TRAVELHotNews.com Magazine

GET YOUR VOTE IN FOR THE BOOMERANG COVER CONTEST!

Last week to vote for your favourite brochure cover; you could win a $5,000 trip to Australia

Sydney's famous Opera House

THNWest and Boomerang have teamed up to offer you a chance to win a trip for two to Sydney, Australia. But time is running out for your chance to win! Getting your name in the prize draw is easy: just select your favourite from a set of seven potential covers of Boomerang's newest South Pacific brochure. One lucky winner will be drawn at random and will be heading to Sydney. This prize is valued at $5,000 and includes airfare from any major Canadian city with an international airport to Los Angeles or Vancouver and Sydney (Australia) with Air New Zealand; five nights' hotel accommodation in Sydney; and two excursions in Sydney with APT Australian Pacific Touring amiability of Boomerang Tours. The trip must be completed before September 30, 2008. So hurry and get your vote in! The contest will end on Sunday April 6, 2008. Read on for more details and a link to vote now. [Full text and pictures]

G’DAY VANCOUVER – THE AUSSIES TAKE OVER THE CITY

Celebration of Australian tourism, culture and food April 3-6

Sydney Harbour at night Photo by Venysia Kurniawan

Vancouver-area agents should be on the alert for plenty of requests for Australia from their clients in the weeks ahead, as The Aussies will be taking over Vancouver this weekend during G’Day Vancouver: Australia Week 2008, a celebration of Australian destinations, culture and food designed to promote the country to Canadian travellers. Taking place from 3rd-6th April 2008, The event is the largest single destination promotion of its kind in Canada. Across the weekend downtown Vancouver will play host to the Australia.com OzFlix Film Weekend, the Macquarie Penfolds Wild Tasmania Gala, an Aussie Travel Expo and the Surf’s Up! Sydney Foam Party all celebrating Australian culture and launching a three-month long exhibition Planet OZ: Walk on Australia’s Wild side at Vancouver’s Science World. Read on for details. [Full text and pictures]

NEW PRODUCT, DEALS FROM ACV

Hawaiian Escapades, Puerto Vallarta special from YYC, free upgrade at Barcelo Ixtapa

Sunset in Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo

Air Canada Vacations has made Hawaii available under the Escapades program. Air & Hotel packages feature choice of 44 hotels and non-stop flights from Vancouver, with connections from cities across Western Canada and across the country. Packages from three nights and up start at $599 for travel this May. Also this week: a special seven-night package to Puerto Vallarta from Calgary and a free upgrade at Barcelo Ixtapa on air & hotel packages -- featuring Air Canada Vacations' brand-new non-stops from Vancouver this summer. Read on for more details. [Full text and pictures]

NEW YYC SERVICE FROM NORTHWESTERN AIR

Tuesday, Thursday flights servicing Peace River via Edmonton

Northwestern Air has begun a new schedule servicing mainly the Peace River to Calgary (via Edmonton) passengers. The new flights, aboard Jetstream 31 aircraft, operate on Tuesdays and Thursdays. PLR 712 Red Deer-Calgary departs at 7:15 a.m. and arrives at 7:45 a.m.; PLR 711 Calgary-Edmonton departs 8:30 a.m. and arrives at 9:15 a.m.; PLR 707 Edmonton-Peace River departs at 9:45 a.m., arriving at 10:55 a.m.; PLR 706 Peace River-Edmonton departs 11:15 a.m., arriving at 12:25 p.m.; PLR 710 Edmonton-Calgary departs 12:55 p.m. and arrives at 1:40 p.m.; and PLR 709 Calgary-Red Deer departs at 2:20 p.m. and arrive at 2:50 p.m. [Full text and pictures]

SIGNATURE SUN SALES

Last-minute deals to Cancun from YVR, YYC

Barceló Maya Beach Resort

Signature Vacations is offering last-minute bargains to Cancun for travellers in the Vancouver and Calgary areas. From Vancouver Sunday, April 13, clients can choose seven-night all-inclusive stays in a variety of hotels, starting from $748 for the three-star Dos Playas to $1,248 at the four-star-plus Barceló Maya Beach Resort. Calgary-area travellers can depart Tuesday, April 15 for seven-night all-inclusive stays from $588 for the three-star Caribbean Princess to $1,198 for the four-plus-star Iberostar Paraiso del Mar. Contact your Signature rep for full details.

FOUR POINTS BY SHERATON POWERS AHEAD IN ASIA PACIFIC

Six new hotels planned for region in 2008

Four Points by Sheraton announced today it is “accelerating” its expansion in Asia Pacific; it expects to six new hotels in the region this year, including four in China, in addition to its first hotel in Malaysia - Four Points by Sheraton Kuching, and its first in Vietnam - Four Points by Sheraton Halong Bay. The chain was introduced to Asia Pacific in 2000 with the opening of hotels in Sydney, Geelong, Shenzhen and Chung Ho. The brand's Asia Pacific portfolio has since grown to 21 hotels, eight already open for business and 14 under development in Mainland China, Malaysia, Taiwan, Cambodia and Vietnam. [Full text and pictures]

HISTORIC HOUSE BECOMES EDMONTON’S NEWEST ATTRACTION

1920s Meronyk house moved to Ukranian Cultural Heritage Village

Meronyk House

One of the Edmonton area’s top tourist attractions welcomed a new member yesterday, as a unique historic home from east central Alberta was added to the Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village's collection of historic buildings and structures. The Meronyk house, built in the mid 1920s in Smoky Lake, was moved to the village and will eventually be part of the site's historic town site section. It will complement the already restored livery barn originally located from Radway, Alberta. [Full text and pictures]

TRAVELLING SINGAPORE AIRLINES? BETTER PACK LIGHT

Two pieces still permitted, but permissible weight reduced

Singapore Airlines has announced a new baggage allowance policy for itineraries including North America departures or connections. Under the new policy, which went into effect yesterday, passengers will still be permitted two pieces of checked baggage, but the maximum permissible weight of each will be reduced from 32 kg (70 lb) to 23 kg (50 lb.) Any extra piece weighing not more than 23 kg will incur a charge. As an example, charges per piece from Vancouver International Airport are: Seoul $131, South-East Asia $160, Indian Subcontinent and Australasia $175, South Africa/Middle East $200 and Philippines $200.