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Awards of merit 2007

IT'S TIME TO VOTE NOW!
A total of 55 candidates

You have until February 17th, 2008
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AWARDS OF MERIT 2007: GET THOSE VOTES IN!

Polls close Sunday; winners to be announced next week

Time is running out to make your voice heard in for the inaugural Awards of Merit from TRAVELHotNews Western Edition! The polls will close on Sunday, February 17. We will be announcing the winning individuals and companies next week in THNWest.com. In addition, the winners of the Western Canadian Personality of the Year and Travel Agent of the Year will be announced at the Addison Travel Trade Show in Toronto on February 20, 2008. They will join their counterpart winners from TRAVELHotNews.com and ExpressVoyage.ca in the nation-wide vote for Canadian Personality of the Year and Canadian Travel Agent of the Year -- voting for these titles will begin next week. So who will the Western Canadian winners be? That's up to you! Get your office together and vote for your favourite candidates now.

2008 VANCOUVER SKAL BOARD NAMED

Outgoing president Mike Hagan passes torch to Brian Veitch

Outgoing president Mike Hagan passes the torch to Brian Veitch

The Vancover Skål club held its Annual General Meeting at the Pan Pacific Hotel on Wednesday night. Among the other business, the 2008 board of directors was named. Outgoing club president Signature Vacations’ Mike Hagan presented Brian Veitch of Veitch & Company with the chain of office. The other members of the new board are: City Passports' Randy Vannatter (vice president, administration); Joe Matheson, also from City Passports (vice president, finance); Ivano Corraza, Coast Tsawwassen Inn (treasurer / secretary); Mike Durkin, Best Western Richmond Hotel & Convention Centre (program & house venues); Allison Eaton, Flight Centre North America (communications); and Chad Wetsch, Harbour Air Seaplanes (membership). The directors-at-large are Gordon Chatry, Inntimate Inns Ltd.; Harvey Lee, HGL Enterprises; David McCaig, ACTA; Bill Row, Air Canada; Brenda Storey, Harbour Centre Travel; Phil Storey, Vanguard Tours & Cruises; and David Shawcross, Perimeter Transportation. [Full text and pictures]

HARBOUR AIR INTRODUCES NEW TRAVEL AGENT PORTAL

New customized site offers 15% commissions for first 90 days of use

Harbour Air Seaplanes, the world’s largest all-seaplane airline, has launched a new customized website for travel professionals, and is offering extra commissions for 90 days after agencies sign up. The airline, which transports more than 250,000 passengers annually on both scheduled and charter services between Vancouver and the Lower Mainland and Victoria, Nanaimo and the Gulf Islands, introduced its Online Travel Agent Portal to make securing clients’ reservations easier and more efficient. Read on for all the details. [Full text and pictures]

HORIZON TO LAUNCH PRINCE GEORGE-SEATTLE SERVICE

First scheduled international air service for Northern B.C. City begins May 1

Horizon Air has announced a new daily direct service between Prince George, B. C. and Seattle. The service will begin May 1, 2008. With this flight, the Prince George region gains new, convenient connections to many popular U.S. destinations in the Pacific Northwest, California, Nevada, Arizona and Florida served by Horizon and sister company Alaska Airlines, as well as other destinations served from Seattle by their airline partners. The once-daily service will depart from Seattle at 1:20 p.m. and from Prince George at 3:45 p.m. The flight, which takes an hour and 45 minutes -- will be operated with the airline’s 76-seat Q400 turboprop aircraft. [Full text and pictures]

NEW HOURS, FARES & SERVICE FROM OASIS HK

New reservations centre hours; new fares from $279/$999 one-way; businessOasis more comfortable; $179 agent special

There is plenty of news from Oasis Hong Kong Airlines. The carrier’s reservations centre has introduced new hours of service; it will now be open Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. PST, and from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Also new: regular one-way fares between Vancouver and Hong Kong starting at $279 in economy class and $999 in business class. Clients opting for business class will enjoy enhanced in-flight service, featuring new improvements to every aspect of the in-flight experience. And last but certainly not least, the airline is offering special reduced-rate special for Oasis Hong Kong Airlines registered agents: a one-way economy ticket is just $179 for travel by March 31, 2008. Read on for more information. [Full text and pictures]