Via Rail gets more entertaining ... Transat attendants falling ... Deal of Day: DR

Train trips with VIA Rail are about to get a little better.

Canada's rail giant has announced that they'll now be showing CBC news and other shows on board their trains, as well as top documentaries and other entertainment.

Starting in Spring 2013, the new interactive digital platform will provide passengers on VIA trains in the Windsor-Quebec City corridor (sorry, that's all for now) "free access to Canadian programming, including CBC/Radio-Canada TV shows programs, documentaries and animation from the NFB, and "Heritage Minutes" vignettes and Memory Project veteran interviews produced by The Historica-Dominion Institute."

Over time, they said, entertainment will be added from other organizations.

"Over the past two years, VIA Rail passengers have become accustomed to world-class Wi-Fi on our trains. Today, we are pleased to extend our Wi-Fi offer with entertainment and information produced by Canadians, for Canadians," officials said.

Okay, it's not quite Netflix. But it's certainly a nice step, and fitting that the content will be Canadian.

The VIA press release says the "on-board entertainment initiative required a total investment of $543,000 by VIA Rail. This program is part of VIA Rail's modernization plan launched in 2007, and was made possible by the nearly $1 billion in capital funding announced by the Government of Canada since 2007 to rebuild aging equipment, refurbish stations, upgrade infrastructure, improve accessibility and support critical information technology projects."

Rail officials posted a YouTube video about the coming system, which you can find here.

FAIRMONT ANNIVERSARY DEALS

The legendary Fairmont Banff Springs hotel is celebrating its 125th birthday with a year-long deal. The special 125th Castle Celebration Package offers two nights in luxury and a daily resort credit of $125. Guests can enjoy sumptuous dining with expansive mountain views, golf on the world-famous Stanley Thompson golf course, hikes down the Spray Valley to the site of the original Rundle stone quarry or a sojourn in the world-class Willow Stream Spa. Available year-round, rates start from $359 per night with a minimum two night stay.

This is also an eventful year for Quebec City’s Fairmont Le Château Frontenac, which Fairmont said "is celebrating 120 years as the most photographed hotel in the world." The 120th Anniversary Package highlights the Fairmont Le Château Frontenac’s inauguration in 1893 with a special rate and historic gift. The package includes accommodation in a Fairmont room, a full buffet breakfast for two at Le Café de la Terrasse restaurant, a vintage reprint poster of the famed Château Frontenac, and access to the hotel’s indoor pool. Available through June 24, 2013, rates start from $189.30 per night (to celebrate the hotel’s opening in 1893).

(I don't know about that most photographed hotel in the world bit. But it probably makes sense when you think about the hordes of tourists in and around Quebec City in summer. There's no way to quantify these things and I guess there could be a hotel somewhere next to a famous landmark that has its picture taken more often, but I can't honestly think of one. I mean, there's no Hyatt Machu Picchu I know of and there's not yet a Comfort Suites at the end of the Golden Gate Bridge or a Ritz Carlton under the Eiffel Tower.)

In Arizona, Fairmont Scottsdale Princess is celebrating a quarter century of luxury. The AAA Five-Diamond resort’s 25th Anniversary Early-Bird Special is perfect for a summer getaway. The package includes nightly accommodation and a daily $25 USD food and beverage credit. Available for stays from May 27, 2013 to September 2, 2013, rates start at $125 USD per night.

TRANSAT CHANGES

The Star's Vanessa Lu reports on looming changes to staff on board Transat flights.Writing in today's paper, she says that because of stiff competition in the leisure travel business, "Air Transat’s flight attendants have agreed to $9 million in cost-saving measures.

About 1,750 flight attendants, represented by the Canadian Union of Public Employees, voted 66 per cent in favour of the company’s plan, which will reduce the number of flight attendants on Airbus 330 wide-body planes to 10, from the current 11.

“They haven’t touched our salaries,” said Peter Buzzell, president of CUPE’s Air Transat component, in an interview. “Working with one person less, that just means we have to work a little bit harder.”

 

JAUNT.CA DEAL OF THE DAY: DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

Jaunt.ca, a division of Torstar, has a deal on tap for the sunny D.R. this week for $1,087, including $388 in taxes.

