Disney sees more Western Canadians in Orlando ... - Travelweek

December 20, 2012 

Volume 40 Issue 47 

CANADA’S TRAVEL TRADE PUBLICATION 

Disney sees more Western Canadians in 

Orlando, more E. Canadians at Disneyland 

By Candice Abraham 

ORLANDO — Disney is seeing two 

gratifying trends out of Canada – more 

visitors in general and more Western 

Canadians heading to Orlando and 

more Eastern Canadians visiting 

THISWEEK 

4 IATA DISTRIBUTION STUDY 

An IATA study foresees major shifts in 

the landscape by 2017 

Disneyland. 

“Disney as a company has had a 

strong relationship with Canada, not 

only at Walt Disney World but at Disneyland 

too,” said Randy Garfield, executive 

vice president for worldwide 

8 HEATHROW MOVE 

All Star Alliance carriers are moving 

under one roof at London Heathrow 

sales & travel, Disney Destinations, and 

president of the Walt Disney Travel 

Company, in an interview with Travelweek 

during the opening of the New 

Fantasyland at Walt Disney World. 

“The Disneyland resort had primarily 

been more engaged with the Canadian 

market from British Columbia and Alberta. 

And Eastern Canada traditionally 

had more interest in Walt Disney 

World. What’s interesting to me is to see 

those lines start to blur.” 

Garfield attributes this increase in 

cross-continent travel to airline service 

and the strong relationships Disney has 

with its three primary airline partners, 

WestJet, Air Canada and Air Transat. 

In general, 2012 has been a very big 

year for Disney. 

In 2012 the company celebrated the 

first anniversary of Aulani, its resort 

and spa in Hawaii, the 20th anniversary 

of Disneyland Paris and the first sailing 

of Disney Cruise Line’s Disney Fantasy. 

On top of this, Disney reached the 

next phase of its expansion plans for 

Hong Kong Disneyland, began construction 

of the Shanghai Disney Resort, 

and completed a five-year enlargement 

of Disneyland and California 

Adventure Park. 

You’d think all of that would be 

enough for one year, but then on Dec. 6 

6 AC/SAA CODESHARE 

Air Canada has signed a codeshare 

pact with South African Airways 

26 USA ROUND UP 

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UPGRADE

Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom 

opened New Fantasyland — the largest 

expansion in the park’s 41-year history. 

Travelweek participated in the 

opening-night festivities, which included 

everything from a fire-breathing 

dragon flying high above Magic 

Kingdom to the first showing of a 

spectacular castle projection show 

called ‘Celebrate the Magic’. Still, even 

these feats only accounted for the icing 

on the Mickey cake at New Fantasyland. 

Comprised of the Enchanted Forest 

and Storybook Circus areas, this 

grand addition to the most famous 

Walt Disney World Park features a 

vast array of new attractions, dining 

and shopping options, character interactions 

and more. 

The two cornerstone attractions 

found in New Fantasyland are located 

in the Enchanted Forest. Under the 

Sea – Journey of the Little Mermaid, 

buckles its guests up in spacious clamshells 

and takes them ‘below the sea’ 

on a voyage through some of the most 

beloved scenes from the movie The 

Little Mermaid. 

This new attraction has all the 

charm of other classic Magic Kingdom 

experiences, like Peter Pan, but 

is enhanced with new technology that 

will impress guests young and old. 

Enchanted Tales with Belle, the 

second larger-scale attraction in New 

Fantasyland, is the first of its kind at a 

Disney theme park. Part Disney character 

meet-and-greet, part interactive 

story-telling adventure, this experience 

allows guests to act out a slice of 

the story from the movie Beauty and 

the Beast, with none other than Belle 

and Lumiere as well as some help with 

props and costume from Madame 

“DISNEY AS A COMPANY has had a strong relationship 

with Canada, not only at Walt Disney World but at 

Disneyland too.” 

Wardrobe. 

In dining, park visitors will find another 

of Disney’s firsts at the Be Our 

Guest Restaurant. This restaurant offers 

a full-service table dining experience 

at night, in a grand ballroom setting, 

and a quick-service lunch during 

the day with new technology that will 

have guests to their table and eating in 

a jiff. 

During an interview, Garfield discussed 

the new quick-service lunch at 

Be Our Guest Restaurant. 

“The concept of a restaurant for 

lunch where you don’t have to send 

one of your adult family members to a 

table to stake a claim and find a place 

to eat, this is a different experience for 

us,” said Garfield. “[At Be Our Guest 

Restaurant] you find a table and the 

food finds you, and the food finds you 

pretty quick.” 

Also for dining in the Enchanted 

Forest is Gaston’s Tavern in Belle’s Village, 

a French lodge with a signature 

brew made with frozen apple juice, 

toasted marshmallow and all-natural 

passion fruit and mango foam. 

Ariel’s Grotto in the Enchanted Forest 

provides guests with the opportunity 

for a meet-and-greet with the star 

of The Little Mermaid and Bonjour! 

Village Gifts is where park visitors can 

shop for their favourite Disney items. 

In the Storybook Circus area, Disney 

has done a very smart thing by expanding 

and revamping its classic attraction, 

Dumbo, the Flying Elephant. 

The ride has now doubled in size, 

which means shorter wait times, but 

even better is that the attraction is now 

connected to an air-conditioned ‘big 

top’ with an interactive playground for 

children. While waiting for their turn 

on Dumbo, parents are given a circus 

ticket pager that will alert them when 

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December 20, 2012 Travelweek 3

it’s time to enjoy the ride. 

Other attractions found in Storybook 

Circus are The Barnstormer 

Featuring the Great Goofini, a familystyle 

coaster, Pete’s Silly Slideshow, an 

indoor meet-and-greet featuring Minnie, 

Daisy Duck, Goofy and Donald 

Duck, and the Casey Jr. Splash ‘N’ Soak 

Station, a water play area. 

Although the New Fantasyland 

has officially opened to the public, it 

doesn’t mean that Disney is finished 

with its expansion. In 2013 Princess 

Fairytale Hall will open and be the 

new home for guests to meet Disney 

princesses. 

A new kind of rollercoaster called 

The Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, featuring 

swinging ride vehicles patented by 

Disney, will open in 2014. 

For more information on the New 

Fantasyland and other new openings 

at Walt Disney World, like Test Track 

by Chevrolet at Epcot, visit disney 

parks.com. 

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CPA: 703 

Study sees 

travel distribution 

transformed by 

2017 – IATA 

GENEVA — The International Air 

Transport Association (IATA) says 

major trends are transforming the 

travel distribution landscape and 

these are identified in a new study. 

The Future of Airline Distribution 

– A Look Ahead to 2017 was 

commissioned by IATA and written 

by Henry H. Harteveldt, co-founder of 

Atmosphere Research Group. 

According to the study: 

 

category, led by airline ticket sales. “In 

the U.S., it’s estimated that business 

and leisure travellers will spend $85.7 

billion online for airline in 2012.” 

 

22 websites in “multiple shopping 

sessions” before booking a trip but 

“travellers relying solely on third party 

Editor 

Patrick Dineen, Ext. 32, pdineen@travelweek.ca 

Managing Editor 

Kathryn Folliott, Ext. 28, kfolliott@travelweek.ca 

Associate Editor 

Cindy Sosroutomo, Ext. 30, cindys@travelweek.ca 

Contributor 

Chris Kinasz, chris.kinasz@travelweek.ca 

Art Director 

Sarit Mizrahi, Ext. 26, smizrahi@travelweek.ca 

Graphic Designer 

Lani Thorpe, Ext. 25, lthorpe@travelweek.ca 

Web Designer 

Antonio Carito, Ext. 34, acarito@travelweek.ca 

Business Development Manager 

Sue Winiecki, Ext. 27, swiniecki@travelweek.ca 

Business Development Manager 

Annie Cicvaric, Ext. 31, acicvaric@travelweek.ca 

Director of Special Projects 

Michael McCreesh, Ext. 39, mmccreesh@travelweek.ca 

Director, Product Development 

Toni DeFino, Ext. 36, tdefino@travelweek.ca 

Circulation 

Denys Cruz, dcruz@travelweek.ca 

Accounting 

Marie Mercado, Ext. 21, travelweek@travelweek.ca 

Hippo Express 

Glen Harwood, Ext. 33, gharwood@travelweek.ca 

Group Publisher 

Gerald Kinasz, gkinasz@abrahamkinasz.com 

Printed by Web Offset Pickering, ON L1W 3J9 

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Contents copyrighted 2012 by Concepts Travel 

Media Ltd. Reproduction in whole or in part by any 

means without expressed written permission 

of the publisher is prohibited. 

We acknowledge the financial support of the 

Government of Canada through the Canada 

Periodical Fund of the Department of Canadian Heritage. 

