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CANADA’S MOST TRUSTED TRAVEL TRADE PUBLICATION SINCE 1968
Week of June 13, 2016
See CLIA page 5
MIKE DUNBAR
North Americans planning on travelling to mainland Europe could soon be faced with the prospect of having to obtain a visa if a Euro-ruling goes against Canada and the US next month.
The looming crisis has prompted the International Air Transport Association to call on the three parties to fi nd a solu-tion that will avoid jeopardizing the future of the EU-US/Canada
The Disney Wonder departs Vancouver’s cruise ship terminal at Canada Place, to start its journey to Alaska. Van-couver was the host city for the recent Cruise360 Conference.
Visa crisis threatensEuropetravel
TED DAVIS
Given the buoyant growth outlook for the global cruising industry, it’s little wonder that many major cruise ship companies have embarked on ambitious ship building and innovation programs. These were presented and described by cruise company executives who attended the recent Cruise360 Conference in Vancouver, as part of a keynote agenda that stretched over the three-day gathering.
Those executives have a bright
economic outlook for the global cruise industry on which to base their expansion plans. At Cruise360, they got the good news that the global cruise sector was maintain-ing a steady growth rate, exceeding projections that were set for 2015.
The numerical evidence was unveiled on the fi rst full day of the conference, which was held at the Van-couver Convention Centre, directly adjacent to the cruise ship berths at Canada Place. Cruise360 was pre-sented by CLIA (Cruise Lines Inter-
national Association), which said that passenger numbers for 2016 were also on track to surpass projections.
The industry reported a total of 23.2 million passengers on ocean cruises globally in 2015, up from a projection of 23 million, and a 4% increase over 2014. As a result of steady year-over-year increases, CLIA has modifi ed 2016 expectations and is now predicting that 24.2 million travellers will set sail on ocean cruises around the world.
See VISA page 5
Cruise lines show ambition
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Meet your new best Busbud
Taking bus travel to the next levelBOB MOWAT
“It’s a nice Canadian story,” observed Sean Shannon, who has just joined Montreal-based Busbud as its new chief operating offi cer.
Shannon told Canadian Travel Press that Busbud is doing “some really great things” and “has a strong mandate to bring to the city-to-city bus industry what the other OTAs have done to kind of everything else, but bus [travel].”
And he said candidly that it wasn’t until he’d seen what Busbud was doing that he’d given “much thought to that line of business.”
Shannon, who was previously managing director of Expedia Canada, said, “I mean at Expedia we had fl ight, hotel, car and train, but we didn’t have bus. We hadn’t thought about bus. So it was really interesting when I started to look at what Busbud had done. In a way, it’s sort of the fi nal fron-tier of bringing travel bookings online and aggregating things in the bus industry. And there’s no reason why there shouldn’t be a market for this.”
Busbud is a bus travel booking app and website that launched about four years ago, and today is selling bus tickets on 500,000 bus routes in 63 countries and to 10,000 cities around the world.
“We believe it’s the largest bus inventory in the world already in terms of aggregating all these routes and bus operators,” Shannon told CTP.
He said that on the B2C side of things, both the Busbud app and the website are “getting really good traction. We haven’t released tons of ticket data yet, but we had 600% ticket growth in April of this year over April of last year. Everything has been coming together really nicely in terms of securing that meaningful inventory with all the right players around the globe, getting it on the app, launching the app, having a good website – all those sort of good fundamentals that any kind of OTA has to do and do well.”
Now the company has launched Busbud for Business which opens its Bus Booking API to industry partners and already, a dozen local and in-ternational travel companies have signed distribution agreements with it.
Liligo, www.liligo.com, which offers online fl ights and hotels, is a launch partner for Busbud for Business and its managing director, Mario Gavira said that, “In recent years, we’ve seen increased inter-est among our users for low-cost fl ights, hinting at the need for more budget options on our site. We’re excited to add bus tickets and appeal to these value-sensitive consumers.”
As for Shannon, who took on his new role at the beginning of May, he said that he joins Busbud “as the experienced travel domain expert and the OTA domain expert, who’s coming into a group of young, smart folks who have been tackling this business and this industry. I’m clearly some-body who is additive to that group, and I’ve seen how OTAs have scaled around the world, not just in Canada, but in other parts of the globe.”
Shannon continued, “I really, really like the founder CEO [LP Maurice] and the other founders and what they’ve been doing for the past four years.”
In fact, Shannon told CTP that Busbud’s LP Maurice has a “classic” founders story.
As Shannon tells it, Maurice “was taking some time off for himself and doing some travelling in Latin America and found it so diffi cult to pull out his phone and do some bus route searching and booking, that he
literally sat on a bus in Argentina and started to write down what a business plan would be to create what eventually would become Busbud.”
The company has certainly accomplished a lot in its fi rst four years, and Shannon believes that the launch of the Busbud for Business API “will be a game changer.”
“I mean Busbud is designed from scratch as a B2C. So the vision was that this was something that was not just going to be back offi ce, but was going to be rolled out to consumers and consumers all over the globe. The inventory already all over the globe is very impressive, and I think there’s a story we can take out there to other partners who might say do I really want to do all this heavy lifting in the bus vertical or do I want to take advantage of somebody who’s in that single vertical and is a focused player.”
It’s a rhetorical question, and Shannon clearly believes that the answer is that those industry partners will want to take advantage of Busbud’s expertise and focus.
As for Busbud, the launch of the B2B API was the “next logical step” for the company because “more and more, there will be value in work-ing with other travel players - multi-lines of business ones - where in Search it will show a fl ight option, a train option and oh, here’s a bus option – so multi-modal display,” the company’s new COO said.
For Shannon, there are lots of areas to explore and with the API test-ed and working well with the launch partners, he believes that Busbud “can be far more aggressive in taking that opportunity out to everybody.”
“We’ll be selective in [doing] that,” he said. “I think the place to focus on is other players in the travel industry, but aside from that, we’ll be pretty open to working with anybody who’s in the travel space and can easily plug and play and work with the API.”
Currently, Busbud has 33 bus operators across North America which Shannon said is a “solid base to begin with” and the company will continue to work on adding to that number.
Asked about growth potential, he told CTP that there are about 10 billion bus tickets sold annually around the world, with 362 million of those tickets sold in North America (which includes Canada, the US and Mexico) – with, not surprisingly, Mexico being the biggest market of the three.
