Tour Operators
Tour East, China’s Taobao.com sign historic agreement
Tour East Group president Annie Tsu signed an historic agreement with two Chinese partners, Dynasty Tours and Taobao.com, yesterday (March 7) which will see Taobao.com, the largest e-commerce site in the world with more than 200 million members and the Chinese equivalent of e-bay, feature and sell Canadian tour packages designed by Tour East Holidays and Beijing-based Dynasty Tours. Thanks to the agreement, Tour East becomes the first Canadian travel company able to sell its Canadian tour products directly to Chinese consumers under the Dynasty Tours brand. Canada, which was one of the last...
New package explores the majesty of the Bay of Fundy
Atlantic Canada specialist Maxxim Vacations has introduced a new fly-drive vacation package highlighting the Bay of Fundy, last year short-listed as one of the New7Wonders of Nature worldwide. The six-night package takes guests through rural New Brunswick into Nova Scotia, to the living history town of Annapolis Royal and the charm of Wolfville and then back into New Brunswick. Accommodation is in small hotels, B&Bs and country inns. The tour is priced from $1,209 plus taxes, including airfare from Toronto, and is available from May to October. Complete tour details are available at...
Globus, LOT offer Eastern Europe savings
The mysteries and charms of Eastern Europe are now more accessible thanks to appealing sale prices currently being offered by the Globus family of brands. Travellers booking a holiday by March 31 can save $300 p.p. when booking a business class air-inclusive vacation using LOT Airlines ($100 p.p. off economy class). LOT features non-stop flights between Toronto and Warsaw, with convenient connecting fares on Air Canada from a host of cities across the country. Applicable tours include two of Globus' escorted coach tours (German Highlights and Turkish Delight); and five Cosmos' value escorted...
Fly for free with Insight
Insight Vacations has introduced a "Fly For Free!"offer on five select European tours. Bookings must be made by March 31 and the offer is only valid on flights out of Toronto on KLM or Air France "N"class seating. Taxes and fuel surcharges must be paid of approximately $580 p.p. The promotion is good on the following tours: Country Roads of Ireland, departing April 15; Country Roads of Southern Italy and Sicily, departing April 27; Italian Vogue, departing April 29; Spectacular Scandinavia and its Fjords, departing May 17; and Britain and Ireland Discovery, departing Aug. 9....
Goway introduces Latin America booking incentive
With the recent launch of its Latin Travel planners, Goway is offering agents a $25 booking bonus and any bookings made to Latin America during March and April. The promotion is valid for bookings made by April 30 for travel by March 31, 2013. All bookings must include a minimum three-night stay in any Latin American country with international flights booked with Goway Travel....
Friisdahl retires as CEO of T. Cook NA
Michael Friisdahl, the CEO of Thomas Cook North America is taking early retirement, stepping down from his post to "develop his broad range of interests, including pursuing new business opportunities." Friisdahl has been responsible for the company's Canadian operations for the past 10 years and he's been in charge of the North American division since the merger of MyTravel Plc and the Thomas Cook Group in 2007. Sam Weihagen, Thomas Cook Group Plc's group CEO, said that Friisdahl's career with Thomas Cook "has been an impressive one and his contribution to the travel industry over the past 30...
Still time to register for HAC, CTMS & ORC
There's still time to register for the Hotel Association of Canada (HAC) conference, the Canadian Tourism Marketing Summit (CTMS) and Online Revealed Canada (ORC) event -- which take place next week -- March 5, 6 & 7 -- at the Sheraton Centre Toronto. On March 5 and March 6, the Hotel Association of Canada (HAC) will hold its annual conference which, in 2012, features Dr. David Suzuki and Joie de Vivre's founder, Chip Conley as the headline speakers. HAC's incoming chairman, Hank Stackhouse will not only give delegates the inside scoop on what's coming in the next 12 months for the...
Free air or cruise gratuities from Encore
Starting tomorrow (March 2), Encore Cruises is introducing two exclusive promotions, allowing passengers to choose either complimentary prepaid gratuities, or free air from Toronto to Ft. Lauderdale with Thomas Cook Canada, when booking a cruise on the Allure of the Seas or the Oasis of the Seas. These offers are valid on all new bookings made between March 2 and 10 for sailings between March 18 and April 15, exclusively on Royal Caribbean's Allure of the Seas or Oasis of the Seas. The prepaid gratuity offer is available for the first and second passengers when booking a balcony stateroom...