Dumbo, the Flying Elephant ride has doubled in size at the New Fantasyland. 

282 Richmond Street East, Suite 100 

Toronto, Ontario Canada M5A 1P4 

Tel. (416) 365-1500 Fax (416) 365-1504 

Toll free (855) 392-8820 

www.travelweek.ca 

www.hippoexpress.com 

4 Travelweek December 20, 2012

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ONT. REG 

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Sandals® Loves 

Jennifer Borgh 

Loves 

Sandals’ New Online 

Wedding Designer Tool 

As a professional wedding planner and a travel 

agent, my business is built on making my clients’ 

dream weddings come true. I was excited when 

Sandals Resorts launched their new “Your Wedding, 

Your Style” program earlier this year. 

The expanded options and colour choices are 

amazing. The fact that couples can now customize 

their own destination wedding is extremely 

important. No bride that I know wants to be told 

how her own wedding will look! 

Sandals’ new online Destination Wedding Designer 

tool is right on trend with today’s brides. Everyone 

lives online now…in fact, sometimes I don’t even 

meet my clients in person. This new online tool helps 

couples to visualize exactly how their wedding will 

look in just a few clicks. It’s very user-friendly and 

provides great inspiration with hundreds of options 

to choose from. 

Once my clients have decided on their colour 

scheme, I’ll often help them get started by creating 

a few different looks for their Sandals wedding. 

Then, we’ll work together to tailor it so it’s just 

right for them. This is where the online tool really 

plays a key role. It helps brides share their ideas 

with friends and family who may live in different 

cities. It also ensures that I’m on the same page 

as my clients when we can review various options 

online at the same time. 

Sandals has always been a leader in destination 

weddings. With their new customizable wedding 

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Jennifer Borgh 

TravelOnly 

Toronto, Ontario 

Love Is All You Need 

Call Your Tour Operator or 

 

Sandals ® is a registered trademark. Unique Vacations, Inc. 

is the worldwide representative for Sandals Resorts. 

6 Travelweek December 20, 2012 

® 

websites would not receive all the 

information needed to make a fully 

informed purchase decision.” 

 

 

smartphones and tablet devices, with 

 

 

 

 

 

these devices. 

 

 

on mobile devices – with even more 

 

 

and ease of use. 

The study says that “airlines 

have morphed into retailers – true 

merchants of the skies. As merchants, 

airlines need systems that can help 

 

but merchandise their products and 

value across the channels that make 

sense – online and offline, direct and 

indirect – at sensible costs. 

“What airlines don’t want are 

distribution channels that present 

all airlines as equally substitutable 

commodities. Airlines want, and 

 

 

information to make well-informed 

 

number of reservations made based 

 

The study notes that “airlines also 

want commerce platforms that can 

 

 

rich basic and ancillary product 

 

ability to reliably and securely process 

the massive volume of s 

sessions. Importantly, airlines are also 

 

airline distribution/commerce space.” 

 

 

about how airlines must sell their 

products” because it implies process 

 

 

 

call ‘distribution’ will be replaced 

by a focus on channel-based, valuec 

Atmosphere believes this new 

approach will be supported by the 

 

(VCH). VCHs will represent an 

evolutionary “pivot” from the current 

Global Distribution System approach. 

Air Canada, South 

African Airways sign 

codeshare agreement 

MONTREAL — Air Canada and 

South African Airways (SAA) have 

 

will make it substantially easier for 

customers to travel between Canada 

and South Africa. 

 

carriers in London or New York can 

 

seamless connections. In addition, 

 

Alliance, customers can benefit from 

reciprocal frequent flyer accumulation 

 

 

SAA will codeshare on Air Canada- 

 

and Vancouver, London and Toronto 

and New York’s John F. Kennedy 

International Airport and Toronto 

 

 

Air Canada will in turn codeshare 

on SAA-operated services between 

 

 

and Cape Town. 

Sunquest launches 

January sale plus 

‘Taxes ‘R’ on Us’ 

promotion for 

all March, April 

departures 

TORONTO — Effective immediately, 

 

 

 

March or April and let Sunquest take 

 

For a limited time only, the January

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Starwood Hotels 

& Resorts to enter 

the Philippines with 

The Westin Manila 

Bayshore, Sheraton 

Manila Hotel 

MANILA — Starwood Hotels 

& Resorts Worldwide, Inc. plans 

to introduce its two largest brands 

– Westin and Sheraton – to two 

new multi-billion dollar integrated 

entertainment complexes in Manila, 

the capital of the Philippines. 

Starwood will manage The Westin 

Manila Bayshore, scheduled to open 

in mid-2016 as part of the Resorts 

World Bayshore in the Entertainment 

City development in Parañaque; and 

WEBWEEK 

Sheraton Manila Hotel in the Resorts 

World Manila development located 

in Newport City, Pasay. The Sheraton 

Manila Hotel is slated for opening in 

early 2017. 

The opening of the two hotels fuels 

Starwood’s growth trajectory in Asia 

Pacific. The company is the region’s 

largest upper-upscale and luxury hotel 

company; it currently operates over 

230 hotels in Asia Pacific with plans 

to reach 400 operating hotels in the 

region by 2016. 

The Westin Manila Bayshore 

and Sheraton Manila Hotel are 

integral components of Resorts 

World Bayshore and Resorts World 

Manila, respectively. These new 

mixed-use development hubs feature 

entertainment venues, luxury retail 

establishments and gaming facilities. 

The planned development of 

The Westin Manila Bayshore also 

represents the Westin brand’s re-entry 

into the Philippine market. 

Tauck launches 2013 

European portfolio 

under new ‘How 

You See The World 

Matters’ banner 

NORWALK, CT — Tauck has unveiled 

its 2013 product portfolio for Europe 

offering a diverse array of nearly 70 

land and cruise itineraries spanning 

$10 Bonus Cheque for Every Booking Made On-line! 

the continent. 

Tauck’s 2013 offerings are 

highlighted in a new 148-page 

brochure that features a refreshed 

layout and graphics treatment, and 

messaging that emphasizes ‘How You 

See The World Matters’. 

According to Tauck CEO Dan 

Mahar, ‘How You See The World 

Matters’ underscores that the way in 

which travellers experience a place is 

as important as the place itself. “Travel 

decisions are typically destinationfocused, 

yet ‘how’ you experience 

any destination is just as critical to 

your overall experience as where you 

travel,” noted Mahar. 

The ‘How You See The World 

Matters’ theme is explored in the 

opening spreads of the new Tauck 

brochure, with specific focus on the 

four key elements that distinguish 

every Tauck journey, according to 

Mahar. He identified those elements 

as innovative ‘insider’ access to 

unique experiences, the high level of 

service provided by the company’s 

professional Tauck Directors, the allinclusive 

value that Tauck delivers, and 

the ease and convenience of having 

Tauck handle all the details inherent 

in planning and taking a vacation. 

Tauck’s European itineraries 

are divided among its six product 

categories, including classic Tauck 

World Discovery land tours, intimate 

river cruises, small ship cruises, 

Bridges family itineraries, special 

Tauck Events, and active, immersive 

small-group Culturious journeys. 

For more information, visit tauck. 

com. 

RIU to open its fifth 

hotel in Jamaica 

MONTEGO BAY — RIU Hotels & 

Resorts has started building its fifth 

hotel in Jamaica. 

The Riu Palace Jamaica will be 

an exclusive hotel with 238 rooms, 

reserved for over 18s only, which will 

open its doors in December 2013. 

The new hotel is situated next to Riu 

Montego Bay in the bay of Mahoe. 

The 5-star Riu Palace Jamaica boasts 

Continued on page 21 ... 


SPOTLIGHT AIRLINES & CONSOLIDATORS 

Photo courtesy of Vienna Airport 

Sparkling new Austrian Star Alliance 

Terminal befits a major European hub 

By Jacquleine Swartz 

It always seemed odd to me that a 

splendid city like Vienna would have 

such a meager, cramped, and well, un- 

Viennese airport. 

With the opening of the new Terminal 

Three that has changed dramatically, 

at least for Austrian Air, Lufthansa, 

SWISS, EGYPTAIR, LOT and 

other Star Alliance partners. Since last 

summer, all of them now occupy the 

new terminal check-in three. 

Called Austrian Star Alliance Terminal, 

or check-in 3, this new Star Allliance 

hub is totally new, not a renovated 

extension. 

It aims to make the airport experience 

faster and more pleasant. It is 

sleek, yet without the icy minimalism 

so often found in new airports. 

It has doubled its space for stores 

and eateries, yet is still navigable without 

roller skates. 

