WestJet Encore is born, Taste of Montreal food deals, Sunwing Weddings

WestJet's new regional airline has been given a name.

WestJet Encore will launch in the second half of next year using Bombardier Q400 aircraft to service smaller Canadian communities.

A whole raft of cities have been lobbying for service under the new WestJet umbrella. The Calgary Herald reports that Nanaimo, B.C., had a huge social media campaign to try to get the airline's attention "while Brandon, Man., collected more than 10,000 signatures on a petition." Penticton, B.C., declared itself "WestJetville" for a day, the Herald said, and I like their style.

"We were looking for, as we developed a short list, something that related to WestJet and our proud 16-year history," said Bob Cummings, WestJet's executive vice-president of sales, marketing, and guest experience. "We brought low-cost travel to Canadians, and we're now going to go into smaller communities and bring low fares to them."

Air Canada recently announced its new, discount carrier will be launched next year as well, so it's clear that the Canadian air wars continue...

TASTE OF MONTREAL

Reservations are now open for the first edition of TASTE MONTREAL, an initiative of Tourisme Montreal. From Nov. 1 to 11, close to 100 restaurants across the great city of Montgreal will offer tasty menus at $19, $29 and $39.

For a complete list of participating restaurants or to make a reservation, visit www.tourisme-montreal.org and look for the Taste of Montreal.

In additiion to great savings there also will be food events. Mont-Royal Avenue will have six participating restaurtns that will welcome guests to candle-lit dinners on certain nights. Visit www.mont-royal.net for more information.

SUNWING WEDDINGS

Sunwing has launched the newest edition of its Destination Weddings Guide. The new volume is twice the size of the original and has an array of new features along with tips and trends to help brides and grooms plan their dream Destination Wedding.

Couples can choose from Diamond or Platinum Sunwing Weddings Planning Packages and get personalized consultations, information on legal requirement, a budget spreadsheet and much more.

Out of country weddings are increasingly popular, with couples choose places such as the Caribbean, Paris or even cruise ships for their vows.

COMING ATTRACTIONS

Off to Miami (supposed to rain tomorrow, damn) on Saturday for a day and then Key West. After that I'll be blogging from the U.S. Virgin Islands before heading back to Miami. So stay tuned for some sunhshine words and photos.

Don't forget you can always email me at jbyers@thestar.ca or follow me on Twitter @jimbyerstravel

 

 

Incredible Monument Valley in the U.S....Deals for Hawaii at Outrigger, Hualalai

Thanks to Star Entertainment reporter Linda Barnard for the following report. Nicely done. And what great pictures!

MONUMENT VALLEY, ARIZONA/UTAH  - There are places you dream about, either because the setting creeps into your mind as a part of a fantasy while dreaming or because they actually exist but you never think you'll set foot there. 

That's what Monument Valley was like for us. We had a long day of driving behind us and were planning to overnight at Mexican Hat - named for the rock formation outside town and do Monument Valley the next day. But suddenly there it was, rising up in the distance, the setting of so many movies from John Ford westerns to 2001: A Space Odyssey.

It was nearing sunset when we drove by and we pulled over to just stare at the sight. We booked a tour with a local Navajo outfitters and it was a smart move because we got deep inside the valley and into restricted areas. There's a 26 km. scenic drive but the road is not very good and I wouldn't do it in a rental car.

Instead we ended up with Sacred Mountain Tours in a safari-type vehicle driven by a terrific 17-year-old named Sky who really knew his stuff. It was $75 each for close to three hours.

  For me, the highlight was John Ford Point, the place where the director did his favourite shots in his westerns. We stood out there for photos and for $5, a Navajo rides his horse out to pose for the classic western shot.

Later we did the back of the valley and explored hidden arches and "eyes" in the rock, startling some wild horses and walking in the red sand. A magical place and one I'll never forget.

Thanks, Linda. I've always meant to make it down that way. Not yet, but soon, I hope.

It reminds me of a "conversation" I overheard on Facebook last fall. A friend from junior high school was lamenting how she hated the desert as there was nothing to see. Well, one look at these pictures and you know that's simply not true. There aren't any pine trees or flowering orchids, but there's an awful lot to love and to appreciate when you see something as stark and old and striking as Monument Valley.

HAWAII DEALS

Speaking of flowering orchids, there are some great deals and extra services to be had this week for anyone heading to Hawaii.

