Chicago options expand ... Thailand tourism record ... Jaunt.ca deal of the day

Canadians have cottoned on to Chicago of late, with 27 flights or so a day just from Toronto. I was there last spring and was wowed by the Art Institute, the food, the hotels, the architecture and more.

And now there are even more options. I caught up with Melissa McCarville of Choose Chicago this morning and got an update on the city's burgeoning restaurant and hotel scene and on some special events and emerging neighbourhoods.

The West Loop is booming these days, that being an area west of downtown.

"They're calling it Restaurant Row," said McCarville, outling such spots as Girl and the Goat by top chef Stephanie Izard (see photo at left) and Next. "It's become a real destination spot in what used to be a meatpacking area."

The new SOHO House Hotel is set to open in the region in the next year or two, and if it's anything like the SOHO Beach House in Miami I'm all in favour.

Also taking off lately is the Logan Square area, north of Wrigley Field. Again, there are new restaurants and hotels and cool shops, I was told.

Fairly new in town is the Hotel Lincoln, located in a historic building in Lincoln Park, just north of downtown. There's a rooftop bar with views of the park and the zoo and Lake Michigan, plus a restaurant called Perennial Virant that's said to be getting good reviews. Also new is the IVy Hotel downtown, a 63-room boutique property. Coming soon will be the Langham Chicago downtown and, they hope, Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Hotel Chicago, which has seemingly been delayed but could open in the next 12 months.

The Book of Mormon, Broadway's hottest musical, is in Chicago for a run that started in December of last year and continues until Sept. 8, 2013. Chicago Restaurant Week runs Feb. 1 to Feb. 10 with prix-fixe menus starting at $22. And the utterly fabulous Art Institute of Chicago will stage a Picasso exhibit, with more 250 items, from Feb. 19 to May 12.

Of course, you can't forget St. Patrick's Day in Chicago, where they dye the Chicago River green and party like it's 1999. McCarville told me they've petitioned the government of Ireland to proclaim Chicago as an official celebration city for St. Patrick's Day, and why not?

Oh, and in case you didn't know, I was told that Chicago is the birthplace of the Twinkie, the zipper, the Ferris Wheel, the mail-order business, the first pinball machine, the window envelope and the first all-colour TV station. Plus it's the birthplace of both Cracker Jacks AND the baseball All-Star Game (a perfect combo, doncha think?).

THAILAND ON THE RISE

The past year was an excellent one for tourism around the globe. The latest numbers I saw came from Thailand, which reports going past the 22 million mark in tourist visits for the first time ever.

Thailand officials said the 2012 number was up almost 16 per cent from 2011.

Who's going? Travelmole reports that six countries, five of which are within the Asia-Pacific region, are now producing more than one million annual visitor arrivals; those being Malaysia, China, Japan, Korea, India and Russia.

European visitors showed a good growth rate of 10.1 per cent to 5.6 million. The U.S. market jumped 12.5 per cent to 767,000-plus.

Tourism officials are predicting 24.5 million arrivals for 2013.

JAUNT.CA DEAL OF THE DAY

Jaunt.ca, a division of Torstar, has a deal on tap for a once-in-a-lifetime visit to the Inca ruins of Machu Picchu. The deal is priced from a very reasonable $2,324, including $325 in taxes.

Jaunt Highlights

• 10-day/9-night tour of Peru, including visits to Lima, the Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu and more
• Includes round-trip flight from Toronto to  Lima, domestic flights as per itinerary, and airport/hotel transfers in Peru
• Transportation throughout the tour via deluxe vehicle, domestic air, train, and bus
• Meals include daily buffet breakfast and two lunches throughout the tour
• Accommodations are double occupancy. Refer to itinerary for hotels (or similar)
• Includes accompaniment of an English-speaking guide and all required entrance fees (as per the itinerary)
• BONUS: June 20th departure date includes VIP access at Inti Raymi festival in Cusco

• You'll travel to Machu Picchu - one of the most famous sites in the world
• Spend some time travelling through amazing landscapes on a scenic train ride
• Tour includes accommodations, breakfasts, all transportation tickets and English speaking guides

Offer Details

• Valid for travel on the following departure dates: June 20, July 17, October 16 & November 20, 2013
• Option to upgrade train travel to Vistadome train service for additional $100. offers glass ceilings for better view of scenery, and meals on board. Call to upgrade: 1-855-GO-JAUNT  
• Pricing (rates are per person, plus tax):
  
  June 20, 2013
  Single: $2675
  Double: $2255
  Tax: $325
  
  July 17, October 16 & November 20 , 2013
  Single: $2419
  Double: $1999
  Tax: $325
• Valid passport and Visa required for travel from Canada. Visa not included, but available HERE
• Flight information to be confirmed at time of booking
• Refunds available until 5PM EST on January 30, 2013. After that time, this offer is 100% non-refundable.

