Azores

Airlines offers easy airlift out of Canada

Azores Airlines is making it easy for Canadians to experience the magic of the Azores with frequent airlift out of Toronto and Montreal.

From Toronto, the airline offers year-round nonstop flights to Ponta Delgada as well as summer seasonal flights to Terceira. From Montreal, summer flights operate to Ponta Delgada and Terceira. Passengers can connect to cities such as Porto and

Lisbon, or stopover for up to seven nights in the Azores in either direction for free.

New this year, as of June 2, Azores Airlines connects Toronto to Funchal weekly. New direct flights depart Toronto on Fridays at 20:45, arriving in Funchal at 11:20+1. Return flights leave Funchal on Saturdays at 12:25 and arrive in Toronto at 19:30. This same aircraft service, with a stop in Ponta Delgada, offers seamless travel to the islands of Madeira.

Travel agents can register at www. sata4agents.com to receive the latest news. For more information go to https://sataspecialist.com/login.

Called ‘Fill your Heart with Ireland,’ the campaign celebrates the many ways in which Ireland captivates the hearts of visitors and locals alike by showcasing the country’s rich heritage, breathtaking landscapes, vibrant culture and the unique personalities of its people.

Leading the charge are beloved actors Sharon Horgan from the critically acclaimed series ‘Bad Sisters,’ and Saoirse-Monica Jackson and Jamie-Lee O’Donnell from the award-winning Netflix sensation ‘Derry Girls.’ Their engaging anecdotes bring to life the beauty and charm of Ireland, known as the land of ‘Cead Mile Failte,’ or one hundred thousand welcomes.

Looking ahead to the remainder of 2023, Ireland promises a treasure trove of experiences, from spirited Halloween celebrations like Puca in County Meath and the legendary Derry-Halloween Festival in Northern Ireland, to the Galway Oyster Festival and the Fleadh Cheoil in August.

Canadians can get to Ireland with daily direct year-round flights from Toronto to Dublin, as well as seasonal direct routes from Vancouver, Montreal and Calgary.

Recognizing the importance of Canadian travel advisors in showcasing and selling Ireland to their clients, Tourism Ireland remains committed to providing ongoing education and support to the travel trade. A host of opportunities including webinars, training sessions, fams and in-person events are available. In addition, travel advisors have access to comprehensive toolkits of promotional materials, including social media posts, images, videos, e-cards, gifs and more, and can also sign up for the Ireland Specialist Program, Irelands ContentPool.com – a content library offering over 45,000 free-to-use videos and images – and the exclusive Ireland Insiders Facebook Group, a community dedicated to Canadian travel agents.

For more information go to www. ireland.com.

Flanders’ top culinary ambassadors unite to promote the destination

A new alliance of top culinary ambassadors is set to position Flanders, Belgium as a major foodie destination.

A total of 21 head chefs, chocolatiers, brewers, hosts and food manufacturers from Flanders have been tasked to promote the city as a culinary destination at home and beyond with a new initiative called

‘Ambassadors of GOESTING.’

Initiated by VISITFLANDERS, the campaign aims to promote the rich culinary heritage of Flanders through untold stories about its robust Flemish food culture.

“Flemings are real epicureans, good food and drinks are deeply rooted in their DNA. They come to our restaurants in large numbers and with great enthusiasm, which allows me to fully and continuously develop my profession. The fact that I can be part of a collective of passionate culinary professionals is fantastic. I am proud to be able to further develop and propagate the culinary wealth of Flanders together with them,” says Wim Ballieu.

WHAT DOES GOESTING MEAN?

In Flanders, everyone knows what GOESTING means, but what gives people GOESTING is different for everyone. The term is commonly used in Flanders and roughly translates to a craving for food in the context of seduction, teasing and appetite. There is no defined translation in English for it. In simple terms, it is open to everyone’s individual interpretation and discovery.

The Goesting Manifesto

The alliance comprises a group of professionals who are responsible for: elevating the profile of local dishes and products; promoting Flanders as a food destination; informing the public about how food impacts society, nature and health; working in a way that uses food for the greater good; anticipating what Flanders’ culinary future has to offer; extending Flanders’ (inter)national network in food; operating under the umbrella of Flanders; co-existing as a collective, not a business; and uniting in the belief that “a rising tide lifts all boats.”

For more information go to www. visitflanders.com/GOESTING.

Sunwing offering ‘feelgood’ deals and giveaways this summer

Sunwing is gearing up for a jam-packed summer season of deals, giveaways and social media content that taps into feel-good vacation experiences.

To help bring the feel-good spirit of summer to life, Sunwing is collaborating with content creators Clive Felice of Dads with Attitude, and Anthony “Antho” Tran, a Montreal-based content creator, podcaster and first-time all-inclusive getaway-goer, on a series of humourous videos and social media content through street-style interviews and first-hand experiences in destination.

Canadians are encouraged to keep an eye out for every bit of fun, feelgood content from Clive and Antho on their Instagram and TikTok channels that will continue throughout the summer months.

“We’ve got an exciting summer planned and we’re thrilled to kick off the season with Clive Felice and Antho Tran to help deliver the feelgood experiences our customers are craving,” said Samantha Taylor, Chief Marketing Officer for Sunwing Travel Group. “Recent research has shown that travel is a leading source of Canadians’ most impactful moments, and between great deals on the resorts they love and amazing giveaways they won’t want to miss, we’re committed to helping to ensure our customers can make unforgettable memories in the tropics this summer.”

The tour operator’s summer initiative is supported by recent Sunwing survey research that highlights the growing importance Canadians place