Outrigger is offering complimentary "vow renewal" ceremonies for all Outrigger condominium guests on the island of Maui. Couples can celebrate their love at an ocean-side service at fabulous Merriman's Kapalua every Wednesday at 2 p.m. Merriman's is a killer restaurant with a great wine list and it's RIGHT on the ocean with superb views of the Napili-Kapalua area and of Molokai across the water.

I've been around a fair bit and it's still my favourite view in the world. The sunsets are amazing.

Here's what the press release said: The island-style ceremony is led by a non-denominational officiate as the couples exchange a Hawaiian lei symbolizing the unbroken circle of love. The ceremony begins with the ceremonial blowing of a conch shell. While an ukulele serenades couples, a kahu (Hawaiian officiant) performs a special Hawaiian chant, including an English translation to help participants understand the spirit of the ceremony. Following the ceremony, guests are presented with certificates to commemorate their vow renewal. Attendees have the opportunity to purchase additional services such as a champagne toast, small wedding cake, flower bouquet, photographer or videographer.

Nice. The Outrigger Condominium Collection has a variety of properties that offer the privacy of a vacation rental with the guest services of a traditional hotel, all in the loveliest state in the U.S.

Got a lot more coin in your pocket? Check out this offer:

Hualalai Resort on the Big Island of Hawaii s unveiling something called "The Hualalai Experience," with water activities, world-class golf, spa treatments and dinner prepared by a private chef in a luxurious, Hawaiian-style custom home.   Hualalai Resort on the Big Island of Hawaii is one of the premier resort communities in the world with beautiful homes and villas available to rent and purchase (ranging from $2-26 million).  

Details include:
 
·         Four Bedroom Custom Home with private pool and spa
·         Daily Golf for one foursome on the exclusive Hualalai Golf Course
·         One Stand-up Paddleboard Lesson and Daily Paddleboard Use for up to 8 people
·         One 1-hour Outrigger Canoe Experience for up to 5 people
·         Up to Eight 50-minute Swedish Massage Treatments at the Hualalai Spa
·         One 4-course Private Dinner in the residence for up to 8 people

The nightly rate is $3,950.00 + tax for up to 8 people for a minimum of 5 nights. Hefty, but if you've got a lot of friends and have something special to celebrate, it could be the experience of a lifetime.

 
For more information on "The Hualalai Experience" contact Hualalai Villas & Homes at (888) 477-8187 or view more details at: http://www.hualalaivillasandhomes.com/hualalai-villas-and-homes-specials.php.  Occupancy is through December 31, 2011 and subject to availability and black-out dates. Rates do not include applicable taxes or Daily Resort Guest Fee.

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

Toronto hotel boom ignored by U.S. study...Virgin Air/Royal Wedding...Iraq flight

Quite the mixed bag here today. First, I'm pissed off (again) at another U.S. study that ignores Canada. This time, I get riled up reading a good USA Today report about a study by the STR/McGraw Hill Construction Dodge Pipeline Report. It talks about how New York is building 6,763 hotel rooms at the moment (wow) and then goes on to list the top-ten markets for hotel construction, but only in the U.S.

The report said the number two city was Orlando, at 2,636, followed by Washington D.C. at 2,619 rooms under construction, Dallas at 1,475, Miami-Hialeah at 1,026 and then Philadelphia (799), Chicaco (778), Atlanta (691), Houston (680) and Nashville (446).

Yeah, I guess Canadian companies often do studies that focus only on Canadian hotels. But it still aggravates me to read big stories in major U.S. publications that ignore the friendly neighbour to the north, just as a colleague of mine gets his knickers in a twist watching CNN and seeing the weather reports stop at Buffalo and not listing our atmospheric conditions.

It’s no wonder Toronto has such a hard time making itself heard in the Fox News/CNN dominated American market, where the 50 states are the only thing that matters in the entire world unless Uncle Sam is dropping bombs on Libya or Afghanistan or there's a Royal Wedding going on (see item below).

If nothing else, the hotel study got me thinking again about Toronto's impressive hotel construction market. I mean, in the last year or so we’ve had the Thompson (see photo), the Ritz-Carlton, the new Le Germain at Maple Leaf Square. Under construction? The Trump, the Shangri-la, the new Delta near the convention centre, Bisha (also near the convention centre), the new Four Seasons, and more.

I checked the Star’s library and came up, roughly, 1,860 rooms that were under construction as of January. That could be off by 10 per cent but it still would be good for number four on a list of North America hotel construction (assuming there are no Canadian cities doing more than Toronto, and after checking around I believe that is the case).

