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BARBADOS 2009 ROADSHOW COMES TO A CLOSE

2009 Barbados Spring Roadshow last stop on Canadian-wide tour; Toronto agents discover a taste of the island and learn about new incentives
Lisa Raffaele

On the last stop of their 2009 Spring Roadshow, the Barbados Tourism Authority headed to Toronto's Four Seasons Hotel last Friday. This was the last stop for the tourist board on their Canada-wide roadshow, having started in Vancouver, then heading to Calgary, Winnipeg and Montreal. In an effort to showcase the variety of accommodations, promotions and incentives Barbados has to offer, representatives were on hand. Featured unveilings included the launch of the 2009 Spring/Fall Barbados Freedom Package, which includes debit card, the 2009 Barbados Gourmet Card and the Barbados Elite Club for Travel Counsellors. [Full text and pictures]

SUNQUEST BRINGS BACK THE SUN

Sunquest and ALBATours announce that Sun Deal is back; win up to $100 for every booking and a chance to automatically earn $20 more per booking

Starting last week, agents can save their booking numbers from all of their Sunquest and ALBATours bookings, because they can used to play Sun Deal. Back again this year, every time you make a Sunquest or ALBATours booking between April 3 and May 18, 2009, you can go online to sunquestagent.ca and enter your valid booking numbers to win up to $100 for every booking. Agents should also note that if you make an ALBATours (air and land) booking or a Sunquest booking to Mazatlan, Sunquest's newest destination, you will automatically earn $20 per booking, bringing the total amount you could win up to $120. [Full text and pictures]

APT'S GRAND AGENT FAM

Australian Pacific Touring announces 8-day Best of Sydney and Cairns agent FAM from $1,243

Australian Pacific Touring has announced an 8-day Best of Sydney and Cairns agent FAM. The FAM will feature: 3 nights accommodation in Sydney, luncheon cruise of the Sydney Harbor, city sights tour of Sydney, Blue Mountains National Park, Australian Wildlife Park visit, 4 nights accommodation in Cairns, Great Barrier Reef cruise, Skyrail Rainforest Cableway, Pamagirri Aboriginal dancers and Kuranda Scenic Rail. This FAM offer is available to travel agents and companion, with daily departures. Please note that this FAM is valid March 2009 to March 2010 and that airfare is not included. Continue reading for a list of Canadian rates. [Full text and pictures]

CARNIVAL SAYS YOU CHOOSE

Carnival Cruise Lines introduces new "Your Choice Dining"; Guests to be offered choice of 3 different seating options, including "Your Time" open seating fleetwide

Carnival Cruise Lines has launched "Your Choice Dining" which provides a selection of three different dinner seating options for guests aboard the line's 22-ship fleet. In addition to early or late assigned seating, the cruise line is rolling out "Your Time" open seating to accommodate individual guest preferences. Also, under the new Your Choice Dining program, dining assignments will be confirmed at the time of booking. Your Time open seating, currently available on five ships, will be implemented one vessel at a time over the next several months as modifications in dining room table configurations are completed on each ship. [Full text and pictures]

PRINCESS' NEW 3-DAY SAMPLER

Princess Cruises to offer new three-day sampler sailings aboard Ruby Princess

Princess Cruises has added two new sampler sailings aboard the new Ruby Princess, offering your clients an opportunity to escape with a three-day cruise from Fort Lauderdale. Departing on Monday, December 14 and Thursday, December 17, 2009, the new getaways each offer a call at the line's private island, Princess Cays. The sailings replace a previously scheduled wetdock. Fares for the new sailings begin at $249 for the December 14 departure, and $299 for the December 17 cruise. Additional information can be found at princess.com.

AC REPORTS MARCH DROP

Air Canada reports drop in March numbers system wide

For the month of March, Air Canada reported a load factor of 80.7 per cent on a consolidated basis with Jazz, versus 82.9 per cent in March 2008, a decrease of 2.2 percentage points. System traffic decreased 13.5 per cent on a capacity reduction of 11.1 per cent system wide. Air Canada mainline reported a load factor of 81.8 per cent in March 2009 compared to 83.6 per cent in March 2008; a decrease of 1.8 percentage points. The mainline carrier flew 13.1 per cent fewer revenue passenger miles (RPMs) in March 2009 than in March 2008 on a capacity decrease of 11.3 per cent. Jazz, from which Air Canada purchases regional capacity, reported a load factor of 69.5 per cent, a decrease of 7.0 percentage points from 76.5 per cent in March 2008. Capacity decreased by 9.1 per cent from March 2008 and the carrier flew 17.5 per cent fewer RPMs than in the previous March.

CITC ONTARIO ELECTS NEW COUNCIL

CITC announces elects new Ontario Regional Council

The deadline for the receipt of ballots for the five seats on the Ontario Regional Council of CITC was April 3, 2009. Records showed that 107 of the Ontario region's 806 eligible voters (13 per cent) submitted in ballots. The five Regional Council members who were elected are: Re-elected Ed Bennington CTM, Senior Manager, Customer Care Support for the Air Miles Reward Program in Toronto; newly elected Louise Blazik CTM, Founder and President of Travel College Canada, Toronto; re-elected Liz Buchanan CTC, Travel Counsellor with Belair Travel in Toronto; newly elected Gordon Mackey CTC, President of Mackey Management Inc.; and re-elected Kathleen Warren CTM, Senior Travel Counsellor with Allison's Travel Agency Ltd. in Windsor. [Full text and pictures]

SIGNATURE SHOWS OFF KARISMA

Signature Vacations hosts FAM experience at Karisma Hotels & Resorts

From March 27 to 30, several Signature Vacations agents were given the opportunity to experience Karisma Hotels & Resorts first-hand. Staying in the Casitas Royale at the El Dorado Royale property, the group spent Saturday touring their host hotel, as well as the El Dorado Seaside, the El Dorado Maroma, the Sensatori Azul and the Azul Beach. On Sunday the Group spent part of the day in a Gourmet Inclusive Training University seminar. Agents were then treated to an interactive cookout on the beach. Shown in the image are: Brianne Trudeau, SellOffVacations.com; Sharon La Prairie, SellOffVacations.com; Joy Ellison, Marlin Travel; Val Churchman, Marlin Travel; Marianne Puchala, Service Travel Guarantee; Karen Lippet, Lattitudes Travel Plus; Danielle Pollington, Flight Centre; Lorie Partridge, Kemp Travel Group; Andrea Reisdorf, Budget Travel Warehouse; Regan Hurst, Sears Travel; Samira Zadeh, Imagine Holidays. Continue reading for a complete listing of FAM participants. [Full text and pictures]