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Goway launches new digital travel brochure
with programming across an array of topics, from technology and innovation to research and insights, presented by thought leaders and innovators.
IPW also coordinated with the trade show company Connect Travel to co-locate several events around this year’s event. Brand USA, the destination marketing organization for the United States, returned as the premier sponsor of IPW 2021.
IPW 2022 is scheduled to take place June 4-8, 2022, in Orlando.
TORONTO — Goway has a brand new, interactive digital travel brochure called ‘Your Next Journey: The Best of Goway Travel.’
For the first time ever, travel ideas from across all of Goway’s destination regions are included in one brochure with a brand new design and simplified presentation.
Adam Hodge, VP of Marketing at Goway, notes that Goway has provided tailor-made travel for globetrotters for more than 50 years, and that ‘Your Next Journey: The Best of Goway Travel’ is a bold first step into the next 50 years, offering curated insight and inspiration for world travellers.
Hodge adds: “Your Next Journey is a great conversation starter for travel agents looking to re-engage their loyal past customers. It projects the positivity, excitement, and inherent beauty that we all love and miss about travelling the world. It’s a great way to take the first step on our next journey together.”
The new brochure features 450+ travel ideas curated by Goway’s team of Destination Specialists as well as tips, insights, and in-destination photos. Travel ideas feature vacations to all of Goway’s destination regions, including Australia, New Zealand, and the South Pacific, Asia, Africa and the Middle East, the UK and Europe, Central and South America, and Polar Voyages.
Hodge says all of Goway’s travel ideas have been standardized in terms of accommodation level and travel style across all regions, ensuring a seamless reading experience throughout the brochure. Travel styles, accommodations, and packages across all regions are now labelled as moderate, first-class, or deluxe.
All pages in the brochure have embedded links back to Goway’s main website, encouraging travellers and travel professionals to get in touch about any trip, adds Hodge, noting that the trips also represent the best-selling and most popular vacations for the company.
Goway has cultivated a greater focus on private-guided experiences, with over 20% of its product line offering private tours and transfers. The company has also introduced the new Idyllic Retreats line of refined and relaxing getaways in destinations all around the world. New destinations include the West African nations of Ghana, Togo and Benin.
Hodge says that with ‘Your Next Journey: The Best of Goway Travel,’ Goway is charting a course out of the pandemic and redefining the way to go Globetrotting.
Goway is also celebrating the launch of Your Next Journey with a quiz that offers agents a bonus $25 on their GowayPro Rewards Card. Agents can answer questions about the brochure and get rewarded.
“It was pretty amazing”: TPI’s regional reunion tour wraps up
TORONTO — Travel Professionals International (TPI) wrapped up its regional reunion tour last week after visiting their advisors in B.C, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador, reuniting with over 300 TPI travel advisors in total. "Working from home as an independent travel advisor can be lonely at times, and certainly over the past 18 odd months, we've recognized that feeling has been amplified as advisors had to navigate their business through these troubling times,” said TPI CEO, Zeina Gedeon.
“We've all missed face-to-face connections and while TPI has been in constant communication with daily, weekly network calls, nothing replaces in-person interaction, so we decided it was time to get out and see our advisors ‘in-person’,” she added. "Typically, during our TPI cross country roadshows, we engage in business sessions, participate in supplier training and have a very structured agenda. However, this reunion tour was about
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Úna O’Leary is Virtuoso’s new General Manager, Canada
Virtuoso has welcomed Úna O’Leary, a former CWT executive, as its new General Manager, Canada. O’Leary, who most recently served five years as senior director of Marketing & Strategic Partnerships, North America at CWT, a Virtuoso member agency, is based in Toronto and will now be responsible for driving Virtuoso’s business development to increase its footprint within Canada. In addition to her time at CWT, O’Leary also held senior-level positions at Ensemble Travel Group as well as CIBC Insurance and American Express.
“During my time at CWT, I managed the Virtuoso relationship and it allowed me to get to know the organization from the agency perspective,” says O’Leary. “I’m very happy to be back in the Virtuoso family and look forward to working with their dedicated team of professionals to further expand their presence and partnerships within Canada.”