Terry Mundell of the Greater Toronto Hotel Association said he shares my frustration with the American study.

“I agree,” he told me. “I don’t think Americans know what we have up here. I don’t think people understand how big we are. We get measured against Montreal and Ottawa and all but we don’t compare. We’re the anomaly. We’re the beast. The GTA probably has almost one-third of all the hotel rooms in Canada.”

Mundell said his group measures hotels in terms of overall business and that Toronto is something like seventh in North America.

We may be a beast up north but obviously we’re small potatoes compared to New York. The USA Today report said the next hotel that will move out of the construction phase is a 316-room Dream Downtown hotel operated by Wyndham, set to open in May. The following month, the folks who operate London-based Yotel will open their first American hotel, a 669-room affair with small (how small I don’t know) rooms, presumably aiming at bargain hunters.

ROYAL WEDDING GOES VIRGIN

An item on Travelmole.com today said passengers on board Virgin Atlantic flights to the US and Caribbean next Friday will be invited to onboard street parties to celebrate the marriage of Prince William and Kate Middleton.

"On flights departing April 29, passengers in economy and premium economy will receive an afternoon tea of wedding cake and traditional English breakfast tea served in a souvenir union jack lunch box.
Cabins will be decorated in bunting and union jack headrests and passengers will receive special Kate and William themed love hearts and ice cream during the flight."

A nice touch. Not to mention clever marketing by Sir Richard Branson. Too bad Virgin doesn't have its Toronto-California flights any more...

FLY TO IRAQ

Seeking something a little different? After 21 years, Austrian Airlines is returning to Baghdad. Beginning June 8^th, the air carrier will reinstate its route into its scheduled flight program. Austrian will operate a total of three flights per week to the Iraqi capital. The service will be provided with aircraft from the Airbus A320 fleet.

Not quite what you had in mind? Finnair will reintroduce a direct summer route between Toronto and Helsinki with connections to over 50 destinations in Europe. Finnair will offer a scheduled flight between Toronto Pearson International Airport and Helsinki Airport five days a week from May 26 to September 11, 2011.

Finnair’s summer rates will start at $825.

 

100 Days to Will and Kate's Wedding. Gee, you think the British tabs know that?

Damn. I forgot to buy flowers.

I read this morning that it's officially, OFFICIALLY, 100 days until Prince WIlliam and Kate Middleton, the future Duchess or Countess or what have you, are duly wed at Westminster Abbey in London, which I suppose is a step up from the local courthouse if you like pageantry and history and soaring arches and stained glass and all that.

Needless to say, all of Britain (well, some of Britain) is in a tizzy over this development. The tourism people are milking it for all its worth, and you can't blame them. Check, for example, the postcards for sale at left. How many of those do you think are being bought every day?

I've read that folks in MIddleton's home town of Bucklebury aren't thrilled with their previously bucolic village being overrun by idiots with digital cameras (only some of them journalists). But it sounds like everyone else, from the folks in St. Andrews, Scotland, where they both attended school, to Greater London is pretty psyched.

The folks at Visit London today sent me a note to say they have all sorts of deals. Here's what they said:

Afternoon Teas

• Tea Royale at The Langham

-    Indulge in a delectable afternoon tea to commemorate the Royal Wedding at the beautiful Palm Court in The Langham, which was originally opened in 1865 by Prince William's ancestor, HRH The Prince of Wales, later HM King Edward VII. 

• Royal Afternoon Tea at Ten Manchester Street Hotel

-   Celebrate the pending nuptials in the hotel’s cozy lounge where you can enjoy British-inspired delicacies such as mini-Welsh leek pies, dainty finger sandwiches filled with English mature cheddar cheese and opulent cakes dipped in edible gold-leaf for a truly majestic-feel.

Hotel Packages

• A Modern Romance at One Aldwych Hotel

o   Sign up for Champagne on arrival with a special Royal Wedding package  from  one of London’s most luxurious contemporary hotels, just a ten minute walk from several points on the Royal Procession route.

• St. James’s Hotel and Club’s Royal Wedding

-   Enjoy the Wedding festivities in the Royal-est of London’s districts. Take advantage of the area’s rich royal heritage with the hotel’s walking tour palaces in the old palace quarter, led by London Walks. Discover hidden courtyards, secret passageways and antique arcades whilst taking in the spring blossoms and perhaps a glance of the Princess to be in her wedding dress.

