Summer Getaways: Manitoba

By Cameron Ainsworth-Vincze - Friday, June 11, 2010 at 9:00 AM - 0 Comments

Churchhill Manitoba (Travel Manitoba)

Winnipeg Fringe Festival (July 14-25)
Visit the Old Market Square in Winnipeg’s historic Exchange District, where buskers, street performers and bands perform from noon to midnight for 12 days in July. The festival, founded in 1987, has become North America’s second-largest event of its kind. It features more than 1,000 local, national and international productions.

CN Canadian Women’s Open (Aug. 23-29)
It’s been 18 years since the world’s best female golfers played at Winnipeg’s St. Charles Country Club. But this summer, they return to compete for one of the biggest purses ($2.36 million) on the tour. Golfers will play both the MacKenzie course, designed by architect Alister MacKenzie, who helped construct Augusta National in Georgia (home of the Masters), and finish on the Donald Ross-designed south course. Many of the top players are expected to take part, including 15-year-old Alexis Thompson, currently the world’s No. 1 amateur. Tickets range from $15 for ground admission to $460 for a VIP package that includes a parking permit, four daily passes and access to the exclusive St. Charles Clubhouse and patio.

Winnipeg Fringe Festival (July 14-25)
Visit the Old Market Square in Winnipeg’s historic Exchange District, where buskers, street performers and bands perform from noon to midnight for 12 days in July. The festival, founded in 1987, has become North America’s second-largest event of its kind. It features more than 1,000 local, national and international productions.

CN Canadian Women’s Open (Aug. 23-29)
It’s been 18 years since the world’s best female golfers played at Winnipeg’s St. Charles Country Club. But this summer, they return to compete for one of the biggest purses ($2.36 million) on the tour. Golfers will play both the MacKenzie course, designed by architect Alister MacKenzie, who helped construct Augusta National in Georgia (home of the Masters), and finish on the Donald Ross-designed south course. Many of the top players are expected to take part, including 15-year-old Alexis Thompson, currently the world’s No. 1 amateur. Tickets range from $15 for ground admission to $460 for a VIP package that includes a parking permit, four daily passes and access to the exclusive St. Charles Clubhouse and patio.

Churchill
Located on the western shore of Hudson Bay, Churchill (pop. 923) is not only the “polar bear capital of the world” but also a great destination for whale and bird watching. Throughout July and August, thousands of beluga whales migrate to the warmer waters of the Churchill River in search of food, and visitors can see these behemoths up close, from kayaks, while even more adventurous tourists can opt to snorkel alongside. Birdwatchers flock to Churchill to witness some 300 different species fly over the town on their migratory routes.

Lights on Broadway (Aug. 21-Sept. 11)
With its majestic elm trees and pedestrian-friendly atmosphere, Broadway in downtown Winnipeg is the perfect setting for a new festival featuring great music, live entertainment and food. Highlights include a massive dance party on the opening weekend, along with an official lighting ceremony that will turn the surrounding trees into a dazzling array of colours. Over the next two weekends, musicians and artists will fill the streets, and movies will be projected on large public screens. And then, on the final weekend, Broadway will transform into a giant playground, complete with a hay maze, kid zone and a full-scale midway.

To see what Jon Montgomery picks as his favourite spots, go to Where famous Canucks go to play

For more information on events and travel in Manitoba, see www.travelmanitoba.com

RELATED ARTICLES
Where famous Canucks go to play
Ontario – Sandy beaches, big city sights
Saskatchewan – Look, Up in the sky
New Brunswick – Jazz riffs and tidal raves
Alberta – where to find your inner cowboy
Manitoba – Birdies, belugas and broadway
Newfoundland and Labrador – Enjoy the rocky roads
Prince Edward Island – Swings, sails and celebs
British Columbia – plenty of sights and sounds
Quebec – When the cirque comes to town
The North – An amazing race
Nova Scotia – Taste, the adventure

Summer Getaways: Quebec

By Cameron Ainsworth-Vincze - Friday, June 11, 2010 at 9:00 AM - 0 Comments

Cirque’s Totem

Parks and wildlife reserves
From Abitibi-Témiscamingue to the Gaspé Peninsula, Quebec has 22 maintained parks and 15 wildlife reserves worth exploring. Known for their stunningly rich flora and fauna, they offer visitors exceptional hiking, biking, kayaking, canoeing and sightseeing opportunities. Notable highlights include l’Île-Bonaventure-et-du-Rocher-Percé National Park in the Gaspésie, a nesting ground to an extraordinary colony of gannets, and the Saguenay-Saint-Laurent Marine Park, where you can observe blue whales and paddle the Saguenay Fjord—the longest of its kind in Eastern Canada. Along the way, stop at Jacques-Cartier National Park, a gateway to the Laurentian Mountains just 25 minutes north of Quebec City, or visit nearby Montmorency Falls and watch its 80-m waterfalls tumble into the St. Lawrence River.

Montréal Complètement Cirque (July 8-25)
Montreal goes circus crazy for 17 days in July when acrobats, trapeze artists, jugglers and other circus performers take part in the city’s newest festival. Events can be seen at three main locations—Tohu, the Quays of the Old Port of Montreal and the Latin Quarter. As well, Cirque du Soleil’s latest creation, Totem, will be staged this summer at Cirque’s renowned blue and yellow big top in old Montreal.

The St. Lawrence Lighthouse Trail and Gaspésie Tour
There are 43 lighthouses along the coastline and on the islands of the St. Lawrence River, and 19 welcome visitors and house a variety of attractions, including museums, restaurants and lodges. Visitors can stay at one of Quebec’s two oldest lighthouses: at Île Verte (1809) and Pointe-des-Monts (1830). For those looking for a beautiful scenic drive, the Gaspésie Tour begins in Bas-Saint-Laurent, where the St. Lawrence River widens into the sea, and ends in Forillon. Along the way, stop at Chaleur Bay, or explore Miguasha National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Îles-de-la-Madeleine
Located 215 km from the Gaspé coast, Îles-de-la-Madeleine is made up of a dozen islands that are home to beautiful beaches, dunes, rounded green hills, ochre cliffs and brightly painted houses that stand out against the intense blue backdrop of the sea. It’s a perfect place to enjoy a swim or a hike (on foot, bicycle or horseback), and is an invitation to just kick back. Adventure seekers can explore the archipelago’s coves and capes by kayak or inflatable raft, and the shallow bays and lagoons are perfect for kitesurfing and windsurfing. To get there, take a plane or a ferry from Prince Edward Island. Or arrive in style on a 440-passenger cruise ship that departs regularly from Montreal.

To see what Joannie Rochette picks as her favourite spots, go to Where famous Canucks go to play

For more information on events and travel in Quebec, see www.bonjourquebec.com

RELATED ARTICLES
Where famous Canucks go to play
Ontario – Sandy beaches, big city sights
Saskatchewan – Look, Up in the sky
New Brunswick – Jazz riffs and tidal raves
Alberta – where to find your inner cowboy
Manitoba – Birdies, belugas and broadway
Newfoundland and Labrador – Enjoy the rocky roads
Prince Edward Island – Swings, sails and celebs
British Columbia – plenty of sights and sounds
Quebec – When the cirque comes to town
The North – An amazing race
Nova Scotia – Taste, the adventure

Summer Getaways: The North

By Cameron Ainsworth-Vincze - Friday, June 11, 2010 at 9:00 AM - 0 Comments

(Grambo Photography/Corbis)

YUKON TERRITORY
Yukon River Quest (June 30-July 4)
The world’s longest canoe and kayak race brings together paddlers from all over the globe to battle the elements and each other in a 742-km race that follows the same route explored by the gold-seeking prospectors of the 1890s. Except for two rest stops, competitors are in constant race mode. Spectators, on the other hand, can take in the same breathtaking Yukon scenery without the pressure to perform. The race starts at the Whitehorse waterfront, moves along the Yukon River to the Carmacks—an area rich in coal, copper and gold—and wraps up in Dawson City, once the heart of the Klondike Gold Rush, now known for its frontier-style wooden boardwalks, saloons and summer festivals.

NORTHWEST TERRITORIES
Folk on the Rocks (July 16-18)
This festival has come a long way in the 30 years since founder Rod Russell and his band of folkie go-getters played a small outdoor gig on the shores of Yellowknife’s Frame Lake. Today, the annual event draws visitors and musicians from across the country. Set in a natural amphitheatre on the sandy shores of Long Lake, near Yellowknife, this year’s musical lineup includes Blue Rodeo’s Jim Cuddy and Greg Keelor, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Justin Rutledge and performances from numerous Aboriginal artists, including Lucie Idlout (see below). Along with the music, crowds can quench their thirst at the beer garden, chow down on a buffalo burger at the food fair, or buy a piece of the local culture in the Art on the Rocks area.

NUNAVUT
Ukkusiksalik National Park
Named after the soapstone found within its boundaries, Ukkusiksalik National Park is located just below the Arctic Circle, on the northwest coast of Hudson Bay. The 22,000-sq.-km park features a 100-km long inlet, eskers, mud flats, cliffs, rolling tundra banks, eight-metre tides, waterfalls, as well as 500 archaeological sites. The parkland is home to bearded and ringed seals, beluga whales, polar bears, caribou, wolves, Arctic foxes and more than 125 different species of birds. Visitors can access the park from Repulse Bay (via Winnipeg), and touring companies offer camping, hiking and sea kayaking expeditions.