There is plenty of seating — not just 

chairs but some covered chaise lounge 

benches that work for napping. There 

are desks and plugs for laptops. 

“Star Alliance now has the best part 

of the terminal,” remarks press spokesman 

Peter Kleemann. The new terminal 

is 1,614,587 square feet in size, yet 

the biggest plus is that everything is 

under one roof. Escalators rather than 

shuttles take you where you want to go 

in the three-storey building. 

The vertical setup is especially useful 

to the many transit passengers 

who are going on to other countries, 

mainly in Eastern Europe. Indeed, 

one-third of passengers arriving in 

Vienna are ending their trips in other 

countries. At the new terminal, the 

ease of transferring assures passengers 

the minimum connection time 

of 25 minutes. 

The check-in area is on the first 

floor, and has 69 check-in counters 

and 38 self check-in terminals. There 

is a special needs section for wheelchair 

passengers and children, and a 

dedicated ticket island for passengers 

reserving or re-booking flights or 

picking up tickets. 

The wall-to-ceiling windows allow 

“IT IS SLEEK, yet without the icy minimalism so 

often found in new airports.” 

sunlit spaces and views of planes on 

the apron outside. Special glass helps 

control the temperature, keeping it at 

moderate levels. 

After passing through the state 

of the art security lanes, making 

queues, the airport claims, “a thing of 

the past”, passengers enter the shopping 

and food area, with 80 stores 

and 23 eateries.


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For groups of 10 or more, call the specialists 

at 1-800-838-0618 

Brightly lit and bustling, many of 

the stores reflect the city itself. Designer 

Karl Lagerfeld has a boutique, and 

there’s a food court by the celebrated 

Viennese food caterer, Julius Meinl, 

where you can get the salads, sachertorte 

and strudel. 

The two cafes, Demel and Vienna 

Tea and Coffee House, may not offer 

the same atosphere as the cafés in Vienna, 

but they’re still a lot better than 

the usual Starbucks. 

Several restaurants, including Indochine 

Light 21 and Decanto, are 

impressive for an airport. The Star Alliance 

Lounge is catered by Do&Co, 

considered one of Vienna’s coolest 

restaurants. 

Austrian Airlines has opened six 

new lounges and has increased its 

space by 30%. Materials — leather, 

stone and oak — are local, and 

young, hip designers like Walking 

Chair are featured. 

There are American plugs which 

can be used to charge laptops and mobile 

phones, and free W-LAN printers. 

Designated quiet areas allow for napping. 

There is a sumptuous lunch and 

dinner buffet. 

The goal is to be a major transfer 

point. “We are focusing on being a 

hub for Central an Eastern Europe 

— Poland, Russia, the Balkan countries,” 

notes Kleemann. 

Austrian Airlines has a 58% share of 

For complex air, round the world and circle 

pacific itineraries, call 1-866-866-5494 

such transfer travellers, he adds. “We 

want to stimulate other airlines to try 

Vienna,” he adds. Currently there are 

hefty discounts in landing fees to entice 

airlines to do just that. 

One of the advantages of the terminal 

is that it handles flights to 

both non-Schengen and Schengen 

areas, 26 countries including 22 

from the EU who do not have border 

controls. 

From Vienna, for example, you 

don’t need an EU passport to have 

a customs-free arrival in Paris. On 

the first floor, all outgoing Schengen 

flights are handled. The third 

floor is dedicated to non-Schengen 

flights. The separation of the two 

makes transferring faster and more 

efficient. 

Passengers from all terminals 

arrive at the new arrivals hall. Its 

rounded design is people-friendly 

to passengers as well as those meeting 

them. 

There are several shops and restaurants 

available for non-travelling 

guests. And there is direct access and 

large, clear signage to the City Airport 

Train (CAT). It takes l6 minutes to arrive 

at the city centre and costs nine 

euros. If you are taking the train from 

the city centre you can check your 

bags at the train station. 

The work on the airport as a whole 

continues. In early 2013, Air Berlin 

Book online at www.gowayagent.com 

or call 1-866-515-2874 

1543989 

and other smaller European carriers, 

will begin moving into the newly 

modernized Terminal One formerly 

occupied by Austrian Airlines. 

But the real challenge is Terminal 

Two, now occupied by British 

Air, KLM and Air France. The aim 

is to combine both of theses terminals, 

and work should be completed 

sometime in 2114. “It’s like combining 

two airports”, notes Kleemann. 

Meanwhile lucky Star Alliance passengers 

can enjoy their own space. 

Maldives, Iraq new 

and improved with 

Turkish Airlines 

Turkish Airlines has new service to 

the Maldives and increased service 

to Iraq. 

Adding to its flight network (the 

fifth largest in the world, with 206 

destinations in 92 countries), Turkish 

Airlines recently tacked the Maldives 

onto its list, with five times 

weekly service. 

And to Iraq, the carrier now offers 

seven flights a week to Basrah (up 

from four), five flights a week to Najaf 

(up from three) and five flights a week 

to Suleymaniyah (up from four). 

Meanwhile Turkish Airlines continues 

to expand and rejuvenate its fleet 

and has now reached its goal of operating 

a fleet of 200 aircraft. 

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Diving boats in the Maldives 

This gives THY Europe’s youngest 

and most modern fleet as it works 

towards its goal of having the largest 

global network of any airline in the 

world. 

The carrier is working hard to stay 

connected too and recently made 

its mobile application Fly Turkish 

compatible with Passbook, to take 

its place among the first airlines that 

offer Passbook supported mobile 

boarding passes. 

With Apple’s Passbook application, 

which was presented only for the iOS 

6.0 and higher versions of iPhone/ 

iPod touch devices, users are able to 

transfer their boarding passes to a mobile 

format. 

Users of iPhone and iPod touch devices 

that use the iOS 6.0 and higher 

versions can save their Turkish Airlines 

passenger boarding cards as a 

Pass and proceed all the way to the 

airplane without the need for paper 

boarding cards in airports that support 

mobile boarding cards. The mobile 

boarding pass application is supported 

by all the airports in Istanbul. 

See turkishairlines.com or call (416) 

596.6886 or 1.888.596.6886. 

No ticketing fees with 

two new offers from 

Travelair 

Travelair International, Inc. is launching 

not one but two promotions for 

New Year travel. 

With the first offer, clients booking 

tickets on Emirates, Etihad, Jet Airways, 

Qatar, Delta, KLM, Air France 

and Alitalia pay no ticketing fees for 

outbound travel from Jan. 1 – 31, 

2013. Only adult fares qualify and all 

tickets must be issued by Dec. 31. 

With the second deal, booking 

five or more tickets on Etihad flight 

#EY140 from Dec. 25 to Jan. 1 also 

means no ticketing fees. 

Credit for the ticketing fees will apply 

on the agent’s account after five 

tickets have been reached. This offer is 

good for select destinations. 

Agents need to mention ‘Travelweek’ 

for both promotions. 

Travelair works with many home 

based agents and has the ability to issue 

tickets in Apollo, Amadeus and 

Sabre. “Wholesale inquiries are always 

welcome,” adds Travelair’s Vinnie 

Vats. The company’s website is etravelair.com. 

Emirates’ global 

expansion continues 

with three new A380s, 

two new B777s 

The current Emirates fleet will expand 

by five aircraft by the end of the year as 

the carrier adds three new A380s and 

two new Boeing 777s. 

As the largest operator of both the 

A380 and B777 in the world, Emirates’ 

new additions will support its growing 

route network. Two new destinations, 

Lyon and Phuket, join the Emirates 

network this month while service to 

Warsaw, Poland, and Algiers, Algeria, 

starts in the first quarter of 2013. 

Calling the aircraft “an unrivalled 

flying experience,” the Emirates A380 

remains “extremely popular” among 

passengers, says Adel Al Redha, Emirates’ 

executive vice-president of engineering 

and operations. 

The planes have received accolades 

for unique features including the onboard 

lounge, shower spas and — an 



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Emirates standard across the entire 

fleet — in-flight entertainment in 

every seat, in every class with more 

than 1,400 channels. 

Emirates has the world’s largest fleet 

of A380s which currently serve Toronto 

flights as well as Amsterdam, 

Auckland, Bangkok, Beijing, Hong 

Kong, Jeddah, Kuala Lumpur, London 

Heathrow, Manchester, Melbourne, 

Moscow, Munich, New York JFK, Paris, 

Rome, Seoul, Shanghai, Singapore, 

Sydney and Tokyo. 

In early 2013 Emirates will expand 

operations in Dubai at the world’s 

first fully A380-compatible facility at 

Dubai International Airport. 

Meanwhile, as the world’s largest 

twin-jet aircraft, the Boeing 777 remains 

a passenger favorite and all new 

Emirates 777 aircraft come equipped 

with in-flight entertainment on some 

of the industry’s widest personal TV 

screens: 27” in First Class, 20” in Business 

Class and 12.1” in Economy Class. 

