TRAVELHotNews.com Magazine

Awards of merit 2007

Vote now for the Canadian Travel agent of the
Year 2007 and the Canadian Personality
of the Year 2007!

You have until March 9th, 2008 to vote

AWARDS OF MERIT 2007: THE WESTERN WINNERS!

Western winners chosen; polls now open for Canadian Travel Agent & Personality of the Year

The results are in! You've chosen your winners of the TRAVELHotNews Western Edition Awards of Merit 2007. Launched in December by THNWest.com and our sister publications, TRAVELHotNews.com and ExpressVoyage.ca, the Awards of Merit are designed to recognize the hard work of professionals in the travel industry across Canada, particularly those who went above and beyond the call of duty in 2007. Winners in both individual and company categories have been chosen by subscribers of all three magazines. Read on to see the winners chosen exclusively by readers of THNWest.com, and then get ready for one last vote: for the Canadian Travel Agent of the Year 2007 and the Canadian Personality of the Year 2007. The Polls will be open until March 9, 2008, and only one vote per category will be counted. On March 10, 2008, The two nation-wide winners will be revealed in TRAVELHotNews.com and ExpressVoyage.ca and on March 12, 2008 in THNWest.com. To vote, click here. [Full text and pictures]

TOURISM IRELAND SHOWCASE HITS VANCOUVER

Agents, media receive welcome worthy of "friendliest destination in the world"
Hilary Genders

A few members of "Team Ireland": Niamh Burns, sales & marketing executive, The Killarney Park Hotel; Katie Carroll, Tourism Ireland; Jason Powell, marketing executive, Causeway Coast and Glens Tourism Partnership; Tanya Johnson, sales manager, Royal Irish Tours; Karen Evans, national manager, sales and marketing, bmi

Vancouver-area travel agents and travel writers were treated to a sampling of legendary Irish hospitality last week at Tourism Ireland's "Team Ireland Showcase 2008", held at the Fairmont Waterfront Hotel. Guests were welcomed warmly by Team Ireland, fronted by Tourism Ireland's Jayne Shackleford and Katie Carroll, as well as several key supplier partners -- both Irish and Canadian -- including bmi; Causeway Coast & Glens Tourism Partnership; flyglobespan; Globus; Hello Ireland Tours & Irish Coaches; Insight Vacations; Royal Irish Tours; three sister Killarney hotels: The Killarney Park Hotel, The Malton & The Ross; and Trafalgar Tours. [Full text and pictures]

BCAA LAUNCHES "FULLY TRANSPARENT" PRICING

"What you see is what you pay" pricing pledge a first for large-scale travel agency in B.C.
Hilary Genders

B.C. travellers no longer require a magnifying glass to know how exactly how much their next holiday will cost them – that is, if they book that trip with BCAA Travel. The company has just launched “fully transparent” prices: from now on, all prices posted in BCAA Travel’s ads are exactly what customers will pay – no fine print revealing hidden fees or charges that add up to hundreds of dollars extra. “Essentially, our goal is for customers to be able to come in with cheque in hand for the amount that we’ve advertised, and assuming there still is availability, that’s what they will pay,” Daniel Mirkovic, BCAA vice president of product told THNWest.com yesterday afternoon. Read on for more details. [Full text and pictures]

FUN SUN HANDS OUT ANOTHER $500

Barbara Young from Cruise Holidays of Port Coquitlam latest "Fight the February Funk" winner; 3 days left for your chance to win big

Barbara Young from Cruise Holidays of Port Coquitlam is the latest winner – and the first from B.C. – in Fun Sun Vacations' Fight the February Funk with Fun Sun promotion. Young's name was selected on February 23 as the third winner of $500 cash just for booking with Fun Sun. Calgarians Sylvia Gutsche from Carlson Wagonlit Travel and Darlene Cole of Sears Travel won the first two cash draws, while Carolyn Patrick from Ensemble Farlie Worldwide Travel in St. Alberta was the first of two winners of a trip to her choice of destination: Southern California, Florida, Hawaii or Las Vegas. There is still time for you to win big with Fun Sun: read on for details. [Full text and pictures]

CELEBRATE THAI NEW YEAR ON ROYAL SCENIC CAS FAM

Eight-day Thailand & Singapore FAM departs YVR April 10; CAS certified agents pay just $899

Doi Suthep temple, Chiang Mai

Royal Scenic Holidays & Tourism Authority of Thailand are offering a unique opportunity for agents to celebrate Songkran, (Thai New Year) in Chang Mai, Thailand on a Certified Asia Specialist (CAS) FAM trip April 10-17, 2008. A stopover in Singapore is also included on this trip, allowing agents to experience two very different Asian destinations. Royal Scenic will assist qualified agents from outside the Vancouver area to obtain AD ticket to YVR. The price of this FAM is $899 plus taxes for CAS graduates, $999 plus taxes for CAS candidates and $1,099 plus taxes for non-CAS agents. Read on for more information. [Full text and pictures]

FREE GOLF PACKAGE FROM REAL RESORTS

Unlimited golf at Cancun’s Pok Ta Pok course for guests in top suite categories through December 21, 2008

Cancun's Pok Ta Pok course

Real Resorts is offering a special free golf package to its guests staying in top suite categories at THE ROYAL in Cancun, THE ROYAL in Playa del Carmen and the Gran Caribe Real in Cancun. These guests can enjoy unlimited golf at the Robert Trent Jones-designed 18-hole Pok Ta Pok Championship Golf Course in Cancun. Golf play time is available from 11 a.m. daily; tee times can be reserved with the hotel concierge 24 hours in advance. This promotion is valid with reservations for a three-night minimum stay and is valid until December 21, 2008. Read on for details. [Full text and pictures]