To see what Lucie Idlout picks as her favourite spots, go to Where famous Canucks go to play

For more information on events and travel in the Territories, see www.nunavuttourism.com; www.spectacularnwt.com; travelyukon.com

RELATED ARTICLES
Where famous Canucks go to play
Ontario – Sandy beaches, big city sights
Saskatchewan – Look, Up in the sky
New Brunswick – Jazz riffs and tidal raves
Alberta – where to find your inner cowboy
Manitoba – Birdies, belugas and broadway
Newfoundland and Labrador – Enjoy the rocky roads
Prince Edward Island – Swings, sails and celebs
British Columbia – plenty of sights and sounds
Quebec – When the cirque comes to town
The North – An amazing race
Nova Scotia – Taste, the adventure

Summer Getaways: Nova Scotia

By Cameron Ainsworth-Vincze - Friday, June 11, 2010 at 9:00 AM - 5 Comments

Nova Scotian seafood spectacular (Adventures in Taste)

Southwest Nova Scotia
From the Fundy Shore and Annapolis Valley that overlook the Bay of Fundy, home of the world’s highest tides, to the Acadian shores and South Shore on the Atlantic Ocean, this historic region welcomed English and French explorers 400 years ago and is now famous for its lighthouses, winding coastal roads, lush rolling fields and quaint fishing villages. Another of its great attractions: some of the best seafood, including the world-famous Digby scallops, a pickled fish pâté called Solomon Gundy, and lobster—lots of lobster. After you’re done indulging, the area is a great destination for camping and cycling, as well as bird and whale watching.

Adventures in Taste
Looking for some adventure and want to thrill your taste buds? Then take a kayak trip to a secluded cove in the Bay of Fundy and stop to enjoy a giant feast, or head out on the Atlantic Ocean to watch humpback whales in scenic Mahone Bay in the morning before touring a winery in the afternoon. If you want less of an adventure but still crave an unforgettable culinary experience, Adventures in Taste offers tours to farmers’ markets, specialty food shops, wineries and breweries—including North America’s only single malt whisky distillery at the Glenora Distillery in Glenville, Cape Breton.

Canadian Navy Centennial Celebrations
To celebrate the 100-year anniversary of Canada’s naval forces, activities are planned across the country this summer, and Halifax will be front and centre. Highlights in and around the city include International Fleet Review Week (June 28-July 2), a showcase of ships from around the world in Halifax Harbour that will be open to visitors, and the Naval Centennial Ball at the World Trade Convention Centre in early August. A navy-themed travelling road show will also feature musical performances and an exhibition of naval artifacts and art.

Cape Breton Island
It’s no surprise that Travel + Leisure ranked Cape Breton Island third in its world ranking of top islands last year, and the No. 1 island in North America. There’s the stunning Cabot Trail that winds around the Cape Breton Highlands down the Margaree River and along Bras d’Or Lake, Lobsterpalooza (May 15-July 1), Hike the Highlands Festival (Sept. 10-19), and the Celtic Music Interpretive Centre in Judique, where visitors can take part in fiddle lessons and traditional ceilidh sessions that feature folk music and dancing.

SummerFest (June 30-July 4)
The Island’s newest festival has something for every member of the family. For the younger kids, there’s a petting zoo, performances by the Doodlebops (a pre-school musical favourite), and a Swash Buckler Pirate Zone that features a haunted house. For teens, there’s the the Fringe Urban Zone with daily skateboard and BMX competitions. There’s a three-on-three hockey tournament on a synthetic ice surface, as well as the West Coast Lumberjack Show complete with log rolling. Plus a unique Cirque du Soleil performance that can only be seen in Charlottetown. In fact, Cirque signed a three-year contract this year to play at SummerFest. If you can’t make it to the show, you can catch Cirque du Soleil performers on Great George Street for free.

To see what Linden MacIntyre picks as his favourite spots, go to Where famous Canucks go to play

For more information on events and travel in Nova Scotia, see www.novascotia.com

RELATED ARTICLES
Where famous Canucks go to play
Ontario – Sandy beaches, big city sights
Saskatchewan – Look, Up in the sky
New Brunswick – Jazz riffs and tidal raves
Alberta – where to find your inner cowboy
Manitoba – Birdies, belugas and broadway
Newfoundland and Labrador – Enjoy the rocky roads
Prince Edward Island – Swings, sails and celebs
British Columbia – plenty of sights and sounds
Quebec – When the cirque comes to town
The North – An amazing race
Nova Scotia – Taste, the adventure

How to plan your honeymoon

By Takeoffeh.com - Monday, June 7, 2010 at 10:53 AM - 1 Comment

Planning a wedding can be a serious test of even the strongest relationship, but if you make it through that stress-fest, organizing a honeymoon should be much easier. Most travel experts agree that no matter what the budget, a honeymoon is one trip that shouldn’t be left to chance.

With that in mind, the American Society of Travel Agents offers a series of tips on honeymoon planning. It starts with finding a good travel agent. If you don’t have one, look for either a honeymoon specialist or an agent who specializes in your desired travel style or destination of choice. Here in Canada, the Association of Canadian Travel Agencies offers a database you can search by specialty, destination and location. (Look for the Weddings/Honeymoon tab in the drop-down menu.)

“Working with a travel consultant who specializes in honeymoons gives a couple much-needed breathing room when it comes to planning their wedding and everything it entails,” said ASTA President and Chair Chris Russo.

Here are some travel agent honeymoon top tips:

• Do It Together: There’s always compromise in marriage, so get off on the right foot by making honeymoon decisions together. If one partner is less interested in the process, it’s important that they at least give input about their desires so the result is a trip attractive to both parties.
• Narrow The Field: What does your honeymoon mean to you? Is it a once-in-a-lifetime adventure? A fly-and-flop after the wedding whirlwind? A family-blending experience? The answers to these questions will help you cut through the vast number of travel choices.
• What’s Your Pleasure? Agents say many couples try to pick a destination first, but they recommend selecting the type of trip you want before choosing the setting. Popular choices include cruising and all-inclusive resorts, but you’ll also find honeymooning couples on European coach tours, African safaris and bespoke trips tailored to shared passions like art, culture, music and sport.
• Your Time: If the wedding was exhausting, make sure the honeymoon comes with generous amounts of free time. You can always fill your schedule once you’re there, but it can feel less rushed if you leave lots of room to enjoy each other’s company before heading back to the realities of daily life.
• Know Your Budget: For many, a honeymoon is a time to splurge a little. Others are saving for a home or other priority and seeking something more modest. There’s something for just about everybody, but if you know what you’ve got it’s much easier to figure out what you can get for it.
• Get A Room: Agents say cutting corners on accommodations is a poor choice for most honeymooners. Splurging on a room with a Jacuzzi tub or a cruise ship cabin with a balcony can significantly improve the ambience. Honeymoon specialists have lots of knowledge on popular choices, and review sites are also a good source of firsthand information.
• Fair Maiden: Brides taking on their husband’s surname should take into account that there often isn’t enough time to change the name on documents like passports and driver’s licences, so it’s best to use the maiden name for booking. Let them talk.

Photo Credits: Turtle Island – Nadi, ourcaymanwedding.com

This week's travel news

By Bruce Parkinson, Takeoffeh.com - Monday, June 7, 2010 at 10:29 AM - 1 Comment

The Volcano Is Resting…Here Come The Hurricanes
Now that the Iceland volcano has quit smoking – at least for now – travel industry fears are focusing on the 2010 Atlantic hurricane season, and the news isn’t good. According to Reuters, leading U.S. forecasters are now predicting 18 named tropical storms and 10 hurricanes, five of them major, with a 76% likelihood that a major hurricane will hit the U.S. coastline during the season that extends from June 1 through November 30. Travelling during hurricane season has risks and rewards. The vast majority of visitors won’t even have a sniff of a major storm. Prices are lower too, so it comes down to a personal risk/benefit analysis. But even in a very active hurricane season, you shouldn’t write off the region when planning a winter holiday after November. By then, most storms are just memories discussed over dominoes in the rum shop.

Canadian Passports Going Digital
As of 2012, Canadian passports will have an invisible microchip embedded in the back cover. The chip will store the same personal information now found on page 2 of our passports, along with a digital copy of the passport photo suitable for use by facial recognition software. As reported on TakeOffeh, the proposed new ePassport will have a shelf life of 10 years as opposed to the current five, though children’s passports will have an earlier expiry date. Canada isn’t on the leading edge of this effort — 70 countries, including the EU, are already issuing their own versions of ePassports, with some featuring fingerprints and iris scans as well as digital photos. According to the Association of Canadian Travel Agencies, which recently attended a Passport Canada event, one of the major reasons we’re lagging behind on this effort is a lack of funding for Passport Canada. While it is a government agency, Passport Canada operates on a cost-recovery model and receives no funding from the government. Some of the benefits of an ePassport include increased security, less risk of identity theft and a lower chance of forgery or alteration.

Where Is WestJet Going Next?
Since the appointment of Gregg Saretsky as WestJet CEO, speculation has grown about whether the airline has greater ambitions than sticking to its low-cost, North America-focused roots. Their declared intention of becoming one of the world’s top five airlines by 2016 feeds rumours of planned expansion beyond North America. The once-underdog airline with the positive public image has set its sights on taking on Air Canada. It’s doing a good job of that in the Canadian domestic market, but wants to take the challenge a step further, with plans to double its share of the trans-border market to over 25% within six years. WestJet also recently announced a codeshare deal with Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific Airways and said a partnership with a U.S. carrier is imminent – which is rumoured to be Delta. Airline consultant Rick Erickson believes this aggressive alliance strategy could be a case of testing the waters before operating its own overseas flights. That’s how it got into packaged holidays: in 2003, it entered into a partnership with Transat that saw WestJet fly charter flights to destinations in Mexico and the Caribbean. But, after realizing how profitable selling packaged holidays can be, it launched its own WestJet Vacations business. “I think they’re going to do the same thing in the international arena,” Erickson told Macleans.

But Saretsky poured some cold water on those views this week. Speaking at an annual investor’s day, the CEO pledged to retain the airline’s low-cost, one-type aircraft business model. “We are very much getting back to our focus on costs,” Saretsky said, part of which is continuing to fly a fleet of only Boeing 737 aircraft that keeps costs down but limits how far it can fly. While WestJet’s future plans remain unclear, one thing is for sure: they definitely include becoming a bigger thorn in AC’s side, at least at home and in the competitive U.S./Canada transborder market.

