TRAVELHotNews.com Magazine

VANCOUVER TRAVEL PROFESSIONALS MEET ECUADOR

Seminar introduces "One world in four regions" to agents
Hilary Genders

The Delegation from Ecuador

Vancouver-area travel professionals gathered at "The Peak of Vancouver", North Vancouver's Grouse Mountain Resort, to attend the Meet Ecuador event, a half-day seminar sponsored by the Quitor Visitors Bureau and designed to help agents make money" selling this up-and-coming destination -- arrivals in Quito were up 16 per cent in 2007, and are expected to continue to rise in the years ahead. Representatives from 21 suppliers were on hand to show off a diverse range of products available to agents' clientele. Read on for details. [Full text and pictures]

GOWAY�S NEW �THAILAND SOJOURN�

Intimate experience of the best of central and northern Thailand

Ayuthaya, Thailand

Goway has launched a new program providing unique small-group journeys within Thailand for 2008/9. �Thailand Sojourn� is a six- or nine-day overland tour starting in Bangkok and ending in Chiang Mai. �This package offers excellent value and with a maximum of seven passengers the group is kept small and intimate�, says Doug Vogl, product and marketing manager for Asia. �The trip comprises the best of central and northern Thailand including stops in Ayuthaya, Lopburi, Phitsanulok, Sukothai, Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai. With knowledgeable English speaking guides and drivers, travellers will experience Thailand in a very unique and relaxing atmosphere.� Prices start at $579 for the six-day tour and $989 for the nine-day tour, which includes three nights in Bangkok. Guaranteed departures run monthly through to February 2009. [Full text and pictures]

VICTORIA ATTRACTIONS JOIN FORCES FOR TIME-SAVING TOUR

�Whales & Gardens� package from Prince of Whales Tours combines whale watching cruise with world-renowned Butchart Gardens

Two of Victoria's top attractions have teamed up to offer time-starved travellers a unique solution - "vacation multi-tasking". Prince of Whales Whale Watching has announced the launch of the �Whales and Garden Tour� to the Butchart Gardens, combining the beauty of the world-famous gardens with the excitement of a marine adventure. Beginning May 30, 2008, Prince of Whales Whale Watching will offer Victoria tourists a full day tour that will begin downtown at the Inner Harbour, travel through the Gulf Islands on a whale watching adventure and end at the secluded private docking facilities at The Butchart Gardens. After a leisurely stroll through the 55 acres of world-famous flora, travellers can then choose to return to town by land or air. [Full text and pictures]

GOVERNMENT ADDS UNFAIR FEE TO PASSPORT CHARGE: AUDITOR

Foreign Affairs profiting from $25 conuslar fee; agrees to "review"
Canadian Press

Foreign Affairs lumps an unfair consular services fee of $25 into the $85 cost of an adult passport, the auditor general said Tuesday. Sheila Fraser took the department to task, saying it collects more than it should, even though its own rules say it's supposed to break even. The fee is designed to be a kind of travel insurance for Canadians abroad who might need protection or assistance because of accident, illness or natural disaster. It includes support in the event of arrest overseas. But Fraser said Foreign Affairs piled in other costs when calculating the fee. "Adult passport holders are, in effect, helping to cover the costs of activities that are outside the scope of what they would receive for the fee," she wrote. When Fraser's auditor ran the numbers, they found Foreign Affairs was making more from the fee than it spent. The department, though, insists that it runs a deficit in this area. It includes, for example, the cost of the 2006-07 evacuation of Canadian citizens from Lebanon. [Full text and pictures]

EDMONTON'S NEWEST FESTIVAL CELEBRATES SENIORS' CREATIVE SIDE

"Creative Age Festival" to be held June 2-8

Edmonton

Canada's festival captial has something new to celebrate. Edmonton�s newest festival will recognize and celebrate the creative side of aging. The Creative Age Festival, to be held June 2-8, in conjunction with Seniors� Week, will celebrate arts and aging by offering arts workshops, screenings, performances, and a symposium. The festival will concentrate on five disciplines: visual arts, theatre/dance, music, creative writing and film. The festival is the first of its kind in Canada. Festival highlights include a symposium featuring keynote speaker Susan Perlstein of the Washington, D.C.-based National Center for Creative Aging, free admission for seniors to the Art Gallery of Alberta, improvisational theatre and stand-up comedy workshops, and open stages. [Full text and pictures]

ROCKY MOUNTAINEER VACATIONS NAMES NEW DIRECTOR OF SALES

Susan Labentsoff veteran of hotel, retail travel sectors

The Rocky Mountaineer

Armstrong Group, owners and operators of Rocky Mountaineer Vacations, has announced the appointment of Susan Labentsoff to the role of director, sales with Rocky Mountaineer Vacations. Labentsoff is responsible for the strategy and direction of Rocky Mountaineer Vacation's sales activities particularly as it relates to the Australian and New Zealand markets. Labentsoff has a strong background in the hotel industry and the retail travel sector. Most recently, she was employed at the Residence Inn by Marriott as director of sales and marketing where she was a member of the hotel's executive leadership team and was involved in the key strategic direction for the hotel as well as the sales and marketing activity. [Full text and pictures]

BANFF CULTURE WEEKEND

Banff Culture Walk, Doors Open Banff celebrate area's historical & cultural heritage August 9 & 10

Banff

On the weekend of August 9 and 10, 2008, the streets of Banff will come alive with art and culture. Banff Culture Weekend combines two heritage events: Banff Culture Walk and Doors Open Banff. This annual event provides opportunities for visitors and locals to visit the area�s most interesting historical and cultural attractions. Numerous events are scheduled all weekend long. On Saturday, Banff Culture Walk will provide a variety of town-wide special events, including an opportunity to meet and interact with artists at various different locations and galleries. On Sunday, Doors Open Banff invites visitors and local residents to step back in time to peek into some of Banff�s most interesting heritage homes and buildings. Clients can experience the cultural, social, environmental, and spiritual evolution of Banff by taking a self-guided walking tour of over 15 featured properties. [Full text and pictures]