Jaunt Highlights

• EXCLUSIVE SAVINGS: Save $300 per couple with Jaunt compared to what you'd pay for the same vacation on other sites!
• BONUS: ACV Privileges featuring exclusive check-in/check-out, 4 guaranteed a la carte reservations, 20% spa discount, and more!
• All-inclusive 7-night stay at the 4-Star Grand Bahia Principe El Portillo, located in Samana, Dominican Republic
• Includes return airfare from Toronto to Samana, and round-trip airport/hotel transfers
• Accommodations include a Standard Room featuring 1 king or 2 twin beds and a balcony or terrace. Maximum occupancy: 2 adults, or 2 adults and 1 child
• Daily breakfast, lunch and dinner, and unlimited alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks
• The exquisite natural beauty on the Samana peninsula
• It's a charming property that's perfect for family getaways
• Close the beautiful town of Las Terrenas

Offer Details

• Valid for travel on March 17, 23 & 24, 2013
  Other DATES and GATEWAYS available. Call us at 1-855-687-5925.
• Pricing (Rates are per person, plus tax):
  
  Toronto:
  Double: $699
  Single: $1039
  Child: $699  
  Tax: $388
  
  
• Valid passport required for travel from Canada
• This offer is 100% non-refundable at time of booking

 

 

Hockey sticks back on planes in U.S., but not Canada??!! - Deal of Day: D.R.

So, the U.S. Transportation Safety Administration says it will once again allow folks to carry pocket knives on board airplanes. Ditto for golf clubs and hockey sticks.

Here in Canada? No such plans. At least not yet.

As a Canadian, I’m appalled. I mean, hockey sticks could go on American planes flying from, say, Chicago to Toronto. But not on flights from Montreal to Boston?

It’s like outlawing double-doubles, or having United Airlines institute free poutine in economy class but not Air Canada.

Seriously, I’m not sure how it works. I’d like to think the Canadian folks will go along eventually. But we are, last time I checked, a separate country and we have our own rules and we do not simply follow the U.S. lead.

The TSA announcement from the States says knives with a blade of 6 cm (2.36 inches) or shorter are allowed. They can’t be more than a half-inch across at their widest point, cannot have a molded grip and can’t have a locking or fixed blade.

It'’s interesting. But the bit about golf clubs caught my eye. I mean, at a time when overhead bins are already full to the brim who takes their golf clubs on as a carry-on item? Other than Donald Trump, I mean.

Personally, I’d love to practice my putting at 35,000 feet. Or maybe even try some four-irons, which I could always aim at the guy who likes to slam his seat back into my face as soon as the seat belt light goes off.

MIAMI TOURISM ON THE RISE

The Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau announced that overnight visitors to what’'s called Greater Miami and the Beaches rose 3.5 per cent last year to a record 13.9 million overnight visitors overall.

It’s the third consecutive year of record overnight visits to the area, which we all know has awesome hotels, restaurants and beaches.

Officials said there was a 5.2 per cent hike in international visitors to 6.8 million. Domestic overnight visits rose 1.8 per cent to 7.1 million.

They also said a record $21.8 billion in visitor expenditures was generated in 2012, an increase of  5.1 per cent from 2011.

I didn’t see a breakdown of countries, but I can imagine Canadians were at the top of international visitors. We go a lot, but we can’t match the folks from Brazil or Russia for spending, I’m told.

"“The Bureau’'s aggressive marketing and expansion of the popular summer and shoulder season promotions, including Miami Museum Month, Miami Romance Month, Miami Spice Restaurant Month, Miami Spa Month, Miami Attractions Month and Miami Live Music Month were enjoyed by more visitors and residents than ever in 2012,”" said visitors bureau president & CEO William D. Talbert, III.
“

"These GMCVB promotions continued to fuel the momentum that established year-round travel and tourism for the destination,”" he said. "In 2012, the GMCVB added to the menu of these popular promotions in March by launching the first Miami Film Month to raise awareness of Greater Miami’s spectacular art cinemas, film festivals and connection to the film and entertainment industry.  In addition, as home to some of the most spectacular, challenging and desirable golf courses in the world, the GMCVB launched the first ever Miami Golf Month in April, providing visitors and residents with extraordinary offers and options at courses and hotels throughout the destination."