O’Leary’s appointment represents the latest in strategic global hires for Virtuoso, which earlier this year announced new General Manager roles in other regions including Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as Europe, Middle East and Africa.
connecting! We didn't have any PowerPoint presentations, or any suppliers at the gatherings. It was all about reuniting the TPI family and it was pretty amazing!” said Gedeon.
Also on TPI’s event calendar, the host agency’s fall consumer virtual nights are taking place every Wednesday at 7 p.m. EST. There’s also TPI’s upcoming virtual conference scheduled for Oct. 20 - 21. Plus, Gedeon says plans are full steam ahead for TPI’s ‘ultimate family reunion’ at the annual out-of-country conference in May 2022.
Just opened: Hyatt Ziva Riviera Cancun
CHICAGO — The all-inclusive, familyfriendly Hyatt Ziva Riviera Cancun has officially opened as the newest addition to the Hyatt Ziva portfolio.
Operated by Playa Hotels & Resorts and situated near Cancun’s Hotel Zone, the 438-room resort invites guests of all ages to enjoy a wide array of amenities that include: • Spacious suites with private balconies and spa-like bathrooms that come equipped with rainfall showers, plus hot tubs, turndown service, high-tech entertainment and complimentary minibars • 17 globally-inspired and locally authentic restaurants, bars and lounges • Nine swimming pools including an oceanview pool and a sprawling water
park with tall slides and a kid’s pool • Fitness centre and a two-storey Zen
Spa featuring 13 indoor and 8 outdoor treatment rooms • More than 51,000 square feet of meeting and event space and conference facilities that are ideal for beachfront weddings, anniversary celebrations and corporate meetings
“We’re thrilled that Hyatt Ziva Riviera Cancun is welcoming guests and World of Hyatt members to experience the Hyatt Ziva brand in Mexico, a key leisure destination this year,” said Frank Lavey, Senior Vice President of Global Operations, Hyatt. “This addition to the Hyatt Ziva portfolio offers a sophisticated, multi-generational stay in the exciting Riviera Cancun region.”
Fernando Mulet, Executive Vice President & Chief Development Officer, Playa Hotels & Resorts, added: “With elevated amenities along with Playa’s award-winning Service from the Heart and an extraordinary destination, Hyatt Ziva Riviera Cancun represents the very best in all-inclusive luxury. Since partnering with Hyatt less than a decade ago, the family-friendly Hyatt Ziva and adults-only Hyatt Zilara brands have become the premier all-inclusive experiences throughout Mexico and the Caribbean. We look forward to expanding our footprint together with Hyatt and our investment partners.”
For more information go to resortsbyhyatt.com/ziva-riviera-cancun.
Carnival unveils the new name for Carnival Victory
MIAMI — What’s in a name? About US$200 million’s worth of pure radiance, says Carnival Cruise Line.
The company has officially changed the name of Carnival Victory to Carnival Radiance, which is now in the final stages of a $200 million, bow-to-stern makeover in Cadiz, Spain.
The third in the line’s Sunshine-class series, Carnival Radiance is scheduled to depart Cadiz on Oct. 18 to start a seven-week journey to its homeport in Long Beach, California, with stops in Miami and a transit of the Panama Canal along the way. On Dec. 13 it will make its Southern California debut, kicking off a year-round schedule of three- and four-day cruises to Baja Mexico from the Long Beach Cruise Terminal. On this route, three-day cruises depart Fridays and visit Ensenada, Mexico. Fourday cruises will sail on Mondays, calling at Ensenada and Catalina Island.
Onboard, guests will find all of Carnival’s popular Fun Ship 2.0 dining, beverage and entertainment spaces, as well as Big Chicken, a casual poolside restaurant created by Carnival’s Chief Fun Officer, Shaquille O’Neal, which debuted on Mardi Gras earlier this year. Other notable offerings include the new Cucina del Capitano, the multi-purpose Liquid Lounge, and one of the largest Cloud 9 Spas at sea.
“The transformation of Carnival Victory has been in the works for quite some time but we’re delighted that she can now be officially be called Carnival Radiance – the newest member of our fleet,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line. “Carnival Radiance features all of our most popular spaces and provides a truly unique and exciting vacation option for the Southern California short cruise market.”
A traditional naming ceremony will be held once Carnival Radiance arrives in Long Beach. Additional details will be announced shortly.