“So you’ve got globally 10 billion tickets – Europe and Asia Pacifi c and all these places and they’re all big markets – so you kind of do the math and again, not unlike other OTAs, if you can get a couple of per-centages of those things then there’s an awful lot of business there. An awful lot of future growth.”
But, Shannon cautioned, “We’re not making any public claims about anything that way, of course, at this point in time. But because Bus-bud is a global model, you look and say that there’s a big pie there for anybody to be aggressive and to be the best aggregator of all options for consumers out there.
“OTAs and meta-search engines are always on the lookout for new revenue streams, and the time is now for adding the fast growing inter-city bus booking vertical across all platforms.”
Busbud’s newly named COO Sean Shannon and CEO LP Maurice
2 • CANADIAN TRAVEL PRESS • JUNE 13, 2016
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0613PG03.indd 30613PG03.indd 3 6/9/2016 10:12:18 AM6/9/2016 10:12:18 AM
“No. No clients have shown any interest so far, and I doubt that they will.”
Tara Morse,Collacutt Travel,Toronto
Do you have any clients showing interest in the Rio Olympics?
“No, I have not had any requests at all. We get requests for everything, so I’m somewhat surprised.”
Sheila Selluski,Around the World in Eighty Ways,Winnipeg
“No, I had a few, but then they didn’t want to go because of the Zika virus.”
Roger Boyajian,Sevan Travel,Toronto
“None. Not even an inquiry. I’m going to guess Zika virus is playing a huge part. And in chatting with friends, a lot worry the facilities aren’t going to be up to par.”Ruth Thompson,Crowfoot Travel Solutions,Calgary
1Can you give our read-ers a quick overview of what the Vision Travel
Foundation is all about? Vision
Travel Foundation was launched
in 2014, as a way for Vision Travel
to expand its support of social
and educational causes on a larger
scale. Over the past 10 years,
Vision has supported a variety
of causes locally through our
branches. Creating an offi cially
registered charity allows Vision
Travel to consolidate
its local efforts to
make a difference on
larger scale, having
a greater impact
both in Canada and
around the world.
2Can you talk a little about the Ecuador
initiative? When
Ruben Dominguez, a Vision
Travel senior travel advisor and
native of Ecuador, began making
plans to go back to his homeland
to help with the earthquake relief
efforts, the decision to help was
unanimous. We matched $1,500
in employee donations, provid-
ing a total of $3,000 in mon-
etary donations to the Canadian
Red Cross Ecuador Earthquake
Appeal, as well as donations of
much-needed clothing, non-
perishable food, fl ashlights, hats
and gloves. We also connected
with CanSafe-SafetyZone to sup-
ply an additional $5,000 worth of
safety products, including gloves,
respirators and safety glasses.
3It’s interesting that this was driven by one of Vision’s advisors. Do Vision’s team
members regularly suggest particular initiatives that are important to them? The Vision
Travel Foundation is a refl ection
of our team and the causes that
are important to them. When
it fi rst launched, Vision Travel
team members were asked for
their input in choosing the chari-
ties Vision Foundation would
offi cially support. In addition,
Vision Travel has always operated
with an open-door policy. We wel-
come and encourage suggestions
from our team about which initia-
tives are of the most urgency or of
particular importance to them and
their families.
4Can you tell us about some of the other initia-tives Vision Foundation
is involved with? Most recently,
Vision Travel Foundation donated
to the Canadian Red Cross in sup-
port of the Fort McMurray wild-
fi res relief. Vision Travel has many
clients across Alberta – we knew it
was important to support them in
such a time. We made a donation
of $10,000 to Canadian Breast
Cancer Foundation in October
of 2015, as well as
a $10,000 donation
to Children’s Wish
Foundation through
the Air Canada
Foundation, and
offered typhoon relief
support of CMAT.
5Why did Vision get involved
in charitable/social responsibil-ity activities and how big does it want to grow its footprint in this area? Giving back has
always been a big part of Vision
Travel’s culture. We wanted to
show support for the communi-
ties that we’re located in, while
empowering our team members
to make a difference in ways that
are important to them. The goal
of Vision Travel Foundation is to
continue offering our help when-
ever we are able.
Edith Baxter, [email protected]
David McClung, [email protected]
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Vol. 48, No. 38, Published June 13, 2016
Stephen SmithVice-president of
Marketing & LoyaltyVision Travel
4 • CANADIAN TRAVEL PRESS • JUNE 13, 2016
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CLIAContinued from page 1
Following are some of the near-future plans for select cruise companies, plus strategies with longer-term horizons. Crystal Cruises: Crystal CEO Edie Rodrigues reported that six new Crystal-branded river cruise boats had been contracted, and that a seventh – the reimagined Crystal Mozart – would start sailing in July this year. Four would take to the rivers of Europe in 2017, with two more follow-ing in 2019. As well, Crystal will revive the tradi-tions of a luxury ocean liner, or cruise liner, with a refurbishing of the SS United States. The ship will be transformed into an 800-guest, 400-suite luxury liner. Also, Crystal announced that it will be introducing its fi rst-ever expedition megayacht, (Crystal Endeavor), which will have polar ice sailing capabilities and will be launched in 2018.
Princess Cruises: Following 50th anniver-sary celebrations in 2015, Princess Cruises has embarked on a refurbishing program of its fl eet. “The anniversary was the signal to revamp our ships,” said John Chernesky, VP North America, during his time on stage at Cruise360. He also announced that all 18 Princess ships will offer the opportunity to experience culi-nary specialties by chef Curtis Stone, who is now designing meals for the ships’ main dining rooms. Chernesky also announced that theatre producer Tony Schwartz (Wicked) was now leading the Princess at-sea stage show, called “Magic To Do.”
Holland America: Holland America kicked off the year by celebrating the launch of the new Koningsdam, which started sailing in April this year. “It is a traditional Holland America ship, a mid-size classic cruising experience, but with new twists,” said Eva Jenner, VP of North America sales for HA. Entertainment on board is now celebrating the blues, with the opening of the B.B. King’s Blues Club on board eight HA ships. And Lincoln Center Stage pro-ductions, which showcase multiple programs
of chamber music each evening, are featured on the Koningsdam.
Royal Caribbean International: There is an onboard capacity for 6,780 guests, housed in 2,747 staterooms, served by 2,100 crew, with access to seven “neighbourhoods.” Those are just a few of the metrics that describe the new Harmony of the Seas by Royal Caribbean. More facts? The ship has 23 pools, waterslides and fl owriders, 20 restaurants, 18 decks (16 for guests) and high-diving performers at the Harmony of the Seas Aquatheatre. The ship is in itself a statement, said Laurie Bohn, the director of travel trade sales at RCI.
