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| CANADA IS #1 FOR BARCELÓ |
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Tour operator sales hit a record high in 2007, with a 34 per cent increase
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| Barceló Marina Palace, Varadero | | Barceló Hotels & Resorts reports that Canada is the number one feeder market for its 32 all-inclusive hotels in Mexico and the Caribbean. During 2007 a record number of vacation packages were sold throughout Canadian markets to Barceló's selection of upscale and Premium branded hotels. An increase year-over-year of more than 34% was achieved in 2007. Barceló's hotels include 12 properties in Mexico; four in Costa Rica; four in Cuba; nine in the Dominican Republic; one in Ecuador; one in Nicaragua; and one in Uruguay. "We would like to thank all of the Canadian tour operators who have helped us successfully sell our brand throughout the country," said Rick McCauley, Senior Director of Sales & Marketing, Barceló Hotels & Resorts, Canada.
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| LAST DAY FOR LUCKY SUITCASE! |
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The Lucky Suitcase contest 'closes' today; last chance to play and win a trip to Jamaica with Sunquest
Today is the last day to enter the Lucky Suitcase contest. It's your last chance to win a one-week trip to the all-inclusive Holiday Inn Sunspree resort in Jamaica, courtesy of Sunquest. Play the Lucky Suitcase game and have a chance to enter your name in the draw up to 300 times. Simply choose a suitcase and click to 'open' it. The number shown inside the suitcase (ranging from 2 to 300) will represent the number of times your name could be entered in the draw. If you answer the skill-testing question correctly, your name will be entered in the draw anywhere from 2 to 300 times. If you answer the question incorrectly, your name will be entered in the draw one (1) time only. You can only enter the contest once; multiple attempts to enter the contest will be removed. For more details, read the rules online. Click to play the Lucky Suitcase Contest today before it ends!
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| SANDALS TO ELIMINATE SURCHARGE |
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Energy surcharge will be eliminated immediately, says chairman Butch Stewart
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| Sandals Grande St. Lucian | | After careful consideration and effective immediately, Sandals Resorts will eliminate its recent energy surcharge. "No one disputes the very real challenge of meeting escalating energy costs," says Gordon "Butch" Stewart, chairman of Sandals Resorts, "but we respect and highly value the opinion of our travel partners who are on the consumer front lines. We always want to do what is in their best interest and therefore after much discussion with them, we feel that now is not the time to enact this new policy." According to Stewart, Sandals Resorts will rely further on its award-winning and ongoing sustainable tourism efforts to reduce energy use across all of its resorts.
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| UNIWORLD IMPLEMENTS CRUISE FUEL SURCHARGE |
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Cruise fuel surcharge of $7 per person per night for 2008 Europe cruises; $10 per person per night for Russia/Ukraine cruises
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| Uniworld's Litvinov vessel | | Effective immediately, Uniworld Grand River Cruises has implemented a cruise fuel surcharge of $7.00 per person per cruise night for all 2008 Europe cruise programs and $10.00 per person per cruise night for all Russia and Ukraine cruise programs. All existing and new bookings for these cruise programs will have the surcharge added to the booking. If a booking is currently paid in full, or is paid in full on or before December 31, 2007, the surcharge will be waived. The company states in a release that the cruise fuel surcharge has "become necessary due to the significant increase in fuel prices since the pricing of our itineraries and the printing of our brochure. The implementation of the cruise fuel surcharge has been a difficult decision and we hope that all of our valued customers will understand the need for the surcharge in light of the current economic environment."
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| SIGNATURE AND KARISMA GROUP OFFER |
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Book 5 rooms at Karisma resorts with Signature Vacations and receive free automatic upgrade for the 6th room
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| El Dorado Seaside Suites by Karisma | | Signature Vacations and Karisma resorts are teaming up to provide your groups a special deal. For a limited time, book 5 rooms through Signature Vacations at either the El Dorado Royale, a Spa Resort by Karisma or the El Dorado Seaside Suites by Karisma and the 6th room will receive a free automatic upgrade. To qualify for this offer, bookings must be made between December 3rd and 20th, 2007 for travel March 1st to 31st, 2008. The guaranteed upgrade is based on a minimum booking of 5 rooms at either El Dorado property in the Mayan Riviera. Perfect for wedding groups or vacationing couples, Karisma's Resorts & Spas offer an unparalleled adults-only experience. Call the Groups department at 1-800-653-4378 or email groups@signature.ca for a quote.
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| SUNQUEST'S $100 DEAL FOR THURSDAY |
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Book today only and get a hotel stay for $100 with YYZ, YOW departures
Sunquest $100 Deal week is almost over but if your clients book today, they can get their hotel stay for $100. This offer applies to the following gateways, destinations, resorts and valid dates:
-Toronto to La Romana - Oasis Hamaca (Feb. 4 to Apr. 21, 2008)
-Ottawa to Punta Cana - Natura Park Beach Eco-Resort & Spa and Riu Naiboa (Feb. 4 to Mar. 28, 2008)
-Ottawa to Varadero - Hotel Internacional and Blau Varadero (Feb. 7 to Mar. 20, 2008)
Applicable on new bookings for seven-night hotel stays only (double occupancy), this offer is only valid when purchased with Sunquest airfare. Taxes are additional. It cannot be combined with any other offer, is capacity controlled, and is not applicable to groups. For more information, visit sunquestagent.ca.
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| US APPROVES ENHANCED CANADIAN LICENCES |
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Secretary Chertoff approves of high-tech licences, now available in ON; BC, MB, QC also interested
Canadian Press
The United States can implement new border security rules with ``a minimum of pain,'' Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said Wednesday, calling enhanced driver's licences a ``win-win for security and convenience.'' In a year-end speech that reviewed security plans for 2008, Chertoff said the so-called Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative will be indispensable in changing a system where people now use 8,000 different kinds of documents to cross into the United States. Ontario has already issued 15,000 new high-tech licences to help combat identity theft. Within a year, the province hopes they will contain citizenship data for those who want to use them as alternatives to passports when travelling to the United States by land or sea.
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| IATA PREDICTS FINANCIAL DECLINE FOR '08 |
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| Giovanni Bisignani, Director General/CEO, IATA | | IATA financial forecast predicts a drop to US $5B
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) released a new industry financial forecast estimating a global industry profit of US$5.6 billion in 2007 falling to US$5.0 billion in 2008. The airline industry is now profitable for the first time since the year 2000, says Giovanni Bisignani, Director General and CEO of IATA. North American carriers will have the largest fall in profitability. With 35 per cent of the fleet over 25 years old, North America will feel the impact of high fuel prices. European and Asian carriers will see minor drops in profitability and the Middle Eastern region will remain stable. Latin America will break even in 2008, and Africa will be the only region reporting a loss.
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