Carnival Radiance joins Carnival Miracle, which will reposition to Long Beach on Sept. 27 to operate short cruises to Mexico, as well as Carnival Panorama, which is sailing week-long voyages to the Mexican Riviera.
Last week, Carnival confirmed that 11 ships, or half of its U.S. fleet, is now in operation.
AmaDahlia
CALABASAS, CA — AmaWaterways celebrated the launch of its newest ship – AmaDahlia – on the Nile River earlier this month, sailing the Secrets of Egypt & The Nile itinerary.
During the festivities, co-founders Rudi Schreiner and Kristin Karst surprised the ship’s first passengers by joining them for a cocktail hour at the five-star Four Seasons Hotel Cairo At The First Residence where all guests enjoyed their four-day, pre-cruise land packages.
Passengers then boarded the ship in Luxor where they were greeted by local musicians and an Egyptian whirling dervish performance before exploring the AmaDahlia and embarking on their seven-night river cruise.
“I am absolutely delighted to have our wonderful new AmaDahlia sailing the Nile River,” said Kristin Karst, executive vice president and co-founder of AmaWaterways. “It was truly such a joy to be with our guests as together we discovered the beautiful setting onboard, reflecting the local culture and distinctive art of the region. Egypt has a very special place in my heart, and I am so excited to have many more guests experience the beauty of AmaDahlia and the unparalleled experiences that this itinerary offers.”
The 72-passenger AmaDahlia has 36 staterooms including 16 suites between 370 and 430 square feet. Amenities include a swimming pool and bar on the Sun Deck, as well as locally sourced cuisine at the Main Restaurant and The Chef’s Al Fresco Restaurant.
AmaDahlia’s immersive 11-night Secrets of Egypt & The Nile itinerary operates seasonally from September through June each year, sailing roundtrip from Luxor to Aswan with intra-Egypt flights between Cairo and Luxor. Days are spent discovering the Temple of Luxor and Valley of Kings and Queens, the Great Sphinx and the Pyramids of Giza.
The cruise and land itinerary includes three nights in Cairo pre-cruise and one-night in Cairo post-cruise, where guests stay in the Four Seasons Hotel and enjoy an exclusive private tour and special farewell lunch at the Abdeen Presidential Palace. Optional extensions include pre-program, three nights in Dubai or four nights in Jordan (Amman and Petra) and post-program, four nights in Israel (Jerusalem).
AmaWaterways requires all guests to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 prior to their river cruise. For those who’ve received the Pfizer, Moderna or AstraZeneca shots, they must be fully vaccinated at least 14 days prior to their sailing date. Those who’ve received Johnson & Johnson must be fully vaccinated at least 28 days prior to their departure.
For entry into Egypt, travellers must present a printed negative PCR test and complete and carry with them a Egyptian Health Declaration Form. Passengers are also asked to refer to AmaWaterways’ outline of Travel Entry Requirements.
TORONTO — In celebration of World Tourism Day on Sept. 27, sister brands Trafalgar and Costsaver have doubled down on their commitment to responsible tourism by offering a minimum of one MAKE TRAVEL MATTER Experience on every land tour by 2023.
Launched in 2020 on itineraries across the brands of parent company The Travel Corporation (TTC), MAKE TRAVEL MATTER Experiences are conscious travel experiences that have been carefully selected for their positive social and environment impact on local communities. There are 98 of these unique experiences around the world, particularly in Asia where 100% of trips already include a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER Experience.
Since the launch, both Trafalgar and Costsaver have been contributing directly to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs) by offering guests meaningful travel opportunities. Using a proprietary assessment tool developed exclusively for Trafalgar and The Travel Corporation’s family of brands, MAKE TRAVEL MATTER Experiences are assessed against a robust set of criteria directly tied to these UN Global Goals.
Trafalgar’s and Costsaver’s 2023 initiative comes at a crucial time, says TTC, as the travel industry looks to rebuild after more than 62 million jobs were lost last year due to the pandemic.
“As a company with sustainable and responsible travel ingrained in our DNA, we are taking every step possible to secure the future for our industry,” says Gavin Tollman, Global CEO of Trafalgar and Costsaver. “In the wake of the pandemic, every travel organization should be reviewing and assessing their operations in line with the UN Global Goals and this is just one way we are securing a more inclusive future for the people and places we visit and our guests.”