Down In Front: Researcher Says Airlines Need A New Financial Model
Henry Harteveldt of Forrester Research says aging boomers and the growing use of global communications as a replacement for some corporate travel will dramatically alter the airline landscape. Harteveldt told Canadian Press reporter Russ Marowits that legacy carriers like Air Canada need to rethink their heavy reliance on high-paying premium passengers, because there simply won’t be as many of them in future. Evolving communications technology, high-definition video conferencing and corporate restrictions on premium travel could alter the destinations serviced by airlines and the size of the premium cabins, Harteveldt says. He points out that several European carriers have already eliminated first class on some routes. “The airlines really have to figure out who is their core customer and they haven’t been very good at this,” Harteveldt says. In the future, the researcher believes leisure travel will drive aviation growth, as retiring boomers set off to explore the world. Not everyone agrees with Harteveldt’s take, including a spokesperson for Air Canada. “Our own experience is that people like and need to travel for business and, as the world economy continues to globalize, we expect this will not change,” said Peter Fitzpatrick. That may be true, but the question remains as to whether employers (and shareholders) will be willing to pay premium fares as much as 10 times as high as economy prices.

By: Bruce Parkinson
Bruce Parkinson is a travel industry journalist and regular contributor to Takeoffeh.com as well as sister company, OpenJaw.com

Photo Credits: ppt.gc.ca, westjet.com

Chinese airlines in Canada

By Takeoffeh.com - Monday, June 7, 2010 at 10:16 AM - 8 Comments

There will soon be some new tails at Canada’s airports. With the government of China finally granting Canada ‘Approved Destination Status,’ air traffic between the two countries is expected to boom. As tour groups of mainland nationals begin to flock to our shores, the entrepreneurial Chinese aren’t about to leave all the flying to Air Canada.

Ever heard of Hainan Airlines? It’s definitely not a household airline name in Canada. But it may soon be. How about Shadong Airlines? Xiamen Airlines? These young carriers serve millions of Chinese passengers in a rapidly expanding domestic market. Hainan is one of the few to spread its wings beyond China onto the international front. They currently serve Seattle and have now received regulatory approval to become the first Chinese carrier to offer scheduled flights between Toronto and Beijing.

Thanks to its geographical position, Vancouver is the natural Canadian gateway to Asia, and Chinese carriers are already firmly entrenched. China Airlines, China Eastern and Air China each serve Vancouver, while currently all outbound Toronto flights to Chinese cities are served by Air Canada.

China is the fastest-growing major economy in the world, with an average annual GDP growth rate of over 10%. A large middle class population with strong consumption power is emerging, especially in major cities. China’s outbound tourists totalled 20.22 million in 2003, overtaking Japan for the first time. But that was only the beginning: the China Tourism Academy estimates as many as 54 million tourists will go abroad this year, up from 47 million in 2009. With 54 million Chinese travellers poised to fly, the world’s skies may soon be dominated by eastern carriers.

The Approved Destination Status now allows Chinese travel agents to advertise and organize group tours to Canada. In 2008, visits to Canada by Chinese citizens were up 5.3 per cent from the year before, for a total of 159,000. Chinese travellers had the highest average length of stay (28 nights) in Canada and spent more than visitors from any other country ($1,648.51). According to a Conference Board of Canada survey, approved destination status is expected to boost the yearly rate of travel to Canada from China by up to 50 per cent by 2015. With U.S. overnight visitors down 53% since 2000, there’s no doubt that Canada’s inbound tourism industry is awaiting the influx of Chinese visitors with bated breath.

The other benefit of the ADS designation is that new services offered by Chinese carriers flying to our cities will likely mean tighter pricing on fares for Canadians wanting to visit China.

Photo Credits: boeing.com, images.businessweek.com

This Week's Travel News: News you need to know

By Takeoffeh.com, Bruce Parkinson - Friday, May 28, 2010 at 2:07 PM - 1 Comment

Class Action Lawsuit Aims To Tackle ‘Hidden’ Airline Fees
A Vancouver lawyer is in the process of filing more than a dozen class action suits against airlines over what he sees as their practice of charging hidden extra fees and describing them as “taxes.” Jim Poyner has already filed suit in B.C. Supreme Court against British Airways and is in the process of initiating litigation against Air Canada and 11 other airlines. The practice of separating taxes, security fees and fuel surcharges outside the base price is a pet peeve of Canadian travellers, because it makes it more difficult to find the final price. For example, TakeOffeh.com recently noticed an Air Transat return flight from Toronto to London Gatwick advertised at $249 in large print, while much smaller print below read: “Add taxes $405.” When ‘taxes’ are 160% of the base, people tend to get suspicious. Poyner told the North Shore News that most of the “taxes” aren’t being charged by governments at all — but fuel surcharges or other fees added by the airlines. According to Poyner’s suit, one woman who flew from Vancouver to Turkey paid British Airways almost $970 for her ticket fare, plus $450 in taxes. But $326 of that tax were additional airline charges, said Poyner. If the lawsuit gets certified as a class action suit and he is successful, Poyner says airlines could be forced to pay back their customers a significant chunk of money. Poyner said his law firm was first tipped off to the practice by a travel agent who didn’t feel the practice was fair.

You Have The Right To Be Denied Entry
While Europeans can travel from country to country without so much as flashing a passport, ‘the world’s longest undefended border’ between Canada and the U.S. is a much less friendly place. Recent incidents at U.S. border crossings are a reminder to Canadians to take the process seriously… because border officials sure do. As the Windsor Star reports, five women from that Southern Ontario city were fingerprinted, photographed and denied entry into the U.S. while en route to a yoga course. U.S. border regulations require foreign visitors to obtain a student visa for vocational training, which is how the yoga course is classified. One of the women first told border officials that she was just going shopping before admitting she was also visiting for a course. As a result, she has been barred from entering the U.S. for five years. Chief Ron Smith of U.S. Customs and Border Protection told the Star that while some Canadians may not know the rules, they are clear and not new. However, stricter enforcement appears to be the result of heightened anxiety about terrorist attacks. It goes both ways too – U.S. media have featured several reports of Canadian border officials turning back visitors for minor offences committed decades ago. Even those heading south to volunteer labour for organizations like Habitat for Humanity are warned to have an invitation letter with them or risk being declared persona non grata. And even if you’re having a very bad day, it’s a very bad idea to respond brusquely or rudely to border officials. If you want to hear what happens when you bring a little ‘tude to your U.S. border crossing, check out this audio recording which purports to be a confrontation between a Canadian couple heading for outlet shopping in Niagara Falls, New York and a series of U.S. border officials. A helpful site covering requirements for Canadians travelling to the United States is www.voyage.gc.ca.

Recycled Hotel Soap Is Saving Lives
Where’s does all that hotel soap go? (Other than in your toiletry bag!) At TakeOffeh we assumed those barely-used little bars of soap and shampoo bottles ended up in landfill – and sadly, most of them do. However, we were pleased to find out from National Geographic Traveler that a non-profit group is working to change that. Florida-based Clean the World collects, sterilizes and recycles old hotel soaps, shampoos and conditioners into clean products, then distributes them to impoverished countries and U.S. homeless shelters. The goal is to help developing countries combat diarrheal diseases that cause nearly 1.8 million childhood deaths per year. Regular hand-washing can help avoid these unnecessary deaths. Clean the World is the creation of Shawn Seipler and Paul Till, who, like many hotel guests, asked themselves what happened to all that abandoned soap, found out, and then did something about it. The list of donors runs the gamut from a five-star Ritz-Carlton to a mid-market Quality Inn, a boutique hotel in Times Square to a business-oriented Embassy Suites hotel. The effort seems to be gaining momentum, with Walt Disney World Resort hotels pledging their support in February. Let’s hope this is one idea that ‘goes viral’ – there’s absolutely no reason why barely-used product should be bubbling up in landfill sites.

By: Bruce Parkinson
Bruce Parkinson is a travel industry journalist and regular contributor to Takeoffeh.com as well as sister company, OpenJaw.com

Photo Credits: 7nuit, hockeymom4, velvelvel

Tears for Jamaica

By Takeoffeh.com, Bruce Parkinson - Friday, May 28, 2010 at 1:44 PM - 5 Comments

No tourists have been harmed in the violent clashes between Jamaican security forces and gunmen protecting an alleged drug lord sought for extradition to the U.S. But that doesn’t mean Jamaican tourism hasn’t taken a body blow.

The events are taking place almost exclusively in slum areas in and around the island’s capital of Kingston, far from north coast tourist resorts. Many of these areas are referred to as political ‘garrisons’ – places where 90% or more of the electorate votes for a single political party – a process reinforced since the early 70s through coercion, intimidation and bribery. Many of the country’s leading political figures have played roles in arming the ghettos and fomenting violence among poor citizens, through sins of both commission and omission. Violent death is at home in these places, which account for the majority of the astounding 1,700 murders recorded on the island in 2009.

As with many tourist destinations, the reality of life in the slums is in stark contrast to Jamaica’s image of sun, fun, rum and reggae. Jamaica was a pioneer of the all-inclusive vacation, and they do it extremely well: while other Caribbean islands have suffered double-digit declines in tourist arrivals during the recession, Jamaica has more than held its own, and Canadian visitors have risen substantially in recent years, with nearly 300,000 making the trip in 2009.

But tourists are easily scared off, and images of running gun battles are the stuff of nightmares for tourism promoters – just ask Mexico or Thailand. And even those countries aren’t as dependent on tourism as Jamaica, where spending by visitors accounts for a lofty 25% of GDP.