Travel & Transport Packages

• Travel Places

-   In honor of this historic day, Travel Places are offering a selection of deals for corporate incentives, clubs, or association groups, for a short stay in London over the wedding period. Accommodation is perfectly situated in Citadines Trafalgar Square, located between Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace and the famous Mall, along which the Royal Procession takes place.

• National Express

-   In anticipation of the celebratory crowds headed to London, the national coach operator is slashing prices on advance tickets for travel to the Wedding. With discounts of 50%, transport to the Capital to see the Kate become Princess Catherine couldn’t be easier

Uh, I could be wrong but last time I checked it wasn't a done deal that she'll be called Princess Catherine. It's a good name and it makes sense, but technically it's not a title she should be carrying according to some breathless reports I read on the wire the other day that delved into the arcane world of British nobility and titles and all that stuff.

Either way, of course, it's hard to resist a good romance. And they do make a lovely couple.

I did a bit of noodling around on the web and discovered, not that I'm surprised, that there are all sorts of websites dedicated to the wedding. I thought the one from Hello Magazine looked pretty good, so here's a link for all you royal wedding fans.

STAR MAN CHECKS OUT PARK HYATT TORONTO

Star Travel guy Adrian Brijbassi was out in Yorkville on Monday night and files this report.

"The Park Hyatt, one of Toronto's most venerable hotels, has long had one of the city's finest rooftop spaces. It's bar and lounge have been celebrated by numerous celebrities and authors, including Mordechai Richler, and on Monday night the Yorkville establishment showed off its newly renovated 18th-floor salon area with a friendly get-together.

Chandeliers and earthy tones are the main highlights of the renovation, along with some comfortable  seating. The best part of the evening, though, remained the staples of the Park Hyatt: The spectacular view of the Toronto skyline and the food from executive chef Joan Monfaredi's team.

A gnocchi station, of all things, was one of the buffet features. Once I tasted what came out of the pan, I understood why. A dish of the lightly seasoned pasta not only complimented the rest of the cuisine, it seemed like the perfect comfort food for a cold night.

"She's really one of the best chefs in the city and one of only a handful of female chefs in Toronto," Orsolya Soos, the hotel's public relations and marketing manager, says of Monfaredi.

Annona, the hotel's acclaimed restaurant, is now at the top of my list of places to go in town."

Annona was one of the Toronto restaurants given a four-diamond award by the Canadian and American Automobile Associations last week, which was the subject of one of my previous blogs and also the subject of my column that's now posted on our main travel site, as well as appearing in Star Travel (the print version, perhaps you've heard of it?) on Thursday, Jan. 20.

 

 

Canadian honeymooners loving it in Aruba … and a Curacao wrap up

Star Travel writer Adrian Brijbassi continues his tour of the Caribb

 

PALM BEACH, Aruba — Next year will mark the 25^th anniversary of Aruba’s secession from the Netherlands Antilles — and an amazing quarter-century it has been for the 34-kilometre-long island.

Aruba has quickly become a vacation mecca with immaculate golf courses, resorts from lavish to stately, a dozen casinos, high-end shopping and fantastic beaches. More than 1.4 million tourists a year visit the island and Canadians make up about 10 per cent of the tourism market, according to Aruba Tourism Authority public relations coordinator Ricardo Croes. Among the Canucks on the island right now are a group of honeymooners celebrating their nuptials.

Toronto’s Richard Kovacs and his wife chose Aruba for their honeymoon because they’d had a good experience in St. Maarten and wanted to explore more of the Caribbean islands tied to Holland. Chris Laperle of Ottawa (pictured here with his bride, Jennifer) chose Aruba because of recommendations from friends and family.

“No hurricanes and it’s just great weather,” he said were the other reasons for pick.

The weather has been great the past couple of days — but not in the way you’d expect. Although Aruba isn’t in the hurricane belt, it is being affected by the two recent hurricanes in the Atlantic. The tail of a hurricane will suck the air away from the Caribbean Sea, leaving the islands humid and muggy, and there are dramatic effects too. On Saturday, the waves went wickedly high on Palm Beach, which is in the island’s north end, home to the Hard Rock Café and several of the Aruba’s top resorts. Those of us testing the waters got jostled around pretty good. And on Sunday night there was a lightning show that provided amazing entertainment. For two hours the sky lit up went black then lit up again then crackled with booming thunder and bolts from sky to sea. Over and over again. An awesome sight. 

