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June 2007 |  |
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BEST YEAR EVER AT THE VANCOUVER CONVENTION & EXHIBITION CENTRE |
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Revenues at the Vancouver Convention & Exhibition Centre (VCEC) exceeded $19 million in the fiscal year ending March 21, 2007, a 25% increase over the previous year, making it the most profitable ever for the facility. Of the 348 events hosted, high profile international events such as the World Urban Forum were amongst them, welcoming 10,000 delegates from 150 countries.
Meanwhile, construction is steaming ahead on the expansion being built over the water next to the current facility. Doors are expected to open in spring 2009 in time to function as the main media centre for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. |
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| CURTAIN DRAWN ON TOURISM VANCOUVER'S NEW DESTINATION FILM | |||
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Tourism Vancouver's much anticipated destination film unveiled recently. Developed to show off Vancouver's spectacular natural beauty as well as its diversity, seasonality, arts, sports, attractions, accessibility and fun, the piece will be used by Tourism Vancouver as a promotional tool to drive tourism business to the city.
The four-minute film, which can be viewed in full-screen at www.tourismvancouver.com builds on Tourism Vancouver's reinvigorated brand. The development process identified five descriptor words - unexpected, fresh, wonder, beckoning and edgy - that were isolated as themes that the destination film should embody. The film also echoes Tourism Vancouver's brand essence of "exceeding expectations". The concept of the film was created in concert with Vancouver-based design firm Traction Creative Communications and produced by Barbershop Films. It features an original musical score produced by KOKO highlighting all British Columbian artists. View the film. |
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| NEW COAST HOTEL SET TO BEGIN CONSTRUCTION | |||
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Coast Hotels & Resorts will manage a new 20-storey, 220-room full-service hotel in downtown Vancouver. Scheduled to open in the fall of 2009. The Coast Coal Harbour Hotel located at 1180 West Hastings Street - approximately two blocks south of Vancouver's expanded convention centre and within walking distance of the city's business district and cruise ship terminal, will be a four-star property offering a range of accommodation for business and leisure travelers. www.coasthotels.com |
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| OASIS HONG KONG AIRLINES WILL BEGIN SERVICING VANCOUVER IN JUNE | |||
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Vancouver's newest air service provider is now officially in business. Tickets for flights on Oasis Airlines - the new low cost, long haul carrier operating from Hong Kong to Vancouver - are on sale. Oasis will start operating six flights per week on June 28. Oasis offers all passengers two complimentary hot meals (with both Asian and Western choices), as well as personal seat-back TVs with a choice of up to 18 video entertainment channels, including hit movies, children's programs and 12 audio channels. www.oasishongkong.com |
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| NEW AIRLINE ROUTES TO/FROM VANCOUVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT | |||
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www.yvr.ca |
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| NEW GATES PLANNED FOR INTERNATIONAL TERMINAL EXPANSION AT VANCOUVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (YVR) | |||
| With the world coming to the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in just under three years , the Vancouver Airport Authority has unveiled the new face of YVR, an updated visual identity reflecting Vancouver International Airport's new facilities, unique West Coast style and growing reputation as a global gateway. The first phase of a $420-million expansion to the International Terminal later this month will feature four new gates and an aquarium showcasing indigenous marine life of the Pacific West Coast. The new logo will provide a modern face for BC's premier global gateway. In 2006, Vancouver International Airport served a record 16.9 million passengers. www.yvr.ca | ||
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| AIR CARRIERS CLEARED FOR SAVINGS AT YVR | |||
| The Airport Authority has lowered landing fees for International flights. Vancouver International Airport Authority has reduced landing fees charged to airlines operating international passenger and cargo flights into Vancouver International Airport (YVR). The new rates bring international fees in line with domestic fees, which will remain the same, making YVR's international landing fees the lowest of all major Canadian airports. www.yvr.ca | ||
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| CRUISE INTO VANCOUVER | |||
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Vancouver is the home port for the Alaska cruise itinerary and a popular destination on the cruising scene for pre and post experiences. During the 2007 cruise season, the Port of Vancouver will welcome 33 ships and 273 calls at its two cruise ship terminals, Canada Place and Ballantyne Pier. Vancouver will also see 930,000 cruise passengers. Berlitz, the London based travel publisher, recognized Vancouver as the most passenger-friendly cruise port in North America (2005). And according to a 2006 Vancouver Cruise Passenger Study conducted by the Pacific Rim Cruise Association (PRCA), passengers rated their Vancouver cruise terminal experience 4.5 out of a possible 5.0, giving the highest accolades to smooth and efficient baggage handling, security processing and Canada Customs procedures. www.portvancouver.com |
