Don't go packing your bags for New York just yet ... Canada gets top marks

The good news is JFK Airport and Newark Airport in the New York City area have reopened.

The bad news is there's still limited service. The even worse news is that LaGuardia is still a wet, watery mess (as you can see from this picture taken yesterday) and it's not clear when they'll be up and running again. Let alone the damage and blackouts in southern Manhattan...

USA Today reports the number of cancelled flights due to Hurricane/TropicalStorm/Pain-in-the-butt Sandy is nearing 19,000. No doubt the number will climb well past that by this afternoon given LaGuardia's situation and limited service in Newark and JFK.

What a mess...

ON THE OTHER HAND, GOOD NEWS FOR CANADA

In case you missed it, FutureBrand, the folks who run the Country Brand Index that rates countries according to their key attributes, have dropped Canada from the number one spot on the globe.

Canada came tops last year and the year before, but the latest rankings put Canada in the number two spot, behind Switzerland. Still, a silver medal ain't chump change, and we're ahead of third place Japan, fourth place Sweden and fifth place New Zealand.

Canadian Tourism Commission vice president Greg Klassen said there are "tremendously encouraging" bits in the report, including the strength of our ski resorts.

He also pointed to a note that Canada jumped from 25th to 10th in Heritage and Culture in the latest rankings and that Canada's culinary reputation leapt from 30th to 11th; also a key factor for incoming tourists who probably harken back to the back bacon days of Bob and Doug McKenzie.

Canada also is getting better marks in the value for money category, Klassen said.

Of course it would be better to stay as number one, but number two with some encouraging rankings is still a pretty impressive thing. It would be nice if the Canadian government would recognize those strengths and do more to help our tourism folks, however.

 

Need a tourism boost? Invite Will/Kate or Harry ... Sing along at Abbey Road

From Alberta to Albania, tourism boards and governments around the world spend millions of dollars researching ways to boost the number of tourist visits.

They're all so stupid, really. I mean, the answer is right there in the morning drive-time TV shows and on the cover of the French tabloids. It's the three little magic words of modern tourism; Will, Kate and Harry.

When Prince Harry recently revealed his uh, great personality, in Las Vegas, bookings went through the roof. It was the best thing that had happened to Sin City since the Rat Pack breezed into town and settled in for a few billion martinis and steaks.

Now, we're apparently seeing something similar at play with Malaysia and Singapore. Travelmole.com reports bookings for both places "have jumped by more than a third due to publicity surrounding the recent visit by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge."

Prince William and Kate Middleton spent two recent nights in Singapore's Raffles hotel, a sumptuous spot that's the birthplace of the renowned Singapore Sling drink. They also visited the country's Botanical Gardens, the Kranji Memorial Cemetry and the Gardens by the Bay before travelling on to Malaysia.

There, they took in the sights of the capital Kuala Lumpur and then made their way to the jungles of Sabah. Travelmole says they stayed at the Borneo Rainforest Lodge, an exclusive retreat.

Lastminute.com said sales of flights and hotels in Singapore had gone up by 51% while bookings to Malaysia were up 34% compared with the same period last year.

So there you go. It's simple. Make friends with Joe, or whoever it is that does the schedule making for the royal family and get them to add you to the itinerary. Then stand back and watch the dollars roll in.

You won't need a fancy campaign with little hearts above the name of your city. You won't even need a Facebook page or a video contest where folks send in moving images of why they want to drop EVERYTHING IN THEIR ENTIRE LIVES to spend a week in Sarnia. You just need Will or Kate (preferably Kate) or Harry (along with a case or two of Budweiser if you want to get him going).

Of course, it helps if you can convince one of them to shed some clothing. This, to my knowledge, did not happen in public when Will and Kate were in Canada's far north last year. Consequently, there have been no plans announced as yet for a Trump Tower and golf course and spa with diamond-encrusted lockers in downtown Yellowknife.

Another point to make here: try for the younger royals. For some reason, having Prince Philip drop by doesn't seem to generate the same frisson of excitement as the tween idols. Ditto for Prince Edward and Princess Sophie, who've been on a tour of Canada of late and have stopped just short of dominating the nightly news cycle.

Food for thought.

ABBEY ROAD/SAVOY DEAL IN LONDON - WHAT AN EXPERIENCE!

It's not every day I get blown away by a promotion. I get, literally, dozens and dozens of emails a day to promote this hotel deal in St. Bart's or this restaurant opening in St. Tropez. Often there are invitations sent along, as if I can just drop what I'm doing and take the next flight to France and go to this cool restaurant and that, of course, I'd mention it on the front page of that week's Travel section.

Anyway, I get them all the time and it's easy to get jaded by it. But the other day came one that had me in near tears, owing to the fact that there's simply no way I can spend the Star's money on something like this.

Here's the deal: Fairmont Hotels and Resorts, Abbey Road studios and The Savoy, a Fairmont managed hotel, "are joining forces to offer guests the opportunity of a lifetime with a new Record a Song Experience."

The press release says the offer "invites guests behind the velvet ropes (bestill my beating heart) for a behind-the-scenes look at one of the world's most iconic recording studios, which is not accessible to the public, where legends like The Beatles and Pink Floyd have recorded."

Once inside, "guests will get the ultimate rock star treatment when they record a group song from the Abbey Road catalogue."

OH MY LORD. Or should I say MY SWEET LORD (technically a George Harrison solo effort but you get the point).

As a memento, guests will hear their record in a playback session at the studio (do I really have to hear myself sing?) and receive a copy of their recording, professionally mixed and mastered (and hopefully overdubbed with Ringo's voice) by Abbey Road Studios engineers, which they can take home and hopefully never play at a party.

