All posts tagged: Canada

Sunquest launches lower-cost vacation packages for Canadians from 5 U.S. border airports

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Three out of four US border city vacation packages are cheaper than the equivalent Canadian package Average savings of $550 per couple for vacation packages to select US and sun destinations TORONTO, Nov. 14, 2013 /CNW/ – Vacation travel has just become cheaper for millions of Canadians looking to travel to US, Caribbean or Mexican destinations. Sunquest, one of Canada’s most respected tour operators, is offering for the first time, packages from US border airports to allow Canadians to take advantage of the significant cost savings. With US flights costing an estimated 30% less than comparable flights from Canada, Canadians are voicing their opinions through their wallets. An estimated 5 million Canadians drove across the US border last year to fly from US airports to various points south. “As long as significantly cheaper flights are available from the US, Canadians will continue to fly from US border cities,” says Frank DeMarinis, President, Sunquest. “We are giving the customers what they clearly want, which is an option to save money on their vacation by booking cross-border …

TravelBloggers.ca, Maid Of The Mist, Niagara Falls

Three New Boats Ready to Showcase the Infamous Niagara Falls In 2014

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  Last year (2012), Hornblower Niagara Cruises [NiagaraCruises.com], won the contract to operate cruises from the Canadian side of the Niagara Gorge to the base of the Horseshoe Falls. Maid of the Mist Steam Company has been operating the tours since 1854 (originally they were ferries between Canada and the U.S. as far back as 1846) – and will continue to offer tours from the U.S. side of the river. For anyone familiar with the sights of the Maid of the Mist boats, it’s going to be quite a surprise to see the new catamarans running alongside the traditional-looking boats. The catamarans’ features include: improved manoeuvrability in the water, enclosed viewing areas for those who don’t want to get wet, an outdoor deck with tiered viewing areas to provide maximum sightseeing and they’ll also have seating, on-board washrooms and licensed concessions for new evening and night time cruises. The catamarans, (26 metres long and 10 metres wide), will arrive in Niagara Falls sometime in January 2014. One has already been built, with the second one …

TravelBloggers.ca, camera

Take a road trip, take a picture, win a free road trip

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SYLVANIA Canada is offering Canadians the opportunity to win a free road trip just by posting their photos on Instagram using the #SeeCanadaBetter hashtag. TORONTO, Nov. 4, 2013 /CNW/ – SYLVANIA Canada is encouraging Canadians to share their views of the country through photos. Using Instagram, anyone across Canada can submit their photos of the way they’ve seen Canada. “Canada has such a rich, beautiful landscape and while the seasons might be changing from surfing the coast to skating on backyard rinks, as proud Canadians we never let a cold front keep us indoors,” said Colleen Applebough, OSRAM SYLVANIA communications and marketing services manager. “For us Canadians, the difference between 20 degrees above or below zero is simply a matter of whether or not you’re boarding on the lake or on the slopes. We want you to show us the photos of your Canada.” Now anyone can take in a virtual tour of the country through the cameras of Canadians everywhere. By checking out the #SeeCanadaBetter hashtag on Instagram, visitors can enjoy pictures from British …

Travelzoo Celebrates 15th Birthday: Gives Away 15 Dream Vacations

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NEW YORK, July 22, 2013 /CNW/ – Travelzoo Inc. (NASDAQ: TZOO), a global Internet media company, today marked its 15th birthday by launching a “Golden Giveaway” campaign on social media in the United States and Canada. The giveaway, one of a number of events planned to celebrate the company’s 15th birthday, offers travelers the chance to win one of 15 dream vacations, including a luxury seven-night Tanzania safari, a five-night Cook Islands break, a vacation to Paris with a posh chateau stay in the French countryside, and an all-inclusive St. Lucia beach getaway. “We’re excited to kick off our 15th birthday celebrations by offering travelers a chance to win one of 15 dream vacations,” said Chris Loughlin, chief executive officer for Travelzoo. “Since 1998 we have inspired millions of travel and leisure experiences and saved our subscribers billions of dollars. Our brand is trusted by our subscribers because we deliver on our promise of high-quality deals. We look forward to welcoming many more subscribers as we continue to grow.” Travelzoo is giving away 15 vacations …

Safari Niagara, TravelBloggers.ca

We Live In Canada, But I Found A Tiger In My Backyard!

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Who would have thought that we could find tigers, elephants and lions in our own backyard here in Niagara? We were shocked when we found out that there was such a good Safari Park just down the road – about 30 minutes away (10 minutes from Niagara Falls, Ontario). To be honest, we’ve never bothered to stop in at wildlife parks or “big cat” parks that you see advertised along the highway because we’d always  imagined them to be hokey, lame imitations of “real” zoos. Based on our experience at Safari Niagara it’s safe to say we’ve been completely wrong about them and we’ll certainly investigate more in the future.

