Consumer confidence high, 2019 looks positive

Full steam ahead for TL Network

GREG COATES (Photo above: Jeremy Van Kuyk, vice-president of Technology, Travel Leaders Group, Roger Block, president; Travel Leaders Network; Christine James,vice-president, TL Network Canada; and John Lovell, president, Leisure Travel, Supplier Relations and Networks, for Travel Leaders Group) A resurgence in the use and popularity of travel agents, as well as renewed consumer confidence,...

 

Travel in Nepal without reaching for the sky

Story and photos TED DAVIS (Photo above: Sunrise on the Annapurna range near Pokhara.) Not surprisingly, the effects of altitude on the human body are a common concern in any discussion of a visit to Nepal. This is the country that is defined by the highest mountains on the planet, including Mt. Everest, at the top. As such, images of Nepal often depict climbers in professional gear,...

 

Telling the stories of Canada’s north

Adventure Canada

IAN STALKER (Photo above: Photo courtesy of DANNY CATT) Jason Edmunds is eager to show people his childhood backyard and other northerly locales relatively few Canadians venture to. Edmunds is an expedition leader with Mississauga, Ont.-based Adventure Canada, which has a program that features the East Coast, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Nunavut, along with the likes of Greenland and...

 

Take a closer look at Holland America Line’s Nieuw Statendam

Story and photos ANN RUPPENSTEIN Picture this: Oprah Winfrey is donning pajamas and handing out shots of tequila, as passengers taking part in Holland America Line’s Girls’ Getaway cruise go wild with excitement at the sight of the popular talk show host, film star and founder of O, The Oprah Magazine. While the prominent Godmother of Nieuw Statendam, who officially named the ship...

 

Delivering the right message to the right people at the right time

Tourism Ireland

BOB MOWAT A great global team. A wealth of air access that continues to increase. Consistent and 0ngoing investment in its tourism products and programs. And the solid long-term relationship that it has built with the travel trade around the world. That’s the bullet-point explanation that Tourism Ireland’s CEO, Niall Gibbons offers when you ask him why Ireland had such a great year in...

 

Sandals meets the unique needs of group travel

Story and photos by GREG COATES What’s a great way for an agent to pad their wallet? Easy, sell groups. And who better to sell groups to, and get help from, than Sandals Resorts International? Booking a group with Sandals has never been easier. The magic numbers are 5 and 3 – five rooms, three-night minimum. Grant Lawlor, national groups manager, Unique Vacations Canada Inc., told...

 

Korea proving popular with Canadians

IAN STALKER Glowing images and memories from last year’s Pyeongchang Winter Olympics appear to be serving Korea’s tourist trade well. John Park, director of the Korea Tourism Organization’s Toronto office, says a sporting spectacular seen as glitch-free and which showcased Korea to the world, is expected to help lead to more than 200,000 Canadians visiting the Asian nation this...

 

Discover another side of Hong Kong

ANN RUPPENSTEIN One of the most photographed vantage points of Hong Kong comes from the top of Victoria Peak. As the highest point on Hong Kong Island, the panoramic views of the seemingly endless slew of high-rises jetting out from the green hills below and across Victoria Harbour is a must-see for many visitors. The scene feels a world apart from the serene lookout atop the nearby hills...

 

Tour operators suggest US airport users arrive early

IAN STALKER Two tour operators that send clients to the United States are suggesting that clients who are nervous about possible lengthy lineups at security clearances at US airports during the US government shutdown should make a point of arriving earlier than normal for the checks. US government Transportation Security Administration (TSA) staff who handle checks both at US airports and...

 

It’s time to vote for your favourite suppliers…

Are you ready to pick your favourites? Well, it’s that time again as Baxter Media launches the 2019 Agents’ Choice Readership Survey this week. Agents’ Choice is Canada’s original and most authoritative travel industry poll and each year it asks Canadian travel agents to pick their favourite suppliers in over 40 different categories – ranging from airlines to tour operators;...