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.

 

 

Air Canada low-cost airline hiring ... Hong Kong visits climb ... Jaunt deal of day

A bit of good news on the job/aviation front.

Air Canada rouge announced today that it will hire 150 flight attendants from the GTA as it gears up for its scheduled launch of summer service to the Caribbean and Europe.

In case you missed it in December, Air Canada rouge is the company's long-awaited low-cost carrier. A press release sent out today says the new recruitment campaign "is focused on Torontonians and GTA-ers and is targeted to those who ideally have customer service or hospitality experience and are passionate about travel."

"This is an ideal job for recent GTA high school, college or university grads," officials said. "With the ongoing slump in the job market for young people and the increased appeal of taking time off between school and careers, a stint as an Air Canada rouge flight attendant provides the unique opportunity to travel to exciting locations like the Caribbean and Europe while providing warm, welcoming service to vacationers."

Air Canada talked in December about bringing in a company such as Disney to help train rouge workers and give the airline a kind, gentle feel. They didn't like it much when I asked if maybe that suggested the current crop of Air Canada flight attendants aren't quite as friendly as they could be, but I think it's a fair point.

Anyway, it's good news for local workers, although one has to recognize that a low-cost carrier won't be able to pay the same as Air Canada does for flight attendants. Or pilots or other workers, one presumes.

HONG KONG VISITS UP ... BUT NOT FROM CANADA

The Hong Kong Tourism Board has announced that total visitor arrivals in 2012 reached 48,615,113, an increase of 16.0% over the yearly total in 2011. Of the total figure, 48.9%, or 23.77 million, were overnight visitors, 6.5% more than in the previous year. 

Arrivals from many short-haul markets posted positive growth figures, affected by the fact that many vacationers in the region cancelled their trips to Japan following that country’s earthquake and related incidents in 2011, officials said. In the long-haul regions, the sluggish performance of both European and Americans economies caused a slight drop in the number of arrivals. UK visits were up 5.3 per cent, but visits from Canada dropped from 410,591 in 2011 to 392,519 last year; a decrease of 4.4 per cent.

If you've never been, you're missing a great destination with tremendous food and culture and shopping, not to mention a remarkable energy. It's also got great natural beauty, with fabulous hiking trails and beautiful coastlines and a couple very nifty golf courses, to boot.

It's Asian enough to make you feel you're on a different continent, but familiar enough to westerners that it's not a total shock. So it makes an ideal entry point for an Asian trip, or at least a way to dip your toes in the water.

I didn't think I'd like it a lot the first time I went but it has quickly become one of my favourite places...

JAUNT.CA DEAL OF THE DAY

Jaunt.ca, a division of Torstar, has a deal on tap for some Caribbean sunshine. They're offering a seven-night stay at the Hilton Curacao, a colourful spot with great winter weather, for 1,613, including $299 in taxes.

 

Jaunt Highlights

• EXCLUSIVE SAVINGS: Save up to $488/couple!
• BONUS: FREE upgrade to an Oceanview Room (March 23rd departure only)
• BONUS: Enjoy welcome cocktails upon arrival, free Casino Matchplay coupons, free shuttle service to downtown area, and more!
• All-inclusive 7-night stay at the 3.5-Star Hilton Curacao in Willemstad, Curacao
• Includes return airfare from Toronto to Curacao, and round-trip hotel/airport transfers in Curacao
• Accommodations in a Islandview Room, featuring 1 king bed or 2 double beds and balcony. Max. occupancy: 4 adults
• Daily breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, and unlimited alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks

• The Hilton offers special extras like welcome drinks and an exclusive cocktail party
• The hotel has a beautiful beachfront property on pristine Piscadera Bay

Offer Details

• Valid for travel on the following departure dates: March 23 & 30, 2013
• Pricing (Rates are per person, plus tax):
  
  Toronto:
  Double: $1399
  Triple: $1299
  Quad: $1249
  Child (2-12): $499
  Child: (13-17): $1169
  Tax: $214
• Valid passport required for travel from Canada
• This offer is refundable 100% non-refundable at time of booking

Best Breakfast in Florida: Andy's Flour Power ... Jaunt.ca cruise deal

Somedays you just get lucky in this business.

