Travel habits of the Canadian elite ... Anyone up for a week's holiday in Iraq?

Interesting item from the folks at HSBC. In a survey of Canadians with investable assets of $100,000 or more, they found that well-off Canadians aren't all that different from you and me in terms of their travel preferences.

The USA was named the favourite destination, not surprising given our border, with 78 per cent of folks confirming they've travelled to the U.S. in the last three years. (I'm surprised it's not higher, actually).

Although the US got the lion's share of visits, the CITY that rich Canadians visited most was London (see photo), at 15 per cent. Next came Paris at 12 per cent, then New York (nine), Las Vegas (eight) and Rome (seven).

The study also talked about travel habits of well-off Canadians from a regional perspective. They found that affluent Montreal folks spent 2.4 months out of the last three years outside of the True North Strong and Free, compared to just 1.8 months for folks in Vancouver and two months for Torontonians. I'd have to think weather has a lot to do with that. If I lived in Montreal and had money to travel, you'd be damn sure I'd be out of town three to four weeks every winter.

VACATION IN IRAQ?

USA Today is reporting there's a slew of new hotel developments in Iraq. They're mostly in the north, an area that rebelled against Saddam Hussein long ago and is now a hive of oil and gas activity.

Which means they need hotels for travelling execs and workers. So it makes sense. And it's apparently quite safe, as well as beautiful.

Best Western is building a couple hotels in the city of Erbil in Iraqi Kurdistan, while Hilton and Marriott also are active in the area. I don't know how representative it is, but I found this picture on the web of an apartment complex being advertised in Erbil, and it looks pretty damned nice.

There appear to be some fine public buildings and fountains in town and some interesting, old forts out and about in the nearby hills.

"If you look at the strong demand that will come from business and leisure travelers, and that there's a shortage of supply of hotels … that makes this appealing to us," David Kong, Best Western International president and CEO, was quoted as saying in the USA Today story.

Kong says the company is considering deals for two other hotels in Sulaimaniyah and Dohuk, also in Iraqi Kurdistan.

"This is a very positive sign of the potential Iraq has to offer," said Victoria Berry, senior strategist of FutureBrand North America, a brand-consulting firm. Still, she said, "the perceptions of safety, especially in terms of war, corruption and crime, as well as the lack of modern infrastructure, are key areas that could impact negatively on Iraq's ability to appeal to a base of leisure tourists."

Exactly. It's probably fine for biz folks, but I can't see too many Canadians heading off to the Erbil Hilton for a vacation.

It's interesting to note, however, that not so long ago San Francisco was often tagged - especially by esteemed San Francisco Chronicle columnist extraordinaire Herb Caen - as "Baghdad by the Bay" because of its exotic nature and cosmopolitan charms.

TORONTO PEARSON NOT SO SOCIAL

Finally, an intriguing item on Facebook's list of most social airports. A study was done of Facebook users and it was discovered that more people in the world are present at Los Angeles International Airport than any airport in the world.

Second was Hartsfield-Jackson in Atlanta, followed by Chicago O'Hare, San Francisco and Dallas/Fort Worth. The top international airport (outside the U.S.) was Sydney, in the seventh spot. Poor Pearson was way down at 21st, the only Canadian airport in the top 25.

 

 

Prince Harry's favourite Vegas spots unveiled ... Europe travel holding up well

Okay, let's get to the juicy stuff first. Reports suggest Prince Harry, the younger, irascible brother of the wife of the Duchess of Cambridge, has been partying quite solidly in Las Vegas.

For those who've been watching the Parliamentary Channel to see what colour tie the Prime Minister might be wearing during Question Period, let me explain that Harry is temporarily stationed in the southern California-Arizona border region as he undergoes military helicopter training. Why they couldn't have found him a safe place in, I don't know, Oklahoma or Arkansas I can't quite explain. I mean, his base isn't anywhere near Hollywood or anything but he's obviously close enough to LA and to Vegas that he can get away. And the guy IS a chopper pilot, so I assume he can bypass highway traffic easily enough.