Guests also get a two-night stay at the Savoy with a welcome reception, a cocktail master class and a Sunday jazz lunch. Jazz? The experience is available Oct. 12-14 and Nov. 16-18 with 10 packages per weekend. Rates start at 780 British pounds per person, based on double occupancy, but that's still a bargain in my book.

PORTER HEADS BACK TO VERMONT

Porter Airlines says it's preparing for another year of service between Toronto's island airport and Burlington, Vermont. There will be four weekly roundtrip options this year, compared to just two last year.

The flights are great for folks heading to the ski hills of Vermont, and the Porter flights run from Dec. 15 to April 8. There are special Porter ski packages and shuttle bus service for Jay Peak, Smugglers' Notch Resort, Stowe Mountain Resort and Sugarbush Resort at www.skivermont.com/flyporter.

 

Myrtle Beach promotion for early fall ... Time to think about Whistler ski season!

Myrtle Beach is a hugely popular spot for Canadians, and with good reason.

I made my first-ever trip down that way last October and had a great time. The beach went on forever, the golf was outstanding and the food was excellent. There also were some hidden treasures, including the gorgeous Brookgreen Gardens and the fun "village" of Murrells Inlet, with its fun restaurants and bars along the water. I loved Caledonia Golf And Fish Club for golf; just awesome course with great conditions and a lovely clubhouse where you can sit out and watch folks play over the water to a tough 18th green. Tons of fun, with or without a mint julep.

 

 

To get more folks to come down and check it out, the Myrtle Beach Area Convention and Visitors Bureau is telling folks 60 best-kept secrets of The Grand Strand during its 60 Miles in 60 Days campaign. The "secrets" are broken down into suggested itineraries, including "Classic Grand Strand," "Foodie Finds," "The Historic and the Haunted" and "Wildlife Wonders."

“Myrtle Beach is quite simply America’s favorite beach destination; nonetheless so many of our repeat visitors haven’t yet explored all that our 60 miles have to offer,” said Scott Schult, Executive Vice President of Marketing for the Myrtle Beach Area Convention and Visitors Bureau. “The 60 Miles in 60 Days campaign not only helps inform the traveler, it showcases what sets us apart: our 60 miles of coastline and literally endless entertainment options.” 

The campaign will also include a pin-to-win contest on Pinterest, where interested vacationers can create a pin board titled “Myrtle Beach Dream Vacation,” pinning at least eight attractions from the 60 secrets to their board and adding the hashtag #MYRDreamVacation to each. By submitting their completed board’s URL to Visit Myrtle Beach via Pinterest (www.pinterest.com/mymyrtlebeach), participants will be automatically entered to win a 3-night, 4-day trip, complete with accommodations, a restaurant gift card and admission to choice attractions in Myrtle Beach, with one Grand Prize winner receiving admission to at least eight of their pinned secrets. A winner will be chosen each Friday of the 60 Days campaign, with the Grand Prize winner selected at the close of the campaign.

The Pinterest campaign starts Sept. 1, I'm told. 

In addition to Pinterest, the Myrtle Beach Area Convention and Visitors Bureau will promote the campaign via television and online banner advertising, targeted media relations, a dedicated blogger campaign, and by revealing a secret each day via Facebook and encouraging fans to submit their own secret each Friday, during the destination’s “Photo Friday” contest. So check it out.

Porter Airlines is set to start its Myrtle Beach service up again on Sept. 13; just as things start to cool down a bit in Canada.

WHISTLER ON THE HORIZON

Yeah, it's hard to think about snow when it's 29 degrees here in the Big Smoke. But pretty soon those leaves will be changing colours and they'll be getting their first snowfall out in Whistler.

Whistler Blackcomb this week announced that early bird season passes are now on sale. Available through Oct. 8, an unlimited adult season pass is available for $1,489; a savings of more than $300. An unlimited senior's pass is $799, while youth passes (13-18) are $675 and children's passes (7-12) are $415.

Last winter, Whistler Blackcomb tallied a total accumulation of 1,389 centimeters or 45.6 feet of snow. While those numbers seem high, they are actually just above the annual average delivered to Whistler Blackcomb each year. Over the past ten years Whistler Blackcomb has received an average of 1,192 centimeters or 39.1 feet.

Whistler Blackcomb’s official opening day for this ski season is November 22, 2012. Here are some details from a press release they sent out this week:

“Following on the heels of last year’s exceptional season, this winter we are looking forward to continuing to show guests why we’re a great skiing and riding destination,” said Dave Brownlie, Whistler Blackcomb’s President and Chief Operating Officer. “Last season we achieved the highest customer satisfaction score in the Canadian ski industry, affirming our reputation for delivering an incredible guest experience. This season we will continue to improve our guest experience by introducing a new “Family Certified” program, developing new Snow School programs, and unveiling the new Wonder Routes.”

The Wonder Routes
Whistler Blackcomb offers the most skiable terrain in North America with: 8,171 acres, 200+ runs, 16 alpine bowls, and three glaciers. With so much terrain to explore, some guests aren’t sure where to start. The Wonder Routes are a network of tours, trails, waypoints and stops that were created to help guests navigate the mountain and discover Whistler Blackcomb’s most wonder-filled places. There are six routes and each showcase a unique aspect to the mountains:

• Top of the World Route – features views from Whistler Blackcomb’s highest four peaks.
• The Steeps Sampler – highlights the steepest ski/snowboard runs on both mountains.
• Size Matters Route – showcases the longest runs on Whistler Mountain and Blackcomb Mountain.
• The Gold Medal Route – features points of interest from the 2010 Winter Olympics.
• Family Certified Route – highlights family-friendly areas and points of interest.
• The Powder Stashes Route – guides guests through powder snow areas.