MSC: Investments totaling $10 billion have been made by MSC Cruises, as the cruise line embarks on a major expansion program, said Ken Muskat, EVP of sales. The company has placed orders for 11 new ships, in three different size/style categories. Two ships will be delivered by next year, and the rest are on a launch schedule that runs to 2026. MSC has also announced that it is developing a private marine reserve island in the Bahamas called Ocean Cay MSC, projected to open in November 2017. “Our website has been revamped for travel agents,” said Muskat, noting the addition of a loyalty status match program.
Carnival Cruise Line: The brand new Carnival Vista was launched on May 1 and is now sailing on Mediterranean itineraries. “It is our biggest and most innovative ship,” said Adolfo Perez, VP of travel trade sales for Carnival. This latest vessel features the fi rst Imax theatre at sea, as well as the gravitational thrills of the Skyride slide. New cabin types are a highlight on the ship, and one of these gives special consider-ation to families. The larger family staterooms are offered with the services of a concierge plus access to a family lounge. There are 100 ships within 10 brands under the Carnival fl ag.
Norwegian Cruise Lines: NCL is in the midst of a major growth that has seen on-board capa-city rise by 50% since 2010, said Alex Panela, the VP of key accounts for Norwegian Cruise
Lines. “We will see another 40% growth be-tween now and 2019,” he said. The new “Feel Free” marketing campaign emphasizes lifestyle escapes from routine and rigid schedules, only making mention of pricing as a conclusion to the ads. “We are investing in travel agents, we need their growth,” said Panela, noting that ITP and home-based travel agents especially getting attention by NCL.
Celebrity Cruises: Celebrity has made the Galapagos Islands a specialty destination and has added two new cruise yachts there, for a total of three vessels, said Dondra Ritzenthaler, the SVP of sales for Celebrity Cruises. In 2016, the Celebrity Millennium receives a grand makeover. The Penthouse and Royal suites are getting new marble, fi xtures, etc., and a new Rooftop Terrace will give guests a new way to experience the outdoors. She noted that Celebrity’s advertising emphasizes that the ships are home “to the best wine, food and people,” and do not focus on pricing.
Regent Seven Seas Cruises: It’s an all-inclusive message that is currently defi ning product progress at Regent Seven Seas Cruises, which is setting some new benchmarks in that aspect. Key amongst those is the offer of free unlim-ited shore excursions. Also setting a precedent is the availability of free inclusive WiFi for passengers in a number of cabin categories. “The earning opportunities are higher with these all-inclusive programs,” said Randall Soy, EVP of sales and marketing for Regent.
Ponant: Ponant Cruises CEO for the Americas Navin Sawhney met travel agent partners and press at a reception in Vancouver before the start of Cruise360. He described the nature of the luxury expedition yacht cruises that are the company specialty detailed expan-sion program. That will see two new luxury expedition yachts ships introduced in 2018 and another two ships enter the water in 2019. Ponant itineraries specialize in exotic, environ-mentally key destinations, on trips that pam-per passengers in luxury accommodations.
VisaContinued from page 1
visa waiver program.At issue is a 2014 reciproc-
ity clause that was added to the legislation governing the Schengen Agreement that provides for borderless travel between European Union coun-tries, as well as a common visa policy for all EU member states.
Right now, under the terms of the visa waiver program, most, but not all, EU citizens can visit
Canada and the USA visa-free, with the same access being grant-ed to Canadians and Americans visiting the EU.
Both Canada and the United States currently require visas for Bulgarian and Romanian nationals, while the US list also includes visitors from Croatia, Cyprus and Poland.
In a briefi ng paper distributed at IATA’s recently concluded annual meeting in Dublin, the association explained, “Under the reciprocity clause, visa-free
access to EU countries – except the UK and Ireland – can only be granted to citizens of a third country, if that third country offers reciprocal visa-free access.”
The European Parliament and Council have until July 12 to advise the European Commis-sion on whether the provisions of the 2014 reciprocity amendment should be enforced for Canadian and US citizens, warned IATA.
The airline trade body pointed out, “According to the European
Travel Commission, more than 30 million Canadian and US tourists visit Europe each year, spending over $54 billion.
“Nobody wants to risk the economic consequences of introducing new requirements for travellers from Canada and the US to Europe,” stated Rafael Schvartzman, IATA’s regional VP for Europe, who explained, “We are calling on the EU institutions to agree upon a proportionate ap-proach in cooperation with their US and Canadian counterparts. JUNE 13, 2016 • CANADIAN TRAVEL PRESS • 5
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Toronto InterContinental means businessIAN STALKER
Th e InterContinental Toronto Centre says the reopening of its ballroom
clearly underscores that it means business.
Th e hotel held a recent celebration marking the completion of a 2.5-
month renovation of the facility, which hotel general manager Alexi
Hakim praised as having a modern, fresh look to it.
Th e hotel also has some 20 meeting rooms that have also been renovated.
Th e InterContinental Toronto Centre tends to see more business trav-
ellers during the week and more leisure travellers on the weekend.
But Hakim told the gathering that his hotel can easily accommodate
both, in part because of its location.
“We’re in the centre of the city,” he told the audience, adding guests
can walk to the likes of the Air Canada Centre, Rogers Centre, CN
Tower or Ripley’s within fi ve minutes.
Hakim later told Canadian Travel Press that the new ballroom will
complement the hotel’s banquet and catering off erings “because it’s
upscale and trendy, and the wall fabrics are exquisite. Th e look is fresh
and inviting.”
Hakim said his hotel is particularly well suited for serving convention
goers to Toronto as it’s physically linked to the Toronto Convention
Centre and was built with that huge facility.
“If you go one step outside the hotel, you’ll be in the centre,” he said.
Th e hotel’s Mary Ann Gamboa in turn noted that the hotel is only
separated from the convention centre by a “sliding door.”
Meanwhile, the celebration saw the ballroom draw praise from those
on hand for the event, with one attendee telling the audience that she
appreciated the ballroom’s “modern vibe,” while another noted that it
has a “very open” feel to it.
Best Western reinvents how guests view hotelsAs part of its brand refresh, Best Western
Hotels & Resorts is now providing travellers
with an immersive 360-degree look into its
hotel off erings.
Th rough use of the Best Western Virtual
Reality Experience (BWVRE), clients are
able to view guest rooms, hotel lobbies and
amenities prior to arriving at a property.