Prince William found a military station in the quiet of north Wales. Harry? He goes on military assignment within spitting distance of Las Vegas and L.A.. Hmm.....a coincidence?

Anyway, it seems Harry was doing his best on the weekend to invigorate the Vegas economy. Writing in USA Today, Kitty Bean Yancey (isn't that a great name for a reporter?) quotes People magazine as saing the prince "took in Cirque du Soleil's O aquatic extravaganza at the Bellagio resort" before "partying at the hot XS nightclub at Steve Wynn's Encore resort."

People claims he lost $300 gaming and was amazed that he got free drinks while at the tables. I remember being 21 in Reno once and I went into a casino with my Mom and Dad for a few minutes. After a half hour or so, my Dad came over and asked how I was doing at the slots. "Pretty good," I said. "Some lady came by with drinks but I didn't want to get ripped off so I didn't get one." I was feeling pretty proud of myself until my Dad replied, "Uh, Jim, the drinks are FREE if you're gambling." Doh.

As for Harry, apparently he also twisted the night away at Tryst nightclub, drinking Grey Goose vodka with tonic and dancing with, wait for it, "a young mystery woman." Of course.

EUROPE HOLDING UP WELL?

A report from Germany suggests European tourism is holding up well under the economic strains of the Euro these days.

The ITB World Travel Trends Report says international trips to Europe rose to 671 million from January to August of this year, a 4.5 per cent increasefrom the previous year. That's pretty impressive given the European troubles and the general health (or lack thereof) of the world economy.

It also appears European residents aren't afraid to come out of the house. A September survey of travellers from 13 European countries found that 43 per cent of folks plan to travel as much in 2012 as they did this year. 27 per cent said they would travel more, and only 20 per cent said they'd be on the road less.

That's excellent news for the European economy, and most certainly for airlines and hotels. I keep reading about growth in Asia, and there's no doubt it's a huge market. But one should never discount the enduring appeal of Europe.

I remember a couple years ago my oldest son was chatting with my daughter about her plans to travel to Europe after graduating from university. He'd been to Europe twice and also had recently travelled throughout Southeast Asia. He was telling his sister about how wonderful it was in Thailand and Laos and how cheap it was and that she consider that instead of Europe.

Nothing wrong with Asia, she felt, but she'd grown up reading books about London and Paris and seeing photos of Greece and Rome, and there was no way she was going to miss it. And that's pretty common for most North Americans who are lucky enough to travel. We don't care how many people have done it before, almost all of us want to see the Eiffel Tower for ourselves and sit on the Spanish Steps and gaze up at Big Ben or the Swiss Alps.

As long as that's the case, Europe should do just fine.

It's 2012 travel list time & Lonely Planet goes goofy ... Also Berlin/Vienna news

There's frost on the pumpkin here in Toronto and that can only mean we're getting close to the year-end. And that can only mean it's time for more travel lists.

I like Lonely Planet a lot. I know they've kinda taken over the world, but you can't fault them for putting out good guides.

I do, however, have to wonder about their latest group of lists. They sent me an item today to say that their top 10 cities for 2012 travel are London, Muscat (Oman), Bengaluru (India), Cadiz (Spain), Stockholm, Guimaraes (Portugal), Santiago (Chile), Hong Kong, Orlando and Darwin.

You can always argue with things like that. I don't know where Bengaluru came from and I don't know Guimaraes at all. I kinda like that they chose Orlando, which is featured in Star Travel this Saturday and has a lot more going for it than the Mouse.

But the Lonely Planet folks also sent me their list of best-value destinations for 2012, and it's quite, well, stupid. They have a heading on the press release that says the following: "If past years (or recessions) have sucked up your travel budget, plan smart and get more bang for your buck in 2012)."

They then go on to list, in the number one spot for VALUE, the NorthEast USA. Yep, the home of New York City and Boston, two of the pricier cities on the continent.

Number two is more like it: Tajikistan, followed by Lesotho (see photo below) and the Mekong Delta of Vietnam. Number five? SAN FRANCISCO!!!!