The World Golf Championship-Cadillac Championship is being held at Miami’s Trump Doral resort this week.

BEST CANADIAN HOTELS FOR FAMILIES

TripAdvisor this week came out with its Travelers' Choice Awards for Hotels for Families. Here are there top 10 for Canada.

1. Safari Beach Condo Resort, Osoyoos, B.C. 2. Great Wolf Lodge, Niagara Falls, 3. Douglas Fir Resort and Chalets, Banff, 4. Sunny Point Resort Cottages and Inn, Parry Sound, Ontario, 5. Lakeview Inn and Suites Miramichi, Miramichi, New Brunswick, 6. La Seigneurie du Triton, Lac-Edouard, Quebec, 7. Super 8 Motel Three Hills, Three Hills, Alberta, 8. Skyline Inn, Niagara Falls, 9. Legends, Whistler, B.C. and 10. Comfort Inn Clifton Hill, Niagara Falls.

That's a nice four of the top ten for Ontario, for those keeping score at home.

STARWOOD ON THE MOVE

Starwood this week said it plans to open 50 new hotels in Europe in the next five years, including three in Turkey and a third hotel in Moscow. They're also getting into Tajikistan and adding a hotel in Kazakhstan. Officials also said they're aiming to have 100 hotels under operation and development in Latin America by the end of 2013. Currently, Starwood has a strong footprint of 71 hotels in 13 countries.

By 2015, six new Aloft branded hotels will open in Latin America, bringing the total number to eight. This year, Aloft will debut in Panama and Mexico and by 2015 the brand will arrive in Asuncion, Paraguay and in Uruguay.

JAUNT.CA DEAL OF THE DAY

Jaunt.ca, a division of Torstar, has a deal this week for lovely Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic for just $885, including $390 in taxes.

Jaunt Highlights

• EXCLUSIVE SAVINGS: Save up to $560 per couple by booking with Jaunt.ca
• All-inclusive 7-night stay at the 4-Star IFA Villas Bavaro Resort & Spa, in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
• Includes return airfare from Toronto, Halifax or Montreal to Punta Cana, with round-trip airport/hotel transfers in the Dominican Republic
• Accommodations in a Superior Room featuring 1 King or 2 Double beds, a French balcony and a garden, pool or partial ocean view
• Daily breakfast, lunch and dinner, and unlimited alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks

Why We Love It:

• Seven distinct restaurants and seven bars offer lots of diversity
• Pamper yourself at the IFA Corallium Spa
• Playa Bavaro is considered to be one of the most beautiful beaches in the world

Offer Details

• Valid for travel on the following departure dates:
  Toronto: May 14 ,21, 28 & Jun 4, 11, 18, 2013
  Halifax: May 4, 2013
  Montreal: May 06, 13, 20 & Jun 3, 10, 17, 2013
  
  Other DATES and GATEWAYS available.
  Call us at 1-855-687-5925.
  
  
• Pricing (Rates are per person):
  Toronto:
  Single: $645 plus tax
  Double: $495 plus tax
  Triple: $475 plus tax
  Quad: $455 plus tax
  Children (2-12 yrs): $395 plus tax
  Tax: $390
  
  Halifax:
  Single: $745 plus tax
  Double: $595 plus tax
  Triple: $575 plus tax
  Quad: $555 plus tax
  Children (2-12 yrs): $495 plus tax
  Tax: $392
  
  Montreal:
  Single: $1045 tax included
  Double: $895 tax included
  Triple: $875 tax included
  Quad: $855 tax included
  Children (2-12 yrs): $795 tax included
  
  
• Valid passport required for travel from Canada
• This offer is refundable until 5PM EST on March 13, 2013. After this time, this offer is 100% non-refundable.

                

U.S. budget situation could play out up here ... Major changes to Pearson YYZ

Folks at Pearson Airport and at U.S. border crossings are keeping a close eye on the budget situation in the U.S. With automatic cuts slated to come to all sorts of U.S. services if there's no budget deal between President Obama and Congress, things could get quite goofy up here in terms of U.S. Customs.