For the past three years, Best Western has
partnered with Google Street View to gather
1.7 million photos of its 2,200 North American
hotels. Using Google Street View Technology
along with customized narration and music,
BWVRE creates an engaging, storytelling
experience and sets a new industry standard
for virtual reality. By this summer, every Best
Western-branded hotel in North America will
have implemented the BWVRE.
“Walking into a lobby or guest room leaves
an indelible impression on what kind of
experience will follow, but photos aren’t
enough,” said Dorothy Dowling, chief
marketing offi cer and senior vice-president
of Best Western Hotels & Resorts. “Th e
Best Western Virtual Reality Experience
transports consumers into our hotels and
a customizable narration will guide them
through the experience.”
Best Western is the fi rst major company of
its size and scale to launch this cutting-edge
technology setting a new industry stan-
dard for how virtual reality can be used to
enhance the customer experience. BWVRE
videos are being developed in 8K resolution,
the current highest ultra-high defi nition
video available and will be available on all
platforms that are supported by HTML5,
including Google Maps, Google Search,
YouTube and Facebook. Th e technology
allows for the broadest distribution of video
assets and gives Best Western the ability to
enhance the experience over time.
Additionally, BWVRE is part of Best
Western’s recently launched brand refresh
created to highlight the hotel company’s
decades of success. During this time,
Best Western hotel owners have invested
$2 billion in property improvements
and renovations across North America,
including a reimagined brand identity to
help clarify its exceptional off erings and
broaden the appeal with a contemporary,
energetic and relevant look. Th e company
has introduced a new master brand logo
and new logos for Best Western, Best
Western Plus and Best Western Premier, as
well as its other brands to help underscore
the unique diff erences between its seven
hotel off erings.
(www.bestwestern.com)
Mary Ann Gamboa, The InterContinental Toronto Centre’s director of sales and marketing, and the hotel’s general manager Alexi Hakim are upbeat about the hotel’s new ballroom.
6 • CANADIAN TRAVEL PRESS • JUNE 13, 2016
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At every Best Western®, travelers will find people who care about their business needs.
They will discover amenities to stay productive on the road, including free high-speed Internet*
and breakfast available at all locations. With more than 4,100 hotels worldwide**, finding the right
hotel for business is now easier than ever.
*Some amenities not available at all locations. **Numbers are approximate and can fluctuate. Best Western and Best Western marks are service marks or registered service marks of Best Western International, Inc. ©2016 Best Western International, Inc. All rights reserved. Each Best Western® branded hotel is independently owned and operated.
A Hotel for Every Business Need.
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0613PG07.indd 70613PG07.indd 7 6/9/2016 10:12:45 AM6/9/2016 10:12:45 AM
Discovering what’s newin Fort Lauderdale areaANN RUPPENSTEIN
Th e latest tourism eff orts
in the city of Pompano
Beach are literally about to
go under.
Lidia Gorzelany, tourism
marketing manager of the
city of Pompano Beach,
located to the north of
Fort Lauderdale, says the
city is gearing up to sink
a large ship – the size of
three football fi elds – to
create a new dive reef.
“Th ere are already
16 wrecks under the
sea in Pompano,” she
says. “Diving is great in
Pompano. A lot of people
think it’s only in the Keys,
but Pompano has one of
the best dive areas not
only in Florida, but in
the Caribbean. It’s like
a secret, but the secret is
out.”
In partnership
with the Isle Casino,
half of the ship will
be decorated like a
casino – complete with
gaming tables and slot
machines for endless
photo opportunities –
while the other half will
be adorned in rotating
art, available for cor-
porate sponsorship.
From the recently
opened Margaritaville
Hollywood Beach Resort
and the Beachwalk Resort
to the soon-to-open
Conrad Fort Lauderdale
Beach Resort, Erick
Garnica, director of
international sales at the
Greater Fort Lauderdale
Convention & Visitors
Bureau – Hello Sunny –
says the area has seen a lot
of hotel growth recently.
“Th e destination has
grown signifi cantly
because of all these hotels,
and culinary-wise we’re
opening a lot of new res-
taurants in the hotels and
in the downtown area,”
he says. “We are stealing
away a lot of the market
share that was tradition-
ally going to other parts of
South Florida, and we’re
known as a multigenera-
tional destination.”
Canada is a top fi ve
international market for
the area, which saw 15.4
million visitors in 2015.
In addition to ongoing
airport enhancements
and expansions, he says
the next phase of the
cruise port development
is underway.
“Th e cruise segment is
very important,” he says.
“Our cruise port is under-
going expansion because
we’re welcoming bigger
cruise liners.”
In further updates,
B Ocean Resort Fort
Lauderdale is in the pro-
cess of getting a facelift .
Two of the four buildings
are already complete, with
renovations expected to
wrap up this summer. Th e
new look includes updates
to the lobby, restaurants,
corridors, outdoor and
public spaces, all 487 guest
rooms and suites, and a
new Aveda spa.
“We’re going to have
three food and beverage
off erings,” says Claudia
Bonaiuto, international
sales manager for B Hotels
and Resorts. “It’s a great
property for pre- and post-
cruises, leisure packages,
long stays and corpor-
ate travellers. All the
rooms will have Keurig
coff ee-makers.”
Over at Hampton Inn
by Hilton – Aventura/
Hallandale Beach, Cecilia
Orbegozo, director, sales
and marketing, says her
location recently completed
a renovation including
updates to in-room wall-
paper, curtains and vanities.
Recently visiting Toronto from Florida were Chris Rowe, Lago Mar Resort & Club; Erick Garnica, Greater Fort Lauderdale CVB; Madelyn Caban, Crowne Plaza Hollywood Beach Resort; Lidia Gorzelany, Pompano Beach; Claudia Bonaiuto, B Hotels & Resorts; and Cecilia Orbegozo, Hampton Inn by Hilton – Aventura/Hallandale Beach
Golfers can scratch itch in Yosemite ParkMICHAEL BAGINSKI
California’s Yosemite national park is known for a lot of things, but
golf is not one of them. Yet avid golfers wishing to take a break from
the area’s famed natural beauty and outdoor activities to scratch their
golf itch can do so at nine-hole Wawona/Big Trees, a rare course found
within a national park.
Located adjacent to the historic Wawona/
Big Trees Hotel in Yosemite, “the scenic,
as well as challenging, track will challenge
even the best of golfers with its tight tree-
lined fairways, elevation changes and nat-
ural water hazards,” says Terry Selk, exec-
utive director of the Yosemite (National
Park) and Mariposa County Tourism
Bureau, of the “unique golf experience.”
