Jim Bits: Disney's Pixar Pier, WestJet Link and More Foodie Facts

All things Pixar are kicking off summer at the Disneyland Resort as Pixar Pier opened at Disney California Adventure Park on June 23.

Beloved Pixar stories and characters come to life in this newly reimagined land that features the thrilling Incredicoaster and Pixar Pal-A-Round attractions, imaginative neighbourhoods, Pixar-inspired food, the Lamplight Lounge, plus exciting entertainment and more. Guests will experience the wonderful worlds of Pixar in incredible new ways on this seaside waterfront at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim.

Pixar Pier debuts during Pixar Fest, a limited-time celebration of friendship and beyond that runs through Sept. 3, 2018, throughout the Disneyland Resort. One of the highlights of Pixar Fest is the new "Together Forever-A Pixar Nighttime Spectacular" multimedia fireworks show at Disneyland Park.

WestJet's new ultra-low-cost airline Swoop got most of the attention. But WestJet was busy with another project this week that should have a big impact on air service in Canada.

WestJet has inaugurated its new regional airline service, WestJet Link, with the first flights connecting Cranbrook and Prince George B.C. to Calgary.

Service started from Lethbridge and Lloydminster to Calgary yesterday (June 21) and starts from Medicine Hat to Calgary today (Friday, June 22).

Overall, WestJet Link connects five new cities to WestJet's growing hub at the YYC Calgary International Airport.

"This is a great day for the communities who now benefit from WestJet's non-stop service and convenient connectivity to the WestJet network," said Tim Croyle, WestJet Interim Executive Vice-President, Commercial. "WestJet continues to offer Canadians more travel options and WestJet Link brings more choice, lower fares and WestJet's renowned guest service to these five communities."

These new routes add to WestJet's existing leadership position in Calgary, offering more flights and seats to more destinations than any other airline with an average of 147 daily departures to 49 destinations.

WestJet's ultra-low-cost airline, Swoop, launched this week. They began with flights between Hamilton and Abbotsford, B.C., as well as between Hamilton and Halifax. Swoop is due to start service between Edmonton and Winnipeg today (Monday, June 25).

WestJet Encore, by the way, celebrated its fifth birthday this past week. Encore has operated more than 300,000 flights and has expanded its fleet of Canadian-made Q400 aircraft to 47.

"Over the past five years WestJet Encore has connected nearly 13 million guests from more than 37 cities who may not have had the opportunity to fly before," said Charles Duncan, President, WestJet Encore, and Executive Vice-President, WestJet.

Barbados hotelier Patricia Affonso-Dass took up office as the new President of the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA).

Karolin Troubetzkoy, the regional trade association's outgoing president, handed over the gavel to Affonso-Dass in an emotional transition at CHTA's Annual General Meeting, during which she was hailed for her personal contributions to the region during challenging times.

Affonso-Dass, Group General Manager at Ocean Hotels in Barbados, thanked Troubetzkoy for her selfless efforts leading the association, while Grenadian hotelier Sir Royston Hopkin congratulated her on her steady leadership.

Troubetzkoy expressed her appreciation for the good wishes of her colleagues. She will now serve both as Chair of CHTA as well as of the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association Educational Foundation (CHTAEF).

A true pan-Caribbean woman, Affonso-Dass, a graduate of Florida International University's School of Hospitality and Tourism Management, was born in Roseau, Dominica and lived in Trinidad and Antigua before moving to Guyana where she grew up. She has made Barbados her home for the past 20 years.

She will serve as president of the association for the next two years.

This space reported a study a couple weeks ago that talked about the importance of food for travellers. Now comes yet another study that cements food as a prime reason for folks to hop on a plane or a train or a bus or a car or a bike.

The "Tasty Travels" report from hotels.com finds that six in ten young Canadian travellers feel that foodie experiences stand out the most in their holiday memories, beating out sight-seeing (55 per cent) and spending time with their travel buddy (33 per cent).

The study also found that the younger generation are now even more focused on munching delicious local delicacies on holiday (68 per cent) than visiting landmarks (61 per cent) and exploring the outdoors (34 per cent).

Millennial travellers don't play it safe with their food choices either, as one in five claimed they'd love to try chicken feet, crickets and garlic ice cream.

Interesting. And something to keep in mind when booking young Canadians on their next trip….

As well as analyzing foodie habits, the hotels.com study also looked at the top food cities on the planet for young Canadians. Here's what they came up with: 1. Paris, 2. Rome, 3. New York, 4. London, 5. Tokyo, 6. Barcelona, 7. Venice.

No mention of Medicine Hat. Or Montreal. Or Moncton or Markham, for that matter.

Mandy Chomat, chief sales and marketing officer at Karisma Hotels & Resorts, tells TravelPulse the all-inclusive company is planning to expand its Margaritaville, an All-Inclusive Experience, by Karisma brand to the islands of Barbados and St. Lucia.

"There's serious thought about expanding to St. Lucia and Barbados," said Chomat. "Karisma Hotels & Resorts is in discussions to expand Margaritaville into these islands over the next few years."

Chomat also said travelers could expect new Nickelodeon Hotels & Resorts properties throughout the Caribbean as well. That brand first debuted in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic in 2016.

"Karisma is scouting Barbados and St. Lucia, along with other major island destinations, for Margaritaville, An All-Inclusive Experience, by Karisma, as well as Nickelodeon Hotels & Resorts," says Chomat. "We're looking at island destinations throughout the Caribbean, including Antigua, the Bahamas, and Grenada, evaluating airlift and infrastructure, among other variables."