A public relations person for Panama City Beach, Florida a couple weeks ago asked me where I might want to have breakfast. He gave me a list of five or six spots and, for some reason, (maybe the name and the fact they advertised great breakfast potatoes), I chose Andy's Flour Power.

It was a brilliant call, as it turned out. The minute I walked in and was greeted by bright, colourful paintings and a cheery atmosphere I knew it'd probably work. By the time I met owner/chief chef John Certo the deal was sealed.

Certo was born and raised in Staten Island, New York, with Italian grandmothers who knew a thing or two about cooking. Another grandmother, I think he said, lived part of the time or full-time near Panama City Beach, so he became familiar with the area ... and with grits and southern food.

He fled New York a few years back to raise a family in clean, comfortable Panama City Beach and hasn't looked back. His funky and fabulous restaurant is open only for breakfast and lunch, so he gets home by 3 p.m.

"My son can go out and play with his friends and I tell him, 'I'll whistle for you when it's dinner time.'"

How cool is that?

Certo uses as many local ingredients as he can, including delicious, locally smoked ham, but volunteers that his bacon comes from a smokehouse in Texas. Wherever it comes from, it's absolutely unbelievable. The eggs and omelettes are perfect and he makes fabulous grits with Vermont white cheddar cheese, not to mention a spicy, perfect sausage gravy that's poured onto homemade biscuits. My Dad would be in heaven. The potatoes were quite good. Maybe not quite as wonderful as I'd expected, but everything else more than made up for a very minor disappointment on the tater front.

I also sampled the French toast, which is a fresh baguette (they do great baked goods) topped with strawberries and nuts. Sinfully good. I'm allergic to nuts but my breakfast companions said Certo's large - and very green - pistachio muffins are outstanding.

All in all, a perfectly wonderful and very reasonably priced to start your day. It's worth the visit to Panama City Beach just to talk with Certo and watch him smile in his kitchen and restaurant and, of course, eat his food.

Made a very long drive from Panama City Beach to delightful Dunedin during the day, avoiding Highways 10 and 75 and instead driving along smaller highways parallel to the interstate. A few slowdowns to go through small towns such as Perry and Chiefland, and Highway 19 isn't much fun from Port Richey down to Dunedin with all the stop lights and tile stores and strip clubs and such. But it's a nice drive; very pretty and relaxing and with a lot more to see, including signs for local events and advertisements for "Ed and Bernice's Fish Camp." Beats the heck out of counting Waffle Houses on the Interstate....

I hadn't been before, so I stopped in at Pan Y Vino on Main Street in Dunedin for dinner. Service was quick and the pizza with arugula and proscuitto was quite good. They have a wood-burning oven and serve almost exclusively pizza, although you can get enormous salads for about $6, too. The pizzas range from $11.50 to $14 or so and they have a good list of fun beers and a decent wine list for reasonable prices, so check it out.

More on delightfully different and occasionally decadent Dunedin in tomorrow's report, and then on to St. Augustine....

JAUNT.CA DEAL OF THE DAY

Jaunt.ca, a division of Torstar, has a deal on for a free-drinks Caribbean cruise with Celebrity. The cost is $1,344 and includes $220 in taxes and also includes air fare.

Jaunt Highlights

• BONUS: Includes Free Beverages - valued at $88 per day! See offer details for more info.
• 7-night Eastern Caribbean Cruise sailing on the Celebrity Reflection
• Includes return airfare on WestJet from Toronto or Montreal to Miami
• Two itineraries available, both Departing and returning to Miami, Florida. Ports of Call include:
  Option One: Miami, Florida; San Juan, Puerto Rico; Philipsburg, St. Maarten; Basseterre, St. Kitts
  Option Two: Miami, Florida; San Juan, Puerto Rico; Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas; Philipsburg, St. Maarten
• Accommodations in one of the following staterooms: Oceanview (Category 8 or AY), Balcony Partially Obstruced View (Category 2C) or Balcony (Category X or AX)

• The brand new Celebrity Reflection has the most up-to-date amenities and attractions
• The beautiful grassy knoll of the Lawn Club has private alcove hideaways, a delicious grill and other activities
• Visit some of the best ports the Eastern Caribbean has to offer

