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| VIVA MEXICO! |
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Canadian tour operators, media and travel agents experience Independence Day fam trip to Mexico City from Sep. 12-16, 2007
Charmaine Pang
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| The Toronto group at the Independence Day celebrations in Mexico City | | Canadian tour operators, travel agents and media had an opportunity to take part in the festivities of Mexico’s Independence Day from September 12 to 16, 2007. The fam trip was sponsored by Mexicana Airlines and the Mexico Tourism Board. The annual fam for ‘Fiestas Patrias’ hosted over 23 groups and 400 participants from Canada, the United States, Asia and other Latin American countries such as Costa Rica, Cuba and El Salvador. The Canadian participants hailed from Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal. The fam participants had a chance to learn about various cities and states of Mexico with trade shows and presentations.
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| CUBA TOURIST BOARD LAUNCHES CAMPAIGN |
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‘Viva Cuba’ Airport Express bus campaign launches in Toronto
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| Carlos Zambrano, Director, Cuba Tourist Board; Edward Radonic, Managing Director for Radonic Rodgers Comm. Inc.; Nick Koulovasilopoulos, Media Specialist for Radonic Rodgers Comm. Inc. | | The Cuba Tourist Bureau has launched a 6-month campaign, from September 2007 to March 2008 of a full bus wrap. The campaign is with the Airport Express Shuttle Bus, travelling between the Airport and downtown Toronto multiple times per day, and operates almost around the clock. Total potential traffic on this route is about 460,000 people per day, there are 100,000 people traveling through the Toronto airport alone. The entire bus is wrapped with the Cuba Campaign images familiar to the marketplace from the current Viva Cuba billboard campaign. In support of the tour operators actively working with Cuba – Air Canada Vacations, Conquest Vacations, Hola Sun Holidays, Sunquest, Nolitours, Signature Vacations, Sun Wing Vacations and Transat – logos of these tour operators are featured in a prominent and visible location on the bus. Keep your eye out for the Viva Cuba bus!
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| CANADIAN DOLLAR RISES, WE HEAD SOUTH |
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Loonie's surge expected to send Canadians south of the border
Canadian airlines and travel agencies are expecting more bookings to the U.S., the Caribbean and Latin America once their customers realize just how far a loonie at par will take them. Within the U.S., most of the interest is likely to revolve around Hawaii - a destination many Canadians say is attractive but traditionally seen as too expensive due to the lack of all-inclusive packages like the ones offered in the Caribbean. Las Vegas, Disneyland and Disney World, are also likely to surge, because families planning such trips will find their dollar going a lot further. A recent Investors Group survey found that 44 per cent of Canadians plan to take more vacations outside of Canada because of the increasing value of the Canadian dollar, while 41 per cent said they will be able to stay away for a longer time on vacations.
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| Signature Vacations offers to “Pass the Buck” |
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Canadian dollar reaches parity; vacation packages available at affordable prices
The Canadian dollar is at par for the first time in over thirty years, and Signature Vacations wants to pass the value back to your clients. The tour operator contracts most of its destinations in US funds and current system prices reflect the strength of the dollar. As an example, the average selling price for a one-week all-inclusive holiday package to a four star resort in Puerto Vallarta departing in January is $1399, as compared to $1589 five years ago. For more information relating to pricing and availability, visit signaturevacations.com.
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| TRANSAT/NOLITOURS LAUNCH SHORT STAYS |
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Three or four-night getaways to Cancun and Varadero now available
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| Cancun | | Nolitours and Transat Holidays are now offering 3 and 4-night packages to Cancun and & Varadero. Cancun packages for 3-night durations operate Thursdays from November 8, 2007 – April 17, 2008 and 4-night durations on Sundays from November 11 – April 20, 2008. Varadero packages for 3 nights operate Thursdays December 20, 2007 - April 17, 2008 and 4-night durations Sundays December 23, 2007 – April 20, 2008. A wide selection of resorts are available in Cancun and Varadero such as Barcelo Marina Palace, Breezes Jibacoa, Iberostar Varadero, Gran Caribe Real Resort & Spa, Prestige Class at Barcelo Maya Colonial Beach, The Royal Cancun and many more.
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| RCI STARTS NEW CRUISE LINE DEDICATED TO FRENCH MARKET |
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CDF Croisières de France begins its first sailing in May 2008
Continuing its expansion in Europe, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. announced last week it is launching a new cruise brand, CDF Croisières de France, committed to the French market. The new brand will begin sailing its first ship, Bleu de France, in May 2008, after the ship has completed extensive renovations and undergone a cultural transformation wholly adapting the brand experience to French tastes. The new line will operate one ship initially when it begins operations. The 376-cabin ship was the former luxury liner Europa when it was owned by Hapag Lloyd. Currently, it is Pullmantur’s Holiday Dream. As the flagship of the new brand, Bleu de France will benefit from a €30-million overhaul, significantly altering many of the ship’s public spaces, guest accommodations, entertainment venues and dining options.
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| NOLITOURS ADDS NEW HOTEL |
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Florida line-up now has Holiday Inn Maingate East in Orlando, a Nolitours exclusive
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| Holiday Inn Maingate East | | Nolitours has added the new Holiday Inn Maingate to its Florida product line. The brand new resort is exclusive to Nolitours and within walking distance to shopping, dining, entertainment, and close to Central Florida’s major attractions. Packages for Sunday departures in October start from $399 per person, and between November 4 to December 9 for $599 per person. All packages include 7 night accommodations, air, and a 4-door intermediate Hertz car rental. The hotel features a heated pool, children’s pool (heated), bar, lobby lounge, restaurant, food court, gym, games room, kids theatre, business centre, high speed internet access, babysitting (extra charge) and kids and teens 2-11 stay free when sharing with an adult. As a bonus feature, complimentary scheduled shuttle service to the 4 Disney Theme Parks and Lake Buena Vista Factory Outlet Mall.
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| ON THE FLIP SIDE OF THE COIN... |
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Surging loonie making matters worse for tourism industry, operators say
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| Less U.S. visitors are travelling to Canada as our dollar strengthens | | Tourism operators are calling on the federal government to help them offset what is already proving to be another big drop in tourism from the United States triggered largely by the strong Canadian dollar. With the loonie virtually at parity with the U.S. dollar, its highest level in over three decades, operators are concerned that more and more Americans will pocket their bucks and stay home. In fact, numbers released by Statistics Canada on Thursday appear to confirm their worst fears, as travel from the United States fell to its second-lowest level in 35 years in July. Statistics Canada pointed the finger squarely at the soaring loonie, which increased for a sixth straight month, hitting a 30-year high of 95 U.S. cents. On Thursday, it briefly achieved parity with the U.S. dollar for the first time since November 1976.
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