I adore San Francisco. It's a fabulous place. But VALUE?

I guess you could argue that any city that great is worth the price, so it's a good deal. San Francisco has tons to offer and you CAN find cheap places to eat and great places to wander for free. Ditto for New York. But hotels in both cities are pricey, and neither is a destination most folks would consider as "great value," at least not in the traditional way of thinking of the phrase.

I mean, if you put Lesotho in there and Tajikistan, you clearly don't mean high-end, popular destinations that cost a fair bit but still deliver a strong punch.

The six through 10 spots in the value destination are Japan (usually expensive but probably a better deal since the horrible tsunami they had), Ohrid in Macedonia, Merida in Mexico, Iquitos in Peru and Porto, Portugal.

I understand maybe they wanted some American destinations, but value destinations in the U.S. would, I think, be someplace like Las Vegas or maybe Austin, Texas or Myrtle Beach or Milwaukee, which, incidentally, is a pretty good town. Definitely NOT the Northeast USA or San Francisco.

While we're on the subject of lists, here's what the folks at Frommers have said about top destinations for 2012: Curacao, Chongqing  (China), Fukuoka (Japan), Beirut, Ghana, London's Greenwich neighbourhood, Girona (Spain), Kansas City (not a bad town, either), the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico and, finally, The Bay of Fundy. They listed the Bay of Fundy as being in Nova Scotia, which is partly correct, and say they choose it because it's a "quiet, charming area; perfect for recharging your batteries."

BERLIN AND VIENNA JOIN FORCES

One is known as an edgy city with plenty of history. The other is known as a quiet, historic city with more energy than you might expect.

They make a good couple, Berlin (see photo) and Vienna. So much so that they've joined forces and are marketing themselves together as tourist destinations.

"In Europe we're competitors but not here," Burkhard Kieker, CEO of Visit Berlin, told me over breakfast the other day. "Vienna has old style from the empire but also a great savoir vivre. Berline is edgy but it's the focal point of a lot of history with a young and vibrant crowd."

"Our cities are similar enough and different enough to make the perfect match," said Norbert Kettner, managing director of the Vienna Tourism Board.

Kieker said the two cities are only an hour apart by plane and flights cost as little as 29 Euros.

There are no direct flights from Toronto to Berlin right now, Kieker said, but Berlin will open a new airport next June and he hopes to have service restored and that Berlin will turn into a major European airport hub.

Vienna is an historic and a beautiful city, said Kettner. But it's also got plenty of galleries and nightspots and edginess to it.

"We're old-school but not old-fashioned."

Kieker said world war sites are popular in Berlin but the city is trying to be careful.

"We don't want to do a Nazi Disneyland," he said.

Kieker said Jewish life is increasingly vibrant in Berlin and that his city is the number one foreign destination for Israelis.

The two cities began their joint marketing in Brazil earlier this year and continued it this week in Toronto with a couple media events.

 

 

 

No Toronto Olympics ... Big Vegas dinner ... YouTube pilot recruiting by BA

 I'm kind of pleasantly surprised this morning, reading that Mayor Rob Ford's people have put the kybosh to the latest Toronto Olympic scheme. It's an eminently sensible position, but still makes me a little sad.

I covered all 157 both of the city's Summer Olympic bids for the Star, those being 1996 and 2008. The latter one was an impossible dream and was dependent on the Chinese doing something very silly. They didn't, our mayor did (the famous quote about being boiled by cannibals or such in Africa) and the rest is history.

Nineteen ninety six, on the other hand, is the one that sticks in my craw a little. Early on, Greece was seen as the obvious winner as 1996 was the anniversary of the 1896 birth of the modern Olympics. But Toronto plumber and Olympic activist Paul Henderson knew the Greeks might falter, so he launched a Toronto bid. The Canadian team quickly rose up the charts and Toronto, for a time, was seen as the front-runner.

