Archive for June, 2010

ESCAPE TO INDONESIA WITH GOWAY

South East Asia has many amazing exotic destinations and the place that remains popular among travellers is Indonesia. Bali and Java are great for Honeymooners, and also offer amazing culture, history and cuisine.

In Bali, travellers can enjoy the beaches and embark on tours to monkey forests and serene temples. You can witness enchanting Balinese dance performances, view spectacular terraced rice fields, visit artsy Ubud or enjoy nightlife in Kuta. The most populated area of Indonesia is the island of Java and the capital city Jakarta. The island is filled with volcanoes, temples and kratons (palaces). Some must see sites are the Gunung Bromo volcano and the Buddhist temple Borobudur, which is an architectural wonder.

“Indonesia is high on the wish list of travellers and is a beautiful, safe and friendly destination which Goway now has on sale”, says Doug Vogl, Product and Marketing Manager, Asia. “Bali is a great destination with a wide choice of beaches and tours to choose from and Java is a trekking paradise.”

Goway offers Bali Beach Escapes for 8 or 13 Days from $1459 CAD, which includes round-trip air from Vancouver on Cathay Pacific, 7 nights at the Patra Bali Resort & Villas, transfers, meet & greet, daily breakfast, 3 tours with an English speaking guide. It even includes a special offer of a free welcome bottle of wine and free 90 minute massage or Balinese dinner show.

You can also experience Goway’s Java in Depth 7 Day tour from $899 CAD. Includes: 6 nights in choice of moderate, first class or deluxe hotels, transfers, tours in Jakarta, Bandung, Baturaden and Yogyakarta with English speaking guide.

Goway offers several flexible modules that can be combined to create a custom vacation to include different destinations around Bali such as a tour to visit the Komodo Dragons.

The Heat Is On In Antarctica And The Arctic!

The Arctic and Antarctic are both unique destinations that most travellers would not usually think to visit for a summer vacation; however there is much beauty to discover and expeditions to these wilderness regions will exceed all expectations, reports Goway Travel.

Goway is currently offering special savings to the Antarctic and Arctic regions, which include 50% off select Arctic cruises. On the other hand, if a summer time voyage to an icy location is not appealing, Goway also offers up to 25% off select cruise expeditions to Antarctica for the entire season of 2010 / 2011.

“Antarctic cruise expeditions have proven to be one of our most popular choices. As one of the last great frontiers to be explored by even the most seasoned traveller, Antarctica offers a truly unforgettable experience” states Don Forster, Product and Marketing Manager for Latin America.

“With a new selection of departures for the 2010 / 2011 season geared to those on tighter budgets, Antarctica is now accessible for everyone. This is a trip filled with nonstop highlights including close-up encounters, massive icebergs, glaciers, roaming polar bears, lounging seals, grazing reindeer and colonies of birds. All of this co-exists in a harsh but beautiful landscape that is only open to explore a couple of months of the year.” continues Forster.

Goway also offers Arctic sailings in other destinations such as Spitsbergen, Greenland, and Iceland. The new Latin America travel planner prominently features some of our Polar expeditions but for the full range of trips to the Antarctica and Arctic please visit www.goway.com

To order your copy of the LATIN AMERICA Travel Planner please call 1-888-469-2955, email info@goway.com or visit Goway.com/brochure

Goway is Cruising with Pandaw River Cruises in Asia

As river cruising becomes increasingly popular, Goway continues to meet demand by offering luxury Pandaw River Cruises to three great rivers in Asia: the Mekong through Vietnam and Cambodia, the Irrawaddy in Burma and the Rajang in Borneo.

“As travellers are discovering the art of river cruising, we provide a unique product at excellent prices, giving passengers the very best value on three awesome rivers in Asia”, says Doug Vogl, Product and Marketing Manager, Asia. “The cruises are affordable and start at just $1059 CAD per person with confirmed sailings through to 2011” Pandaw’s small ships carry only 60 passengers and can penetrate remote and otherwise inaccessible areas. Whilst offering a real adventure experience, travellers are cushioned with incredible comfort, fine dining, great cocktails and choice wines, not to mention extraordinary levels of service. All cruises include locally made alcoholic beverages as well.

Their boutique ships are designed and decorated as replicas of colonial river steamers, and offer spacious accommodations.

Travellers enjoying the 4 day Into The Heart of Cambodia river cruise can add additional nights in Siem Reap to explore Angkor Wat for 3 days starting at $379 CAD.

For more information on Pandaw Cruises and Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia and Myanmar programs, contact Goway Travel at 1-888-469-2988, email res@goway.com or visit Goway.com/Asia

North American Visitors Flock to Jordan

Goway Travel, one of North America’s leading wholesalers, has reported an astounding increase in bookings for travel to the Kingdom of Jordan in the first quarter of 2010. In response to growing interest, Goway has more than doubled their product range to the region.

