G Adventures News, A New Air Canada Lounge + Cruise News in JimBits

Leading small group adventure operator and social enterprise, G Adventures, has announced the acquisition of small group youth travel specialist, TruTravels, which is based in Surrey, United Kingdom, and was co-founded in 2012 by entrepreneurs Joe Fallon and Mark Pope who will continue to run the company as partners and minority shareholders.

While the acquisition broadens G Adventures' reach into the youth travel sector, the company's founder, Bruce Poon Tip, wishes to emphasize that TruTravels will remain 'tru' to their own unique brand identity, style of trip delivery, and way of communicating with their customers, who predominantly fall into the 18-25 year old demographic.

"Earlier this year, I realized we were missing a beat with a new, grassroots style of small group travel that was emerging for young people. When I started digging deeper into what TruTravels does, I discovered that while their ethos is closely aligned to ours, the way they communicate, and how they travel, is so different to G Adventures that we couldn't compete.

"For this reason, we don't want to change what TruTravels does. Joe and Mark are doing an incredible job in this space with this new style of fun-focussed travel which is rooted in meeting new people and driven by social media influences. Our aim is to give them a boost so they can do more of what they already do so well, and we welcome them to the G Adventures family of brands as a complementary business," says Poon Tip.

For TruTravels' co-founders, Joe Fallon and Mark Pope, the new partnership means achieving their dream of becoming a global operator faster and more efficiently, as they now have access to the supply chain and distribution networks G Adventures has built over the past 28 years of operation.

"While there are clear differences in the style of trips TruTravels runs, and the travellers we attract, the similarities we have with G Adventures are how we knew they were the right partners for us. Both brands' sales are dominated by travel agency sales and both attract travellers from a number of different countries," says TruTravels' co-founder, Joe Fallon.

There was another important consideration for the duo before inking the deal, and that was whether the two companies were a fit in terms of culture and values.

Co-founder Mark Pope says the biggest draw for TruTravels was their similarity to G Adventures in terms of the importance they place on company culture, staying 'tru' to their values, and their joint commitment to protecting people and the planet.

This is the ideal time to book a winter trip to the Florida Panhandle, where you'll find great food, amazing white sand beaches and affordable hotels and restaurants. Panama City was hit by Hurricane Michael in October but Panama City Beach tourism officials tell TravelPulse Canada that 90 per cent of their city is open for business. "There was no major damage to Panama City Beach," said Jayna Leach. "Most of the damage was outside our city, so we're here in Toronto trying to get the word out."

The new Skywheel next to the Panama City Pier Is a great attraction. I love Andy's Flour Power for breakfast. And you'll find beautiful nature around Shell Island, including pontoon boating, kayaking, stand-up paddle-boarding and more.

Leach said they're seeing "tremendous growth" in Canadian visits. The 12-acre Margaritaville Beach Resort is due to open in 2021. American Airlines recently added direct flights to Panama City Beach from Charlotte an easy connection for many Canadians.

Sunwing Airlines celebrated their new partnership with Menzies Aviation this week at Toronto Pearson International Airport. The carrier has signed a new three-year contract with the global aviation services specialist, who will be responsible for passenger services, ramp handling and cabin cleaning services for all Sunwing Airlines flights operating out of Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ); effective immediately. The contract also includes a renewal of Menzies Aviation's ground handling services for Sunwing Airlines operations at Orlando International Airport (MCO) in Florida.

President of Sunwing Airlines, Mark Williams, commented on the news, "We are committed to providing our customers with an excellent travel experience every step of the way and are confident that our new partnership with Menzies Aviation will ensure they experience a high level of service when they begin and end their vacation with us at the airport."

Chief Executive Officer of Menzies Aviation, Forsyth Black, also commented on the news,

"We are so happy and proud that Sunwing Airlines has chosen to broaden their partnership with us at one of the largest airport hubs in North America," Black said. "We remain committed to providing our customers - and their passengers - with excellence, from touchdown to takeoff."

Luxury cruise line Cunard announces Mareel Wellness & Beauty: a new spa concept developed in partnership with wellness innovator Canyon Ranch, to be rolled out across its fleet. Mareel will launch exclusively on board the newly-refurbished Queen Elizabeth this December 2018, closely followed by Queen Victoria and on flagship liner Queen Mary 2 in November 2020.