I had no idea, but Toby Lennox, Vice President, Strategy Development and Stakeholder Relations for the Greater Toronto Airports Authority, told a business meeting in Toronto on Tuesday that Pearson is the fourth largest entry point for folks headed to the U.S. (Since U.S. customs has a pre-clearance centre here, Toronto is officially an entry point and, right now, is behind only New York, Miami and Los Angeles in terms of number of customers entering the U.S.)

Things at Pearson could be utterly normal by Friday or it might be "a calamity," Lennox told a session of the Association of Corporate Travel Executives at the Ritz Carlton in Toronto on Tuesday.

Lennox said things are happening in a big way at Pearson, with new restaurants (including the just-opened Fetta by celebrity Toronto chef Mark McEwan, announced just today) and new shops and lots of other changes coming down the pipe. Fetta, by the way, is located in Terminal 1 near gate E73 and serves paninis, salads and small plates.  It's part of a plan to install 15 new food and beverage places at Pearson, complete with 2,500 Apple iPads that folks can use to tap out an order for a quick meal, or even a pair of socks from a nearby shop.

Included will be a wine bar called Vinifera in Terminals 1 and 3, plus a place called Marathi for Indian street food.

Transportation is always key at YYZ, and Lennox said the train that will link Pearson to downtown Toronto, with a couple stops along the way, should open in 2015. It's great and will make travel much more reliable, especially for business folks on a tight schedule who can't afford 80-minute commutes to Bay St.. But he also noted the airport draws people from all over the GTA, as well as thousands of workers, and they all need convenient, affordable transportation options.

Pearson draws about 35 million passengers a year now but that could increase soon to 42 million, partly because of growing economies and more travel demand from China and South America, as well as India and Russia. That will mean more night flights and stronger connections to those parts of the world.

Asia already is going gangbusters, Lennox said. "I have to fly next week and it was tough to get a seat."

He also said Colombia is becoming very attractive as a source of passengers for Pearson and that Africa will some day be enormously important.

To his credit, Lennox said there are major changes needed to Terminal 3 at Pearson.

"We're badly in need of renovations. The floor is cracked. It's an energy hog. And the retail isn't adequate."

As much as Pearson would like new customers from places like China, it's hard to get them if would-be Chinese tourists don't know about Canada. And right now, they don't, he said.

Lennox's comments tie into the cuts made recently to the Canadian Tourism Commission's budget and also echo concerns issued by others in the tourism business lately. Namely, that other countries are beating the pants off Canada when it comes to self-promotion and that we're badly missing the boat.

 

 

 

DayGuest.com comes to polite, quiet Canada ... Jaunt.ca deal of day is Curacao

What would Canada's founding fathers think? Geez, what would the guys think who banned beer at the ballpark and locked the playgrounds on Sunday in Toronto?

A company called DayGuest.com has set up shop in the true north strong and free, offering folks day-time use of hotels for significant savings versus overnight stays. It's billed as a service for folks who simply want to freshen up or for business folks who might have a late appointment but need a daytime nap.

Yeah, right. To their credit, they also concede there could be, ahem, other reasons for daytime usage.

In a press release sent earlier today, Founder and CEO Philippe Cohen said his company is offering hotel rooms in various locations, near airports and in the city, for a few hours during the day, at deeply discounted rates (30-70% off).

"We already have over 100 hotel partners and are currently working on major chain deals," Cohen said. "We've seen a lot of business being generated throughout Europe and the US with our offering and naturally extended it into Canada. We provide access to otherwise hard to find reservations and otherwise unaffordable luxury rooms, DayGuest removes the inconvenience and embarrassment of the process.

"The users we anticipate include travelers stranded on long stopovers at airports, cross border business trips, staff sent to locations where corporations have no office, couples that have nowhere else to go and sometimes people from neighbouring cities for a Raptors of Leafs game (now that the Leafs are back).  We simply offer the possibility to rest, refresh, nap or meet privately. On the hotel side of things, we help them take advantage of the thousands of rooms that remain empty every day to generate additional revenue."