“Jordan truly offers an incredible vacation experience” commented Marketing Manager Emma Cottis, “In a relatively small country the contrasts are spectacular. In a 7 to 10 day vacation, visitors can experience the bustling cities of Amman and Aqaba, the expansive red desert, the pink carved facades of Petra, the natural therapeutic waters of the Dead Sea, Bedouin Culture and sites of Biblical importance, plus much more!”

Petra, which has long since been the Kingdom’s jewel in the crown, saw an almost 50% increase in visitors in the first quarter of 2010, as reported by the Jordan Tourism Board (JTB). However, the biggest growth in visitors to date is Mount Nebo with an 88% increase, followed by Madaba’s map with a 72% increase.

“It is great to see that visitors are exploring beyond Petra and including destinations such as Jerash, the Desert Castle Loop and the Baptism site at Bethany” continued Cottis.

Goway offers a range of options for travellers bound for Jordan, including their Middle East Treasures 21-day escorted tour which combines Jordan with Egypt and Israel. This escorted experience is one of Goway’s signature “Holidays of a Lifetime” which are led by the best Tour Directors in the business and include virtually everything, as well as unique experiences such as staying at a Luxury Bedouin-style camp at Wadi Rum. The experience is priced at $8999CAD ex Toronto and includes all airfares, accommodation, touring and entrance fees.

For those with less time, Goway’s 7-day Serenity Seeker program incorporates all of the highlights, staying in a choice of first class or deluxe hotels, travelling with an English speaking driver/guide in a private car. Prices start from CA$1188.

For more travel options, visit Goway’s website, or consult their extensive 68-page tour planner for Africa and the Middle East, or call 800-245-0920.

World Cup Fever Grips GOWAY AFRICAExperts

Friday June 11 marked the historic occasion of the kick-off of the first FIFA World Cup held in Africa. The opening game between South Africa and Mexico was watched around the world by billions of people, and Goway’s AFRICAExperts included. Until the month long tournament is over, “Football Friday” will be the order of the day in the Africa department with the team proudly wearing their Bafana Bafana (South Africa) shirts.

“This incredible event is really showcasing South Africa as the world class destination that it is” said Moira Smith, General Manager of Goway’s AFRICAExperts. “South Africa has spent millions of Rand on infrastructure which translates to improved roads, hotels, airports and venues. There really has never been a better time to visit.”

For travel options to South Africa, visit Goway’s website or consult their extensive 68-page tour planner for Africa and the Middle East, or call 800-245-0920.

Fly to New Zealand and Australia for One Senseless Price

Goway Travel has today announced an incredible limited time offer for travel “DOWNUNDER” worth over $200.

For a limited time, Goway will include two free nights accommodation in Auckland, New Zealand, when combined with an Air New Zealand airfare booked 14-18June 2010 for travel 01August-21September. Airfares from Los Angeles to Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane start from just US$728 (including fuel surcharge, excludes taxes of US$170) and include 2 nights accommodation at the centrally located Copthorne Hotel in Auckland.

For those with more time to explore New Zealand before continuing to Australia, Goway offers a number of great travel ideas including:

North Island 9-day self-drive from CA$759 exploring the beaches of the Coromandel coast, the thermal activity of the Rotorua region and the wineries of the Napier region. Includes accommodation, car rental, and Goway’s exclusive self-drive kit.

For those who want to sit back and let someone else do the driving, Goway’s extensive range of escorted vacations includes a 16-Day New Zealand Adventure priced from CA$3325 that includes accommodation, daily breakfast, cultural touring experiences. This escorted tour explores the best of the North and South Islands and is the ultimate New Zealand journey!

For more information on Goway’s offers and product range, visit Goway.com or request a copy of the 132-page DOWNUNDER travel planner at Goway.com/brochure or call 1-888-469-2944

*Airfare prices listed include fuel surcharge. Excludes Government fees and taxes of up to $170 USD, depending on routing, which includes the Passenger Facility Charge of $4.50 and the September 11th Security Fee of $2.50 USD per person per enplanement in the USA to a maximum of $10.00 USD. Taxes are subject to currency exchange fluctuation, routing and may vary from the estimated taxes shown. All rules and terms and conditions of fare type purchased will apply. Additional baggage charge may apply. Other restrictions and conditions apply.

Goway’s China Odyssey Program Shines

Goway Travel’s China Odyssey escorted tour program is still available for departures in Fall 2010. This popular escorted program to China continues to draw record passengers while keeping the groups to a maximum of only 20 per departure.

