in downtown Toronto, which are terrific; especially the Mercer St. location in my book.

ALT also has a parking deal on tap. You can stay one night at the hotel and park inside the economy parking lot for 8 days for $169 or stay one night and park for 15 days for $239! Travelers can take the quick LINK train to shuttle, free of charge, between the parking lot, airport and the hotel.

On top of the 30 per cent savings, folks who mention my blog when they reserve a hotel room will get a $10 voucher to use for food. Officials say the voucher can be used for fresh-baked croissants in the morning, for curry and coconut milk chicken during the day or for "the most flavourful gazpacho north of the 401."

Call 1-855-855-6080 or enter the promo code BLOGPERK when reserving online at althotels.ca and the voucher should be yours.

DELTA WAVES GOODBYE TO THE CHELSEA

Here in Toronto 2012 has been a battle of the (potential) five-star hotels, with the Ritz-Carlton duking it out with the likes of Trump, Shangri-La and the new Four Seasons for top ratings dog. Now we might get a battle for who can be Canada's leading four-star chain.

As outlined in the Star's business section Wednesday by reporter Sue Pigg, Delta Hotels and Resorts says it wil cease to manage the Delta Chelsea in downtown Toronto effective June 30, 2013. The massive hotel is hugely popular, with a giant waterslide and indoor pool and great rates, often around $119.

The 1,590-room hotel will be renamed The Chelsea Toronto and will be the first Canadian property run by The Langham Hospitality Group. The Chelsea is owned by Hong Kong-based Great Eagle Holdings Ltd., which also owns Langham. Langham runs some very high-end properties, so it'll be interesting to see how this will work.

The Delta move is part of the company's national effort to rebuild and rebrand itself as a “next-generation premium four-star hotel” chain, Pigg reported.

As for Delta departing the downtown Chelsea, Delta officials said the move "fits within our overall brand repositioning to make Delta the leading four-star, full-service hotel chain in Canada."

They also said Delta's brand repositioning "will deliver the most upscale guest experiences in the four-star hotel category, and involves introducing new properties and renovating existing ones to feature the most modern design and techno-enabled guest spaces in the Canadian hotel marketplace," officials said in a press release. "Some examples include our recent announcements of newly repositioned hotels in the Ottawa and Kitchener-Waterloo markets, and the introduction of new properties to market including the first upscale hotel in Kingston and Thunder Bay."

A new Delta Toronto is supposed to open in late 2014 next to the convention centre, at Lower Simcoe St. and Bremner Blvd. The property will be connected to Union Station, the convention centre, the Air Canada Centre and the downtown, underground PATH system. The hotel" will feature 566 well-appointed guest rooms including 24 extended-stay suites for travelers who are in the city for a longer period of time. It will boast 15,000 square feet of technologically advanced meeting and conference facilities with a 6,500 square foot ballroom offering views of the CN Tower, contemporary dining options, fitness facilities and the latest in sustainable features."

Sounds good. But I don't know about being king of the four-star properties. There's a ton of competition out there from the likes of Sheraton and Westin and Fairmont, let alone smaller, boutique properties such as St. Germain and the ALT brand, which I mentioned above.

Anyway, with all the hotels coming and going and the new Air Canada rouge service starting July 1 of next year, plus Porter's new package program and the new WestJet Encore regional brand coming in 2013, it's certainly a great time to be covering the travel biz in this country.

JAUNT.CA DEAL OF THE DAY

Jaunt.ca, a division of Torstar, is offering a deal for $1,101 for the 4.5 star Grand Oasis hotel in Cancun.