 

 

 

 

Porter gets into package tour biz...2020 Olympic bids and trouble for TO 2024

We knew it was coming, but still a good item in today's Globe and Mail by reporter Brent Jang, outlining Porter Airlines' plans for a package tour biz.

It's been registered as Porter Escapes (good name for a company with a raccoon as its mascot, I think), and will offer all-inclusive holidays with flights, hotels, rental cars, insurance and other services. It's expected they'll focus on spots such as Myrtle Beach (golf), Vermont (skiing) and Tremblant (skiing), although Porter officials say they also will look at packages (probably theatre, maybe even TIFF, I guess) for folks coming to Toronto. Which is certainly good news for the local economy.

Of course, the packages also should help Porter boost its so-called load factor. Right now, Porter tends to fill roughly two-thirds of its seats or occasionally close to three-quarters, while folks like Air Canada and WestJet hover closer to 80 per cent. Porter CEO Robert Deluce says he doesn't need load factors that high as he has lower operating expenses with his fleet of smaller planes. Still, no business person in his right mind would settle for a score in the low 60's when he or she can bump it up to the mid-70's.

It'll be interesting to see how Porter markets the new business. It sounds like they'll be gearing things to shorter hauls, as most folks don't do Tremblant for one or two weeks the way they might do, say, Barbados. If I was a betting man I'd be looking for ski packages, theatre packages, golf and cultural packages versus sand-and-surf. I'm not expecting package tours for people flying from Toronto to Timmins (sorry, Timmins), but a weekend getaway package for Torontonians heading to Boston, Chicago or New York would be perfect, not to mention Quebec and Montreal. Those packages also would be a little different from the beach-sun packages offered by the likes of AirCanada Vacations, WestJet Vacations, Nolitours, etc...

2020 SUMMER OLYMPIC BIDS ARE IN, BUT I SEE TROUBLE FOR TORONTO 2024

And then there were five. The cities who are officially entered in the 2020 Summer Olympic sweepstakes are as follows: Madrid, Qatar, Tokyo, Istanbul and Bazu, Azerbaijan. Both Tokyo and Istanbul are multiple bridesmaids in the Olympic department. Istanbul has bid a few times for the Games, including a quest for the 1996 Summer Olympics in a fight with Toronto, Atlanta and other cities.

Qatar has made immense strides in international sports and will host the World Cup of Soccer in 2022. But I suspect the early sentimental favourite is Istanbul; as it's a perfect blend of east and west. Some events would probably be held on the European side of the city, and some in Asia. That's a nice symbol for the International Olympic Committee, which takes itself pretty seriously on these world-peace type issues, even if they are doing far too little to get Saudi Arabia to allow women athletes into the Olympics.

Rome was expected to do quite well in the race but, with Italy under such economic duress, pulled out a few days ago. Tokyo and Japan have been knocked around a bit, of course, so they'll certainly get some sympathy votes. And never underestimate the Euro-centricity of the IOC, which gives Madrid a solid shot. The city has fallen short of the podium a couple times lately, and the Spanish have some influence in the IOC, for sure. And, except for Istanbul, they have no Europe rival to deal with on the 2020 ballot. That's a big help.

The vote will take place in September, 2013.

Of course, there's something of an interest in this in Toronto, where some folks still are dreaming of a 2024 Summer Olympic bid. There's no North American city in the bidding for 2020 (as expected). Which means the door remains wide open for North America to get the Summer Games for the first time since 1996 in Atlanta, which seems like decades ago. (Wait a minute. It WAS decades ago).

The 2024 bids should be due in about four years. That gives a little time for the city of Toronto to prove itself with the 2015 Pan American Games.

Given the incredible costs of the Olympics, however, I can't see Ontario's finances - or those of the city - improving soon enough for a 2024 bid. I know Mayor Rob Ford likes these sort of things, and I see his point. The Olympics are great for city-building if done right and on budget. But a bid would have to start organizing in the next year or two to make it to the official 2024 bid stage, and the Ontario government almost certainly would have to backstop the thing. Given that massive warning shot fired across Queen's Park's bow yesterday about reduced growth and the need to slash spending, I don't think Ontario politicians are going to be too quick to embrace a Toronto Olympic bid. I could be wrong, but I think right now the optics would be just shy of terrible...

FRANKFURT AIRPORT CANCELLATION WOES

More than 1,000 flights could be disrupted today as workers strike at Frankfurt airport.

And trade union GdF is calling for another day of walkouts on Friday from the marshalling staff - airport workers who guide planes in and out, the website travelmole.com reported.

Quoting Reuters news reports, they said Lufthansa has cancelled nearly 100 flights including its London to Frankfurt service.

Its website said: "Lufthansa regrets any inconvenience to Lufthansa passengers caused by the threatened strike measures by the GdF union and will do its utmost to minimise impacts on passengers. Passenger support and service has paramount priority."

Let's hope this isn't a sign of things to come in Europe....

QANTAS MAKING OVERSEAS CUTS

Also from travelmole comes a report that Qantas is cutting 500 jobs, closing two international routes and reducing capacity on some domestic routes.

It follows the airline’s profits being hit by an industrial dispute and rising fuel costs. Qantas today reported an 83% fall in net profit to $42 million for the six months to the end of December, blaming a $194 million cost from industrial action and the grounding of its fleet, and a $444 million increase in fuel prices.

Qantas will withdraw from the loss-making Sydney-Mumbai and Auckland-Los Angeles routes, and reduce capacity on a range of routes including Sydney-Bangkok, Sydney-Perth and Melbourne-Perth by using smaller aircraft. The loss of the Qantas link from Los Angeles to Auckland is sure to be a blow to the tourism folks in New Zealand.....

Toronto-Vermont on Porter: New destination means more than just convenience

A belated thanks to the U.S. Consul General in Toronto, Kevin Johnson, for hosting a reception last week for Vermont tourism and Porter Airlines.