But the NDP faction at City Hall, led by then councillor Jack Layton, wanted to attach many conditions on the bid, most notably a quest for affordable housing near the waterfront. The Bread Not Circuses people, with monetary help from City Hall itself, stirred up all sorts of negative publicity, and Atlanta came up with the winning bid. Yes, there were allegations of some dirty work by the Georgia bidders as well, with a huge surge in support among African IOC members suddenly popping up a couple months before the vote was held.

That's politics. But what's a shame, I think, is that 1996 - and 2000 - were the last of the manageable Olympics to be held. We all know what happened in the U.S. in September of 2001, and it changed everything for Olympic cities. There was security in Sydney, but it was nothing like the hassles and costs involved in Salt Lake in 2002 and in Olympic cities since.

The bill for security alone at most Olympics these days is said to be around a billion dollars, and one can only imagine what hidden costs there might be for London next year. And it's all money down the drain; no improvements to the city unless you want to count holding cells or lasers or new police cars or electronic eavesdropping devices.

I don't think it's worth it any more, and, quite frankly, the city of Toronto has done quite well without the Games. Yeah, it's taken us 20 years to get to where we might've been in 1996 had we won the Summer Games, but we DO have a much-improved waterfront with new parks and restaurants (I'm going to one today) and other changes. We have a stronger cultural base. We have new, five-star hotels popping up all over town.

We don't really NEED the Olympics any more.

But it still surprised me a little to read this morning that Doug Ford, the mayor's brother, was downplaying the concept of a 2020 Summer Olympic bid. He and Councillor Doug Holyday, a pretty sensible guy in my opinion, both suggested the city simply doesn't have the money, and that neither do other levels of government. Right on all three counts.

Olympic supporters claim there's no money needed from the city right now, but sooner or later there would be. And part of me says, "Good for you, boys" for saying no to the idea right now.

Yes, the Pan Am Games of 2015 will boost the city's profile. And the 2020 Summer Olympics might be the best chance Toronto will EVER have to win, since it appears there won't be a U.S. bid and the Summer Games haven't been in North America since Atlanta.

(That in itself would've been unthinkable 15 or 20 years ago, but the IOC has become much broader in its thinking. Hence the 2016 Summer Games in Rio and the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea).

But I agree it's not the right time for Toronto. One thing this COULD mean is that Quebec will bid for the 2022 Winter Olympics, so stay tuned for that.

BIG VEGAS DINNER

Thanks to Vegas expert and Star Travel correspondent Kathleen Kenna for this report...

Top chefs from the top restaurants in Las Vegas gather Oct. 16 for a $295-a-plate dinner to raise money for James Beard Foundation grants.

      It’s the 10th annual Jean-Louis Palladin Dinner, held in honor of the late New York chef praised as “the greatest French chef in North America.”

      Palladin won world attention for using unusual ingredients, fresh from farms and seas, and serving them at first-class restaurants, such as his first restaurant, “Jean-Louis” at the Watergate in Washington, D.C., and later, NAPA, in Las Vegas.

     He changed fine cuisine in North America, and mentored many young chefs, before dying of cancer in New York in 2001.

     This dinner honors Palladin’s techniques, with a menu ranging from wild Columbia River sturgeon to Togarishi-crusted Australian Kobe beef.

     Brian Howard, executive chef at Comme Ca at the Cosmopolitan is creating sea urchin tongues with sea urchin flan and sea urchin sauce. Executive chefs Geno Bernardo and Barry Dakake of the Palm’s N9NE Steakhouse and NOVE Italiano are serving organic chicken from Mary’s Farm with fresh truffles.

     Also on the menu: Maine lobster, domestic Sevruga caviar, white truffles, and Kashmir-style, Tandoori prawns. Among many desserts is a dark chocolate Grand Marnier Linzet tart from celebrity chef Megan Romano, executive pastry chef at Aureole at Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino.

     Top chef Andre Rochat hosts this seven-course dinner at his Alize restaurant at the Top of the Palms, on the 56th floor of the Palms Casino Resort. It offers a 280-degree view of Las Vegas and the desert.

