CHTA Auction For Bahamas, Plus Ireland Tourism, TL Network, MSC Cruises And More

From Aruba to Jamaica and The Bahamas to Bermuda, hotels and resorts have joined with the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) to launch an online action to help support the long-term recovery of the northwestern islands of the Bahamas.

Lovers of the Caribbean, as well as those who are looking to fall in love with the Caribbean for the first time, will have many destinations and hotels to choose from as they shop and bid on vacation options, while helping those in need, according to CHTA's President, Barbados-based hotelier Patricia Affonso-Dass.

She thanked hotels and resorts throughout the Caribbean basin, and a resort as far afield as Austria for donating room stays, which the travelling public can bid on through the Charitybuzz online fundraising portal.

The public is urged to shop, bid and show their support by visiting www.charitybuzz.com/CaribbeanHotelsForBahamas.

"We are thankful for the contributions of our hotel and resort partners to assist the people of The Bahamas during this very difficult period," said Affonso-Dass, who also invited the public to support the cause and enjoy the opportunity to travel to the Caribbean, including parts of The Bahamas which were unaffected by Dorian.

Hurricane Dorian unleashed unimaginable destruction to The Abacos and Grand Bahama, destroying critical infrastructure, thousands of homes and businesses, and uprooting the lives of tens of thousands of residents, who are now homeless.

Tourism Ireland's Fall 2019 sales mission is under way this week. A delegation of tourism enterprises from the island of Ireland and Canadian partners are taking part in the targeted sales mission to London, Ottawa and Montreal. The workshops involve the partner organizations from Ireland meeting, educating, and doing business with travel agents in each city.

The Canadian market has performed strongly for tourism to the island of Ireland in recent years. Ireland is now the seventh most popular European destination for Canadian travellers, in a growing outbound market. In 2018, around 240,000 Canadians visited the island of Ireland, spending about €230 million. And, holiday visitor numbers from Canada have more than doubled over the last five years - from 72,000 in 2013 to around 165,000 in 2018. Canadian visitors are highly prized as they tend to stay longer, spend more and visit more of the regions of Ireland than the average visitor.

Dana Welch, Manager, Tourism Ireland, Canada, said: "Our sales mission to London, Ottawa and Montreal this week provides an excellent platform to highlight our promotional offerings in 2019 and gear up for 2020. Travel agents and tour operators continue to be an important booking channel for Canadian holidaymakers and a key element of our strategy is working closely with the travel trade, both online and offline. Our workshops provide the contacts, opportunities and platform to highlight the many incredible experiences the island of Ireland has to offer throughout the year, while continuing to build on our relationship with partners and agents."

TL Network Canada announced that it continues to expand benefits for member agencies by entering into an enhanced partnership with the Association of Canadian Travel Agents (ACTA), the member-based association representing the retail travel sector of Canada's tourism industry.

The partnership with ACTA will support collaboration on initiatives to enhance the certification, education and professional development of N members, along with other benefits including preferred rates on newly activated Certified Travel Counsellor (CTC) or Certified Travel Manager (CTM) registrations. It further demonstrates Network Canada's commitment to advancing a strong Canadian travel agent community.

Christine James, TL Network's Vice President who oversees the organization's operations in Canada, says this commitment is another action to help foster the success of the company's members. behalf of TL Network Canada and our entire membership, I'm thrilled to enter into this enhanced partnership with ACTA," said James. "I look forward to working closely with the ACTA leadership team to positively and proactively support the overall objectives of Canada's retail travel industry in addition to addressing the needs of our membership. This will help grow our membership's collective voice and the ability to contribute input to the lobbying efforts of ACTA." TL Network is the largest seller of luxury travel, cruises, river cruises and tours in North America.

"TL Network Canada has been a longstanding member of the Association of Canadian Travel Agencies (ACTA) and an industry leader in Canada," said ACTA President Wendy Paradis. ACTA is excited that TL Network Canada has made the commitment to become part of ACTA's Consortia Partnership program which includes an enhanced level of support and investment into the trade association and Canada's retail travel industry. We thank Travel Leaders for their commitment and look forward to working even closer with the TL Network Canada team to advance the advocacy, professional development and promotion of Canada's travel agencies and travel agents to government, travel suppliers and travel consumers."

Paradis added, "The ACTA Consortia Partnership program is open to any travel agency consortium that wants to make an enhanced contribution to ACTA's advocacy and professional development activities."

MSC Cruises,the world's fastest growing and fourth largest cruise line - is continuing to expand its presence in the North American region with the introduction of Tampa as a new homeport for the Company.

Starting Nov. 11, 2020, MSC Armonia will begin sailing from Tampa to the Caribbean, Mexico and The Bahamas year-round, with a full Winter season (Nov. 2020 - April 2021) of 4- to 5-night short cruises followed by a Summer season (May 2021-Nov. 2021) of week-long cruise options.

