We’ve wasted a lot of years in this country as the Canadian government continually slashed at federal tourism budgets. But rather than be churlish about this, I’m going to congratulate Prime Minister Stephen Harper and the Tory government in Ottawa for FINALLY waking up and smelling the visitor numbers. It’s not as much money as tourism folks were asking. The latest releases I saw from the Tourism Industry Association of Canada were talking about $35 million a year from Ottawa for three years. The release they sent out today says Harper has promised $30 million but spread over those same Read more
May 2015
My recent stay at One&Only Palmilla was my first-ever trip to the Cabo San Lucas area of Mexico. And it was my first-ever exposure to the One&Only Resort brand. I hope it won’t be the last for either. It was just three nights, but I have to say I was HUGELY impressed by what I saw and felt (and ate and drank) during my stay last week. The only resorts I’d been to in Mexico prior to this trip were in the Cancun/Riviera Maya area, so that was my frame of reference. No offence to that area, as I love Read more
From one part of Canada to another. Last night the folks from the Calgary Stampede were in town, putting on a humdinger of a party at Rock ‘N’ Horse Saloon in downtown Toronto. The bar was a sea of white hats with red trim, and they had a smokin’ good band called Trinity Bradshaw. They didn’t do a big press presentation, preferring to let the great food and music – okay, and the beer – speak for itself. But I can tell you I went to the Stampede last year for the first time and loved it. The atmosphere at Read more
NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE Niagara and the wine region is one of the best city getaways in North America; an easy drive from the Greater Toronto Area. But staying the night can get expensive, and you don’t want to taste wine all day and then get behind the wheel. Solution? The special GO Transit train and bus to Niagara. I had the opportunity to try it out the other day, taking the train from Union Station in Toronto. We glided past quiet suburbs and pretty ravines on our way to St. Catharines, a trip of about 90 minutes. From there we were able Read more
A cruise for nudists. Open cruising season in Prince Edward Island. And more ships steaming to China. There’s a ton of news out there for cruise lovers, and I’ve got a roundup of the latest. I also have some details on a world tourism and travel study that ranks the U.S. and Canada as far as world countries goes. First off, or first to take it all off, is news of a new “nakation” for cruise-lovers who want to feel the wind in their face, not to mention other parts of their body. A story the other day in the Read more