See emirates.com for more information. 

Air Canada among 

Star Alliance carriers 

tapped for LHR’s new 

Terminal 2 

When it opens in 2014 Heathrow Airport’s 

new Terminal 2 will be home to 

Star Alliance and Aer Lingus flights as 

well as Virgin Atlantic domestic routes. 

“Terminal 2 will offer a significant 

improvement for passengers travelling 

through Heathrow,” said John Holland- 

Kaye, Heathrow Development Director. 

“Providing all airlines and their passengers 

with great facilities is a key part 

of our vision for Heathrow. Terminal 5 

was recently voted by passengers as the 

best airport terminal in the world and 

the opening of Terminal 2 will mark another 

major step forward.” 

If everything moves on schedule, 

Heathrow would be able to close its 

Terminal 1 early, meaning all passengers 

would be using new or refurbished 

terminals from 2016. Heathrow’s 

overhaul is an ongoing 11 billion 

pound project. 

Star Alliance carriers, including Air 

Canada, currently use Terminals 1, 3 

and 4 at Heathrow. 

IATA forecasts 

3.6 billion air 

passengers by 2016 

By 2016 some 3.6 billion passengers 

are expected to take flight on the 

world’s major airlines, according to a 

new industry traffic forecast commissioned 

by IATA. 

The report also shows that passenger 

numbers will expand by an average 

of 5.3% per year between 2012 and 

2016. The 28.5% increase in passenger 

numbers over the forecast period will 

see almost 500 million new passengers 

traveling on domestic routes and 331 

million new passengers on international 

services. 

The emerging economies of Asia- 

Pacific, Latin America and the Middle 

East will see the strongest passenger 

growth, says IATA. This will be led by 

routes within or connected to China, 

which are expected to account for 193 

million of the 831 million new passengers 

over the forecast period (159 

million on domestic routes and 34 

million traveling internationally). 

Passenger growth within the 

Asia-Pacific region (domestic and 

international) is expected to add 

around 380 million passengers over 

the forecast period. 

Through 2016, the U.S. will continue 

to be the largest single market for 

domestic passengers (710.2 million). 

In the same year, passengers on international 

routes connected to the 

U.S. will total 223 million, making it 

the largest single market for international 

travel as well. 

By 2016 the five largest markets 

for domestic passengers will be the 

United States (710.2 million), China 

(415 million), Brazil (118.9 million), 

India (107.2 million), and Japan 

(93.2 million), says Tony Tyler, 

IATA’s director general and CEO. 

Globally, aviation supports some 57 


NETS everywhere 

airliners.ca 

877 727 6387 

million jobs and US$2.2 trillion in 

economic activity. 

Lufthansa expects 

Premium Economy to 

be ready in two years, 

readies Germanwings 

for re-launch 

Lufthansa is expanding its product 

portfolio and will equip the entire Lufthansa 

long-haul fleet with ‘Premium 

Economy’ seats. 

The group’s Supervisory Board 

has approved the investment capital 

and starting in early 2013 a project 

group will be formed to manage the 

introduction and define the precise 

features of the product, as well as a 

detailed timetable. 

Premium Economy will be installed 

on Lufthansa’s entire intercontinental 

fleet. This substantially upgraded 

Economy product will fill the gap between 

the superior Business Class segment, 

which features a seat that can be 

converted into a fully flat bed, on one 

side and the classic Economy Class on 

the other, says the airline. 

In the meantime, Lufthansa has also 

announced that its Germanwings budget 

airline “is set to revolutionize the 

European low-cost market” with what 

it says will be the highest value airline 

product in this segment in Europe. 

On July 1, 2013, the ‘new’ Germanwings 

will launch with a completely 

new brand and product concept allowing 

all passengers to enjoy ‘à la 

carte flying’, with Best, Smart and Basic 

fare products in Economy Class. 

Passengers will be able to create their 

own package and adapt it in detail to 

their individual needs, from low-cost 

flying without add-ons to a high-quality 

passenger experience with lots of 

amenities and extras, says the airline. 

Lufthansa is decentralizing its European 

services away from its Frankfurt 

and Munich hubs and amalgamating 

them into Germanwings on Jan. 1, 

2013, with new products on the market 

for July 1, 2013. 

At that point aircraft in the Lufthansa 

fleet earmarked for the Germanwings 

will also be gradually converted 

and transferred. 

The brand’s motto is ‘Reasonably 

priced but not cheap’ extends to the 

Best, Smart and Basic fare system. 

The Best fare represents the best 

product currently available on inter- 

European low-cost routes with a seat 

in one of the three forward-most 

rows. There’s a seat pitch of 32” and an 

empty middle seat. 

Other components of the new 

Best fare include access to Lufthansa 

lounges and priority check-in and 

use of the fast lane at security checks, 

double the baggage allowance (two 

items weighing 23 kilograms each), à 

la carte catering on board, flexible rebooking 

and ticket cancellation. 

The Best fare will be available on all 

connections within Germany and in 

the core European markets. 

The Smart fare of the new Germanwings 

is the new standard fare and corresponds 

to a conventional Economy 

product with “exceptional quality”. Rows 

towards the front of the aircraft will be 

reserved for passengers on this fare. 

The seat pitch here is also 32” and 

Smart catering includes a snack and 

nonalcoholic drinks as well as a 23 kilogram 

baggage allowance. 

The lowest fare is the Basic fare, corresponding 

to a conventional low-cost 

product. Passengers flying on Basic 

fares forego free catering and a baggage 

allowance and will be able to 

choose a seat from row 11 back. 

Smart and Basic fares can then be customized 

from a menu of ‘low-cost, highquality’ 

options. See lufthansa.com. 

Sally Levy with New Wave Travel in Ontario won two tickets to Europe on Air France or KLM 

as the grand prize winner in Airliners’ and Travelweek’s recent Word Scramble contest. Seen 

here are Sally and Clement Levy with J.R. Arora (right), president and CEO of Airliners. 


SPOTLIGHT LUXURY TRAVEL 

Mehrangarh Fort, Rajasthan 

Deccan Odyssey, Palace on Wheels just 

two of many luxe rail trips in India 

by Kathryn Folliott 

A luxury train trip through India is on 

many travel wish lists and now India 

Tourism offers a one-stop information 

source for several top rail experiences 

at its incredibleindia.org website. 

The Deccan Odyssey has been 

compared to South Africa’s Blue 

Train and Europe’s Orient Express 

and for many is the first and last 

word(s) in luxury rail travel in India. 

The interiors showcase the history 

and culture of the Maharashtra and 

the itinerary takes in its finest sights 

while journeying through Mumbai, 

Sindhudurg, Tarkarli, Goa, Kolhapur, 

Aurangabad, Ellora, Ajanta and 

Nasik. It’s the pristine beauty of the 

Konkan coast, packaged in an upscale 

rail trip, says India Tourism. Departures 

operate October through April. 

Another option is The Palace on 

Wheels, with 14 saloons, each equipped 

with four twin-bedded chambers with 

attached baths with running hot and 

cold water and showers. 

Outside the bedrooms, each coach 

also has a seating lounge. An attached 

pantry with each saloon helps provide 

beverages and refreshments to the accompaniment 

of soothing piped music. 

Two dining cars and a bar/lounge 

complete the experience. 

The train chugs out of Safdarjung 

Railway Station New Delhi on a weeklong 

run through Rajasthan every 

Wednesday night, with excursions to 

Agra and the Taj Mahal. 

Then there’s the Golden Chariot, 

linking some of South India’s greatest 

destinations while trundling through 

spectacular locales. 

At present, The Golden Chariot has 

two routes charted out. ‘Pride of the 

South’ departs Bangalore and travels 

to Kabini, Srirangapatnam, Mysore, 

Shravanabelagola, Belur, Halebid, 

Hampi, Badami, Pattadakal and Goa. 

‘Southern Splendour’ also travels 

out of Bangalore and heads to Chennai, 

Pondicherry, Tanjavur, Madurai, 

Thiruvananthpuram/Kanyakumari/ 

Kovalam, Alleppey and Kochi. Both 

itineraries are seven nights in duration. 

The Royal Rajasthan on Wheels, 

meanwhile, takes passengers on a seven 

day exploration of vibrant Rajasthan, 

starting in New Delhi and journeying 

to Jodhpur, Udaipur, Chittor, 

Swai-madhopur and Jaipur. 

After experiencing multifaceted Rajasthan 

passengers will visit the Khajuraho 

temples and then Varanasi and 

finally, the Taj Mahal at Agra. 