Hotwire Reveals Annual List of Canadians’ Top Ten Destinations for Victoria Day Weekend

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Also announces the “Great Weekend Sale” – Save Up to 70% on Deals for Holiday Travel and Beyond SAN FRANCISCO, May 7, 2013 /CNW/ – Hotwire.com®, a leading discount travel site, today announced the 10 most popular destinations for Canadian travellers booking hotels over Victoria Day Weekend 2013 (May 18-20). This year, more Canadians are staying in Canada, with domestic destinations like Montreal, Vancouver and Ottawa gaining popularity and newcomer Quebec City joining the list. Still, perennial favorite New York City tops the list. The good news is that regardless of where travellers want to venture to this holiday, they can now score even deeper discounts with Hotwire’s biggest sale ever – the “Great Weekend Sale” – offering folks up to 70 percent off weekend Hot Rate hotel bookings made throughout the month of May. [“Great Weekend Sale” ends 5/31/13. Saturday night stay required. Hotwire Hot Rate hotels only] “Hotwire prices are down in eight of the ten most booked cities for Victoria Day, so the trend was already good for holiday travel, and with …

TravelBloggers.ca,albatros-africa.com, Going On Vacation,

The National Airlines Council of Canada (NACC) Says Canadian Travellers Are Paying Excessive Taxes And Fees

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OTTAWA, April 18, 2013 /CNW/ – The National Airlines Council of Canada (NACC) welcomed a federal government report supporting its position that air travellers are being unduly penalized by excessive taxes and fees that are making air travel more costly for Canadians. The report, One Size Doesn’t Fit All: The Future Growth and Competitiveness of Canadian Air Travel by the Senate Standing Committee on Transport and Communications, builds on earlier work of the committee that concluded taxes and fees imposed on travellers and airlines are making Canada’s aviation industry uncompetitive. The senate report includes the following key findings and recommendations: Canada needs a single, cohesive National Air Travel Strategy to chart a new course to ensure competitive air travel in Canada. The Government of Canada must stop treating the aviation sector as a source of public revenue and start recognizing the sector’s ability to create jobs. Airport rent should be eliminated. Canadians continue to drive to U.S. airports to take advantage of lower airfares at an alarming rate. The rules governing the use of foreign pilots should be strengthened. “We note that …

Go Airport Shuttle, TravelBloggers.ca

New app Lets Travellers Book Airport Shuttles Quickly With Just One Click

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The GO Group has launched an updated app that allows travellers to book a GO Airport Shuttle from their mobile phones.  The new version called GO Airport Shuttle, stores users’ personal information, which speeds up the booking process thereby making it easy for travelers to find transportation in their destination city. To make a reservation, users simply access the app and enter their flight, arrival and/or destination information and the app connects them with reservations for an airport shuttle service. This program also now stores a customer’s information, so travellers who use the app multiple times will be able to book transportation with just the touch of a button.  “Mobile devices [are] increasingly becoming the booking method of choice for travellers, so this app allows one-stop shopping for all travel needs, allowing anyone to book ground transportation quickly from any location,” said John McCarthy, president of The GO Group – serving more than 50 airports in the United States, Canada and Europe. The app is ideal for anyone that travels to international destinations like London, Paris, Toronto, Mexico City, as …

WestJet, TravelBloggers.ca

WestJet Eases Restrictions On Pets In The Cabin

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Airline looks to attract more guests who want to travel with the family pet CALGARY, April 1, 2013 /CNW/ – WestJet today announced the easing of restrictions on pets in the cabin. All WestJet flights will now allow for any type of animal to travel in the cabin provided it fits safely on board the aircraft. Further, the airline will no longer require animals to be kept in kennels while on board the aircraft. “We recognize that a growing number of families want to travel with their ‘extended’ family and we are proud to be the first airline to offer this type of service,” said Richard Bartrem, WestJet’s Vice-President, Communications and Community Relations.

The Canadian Transportation Agency seeks the views of the public for baggage rules to, from and within Canada

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The Canadian Transportation Agency Launches a Consultation on Baggage Rules OTTAWA — March 26, 2013 — The Canadian Transportation Agency today launched a consultation to seek the views of the public and industry on the best approach to the application of baggage rules for transportation to, from and within Canada involving multiple air carriers. Baggage rules address matters such as the number of bags a passenger may check, the weight and size of baggage, how many pieces of baggage a passenger may bring with them on the airplane and excess baggage charges. Carriers can have different policies in this respect, raising the issue of which carrier’s policy applies in travel arrangements involving multiple air carriers. Currently, different approaches to baggage rules are used around the world. This results in uneven practices internationally and ultimately creates the possibility of confusion and extra charges for consumers and the industry. The goal is to have a clear approach to ensure transparency for consumers and industry alike.