     MC for the event will be “celebrity journalist” Robin Leach, who lives in Las Vegas.

     Proceeds benefit the Jean-Louis Palladin work/study grant, up to $10,000 for working chefs.

     For reservations: 702.951.7000. More info: www.jamesbeard.org.

YOUTUBE PILOTS? UM.....

My first reaction was I thought I had fallen asleep and awakened on April Fools' Day. But apparently it's not a joke.

A story in the Belfast Telegraph states that British Airways has launched its biggest pilot recruitment drive in a decade and that they're using YouTube as part of the plan. It sounds goofy, but apparently they'll be posting information on YouTube about their training programs, and in that context it makes perfect sense.

American President Barack Obama used social media to his advantage in the 2008 election and almost certainly will try again. So why not? The old codger in me thinks it's silly, but no matter how you initially contact someone they still have to go through formal training like every other applicant. And if you want to reach a broad base of folks these days, YouTube and Twitter and other social media obviously are hugely important.

Just don't forget to take out an ad in the Star, too, okay guys?

 

Tourism issues in London and Greece...Anyone else tired of brown hotel rooms?

All that good p.r. from the one-year-to-go-for-the-Olympics - gone straight into the dustbin.

It's too bad to see the images of rioting in London. Mostly, I feel bad for innocent shopkeepers and car-owners and citizens who no doubt are standing by watching their world go up in flames. It's one thing to protest against the cops or against government, but it's another thing entirely to do so the way they are in London, as you can see by this scary photo in The Guardian.

There's no indication that folks gawking outside Buckingham Palace or picnicking in Green Park are in any danger. But it has to give people pause and it certainly tarnishes the image of a place that the mayor, Boris Johnson, recently called "the world's best big city."

Word Tuesday afternoon was that VisitBritain, the tourism and travel authority for the UK, had pulled a series of ads with the tag line "You're Invited." The ads feature the likes of celebrity chef Jamie Oliver and actress Dame Judi Dench.

For its part, the International Olympic Committee is saying it has "complete confidence" in London's ability to keep the Olympics safe. Yeah, and Tiger Woods has complete confidence his new golf swing will pay off with a win at the PGA Championship this week.

Things are worse in Greece, where taxi drivers on Santorini recently protested government austerity moves.

One restaurant manager on Santorini told NY1 News in New York City that business was down a whopping 40 per cent in the last three years.

Things could get worse quite soon, as the government's Value Added Tax on restaurant and bar purchases will rise 10 per cent in September, jumping from 13 to a very solid 23 per cent. I doubt tourists will be leaving anyone much of a tip after getting a 2.30 Euro tax on a 10 Euro meal or drink, so it's likely that struggling servers will take a hit.

Tough times everywhere. I read yesterday that RBC has slashed its expected performance numbers for the Canadian airline industry.

Citing "alarming macroeconomic signals," the bank said there's little to suggest any improvement in the short term for the likes of Air Canada and WestJet.

PLAZA IN VEGAS

Sin City fans should be happy to know a $35 million makeover of the downtown Plaza Las Vegas hotel and casino is ahead of schedule and on track to re-open Sept. 1 (just as the higher taxes take effect in Greece, not that it's even remotely relevant).

The CEO of Play LV, Tony Santo, said he was able to buy bargain furnishings and even wallpaper from the folks who had planned to open the Fontainebleau project on the Strip, and isn't it nice to see some recycling going on at the highest levels?

The rooms look nice but, personally, I'm getting a little tired of muted brown. I think in four years muted brown will be the avocado-coloured refrigerator of our decade, or at least I hope so. Hey, I just noticed an avocado-coloured throw on the bed!

Associated Press reports the Plaza will have a new casino floor, lounges, entertainment and several restaurants, including a steakhouse named for Oscar Goodman, the highly entertaining former mayor. I saw Goodman once on 60 Minutes and couldn't believe I hadn't read more about him. I mean, the man made Mel Lastman look like, well, Margaret Atwood.

