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LET'S TALK ONTARIO


Kimberly Rogers ONTARIO TOURISM


WATER WAYS It’s really no wonder the First Nations people named the province of Ontario


the ‘Land of Shining Waters’. The province is home to over 400,000 sparkling lakes and rivers and has miles of beautiful coastline to match. With so much water everywhere, the only question for your clients is do they want to jump in or dive? Glide along or paddle? Cast off or row?


PADDLE POWER Ontario is home to the world’s longest network of canoe and kayak routes so encourage clients to get out and enjoy the great outdoors. Provincial parks such as Algonquin and Killarney offer options suitable not just for the seasoned professional but also for the absolute beginner. Your clients can arrive empty handed as locally-based outfitters will supply them with all the kit they need, including food, equipment and boat rental. They will find plenty of expert guidance too, to ensure their water adventure is as safe as possible.


WHITE-WATER THRILLS Be sure they experience the spine- tingling rush of white-water rafting on the Ottawa River; adventurers will love the class III and class IV rapids while those seeking a more gentle experience have the option of family floats trips. And then there is the exhilaration of an hour-long ride on a Niagara Whirlpool Jet Boat to the edge of the rumbling whirlpool rapids.


TAKE A DIVE In the Kingston area visitors can scuba dive among century-old shipwrecks or visit Tobermory and explore sea caves in the crystal-clear waters of the Fathom Five National Marine Park. With so many wonderful ways to


enjoy this natural water world this summer, it’s time your clients came on in – tell them the water’s just fine! T: 0207 644 6108; Ontario@aviacircle.com; travelontario.co.uk


08 SUMMER 2014 • SELLING CANADA


Fairmont hotels have a buzz about them


THE Fairmont Waterfront in Vancouver now has an in-house ‘Bee Butler’ who looks after the hotel’s six honey bee hives, located in a ‘garden’ on the third floor. In peak season these house up to 50,000 bees. In a good year the busy bees produce


around 300lbs of honey, although in 2012 they doubled that. The honey is used by chefs working at Fairmont’s four Vancouver properties.


Hotel guests can learn all about the bees on a daily tour that starts at 15.00. Meanwhile, at the Jasper Park lodge in


New ferry is the Maine NOVA STAR way to go to Nova Scotia


A NEW ferry service now links Nova Scotia and Maine, USA. Operated by Nova Star Cruises the state-of-the-art 528-ft-long Nova Star is aimed at both leisure and business travellers. Now, instead of driving the 11 hours


from Boston, those heading to Nova Scotia can drive two hours to Portland and then take the ferry. The daily round-trip crossings started on May 15 and will operate until November 2. They depart Portland at 21.00 and


arrive in Yarmouth at 08.00 the following morning. The return journey leaves Yarmouth at 10.00 and arrives in Portland at 19.00. During the crossing passengers can dine in one of three restaurants, try their luck in a casino, enjoy live entertainment, visit an art gallery or the spa and do some duty-free shopping. There are also comfortable sleeping options and the chance to take a vehicle (for a fee).


Exhibition honours 'Canada’s Titanic' THE Canadian Museum of History, in


Gatineau, Québec, has opened a major exhibition dedicated to the greatest maritime disaster in Canada’s history – the sinking of the Empress of Ireland, a disaster referred to as 'Canada’s Titanic'. Considered one of the finest ships in the Canadian Pacific Railway fleet, the Empress of Ireland carried tens of thousands of passengers between


Canada and Britain in the early years of the 20th century. But early on the morning of May 29 1914, on the fog- bound St. Lawrence River, the


Empress was hit broadside by a coal ship, the Storstad. The ocean liner went down in less than 15 minutes and more than 1000 people lost their lives.


The exhibition, which runs until April 6 2015, includes artefacts from the liner, historical documents and witness


accounts of loss despair and bravery. Items on display include the salvaged


fog bell, several portholes and equipment used in the wheelhouse that fateful morning. historymuseum.ca


and rescue,


Alberta honey from the property’s hives is harvested and sent to a brewery company in Calgary which then produces the lodge’s distinctive and popular signature Honey Ale. fairmont.com


Lighten up at Calgary Zoo CALGARY Zoo has launched a new


autumn lantern and garden festival designed to add colour and fun by day and light up the autumn nights.


The event will see numerous large- scale animal, garden and Chinese-


themed lanterns placed throughout the zoo’s extensive gardens and marsh area. The lanterns will be made of Chinese porcelain, glass medicine bottles or rayon and illuminated by LED lights. Roz Freeman, Special Events Advisor for the zoo, said: “The lantern festival will not only be a tribute to the culturally-diverse Calgary community but will also be a wonderful way to showcase our beautiful gardens and talented horticulture team. We are sure it will become an important cultural event – especially as we prepare for the arrival of giant pandas in 2018 for their five-year stay.” Festival dates are to be confirmed but will be mid-September to late October. calgaryzoo.com


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