In the wake of this week’s violence, the island is now burdened with travel advisories issued by its three largest source markets: Canada, the U.S. and the UK. Canada is warning visitors to “exercise a high degree of caution,” while the U.S. State Department raises the spectre of spreading violence, saying “the possibility exists that unrest could spread beyond the general Kingston area.” Not exactly the stuff of tourist brochures.

Jamaica is not just another island for me. I fell in love on my first visit in December 1988, weeks after Hurricane Gilbert devastated parts of the country — seduced by the rich smells, the verdant scenery, the pulsing beat of reggae and the warmth of the people. Since that first visit I’ve been back more than a dozen times, sometimes on press trips, others on my own dime.

Last year I visited Jamaica twice and spent a wonderful day at a Montego Bay school with my wife and two young sons through the Jamaica Tourist Board’s Meet the People program. I would highly recommend engaging with that program for anyone who wants to see a slice of Jamaican life outside the gated resort compounds.

Would I still visit Jamaica under current circumstances? Absolutely, I’d leave tomorrow without fear. It is safe for tourists – not so safe for citizens. But I’ve long worried that a day of reckoning would come for the island’s tourism. The extent of the violence in the country was bound to eventually spill over into public consciousness.

Clearly Jamaica has greater concerns than tourism receipts. They need to deal with the horrendous problems created in large part by power-hungry politicians whose actions, as the Jamaica Observer editorialized, have resulted in “a society in which it is considered good to be bad and bad to be good.” That needs to change if One Love is ever to be more than a pipe dream.

Bruce Parkinson is a travel industry journalist and regular contributor to Takeoffeh.com as well as sister company, OpenJaw.com

Photo Credits:peeterv, aassemany

Icelandic Volcano Stops Spewing Ash… For Now At Least

By Takeoffeh.com - Wednesday, May 26, 2010 at 9:13 AM - 1 Comment

Is the Icelandic ash crisis over? Experts say it is still too early to tell, but no ash was detected from the Eyjafjallajokul volcano on Sunday in a flight over the crater by Icelandic scientists.

“The volcano appears to be dormant, the activity has been going down for the last two days and at the moment there is nothing coming out… no magma,” said Icelandic Meteorological Office forecaster Jonsson Thorsteinn in an interview with CNN.

Measurements from the test flight found that the temperature at the crater was just below 100°C, confirming that the volcano was now spouting steam instead of ash, Thorsteinn said.

Volcanology is not an exact science, however, and experts warn that the volcano could erupt again – they just don’t know when. “There is still something going on inside, some tremors, it is possible it could erupt again, but when is a question nobody can answer,” said Thorsteinn.

Even if it is only temporary, the slowdown in volcanic activity is good news for commercial airlines and millions of passengers planning to fly in the near future.

The volcano first erupted in mid-April, sending a dense cloud of ash into the atmosphere and disrupting the travel plans of millions.

No Fooling: U.S. Border Crossing Can Be A Hassle

By Takeoffeh.com - Wednesday, May 26, 2010 at 9:09 AM - 10 Comments

As the Windsor Star reports, five women from that Southern Ontario city were fingerprinted, photographed and denied entry into the U.S. while heading for a yoga course that would help them gain credentials to become instructors. U.S. border regulations require foreign visitors to obtain a student visa for vocational training, which is how the yoga course is classified.

One of the women first told border officials that she was just going shopping before admitting she was also visiting for a course. As a result, she has been barred from entering the U.S. for five years. “I want to alert Canadians that whatever necessary paperwork needs to be done, they should do so,” Michelle Lam told the Star. Lam was patted down and detained for six hours, part of that time in a cell.

U.S. border officials are particularly sensitive about the possibility of Canadians taking work away from Americans. So even people travelling to volunteer for Habitat for Humanity, for example, must bring a letter of invitation or other documentation.

Chief Ron Smith of U.S. Customs and Border Protection told the Star that while some Canadians may not know the rules, the regulations are clear and not new. “If they’re coming over for pleasure, I hope they enjoy it,” he said. “When someone comes in to volunteer, they have to be able to prove to the officer that they are a member of, or have a commitment to, a particular recognized religious or non-profit charitable organization. We have to make sure there is no U.S. salary.”

While the rules may not be new, stricter enforcement may be part of heightened anxiety about terrorist attacks. And it can go both ways – U.S. media has featured several reports of Canadian border officials turning back visitors for minor offences committed decades ago.

A helpful site for Canadians travelling to the United States is www.voyage.gc.ca.

If you want to hear what happens when you bring a little attitude to your U.S. border crossing, check out this audio recording which purports to be (and sure sounds like) a confrontation between a Canadian couple heading for outlet shopping in Niagara Falls, New York and a series of U.S. border officials.

Photo Credit: kuriputosu

Pride Around The World

By Takeoffeh.com - Friday, May 21, 2010 at 3:10 PM - 1 Comment

How Do You Spell Pride? P-A-R-T-Y!
If you’re looking for a good party this summer, you’ll find one at the many gay pride festivals held around the world. As well as their centrepiece parades, many of these events feature concerts, street fairs, comedy shows, film festivals and more.

Online travel dealmaker Cheapflights.ca has put together a list of top pride fests in Canada and international locations. You don’t have to go far – Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver all host world-class parties, but if you’ve got a little wanderlust, you can jet off to Sao Paulo, London, Amsterdam, Berlin and San Francisco and see how it’s done there. A few highlights of this year’s festivities:

Vancouver - The Vancouver Pride celebrations are the largest in Western Canada, attracting more than half a million last year. This year’s festivities will focus on what it means to be free. Pride season begins June 26 with East Side Pride and culminates with the Pride Parade on August 1.

Montreal - The Montreal Pride Celebrations run from August 12-15 and promise an extravaganza of arts and entertainment peaking with the August 15 parade with the theme “Our Superheroes.”

Toronto - Pride Toronto is celebrating its 30th anniversary between June 25 and July 4 with a busy schedule of arts and entertainment. Queer icon Cyndi Lauper will headline at a free concert in Queen’s Park on July 3.

Sao Paulo, Brazil - Officially the world’s largest gay pride celebration, the Sao Paulo Brazil Gay Pride Parade attracted an incredible 3.1 million visitors in 2009, and expects to top 4 million this year. Celebrations run from June 3-7 with the headline parade set for June 6.

San Francisco, US - San Francisco’s Gay Pride Festival is the largest pride celebration stateside, and this year it’s marking its 40th birthday with the theme – ‘40 and Fabulous.’ On June 26 and 27, 19 stages and venues, 300 exhibitors, more than 200 parade contingents, and throngs of party-goers will descend on Market Street.

London, England - Like San Francisco, Gay Pride in London is marking 40 years on the front line of gay pride with its Festival Fortnight, June 19 – July 3. Highlights include film, art, theatre, comedy, walking bar tours and a barnstorming parade that will snake along some of London’s most historic streets.

St. Pierre & Miquelon: Europe Minus The Jet Lag
An anomaly in the Atlantic, the tiny islands of St. Pierre and Miquelon are a 45-minute flight from St. John’s, Newfoundland, but a continent apart in most ways.

Thanks to a quirk of history, the tiny islands and their 5,000 citizens remain firmly a part of the French Republic.  Local currency is the Euro, TV shows are beamed in from France and the cuisine has a strong French base.

Atlantic Canada travel specialist Maxxim Vacations says it knows these fascinating islands well, and offers 2- or 3-night packages as an add-on to a trip to the Rock. If you’re going to go that far east in Canada, why not dip over to a pocket of France?

The St. Pierre and Miquelon package includes 2 or 3 nights B&B accommodation with continental breakfast, one three-course French cuisine dinner with wine, a guided tour of the town of St. Pierre and admission to the local museum. Prices start at $499 including airfare from St. John’s.

Those seeking to combine a visit to St. Pierre and Miquelon with a stay in Newfoundland might be interested in the week-long A Tale of Two Islands itinerary which also includes 3 nights accommodation in St. John’s, one night each in Harbour Grace and Burin or Marystown, a whale-watching boat tour, and a rental car.

Photo Credits: sfpride.org, st.pierre-et-miquelon.com

This Week's Travel News: News you need to know

By Bruce Parkinson, Takeoffeh.com - Friday, May 21, 2010 at 12:22 PM - 0 Comments

Watch What You Tweet: Hotels Are Watching You
Are you one of the millions of travellers who review hotels following your stay, offering bouquets or brickbats when deserved? If you are, it may be prudent not to reveal too much personal information. According to travel columnist Christopher Elliott, hotels are tracking down who you are, especially if you’re reviewing them anonymously. Industry consultant John Baird says some hoteliers are going to great lengths to deduce a guest’s identity and either contact them directly or note the guest’s review in their guest database. Elliott says guests who write a positive review might receive a reward from the hotel — a gift basket, perhaps, or a discount on a future stay. But those who criticize a property could receive a concerned e-mail from the general manager asking them to reconsider their comments. Some fear their comments could be used against them by marking them as a ‘problem guest.’ Baird points out that most hotels want the information for the right reasons: either to say thanks for a nice review or to reach out to a negative guest to patch things up. Just in case though, Elliott recommends not using your real name, avoiding posting your geographical location and ensuring your online handle doesn’t give away your identity.

Airport Security: Free Flow For Liquid Rules
While travellers are sick and tired of security screening rules, it seems like security authorities are too. Reports from the U.S. suggest strict rules on liquids in air travellers’ baggage are no longer being enthusiastically enforced. “The Transportation Security Administration’s unpopular restrictions on liquids, gels and aerosols in carry-on luggage are history,” MSNBC columnist and travel ombudsman Christopher Elliott wrote recently. There have been no official pronouncements, but Elliott says extensive feedback from readers indicates the TSA has all but stopped screening carry-on bags for liquids. “(Readers) say transportation security officers no longer ask them to remove lotions, shampoos and even water bottles from their luggage, and overlook all manner of liquids packed in their carry-ons during screening,” Elliott writes. According to the TSA, however, nothing has changed. “The policy continues to be enforced, although it is important to note that we empower our workforce with discretion,” a spokesperson told Elliott. Several Canadian frequent travellers canvassed by TakeOffeh report little change in the way rules are being enforced here, although some have also seen incidents when officials displayed ‘discretion.’