Porter flew its first-ever Toronto to Burlington (a delightful city, by the way) flight last week, filled with dignitaries and business people and such. Its part of Porter's ever-increasing dispersal of planes out of the Toronto Island Airport, with flights now headed to Halifax, Myrtle Beach, northern Ontario, New York, Montreal, Chicago, Ottawa, Boston and more.

It's quite the success story, as we all know. But it's also interesting to think about the business opportunities this presents for both sides.

I've attended a few tourism events as travel editor, and I'm often struck by just how critical flights are. I mean, you could have the greatest rum punch in the world being served on the planet's most beautiful beach in the Caribbean, but it don't matter unless you can get butts in seats on airplanes; preferably on direct flights.

"This new, direct connection strengthens the economic links" between Toronto and Ontario and Burlington and Vermont, Porter president Robert Deluce told those gathered at Johnson's Forest Hill residence.

"This isn't just about flying in to Vermont to ski on the weekend," Johnson said, citing Vermont's forests and high-tech industry and other shared interests.

For us in Toronto, it's a nice way to get to the heart of New England faster than driving through Montreal or upstate New York. Much less hazardous and nerve-wracking, too.

But the flight also, as Deluce and Johnson mentioned, means easier commercial connections between Burlington and Toronto and between Vermont and Ontario and all of Canada. As much as we focus on Asia these days, Johnson pointed out the U.S. is still Canada's key market.

Lawrence Miller, Vermont's secretary of commerce, noted that Canada is his state's largest trading partner; with exports to Canada equalling as much as the next eight countries combined. He also said 20,000 jobs in Vermont are due to trade with Canada.

Tourism is the biggest industry in Vermont, so the extra flights - and having Vermont more in the public spotlight - is a big deal. Skiers in Toronto might be salivating at the idea of quick access to Killington and Sugarbush and Stowe's ski hills. But Megan Smith, Vermont's tourism commissioner, said it goes both ways (as do the flights, come to think of it).

"We hope you'll do some marketing on our end," she said, "because those of us who live there love Toronto."

ARKANSAS ALSO ON THE HUNT FOR TOURISTS

You don't hear much about Arkansas. I know it's Bill Clinton's former stomping grounds, and I love the scenery in True Grit. But that's about all I can tell you about the state.

I must not be alone, as they recently opened the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville and are planning a big tourism push across the southern U.S. It's apparently a $300,000 one-time advertising buy will pitch Arkansas as a destination for arts and culture, while still promoting the state as a place for outdoor activities such as hiking and camping.

"We've been The Natural State for 25 years now," said Joe David Rice, Arkansas ' tourism director, referring to the state slogan. "We still think we're The Natural State, but we think we ought to be a natural for arts and entertainment, too."

The museum was built by Wal-Mar heir Alice Walton and the architect is the highly renowned Moshe Safdie, and it looks like a stunner.

 

From Canada to the Caribbean and beyond - where to go for New Years

I know. We haven't even seen American Thanksgiving yet, let alone Christmas. But you gotta plan things in advance, so here's a quick look at a few personal faves where you might want to spend New Year's Eve.

WHISTLER - The village is awesome almost any time of year. But the streets will be filled with revellers and the restaurants will be popping the bubbly on Dec. 31. The snow looks to be quite solid this year, and there's still some buzz from the Winter Olympics a couple years back. The Four Seasons gets incredible reviews and the Fairmont is lovely. I stayed at the Westin a few years ago and quite enjoyed it. And the Hilton room I stayed in one time was enormous. Or you can save money by staying in a condo or even down the road in Squamish. Don't miss the Peak to Peak gondola between Whistler and Blackcomb mountains - a treat even if you don't ski.

SANTA BARBARA - L.A.'s great, but if you're looking for something a tad quieter this is an awesome town. I was there a couple weeks ago and had great food and incredible local wine (especially Pinot Noir and Syrah, plus Chardonnay if that's your thing). There's only one freeway, but there's plenty to do and the beaches are wonderful. Check out, again, the Four Seasons (see photo at left of the A-1 Coral Casino pool area and Butterfly Beach). Or try any number of smaller hotels along the seaside strip. There's a nice-looking Holiday Inn Express right downtown, just off State Street in an historic building.

MAUI - I haven't spent New Year's Eve in Lahaina, but I was there for Halloween a couple years back and it was a huge treat. The beaches are awesome, and it's whale-watching time, so that's a bonus. Great golf and fabulous food. Save money at the Mauian Hotel or the Napili Sunset on Napili Beach, or splurge at the Napili Kai Beach Resort. Down at Ka'anapali, the Ka'anapali Beach Hotel is right on the water and is one of the most Hawaiian properties in the islands. Pop open some California sparkling wine, toast the new year, then go jump in the Pacific to celebrate. Just don't drink too much.

ST. JOHN'S - George Street has been known to attract all sorts of celebrities, including Blue Rodeo singer Jim Cuddy. It's a wild place with great music and incredibly friendly locals. New Year's in Canada's party capital would be even better than normal. There are plenty of options, from the Delta to smaller chains. I quite enjoyed the Murray Premises when I was there a few years ago. Be sure to wander up to Signal Hill for the views (see photo, albeit in summer and sorry about that!), and check out the galleries and museums while you're in town. This is a city with a lot going for it.

KEY WEST - You can't talk about parties and leave out Key West, where hundreds if not thousands of folks gather each night to salute the sunset with a frosty beverage - or six. Awesome bars, of course, but also plenty of history and culture, including the former home of Ernest Hemingway and the Florida White House of Harry Truman. Great food either indoors or out under the trees and stars at Blue Heaven. Again, plenty of chain hotels such as Marriott, etc.. Casa Marina, a Waldorf Astoria property, has smallish rooms but awesome grounds and is a quiet, romantic spot just a few blocks from the action.