“China Odyssey is one of our best-sellers to Asia – bar none. It combines all major cities – Beijing, Xi’an, Guilin, Chongqing, Shanghai and Suzhou – as well as a Yangtze River cruise, plus many unique components”, commented Doug Vogl, Goway’s Asia Product and Marketing Manager. “The testimonials we receive from returning travellers is proof that these itineraries are perfect – especially for the first time visitor to China.”

Goway’s 11 or 14-day China Odyssey is priced from $2299CAD for the 11-day tour and from $2799CAD for the 14-day tour – and offers first class and deluxe centrally located hotels. A unique feature of the tour is that a National Guide remains with the group through their entire China journey, rather than employing local guides in each location. The 14-day journey includes the more popular downstream cruise on the Yangtze River and uses one of the best four-star ships available in the region.

Many passengers choose to end the trip with an additional day in Shanghai to enjoy the 2010 World Expo followed by a 3 night stopover in The City Of Lights – Hong Kong. For more information on this and other ASIA Travel Planner ideas, call 1-888-469-2988, visit Goway.com/asia or e-mail res@goway.com.

Goway Polls Globetrotters

Goway Travel, one of North America’s leading travel companies, has embraced social media as a way to communicate offers and information, and to ensure that the information is relevant to the audience.

Using polls on Facebook, Goway is able to find out what destinations or travel experiences Globetrotters are most interested in. A recent poll conducted established what travellers seek most in a vacation. With 40% of the votes, fans were most interested in discovering and experiencing new cultures; 36% want to visit places that are exotic and less travelled to; 15% want to relax on a beach and leave all their stresses behind, and 8% love new thrilling adventures and not knowing what is in store.

In terms of destinations, the votes were pretty even, but Asia placed first with 19% of the votes, while Australia and New Zealand were tied close second with 18% of the votes. South Pacific Islands received 15% of the votes, Africa 13%, Europe 10% and Latin America 6%.

With Asia being one of the most popular destinations, Goway Travel offers great value vacations to Bali; including 7 or 12 nights at The Patra Bali Resorts & Villas, priced from $329.00CAD per person twin share which includes accommodation, daily breakfast, tours, and more.

The highlights of Cambodia Showcase offers 5 days from $799CAD, and includes 4 nights accommodation, daily breakfast and 3 dinners, full tours by English speaking guides, internal air, all airport transfers

Goway Travel is always conducting surveys similar to these to build vacations that will suit their Globetrotters. Whether it is to look for the most exotic places, find out about interesting cultural festivals, the best places to eat or just to relax in paradise. Goway Travel can tailor travel itineraries to Asia, Australia, New Zealand, South Pacific Islands, Africa, Latin America and beyond. Goway’s got it all.

Join Goway Travel’s facebook fan page! Visit our Fan Page for more information, or follow travel tips on twitter @GowayTravel

Discover India with Goway

India is the epic centre of extreme diversity and culture, with its radiant and colourful festivals, serene temples, snow-capped mountains, stunning beaches, amazing monuments and delectable cuisine. This country offers visitors an unforgettable experience at an affordable price. India will leave travellers with a remarkable and lasting impression; no two visitors will have the same experience.

Goway’s Asia Experts offer plenty of unique travel ideas to India. The Golden Triangle is great for first timers to India. This 6 day trip includes accommodations in a choice of moderate, first class or deluxe hotels, daily breakfast plus one dinner, transfers and sightseeing by air-conditioned vehicle and an English speaking guide. Visitors travel from Delhi to Agra; visiting the Taj Mahal and Fatehpur Sikri, Jaipur; visiting the Amber Fort by elephant all starting at CA $649.

One of Goway’s popular India travel ideas’ is Classic India from CA$1699. This 13 day independent trip starts in New Delhi and ends in Mumbai and includes the charming cities of Varanasi, Khajuraho, Agra, Jaipur and Udaipur.

Another great option for travellers who want something less hectic and a chance to relax on the beach is Goway’s Goa Beach Escapes from CA$329. This is a 6 day trip where you can discover the former Portuguese colony and get a taste of European flavour. This includes air conditioned accommodations for five nights, all meals, a half day city tour and transfers. Goway also features the beaches of Kovalum and Mahabalipuram. “India continues to be a “must-see” country for many travellers wanting best value vacations”, says Doug Vogl, Product & Marketing Manager, Asia. “Our India product offers an additional 30 modules and packages for the most discerning travellers.”

The best time to visit India is from mid October to the end of February when it rains the least and the temperature is cooler.Travellers can also take advantage of pre or post stopovers in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Kathmandu, Hong Kong and Singapore.