Gemma Myhill, Trafalgar and Costsaver’s Global Sustainability Officer, adds: “With this change, not only will our guests continue to have incredibly rich experiences when they
tour with us, they will also know their travels will meaningfully give back to local communities, wildlife and the planet, no matter the destination they choose.”
Travellers can identify these experiences by looking out for the MAKE TRAVEL MATTER Experience seal on www.traflagar.com and www.costsaver tour.com/en-ca.
American Express Travel’s President shares her top 6 top travel trends
TORONTO — The travel industry is seeing a resurgence of the travel agent, says American Express Travel’s President Audrey Hendley, who has identified six new travel trends to come out of the pandemic.
Shaped by new survey data, these trends, says Hendley, will help guide travel professionals in their return-to-travel and recovery plans.
Here are Hendley’s Top 6 Emerging Travel Trends: 1. The Resurgence of the Travel Agent: As consumers look to find their next vacation spot, they are seeking out travel advisors to help them navigate through the complex travel environment. Even the most seasoned travellers are looking for a second opinion when booking travel right now and are looking to speak directly to someone that they can trust. New Amex Trendex survey data even found 36% of Millennials say they are more likely to call their travel provider due to the pandemic. 2. Desire To Travel Big, Shop Small: Travellers want to learn and provide a positive experience to the places they travel to and are looking for guidance from travel brands on how to support and engage with small businesses while travelling. In fact, Amex Trendex survey data found that 83% of consumers surveyed agree they always shop and eat at small businesses while travelling to support the local economy, and 82% say they look for destinations where they can immerse themselves in the local culture. 3. New Currency Emerging: Consumers are looking for new ways of spending on their trips with credits and vouchers, such as eCredits and travel vouchers, which has become recently accessible on AmexTravel.com. Here, consumers can easily see what credits they have and when they expire directly on the Amex Travel homepage. In fact, the 4 top biggest U.S. airlines (American, United, Delta and Southwest) had US$10 billion in unused travel credits on their books at the end of 2020, according to company filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. 4. Shift towards sustainability and responsible tourism: The consumer mindset has changed — they are being more purposeful about their purchase decisions, especially when it comes to travel. Amex Trendex research shows 50% of travellers say they have become more interested in responsible tourism and 87% want to have a positive impact on the community they are visiting.
5. Growing Opportunity For Brands To Engage: New Amex Trendex found that 2 in 5 consumers say they are not receiving enough information about the social and environmental impact of their travel. As such, there is a strong opportunity for brands to directly engage with their customers and educate them. American Express Travel also found that consumers are willing to pay more to use travel and lifestyle brands that demonstrate environmental responsibility or to offset their carbon footprint, and they are looking to travel brands to highlight the positive impact that they are making while travelling. 6. Flexibility is Key: With the future of travel uncertain because of fluctuating travel restrictions, it is important to have a plan A, B and C and be willing to pivot as needed.
Crystal resumes sailings from New York City
MIAMI — Crystal Cruises has resumed operations from New York City, with the Crystal Symphony embarking last week for a series of roundtrip voyages from Manhattan Cruise Terminal.
The ship departed Sept. 24 from New York for its ‘Luxury Bermuda Escapes’ itinerary, the first in the series of nine 7-night cruises sailing from Manhattan every Friday through Nov. 19, 2021. This series follows Crystal Symphony’s Luxury Bermuda Escapes series out of Boston in late August and early September.
“We are delighted to sail once again from New York’s Manhattan Cruise Terminal, offering our guests the chance to experience Crystal’s unmatched luxury, Michelin-level cuisine and genuine personalized service on voyages close to home,” said Jack Anderson, president of Crystal. “Travellers can enjoy the stunning pink-sand beaches and abundant outdoor pursuits of Bermuda with peace of mind, knowing that their health and safety is our number one priority and our comprehensive Crystal Clean+ measures and vaccination requirement assure them a safe and pleasurable trip.”
Crystal Symphony will set sail with all guests and crew fully vaccinated, and with guests and crew following all local health guidelines when visiting Bermuda.
It is also sailing with reduced capacity to offer guests even more space onboard.