ST. LUCIA - Eager for some Hawaii-South Pacific scenery but can't afford the air fare or dont' want to spend the time flying? Stay in the south end of St. Lucia, where the twin mountains called the Pitons look a lot like the ancient peaks of Tahiti or north Kauai. Super-friendly locals. Splurge at the Jalousie Plantation, which has a wonderful restaurant and bar and is nestled right between the Pitons on one of the best beaches (see photo at left) for swimming and snorkeling. Or stay the night further north in a condo or an all-inclusive and wander down for the day. Check the Friday night fish fry on the island, or even drop in for some country and western dancing in downtown Castries.

 

Montreal's ice village, Nanaimo Bar martinis and more Canadian bits

Here are a few more tidbits I picked up last week at Go Media, the annual Canadian Tourism Commission meeting.

VANCOUVER ISLAND There's a new road leading from Cowichan, across the island west to Port Renfrew, which allows visitors to do a circle route from Victoria. It used to be you had to go up to Cowichan and then come back the same way, officials told me. Or you'd go up to Port Renfrew and come back the same way. Now you can do a circle tour. It's about 250 km and it takes you over to Port Renfrew on an old logging road that's been fixed up, then head down to Sooke and back to Victoria. I'm told there are great beaches with hardly anyone on them. There's also a new Nanaimo Bar Trail with Nanaimo Bar cheesecake, ice cream, deep fried bars, and a Nanaimo Bar martini. Yikes. New wineries also are opening up Nanaimo way. It's a fun, pretty town (see photo) I got to visit a couple years ago.

WHISTLER Last year, visitors were able to ride down the track used for skeleton races at the 2010 Winter Olympics. This winter, they'll do it again but they have added piloted bobsleigh runs so you can experience the thrill of an Olympic bobsleigh race, albeit from a little further down the hill. There's also a new ampitheatre for concerts, located where the Olympics medal plaza was situated at the north end of the village. They also have a new app at Whistler, where folks who are so, um, inclined can check their vertical speed and exact positions on the hill, and more. Of course, you could simply ski and enjoy the scenery. Folks also say they've added wi-fi at the top of both Whistler and Blackcomb and that the food has been upgraded at hilltop restaurants. They had their first snowfall of the season just the other day.

YUKON I didn't know this, but the Yukon is about the same size as California. But instead of, oh, 38 million folks there are 35,000. Most of those live in Whitehorse, where the surge in gold prices is keeping prices high. "There was no such thing as a condo in Whitehorse five years ago," said Jim Kimshead, the colourful spokesman for the tourism ministry. "Now lots have sprung up, and they're going for up to $500,000." Kemshead told  me there are 20 peaks in Kluane Park that are more than 14,000 feet high. "There aren't any mountains that high in the Rockies," he said.

WINNIPEG In addition to the return of the Jets, there's tons going out in a place that says it offers  "Small Town Friendly, Big Town Fun." The new Canadian museum for Human Rights is being built at The Forks. A new airport opens in October, and this year marks the 100th anniversary of the city's Union Station. The University of Winnipeg is expanding, and Red River College is moving its culinary school to a building in the downtown Exchange Disitrict. Oh, Assiniboine Park is getting a polar bear rescue centre, which should prove immensely popular for folks who can't make it north to Churchill.

NEW BRUNSWICK The Acadian Festival runs up around Caraquet in the first part of August, when the town swells from 5,000 residents to about 25,000. The Hotel Paulin in town has a chef from Toronto and there's a new French boulangerie in town. And a sushi place, too. Not to mention you can get lobster poutine! The 2014 Acadian World Congress will be held outside Edmundston, with representation and help from Quebec and Maine.

PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND The Holman Grand Hotel, an 80-room boutique property, is the first new hotel in town in 20-plus years. There's a deck on the 10th floor with great views. It may not sound like much but I'm told it's the highest point in the city. The island has introduced something called PEI authentic experiences, where you can work alongside a fisherman or a pottery maker and get the straight goods without a guide or interpreter to mess things up. I didn't know, but they have a bike path that stretches from one tip of the island to the other; about 250 km. You can do it yourself or get a guided tour and stop along the way at various inns.

QUEBEC The new Le Massif train is up and running. You leave at 9 a.m. from Montmorency station and get gourmet meals on your way to and from La Malbaie, where you get a three-hour visit mid-day. It's $250 and right now runs only on weekends. It'll stop at the ski hill in February, so that'll be big news for Le Massif's ski business. Also, there's a Transatlantic sailing race every four years from Quebec to St. Malo, France. It's back this year, departing July 22, with some 30 boats in competition.

MONTREAL An entire ice village on Ile St. Helene Jan. 5 March 27 with an ice hotel, a bar, a chapel that looks like where Superman got married in the first Superman movie, and replica ice buildings of famous Montreal structures, such as Notre Dame des Bonsecours church. A new Daniel Boulud restaurant will open with the Ritz Carlton hotel in Montreal in April or so.

OKANAGAN A company called Okanagan Spirits makes not only fruit wines but absinthe, grappa and now gin, that's wheat based. They're said to be still testing recipes. Also, there are three zip lines in the Thompson-Okanagan region (see photo taken from the luscious patio at Mission Hill winery), all of them brand new. We suggest not drinking too much absinthe prior to a zipline trip....

SASKATOON There's a place just outside of town where you can go snow kiteboarding; riding on a snowboard-like apparatus if the wind and ice are right. You move incredibly fast, but they'll apparently give smaller sails to beginners to try. Their will be a Blues Festival this winter, and they're staging the Brier in March of next year and the Canadian Country Music Awards in September. There's also a new hotel, the James, a boutique-style property with less than 100 rooms, and a new Art Gallery of Saskatchewan is in the works. That's a very busy city, not surprising given the boom in Saskatchewan these days.

