April 2008

The New York Weekender Pass is perfect for getaways to New York City& at prices that cant be beat!

New! This Flight Pass is now offered in two travel zones:

The New York Weekender Pass - East - is valid for travel from Montréal, Ottawa or Toronto on Saturdays and Mondays to New York LaGuardia or Newark.

The New York Weekender Pass - West - is valid for travel from Vancouver, Calgary or Edmonton on Saturdays, Mondays and Tuesdays to New York (LaGuardia or John F. Kennedy) or Newark. Plus, enjoy nonstop service from Calgary and Vancouver to New York, and daily nonstop service between Calgary and Newark as of June 16, 2008.

Effective June 16, Calgary-Newark daily non-stop flights will complement the existing Calgary-New York JFK daily non-stop flights. 

Air Canada increases its flights from Calgary to the New York/New Jersey area, with the only daily non-stop to Newark. Starting June 16, this service will complement the existing daily non-stops offered by the carrier to New Yorks JFK. On this route, Air Canadawill use its 120-seat Airbus A319, offering both business and economy classes. Tickets are already on sale.

Air Canada flights will depart from Calgary at 10:20 am and arrive at Newark at 4:45 pm. Flights will leave Newarkat 5:35 pm and reach Calgaryat 8:50 pm. The schedule is configured to permit easy connections with flights to and from Western Canada, including Saskatoon, Regina, Medicine Hat, Lethbridge, Edmonton and Vancouver.  Thanks to this new flight, Air Canada as of this summer will be offering 41 daily flights departing from Canada to the New York/New Jersey metropolitan area.  

An Air Canada Flight Pass is a prepaid package of electronic one-way flight credits used for travel within a selected geographic zone during a specific period. A Flight Pass is comprised of fixed or unlimited number of flight credits. Flight Passes include all taxes, surcharges and fees with the exception of GST, QST. Increased fuel surcharges will not apply to a pre-purchased flight pass. This is the price predictability promise you receive when you purchase the Pass.  

1 flight credit = 1 one-way trip including connecting flights.

What are the benefits to a flight pass?

• Excellent value and travel cost predictability
• Optimum travel flexibility
• Complimentary advance online seat selection

Inspired by Southeast Asia's natural beauty and rich culture, many travelers are showing an interest in the area's alternative "eco" vacations, like the one offered in the Thai National Forests. Participants on this $2,300, 10-day tour (airfare and two nights' stay in Bangkok not included) receive an intensive education in regional ecology and conservation efforts, which range from using biogas to discourage logging and creating communal farms to decrease poaching. Highlights include trips to the Erawan, Budo Sungai-Padi and Khao Yai national parks, where tropical birds, elephants and Asiatic tigers live.

Ecotourism is broadly defined as "responsible" or "ethical" travel during which tourists try their best to minimize environmental impact and ensure their spending and presence benefits the local community. This niche market has grown steadily in recent years.

Though the market in Southeast Asia is still growing, there are several countries in the region that offer ecotourism options, including Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia. Visitors to northern Laos, for example, can stay at the Boat Landing Guest House, an eco-lodge certified by Green Globe, a company that rigorously evaluates a hotel's environmental practices. Guests at the riverside bungalows can rest assured the lodge is working to reduce its solid waste through recycling and composting. Tourists can spend their time trekking, rafting and biking in the nearby protected forests.

© 2008 Forbes.com

After major renovations, Club Med's Opio en Provence village was reopened on March 23, 2007. Club Med officials explained that the investment of 27 Million Euros was used for the total transformation of the village, such as more ventilated spaces, a larger reception area and long corridors leading to restaurants.

A skilful blend of noble materials, warm colours and high-tech equipment provides a modern feel to rooms, bathrooms and common areas. The Club Med Passion Spa (supplemental charge) was entirely renovated and features a Roman Bath and 7 private care spaces. A variety of personal "à la carte" care services with access to the hammam and the sauna are included in the package. 

A new swimming pool was dug in the olive grove. It is heated and available all year round. Also, the brand new Club Med Gym® offers activities for everyone, such as Body Combat", pump balance, crunch fitness and basic yoga.

The new Baby Club Med®* allows personalized attention to babies 4 to 23 months. Children 23 months to 18 years also enjoy an environment with age-adequate supervision.

A covered and heated swimming pool, tailored for children and supervised by specialized GO®s, adds to the total picture. Finally, the site also features a convention center with 31 meeting rooms.

NEW YORK (AP) -- After a three-year, $400 million renovation, the landmark Plaza Hotel has reopened with $1,000-a-night rooms and afternoon tea in the famed Palm Court beneath a newly restored stained-glass ceiling.

The Plaza, which is a National Historic Landmark, first opened in 1907. Marilyn Monroe was photographed here, guests included the Beatles and Frank Lloyd Wright, and Truman Capote threw his "Black and White Ball" in the ballroom.