Canucks Just Wanna Earn Points
According to a 2009 study, the average Canadian household uses nine different loyalty programs – 50 per cent more than our American neighbours. In a recent Globe and Mail article Bert Archer suggests the phenomenon may stem from our history as “an immigrant nation of bargain hunters averse to debt and big on nest eggs.” He points to Canadian Tire money launched 50 years ago – nearly 90% of those bills still find their way back to the store. Best Western’s Dorothy Dowling told TakeOffeh “Canadians are the biggest point junkies in the world.” While Best Western operates 4,000 hotels in some 80 countries, the 1 million Canadian members of their reward program make up a disproportionate 10% of the global total. “Loyalty has become even more important than in the past,” says Dowling. “We had double-digit growth in all measures last year. Membership was up 25% and our members cashed in 32% more reward nights than the year before.” Dowling says reward aficionados have grown quite savvy in understanding the relative currency of reward points, especially we frugal Canadians.

Porter Airlines IPO Now Boarding At Gate 3
When an initial public offering (IPO) is put forward there are two audiences. One is the retail investor – average folks buying stocks. The other is the institutional investor – organizations which pool money and invest it. In the case of Porter Airlines, currently preparing for its IPO coming-out party, the Globe and Mail likens retail investors to those passengers who line up early to get their seat on a flight, and institutional investors to those who hang out in the bar until the last boarding call. Retail investors are excited about investing in Porter, attracted by the airline’s positive reputation and ‘underdog’ status. But institutional investors are taking a different tack, hanging back while hoping to pressure Porter to issue the offering at the low-end of the projected $6-$7 per share price. They hope to exploit a weak market to get their piece of Porter at the best possible price. It remains to be seen which way the pendulum will swing, but many of the comments on the Globe article were cynical, including one from ‘pilotguy,’ who wrote: “Best way to make a hundred bucks in the airline biz? Start with $1000…”

By: Bruce Parkinson
Bruce Parkinson is a travel industry journalist and regular contributor to Takeoffeh.com as well as sister company, OpenJaw.com

Photo Credits:laflor, sjlocke, Pgiam, flyporter.com

Air Security: Are Liquid Rules Evaporating?

By Takeoffeh.com - Tuesday, May 18, 2010 at 4:44 PM - 0 Comments

Reports from the U.S. suggest strict rules on liquids in air travellers’ baggage are no longer being enforced, despite no official change in policy. But an informal TakeOffeh.com survey of frequent Canadian travellers found that security officials here are still busy confiscating liquid items that don’t meet the rules.

“The Transportation Security Administration’s unpopular restrictions on liquids, gels and aerosols in carry-on luggage — better known as the 3-1-1 rule — are history,” wrote MSNBC columnist and travel ombudsman Christopher Elliott recently.

There have been no official pronouncements, but Elliott says extensive feedback from readers indicates the TSA has all but stopped screening carry-on bags for liquids. “(Readers) say transportation security officers no longer ask them to remove lotions, shampoos and even water bottles from their luggage, and overlook all manner of liquids packed in their carry-ons during screening,” Elliott writes.

The TSA initially banned liquids and gels from carry-on bags back in 2006 when British authorities intercepted a plot to blow up planes with liquid explosives. Other jurisdictions, including Canada, quickly followed the U.S. lead. The rules were later revised to allow small quantities of liquids in carry-ons.

Elliott has been a vocal critic of the policy since it was put in place and many air travellers agree that the easily-forgotten restriction is one of the most annoying elements of airport security.

U.S. officials have said that liquid rules will be lifted at the end of this year, when screening machines at security checkpoints will be upgraded with technology designed to detect threatening liquids. European officials say new technology will allow prohibitions on liquids in carry-on bags to be lifted by 2013.

Meanwhile, despite Elliott’s reporting on the experiences of his readers, the TSA says nothing has changed: “The policy continues to be enforced,” a spokesperson told Elliott. “Although it is important to note that we empower our workforce with discretion.”

Several frequent travellers canvassed by TakeOffeh report they have seen little change in the way rules are being enforced here in Canada, although some have also seen incidents when officials displayed ‘discretion.’ “I still abide by packing most of my liquids and just taking small items in a see-through Ziploc with me on the plane,” says Vanessa Lee, publisher of Cruise and Travel Lifestyles magazine. “However, I did notice a woman going through security ahead of me who had a decent size bottle of sunscreen in her carry on and they looked at, let her keep it and told her next time to pack it.”

Photo Credit: Devonyu

This Week's Travel News: News you need to know

By Bruce Parkinson, Takeoffeh.com - Monday, May 17, 2010 at 11:45 AM - 0 Comments

The Americans Are Watching
Flying from Toronto to Cancun? The Americans want to know who you are. Why? Because you’ll be flying over their airspace. Coming this December, new U.S. ‘Secure Flight’ rules require Canadian airlines to provide personal information on passengers flying over the home of the brave. If your name happens to show up on a U.S. watch list or no-fly list, you could be stuck on the ground – even though you aren’t even landing in the U.S. When you consider that a large percentage of Canadian flights do pass above U.S. territory, it’s a daunting proposition. And while Canada’s privacy watchdog isn’t happy about these new rules, Chantal Bernier says there isn’t a doggone thing she can do about it: “There is a limit that is beyond us — and that is United States sovereignty over U.S. airspace. Geography works against us here,” Bernier told MPs at parliamentary hearings into the matter. Of course 99.9% of travellers shouldn’t be affected, but we all know that no-fly lists are not perfect, and officials say ‘false positive’ results will take 50 to 60 days to clear up – in other words, the trip is off. As Canwest News Service reported, Bernier told the committee that another concern is that passenger information supplied to the U.S. could be used for other purposes, including law enforcement and immigration.

Room With A View? For $5 We’ll Uncover The Window
With airlines now charging for everything from (literally) soup to nuts – and earning billions in the process — hotels have been watching with envy. Now some of them are taking a page out of the airline industry’s ‘unbundled’ approach by charging extra for anything from towels to air conditioning. As Consumer Traveler reports, the most extreme example is Asian budget hotel chain Tune Hotels, which boasts the marketing tagline ‘5-star sleeping experience at 1-star price.’ For one very low price – basic rates start as low as $5 per night in Asia – guests get a room, bed and bathroom. You can make the room as comfy as you wish by paying additional fees for things like air conditioning, hair dryers, toiletries and even towels. In September the chain will make its first foray outside Asia with a London, England location. Starting at 9 square metres (97 square feet), Tune hotel rooms are a little bigger than ‘pod’ or ‘capsule’ hotels like Yotel. One thing Tune does offer is a decent bed, which it says is custom-made by bedmakers who supply 5-star hotels – hence the ‘5-star sleeping experience’ claim. Don’t expect a mad rush by major hotel chains to follow Tune’s lead. In a somewhat counter-intuitive twist, luxury hotels already charge for ‘extras’ like Internet, parking and room safes, while mid-market hotels tend to get by on the value offered through an inclusive package where things like Internet, parking and breakfast are included. Dorothy Dowling, senior VP marketing and sales for 2,200 hotel-strong Best Western told TakeOffeh: “The mid-market will continue to sell the value package.” Will consumers embrace bare-bones hotels? One reader comment on the Consumer Traveler story shows there’s definitely a market for it: “Well, I did it! I refused the towel, and used my bedsheet instead.”

Two Best Hotel Lists – Wildly Divergent Results
Two online giants owned by the same company have each produced lists of the world’s top reviewed hotels, but the lists are so different they leave you wondering what to believe. The ranking of top ten European and U.S. hotels from both Expedia and TripAdvisor – which is owned by Expedia — reveal no common names whatsoever. One U.S. hotel featured in the Expedia’s global top ten didn’t even make the top 30 hotels in its own city, let alone the world, based on TripAdvisor reviews. In fact, none of the top ten hotels featured on the Expedia list are featured among TripAdvisor’s 719 top properties. So are these lists of any use at all? Expedia representatives say that it uses a “mathematical formula” to rank its properties, with over 1 million traveller reviews as the most influential factor. TripAdvisor’s approach is similar, although it claims more reviews. But Expedia also takes into account the views of 400 Expedia “market managers,” who contribute “their insight and firsthand knowledge of their destination’s best hotels.” And Expedia’s version does have another advantage: to post a review, travellers must have booked through Expedia. That’s different from TripAdvisor, where any registered user can post a review without having to prove they have ever stayed there. Critics – especially hoteliers – say that fact leaves the TripAdvisor system more prone to manipulation.

Air Canada Makes Progress, But There’s A Long Road Ahead
The recovery is underway for Air Canada, but the airline still has a long way to go, as the Montreal Gazette reported this week. “This is not a sprint, it’s a marathon,” CEO Calin Rovanescu told analysts after the carrier reported a Q1 operating loss of $126 million, down from a loss of $188 million a year ago. The net loss was $85 million – better than analysts expected, but not a result to send stock soaring. And that stock has a long way to soar, considering that it was issued at $20 and now hovers around $2. Analysts point to a number of factors impacting AC success: fierce competition, low yields, volatile fuel prices, less cash on hand than its peers and ongoing labour uncertainty. The airline is doing a number of things very well – it continues to fill the vast majority of its seats (83% in April) and has successfully weeded out tens of millions in costs. But the Icelandic volcano stung the carrier for about $20-million, and business travellers still aren’t willing to pay premium prices. As Peter Hadekel points out in the Gazette, Air Canada doesn’t have a lot of wiggle room if things go wrong. And, in the travel industry something always seems to be going wrong.