TORONTO There's a Fellini exhibit on now at the TIFF Lightbox. A Grace Kelly exhibit will move in in the fall, complete with her gowns and Oscar awards.

EASTERN TOWNSHIPS There's a wine route to take you to 17 vineyards in the Eastern Townships of Quebec. They also have driving trails in the hilly, far east region. At Mont Bromont they've expanded their lighting and now more than one half the slopes are lit for night skiing. Every second Saturday they leave the lights on until 2 a.m. for the late night types. It's said to be the largest lighted ski resort in northeastern North America.

Toronto Star travel folks in Hong Kong and checking the slopes in Europe

Being in transit and all, it's nice to let some of my travelling colleagues in on the action. So, here are a copule of postings from two terrific Star reporter/editors - Richard Ouzounian in Hong Kong and Neil McKay in France. First up, but only because he's in Hong Kong for Chinese New Year, is Richard.

        HONG KONG - No question about it:  the best way to see Hong Kong is during Chinese New Year's.  The whole city is in party mode, but in the nicest possible way.  Coming from a culture where New Year's means resolutions made, hangovers acquired and auld lang syne that's forgotten ASAP, it's refreshing to find a people who are devoted to it as a celebration of family and tradition.
        Don't get me wrong, the city swings, but you don't have to run around fearing that someone is about to anoint your Adidas with that 32 oz Mojito they just chugged in 90 seconds flat!
        My wife and I started the day quietly, taking advantage of the facilities at The Mira Hotel, where simply having a room gets you full access to their "infinity Pool" and the Changing Rooms, which come equipped with steam rooms, saunas, giant jacuzzis, "tropical" showers with 32 water jets (!) and a room with water-beds for you to meditate on.
       
We also took advantage of walking down by the Harbourfront to their "Avenue of the Stars" which is their answer to our "Walk of Fame". The big attractions are, as you might guess, JAckie Chan's handprints and a striking sculpture of Bruce Lee.
        Most of the restaurants weren't open by late morning, so I hang my head in shame to tell you that we sought out a Starbuck's!  But much to our surprise and delight, the food choices here are far more varied and superior than what we get in North America.  Can you picture asking your local barrista to accompany your grande latte with a Crayfish and Asparagus Quiche or a Smoked Chicken and Egg White sandwich served on a Cardamon Ciabatta? And the food was good, too. The price was also right, averaging $7 Canadian each for a breakfast coffee and a yummy sandwich.
        Good thing we saved so much money on food, because the next stop was Canton Road, where it looks like all the major designer names in the world have set up their largest flagship stores.  They've got a Prada the size of the average Bay and you practically need a map to get around the Louis Vuitton. To be honest, I didn't see a lot of buying taking place, but the well-dressed families out for a holiday outing had a wonderful time checking out the upscale goodies.  There are new luxury "malls" being set up in the annex to the famed Peninsula Hotel as well as underneath the city's newest "W" Hotel, so shopping won't ever be an issue here.
        Nor will dining. On the advice of a friend, we joined up with some German journalists here for a visit and enjoyed a fantastic dinner at the Peking Garden. Like many great dining spots in the city, it's hidden inside another structure and you have to know where to look.  This is on the third floor of the Star House, right across from the Star Ferry and it's possible to get a table with a greta harbour view, but you'll be paying more attention to the food.  Best. Peking. Duck.  Ever.  Superbly lacquered skin, juicy meat and very generous portions. It costs about $45 Canadian, but it will serve six more than generously and superbly. You'll want to try their Spicy Tofu, Beggar's Chicken and Garlic Greens, which wins the medal hands down for the Vampire Preventative of 2011.
        Afterwards, thanks to the kind offices of the Hong Kong Tourism Board, we wound up with VIP seating for the annual Chinese' New Year's Parade. This is a spectacular event which sends 35 floats (each accompanied by a dancing chorus of 50-100!) from a central point by the harbour, weaving through the streets of the city. People begin lining up hours in advance and  having seen the show, I don't blame them! 

        How do you describe it? Well, imagine watching the Rose Bowl Parade after ingesting some magic mushrooms, or try to picture the cast of Glee on steroids suddenly appearing in an Asian version of the Caribana parade.  The picture of one float I'm including can only give you a slight idea.  Oh yes, we all also wore rabbit ears in honour of The Year of the Rabbit. Somehow you don't seem so foolish when thousands of other people are doing it!
        The bottom line? Hong Kong is always a fascinating place to visit, but during Chinese New Year's, it's a knockout!

From Asia to Europe, we go to Neil McKay, who's on sabbatical from the sports desk and spending the winter in the French Alps with his family. His daughters are working hard at the local public school in Samoens, his wife is working hard on her French. McKay? He’s skiing every day and eating a lot of cheese. Here’s his latest Postcard from the Alps.

 CHAMONIX, FRANCE—The world’s best skiers were here last weekend competing in the world’s oldest downhill race, the Kandahar. The famous race has been held in various resorts since 1911 and this year Chamonix hosted the World Cup event featuring a downhill on Saturday and a super combined (downhill and slalom) on Sunday.

Among the crowds lining the legendary Verte des Houches course on Sunday were young racers from ski clubs throughout Haute Savoie. Our daughters’ club in Samoens sent two mini-buses to the event, coaches and young athletes hiking up the mountain to “the break” part of the course where racers sail 60 metres off one of the jumps. “Formidable,” was the general consensus of the kids.

The crowds arrive early and set up camp in the woods lining the course, fashioning seats from logs and broken trees branches. The Swiss, some in traditional alpine garb, are out in force, armed with gigantic cowbells, signs and flags. The French prefer to carry bags of food up the hill and some of the spreads look to be of Michelin quality. We’re making do with Nutella sandwiches and flasks of hot chocolate.