"As MSC Cruises expands its presence in the U.S., the introduction of Tampa as a homeport plays an important role in our long-term deployment strategy for this region," said Ken Muskat, EVP and Chief Operating Officer of MSC Cruises USA. "We've seen increased demand for cruise options from Tampa as vacationers from around the world look to explore the city and surrounding areas pre- and post-cruise. We're looking forward to bringing MSC Armonia, one of our more classic and charming ships, to Tampa and to introducing even more travelers to the MSC Cruises experience, inspired by our European heritage."

"We are thrilled that MSC Cruises will be offering year-round cruises from Port Tampa Bay next year," said Paul Anderson, President and CEO of Port Tampa Bay. "MSC Cruises offers an enriching and immersive cruise experience, bringing together people from around the world. Tampa is also known for the unique experiences the city offers its residents and visitors, appealing to a diverse mix of nationalities and cultures. We couldn't be more excited for MSC Armonia's new home to be Port Tampa Bay."

ITINERARIES FROM TAMPA TO THE CARIBBEAN, MEXICO AND THE BAHAMAS

For the Winter 2020-2021 season, MSC Armonia will offer a variety of 4- and 5-night sailings, visiting destinations such as Key West; Cozumel, Costa Maya, and Progreso, Mexico; and Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve, MSC Cruises' new private island destination in The Bahamas. With options for guests to book back-to-back cruises with new destinations on each sailing, travelers also have the ability to extend the length of their vacation with 9- or 10-night options. In addition, for those looking to get away during the holiday season, MSC Armonia will offer several 7-night cruise options in December 2020, including Christmas and New Years.

For the first time since it launched in 2016, G Adventures is updating its exclusive Dr. Jane Goodall-endorsed collection of wildlife-focused tours for 2020 with adventures in Indonesia, Botswana, Belize, the Northwest U.S., mainland Ecuador, the Arctic and Antarctic, and other diverse destinations around the globe. The update adds 12 new tours to the Jane Goodall Collection, which were each selected with the endorsement of the nonprofit Jane Goodall Institute of Canada, and brings the full program of branded experiences to an even 20 trips in total.

All trips in the collection, which includes itineraries across several of G Adventures' travel styles, are endorsed by the renowned U.N. Messenger of Peace, whose Institute protects endangered species through conservation strategies that incorporate the needs of local communities, with the understanding that helping people saves wildlife.

Since it launched, the Jane Goodall Collection of tours has welcomed close to 15,000 travellers from around the world. G Adventures hopes to grow that figure to 20,000 or more travellers over the next three years, explains G Adventures Brand Manager Amanda Dunning, exposing even more people to the Institute's goal of encouraging societies to recognize the central role we play in the well-being of animals and habitats.

G Adventures' animal welfare policy was and continues to be a key factor in Dr. Goodall's support, explains Jane Goodall Institute of Canada's CEO, Andria Teather.

"Partnering with companies who share our values is a priority for JGI. G Adventures is one of those companies that understands and appreciates our work and is prepared to support it. We are extremely grateful for G Adventures' support," she says.

The partnership between the Jane Goodall Institute of Canada and G Adventures goes well beyond commercial ties. To date, G Adventures has donated more than $100,000 in funds and travel assistance to support the conservation mission of Dr. Goodall's nonprofit institute, which has chapters around the world. Earlier this year, the tour operator brought its travellers more actively into the effort with a 'G for Goodall' campaign -- donating $85 per customer for every Jane Goodall Collection tour that was booked across the globe between April 1-5, the week Dr. Goodall celebrated her 85th birthday. More than $8,000 were raised that week alone.

In 2015, Dr. Goodall gave her support to the G Adventures Animal Welfare Policy, which governs the small group tour operator's more than 750 trips in 120+ countries around the globe, ensuring the protection and freedom of all animals when traveling. That operational commitment, along with Goodall's endorsement, paved the way for the first-of-its-kind partnership in the tourism industry: the Jane Goodall Collection.

G Adventures Vice President of Social Enterprise and Responsible Travel, Jamie Sweeting, explains the importance of partnerships in ensuring the tour operator's best-in-class commitments around animals:

"For many years we have been committed to ensuring that no people or animals are harmed either intentionally or unintentionally by our tours. Jane Goodall's recognition of our work to protect animals spurred us to take our work in this area to the next level. Together with World Animal Protection, the World Cetacean Alliance and the Jane Goodall Institute we have strengthened our protections even further. We strive to be the best we can be in this vital area of our business, and empower our travellers to do the same in their own adventures."

G Adventures founder and owner Bruce Poon Tip, whose admiration of Jane Goodall first paved the way for the trailblazing collaboration, adds: "I am so proud of this partnership and these trips. Dr. Goodall has long been --and continues to be-- an inspiration to me as a traveller, a father, and a social entrepreneur. If we can spread some of her endless optimism and compassion for local communities and the planet's wildlife among new generations of travellers and changemakers, we will spark a ripple effect that can do wonders for this world."

Sample, eligible itineraries added to the Jane Goodall Collection by G Adventures for 2020 display a special stamp in the company's brochures and website.