I went online today at dayguest.com and found several rooms at the airport for $65 to $79 or so, including a Quality Hotel and Suites in Etobicoke for $79 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

In looking around on the Internet, I also found a website called between9and5.com, which was offering rooms at a couple of Toronto hotels for daytime use, including the Delta Toronto Airport West for $106.61 U.S. from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

We ran a USA Today story in Star Travel recently that talked about a company called dayusehotels, which operates around the world but not yet, it appears, in Canada. They're quite open about the whole thing, with descriptions about having affairs and arranging secret sex trysts and all. They appear to have nice hotels in New York City for daytime use for about $135 and up.

It's interesting, for sure. In fairness, I actually can imagine folks on a layover wanting to take advantage of an airport hotel, not just folks looking for a laydown with a friend or loved one. And the business angle works, too. I mean, you can get free Wi-Fi at the airport or at Starbucks or McDonald's but they don't seem to have appreciated it the time I've gone and stripped down to my boxers and stretched out on the bench with a pillow and all.

TENNIS STAR JUMPS INTO HOTEL BIZ

Tennis champ Andy Murray is planning to transform a former country house hotel in Perthshire, Scotland into a boutique five-star property.

The winner of the U.S. Open championship and Olympic gold medallist from London last year wants to re-open Cromlix House Hotel in Kinbuck, Scotland next spring, just in time for the 2014 Ryder Cup, according to travelmole.com.

Murray said the project, which will create up to 40 new jobs, enabled him to "give something back to the community I grew up in."

Athletes have been involved in travel and tourism for some time, but I haven't seen too many opening hotels. Mike Weir, Canada's one-time Masters golf champion, has a winery down in Niagara that's quite good. Ernie Els and Nick Faldo have wineries, too. But I think Murray is doing something a little different with his Scotland hotel.

Next year is a big one for Scotland in terms of tourism. There's the Ryder Cup, mentioned above, which features Europeans against Americans and is always a huge treat for golf fans. It's also, more importantly, a Homecoming year for Scots, with a huge, year-long lineup of parties and festivals and events to celebrate their "creativity, culture and ancestral heritage."

For more information, check homecomingscotland.com.

JAUNT.CA DEAL OF THE DAY

Jaunt.ca, a division of Torstar, has a seven-night Air Canada Vacations deal on tap for colourful Curacao for $1,613, including $214 in taxes.

Jaunt Highlights

• EXCLUSIVE SAVINGS: Save up to $560 per couple, compared to what's available in market!
• BONUS: Includes FREE Upgrade to an Oceanview Room
• 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 Oceanview Room, featuring 1 king bed or 2 double beds and balcony. Max. occupancy: 4 adults
• EXCLUSIVE to Air Canada Vacations: All Inclusive Meal Plan featuring daily breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, and unlimited alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks

• Curacao is an intimate, secluded Caribbean destination
• 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 March 30, 2013
  (Other dates available. Call us at 1-855-687-5925)
• Pricing (Rates are per person):
  
  Toronto:
  Single: $1779
  Double: $1399        
  Triple: $1299    
  Quad: $1249    
  Child 2-12yrs: $499
  Child 13-17yrs: $1169    
  Tax: $214
• Upgrade to Oceanview Room is applied at time of check-in
• Valid passport required for travel from Canada
• This offer is 100% non-refundable at time of booking

 

We want WiFi! / Hong Kong, Massachusetts and Scottsdale news / Deal of day

No kidding.

An amenities survey by hotels.com shows free Wi-Fi tops the list of what Canadians want out of a hotel.

The survey found that 70 per cent of us named standardized, free Wi-Fi as our top wish list item for 2013. Which is no surprise given our dedication to email and iPads and the Internet. I still find it shocking that so many hotels charge people, although one can often get around that by joining a hotels' frequent stay program, such as the Presidents Club with Fairmont.

Similarly, when asked what amenity is a must when booking a hotel for leisure travel, 37 per cent of Canadians said free Wi-Fi. On the other hand, 38 per cent of us raised our hand for "happy hour and wine tastings" as our favourite, newly offered hotel amenity. And 46 per cent of us said they wish they saw more complimentary bottled water in hotel rooms.

Asked about hotel turn down service, 31 per cent of Canadians said it's not worth the hype. I agree. I mean, I get turned down at hotels all the time. Bah-da-boom!