 

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

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

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

Yeah, I bet the Florida tourism people hate that.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

WIKIMEDIA GOES TRAVEL

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

JAUNT.CA DEAL OF THE DAY

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

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

Here are the deal details:

Jaunt Highlights

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

Also included:

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

Offer Details

• Valid for travel on the following departure dates:
  Toronto: March 3 & 17, 2013
  Montreal: March 17, 2013
• Pricing (Rates are per person based on double occupancy):
  Toronto
  March 3: $1214 + $253 tax
  March 17: $1364 + $253 tax
  
  Montreal
  March 17: $1658 tax included
• Airport/port transfers are NOT included
• This offer is 100% non-refundable at time of booking

 

 

Beaches, history, great cities; the remarkable diversity of beautiful Brazil

Miles of beautiful beaches. Exciting cities. An Italian area where they make all kinds of wine, including ice wine when weather permits. A German area where they make great beer and rich chocolate. A Spanish area with historic missions. And a wide grasslands region with horses and cowboys.

Sounds like a pretty cool country. To my surprise, I found it that’s just one state in Brazil, and one I'’d never heard anything about; Rio Grande do Sul, at the southern tip of the country.

The folks from Brazil Tourism held a big event at the Ritz Carlton in Toronto on Thursday night, laying out all the charms of a massive country nearly the size of Canada and playing up the FIFA World Cup in 2014. Of course, they’ll also host the 2016 Summer Olympics but that’s another story.

There were booths from states all over Brazil at the event, plus some tasty food and drinks, including luscious caipirinhas. They also, of course, had some Brazilian music and some fine-looking dancers that got plenty of attention from men and women alike (see photo below right).

I've never had the pleasure of visiting Brazil and haven't spent a lot of time looking at the options for travel there, to be honest. Like most Canadians, I know about the Amazon and Rio de Janeiro'’s beaches and Christ the Redeemer and a bit about Sao Paulo. I know they have great beaches and some nice resorts and I'd read something about Fernando de Noronha, an island group off the northeast coast that looks about as beautiful as anyplace on earth (see photo at left).  But that’'s about all I could’'ve told you until last night, when I sat down with representatives from a couple of states and also chatted with Marco Antonio de Britto Lomanto, director of products and tourist destinations for the Brazilian Tourist Board.

Lomanto told me Canada has been selected as one of Brazil’'s 17 worldwide priority countries for travel marketing for 2013. It marks, I believe, the first time we’'ve been in their crosshairs, which is only fair enough as Toronto and Canada have been pursuing Brazil for some time.

“I think our countries have something in common,” Lomanto told me.

“"We'’re both very large, with great natural resources and tremendous diversity.”"

FIFA and Brazil are planning soccer/football games in 12 cities around Brazil, from Manaus in the Amazon region to Recife in the northeast to Porto Alegre, and, of course, Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, which will host the finals.

Tickets for the general public will go on sale at www.fifa.com next year. But folks can buy packages at this point through Great Atlantic Travel and Tour, the sole Canadian representative for packages.
Tickets will be limited to four per person for up to seven matches, meaning one person could order up to 28 tickets. Tickets also will be sold in groups so folks can buy seats for games in a particular stadium or to follow a particular team.

Jean-Edouard Courcier of FIFA said no sporting event in the world, not even the Olympics, can compare with the passion and energy of a World Cup. I've seen six Olympics, and if the World Cup tops that I'd be hugely impressed. I somehow suspect it probably would given the world's passion for soccer and the fervor of patriotic fans rooting for their teams.

The World Cup runs from June 12 to July 13, 2014 and they've created a mascot and a slogan, which is "All in One Rhythm." The World Cup would be great. Based on last night's performance at the Ritz, however, I'd go just for the dancing.
 

A travel editor's still large bucket list includes South America and Africa

Got to talking with family the other day about travel lists, and the places we still want to go. And I realized there are still so many places on mine.

I think most folks figure a travel editor goes pretty much all over the world. But there a ton of places I've never been.

Here are a few. And if anyone has suggestions, please let me know! EMAIL: jbyers@thestar.ca

1. SOUTH AMERICA. I guess I used to figure I'd get stories from this part of the world and that I needed to spend more time in places our readers go to more frequently, such as Europe. But now I look back and think, "Hey, dummy, how come you never have checked out Rio or Buenos Aires (see photo) or the wineries of Chile? I mean, the Inca Road and Machu Picchu get a lot of coverage. Ditto for Patagonia. But there's still a ton I'd like to see, including some of the coast of Brazil and, of course, the Amazon.