The website for CBS News has a pretty good piece on him if you want to check it out.

 

WestJet beefs up winter sun destinations for Canadians...Lower fares on way?

Yeah, it's not exactly the type of weather that has up dreaming about going south. More like north to a lake with cool water and a couple or six brewskies.

But six weeks from now (and sorry to mention this),  it will be September. And pretty soon the nights will be crisp and then some leaves will start falling and we'll be looking to book our winter vacations. So here's some good news: Canadians have more options than ever for winter getaways to lands where palm trees sway.

WestJet Wednesday said it will start added service to sun destinations from several Canadian destinations starting Oct. 30, including flights from Toronto to San Juan, Puerto Rico (see photo).

Here are the new flights they're starting:

Toronto to San Juan every Saturday and Sunday, starting Nov. 5 (fares from $189 plus taxes and fees)

London, ON to Cancun: Every Saturday starting Nov. 5, then Saturdays and Wednesdays beginning Dec. 14 (fares from $159)

London to Las Vegas: Thursday and Sunday starting Oct. 30 (fares from $179)

Thunder Bay to Montego Bay: Every Saturday starting Nov. 5 (fares from $189)

Winnipeg to Palm Springs: Thursday and Sunday service staring Dec. 15 (fares from $219)

Kelowna to Phoenix: Every Monday starting Oct. 31 (fares from $189)

Victoria to Phoenix: Every Friday beginning Nov. 4 (fares from $189)

WestJet also said it will resume its non-stop, season service to Hawaii from Calgary this winter, althought details haven't been released.

LOWER FARES COMING OUR WAY?

Might be wishful thinking, but the Financial Post today said Canadian airlines might be looking to ease off on fares.

Higher fares in June appear to have slowed demand for air tickets, and airlines analyst Ben Cherniavsky said lower prices from Air Canada and WestJet might attract more customers.

"The very aggressive fare increases that Canada's airlines have recently implemented finally appear to be having a negative impact on demand," Cherniavsky said in a note to his clients.

Summer air fares to Europe were sky-high. I paid $800 recently for a round-trip ticket from Toronto to Montego Bay.

America goes topless? Thank goodness for Canada's competition watchdog

I'm constantly amazed at how Americans (I was born and raised in the U.S. so no hate mail from down south, please) can put up with senseless violence on the streets and on TV but be so prudish when it comes to sex. I don't get it.

So I was mildly surprised today to see a Trip Advisor study in which 78 per cent of Americans said it was okay for women to go topless at the beach or the pool. The study DID have an important caveat, that being that this would only be okay in places where toplessness is deemed "culturally acceptable." Which, presumably, means no topless beaces on the Great Salt Lake or along the Mississippi in Iowa.

Damn.

On the other hand, it could mean a chance at loosening of laws in places such as South Beach in Miami or Ocean Beach in San Francisco, where, trust me, you don't really want to shed much clothing, even in summer.

We've already seen topless pools in Vegas (see photo from the Moorea Beach Club), a trend that shows little sign of abating. So let's go for it. It's not that big a deal, folks. Now, fat guys in Speedos....

CANADA'S COMPETITION WATCHDOG BITES BACK

I've been critical of Ottawa for not giving more landing rights in Canada to the likes of Emirates and Etihad. It seems to me the Tory government consistently makes rulings that favour our bigger airlines and ignore consumer concerns.

But yesterday came the news that our competition watchdog is trying to block Air Canada's proposed merger-like deal with United/Continental.

The Air Canada-United Continental proposal “would mean the integration of all their North American operations,” commissioner of competition Melanie Aitken said in an interview published in the Star this morning.

“That leads you to eliminating competition between the airlines. And when you do that, you increase prices for consumers and businesses, and you decrease service and you decrease choice.”

The airlines say they’ve suspended any move toward the joint venture “pending further developments," The Star's John Spears reported. She said similar arrangements in the U.S. have led to price increases in the range of 15 per cent; a sizable sum given today's sky-high air fares. On a $500 ticket, a 15 per cent hike would be $75. Multiply that by perhaps four people in a family and it's a $250 difference.