 

Beaches a big charm of Curacao

Many Canadians and Americans would only recognize Curacao as the name of a liqueur. But this island has a ton to see and a real nice mix of things to do. There are about 35 beaches, which means there’s loads of space on the sand and you don’t have to worry about staking out a spot for your beach towel. The water changes colour from beach to beach, depending on the cloud cover and amount of sunlight. The west side of the island, which is about 60 kilometres from the capital of Willemstad, is remote, uncommercialized and about as tranquil a place as you’ll find in the Caribbean.

On my visit to Kenepa Grande (or Big Knip) beach, the turquoise water was so clear you could see several feet to the bottom. Jeremi Beach was a winner: a small, cup-shaped cove bracketed by cliffs on either side, perfect for intimate meetups. Santa Cruz beach is another beautiful spot that’s also home to one of the most eccentric characters I’ve ever met. You’ll read about the man called Captain Good Life and more about Curacao and Aruba in the coming weeks in the Star Travel pages.

 

Cool ideas for boosting service...and tourism numbers...in the Caribbean

Had breakfast earlier this week with Hugh Riley, secretary general/CEO of the Caribbean Tourist Organization.A good guy. More importantly for you the traveler, he's got some terrific ideas on how to make the Caribbean even more attractive for Canadians and other visitors. (It would be hard to make anything more attractive than the beach pictured at right, Sugar Beach in St. Lucia, but there you go.)

Riley has stayed at many hotels over the years, and used rental cars and other travel services. He often fills out suggestion forms where customers can critique the cleanliness of a hotel room or comment on other issues.

His idea? Do that for the entire Caribbean, so that visitors would fill out a "total customer satisfaction" report.

"We have things like blue flags to rate our beaches, and hotels get ratings. But what about other issues such as road signage for visitors, or customs and immigration service, or simply day-to-day travel experiences? We should be rating those and giving overall ratings to countries. Nobody on the planet has done this to my knowledge."

I think it's an incredible idea. Of course, some folks might not like the ratings. But a poor report card would help people identify their problems and improve their service. Or, as Riley puts it, "a rising tide lifts all boats."

Riley said the issue is due to be taken up at a conference of tourism officials in the Caribbean in October. October 25-29 is Caribbean week in Toronto, with lots of fun events in store.

"It's always been something a hotel or a restaurant can do," Riley said of a rating system. "But what if you're staying in a villa or a private residence?"

Riley said he doesn't want the Caribbean to lose its laid-back charm.

"We don't want to be regimented. But an important part of a visitors' experience is fine service."

Riley said there would have to be some major training and education elements. Some improvements would be costly but many would be simple and cheap.

"For example," he said. "I had to take a business trip to Toronto a while back and I was really stressed about it. I was tired and busy and didn't really feel like it. I got to Pearson and got a cab downtown. The bellman grabbed my bags and when I got to the sidewalk he looked at me and said, "Good evening, Mr. Riley. I hope you had a nice trip. Welcome to the Intercontinental Hotel."

Riley said he couldn't believe it.

"All that tension just disappeared and I felt incredible," he said. "I don't know, but he probably just looked at my name on the baggage tag."

It's a small thing and it didn't cost the bellman or the hotel a nickle. But it made Riley feel like a million bucks, and that's something special for anyone in the tourism biz.

Canadian visits to the Caribbean were up 1.1 per cent over the first six months compared to the first half of 2009, Riley said, with almost 1.7 million visits between January and June of this year. Overall visits were up 3 per cent, which is quite good in a tough time.

"Canadians feel almost a family connection with the Caribbean," he said. "They tend to stay longer and not just do the "fly and flop" thing. They want to be involved in cultural events and activities.

"I go to Oistin's (a famous beach area in Barbados) and the Canadians are there every time," he said with a laugh. "I see them on the stage. They like to let their hair down."

Romance is a big part of the Caribbean's lure, and Riley said he's seeing a very steady bridal market and more destination weddings.

Orlando on sale for Canadians...Sexy Vegas promo...Cruise News...Deal of Day

They've never done it before, but the Orlando Convention and Visitors Bureau has just instituted a savings program aimed solely at Canadians. The new "Made for Canadians" offers provide Canadian travellers more than 70 options at www.VisitOrlando.com/Canada.

