Here are some travel items of note that flew into my inbox in the past week that I thought were worth sharing:
Canadians want Niagara Falls to be world’s 8th Wonder
A recent national poll by Ipsos Reid gauged Canadians’ support for the idea of designating Niagara Canada the 8th Wonder of the World, and eight in ten (78%) Canadians across the country support the idea.
According to the results, three in four Canadians (75%) say they already consider Niagara Canada a Wonder of the World and Niagara’s Regional Tourism Organization, the Tourism Partnership of Niagara (TPN) is setting out to make it official with a grassroots campaign that recently launched to rally support for the initiative.
Driven by local and national support the #Claimthe8th campaign aims to prove why Niagara Falls and the surrounding regions of Niagara-on-the-Lake, Twenty Valley, St. Catharines and Niagara’s South Coast (that collectively make up Niagara Canada) should stake the claim as the 8th Wonder of the World.
WestJet adds Belize to list of sun destinations
Starting August 1, 2016, WestJet also began year-round, non-stop service between Calgary and John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City. Both announcements come on the heels of WestJet’s recent winter schedule announcement of more than 85 new flights across its growing network.
Air Canada enRoute invites Canadians to choose their favourite new restaurant
The nominees for 2016 are:
Agrikol, Montreal, QC; Agrius, Victoria, BC; Alo, Toronto, ON; Ancora, Vancouver, BC; Antler, Toronto, ON; Backhouse, Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON; Bar Oso, Whistler, BC; The Berlin, Kitchener, ON; Candide, Montreal, QC; Chabrol, Toronto, ON; Charbar, Calgary, AB; Commodore, Toronto, ON; Datsun, Ottawa, ON; Fairouz, Ottawa, ON; Le Fantôme, Montreal, QC; Fireworks, Bay Fortune, PEI; Foxy, Montreal, QC; Highwayman, Halifax, NS; Hoogan & Beaufort, Montreal, QC; Hvor, Montreal, QC; Kissa Tanto, Vancouver, BC; Kraken Cru, Quebec City, QC; Le Mousso, Montreal, QC; Little Grouse on the Prairie, Saskatoon, SK; Máquè, Winnipeg, MB; Mission, Vancouver, BC; Montréal Plaza, Montreal, QC; Noorden, Toronto, ON; Osteria Savio Volpe, Vancouver, BC; Piano Piano, Toronto, ON; Royal Dinette, Vancouver, BC; Seto Kitchen + Bar, St. John’s, NL; Torafuku, Vancouver, BC; Uccellino, Edmonton, AB; Whitehall, Calgary, AB
This year’s Top 10 list of Air Canada enRoute Canada’s Best New Restaurants and the Eat & Vote contest winner will be featured in the November issue of Air Canada enRoute and at enroute.aircanada.com.
Hammacher Schlemmer introduces the self weighing suitcase
Continuing its 168-year history of offering the Best, the Only and the Unexpected, Hammacher Schlemmer introduces The Self Weighing Suitcase, a 26″ hard shell luggage piece with an integrated digital scale.
Available exclusively from Hammacher Schlemmer, this suitcase saves one from last minute overweight baggage fees by displaying its own weight in seconds when lifted by the handle. Weighing only 10 1/2 lbs., it is constructed of sturdy ABS that withstands all the bumps of baggage claim while keeping your belongings safe.
The Self Weighing Suitcase is available from Hammacher Schlemmer for $199.95 USD.
Book your Icelandair flights via Facebook Messenger
Icelandair announced they will offer passengers the option of booking their next transatlantic flight through Facebook Messenger.
The Facebook Messenger Stopover Bot is the newest example of the rising trend in Conversational Commerce. Available 24/7, the new bot makes it easier than ever to book an Icelandair Stopover by bringing the point of sale directly to the customer, allowing passengers to book flights directly from Facebook Messenger.
The Stopover Bot is also an efficient customer service tool that can, together with booking and search functionality, answer commonly asked questions with quick, content rich answers combining text, photos and even video.
For more information please visit the Icelandair Facebook Messenger Bot info page.