Down in the finish area, the non-stop banter from the announcer, as well as the vin chaud, is keeping the large crowd in a festive mood as the clock counts down to 11 a.m. and the start of the race. From this vantage point, spectators watch the action on a giant screen until the racers come into view for the final stretch to the finish line. 

The Verte course setting is spectacular, the start hut offering superb views of the Chamonix Valley and Mont Blanc, Europe’s highest peak (4,810m). Not that the athletes have much time for sight-seeing. The icy 3.34-kilometre course runs a hefty two minutes for most racers, a couple of seconds less for 36-year-old Swiss star Didier Cuche who took top spot on the podium Saturday.

Canadian skiers have had some success at Chamonix over the years, Crazy Canucks Ken Read and Dave Murray finishing 1-2 in a World Cup downhill in 1978 and Nancy Greene pulling off a downhill/slalom/combined hat trick in 1968. On Saturday, Canada’s Manny Osborne-Paradis wasn’t quite so lucky, blowing out a knee and having to be airlifted off the course, his season finished.

Charming little Annecy, an hour away, is one of the three cities still standing in the bid for the 2018 Winter Olympics. Should Annecy get the nod over Munich and Pyeongchang, South Korea, when the IOC makes its decision on July 6, the alpine events will be held here in Chamonix, birthplace of the Winter Games in 1924.

 A victory in Chamonix looks good on anyone’s resume, and on Sunday Ivica Kostelic of Croatia roars back in the slalom to take first place, padding his already formidable lead in the overall World Cup standings. Fellow Croat and best pal Natko Zrncic-Dim finishes second, and the two of them belt out the Croatian anthem from atop the podium.

After the awards ceremonies, the skiers make their way through the crowd and back into the village of Les Houches. The procession is a slow one as a sea of kids in ski club jackets swarm the World Cup stars for autographs. Surprisingly, many of the racers are still in their ski boots and carrying their own skis as they clomp into little hotels and team vehicles on the main street like average joes on a ski holiday.

Kostelic is the last to leave the finish area, lugging his heavy trophy up into town where a band is performing outside one of the pubs. In Les Houches, the party is just getting started.

For the World Cup skiers it’s on to Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, for the world championships. And for the young racers on hand this day, it’s back to their clubs and training. Hopefully, the kids at the Ski Club de Samoens don’t get any ideas about that 60-metre jump they saw on Sunday – the girls at least.

*For more information on Chamonix and skiing in France, go to:

www.chamonix.com

www.savoie-mont-blanc.com

 

  

 

Star Staffer Neil McKay gets up-close with sled dogs in the French Alps

 Star staffer Neil McKay is on sabbatical from the sports desk and spending the winter in the French Alps with his family. His daughters are working hard at the local public school in Samoens, his wife is working hard on her French. McKay? He’s skiing every day and eating a lot of cheese. Here’s his latest Postcard from the Alps.

MEGEVE, FRANCE — Some of France’s top ski resorts have really gone to the dogs – huskies to be exact.

La Grande Odyssee, a 12-day 1,000-kilometre sled dog race through the French Alps, attracts the top mushers from across Europe. Last Thursday the dogs raced from Les Saisies to Crest Voland, two beautiful little resorts in the Espace Diamant ski area, before finishing up here in this famous old resort to contest the Megeve Challenge, a five-kilometre dash in the evening that started and finished at the hockey rink, the Palais des Sports.

Since Megeve is less than an hour from Samoens, where we are spending the winter, we collected our daughters from school at 4:30 and headed for Megeve. After a quick stop at McDonalds for a Le McFarmer and a Le Big Mac, we simply followed the sound of barking dogs to the rink. Who needs GPS when you have 300 dogs to lead the way?

The event this year has been plagued by warm weather and terrible snow conditions. The race involves 25,000 metres of elevation change and the dogs are spending more time than usual this year coping with a steep terrain covered in ice and rocks. Some of the mushers pulled out on Wednesday, including defending champion and race leader Emil Inauen of Switzerland, citing unsafe conditions for their dogs and poorly marked trails. 

The news may have been troubling for race organizers but it certainly didn’t dampen the spirits of a few thousand fans on hand Thursday to cheer on the dogs and mushers.

As the participants prepare for the day’s stage, spectators are free to roam among the teams and talk to the mushers and handlers. But, of course, it’s the dogs who are the stars of the show, calmly posing for pictures like old pros. Each musher is allowed 14 dogs but only six are used at a time. Some of the dogs left on the sidelines act like Terrell Owens when he doesn’t get enough balls thrown his way – lots of yapping.

“He’s not happy,” says a handler for one of the French mushers of a particularly agitated Siberian. “His brother is racing today, but not him. He has an injury.”

The dogs appear to be well looked after, some receiving massages before the start of the race and having vets on hand to monitor any damage incurred during the course of the gruelling 10-stage race.

The teams are primarily made up of two kinds of huskies, Siberians and Alaskans. None of them look like they spend much time on the couch.

 At the end of the day handlers put down bowls of food and the dogs, still in harness and still in formation, chow down. The plat du jour this night is chunks of beef and kibble. No crème brulee though.

For more on Haute-Savoie and La Grande Odyssee go to:

www.grandeodyssee.com

www.savoie-mont-blanc.com

 

Star man Neil McKay blogs from French Alps...California/NYC/Montreal deals

Star staffer Neil McKay is on sabbatical from the sports desk and spending the winter in the French Alps with his family. His daughters are working hard at the local public school, his wife is working hard on her French. McKay? He’s skiing every day and eating a lot of cheese. Here’s his first Postcard from the Alps, albeit on the Swiss side of things.