The offers are valid now through April 30, 2010 and range from free nights at hotels to discounts on attractions. Examples include:

 - Book any 3 day golf school at the Faldo Golf Institute by Marriott and get 3 nights FREE lodging in a 1 bedroom villa at Marriotts' Grande Vista Resort;

- Stay 2 nights at the Nickelodeon Family Suites and the get the third night free, plus one $50 USDollar resort credit for food and entertainment;

- Receive a $10 USD discount with the purchase of $20 or more on food or beverages at Planet Hollywood.

Orlando tourism folks say Canada is poised to become Orlando's top international market by the end of the year, surpassing the UK. I find it hard to believe they get more UK visitors than Canadians, but perhaps they're measuring arrivals at the Orlando airport and not counting those of us who tend to roll onto International Drive in minivans packed with Tim Hortons cups, McDonald's wrappers and Cracker Barrel audio tapes.

SEX AND VEGAS GO TOGETHER LIKE....

Sorry, I know they're trying to turn Vegas into a family resort. That's fine. But nobody is confusing Orlando (see above) with Sin City, so let's get to the good stuff.

 

The Signature at MGM Grand down Vegas way on Nov. 1 will start offering "Naughty or Nice" packages, allowing guests to choose between a fun naughty weekend in a luxurious suite or a boring nice weekend.

The dull, sorry, nice package has rates starting at $129 for a junior suite, plus a 40 % discount to Cirque du Soleil's KA, a $25 spa credit, breakfast in bed, champagne and strawberries in your suite as a welcome gift and more. You also get a turndown service with a surprise romance gift.

The interesting, sorry, naughty package has the same rates but you get a 40 % discount at MGM Grand's Crazy Horse Paris, admission for two to Studio 54 or Tabu Ultra Lounge, a vodka bar in-suite amenity, a $75 beverage credit at Signature or MGM Grand Pools, WET REPUBLIC, Studio 54 or Tabu, plus the surprise romance gift with turndown service.

Personally, I get turned down all the time at hotels. (That's a joke, honey). But seriously, it sounds like a pretty good pre-Christmas deal in what's usually a pretty dreary time of year in Canada, notwithstanding that Prince Charles and Camilla are coming to Toronto.

I asked the p.r. person what romance gift is that comes with the naughty promotion, but all she'd say was it was "along the lines of a spa product."

JIM'S DEAL OF THE DAY

Southern B.C.’s Panorama Mountain Village is offering free nights with stays of two nights or more. The ski resort is offering one night free with two paid nights, two nights free with three paid nights and three nights free with four paid nights. Lift tickets and breakfast are included with the paid nights (and discounted for the freebie nights). Panorama is offering the flexibility of either adding your free nights to your original stay, or using them for a return trip. For travel during the holiday season, including Christmas and New Year’s, the minimum stay for this deal is three nights. More details are available at www.panoramaresort.com.

CRUISE AWARDS

Royal Caribbean won the award for best family cruise line and Carnival won the best for first-timers award in CruiseCritic.com's annual editors' picks awards.

Royal Caribbean's Freedom Class of ships also won awards for best cruises for kids and best for teens. Holland America won in the best for cabins and best for activities categories, while Carnival won best nightlife. (The only cruise I've been on in my life was Royal Caribbean, and my kids had a great time, just fyi.)

 

Here are a few other winners:

- Best wedding at sea - Princess

- Best new ship - Celebrity Solstice and Equinox sister ships

- Best main dining - Carnival

- Best healthy dining - Celebrity

- Best river cruise line - Uniworld

- Best sailing ship - Windstar

- Best cruise line private island - Disney's Castaway Cay

 

KIWIS BRINGING LOVE AT 30,000 FEET...AIR CANADA WI-FI TEST

The Aussie tourism folks made a big splash earlier this year with a campaign that gave someone a job of blogging from a lovely, semi-tropical island. It was a good stunt that got a lot of media attention.

Now come the Kiwis, and it seems they're determined to go one better.

Air New Zealand is asking frisky, sorry, "adventurous" singles to join them on what they're calling "the world's first matchmaking flight."

"The perfect trip for those who would travel the world for love and for those who have felt sparks for the stranger in the middle seat, Air New Zealand is flying singles to the opposite side of the Pacific with the aim of finding each a partner in (the) air or in New Zealand," according to the airline's press release.