Other findings:

31 per cent of Canadians hope for free breakfast in hotels.

26 per cent of Canadians say a high-end coffee maker or espresso machine is is our favourite "modern" amenity.

35 per cent of us don't think the mini-bar is worth the hype.

70 per cent of Canadians say they don't take anything from a hotel, but that toiletries don't count.

Finally, the survey found that the most outrageous hotel amenity Canadians are hoping to experience is the free use of a Rolls Royce Phantom. That got 54 per cent of the vote. I bet if you had free Wi-Fi in the Rolls it would've scored even higher. And a happy hour/wine tasting bar, too.

TOURISM UPDATES IN TOWN

It was a busy week for tourism folks in Toronto. Hong Kong took advantage of Chinese New Year to talk at a meeting Wednesday night about their plans for luring more Canadians to HK this year.

Officials said there were 48.6 million visitors to Hong Kong last year, up 16 per cent. Of those,  393,000 were Canadians. That's an increase of 4.4 per cent on the Canadian side of the equation.

Hong Kong will be sending out some new commercials and new You Tube videos soon, with plenty of sights and sounds to entice would-be visits; dragon boat races and shoppers and colourful festivals and food spots and plenty more. So keep an eye out for those.

Hong Kong is billed as Asia's World City, and it's one of those places that truly has something for everyone; awesome food, great shopping, incredible markets and fascinating neighbourhoods, plus beautiful beaches and islands and mountains and world-class hiking trails and great golf courses. It's one of my favourite places on the planet, with a great cultural mix. It's Asian enough to be foreign and exciting for Canadians, but western enough to be comfortable.

Earlier in the day, a dozen or so representatives from Massachusetts regaled a group of journalists with information about their offerings. We Canadians know a fair bit about Boston and something about Cape Cod, but I suspect most of us don't know a lot about the Berkshires in the west part of the state and the whitewater rafting and the mountain hiking and the pretty valleys and former industrial towns turned into artsy centres with romantic inns and a bustling music scene.

It seems that every year the famed Boston Pops (I didn't know this, but the Boston Pops is basically the same as the Boston Symphony Orchestra but with a lighter music style for summer time, emphasizing things like jazz or even rock and roll music instead of heavy winter fare like Brahms or Beethoven) sets up summer camp in the Berkshires at a place called Tanglewood. This year they'll team up with the likes of Megan Hilty of Glee and Vince Gill on opening night.. Of course, you'll often find James Taylor in the area, singing his song about the how first of December was covered with snow, and so was the turnpike from Stockbridge to Boston" and how the "Berkshires seemed dream-like on account of that frostin." Apparently Taylor is working on a new CD/album and might not appear this year, however. Just so you know.

Anyway, there's tons going on in Massachusetts. Boston (see photo at left) is opening new parks and new museums and the seaport area south of downtown is booming with new restaurants and a new waterfront. Cape Cod is as pretty as ever, I suspect, with hundreds of miles of beaches and a national park/seashore. They're starting a new train this year from Boston to Hyannis on the cape, rumoured to be around $32 a pop for a 90-minute ride that will run from Memorial Day in late May to Labour Day in September. Sounds like a winner to me.

There also are beautiful coastline towns on the Atlantic, plus the historical Salem area that's famous for its witch trails and the Plimouth Plantation at Plymouth Rock, where Pilgrims landed from Europe almost 400 years ago.

Some 684,390 Canadians visited Massachusetts last year. Of those, about 302,000 were from Quebec and 216,000 from Ontario, which makes sense given Montreal is only a few hours drive from Boston.

All in all, quite a lot packed into a relatively small state that probably doesn't get its fair due.

Down in Scottsdale, there's always a ton going on. There's a new, fun restaurant at the Four Seasons called Proof, with casual attire and good whisky and a fun atmosphere that includes shuffleboard, a soda fountain, local beers and tables that slide around on railway tracks. It doesn't look anything like a Four Seasons restaurant, and that's a fun thing to see. This summer they'll be offering rooms on weekdays for $129 and weekends for $169; excellent prices.