2. AFRICA. I once spent three days in Dakar, Senegal but that was covering an International Olympic Committee meeting. I got to see the city a bit and interview the parents of former Toronto Raptor Mamadou N'Diaye. And I got to visit Isle Goree, an island where captured Africans were gathered before making horrible voyages to North America on slave ships. It's a colourful and fascinating but also,ofcourse, very sad and tragic place. I've never made it to Egypt or Morocco or the plains of Kenya or anywhere in South Africa. Needless to say, a safari would be awesome.

3. CAMBODIA. This is pretty high on my list. Yeah, I know; everyone goes to Angkor Wat. But there's a reason some places get a lot of tourists. It's usually because it's a pretty cool place.This explains why tourists go to the Golden Gate Bridge but not so much the Hayward-San Mateo Bridge in the SF Bay Area suburbs. Anyway, I'd love to check out Cambodia and maybe Laos some time, and maybe see some of the islands of Vietnam down in the south. They look pretty cool.

4. MARQUESAS ISLANDS. I've got a real thing about South Pacific culture and this place looks awesome. Remote and artistic (former home to Gauguin, Melville and others) and beautiful, with jagged cliffs and thick jungles and gorgeous water. Definitely near the top of the old bucket list.

5. CANADA'S NORTH. I got a small taste of the Yukon on a recent trip to Whitehorse and Kluane National Park but I'd love to see the Nahanni (see photo) and some of the more remote, beautiful places in the Northwest Territories.

6. PORTUGAL. How I've never made it to Portugal, I have no idea.I just haven't. But I'd love to see Lisbon and the beaches of the Algarve and to explore wineries in the north and eastern parts of the country.

7. SOUTHERN SPAIN. Never been to Seville or Grenada. The village of Ronda looks beautiful and I'd love to check that out some time.

8. SANTORINI. Another must-see spot that has somehow evaded my passport.Come to think of it, the only Greek islands I've been to are Hydra, near Athens and just for a few hours, and Paros, way back in the 1980s. Gotta check out Croatia and the islands of Turkey, as well.

9. UTAH NATIONAL PARKS. I grew up in California but have never visited Zion or Arches or any of those cool-looking areas. Also,I have somehow missed the Custer Battlefield in MOntana, even though I'm a student of the battle and a fan of native American history.

10. MALDIVES. I know it's not that exotic in terms of history or culture (from what I know, anyway), but it just looks so cool and remote, and there are few things in the world that are more enjoyable than an overwater bungalow.

Of course, there are a million great places I HAVE been to. So no complaints at all. Just that this is such a huge, amazing world....

 

Brand USA about to kick start a huge campaign ... 100 days to London Olympics

It still amazes me that the U.S. has never really had an organized tourism system.

I get dozens of emails a day from Colorado tourism or the San Francisco tourism folks or the city of New York or Miami. Perhaps in keeping with the whole "states rights" thing and distrust of central government that helps define the American spirit, there's been no consistent, government-led push for folks to visit the United States as a whole.

That's about to change. President Barack Obama has made it a goal to dramatically boost American tourism arrivals, and the new campaign is set to launch May 1 in Canada, Brazil and elsewhere on the planet.

Details will be outlined at the U.S. Travel "Pow Wow" meeting in Los Angeles next Monday, and I'll be there to check it out. Look for reports and tweets (you can find me on Twitter @jimbyerstravel) and blogs and stories in Star Travel as the new campaign rolls out.

Meanwhile, as part of today’s opening of the Florida Association of Destination Marketing Organizations’ Industry Summit, VISIT FLORIDA – the official tourism marketing corporation for the State of Florida – announced its new founding partnership with Brand USA.

"Through its base commitment of $1 million and significant in-kind investments, VISIT FLORIDA joins Marriott International, the Walt Disney Company and Best Western International as Brand USA’s founding travel partners," officials said.

 "We are incredibly proud and grateful that these iconic brands have chosen to invest at such a significant level in Brand USA," said CEO Jim Evans. "Recently President Obama called for a national travel and tourism strategy to attract more international visitors, and Brand USA is a major pillar of that. This is more than an investment in a marketing program – it is an investment in job creation and economic growth for hundreds of visitor destinations across America."

 

“Working in close partnership with Brand USA provides a tremendous opportunity for VISIT FLORIDA – and the entire Florida tourism industry – to achieve our vision of becoming the No. 1 travel destination in the world,” said Chris Thompson, President and CEO of VISIT FLORIDA.  

In 2011, Florida welcomed an estimated 3.3 million Canadian visitors (a 6.3% increase over 2010) and 9.3 million overseas travelers (a 16.1% increase over 2010).

There's obviously a ton to sell in the U.S.: great cities such as New York, Chicago, Boston, San Francisco (see photo above left), L.A., Miami, Washington, New Orleans and Seattle; vast wilderness areas of the west with cowboys and incredible native history and craggy mountains and fiery red canyons; sweeping beaches in Florida and Hawaii (and don't forget Puerto Rico); remarkable music from jazz to bluegrass to hip hop to rock and roll to blues; a dizzying area of cuisine and lots, lots more.

