TRAVELHotNews.com Magazine

Awards of merit 2007

Who will be the personality of the year 2007?
You have until January 20, 2008
to submit your candidates.

LUCKY SUITCASE WINNER ANNOUNCED

Jeniva Berger from GoligersTravelPlus Toronto wins a trip to Jamaica with Sunquest!

The winner of this year's Lucky Suitcase contest has been chosen. Jeniva Berger, a senior travel consultant at GoligersTravelPlus in Toronto has won a one-week trip for two to Jamaica courtesy of Sunquest. She will be staying at the Holiday Inn Sunspree, an all-inclusive resort in Rose Hall, Montego Bay. Jeniva told TRAVELHotNews.com that she hasn't been to Jamaica in over 20 years. She has been in the travel business for 22 years and has worked at Goligers TravelPlus for 4 years, specializing in Mexico and USA. TRAVELHotNews.com would like to thank all the participants for entering the Lucky Suitcase contest. Congratulations, Jeniva!

ALBATOURS RELEASES NEW '08 BROCHURE

2008 Italy program features new tours, packages; save up to $500 per couple on EBB

Available for sale as of Dec. 17, 2007, the 2008 ALBATours Italy brochure is back and full of great options and a few new additions. Beginning in May 2008 and running through to October, the program features everything one might need for their next trip to Italy. New tours and packages are being offered this year. If your clients book any ALBATours packages by Feb. 14, 2008, they will save $300 per couple. Those booking air only in advance can save up to $500 per couple when booked before Jan. 21, 2008. "The new air & land packages, including the Rome Immersion packages and the Sea Resort Holiday, are great quality packages offered at an incredible low price," said Gianni Bragagnolo, Vice President of ALBATours. Read on to learn what's new in the brochure this year. [Full text and pictures]

AC LAUNCHES DAILY FLIGHTS TO AUSTRALIA

Air Canada launches only daily non-stop service between Canada-Australia

Sydney, Australia

Air Canada has marked the launch of the only daily non-stop flights between Canada and Sydney, Australia. The new non-stop routing from Vancouver, with an elapsed time of approximately 15 hours southbound and 14 hours northbound, shaves more than three hours off the previous one-stop routing via Honolulu. The carrier's daily, one-stop service from Toronto to Sydney and non-stop flights from Vancouver have been timed for a vast array of time saving connections to and from points throughout North America and Australia. Air Canada flight AC033 departs Vancouver at 23:45, arriving in Sydney at 09:50 two days later due to time zone differences. On December 16th, Air Canada's inaugural flight departs Sydney at 11:35, arriving in Vancouver the same day at 06:40. [Full text and pictures]

WINTER WONDERLAND IN CENTRAL, EASTERN CANADA

Hundreds of cancellations, delays at major airports across the country

Canadian Press
Southern Ontario and Quebec were slammed Sunday by a massive winter storm that dumped near-record amounts of snow, leading to clogged streets and hundreds of cancellations and delays at some of the country's busiest airports. Environment Canada warned Sunday that the ``hit and run'' storm could drop up about 30 centimetres of snow in Ontario and as many as 60 centimetres in some areas in Quebec. The storm was expected to give similar treatment to the Maritimes late Sunday and Monday.Snow started to fall in the Maritimes late Sunday. In New Brunswick, about 40 centimetres of snow was expected to fall in total, with Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia also being battered by heavy snow and 90 kilometre an hour winds. [Full text and pictures]

SUNSET RESORTS JAMAICA NIXES ENERGY SURCHARGE

Energy surcharge will not be passed on to guests at Sunset Resorts' 3 properties in Jamaica

Sunset Jamaica Grande

Sunset Resorts, the trio of all-inclusive properties in Montego Bay, Negril and Ocho Rios, has announced that the company will not be extending an energy surcharge to its guests at this time. Due to the worldwide increases in crude oil prices, the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association member hotels considered the option of implementing an energy surcharge similar to those of the cruise lines and other destinations. "We certainly have been impacted by the growing energy costs that we are incurring as a company. It is unavoidable," said Sunset Resorts Managing Director Ian Kerr. "However, we have decided not to pass this charge along to our guests at this time. We will become even more committed to overall energy efficiency and conservation, along with our commitment to maintaining value for our clients."

Sunwing launches flights to Barbados

Sunwing kicks off inaugural flight to Barbados; Friday departures until Mar. 7, 2008

Amaryllis Beach Resort, Barbados - one of Sunwing's properties

Last Friday marked the inaugural Sunwing Airlines flight from Toronto to Barbados, one of the tour operator's newest destinations. Sunwing Vacations offers Friday departures until March 7. All flights will be on board Sunwing Airlines. Sunwing Vacations' Barbados program features a wide range of popular hotels, from Almond Resorts' three all-inclusives to the Amaryllis Beach Resort to the affordable Time Out in the St. Lawrence Gap area. "We're thrilled we've expanded our offerings this year to feature Barbados," said Daryl McWilliams, Sunwing's vice-president of sales and marketing. "Canadians have long had a love affair with the island, and we're very proud to bring a new level of service and affordability to vacationers bound for Barbados."

CHINESE NEW YEAR IN HONG KONG

The Year of the Rat will arrive on February 7, 2008; many festivities planned

Chinese New Year decorations

On February 7, 2008, Chinese New Year - the lunar new year - will be celebrated all over the world. The Year of the Rat is coming, and Chinese people and their friends of all nationalities will be celebrating and saying Kung hei fat choy - "Wishing you success and prosperity." Hong Kong has a host of festivities prepared for the occasion. The city will be even more bustling with activity than usual, with people spring cleaning their apartments, preparing food for banquets, and shopping for candy and costumes in anticipation of the official firework display over Victoria Harbour on the second day of the Lunar New Year. Read on for some events happening in Hong Kong for Chinese New Year and the rest of February. [Full text and pictures]

G.A.P CELEBRATES XMAS EARLY

Tour operator brings early Christmas to local children

G.A.P staff and Santa

Last weekend, G.A.P Adventures proudly hosted the 3rd annual community holiday party for local children at the Scadding Court Community Centre in downtown Toronto. More than 250 children between the ages of 6 and 12 enjoyed a delicious turkey lunch, arts and crafts activities organized by G.A.P Adventures staff, music and games as well as a special visit and gift from Santa. [Full text and pictures]