There's also a new B and B in Scottsdale and a couple of new, fun and affordable smaller properties. There's a cool canal that runs through town and also a free trolley to get you around if you want to avoid walking, or don't want to drive after tasting some local beers or having a glass of whisky at the fabled Pink Pony restaurant and bar.

 

AEROPLAN'S SWEET OFFERING

Aeroplan has created a one time event in Toronto for a weekend in March; a chance to create your own personal perfume.

The  experience will be offered Saturday March 16 at noon, 3 p.m. or 6 p.m. and on Sunday March 17 at noon, 3 or 6 at the Westin Harbour Castle Hotel's Harbour Suite on the lakefront in Toronto.

For 23,500 Aeroplan miles, you'll get the chance to check out different scents and create their own, personalized 50 ml bottle perfume with perfume creator and international model Ruby Brown during a two-hour workshop.

It's billed as a unique and glamorous experience, and would surely impress a special loved one.

JAUNT.CA DEAL OF THE DAY

Jaunt.ca, a division of Torstar, has a deal on tap for Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic, which would hit the spot on a wintry, bitter cold day like today in Toronto. 

 

Jaunt Highlights

• BONUS: Includes 3 a la carte dinners, early check-in/late check-out, a bottle of rum per room, and more!
• BONUS: Sunwing's SMILE inclusions - Two children (2-12 yrs) FREE (just pay for flight)
• All-inclusive 7-night stay at the SMILE At Casa Marina Beach Resort, located in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic
• Includes return airfare from various gateways (see pricing below) to Puerto Plata and round-trip airport/hotel transfers in the Dominican Republic
• Accommodations in a Superior Gardenview room,  featuring 1 king or 2 double beds and balcony or terrace. Maximum occupancy: 4 adults or 2 adults and 2 children.
• Daily breakfast, lunch and dinner, and unlimited alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks

• With children's activities and special pricing, this resort is the perfect family retreat

• Puerto Plata is a haven of outdoor exploration
• You'll enjoy special extras like a welcome cocktail and 3 a la carte reservations

Offer Details

• Valid for travel on the following departure dates:
  Toronto: March 17, 19, 24, 26, 2013
  Ottawa: March 15 & 22, 2013
  Halifax: March 12, 2013
  Charlottetown: March 5 & 12, 2013
  Montréal: March 19, 22 & 26, 2013
  Québec City: March 18 & 25, 2013
  (Other dates available. Call us at 1-855-687-5925)
  
  
• Pricing (Rates are per person): 
• Toronto:
  Single: $655 plus tax
  Double: $495 plus tax
  Triple: $475 plus tax
  Child (2-12): $295 plus tax
  Tax: $290

Ottawa:

Single: $655 plus tax
Double: $495 plus tax
Triple: $475 plus tax
Child (2-12): $295 plus tax
Tax: $291

Halifax:
Single: $655 plus tax
Double: $495 plus tax
Triple: $475 plus tax
Child (2-12): $295 plus tax
Tax: $392

Charlottetown:
Single: $655 plus tax
Double: $495 plus tax
Triple: $475 plus tax
Child (2-12): $295 plus tax
Tax: $390

Montréal:
Single: $955 tax included
Double: $795 tax included
Triple: $775 tax included
Child (2-12): $595 tax included

Québec City:
Single: $955 tax included
Double: $795 tax included
Triple: $775 tax included
Child (2-12): $595 tax included

 

 

 

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

CHAOS AT PEARSON

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

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

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

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

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

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

CRUISE SHIP TRAGEDY

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

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

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

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

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

JAUNT.CA DEAL OF THE DAY

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

Jaunt Highlights

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

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

Offer Details

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

AIR CANADA PREMIUM ECONOMY

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

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

STAY TUNED FOR WESTJET ENCORE

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

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

VEGAS GOES TO SPAIN

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

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

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

Spain has a swollen deficit and 26 per cent unemployment

JAUNT.CA DEAL OF THE DAY

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

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

Offer Details

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

U.S. ROMANCE SPOTS

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

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

WORLD ROMANCE SPOTS

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

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

TROUBLES IN MEXICO

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

JAUNT.CA DEAL OF THE DAY - JAMAICA

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

Jaunt Highlights

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

Why We Love It:

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

Offer Details

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

 

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