IT’S TIME FOR THAILAND

Shubert picked for TAT’s new Canadian office

Story by Ian Stalker Pictured above: Diane Molzan (l) of Goway and Michelle Habib (r) of Lotus Holidays attended Thailand Travel Mart Plus 2017, where they met Thai tourism minister Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul. [caption id="attachment_95177" align="alignright" width="198"] Kayla Shubert will remain with the Tourism Authority of Thailand.[/caption] A familiar face will continue to play a...

 

Colourful San Antonio a popular vacation destination for Canadians

Story by Greg Coates HOME TO TEXAS’ TOP TWO ATTRACTIONS – THE ALAMO AND THE RIVERWALK – SAN ANTONIO, LIKE THE REST OF THE LONE STAR STATE, IS PROVING TO BE A POPULAR VACATION DESTINATION FOR CANADIANS, ATTRACTING ABOUT 60,000 A YEAR. And getting there has never been easier, with Air Canada launching new daily direct service from Toronto to San Antonio in May. A delegation of San...

 

Avalon charts active course for 2017

Luxury line sees double-digit rebound over 2016

Bob Mowat These are busy days for Avalon Waterways. Terri Burke, the river cruise line’s managing director (pictured above with Globus’ Patrice Geske (l) and Stephanie Bishop (r) at the Globus family of brands’ offices in Toronto), was in Toronto recently to update the trade on all of the new happenings on the company’s itinerary as it sails into the future. To start with, Burke...

 

Hong Kong’s Hidden Treasures

Secrets of the city await discovery

Story and photos by TED DAVIS The British flag is gone now, but it once flew over this fishing village, as it grew to be a global powerhouse of trade, commerce and tourism on the eastern edge of Asia. Arriving in 1841, British occupiers saw enormous potential in the way that Hong Kong Island and the Kowloon mainland circled Victoria Bay (now Victoria Harbour) to create an ideal, sheltered...

 

Life’s a splash at Universal’s new Volcano Bay

Greg Coates Families looking to get wet and wild can once again do so at Universal Orlando Resort with the May 25 opening of its newest theme park – Volcano Bay. The impressive 25-acre water park replaces Universal’s former Wet ‘n Wild water park and features more than 18 attractions, from a serene winding river ride to the thrilling Ko’okiri Body Plunge, which takes riders atop the...

 

Famed Quebec city deemed a must-see destination for 2017

Montreal has a lot to celebrate this year. Sure, there’s its 375th anniversary, as well as Canada’s 150th birthday – and the city’s going all-out to extract the maximum visitation potential from both – but ask Tourisme Montreal chief Yves Lalumière what excites him most right now and he’ll point to Air China’s four-times-weekly nonstop service to Beijing and Air Canada’s new...

 

Friendly Puerto Vallarta

Get a taste of the real Mexico

story and photos by GREG COATES Living up to the moniker of being the world’s friendliest city – as named by Condé Nast magazine – may be a challenge, but one Mexico’s Puerto Vallarta is taking in stride and living up to as shown by the number of travellers flocking to the sun destination each year. Located on Banderas Bay in Mexico’s Jalisco state, Vallarta is a charming seaside...

 

Out and about in Las Vegas

'Entertainment Capital' continually reinventing itself

Story by Greg Coates What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas? Really? Not when it comes to sharing what the “Entertainment Capital of the World” has to offer. Sin City has come a long way from simply being a place to try your luck in the casinos or partake in a $5 all-you-can-eat buffet. Entertainment options range from world-class shows to high-end foodie tours to zip-lining down Fremont...