Open in June-October only, the opportun-
ity is limited “but worth the eff ort” to experi-
ence, assures Selk, himself an avid golfer.
Other opportunities can be found in nearby Gold Country – a
region dotted with historic and quaint small towns, an abundance
of wine and craft beer tasting experiences and an endless range of
scenic splendours and recreation excursions – all just a few hours
drive from San Francisco and Los Angeles.
Open 365 days a year, Yosemite off ers varied experiences in all
four seasons. Although summer is the primary visitation period,
Selk says “the other three seasons actually
provide a more fulfi lling experience, as
the park is less crowded, prices are lower
and the array of recreation experiences is
robust.”
With a geographical boundary of over 1,100
sq. m., the park off ers an extensive range of
opportunities for both adventurers and the
non-adventurers alike, prompting Selk to
suggest that a “a half-day or one-night visit is
just not enough to truly experience the wonder
that is Yosemite.”
Mariposa County, home to Yosemite National
Park, also has plenty to off er, both in and outside the park boundaries.
(www.yosemiteexperience.com)
Golf can be played in Yosemite.
See FORT LAUDERDALE page 15
8 • CANADIAN TRAVEL PRESS • JUNE 13, 2016
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Sun, sand and wellness in St. LuciaIAN STALKER
St. Lucia’s TheBodyHoliday resort can help people get shipshape on a land-based vacation.
The upscale Sunswept Resorts all-inclusive is happy to accommodate those seeking both relaxation and wellness, with the latter possibly in-cluding lifestyle and nutritional counsel-ling, says general manager Atanas Botev.
“Our motto is, ‘Give us your body for a week and we’ll give you back your mind,’” he says of a resort that promotes “good health and a balanced lifestyle.
“Everyone leaves with something from TheBodyHoliday.”
TheBodyHoliday features the likes of a spa that offers treatments from around the world and a complimentary consulta-tion for both men and women; a hair and beauty salon; yoga that can be tailored to individual wants; a fi tness centre that can provide customized programs; activities such as Tai Chi, tennis, Pilates, golf, and scuba diving; and dining that provides “great food” with “wholesome ingredi-ents,” organic vegetables and herbs, and dishes from around the world.
Botev says TheBodyHoliday will pro-vide nutritional counselling from both a chef and nutrition specialist, and can accommodate “any kind of diet restrictions.”
Cooking classes can teach guests how to prepare dishes for people with allergies, he adds.
Botev reports that TheBodyHoliday has created a 2.5-acre garden on resort grounds that produces food for the resort and that garden will
gain a restaurant serving “healthy and delicious” rastafarian food. Rastafarian dishes don’t include processed foods.
The property has 28 rooms for solo travellers who room by them-selves and don’t pay a single supplement. September is dedicated to solo travellers, who can enjoy the likes of sunset cruises and a welcome
cocktail. A communal table is available for solo travellers.
June is Jive June month and features 30 dance classes, while October is a yoga-themed month, and July and August pay particular attention to fami-lies, with guests as young as 12 welcome to join their families in those months at a resort that requires guests to be at least 16 in other months.
Affi liated St. Lucia resort Rendezvous Stolen Time, in turn says that property works to help couples reconnect.
“The purpose of the holiday is to re-mind couples of what made them great in the fi rst place,” says general manager Yhasmine Remy-Hylton.
The resort added Stolen Time to its name this year, which demonstrates that it recog-nizes “that time is so precious,” and couples can “take that break and reconnect,” she says.
The couples-only property “fi rst and foremost” offers relaxation, discovery, intimacy and celebration, with available celebrations, for instance, possibly helping couples celebrate the time they fi rst met or fi rst kissed.
Rendezvous Stolen Time also offers the likes of “Professional Idling,” which teaches people how to relax and possibly includes breakfast in bed at any time of the day.
Tai Chi is one of the activities available at TheBodyHoliday.
IAN STALKER
Havana’s Riviera Hotel has hosted the rich and the infamous.
The prominent hotel dates back to the late 1950s and was linked to American mobster Meyer Lansky, who was a regular visitor to the Cuban capital during that era.
But current general manager Hector Salas says the hotel’s Mafi a connections were short-lived, with the Cuban Revolu-tion taking place not long after the central Havana hotel opened, and Lansky and his cohorts were then expelled from the country.
“Tourists are surprised [about the hotel’s past], but they enjoy hearing the story because it’s part of history,” Salas says of some of the questionable sorts who
once were very visible at what had immediately become a very popular hotel.
Salas adds that the Riviera originally had a lucrative casino, but gambling was banned after the revolution and that casino now serves as a conference room.
The hotel – now a Cuban National Monu-ment – still has its Copacabana nightclub, which Salas reports once welcomed American entertainment “A-listers” during a time that had no shortage of “glitz and glamour.”
Cubatur guide Betsy Olivares Bettancourt says Cubans remember the Mafi a Havana heyday era, but “of course they were not good times.”
Havana has numerous places that were once linked to the Mafi a, she says, adding that Al Capone was among those who would visit Cuba’s capital.
But Salas says there’s no point in keeping the Riviera’s or city’s one-time mobster links under wraps.
“It’s part of the history of the hotel and part of the history of the city,” he says.
Havana hotel sheds ties with unsavoury sorts
The Riviera remains a very visible presence in Havana. JUNE 13, 2016 • CANADIAN TRAVEL PRESS • 9
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VibrantVIETNAM
Southeast Asian nation a feast for the senses
story & photos/ MICHAEL BAGINSKI
It’s been a long road from Huddlesfi eld Town to Hanoi for Kelly
Langrick, but there’s no place the travel industry veteran from the
north of England would rather be.
Indeed, as client service manager for Destination Asia, which serves
as Goway Travel’s destination management company in Vietnam,
Langrick is one of the southeast Asian nation’s biggest cheerleaders.
“It’s amazing,” she gushes over a complimentary fruit juice cocktail
and fruit cubes in the lobby of a Hanoi hotel.
Asked how long visitors should devote to Vietnam, she laughs, “How
long have you got?”
Oft en combined with neighbouring Cambodia and Laos, Vietnam
can easily stand on its own, and Langrick believes a “bare minimum” of
11 days is required to do it justice.
Despite having only a week, a group of Goway staff and select
travel agents – and Canadian Travel Press – recently took part in a
Destination Asia fam to get a taste of Vietnam, a place that is increas-
ingly becoming popular with more and more travellers and which was
boosted even further by publicity from the historic recent visit of US
president Barack Obama.