 

• Free Beverage Bonus includes the following: beers up to $5 per serving, spirits, cocktails, and wine up to $8 per serving, all soda selections, fresh squeezed and bottled juices, premium coffees, teas and non-premium bottled water. Server gratuities are included.
• Valid for travel on the following departure dates:
  Toronto: March 2, 16, 23, 2013
  Montreal: March 9, 16, 23, 2013
• Pricing (Rates are per person based on double occupancy):
  
  March 2
  Toronto:
  Oceanview (Category 8): $1149 + $220 tax
  Balcony Partially Obstructed View (Category 2C): $1309 + $220 tax
  
  March 9
  Montreal:
  Oceanview (Category AY): $1299 + $219 tax
  Balcony (Category AX): $1449 + $219 tax
  
  March 16
  Toronto:
  Oceanview (Category 8): $1124 + $220 tax
  Balcony (Category X): $1224 + $220 tax
  Montreal:
  Oceanview (Category 8): $1149 + $219 tax
  Balcony (Category X): $1249 + $219 tax
  
  March 23
  Toronto:
  Oceanview (Category 8 & AY): $1349 + $220 tax
  Balcony (Category 2C): $1409 + $220 tax
  Montreal
  Oceanview (Category 8 & AY): $1399 + $219 tax
  Balcony (Category 2C): $1459 + $219 tax
• Airport/port transfers are NOT included
• This offer is 100% non-refundable at time of booking 

 

 

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

Canadians stuck in a rut for holiday spots? We dream of Oz but do the Caribbean

A very cool study was released today by the folks at Cheapflights.ca. The company surveyed more than 1,000 Canadians and found that more than 80 per cent of us are likely to return to the same place over and over again for a holiday. And eat the same dishes. At the same restaurants.

"We learned that, while travellers dream of trips to Australia, they find themselves in Florida, again and again," said Melisse Hinkle, site editor for Cheapflights.ca. "Another years means another trip to the same Disney Resort or the same beach condo."

Yeah, I bet the Florida tourism people hate that.

Forty four per cent of Canadians surveyed said they ate at the same restaurant on repeat visits, with 36 per cent visiting the same attractions. More than 32 per cent of us stay at the same hotel and almost 20 per cent eat the same meal over and over again.

I can see that being the case. There are a whack of restaurants on Main St. in Dunedin, Florida. But when I go I invariably end up on the patio at Sea Sea Rider's (see photo below) for a blackened fish sandwich at lunch. And I usually have dinner at Kelly's. They remind me of my days covering the Blue Jays in spring training and I like the ambience at both. And the food, of course.

The study found that, to no one's surprise, the Caribbean is our favourite spot for repeat visits, with 12.7 per cent of the vote. Next was Florida at 10.3 per cent, then Western Europe (7.3), Las Vegas/Southwest U.S. (6.9), Hawaii (6.7), the Maritimes (6.0), Mexico (5.9), the UK (5.5), Banff/Calgary/The Rockies (5.0), Toronto (4.5), California (4.4), Vancouver (3.8), Montreal/Quebec (3.1), New York (3.0) and Ottawa (1.9).

There was a bit of a difference between men and women on some of the destinations. The two sexes agreed mostly on the Caribbean and Florida. But men liked Western Europe more than women (8.3 per cent for men, 6.7 for women, which I find quite surprising). On the subject of Vegas/Southwest U.S., men named it their third favourite spot with a 9.2 per cent vote. Women had it number nine, with just 5.2 per cent support. Which probably isn't too surprising.

Men put a higher value on Hawaii (7.6 versus 6.0), while women liked the Maritimes more (7.1 versus 4.4 for men). Toronto? Women had us eighth at 5.4 per cent, while men put us in the 12th spot at 3.2 per cent. Montreal/Quebec I found strange. Men had the two cities ranked number nine at 4.4 per cent. Women had them down in 14th spot at just 2.3 per cent. Maybe men like the gentlemen's clubs in Montreal, who knows?