Mareel, meaning phosphorescence of the ocean, is taken from the ancient Norse language and speaks to the illuminating light and healing energy of the sea. The new brand will offer a holistic approach with an extended spa treatment menu of mineral-rich seawater and marine-based experiences as well as a redesign of the entire spa facility.

The new spa decor will bring to life the magic of the ocean in hues of blue, green and pale coral, creating a sanctuary of calm where guests can soak up the sea's transformational energy.

The 'Ocean Discovery' will launch as the signature treatment featuring organic marine-based products from VOYA sustainably harvested in Western Ireland and designed to replenish and nourish the skin and body. An entire range of ocean inspired massage, body and alternative treatments will also launch and will complement the aqua therapy center harnessing the healing power of water.

Air Canada this week unveiled its newest Maple Leaf Lounge at LaGuardia Airport in New York City. The new lounge, conveniently located after security near Air Canada's gates, is the first airline lounge to open in the new Terminal B Eastern Concourse. It features popular amenities, including refreshments and a business centre, so eligible customers can relax or make the most of their workday before their flight.

"We are excited to welcome Air Canada and Star Alliance eligible customers to our new LaGuardia Airport Maple Leaf Lounge, which has been created to enhance the overall travel experience for our premium customers," said Andrew Yiu, Vice President, Product at Air Canada. "Showcasing contemporary design and artwork, the lounge is decorated with maple wood screen walls, Canadian-made furnishings, yet it also reflects the unique character that is New York City. Customers will be warmly received and enjoy a calm environment in which to work or relax before their Air Canada flight."

With capacity for up to 126 customers in an elegant space that overlooks the concourse, the new LaGuardia Maple Leaf Lounge combines Canadian design and art with metropolitan modern style. The 7,015-square-foot lounge features a self-serve bar, offering a wide selection of beverages, including Canadian wines and Lavazza specialty coffees, a business centre and comfortable seating with a view of the tarmac. Business travellers planning to work on site may also take advantage of a cyber counter equipped with PCs and colour printing, complimentary Wi-Fi and access to more than 7,000 digital newspaper and magazine content via the PressReader app.

The LaGuardia Maple Leaf Lounge will operate seven days a week, and is conveniently located in the departure gate area, on Level 2 of Terminal B Eastern Concourse, steps away from Air Canada's departure gates 49, 50 and 51.

The PONANT EXPLORERS fleet will double this year with the addition of Le Bougainville and Le Dumont-d'Urville. Making their maiden voyage through the Baltic and Mediterranean, both ships will feature an innovative Blue Eye lounge - the industry-first, multi-sensory space that allows guests to experience the subaquatic world through sight, sound, and feel.

Le Bougainville will set sail on April 15, 2019 with an all-new seven-night Mediterranean Islands sailing. After leaving Nice, the 92-stateroom ship will travel towards the historic city of Bonifacio before stops in the Amalfi Coast, Sicily, Crete, Nafplion, and finally Athens. Additional ports of call for Le Bougainville will include Istanbul, Barcelona, and Lisbon.

Le Dumont-d'Urville will make her debut on Aug. 7, 2019 with an eight-night sailing called the Historic Cities of the Baltic Sea. The ship will continue throughout the region with stops in Copenhagen, Stockholm, Honfleur, Dakar, and Lisbon.

Air Canada says it welcomes a new air services agreement reached between Canada and the U.K. to provide for the uninterrupted continuation of air transport services after the U.K. leaves the European Union post-Brexit.

"The U.K. is Air Canada's largest single international market. This agreement is important as it provides our airline, and the 2 million Air Canada customers we carry each year between the two countries, certainty that our operations will be uninterrupted by Brexit. We applaud both governments for their foresight in making advance preparations to ensure the stability of this vital market," said Ferio Pugliese, Senior Vice President, Regional Markets and Government Relations at Air Canada.

The U.K. is Air Canada's largest international market and London Heathrow its largest international operation. For 2019, Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge will operate up to 91 round-trip flights weekly between Canada and the U.K., making it the largest carrier in the market. Services include year-round flights to London from seven Canadian gateways (Toronto, St. John's, Halifax, Montreal, Ottawa, Calgary and Vancouver) as well as summer seasonal service from Toronto to Edinburgh, Glasgow and Manchester.