TRAVELHotNews.com Magazine

A BAJAN WELCOME

Barbados introduces Richard Sealy, new Minister of Tourism
Bryen Dunn

President of the Barbados Tourism Authority Mr. Stuart Layne; Minister of Tourism Hon.Richard Sealy; Chairman Mr. Ralph Taylor; Barbados Tourism Authority's Jennifer-Ann Braithwaite

The Barbados Tourism Authority in Toronto held a welcome reception for the Hon. Richard Sealy MP, Minister of Tourism, on Monday April 14th at Kultura Restaurant and Lounge. This was the first visit to Toronto for the newly appointed Minister since being elected into office in January of this year, as part of the reorganization with the recent change in government. “This is actually my first trip to Toronto since I was a teenager back in 1988,” he mentioned during this speech. “A lot has changed here and a lot has changed in Barbados as well since that time,” he continued. The event was attended by various tour operators, hoteliers, airline representatives and members of the press. [Full text and pictures]

ROCKY MOUNTAINEER SAYS THANKS

Rocky Mountaineer Vacations hosts appreciation dinner to toast 19th season
Lisa Raffaele

Robert (Bob) Nice, C.A., Executive VP, Chief Financial Officer; Ian Robertson, Executive Director, Corporate Communications & Public Affairs, Rocky Mountaineer Vacations; Andrea Mendelsohn-East, Rocky Mountaineer Vacations; Kathleen Manuel, Executive Director, Global Sales, Rocky Mountaineer Vacations; Randy Powell, President, Rocky Mountaineer Vacations; Doug Rogers, Train Manager, Rocky Mountaineer Vacations

On Tuesday evening, Rocky Mountaineer Vacations hosted an appreciation dinner at Toronto’s Bistro 990. The evening celebrated Rocky Mountaineer’s 19th season in service, and was set up to inform the Ontario market that there will be an increased focus in the province, according to Randy Powell, President, Rocky Mountaineer Vacations. "Toronto remains such a huge opportunity for us," Powell told TRAVELHotNews. "As we move forward we want to invest more in polling the Ontario market. This is the first time we have ever invested in campaigning like this. We have a new 30-second commercial and have connected with CTV and the Globe and Mail to feature our product exclusively in the Ontario market." [Full text and pictures]

CSTAR, ACTA TEAM UP ON PAPER TICKET ISSUE

Both organizations seek to delay elimination of paper tickets; sign petition online

As the deadline for the elimination of paper MPDs and paper OPTATs draws near, CSTAR and ACTA are working together to do all things possible to delay any removal of paper ticket stock and to continue to allow the use of paper tickets until IATA and its member carriers can provide a fully implemented ET environment. In a release sent out this morning, the two associations note:
It is simply unacceptable for Canadian travel agencies to be faced with the removal of paper tickets when IATA and its member carriers have not provided reasonable and practical solutions to handle those transactions where a paper ticket is still required and an ET is not possible.
Read on for more information, and for a link to sign an online petition. [Full text and pictures]

CELEBRITY 4, 5-NIGHT CRUISES BACK FOR ‘09

Caribbean 4- and 5-night cruises will return in 2009-2010 season

Celebrity Cruises will reintroduce 4 and 5 night cruises for the 2009-2010 winter Caribbean season. They will feature a series of these sailings on the recently refurbished Celebrity Century. These voyages are now available to book. From December 12, 2009 through April 22, 2010, Celebrity Century will sail a total of 29 short Western Caribbean itineraries, departing from Miami, Florida, on Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. Each itinerary features two ports of call; these include Ocho Rios, Jamaica; Georgetown, Grand Cayman; Cozumel, Mexico; and Key West, Florida. Onboard the 1,814-guest Celebrity Century, guests can enjoy all the enhancements made when the ship underwent a $55-million makeover in 2006. Read on for more details. [Full text and pictures]

NTA CHOOSES SEVILLE FOR 2010 SPRING MEET

Seville, Spain is next stop for the 2010 Spring Meet, Apr. 16-18, 2010

Seville

NTA announces that Seville, Spain, will host its 2010 Tour Operator Spring Meet, April 16-18. NTA's Spring Meet is designed specifically for tour and travel packagers to facilitate partnering, education and networking while enjoying leisure activities featuring the host destination. During the event, delegates will have the opportunity to experience unique attractions within the city and participate in a variety of Fam and sightseeing opportunities. Fam tour possibilities include Madrid, Granada and Cordoba. Sightseeing and leisure activities may include the Alcaza (Royal Palace), the Fine Arts Museum of Seville, Italica, and golfing excursions. The 2009 NTA Tour Operator Spring Meet will be in Monterey, California, June 4-6. [Full text and pictures]

JAMAICA SETS SIGHTS ON CHINESE TOURISTS

Hon. Edmund Bartlett, Jamaica's Minster of Tourism
Jamaica’s Minister of Tourism, Edmund Bartlett in Beijing at tourism conference
Jamaica’s Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett has become his county’s first cabinet minister to address the prestigious Chinese Outbound Travel and Tourism Market (COTTM). Minister Bartlett was in Beijing this week with a delegation of Jamaican tourism representatives to promote travel to Jamaica from China. COTTM welcomed 250 organizations from 60 countries, 400 hosted buyers and 2,000 travel trade professionals. Speaking at the opening ceremony of the COTTM, Minister Bartlett drew upon the long history shared between these two nations. Chinese visitors first came to Jamaica in 1854 and have established a significant community on the island. [Full text and pictures]

WHERE HAVE ALL THE YANKEES GONE?

All provinces but one record declines as fewer Americans visit Canada in February
Canadian Press

Statistics Canada says bad winter weather in Ontario, Quebec and the Maritimes is largely to blame for declines in the number of Americans visiting Canada in February. Every province but Saskatchewan recorded declines in inbound border crossings by U.S. residents travelling by car as Americans made a million overnight trips to Canada in February. That's 3.8 per cent fewer overnight visits than in January and the lowest level since November 1996. Canadians made 3.7 million trips to the United States in February, 0.3 per cent fewer trips than in January. Overall, Canadians made 1.6 million overnight trips to the United States in February, 0.7 per cent more than in January and the second highest level in 16 years. But total travel to the United States fell 0.3 per cent to 3.7 million trips. [Full text and pictures]