Asked where we'd go if we could travel to a new destination, the clear winner - by a country kilometer - was Australia and New Zealand. Those two countries garnered a whopping 31 per cent of the vote. Next was Eastern Europe, left in the dust at 7.0. Those two were followed by Costa Rica (6.7), the South Pacific (5.9), Alaska (5.4) and Belize (3.9). Then came, in order, Japan, Brazil, South Africa, China/Hong Kong, Thailand, India, Russia, Argentina and the Middle East.

Still, we seem to love going back to the same places an awful lot. Asked how likely they are to vacation at the same spot more than once, 20.8 per cent of us non-adventurous Canadians said it was "extremely likely." Another 32.7 per cent said it was very likely and 26.9 per cent said it was "moderately likely" and 11.5 said it was somewhat slightly likely. Meaning 80.4 per cent said it was slightly to extremely likely they'd go back. Only 8.2 per cent of us said it was not at all likely.

Asked why they would go or do go back to the same vacation spot, the top response was great weather, followed by value, "best holiday I've found," ease of access, peace of mind and safety.

Cheapflights.ca asked chartered psychologist Dr. Jane McCartney for some thoughts. The good doctor said the numbers can partly be explained because there's comfort in routine.

"Although it is widely accepted that a certain amount of structure and order is required for a healthy and productive life, having too much control can lead to boredom, tedium and being un-stimulated," she said.

WIKIMEDIA GOES TRAVEL

More on this tomorrow, but check out wikivoyage.org for the Wikimedia folks new foray into the travel biz. Interesting.

JAUNT.CA DEAL OF THE DAY

Jaunt.ca, a division of Torstar, has a deal on for a WestJet/Royal Caribbean cruise package. The deal is priced at $1,214, plus $253 in taxes, for a total of $1,467.

My family and I did a Royal Caribbean cruise to the same spots a few years ago and loved it. It's a wonderful family holiday, with something for everyone, and we were able to get off the ship a few times and do tours of the various islands, including St. Maarten/St. Martin and St. Thomas, which is beautiful and is an island I featured recently in Star Travel after a visit in October.

Here are the deal details:

Jaunt Highlights

• BONUS: Includes $50 Onboard Credit per cabin
• 7-night Eastern Caribbean Cruise sailing on the RCI Allure of the Seas
• Includes return airfare on WestJet from Toronto or Montreal to Fort Lauderdale 
• Departs and returns to Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Other Ports of Call include: Nassau, Bahamas; Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas & Philipsburg, St. Maarten
• Accommodations in an Inside Stateroom (March 3: Category N, March 17: Category Q)

Also included:

• The exciting DreamWorks Experience Character breakfast 
• Broadway calibre production of Chicago: The Musical
• Kids can't get enough of the Adventure Ocean Youth Program

Offer Details

• Valid for travel on the following departure dates:
  Toronto: March 3 & 17, 2013
  Montreal: March 17, 2013
• Pricing (Rates are per person based on double occupancy):
  Toronto
  March 3: $1214 + $253 tax
  March 17: $1364 + $253 tax
  
  Montreal
  March 17: $1658 tax included
• Airport/port transfers are NOT included
• 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

 

 

 

Hotels changing things up with new food options ... Deal of the day: Jamaica

One of the great lines of any Jimmy Buffett song has to be the one in "Cheeseburger in Paradise" where he talks about "warm beer and bread they said could raise the dead" and then says "it reminds me of the menu at a Holiday Inn."

I've often wondered how much Holiday Inn sales have suffered because of that line. I also think back, and lord only knows why, to one day when I was covering the Raptors for the Star and my only dinner option was at the Holiday Inn I was staying at in Newark, New Jersey. You know what? I had one of the most delicious tuna steaks I've tried anywhere.

I bring this up because I spotted a great item by USA Today hotel expert Barb DeLollis. DeLollis, who knows the industry better than anyone, wrote that harried, time-pressed, health-conscious travelers have grown used to ordering what they want at Starbucks or other fast-food-style joints and says hotels are looking to satisfy that need.

"The typical breakfast, lunch, dinner - appetizer, entree, dessert - model is not something that our guests are responding to anymore," Beth Scott, who's in charge of restaurant concepts for Hilton Worldwide's 3,900 properties, said in a recent DeLollis/USA Today story.

"People don't want to ask to be seated and given menus," said Brad Nelson, corporate chef at Marriott International.