Canadian singles will hop on board a plane from Vancouver to Los Angeles on Oct. 13, then transfter onto the Matchmaking flight for Auckland. ABC's The Bachelor, Jason Mesnick, and his girlfriend, Molly Malaney, will join passengers on the flight as they head down to the country where they fell in love.

Passengers "will enjoy a complete matchmaking experience," officials say, with a party prior to the departure from LA and then, once they've reached cruising altitude, "complimentary party packs, an open bar, speed dating and other games." Once they land, there will be a Matchmaking Flight party with singles from North America and New Zealand.

One can only imagine what's in the party packs. And what about the lineups for the washrooms? You gotta think the mile high club is gonna have a whole bunch of new members by the time that baby touches down in Auckland.

Roundtrip tickets start at $1,198 Canadian dollars, so it's not a bad deal when you consider the frills and what it might cost for the companionship on the ground in, say, Yorkville or Yaletown.

For more information, visit www.thematchmakingflight.com.

AIR CANADA WI-FI UPDATE

I got an email from Air Canada yesterday updating they're wi-fi experiment. An official told me they're doing tests later this fall on two A319 aircraft flying between Toronto-San Francisco and Toronto-Los Angeles.

I'm flying out to SF to visit family in November and, with any luck, I'll be able to blog from the sky. It's not quite as exciting as the mile-high club, but it'll have to do.

MORE LIVE TV COMING TO THE SKY

Continental has installed DirecTV on 18 planes and by early 2011 expects to offer 77 channels of live television to passengers on some 220 of its jets.

This is nothing short of awesome news for anyone who's ever been in the air during a big football game...or even during The Bachelor if that's your thing.

 

USA Today says Continental joins JetBlue, Virgin America and Frontier airlines in the live TV offering. Continental plans to charge $6 for coach passengers (free for the high rollers), the same as Frontier. JetBlue and Virgin America offer live TV for free, and good for them.

 

I'm trying to find out if there are any Canadian airline plans for live television...

 

SCRANTON IS ON THE MAP!

Tours to Scranton, Pennsylvania normally are slightly less booked than, say, trips to Victoria. But that's starting to change thanks to folks who are doing tours of sites in the city used in the TV show, The Office.

USA Today's travel section has a fun piece on the tours, which take folks to places such as Poor Richard's Pub and Coopers Seafood House.

STAG PARTIES ABROAD? WHAT'S WRONG WITH THE LOCAL BAR?

Geez, am I out of touch. I came across a piece in the Times (UK version, not NY) the other day that quoted a study as saying 74 per cent of men hold pre-wedding parties that go on for more than a day and that 32 per cent of guys hold their parties out of the country.

Good lord, what's wrong with hanging out at the local pub and buying your buddy a couple beers? Or, not that I would condone such a thing, spending an hour or two at a gentleman's club? Do folks really feel the need to go crazy and spend money taking an out-of-town stag?

The Times said grooms-to-be spend about $360 per person, which is insane

London was the top-city for stags, but UK guys also favour Prague, Amsterdam (gee, really?), Barcelona and Tallinn (who knew?).

Brides, on the other hand, were found to desire to stay home, and good for them. Ninety six per cent said they'd celebrate their coming vows in the UK and 28 said they'd stay in their home towns.

Brides in the UK apparently favour London, Brighton, Edinburgh, Devon, Cornwall and Bath. The only foreign city to crack the top ten was Barcelona.

ONBOARD WIFI - WHAT'S UP?

Spotted an item on Aviation Week's website that said Air Canada and other airlines have signed some sort of deal for wireless service. There's been talk of experimenting with wifi on Air Canada jets, but I'm still trying to find out the status of things with the folks at AC. I'll be sure to fill you in as soon as I get the word.

CHECK YOUR BATTERIES, FOLKS

Until Friday, July 31, the CAA of South Central Ontario is offering free, mobile diagnostic battery testsf ro its GTA members. CAA members can call 1-866-740-6421 and get a free battery test before heading out on the road for the long weekend.

Here's a hint: if you want sun, head to Vancouver. It's been in the mid to upper 20's for some time and the forecast is awesome, with no rain in sight. Sigh.

DOMINICAN CONTINUES WITH UPSCALE RESORTS

Once the domain of students and cheap vacations, the Dominican Republic continues to pull itself up by its own bootstraps. I was at ultra luxe Cap Cana last year; a great treat. And I got word the other day that the north coast community of Cabarete will be getting a five-star spot. Called the Palmera de Cabarete Resort and Spa, it's a $200 million project slated to open in 2011.