By: Bruce Parkinson
Bruce Parkinson is a travel industry journalist and regular contributor to Takeoffeh.com as well as sister company, OpenJaw.com

Photo Credits: tunehotels.com, carlosphotos, Fotogma, aircanada.com

Beach Junkies! Here's A Sneak Peek At Next Winter

By Takeoffeh.com, Nina Slawek - Thursday, May 13, 2010 at 4:55 PM - 2 Comments

Tour operators are launching each season’s product line earlier and earlier. For years, the new winter designs went to market in September. This year, Transat has taken the lead by announcing their line-up in April. According to Transat’s Commercial Director, Nancy Jackson, “some consumers like to plan early. We felt that by being first to market with the winter product, we give them the opportunity to have first crack at some amazing savings.”

Andrew Dawson, President of Tour Operations at the Sunwing Travel Group, who also launched early, offers a similar observation: “The early bookers get to reap the rewards of some really aggressive advanced booking discounts we’ve negotiated”.

What’s hot for next winter? Well, besides the Caribbean sun, a few new spots are hitting the runways and bound to get some rave reviews. The season runs from November 1, 2010 to April 30, 2011.

El Salvador – [Nolitours]
Certainly not what comes to mind as the traditional winter getaway destination. But the Pacific coastline of El Salvador harbours some beautiful beaches which offer uniformly hot temperatures.  Surfing is gaining popularity in recent years as more surfers visit many beaches on the coast of La Libertad and the east side of the country, finding surfing spots that are not yet overcrowded.

The eastern part of El Salvador is where you’ll find a more rural atmosphere. This is also the country’s hotbed of ecotourism.  To the north are several hidden natural beauties which should be discovered before the area’s tourism industry catches on.

Margarita Island – [Nolitours, Sunwing, Signature]
Margarita Island is situated in the Caribbean sea, off the northeastern coast of Venezuela. The island is formed by two peninsulas joined by an isthmus. There are at least 50 unique and magnificent Margarita beaches which are scattered along 106 miles of coastline. Its location as an island in the Caribbean Sea offers lots of beaches to explore which range from crowded to solitary and most of them virgin.

All beaches are open to the public, including those at the luxury hotels. The east coast beaches that are swept by the trade winds from El Yaque to Playa El Agua are famous for windsurfing, while Playa Parguito and El Tirano mainly attract bodysurfing enthusiasts. Swimmers will particularly enjoy the clean, clear waters of the beaches that lie to the east of Pampatar, including Playa El Terminal, below the La Caranta fort.

Mazatlan – [new for Westjet, Sunwing]
According to WestJet, Mazatlan has qualities that embrace old and new, luxurious and down to earth, activity and soothing tranquility.

The Pearl of the Pacific boasts serious sailfish and marlin fishing, traditional colonial architecture and a lively Mexican culture. Meander along delightful esplanades on balmy evenings, feast on freshly caught seafood or laze on golden beaches to the sounds of crashing waves.

Out Islands, Bahamas – [Air Canada Vacations]
The Out Islands of the Bahamas are some of the most beautiful in the Caribbean and Air Canada Vacations recently launched service to the area. Many of the unnamed beaches and coves of the islands, including extensive offshore reef areas, are protected. There are over 55 world class resorts and boutique hotels which range from five star luxury to fishing lodges.

The Exumas are a 120-mile-long island chain-within-the-chain of the Out Islands, with the Exuma Cays scattered in a long line extending north. These Cays are the most exotic of the Out Islands – soft pink sand and storybook aquamarine waters.

By Nina Slawek
Nina Slawek is co-founder of TakeOffeh.com and Canada’s number one travel trade website, OpenJaw.com

Photo Credits: elsalvador.travel, upload.wikipedia.com, top-things-to-do.com, bahamas.com

The End Of On-Hold?

By Takeoffeh.com - Wednesday, May 12, 2010 at 10:36 AM - 1 Comment

Getty Images

Airlines have wholeheartedly embraced a self-service culture that now sees customers book their own flights, print out their boarding passes, check-in at electronic kiosks and even in some cases print and attach their luggage tags.

But while passengers have adjusted to these commercial realities, one thing they don’t like – as evidenced in repeated surveys – is the old reality of being kept on hold to speak to an agent at the airline call centres.

As the New York Times reports, technology is now providing a solution to this problem. Dubbed VOH or ‘virtual on-hold,’ the feature allows callers to hang up and have a customer service representative call back when their number reaches the front of the line. It may not make the response any faster, but it beats having a phone stuck to your ear for hours.

Southwest Airlines added the feature to its customer service protocol last year and says it has been a success, both from a customer service perspective and because it reduces telecom costs. Canada’s WestJet also added the feature in 2009. “We implemented the VOH system last year when we were experiencing high call volumes during the Sabre transition,” says WestJet spokesperson Robert Palmer. The transition he refers to was a new reservation system last fall that resulted in online problems and drove passengers to the phone. “The VOH system is still in place today and we intend to keep it. It will kick in if the wait time is longer than two minutes,” Palmer says.

For its part, Air Canada told TakeOffeh that it doesn’t use the VOH system but is “monitoring developments” in the industry. As spokesperson Peter Fitzpatrick says, the airline is more concerned with giving passengers fewer reasons to use the blower. “We have been focused on online services that let people do things for themselves without calling the call centre. Our online rebooking, for example, lets people whose flights are cancelled rebook themselves on-line. It worked well during the volcano,” Fitzpatrick says.

Top Ten Friendly People

By Chris Robinson, Takeoffeh.com - Monday, May 10, 2010 at 2:00 PM - 10 Comments

Having met so many wonderful, giving people during my travels (I’ve even been offered a bride) I take the liberty of sharing my favoritism towards the friendliest cultures. Here is my top ten list of friendliest destinations.

1.Irish
Emerald Isle, diamond people – without question, it’s the warmth of the Irish people that stays with you long after you return. Total strangers treat you as close friends and the ‘craic’ – party spirit – of the Irish pubs is legendary. Maybe it’s the magical properties of a pint of Guinness?

2. Thai
The most gentle people on the planet. The Thai Buddhist culture underpins their genuine desire to please travellers. They naturally offer up their cultural heritage and make it easy for visitors to experience. I was once picked up on the streets of Bangkok by a local who took me to his family temple and then to his home to meet his family – all without a word in common.

3. Newfoundlanders
What makes people who live on a rock so friendly? Could be their Celtic heritage, their self-reliance or their remoteness from stressful big cities. Whatever the cause, their spirit is irresistible. If you survive being ‘screeched-in’ and kissing the cod, you are ready for anything.

4. New Zealanders
I probably relate so easily to The Kiwis (or they to me?) because they are the closest people in spirit to Canadians: they, too, have a beautiful homeland, a big brother neighbour, and they take great delight in showing off their home to travellers…but always, as befits a kindred Canadian attitude, in an understated way.

5. Tahitians
The best way to describe the overwhelming friendliness of Tahitians is with this example: my wife and I were travelling with our ten week old baby and treated ourselves to an upscale dinner in Papeete,Tahiti’s capital. Just as our meal arrived, baby Pip started to cry. Without hesitation, our Tahitian server scooped Pip up in one arm and served meals with the other until we had finished our dinner…much to Pip’s delight.

6. Bajans
Nature has provided Barbados with many attractions, and the people of this Caribbean island complete the package. I have run the Barbados Marathon twice, and the enthusiastic support of the Bajans lining the route is what carried me both times. The amazing part is that they clearly thought we runners were crazy, but they cheered nonetheless.

7. Greeks
Have you ever tried to visit a Greek home and not end up eating with your host? It’s impossible! They are possibly the most hospitable people in the world – in Greece or wherever in the world they have settled. And, yes, I have actively participated in a crazy, plate-smashing dinner party at a Taverna on the island of Kos that I will never forget.

8. Bolivian Aymara and Quechua Indians
I once spent many weeks trekking around Lake Titicaca high on the Bolivian and Peruvian altiplano. I had no tent, nor were there any hotels to speak of. I simply staggered into a village at the end of each day and the wonderful locals shared their homes and their food with me.

9. Kurds
Years ago, a small group of us were camped out near the Turkish/Iranian border. A band of armed Kurds surrounded us and invited us to join them at their camp, where we were feted until dawn. Their spirited hospitality was overwhelming.

10. Sherpas
In the Himalayan valleys of Nepal live a self-reliant people unlike any others I have encountered. They help Westerners who come in search of high altitude adventure to feel welcome. They seem to rise above hardship. Their quiet nobility literally embraces travellers who journey there. When I trekked in the Helambu region north of Kathmandu, their hospitality was simple, gracious and oh so appreciated.

By Chris Robinson
Chris hosts Canada’s top rated radio travel show – the Chris Robinson Travel Shows on Newstalk 1010 CFRB in Ontario and CJAD 8000 Montreal in Quebec. www.chrisrobinsontravelshow.ca

Photo Credits: Chris Robinson

On this week's travel news

By Bruce Parkinson, Takeoffeh.com - Monday, May 10, 2010 at 2:00 PM - 0 Comments

Where Have All The Airlines Gone?
As reported on TakeOffeh.com this week, if the recently announced merger of United and Continental is approved, there will be just four surviving American ‘legacy’ carriers: United Airlines, Delta, American Airlines and US Airways. The list of late and sometimes lamented airlines is longer, including Pan Am, TWA, Northwest Airlines, Eastern Air Lines, Braniff and soon, Continental. Until this week, Delta (formed by the merger of Delta and Northwest) was the largest carrier in the world by revenue. With United Airlines and Continental merging, they’ll take over pole position, but not by much, with combined revenue of just under $29-billion while Delta hovers around $28-billion. What will the merger of United and Continental mean for Canadian travellers? Likely not a whole lot, though the two airlines currently account for about 500 weekly flights from Toronto and Montreal alone. Some observers, including Canadian aviation analyst Robert Kokonis, predict higher fares with one less major player in the U.S. market, but he told TakeOffeh.com that increases won’t likely be dramatic, as U.S. domestic airfares have barely budged in 15 years.