“At the moment, Vietnam is on trend,” says Langrick. “It’s very eco-
nomical; the history here is amazing; the people are the nicest people,
they are very open; language is less of a barrier…”
However, by mass tourism standards, Langrick believes Vietnam
is still “under the radar,” and she adds, “half of me wants to keep it
uncommercialized, the other half wants everyone to see it!”
At World Travel Market (WTM) in London last November, Vietnam’s
vice chairman of tourism Ha Van Sieu stated that tourism is becoming
increasingly important to the country, with greater resources devoted
to infrastructure development such as roads, airports and opening up
new visitor-friendly destinations.
Goway’s Peter Cheng sees the diff erence, having visited the country
15 years ago. Toronto-based Cheng says he can’t get over the new roads
and airports, even the vibrancy of the nightlife in previously subdued
Saigon.
Th e Vietnamese government is also working to eliminate visa restric-
tions, adding six European countries to its visa-waiver list in 2015,
though Canadians must still pay the US$25 fee.
“Over the past number of years, Vietnam has emerged as a world-class
destination that delivers an unrivalled visitor experience, from natural
wonders and cultural off erings to adventure tours and beautiful beaches
with some of the leading resorts of the world. Vietnam and its people
have much to off er…” added the Tourism Authority at WTM.
Even allowing for the government’s rhetoric, it’s hard to argue the
sentiment. From ageless rural scenes and astonishing natural beauty
to cultural treasures like Hue, Sapa and Hoi An, which have drawn the
attention of UNESCO, Vietnam is a feast for the senses.
Langrick, who concedes that she would love to see more Canadians
in her adopted country, says visitors generally fall into two categories:
those who want to “get under the skin” by visiting back roads and doing
home stays, and the far more prevalent group that will do Hanoi-Hoi
An-Saigon (see sidebar) “in some order.”
In late May, a Goway fam trip introduced Vietnam and Taiwan to a joint Canada/US trade group, which included (l-r) Soran Prasad, Goway; Kait Daly, KAI, NY; Susan Davies, Square 1 Travel & Cruise; Melissa Webster, Goway; Jackie Grieve, TravelMasters; Yash Matharoo , Goway; Sheryl Stewart, Celebration Travel; Katie Sitton, McMinnville Travel, Oregan; Michaela Trimble, NY; and Peter Cheng, Goway.
Hanging out in Halong Bay: (l-r) Prasad, Webster, Daly, and Grieve.
10 • CANADIAN TRAVEL PRESS • JUNE 13, 2016
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Either way, Destination Asia, through
Goway, can meet any need. From backpacking
to the high-end Sofi tel Hotel Metropole Hanoi,
individuals to fi xed or custom groups, or
theme tours centred on writing, photography
or the Vietnam War, “we can do anything,”
says Langrick.
Th e legacy of the latter – the US war of the
mid 1960s to ‘70s – dominates visitor inter-
est, and many sites and museums cater to
the theme; but Langrick is quick to point out,
“Th ere is so much history and the [US] war
is only part of that history. Th ere is so much
more to see and do.”
From great food, including a safe and deli-
cious street food culture, to the world wonder
Halong Bay, and the timeless charm of the
Mekong River Delta, Langrick says, “every-
where is a little bit diff erent.” She adds, “I
don’t know of anyone who has had a negative
experience [visiting].”
Add to the list the travel agents on the
Goway fam, who, to a person, raved about the
destination.
“I loved it! I was very pleasantly surprised,”
said Jackie Grieve of TravelMasters, citing the
“amazing people” as one of her highlights. “For
what they’ve been through [war, commun-
ism], I’m dumbfounded at how happy they are.
Th ey’re very sincere, they really try to help you.”
Th e Vancouver agent also praised beauti-
ful hotels and the general cleanliness of the
country.
Th e latter observation similarly struck other
members of the fam group.
“I never thought I’d want to come here,” said
Sheryl Stewart of Celebration Travel in White
Rock, BC. “I thought it was going to be dirty
and poor, but it wasn’t at all!”
Stewart admits to also having her mind
changed about Vietnamese food (which more
resembles Th ai than Chinese food) – some-
thing she had “stayed away from” in the past.
“I thought I wouldn’t like it, but I loved it!”
Safety is also an important ingredient for
Stewart in recommending a destination to
clients and Vietnam passed with fl ying colours,
she said. “I felt I could be anywhere. I never
thought that two girls like my granddaugh-
ter and her friend could travel here, but I
almost think they would be safer here than in
Th ailand or Vancouver!”
Admittedly having steered clients away
from Vietnam in the past in favour of bet-
ter-known (and well-loved) destinations like
Th ailand, Stewart says, “I can’t wait to start
selling Vietnam. And I’m going to come back
on holiday!”
Courtney, BC, TravelPlus Square 1 Travel
& Cruise manager Sue Davies “really liked”
the country, praising its incredible diversity
from north to south. “Th ere’s a great contrast
between Hanoi, Hoi An and Saigon. You really
have to see it to get a full taste…”
Davies says Vietnam has been scoring
more interest from her clients of late. “It’s on
people’s radar… Th ey’re more open to tourists,
and it’s defi nitely a go-to destination, moving
up ahead of Th ailand.”
Goway Western Canada BDM and fam
leader Soran Prasad agrees, citing “huge inter-
est” from Canadians – especially in BC – in
the destination.
Spurring the boom in part, she says,
are extremely competitive airfares from
Vancouver to Asia, including fam partner
China Airlines, which connects to Hanoi or
Saigon via its hub in Tapei, Taiwan. Excellent
and economical domestic service is available
through Vietnam Airlines.
All things considered, a Vietnam excursion
can come in on par with a week at a fi ve-star
resort in Mexico, observes Prasad.
While Goway lists suggested itineraries in its
brochure, Prasad says it’s all about customiz-
ation, especially among groups, where culture,
cuisine and history are popular themes.
For travel agents, Kelly Langrick says the
key is to know your clients. “Th e diversity of
Vietnam is amazing. Find out what makes
them tick, and then talk to us,” she says.
Th e best time to visit, she notes, is October
to mid-May as summer can be scorching (with
humidity).
As for the gal from Huddersfi eld, UK, she’ll
be waiting in Hanoi.
“I can’t imagine any place else to be,” she says
of Vietnam. “I can’t imagine going home. Th is
is home!”
Class outing, Hanoi. Ginger, hail! Only the best for Buddha.