I don't know Melanie Aitken but I admire the heck out of her for taking a stance. Canadian airlines aren't allowed to merge with U.S. ones, and it looked to me as if this was going to be a merger in very thin disguise, or at least something strongly resembling the same.

Air Canada (which does a pretty good job and is several steps above most North American airlines in terms of its airplane setups) disagrees, of course, as do the folks at United/Continental. They issued a press release spouting the usual, broad-based and utterly silly comments about how the move would mean "lower fares, better coordinated flight schedules and connection times, more route choices, and improved frequent flyer benefits.”

I can see the frequent flyer benefits and maybe some route improvements. But better coordinated flight schedules? What does that mean? And I simply don't believe their claims of lower fares. If you've got a monopoly on that many flights, you're not going to reduce fares I don't think.

The Star, as well as the Globe to be fair (and maybe others), published an interesting chart that showed the potential impact of a combined operations/merger-like deal between Air Canada and United/Continental. It showed that, if it went through, 100 per cent of several important routes would be controlled entirely by the company. Among them: Toronto-San Francisco, Toronto-Houston, Toront-Washington, Toronto-Cleveland, Toronto-Denver, Calgary-Houston, Montreal=Washington and Ottawa-New York.

Yikes.

Aitken has applied to the federal competition tribunal to block the proposed joint venture, Spears reported in the Star. So there's still some chance, I think, that this deal will go through. Tough odds, though, given Aitken's tough words.

 

 

 

Great food/great cities of the world, Travel+Leisure top new hotels (no Canada)

The latest Arthur Frommer's Budget Travel is dedicated to food, and good for them. It's one of the main reasons we travel, right? Try new stuff, or simply revel in old favourites such as a blackened grouper sandwich on the beach in Florida.

The magazine has a small bit where readers talked about everything from sheep's head in Morocco to an Egyptian dish called Koushari, with macaroni, lentils and rice piled on a plate and topped with crispy fried onions. Yum. Also mentioned were alpaca burgers in Ecuador and ahi poke in Los Angeles. Poke is quite good; raw fish that's marinated like ceviche. It's hugely popular in Hawaii, which has some of the best food in the world given its vast multiculturalism (Chinese, Japanese, Polynesian, Portuguese and more).

Honolulu gets singled out as a great city for food as does LA, Houston and Marseille. Wales gets a mention, and it's fully deserved. I was on a golf trip there a couple years back and had absolutely fabulous, fresh food everywhere I went, from Cardiff up to Nefyn (not far from Will and Kate's place now that I check it on the map).

The magazine also has a funny bit about weird potato chips, including Garlic Pea Flavour in Taiwain, Falafel flavour in Israel, Mint Chutney in India and Spicy Rice Cake in Korea. Oh, and "Voodoo Gumbo" in Louisiana and Squid Flavour in Japan. I did a google search and also found Hot Chili Squid. Super Yum!

I didn't see any mentions of Canada, although it's possible I missed the fine print. I don't think too many folks in the world think of great produce and local meats and inventive cuisine when they think of us, which is too bad...

TRAVEL + LEISURE TOP NEW HOTELS

Also in the department of leaving Canada out of the party comes the latest Travel + Leisure magazine, with a list of the hottest new hotels in the world. Alas, no mention for Canada here, either. I guess the new Ritz-Carlton in Toronto isn't quite up to their standards, although we gave it a very nice review in the Star recently.

Among T+L's top new spots are the Cosmpolitan in Las Vegas (also written about in the Star), the Hotel Beaux Arts in Miami, the Trump SoHo in New York City (no thanks, meaning to Trump, not NYC), the Armani Hotel in Dubai (I saw the lobby and thought it pretentious as all get out, but that's just me) and Matakauri Lodge in Queenstown, New Zealand, which I've heard marvellous things about.

Good stuff and almost all of them would be worth checking out on your next "I've won 10 million in the Lotto and don't know what to do with it" trip around the world.

