Residence Inn by Marriott has always been a great spot for folks who want spacious hotel suites for longer-term stays. But now they’re giving the properties a millennial-friendly, social spin. Hotel officials were in Toronto Wednesday night to show off their “Inn the Mix” program, which provides “social hours” with local beer and wine and cool food options at Residence Inn properties. “Millenials are travelling more for business,” said Diane Mayer, vice president and global brand manager for Residence Inn, Towne Place Suites, Protea and Marriott Executive Apartments. “They’re used to having social time so we wanted a program with Read more
The newest version of the Best Cities in the World report by the respected Resonance Consulting group has been released, and it’s another feather in Toronto’s proverbial cap. The latest Resonance report puts Toronto squarely at #13 on the planet, ahead of such renowned cities as Sydney (25), San Diego (20), and Vancouver (29). Here’s what the report said about Toronto: “Canada’s largest city has always been a hedge for people and capital—from English companies moving here in the ‘70s from Francophone Montréal to immigrants seeking a foothold to start a better life. The thing about welcoming everyone is that Read more
This story appeared earlier today on Postmedia/Sun Media websites…. MYRTLE BEACH –. The golf is tremendous. The beach practically runs from Georgia to North Carolina. And the clanging pinball arcades are legendary. I love all those things about Myrtle Beach. But I also enjoy the quiet side of this seaside city; the placid waterways lined with brilliant white egrets and the fine shops and restaurants. Here’s a look at the adult side of this popular getaway spot for Canadians for all kinds of travellers. THE WINE LOVER I don’t know that I’ve had as much fun wine-tasting as I did Read more
It was expected. But it’s still a harsh blow. My friends at Travel Pulse Canada say Air Canada has announced that it’s cancelling its service to St. Martin/Sint Maarten for the remainder of the 2017/18 winter season. The island, a hugely popular winter destination for Canadians, was severely damaged by Hurricane Irma. Many resorts are still closed following the hurricane, including the lovely Westin Dawn Beach Resort on the east side of the island. It’s not a big issue for Canadians, who have tons of great options in parts of the Caribbean that weren’t hit by Hurricane Irma or by Read more
News of the day, folks. A little of this and a few dashes of that. CALLING ALL CANADIANS – FLORIDA WANTS YOU! Florida sunshine will come cheaper this winter. Florida Governor Rick Scott was in Toronto this week to announce a new Canadian Power Play program that aims to boost the number of visits from Canada this coming winter. The state is offering Canadians up to 20 per cent off package travel deals from VISIT FLORIDA partners. My friends at Travel Pulse Canada were all over this announcement this week if you want to read more. It’s a great idea Read more
Working on the road; how to manage your cell phone bills, where to stay and how to take great photos
As a well-established travel guy in this great country of ours, I get asked a lot about what some of my favourite travel spots and how I juggle all my flights and what I look for. I can’t really explain how I manage the travel, as my inbox is a veritable jigsaw puzzle of messages and flight confirmations and all sorts of messy details. But I can tell you a little bit about what I look for on the road when I’m writing a story, the essentials I need, and also offer a few tips about great places to see. Read more
Toronto is Canada’s most welcoming city and is the top 15 in the world, according to a new study by TravelBird. With the United Nations celebrating World Cities Day today (Oct.31), TravelBird looked at the top 500 tourists destinations around the world and then took into account factors that can lead to a visitor feeling welcome, including the happiness of locals, openness to tourists, airports and other issues. They gave Singapore the highest rating, with a mark of 8.22. Next were Stockholm (8.02), Helsinki (8.01), San Francisco (8.00) and Rotterdam (7.98). The next five were Lisbon, Tokyo, Oslo, Zurich, and Read more