Canadians are by far the biggest contributor to U.S. tourism, so it's going to be interesting to see how the U.S. casts itself in our market, as opposed to Brazil or India or China. The U.S. - and everyone else in the world - is coveting the Brazil market in particular, and China. Folks from those places obviously have a harder time getting to the U.S. than most of us do, but they tend to spend, spend, spend. Many U.S. jewelry shops and designer stores have added staff to speak Mandarin or Cantonese so they can appeal to wealthy Chinese shoppers, who seem to want nothing but the best.

It'd be nice if the U.S. shops did something for us, wouldn't it? I mean, would it be that hard for the Dolce and Gabbana store in Manhattan to hire a kid who's up to date on the NHL playoffs and can talk to us about the Sidney Crosby-Don Cherry tiff as we try out the newest, $15,000 handbag? Perhaps a Tim Hortons outlet inside the Tiffany shop on Fifth Avenue?

ONE HUNDRED DAYS TO LONDON

Seems amazing to me that the London Games can be only 100 days out. I thought it was just yesterday when we got word that the favoured French bid of Paris had once again fallen short and that London had confidently swept to victory. And now, it's only three months and a bit to the starting date, July 27.

Personally, I'm of two minds about the Olympics these days. I've loved covering the last six, but I'm a bit sick of the incredible money that has to go into these things. The last I heard was that the total for the Games in London was something in the 24 billion pound range; roughly $38 billion. And that's completely insane.

There's simply no way to recoup that kind of money. Sure, there will be a bit of a buzz and London folks will have a lovely party if they haven't skipped off to Southampton or Mallorca. They'll have a few new stadiums and arenas and, if they're lucky and smarter than folks in Athens and Beijing, those facilities won't sit empty or, as is the case in Athens with at least one outdoor arena, be used as a grazing spot for pigs.

But it won't be worth the money. It can't be. The security alone will be in the billions for London. And that money is all operating cost, with no benefit except a bit of extra cash in a policeman's wallet. I don't begrudge them that by any means, but you don't hold the Olympics to give cops more spending money.

The long-term tourism benefits are almost always illusory. Athens is hardly any further ahead than it was after the 2004 Games. Ditto for Beijing. Even Sydney, perhaps the best organized Summer Games ever, is crying the blues about lost opportunities for tourism in the wake of the 2000 Olympics.

It'll be a great party in London, I'm sure. But is it worth the price tag? I don't think so.

WESTJET AND THOMAS COOK

Interesting to see WestJet and Thomas Cook solidifying their relationship. Officials today said Thomas Cook Canada and WestJet Airlines have formed an "exclusive partnership, whereby the airline will now provide all seats for Thomas Cook’s tour operator brand Sunquest Vacations."

This decision takes effect for Sunquest’s winter 2012-2013 program, which commences in November 2012, and follows on the heels of the already planned summer flying program with WestJet.

Sounds like we'll be seeing more WestJet here in Ontario...

 

Happiest countries on earth in Scandinavia .. New luxury hotel in Saskatoon

There's a lesson in here somewhere.

A new United Nations report lists the happiest - and least happy - nations on the planet. As you might have heard, Canada came out fifth - the best mark outside of northern Europe. And signficantly ahead of the U.S., which was down there at number 11 (but still pretty good).

It's actually quite fascinating to look at this report in some ways. You might not get the Prime MInister to agree, but it seems to me that the most EXPENSIVE countries to live in and the ones with some of the highest taxes are places where citizens are the most happy.

I mean, it ain't the weather that sparked Denmark (see photo of Kronborg castle) to make the top of the list. They do have some of the world's best restaurants according to the fancy magazines I sometimes pick up. And they seem to have a lot of bicycles. They also pay something like $20 for dinner at McDonald's, I've been told. But they don't seem to mind, possibly because they get good goverment for their money.

Ditto for Norway and Finland, which came second and third. The Netherlands was fourth in the UN happiness study, followed by Canada, Switzerland, Sweden, New Zealand, Australia and Ireland.

Interesting stuff. Here are a few other random placements I spotted: Israel 14, Luxembourg 16, United Arab Emirates 17, the UK 18 (probably worried about Olympic traffic), Iceland 20, Spain 22, France 23 (ooh, behind the Brits). Here's a weird one: the economy is booming and they have all those great beaches but Brazil was down at 25. Italy was 28th, Germany 30th, Argentina 39th and Greece 42nd.

I've read lately that Bulgaria is the cheapest country to visit in Europe. Yeah, but they're all miserable sods. The UN report put them at the top of the bottom 10 in world, surpassed in misery only by the Congo, Tanzania, Haiti, Comoros, Burundi, Sierra Leone, the Central African Republic, Benin and, worst in the world, Togo.

