The Canadian hotel industry reported increases in all three key performance measurements during the week of 13-19 June 2010, according to data released by STR. In year-over-year measurements, the Canadian hotel industry’s occupancy increased 8.9 percent to 72.5 percent. Average daily rate was up 2.5 percent to CAD$134.03. Revenue per available room for the week rose 11.5 percent to CAD$97.17.
Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE: CHH) broke ground this week on the company's first Suburban Extended Stay Hotel properties for Canada in Estevan, Saskatchewan and Thompson, Manitoba. Both hotels are designed to accommodate the large number of travelers in the two Canadian cities, especially those staying for longer periods of time in the cities' growing industrial fields.
Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario. Morris Panych directs The Doctor's Dilemma, a comic piece that poses some very relevant questions: when medical resources are limited, should a doctor decide who receives treatment and should those who can afford treatment be the first in line to receive it?
Edmonton, Alberta once again rises to the occasion to host one of the most unique Canadian festivals around, The Works Art & Design Festival. The 2010 theme for the Edmonton based festival, its 25th anniversary year, is creating positive change on Earth. This visual arts extravaganza is the largest free art festival of its kind in Canada and features an astonishing 500 artists exhibiting their creative works on sites throughout Edmonton.
The Rosewood Hotel Georgia in Vancouver, B.C., Canada is scheduled to open in early 2011. With four decades of experience and success in the management of luxury hotel operations, Halliday joins Rosewood Hotels & Resorts following his most recent position as founder and president of Halliday Hospitality Group, which worked directly with Pan Pacific Hotels Group to develop new hotels for the company. Prior to that, he spent 26 years in senior positions within Pan Pacific Hotels Group, most notably as Vice President and General Manager of Pan Pacific Vancouver for more than 10 years, first opening the hotel in 1986 for the World’s Fair. Now, Halliday will manage Rosewood’s newest addition and second Canadian property to its already outstanding collection of notable properties.
Walters has 25 years of experience in the hospitality industry and was most recently the hotel manager of the Hilton Seattle Airport and Conference Center. Prior to that, he was the general manager of Adam’s Mark Hotels in St. Louis, Missouri. Walters served in similar positions at the Hilton Seattle Airport and Conference Center, Doubletree Hotel Yakima Valley in Washington and the Doubletree Hotel Denver. He has also held food & beverage positions with the Oasis Resort Hotel in Nevada and Brinker International in Denver. Walters graduated from Oregon State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in food management and nutrition. He is a Hilton Worldwide award winner for leadership, guest loyalty and continuous improvement. Walters will report to Brad Hutton, Hilton Worldwide Area Vice President.
When the first guests of Sparkling Hill Resort and Wellness Hotel in Vernon, British Columbia above the Okanagan Valley, entered the hotel's glass atrium during its recent grand opening, they must have sensed that the origin of Native word "Okanagan," meaning "transport toward the heavens," was fitting.
Summer travellers can enjoy great hotel savings at participating Westmont Hospitality Group hotels across Canada with our Shades of Summer promotion. Guests receive 50% off their second nights stay plus free breakfast for two both mornings when booking two nights from May 14 to September 12, 2010. Most participating hotels are also offering free hotel parking.
Born in British Columbia, Michael is a graduate of Vancouver’s prestigious Dubrulle. Upon graduation in 1992, Michael worked at a number of prominent Vancouver area restaurants before joining The Sutton Place Hotel in 1997 as Chef de Partie. Michael’s obvious passion and enthusiasm for cooking eventually awarded him the position of Chef du Cuisine in 2000. French Culinary School
The rebound of the economy and strengthening dollar are leading to more Canadians traveling this year, according to executives from Best Western International, the Canadian Automobile Association (CAA) and the Tourism Industry Association of Canada (TIAC), who convened last week to discuss the state of and outlook for leisure travel at the annual Leisure Travel Summit in Toronto.
The downtown Toronto Intercontinental Hotel, located in the heart of the city's entertainment and financial districts, has formed a unique artistic pairing in a partnership with Timothy D. Mohan, the renowned Metis artist. Mohan's original works have been chosen to create a stunning lobby art gallery exhibition, in the heart of the entertainment and financial districts.
Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Colleen Blake, Executive Director of the Shaw Festival, announced Friday that the Niagara-on-the-Lake theatre has received $2.6 million in continued funding through the Marquee Tourism Events Program (MTEP), the temporary two-year stimulus package introduced as part of Canada's Economic Action Plan.
Offering guests superior Halifax accommodations, Expedia® travelers have ranked the Westin Nova Scotian among the world's best hotels on this year's Expedia Insiders' Select™ list. The list formally recognizes individual hotels worldwide that consistently deliver excellent service, a great overall experience and a notable value. The full list represents only a small percentage of the world's top hotels from the more than 110,000 hotel properties offered on Expedia.
Christiane Germain, Co-President of Groupe Germain, announces Paul de La Durantaye will also oversee Hôtel Le Germain Maple Leaf Square as its General Manager effective immediately. He assumes these responsibilities in addition to his current role as General Manager of Hôtel Le Germain Toronto on Mercer Street, a position he has held since 2009. De La Durantaye is a multilingual, Ontario native with an impressive international career as a luxury hotelier in Monte Carlo, Québec, Toronto, Scottsdale, Acapulco, Vancouver as well as resorts in Charlesvoix, Muskoka, Tremblant and Whistler. He has more than twenty years of experience with Fairmont Hotels and Resorts in increasingly senior positions.
June is the perfect time to stop and smell the roses in Niagara Falls, Canada. From the Welland Rose Festival to the New Vintage Wine Niagara Festival to Ringo and Robinson at Fallsview Casino, visitors have many options to satisfy all the senses.
Ignite magazine, Canada's highly respected meeting planning magazine, is seeking real life stories from event planners describing in 75 words or less how they became a professional corporate meeting planner, corporate travel manager or incentive programs guru. Meeting planners are invited to enter online with their story through June 30, 2010 and will automatically be entered to win prizes from seven Canadian destinations with Marriott Hotels and Resorts.
Destination Halifax's social media community site, Halifax Sociable!, offers a new resource to meeting planners thinking about hosting events in Halifax, Nova Scotia with a new M&C blog. The M&C blog at Halifax Sociable! features tips and news updates from the Halifax meetings industry.
David’s commitment to excellence and his expertise in the travel and tourism industry ensures that he will be an effective leader for the hotel’s dedicated staff and continue The Hazelton Hotel’s fine tradition of delivering an extraordinary level of service to valued guests.
Westmont Hospitality Group was the proud recipient of the Sport Alliance of Ontario's Sport Citation Award on April 15th at the 2009 Ontario Sport Awards Ceremony at Atlantis Pavilion, Ontario Place in Toronto. Westmont was recognized based on its significant contribution to amateur sport and sustained corporate leadership in the Ontario sport market over several years.
Investment in Canadian hotels last year dropped to levels not seen since 2004 when the industry was dealing with the after effects of SARS, according to a new report. Colliers International Hotels says there were $414-million in hotels purchased in 2009 -- a 61% decline from 2008. The figure was the lowest since the $360-million of activity in 2004 which followed a devastating year for the hotel sector's revenues as tourism lagged. At the height of the market in 2007, there was $4.58-billion in activity.