TRAVELHotNews.com Magazine

ROCKY MOUNTAINEER CELEBRATES MILLIONTH PASSENGER

Wisconsin couple surprised with more than $9,000 in prizes

The lucky winners, Mark and Catherine Casper of Superior, Wisconsin, boarding the Rocky Mountaineer

Rocky Mountaineer Vacations, owners and operators of the Rocky Mountaineer and Whistler Mountaineer trains in Western Canada, celebrated a major milestone yesterday morning � welcoming its one- millionth guest. Company founder and executive chairman, Peter Armstrong and president, Randy Powell revealed the exciting news to a crowd of more than 700 travellers, staff and stakeholders at the Rocky Mountaineer Station in Vancouver. Mark and Catherine Casper from Superior, Wisconsin were randomly selected and awarded with prizes valued at over $9,000. "Reaching the one million guest mark is a remarkable milestone and something we are extremely proud of," said Randy Powell, president of Rocky Mountaineer Vacations. "Even though this is a significant achievement, we are already setting a goal to double that number and expect to host two million guests by 2013." [Full text and pictures]

CRUISE WEST�S �GEISHAS TO GLACIERS� PROMOTION

Cash in the Bucks for New Bookings Made in June

Cruise West is offering a new agent promotion, �Geishas to Glaciers.� The promotion is open to all travel sellers for new bookings made in June for 2008 Grand Asia, Glacier Bay Highlights or Alaska�s Inside Passage cruises. Agents will receive a $250 American Express Gift Card good towards any purchases where American Express is accepted when they make a minimum of three new 2008 eligible Alaska�s Inside Passage and/or Glacier Bay Highlights cruises. They will receive a $500 bonus commission on eligible new 2008 Grand Asia cruises. [Full text and pictures]

SUNWING RELEASES WINTER BROCHURE

Continued expansion in Western Canada includes new flights from Kelowna; Mazatlan from Vancouver, Calgary and Winnipeg
Hot off the presses, and earlier than ever before, Sunwing Vacations is delighted to announce the release of its winter 2008-9 winter brochure for Western Canada. The operator continues to expand in the region, with flights offered from all provinces. In keeping with its policy of �bringing the plane to your door� � whereby Sunwing offers affordable and convenient holidays to the sun to millions of Canadians in smaller cities � departures from Kelowna have been added. The Western Canada brochure will feature 16 destinations and over 200 hotels. The newest sun destination to be added by Sunwing is Mazatlan, Mexico, offered out of Vancouver, Calgary, and Winnipeg.

WESTJET TOPS IN CANADA FOR TALENT MANAGEMENT

National survey cites airline for its people skills

Sean Durfy, president and CEO, WestJet

WestJet has been named one of Canada's top companies for managing human resources, according to a national survey of top business executives. Toronto-based professional services firm The Beacon Group surveyed more than 4,000 Canadian executives for their views on the state of talent management in Canada. The survey ranked WestJet at the top, along with Research in Motion of Waterloo, Ontario. "Our people and our culture are what make WestJet different, and although we don't do it for the accolades, it's always nice to be recognized for what we've accomplished," said WestJet president and CEO Sean Durfy. [Full text and pictures]

TRAVELSAVERS CANADA ANNOUNCES �LUNCH �N LEARN� SERIES

Fast-Break Midday Meetings Offer Agents Networking, Practical Business-Building Ideas

TRAVELSAVERS Canada has announced the Western Canadian dates of its next �Lunch �n Learn� series for its agencies. Hosted in conjunction with Alio, Acclaim Meetings, Fun Sun Vacations, Silversea Cruises and Viking River Cruises, the fast-break meetings will take place in Calgary on July 15 and Vancouver on July 16 and October 15. Held over a long lunch hour, the meetings are designed to offer opportunities for TRAVELSAVERS Canada agencies to network with their peers and gather sales-related information from preferred suppliers � without spending too much of their valuable time away from their offices. Lasting only three hours each, the Lunch �n Learn gatherings are succinct and packed with business-building ideas. [Full text and pictures]

�BUSINESS AS USUAL� AT UNIVERSAL STUDIOS HOLLYWOOD

"The Simpsons Ride" is up and running

All rides, shows and attractions open following backlot fire
Universal Studios Hollywood and Universal CityWalk are taking a �the show must go on� approach following last weekend�s fire that damaged the King Kong backlot attraction and one area of film sets frequently visited on the popular Studio Tour. All rides, shows and attractions are open and operating normally, including the new The Simpsons Ride. Universal CityWalk, the popular entertainment, dining and shopping complex, was not damaged in the fire. The Gibson Amphitheatre, the Sheraton Universal and the Universal Hilton Hotels were also unaffected.The Studio Tour attraction will continue to take guests behind the scenes of an authentic working movie studio backlot. [Full text and pictures]

NCL LAUNCHES FLIGHT ASSISTANCE HOTLINE

24 hour emergency hotline available worldwide
Norwegian Cruise Lines� guests experiencing flight or weather-related delays while travelling to one of the cruise line�s destinations can now relay their revised flights and accommodations via the �Flight Assistance Hotline,� an effort which is part of the company�s travel agent initiative, Partnership 2.0. NCL representatives are available to answer this en-route hotline 24 hours a day, seven days a week toll-free at 1-800-456-7179 within the United States and Canada and at 1-305-468-2029 for international calls. [Full text and pictures]

TWO BRITISH COLUMBIANS ENTER CANADIAN TOURISM HALL OF FAME

Rocky Mountaineer Vacations founder Peter Armstrong, Prince Rupert tourism ambassador Walter Smith inducted

2008 Canadian Tourism Hall of Fame inductees (l-r) Peter Armstrong, The Hon. Charles Lapointe, Walter Smith, Jean-Marc Eustache and Rachel Andrews, accepting on behalf of Guy Lalibert�.
Photo: Canadian Tourism Hall of Fame

Two British Columbians are among this year�s list of five individuals recognized by the Canadian Tourism Hall of Fame. Peter Armstrong, founder of Rocky Mountaineer Vacations, and Prince Rupert tourism ambassador Walter Smith, were officially inducted into the Canadian Tourism Hall of Fame at an intimate reception held at the Westin Hotel, in Ottawa on Monday, June 2. Joining Armstrong and Smith in this year�s list of inductees are three industry leaders from Qu�bec: Jean-Marc Eustache, founder and president, Transat AT Inc.; Guy Lalibert�, founder, Cirque du Soleil; and The Hon. Charles Lapointe, president and CEO, Tourisme Montr�al. "These five Canadians have made remarkable contributions over the years to the tourism sector and to their communities," says Randy Williams, president and CEO of the Tourism Industry Association of Canada (TIAC). "All are an inspiration to their peers, role models for young people entering the sector and outstanding examples of what can be achieved through tourism in Canada." [Full text and pictures]