DeLollis quotes other hotel types as saying folks want a quick bite instead of sitting down to bacon and eggs.

"Hotels are really trying to move away from that hotel dining room that sits empty seven nights a week," said Scott Gerber, CEO of the Gerber Group, which runs a new spot at the Westin New York Grand Central hotel called LCL: Bar and Kitchen with fresh juices and locally roaster Stumptown coffee.

It makes a lot of sense. I checked into a Marriott in Miami in October for one night and looked around the lobby restaurant. It looked exactly like every other hotel restaurant and the menu was uninspiring, so I dashed across the street to a local seafood joint that wasn't great but at least had some atmosphere.

DeLollis said she expects a lot of hotels could move to places offering small plates or casual restaurants such as Panera or Cosi. The latter is a fine spot in the U.S. with great sandwiches and salads and, as I recall from a trip a few years ago to New York, square bagels in both traditional and non-traditional style. I remember one that was cranberry-orange, which sounds awful but which I loved.

DEAL OF THE DAY: JAMAICA

Jaunt.ca, a division of Torstar, is offering a one-week deal to beautiful Jamaica. Here are the details:

Jaunt Highlights

• All-inclusive 7 night stay at the 5-star Gran Bahia Principe Jamaica, located in Runaway bay, Jamaica.
• Includes return airfare from Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, Halifax, Calgary, Quebec City, Vancouver or Winnipeg to Jamaica.
• Accommodations in a Junior Suite Room,  featuring 1 king or 2 full beds and a balcony or terrace . (Maximum occupancy: 3 adults, 1 child or 2 adults, 2 children)
• Daily breakfast, lunch and dinner, and unlimited alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks 
• Three lake-style pools linked together with swim-up bar
• Hydro massage tubs and canopy beds in every room
• Nearly every room in the resort has fantastic views of the ocean

Offer Details

• Valid for travel on the following departure dates:
  Toronto: January 22, 26; February 24, 26, 28, 2013
  Montreal: January 25; February 09, 22, 23, 2013
  Ottawa: February 03, 22, 24, 2013
  Halifax: February 11, 18, 2013
  Calgary: February 04, 25, 2013
  Quebec City: February 01, 08, 22, 2013
  Vancouver: February 22, 2013
  Winnipeg: January 30; February 6, 2013
• Pricing (Rates are per person):
  
  Toronto: January 22, 26, 2013
  Single: $1445
  Double: $945
  Triple: $895
  1st Child: $785
  2nd Child: $175
  Tax: $390
  
  Toronto: February 05, 24, 26, 28, 2013
  Single: $1695
  Double: $1195
  Triple: $1145
  1st Child: $845
  2nd Child: $235
  Tax: $390
  
  Montreal: January 25, 2013
  Single: $1795
  Double: $1295
  Triple: $1245
  1st Child: $1088
  2nd Child: $598
  Tax included
  
  Montreal: February 9, 22, 23, 2013
  Single: $2045
  Double: $1545
  Triple: $1495
  1st Child: $1288
  2nd Child: $688
  Tax included
  
  Ottawa:
  Single: $1695
  Double: $1195
  Triple: $1145
  1st Child: $895
  2nd Child: $275
  Tax: $380
  
  Halifax:
  Single: $1695
  Double: $1195
  Triple: $1145
  1st Child: $955
  2nd Child: $345
  Tax: $390
  
  Calgary:
  Single: $1945
  Double: $1445
  Triple: $1395
  1st Child: $1135
  2nd Child: $495
  Tax: $390
  
  Quebec City:
  Single: $2045
  Double: $1545
  Triple: $1495
  1st Child: $1258
  2nd Child: $668
  Tax included
  
  Vancouver:
  Single: $1895
  Double: $1395
  Triple: $1345
  1st Child: $1145
  2nd Child: $505
  Tax: $390
  
  Winnipeg:
  Single: $1745
  Double: $1245
  Triple: $1195
  1st Child: $1015
  2nd Child: $395
  Tax: $390
• Valid passport required for travel from Canada
• This offer is refundable until 5pm EST on January 16, 2013. After this time, this offer is 100% non-refundable

 

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

 

 

New York City sets record for tourism, still aiming for giant Ferris Wheel...