Hotel general manager Shane Krige said the renovated guest rooms "bridge the world between the old and the new" with flat-screen TVs, electronic key cards, iPod docks and digital touchscreens that let guests change lighting and temperature or call for assistance. Touches of old-fashioned opulence include 24-karat gold-plated faucets, mosaic bathroom floors and white-gloved butlers, one per floor, on call 24 hours. Guests of all ages can request an "Eloise" bubble bath, with milk and cookies.

The March 1 event was considered a soft opening for the hotel, which plans a grand opening May 10.

(AP) -- Sailing away on a cruise ship with a midnight buffet no longer means waving goodbye to your diet. Keeping with the times, cruise lines are promising spa-like cuisine alongside the buttery lobster and piles of crab legs. The hope is that lighter selections will lure health-conscious baby boomers and others who fear being trapped at sea with a 24-hour pizza bar.

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. last year introduced its "Vitality" program, which weaves healthier meals and exercise into the sailing experience. Carnival Cruise Lines, owned by Carnival Corp., now has lighter dishes with nutritional stats on menus for hawk-eyed calorie counters. On Crystal Cruises Inc., fresh fruits and whole grains are playing a bigger role on the buffet line. In the past year, most major cruise lines have tossed trans fats overboard.

Adopting that good-for-you sensibility on board not only satisfies veteran passengers, but may entice new ones, said Robin Diedrich, a leisure analyst with Edward Jones in St. Louis.The lighter foods and fitness choices are typically included in the cost of the cruise. On the Disney Cruise Line, that means breakfasts with more whole grains and low-fat yogurts. Crystal is paring down portion sizes and featuring more creative salads.

Two more beaches were given Blue Flag designation by an international agency

The Dominican Republic Tourism Ministry announced that two beaches, Playa Dorada in Puerto Plata and Playa Coson in Samaná, have received the prestigious environmental Blue Flag certification. The designation is based on standards and criteria established and carefully controlled by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) an independent non-profit organisation, headquartered in Denmark. Previously, The Dominican Republic had received its first Blue Flag award in 2007, for its Dominicus de Bayahibe beach.

 Such recognitions confirm the status of the Dominican Republicas a prime tourist destination in the Caribbean. The Blue Flag designation is granted only to beaches adhering to strict standards with regard to swimming water, provision of environmental information and education, service accessibility, security and cleanliness.

NEW YORK

(AP) -- Forget the tan, the Mickey Mouse photos and the cliche souvenirs.

These days, travelers want to experience something more than the gated resort and the cruise ship buffet. They want to go on a walking tour, climb a mountain and kayak down a river -- adventures that can make a vacation more meaningful.

"In travel, people are increasingly seeking the authentic unique experiences that stretch the imagination and create potent memories that last a lifetime," says Chris Doyle, vice president of the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA). According to the organization, adventure travel is the fastest growing segment of the leisure travel industry.

Here, according to the experts, are some of the latest trends in adventure travel.

GIRLFRIEND GETAWAYS: More women are leaving the men at home. More than 50 percent of adventure travelers are women and most fall between ages 41 and 60, according to a 2006 survey by the ATTA. "We used to think of active holidays for 20-somethings," says Evelyn Hannon, creator of journeywoman.com, an online travel resource for women. "Now it's not unheard of for 50- and 60-year-olds to be going kayaking, mountain climbing, surfing."

VOLUNTEER VACATIONS: Combining volunteerism with vacation continues to be a growing trend. Baby boomers still rule, she says, but the fastest growing demographic in the last 18 months has been people under age 20, more than likely due to baby boomers who bring their children with them.

FAMILY ADVENTURE VACATIONS: Some families (including multigenerational) are forgoing theme parks and all-inclusive resorts for "more genuine nature-based, cultural, and education and learning excursions," says Doyle. He attributes this in part to baby boomers who have the means to travel "coupled with a strong interest in bonding more deeply with families." Top vacation requests are all family friendly -- dude and guest ranches, houseboat rentals, whitewater rafting and horse pack trips and trail rides.

SOFT ADVENTURE VACATIONS: An increasing number of people are choosing a vacation that centers around a theme, such as a culinary tour in Asia or wine vacation in Israel. Yoga has also seeped into the mix. Surfing is one of the top activities that women want to do.

EXPEDITION CRUISING: Look for more people to take expedition cruises to Antarctica, the Galapagos and Alaska, says Carolyn Spencer Brown, editor-in-chief of CruiseCritic.com, three places that are hard to see without sailing there. The cruises, while less glitzy than big ship cruise lines, include lectures and presentations about the place. "On an expedition cruise, everything revolves really around what you see off the ship," says Brown. "On the big ship cruises, everything revolves around what happens on board and the ports are sort of an addendum."

AFRICAN TRAVEL: While the Kenya Tourist Board says the sporadic and isolated violence has calmed and tourists were never in danger (the situation was internal and occurred in places where tourists generally don't go), there has been a downturn in tourism in Kenyaand some spillover to other countries in East Africa. When the region recovers, look for more people to go gorilla tracking in Ugandaand Rwanda; visit Ethiopia, an emerging destination, and climb Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, before the snow on its peak, which has been gradually receding, disappears.