I remember when I worked at the Star on general assignment back in the mid 1980s. There was some sort of spy scandal involving Bulgarians in, I believe, Niagara Falls. Anyway, I was sent up to the Bulgarian consul general's office, located in the financial district near the old Winston's restaurant.

I entered a large but older-looking building and got to the floor with the consulate office, only to find furniture that looked like the set of the old Barney Miller tv show; all stuffy and worn. There were out-of-date magazines showing old women stomping grapes and other idyllic scenes. But the best part was the big guy (I seem to remember him being in uniform but probably not) who was there to answer my questions. He had one eye-brow and a rich, thick accent and looked at me with a very serious face and said, "So, how come you never write anything good about Bulgaria?"

I didn't know what to say. I still don't. Except I hear Sofia (see photo above) is kinda pretty. I found a picture and it looks nice. And did I mention it's cheap? Miserable people, perhaps, but cheap to visit.

MEANEST USA AIRLINES

Another fun report that came out this week is the 2012 Airline Quality Ratings, sadly only focussed on the U.S. but still interesting. According to this report, which took into account everything from on-time arrivals to bumped passengers to mishandled baggage, the bottom six airlines in the U.S. were Delta, Southwest, US Airways, American Airlines, Continental and United. The bottom regional carriers were SkyWest, Atlantic Southeast, Mesa Air and American Eagle.

Consider yourself warned.

Best airlines, according to the survey, were AirTran, Hawaiian and JetBlue, followed by Frontier and Alaska.

SASKATOON GOES LUXE

The 59-room James Hotel has opened in Saskatoon. Hotel officials claim it's their first luxury boutique hotel in the city.

"The calibre of the James, both in its design and approach to service, sets it apart from all other hotels in Saskatoon," said Paul Leier, President of Cavalier Enterprises Ltd. "This investment is a testament to the strength of the local economy and the type of traveller the city now attracts."

Officials say they took inspiration from "the refined intimacy of a classic European hotel" but also used a "modern and welcoming design aesthetic," whatever that means.

They're promising "unparalleled service" at the James, formerly an apartment building. Many rooms boast larger than expected floor plans and all suites have private,furnished balconies with city or South Saskatchewan River views. 

 

Another cruise mishap, Transat boosting Jamaica and the joy of Brazilians ...

Geez, a guy goes away for a week and comes back to yet another cruise ship mishap.

This time, as you probably know, it was Azamara that had an issue - a ship fire on the Azamara Quest that caused a loss of power off the coast of Malaysia. I guess bad news comes in three's, so perhaps this, along with the Costa incidents in Italy and the Indian Ocean, make for the triumvirate that will allow the industry to catch a breath.

Still, further to what I've said in the past, it's probably a good time to book a cruise. I'm sure Azamara, in particular, will be offering some good deals this week.

I haven't read a lot of reports, but it sounds like the Azamara folks got in front of this one pretty quickly. I read they were offering full refunds to passengers onboard the stricken vessel and were going to offer significant travel vouchers for a future cruise. The air conditioning wasn't working, but it's said the crew offered up barbeques and free drinks on the deck. Which is what you'd expect of a wise and savvy company.

Yet I'm always amazed at how stupid some folks can be in the travel biz. I often read the magazine stories about some poor shmo from Cleveland or Peterborough who checks into a hotel in New York or Paris, only to find it under construction or dripping from the ceiling, and the hotel owners refuse to admit the mistake.

It's a very minor issue, but I was on an Air Canada flight yesterday from LA to Toronto and the overhead light wouldn't work. I wanted to do some reading and it was pretty difficult in semi-darkness, so I mentioned it to one of the flight attendants as he came by with water and coffee.

"Guess you got the burned out light seat," he said, then walked away.

Unbelievable.

I mean, hey, I'm not expecting a refund of my ticket. Or even a free Subway chicken wrap, or whatever it is they sell onboard for $7 provided you have a credit card. But something other than the polite equivalent of "tough sh--, buddy" would seemingly be called for, would it not? I've always had pretty good service with Air Canada, but incidents like those are what gives the airline a bad name with some folks.

TRANSAT AND JAMAICA PARTNERSHIP?

An item in the South Florida Caribbean News says Jamaica's tourism folks and Air Transat recently held talks to try to boost tourism in the island nation.

Transat currently flies to Jamaica 18 times a week from Canada to Montego Bay and there's talk of increasing that. Jamaica, of course, would welcome more Canadians.

I had a chance to visit last summer for the first time since I was, oh, 11 years old, and really enjoyed it. The resorts I checked out - Sandals in Negril and Half Moon Bay: A Rock Resort near Montego Bay - were exceptional. Better than that to me was Jake's Hotel at Treasure Beach, a low-key, artistic and funky spot I recently profiled in Star Travel. See photo of their seaside cottages above; truly a terrific place to stay.