Finally, the Maharaja Express, 

dubbed ‘The Finest Luxury Train’, 

is the newest and latest upscale rail 

product in India, with a choice of 

five tours. 

“These incredible luxury travel 

packages let one explore exotic locales 

such as the largest dinosaur fossil 

parks at Balasinor and the temples 

of Khajuraho. There’s also an elephant 

polo lunch at Jaipur, cocktail and barbeque 

sundowner on the sand dunes at 

Bikaner, a champagne breakfast overlooking 

the Taj Mahal, a regal meal at

SPOTLIGHT LUXURY TRAVEL 

Photo courtesy of Sparkling Voyages 

the shimmering lake city of Udaipur, 

a boat ride on the Ganges at the holy 

city of Varanasi, and much more,” says 

India Tourism. See incredibleindia. 

org for more details. 

Ka’ana Boutique Resort’s two-bedroom villa 


Sparkling Voyages 

teams with Ka’ana 

Boutique Resort for 

upscale packages to 

sunny Belize 

Sparkling Voyages and its partner 

property, Ka’ana Boutique Resort, are 

hoping to entice more Canadian travellers 

to Belize. 

Canada is already a growing market 

for the Central American country, 

contributing to steady international 

growth with three months of record 

overnight arrivals in 2011 (January, 

July and December), according to The 

Belize Tourism Board. 

Sparkling Voyages’ director Yuliya 

Antonov says her company is seeing an 

upswing in travel to Belize too, especially 

for customized trips. “Sparkling Voyages 

is experiencing increasing demand 

for tailor-made itineraries to Belize. 

Agents tell us some clients want to explore 

the jungles, Mayan sites, and have 

adventures, while others want a honeymoon 

on one of Belize’s white sand 

beaches with diving and snorkeling. 

And many want to combine the two.” 

Antonov says she typically recommends 

Ka’ana Resort, a luxury hideaway 

next to pristine jungle, “designed 

for those who wish to explore 

the new frontiers and adventures of 

Belize, yet enjoy the elegant luxuries 

of a high-end resort.” 

Some rooms offer private front and 

rear decks including an enclosed garden 

and private outdoor shower or a 

private pool, she notes. “Staying here 

truly allows guests get close to nature 

and enjoy moments of tranquility.” 

These quiet moments can be balanced 

out with high-energy adventure. 

One of the most popular excursions is 

the Actun Tunichil Muknal cave tour, 

starting with a 45-minute jungle trek 

(and wading across three rivers), followed 

by a tour of the ATM cave system, 

consisting of a series of chambers 

and ending in a large ‘cathedral’ where 

sacred ceremonies once took place. 

Another popular tour, within close 

proximity of Ka’ana Resort, is an excursion 

to the ancient Maya ruins of 

Xunantunich, a major Maya ceremonial 

centre that features several main 

temples. It’s located on a natural 

limestone ridge offering views over 

the surrounding villages and into 

Guatemala. 

When booked with Sparkling Voyages, 

clients can enjoy private tours 

exclusively for their party, where they 

can go at their own pace and have 

personalized experiences — such as 

a stopover at the market for an ice 

cream, says Antonov. For information 

call (416) 840-2588 or 1-866-266- 

8812 or visit sparklingvoyages.com. 

Get it while it lasts: 

Insight’s EBB set to 

expire Dec. 27 

Insight Vacations’ popular Gold tours 

provide authentic local experiences 

with superior comfort and VIP service, 

says Cris David, president of Insight 

Vacations Canada. 

The company’s stand-alone Gold 

brochure features 23 tours throughout 

Europe, Greece, Egypt, Hawaii, USA, 

Canada and India, and includes new 

trips and more luxurious upgrades. 

The 12-day Playgrounds of Europe 

takes clients to the land of grand villas 

and mega-yachts, with highlights 

including dinner by private launch in 

Venice and lakeside lattés in Como. 

There’s also an exclusive lunch behind 

St. Mark’s Square in Venice, a short 

cruise to the exclusive village of Portofino 

and a Chianti wine tasting in the 

rolling hills of Tuscany.

In Florence, clients will wake up to 

an incredible view of the Duomo at 

the Brunelleschi Hotel, and in Nice 

will stay in the ornate Boscolo Exedra 

Hotel, decorated entirely in white. 

The 13-Day Gold Esprit de France, 

meanwhile, showcases the finest of 

the country’s artistic heritage during 

visits to the famous Louvre, the house 

and gardens of Claude Monet and the 

monastery where Van Gogh painted 

Starry Night. 

As France is synonymous with fine 

wine and food, guests will also discover 

tastes of the regions while sampling 

wines of the Loire Valley, enjoying the 

rich olive oil of Provence and partaking 

in a special Highlight Dinner with 

wine in an Avignon restaurant. 

“Insight’s Gold program is the ultimate 

in luxury guided tours, providing 

the best in quality and comfort, 

yet remaining culturally authentic 

with local cuisine and unique local 

experiences,” says David. “Each tour 

also provides good value for money, 

and with our Early Payment Discount 

of up to 10%, there’s no better time to 

discover Europe.” 

For a limited time, travellers who 

book any of Insight’s 2013 Premium 

and Gold Europe & Britain tours 

where Early Booking Savings apply 

and pay in full before Dec. 27, 2012, 

can save up to 10%. 

Clients can take advantage of air 

deals on any of Insight’s trips travelling 

to Europe, Britain & Middle East 

between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31, 2013, with 

10% savings on air booked by Dec. 27. 

See insightvacations.com. 

Auto Europe’s hotel 

res service, Excellent 

Hotels, now available 

in Canada 

Car rental leader Auto Europe has 

introduced its new hotel reservation 

service, Excellent Hotels, to the Canadian 

market. 

Excellent Hotels offers reservation 

services at over 75,000 three-, four- and 

five-star hotels. All rates are prepaid in 

Canadian dollars and are commissionable 

and the service has call centre support 

24 hours a day, seven days a week. 

Along with the launch comes a 

new B-to-B tool for Canadian travel 

agencies, MyExcellentHotels.ca, a 

“distinctive hotel booking engine 

built with agents in mind,” according 

to the company. 

The site efficiently tracks and pays 

commission on behalf of Excellent 

Hotels and its worldwide partners. 

Features and benefits include: 

 

properties in over 130 countries 

 

 

reservations for your clients 

nadian 

dollars 

 

voucher for easy check in 

sion 

payments 

 

and payment data 

 

As a launch promotion agents receive 

15% commission on hotels 

booked online until March 31, as well 

as having access to mark-ups. 

To sign up for the booking engine 

see myexcellenthotels.ca. Agents can 

also e-mail agencysupport@excellent 

ehotels.com or call 1-877-444-2222. 

Fourth night free at 

Gansevoort Turks + 

Caicos 

The Gansevoort Turks + Caicos has 

a fourth night free deal for Canadian 

guests. 

The promotion applies to travel Jan. 3 

- April 30, 2013 and includes accommodation 

in a luxurious beachfront room, 

daily full breakfast for two and a fourth 

night complimentary of room and tax 

with the purchase of three nights. 

Rates start at US$750 per night at 

the upscale Caribbean resort, located 

on Grace Bay Beach in Providenciales. 

The offer is not combinable with 

other promotion, not applicable on all 

room types, requires full payment and 

is 100% non-refundable at booking. 

For more information see gansevoort 

turksandcaicos.com. 


SPOTLIGHT ROMANCE & WEDDINGS 

Photo courtesy of Palladium Hotels & Resorts 

Karen Bussen’s ‘Simple Stunning’ 

weddings now available at Palladium’s 

Riviera Maya, Punta Cana resorts 

by Kathryn Folliott 

Celebrity wedding designer Karen 

Bussen, known for her ‘Simple Stunning’ 

approach to wedding celebrations, 

has brought her style and expertise 

to Palladium Hotels & Resorts’ 

Riviera Maya and Punta Cana properties 

after a successful launch at the 

Montego Bay properties in 2011. 

Not only have the packages arrived 

in Mexico and the D.R., they’ve been 

upgraded and are now “more beautiful 

than ever”, says Palladium. 

For Palladium Hotels & Resorts, 

Bussen has created several choices of 

wedding events, including Pure Paradise, 

Ocean Pearl or Mayan Pearl, 

Waves of Love, Tropical Promise, and 

the ‘pièce de résistance’, the Simple 

Stunning Signature Wedding, which 

gives couples the chance to take the 

reins as a designer and create the celebration 

of their dreams. 

Armed with feedback from her 

original launch in Jamaica, Bussen says 

that going forward she wanted to offer 

completely customizable packages. 

“We found that couples do need help 

to plan their destination wedding, but 

they also wanted to make sure that the 

celebration reflected their personality 

and voice,” she says. 

