Destinations
Ala Moana ‘Super Special’ rates still available
The Super Bowl is history, but the score of that 46th edition of the game has gained special significance for those seeking to book a room at the Outrigger Ala Moana Hotel in Oahu. It announced that it was celebrating the 46th Super Bowl by offering 46 room nights for 46 days at a rate equal to the final combined game score. With a final score of 21-17, rates for the fast-selling "Super Special"have been listed at US$38 per night, based on single or double occupancy. From March 1 to April 15, the Ala Moana is selling the 46 rooms nightly in its Waikiki Tower ocean-view rooms. There are no...
Hotel Amarano Burbank expansion near complete
An US$8 million expansion is nearing completion at the Hotel Amarano Burbank, which recently was awarded the prestigious AAA Four Diamond Award. The new facilities will include 31 new guestrooms and suites, swimming pool and spa, and a luxurious 1,800-square-foot penthouse Chairman's Suite. The project is scheduled for completion in March. According to John Fitts, president and CEO of OLS Hotels & Resorts, which operates the hotel, the improvements will perpetuate the company's tradition of constantly improving its properties to provide the best possible guest experience. "We do so much...
Outrigger has front-row seats for whale sightings
It's not too late for a front row seat to one of the biggest shows in Hawaii. Whale watching season runs through May, so there's still time to catch the breaching and pec-slapping of these behemoth visitors to Hawaii, and guests staying at the beachfront Outrigger Royal Kahana or Outrigger Napili Shores on Napili Bay can witness these magnificent sights, just offshore. Each year, as many as 10,000 humpback whales are said to make their annual 3,000-mile-long journey from the North Pacific to warm Hawaiian seas to give birth and mate. While visiting the islands, these majestic creatures, some...
Snow express lures US skiers to Whistler
The vagaries of the La Nina weather pattern is playing havoc with the snow at many ski mountains in the US, but has delivered boat loads of the stuff to Whistler. The ski resort recently reported its busiest December ever in terms of room nights booked, posting a 12% increase over December 2010, and 6% more than its previous peak December bookings, in 2007. While the snow has been building up on Whistler's slopes, it has been missing in action at many US resorts. As of mid-January, Whistler had about double the snow of resorts in Colorado, Utah and California, with a resultant migration of...
CITC hosts 6th Vancouver Student Conference
The CITC held its 6th annual Vancouver Student Conference on Feb. 8 at Simon Fraser University's downtown campus, attracting 70 students and educators from travel programs in the Greater Vancouver Area. Sessions included the "Top Ten Reasons to be in Travel Right Now"(delivered by Dr. Marc Mancini) and "What's it like in the Real World"led by Lisa Elliott, reservations manager at Collette Vacations. Darren Single, vice-president of Travel Services at Odenza Vacations offered down-to-earth counsel and advice, not only about working in the industry, but also in applying for positions in travel....
Grand Hyatt host hotel for Kauai Marathon
The Kauai Marathon has named Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa as the headquarters hotel for the 2012 race. This year's event will take place on Sept. 2. As the headquarters hotel, the event registration, Sports & Fitness Expo, Fun Run, VIP dinner and more will be featured at the Grand Hyatt, located just minutes from the start and finish of the race. Grand Hyatt Kauai has been a sponsor of the event since its inception in 2009. The Kauai Marathon has been named one of the Top 100 Road Races in North America. The recently renovated guestrooms at Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa create a personal...
Canadians encouraged to ‘Jump Into Ireland’
Tourism Ireland has jumped into 2012 with a new global initiative "Jump Into Ireland"to promote the island of Ireland worldwide. The campaign was created to reflect the island's "sense of playfulness and natural beauty"to potential and returning visitors. In Canada, the campaign will be rolled out over the next few months and will feature advertising across several digital channels. "Tourism Ireland is really excited to launch this new campaign,"says Jayne Shackleford, manager of Tourism Ireland in Canada, "which was designed to further build on the 7% increase in visitor arrivals from Canada...
Staying warm while taking in Aurora Borealis
For maximum effect, the northern lights are best viewed in winter, but it can be a very chilly endeavour. Northern lights seekers who want to stay warm can consider visiting the Churchill Northern Studies Centre in Manitoba for its Winter Skies tour. Natural light permeates 90% of the centre's interior space and a solar wall heats incoming ventilation air for the unusual trapezoid-shaped building. Amenities include sleeping quarters, cafeteria, laboratories and classrooms. The "Winter Skies: Aurora and Astronomy in Churchill"program will operate Feb. 16-21 and March 1-6. Evening talks by an...