Created with Travel Advisors in mind to help increase their earning potential, Luxury Gold, the global leader in luxury guided journeys, is delighted to announce the launch of its brand new eLearning program, the Luxury Gold Masterclass, offered through The Travel Corporation's Travel Agent Academy. The program has been designed with an interactive suite of user-friendly modules, providing Advisors the knowledge and tools to better sell its luxury guided journeys in a time efficient manner, while thanking them for their dedication with exciting rewards.

"Our new Luxury Gold Masterclass offers Travel Advisors the opportunity to become a Luxury Gold Expert and increase their sales through up-to-date information on our offerings and in-depth knowledge to delight their clients with," shared Brad Ford, president of Luxury Gold Canada. "Ultimately, we created the Masterclass with our loyal Advisors in mind to help them sell journeys beyond the ordinary and we're rewarding them for their commitment by offering eligibility for FAM trips and opportunities to earn discounts on our journeys."

The eLearning platform is divided into three levels and Travel Advisors can access the first level, Sapphire, which is available now. The modules cover an introduction to the brand, the Luxury Gold difference, tools for selling the journeys and information on the brand's one-of-a-kind Chairman's Collection consisting of exceptional VIP experiences, personally curated by The Travel Corporation (TTC)'s Chairman, Mr. Stanley Tollman.

Travel Advisors can register for the eLearning program by following this link, offering 3 simple steps towards success after registering through the TTC Academy and receiving a welcome email to sign up and begin the Luxury Gold Masterclass.

For more information on Luxury Gold please contact your local Sales Manager or visit us at www.luxurygold.com/ca.

Collette, global tour operator, has launched their brand new season of tour destinations and dates, in conjunction with the debut of the latest agent resource guide.

The launch of Collette's new season means introducing over 20 new incredible tours in destinations that are currently trending on all the lists of favorite destinations. The Azores Jewels of Portugal, Spotlight on Nashville, and Greece Island Hopper, are just a few of our newest experiences, which guests can take advantage of throughout 2020 and into 2021.

"We wanted to create buzz and excitement around the launch of the new travel season," said Joshua Chelmo, Senior Publicity and Events Manager. "We have so many incredible new tours, and the launch of this season is really a huge indicator of what is to come in the year ahead."

The Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority's summer campaign #WhatCoolLooksLike is delivering on target, as just three months into the campaign, the Ministry of Tourism is reporting month on month growth for the summer.

Minister of Tourism, Charles Fernandez has expressed satisfaction with the increases. He said: "With the launch of the campaign in May, the tremendous support from our partners, hotel openings, and new destination events on our tourism calendar like the Optimist World Championships, we are seeing double-digit increases, at a time when this is not the norm."

The latest tourism statistics released from The Ministry of Tourism show a 10% increase in total stayover air arrivals for the month of May 2019. June and July provisional figures are also reflecting double digit increases when compared to figures during the same months in 2018.

According to the provisional figures, for the year up to July, Antigua and Barbuda received a 10% increase in overall stayover air arrivals with 187,701 visitors.

"This healthy10% uptake in the summer is significant. It means that on top of the phenomenal growth we received from January to July 2018 of 171,147 visitors in comparison to the 159,764 in 2017, that the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority's marketing strategy as well as other key factors, have really allowed us to steadily build arrivals, year on year", said the Tourism Minister.

The #WhatCoolLooksLike Campaign was designed to run during the destination's traditional shoulder season from May - October. With record-breaking results achieved during the summer, Antigua and Barbuda Tourism officials are proving that Antigua and Barbuda is more than a winter destination.

The Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority's CEO Colin C. James said, "We are changing the narrative. Antigua and Barbuda is open year round. Our partners are communicating to us, that the campaign has made a huge difference and we are seeing it not only in increased arrivals, but in the increased ABST revenue coming into the country during the summer months."

While it might be the iconic sights of the world that first entice us to pack our bags for adventure, it's often the tucked-away towns, lesser-known nooks and secluded seafronts that beckon us to return.

That's the idea behind the Globus family of brands' successful "Undiscovered" series of touring vacations through Italy and Great Britain. For 2020, Globus and Cosmos are unveiling three NEW "Undiscovered" tours in these popular destinations.

"So many Canadians love the idea of getting off the beaten path when they travel, but they are concerned about how to get there, what's worth seeing and where to stay," says Stéphanie Bishop of the Globus family of brands. "We take away all that worry and give them the experience of quaint British villages, idyllic Tuscan towns and scenic Scottish vistas."

Thanks to the overwhelming popularity of its "Undiscovered" tours, Globus and Cosmos are increasing offerings in Italy and Great Britain by 15% in 2020. NEW vacations joining the portfolio for 2020 are (all prices in Canadian dollars, and excluding airfare):

"These are wonderful tours for people who perhaps have already seen London or Rome and now want to get out into the countryside for a less hurried, less crowded experience," says Bishop. "It's a whole other experience to visit England's picturesque towns and the iconic Italian countryside."