Jaunt Highlights

• BONUS: Sunwing's RELAX inclusions including unlimited a la carte dining, 20% spa discount, late check-out (when available), sparkling wine in-room and more
  
• All-inclusive  7 night stay at the 4.5 star RELAX at Grand Oasis Viva, located in Cancun, Mexico.
• Includes return airfare from Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Calgary or Winnipeg to Cancun.
• Accommodations in a Ocean View Room, featuring 1 king or 2 double beds. (Maximum occupancy: 3 adults)
• Daily breakfast, lunch and dinner, and unlimited alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks

Extras:

• Peaceful, young, adults-only (18+) vibe in a small, intimate atmosphere
• Ideal for those who love nightlife
• Unlimited reservations at fabulous on site a la carte restaurants including an Italian eatery, seafood restaurant, Mexican eatery, sushi resto, chicken and pizza joint and more

Offer Details

• Valid for travel on the following departure dates:
  Toronto:  January 5, 12, 19, 2013
  Ottawa: Jan 5, 14, 2013
  Montreal: Jan 12, 19, 2013
  Calgary: Jan 7, 14, 21, 2013
  Winnipeg: Jan 10, 17, 24, 2013
• Pricing (Rates are per person):

• Toronto:
  Single: $1119
  Double: $749
  Triple: $719
  Tax: $357
  
  Ottawa:
  Single: $1119
  Double: $749
  Triple: $719
  Tax: $352
  
  Montreal:
  Single: $1639
  Double: $1269
  Triple: $1239
  Tax included
  
  Calgary:
  Single: $1169
  Double: $799
  Triple: $769
  Tax: $350
  
  Winnipeg:
  Single: $1119
  Double: $749
  Triple: $719
  Tax: $350
• Valid passport required for travel from Canada
• This offer is refundable until 5pm EST on December 26 2012. After this time, this offer is 100% non-refundable.

 

 

 

 

Air Canada Rouge is new carrier/Porter Escapes launches/New airline ad rules

 

This might be the craziest day I've ever seen for airline travel in Canada.

At 11:15 a.m., Air Canada unveiled "Rouge" as the name of their new, low-cost airline that will start flying to Europe and the Caribbean/Central America next July 1. Fares appear quite competitive and, in the case of a roundtrip to Punta Cana I checked, strikingly lower than WestJet and Transat. More on that in a minute.

Around about noon, I got a press release from Porter Airlines saying that their new package program, called Porter Escapes, is now available online at www.porterescapes.com. It will allow folks to book flights and entertainment or ski or golf packages to places like New York City, Montreal, Burlington Vermont, Myrtle Beach, Halifax, Chicago and Quebec. And Toronto, of course.

Okay. That's a busy day. But then, right at 12:44, I got a note from the federal government saying that Denis Lebel, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, today announced that all-inclusive airfare advertising is now mandated under amendments to the Air Transportation Regulations.
This will ensure consumers can clearly see the total price of an airline ticket, with no hidden fees, officials said.

Most airlines in Canada have been following this rule for some time, either listing prices that include the taxes and fees and surcharges or advertising both together. Still, it will force all airlines doing business here to follow suit, and that's a good thing. So kudos to the Harper government for protecting consumers.

Vanessa Lu, the Star's hard-working airline/transport reporter in the Business section, has a full report at www.thestar.com/business.

Getting back to Rouge, the Air Canada folks held a splashy announcement in a movie theatre at Yonge-Dundas Square in Toronto and then went outside to give away "boarding passes" with discounts from 10 to 99 per cent for the new airline.

Not everyone likes the name, of course. One reporter turned to me at the press conference and said, "It's Red. Like Air Canada is in the red."

I was thinking more like it's a rouge from Canadian football, but then I'm again I'm a former sports reporter. It looks pretty good, I think, and certainly red is the colour in the Canadian flag and is Air Canada's primary colour, so it fits.

Officials said it was tested across the country and was far and away the best name they checked out.

The destinations and prices, of course, are what we really care about. They could call it "Let's beat West Jet's ass" or name it after their chief and call it "Rovinescu Air" for all I care. I just want cheaper rates and a good airline, and that's what they're promising.

Flights will go from Toronto to Venice and Edinburgh and from Toronto and Montreal to Athens for as little as $949 round-trip, including all fees and taxes. Flights to the Dominican Republic (Punta Cana, Samana and Puerto Plata) will go from as little as $538 round-trip, while those to Costa Rica (San Jose and Liberia) will go from $778 round-trip, while flights to Varadero, Cayo Coco, Holguin and Santa Clara, Cuba start at $538 round-trip.