“In creating our next series of packages 

for Palladium Hotels & Resorts, I 

really wanted to provide that option. 

Couples can mix-and-match from the 

packaged offerings to really come up 

with their true dream wedding.” 

For the Simple Stunning Signature 

Wedding, the couple can choose from 

Bussen’s entire repertory of design 

and décor features, imaginative ideas, 

events and color schemes. 

And if there are other features that 

may not be included in the Karen Bussen 

packages, such as a videographer or 

even a private beach club for intimate 

weddings of up to 15 guests, Palladium 

Hotels & Resorts can provide them. 

The wedding packages all include 

the essentials, from a marriage officiant 

and lovely vow space to flowers and 

decorations in the couple’s chosen palate, 

sparkling toasts, wedding portraits 

and, of course, the wedding cake. 

From there, the choices are virtually 

limitless. Couples can choose to add 

specific décor accents from parasols, sea 

glass centerpieces, choices in bouquets 

and matching boutonnieres and more. 

In addition, couples may choose 

to include a separate themed event 

in conjunction with the ceremony. 

The options include a ‘Forever Sand 

Ceremony’ to blend the two families, 

a ‘Sunset Wine and Cheese for Two’ 

under the Promise Pergola, a private 

beach after-party, a bridesmaid tea 

party and an in-suite ‘Honeymoon 

Sunrise’ newlywed breakfast in bed 

with a bottle of bubbly and more. 

“We are so thrilled to partner with

SPAIN DOMINICAN REPUBLIC MEXICO JAMAICA BRAZIL 

 

purely magical… 

Imagine saying your “I dos” in the world’s most romantic beachfront destinations with 

the outstanding services and facilities of the All-Inclusive 5-Star Palladium Resorts. 

Our complexes in Mexico, Dominican Republic, Jamaica and Brazil boast 

a selection of beautiful ceremony sites for a flawless wedding 

For more information about our new Simple Stunning Wedding packages, visit our website at 

www.palladiumweddings.com 

Call Center: 800 961 7661 

callcenter.america@palladiumhotelgroup.com

SPOTLIGHT ROMANCE & WEDDINGS 

St Lucia 

www.windjammer-landing.com 

Toll Free 1 877 522 0722 

Email: reservations@windjammer-landing.com 

Free wedding with seven-night stay, all inclusive 

Karen again for another set of beautifully 

designed wedding offerings,” says 

Linda Scaperotto, director of marketing, 

Palladium Hotel Group, the parent 

company to Palladium. 

“The Jamaica launch was wellreceived 

by our guests, so we wanted 

to offer the same service and memorable 

experiences to guests at our other 

properties.” 

For more information about Palladium’s 

Karen Bussen wedding packages 

see www.palladiumweddings.com. 


Windjammer Landing 

St. Lucia’s secluded 

grounds just right 

for romance 

Windjammer Landing St. Lucia, “Canada’s 

very own luxury villa resort” has 

been catering to clientele seeking romance 

for over 20 years, says Caribbean 

Castle Resorts and Villas president 

Christopher Stubbs. 

Windjammer Landing is the perfect 

destination for couples looking to 

enjoy a romantic getaway, while still 

having fun on the beach and exploring 

the Caribbean, says Stubbs. 

“Windjammer Landing’s enchanting 

villa accommodations, along with 

the resort’s lush, secluded grounds, 

have a way of immersing you in complete 

relaxation,” he says. 

The resort offers two honeymoon 

packages, four wedding packages, a 

vows renewal package and a spa package. 

On-site wedding coordinators are 

available to assist agents and clients 

with every detail. 

Clients staying one week or longer 

receive the lead-in wedding package 

for free, a US$1,180 savings. 

The lead-in package, Something 

Old, includes a civil ceremony, marriage 

license, certificate and registrar 

fees, taxi to and from lawyer’s office, 

bridal bouquet, groom’s boutonnière, 

chilled bottle of champagne and a 

“beautifully decorated setting”. Something 

Old costs $999 and is free when 

staying for seven nights all-inclusive. 

‘Something New’, meanwhile, adds 

extras like a two-tier wedding cake, 

chilled bottle of champagne and a continental 

breakfast the next day. Plus, the 

couple’s resort room will be decorated 

with scented candles. Cost is $1,699. 

With ‘Something Borrowed’, couples 

get all that plus a three-tier wedding 

cake, hair styling for the bride, a 

choice of spa treatment and 30 digital 

photos. Cost is $1,999. 

And with ‘Something Blue’, there 

are also boutonnieres for the groom 

and best man, bouquets for the bride 

and bridesmaid, one hour of live music 

for the ceremony and three hours 

of DJ’d music for the reception, 60 digital 

photos, in-villa dining (courtesy of 

a private chef) and a Jammers day sail. 

Cost is $4,999. 

Vow renewals start at $350 and include 

several of these special touches 

from the wedding packages. 

For honeymooners, a special offering 

available through all Canadian 

wholesalers includes a complimentary 

chocolate “wow” plate and flowers 

upon arrival for honeymooning guests 

staying a minimum of three nights. 

Other options include the ‘Simply 

Romantic Honeymoon Package’ with 

all-inclusive food and beverage, sparkling 

wine and flowers upon arrival 

and private airport transfers, from 

$3,319 for a Premium Ocean View. 

The Deluxe Romantic Honeymoon 

Package includes the above plus a $200 

spa credit, Windjammer sunset cruise 

and private dining experience from 

$3,569 for a Premium Ocean View. 

Call 1-877-522-0722 or see wind 

jammer-landing.com. 

Fairytale weddings, 

honeymoons with 

Signature Vacations 

Plenty of couples will get engaged this 

month and many will choose destination 

weddings. Signature Vacations 

helps make planning destination weddings 

“a breeze” with some of the best 

wedding packages in the business as 

well as a dedicated staff of destination 

wedding consultants who can 

help guide travel agents in selecting 

the perfect destination and resort for 

their clients’ dream wedding, says the 

company. 

Signature Vacations offers an extensive 

collection of resorts and hotels 

for fairytale weddings and romantic 

honeymoons, with top picks including 

RIU Hotels and Resorts, Palace Resorts 

and Hard Rock Hotels in Punta 

Cana and Mexico. 

Clients can also choose from the either 

Signature’s Diamond or Platinum 

wedding packages, which include the 

services of a professional wedding planner 

along with several bonus features. 

All Signature Vacation wedding 

packages also include Sunwing Airlines’ 

Champagne Service to help 

couples start their romantic holiday 

in style. The bride and groom will be 

treated to a complimentary upgrade to 

Elite Plus Service, a bon voyage glass of 

champagne, a $500 anniversary travel 

voucher, the security of the Wedding 

Dress Care Program, as well as several 

other perks and special features. 

For more details contact Signature’s 

Groups Department at groups@ 

signature.ca.

... Continued from page 8 

a seafront location and will offer 

guests a modern design and relaxing 

atmosphere, ideal for enjoying a stay as 

a couple or with friends. The interior 

design will have the stamp of the new 

decorative style that the Spanish chain 

is rolling out in all its new projects. 

Inspired by the atmosphere of the 

island of Ibiza, the new design and 

décor opts for bright, open spaces; 

as well as the combination of warm 

colours and materials, such as orange 

and woods, with others that are more 

modern and colder, such as purple 

and glass. 

The pool area also follows this 

modern line, with a dominance 

of white and straight, simple lines, 

including two fresh water pools, one 

with a swim-up bar. 

The hotel will offer RIU’s allinclusive 

service, as well as 24-hour 

room service and a free wireless 

Internet connection throughout. 

The dining options at the Riu 

Palace Jamaica will include five 

restaurants: international cuisine in 

the buffet restaurant, Japanese and 

Italian restaurants, a steak house and 

modern fusion cuisine in the Krystal 

restaurant. There will also be a lobby 

bar and a chill-out bar on the beach. 

Guests of the Riu Palace Jamaica 

will also be able to use all the facilities 

of the neighbouring Riu Montego Bay 

hotel including its theatre with live 

shows every night, the sports bar open 

24 hours a day, the nightclub and the 

comprehensive Renova Spa. 

For further Information, visit riu. 

com. 

Adventure travel 

firms see mobile web, 

social media affecting 

client behaviour 

By Theresa Storm 

LAKE LUCERNE, Switzerland — 

Scores of trends were revealed at 

the recent Adventure Travel World 

Summit. Here are some of interest to 

agents, with specific tips and advice for 

your website, blog and social media. 

Traveller behaviour trends: 

More than half the population 

is under 30; many have never been 

without the Internet. 

Current mega-trends are social and 

mobile – it’s a new world. 

Mobile and tablet use is exploding, 

despite the recession (44% of 

American adults have a smartphone, 

60% use it to access the social net and 

96% have used it for purchasing). 