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| EXPERIENCES FROM 'PEAK TO PEAK' | |||
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Record breaking lift will revolutionize resort experience. Whistler Blackcomb, a mountain resort already renowned for daring innovation, has announced its boldest move yet with the construction of the Peak to Peak Gondola, for completion December 2008. The two mountains will be united by a gondola that will set world records for length and height while providing an unmatched experience for winter and summer resort guests. The Peak to Peak Gondola will travel 4.4 kilometres in just 11 minutes, transporting winter and summer guests from Whistler's Roundhouse Lodge to the Rendezvous Lodge on Blackcomb Mountain, giving them unprecedented access to both mountains' expansive and unique high alpine terrain and spectacular vistas. www.whistlerblackcomb.com |
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| PAN PACIFIC VANCOUVER... ON TOP OF THE WORLD! | |||
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The five-diamond Pan Pacific Hotel Vancouver recently joined Google Earth's top 500 hotels, following a vote by Travel + Leisure readers! For the first time, you can see the top 500 hotels through this interactive mapping and zoom in to a bird's eye view of the Pan Pacific Vancouver! http://www.panpacific.com/en/articles/2807.html |
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| SPORTACCORD | |||
| Mike Fox, Manager, Sports Tourism, recently returned from Beijing after attending the international sports convention Sportaccord. Mike joined John Furlong and a number of Vanoc staff at the event as well as John Mills Assistant Deputy Minister Sport, Recreation and Volunteers, and former Olympian Charmaine Crooks. With well over one thousand attending delegates from the IOC and various International Sport Federations the conference featured a number of guest speakers from the sports world. An in-house trade show provided many networking opportunities for attendees. Delegates were part of the 2008 invited guests who attended the launch of the "Olympic Torch Relay", an event televised throughout China as part of the celebrations. The week's activities were concluded with a tour of the Beijing Olympic Park where construction of the majority of the new sport facilities is well underway. | ||
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| INTERNATIONAL YOUTH SOCCER SEMINAR | |||
| Sport Improvement Training & Services delivered the first annual International Youth Soccer Seminar at Capilano College (May 3-5). The event drew over 100 soccer coaches and enthusiasts from across Canada. Guest presenters at the event included coaches from a number of pro clubs in South America including Boca Juniors of Argentina and Cruzeiro of Brazil. A number of seminar sessions were led by Dr Bob Malina whose research on child development related to sports has been published in over 300 articles. | ||
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| SEE YOU THERE! | |||
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See Jackie Benear, Dori Jensen and Wendy Surkan at the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) & The Center for Association Leadership Invitational Forum on Leadership & Management in Toronto on Thursday, June 7 - Friday, June 8 at the Fairmont Royal York.
June 13: The Washington DC Meetings & Conventions sales team, Jacqueline Benear, Kyle Matheson and Dori Jensen, are partnering with Pan Pacific Hotel, Hyatt Regency, The Westin Bayshore, Fairmont Hotels of Vancouver, Renaissance, Sheraton Wall Centre and the Vancouver Convention & Exhibition Centre to exhibit at Springtime - an annual tradeshow held for meeting and association professionals in Washington DC. Additionally, Tourism Vancouver and partners will be sponsoring a table at the PCMA Education Foundation Dinner where Susan Iris, Vice President, U.S. Canadian Tourism Commission will be honored as Supplier Partner of the Year. For this year's Chicago Annual Sales Mission from June 19-21, Rachael Nocera, Dave Gazley and Tourism Vancouver's partners will attend several events being held during the Association Forum of Chicagoland's Association Week. The first Forum event is the Annual Meeting. The team is registered to attend the one-day educational conference. Along with the conference, the team will host two tables at Forum's Honors Gala. In addition to these events, the team will conduct numerous sales calls, two luncheons and two client events. The partners joining Tourism Vancouver include the Vancouver Convention & Exhibition Centre, Pan Pacific Vancouver, Marriott Pinnacle, Fairmont Hotels of Vancouver, Renaissance Harbourside and the Sheraton Wall Centre. On Monday, June 25, Rachael Nocera will participate in the Meeting Planners International - Chicago Area Chapters's Annual Golf Classic. This event attracts more than 100 people for a day of golf and networking. Additionally, Rachael Nocera will be attending the Greater Midwest Chapter's of PCMA June Quarterly Meeting on June 26th. The event is being held at the Hyatt Regency O'Hare. This event draws over 200 Chicagoland area planners and suppliers for a morning of education and networking. Finally, on June 27th, Rachael will attend the PCMA Master Series session. The title of the session will be "Green Meeting is Good for Your Business". This event will be held at the Chicago Marriott Downtown. |
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