They're only starting with four planes, which means they can't do flights every day to all destinations. Toronto to Athens will be four times a week for now, while Toronto to Punta Cana will be three times a week for now.

Ultimately Air Canada plans to hire 900 workers and will have 50 planes, both Boeing 767-300ER's and Airbus A319 aircraft.

Complimentary meals and non-alcoholic beverages will be served on flights to Europe and snacks, meals and beverages will be available at a "nominal fee" on flights to the Caribbean. Their press release also says in-flight entertainment, such as movies and TV and music, will be available for "an affordable fee," versus free on Air Canada.

I don't know what the difference is between a "nominal fee" for food and an "affordable" fee for entertainment.

Just for kicks, I went onto the Air Canada site - Rouge flights can be booked at aircanada.com and folks can collect Aeroplan points, which is an important factor for many consumers - and found a round-trip flight from Toronto to Punta Cana for July 6-13 for $502.68, which actually is LOWER than they said in their press release. A flight on the same days on WestJet was listed at westjet.com for $700.79, while Transat (www.transatholidays.com) had flights on July 7 and 14 for $991.

Vanessa Lu told she found flights next August from Toronto to Athens on Rouge for $949, as advertised. But she said Transat was costing out around $1,300. That's another ENORMOUS difference in Air Canada's favour, so it'll be interesting to see if Transat makes any adjustments.

Those might not be typical. But if they are, Rouge could be a VERY attractive airline for Canadians.

In addition to regular Rouge seats, Air Canada will offer a series of upgrades, including rouge Plus and Premium Rouge. Those will cost extra but rouge Plus is just $40 extra each way if you fly to the Caribbean and $90 each way to Europe. For that you get nicer seats with more pitch and reclining ability, plus other options.

Rouge flights will have Air Canada's checked and carry-on baggage allowance.

In addition, they're promising flight attendants trained for both safety and "warm, welcoming service."

It's clearly a nod at WestJet. I asked Air Canada folks if they'd give the same training for "warm, welcoming service" to their existing crew members if it works on Rouge. Naturally, they suggested Air Canada folks are just wonderful as things are and reminded me they've won the Skytrax award as best North American airline several years in a row.

True, and I think Air Canada's crew is getting better. But there's plenty of room for improvement.

I just hope they don't get carried away. Some folks like it, but I really hate it when the WestJet crew gets all silly with the jokes. I want courtesy and smiles but not David Letterman in the sky, thank you very much.

JAUNT.CA DEAL OF THE DAY - HIDDEN VALLEY HUNTSVILLE ONTARIO

Jaunt.ca, a division of Torstar, is offering the following "embrace winter" package at Hidden Valley Resort in Huntsville:

• Enjoy 1 night accommodation in a Hillside Room for two
  • For $99 stay Sunday to Thursday night
  • For $109 stay Friday or Saturday night
  • For $169 stay Monday - Friday night - includes 2 adult 6-hour flex ski lift tickets
• Continental breakfast for two
• One bottle of wine to enjoy in your room or in the dining room
• 2 for 1 table d’hote dinner
• One $20.00 Algonquin Outfitters voucher - 2 stores to redeem in Huntsville
• Late checkout at 1pm (based on availability)

Offer Details

• Valid for travel for December 18, 2012 – March 31, 2013
• Blackout dates: December 23, 2012 – January 5, 11-12, February 1-3, 8-9, 16-18, 26-28, 2013

• Purchase one dinner and receive a second dinner free (of equal or lesser value from table d'hote menu only.)

• Ski hill closed on Tuesday's & Wednesday's
• Offer based on hotel availability

• No cash back. No cash value. Cannot be combined with any other offers or promotions
• Taxes and gratuities not included and payable directly to hotel

For more details on all jaunt deals, visit www.jaunt.ca.