News and notes: Protecting lighthouses, the best airport restaurant and dress codes on airplanes

I took some time to poke through my inbox to pluck out these interesting travel tidbits:

13 more Canadian lighthouses protected under the Heritage Lighthouse Protection Act

The Government of Canada is preserving heritage lighthouses across Canada for future generations.

The Minister of the Environment and Climate Change and Minister responsible for Parks Canada, Catherine McKenna, along with the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, designated 13 heritage lighthouses last week. These designations are made on the recommendation of the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada.

With these new designations, a total of 87 lighthouses in eight provinces have now been protected under the Heritage Lighthouse Protection Act – and more designations will follow.

The lighthouses nominated today include the Cap de la Madeleine Lighthouse in Quebec built in 1908, is one of the oldest examples of reinforced concrete lighthouses in Canada and the Rocky Point Lighthouse constructed in 1881, is the oldest existing lighthouse on the southwest coast of Newfoundland.


This is the finest airport restaurant in the world

At the FAB Awards ceremony held to honour the finest airport restaurants, Areas‘ gastronomic restaurant, I Love Paris by Guy Martin, situated in Hall L of terminal 2E at Paris-Charles de Gaulle received first prize in the “Airport Chef-Led/Fine Dining of the Year” category. This award is recognition of the restaurant’s top quality cuisine and the unique character of its setting.

Launched in June 2015, I Love Paris by Guy Martin is a unique place embodying the Parisian identity. This veritable declaration of love for the French capital was inspired by another of the Chef’s prestigious restaurant, Le Grand Véfour. Designed by India Mahdavi, I Love Paris by Guy Martin is ideally located and offers a new approach to traditional French cuisine using bio and in-season products.


Travellers split about dress codes when flying

Of the 289 respondents, 31 percent disagreed, implying travellers have a right to dress as they choose, while 37 percent said they did not have an opinion one way or another.

Slightly more men (24 percent) responded that airlines should be able to ask people to change clothes before boarding, compared with women at 21 percent.

Several survey respondents noted that if an airline clearly states in its policies that it has a dress code, it should have every right to enforce the policy.  Others answered “yes” in instances where the questionable attire jeopardized the safety of other passengers or was inappropriate for children.


Montreal is a great place to host a business meeting

palais des congres montreal

For a fifth consecutive year, Montreal ranks first in the Americas for international events, according to the International Meetings Statistics Report for the Year 2015 released by the Union of International Association (UIA). Overall, the city hosted 108 international events in 2015, up 29% from 2014.

Montreal outranked all major U.S. cities by hosting:

  • 42% more international events than New York City (ranked first in the U.S.); and
  • 59% more than Washington DC, the U.S. capital.

Within Canada, the city clearly dominated by hosting over half (52%) the international events held in the country’s three major cities, i.e. Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal.


Toronto Pearson provides free transit passes for Syrian newcomers

To continue the welcome that started at the airport for the 56 flights that landed as part of the Government of Canada’s Syrian Refugee Program, Toronto Pearson International Airport launched the Propeller Project Syrian Newcomer Transit Pass Program.

This program used funds collected from passengers and employees in the in-terminal coin globes from December to March and matched them through Toronto Pearson’s Propeller Project to provide transit passes for the government-sponsored Syrian Refugees who have settled in the GTA, both those who have already arrived and those who will continue arrive through the rest of 2016.

Why transit passes? Easy access to transportation is essential for Syrian newcomers to be able to access important programming and essential tools, as well as build fulfilling, independent lives in Canada.

“A refugee newcomer’s first year is busy with English classes, job search and running children to various activities – all done on a tight budget. The GTAA’s Propeller Project Syrian Newcomer Transit Pass Program will provide welcome financial relief to these newcomers while facilitating their access to important services for their integration,” said Mario Calla, Executive Director, COSTI.


G Adventures expands its train travel offerings

The new Rail tours bring the small-group tour operator’s current offerings to 24 different trips that use trains as the primary mode of transport, visiting 21 countries in Africa, Asia, Europe and North America. The trips, which run between nine and 54 days, range in price from $899 to $5,699 per person.

“The addition of these trips gives train lovers greater flexibility,” says Denise Harper, Director of Sales, Canada, G Adventures. “Travellers can customize their tours through optional combinations and enjoy even more ways to slow down and experience the scenic views and local communities through which they travel.”

New Rail journeys featured in G Adventures’ 2016/2017 Classic brochure and website include:

Since launching the Rail style of travel in late 2014, G Adventures has been engineering rail-based trips as yet another way for travellers to get up close and personal with a place and its people, often at a more leisurely and low-impact pace.

 For more information please visit: https://www.gadventures.com/travel-styles/rail.

 

 

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