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Shaped like a giant S, Vietnam is surprisingly large, or more precisely, long. As such, some domestic fl ights are usually required to make effi -
cient use of one’s visiting time. And, in a country where driving is challenging and is considered not really feasible for foreigners, a package tour
through an operator like Goway takes care of all the logistics with a combination of land, water and air travel.
Following is a brief synopsis of the destinations visited by Goway fam participants during a late-May visit, following the traditional Hanoi-Hoi
An-Saigon axis:
HANOIIn the far north, Vietnam’s capital is a bustling
blend of ancient and modern, west (colonial
French) and east. Th ere are lakes and tree-lined
boulevards reminiscent of Paris, but it’s the
seething cauldron of humanity in Old Town that
leaves an indelible memory. Th irty-six crooked
lanes are crammed with shops, vendors, street
food stalls, and the ubiquitous scooters, and a
short stroll is an adventure all of its own.
An oasis from the chaos is the Ho Chi
Minh complex, comprised of the founder of
modern Vietnam’s mausoleum, home and
presidential place.
Th ere are many Buddhist temples to see,
as well as museums in the country’s cultural
mecca, and, of course, the former famed
“Hanoi Hilton” prison.
Where to stay: La Casa Hotel,
www.lacasahotel.com.vn
HALONG BAYTh e UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of
the seven Natural Wonders of the World is argu-
ably Vietnam’s most famous destination and can
serve as a day trip from Hanoi (four hours each
way and four-hour cruise), but better to take
a two- or three-day cruise through the 3,100
jutting limestone islands, cliff s and arches, and
emerald green waters, with stops at an on-the-
water fi shing village and massive cave complex.
Recommended: Bhaya Cruises,
www.bhayacruises.com
HOI ANSituated almost dead centre in the country (an
hour’s fl ight to Danang from either Hanoi or
Saigan, then a 40-minute drive) this ancient
trading port has also been aff orded UNESCO
status. Th e Old Town features preserved
multi-ethnic wood structures with tiled roofs
that have been converted into shops, galleries,
cafés, and restaurants in a rare and welcome
pedestrian zone. Commercial, but not overly
commercialized, Hoi An is famed for its lan-
terns, cooking schools, custom tailor shops,
and riverside ambience. Its market is a timeless
slice of Asia that can be explored for hours.
Outside the town are some of Asia’s best
beaches, presided over by modern, hospitable
resorts.
To most visitors, Hoi An is their favourite
town in Vietnam.
Recommended: Red Bridge Restaurant and
Cooking School, www.visithoian.com
Where to stay: Boutique Resort Hoi An,
www.boutiqueresorthoian.com
MEKONG DELTADaytrippers trade the mesmerizing metropolis
of Saigon for the time-honoured and measured
pace of the river delta, where scooters give
way to boats and crowds of people to water
buff aloes and roosters. A river tour by both
motorized and non-motorized sampan reveals
quiet canals, villages where locals make candy
and snake wine, process coconuts, weave mats,
and fashion bricks by hand. Lunch is served in
a quiet village where locals are happy to (try
to) banter and grin for photos, and kids might
even cuddle up for a hug.
Recommended: Destination Asia,
www.destination-asia.com
HO CHI MINH CITY (SAIGON)Vietnam’s largest city – still called Saigon by locals
and visitors alike – is a place of contrasts. Th e most
western metropolis in Vietnam, yet oddly devoid
of a lot of skyscrapers, Saigon makes even chaotic
Hanoi seem calm by comparison. A “city that
never sleeps,” this combination of New York and
Bangkok or Tokyo fi nds room for elegant French
colonial buildings, tree-line boulevards and quiet
parks. But it’s the designer shops, neon karaoke
palaces and top-rate restaurants that pack in locals
and visitors alike.
Th e “American War,” as it’s called here, is
remembered at the War Remnants museum
and Cu Chi Tunnels (two hours from city
centre), where visitors experience just how the
Viet Cong conducted, and won, a guerrilla war
against the world’s pre-eminent super power.
Recommended: Duxton Saigon,
www.saigon.duxtonhotels.com
— MB
Ho Chi Minh’s mausoleum, Hanoi.
Halong Bay is a UNESCO world heritage site.
Picture postcard Hoi An is everyone’s favourite town.
Hotel de ville (city hall), Saigon/Ho Chi Minh City.
Timeless scene on the Mekong Delta.
12 • CANADIAN TRAVEL PRESS • JUNE 13, 2016
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“Culture isn’t an excuse for cruelty...”
— Melissa Matlow of World Animal Protection on using wild animals for tourism-related activities, such as elephant rides, snake charmers or monkeys riding bicycles
Please send your answer to:“Where in the World?” at [email protected]
Gear To Go
A guide to some of the amazing devices that make travel a little bit easier, or more fun
Kingii floatation deviceThis is an advanced and comfortable wrist-worn personal fl oatation
device that can prevent drowning, the third cause of unintentional injury
deaths worldwide.
A German-American team has developed the world’s smallest fl oata-
tion device with the hopes of reducing global drowning rates, which have
grown to 372,000 a year.
It is perfect for keeping swimming, sailing, surfi ng, fi shing, kayak-
ing, paddling and any other water-based activity, making them safe
and enjoyable.
The small, unobtrusive wristband provides the reliability of a life jacket
without restricting mobility, the manufacturer notes.
It features a small lever
on the wristband that
when pulled activates
a small CO2 cartridge,
infl ating the balloon-
shaped fl oatation device
in just one second. The
safety device only needs
to be deployed in cases
of danger, exhaustion or
heavy currents.
An accompanying
whistle can be blown to draw attention to the user, and a compass
reorients and directs the user back to land.
If the device needs to be used or is deployed, it can be reused by simply
defl ating the infl atable, stashing it back into its pouch and inserting a new
Kingii Cylinder.
It is available at www.kingii.com and the price is $89.
Get ready to see a lot more of this scene on TV this summer, unless, of course, Zika-inspired worries cause the plug to be pulled. One of the most famous beaches in the world, as much for its natural setting as the quality of the sand, this location has inspired films, songs, nightclub names (dust off those old Barry Manilow LPs for a hint), and many a daydream. Where in the world is it?
14 • CANADIAN TRAVEL PRESS • JUNE 13, 2016
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APPOINTMENTS
UniworldUniworld Boutique River
Cruise Collection has
promoted Michelle Palma,
director of national
accounts, to vice-president
of sales, Canada. With 20
years of experience in the
travel industry and spend-
ing the last six years with
Uniworld, Palma hopes
to continue to increase
Uniworld’s brand recogni-
tion within the consumer
market, grow the groups
business
and work
more closely
with pre-
ferred retail
partners to
continue
to increase Uniworld’s
market share in the luxury
river cruise segment.
