CANADA: British Columbia International Tourists Shoot Up

British Columbia saw a huge increase in international tourists for the first half of 2016, up just over 12 per cent from the year before.

Statistics Canada tracked the number of overnight visitors to the province between January and June, counting over 2.3 million people.

It’s a 12.4 per cent increase from the same period in 2015.

The biggest increases came from the United States, China, and Mexico. Visitors from south of the border increased by 12.4 per cent, from China by 22 per cent, and from Mexico by 38.6 per cent.

“Tourism is off to a spectacular start this summer,” said Destination B.C. CEO Marsha Walden in a statement.

“With particulary high numbers from China and Mexico, and steady increases from the rest of our key markets, we expect international visitor arrivals to remain strong. Tourism businesses around the province are having a great season and are reporting strong bookings into the next. Our international visitors are discovering something we already know-it’s a great time to #exploreBC!”

June was one of the biggest months for tourism with 656,676 visitors in total, up over 8 per cent from June 2015.

The tourism agency thanks the low Canadian dollar, increased air service to Vancouver, and Destination B.C.’s new marketing strategy, for the rise in visitors.

A new Aeromexico route between Mexico City and Vancouver that began in December 2015, alongside Air Canada’s service to the region, likely helped boost travel from Mexico. Vancouver Airport also added new service to Osaka, Japan and Kunming, China, and increased service to Taipei, Taiwan and Soeul, South Korea.

A sixth mainland China-based airline, Capital Airlines, also just announced they would begin to service Vancouver in December.

All these new international routes were made possible in part due to the government’s elimination of an international jet-fuel tax in 2012, said a release from the Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training.

The ministry says tourism in B.C. has supported 127,500 employees and 19,000 businesses in the province.

Meanwhile, YVR is hoping to hit a record year with an expected 21-million passengers passing through the airport by year’s end.

Vancouver International Airport (YVR) is on track to break another passenger number record by the end of 2016 with 10.5 million visitors so far this year.

It’s an 8.1 per cent increase over the January to June period last year, largely thanks to a surge in traffic from Latin America, according to numbers released by YVR.

Visitors from Central and South America increased by 20 per cent, marking the strongest year-over-year growth for all international destinations into and out of YVR.

It’s in part due to a new Aeromexico route between Mexico City and Vancouver that began in December 2015, alongside Air Canada’s service to the region.

Traffic to and from Asia also saw a boost of 12.9 per cent with new service to Osaka, Japan and Kunming, China, and increased service to Taipei, Taiwan and Soeul, South Korea.

The airport also expects the new non-stop service to Brisbane, Australia and Delhi, India will lift numbers even further by the end of the year.

Like Asia, traffic from Europe also increased 12.9 per cent thanks to new flights to Rome and Dublin and increased service to London.

Despite the low Canadian dollar – an incentive from American travellers to head up north – U.S. traffic only increased 3.8 per cent year-over-year. YVR says it was the new non-stop service from Air Canada to San Jose, San Diego, and Chicago, and new WestJet service to Orlando and San Diego, that bumped up the passenger numbers.

They expect the new 787-7 Dreamliner service between Vancouver and Newark, New Jersey that started in June will grow the U.S. market further by year end.

While not making a huge impact on U.S. traffic, the Canadian Dollar might be keeping people at home. Domestic numbers moved up 7.6 per cent.

President and CEO of Vancouver Airport Authority, Craig Richmond says YVR is expecting to surpass a record 21 million passengers in 2016, slightly up from the record-smashing 20 million counted in 2015.

“We have an ambitious goal of 25 million passengers by 2020. We will achieve this by working together to support new and existing services, connecting British Columbia proudly to the world,” said Richmond in a release.

According to the airport, reaching 25 million passengers by 2020 would add 5,000 to 7,000 more jobs at YVR, generate $2.7 billion in GDP, and add more than $800 million in tax revenue to all three levels of government.

Enjoy Christmass At Your Favourite Airport

CHRISTMAS is usually one of the busiest times for travel. Here’s travel site Wego’s pick of terminals that pull out all the stops to celebrate the festive occasion

1. HEATHROW AIRPORT

The UK’s foremost airport in London is spreading Christmas cheer across all terminals with selected restaurants offering free meals for kids, art and craft, and visits from Pingu, The Snowman and Peppa Pig, with Santa and his elves distributing lollies to very well-behaved passengers!

Heathrow has created special boiled sweets called the Boarding Bon Bons with flavours of turkey, sage and onion stuffing that taste surprisingly like a Christmas meal. And there are also sweets that taste of Christmas pudding with hints of brandy butter, raisin and Christmas spices. To celebrate Terminal 2’s first Christmas, a 2D vinyl Christmas tree will glow with interactive lights. Passengers can make the lights flash by Tweeting hashtag #T2Christmas.

2. VANCOUVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

Expect to be serenaded by entertainers embracing the holiday spirit. This year you’ll hear the sounds of the Vancouver Opera, Jennifer Scott Duo, Steinway Young Artists Program, St Andrews School Choir and Clare Brett’s Mrs Claus Musical Christmas Show.

On top of that, you can save your gift wrapping for after your check-in — have them wrapped for free in a number of locations throughout the airport.

3. CHANGI AIRPORT

Named the World’s Best Airport for the fifth time at this year’s Skytrax World Airport Awards, Singapore’s Changi has some rather unique activities, including the interactive multi-sensory show Changi’s Christmas Wonderland that the kids will definitely love. It even snows for some 8 minutes.

Other activities include roving stiltwalkers, puppets, magic shows, storytelling and exquisite decorations. And meet Mickey Mouse and his friends.

Apart from a German-inspired centrepiece, there are also picturesque displays of snowy Swiss chalets at the Terminal 3 transit area, traditional Japanese cottages at the Terminal 2 transit area, a Broadway-styled New York City at the Terminal 1 transit area as well as 5-metre-high Spanish-themed Mickey and Minnie Mouse topiaries at the Terminal 2 public area.

Take a photo of youself and either Mickey or Minnie Mouse plush toys, tag #CHANGIXMAS14 on Instagram, and you may win a whole lot more!

4. HONG KONG INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

The airport is taking bling to the next level, featuring a 16-metre-tall Swarovski Christmas tree in Terminal 1. Spanning two levels, both arrival and departure halls, the tree is made up of over a million glittering Swarovski crystals from Austria.

“A Beary White Christmas,” featuring the characters from local illustrator Bigsoil, welcomes travellers in front of a giant Christmas box. Take a selfie with the characters and share it on your social media page with the hashtag #HKIAxmas for the chance to win daily prizes.

There will also be surprise a cappella flash mobs of local arts students performing during pre-boarding times, Candy Crush art pieces are placed in the baggage reclaim hall, magicians from Las Vegas, Taiwan and Hong Kong and for the first time, a state-of-the-art light show in the departure concourse.

5. FRANKFURT AIRPORT

You can expect an authentically European Christmas at one of Germany’s busiest airports, the Frankfurt Airport. From the check-in counters and beyond to the security check, you’ll be surrounded by decorations to create a truly Christmassy atmosphere.

Live music with the singing angels of Engelsgleich and marketplaces which highlight the European festive season complete the Christmas feel. Shops, bars and restaurants will distribute treats and interactive, instant-win Christmas lotteries can be redeemed through the airport’s social media channels.

6. LOS ANGELES INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

LAX adds its own touches with decorated shuttles and musical performances by school kids and community choirs.

Among the interesting feature is its popular Pets Unstressing Passengers therapy dogs or Pups which will provide a soothing distraction to the hectic pace of an airport. Over the festive season, Pups will be dressed appropriately in their colourful Christmas gear. Cuteness overload!

7. HELSINKI AIRPORT

With Nordic lights twinkling, Finnair’s choir surprised passengers with a flash mob to launch the festive season in mid last month. This far north and on Santa’s home turf, it’s not surprising that Santa here is the most authentic you’re likely to come across. He’ll be sharing chocolate and other treats with passengers throughout December.

Look for the freshly-made mulled wine, cinnamon buns and other seasonal delicacies. In true Christmas style, the airport declined to share more, only that many more surprises would be revealed throughout the month.

CANADA: Sunwing Airlines

Sunwing Airlines Inc. is a Canadian low-cost airline headquartered in the Etobicoke district of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Sunwing Airlines offers scheduled and charter services from Canada and the United States to destinations within the United States, Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America and South America, and domestic services across Canada during the summer months.

Its main Canadian bases are at Toronto Pearson International Airport, Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport and Vancouver International Airport however it also operates seasonal flight services from over 30 local Canadian gateways. The airline is a subsidiary of Sunwing Travel Group.

Sunwing Vacations started its in-house airline in March 2015 using Boeing 737-800s to operate non domestic flights and flights from Canada to the USA, Mexico, the Caribbean. Since then, its president is Mark Williams, who had been president of Skyservice and had worked with Wardair and Canadian Airlines.

On September 29, 2005 Sunwing Airlines' parent company, Sunwing Travel Group, acquired Signature Vacations and SellOffVacations, and subsequently signed a partnership deal with TUI Group which acquired 49% of Sunwing Travel and a 25% voting interest in the venture. As part of the Sunwing Travel Group, Sunwing Airlines was named one of Canada's 100 fastest growing companies by the magazine Profit 100 for 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010.

