Armando Mendonça
I fell in love with boutique hotels during my tenure at G Adventures over 10 years ago, when I spent some time in Peru, particularly in Cusco – also spelled as “Cuzco.”
I was pleasantly surprised that the flag of Cusco is the rainbow colours which are globally recognized as the LGBT flag for equality and diversity – the irony of millions that visit this Andean...
Armando Mendonça
(Photo above: On the red carpet at The Life Ball in Vienna)
Every year, there are key LGBT events that take place around the globe that celebrate diversity and provide a platform for education and community support. Here is my list of key LGBT happenings for 2017 that I have supported and/or attended over the years:
IGLTA Annual Conference, St. Petersburg, Fla.
The...
Armando Mendonça
Puerto Vallarta is a charming, quaint Mexican beach resort city located along the Pacific coast in the Banderas Bay area and situated in the state of Jalisco. PVR, as it’s most commonly known, was once a small but thriving fishing village that has flourished over the years to become one of the most popular LGBT vacation destinations.
In fact, many surveys show PVR to be...
Armando Mendonça
(Photo above: Cologne Cathedral is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Photo courtesy GNTO/ ANDREW COWIN)
Travelling through Central Europe’s breathtaking countryside is best accomplished by train and a great way to arrive in Cologne, one of Germany’s oldest cities.
The main railway station is centrally located next to Köln Dome, or Cologne Cathedral, notable for its...
Armando Mendonça
(Photo above: The Dare to Wear Love Fashion Show supports The Stephen Lewis Foundation. Shown are (l-r) Peter Salituro, Jim Searle, co-founders; Armando Mendonça; Nelson Tome; Nino Montagnese; and Chris Tyrell, co-founder.)
Since my days at Treasure Tours/Canadian Holidays, I can recall supporting the Canadian Foundation for Aids Research (CANFAR) in the late ‘80s and...
Armando Mendonça
(Photo above: Hamburg’s warehouse district is the largest in the world.)
Hamburg’s trendy LGBT village, St. George, couldn’t be much more accessible, located a mere 10-minute walk from the German city’s central train station.
The vibrant area, and its primary thoroughfare – Lange Reihe – is filled with boutiques, outdoor patio restaurants, cafés, and a...
Armando Mendonça
(Photo above: Sitges, Spain, which features La Playa De La Bossa Rodona (above), is one of the world’s top LGBT destinations.)
Over the years, I’ve been asked from time to time by my colleagues in the industry where to send their LGBT clients on a vacation, but there is no simple answer as to what makes a destination fill the bill.
In order to understand the travel...
ANN RUPPENSTEIN
(Photo above: Pictured at the launch event for Contiki’s Europe summer 2018/19 program held at The Drake Hotel are (l-r): Jeff Element, president, The Travel Corporation Canada; Gabrielle Nydam, president, Contiki Holidays Canada and Sheralyn Berry, vice president of sales, Contiki Holidays Canada.)
Contiki is ready to debut a travel style that’s all about giving clients...
IAN STALKER
UNIWORLD is U-pbeat about a new offering for those in the 21 to 45 years-old age bracket.
Michelle Palma, UNIWORLD’s vice-president of sales for Canada, says U by UNIWORLD has two dedicated ships – named the A and the B – that will offer European river sailings specifically for millennials.
The A will sail on the Rhine and the Rhone, offering week-long itineraries, while the...
Mike Dunbar
Nexion Canada has expanded its coaching and business development educational support as a key element in its commitment to helping members develop profitable businesses, according to the host agency’s London, Ont.-based president Mike Foster.
The North America-wide program expansion offers access to individual coaching through multi-day educational events and is available via...