 

 

Vegas tip sheet: "What to do after the 'I Do's." ... Oahu news ... Real Madrid

Got a funny note from the folks at the Aria Hotel in Las Vegas the other day, giving me ideas on "What to do after the I Do's." Which got me thinking ... isn't it pretty obvious?

I mean, some of these activities sound fine: a trip to the Grand Canyon, a Hot Stone Couples Massage and oysters with "piquillo pepper and Tabasco sorbet." That's fine. The note also advised me I could enjoy an enchanted garden setting at the Blossom restaurant and enjoy pan-fried beef with sweet ginger and pineapple. "Enjoy a spicy dish now to enjoy an even spicier "dish" in the bedroom later, the press release said, by which time I was, I think, blushing.

My fave is a room at the Sky Suites, with "romantic in-room candlelit dinners, customized balloons and flowers covering every inch of the suite," plus, and get this, "a three-inch replica of their wedding cake." Not enough? How about "luxury lingerie" or "24K gold-plated restraints and other, cheeky intimacy products."

Whoo boy. Gotta take a cold shower.

I managed a night at Aria in November. I'm not a big Vegas guy but it's a nice hotel if you can figure out the high-tech lighting system.

OAHU IN THE NEWS

Had a brief session with the folks from Oahu tourism the other day. I'd forgotten that Disney is opening a new resort - minus the theme park - outside of Honolulu. Aulani, a Disney Resort and Spa, Ko Olina, is slated for a first phase opening on Aug. 29, and it'll be a big event in Hawaii.

The 21-acre resort will have 360 guestrooms, 481 Disney Vacation Club Villas, pools, hot tubs, a snorkeling lagoon, a river, wedding facilities (see photo, not to mention the above note from Vegas) and more.

The Hilton Hawaiian Village Beach Resort and Spa, famous from Hawaii 50 episodes, is renovating its iconic Rainbow Tower, with new tubs, sinkers, counters, beds and TV's.

The Royal Hawaiian, a stunner right on Waikiki Beach, recently finished a $70 million renovation, while the Hyatt Regency Waikiki Beach launched a $13 million renovation two months ago.

REAL MADRID (as in football) BOOSTS CITY TOURISM

Madrid tourism officials announced that the Real Madrid Football Club will start promoting the Spanish capital and Spain as a whole as tourist destinations. It's a clever idea, methinks. Guess we could do the same thing with the Maple Leafs if they ever make the playoffs. Toronto FC? Not so much....

 

 

Massage for your dog in Vegas? This is stupid - even for Donald Trump

USA Today has an item today on the Trump Hotel in Vegas, where they're now offering an in-room massage for a person and their pooch for $150.

Here's what USA Today had to say, and thanks to countrypetsitters.com for the great image

"The hotel's "Paws Massage Package" costs $150, and covers a 30-minute massage for a dog owner and one for Fido (here's hoping the pooch likes to be touched by strangers.) Pets also get use of a dog bed, pet treats to eat, and a water bowl with fresh bottled water."

I don't know about you, but I feel sick. I LOVE dogs. Adore them. Had several and took care of them. But a massage? I probably wouldn't pay for one for my children on a holiday. I'd never consider it for my dog, unless it was on death's door and needed the peace.

The USA Today story adds that there's even fine print to the deal. First of all, taxes and gratuities are extra. Which makes me wonder, how much do you tip a dog masseuse? Is it based on the size of the dog or the temperament? I mean, I'd rather have to massage a golden retriever than a bull mastiff, or one of those stupid Paris Hilton dogs for that matter. The worst a retriever will do is drool on you.

The story also says the room at the hotel, naturally, costs extra (and some can be had for a very reasonable $99, so there's that). But the story also says pet owners "have to pony up a $200 nonrefundable cleaning fee, part of which will be donated to the local SPCA."

What a stupid deal. But there probably are enough stupid people out there to do it. And Trump knows he'll get publicity from his deal from the stupid media. Hey, wait, that means....