COOL AEROPLAN REWARDS ...KING EDDY DEALS...AIR CANADA NEWS

I've had my issues with Aeroplan in the past, but I gotta say the rewards program has done a good job of branching out beyond free airline tickets.

They did a showing of various Aeroplan reward possibilities in a stunning, sixth floor loft on Queen West Wednesday afternoon to celebrate Aeroplan's 25th anniversary, displaying everything from barbeques that look ready for liftoff to wine-tastings, sleek handbags, digital cameras and Callaway golf clubs.

General Manager of Rewards Management Nathalie Belanger explained that a few years ago only about 1 per cent of rewards people asked for were merchandise and that 99 per cent of requests were for travel. Now, non-travel merchandise requests account for about 20 per cent of rewards.

"We've got more choice and more options. A lot of frequent flyers, the last thing they want to do is get back on a plane."

Among the unusual offerings on display Wednesday were wine tastings, a deal where you can buy into an olive tree in Italy and get a two-litre can of oil from the tree at the end of the the year, powerful Bushnell telescopes (only 13,000 points), Home Hardware garden products, Heys luggage, Dolce and Gabbana watches, Dr. Seuss prints, wine coolers, a portable, Panasonic blu-ray DVD player (112,000 points) and a deal where you can make your own chocolates at a place in Vancouver called Schokolade and then take them home (5,000 points; pretty sweet). Belanger said a Vespa will set you back 600,000 points but we couldn't one on the web site. Damn.

"Electronics are probably tops, followed by gift cards for places such as Esso or Home Hardware. Jewellery is popular at Christmas."

Belanger says Aeroplan carries 700-800 items at a time, varying them by the season so that you can buy more hockey stuff in winter and more golf stuff in summer, naturally.

Many carriers in the U.S. have points programs that only allow travel purchases, so that makes Aeroplan a little unique, she explains.

Folks love to complain (guilty as charged) that there aren't enough Aeroplan seats available on Air Canada flights, but Belanger says that, in fact, eight per cent of all capacity on Air Canada and Air Canada Jazz flights are set aside for reward plan redemption. That would be 24 seats on a 300-passenger plane, which is far more than some people might think.

Still, she concedes folks should book well in advance if they want to redeem their points for flights, which can cost as little at 15,000 points for shorter haul, roundtrip flights from Toronto to Montreal or New York.

"If you want to go to Florida in March you might need to book six months in advance. It's not like that for flights to Milwaukee in December, not that there's anything wrong with Milwaukee."

West Jet has talked about a rewards program but has had trouble getting it off the ground, so to speak.

KING EDDY...AND A ROYAL TOUR

The folks at Le Meridien King Edward, "Toronto's oldest luxury hotel," have announced a historical tour and afternoon tea package. With rates starting at $279 double occupancy, you get a night at the hotel  plus afternoon tea for two, valet parking, a 3 p.m. checkout and a two-hour walking tour with Bruce Bell.

I recall the afternoon tea being pretty good from a long time back and I had a great, just wonderful, tour with Bruce Bell last year. Bell is racy and informative and colourful and interesting and he knows more about the city of Toronto, especially the old city in and around St. Lawrence Market, than just about anyone. He'll regale you with great stories and tell you things you simply never knew before. Highly recommended.

Go to www.lemeridien.com/kingedward or call 416-863-9700.

AIR CANADA STABILIZING?

Good for Canadian travellers to see that three unions that represent about 60 per cent of Air Canada's unionized workers have agreed to a no-strike, no-lockout deal. Air Canada chief executive Calin Rovinescu called it a "milestone" deal.

The last thing any of us in the travel biz need is Air Canada having labour troubles. Still, there's more work to do, including nailing down an agreement on pension plans with pilots and flight attendants.

I DO...I REALLY DO

The Sonesta Maho Beach resort & Casino in St. Maarten has a new "Free Wedding Package" that's valid through 2010. Brides and grooms who book at least 10 rooms on the resort's all-inclusive plan get a free wedding with the works, including a wedding consultant, a customized cocktail reception and celebration dinner, the reception and dinner venues, a marriage license (always a good idea), plus an open bar (woo-hoo!) during the event, a custom wedding cake, sparkling wine for the toasts and more.

All-inclusive rates start at $174 U.S. per person per night, based on double occupancy and not including service charges and taxes. Email Sonesta at weddings@mahobeach.com or telephone 602-904-5584.