THE JOY OF BRAZILIANS

It seems EVERYONE is chasing tourism dollars from Brazil. Toronto has been active in the Brazil market for some time, and the U.S. last fall announced it would try to lure even more Brazilians to iconic spots such as Miami and New York.

Now, it seems Vancouver is getting in on the act. An item on the News1130 website on the weekend quoted a Vancouver tourism official as saying it's a valuable market.

Dayna Miller with Tourism Vancouver says visitor numbers are still relatively small from Brazil, but Brazilians tend to spend a lot of money while on vacations, the news station reported.

"The inbound travel numbers from that market are currently small relative to some of our bigger core markets, however Brazilian travelers are very, what we call high yield - they spend long periods of time, and they spend quite a bit of money when they're in a destination," explains Miller.

She adds summer is the high season for Brazilian visits.  
    
"There's a lot of interest in cruise products, and of course we have great cruise itineraries out of Vancouver to Alaska. They're interested in rail travel experiences so the Rocky Mountaineer appeals to them."

Miller believes Brazilians enjoy the city-stay experience, and compared to most travelers, are more likely to add significant stops in Vancouver to those tours.

Along with Brazil, Tourism Vancouver also believes India is a new emerging tourist market. Miller says the number of tourists from South Asian country have doubled in the last decade, and hopes that trend continues.

 

WTF: Colorado city A-1 slogan ... new poll gives thumbs down to Canada culture

This might be one of the great stories of the year. It seems, believe it or not, there's a town in Colorado called Fruita. (Yeah, all the good names - Steamboat Springs, Golden, Denver - were taken). Anyhoo, the good burghers in charge of promoting this little piece of Colorado paradise decided they would do up a nice marketing slogan. What did they come up with? I'd try to describe it but you can see for yourself.

I absolutely love it. Cheeky and fun and cutting edge and just the thing to get folks talking about moving the state capital to Fruita, a small city west of Grand Junction and huddled close to the border with Utah.

A story on msn.com describes the controversy thusly:

The popular destination for mountain bikers, rafters and other DIY adventurers considered the slogan after a couple's homemade WTF stickers proved popular with local businesses...but the idea also led to "hundreds of emails, phone calls and in-person contacts from overwhelmingly dismayed residents," according to The Daily Sentinel. "When I've explained [what WTF stands for online], or had my grandson explain it," Fruita mayor Ken Henry said, "They've come unglued."

Well, yeah, I can see some older folks tsk-tsking a bit. But, honestly, had anyone in the world EVER heard of Fruita, Colorado before this came about? Other than my cousin in Idaho who claims to have a friend living there? I don't think so.

CANADA CULTURE SUCKS!!!!

Geez. You think we're making a bit of a mark around the world with stories about Toronto's restaurant scene or Vancouver's edginess, and now this.

A web site called Hub Culture (www.hubculture.com), which looks pretty edgy and hip and cool and all that, has published its sixth annual "Hub Culture Zeitgeist," a poll of allegedly edgy and hip and cool cities around the world. You know it's an important poll because they coolly slipped in the word Zeitgeist, a German phrase that means "we're really cool. And edgy and hip."

A story on the site today says there are signs the U.S. and European economies "are finally evening out from their death spirals" and that "income equality is being addressed via pop culture platitudes." Don't you feel better already?

One interesting bit is that the Hub Culture folks note the emergence of more BRIC cities (Brazil, Russia, India, China), not to be confused with BRICK cities (Mississauga, Scarborough, Welland) in the top 20.

Indeed, Sao Paulo, Brazil ended up #1 in the world for the third year running. Here's what Hub Culture had to say about the Brazilian city (see photo below right):

"Perched at the top of the list for a record third year is São Paulo, where the defining topic of conversation continues to be how hard it is to find good help.  You know things are going well when staffing your dinner party adequately is a major topic of concern.  It is however a harbinger - inflation and class ambition do not make a tranquil mix forever. The strong currency and commodity growth at large aren't the only thing fueling Brazil - property and consumer retail are continuing to enjoy enviable growth rates despite a 4Q dip last year. Meanwhile, the city is ever more popular, and ever more desirable for corporate postings, regional businesses, and those looking to experience the Brazilian boom first-hand. Enjoy it while it lasts, Brazilianos."