We’re always on. A Time Magazine 

survey revealed 58% of Americans 

check their phone at least once an 

hour, 54% check it in bed, 84% can’t 

spend a day without it, and 65% will 

take their phone over lunch. 

Travel 2.0, today, is a new ‘ecosystem’. 

The social sharing economy trend is 

growing with sites like airbnb, Escapes 

– LivingSocial’s travel business, 

Jetsetter and thefancy. These sites, 

which utilize the power of social and 

images, are bringing inspiration into 

the travel booking process. 

Social media plays a role in 

Happy holidays and a 

prosperous New Year 

from Hippo Express! 

hippoexpress.com 


commerce due to its ability to drive 

transactions. Not only $5 coffee. A 

Fairmont penthouse package, offered 

for half the regular price of $10,000, 

sold 114 in 24 hours. 

Trip planning is coming down to 

the local level. For example, Google’s 

new Field Trip app reveals cool, 

hidden and unique things to do in the 

neighbourhood. This allows travellers 

to think more on the fly and listen to 

what their friends say. This inspires 

commerce – mobile communication 

makes it easy and purchasing is 

straightforward. 

Geo-location commerce is also 

growing (i.e. I want a hotel tonight in 

New York). 

The customer shift to mobile and 

tablets and access to real-time content 

will result in less forward planning 

and more last-minute, in-market 

purchases. 

Everything that can be reviewed 

will be reviewed. This will happen in 

adventure and other travel sectors, like 

it has in hotels. 

On returning from a trip, 1% will 

review it, 5% will like it, and 94% 

will read it. However, people will 

increasingly review in real time and 

post on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram 

and other media. That means you will 

have limited time to address and solve 

problems. 

Travellers expect their entire 

experience to be moderated by their 

smartphones. They will use them 

everywhere in the future, as the cost 

will not be punitive. 

The ability to check on the spot will 

create a different reality. Travellers will 

expect to be able to text/e-mail their 

guides. They can plot where they are, 

what’s around them and see other 

options. 

An element of social media is 

bragging rights. Embrace it. 

Opportunity - every industry is 

going to be rethought in a social way 

(i.e. Airbnb’s Social Connections, 

which utilizes Facebook connections). 

Facebook is a key driver of success 

– 85% are more likely to book when 

they check out a recommendation on 

Facebook. 

It will become ever easier to 

compare inventory across providers. 

In November, travel agents had the opportunity to discover the versatility of Tunisia as a 

leisure destination in terms of both affordability, variety of experience, cultural richness, historical 

sites, spa treatments and tourist facilities compared to many other countries. Pictured 

here at Sbeitla, one of the Roman ruins visited on this 10-day NARAT/CITC fam that included 

stops in Tunis, Gammarth, Dougga, Sidi Bou Said, Matmata, Douz, Tozeur, Djerba Island, 

Tataouine, Sousse and Hammamet are: Ingrid Nardella, Frederick Travel; Laurie James CTC, 

TPI; Darlene Barrett, Service Guaranteed Travel; tour guide Nour; Naomi Tal, Peerless Travel; 

Angela Yiu, E Home Holidays; Scott Waldron CTM, Let’s Get Out of Here; John Crossman, Let’s 

Get Out of Here; Vicky Samvelyan, Craig Travel; Sheila Aue CTC, TPI; Chris Ryall, Travel Marketing 

Experts; Anne Culpeper, Vision 2000 Travel; Bikramjeet Dhanoa, Bains Travel; Dean Malik, 

Marlin Travel; Renata Snidr, NARAT; Coralie Belman CTM, Coralium Consulting; Jatinder 

Dadrao, Let’s Go Travel & Tours Inc.; Carl Chin, Bayview Travel; Cynthia Chin, Bayview Travel. 

Embrace the new generation that 

will find inspiration from their friends. 

That’s how they’ll find you. 

Web and social media: 

New technology is allowing 

the tourism industry to do more 

marketing themselves (social media, 

blogs and ‘native ads’) but consumers 

are overwhelmed with choices. 

Google is the new guidebook and 

phone photos the new postcards. How 

do you best share your story online? 

Most important is more compelling 

content. Storytelling matters. The 

power of story helps you get through 

the crowd. Tell the story that only 

you can tell. Inspire people to travel. 

Provide a reason – intrigue them in 

the dreaming phase instead of just 

thinking of bums in seats and heads 

in beds. 

Focus on great content - words and 

pictures. Show your quality. 

Focus on big pieces – 90% of traffic 

will come from less than 10% of your 

content. 

Google’s managing director of 

travel, Rob Torres, says showing up in 

a search starts with fresh and updated 

content. Provide the information on 

your site that travellers want. Ask what 

they want. Don’t try to be all things to 

all people. 

Good content and keywords can 

put your small business on page 1 of 

Google results. 

A consumer behaviour study in 

August showed 83% begin their travel 

experience online; 63% by doing a 

search. If you don’t show up on a 

search, you will never be found. 

On average, 18 to 21 searches are 

conducted before a hotel is booked. 

Cross-linking 

and 

recommendations from others also 

raises your search rank. 

Use folks who travel with you to 

develop content for your site. Give 

your customers a way to tell your story. 

Use great images and video, 

including titles, to attract eyeballs 

and get shared. Image sharing is very 

important. 

Driving social engagement is mostly 

about photos. Post a photo a day. 

Video is changing the way people 

consume content – 75% of travellers 


use video to plan, purchase or share 

travel, according to Google’s Torres. 

YouTube is the second-most 

searched Google product. 

Don’t use flash. 

About 20% of Google queries are 

now made on mobile technology 

rather than desk-top, so ensure your 

site is mobile-enabled. 

User-generated reviews, like 

TripAdvisor and Yelp, are part of life 

so be active on them. 

Tell your story across multiple 

channels. Create a social media 

process to streamline it. Link from 

one platform to another and convert 

followers to other platforms. 

Instagram and Pinterest are the new 

social kids on the block. Pinterest is 

searched more than Bing and Yahoo. 

StumbleUpon is the number one 

traffic driver but Facebook should be 

your number one focus. 

Facebook is important in reaching 

travel consumers. Nurture every day. 

Use Google analytics 30 minutes a 

week. Most measuring tools are free. 

You’ll be amazed what you learn about 

your traffic. Know where visitors are 

landing, bouncing off and linking to. 

Advertising and pay per click 

ads – there’s self-service help on 

YouTube (how do I advertise online?). 

Understand what you are trying to get 

out of online ads. 

Embrace new channels to tell your 

story. 

The new Dallas – 

big, bolder and 

billions beautiful 

VANCOUVER — The word from 

Dallas Convention & Visitors Bureau 

is that if you have not been to Dallas 

recently, you haven’t seen the new 

Dallas. 

The city, which is rated as one 

of the top destinations in U.S. by 

TripAdvisor, has gone through a major 

transformation with billions of dollars 

being poured into redeveloping the 

town and airport. The Dallas CVB 

has re-branded with a new slogan ‘Big 

Things Happen Here’ that reflects the 

era of change. 

“There has been $16 billion in 

new developments in Dallas,” said 

Priscilla Hagstrom, vice-president 

of communications for Dallas CVB. 

Hagstrom, in Vancouver recently 

with Dave Krupinski (vice-president 

of tourism for the bureau) and Sana 

Keller, Canadian representative for 

the Dallas CVB, was promoting the 

new Dallas as Canada is the second 

major international source of tourism 

behind Mexico. 

Some of the changes include the 

1,000-room Omni Dallas reopened 

December 2011 after a major 

renovation, the Hyatt Regency has 

undergone a $50 million upgrade and 

$125 million was spent at the Hilton. 

Currently, a $1.9 billion renovation 

is happening at the airport, while 

$110 million was spent on a 5.2 acre 

downtown green area, Klyde Warren 

Park, connecting neighbourhoods 

from uptown to downtown. A 400- 

acre world class golf course deal is 

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Dallas has seen $16 billion in new developments. 

being put together by the city, in 

partnership with AT&T and Southern 

Methodist University, in the Trinity 

River Forest area. The new $20 million 

course starts construction in 2013 and 

finishes in 2015. 

Krupinski said Dallas still ranks as 

the leading shopping destination in 

the U.S. 

“You also get extra value,” he said, 

as shopping malls such as the Galleria 

and Grapevine Mills provide VIP 

coupon booklets to shoppers who 

show a passport. “We also have tax 

free shopping,” he said, adding that 

when the discounts are combined, 

Canadians can save as much as 50% 

on items. 