Congrats to the folks in New York City. Mayor Michael Bloomberg and tourism officials this week announced they welcomed 52 million visitors in 2012.

It's a new record and represents a modest, 2.1 per cent increase in visits from 2011, officials said.

Of those visitors, 41 million were from the U.S. and 11 million were international visitors. I was told a little more than 1 million of the visits were from Canadians, which is no surprise given the wealth of things to do in the city that never sleeps.

Officials said one out of three overseas visitors to the U.S. stops in New York, which is pretty amazing when you think about it. The 33 per cent figure is an increase from 28 per cent in the previous year.

Tourism types said the city's tourism industry generated $55.3 billion in economic impact and employed 356,000 New Yorkers in the hospitality sector.

Word today is that the guy who was talking about building a giant Ferris Wheel on Staten Island plans to go ahead, despite concerns about the type of winds generated by Tropical Storm Sandy last fall.

While Brooklyn and, lately, Queens have seen an influx of tourism, both the Bronx and Staten Island don't seem to be getting much tourism business or new developments. So the idea of the giant wheel, although hardly a new concept in the tourism world, is no doubt intriguing.

About the same time New York was announcing its 2012 tourism figures, U.S. officials were quoted as saying they brought in almost 12 per cent more visitors last year than in 2011.

"It was a very good year," Roger Dow, president of the U.S. Travel Association, told Helen Anders of the New York Times.

While the Canadian government has hacked and slashed tourism spending north of the border, the U.S. (as well as Australia and other countries with some common sense and understanding of the impact of travel on their economies) has invested big time in trying to attract more tourists. Dow said the travel industry last year created jobs 17 per cent faster than other industries, which must mean something.

JAMAICA TOURISM IMPROVES

On a related note, Jamaica tourism officials say visits increased 2.3 per cent from January to November, 2012 compared to the previous year. Cruise arrivals were said to be up 26.6 per cent from January to October, helping spark an increase in tourism earnings of three per cent for the first 11 months of 2012.

Good news, for sure, for a place that's a favourite of Canadians. I spent some time in Jamaica in 2011 and loved it. The food was excellent and I stayed in a variety of cool places; the gorgeous Half Moon Bay/A Rock Resort and also at a fabulous, colourful spot on the south coast near Treasure Beach called Jake's; one of the most enjoyable spots I've ever stayed at anywhere in the world.

JAUNT.CA DEAL OF THE DAY

Jaunt.ca, a division of Torstar, has the following deal for a trip to see the pubs and countryside of fabulous Ireland. If you've never spent a night singing and maybe even dancing to live music at an Irish Pub in the old country, you haven't lived. It's astonishingly good fun and the people of Ireland are everything they're made out to be. Here's the deal:

Jaunt Highlights

• BONUS: $150 Future Travel Voucher per person
• BONUS: Extend your flight for up to 30 days at no extra charge and return from anywhere Transat flies in Europe
• 9-day/7-night Irish Pub & Folk Tour with visits to Dublin, Kilkenny, Waterford, Kilarney, Westport and more
• Includes return airfare from Toronto to Dublin on Air Transat and transfers to/from airport to hotel
• 7 nights' hotel accommodation: Ashling Hotel (1 night), Kilkenny Ormonde Hotel (1 night), International Hotel Kilarney (2 night), Wyatt Hotel (2 nights) and Ashling Hotel (1 night)
• Meals throughout your tour (as outlined in itinerary below)
• Includes professionally guided tours of Ireland via air conditioned Deluxe Motorcoach, and all admission fees as per itinerary

• Enjoy the traditional Irish pub life with tours, samplings and shows
• Take advantage of your pockets of free time to explore Ireland at your own pace while still enjoying the services of a local guide in Dublin
• Tour includes entry into popular Irish attractions like the Blarney Castle, Guinness Storehouse and more.
• OFFER DETAILS

• Valid for travel on April 26, 2013 departure
• Pricing:
  
  Single: $2388 per person, plus tax
  Double: $1998 per person, plus tax
  Tax: $476
• Valid passport required for travel from Canada
• This offer is 100% non-refundable at time of booking