In early 2015 it was announced that Sunwing had finalised a deal to acquire two Boeing 737-800 and four Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft from Air Lease Corporation in a $350m contract. The aircraft are due to be delivered over a four-year period from early 2016. In December 2015, parent company Sunwing Travel Group also acquired Caribbean Nexus Tours (now known as NexusTours), a ground handler and incoming tour operator in the Dominican Republic and Mexico.

Sunwing began operating summer charter flights between Canada and European destinations during the summer of 2015. Two of the Boeing 737-800ER are leased to Thomson Airways, which are based at Dublin Airport and Belfast International Airport. Two Boeing 767-300ERs were leased from EuroAtlantic Airways for these services, which connected Toronto to Lisbon, London, Paris, Dublin, Rome, Porto and Amsterdam, and connected Montreal to Paris.

In the summer of 2015, Glasgow and Barcelona were added to the list of European destinations. Since then, all flights from Montreal to Paris have been operated in partnership with sister company Corsairfly. As of 2015 Sunwing Airlines offers seasonal flights from Toronto and Amsterdam operated by Arkefly in addition to the Paris to Montreal service.

In January 2016 Sunwing Travel Group announced the 100% acquisition of United States-based Vacation Express.

Sunwing Airlines flies to a range of vacation destinations across the Caribbean, Mexico, Cuba, Central and South America including Varadero, Playa Santa Lucia in Camaguey, Punta Cana, Cancun and Montego Bay. Sunwing Airlines also flies regularly to destinations within the United States, including Orlando and Las Vegas.

During the summer months the airlines services destinations including Cancun, Grand Bahama and Punta Cana from its bases in the United States. As of summer 2015 the airline operated services from Atlanta, Baltimore, Buffalo, Charlotte, Cincinnati, Columbus, Houston, Nashville, New Orleans, Newark, Philadelphia, and Pittsburgh. In Canada, the airline operates several domestic routes, including Toronto to Vancouver. Other connections include Stephenville, Gander and St John's from Toronto.

As of summer 2015, there were also regular flights between Montreal and Paris operated by Corsair, and between Toronto and Amsterdam operated by TUI Airlines Netherlands. Sunwing Airlines has codeshare agreements with the Dutch airline TUI Airlines Netherlands on their Summer Boeing-787 Dreamliner service between Toronto and Amsterdam.

CANADA: Vancouver Tourism With 9.4 million Visitors, Its A Record Break

Visitor numbers to Vancouver are set to reach record levels this year, according to the latest estimates by Tourism Vancouver. Approximately 9.4 million visitors will be clocked by the time Vancouver rings in the New Year with its new fireworks celebration event in downtown.

This is an increase of about 500,000 visitors over last year’s figures, making it the second consecutive record breaking year, with major growth in the markets from the United States, Japan, France, South Korea, Mexico, and China.

Visitor numbers from the United States, the largest international market, will grow by 8.3 per cent over last year’s number of 1.9 million overnight. About a quarter million visitors are expected from China, the largest overseas visitor market, after a growth rate of five per cent over 2014.

“There are a lot of contributing factors,” Tourism Vancouver spokesperson Amber Sessions told Vancity Buzz. “Certainly the global economy has been good, there is high consumer confidence in the United States, and the low Canadian dollar also helps. But it’s also a story of our destination sales and marketing paying off.”

Downtown hotels were near capacity for much of the summer: occupancy reached 90 per cent throughout July and August, except for five days. When the FIFA Women’s World Cup championship final was played on July 5, hotel occupancy soared to 99 per cent.

The month-long FIFA tournament was a major factor for the spike – a total of nine matches were played at B.C. Place Stadium, including major rivalries in the knockout stage. As well, 19 ‘citywide conventions’ were held in Vancouver such as the World Congress of Dermatology with 10,000 attendees, International Diabetes Federation with 8,000 attendees, and the Academy of Management with 11,000 attendees.

The official global TED Conference also returned to the city for its second year at the Vancouver Convention Centre. The high-calibre, annual week-long event was held in California prior to the move in 2014, and organizers confirmed earlier this year that Vancouver will remain as their home at least until 2017.

In March, Vancouver will begin its new role as the annual host of one of stops for the World Rugby Sevens Series. The event draws tens of thousands of visitors from around the world to the host cities each year.

Additionally, Vancouver’s cruise industry experienced another strong year, with more than 805,000 passengers on 32 ships making 228 voyages. The sailing season also began early and ended much later than usual: the first sailing was on March 28 and the last sailing was yesterday, December 15.

Another factor revolves around the high passenger growth rate experienced at Vancouver International Airport. A number of new major flight services were added this year, and the same is expected for 2016.

A new record of 20 million passengers is expected in 2015, up from 19.36 million in 2014 and 17.97 million in 2013.