Krupinski said Caroline Petty 

TaxFree Shopping Ltd. tours can be 

booked by agents who have clients 

wanting a guided shopping tour. (See 

Caroline Petty TaxFree Shopping 

Ltd. online). Many of the hotels will 

also provide free shuttles to and from 

shopping areas that are within a three 

to five mile area. 

Krupinski said other popular city 

tours include the JFK Assassination 

Trolley Tour which looks at the parade 

route taken by John F. Kennedy on Nov. 

22, 1963 when he was assassinated. 

The tour is provided by relatives of a 

photographer who was there that fatal 

day when Kennedy was shot. 

The revival of the TV series Dallas 

has made Southfork Ranch tours 

popular. 

“If you have not been to Southfork, 

go check it out,” said Krupinski. The 

tour takes in the old series from the 

1980s as well as the new series. One 

can also attend a barbecue at the 

ranch, he said. 

Dallas has also kept its western 

roots, despite a makeover. In 2013, 

the Texas Horse Park in Dallas will 

open Phase 1 of 80 miles of horseback 

riding trails over 600 acres. Phase 2 

will open in 2014. 

Krupinski recommends a visit to the 

Dallas Cowboys Stadium, considered 

the largest domed stadium in the 

world, to view the art by Cowboy’s coowner 

Jerry Jones. Jones has placed 

his private collection of art around the 

stadium giving it a certain uniqueness. 

“Most private collections are not seen 

in stadiums,” said Krupinski. 

Food related tours are also popular 

in the city, he said with the city known 

for its chocolatiers as well as ethnic 

foods with tortilla factory tours 

offered. 

In 2013, Trinity Grove opens. It is 

a 15-acre site that offers restaurants, 

retail outlets, artist studios plus 

entertainment destinations at the base 

of the new Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge 

in West Dallas. Trinity Groves will 

foster the growth of startup concepts 

and provide a place for young 

entrepreneurs to bring forward new 

ideas. It’s expected to be an edgy fun 

place to visit. 

Jamaica welcomes 

increased seasonal 

flights this winter 

KINGSTON — Jamaica will see 

increased lift from a range of countries 

this winter including Canada. 

“We are very pleased to see the 

demand for travel to Jamaica continue 

to grow on a global scale, allowing our 

tourism sector to remain resilient and 

competitive,” said Jamaica’s Director of 

Tourism, John Lynch. “Jamaica is more 

accessible than ever. The outlook for 

the upcoming winter tourist season 

seems encouraging and we look 

forward to sharing our hospitality 

and welcoming more visitors to our 

beautiful island.” 

From Canada Sunwing Airlines will 

operate a new flight from Quebec City 

to Montego Bay starting Dec. 14. 

Air Canada Vacations will add a 

second flight from Halifax to Montego 

Bay from Feb. 13 to April 30, 2013. 

WestJet Airlines is serving 

Montego Bay with a second daily 

flight that started Friday, Nov. 30 from 

Toronto. 

WestJet Vacations has introduced 

new vacation packages from Toronto 

to Kingston, which launched on 

Nov. 28. 

Carnival Breeze 

officially named 

during ceremony at 

PortMiami 

MIAMI — The official naming 

ceremony for Carnival Cruise Lines’ 

new Carnival Breeze took place earlier 

this month at PortMiami. 

Serving as the ship’s godmother 

was Tracy Wilson Mourning, founder 

of the Miami-based Honey Shine 

mentoring program, who initiated the 

breaking of the traditional bottle of 

champagne on the ship’s hull during 

the invitation-only event. 

Following its inaugural season in 

Europe, the 130,000-ton Carnival 


MARKETPLACE 

Breeze began sailing year-round sixand 

eight-day Caribbean cruises from 

Miami Nov. 24, becoming the largest 

Carnival Cruise Lines ship ever based 

in South Florida. 

Carnival Breeze features a 

variety of innovations including 

the Thrill Theater, an immersive 

multidimensional experience that 

makes viewers feel like part of the 

movie, as well as top-deck attractions 

like the WaterWorks water park and 

SportSquare, an open-air recreation 

area with a suspended ropes course, 

a two-level miniature golf course, and 

more. Dining choices include Bonsai 

Sushi, the line’s first full-service sushi 

restaurant, a new outdoor barbecue 

venue called Fat Jimmy’s C-Side BBQ 

and Guy’s Burger Joint developed with 

Food Network personality Guy Fieri. 

Carnival Breeze operates yearround 

six- and eight-day Caribbean 

cruises from Miami, visiting some of 

the region’s most popular ports of call. 

Six-day sailings feature Grand Turk, 

Ocho Rios and Nassau. Three different 

eight-day itineraries are offered – a 

southern Caribbean schedule visiting 

Grand Turk, La Romana (Dominican 

Republic), Curacao and Aruba; an 

eastern Caribbean route featuring St. 

Thomas/St. John, Antigua, Tortola 

and Nassau; and an eastern Caribbean 

program calling at Grand Turk, San 

Juan, St. Thomas and St. Maarten or 

Tortola. 

For additional information and 

reservations, call 1-800-327-9501 

(individual) or 1-800-327-5782 

(groups) or visit the line’s travel agent 

Internet portal, GoCCL.com. 

NOTES 

Star Travel Holidays 

moves 

Star Travel Holidays has moved 

and is now located at 102, 

5680 - 152nd Street, Surrey, BC 

V3S 3K2. The phone numbers are 

604-876-2212 and 1-800-665-5565 

and the new fax number is 778-574- 

6669. 

 

 

 

 

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THE DISCOVERY TOUR 

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USA 

ROUND UP 

Sample NYC Winter Sale offers 

savings on hotels, theatre tix 

NYC & Company has launched its ‘Sample NYC Winter Sale’, 

designed to boost tourism during one of the city’s rare slow 

periods, in January and February. 

During this time the average daily hotel room rate is about 

US$216, approximately 24% lower than the average for the 

rest of the year. 

The ‘Sample NYC Winter Sale’ includes added-value hotel 

offers from Jan. 2 to Feb. 28 (nycgo.com/wintersale). 

The family-friendly city is also offering the Muppet Family 

Fun Hotel Promotion, where more than 30 hotels will provide 

either a free room category upgrade, complimentary breakfast 

for kids under 12 or both. 

The Signature Collection Third Night promotion offers visitors 

a Third Night free at some of the City’s most luxurious 

hotels after they book and pay for two consecutive nights. 

Meanwhile, NYC Restaurant Week runs Jan. 14 –Feb. 8, and 

two-for-one tickets to top theatrical productions are available 

during Broadway Week (Jan. 22 – Feb. 7) and Off-Broadway 

Week (Jan. 28 – Feb. 10). Restaurant Week reservations 

open and theater tickets go on sale on Jan. 7. 

Tourism to New York City reached record levels in 2011, 

when Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg announced that the city 

had achieved its goal of attracting 50 million annual visitors 

one year ahead of schedule. 

‘Canadian Days’ combines hotel 

stays with shopping at Dallas’ 

NorthPark Centre 

NorthPark Centre in Dallas, a major shopping site, is joining 

with five Dallas city hotels to offer Canadian Days during the 

month of February 2013. 

Anthony Wilkinson, director of tourism for the shopping 

centre, said each hotel will have its own package for Canadians 

with bonuses. The five participating hotels are the Rosewood 

Crescent Court and Rosewood Mansion, Four Seasons, 

Adolphus and Warwick Melrose. 

“When you book one of the properties, they (Canadians) 

will get a special rate,” said Wilkinson, adding that as well a 

certificate for a $50 gold coin will also be issued that can be 

redeemed at NorthPark Center and spent at any of the 250 

stores. Agents interested in sending clients should visit the 

various hotel sites for the bonus packages. 

California Restaurant Month 

back on the calendar 

Plenty of cities offer prix fixe restaurant weeks but rarely do 

these types of deals extend across a whole state, for an entire 

month, in such a foodie-friendly destination as California. 

California Restaurant Month is back for its third year in January 

2013, with 33 cities taking part in a statewide promotion 

presented by Visit California. The program includes not just 

prix-fixe menus but also wine pairings and special citywide 

culinary themes. 

In 2011, visitors to California spent $27.2 billion on food 

and beverages, more than any other spending segment and 

constituting 28% of all visitor spending. 

Destinations participating in the promotion range from 

Berkley, Napa Valley and San Francisco in the north, to Monterey 

County and San Luis Obispo County in Central California, 

to Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, San Diego and Santa Monica 

in the south. See VisitCalifornia/RestaurantMonth. 

Chez Panisse in Berkeley, CA is taking part in California Restaurant Month. 


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Embrace nature in Jedediah Smith 

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Discover the land, like never before.

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NOLITOURS 

GETS AWAY TO 

THE WAY COOL.

Disney sees more Western Canadians in Orlando ... - Travelweek

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