In addition, Crystal recently announced that it is extending its current vaccine requirement for guests and crew through 2022.
All-inclusive fares for Crystal Symphony’s Luxury Bermuda Escapes start at US$1,999 per person when booked by Nov. 3, 2021. Guests have the option to extend their travels with a pre- or post-cruise hotel stay at The Pierre Hotel, a historic 5th Avenue landmark, or the Intercontinental New York Times Square, located within walking distance of the Broadway Theater District. Hotel stays include airport and ship transfers, breakfast daily, complimentary wi-fi and all hotel taxes and fees.
Here’s what 3 travel industry execs are saying now about Canada’s vaccine passport for int’l travel
TORONTO — In the run-up to the election, Justin Trudeau said the federal government would give the provinces $1 billion to help shoulder the costs of provincial vaccine passports.
Days later, and still on the campaign trail, Trudeau suggested that for any provinces that were interested, and had rolled out provincial vaccine passports, the federal government could add certification for international travel.
While Canada’s official system of proof of vaccination for international travel was first promised for fall 2021, on Sept. 3 Trudeau said, “We will be bringing in that more formalized version in the coming months, or a year perhaps.”
Piggybacking federal certification for international travel for fully vaccinated Canadians onto provincial vaccine passports, Trudeau seemed to be suggesting, could be an interim measure until the national system is ready. “The priority is giving people a solid document that will allow them to do both things, both engage provincially in local businesses, knowing that they’re safe from the people at the next table, and travel internationally with something robust enough and approved by the government of Canada, that will be accepted at airports around the world,” he said.
The list of provinces with vaccine passports - which could add in the federal government’s certification for international travel, if Trudeau keeps his election promise - is growing. Vaccine passports / proof of vaccination requirements for non-essential activities are now up and running in Ontario (Sept. 22), New Brunswick (Sept. 22), Alberta (Sept. 20), B.C. (Sept. 13), Quebec (Sept. 1) and Manitoba (Sept. 3). Other provinces coming onboard include Newfoundland and Labrador (early October), Saskatchewan (Oct. 1) and Nova Scotia (Oct. 4).
For now Canadian travellers are using ArriveCAN to upload their proof of vaccination.
We wanted to know, is ArriveCAN a good enough system for the shortterm, since the piggybacking plan with the provincial vaccine passports is still so far just an election pledge, and since the official Canadian vaccine passport could be as much as a year away?
We asked three travel industry experts what they’re hearing and seeing now, here’s what they said:
“Most travellers including international travellers are comfortable with the ArriveCAN app and able to upload their proof of vaccination. This is similar to entry requirements for several other countries. Unfortunately there is still much confusion amongst Canadians and Americans as to which negative COVID test you require when travelling to / from Canada and some even think you need it to travel between provinces… the federal and provincial governments have really botched their messaging and continue to state now is not the time to travel!” — Brian Robertson, President (Canada West), Direct Travel
“This flip-flopping about has folks back and forth on things as you can imagine. Now with the proof of vaccination, more people are raring to go. I’m heading out on Oct. 16 myself and can’t wait! Generally one streamlined piece would be the best and it’s just too bad that the process is getting stalled by jurisdiction issues ie. health being provincial and transport being federal. We’ll keep hoping for quick but conscientious methods that won’t be rolled-out so quickly they will need to be redone.” — Heidi Hurst, Heidiway Travel, Calgary
“I don’t expect we’ll see anything [in terms of the national vaccine passport for international travel] in the very near future. I’ve been talking to friends, colleagues and agents to find out peoples’ experiences travelling overseas …. right now ArriveCAN seems to be sufficient (along with negative tests) and quite a few are also using Verifly.
“The vast majority of people I’ve heard from have said the process takes longer than usual but it’s expected and there haven’t been any issues if you have the ArriveCAN app and negative test within 72hrs.
“The biggest thing I’ve noticed is the inconsistency around whether documents are checked, how closely, etc. Some have had rigid checks — so long lines — whereas others have zipped through (could have something to do with how full the flight is, etc.).
“I think as traveller numbers go up we’ll see an increase in issues without an international passport, given the lack of consistency with requirements and regulations.” — Allison Wallace, VP, Corporate Communication & CSR, The Americas, Flight Centre Travel Group
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