Second was Hong Kong, up from number seven in 2011. Here's the Hub Culture report:

"Hong Kong hits a high note this year - a cosmopolitan mix, fantastic shopping and epicenter attitude for business make it the world's drop-in city.  But the downsides - pollution, overcrowding, and little thought for public space - have often held it back. Despite these issues, lately the world just seems to bend more toward Hong Kong - maybe because there is an ever stronger air of confidence and derring-do in the city? HK simply doesn't care what everyone else thinks anymore, and that makes us all care even more (especially big brother to the north).  As the world navigates the shift of power from west to east, Hong Kong remains perfectly balanced between the two. Plus, try going out on a weekend - holy schmodel! HK is ground-zero to the world's young, rich and beautiful, tomorrow's bright lights rocking today's late nights."

The rest of the top 20 is as follows, with the 2011 ranking in parentheses:

3. Beijing (7)

4. Berling (4)

5. London (9)

6. New York (6)

7. Sydney (3)

8. Singapore (11)

9. Istanbul (18)

10. Rio de Janeiro (20)

11. Capetown (17)

12. Tokyo (12)

13. Seattle (unranked)

14. Mexico City (16)

15. Shanghai (8)

16. San Francisco (10)

17. Dubai (15)

18. Los Angeles (4)

19. Moscow (15)

20. Abu Dhabi (19)

Nope, not a Canadian burg to be found. Not even Peterborough made the list.

I did a little research, however, and found that Toronto was ranked ALL THE WAY UP AT 17th back in 2009, when David Miller was mayor and culture wasn't an evil word in the rotunda at City Hall. Even then, however, the praise heaped upon our fair city was fairly tepid. Here's what Hub Culture wrote about the Big Smoke in their 2009 ranking:

"Stability is a big theme of the moment, and Toronto keeps coming up in this thread.  Canadian globe trotters are heading back home to Canada's most influential business city as they check out of their stints abroad.  Again, the economic roll here has been a bit more mellow, so the vibe hasn't been totally destroyed by doom and gloom.  Take into account Toronto's great outdoors and socialized services, and it all starts to look pretty good."

Wow. Stability! Influential business city! Great outdoors!

I can see TO maybe being out of the 20. Maybe. But behind Dubai and Abu Dhabi? Crikey.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One billion tourists around the world this year ... How many will Haiti get?

Two thought-provoking items landed in my in-box on Monday within minutes of each other. To be honest, I'm not sure I can do them justice.

The first story was an Al Jazeera piece about how the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) is predicting ONE BILLION international tourists across the globe this year.

That's absolutely stunning, isn't it? ONE BILLION PEOPLE in ONE YEAR ALONE, hopping into planes and trains and cars and buses and motorcycles and making international trips.

It wasn't that long ago that making a trip out of one's own province was a pretty big deal. Hard to imagine now, in an age where kids jet off to India or Sweden or England for months of university study, then backpack about the world without batting an eyelash.

The UNWTO report  says international tourist arrivals were up to 980 million last year, an increase from 939 million in 2010. They predict the 1 billion mark will be smashed by November as tourism is expected to slow a bit this year.

Europe was the best performer in 2011, growing by six per cent and luring a whopping 503 million visitors. The report said some growth in southern Europe came because folks were avoiding parts of the Middle East and North Africa, which were suffering political and social problems. The Middle East, not surprisingly, was down eight per cent in tourism.

Asia and the Pacific visits were up 11 per cent to 216 million international tourists, with the most growth seen in South-East Asia (cheap prices, great beaches and more).

The Americas overall were up four per cent, led by a 10 per cent hike (for the second straight year) for South America.

Receipts and spending in the U.S. were up 12 per cent for 2011, even before they launch their big, global campaign in March of this year to attract more overseas visitors. Hong Kong spending jumped 25 per cent, while Spain was up nine per cent and the UK up seven per cent, the report said.

Big spenders around the globe included visitors from China (up 38 per cent), Brazil (32 per cent increase), India (ditto) and Russia (21 per cent), which is why American President Barack Obama was at Disney World the other day talking about making it even easier for folks from China, Brazil and other countries to get tourist visas for U.S. visits.

I didn't spot any figures for Canada, sad to say ...

HAITI DREAMING OF TOURISTS

Good item in the Washington Post the other day on how folks in Haiti are, understandably, desperate for tourism dollars. They went so far tthe other day as to bring in New York fashion designer Donna Karan of DKNY.

"We're trying to rebrand Haiti," said tourism minister Stephanie Balmir Villedrouin. "We're trying to raise the bar a little bit, and so we're bringing Donna here to help us with our vision."

There are plans to extend the main airport runway at Jacmel so they can get small jets in from Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Puerto Rico and Guadeloupe, the Post reported.

Jacmel (see photo) apparently was a pretty big deal in the late 1800s and some say the old town reminds them of the French Quarter in New Orleans.

Karan had her fall catalogue photos taken at the Hotel Florita in Jacmel. Manoir Alexandre, the most prominent building in town according to the Post, is being restored by an orthopedic surgeon from New York of Haitian descent.

