This Snow-Weary Toronto Sun-Worshiper Thanks You!
News To Set Your Winter Travel Plans in Motion
Eastern Canadians have never had it so good! WestJet recently launched their new non-stop service between Toronto, Canada and Freeport, Grand Bahama Island. The inaugural flight departed Toronto's Pearson International Airport at 10:30 a.m. and arrived approximately at 1:40pm in Freeport.
The Ministry of Tourism hosted a welcome reception at the arrival terminal complete with Junkanoo performers, and a regal spread of island specialties. After seven years in travel writing, this marks the first time I have de-boarded a plane to the sight of a gleaming red carpet on the tarmac. Quite a memorable sight! Now I can imagine how Michelle Obama feels when she steps off Air Force One to a warm reception - complete with lively music and cocktails!
Leading the reception line was Minister of Tourism and Aviation the Hon Vincent Vanderpool-Wallace, Minister of Works and Transport the Hon Neko Grant, Minister of State for Finance and Public Service the Hon Zhivargo Laing; Chairman of the Grand Bahama Port Authority; Hannes Babak, and President of the Grand Bahama Chamber of Commerce, Greg Moss.
"Freeport is one of the most popular destinations in the Bahamas, second only to WestJet's other Bahamian destination, Nassau," saidHugh Dunleavy, WestJet Executive Vice-President of Strategy and Planning. "Just a little bit less populated than its neighbour, Freeport has quiet beaches just waiting for WestJet guests to claim for themselves. Sounds like the perfect way to escape a Canadian winter!"
Vincent Vanderpool-Wallace affirmed his confidence in what Grand Bahama can offer Canadian travelers, I continue to believe that of all the destinations in this part of the world, the one with the greatest potential by far is Grand Bahama Island," he said. "And I believe that we are on the way to begin to prove that." WestJet will fly between Toronto and Freeport twice per week from now until April 30, 2010.
Gregg Saretsky, Vice President of WestJet Vacations, has said, "WestJet's 737-700 will make two weekly flights from Toronto to Freeport, offering the market 14,000 seats this season." By his company's forecast, WestJet expects to bring 12,000 visitors to Grand Bahama this winter season. I am confident that with the product and our new direct air service, our twice weekly should be four times weekly by this time next year, and that is the goal, he continued. He also had high praise for the Club Grand Bahama concept calling it a world class promotion.
During his remarks at the press conference, Vanderpool-Wallace recalled that some 36 years ago, Grand Bahama
was the number one destination in this part of the world for Canadian
visitors. The
primary reason for that, he observed, was because Grand Bahama was the
closest destination to the eastern seaboard of Canada. Grand Bahama's
proximity to the biggest market in the world "has to be reflected in
the price to get to this destination," he said.
We cannot sit
here and find every single day as we used to find for a long period of
time, that it is more expensive to come to Grand Bahama than any places
of our competing destinations. "We have to begin to end that and today is the beginning of making that over because we cannot continue in that vein, he said. The
Ministry of Tourism has been working with their partners
in Grand Bahama to restore "the proximity advantage", and it is already
beginning to prove effective, said the Minister.
This
is the first of a large number of announcements that we can make when
people begin to see that coming to Grand Bahama is a great value for
the customer and the airline. That is the potent combination
that makes a significant difference in terms of our capacity to be able
to promote Grand Bahama. We
are now beginning to get products together that are extraordinarily
competitive and I think this is the opportunity we have been looking
for Grand Bahama for a very long time, said Vanderpool-Wallace.
Schedule Details of WestJet's New Service
From
November 2, 2009 to April 30, 2010:
Toronto - Freeport (twice weekly until April 30, 2010)
Departing Toronto at 10:30am and Arriving at 1:38pm
Departing Freeport at 2:45pm and Arriving in Toronto at 5:45p
One-way fares, available in both directions on non-stop flights only, are available from $99, plus applicable taxes and fees. Fares are available by calling WestJet's Sales Super Centre at 1-888-WESTJET(937-8538), your preferred travel agent or by visiting www.westjet.com.
WestJet Vacations offers customized vacation packages for most of WestJet's scheduled destinations, including packages to Freeport starting at $869, plus applicable fees and taxes, for a seven-night stay.
WestJet flies non-stop from Toronto to some of the most beautiful sun destinations anywhere, including Cancun, Barbados, St. Lucia, Montego Bay, Nassau, Punta Cana, Puerto Plata, La Romana, Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, Fort Myers and Tampa. As part of its 2009-2010 winter schedule, WestJet is also adding non-stop service from Toronto to Cozumel, Miami, St. Maarten, Cayo Coco, Holguin, Varadero, and Turks and Caicos. One-way fares for Florida destinations start at $89, for Mexico at $129 and for the Caribbean at $145, plus applicable fees and taxes.
By Si Si Penaloza, Editorial Director, WOMAN.ca
 Si Si Penaloza | |
| About the author: | |
Si Si has cultivated strong
ties with editors, producers and publishers at all major Canadian media
outlets. She is a seasoned print, radio and broadcast specialist. Graduating Magna Cum Laude from Bowdoin College in Maine,
Si Si moved to Manhattan to study Film at New York University. Her strengths
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