Destination Hotels, the largest operator of independent hotels in the United States, has unveiled a rebrand that includes a new name (formerly Destination Hotels and Resorts), programs, partnerships and a more unified visual identity. PAXnewsWest.com sat down with Carrie Drost, Destination's director of public relations, to find out what the rebranding effort means for travel professionals and their clients…
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Article for REW.ca: Five Great Things about Living in … New Westminster Quay
New Westminster Quay is a charming waterfront community along the Fraser River. With the average condo price under $400,000, a relatively young demographic and a short commute to downtown, this is a prime area for millennials and young families in Metro Vancouver who want to own a home without overcommitting financially or moving too far from the city. Here are five great reasons why the people who live there are passionate about the Quay and proud to call it home…
Article for PAXnewsWest.com: Exploring the sights and flavours of Fairmont Pacific Rim
The five-year-old Fairmont Pacific Rim hotel in Vancouver has thriving arts and food and beverage programs. The hotel's growing collection of artworks is the focus of a newly released self-guided art podcast tour. In the kitchens, newly appointed executive chef Nathan Brown is showcasing local Vancouver ingredients with a focus on sustainable ingredients and cooking from scratch. PAXnewsWest.com sat down at the hotel's ORU restaurant with Kaylyn Storey, public relations manager, to learn more about the latest developments in the hotel's efforts to highlight the visual and culinary arts…
Article for PAXnewsWest.com: Boomerang & Exotik showcase new website, itineraries
Boomerang and Exotik Tours invited travel agents to the TravelBrands offices in Vancouver yesterday to announce new technology improvements that will change the way agents quote and book travel through the companies as of Sept. 7. These backend changes will enhance the functionality of the revamped website launched in May, which brought the Exotik and Boomerang product offerings together on one site…
Article for PAXnewsWest.com: Context brings ‘deep travel' to Vancouver & Montreal
Context Travel, named one of the top European tour companies by Travel + Leisure magazine, launched its first Canadian tours in Vancouver and Montreal in May. This week, PAXnewsWest.com joined expansion manager Lily Heise and Vancouver wine docent Louise-Marie Lessard for a trial run of the new Vancouver-based tour Wines of B.C., a Tasting Journey of the Province, with stops at The Wine Bar in Yaletown and Beach Bay Café in the West End…
Article for REW.ca: Five Great Things About Living in … Fort Langley
Fort Langley is a historic village known as the "birthplace of BC.†Home to The Fort Langley National Historic site, an early 19th-century Hudson's Bay Company trading post, the community has a true village feel that comes from its roots as an early settlement rather than a bedroom community.
Situated along the Fraser River in the northern part of the Township of Langley, Fort Langley offers plenty of opportunities for outdoor recreation in close proximity to all the comforts of a thriving town centre. With a population of less than 4,000 people, it's a small town with charm to spare. Here are five excellent reasons to live there…
Article for PAXnewsWest.com: Choose Chicago zeros-in on Western Canada's untapped potential
Representatives of Choose Chicago wrapped up four days in Vancouver on Thursday with local travel agents during a sunny soiree on the patio of the Shangri-La Hotel.
"There's great interest in Chicago,†Cathy Domanico, Choose Chicago's vice-president of tourism and leisure sales, told PAXnewsWest.com. "Chicago is a new product offering for Western Canada, which provides a good opportunity for travel professionals…”
Article for PAXnewsWest.com: Arizona for millennials: W Scottsdale and the Scottsdale Entertainment District
The booming entertainment district in Scottsdale, Arizona is growing fast. Nine new restaurants and bars have opened in the last two years, giving the area the highest concentration of bars and lounges in downtown Scottsdale. The 230-room W Scottsdale hotel is located in a prime position for visitors looking to experience the area's nightlife, including three lounges within the hotel. PAXnewsWest.com sat down with Rich Gonzalez, the hotel's director of sales and marketing, to learn about the latest developments in the entertainment district, and what guests should know about this 230-room Starwood property…
Article for REW.ca: Residential Building Permits up 7.4% in BC, Down Nationally in May
British Columbia was one of only three provinces to see an increase in the value of residential building permits in May, according to Statistics Canada data released July 8. Residential permits in the province were up 7.4 per cent from April to $741 million…
Article for REW.ca: Total Value of Vancouver Homes Reached $526.3b in 2012: StatCan
The total market value of all residential properties in Vancouver reached $526.3 billion in 2012, according to new information released by Statistics Canada today. That's an increase of three per cent from $511.1 billion in 2011, down from a 10.9 per cent year-over-year increase the year before…