 

MONTREUX, SWITZERLAND—There’s no doubt about it, Switzerland is a fairy tale kind of place, and Switzerland at Christmas is basically a Disney production. The snow, the mountains, the mulled wine and enough cheese to sink a battleship.

Here on the northeast shore of Lake Geneva, the city known worldwide for its summer jazz festival (www.montreuxriviera.com), stages one of the finest Christmas markets in Europe, the Montreux Noel (www.montreuxnoel.com).

Some 140 illuminated wooden chalets line the quays along the lake offering all sorts of trinkets, snackage and hot drinks to keep the chill out. (Some of the hot drinks will keep the chill out for hours and, it turns out, are not suitable for children. How was I to know? My French isn’t very good.) 

Just past the Freddie Mercury statue – one of many celebrities who fell in love with Montreux and settled here -- sits a large covered market where visitors can escape the snow and tuck into Swiss specialties like roesti, raclette and tartiflette – piles of cheese, bacon and potatoes in various combinations. Mulled wine and hot cider are the preferred choices to wash it down.

The market is best seen in the evening but during the day families can climb aboard the Santa Train at the main station for a spectacular 55-minute ride up into the mountains on a cog railway and visit Pere Noel at his house at Rochers-de-Naye (2,045 metres) and a Christmas Village with farm animals and reindeer at the village of Caux.

 As we make our way up the mountain, past perfect little chalets nestled amongst the trees with two feet of snow on the roofs, the view across Lake Geneva to the French Alps is quite a sight.

Inside Santa’s house, Pere Noel’s cozy office is as good as it gets, his desk covered in letters and The Lists. Pere Noel himself has a nice, long chat with our girls and quizzes them on their multiplication tables and spelling. (That French Immersion is paying off, whew.)

With Christmas requests registered, we head back down to Montreux. The train this time  packed with Russians who have spent the night in yurts(!) at Rochers-de-Naye. Russia is the Guest of Honour at this year’s Noel. If ever you were looking for a fur hat or one of those little Russian wooden dolls, this is the Christmas to be in Montreux.

But really, any Christmas in Montreux is a good idea, one Yule you'll never forget.

Now, back to Jim...

CALIFORNIA FOOD BARGAINS

Twenty-three destinations across California have created special restaurant week or month-long promotions in January 2011, featuring gourmet prix fixe menus, wine pairings and chef talks throughout California Restaurant Month; a new promotion created by the California Travel and Tourism Commission.

“Visitors can save up to 25 percent on meals at hundreds of the best restaurants across the state, from mountain and coastal regions to urban and wine country hotspots," said Caroline Beteta, CTTC president & CEO. "We’ve got deals going on throughout the month, so there’s still time to book a delicious California foodie getaway.”

The following destinations are participating in California Restaurant Month: Costa Mesa, El Dorado County, Fresno, Irvine, Los Angeles, Madera County, Marin County, Monterey County (see photo of Pacific Grove, one of my fave spots in California), Napa Valley, Newport Beach, Oakland, Oxnard, Sacramento, San Diego, San Francisco, San Luis Obispo, San Mateo County, Santa Barbara, Santa Ynez Valley, Shasta Cascade, Temecula Valley, Tri-Valley and Yountville. For more information on dining promotions in these areas, visit www.visitcalifornia.com/restaurantmonth.

NEW YORK HOTEL DEALS

NYC & Company, the official marketing, tourism and partnership organization for the City of New York, today announced that 16 hotels in The Signature Collection, a group of New York City's luxury hotels, will participate in The Signature Collection Third Night™ promotion this winter. The program gives visitors a complimentary Third Night at participating hotels after they book and pay for two consecutive nights between January 2 and March 7, 2011. The Third Night program is being extended for a week this year, through March 7, to coincide with ART x NYC, a week filled with some of the biggest art events of the year, including The Armory Show and The Art Show, plus numerous gallery exhibitions, museum shows, tours and studio visits. Detailed booking information for the winter promotion is available on nycgo.com/thirdnight www.nycgo.com/thirdnight

Hotels include the Plaza (I got to stay there in September; wow!), the Pierre, the Peninsula, two Trump properties and more.

MONTREAL IGLOOFEST

Closer to home (no worries about too much snow at Heathrow!), Montreal is offering up its Igloofest next month. Taking place in (most likely) sub-zero temperatures over the Jacques - Cartier Pier, the festival delivers nine evenings of fun. It's slated for three weekends in January: 13, 14 and 15, 20, 21 and 22 and then 27, 28 and 29.

For the fifth year Igloofest will play host to top acts of the electronic scene, as well as deliver a unique audio-visual ambience and atmosphere. With confirmed acts including celebrity party favourite British DJ Andrew Weatherall, international popstar Robyn, Egypthxx, Green & Lateez  Anja Schneider and Terror Danjah, to name a few. IGLOOFEST has attracted more than 27,000 festival goers. 

MONTREAL HIGH LIGHTS FESTIVAL

For the first 11 years, the Festival featured a different city, country or region through its programming - a featured region implies we'll invite celebrated artists and chefs from the region.In 2011, the Festival will put a twist on its tradition by not celebrating a region, but rather by celebrating women. Some of the world's best female chefs are said to be heading to Montreal. The Festival also presents two special activities - The High Lights events and the Nuit Blanche à Montréal. The first is a multimedia outdoor spectacle and the second is the only Nuit Blanche (from the worldwide network of Nuit Blanche) to be celebrated in winter conditions. It will be Nuit Blanche's 8th edition and as it is the case every year, it serves as the closing event of the MONTREAL HIGH LIGHTS Festival and will once again offer some 175 activities (the vast majority of which are free) to be enjoyed in different Montreal boroughs.

So get out there and enjoy. For more information, www.tourisme-montreal.org