It sounds promising. They certainly could use the help down there. But I've seen former U.S. President Bill Clinton arguing for more tourism in Haiti, too, and those arguments don't seem to have borne fruit.

 

Florida travel up thanks to Canada, Brazil ... Four Seasons Orlando breaks ground

Next time you make the drive down I-75 or arrive at Tampa or Miami airport, look for one of those "Florida Welcomes You" signs.

They really mean it.

With the world economy seemingly staggering from one crisis to another, the folks at Visit Florida this week were able to announce that, following a tough couple years, tourism is up a solid 4.6 per cent in the first nine months of this year. In 2010, the first three quarters found 61,736,000 visits. This year, that number was 64,564,000.

Domestic visits are up 3.1 per cent, which is great, especially when you consider 85 per cent of all visits are from Americans. But the real polish comes from Canada and Brazil. Canadian numbers for the first nine months of 2011 were 2,643,000 - up 7.7 per cent. Overseas numbers jumped - leapt actually - a whopping 16.9 per cent to 6,751,000.

Officials said visits from Brazil were up by a third, thanks to a strong middle class and a booming economy. Usually, UK visitors rank only behind Canadians. But, so far this year, Brazil is outpacing the UK, which has slapped high exit taxes on travelers to North America and other regions as a way to help their beleaguered chequebook.

Florida Pandhandle beaches, which suffered from the BP oil spill or feelings that they MIGHT be affected, have bounded back nicely, officials sayd. Bed-tax revenue in Panama City was up 20 per cent in the first three quarters of this year.

St. Petersburg/Clearwater, always a fave among Toronto folks, was expecting a 1 to 2 per cent hike in visits this year but instead is running 8 per cent ahead of last year.

Among other factors? The opening of the hugely successful Harry Potter exhibit at Universal Studios Orlando (see photo). It's so successful that they're building another one in southern California and expanding the Florida version. No kidding.

As encouraging as the numbers are, tourism types say they still haven't reached pre-recession levels. So get down there and do your part already.

Speaking of Florida (we love a good segueway), the folks at Four Seasons Hotels broke ground this week on their first-ever property INSIDE Walt Disney World. The 444-room hotel, part of Disney's Golden Oak residential subdivision, will include a rooftop restaurant with views of the Magic Kingdom (great for fireworks, no doubt), plus a 14,000 square-foot spa, three pools, a lazy river and event/meeting space.

It's the first Orlando property for Four Seasons, which is based, of course, here in Toronto.

NEW HOTELS IN DETROIT AND SAN FRANCISCO, PLUS AN ANNIVERSARY IN GEORGIA

Detroit is getting its first-ever downtown boutique hotel; a sure sign of economic improvement in the Motor City. The first Aloft hotel in the state of Michigan is slated to go into the David Whitney Building in Grand Circus Park downtown. Aloft, part of the worldwide Starwood chain that also includes Westin and Sheraton and W Hotels, is partnering with Daniel Burnham design on what's billed as a hotel with 108 rental apartments. Look for an opening in July, 2014.

Detroit's monthly occupancy rate hit 64.5 per cent in October, the highest level since a 68.7 per cent mark in 2000, according to STR, a Tennessee-based hotel information company.

A firm called TravelClick is said to have projected Detroi's hotel scene as the second busiest in the U.S. for next year, based on advanced booking figures. And that's certainly good news for Motown.

Out in San Francisco, meanwhile, they announced the Inn at the Presidio, a Waterford Hotels project that will be in the middle of an urban park. The Presidio is an old military outpost in the city of San Francisco and they'll be using the old bachelor's office quarters as the building for the hotel, slated to open in April 2012.

The drawings look pretty spiffy. If it's anything like the one they built across the bay in Marin County - the lovely Cavallo Point - it should be a smash success. The Inn at the Presidio is promising historic buildings, miles of trails, abundant wildlife and "stunning" bay and Golden Gate Bridge vistas, with the city of San Francisco's charms right outside the gates.

Probably the sort of place you'll want to have a car, or at least cab money, as it's not exactly in the centre of town. But it's only a short distance to some great neighbourhoods, including Geary St. and downtown, and it's close to Golden Gate Park and to the bay itself.

Finally, I see they're celebrating 125 years of history at the Jekyll Island Club Hotel in Georgia. It's a truly wonderful property; very historic and quiet and serene, with a great location on the inland waterway and just a couple blocks from the beach. Terrific golf is nearby, as well as wonderful food both on property at the hotel restaurants and across the bay at some of the local barbeque joints. Try the Georgia Pig, for sure.

 

 

 

AIR CANADA TO ST. KITTS

Air Canada begins direct service to the lovely island of St. Kitts starting next Friday, Dec. 23. I haven't been but I hear good things about the golf and the Marriott Resort and Royal Beach Casino....