TRAVELHotNews.com Magazine

BOOMERANG COVER CONTEST WINNER

Jeanne Hall from Uniglobe Discover Travel in Waterloo, ON wins trip to Sydney!

The winner of the TRAVELHotNews.com/Boomerang cover contest has been chosen. The lucky winner of a trip for two to Sydney, Australia is Jeanne Hall from Uniglobe Discover Travel in Waterloo, Ontario. TRAVELHotNews readers were invited to choose one of seven images for Boomerang’s new brochure. A name will be picked at random from all the travel agents that have voted for the most popular cover. Jeanne has won a trip for two for Sydney, Australia - a prize valued at $5000. The trip includes: airfare from any major Canadian city with an international airport, to Los Angeles or Vancouver and Sydney (Australia) with Air New Zealand, five nights hotel accommodation in Sydney and two excursions in Sydney with APT Australian Pacific Touring amiability of Boomerang Tours. Congratulations to Jeanne and thank you to all TRAVELHotNews.com readers who participated in the contest.

CUBANACAN,TRINIDAD & CIENFUEGOS

Cubanacan Hotel Group, along with destinations of Trinidad, Cienfuegos host agent event
Charmaine Pang

Cubanacan, Cienfuegos and Trinidad tourism delegation

On Friday Apr. 18, the Cubanacan hotel group, the Cuba Tourist Board, and the destination of Trinidad, Cuba, hosted approximately 100 travel agents, tour operators and media at an appreciation event. The focus of the evening were the areas of Trinidad and Cienfuegos. Trinidad is one of the hotbeds of Cuban culture, which is extremely well-preserved. A rich tradition of music and dancing is apparent; there are also many aquatic activities to partake in. The area offers 3 hotels with over 600 rooms. Cienfuegos, also known as "La Perla del Sur" (the pearl of the south) another well-known historical centre of Cuba; it was declared an UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988, and is also the capital of Cienfuegos state. The evening featured video presentations, a short presentation, a question-and-answer session, authentic Cuban cuisine and a live music performance. Click to see more photos of the event. [Full text and pictures]

TWO NEW BDMS FOR INSIGHT

Heidi Schnitker for SW Ontario; Carla Brake for GTA East, Northern Ontario

Carla Brake, BDM for GTA East, Northern Ontario

Heidi Schnitker, BDM for SW Ontario
Insight Vacations is improving service to the travel agencies that are the exclusive distributors of its product with the addition of two Business Development Managers for the Ontario market. Heidi Schnitker is Insight’s new BDM for the Southwestern Ontario market. Originally from the UK, she has worked in the travel industry for 12 years, holding various positions in companies including Flight Centre, Gullivers Travel Associates and most recently with Canadian Tours International. Heidi returned to Canada last summer after spending 5 years working in the UK and travelling around Europe. Carla Brake will cover the GTA East & Northern Ontario as an Insight Business Development Manager. She joined the travel industry in 1994 as a Conquest Vacations Airport Representative in Halifax. She moved to Toronto in 1997 to become part of the Conquest Inside Sales Team. After 2 years Carla was promoted to Area Sales Manager for Toronto East and in 2003 became the Key Account Manager for Ontario. For full contact details, click to read more.

[Full text and pictures]

ANDERSON VACATIONS’ AGENT EVENTS

Product launches across Canada wrap up; new South Pacific program for July 2008

Back: Rhonda Reid, Canadian Rocky Mountain Resorts; Rita Persaud, Alamo/National; Corey Marshall, Anderson Vacations; Lindsay Jardine, Calgary Stampede; Monique Morrison, Travel Alberta. Front: Alicia Kuzio, West Edmonton Mall; Hala DeHais, Calgary Stampede.

Anderson Vacations wrapped up their annual series of Agent Appreciation Events & Product Launches across Canada. Events were held in Vancouver, Victoria, Edmonton, Calgary, Saskatoon, Winnipeg, Ottawa, Kingston, London, and finishing with two events in Toronto (downtown and west locations). “This year’s series of events were some of the best events we have ever had,” says Seth Downs, Director of Sales with Anderson Vacations. The tour operator has also announced the coming launch of a new destination – the South Pacific - set for July 2008. Read on for all the details. [Full text and pictures]

PLAY ‘TRAVEL SCRABBLE’ WITH TRANSAT

You can win a $350 travel voucher – simply book 15 seats to the UK

Transat Holidays has introduced a new Travel Agent promotion called Travel Scrabble. Book 15 seats to the UK to spell "Transat Holidays" or "Vacances Transat" and win a $350 travel voucher. Promotion is valid for departures from Toronto, Montreal, Halifax, Fredericton, Ottawa, Edmonton, Calgary and Vancouver to the following UK destinations; Birmingham, Exeter, Gatwick, Heathrow, Manchester, Newcastle, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Belfast. Promotion is valid for bookings April 15 – June 22, 2008 for departures May 1 – October 31, 2008. Valid for new individual ABC and ITC bookings. Group bookings are not eligible and may not be pooled within agency and cannot be used for redemption more than once. One $350 travel voucher will be issued for every 15 seats booked. (Each letter represents one roundtrip seat booked). Read on for full details. [Full text and pictures]

GRAND CAYMAN AIR CREDIT INCENTIVE

Ritz-Carlton Grand Cayman

Save this summer and receive up to $400 CDN in airline credits at Grand Cayman hotels
A number of Grand Cayman hotels are providing an “airline credit” incentive of up to $400 CDN when booking between now and October 15, 2008. Travellers can fly on the airline of their choice to Grand Cayman and must stay at one of the participating properties for a minimum of five nights to earn a resort credit for use during their stay. Participating hotels include Comfort Suites, Sunset House, Sunshine Suites Resort, Regal Beach Club, Tamarind Bay, The Reef, Courtyard Marriott, Villas of the Galleon, Grand Cayman Marriott Beach Resort, Grand Cayman Beach Suites and The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman. Advanced reservations are required and an airline boarding pass for the flight to Grand Cayman must be presented at check-in. For more information, go to caymanislands.ky/caymanaircredit.

TRAFALGAR “TOP AGENT” CONTEST WINNERS

Trafalgar announces winners for 10 "top agents"contest; trip to Sonoma Valley, CA

Trafalgar BDM Charmaine MacDonald, with one of the winners – Regina Lemay, CAA Travel Ottawa

For every booking made with Trafalgar between January 1, 2008 and March 31, 2008 agents received one ballot in the "Top Agent Trip" contest. Agents had one out of 10 chances to win. The ten lucky winners of a trip to Sonoma Valley, California are: Julia Cameron, Flight Centre - Erin Mills (Mississauga, ON); Rhona Maki, Sears Travel Service (Kamloops, BC); Barb O'Reilly, Sears Travel Service (Dartmouth, Ns); Caroline O'Donnell, Marlin Travel (Simcoe, ON); Norine Williamson, Flight Centre (Metro Toronto, ON); Susan Collins, Carlson Wagonlit Travel (Winnipeg, MB); Regina Lemay, CAA Travel (Ottawa, ON); Clare Murphy, Sears Travel Service (Red Deer, AB); Andrea Richardson, Flight Centre (Halifax, NS) and Suzanne Watson, Marlin Travel (Winnipeg, MB).