The Upside of Bad Situations
When a killer whale tragically took the life of a SeaWorld trainer, the story made headlines around the world. Unfortunately, the event has also had a severe impact on attendance at the theme park’s Orlando location. As TakeOffeh.com reported this week, SeaWorld has come up with a dramatic way to boost the flow of guests, by dropping the admission price for kids aged 3-9 to just $5 for the rest of the year. The normal kids’ admission price is $68.95. In fact, SeaWorld won’t be taking any admission revenue from kids, as the $5 admission will be donated to a wildlife conservation project. Venerable travel writer Arthur Frommer describes the deal as “the most dramatic price reduction in the history of theme parks.” Frommer is a fan too, saying “I have always regarded SeaWorld as the highlight of Orlando, a unique experience that teaches the visitor about the world of sealife that inhabits our globe.” In a different upside to a bad situation, Club Med earned some kudos this week for the way it treated guests who couldn’t get home during the ash crisis. While many other European travellers faced significant out-of-pocket expenses when stranded without air transport, Club Med let its guests stay beyond the end of their reservations without charge, as it worked to find them a way home. Those scheduled to arrive during the no-fly period were allowed to rebook at no extra charge through October 31. We’ll give the Club two hands up for the classy moves.

Introducing the Immovable Airline Seat
From the people who first introduced a fee for carry-on baggage, here’s another airline ‘innovation’. Spirit Airlines has announced that new lightweight seats being installed on its aircraft will lack the ability to recline. As reported on TakeOffeh.com, the airline calls them “pre-reclined” seats, meaning they are already tilted back about 3 inches. The beauty of the new slim leather seats is they are 30% lighter than conventional seats – which saves on fuel. And, by eliminating a steeper recline, the airline can also cram more seats into the plane. A lot more in fact: Spirit says it can seat 33 more passengers in the “pre-reclined” seats in its new Airbus A320. ‘To recline or not to recline’ is a major bone of contention among airline passengers, as the aforementioned Mr. Frommer found out when he railed against Spirit’s decision as yet another airline abuse of passenger rights. Frommer is clearly a recliner, but many of his readers begged to differ, citing personal space and the rudeness of passengers who slam their chair into full recline with no notice to the kneecaps behind them. He suggests asking permission before the recline, but in my years of flying that’s never happened, and I have the coffee stains to prove it.

Whodathunkit? Canuck Biz Travellers Play Fast & Loose With the Rules
As Bert Archer reported in the Globe and Mail recently, an unexpected picture of the Canadian business traveller was revealed at the National Business Travellers Association conference in Toronto: we ‘polite’ Canadians like to bend the rules more than our American counterparts. From an informal survey, Ipsos Reid found that 45% of American business travellers say they obey their employers’ travel policies while just 19% of Canadians said they comply with company rules about how to fly and where to stay. A third of Americans says they are satisfied with their companies’ rules regarding travel, while only 9% of Canadians said the same. Considering our reputation as law-abiding, this may come as a shock to the Canadian psyche. The most interesting part of the story came in comments from Nikki Germany, the Canadian president of Egencia, Expedia’s business agency. She says frugal Canadians often break the rules to save money rather than spend more. “Canadians are generally more fiscally conscious than our American counterparts,” she said, “prizing free parking or a discounted hotel rate over loyalty programs and premium bedding. I think it’s a cultural thing.”

By: Bruce Parkinson
Bruce Parkinson is a travel industry journalist and regular contributor to Takeoffeh.com as well as sister company, OpenJaw.com

Photo Credits: seaworld.com, spiritair.com

Cuban Confusion

By Ron Pradinuk, Takeoffeh.com - Monday, May 10, 2010 at 2:00 PM - 0 Comments

That is the question.

On February 16^th, the Cuban government announced that as of May 1 all tourists – including Canadians – would require medical coverage to be allowed into the country. Travellers who did not comply would have to buy insurance from local Cuban companies available at the airport, port or marina in order to enter Cuba.

Understandably, with 1.5 million Canadians visiting Cuba every year, the news of enforced health coverage had private insurance providers here in Canada chomping at the bit. Press releases and flyers were churning and everyone assumed supplemental health insurance was required.

Then came the clarification that, in fact, provincial health insurance cards are proof enough for the Cubans — which launched a confusing barrage of news reports. For the record, although the Cuban tourist board has not updated their Canadian website to indicate this important point of difference, they have confirmed to Take Off eh that Canadians with provincial health cards are permitted entry into the country. And although the rule was in force as of May 1, local Cuban airport officers have apparently not yet begun asking for the document.

The downside of the miscommunication is that consumers may be left with the impression that they shouldn’t bother buying additional health insurance. Supplemental health insurance should be viewed as a priority no matter what your destination. Without it you could face significant costs.

The Travel Health Association of Canada provides guidelines for coverage on their website www.thiaonline.com.

Here are several important points to consider:

1. Because Canadian Provincial Health Insurance Plans do not make direct payments to out-of-country (or out-of-province) hospitals, doctors or clinics, you will have to bear the costs yourself and then apply to the Department of Health for re-imbursement. Wait times for reimbursement by Provincial Health Plans varies by province, but range between 90 days and 18 months.
2. In-patient hospitalization reimbursement rates will be different, depending on the Provincial Health Plan in effect. The rates vary from province to province – from $200.00 to $400.00 per day for in-patient or intensive care. The cost of these services in most other countries often exceeds these amounts.
3. Outpatient clinics, lab services, and other incidental charges related to out-of-country emergency medical care are often not covered by the Provincial Health Plans.
4. Provincial plans will not provide evacuation back to Canada in emergency situations by airline or air ambulance, nor will they cover out of country ambulance services.

There are hundreds of disturbing stories of Canadian tourists incurring thousands of dollars of debt from travel mishaps. Ask any travel agent who has witnessed their own clients’ struggles — the small additional expense for insurance can pay back many times over.

For Cuba, the bottom line is that whether or not you buy additional medical coverage is totally up to you. But remember the old insurance adage ‘We hope you never need it, but we hope you have it…just in case.’

By Ron Pradinuk
Ron Pradinuk is past national president of the Association of Canadian Travel Agencies.

Photo Credits: debstheleo

Come Fly with Me!

By Takeoffeh.com - Tuesday, May 4, 2010 at 4:55 PM - 0 Comments

From the jet propulsion heydays of Pan Am, TWA and Eastern, the vibrant U.S. airline legacy has dwindled down to just four major, traditional carriers.

When Pan Am promised to ‘take the travail out of travel’, no one would have imagined how the airline landscape would change 50 years later. Here are a few nostalgic video reminders of the glory days of the big birds, from the ever increasing list of defunct airlines: Pan Am, TWA, Northwest Airlines, Eastern Air Lines, Braniff and Aloha Airlines.

A bit of nostalgia:
Pan Am: Introducing a new era of jet service
Braniff: When you got it, flaunt it
Welcome to the world of Trans World Airlines (TWA)

The New American Airline Landscape
Fast forward to 2010, and two of the legacy carriers – Continental and United Airlines – announce a merger which will create the world’s largest airline. If the merger is approved, the four surviving carriers will be United Airlines, Delta, American Airlines and US Airways.

Until this week, the new Delta, formed by the merger of Delta and Northwest, was the largest carrier in the world by revenue. With United Airlines buying out Continental, they’ll take over pole position, but not by much, with combined revenue of just under $29-billion while Delta hovers around $28-billion. Next stop on the U.S. list is American Airlines at $20-billion, then it’s a steep drop to US Airways at $10.5-billion, just ahead of Southwest.

Today there is a new breed of airline players in America – the ‘low-cost carriers’. Led by AirTran Airways, JetBlue, Southwest, Allegiant Air, Spirit Airlines, Sun Country, and Virgin America – these LCC’s are smaller, more flexible, and more adaptable than the big 4, but unfortunately, also susceptible to the vagaries of the airline industry.

Why Should We Care? We’re Canadian
While United and Continental are responsible for over 400 weekly flights at Toronto Pearson and more than 100 at Montreal Trudeau, the merger isn’t expected to have a significant impact on Canadian travellers. Industry analyst Robert Kokonis says the fact that Air Canada is a Star Alliance member along with United may result in some new cross-border codeshare destinations, but other than that, he doesn’t see much specific impact on Canadians.

However, Kokonis does believe that U.S. airfares will rise as a result of one less player, which would have a Canadian impact, mostly on corporations with frequent U.S. business travel. But there likely won’t be a dramatic increase, as Kokonis points out that U.S. domestic airfares have barely budged in 15 years.

One thing is clear: if this deal is approved, it will likely be the last of the U.S. airline mega-mergers. American and US Airways don’t appear to have enough in common to benefit from a union. There may be consolidation in the low-cost market, but nothing on the scale of Delta/Northwest and United/Continental.

The industry hopes the latest merger will take some of the ‘travail’ out of surviving in a fiercely competitive market.  Travellers, however, will still have to face the reality that air travel 50 years after that Pan Am commercial looks a lot more like a cattle call than a cocktail party.

by Bruce Parkinson

Photo Credits: upload.wikimedia.org, aviationexplorer.com, beta.thehindu.com

How To Lounge Like A High Flyer

By Takeoffeh.com - Monday, May 3, 2010 at 3:20 PM - 3 Comments

Is there anything worse than slumping around the hard plastic seats of an airport gate, sipping lukewarm coffee out of a paper cup while you wait for news of your delayed flight? Contrast that with the cushy sofas, open bar, buffet meal, real coffee cups and WiFi of a first class airport lounge. With a new breed of Airport lounges, even economy class schleppers can travel like George Clooney.