Palma can be reached at
VisitBritainVisitBritain has
appointed Paul Gauger
new interim executive
vice-president, Americas.
Th e appointment comes
on the back of a recent
global reorganization at
VisitBritain which aims to
revitalize Britain’s brand
proposition in North
America and continue
to build growth markets
in Latin America. In his
new role, Gauger will lead
the consumer and B2B
marketing strategy to
grow outbound tourism
in the Americas. He will
implement a new organ-
izational strategy, amplify
the GREAT Britain: Home
of Amazing Moments
#OMGB campaign; build
VisitBritain’s commercial
capabilities across retail
and product
develop-
ment, put in
place mar-
ket digital
and content
strategies
and forge
strategic local partner-
ships across the three
regions. Gauger joined
VisitBritain in 2003 and
has held senior roles
within the organization,
most recently the global
head of International
Media & Destination
PR based in London. He
was previously based in
New York for fi ve years
as VisitBritain’s com-
munications director,
Americas, a role that has
given him profi le, strong
industry contacts and
deep market knowledge in
all three markets in which
VisitBritain has offi ces.
“We changed all the furniture and
moved the safe deposit boxes from the
front desk to the guest rooms,” she
says. “Th e furniture was changed from
light wood to dark wood.”
She says guests can expect baked
fresh daily cookies and a social hour
on Th ursday nights. In light of the
sinking Canadian loonie, she says the
property off ers many value-added
amenities such as WiFi and a break-
fast buff et, included in the rates.
Th e Crowne Plaza Hollywood
Beach Resort also boasts updates
with a newly renovated fi tness centre,
and will soon be doing some minor
revamps to the guest rooms.
“We have complimentary WiFi
in the hotel, 24-hour access to the
fi tness centre with a room key and the
largest infi nity pool in the area,” says
Madelyn Caban, international/tour
and travel sales manager. “We also
have a trolley pickup and the water
taxi that picks you up behind the
pool and takes you all the way to Fort
Lauderdale.”
At Lago Mar Resort and Club, Chris
Rowe, director of corporate sales, says
the privately owned property can
be fl exible with rates for groups of
Canadian travellers.
“Th e biggest thing about our prop-
erty is we sit directly on the beach, we
have one of the largest private beaches
in Fort Lauderdale,” he says, adding
the family-oriented property comes
complete with tennis courts, swim-
ming pools, mini putt, and more.
Whether it’s ecotourism to the
Everglades or shopping, Garnica
says there’s plenty to do in the area.
“We have the largest outlet mall
in the US, Sawgrass Mills, which is
over 370 stores and growing,” he says.
“We’re known as the Venice of America
because of the waterway system that
connects the entire destination.”
It was all about Barbados during the recent “Barbados on the Water” event, held at Harbourfront in Toronto.
Pictured is the Visit Barbados team of Cheryl Brathwaite, Deborah Millington, Peter Mayers, Joy-Anne Crichlow, Brita Greaves.
Barbados celebrates:
Fort LauderdaleContinued from page 8
Th e following identifi ed the May 16 “Where
in the World” as 20 Forthlin Rd., Liverpool –
Paul McCartney’s childhood home: Marilyn
Lentz, Bytown Travel; Tess Bridgwater; Marcia
Proctor, Th e Travel Agent Next Door; Timothy
Edgecombe, Rosewood Hotel Georgia; Jocelyn
Silver, Continental Travel Group; Erika Nikolic,
Lakewood Travel; Don Cavaliere, Dean Group;
Summer Harris, Flight Centre; Katherine Hirtzel,
Carlson Wagonlit; Mike Cochrane, Marlin Travel;
Karen Hamilton, CAA; Celine Moskovitz, House
of Travel; Barb Hricina, CWT Concierge; Susan
Hopkins, Advantage Intravel; Lynda Hurdis,
TravelPlus; Shirley
Hulleman, BOB’S
cruises; Barbara
Smith, Clarke-
Way Travel; Irene
Rivard, CAA; Steve
Torok, Avianet;
Tracey Byram,
Blue Planet Travel; Donna Dougherty, Marlin
Travel; Debbie Fuller, Expedia CruiseShipCenters;
Veronika Andrasofszky, New Wave Travel; Julie
Bond, Tripcentral.ca; Henriette Léveillé; Bonnie
Felicella, Hagen’s Travel & Cruises; Dave Wright,
Sunwing/Signature Vacations; Madeline Oldford,
Expedia CruiseShipCenters; Beverly Greenan,
TPI; Shirley Portingale, TPI.
Th e following identifi ed the May 9 “Where in
the World” as Brandenburg Gate, Berlin: Joanne
Gaucher, CruiseShipCenters; Nicola Groenewegen,
CruiseShipCenters; Debbie Fuller, Expedia
CruiseShipCenters; Julie Bond, Tripcentral.ca;
Michelle Dandeneault, Expedia CruiseShipCenters.
Th e following identifi ed the May 2 “Where in
the World” as Pompeii, Italy: Deborah Chapman.
Gauger
Palma
• 15JUNE 13, 2016 • CANADIAN TRAVEL PRESS
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Classic RoomAug 11, 16 & 18
$875+ $380 taxes
Cayo Coco, Cuba Meliá Cayo Coco
Classic Marinaview RoomAug 08, 15 & 22
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Varadero, Cuba Meliá Marina Varadero Plus
Junior Suite Royal ServiceJul 05, 09 & 15
$1185+ $380 taxes
Holguin, Cuba Paradisus Rio De Oro Resort & Spa
Bookable online for only $50 each way!All features of Champagne Service plus: • Extra legroom seats • Advance seat selection • 7 kg extra checked baggage • Free headset • Priority check-in and boarding • Priority baggage handling
Elite Plus Service
is now operating from
in TorontoTerminal 3
Sunwing Airlines
All flights offer award-winningSunwing Airlines' Champagne Service
For all guests at no extra cost:• 23 kg FREE checked baggage • Bon Voyage glass of sparkling wine • Choice of Hot & Fresh Bistro Meals™ with wine • Soft drinks • Leather seating • First run movies • Hot towel service • Kids backpacks with games & toys
ONE WEEK • ALL INCLUSIVE
OTTAWA DEPARTURES
TORONTO DEPARTURES
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