Some airlines are offering entry to anyone willing to pay a fee – which is reasonable considering there are fewer premium flyers who fit the admissions profile. There are also common-use, pay-as-you-go lounges  springing up in airports around the world, including Toronto and Vancouver.

Pay As You Go
Plaza Premium Lounge offers “the world’s first commercial VIP lounges open to airport users irrespective of the airline or class of travel.”

• 40 lounges in 12 cities in six countries
• 7 lounges in Canada: five at Toronto’s Pearson International and two at Vancouver International.
• TakeOffeh’s Take: Plenty of space, comfortable seating, free Wi-Fi, hot and cold snacks and drinks and a self-serve bar with a choice of liquors, wines and beers. There are workstations with PCs, LCD TVs and a selection of newspapers and magazines that can be enjoyed in the lounge and taken with you when you go if desired.
• American Express Platinum Card: Free admission (other classes of cards offer discounts)
• One Time Cost: $30 before 11 a.m., $35 after the bar opens
• Coupon: various travel providers such as travel agency chain Flight Centre and tour operator Encore CruiseEscapes offer a downloadable coupon offering a 20% discount — reducing the entry fee to $24 and $28.

Another option for travellers leaving Toronto is the KLM Crown Lounge in Terminal 3. It offers similar facilities to the Plaza Premium Lounges for a $25 admission fee, and KLM is known for its warm hospitality.

Air Canada’s Maple Leaf Lounges
Air Canada has recently opened access to its 20 Maple Leaf lounges, located at airports across Canada and at key international hubs.

• Executive First and Executive Class travellers: free access
• Other fare classes: $30-$55 per ticket
• Aeroplan Members: use miles for entry passes
• Annual Membership:  $425. Gives access to over 50 lounges around the world, including those of Star Alliance partners United Airlines and Lufthansa.
• Lounge access can be purchased at time of online booking, or online anytime up to 24 hours before travel.
• TakeOffeh’s Take: Maple Leaf Lounges are the gold standard for Canada’s top loungers. Ergonomic seating, cell free zones, great snacks, drinks, check-in facilities and business centres.

Club Cards
Priority Pass is a membership-based club that gives access to 600 airport lounges in over 100 countries.

• Membership: three levels priced between $99 and $349 per year
• TakeOffeh’s Take: Our product testers have not tried the service, however, with airports charging upwards of $15 for a ham sandwich, it’s worth checking out.

TV’s Seinfeld offers the best perspective on lounges. There is an episode where Kramer sits in a first class lounge looking like the cat that swallowed the canary. When another lounger asks him where he’s going, Kramer gives him an uncomprehending look: “Going?” he replies. “I got nuts, free beer and TV – why would I want to go anywhere?”

For anyone in a Kramer frame of mind, LoungeGuide.net is a Wiki-style website offering listings and reviews from seasoned travellers about airport lounges around the world.

Photo Credits: plaza-ppl.com, aircanada.com, prioritypass.com

Take A Hike On A Bike

By Takeoffeh.com - Monday, May 3, 2010 at 3:10 PM - 0 Comments

Vancouver’s BikeHike Makes ‘Top 50 Tours of a Lifetime’ List
National Geographic Traveler magazine creates an annual list it calls the ‘Top 50 Tours of a Lifetime‘. Senior editor Norie Quintos describes the chosen few as “the most authentic, most innovative, most immersive, best-guided, and most sustainable tours” the magazine can find. And that’s saying a lot.

One of this year’s winning trips is the 9-day ‘Viva Venezuela’ tour from Vancouver’s Bike Hike Adventures. The company, which describes its offerings as ‘Multi-Sport Adventures for Outdoor Enthusiasts’, has been around for 16 years and previously honoured by National Geographic Adventure Magazine as one of the ‘Best Adventure Travel Companies On Earth.’

Viva Venezuela is a good example of BikeHike’s multi-sport philosophy as it features horseback riding, mountain biking in the Andean Mountains, hiking to the San Jose de Mucuños Ruins along a network of back-country roads and rafting through class III rapids on the Acequia River. There are no swim-up bars on this trip.

BikeHike promises unforgettable cultural experiences in rural Venezuelan communities well off the tourist path. The company also works to give back through sustainable tourism practices as outlined in the BikeHike Commitment to Sustainability. That’s part of the criteria for the National Geographic Traveler honour. ”The outfitters we selected have responded to travellers looking for more meaning and context,” notes Quintos. “And beyond guiding you to the destination, they’ve also found novel ways to give back.”

Dispelling the Myth That Green Is More Expensive
Did you know that when you flush the toilet on a plane you’re using as much fuel as you’d need to run a car for 10 km? Us neither. But that’s one of the little gems from a collection of articles called ‘Introduction to Travel(eco)nomics’ from the folks at self-explanatory website Cheapflights.ca.

The thrust of the article is that the bottom line of environmentalism is reducing consumption, and it offers tips for travellers on eco-friendly packaging, eco-friendly destinations and what you can do in-destination to reduce your impact. A few highlights:

Packing Green
“Packing lightly and reusing mindfully” is the advice here, with suggestions including rechargeable batteries, reusable water bottles, digital vs. disposable camera and letting hotels supply the soap and shampoo.

Green Places
Suggested destinations for eco-conscious travellers include: Portland, Oregon (all things alternative, organic and eco-friendly); Montreal (bike-sharing and eco-chic boutique hotels); Malmo, Sweden (working towards 100% renewable energy by 2020); and Austin, Texas, where City Hall has a green roof and there’s always somebody playin’ the blues.

Green Stay
Using public transit instead of renting a car, staying and eating at local establishments and choosing responsible tour companies for excursions are all easy ways to reduce your environmental impact while increasing your positive impact on your hosts.

Cheapflights.ca also reports on what airlines are doing to improve their environmental performance, complete with Cheapflights’ Picks for Five Greenest Airlines.

Photo Credits: bikehike.com

This Week's Travel News: News you need to know

By Bruce Parkinson, Takeoffeh.com - Monday, May 3, 2010 at 3:00 PM - 5 Comments

Plastic Only Please: Air Canada Moving To Cashless Cabin
As of May 1 passengers will need a credit card for on-board purchases on Air Canada including food, alcoholic drinks, headphones and duty-free items. The airline is moving to a cashless cabin and debit cards won’t be among the options. For both the airline and its flight attendants it is good news. Retired Air Canada flight attendant Alexandra Ludgate says handling cash was one of the most time consuming parts of the job. “Running back and forth for change and waiting for passengers to rummage through their wallets was really impractical.” Passengers will also have the ability to purchase vouchers before boarding a flight. However, vouchers are only available online and will also require a credit card for purchase. Reacting to the news on TakeOffeh sister site OpenJaw.com, one travel industry member wrote: “While I agree going cashless cabins will make things more efficient, it seems to me that they might have also included debit cards. The transaction takes about the same time, and some people may not have a card or wish to use a credit card on board.” WestJet says it is considering a similar move but has not yet made a decision.

You Have The Right To Remain Prone On A Sun Lounger
It’s not enough that Europeans get weeks and weeks of paid vacation every year. Or that whole countries slap up a ‘Closed’ sign for the month of August. Get ready to go green with envy, my vacation-deprived North American friends, for the worst is yet to come: The EU has declared that vacations are a human right and plans to subsidize holidays for those who can’t afford it. “Travelling for tourism today is a right. The way we spend our holidays is a formidable indicator of our quality of life,” EU commissioner Antonio Tajani said recently. Under Tajani’s plan, taxpayers would foot up to 30 per cent of the travel bill. Expected to cost hundreds of millions of Euros, the plan will be open to pensioners, young people between 18 and 25, disabled people, and families facing “difficult social, financial or personal” circumstances. No doubt you can find one of those categories to apply to you, but there is little hope North American government will subsidize our annual pilgrimages to a swim-up bar.

Lots Of Car Rental Brands, Few Car Rental Companies
If anyone’s keeping score, Avis and Budget are one company, National, Enterprise and Alamo are owned by the same group and now Hertz has swallowed up Dollar Thrifty, which was already a dual-brand car rental company. With all the car rental brands out there, there are surprisingly few car rental companies. The announcement of Hertz’s $1.2-billion Dollar Thrifty purchase raises fears that rental prices will climb even further —  after a year in which they reached historic highs. Chris Brown, executive editor of Auto Rental News, told CNN: “We’re in an era of higher-priced car rentals and that era is probably going to stay in place for a while. I’m not sure that Hertz buying Dollar Thrifty [will be] a driver of a rate increase.” Insiders say that the main cause of higher prices is tighter lending, which means car rental companies can’t buy as many cars.

Will The Next Cancun Please Stand Up
You may have never heard of the Mexican state of Tamaulipas, but odds are you will soon. Like Cancun, Loreto, Huatulco, Ixtapa and Los Cabos, the coastal region of Mexico’s sixth-largest state is going to be another of the country’s “Integrally Planned Centers” — in other words, a massive new resort area. Located on the Gulf Coast with Texas as its northern border, Tamaulipas will be home to ‘Megaproject Costa Lora,’ which in its first stage will be home to 6,900 hotel rooms and 11,500 condominiums and tourist villas. The federal government, through tourism arm Fonatur, has agreed to fund up to 90 percent of the $5.5 billion project. Despite its well-publicized drug war and last year’s struggles with swine flu, Mexico is one of the world’s leading destinations, and continues to build a tourism product highly regarded for quality and value. Here’s an idea of the scale of the new project: it begins with the provision of basic services followed by the development of golf courses and water sports facilities, a central marina, a residential area with housing for 150,000 and a new international airport. No doubt there’s a Senor Frog’s in there somewhere too.

By: Bruce Parkinson
Bruce Parkinson is a travel industry journalist and regular contributor to Takeoffeh.com as well as sister company, OpenJaw.com

Photo Credits: aircanada.com, cdwheatley, tourbymexico.com